[𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑼𝑵𝑻𝑷 𝑨𝒅𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝑷𝑷 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏]

The OECD Due Diligence Forum side session on the United Nations Transparency Protocol (UNTP)—thanks to the speakers’ clear articulation of operational realities—surfaced 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 (𝗗𝗣𝗣𝘀) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

The challenge is no longer what data is required.

 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻.

Manufacturers consistently highlighted three structural constraints:

• Fragmented systems across sustainability, production, and sourcing

• Heavy reliance on manual, repetitive reporting (Excel, PDFs, emails)

• Limited visibility beyond Tier 1 suppliers

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗣 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

UNTP does not propose a new platform, registry, or central database. It introduces 𝗮 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀—ERPs, traceability tools, certification databases—𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Two principles define this approach:

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘆, 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮: Claims are linked to evidence and third-party credentials, rather than relying on repeated manual audits.

𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆:  Shifting from constant data “pushes” to discoverable, permissioned access across systems.

A useful analogy raised in the session was global banking: different institutions, different systems—but 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗣𝗣 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

For manufacturers, especially MSMEs, this approach directly addresses:

• Duplicated data requests

• Costly, bespoke system integrations

• Compliance expectations that do not reflect operational reality

The UNTP discussion reframes DPP readiness as an interoperability and governance challenge, reinforcing the emerging view that scalable implementation depends on shared protocols and interoperability rather than centralised systems.

This thinking is complementary to initiatives such as CIRPASS-2 - Digital Product Passport-2, where regulatory interpretation and DPP data requirements are being clarified, while UNTP contributes critical insight into how those requirements can be exchanged, verified, and governed in practice.

Bridging regulatory definition and operational data exchange will be essential as DPPs move from policy frameworks into real-world implementation.

As a registered UNECE-UN/CEFACT Korean Expert, CARE ID looks forward to continuing to learn, explore, and engage as this work evolves.

Christian Hudson Anett Sóti (安妮特) Dr Matthias Altmann Martha Willis