DS Smith strengthens EUDR traceability across its packaging supply chain

DS Smith has worked with Accenture and osapiens to establish greater transparency over the origin and movement of materials relevant to the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) across its Europe, Middle East and Africa supply chain.

The programme covers more than 250 DS Smith plants and facilities across more than 30 countries, creating a centralised approach to supplier onboarding, material traceability and compliance data management.

The development comes as companies prepare for the EUDR’s application to large and medium-sized operators from 30 December 2026.

Supply chain data becomes central to EUDR readiness

The EUDR requires companies handling relevant commodities and derived products to demonstrate that products placed on the European market or exported from it are deforestation-free and produced in accordance with applicable legislation.

For packaging manufacturers working with fibre-based materials, understanding the origin and movement of relevant raw materials can therefore become an important part of supply chain governance.

DS Smith’s project focuses on creating a clearer and more auditable connection between suppliers, materials, production facilities and downstream distribution.

More than 1,000 suppliers connected through one system

The collaboration has enabled more than 1,000 suppliers to engage through a centralised digital process.

Suppliers can submit relevant information through the platform, allowing DS Smith to consolidate data that was previously distributed across different systems and processes.

This creates greater consistency in the way supply chain information is collected and managed across different countries and facilities.

250 facilities brought into a common framework

Accenture and DS Smith reviewed sourcing, manufacturing, logistics and sales processes across more than 250 plants and facilities in over 30 countries.

The project established a more consistent approach to managing supplier and traceability information across the company's EMEA operations.

This scale is particularly significant for packaging manufacturers because raw materials and finished products can move through complex international supply chains before reaching customers.

Previously separate systems are integrated

One of the main objectives of the project was to bring previously separate supply chain systems, supplier onboarding processes and reporting activities together.

The osapiens HUB provides a central platform for managing the resulting information, allowing teams to access supply chain data through a more consistent digital environment.

The approach can also make it easier to identify information gaps and follow up with suppliers when additional documentation is required.

Traceability extends from origin to distribution

DS Smith says the new system provides an auditable view of EUDR-relevant materials from their origin through production and distribution.

This creates a clearer chain of information linking the source of relevant materials with the packaging products manufactured further downstream.

Such traceability is becoming increasingly important as environmental regulations move towards requirements based on documented supply chain evidence rather than broad sustainability commitments.

Digital onboarding reduces manual compliance work

Managing supplier information across multiple countries can create significant administrative complexity when data is collected through different formats and communication channels.

Digital onboarding provides a more standardised method for collecting information and allows compliance teams to manage supplier interactions through a common system.

For large packaging organisations, this can make regulatory preparation more scalable as the number of suppliers and material flows increases.

EUDR turns material origin into a packaging data issue

The development illustrates how regulations focused on deforestation can have consequences further down the packaging value chain.

Paper and fibre-based packaging relies on raw materials whose origin can become relevant to supply chain compliance, making information about sourcing increasingly important alongside traditional packaging specifications.

This means packaging companies need to connect material procurement data with broader sustainability and regulatory systems.

Compliance preparation moves beyond spreadsheets

The DS Smith project demonstrates the growing role of digital platforms in managing complex regulatory requirements.

When supply chains span hundreds of facilities and thousands of suppliers, maintaining traceability through disconnected spreadsheets and individual reporting processes can become increasingly difficult.

Centralised systems can provide a more consistent way to collect, manage and audit the information required for regulatory compliance.

EUDR creates a broader shift towards supply chain transparency

The implementation of the EUDR is encouraging companies to examine not only their own production processes but also the information available across their supplier networks.

For packaging manufacturers, this can create a stronger connection between procurement, sustainability, IT and compliance teams.

DS Smith’s programme demonstrates how these functions can be integrated into a single supply chain data framework.

Packaging compliance increasingly depends on traceable data

The project highlights a broader transformation taking place across the packaging industry.

As environmental regulations become more detailed, companies increasingly need reliable evidence about where materials originate, how they move through the supply chain and which suppliers are responsible for each stage.

For large packaging manufacturers, building this data infrastructure ahead of regulatory deadlines could become as important as changing the physical packaging itself.