Supply chain workshops

Substitution is challenging task – many performance and economic requirements need to be met, hazard and risk profiles of the alternatives have to be well understood, and a lifecycle assessment of the intended substitution may be required. Companies cannot do this alone: they need to talk to their customers and suppliers. This makes supply chain collaboration a key driver in the development and adoption of safer alternatives.

ECHA has proposed that Member States and stakeholders organise workshops to identify how to overcome specific substitution challenges, engaging also companies in the supply chain interested in identifying safer alternatives that could meet a particular function and end-use requirement.

The workshops would be opportunities for participants to learn about the technological and functional needs for capacity building and training at the operational level of companies. 

These workshops would normally be held in the national language of the Member State, or alternatively in English on a European scale.

The workshops would:

  • initiate dialogue among the various concerned actors within the supply chain on the opportunities and challenges of substitution, and 
  • lead to concrete innovation projects and instances of collaboration with a view to substituting to safer alternatives. 

ECHA can help in the preparation of the workshop programme, share its own experiences of previous workshops, disseminate the conclusions and provide other additional support.

See below the example of a substitution supply chain workshop structure.

Wish to organise or coorganise a substitution workshop for supply chain actors, on specific substances and functionalities? --> contact us.