It’s time for businesses to recognise that scientific integrity is critical to ethical supply management, says Rupert Hodges of origin verification pioneers Oritain
Today, the global supply chain is at an inflection point, driven by geopolitical volatility and the climate crisis. This change requires a shift away from networks optimised solely for cost, instead moving towards networks built for resilience and verifiable standards.
The current inability to identify the true origin of products is exposing major brands to unethical practices, like forced labour and deforestation. Often, such supply chain risks start where transparency ends.
Paper problems
Current certification processes still rely heavily on human involvement with paper-based checks and input to digital or blockchain systems. But in 2025, audits and manual documentation no longer provide the transparency regulators require. Since these methods only monitor declared processes and known logistics, they provide no visibility over the undeclared, often highest-risk, parts of the chain. The result is incomplete outputs that are largely unreliable.
This systemic weakness and lack of transparency around product origins is exactly what’s putting brands at mounting ethical and financial risk. While forced labour and deforestation can have a major impact on reputation and consumer trust, brands also face financial exposure; under the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), fines could be up to 4% of a company’s annual EU turnover.
Ultimately, current paper-based and digital trail supply chain tracking systems are collapsing under the weight of regulatory and consumer scrutiny. These systems are designed for efficiency, not integrity, we cannot solve a problem of this magnitude with pieces of paper.
A perfect storm of regulation, risk, and consumer demand
This is exacerbated by the enormous scale of illicit activity across the globe. The EUDR, likely to come into play in December 2026, mandates that commodities like timber, coffee and leather entering the EU market must have proof of being deforestation-free. Interpol recently reported that the global illegal timber trade is worth up to $152bn a year – given this figure, it’s clear that paper tracking alone cannot address the issue.
We’re facing a crisis of trust, which is forcing regulatory and consumer action, and turning ethical sourcing into an essential requirement for trade.
The bar for regulatory compliance is rising all the time. Global laws now require evidence of ethical sourcing, and businesses operating both inside and outside of the EU face overlapping and sometimes conflicting regulation. This complexity forces brands to find systems that satisfy regulators across the US, UK, EU and beyond.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is no longer a voluntary “nice to have”, it’s business critical. Consumers are actively seeking out socially and environmentally conscious brands, with more than 80% willing to pay more for sustainable goods, according to PwC. But, amid mass accusations of greenwashing, consumer trust is falling. In 2023, research of UK consumers by Sensu Insight found that 7 in 10 believe that environmental claims by businesses aren’t credible.
Science-based supply chain transparency isn’t just important for compliance – it’s critical for customer loyalty and trust, and therefore business success. According to Forbes, 94% of consumers are more likely to be loyal to a brand that’s transparent, highlighting that truth in the supply chain should be a core business priority.
“Consumers are actively seeking out socially and environmentally conscious brands”
Forensic origin verification as the solution
It’s clear that paperwork, proxy data and digital systems cannot solve the issue alone. Products move through so many stages of processing and manufacturing that tracking and authenticating their true origin is a significant challenge. In other words, the systems that rely on unverified data are creating a false sense of security that is failing businesses.
To restore trust and meet regulatory expectations, we must move from declared data to scientifically verified truth. Our most reliable evidence is the physical products themselves, so we must rely on robust, reliable forensic techniques.
At Oritain, we are a pioneering forensic origin verification, defining the “Origin Fingerprint” of products, a unique chemical signature derived from naturally absorbed isotopes and trace elements in the product’s geographic origin – including soil and climate. This methodology is highly resistant to tampering and has even been used as evidence in courts around the world. By analysing a product’s chemical signature, we can verify its origin regardless of physical processing, cutting through the mass of proxy data points in the supply chain. For this to be successful, we rely on three areas: lab science, data science, and a global database. This provides our customers with vital insights, allowing them to pinpoint risk or contamination in the supply chain.
Science acting as the enabler of global trade
The solution demands a scalable, global infrastructure capable of delivering precision at speed. A global problem cannot be solved in silos.
As such, we’ve scaled our capacity by acquiring three specialist labs across Europe, creating a global network integrated with our founding facility in New Zealand. By combining science with a large infrastructure, science can become an enabler for global trade. Additionally, we have introduced a new membership model, creating a network of responsible buyers and suppliers committed to traceability, enabling a faster, deeper path to origin verification that embeds accountability directly into supply chains.
Beyond the impending EUDR deadline, scientific verification is essential for additional regulatory mandates, like the Digital Product Passport being introduced in the EU from 2026, for example. Proof of origin will be essential to ensure the digital record attached to the product is trustworthy, not based on fraudulent claims.
A new era of accountability
The era of plausible deniability is over. Businesses must now recognise that scientific integrity is critical in supply chain management. A commitment to verified product origin will translate directly into enhanced brand integrity and reduced reputational risk, with the ultimate goal being verified accountability. By enabling true integrity across the supply chain, we can become the source of truth in global supply chains, creating a more ethical, resilient and accountable future.
About the author
Rupert Hodges is Chief Commercial Officer at Oritain,
global leaders in forensic origin verification.
Further reading
This article was first published in Business 5.0.