Trace Alliance announces a Working Group on Supply Chain Data Interoperability & Semantic Web, chaired by John G. Keogh

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia, April 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Trace Alliance is pleased to announce the new Joint Working Group on Supply Chain Interoperability and Semantic Web. This working group brings together global companies, technology providers, government agencies, and academics to collaborate on creating a commons-based (open source) framework and recommendations that will contribute to seamless communication between disparate information technology systems in the public and private sectors.

Trace Alliance is excited to welcome and announce John G. Keogh as the chair of the Working Group. Previously the Trace Alliance's inaugural chair, John is the managing principal of Toronto-based niche advisory and research firm Shantalla Inc. He previously held executive leadership positions at GS1 Canada and GS1 Global Office. John also held executive global leadership roles as a VP/CIO of Information Technology and VP of Supply Chain. He led consulting organizations at Digital Equipment Corp in the Netherlands, Compaq Canada, and Hewlett-Packard, Canada. John was recently appointed to a 3-year visiting Professor of Practice role at McGill University, Centre for the Convergence of Health and Economics (MCCHE) of the Desautels Faculty of Management where he will focus on the digital transformation of interoperable ecosystems in the agri-food sector.

The Working Group on Supply Chain Data Interoperability and Semantic Web will collaborate by using globally recognized data standards (such as GS1 and W3C) and semantic web technologies. The initiative's overarching goal is to advance interoperability and positively impact sustainability in supply ecosystems by enabling trusted data exchanges beyond organizational and institutional silos. An essential aspect of the working group is the addition of academic researchers who will explore the state-of-the-art in academic research and empirical evidence on interoperability and identify gaps in knowledge. They will identify areas where research gaps exist and suggest pilots where the commons-based frameworks can enable seamless communications between disparate information technology systems in the public and private sectors. This is based on the principles of open data standards interoperability and semantic web to exchange, interpret, and use data in supply ecosystems.

The working group is organized on the principles of antitrust and inclusiveness to facilitate collaboration between diverse stakeholders with equal rights to exploit the workgroup's outputs. There will be a strong emphasis on open data models and commons-based (opensource) software.

Some organizations that have so far joined the Working Group include large blockchain ecosystem builders, standardization organizations, global industry solution providers, renowned academic institutions, and researchers.

"We often think of product supply chains as linear and simple. But they are often complex supply ecosystems where data and information about products and related services are created and need to be shared. The way to do this is through a neutral and open approach to interoperability to leverage all the benefits of the semantic web and make opaque, untrusted, and unsafe supply ecosystems a thing of the past. We have gathered a remarkable group of organizations and experts to take part in the co-creation process of the working group which will result in actionable, commons-based deliverables aiding all supply ecosystems globally and helping them to enhance transparency, improve trust, and aid sustainability."

John G. Keogh, Working Group Chair

The group is expected to hold regular meetings to discuss learnings and potential opportunities. Members will be able to participate in webinars, joint project bids, best practices documentation, and yellow paper documentation of interoperability initiatives.

The joint working group is now open for new members. Interested parties can register their interest by applying for membership on the Trace Alliance partnership hub website.

About Trace Alliance

Based in the European Union, the Trace Alliance is a non-profit association within the OriginTrail ecosystem. It functions as an inclusive, collaborative hub to connect all organizations aiming to work together to solve complex supply chain challenges using distributed ledger technology (DLT). The Trace Alliance acts as a platform for sharing knowledge and experience from real-world blockchain implementations, allowing members to connect and pursue joint projects, creating new expertise and facilitating the adoption of blockchain technology on a global level.

For more information about Trace Alliance, please visit https://alliance.origintrail.io.

For more information about OriginTrail, please visit https://origintrail.io.