Shane Coughlan | 05 March 2019
The OpenChain Specification is the only standard for open source compliance in the supply chain. It is a document created by user companies for user companies, and it is uniquely suited for building trust between entities in procurement and M&A.
The core precept of OpenChain is that any company in any market sector can quickly and effectively self-certify at no cost, providing a simple way to display their adoption of the key requirements for a quality open source compliance program. This approach provides the maximum flexibility balanced against ensuring fidelity.
Of course some market sectors have different requirements and—in some cases—entities in a supply chain may prefer to follow a workflow with third-party, or audited, certification. The OpenChain standard is compatible with this approach too and we have been building relationships to support such third-party certification in key demographics like automotive.
Our first certification partner is TÜV SÜD, a renowned German certification authority with a long history of providing that essential precept of “trust but audit” in components used in the automotive sector and further afield. We are delighted to work with TUV SUD in Germany, in Japan and globally as we build out broader adoption of our standard.
Learn more about TUV SUD’s certification process based on the OpenChain Specification and how Hitachi, Ltd. became the first company to receive the new TÜV SÜD certificate in this recent announcement. Congratulations to Hitachi and TÜV SÜD for this significant achievement!
We are rapidly approaching a point where suppliers that are OpenChain Conformant will be preferred suppliers. In accomplishing this we will simultaneously reduce uncertainty and cost for all parties while increasing fidelity and security for every participant in global supply chains. We invite every company and every interested individual starting on their open source compliance journey to visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter for updates.