Pyramid™

PAI has recently launched the Pyramid™ system as a tool for companies to understand and manage their supply chains.

There are many supplier management databases in use, both commercially available and in-house built, but none that tackle the problem of overseeing an entire supply chain.

It has been common practice for companies to exercise control over their immediate suppliers but then rely on their suppliers cascading some form of control back along the supply chain to the point of origin.

In recent years we have seen some very public food concerns being raised that serve to embarrass and undermine public confidence in various food products. These are not always food safety issues but can easily relate to secondary attributes such as animal welfare, veracity of claims (eg organic/free range eggs) or the actual origin of the products.

It has become very clear that many companies know very little about their full supply chain but now need to extend the level of understanding and confidence that they have in their immediate suppliers back along their whole supply chain.

This is the role of the Pyramid system. Pyramid is not just a database but a management service provided by PAI that can be tailored to suit the needs of each client. Pyramid works in the following stages:

• Identify the stages of the supply chain

  PAI works with clients to work out how far back up the supply chain they wish to cover.

• Establish the information you need

  For each of the stages of the supply chain, PAI will work with the client to decide what information they need to gather and verify. The data requirements are often quite varied and will enable our clients to be confident over the entire range of issues that matter to them.

• Collect the data

  PAI will arrange the collection of the necessary data in a cost-effective and efficient way. PAI will also regularly update this information to make sure it stays current and therefore valid.

• Identify and resolve problems

  Critical 'must-know' information is actively pushed to pre-defined users via screen, email and/or text alerts.

  Non-critical information is available to be pulled out of the system in a variety of different ways by authorised Users.

• Analyse the data

  Pyramid presents the data in a way that allows users to easily understand what the data is telling them. Pyramid enables the data to be analysed in a highly visual, interactive and effective way.

Pyramid is not just an information repository but a structured and logical approach to the planning, collection, presentation and analysis of supply chain data.

Pyramid is a trade mark of Product Authentication Inspectorate Limited. All rights reserved.