Secure and Trustworthy Data Strategies for Sustainable Global Trade

Future-Proofing for Interoperability

By The Aeolian

As regulatory frameworks tighten and sustainability metrics become integrated into international trade compliance, companies must take proactive steps to ensure their systems are not only interoperable but also capable of producing and managing secure, verifiable, and trustworthy data. For CEOs, CTOs, and CFOs operating in global supply chains, future-proofing means investing in technology, data governance, and partnerships that can meet cross-jurisdictional regulatory demands while supporting transparency and credibility.

First, companies must adopt globally recognized data standards that support secure and verifiable information exchange. GS1’s EPCIS 2.0 and Global Data Model are designed for event-based traceability, enabling lifecycle tracking of products and emissions. These standards incorporate data structures that facilitate tamper-evident recording and verification—key attributes for trustworthy ESG reporting. As these standards become embedded in Digital Product Passport (DPP) and Electronic Freight Transport Information (eFTI) initiatives, businesses integrating them early will gain a compliance edge and strengthen stakeholder confidence.

Photo by Nabeel Hussain on Unsplash

Second, establishing rigorous internal data governance aligned with international frameworks is essential. UN/CEFACT’s semantic models and Core Component Library (CCL) guide organizations on structuring data in a way that ensures semantic consistency and verifiability. Mapping ESG and sustainability metrics to these models not only enhances interoperability but also helps ensure data integrity across digital exchanges. This becomes especially important as regulators and investors increasingly demand auditable, third-party-verifiable data.

Third, companies should build modular, API-based architectures that support secure data sharing. Real-time interoperability depends on secure data flows—both internally and with external partners. Encryption protocols, digital signatures, and decentralized identifiers (DIDs) are now critical tools for protecting sensitive sustainability information. According to the World Customs Organization, interoperability is not simply a matter of data structure, but of trust architecture—how data is verified, who controls it, and how it's accessed.

An example of success can be found in GS1-led blockchain pilots that link EPCIS identifiers with cryptographic verification for scope 3 emissions data. These solutions allow companies to share environmental claims with confidence, knowing the data can be validated independently without compromising proprietary information.

Scenario planning and regulatory foresight also play a critical role. The Peterson Institute advises companies to establish cross-functional compliance innovation teams that monitor evolving data standards and policies. This prepares businesses to adapt quickly and advocate for interoperable and trust-based systems that balance privacy with accountability.

Finally, collaboration remains key. Multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the World Trade Organization’s TESSD dialogues and UN/CEFACT pilot projects provide test beds for refining verification methods and standardizing trustworthy data exchange. Governments and industry consortia can jointly define 'trust frameworks' that ensure data exchanged across borders meets both legal and ethical standards.

In summary, future-proofing for interoperability now means building systems that not only connect—but also convince. By integrating verifiable, secure, and trustworthy data practices into digital transformation strategies, businesses will be better positioned to thrive in a sustainability-driven, digitally regulated trade ecosystem.