Milk tainted with melamine. Peanut butter contaminated with salmonella. Pharmaceutical drugs recalled after adverse effects are detected. Counterfeit products entered into the supply chain.

Today's companies are under extreme pressure to ensure the safety and integrity of their products, comply with increasingly strict regulations, and act swiftly in the case of adverse unforeseen events. By keeping full traceability over their products and anything that went into making them, companies are demonstrating that they are responsible economic participants and that they support product safety and sustainability principles. Manufacturers can move quickly to protect customers and the environment in the event of an unforeseen adverse event, and show real commitment to keeping this world safe and sustainable for the future generations.

SAP software and services can help you enable end-to-end traceability from manufacturing inputs to distribution, while you ensure that only products in the right condition make it to the customer's hands.

Increasingly critical market requirements are driving the need for improved visibility and traceability of the entire supply network and for greater response during special situations. Examples of the necessity of these capabilities include:

• Regulatory-driven pedigree and compliance tracking – from point of manufacture to point of consumption - across the supply network
• Counterfeit and diversion detection and avoidance
• Responsive detection of product safety concerns and compliance violations, as well as efficient execution of recalls and reverse logistics with traceability to product components, processes, resources, raw material suppliers, and manufacturing plants.
• Condition tracking of products for temperature, pressure, and moisture to ensure compliant storage and distribution

SAP Software and Services for Supply Network Traceability

End-to-end traceability is essential to protect your brand, your customers, and your relationship with them. SAP software and services can provide capabilities for supply network traceability by enabling:

• Product genealogy – Maintain the links between end products and the raw materials, components, labor, processes, machines and time invested in manufacturing them, providing the ability to trace products based on their manufacturing inputs
• Tracking and integrity assurance – Secure the supply chain through authentication, visibility, and condition monitoring, ensuring that only authentic product in the desired condition reaches the intended customer.
• Impact analysis and response planning – Optimize strategy selection in response to quality, safety, or compliance issues to protect the brand, the customers, and the public.
• Recall management – Execute efficiently the reverse logistic processes associated to recalls and proactively manage all aspects of the company's response

As a result, you will find that your company is in a position of competitive advantage. You will be able to more effectively minimize the risk, impact, and recovery time from adverse events. You can enhance your products through authentication and integrity assurance. And, better yet, the satisfaction of your customers will reach new levels of excellence.