Enabling stakeholder-led decentralized data exchange
The SFC Exchange Network facilitates emissions data exchange between actors in the transport logistics sector based on decentralized principles. A decentralized network for transparent and accurate data sharing is critical to overcoming the industry’s structural challenges in exchanging data on logistics emissions, including limited availability of primary data and difficulties accessing logistics emissions data. This creates significant barriers in understanding and taking action towards zero-emission logistics. Therefore, joint action is necessary and impactful to reduce GHG emissions and strengthen resiliency for the planet and future generations.
Our vision and objectives
Bridging the gap
As a sociotechnical project co-shaped by and for the participants, SFC Exchange Network is bridging the data gap to drive improvements in accurate carbon reporting and subsequent carbon reduction. This project can catalyze the shift towards decarbonization through a methodological approach to automatically exchange data.
Data-driven opportunities
Upholding data space principles, the network allows for companies to control their data while sharing it sovereignly with supply chain partners. This creates data-driven opportunities especially given the need for companies to improve their understanding of their carbon impact as well as complying with regulations from governments and international agencies.
The SFC Exchange Network has the objective to create full emissions transparency, catalyze decarbonization opportunities and activate business value through disrupting the process of data sharing and working towards interoperable IT systems in logistics.
This is supported by:
- Proof that the exchanged data leads to more robust emission reporting and support well-founded sustainability and decarbonization decision making
- Showcase interoperability across various systems to prevent silo-ed data and human error through an automated exchange via an infrastructure-agnostic API
- Increase trust in the exchanged data through a verified and assurance process, meeting the new ISO 14083 standard and SFC Conformity Assessment Scheme
- Demonstrate harmonized exchange based on data sovereignty and legitimate use of trust policies
Dataspaces refer to an open ecosystem of data storage and sharing based on adherence to set guidelines according to the principles of data sovereignty and trust. Dataspaces provide immense opportunities to foster carbon transparency. Currently within the logistics industry, carbon reporting levels are within business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) exchanges. In the future, enabling business-to-anyone (B2X) reporting is key so that any use case can be addressed. Therefore, the SFC Exchange Network is grounding work to achieve the grander vision of B2X reporting and realize multi-faceted objectives to catalyze the decarbonization journey.
Project context
Smart Freight Centre has been researching digitalization projects since 2019. Starting with the Data Access project, we explored qualitative reasons hindering data exchange between parties and delivered a report on these aspects.
In addition, we published a data model to support and standardize the exchange of activity and emission related data for the freight industry with the ambition of creating a global protocol. Last year, we worked collaboratively with many members on the End-to-End Guidance , where we addressed the inclusion of primary data in the end-to-end shipment emissions calculations and introduced a data quality indicator to contextualize the communicated results. This work highlighted the need to establish a better understanding of primary data and thereby using it to support decision making about Scope 3 emissions.
With this work we complement the actions to higher carbon transparency in the logistics industry and support the decarbonization in logistics while catalyzing the efforts that Partnership for Carbon Transparency (PACT) has started on the visibility and reduction of the Product Carbon Footprints.
Project deliverables in 2023
The project timeline is shown below:
In July 2023, the SFC Exchange Network has completed Proof of Concept (PoC) phase and demonstrated by:
- Feasible peer-to-peer data exchange which creates business value
- Feasible technical implementation which is infrastructure agnostic
- Willingness of participants' to share data following data governance principles
Summarized outcomes of the PoC evaluation can be found in the report below.
Thoughts from our participants
Curious about our next phase?
Given the positive responses and successful PoC, we invite partners to join us in scaling and advancing the technology, which will start in the Q4 of 2023 and progress into 2024. We will continue to advance the technology and API development. The objective is to involve multiple companies with their suppliers in the network:
- Strengthen and improve the API to handle increased amounts of data
- Technical deployment of the full SFC Logistics Emissions Data Model to ensure semantical interoperability and higher business value
- Expand on use cases to showcase different value proposition opportunities for decarbonization
- Integrate and include value-adding apps by adapting the API to different IT systems
- Demonstrate resilient compliance and assurance processes to ensure overall project integrity
Special thanks for contributions towards the PoC phase
Technology Partner
Knowledge Partners
Participants and Contributors
Get involved!
If this sounds interesting to you and you would like to be part of this project, then contact please contact Violetta Matzoros violetta.matzoros@smartfreightcentre.org, Tuul Erdenebold tuul.erdenebold@smartfreightcentre.org, or Lily Ouyang lily.ouyang@smartfreightcentre.org.
