WWF-Australia Launches Blockchain Platform For Goods Tracking

WWF-Australia and the BCG Digital Ventures jointly launched a new blockchain platform called OpenSC to track the environmental and ethical impact of food and other consumer products.

The official presentation of the project was held in Sydney, where the representatives stated that they expect to help consumers and businesses identify illegal, unethical and environmentally harmful products. WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O'GORMAN provided his comments on the new platform:

"Through OpenSC, businesses and consumers will have a whole new level of transparency about whether the food we eat is contributing to environmental degradation or social injustice such as slavery."

An example of data stored in the OpenSC blockchain

OpenSC works by scanning QR codes. After scanning, the user can get the information about where the product came from, when and under what conditions it was produced and how it moved along the supply chain. The WWF explained that the blockchain could register and hold not only the movement of products but also may contain additional information — for example, the temperature of the product during storage.

The platform has already been tested by WWF and its partners: the blockchain was used to track tuna caught in the Pacific Ocean.

Image courtesy of WWF (Panda.org)