GS1 in Europe Regional Forum
The GS1 in Europe Forum is the foundation for cooperation between our 49 Member Organisations. The Forum gathers European business leaders, European Associations, companies wanting to use the GS1 standards for enabling a seamless customer experience. Many topics such as traceability, marketplaces engagement, global data models, innovation, circular economy, the digital journey are among the essential topics that will be discussed during the event.
The Regional Forum will take place in a hybrid format! The hybrid Forum will strategically incorporate in-person participation in Amsterdam, Netherlands and virtual elements for online attendees.
We are committed to making this event an inspiring one, with many interesting speakers, exciting discussions and of course a few surprises!
Speakers
Silvia Barlassina
The European Consumers Association
Ecodesign Project Coordinator
Silvia Barlassina is Ecodesign project coordinator at the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and its sister organisation ANEC, which represents European consumers in the creation of technical standards. She follows the work on EU product policy and sustainable consumption, focusing in particular on Ecodesign and Energy Labelling developments, including the ongoing proposal for a new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation. Previously to joining BEUC, she worked in the field of corporate regulatory compliance. She holds a master degree in Environmental law.
Silvia Barlassina
Luc Teerlinck
Decathlon
Leader We Play Circular
Luc is 54 years old. After studying management, his career path has been mainly the creation of a few companies, first in the sale of products and then moving towards services, BtoB.
Intimately convinced and very sensitive to the colossal societal issues we have to face, Luc joined Decathlon in 2019 to take a role in the innovation / diversification of the company towards more sustainable models. To give birth to the “We Play Circular” project, that he is leading.
Luc Teerlinck
Jan Maes
Revor Group
CEO and Owner
Owner of the REVOR group , bedding producer in Belgium and Hungary , 250 people and producing +/- 800 mattresses and 200 beds per day.
Serial entrepreneur with investments in the bedding business since 1991 and other projects like development in Spain and Brasil since 2004.
Beer maker and Cider maker, loves to cycle and travel and lives in Belgium next to the French border.
Jan Maes
Björn Zankel
Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG
Head of Quality Management
Björn Zankel (43) studied business administration at the HSBA in Hamburg. He started his career in Human Resources and after a few years he switched to retail. Since then, he has been with Lidl for over 17 years and has held several senior positions throughout the company nationally and internationally, whereby he provided almost ten years subject-matter expertise in relation to audit requirements in the retail sector to support Lidl in the strategic and operational management of compliance, audit and governance. In 2021, Björn joined the international Buying department at Lidl Stiftung in Neckarsulm and was responsible for the supply chain transparency project in corporation with ftrace.
Björn Zankel
David Kat
Wasteless
Executive Vice President
David Kat (Amsterdam, 1971) was the on-line publisher and business developer for various VNU (now AC Nielsen) enterprises in the Netherlands, London and Paris. He’s a business developer, entrepreneur and active investor, since 2004. At Wasteless he’s responsible for bringing retailers, policy makers, and food producers on board with Wasteless’ unique and patented AI solution, that offers an attractive business case for food waste prevention. Key for this case, are the granulated insights that come with date enabled bar codes. A father of two daughters, he’s energized by making this world a better place. His favorite channels of achieving that are business, food and the arts.
David Kat
Bob de Wit
Nyenrode Business University | Strategy Works
Professor of Strategic Leadership at Nyenrode Business University and founding director at Strategy Works
Bob is an academic visionary. His academic book ‘Strategy: An international perspective (7th edition, 2020) is being used at universities and business school in over 75 countries. The main focus of his research and expertise – both in his academic and strategy consulting work – are the strategic consequences of digital technologies. In his latest book ‘Society 4.0: Resolving eight key issues to build a citizens society’, Bob argues that we have left the industrial society, and that we are currently building a digital society: Society 4.0. Bob has been delivering speeches on the digital revolution in over 55 countries.
Bob de Wit
Armand Schins
Ahold Delhaize / Albert Heijn
Manager Data Quality, Governance & Projects
Experienced in production, warehousing, material management and data management
Representing Ahold/Ahold Delhaize since 2004 in GS1 in The Netherlands, Benelux, Europe and Global
Preaching that data is foundational for commercial success
Believing that standardisation of data exchange leverages efficiency and data qualityGlobal Data Model and the Future of Data Sharing
Armand Schins
Claude Baudry
Wabtec Corporation
Engineering Director
Claude Baudry is an industrial engineer with over 30 years of experience in rail supply chain and manufacturing.
Now Director of Engineering for Wabtec Corporation (manufacturer of products for locomotives, freight cars and passenger vehicles), he coordinates continuous improvement projects within the engineering teams, as well as the deployment of GS1 standards in his own company and in the railway sector. He previously held positions in sourcing, purchasing, production management, industrial and technology transfer for Alstom in France and China. Claude is active in the standardisation and exchange group and one of the leaders for the adoption of GS1 standards by the French railway industry.
Claude Baudry
Florian Krietsch
PTV Group
Senior Project Manager
Florian Krietsch received his Diploma in Traffic Engineering and Transportation Planning at the Technical University of Berlin. He has gained seven years’ industry experience in transport logistics planning. In 2008 he joined PTV as consultant. Today he is working as senior project manager in the global research unit of PTV. He was involved in several research & innovation projects in the field of logistics and mobility. His main specialization is smart & green transport
Florian Krietsch
Rutger Vlek
Wageningen University & Research (WUR)
Senior researcher artificial intelligence
After obtaining a PhD degree in artificial intelligence (AI) and working in industry for some years, Rutger is currently working as a project leader and AI researcher for Wageningen Food & Biobased Research institute. He has always been fascinated by intelligent computer systems driven by a combination of data and knowledge. His research involves creating and applying knowledge graphs and (distributed) linked data infrastructures, and combining these with state of the art AI algorithms for applications in the agrifood domain. Such applications can for instance help to automatically predict and optimize product quality, calculate sustainability, categorize foods, manage data quality, or mine scientific literature on a large scale.
Rutger Vlek
Adam Szmidt
Leroy Merlin Poland
Senior Manager Digital Supply Chain & Product
More than 10 years of expertise in retail holding positions raging from operational, project manager or IT.
Manager whose main focus is to support business development, everyday improvement and also driving digital change in the organization, in his area of expertise. Supervising as well teams responsible for: Product referencing, Master Data and Data Quality.
Adam Szmidt
Maciej Kotarba
Leroy Merlin Poland
Data Quality Manager
Data expert with more than 10 years of expertise, ranging from: data transformation, spatial data to data quality. Currently managing team responsible for Governance / Quality of product Master Data. Supporting business in quality, automation, definitions around Master Data projects.
Maciej Kotarba
Heino Claussen-Markefka
Reifenhäuser Group
Mechanical Engineering
15 years working in machine tool industries as manager for technology, sales and general management.
Since 2013 at Reifenhäuser Group responsible for several business units of the group.
Since 2019 Managing Director of ProData GmbH which provides R-Cycle, the digital Product Passport for circular economy of plastic products.
Beside of that he is working for many years as a consultant to supports companies in processes of change management.
Heino Claussen-Markefka
Marc van den Camp
Medtronic
Product Master Data Domain Owner
Marc started in IT in the Chemical industry
- System Maintenance / Management
- Network Project and Services Delivery Management
- Project Management in eBusiness (web shop and EDI)
- IT Manager eBusiness solutions for SABIC Corp.
In 2015, Marc moved to Medtronic as an eBusiness Systems Analysis and Project Management
Next, Master Data Management
- Program manager for Product Master Data publications
- Development and rollout of GDSN solution for EMEA
- Product Master Data governance improvement initiatives
Several roles with GS1:
- Member of the GS1 Healthcare Leadership team
- Member of the GDSN Data Excellence Board
- Chair of the GDSN Data Excellence Board Certification Committee
Marc van den Camp
Jeanette Sveder Lundin
Skanska Sweden
Green development manager and specialist
Jeanette Sveder Lundin, Green Development manager/specialist at Skanska Sweden. Focus on Skanska’s climate work and further development of climate calculations, both within Skanska but also with a focus on collaboration to take joint steps throughout the industry, including through digitization and common approaches and requirements
Jeanette Sveder Lundin
Lars Christian Fredenlund
CoBuilder
Group CEO & Co-Founder
Member of Construction Products Europe – Task Group Digitalisation (BIM), advisory board of the European project to DigiPLACE, Technical leader of two EU projects on REACH and CPR: ChemXchange and ProductInfoX. Member of buildingSMART International working with open standards, and true supporter of GS1 standards working leading the work on the Digital Supply Chain in Built Environment. Advising governments and National/European associations on data aggregation and exploitation. Working across Europe with all actors promoting the importance of implementing Smart CE and Data Templates in the Construction Industry.
Lars Christian Fredenlund
Markku Kiviniemi
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Senior Scientist
Markku Kiviniemi is a researcher at VTT (www.vttresearch.com/en) working on the construction domain. He has been a project manager in several research and development projects working in close interaction with companies and organizations. In recent years his research topics have been related to digital data management in construction supply chains and the utilization of Building Information Models (BIMs) in construction project management.
Markku Kiviniemi
Peter de Jong
Brocacef Group
Chairman of the Board
Peter de Jong (61) studied economics at Tilburg University. After having worked for several years as a Retail Marketing teacher at Fontys Hogescholen, he became Commercial Director of Alliance Healthcare in 1996 and Director of Kring-Apotheek in 2003. After various interim positions in the pharmaceutical industry, De Jong was appointed Chairman and CEO of Brocacef Groep NV in 2014. In addition to being a Member of the Global Management Board at GS1, he has been chairman of the Supervisory Board at Farminform since 2019
Peter de Jong
Programme
GS1 Fundamentals
+This training is part of the GS1 Global Office’s onboarding programme for new staff and a refresher for those who want to know more about GS1.Newcomers will learn what our GS1 System is about and its building blocks, What is the GSMP Process and why is it important and how to get involved. The standards available today and how MOs can support leverage them to their members. At the end you will answer why do companies join GS1?”
Apparel & General Merchandise
+Apparel and General Merchandise have undergone revolutionary changes in the wake of COVID-19. Changes to supply chain, e-commerce acceleration, and omnichannel approaches have all meant consumer expectations around transparency and availability are rapidly shifting. Enter: GS1! Utilising our standards to increase transparency, protect product identity, and accommodate innovation can make all the difference for these industries. AGM sectors can be a strategic pillar for GS1’s advancement in Retail and especially our Global focus on bettering end-user experience.
Join us in this Apparel & General Merchandise training to discuss 3 pillars of the GS1/AGM strategy:
- Foundational: Increasing GS1 market penetration and adoption of GTINs
- Readiness & Deployment: Rethinking use cases and industry personas to help you meet and greet AGM players better
- Innovation: Anticipating next-generation industry requirements around product passports, verifiable credentials, and integrated customer information via 2D
It's All About Healthcare
+Learn everything about the new healthcare strategy and how to get involved. And of course everything else you would like to know about healthcare, GS1 healthcare activities and how to get supported locally.
Coffee Break
Welcome to the Newcomers!
+This session is intended for all the newcomers of the GS1 community to the Regional Forum. Learn about GS1 in Europe, discover which projects are in place, and see how you can engage with the active and vibrant GS1 in Europe community. We will help around and ensure that you have an optimal Regional Forum experience.
GS1 Strategy Showcase
+Did you ever want to know what other MOs are focusing on and why? A few MOs will showcase their strategy and explain what’s hot or not. Attend this insightful session, learn from the others and steal with pride.
B2B2C Working Group
+B2B2C is a long-standing working group of GS1 in Europe where GDSN experts from European MOs gather to harmonise GDSN implementation in Europe. The first part of the session will provide an update on all new guidelines and deliverables created by the group in the last 12 months. The second part will be dedicated to working on new or not-yet-finished topics.
Lunch
Opening Plenary: Get Your Passport Ready!
+The digital product passport is our main focus. For years to come. So it is the logical starting point for this Regional Forum. Together with industry, regulators and other stakeholders you will learn what it is all about and what we are doing. How will it look like and how will it affect you in your personal and professional life. You can’t miss it!
Coffee Break
Global Data Model and the Future of Data Sharing
+The Global Data Model started in Europe 4 years ago. Food, near food, tobacco, alcoholic beverages and pet food are now a global and regional standard. What is the current status of implementation? What are the latest developments? What can you expect on future developments? What are needs on data quality? Come and find out.
Alcoholic Beverages: Get Ready for e-Label!
+For the first time ever in the food sector, the communication of mandatory information through digital means (e-labels) to consumers will be authorised for wines, aromatized wine products and spirits. We are helping the companies to leverage the implemented GS1 standards and solutions to deliver nutritional information online in a standardized way.
Centre of Excellence Rail: Please Get on Board, the Train is Leaving
+We will show different implementations in the area of rolling stock, infrastructure and MRO parts. Be part of an exciting journey and see how various processes in different environments can be optimised by using GS1 standards in the Railway industry.
Coffee Break
DIY, Garden & Pet: Push the Button!
+The Global Data Model will be expanded with a regional layer on DIY, Garden & Pet. Over the summer some work has been done on harmonising B2B data and getting started on B2C attributes. During this session, together with industry, we will go live and submit the new regional layer to GSMP.
Centre of Excellence T&L: What Would Your Freight Say If It Could Talk?
+Freight volumes are growing exponentially around the world and transport is vital to any and all economies. Supply chain efficiency, interoperability, resilience and agility have never been more important. Attend this session to find out about the latest information on the priorities of the Transport and Logistics Centre of Excellence, in terms of traceability, paperless transport, European funded projects and many more.
You will discover how those initiatives are enabling freight to talk and discover what freight can tell you if you take the time to listen!
The Ins & Outs of the Digital Product Passport
+It is almost impossible to have missed it. The digital product passport is here and is here to stay. It will be one of the most important topics for GS1 in Europe, the GS1 Member Organisations but above all, all economic operators that want to put products on the European market: the GS1 Customers.
During this session we will update you on the ins & outs of the Digital Product Passport programme. What are we planning to do? Who’s going to do it? How is going to affect you? What has been done already? You will learn about the guideline on the product passport for batteries (which will be ready by the end of the year). You will be updated on all accounts: identification, capture, share and the use of the product passport. Furthermore we will focus on what we learned and how other sectors can use the results.
Welcome Cocktail
+Join us for a welcome drink to get the week properly started!
Plenary: Circularity and the R Challenge
+R is the word: Reduce, Reject, Reuse, Recycle, Repair, Refurbish, Repurpose, Regional (forum)… Join us in this plenary to better grab the R challenge GS1 is facing!
Coffee Break
Agriculture: Upstream First!
+Farmers are amongst the most important actors in the upstream food value chains and the products they produce and the way they work are core to a sustainable world. In this session we will look through the eyes of the farmer and see how our GS1 identifiers and standards can be used to create value in this often-challenged sector.
Plastic fantastic: Learn About the Packaging Value Chain!
+As we work our way towards a more environment-friendly world we need to build up a plan on how to deal with plastic packaging. When the packaging will be included in the Digital Product Passport, it will have a huge impact on our lives. So be prepared! In this session, we are going to have a look at what GS1 in Europe and GS1 MOs have already done and need to do in the future to better understand the packaging value chain.
Follow the Cash
+The purpose of this group is to work together with European and National Central Banks to implement and expand GS1 standards for cash supply-chain in the Euro zone and globally. Join us and see what you can do!
Lunch
The Next Fresh Challenges
+The session is aiming to discuss the upcoming topics and challenges for the Fruits & Vegetables sector regarding sustainability, traceability and transparency. Spoiler: all that these challenges need is data!
Have a look into the future and how to solve the challenges in the most efficient way. Consumer demands and requirements from regulations are increasing. Should we move? Or should we wait? Discuss it with us!
Centre of Excellence Construction: GS1 as a Building Block for the Construction Industry
+The construction industry is facing challenges to build more, reduce virgin material consumption, waste and CO2 emissions while at the same time increase its productivity and traceability. It seems like an impossible equation but there is hope, thanks to a unique identification that would allow the exchange of qualified information between industry actors. Join us to gain knowledge about market drivers and what role GS1 can play in one of the largest industries in the world.
Do You Hear the ECHO?
+ECHO, Extending the Collaboration of Healthcare Organisations, focuses on harmonizing market strategies and data requirements across borders in order to maximise the benefits of using the Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN). Want to get the latest updates and learn more about ECHO? Join the session!
Coffee Break
Plenary: From Farm to Fork and Beyond!
+This plenary session will have a clear focus on the challenges on identification, transparency, food safety, sustainability and social compliance on the circular food chain. We will follow the value chain from farming, with feed, animal medicines and additives, crop protection, to getting the food on your plate by means of transport, retail and food service. And then circling back again to feed through waste management and waste prevention.
Coffee Break
Global Migration to 2D
+Get an update on the progress of the Global Migration to 2D programme, including recent collateral and tool development, highlights of pilots and case studies and discussions around ways for MOs to continue the conversations and engagements with their member companies. MOs will be able to work with the GO team to bring local success stories to inspire their MO colleagues.
Deep Dive into GS1's Marketing Involvement
+GS1’s marketing capabilities continue to evolve – helping to ensure that our brand experience is seen, heard and felt across all digital channels. While all MOs should modernise their websites and implement the new modern GS1 web guidelines, we need also to continue evolving our digital marketing capabilities with the ultimate objective to deliver a great customer experience. A key focus area is around how we should further evolve our websites from information websites to web-shops or ecommerce websites to make it easier to convert visitors into customers. Ecommerce websites will carry new features that we should consider building into our marketing capabilities: lead generation and customer relationship marketing capabilities such as email marketing, personalised content or 24/7 customer support, clarity on our product catalogue and pricing offer, and much more. In this session, we will share a set of practical actions that all MOs could potentially start doing right now across their local digital ecosystem.
Public Policy: Your Passport Please!
+The digital product passport has been designed by the EU regulators and it has the potential to:
- Change the way the economy operates: from linear to circular
- Impact global trade
- Accelerate customs procedures
- Make business sustainable
- Empower green consumers.
Can all this happen in one beep/click? Join us to discuss how the GS1 standards suite can support this transformation towards the circular economy.
Dinner Hosted by GS1 Netherlands
+Let’s join the GS1 Netherlands team for a dinner filled with networking and surprises!
Flash Walks
+During the Flash Walks, while you will discover the beautiful city of Amsterdam, you will be informed on the biggest achievements of your peers, new tools, projects and other MO sharing. Be amazed by what is done throughout Europe! Join us for the most insightful sightseeing in Amsterdam!
GS1 in Europe Board Meeting
+Session reserved to GS1 in Europe CEOs only
Lunch
Plenary: The GS1 in Europe Valley - Innovation & Trends
+Get inspired by innovations. Learn about new trends that are relevant for GS1. Get ready for tomorrow and the future.
Coffee Break
GRP: Where Is the Party?
+The need for accurate and complete information about parties and locations on a global scale is stronger than ever. While the GTIN Registry can tell you what a product is, the GLN Registry can tell you who made it and where it came from. GLNs are used to increase operational efficiency, enhance inventory management, enable traceability solutions, verify trading partners, and to streamline transport and logistics. Creating a GLN Registry as part of the global GS1 Registry Platform is the last remaining piece to “complete the offer” that the Singapore Resolution laid out in May 2019.
What is actually now happening on the GLN registry? Get updated on the global activities and see what’s already out there on the local level in Europe. More importantly you will hear how to go to market and become relevant on local, regional and global levels.
GS1 Picture It! Happy First Birthday
+GS1 Picture It! is an application for brand owners to easily take pictures, remove the background and crop and edit pictures of their products. Discover what happened during the first year after the launch and hear some experiences directly from the MOs who have implemented it.
Business Intelligence: And the Biggest Trends in Europe Are...
+Our annual Insights survey, with the main goal to better understand our DNA and trends within our 49 MOs, is getting richer and richer. After the implementation of the GS1 in Europe Common European Market Segmentation, we have now a better picture of our GS1 member companies in Europe. Join us to see the results of the last survey and discuss together what the biggest trends are within our EU MOs! You will be surprised with the results!
Coffee Break
Analytics for Data Quality
+Learn how business data can be used within data analytics to improve data quality with regards to relevance and market coverage.
Marketplaces & Online Sellers Landscape
+Does your MO wish to improve its engagement with Marketplaces and online sellers? Do you want to better understand how to position GS1’s value proposition to the Marketplace community?
Marketplaces continue to dominate the global retail landscape. This session will include:
- An update on GS1’s Marketplaces Programme and how it seeks to ensure that GS1 standards, services and messaging evolves to support today’s, and tomorrow’s, online world.
- Train-the-trainer – bringing to life the value proposition of using the GTIN within the online Marketplace ecosystem. Learn to position and sell the benefits of GS1’s standards and services to Marketplaces and sellers.
- An insight into GS1’s engagement with Marketplaces globally, and their level of adoption of GS1 standards and services. We’ll share the real-world data points that enable us to track adoption and success.
- MO-led regional insights to compliment global perspectives.
Innovation Network
+Are you a European Innovator? This session is for you! Join us and experience different formats of collaborative working and understand what the trends in Europe are. So, what are you waiting for? Everyone is welcome to join us on this innovation learning journey.
Training Network
+Come to this session to get inspired by the best training methods and successful projects from the MO Community and get back new ideas to train your employees and industry stakeholders.
Networking Dinner
+Let’s (almost) finish the week with a nice time to reflect on the week and network always more!
Plenary: The Universe of Online Trading
+How can you support your local members to drive business online with the current possible uncertainties. Build your regional and global supply chain in a green way; what are the sustainable challenges and certificates that can be used? Make sure you comply with data privacy regulations, both for sellers / vendors but also for consumers. How does all of this relate to GS1 standards and services.
Coffee Break
GRP: Products, Licenses and Verified by GS1
+As we move towards achievement of the Singapore Resolution in June 2023, we need to work together to ensure that the licence and GTIN data stored in the GS1 Registry Platform meet the needs of industry both in terms of volume, completeness and quality.
Join this session to learn and exchange best practices on:
- How industry is using GTIN and licence data (retail, marketplaces and other sectors)
- What you can do to drive use of the data in your country
- What you can do to improve the quantity and quality of licence and GTIN data that you share with the GRP
In addition, you will have the opportunity to get up to speed with the latest developments on the Product Roadmap, including GEPIR integration.
Overall, you will leave the session with a clearer understanding of where your MO and region are on the MO digital journey and what is the next step you need to take, individually and collectively.
Get Engaged with Amazon
+Learn what is hot and not at Amazon. What are the do’s and don’ts for sellers and venders? How can you engage and participate in the European programme of the world’s biggest marketplace?
Data Storytelling: Turn Data Into Wisdom and Tell Your Story
+To have the ability to effectively communicate insights from a dataset using narratives and visualisations, nothing better than to be supported by a BI tool. Hear our compelling narrative and let’s make the data feel alive.
Join this session and be inspired by some of our EU MOs, by knowing how they implemented their BI tools and how they tell their data stories!
Lunch
Closing Plenary: Get Ready for Tomorrow!
+This closing plenary will look back on the week, its sessions, the learnings and the energy we shared together. We will also reflect on the near future. What is our strategy as GS1 in Europe? What are the take-aways? What will tomorrow look like?
Site Visits
+Join us for site visits to industry partners and locations (like warehouses, hospitals, manufacturers, etc.). See what is happening out there and how the GS1 standards are implemented. These visits will be supported by the team of GS1 Netherlands who are very committed to find the best site visits in the Netherlands.
Confirmed site visits:
- Port of Rotterdam: An interesting visit to the largest port in Europe to see GLNs in action. We will visit the harbour coordination center (if there are no incidents), followed by a quick boat tour in the Rotterdam Port.
- Brocacef: is a company that operates throughout the entire pharmaceutical chain, with a unique position in the Dutch pharmaceutical healthcare industry. To visit their distribution center for the healthcare center will be a unique experience.
- Farm of the Future: Farm of the Future is a Dutch initiative in which Wageningen University & Research and Dutch farmers of the future are working together on feasible solutions to the challenges faced by agriculture in the Netherlands.
- Hoogvliet: Hoogvliet is one of the retailers active within the Netherlands. The visit will be to the fully automated warehouse (that was taken into use in 2021) to see the GS1 standards in action.
Registrations for site visits are limited! So, register now and we will get back to you later with further information.
We are committed to trying to give you a great experience with useful and interesting content for both formats, in-person and online. Beyond the plenaries and sessions that will happen during the week, we will be live 8 hours a day through our GS1 in Europe Radio Station. With this radio station, you will be able to connect with the event in Warsaw from 09:00 to 18:00 CET, from Monday to Thursday, and see what is happening, see interviews with some of the event speakers, have recaps of the sessions, connect with colleagues, listen to good music and much more!