Smart Data Technology Innovations Report public ·...

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!An#Exploration#of#Technology#Innovations#for#Sustainability#Standards#Systems!

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By!Wiebke!Herding,!ON:SUBJECT,!and!!Sönke!Fischer,!Accreditation!Services!International!

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ISEAL!Alliance!www.isealalliance.org!October!2015!

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Public!version!

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Smart!Data!

Table#of#Contents#

1.! Executive#summary#.....................................................................................................#3!2.! About#this#report#........................................................................................................#4!3.! Introduction#to#technology#innovation#........................................................................#5!4.! ISEAL#member#survey:#Technology#challenges#in#standards#systems#...........................#6!5.! Focus#group#conversations:#Perspectives#on#technology#innovations#..........................#7!5.1! Managing!technology!innovation!.................................................................................................!8!5.2! Gathering!data!...........................................................................................................................!12!5.3! Integrating!data!..........................................................................................................................!16!5.4! Analysing!data!............................................................................................................................!21!5.5! Sharing!data!...............................................................................................................................!24!6.! A#roadmap#for#standards#systems:#Building#a#technology#ecosystem#........................#28!6.1! An!emerging!vision!.....................................................................................................................!28!6.2! Smart!data!for!your!standards!system!.......................................................................................!30!6.3! Technology!selection!process!....................................................................................................!31!6.4! Collective!action!on!technology!.................................................................................................!33!7.! Annexes#....................................................................................................................#35!7.1! Glossary!......................................................................................................................................!35!7.2! Methodology!..............................................................................................................................!38!7.3! Resources!and!References!.........................................................................................................!40!7.4! Article!in!“ISEAL!Community”!Newsletter,!September!2015!.....................................................!42!!

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Material!in!this!publication!is!free!to!use!with!proper!attribution.!Recommended!citation!format:!Herding,!W.!&!Fischer,!S.!(2015).!Smart&Data&–&An&Exploration&into&Technology&Innovations&for&Sustainability&Standards.!Report!for!the!ISEAL!Alliance,!London.!!

The!authors!can!be!contacted!as!follows:!

Wiebke!Herding!Managing!Director,!!ON:[email protected]!!

Sönke!Fischer#Operations!Director,!!Accreditation!Services!International#s.fischer@accreditation`services.com#

1"Executive"summary"

ISEAL"Smart"Data"Report" " 3""

1. Executive+summary+

Increasing+impact+with+technology+innovation+

Today’s"sustainability"standards"systems"are"challenged"to"keep"up"with"a"rapidly"evolving"

technological"landscape."While"the"corporate"world"has"learned"to"integrate"data"flows"across"global"

supply"chains,"most"standards"systems"are"lagging"behind.""

This"report"explores"the"relevance"of"current"trends"in"technology"to"sustainability"standards"–"from"

mobile"data"collection"and"the"internet"of"things,"to"open"data"and"blockchains"–"and"proposes"a"

roadmap"for"development."A"survey"of"ISEAL"members"and"focus"group"conversations"with"external"

technology"experts"informed"the"recommendations"of"this"report.""

Diverse+starting+points+

ISEAL"members"utilise"an"array"of"technological"solutions,"varying"in"sophistication"and"flexibility."

Some"start"off"with"a"combination"of"spreadsheets"and"elbow"grease,"others"struggle"with"unwieldy"

legacy"databases."Some"invest"in"a"customised"database"and"accompanying"workflows,"others"focus"

on"linking"data"from"multiple"systems."Despite"their"differences,"these"organisations"share"a"

common"need"for"technology"that"is"simpler"and"more"effective.""

A+data<driven+approach+to+technology+

A"better"understanding"of"the"data"management"process"–"gathering,"integration,"analysis"and"

sharing"–"has"emerged"as"a"central"precondition"of"technology"innovation."Instead"of"following"

buzzwords"and"fads,"standards"systems"need"to"map"data"flow"throughout"their"system"and"provide"

technology"that"can"increase"transparency,"reduce"duplicate"data"entry,"and"improve"overall"data"

quality"and"consistency."+

Integration+is+crucial+

No"single"technology"can"cover"all"of"the"data"management"needs"of"a"standards"system."Instead,"a"

focus"on"data"exchange"formats"and"interfaces"enables"integration"both"within"and"between"

organisations."The"resulting"ecosystem"of"IT"platforms"can"evolve"to"adapt"to"changing"user"needs"

and"technology"preferences.""

One+step+at+a+time"

An"agile"and"iterative"approach"to"IT"system"development"allows"for"quicker"impacts"and"more"

targeted"alignment"with"user"needs."Standards"systems"using"a"stepKbyKstep"improvement"process"

benefit"from"increased"effectiveness"and"overall"satisfaction,"and"can"reduce"the"risk"associated"with"

technology"investments.""

Collective+action+required+

ISEAL"members"must"take"action"to"ensure"that"standards"systems"remain"relevant"in"today’s"

dialogue"on"how"our"society"defines"and"assesses"sustainability."Their"leadership"is"vital"to"the"

development"of"functional"data"standards"for"the"sustainability"standards"world."Together,"ISEAL"

members"can"model"an"open,"collaborative"data"ecosystem"that"delivers"the"impacts"we"seek"with"

our"work.""

2"About"this"report"


2. About+this+report+This"project"was"commissioned"by"ISEAL"in"mid"2015"to"provide"its"members"with"a"solid"

understanding"of"recent"innovations"and"trends"in"technologyKbased"solutions"that"can"increase"the"

effectiveness"of"sustainability"standards."

As"an"initial"step"to"inform"a"potentially"longer"process,"the"project"was"designed"to"explore"the"

breadth"of"the"current"technological"landscape."A"dialogueKbased"approach"was"employed"to"

uncover"ideas"and"map"out"technology"buzzwords"and"trends."We"explored"new"approaches"that"

can"help"standards"systems"operate"at"scale,"adapt"and"integrate"new"technologies,"and"create"new"

value,"especially"in"relation"to"the"assurance"process,"chain"of"custody,"and"monitoring"and"

evaluation."Input"was"gathered"through"questionnaires"with"ISEAL"members"and"focus"group"

conversations"with"external"technology"experts.""

This"report"presents"ISEAL"members’"challenges"and"experiences"with"current"technologies,"and"the"

perspectives"of"four"panels"of"experts,"followed"by"approachable"guidance"and"recommendations."

The"results"and"recommendations"were"developed"to"help"sustainability"standards"navigate"through"

the"confusing"world"of"technology"innovation."We"encourage"you"to"bring"your"own"challenges,"

ideas"and"priorities"with"you"as"you"engage"with"this"material"to"improve"data"management"

strategies"in"your"standards"system.""

This"report"focuses"on"the"core"concepts"behind"today’s"technology"innovations,"to"help"standards"

systems"build"competence"to"evaluate"different"IT"platforms."In"general,"many"solutions"for"a"given"

technology"exist;"there"is"no"need"to"reinvent"the"wheel."Examples"do"not"provide"the"best"or"only"

possible"solution,"but"are"used"to"illustrate"a"concept"or"provide"an"entry"point"for"the"technology"

selection"process.""

It"was"our"aim"to"use"simple"language"to"make"sure"that"important"concepts"can"be"understood,"

while"at"the"same"time"honouring"the"complexity"of"the"topic"and"providing"guidance"for"the"

creation"of"your"specific"data"management"system."Underlined"words"can"be"found"in"the"glossary"at"

the"back.""

Some"of"you"may"still"find"this"report"too"technical:"this"may"be"a"sign"to"reach"out"for"help"or"build"

technical"skills."If"you"find"this"report"too"simplistic:"please"help"others"to"catch"up."As"a"movement,"

we"have"a"lot"to"learn.""

3"Introduction"to"technology"innovation"


3. Introduction+to+technology+innovation+Though"conceived"at"roughly"the"same"time,"the"core"approaches"behind"sustainability"standards"

systems"were"developed"without"the"internet"in"mind."Since"then,"internetKenabled"technology"has"

dramatically"changed"the"way"we"work:"mobile"devices"have"become"common"in"even"the"poorest"

parts"of"the"world."Satellite"imagery"provides"powerful"realKtime"information"about"land"use"

worldwide."Massive"connected"databases"seem"to"know"what"we"want"before"we"even"want"it."We"

now"know"more"about"the"planet"than"we"ever"asked"for."We"no"longer"just"rely"on"expert"opinions,"

but"trust"anonymous"online"reviews"or"the"passing"remarks"of"a"friend"on"Twitter.""

The$number$of$networked$devices$overtook$the$global$population$of$humans$

in$2011.$Analysts$estimate$that$fifty$billion$sensors$will$be$connected$to$the$

internet$by$2025,$and$each$one$can$produce$large$amounts$of$data.$–$Thomas$

Davenport:$Big$Data$at$Work$(2014)$

Buzzwords"abound."It’s"becoming"ever"more"challenging"for"organisations"to"keep"up"–"and"to"make"

sense"of"it"all."Amongst"claims"that"“the"data"revolution"is"changing"the"landscape"of"business”,1"

some"will"tell"you"that"“big"data"is"bullshit”.2"There"is"the"infamous"“Internet"of"Things3”"and"

discussions"of"whether"artificial"intelligence"might"become"so"powerful"that"it"can"no"longer"be"

controlled.4""

The"rapidly"evolving"technological"environment"offers"great"opportunity"for"sustainability"standard"

systems"to"evolve"into"leaders,"demonstrating"heightened"transparency"and"impact"in"their"sector."""

Most"of"the"sustainability"standards"as"we"know"them"have"developed"over"the"past"two"decades;"

their"requirements"were"refined"through"continuous"stakeholder"engagement."However,"the"

underlying"certification"process"nowadays"remains"remarkably"similar"to"20"years"ago:"an"expert"

auditor"visits"a"certificate"holder"about"once"a"year"and"completes"a"checklist"to"document"the"

client’s"compliance"and"to"specify"areas"for"improvement."Sending"auditors"to"a"client,"perhaps"to"a"

coffee"farmer"in"a"remote"tropical"mountain"region"or"to"a"salmon"farm"in"a"subKarctic"fjord,"is"

expensive,"and"often"the"only"information"that"remains"from"this"visit"is"a"simple"checkbox"that"says"

“compliant/"nonKcompliant”.""

What+if+new+technology+could+help+us+to+gather+more+useful+information,+more+cheaply+–+and+make+more+sense+of+it?+

While"large"corporations"have"quickly"embraced"such"new"technology,"sustainability"standard"

systems"adopt"technology"innovations"with"great"caution."From"a"business"perspective,"some"

sustainability"schemes,"once"seen"as"great"innovators,"may"now"seem"old"fashioned"and"

cumbersome."Smart"tools"allow"companies"to"easily"measure"their"environmental"and"social"

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

1"Building"with"big"data."The"Economist,"26"May"2011."Available"online.""2"‘Big"data’"is"bunk,"Obama"campaign’s"tech"guru"tells"university"leaders."The"Chronicle"of"Higher"Education,"30"October"2013."Available"online.""3"The"internet"of"hype."The"Economist,"9"December"2015."Available"online."4"The"dawn"of"artificial"intelligence."The"Economist,"9"May"2015."Available"online.""

4"ISEAL"member"survey:"Technology"challenges"in"standards"systems"


performance"on"their"own,"potentially"minimizing"the"need"for"the"thirdKparty"audit"process"

currently"enshrined"in"most"certification"schemes."""

The"challenge"is"clear:"multiKstakeholder"standards"systems"need"to"provide"faster"and"easier"access"

to"data"about"the"state"of"certified"companies,"or"they"are"destined"to"lose"relevance"in"the"dialogue"

on"how"our"society"defines"and"assesses"sustainability."Ignore"technology"innovation"at"your"own"

risk."

4. ISEAL+member+survey:+Technology+challenges+in+standards+systems+

“Before$we$demand$more$of$our$data,$we$need$to$demand$more$of$ourselves.”$

–$Nate$Silver:$The$Signal$and$the$Noise$(2012)$

We"assessed"the"current"experiences"and"challenges"of"ISEAL"members"in"regards"to"technology"

innovation,"via"a"survey"focussed"on"information"gathering,"management"and"analysis"as"it"relates"to"

the"assurance"process,"chain"of"custody"and"monitoring"and"evaluation."A"total"of"18"ISEAL"members"

completed"the"survey,"covering"85%"of"the"ISEAL"membership.""

To"better"understand"the"specific"issues"faced"by"ISEAL"members,"their"IT"systems"and"resulting"

challenges"and"needs"were"analysed"along"two"axes:""

• Sophistication."How"much"has"the"organisation"invested"in"information"management"

systems?"How"well"do"the"systems"match"their"business"processes"and"information"needs?""

• Flexibility."How"easy"is"it"for"the"information"management"system"to"adjust"to"changing"

needs"and"to"evolve?"How"well"does"the"system"integrate"with"other"solutions?"+

"

Figure+4.1+Mapping+technological+maturity+of+ISEAL+members"

More"details"about"their"technology"use"and"wishes"are"included"in"the"memberKonly"version"of"this"

report,"available"on"the"ISEAL"community"website.""

5"Focus"group"conversations:"Perspectives"on"technology"innovations"


5. Focus+group+conversations:+Perspectives+on+technology+innovations+Parallel"to"the"survey"of"ISEAL"members,"a"set"of"four"focus"group"conversations"with"external"IT"

experts"and"technology"thinkers"explored"how"technology"innovation"can"increase"the"impact"of"

sustainability"standards"systems."Participants"included"experts"from"outside"the"sustainability"

standards"world"as"well"as"sustainabilityKminded"IT"thinkers"to"increase"diversity"and"innovativeness.""

The"focus"groups"took"a"dataKdriven"view"on"technology"innovations"by"looking"at"four"steps"in"the"

data"management"process:""

1. Gathering+data+from"surveys,"mobile"apps,"sensors"and"crowdKsourced"input;+2. Integrating+data"using"data"standards,"databases"and"exchange"formats;+3. Analysing+data"with"data"science,"visualisations"and"other"reports;"and"+

4. Sharing+data"with"open"data,"citizen"science"and"trust"networks.""

"

"Figure+5.1+Focus+group+design+

"

In"addition"to"these"topics,"all"four"focus"group"conversations"provided"thoughts"on"useful"

approaches"to"managing"technology"innovation."The"following"pages"present"the"results"step"by"step."

Each"chapter"starts"with"an"explanation"of"core"concepts"before"introducing"the"recommendations"

of"the"expert"conversations."We"also"provide"prioritised"lists"of"technologies"for"standards"systems"

to"consider"and"a"set"of"examples"and"inspirations.""

5.1$Focus$group$conversations:$Managing$technology$innovation$

ISEAL$Smart$Data$Report$ $ 8$$

5.1 Managing)technology)innovation)

Important)concepts:)Managing)technology)innovation)

Popularity+ +How$widespread$is$the$technology$you$are$considering?$The$more$existing$users,$the$more$likely$it$is$

for$the$technology$to$be$maintained$for$years$to$come.$You’ll$also$more$easily$benefit$from$

upgrades,$bug$fixes$and$new$features$without$having$to$invest$large$amounts$for$each$improvement.$

If$there$are$too$few$users$or$if$you$employ$a$proprietary$technology,$you$might$have$difficulty$finding$

new$developers$if$you$need$to$switch$providers.$In$many$situations,$you’ll$find$that$open$source$

software$is$more$widely$used$than$proprietary$software,$though$it$might$require$more$

customisation.$$

Interoperability++No$software$solution$will$solve$all$your$problems$forever.$That’s$why$it$is$important$to$choose$

software$that$plays$nicely$with$others.$Make$sure$that$you$can$easily$import$and$export$your$data$in$

an$open$format$–$in$the$best$case,$your$software$offers$an$API$(application$programming$interface)$

meaning$that$you$can$automatically$link$various$pieces$of$your$technology$ecosystem.$$

Business+model++There$are$four$basic$business$models$for$software:$$

Self:hosted)proprietary)software.$In$this$case,$you’ll$pay$a$fee$upfront$for$a$license$to$install$the$

software$on$a$personal$computer$or$shared$server.$In$addition,$you’ll$need$to$pay$for$customisations$

and$updates.$You’ll$also$need$to$maintain$your$own$hardware.$$

Self:hosted)custom)software.$You$ask$a$developer$to$build$a$system$for$you,$usually$based$on$

existing$foundations.$Once$the$software$is$rolled$out,$you’ll$need$a$separate$contract$for$

maintenance$and$new$features.$$

Self:hosted)open)source)software.$In$this$case,$no$license$fee$is$required,$but$costs$still$occur$for$qualified$professionals$to$install,$customise$and$maintain$the$software.$Again,$you’ll$need$to$provide$

a$server$(or$pay$someone$to$do$so).$$

Software)as)a)service.$In$this$case,$you’ll$pay$a$monthly$or$annual$license$fee$(sometimes$by$user),$

but$you$don’t$need$to$worry$about$startTup$costs$and/or$hardware.$Updates$are$included;$

customisations$need$to$be$covered$separately.$Software$as$a$service$usually$encompasses$both$open$

source$and$proprietary$components.$$

One$rule$of$thumb$is$that$a$website$needs$substantive$development$every$3T5$years$–$plan$to$make$

similar$investments$in$your$other$technology$systems.$Even$better:$budget$money$every$year$to$

slowly$roll$out$improvements$–$take$an$agile$approach$to$making$changes.$$

$



Recommendations:)Managing)technology)innovation)

“This+is+maybe+the+first+step:+what+is+your+objective+and+related+to+your+objective+what+will+be+the+data+framework+that+you+need+in+your+data+

requirement?”+–+Focus+group+participant+

It’s$helpful$to$remember$that$technology$innovation$is$not$an$end$in$itself.$Technology$helps$

standards$systems$achieve$their$goals$and:$$

• Speed$up$processes$by$reducing$the$need$for$human$intervention;$$

• Base$decisions$on$the$current$reality$of$their$system$and$its$participants;$and$$

• Increase$learning$and$participation$across$all$parts$of$their$system.$$

“The+technology+is+rapidly+evolving+and+not+something+I+pick+at+the+beginning.+

Usually+it's+more+about+developing+the+human+processes,+and+then+you+marry+

the+technology+to+that.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

Clarifying$the$problem(s)$we$are$trying$to$solve$–$and$the$human$processes$involved$–$is$thus$the$

first$step$in$any$successful$technology$project.$$

In$addition,$we$found$four$elements$that$were$considered$useful$when$managing$technology$

innovation:$$

1. Agile$management;$$

2. Data$governance$and$quality;$$

3. Time$(and$other$resources);$and$$

4. Collaboration.$

Agile+management+

In$a$complex$environment$like$a$sustainability$standards$system,$it$is$impossible$to$determine$all$

requirements$and$constraints$in$advance.$In$the$words$of$one$expert:$“Big$bang$approaches$never$

work.”$Software$development$has$moved$largely$to$a$management$model$called$agile$development.$

The$basic$idea$is$to$build$a$useful$prototype$with$minimum$functionality$as$quickly$as$possible,$roll$it$

out$to$users$and$immediately$incorporate$their$feedback$into$the$next$version.$$

“The+key+thing+there+is+that+you+iterate,+iterate,+iterate,+iterate,+iterate.+You+don’t+build+a+big+system.+You+build+small+systems+that+talk+to+one+another.”++++

–+Focus+group+participant+

Starting$off$with$issues$that$can$a)$be$solved$quickly$and$b)$deliver$instant$benefits$to$the$users$is$a$

good$way$to$create$awareness$for$the$potential$of$technology$innovation$and$thus$helps$to$build$

momentum$and$stamina$to$address$some$of$the$harder$problems.$$

Data+governance+and+quality++

“Experience+reveals+that+treating+data+as+longNterm+assets+or+part+of+[an+organisation’s]+core+infrastructure+and+managing+data+within+a+coordinated+



framework+produce+considerable+savings+and+ongoing+value.”+–+Australian+

Local+Government+Association+(2007)+

As$we$are$moving$towards$using$our$data$more$systematically$to$increase$the$effectiveness$of$our$

standards$systems,$we$need$to$consider$questions$of$ownership,$quality$and$use.$Especially$when$

dealing$with$data$from$other$organisations$and$individuals,$this$demands$the$development$of$formal$

policies$and$contracts$for$data$management,$such$as:$$

1. Data)provision)requirements:$Standards$systems$can$create$contractual$responsibilities$for$

certificate$holders$and/or$certification$bodies$to$gather$and$provide$certain$data$sets.$

Additional$incentives$to$provide$data$could$include$reports,$analysis$and$insights$based$on$

the$data$provided$and,$where$desired,$involvement$in$the$process$of$learning$and$

improvement.$

2. Data)quality)and)maintenance:$It$is$much$easier$to$develop$good$data$collection$practices$

than$to$correct$errors$downstream.$As$much$as$possible,$the$primary$responsibility$for$the$

management$of$data$quality$needs$to$rest$with$the$collector$of$the$data.$The$manager$of$the$

data$set$can$then$focus$on$error$detection$and$feedback$and$conduct$data$audits.$For$a$

detailed$discussion$of$data$quality$management,$see$Chapman'(2005):'Principles'of'Data'

Quality.$$

“If+the+quality+of+the+data+sucks,+no+one+would+want+to+use+it:+It’s+garbage+in,+

garbage+out.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

3. Data)use)and)ownership:)These$policies$regulate$access,$use$and$distribution$of$data.$Generally,$there$are$three$cases:$a)$closed$data$can$only$be$accessed$by$the$data$owners$or$

people$within$an$organisation,$for$reasons$like$privacy,$commercial$sensitivity$and$security;$

b)$shared$data$is$shared$with$specific$people$and$organisations$for$a$specific$purpose:$to$

provide$services,$connect$information$and$contribute$to$research;$and$c)$open$data$is$data$

anyone$can$access,$use$and$share.$Also$consider$data$use$policies$for$anonymised$and$

aggregate$data:$these$can$generally$be$shared$more$widely$than$individual$data$points.$For$a$

detailed$discussion$of$legal$aspects,$see$ISEAL'(2014):'Draft'Guidance'Note'on'Data'

Protection'and'Information'Privacy.'$

Time+(and+other+resources)+

“You+really+need+to+look+at+everything+that’s+going+on+within+a+scheme,+how+it+operates,+how+the+standard+is+defined,+how+the+data+is+collected+to+ensure+that+you+get+everything+that’s+necessary+in+order+to+perform+the+analysis+and+

then+to+be+able+to+make+use+of+the+information+you+get+out+of+it.+It’s+a+big+

project.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

Just$as$with$staff,$workflows$and$office$space,$data$management$systems$are$crucial$business$

resources$that$impact$the$effectiveness$and$relevance$of$a$standards$system.$Investing$in$smart$data$

management$is$a$strategic$decision,$not$something$the$IT$department$can$do$on$its$own.$As$change$

takes$time,$standards$systems$need$to$plan$financial$resources$and$staffing$so$that$they$can$

constantly$and$strategically$work$on$improving$their$systems$one$step$at$a$time.$This$approach$is$far$



more$successful$than$a$oneToff$investment$in$a$single$system$that$is$supposed$to$solve$every$

problem$(and$then$cannot$be$maintained$or$fails$to$meet$the$evolving$needs$of$the$users).$$

Collaboration+

“If+we’re+trying+to+create+parallel+systems,+people+will+get+frustrated.”+–+Focus+

group+participant+

Sustainability$standards$are$not$the$only$organisations$trying$to$use$technology$to$foster$sustainable$

production$and$consumption$patterns.$In$many$cases,$certification$bodies,$trade$associations,$and$

large$corporations$have$invested$in$their$own$data$management$systems.$Duplicating$their$efforts$

does$not$serve$anyone$–$instead,$we$need$to$work$towards$an$ecosystem$of$interconnected$

technology$solutions.$$

From$astrophysics$and$biodiversity$conservation$to$development$cooperation,$the$focus$groups$

mentioned$many$sectors$that$have$invested$in$a$strategic$and$collaborative$approach$to$data$

management$and$sharing.$While$this$has$been$a$tenTyear$journey$for$the$most$successful$of$them,$

they$now$reap$the$benefits$of$more$targeted$interventions$and$dataTdriven$decisions$across$

organisations.$

Examples)and)inspirations:)Managing)technology)innovation)

Global)Biodiversity)Information)Facility)GBIF$is$an$international$open$

data$infrastructure$for$data$

about$all$types$of$life$on$Earth$

that$allows$institutions$to$

publish$data$according$to$

common$standards.$$

GS1)Originally$founded$to$manage$

the$barcode$standard$used$by$

retailers,$GS1$now$manages$a$

set$of$standards$for$supply$

chains$and$business$operations.$$

International)Aid)Transparency)Initiative)IATI$is$a$global$initiative$to$

create$transparency$in$the$

records$of$how$aid$money$is$

spent.$It$manages$a$common$

data$standard$and$provides$

access$to$datasets$

5.2$Focus$group$conversations:$Gathering$data$


5.2 Gathering)data)

Important)concepts:)Gathering)data'Beyond$the$usual$and$generally$widespread$tools$to$gather$data$across$sustainability$standards$

systems$(paper,$pdf$reports$and$the$occasional$online$survey),$we$identified$three$potential$areas$of$

technology$innovation$for$data$gathering:$+

1. Smarter)audits)and)evaluations$T$through$improved$data$gathering$processes;$

2. Machine)monitoring$T$delegating$parts$of$the$data$gathering$process$to$computers;$and$

3. Everyone)as)a)data)source$T$technology$innovations$that$involve$more$people$in$data$gathering.$

Smarter+audits+and+evaluations$

Auditors$and$evaluators$can$use$mobile$devices$(like$smartphones$and$tablets)$to$gather$data$

directly$in$a$structured$format$and$incorporate$it$in$a$central$database.$Most$devices$can$also$

automatically$capture$location$data$and$(georeferenced)$images;$they$might$also$include$other$

sensors$(like$an$accelerometer,$compass,$gyroscope$or$barometer)$or$can$read$from$them.$+

If$the$data$is$connected$in$places$with$easy$internet$connectivity,$we$can$allow$for$mobile$data$entry$

by$providing$a$web$form.$Otherwise$we$need$to$make$provisions$to$gather$the$data$offline$first,$and$

then$upload$it$later$(e.g.$with$a$mobile$application$or$other$temporary$storage).$Many$offline$data$

gathering$tools$already$exist$(for$example,$the$Red$Cross$Mobile$Data$Collection$Toolkit).+

In$some$cases,$specialised$hardware$can$help$to$gather$data:$telepresence$robots$and$video$

cameras,$for$example,$cut$down$on$the$need$for$physical$presence$during$the$data$gathering$

process,$and$unmanned$aerial$vehicles$(UAVs,$more$commonly$known$as$drones)$can$provide$visual$

information$from$above.$However,$these$machines$also$require$batteries$and$network$access$–$not$

to$mention$transport$and$maintenance.+

Machine+monitoring$Technologically$advanced$producers$will$already$use$a$mix$of$sensors$to$monitor$their$operations$

(e.g.$electricity$usage,$waste$water$discharge,$nutrient$content)$or$their$workers$(e.g.$with$biometric$

identification$or$wearables$that$detect$stress).$Increasingly,$devices$used$for$these$purposes$are$

internetTenabled$and$communicate$their$data$wirelessly$–$the$collective$of$such$connected$devices$is$

often$referred$to$with$the$term$“Internet$of$Things”.$Before$the$resulting$data$is$suitable$for$

standards$systems,$however,$questions$of$data$integration$and$ownership$must$be$resolved.$$

A$more$obvious$technology$for$standards$systems$is$automatic$identification$using$barcodes$and/or$

RFID$chips.$Both$are$a$means$of$tracking$tags$attached$to$objects:$barcodes$need$to$be$in$the$line$of$

sight$and$are$read$with$a$scanner,$while$RFID$chips$use$electromagnetic$fields$to$communicate$and$

can$be$embedded$into$the$tracked$object.$Integrated$in$a$traceability$system,$automatic$

identification$reduces$the$need$to$manually$capture$information$about$the$transfer$of$certified$

products.$$

Everyone+as+a+data+source$Other$new$and$potential$data$sources$come$from$using$stakeholders$to$provide$information$about$

certified$enterprises.$This$can,$for$example,$involve$asking$certificate$holders$and$their$staff$to$

directly$selfTreport$about$their$operations,$perhaps$with$assurance$providers$checking$for$integrity$



and$conducting$spot$checks$(like$the$tax$office).$Other$options$would$be$to$ask$external$stakeholders$

to$provide$information$on$specific$issues$(“crowdsourcing”)$or$to$incorporate$relevant$and$publicly$

available$social$media$information$(e.g.$increased$Twitter$reports$about$air$pollution$in$a$certain$

location).$In$both$cases,$standards$systems$need$to$take$into$account$a)$that$not$all$sources$are$

100%$trustworthy$and$b)$what$information$is$relevant$to$ask$or$to$scan$for.$+

In$some$cases,$standards$systems$don’t$need$to$gather$all$data$themselves,$but$can$use$external$

data$sources$(e.g.$with$geographic$or$market$data)$managed$by$other$organisations.$Examples$for$

publicly$available$data$sources$include:$$

• World'Database'on'Protected'Areas'

• Global'Land'Cover'Facility$

• Open'Street'Map'

• SRTM'Land'Elevation'Data$

$

A$more$extensive$list$of$publicly$accessible$application$programming$interfaces$can$be$found$at$

ProgrammableWeb.$

Recommendations:)Gathering)data)From$wearables,$satellites,$sensor$data,$barcodes$and$other$accessories$in$the$“Internet$of$Things”,$

there$is$no$lack$of$new,$innovative$technology$that$can$help$standards$systems$gather$data.$In$

addition,$we$can$look$at$inviting$stakeholders$and$other$sources$into$the$data$gathering$process.$

However,$when$we$asked$the$panel$of$experts$where$ISEAL$members$need$to$focus,$they$suggested$

Figure)5.2)Visual)recording)of)focus)group)conversation)on)gathering)data)



that$we$start$with$the$basics:$$

1. Prioritise)mobile)data)collection.$Phase$out$paper$or$pdf$reports$and$ensure$that$all$data$is$immediately$included$in$a$cloudTbased$data$store.$Where$you$lack$connectivity,$collect$data$

locally$on$tablets$(or$even$temporarily$on$paper)$and$upload$it$as$soon$as$you$have$access$to$

the$internet.$$

“Tablets+and+faceNtoNface+interviews+are+an+obvious+starting+point.+There+are+already+1001+tools+out+there+that+are+very+cost+effective.+You+don’t+need+to+

build+the+software+yourself5.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

2. Build)a)shared)data)framework.$Define$the$questions$and$data$formats$on$which$you$want$

to$collect$data,$to$ensure$the$consistent$use$of$the$data$throughout$your$data$management$

system,$avoid$duplicate$data$collection$and$slowly$move$towards$sharing$data$between$

different$organisations.$ISEAL$(2013)$has$already$started$to$define$shared$indicators$in$its$

report$“Working$Together$to$Demonstrate$&$Improve$Poverty$Impacts”.$A$more$mature$

example$for$a$data$standard$is$the$Open$Contracting$Data$Standard.$$

“Use+a+wellNdefined+data+scheme+to+classify+data.+Wherever+possible,+pick+those+that+are+used+across+industries.”++–+Focus+group+participant+

“Some+systems+and+industries+might+be+capable+of+nearly+fully+automated+audits+once+you+get+the+framework+right.”+++–+Focus+group+participant+

“Have+a+standard+that+says,+‘We’d+like+you+to+supply+this+data+in+this+format,’+depending+on+how+IT+literate+your+stakeholders++really+are.”++–+Focus+group+participant+

$

3. Be)open.)Over$time,$you’ll$want$to$experiment$with$adding$data$gathering$techniques$or$

integrating$external$sources$of$data:$Make$sure$that$your$systems$remain$flexible$enough$to$

evolve$over$time:$as$your$data$definitions$and$user$needs$evolve,$you$might$add$new$data$

fields$and$tables,$switch$to$different$forms$of$measurement$or$allow$users$to$contribute$

unstructured$data.$$

+“You+can+create+an+interface+or+framework+that's+flexible+and+will+accommodate+future+technologies;+something+that+can+allow+for+many+

different+ways+of+collection.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

The$data$governance$policies$discussed$above$serve$as$core$requirements$to$smart$data$gathering.$

They$can$help$us$to$design$incentives$to$gather$data$correctly,$anonymise$data$appropriately$for$

further$use$and$allow$for$smarter$data$flow$between$organisations.$$

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

5$A$list$can$be$found,$for$example,$in$the$Red$Cross$Mobile$Data$Collection$Toolkit.$



)Figure)5.3)Emerging)technology)roadmap)on)gathering)data)

$

This$roadmap$pyramid$shows)important)foundations$for$data$gathering$in$standards$systems.$$

$

Future)directions$encompass$slightly$

more$advanced$technologies$that$we$

consider$particularly$promising.$$

$

Technologies$at$the$very$top$are$

optional$for$now:$they$are$more$

complex$or$risky,$and$would$fill$

very$specific$needs.$

$

Examples)and)inspirations:)Gathering)data)

Red)Cross)Mobile)Data)Collection)The$American$Red$Cross$

maintains$a$toolkit$for$open$

data$collection$tools$and$

materials,$including$forms,$GPS$

data$and$offline$map$use.$$

Ushahidi)Created$to$map$postTelection$

violence$in$Kenya,$the$open$

source$project$has$grown$into$a$

comprehensive$platform$to$

crowdsource$information$to$be$

sent$via$mobile.$$

Greenpeace)Forest)Guardians)Volunteers$compare$satellite$

imagery$through$a$gameTlike$

online$platform,$helping$the$

organisation$identify$possible$

areas$of$deforestation.$$

$

5.3$Focus$group$conversations:$Integrating$data$


5.3 Integrating)data)

Important)concepts:)Integrating)data)When$we$work$with$complex$sets$of$data$from$multiple$sources,$we$need$a$data$management$

system$that$is$up$to$the$task.$Three$concepts$are$important$to$understand:$$

1. Databases$

2. Data$standards$

3. Interoperability$

Databases+When$managing$information,$you$will$need$to$work$with$databases$–$either$one$that$you$have$

designed$yourself,$or$one$that$is$included$in$one$of$the$products$you$use.$We$can$differentiate$

between$three$main$types$of$data$storage:$$

Flat$file$tables$

Flat$files$store$tabular$data$in$a$simple$binary$(e.g.$Excel)$or$plain$text$(e.g.$csv)$format.$Flat$files$can$

only$manage$simple$data$structures$and$can$quickly$encounter$problems:$$

• Links$between$tables$and$the$structure$of$the$document$require$manual$maintainance,$often$

leading$to$inconsistencies.$$

• Queries$across$tables$and$files$are$difficult$to$maintain.$$

• Working$on$a$file$with$multiple$users,$managing$revisions$and/or$making$the$table$accessible$

through$the$web$can$be$challenging$or$even$impossible.$$

Relational$databases$

Instead$of$one$big$table,$relational$databases$manage$data$in$a$system$of$related$tables,$each$

indexed$and$linked$with$unique$IDs.$Every$piece$of$information$is$only$stored$once.$Tables$can$have$

oneTtoTone$relations$(one$certificate$per$producer),$oneTtoTmany$relations$(multiple$certificates$per$

certification$body)$or$manyTtoTmany$relations$(multiple$certification$bodies$per$scheme,$and$

multiple$schemes$per$certification$body).$$

Users$generally$do$not$interact$with$the$data$directly,$instead$they$use$queries$–$e.g.$using$the$

structured$query$language$SQL$–$to$a)$answer$specific$questions$–$e.g.$how$many$enterprises$were$

certified$in$the$past$year$in$India?$–$or$b)$access$the$data$through$a$custom$interface,$either$on$the$

web,$on$a$mobile$or$through$a$desktop$application.$Examples$of$relational$database$applications$are$

Salesforce$or$Microsoft$Access.$$

Beyond$relational$databases$

One$of$the$downsides$of$relational$databases$is$that$once$your$system$of$tables$is$in$place,$it$is$hard$

to$change.$New$columns$of$data$will$require$you$to$redo$user$interfaces$and$defined$queries,$and$

relational$databases$cannot$effectively$address$data$that’s$completely$unstructured$or$unknown$in$

advance.$Large$web$companies$have$thus$started$to$store$large$amounts$of$data$in$formats$such$as$

document$databases$or$graph$stores.$These$handle$variances$in$data$types,$are$more$easily$stored$

across$multiple$servers,$and$are$usually$accessed$through$APIs.$As$an$upcoming$technology,$few$outT

ofTtheTbox$solutions$exist$as$of$yet.$$

Independent$of$the$format$in$which$you$are$storing$your$data,$make$sure$that$you$invest$in$userT

friendly$interfaces$that$allow$staff$and$stakeholders$to$access$the$most$important$details$directly$



and,$perhaps,$even$formulate$their$own$queries,$run$dashboards$and$download$subsets$of$the$data.$$$)

Data)standards)As$you$will$need$to$manage$data$from$a$variety$of$sources,$it$pays$to$invest$in$defining$the$rules$by$

which$data$are$described$and$recorded$with$data$standards.$In$order$to$share,$exchange$and$

understand$data,$we$must$standardise$the$format$(including$units$of$measurement)$as$well$as$the$

meaning.$This$is$of$particular$importance$when$integrating$data$in$a$larger$system$or$exchanging$

data$between$systems.$Important$concepts$include:$$

Unique)identifiers.)When$exchanging$data$about$a$specific$entity$(e.g.$a$person$or$a$certified$entity),$

you’ll$need$to$define$a$field$(or$a$combination$of$fields)$that$allows$you$to$match$information$about$

this$entity$from$different$sources.$Uniform$Resource$Identifiers$(URIs)$use$a$scheme$similar$to$web$

addresses$for$this$purpose.$$

Data)schema.$Every$database$has$a$structure$(“schema”)$that$describes$its$contents,$their$formats$

and$the$relationships$between$items$of$data.$When$multiple$data$sources$use$different$data$

formats,$a$schema$can$be$used$to$map$those$formats$and$define$translations$and$conversions$before$

their$integration$into$a$bigger$system.$For$example,$if$your$mobile$data$collection$software$records$

dates$in$a$different$format$than$your$main$database,$you$would$standardise$the$data$before$

importing$it$into$the$database.$$

Spatial)data.)In$many$ways,$location$has$become$the$glue$that$allows$organisations$to$connect$

disparate$systems$and$data$types.$In$many$places,$addresses$can$be$automatically$mapped$to$GPS$

coordinates.$However,$to$be$able$to$compare$overlap$of$locations$with,$for$example,$protected$

areas,$we$need$to$store$polygon$data$–$a$connected$sequence$of$coordinates$in$which$the$first$and$

last$coordinate$are$the$same.$Geographic$information$systems$(GIS)$can$display$and$exchange$this$

data.$Examples$include$Google$Earth$or$ESRI.$$

Interoperability)Once$your$data$standards$are$defined$and$optimally$incorporated$into$your$databases,$you$can$

connect$data$from$different$sources.$Let’s$look$at$a$few$models:$$

• Manual)import.$In$this$case,$you$export$a$file$from$one$system$and$import$it$into$the$other.$

This$method$is$practical$if$a)$data$changes$infrequently$or$is$infrequently$used$and$b)$only$

the$first$system$can$make$changes$to$the$dataset.$$

• Automatic)access.$In$this$case,$one$system$keeps$a$flat$file$of$the$data$available$(online$or$

through$a$local$network)$in$a$machineTreadable$format$such$as$csv$or$xml.$The$other$system$

either$reads$it$from$there$whenever$needed$or$imports$it$permanently.$Again,$only$the$first$

system$can$make$changes$to$the$dataset.$$

• Application)Programming)Interfaces)(APIs).$These$enable$the$exchange$of$information$

among$systems$that$use$different$technologies.$If$your$chosen$IT$system$does$not$offer$an$

API,$the$integration$of$multiple$data$sources$and$a$possible$change$to$a$different$system$

later$can$become$impossible.$Common$technologies$used$in$APIs$include$JSON$and$AJAX.$$

If$you$have$more$than$one$system$operating$on$the$same$data$set,$you$need$clear$rules$and$

protocols$to$manage$the$synchronization$of$data$and$prevent$situations$where$multiple$systems$

make$conflicting$changes.$$

$



$

Figure)5.4)Visual)recording)of)focus)group)conversation)on)integrating)data

Recommendations:)Integrating)data)

All$four$expert$panels$repeatedly$came$back$to$the$importance$of$data$integration,$suggesting$that$

this$area$will$provide$the$biggest$benefits$for$standards$systems$investing$in$technology$innovation.$$

If$we$are$serious$about$managing$the$impact$and$operations$of$sustainability$standards,$we$need$to$

combine$multiple$sources$of$information$–$our$own$(from$applications,$audits,$stakeholders)$and$

external$sources$(market$data,$protected$areas$etc.)$which$can$provide$wider$context$and$serve$as$

counterfactuals.$While$a$lot$of$work$can$be$done$within$each$organisation$to$better$integrate$its$own$

data,$even$more$benefits$are$seen$in$integrating$the$data$flow$across$standard$systems$and$then$

strategically$(and$selectively)$making$this$data$available$to$producers,$supply$chain$partners,$funders,$

and$other$standards$systems.$

When$we$asked$the$focus$group$expert$panel$how$to$connect$and$manage$existing$data$sources$in$

new$ways$to$gain$new$insights,$they$responded:$$

1. Discover)what)exists.)We$need$to$understand$the$data$we$are$already$gathering$(and$where$

and$how$it$is$managed)$before$we$can$integrate$it$better.$In$a$second$step,$we$can$look$for$

external$sources$of$information$(“public$use$files”,$e.g.$satellite$data)$to$incorporate.$$

“What+are+the+ways+you+can+take+the+data+that’s+in+spreadsheets,+existing+

systems+and+all+the+different+technologies?+Can+you+have+a+common+way+of+



sharing+that+and+communicating+that+through+either+flat+files+or+application+

programming+interfaces?”+–+Focus+group+participant+

2. Define)a)data)standard.$For$data$that$is$shared$between$(and$within)$organisations,$we$need$to$define$exchange$formats$(“schemas”)$or$machineTaccessible$interfaces$(“APIs”)$to$ensure$

that$data$can$be$imported$and$exported$correctly.$In$some$cases,$this$might$require$data$

mapping$or$translation.$$

“For+me,+a+successful+example+is+the+stock+exchange+or+international+payments.+What+they+did+is+standardise+the+data+exchange.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

“Helping+people+understand+data+is+very+much+about+having+people+have+a+similar+vocabulary+to+talk+about+what+they+are+trying+to+express.”++–+Focus+group+participant+

“Instead+of+getting+into+the+different+organisation's+data+systems,+the+role+that+ISEAL+should+take+is+to+define+an+exchange+format.”++–+Focus+group+participant+

3. Map)certified)enterprises.$Location$data$(“polygons”)$is$essential$for$many$applications$like$

detecting$double$certification,$calculating$impact$by$country,$overlaying$satellite$data.$

Location$data$will$also$form$the$foundation$for$a$unique$producer$ID$that$allows$for$easy$

exchange.$+

“The+need+for+polygons+to+map+the+producers+is+absolutely+essential.+Once+you+

have+these+polygons+mapped,+then+you+can+use+tools+like+Global+Forest+Watch,+and+their+annual+data+synthesis+to+monitor+your+farm's+progress.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

“One+of+the+first+steps+to+this+is+an+ISEAL+requirement+to+have+polygons+for+

production+area.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

$



$)Figure)5.5)Emerging)technology)roadmap)on)integrating)data)

$

This$roadmap$pyramid$shows)important)foundations$for$data$integration$in$standards$systems.$$

$

Future)directions$encompass$slightly$more$

advanced$technologies$that$we$consider$

particularly$promising.$$

$



complex$or$risky,$and$would$fill$

very$specific$needs.$

$

$

Examples)and)inspirations:)Integrating)data)

OpenCorporates)Integrates$data$from$different$

public$sources$to$increase$

transparency$in$the$corporate$

world.$$

Global)Forest)Watch)API)Global$Forest$Watch$offers$a$

public$Application$

Programming$interface$to$

access$and$download$data.$$

Open)Contracting)Data)Standard)An$example$for$a$simple,$

machineTreadable$and$easyTtoT

understand$open$data$standard$

to$enhance$and$promote$

disclosure$and$participation$in$

public$contracting.$

5.4$Focus$group$conversations:$Analysing$data$


5.4 Analysing)data)

Important)concepts:)Analysing)data)Organisations$worldwide$struggle$with$the$challenge$of$making$sense$of$growing$datasets,$and$are$

looking$for$techniques$and$tools$to$transform$raw$data$into$meaningful$and$useful$information.$

While$there$is$always$more$to$be$learned$from$data,$it$is$important$to$see$this$not$as$an$academic$

exercise,$but$as$a$tool$to$enable$dataTdriven$decision$making$across$the$organisation.$$

Figure)5.6)Emerging)fields)of)data)analysis)and)their)relationships)

$

Data+discovery+Data$discovery$makes$it$easier$for$endTusers$to$interact$with$data$and$to$run$their$own$analysis.$This$

might$include$interactive$reports,$data$visualisation$and$dashboards$and$the$ability$to$explore$and$

export$data$from$multiple$sources.$The$objective$here$is$to$provide$a$quick$and$userTfriendly$

overview$of$the$data$available,$and$allow$the$user$to$explore$further$either$by$downloading$data$to$

their$local$machine$or$by$directly$drilling$down$into$more$details.$$

Data+science+Despite$the$buzzwords,$a$large$part$of$data$science$consists$of$the$classical$tools$of$statistical$

analysis$applied$to$more$complex$data$and$larger$samples.$In$some$cases,$machine$learning$(a$

branch$of$artificial$intelligence)$can$help$to$detect$patterns$in$larger$or$less$structured$data$

collections,$e.g.$for$fraud$detection,$predictive$analysis$and$data$mining.$$

Big+data+In$this$context,$most$standards$systems$are$still$working$on$building$their$“small$data”$processes$

with$sufficient$data$quality$and$capacity$for$analysis.$For$now,$there$is$no$need$to$worry$about$“big$

data”$–$data$sets$so$large$and$complex$that$traditional$data$processing$applications$are$inadequate.$$

Metadata$(or$‘data$about$data’,$sometimes$also$called$‘invisible$data’)$might$contain$information$

about$how$long$a$document$is,$when$it$was$posted$or$where$the$data$comes$from.$A$pattern$

analysis$might$yield$useful$information$–$for$example,$how$long$it$takes$certificate$holders$to$

respond$to$a$corrective$action$request.$$

Recommendations:)Analysing)data)



The$business$world$is$ripe$with$buzzwords$around$data$analysis$–$from$big$data$and$machine$

learning$to$predictive$analytics$and$business$intelligence.$Before$standards$systems$can$fully$take$

advantage$of$these$developments$to$answer$some$of$the$juicy$questions$around$certification$and$

impact$in$the$long$run,$we$first$need$to$figure$out$the$basics$of$data$integration$and$analysis.$$

Standards$systems$are$managing$data$for$many$purposes,$and$they$need$to$get$better$at$using$their$

data$to$inform$their$decisions.$Data$science$is$an$exciting$and$emerging$field$that$can$help$us$make$

sense$of$the$complexity$that$we$are$managing.$Our$panel$of$experts$recommended:$$$

1. Make)it)visual.)Spreadsheets$are$terrible$at$representing$complex$data$–$and$humans$are$

terrible$at$understanding$spreadsheets.$Identify$the$most$important$business$indicators$

(“KPIs”)$and$create$visual$reports$showing$change$over$time.$You$can$use$this$technique$to$

report$on$a$specific$producer,$for$example,$or$even$to$discover$patterns$across$the$entirety$

of$your$data.$$

“There+is+a+lot+of+desire+to+boil+down+the+information+that+comes+out+into+a+more+simplistic+report+like+a+dashboard+that+says+you+need+to+check+out+

what’s+going+on+with+this+certification+body.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

2. Learn)to)love)database)queries.)It’s$impossible$to$identify$all$questions$in$advance,$but$it$is$

possible$to$learn$to$speak$the$language$of$your$database$and$create$custom$queries$and$

reports$as$you$go$along.$It$pays$off$to$invest$in$some$data$management$and$analysis$skills$on$

staff.$$

Figure)5.7)Visual)recording)of)focus)group)conversation)on)analysing)data



“I+think+you+have+to+combine+the+technology+with+subject+matter+expertise.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

“If+people+have+just+been+used+to+analysing+things+in+Excel,+then+having+an+online+tool+is+maybe+something+they+need+to+get+used+to+operating.”+–+Focus+

group+participant+

3. Start)small)and)stay)agile.)If$you$break$down$the$process$step$by$step,$you$are$much$more$

likely$to$succeed.$Focus$on$specific$problems,$questions$and$sets$of$data,$and$make$sure$to$

deliver$value$from$the$beginning.$As$long$as$your$solutions$stay$compatible$to$one$another,$

you’ll$be$fine.$$

“Sometimes+you’ll+come+with+an+idea+about+having+something+specific+you+want+to+go+and+research:+How+do+instances+of+this+particular+nonN

conformance+relate+to+the+type+of+farming+activities+that+are+going+on?+And+sometimes+you+just+want+to+try+and+discover+patterns+from+the+overall+set+of+

data.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

Figure)5.8)Emerging)technology)roadmap)on)analysing)data)

$

This$roadmap$pyramid)shows)important)foundations$for$data$analysis$in$standards$systems.$$

$

Future)directions$are$slightly$more$

advanced$technologies$that$we$


$



complex$or$risky,$and$would$

fill$very$specific$needs.$

$

$$

Examples)and)inspirations:)Analysing)data)

Protected)Planet.org)Interface$for$the$global$

database$of$protected$areas;$

allows$for$browsing,$download$

and$analysis$of$data.$

Wolfram)Data)Drop)Webservice$that$helps$analyse$

data$from$sensors,$devices$or$

other$sources.$$

D3)Small$and$very$flexible$openT

source$JavaScript$library$for$

manipulating$and$visualising$

documents$based$on$data.$

$

5.5$Focus$group$conversations:$Sharing$data$


5.5 Sharing)data)

Important)concepts:)Sharing)data)

PeerNtoNpeer+trust+networks+When$designing$solutions$for$traceability,$we$need$to$verify$transactions$to$protect$against$attempts$

to$manipulate$the$system$and$ensure$one$view$of$the$current$distribution$of$certified$products.$A$

centralised$system$could$be$one$solution,$however$such$a$system$concentrates$risk$and$potential$

failure.$PeerTtoTpeer$protocols$allow$several$participants$to$distribute$this$task$between$them.$This$

approach,$for$example,$is$used$in$file$sharing$platforms$(such$as$Napster$or$BitTorrent):$any$given$

participant$might$only$store$parts$of$the$desired$file$on$their$computer.$By$downloading$from$

multiple$others$in$parallel,$a$user$can$easily$obtain$the$full$file$requested.$$

A$similar$approach$is$behind$the$digital$currency$Bitcoin:$All$transactions$are$recorded$in$an$

anonymous$public$ledger$called$the$blockchain.$Changes$to$the$ledger$are$broadcast$to$all$

participants$in$the$network$who$can$then$independently$verify$whether$a$given$coin$has$been$spent.$

Preliminary$initiatives$to$apply$blockchain$technology$to$supply$chain$transactions$and$other$

contracts$have$been$developed.$'

Open+data+Data$is$considered$to$be$“open”$if$anyone$can$freely$use,$reTuse$and$redistribute$it,$for$any$purpose,$

without$restrictions.$Many$organisations$publish$data$only$to$be$read$as$standTalone$documents,$not$

reTused$for$other$purposes.$To$be$considered$“open,”$the$data$must$be$reTusable,$meaning$it$can$be$

downloaded$in$open$formats$and$read$by$software,$and$users$have$a$legal$right$to$reTuse$it.$$

Open$data$enables$individuals$and$organisations$to$innovate$and$collaborate$in$new$ways.$Providing$

raw$data$in$machineTreadable$and$reTusable$formats$increases$transparency$and$accountability$and$

allows$others$to$build$on$it$with$new$connections,$knowledge,$and$services.$It$also$aids$organisations$

involved$in$standards$systems$to$access$information$and$collaborate$on$data$quality.$Open$data$is$

increasingly$becoming$a$requirement$for$grantTfunded$projects$and$cooperative$development$work.$$

Tim$BernersTLee6$suggested$a$5Tstar$roadmap$towards$linked$open$data:$$

★$ Available$on$the$web$(whatever$format)$with$an$open$license.)★★$ Available$as$machineTreadable$structured$data$(e.g.$Excel$instead$of$image$scan$

of$a$table)$

★★★$ All$of$the$above$plus:$nonTproprietary$format$(e.g.$csv$instead$of$Excel)$

★★★★$ All$the$above$plus:$use$of$open$standards$to$identify$data,$to$allow$for$others$

to$link$to$your$resources$$

★★★★★$ All$the$above,$plus:$ability$to$link$your$data$to$other$people’s$data$to$provide$

context$$

Networked)data)analysis)Our$internal$capacity$to$learn$from$data$will$always$be$limited,$and$we$can$benefit$from$allowing$

other$organisations,$scientists,$governments$and$volunteers$to$more$actively$use$our$data.$Once$you$

have$data$available,$you$can$create$specific$opportunities$to$harness$it$to$generate$tangible$values$or$

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

6$Is$your$linked$open$data$5$star?$Tim$BernersTLee,$2010.$Available$online.$)



results:$citizen$science,$for$example,$is$a$way$to$involve$amateurs$in$scientific$research.$A$hackathon$

is$an$event$in$which$computer$programmers$and$other$interested$individuals$collaborate$intensively$

on$software$projects,$often$for$specific$causes.$Open$data$challenges$award$prize$money$to$the$best$

open$data$innovation$as$a$solution$to$social$issues.$

Recommendations:)Sharing)data)To$be$of$value$for$a$community$of$users,$standards$systems$have$an$interest$in$sharing$credible$data$

in$a$prompt$and$transparent$manner$with$producers,$supply$chain$participants,$and$other$

stakeholders.$The$expert$panel$recommended:$$

1. Link)up)with)others.$There$is$a$rich$world$of$existing$open$data$initiatives$in$the$agriculture$and$development$world$(and$beyond).$We$can$build$on$existing$data$standard$vocabulary$

and$definitions,$and$take$advantage$of$data$sources$and$discovery$platforms$to$increase$data$

visibility.$Collaboration$with$others$interested$in$similar$data$is$bound$to$yield$deeper$

insights$and$impact.$$

+“You+end+up+with+a+network+of+people+disseminating+information+and+data+products+faster+than+I+think+lots+of+organisations+could+do+this+themselves.”+

+–+Focus+group+participant+

2. Provide)value.)Our$data$does$not$exist$in$a$vacuum.$We$have$a$responsibility$to$provide$

“feedback$with$benefits”$to$producers$and$identify$immediate$wins$to$show$them$the$value$

of$their$contribution.$$

“A+good+system+that+has+credible+realNtime+data+needs+feedback+loops,+it+needs+incentives+for+people+to+share+that+data+so+that+it’s+not+a+kind+of+

another+big+stick.+You+must+share+your+data+so+that+people+see+the+benefits+and+users+are+heavily+engaged+in+that+process+of+creating+the+standard,+shaping+what+they+look+like+and+using+data.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

“This+is+the+real+world+and+business+is+tough,+and+if+we're+going+to+compete+and+really+add+value,+we+need+to+be+realistic+about+what's+going+on+out+there.+

The+theories+of+change,+it+all+goes+back+to+you+really+need+to+understand+the+

behavioural+drivers.”+–+Focus+group+participant+



)Figure)5.9)Visual)recording)of)focus)group)conversation)on)sharing)data

3. Open)data.)Whenever$we$provide$data$to$be$used$publicly,$we$can$also$make$machineT

readable$sources$available$under$an$open$license$(e.g.$creative$commons).$This$allows$

stakeholders$to$do$their$own$analysis$and$contribute$insights$that$we$may$not$have$found$

ourselves.$$

“We+have+to+open+a+larger+community+because+the+more+we+open,+the+more+

we+will+get+in+return.+People+will+realise+that+data+is+at+the+heart+of+everything.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

“Where+are+there+more+roles+for+more+people+to+help+with+that+validation+and+verification?+We+can+create+the+tools+or+toolkits+for+them,+educate+people+on+

what+they+are+looking+for+and+provide+them+a+place+to+share+their+results.”+–

+Focus+group+participant+

Balancing+confidentiality+and+transparency+

Moving$to$a$connected$data$ecosystem$means$addressing$questions$of$security,$confidentiality$and$

transparency.$A$few$pointers$from$the$focus$group$conversations:$$

• In$general,$users$should$have$ownership$of$their$own$data$and$determine$how,$and$by$

whom,$their$data$can$be$used.$$



• Scheme$owners$need$to$include$data$use$provisions$in$the$contracts$they$have$with$

certificate$holders$and$specify$what$data$needs$to$be$provided$and$how$it$will$be$used$

afterwards.$$

• The$data$managing$organisation$needs$to$ensure$privacy$of$personal$information,$

confidentiality$of$commercial$data$and$data$security.$$

• Over$time,$organisations$should$strive$to$move$their$policies$towards$more$shared$and$open$

data$to$remain$relevant.$$

As$discussed$in$section$5.1$Data$governance$and$quality,$all$data$falls$into$one$of$three$categories:$a)$

closed$data$can$only$be$accessed$by$the$data$owners$or$people$within$an$organisation,$for$reasons$

like$privacy,$commercial$sensitivity$and$security;$b)$shared$data$is$shared$with$specific$people$and$

organisations$for$a$specific$purpose:$to$provide$services,$connect$information$and$contribute$to$

research;$and$c)$open$data$is$data$anyone$can$access,$use$and$share.$Certain$data$points$(such$as$

price$or$volume)$might$only$ever$be$published$and$shared$in$aggregate$and/or$anonymised$form.$$

)Figure)5.10)Emerging)technology)roadmap)on)sharing)data)

$

This$roadmap$pyramid$shows)important)foundations$for$data$sharing$in$standards$systems.$$

$

Future)directions$are$slightly$more$

advanced$technologies$that$we$


$


optional$for$now:$they$are$more$complex$or$risky,$and$

would$fill$very$specific$

needs.$

$

$

Examples)and)inspirations:)Sharing)data)

Open)Data)Tools)Visual$directory$of$useful$tools$

for$dealing$with$open$data.$$

World)Bank)Open)Data)Catalog)More$than$200$World$Bank$

curated$data$sources.$$

Ethereum)Decentralised$software$

platform$that$powers$smart$

contracts$using$blockchain$

technology.$$

$

$

6$A$roadmap$for$standards$systems:$Building$a$technology$ecosystem$


6. A)roadmap)for)standards)systems:)Building)a)technology)ecosystem)How$can$new$approaches$help$standards$systems$operate$at$scale,$adapt$and$integrate$new$

technologies,$and$create$new$value?$This$chapter$explores$possible$futures$of$sustainability$

standards$using$technology$innovation.$We$do$so$in$three$steps:$$

1. An)emerging)vision$describes$a$possible$future$for$sustainability$standards$systems$taking$

advantage$of$technology$innovations;$$

2. Smart)data)for)your)standards)system$describes$a$roadmap$for$individual$organisations;$and$)3. Collective)action)on)technology)expands$on$options$for$collaboration,$both$in$the$ISEAL$

Alliance$and$beyond.$)

6.1 An)emerging)vision)

“Technology+redefines+the+sustainability+standard.+It+becomes+the+sustainability+standard+community,+which+will+be+composed+of+totally+

different+organisations.”+–+ISEAL+Member+

What)could)it)look)like)if)sustainability)standards)systems)moved)beyond)their)current)technology)challenges,)and)were)now)on)the)leading)edge)of)using)smart)data)to)support)their)mission?))

The$following$chapter$describes$a$possible$future$in$which$sustainability$standards$take$full$

advantage$of$technology$innovation.$Sustainability$standards$systems$continue$to$serve$as$credible)sources)of)information$about$the$sustainability$of$products$and$services.$This$information$is$relevant$

for$all$citizens$interested$in$our$planet’s$finite$resources.$Consumers,$brands$and$certified$

enterprises$access$this$information.$Some$of$them$connect$in$an$network$of$supporting$

organisations,$from$cooperative$development$and$trade$associations$to$auditors,$trainers$and$other$

stakeholders.$$

The)Standard)While$current$sustainability$standards$provide$a$consensus$view$on$what$sustainability$looks$like$in$a$

certain$sector,$future$standards$systems$broaden$to$allow$multiple$views$and$priorities.$What$if$

certificates$become$interactive$online$scorecards,$and$consumers$and$buyers$rank$which$criteria$

they$consider$most$important?$Common$sets$of$potential$questions,$indicators,$and$data$formats$

replace$the$current$system$of$discrepant$reporting.$Of$course,$some$questions$will$always$remain$

sector$or$standard$specific.$$

Even$more,$future$standard$setters$design$the$data$collection$and$analysis$process$directly$when$

writing$the$standard.$Because$the$data$is$more$easily$available,$stakeholders$engaged$in$revising$

standards$use$their$analytical$tools$to$model$the$impact$of$their$decisions.$For$example,$what$would$

happen$if$we$set$the$threshold$to$X?$What$difference$do$geographically$specific$criteria$make?$$

Verification)Increasingly,$certified$enterprises$are$responsible$for$their$own$reporting$towards$the$standard’s$

indicators.$In$some$cases,$they$directly$connect$their$own$sensor$data$to$the$system;$in$others,$they$

periodically$submit$information,$documents$and$georeferenced$images$online$or$through$a$mobile$

app.$Where$internet$access$or$literacy$is$difficult,$local$support$organisations$gather$and$submit$the$



data.$Certificate$holders$immediately$see$their$ranking$compared$to$other$certified$enterprises$–$and$

can$get$tips$to$improve$their$performance.$

Certification$bodies$become$primarily$responsible$for$ensuring$the$integrity$of$the$data$submitted.$

They$conduct$random$spot$checks$or$use$powerful$analytical$tools$to$identify$supply$chain$risks$and$

run$additional$assessments.$$

Because$there$is$a$benefit$of$comparing$data$beyond$a$single$standards$system$and$location,$

accreditation$bodies$are$transforming$themselves$into$data$guardians$for$sustainability$standards.$

They$ensure$security,$confidentiality$and$proper$use$of$data$associated$with$a$subset$of$standards.$

Scheme$owners,$certification$bodies$and$certificate$holders$can$access$reports$either$directly$

through$a$web$interface$or$automatically$using$an$API.$In$addition,$accreditation$bodies$make$

anonymised$statistics$and$impact$data$available$as$public$use$files$for$stakeholders,$researchers$and$

the$public.$Multiple$accreditation$bodies$utilise$agreed$data$exchange$formats$and$interfaces,$

allowing$data$users$to$analyse$data$across$sources.$$

Traceability)

All$certified$products$entering$the$supply$chain$are$automatically$identified$with,$for$example,$

barcodes$or$RFID$chips.$This$allows$a$direct$link$between$the$producer$and$the$supply$chain$–$since$

the$area$of$production$of$a$farm$or$certificate$holder$is$available$via$polygons,$anomalies$in$the$

amount$of$production$originating$from$these$geoTreferenced$areas$is$easily$identified.$Every$

transaction$is$automatically$logged$in$a$secure,$distributed$blockchain$database,$eliminating$double$

accounting.$$

Impacts))

Even$more$than$today,$scheme$owners$are$becoming$the$guardians$of$sustainability$in$a$given$sector.$

They$are$responsible$for$assuring$that$production$and$consumption$patterns$actually$improve.$To$do$

so,$they$have$invested$in$data$analysis$and$visualisation$capacities,$and$they$trace$impacts$using$

both$the$data$generated$in$their$own$standards$system$and$external$sources.$They$work$with$supply$

chain$partners,$producers$and$support$organisations$to$design$interventions$and$adjust$the$indicator$

set.$They$increase$consumer$confidence$and$demand$in$the$standard,$as$well$as$the$number$of$

companies$using$the$standard$to$reduce$their$sustainability$footprint.$$

A)data)ecosystem)Over$time,$companies$and$organisations$interested$in$sustainability$have$come$to$an$agreement$on$

data$exchange$standards$and$confidentiality$needs.$Increasingly,$transparency$is$seen$as$serving$the$

entire$sector.$Developers$and$stakeholders$have$built$external$applications$that$can$show$

sustainability$ratings$for$individual$products,$regions$or$companies.$This$data$is$freely$available,$

enabling$stakeholders,$scientists$and$citizens$to$explore$and$draw$conclusions,$informing$individual$

conscience$and$political$action.$Withholding$data$is$seen$as$suspicious$and$can$lead$to$a$loss$of$

business.$$

Using$smart$data$is$about$more$than$technology$–$it$has$the$potential$to$enable$a$new$generation$of$

sustainability$standards.$$

$



6.2 Smart)data)for)your)standards)system)Now$that$we’ve$envisioned$the$future$of$sustainability$standards,$how$do$you$fit$it?$What$would$it$

take$for$your$standards$system$to$transform$itself$into$a$participant$in$such$a$connected$data$

ecosystem?$We$believe$that$each$organisation$has$its$own$technology$innovation$mountain$to$climb$

–$and$our$conversations$with$the$experts$left$us$with$two$very$clear$messages:$$

1. Before$attempting$to$implement$the$latest$technology$fads,$you$need$to$build$the$

foundations.$$

2. No$technology$stands$alone:$every$system$is$only$as$good$as$its$ability$to$interact$with$other$

systems.$$

While$every$organisation’s$data$management$approach$will$look$differently$in$the$end,$you$will$want$

to$increase$both$a)$the$overall$ability$of$your$IT$systems$to$support)all)aspects)of$your$scheme$and$b)$

the$overall$ability$of$your$IT$systems$to$adapt)to)the)changing)needs$of$your$scheme.$To$become$a$

truly$dataTdriven$organisation,$consider$how$you$might$need$to$adapt$standard$criteria,$workflows$

and$decisionTmaking$processes$to$take$advantage$of$and$align$with$technology$innovation.$$

Manage)data)strategically)

Data$is$emerging$as$the$strategic$asset$for$sustainability$standards$systems.$The$process$of$

developing$a$smart$approach$to$data$in$your$organisation$includes$the$following$steps:$$

• Start$with$a$data$inventory.$What$data$are$you$currently$collecting?$What$data$are$you$

receiving$from$clients$and$external$sources?$How$are$you$using$it?$How$can$you$improve$the$

flow$and$quality$of$data?$$

• To$build$collaboration$with$other$participants$in$your$standards$scheme,$share$your$

indicators$and$reporting$in$machineTreadable$formats.$You$can$also$share$the$data$formats$

you$used$–$that$way,$others$don’t$have$to$reinvent$the$wheel.$$

• Consider$the$use$and$sharing$of$data$whenever$you$are$collaborate$with$others,$e.g.$in$

contracts,$projects$and$memoranda.$$

• Don’t$be$afraid$to$be$boring:$Sometimes,$the$biggest$impact$comes$not$from$fancy$

technology$trends$but$from$investments$in$improved$processes$and$data$quality.$$

Focus)on)priority)directions)Four$technology$innovations$initiatives$stood$out$as$providing$particularly$high$benefits$for$

standards$systems:$$

1. Mobile)data)collection.$The$earlier$and$more$consistently$you$can$get$your$data$into$your$

data$management$system,$the$better.$$

2. Data)standards.$Defined$data$exchange$formats$and$protocols$will$help$you$integrate$

multiple$applications$and$improve$data$quality.$$

3. Accessible)reporting.$When$possible,$allow$staff$and$others$to$access$key$metrics$and$their$

development$on$demand.$$

4. Open)data.$Transparency$is$a$core$ingredient$to$building$credibility.$Providing$data$to$stakeholders$in$reTusable$formats$prevents$double$work$and$eases$the$flow$of$data.$$

The$roadmap$pyramids$below$can$help$you$define$your$own$first$steps:$Focus$on$building$the$

foundations$of$your$data$management$process$first,$starting$at$the$data$gathering$process.$Integrate$



data$flows$internally,$strengthen$internal$learning$and$analysis$from$that$data$–$and$then$ensure$that$

stakeholders$can$benefit.$$

Figure)6.1)Summary)of)roadmaps)for)smart)data)management)

$

Depending$on$your$priorities$and$technological$maturity,$you$can$then$consider$exploring$some$of$

the$future$directions$listed$in$each$pyramid$–$or$even$start$early$prototypes$with$the$more$

experimental,$optional$technologies$at$the$top.$$

Remember:$Technology$innovation$is$not$all$or$nothing.$It’s$a$journey$of$continuous$improvement$

and$learning.$Just$take$it$one$step$at$a$time.$

6.3 Technology)selection)process)Whenever$you$are$investing$in$technology$innovation$the$following$best$practice$has$proved$useful$

for$successful$projects:$$

• Get$advice$from$other$ISEAL$members$who$have$attempted$similar$projects;$$

• Use$the$Technology)Selection)Matrix)below$to$evaluate$competing$factors$and$their$tradeT

offs$when$deciding$between$multiple$possible$solutions;$$

• Ensure$interoperability$and$free$use$of$your$own$data;$$

• Budget$for$future$maintenance$and$improvements;$and$$

• Share$what$you’ve$learned$with$other$ISEAL$members.$$

Depending$on$the$project,$you$will$need$to$evaluate$a$different$set$of$functionalities,$and$the$relative$

weighting$of$criteria$will$vary$(e.g.$data$security$for$your$financial$system$may$be$more$important$

than$for$a$simple$web$information$system).$When$reviewing$costs,$take$training$and$project$

management$into$account,$and$consider$building$inThouse$capacity$as$an$alternative$to$hiring$

external$consultants.$$

$

$ $



Technology)selection)matrix)Add$comments$or$ratings$to$each$of$the$column$and$use$the$resulting$lists$to$inform$your$

decisionTmaking$process.$$

Impo

rtan

ce))

Rating)for)

option

))#1)

Rating)for)

option

)#2)

Ownership/Portability)Does$the$system$design$belong$to$you,$as$the$customer$and$can$it$be$transferred$to$another$

platform,$or$does$the$design$tie$you$to$one$company’s$product$and$support$staff?$

$ $ $

Functionality)How$well$does$the$software$meet$all$of$the$functionality$requirements$(weigh$the$most$

important$features).$Define$mustThaves$features,$e.g.$offline$capability.)

$ $ $

Integration)with)existing)systems)How$well$does$the$software$integrate$with$your$$existing$systems?)

$ $ $

User)Interface)How$user$friendly$is$the$user$interface$and$how$much$user$training$will$be$needed?)

$ $ $

Scalability)Will$the$system$run$into$performance$limitations$in$years$to$come,$when$the$data$and$

number$of$users$is$10$or$100$times$what$it$is$today?)

$ $ $

Reliability)How$likely$are$bugs$and$crashes,$how$mature$is$the$software,$is$it$tried$and$tested?)

$ $ $

Disaster)recovery)What$are$the$options$to$ensure$business$continuity$when$an$unexpected$"disaster"$

occurs?$$How$expensive$and$time$consuming$will$it$be$to$create$and$test$recovery$plan$

options?)

$ $ $

Security)How$confident$can$we$be$that$all$security$threats$have$been$considered$in$the$design$of$the$

software$solution?$Has$the$security$been$independently$audited?)

$ $ $

Is)the)system)certified?)Some$industries$may$require$additional$certification$for$some$fields,$e.g$German$accounting$

software$certification.)

$ $ $

Risk)of)not)meeting)expectations)What$other$risks$are$there,$what$else$can$go$wrong?$e.g.$What$if$the$project$developer$gets$

ill?$$What$if$the$project$scope$and$specifications$where$inaccurate$to$start$with?)

$ $ $

Flexibility)to)customise)Can$the$solution$be$easily$and$relatively$cheaply$customised$after$delivery,$to$compensate$

for$everTchanging$requirements?$Are$there$multiple$options$for$who$can$customise?)

$ $ $

Multilingual)Capabilities)Does$the$system$support$all$of$the$languages$that$the$project$requires$or$may$require$in$the$

future,$also$for$customisations?)

$ $ $

$



6.4 Collective)action)on)technology)

“You+need+to+position+yourself+quite+rapidly:+the+clock+is+ticking.+Things+are+going+very,+very+fast.+Certification+needs+to+reinvent+the+way+it+works+and+

provide+value.”+–+Focus+group+participant+

If$sustainability$standards$systems$are$to$rise$to$the$challenge$and$build$an$effective$technology$

ecosystem$for$sustainability,$cooperation$is$key.$Three$lines$of$action$stand$out:$$

Data)standards)

Data$exchange$protocols$are$a$preTcondition$for$an$interoperable$ecosystem$of$sustainability$

standards$organisations.$In$its$work$on$monitoring$and$evaluation,$the$ISEAL$Alliance$has$made$initial$

inroads$towards$shared$indicators7;$these$could$be$developed$further$into$a$data$standard$for$

reporting.$Other$data$standards$that$would$be$beneficial$are$data$sets$on$certificates$and$audit$

reports,$amongst$others.$$$

“In+essence,+we+need+an+information+management+code+of+good+practice,+just+like+we+have+a+standardsNsetting+code+and+an+assurance+code.”+–+ISEAL+

Member+

The$ISEAL$Impacts$Code$already$contains$a$range$of$requirements$for$ISEAL$members’$data$

management$systems.$In$addition,$we$suggest$that$ISEAL$adds$minimum$requirements$for$data$sets$

(including$location$data/polygons$for$certificates)$and$data$transparency$as$part$of$its$membership$

criteria.$$

Traceability)Managing$the$traceability$of$certified$products$through$the$chain$of$custody$is$a$major$challenge$for$

many$sustainability$standards.$Currently,$members$use$a$range$of$custom$and$commercial$IT$

systems$to$track$products$and$volumes,$but$many$struggle$with$a$lack$of$actual$involvement$in$the$

supply$chain$and$difficulties$in$maintaining$the$system.$$

“A+central+online+system+for+realNtime+transaction+verification+along+supply+

chains+is+needed.”+–+ISEAL+Member+

While$a$single$centralised$traceability$system$might$be$hard$to$achieve,$this$project$highlights$the$

potential$advantages$of$distributed$traceability$systems$using$blockchain$technology$or$other$

cryptographic$contracts.$$

Modelling)open)data)Many$of$the$benefits$of$recent$technology$innovation$are$the$products$of$openly$available$data.$

Using$this$channel$to$further$strategically$foster$sustainability,$the$ISEAL$Secretariat$could$lead$by$

example$and:$$

1. Publish$its$data$as$open$data$and$in$reusable$formats$whenever$possible;$$

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

7$See$ISEAL$(2013):$Working$together$to$demonstrate$and$improve$poverty$impacts$



2. Encourage$use$of$data$through$accessible$analytical$tools$and$collaborative$data$challenges,$

e.g.$hackathons;$and$$

3. Develop$exemplary$data$use$policies.$$

In$addition,$collective$action$projects$are$bound$to$emerge$from$an$active$community$of$members$

that$explores$current$trends$in$technology,$shares$successes$and$failures$and$identifies$challenges$

and$needs.$Some$of$these$projects$may$involve$all$members$of$the$ISEAL$Alliance,$others,$informal$or$

formal$alliances$of$a$subset$of$organisations.$$

“I+truly+hope+that+jointly+shared+IT+(and+possibly+also+other+services)+will+bring+

the+ISEAL+members+even+closer+together.”+–+ISEAL+Member+

The$research$in$this$project$has$shown:$technology$innovation$is$a$central$element$for$the$future$of$

sustainability$standards.$The$ISEAL$Alliance$is$right$to$prioritize$this$topic$at$this$time$and$to$step$up$

the$pace.$Technology$moves$fast$–$instead$of$taking$shortcuts,$sustainability$standards$can$meet$this$

challenge$by$moving$deliberately$towards$creating$a$connected$data$ecosystem$for$sustainability.$$

7$Annexes$


7. Annexes)

7.1 Glossary)Agile)development) An$approach$to$project$management$in$which$solutions$evolve$

through$collaboration$between$selfTorganising,$crossTfunctional$

teams.$It$promotes$adaptive$planning,$evolutionary$development,$

early$delivery$and$continuous$improvement,$and$encourages$rapid$

and$flexible$response$to$change.$

API) An$application$programming$interface$(API)$provides$a$set$of$rules$

for$how$an$application$interacts$with$other$applications.$They$allow$

developers$to$access$relevant$aspects$of$a$system’s$internal$

functions$in$order$to$send$or$receive$data$between$applications.$

For$a$list$of$public$APIs,$see$ProgrammableWeb.$$

Artificial)intelligence) A$field$of$computer$science$which$studies$how$to$create$computers$

and$computer$software$that$are$capable$of$intelligent$behaviour.$

Relevant$subTfields$include$machine$learning,$neural$networks$and$

natural$language$processing.$)Barcode) MachineTreadable$symbols$used$to$encode$information$such$as$

product$numbers,$serial$numbers$and$batch$numbers.$Barcodes$

can$be$scanned$optically$using$laser$or$cameraTbased$systems.$The$

most$common$types$are$oneTdimensional$EAN/UPC$codes$and$twoT

dimensional$QR$codes.$$

Big)data) A$broad$term$applied$to$any$process$involving$data$sets$that$are$of$

a$size$requiring$special$resources$to$manage$or$analyse.$While$

there$is$no$specific$size$threshold$to$qualify$“big”$data,$the$term$is$

typically$applied$to$the$practise$and$gathering$and$mining$large$

quantities$of$data$for$patterns,$trends,$risks$and$insights$that$might$

be$applied$to$decisionTmaking$within$a$business$or$organisation.)Bitcoin) A$digital$currency$issued$by$a$decentralised,$nonTgovernmental$

authority,$which$relies$on$vast$computing$power$and$advanced$

encryption.$Bitcoin$is$considered$experimental,$but$has$wide$

interest$as$it$promises$a$new$method$of$value$exchange$and$lower$

transactional$values$than$traditional$currencies.$

Blockchain) A$model$of$transactional$recordkeeping$that$was$developed$as$a$

public$ledger$of$Bitcoin$transactions.$Transactions$are$grouped$in$

standard$“blocks”$which$resemble$a$traditional$bank$statement.$

These$are$then$linked$into$a$chronological$“chain”$with$all$previous$

blocks,$and$stored$in$a$central$database.$This,$in$theory,$provides$a$

permanent$record$of$the$values$exchanged.$While$blockchain$

originated$with$Bitcoin,$this$model$has$attracted$interest$from$

other$sectors.$

Cloud)computing) Storing$and$accessing$data$and$programmes$over$the$internet$

instead$of$a$local$computer$or$server.$In$most$cases,$a$thirdTparty$

provider$delivers$computing$services$(such$as$data$storage,$data$

manipulation$or$user$interfaces)$through$the$internet.$See$also:$

Software$as$a$Service$(SaaS).$)Customer)Relationship)Management)(CRM))

A$group$of$software$used$to$manage$an$organisation’s$interactions$

with$clients$and$other$stakeholders.$$

Data)mapping) A$process$by$which$different$data$models$are$linked$using$a$

7$Annexes$


defined$set$of$methods$to$characterise$the$data$in$a$specific$

definition.$This$data$linking$follows$a$set$of$standards,$which$

depends$on$the$domain$value$of$the$data$model$used.$$

Data)warehouse) A$central$repository$of$an$organisation’s$data$that$combines$data$

from$one$or$more$disparate$sources.$A$data$warehouse$is$designed$

for$query$and$analysis$rather$than$for$transaction$processing.))Distributed)system) A$system$in$which$computing$power$is$provided$by$a$series$of$

networked$but$physically$separate$computers$or$servers$in$

constant$communication$with$one$another.$This$combined$

processing$power$of$all$the$units$is$applied$to$a$given$task.$

Distributed$systems$are$frequently$required$for$large$scale$(big$

data)$processing.$Not$to$be$confused$with$cloud$computing.$

ERP)system) Enterprise$Resource$Planning$(ERP)$systems$are$typically$used$to$

integrate$multiple$systems$and$facilitate$process$management$

across$the$organisation.$

Geolocation) The$identification$of$the$global$location$of$a$place$or$object.$Global$

Positioning$Systems$(GPS)$or$Geographic$Information$Systems$(GIS)$

may$play$a$role$in$geolocation,$the$first$by$providing$precise$

coordinates$via$satellite,$and$the$second$by$storing,$analysing$and$

crossTreferencing$a$location$with$databases$containing$maps$or$

other$relevant$information.$

Hackathon) An$event$in$which$computer$programmers$and$others$involved$in$

software$development$and$hardware$development$collaborate$

intensively$on$software$projects$on$a$specific$topic$or$data$set.$$

Internet)of)Things) A$catchTall$term$for$the$wide$range$of$sensors,$tools$and$household$

items$now$connected$to$networks$that$allow$them$to$send$and$

receive$data.$These$sensors$provide$information$on$how$we$use$

spaces$and$objects$in$our$daily$lives.$

Machine)learning) A$subTfield$of$computer$science$that$examines$algorithms$that$can$

learn$from$and$make$predictions$based$on$data.$Machine$learning$

is$a$form$of$advanced$pattern$matching$and$has$been$used$to$

improve$predictive$analysis,$search$engines,$speech$analysis$and$

text$mining$systems.$

Machine:readable) A$format$that$can$be$read$automatically$by$a$web$browser$or$

computer$system.$Traditional$word$processing$documents,$web$

pages$and$PDF$files$are$easily$read$by$humans$but$typically$are$

difficult$for$machines$to$interpret.$XML,$JSON$and$spreadsheets$

with$header$columns$that$can$be$exported$as$comma$separated$

values$(CSV)$are$examples$of$machineTreadable$formats.$

Traditional$word$processing$documents$and$other$formats$can$be$

made$machineTreadable,$but$the$documents$must$include$

enhanced$structural$elements.$

Metadata) Frequently$described$as$“data$about$data”.$Metadata$is$usually$

applied$to$descriptive$information$about$a$resource,$such$as$the$

bibliographic$information$a$library$catalogue$might$contain$about$a$

book.$Metadata$and$metadata$standards$can$facilitate$search$and$

access,$and$make$it$easier$to$share$or$publish$information.$

Open)data) Data$that$is$free$to$be$accessed,$used$and$distributed$by$anyone$

with,$at$most,$attribution$of$the$original$source$as$a$requirement.$$

Polygons) A$data$object$representing$the$boundaries$of$a$geographic$area,$

7$Annexes$


such$as$a$national$park$or$fishery.$

Predictive)modelling) A$branch$of$data$mining$that$uses$statistical$analysis$to$create$

probabilistic$models$of$future$behaviour,$risks$and$trends.$

RFID)chip) RadioTfrequency$identification$(RFID)$refers$to$small$electronic$

devices$that$consist$of$a$small$chip$and$an$antenna.$Like$barcodes,$

RFID$chips$store$basic$information$about$the$object$they$are$

attached$to.$However,$they$are$read$through$electromagnetic$

scanners$and$do$not$need$to$be$in$the$line$of$sight$of$the$reader.$$

SaaS) Software$as$a$service$(SaaS)$is$a$software$licensing$and$delivery$

model$in$which$software$is$licensed$on$a$subscription$basis$and$is$

centrally$hosted.$It$is$sometimes$referred$to$as$"onTdemand$

software".$SaaS$is$typically$accessed$by$users$via$a$web$browser.$

Schema) Any$organised$pattern$of$thought$that$describes$categories$and$the$

relationships$between$them$and$the$objects$or$values$they$

contain.$This$term$can$be$applied$both$to$systems$of$standards$and$

to$the$rules$that$establish$the$organisational$structure$of$a$

database.$

Semi:structured)data) Data$that$contains$some$internal$subdivisions$that$might$provide$

insight$into$the$content$without$considering$the$content$as$a$

whole.$For$example,$subject$headings$within$a$long$paper,$which$

are$linked$to$a$table$of$contents.$

Structured)data) Data$with$a$high$degree$of$internal$organisation$in$which$contents$

are$discoverable$through$simple$search$algorithms,$such$as$a$wellT

structured$relational$database.$

Unstructured)data) Data$that$is$not$contained$in$a$data$structure$or$organised$

according$to$a$defined$model.$For$example,$a$body$of$content$

where$the$text$is$stored$as$a$single$block.$

Visualization) Presentation$of$data$in$a$visual$format$such$as$a$graph,$map$or$

chart$to$facilitate$exploration$or$explanation.$Infographics,$for$

example,$usually$combine$visual$representations$of$data$and$

explanatory$text.$

Wearables) Any$networkTenabled$digital$device$that$can$be$worn$on$the$body,$

including$tracking$devices,$wearable$cameras,$smart$watches,$

eyeglasses$with$embedded$screens$and$virtualTreality$headsets$and$

gloves.$

7$Annexes$


7.2 Methodology)As$part$of$its$work$to$radically$reimagine$the$potential$of$sustainability$standards$systems,$ISEAL$is$

exploring$new$approaches$towards$integrating$innovative$technologies,$tools$and$solutions$into$

existing$systems.$As$an$initial$research$contribution,$this$project$aimed$to$provide$ISEAL$members$

with$a$solid$understanding$of$recent$innovations$and$trends$in$technologyTbased$solutions$that$can$

impact$and$influence$sustainability$standards.$$

The$research$was$conducted$between$July$and$September$2015$by$ON:SUBJECT$in$collaboration$with$

Accreditation$Services$International.$$

Approach)

The$research$process$was$structured$in$two$parts:$$

1. A)survey)of)all)ISEAL)members$to$document$their$current$experience$and$practices;$and$$

2. A)set)of)four)focus)group)conversations)with$IT$experts$and$technology$thinkers$to$review$technology$trends$and$examples$from$other$stakeholders$and$sectors.$$

In$doing$so,$we$worked$from$the$following$assumptions:$$

• The$technology$innovations$most$relevant$for$standards$systems$are$not$new$as$such;$they$

are$already$widespread$and$proven$in$other$sectors.$The$research$thus$focussed$on$

identifying$the$most$promising$solutions$and$core$directions,$instead$of$providing$a$

comprehensive$database$with$hundreds$of$possible$approaches$and$systems.$$

• Technology$innovation$for$sustainability$standards$is$a$niche$topic$that$is$not$yet$covered$in$

literature$nor$by$many$experts$directly.$The$research$thus$focussed$on$capturing$the$ideas$

and$responses$of$diverse$IT$experts$instead$of$providing$detailed$reading$recommendations.$$

Survey)of)ISEAL)Members)

An$online$survey$of$ISEAL$members$was$sent$out$on$20$July$2015.$By$11$September,$responses$from$

18$organisations$had$been$received.$The$survey$followed$the$following$structure:$$

1. Contact$Information$

2. Current$Situation$and$Practices$

3. Assessment$and$Ambitions$

4. Further$Comments$

A$copy$of$the$full$questionnaire$can$be$obtained$from$the$author.$$

Focus)Groups)Focus$groups$are$a$research$technique$that$collects$data$through$group$interaction$on$a$topic$

determined$by$the$researcher.$As$a$dialogueTbased$research$methodology,$focus$groups$allow$for$

the$emergence$of$priorities,$opinions$and$contradictions$through$the$group$conversation.$As$part$of$

this$project,$we$organised$a$set$of$four$online$focus$group$conversations$on$best$methods$of$

gathering,$managing$and$analysing$the$information$needed$to$assure$sustainability$across$global$

supply$chains.$$

7$Annexes$


From$a$list$of$targeted$IT$experts$and$technology$thinkers,$19$participants$registered$to$join$one$of$

the$following$75Tminute$conversations:$$

• Focus)Group)#1:)Integrating)Data)(Friday,)31)July)2015))

How$can$we$connect$and$manage$existing$data$sources$in$new$ways$to$gain$new$insights?$$

• Focus)Group)#2:)Gathering)Data)(Wednesday,)19)August)2015))

How$can$we$gather$data$to$gauge$compliance$with$and$effectiveness$of$the$standard?$$

• Focus)Group)#3:)Analysing)Data)(Tuesday,)2)September)2015))How$can$we$use$information$technology$to$gain$better$insights$from$the$available$data?$$

• Focus)Group)#4:)Sharing)Data)(Tuesday,)25)August)2015))What$would$a$standards$system$that$allows$for$credible,$transparent$and$realTtime$access$to$

data$actually$look$like?$

The$questionnaire$used$to$lead$the$focus$group$conversations$can$be$obtained$from$the$author.$$

Participants)We$would$like$to$thank$the$following$individuals$for$their$knowledgeable$participation$in$this$

research$project:$$

Participants)of)the)focus)groups:)James$Barsimantov,$ COO$at$SupplyShift;$Maarten$Cleeren,$Strategy$

Director$at$Elsevier;$Pierre$Courtemanche,$CEO,$GeoTraceability;$Tim$Davies,$Researcher$of$

#opendata,$democracy$&$development;$Jesse$Daystar,$Assistant$Director$of$Corporate$Sustainability$

Programs,$Duke$Center$for$Sustainability$&$Commerce$at$Duke$University;$Monica$Fulvio,$Senior$

Taxonomist$at$National$Geographic$Society;$AnneTMarie$Lavie,$Lead$Enterprise$Architect,$Desjardins;$

Tom$Rausch,$CoTFounder$&$Director,$Strategy$+$Innovation,$Good$World$Solutions;$Sasha$Rebmann,$

Creative$Director,$Everysite;$David$Colby$Reed,$Managing$Partner$@$Foossa,$Behavioral$Science$

Aficionado;$Michael$Silberman,$Global$Director$of$the$Digital$Mobilisation$Lab$at$Greenpeace;$Rik$

Van$Bruggen,$Regional$Director$at$Neo$Technology;$Crispen$Wilson,$former$Deputy$Director,$

Evaluation$&$Research,$Rainforest$Alliance.$$

Respondents)to)the)survey:)4C$Association:$George$Watene;$Alliance$for$Water$Stewardship:$

Richard$Robertson,$Nicole$Tanner;$ASC:$Bas$Geerts;$ASI:$Matthias$Wilnhammer;$Bonsucro:$Nicolas$

Viart;$Equitable$Origin:$Sarah$Coulter;$FLOCERT:$Frank$Brinkschneider;$FSC:$Rob$Ukkerman;$Golf$

Environment$Organization:$Stephen$Gabauer;$GoodWeave$International:$Biko$Nagara;$IOAS:$David$

Crucefix;$LEAF$Marque$Ltd:$Jeremy$Boxall;$Marine$Stewardship$Council:$Peter$Hair;$Responsible$

Jewellery$Council:$Maria$Mursell,$Catherine$Sproule;$RSPO:$Sanath$Kumaran;$Social$Accountability$

Accreditation$Services:$Nicole$Platt;$Sustainable$Agriculture$Network:$Ana$Garzon;$UTZ$Certified:$

Paul$Schep.$$

Other)contributors:)Diana$Briggs,$Taxonomist$and$Metadata$Specialist;$Lara$Emde,$Illustrator$and$

Visual$Facilitator;$Helen$Ireland,$ISEAL's$Manager,$Innovations;$Elizabeth$Kennedy,$Independent$

Consultant,$Conservation$Data$Solutions;$Kristin$Komives,$ISEAL's$Director,$Impacts;$Patrick$Mallet,$

ISEAL’s$Director,$Innovations;$Elyse$Stavely,$Communications$Officer,$Accreditation$Services$

International;$Oliver$White,$IT$manager,$Accreditation$Services$International.$$

7$Annexes$


7.3 Resources)and)References)

Further)reading)Books$and$resources$on$technology$innovation,$data$management$and$analysis.$

Big)Data)at)Work:)Dispelling)the)Myths,)Uncovering)the)Opportunities.$Thomas$Davenport$(2014)$

Big)Data:)A)Revolution)That)Will)Transform)How)We)Live,)Work)and)Think.)Viktor$MayerT

Schönberger$and$Kenneth$Cukier$(2013)$

Data)Science)for)Business:)What)You)Need)to)Know)about)Data)Mining)and)Data:analytic)Thinking.)

Foster$Provost$and$Tom$Fawcett$(2013)$

Demystifying)Big)Data:)A)Practical)Guide)To)Transforming)The)Business)of)Government.)TechAmerica$Foundation$(2012).$Available$online.$$

How)can)we)improve)agriculture,)food)and)nutrition)with)open)data?$Open$Data$Institute$(2015).$Available$online.$

Local)Government)Spatial)Information)Management)Toolkit.$Australian$Local$Government$

Association$(2007).$Available$online.$

Monitoring)and)Evaluation)Guidance)Note:)Data)Protection)and)Information)Privacy:)Legal)Considerations.)ISEAL$Alliance$(2014).$Draft$available$on$request.$$

Open)Government)Data)Toolkit.)World$Bank$(2012).$Available$online.$$

Principles)of)Data)Quality,)version)1.0.)Arthur$Chapman$for$the$Global$Biodiversity$Information$

Facility,$Copenhagen$(2005).$Available$online.$$

Programming)Collective)Intelligence.)Toby$Segaran$(2007)$

The)Lean)Startup:)How)Today's)Entrepreneurs)Use)Continuous)Innovation)to)Create)Radically)Successful)Businesses.$Eric$Ries$(2011)$

The)Signal)and)the)Noise:)The)Art)and)Science)of)Prediction.$Nate$Silver$(2012)$

Working)Together)to)Demonstrate)&)Improve)Poverty)Impacts.)ISEAL$Alliance$(2013).$Available$online.$$

Technology)providers)for)sustainable)supply)chains)

The$list$below$includes$specialised$technology$providers$for$certification$and$supply$chain$

management$that$we$have$come$across$over$the$course$of$this$project.$Solutions$may$be$at$different$

stages$of$maturity;$inclusion$in$this$list$does$not$imply$an$endorsement.$More$generic$technologies$

(such$as$CRM$software)$that$can$be$customised$to$meet$the$needs$of$sustainability$standards$are$not$

included$here.$$

Agreo$ A$multiTsector$extranet$solution$deployed$for$farm$operators$to$promote$

information$exchange$with$producers$and$technical$advisors.$$

www.smagTgroup.com$$

7$Annexes$


AuditAide$ An$affordable$ICTTsolution$for$group$certification$of$agricultural$sustainability$

standards.$www.thinkdataservices.com/…/internal_inspection_and_audits.html$$

Benetech$$ Silicon$Valley$based$nonprofit$providing$innovative$IT$solutions$for$social$change.$

www.benetech.org$$

CASI$ Automates$standard$based$certification$or$assurance$schemes$for$online$

deployment$within$weeks.$www.everysite.co.uk$$

Chainpoint$ Secure,$online$software$platform$to$manage$and$share$product,$process$and$

supplier$information,$from$raw$material$to$finished$product.$www.chainpoint.com$$

Ecert$ Manages$audit$management$and$certifications$with$just$one$system$in$an$easy$and$

efficient$manner.$$www.intactTsystems.com$$

Enablon$ Provider$of$Sustainability,$EH&S$and$Operational$Risk$Management$Software$with$

more$than$100$application$modules.$www.enablon.com$$

Farmforce$ Integrated$mobile$platform$to$manage$smallTholder$farming.$www.farmforce.com$

GeoTraceability$$ IT$solutions$that$facilitate$mapping,$data$collection$and$traceability$tailored$to$a$

smallholder$environment.$www.geotraceability.com$$

Group)Integrity) Software$program$that$facilitates$the$certification$of$smallholder$groups$and$

businesses$with$small$producers$under$contract$farming.$www.groupTintegrity.com$$

Labor)Link$ An$endTtoTend$service$that$uses$mobile$phone$surveys$to$collect$information$

directly$from$factory$and$farm$workers$around$the$world.$www.mylaborlink.org$$

Provenance$$ Authenticates$key$product$information$with$blockchain$technology$and$smart$

tagging.$www.provenance.org$$

Qualityworx$ A$free$Management$Information$System$that$covers$data$collection$and$

information$needs$for$smallholder$producer$organisations.$www.qms4s.org$$

Sourcemap$ A$flexible$and$easy$to$use$supply$chain$visualization$solution.$www.sourcemap.com$$

SupplyShift$$ CloudTbased$supply$chain$management$platform$that$integrates$supplier$

performance$information.$www.supplyshift.net$$

Terras)Tools$ Data$gathering$and$analysis$tools$developed$originally$for$farmers$and$processors$

to$manage$the$legality$of$their$supply$chains.$terras.agr.br$

7$Annexes$


7.4 Article)in)“ISEAL)Community”)Newsletter,)September)2015)How$can$we$ulitise$modern$technology$to$increase$our$impact?$In$this$article$by$former$ISEAL$staffer$

Wiebke$Herding,$we$report$on$ISEAL$members'$technology$frustrations$and$hone$in$on$experts'$

recommendations$for$standards$systems.$

How$can$technology$innovation$increase$the$impact$of$sustainability$standards$systems?$This$

summer,$we$asked$ISEAL$members$and$external$technology$experts$to$contribute$to$a$set$of$

conversations$that$can$point$the$way$for$new$approaches$that$can$help$us$operate$at$scale,$adapt$

and$integrate$new$technologies,$and$create$new$value.$

One)key)emerging)insight:)Before)we)explore)fashionable)new)technologies,)we)first)need)to)build)the)foundations)of)smart)data)management)in)our)standards)systems.$

By$definition,$sustainability$standards$systems$are$data$management$machines:$they$exist$to$provide$

credible$information$about$products$or$services$to$companies$and$consumers,$and$to$use$this$

information$to$foster$sustainable$production$and$consumption$patterns.$We$already$gather,$

integrate,$analyse$and$share$this$data$through$the$audit$process,$through$traceability,$through$

monitoring$and$evaluation$–$it$is$time$for$our$technology$and$systems$to$support$us$in$this$

endeavour.$

So$ISEAL$conducted$a$survey$of$current$experiences$and$challenges$with$technology$innovation$

amongst$ISEAL$members.$In$addition,$a$set$of$four$expert$panels$with$IT$experts$and$technology$

thinkers$met$to$brainstorm$new$and$practical$approaches$to$apply$technology$innovations$to$current$

challenges$and$future$opportunities$in$sustainability$standards$systems.$

ISEAL$members$expressed$the$following$main$frustrations$with$their$information$management$

systems$in$the$survey:$

1.Manual)processing.$Many$members$highlighted$the$amount$of$work$required$to$input$data,$

combine$it$from$various$sources$and$analyse$it$to$inform$better$decisions.$This$work$oftentimes$

encompasses$a$duplication$of$effort$when$data$needs$to$be$entered$multiple$times$into$different$

systems.$

2.Loss)of)data.)ISEAL$members$reported$issues$with$data$integrity$and$quality$due$to$human$error$

during$data$entry$or$due$to$data$imports.$The$amount$of$time$required$to$fix$these$issues$often$

results$in$large$amounts$of$data$not$being$transferred$into$suitable$databases$and$thus$never$used$

for$decisionTmaking.$

3.Complex)change)management.)Especially$more$established$standards$systems$suffer$from$high$

costs$and$drawnTout$processes$required$in$adapting$their$technology$systems$to$changing$

requirements.$

During$the$expert$panel$conversations,$external$technology$experts$also$highlighted$that$“the$clock$

is$ticking”$for$certification.$They$report$a$clear$opportunity$for$sustainability$standards$to$reposition$

themselves$as$a$tool$to$support$dataTdriven$decisions$that$will$help$companies$secure$supply$in$the$

longTterm,$protect$their$brand$and$make$wise$investments,$but$they$also$see$technology$moving$fast$

–$and$ISEAL$members$might$be$required$to$position$themselves$soon.$

7$Annexes$


Gathering)data)From$wearables,$satellites,$sensor$data,$barcodes$and$other$accessories$in$the$soTcalled$“Internet$of$

Things”,$there$is$no$lack$of$new,$innovative$technology$that$can$help$standards$systems$gather$data.$

However,$when$we$asked$experts$where$ISEAL$members$need$to$focus,$they$asked$us$to$focus$on$

the$basics:$

1.Prioritise)mobile)data)collection.$Phase$out$paper$or$pdf$reports$and$ensure$that$all$data$is$

immediately$included$in$a$cloudTbased$data$store.$Where$you$lack$connectivity,$collect$data$locally$

on$tablets$(or$even$temporarily$on$paper)$and$upload$it$as$soon$as$you$have$access$to$the$internet.$

2.Build)a)shared)data)framework.$Define$the$questions$and$data$formats$that$you’ll$want$to$collect$

data$on$so$that$you$can$ensure$the$use$of$the$data$throughout$your$data$management$system,$avoid$

duplicate$data$collection$and$slowly$move$towards$sharing$data$between$different$organisations$

involved$in$your$standards$system$and$beyond.$

3.Be)open.)Over$time,$you’ll$want$to$experiment$with$adding$data$gathering$techniques$or$

integrating$external$sources$of$data:$Make$sure$that$your$systems$remain$flexible$enough$to$evolve$

over$time.$

In$terms$of$gathering$data$in$smart$ways,$we’ll$need$to$consider:$how$can$we$design$incentives$to$

gather$data$correctly?$How$can$we$anonymise$data$appropriately?$How$can$we$restructure$

contractual$arrangements$to$allow$for$smarter$data$flow?$

Integrating)data)

Sustainability$standards$are$not$alone$in$gathering$data$about$sustainable$production$and$supply$

chains,$and$even$our$own$data$sources$are$often$badly$connected.$When$we$asked$our$panel$of$

experts$how$can$we$connect$and$manage$existing$data$sources$in$new$ways$to$gain$new$insights,$

they$responded:$

1.Discover)what)exists.)We$need$to$understand$the$data$we$are$already$gathering$(and$where$and$

how$it$is$managed)$before$we$can$integrate$it$better.$In$a$second$step,$we$can$look$for$external$

sources$of$information$(“public$use$files”,$e.g.$satellite$data)$to$incorporate.$

2.Define)a)data)standard.$For$data$that$is$shared$between$organisations,$we$need$to$define$exchange$formats$(“schemas”)$or$machineTaccessible$interfaces$(“APIs”)$to$ensure$that$data$can$be$

imported$and$exported$correctly.$In$some$cases,$this$might$require$data$mapping$or$translation.$

3.Map)certified)enterprises.)Location$data$(“polygons”)$is$essential$for$many$applications$like$

detecting$double$certification,$calculating$impact$by$country,$overlaying$satellite$data.$Location$data$

will$also$form$the$foundation$for$a$unique$producer$ID$that$allows$for$easy$exchange.$

All$four$expert$panels$kept$coming$back$to$the$importance$of$data$integration,$suggesting$that$this$

will$provide$the$biggest$benefits$for$standards$systems$in$the$area$of$technology$innovation.$While$a$

lot$of$work$can$be$done$within$each$organisation$to$better$integrate$its$own$data,$the$real$benefits$

are$in$better$integrating$the$data$flow$across$standard$systems$and$then$strategically$(and$partially)$

making$this$data$available$to$producers,$supply$chain$partners,$funders$and$other$standards$systems.$

7$Annexes$


Analysing)data)Standards$systems$are$managing$data$for$many$purposes,$and$they$need$to$get$better$in$using$their$

data$to$inform$their$decisions.$Data$science$is$an$exciting$and$emerging$field$that$can$help$us$make$

sense$of$the$complexity$we$are$managing.$Our$panel$of$experts$recommended:$$

1.Make)it)visual.)Spreadsheets$are$terrible$at$representing$complex$data$–$and$humans$are$terrible$

at$understanding$spreadsheets.$Identify$the$most$important$business$indicators$(“KPIs”)$and$report$

visually$on$them$over$time.$You$can$use$this$technique$both$for$specific$facts$on,$for$example,$a$

specific$producer$or$to$discover$patterns$across$the$entirety$of$your$data.$

2.Learn)to)love)database)queries.)It’s$impossible$to$know$all$questions$in$advance,$but$it$is$possible$

to$learn$to$speak$the$language$of$your$database$and$create$custom$queries$and$reports$as$you$go$

along.$It$pays$off$to$invest$in$some$data$management$and$analysis$skills$on$staff.$

3.Start)small)and)stay)agile.)If$you$don’t$try$to$do$everything$in$one$go,$you$are$much$more$likely$to$

succeed.$Focus$on$specific$problems,$questions$and$sets$of$data,$and$make$sure$to$deliver$value$from$

the$beginning.$As$long$as$your$solutions$stay$compatible$to$one$another,$you’ll$be$fine.$

The$business$world$is$ripe$with$buzzwords$around$data$analysis$–$from$big$data$and$machine$

learning$to$predictive$analytics$and$business$intelligence.$While$standards$systems$generally$will$

want$to$be$able$to$take$advantage$of$these$developments$to$be$able$to$answer$some$of$the$juicy$

questions$around$certification$and$impact,$we$need$to$figure$out$the$basics$of$data$integration$and$

analysis$first.$

Sharing)data)To$be$of$value$for$a$community$of$users,$standards$systems$have$an$interest$in$sharing$credible$data$

in$a$prompt$and$transparent$manner$with$producers,$supply$chain$participants$and$other$

stakeholders.$The$expert$panel$recommended:$

1.Link)up)with)others.$There$is$a$rich$world$of$existing$open$data$initiatives$in$the$agriculture$and$development$world$(and$beyond).$We$can$build$on$a$lot$of$work$in$defining$data$standards$and$

vocabularies$there,$and$take$advantages$of$data$sources$and$discovery$platforms$to$make$our$data$

more$visible.$

2.Provide)value.)Our$data$does$not$exist$in$a$vacuum.$We$have$a$responsibility$to$provide$“feedback$

with$benefits”$to$producers$and$find$easy$wins$to$show$them$the$value$of$contributing.$

3.Open)data.)Whenever$we$provide$data$to$be$used$publicly,$we$can$make$machineTreadable$

sources$available$as$well.$This$allows$stakeholders$to$do$their$own$analysis$and$contribute$insights$

that$we$might$not$have$come$up$ourselves.$

Of$course,$we$will$need$to$find$smart$ways$to$walk$the$line$between$transparency$and$confidentiality,$

possibly$by$allowing$users$to$define$what$they$consider$private$themselves.$Certain$data$points$(such$

as$price$or$volume)$might$only$ever$be$published$in$aggregate$form.$

7$Annexes$


The)way)forward)ISEAL$is$starting$to$see$smart$data$management$as$a$core$foundation$for$futureTproof$sustainability$

standards,$and$will$be$presenting$a$report$with$further$details,$resources$and$next$steps$in$October$

in$time$for$discussions$at$Members’$Week.$$

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