Oritain: Building Trust with Evidence

From the report

Supply chains have long relied on documents, declarations, and trust. Rupert Hodges, Chief Strategy Officer at Oritain, explains how forensic science is replacing assumptions with physical evidence of product origin, helping businesses expose fraud, satisfy regulators, and protect their reputations.

Question: Firstly, what is broken about traditional traceability?

Rupert Hodges, Chief Strategy Officer (RH): Traditional traceability, or paper and digital trails of documentation and supplier declarations, are unreliable. It is easier than ever for businesses to misrepresent what they submit for their own commercial interests. Whilst traditional or solely digital methods can demonstrate intent and process, only verification provides a defensible source of truth in an increasingly enforcement-led environment. Brands that want to keep customers, regulators, and consumers onside need to upgrade to forensic verification processes where appropriate, which cannot be manipulated in the same ways. Investing in supplier mapping, digital traceability, and better data can give companies a clearer picture of complex global supply chains than ever before.