Meaning
Systematic documentation of every handoff and transformation of a material from its point of origin to the finished product. Maintaining raw material chain custody is required for certifications like the Global Recycled Standard or for compliance with conflict mineral laws. This record ensures that the origins of the materials can be verified by a third-party auditor.
Ownership Trail
Each transfer of the material between a supplier, a transporter, and a factory must be recorded with a signed document. This ownership trail prevents the mixing of certified materials with cheaper, unverified alternatives.
Integrity Audit
Inspectors review the digital and physical records to ensure that the volume of finished goods matches the amount of raw material purchased. An integrity audit can uncover fraud in the supply chain where a factory claims to use more recycled content than it actually buys.
Transfer Event
Points where the material changes form, such as grinding or compounding, are the most critical for documentation. The transfer event must be witnessed or logged by a secure system to maintain the validity of the certificate. Failure to maintain these records leads to the loss of the right to use sustainability logos on the product packaging.
This transparency is a key requirement for modern international trade.
