Collaboration boosts supply chain readiness for EUDR

The EUDR  will come into force in December 2026 and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss by boosting the consumption of ‘deforestation-free’ products and by reducing the EU’s impact on global deforestation and forest degradation.

The collaboration with Accenture and osapiens for improved supply chain governance and data management has helped establish a foundation for DS Smith to meet future sustainability and product compliance requirements.

Reportedly, the company can now trace EUDR-relevant materials throughout its EMEA supply chain, from origin through production and distribution, with clear, auditable proof of where the materials in the packaging come from. Suppliers are onboarded digitally, and traceability and compliance information is managed through a centralized system, providing greater visibility into supplier and material data.

Together, DS Smith, Accenture and osapiens reviewed sourcing, manufacturing, logistics and sales processes across more than 250 DS Smith plants and facilities in more than 30 countries. Accenture helped drive process transformation, supplier enablement, systems integration and program scaling, while osapiens provided the technology platform supporting the initiative. The companies then established a more consistent approach for managing DS Smith’s supplier and traceability data. Previously separate supply chain systems, onboarding and reporting processes were integrated into one single platform, the osapiens HUB.

“Nearly 80% of supply chain leaders tell us that uncertain geopolitical regulatory requirements have made operating their businesses more difficult over the past six months. That pressure is not going away,” said Matias Pollmann-Larsen, Global Risk, Resilience and Sustainable Value Chain lead, Accenture. “What DS Smith has done with Accenture and osapiens is build the data foundation needed to stay ahead of these challenges, rather than simply responding to the next regulation when it arrives.”

“For an organization operating across as many countries and facilities as DS Smith, having reliable, consistent data about your supply chain is not straightforward,” said Sakis Miliotis, IT director for Paper, Paper Supply Chain, Recycling and Sustainability, DS Smith. “Working with Accenture and osapiens, we have built something that works at scale. Our teams can now access the information they need, suppliers can submit data through a streamlined process, and we have a clear, auditable view of EUDR relevant materials from source to delivery. That gives us a strong foundation we can build on as compliance requirements evolve.”

“The challenge for most organizations is not a shortage of supply chain data, but rather that the data sits in too many places, in too many formats, with too many gaps,” said Stephan de Barse, chief revenue officer, osapiens. “This project shows what becomes possible when those challenges are addressed: with the osapiens HUB, more than 1,000 suppliers engaged through a single process, compliance managed proactively and reporting made significantly more efficient.”

In other news, DS Smith and Schneider Electric have teamed up on a fully recyclable corrugated cardboard solution for three integrated electrical switchgear products, aiming to reduce material use and improve supply chain circularity.

Elsewhere, the International Molded Fiber Association (IMFA) has launched a European Regulation Tracker to help its members understand and adjust to policy changes that could affect their access to the European market, all through a single platform.

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