For companies who have synchronized their data with a couple of trading partners and consider themselves “done with data sync” – it’s time to think again!  Most of us realize that any global topic that receives ongoing media attention will impact us, at least in some small way, and green initiatives are no different.

You have probably heard about many companies, and even people, discussing their efforts to reduce their carbon footprints through things such as utilizing renewable energy sources, reducing waste, and living in ways that help to sustain, rather than erode, our environment.

Certainly data synchronization is not impacted by such a conversation, you suggest!  But I beg to differ.  ADWEEK recently published an article entitled “One to Grow On,” that highlights Wal-Mart’s aggressive efforts to push sustainability forward, primarily in the area of reducing product packaging.  This likely means that suppliers will need to revisit their entire approach to packaging – from materials to processes.  And resulting changes in packaging will need to be communicated to trading partners, as the logistics implications – case and pallet structure changes, differing order quantity multiples, and truck volume calculation updates – will be significant.

We often comment in our blogs about the growing demand for more product information, but we should not neglect that existing product data changes, as well.  And the rate of change on particular attributes may increase as the public eye shifts its attention from one area of the manufacturing sector to another.

The fact that Wal-Mart will be scorecarding suppliers in the area of sustainable packaging deserves mention, as we all know that if something is important to a large retailer, then it becomes important to the executives of the suppliers to that trading partner!  So, be sure to keep pace with the opinions and direction of your trading partners as sustainability takes center stage in the global trade arena – and keep your item attributes up to date!  Don’t approach data synchronization as “one and done”.  For better or worse, it’s more like a merry-go-round that pauses along the way, but never truly stops.