Consumers are bombarded with information. Yet the most crucial data — how the products they buy are made, delivered and sustained — is too often concealed. A staggering amount of information exists within supply chains, detailing everything from sourcing processes to labor practices to environmental impact. However, this data is regularly locked away in isolated systems. This lack of transparency hinders informed buying decisions, leaving consumers in the dark.

By 2030, the manufacturing industry will generate a massive 4.4 zettabytes (1 trillion gigabytes) of data worldwide, a new report by ABI Research reveals. It describes operational technology data as the “lifeblood of industrial enterprises” because it holds critical information about hazardous conditions, quality control or energy consumption, versus more generic data. “Operational technology data in enterprises is crucial for ensuring safety and maintaining business operations,” the report asserts.

Shockingly, a mere 5% of manufacturing data is actually used, due to “high friction between data siloes,” the report continues. In other words, manufacturers, vendors, suppliers and other key partners are not sharing information in a way that makes the data functional for companies or consumers.

This is also the takeaway from a recent Manufacturing.net article: “Across industries, companies are feeling pressure to digitally transform, which often gets misconstrued with simply generating an unprecedented amount of data. However, for manufacturers, a surprising truth exists: They are already sitting on a treasure trove of data.” The crucial next step lies in making use of it to drive value and make a sustainable positive impact.

Here at ASCM, we’ve known about the existence of these large caches of supply chain data for a long time. Companies either can’t — or won’t — share the information they have with those who need it. We also know that knowledge is power. That's why ASCM is launching a groundbreaking initiative to shed light on the inner workings of supply chains, empowering consumers to make choices that align with their values. This is the focus and mission of our brand-new, six-part docuseries, The Chain: to educate patients and consumers about how supply chains work and how the choices they make affect so much more than they probably realize. And, in turn, we aim to motivate businesses to share their data proactively in order to foster a more transparent and responsible global marketplace.

The full series will be released soon, but you can get a sneak peek next month at ASCM CONNECT 2024: North America. In addition to the unparalleled education at this premier supply chain conference, we’ll be sharing an episode that you don’t want to miss. In the meantime, be sure to listen to the first episode of our newly relaunched podcast, also branded “The Chain,” in which I interview representatives from the docuseries production company. You'll get a fascinating behind-the-scenes account and discover how our docuseries will help create a future where transparency, sustainability and consumer empowerment are the norm.