Driving societal sustainability

The Trace4Value project unites stakeholders across sectors—from designers and material providers to manufacturers and retailers—to address the intricate task of reshaping global value chains toward sustainability, climate neutrality, and circularity. The project, comprising 65 partners across various industries, is focused on creating practical tools essential for a circular economy.

In preparation for forthcoming European regulations, companies must be ready to provide detailed product information, particularly regarding origin. The digital product passport is central to this effort. As Malin Rosqvist, Trace4Value project leader from the strategic innovation program PiiA (Processindustriell IT & Automation), explains:

– Anyone who launches a product on the European market will need to be able to share data about the product’s origin.

Each material—whether steel or textile—requires tailored solutions, ensuring product data can be transparently and effectively shared.

An open traceability lab for sustainable practices

Trace4Value’s demonstrators have presented tangible solutions for digital product passports, illustrating how a federated traceability system can function. By building on companies’ existing systems, the project uses metadata tagging to enhance interoperability, linking disparate systems within a unified, federated framework. Various ID carriers, such as QR codes, facilitate this data-sharing process. The aim is not only to ensure regulatory compliance but also to increase competitiveness and sustainability across industries.

– System development and interoperability remain challenges that vary by sector. The Trace4Value project was featured this October at key industry events such as Processteknik in Gothenburg and the PiiA Impact & Innovation Summit in Västerås.

A Collaborative approach for lasting impact

Trace4Value is a collaborative effort involving Swedish Mining Innovation, RE:Source, BioInnovation, PiiA, Smart Built Environment, and Metalliska material—each representing national strategic innovation programs with the mandate to channel project results into their respective sectors. Supported by Vinnova through the Sustainable Industry program, Trace4Value underscores the potential of cross-sector collaboration in shaping sustainable, resilient industries.