Missing supplier data is the most common cause for lost sales and product recalls. That’s why companies are investing in platform technology to manage the broad swath of data and millions of supplier engagements needed to amass it.
When the revision to the European Union (EU) Waste Framework Directive was published, it took time for companies to recognize how much work it was going to be. They would have to:
- Acquire even more article data.
- Add it to their existing hierarchies.
- Add the technical expertise to build IUCLID files.
- Find EU-based entities to submit on their behalf.
- Ensure data is accurate and complete to the best of their ability, since enforcement authorities can access the database.
Many companies are still finding this out. Others have pressured the European Commission to stay the deadline, citing the burden of the data requirements. The European Commission maintained that the published go-live date would proceed, and companies would need to submit to the Substances of Concern In articles, as such or in complex objects (Products) (SCIP) database by January 5, 2021.
Watch our video to learn how Assent has worked with the European Chemicals Agency from the beginning to help companies submit to the SCIP database.
Immediately, Assent knew this would be important to its clients. That’s why one of Assent’s experts in the EU, Raj Takhar, became a member of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)’s SCIP IT user group. His participation helped us understand the database’s technical requirements from the outset, and ensure industry’s needs were reflected in its development. Then, we took that insight and built cost-effective solutions for businesses of all sizes — from scoping your products, to making your first SCIP submission.
SCIP Database Requirements by Company Type
The requirements we uncovered from our engagement with the working group made it clear that data management needs could vary wildly, depending on a client’s business information. Large EU-based companies would need an end-to-end solution for determining which products are in scope, collecting the new data, and submitting a SCIP dossier.
The same goes for any company placing products on the EU market — they manage the same responsibilities to maintain their sales in 2021. That will only become more pressing as enforcement picks up under the EU Market Surveillance Regulation.
Even if a company doesn’t currently place products on the EU market, they can stay attractive to their clients by providing the compliance data proactively. This means helping them find out which of their products contain substances of very high concern (SVHCs), registering them in the database, and generating the unique product SCIP registration ID. This keeps our clients moving products with agility, even amid the uncertainty.
For the smallest companies, or those that only produce a few parts, making a large software purchase might not make sense. In these cases, they would need free or low-cost solutions to make the submission.
A distributor moving stock-keeping units (SKUs) around the EU may find it burdensome to acquire data for items they don’t manufacture. However, if they collect the SCIP registration number from upstream duty holders, an EU-based entity can then submit the data on the distributor’s behalf.
Understanding these things has enabled us to produce the first and only end-to-end solution, regardless of your business size, and automate a submission to the database. It’s exciting for us because like we, as we have from the beginning, become the first to create effective solutions for mitigating a serious risk to your margins.
We’re helping companies keep their products on the market and contribute to global development by making data exchange more available and affordable to small businesses in their supply chain. This in turn helps our enterprise clients acquire valuable missing data in their hierarchies, so they can keep access to the EU, maintain sales, and hit their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets.
Learn how Assent’s EU Waste Framework Directive and SCIP Dossier Management solutions can help you meet and prepare for the January 5, 2021, deadline.
Making SCIP Submissions With Assent
Assent Compliance has the only platform that can provide companies a complete SCIP solution, from scoping to submission. Other software providers don’t have the capacity to make the submission as non-EU entities. This means your company still has a great deal of work to do, while Assent’s clients simply push a button.
Your complete SCIP submissions will help you proactively show those in the waste management sector how to handle your products and reintroduce valuable materials to the supply chain, wherever possible. It will also demonstrate auditable due diligence to enforcement bodies, who will have access to the database.
For more information about how to meet your SCIP database requirements, contact Assent today.
