The free-to-use Open 3P Data Standard for packaging, launched earlier this year to support efficient and consistent data capture, sharing, and reporting across the packaging supply chain, has recruited new members to its Standard Custodian Board (SCB) to oversee the future maintenance and development of the standard, particularly on an international scale.
The Open 3P Data Standard has been collaboratively developed by a consortium of industry partners comprising Dsposal, Ecosurety, Open Data Manchester CIC, OPRL and RECOUP, with funding from UK Research & Innovation’s Smart Sustainable Plastics Packaging Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK. The aim is to make the packaging supply chain more data-enabled and sustainable, and support the transition to a more circular economy within the packaging sector.
Recruited to provide expertise in both packaging and data management, the new SCB members are:
- Frances Dickman – Head of Compliance at Colpac Ltd
- Lucy Knight – Co-founder and Data Lead at The Data Place
- Steve Morgan – Head of Policy and Infrastructure at RECOUP Ltd
- Adaobi Obi – Business Intelligence Analyst
- Tom Shaw – Packaging Analyst at Waitrose & Partners
- Julian Tait – CEO of Open Data Manchester CIC (Chair)
- Sophie Walker – CEO of Dsposal Ltd
In line with good governance principles for open data standards, the remit of the SCB is to promote and protect the Open 3P data standard. Its main task will be to oversee Open 3P’s international development. This will allow users of the standard to share data across and within borders to accommodate different reporting regulations, such as the soon to be introduced EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and Canadian regulations.
More broadly, it will be responsible for overseeing the standard’s development and future use to ensure that it continues to fulfil the needs of the packaging value chain and those affected by it. This includes evaluating proposals to change the standard and determining the necessary action, providing expert advice, and ensuring that the proceedings of the Board are open and transparent.
Technical and secretariat support for the SCB will be provided Open Data Manchester (ODM) CIC in its role as the Data Standard Holding Body. ODM is a not-for-profit organisation based in the UK which holds the Intellectual Property Rights to the standard within an asset-lock, which means that the standard cannot be exploited or transferred to private individuals or other companies for their own advantage.
Commenting on the appointments, ODM chief executive Julian Tait says:“We are delighted to welcome the new board members and the breadth of expertise that they bring with them. This is an exciting moment in the evolution of the Open 3P Data Standard as the UK packaging industry starts to adopt and use it and it moves on to its next stage of international development.”