Standards to be forced on supply chain systems?

e.centre, the supply chain standards organisation, says it’s challenging supply chain system providers to prove that their technologies are interoperable. The centre has just launched the Solution Provider Accreditation Scheme, which it says will sort the wheat from the chaff. e.centre says the scheme lays down the gauntlet to IT companies and system builders to prove their knowledge of EAN.UCC supply chain standards, and will give users confidence that their communications and business processes will be interoperable. It also says the scheme “will take us closer to the holy grail of one global language of business. “Organisations from manufacturers to retailers need to feel confident that their solution provider fully understands and consistently implements solutions that are compliant with the EAN.UCC global supply chain standards, from bar codes to electronic communications. Gary Lynch, e.centre’s chief operating officer, says that without global standards, organisations will struggle to communicate effectively with their trading partners, and that business processes such as ordering and invoicing are unnecessarily complicated, leading to errors and inefficiency within the supply chain. He believes the scheme will encourage a collaborative approach to interoperability. “Solution providers must understand open-trade standards in order to give their customers the right advice and deploy solutions that will work in harmony with their existing business processes and those of their trading partners,” he says. System developers Alpha Dot, Perwill and Briarsoft have already signed up and say they are ready to go through the accreditation. “e.centre is delighted by the interest and commitment to the scheme received already. It is another step towards reaching the vision of one global language of business,” says Lynch. Bar code organisations will be the first able to receive accreditation, with additional business categories, such as electronic messaging and RFID, being phased in later. Simon King, managing director of Alpha Dot, says: “We recognise that our customers want us to understand the important role that standards play in supply chain solutions both theoretically and practically. If we can’t say with conviction exactly what we are selling, then we risk losing credibility. We are committed to giving our customers excellent value, and we feel this scheme will be the icing on the cake for us.” Solution providers can be located using a searchable tool on www.e-centre.org.uk. The Solution Provider Finder provides a directory of all e.centre’s members. Accredited system providers will be highlighted and featured at the top of the search results.