Annual Report 2011 Visibility and Mobile Consumers
Table of Contents SECTION ONE Chairman’s Statement Chief Executive Officer’s Statement About GS1
2 4 6
SECTION TWO GS1 Review
13
SECTION THREE Financial Statements Membership & Services Report Minutes of the 29th AGM 2010
33 43 47
GS1 Ireland Annual Report 2011 Section 1
GS1 Standards enable global supply chain visibility, through item identiďŹ cation and data capture methodologies.
CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT
Chairman’s Statement
GS1, both globally and locally, is on the cusp of great change in terms of the industries and customers we serve as well as in terms of the scope for the deployment of our standards and solutions.
Tony Minogue Chairman GS1 Ireland
GS1, both globally and locally, is on the cusp of great change in terms of the industries and customers we serve as well as in terms of the scope for the deployment of our standards and solutions. It is a time of transformation in the sectors we serve and, consequently, within GS1 as our horizons and opportunities expand and the use of GS1 Standards continues to grow.
appear available to consumers depending on how their content is captured and stored and how it is then sourced by such smartphone applications. This drives the need for accurate, trusted data from Producer to Retailer and right through to the Digital Consumer in today’s 24/7, always-on, marketplace. Exporting, sharing and importing data from one system to the next has always been a ‘migration and translation’ challenge. However, where in the past this was often a one-to-one business project, the growth in systems combined with the myriad array of electronic devices available on the market today means that the need for globally-recognised standards is greater now than ever before. The challenges to establishing structures to support such demands are too large for any individual organisation. This is why it is such an exciting time for GS1 and our members, as the ever-changing business environment provides us the opportunity to present and propose our standards to new audiences and to fulfil new needs.
Meeting the needs of the digital consumer The digital age and the explosion in consumer uptake of mobile devices has transformed the way companies organise themselves to meet the ever-growing need for consumer information in this new, always-on, era. The pace of adoption of mobile applications by consumers is forcing companies to move faster than they ever have had to do in the past, to expand their product and service offerings to meet the Digital Consumer’s needs. The requirement for global standards to support an organisation’s agility in a changing marketplace is more important now than ever before and remains the foundational principle for what GS1 is about.
Supporting new sectors GS1 has traditionally had its core market and supporters in the B2B (Business-to-Business) space. Over the past number of years we have worked with key stakeholders in the public and B2G (Business-to-Government) sectors to demonstrate the proven benefits of adopting GS1 global standards and solutions for efficient process management. Significant progress was made in 2011 in achieving this goal which culminated in a visit by a representative of the Danish Finance Ministry to Ireland in January of this year, to conduct a tour of advisory visits to key government agencies, departments and
The greatest growth areas in the last year have been in the areas of data synchronisation and mobile content. The demand for more and more information will increase over the coming years and organisations will have to adopt more innovative data management strategies. In this Digital Age, there is a definable shift in how information is used - moving from “passive” information that may have nutritional or ingredient content printed on the packaging - to “active” information that is sourced and used by consumers through their smartphones. Products may or may not
2
CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT
GS1: MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR BUSINESSES TO SEE CLEARLY. RIGHT PRODUCT, RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME: For an item or event to be visible in a business process, it must first be identified, its activity captured, and the information about it shared in a standard way so that all who need the information can understand it.
relevant business associations. This was a significant opportunity for GS1 to help present the proven value of GS1 Standards to key stakeholders and influencers. I am also delighted that, in 2011, GS1 Ireland has commenced a number of significant pilot initiatives that will lay the foundation for the adoption of GS1 standards in Healthcare into the future.
•
While the economic environment is still uncertain at present, the need to drive efficiencies in supply chains and exploit the adoption of newer technologies is a constant demand. GS1 Ireland will focus on:
Farewell and thank you In March 2012 Jim Bracken retired as CEO of GS1 Ireland. I would like to recognise Jim’s contribution to GS1 since 2001. Under Jim’s leadership GS1 developed a professional team and has grown in depth across many sectors. Jim’s passion, commitment and drive for GS1 was evident to all he worked with. He is hugely respected with our Irish Membership and also across the global GS1 organisation. On behalf of the Directors, Staff and Membership I would like to thank Jim and wish him and his wife Audrey every success on his retirement.
• •
•
Throughout the last few years, which have been economically challenging for us all, the Board of GS1 Ireland has focussed on ensuring that the GS1 service offering remains relevant to our membership. This has taken a number of fronts:
• •
Ensuring stable services for our core business areas Raise the awareness of GS1, particularly in the public sector, in the areas of reform, procurement and healthcare Develop new sectors as they apply to our members.
GS1 Ireland has built a very strong team whose challenge it is to ensure we prioritise from the many potential technologies and initiatives, and focus on the ones that deliver the maximum benefit to our Irish Membership. Mike Byrne has been appointed as CEO since March 2012. Mike brings a wealth of crossindustry experience to the role and I am confident will provide the leadership to drive continued growth and expansion of GS1 Ireland’s membership and services.
Focusing on core services
• •
reduced rate membership registration fee for new start ups and micro enterprises to support and encourage entrepreneurship within the economy Investment in areas that will deliver future growth and development opportunities that will yield significant benefits / cost efficiencies when adopted by the membership.
No price increases in the past four years Costs and expenditure cut, wherever possible, to keep overheads to a minimum. Rationalised fee structures (e.g. GLNs) Support of innovation through the introduction a
Tony Minogue Chairman GS1 Ireland August 2012
3
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S STATEMENT
CEO’s Statement
DataSync.ie addresses the key issue of product information management by providing a secure data warehouse where data is validated, exchanged and classified in a standardised manner. The service ensures that trading partners always have the same information. Mike Byrne CEO GS1 Ireland
Change and Stability
Retail Sector Research
I am delighted to have the opportunity to present this review of 2011, my first as the new CEO of GS1 Ireland. 2011 was a year of change at GS1 Ireland, but it was change and progress within a stable framework.
The manufacture of food and beverage products is Ireland's most important indigenous industry with a turnover in excess of €20 billion per annum. In 2011 GS1 Ireland carried out two significant pieces of research within the retail food sector. The first study focused on barcode quality at the point of sale in order to quantify the level of poor quality barcodes and the impact these have on retail operations in terms of delays at checkouts, lost sales and revenues and increased labour costs, incurred through the requirement for workarounds. The research findings presented a compelling case to both retailers and their suppliers, of the need to adhere fully to GS1 Global Standards to ensure barcode quality and of the vital importance of barcode verification.
Over the last number of years GS1 Ireland has invested in its administration and support systems and these investments have now begun to bear fruit in terms of enhancing our ability to better support members’ needs, particularly regarding membership processing, reporting and accounting. These investments have also provided a foundation to further develop current services and implement new innovations for members. During the year, GS1 Ireland also strengthened the core of its organisation by investing in additional human resources, including the appointment of a new Director of Business Development, with a special remit for the Healthcare Sector and the appointment of a full-time Marketing and Communications Manager to support the team in building awareness of GS1 Ireland across industry sectors. 2011 was also a year in which a focus was placed on building more active relationships with other trade associations including the Irish Medical and Surgical Trade Association (IMSTA), Retail Excellence Ireland and the Irish Exporters Association. These relationships provide increased opportunities for collaboration in seminars and other educational events and also provide platforms to share information on GS1’s Global Standards and Solutions for the benefit of our mutual membership. We hope to maintain and grow these relationships in the years ahead.
The objective of the second piece of research conducted in 2011 was to establish consumer attitudes to the concept of automatic price mark downs and their appetite for purchasing short shelf life products. These questions are key to establishing a real use case of a new barcode symbol called GS1 DataBar. The research findings conclusively confirmed that consumers welcomed being informed at the checkout if a product was very near to expiry or already past its use by date. The results also provided details of the discounts shoppers would expect to receive across a range of fresh product categories the closer a product got to its expiry date. Both pieces of research will now be used as the basis to establish a Retail Technical Committee and I look forward to reporting on the group’s progress next year.
Sectoral Activity
Healthcare Initiatives
In 2011, progress and success was achieved across a range of activities in key sectors and they are described briefly, as follows:
Similar to our indigenous agri-food and beverages sector, the phamachemical sector (pharmaceutical, chemical and related areas) is also one of the most important sectors to Ireland’s economy. Ireland has positioned itself as a
4
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S STATEMENT
recognised centre of excellence for innovation and development in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and chemical supply, thereby becoming the location of choice for the launch of new products, as well as the production and supply of existing products to national and international markets.
As has been reported in previous Annual Reports, GS1 Ireland has progressively invested in the development of www.DataSync.ie, Ireland’s national datapool service for manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and product data users active in the Irish marketplace. GS1 Ireland’s DataSync.ie is now ready to join the other 29 linked datapools that make up GS1’s global network GDSN. DataSync.ie addresses the key issue of product information management by providing a secure data warehouse where data is validated, exchanged and classified in a standardised manner. The service ensures that local and international trading partners always have the same information in their systems and any changes made to a supplier’s database is automatically sent to all other trading partners.
In February 2011 the European Commission published the Falsified Medicines Directive which will have a significant impact on the way pharmaceutical products are identified and packaged. The Directive is due to be transcribed into national law in early 2013 and requires, inter alia, the serialisation of products in addition to encoding batch and expiry date in barcode format. Additionally, in consultation with key stakeholders the European Commission is currently developing a Recommendation on a common framework for a Unique Device Identification (UDI) system to apply throughout the European Union. These legislative requirements will increase safety and confidence for both patients and practitioners and will also aid suppliers, manufacturers and healthcare providers to remove unnecessary costs from their supply chains.
In preparation for the widespread adoption of data synchronisation in Ireland in the coming years, GS1 Ireland rationalised the allocation and licence fee rates for Global Location Numbers (GLNs) in 2011. Over a three year period the annual licence fees for all types of currently issued GLNs will align at a new rate, which is significantly lower than the original full price GLN. The rationalisation of GLN pricing represents an important step not only for the promotion of e-Procurement but also in stimulating Supplier and Retailer adoption of DataSync.ie and access to GS1’s Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN).
The implementation of the directive’s requirements is a momentous opportunity for GS1 to further drive and embed GS1 Global Standards at the heart of the supply chain in this globally significant industry sector. Indeed, proof of the value of the use of GS1 Global Standards in Healthcare was evidenced in 2011 when St James’s Hospital (SJH) became the first hospital to implement device identification using GS1 Global Individual Asset Identifiers (GIAI) in the hospital’s Central Decontamination unit as part of the HSE National Sterile instrument tracking solution. This solution has been extended to a further 7 HSE hospitals with another 29 expected to adopt the solution in 2012. I am certain that there will be many more examples of the benefits of the use GS1 Global Standards in both the public and private Healthcare supply and procurement chains in Ireland in the years to come.
Professional Services and Advice GS1 Ireland has become recognised globally for its expertise in standards implementation, particularly with regard to standards based traceability solutions. During 2011, GS1 Ireland leveraged its growing expertise in the provision of professional and consulting services to meet members’ requests on how best to leverage the investments in their supply chains. Advisory and professional services have proven to be a relatively small source of non-licence fee revenue for the association in the past, however it is clear that more can be done to meet members’ needs in this domain and GS1 Ireland will continue to grow and develop its service offerings to meet demand in this regard.
Global Data Synchronisation and DataSync.ie GS1’s Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN) is a strategic tool that enables greater efficiency and cost savings for Retailers, Suppliers and Manufacturers across all sectors through the provision of synchronised, high quality data. In July 2011 the GS1 Global Registry – the GDSN’s network facilitator and information directory – achieved a record seven million registered items or Global Trade Identification Numbers (GTINs). This achievement represents clear testimony of both the regional expansion and new-sector growth that the Network is seeing as it continues to serve the needs of a global community of users.
Finally, having taken over as CEO in March 2012, I would like to record my thanks to my predecessor, Mr. Jim Bracken for his generous and professional support, advice and guidance during our handover period. I wish him every success in his retirement. Mike Byrne CEO GS1 Ireland August 2012
5
ABOUT GS1
The Principles of the GS1 System of Standards
The GS1 Identification Keys form the foundation of the GS1 System. The keys are globally established and defined, unique identifiers for accessing information about objects stored in databases.
The GS1 System is the most widely used supply chain standards system in the world, a combination of standards, guidelines, solutions and services which have been created in a collaborative manner between GS1 and end-users.
The GS1 Identification Keys bring value to the GS1 System by enabling secure, portable and nonsignificant identification across business processes and transactions, by connecting the physical flow of goods with the flow of digital information about them.
There are many principles that the GS1 Standards, when being created, must deliver. These include conformance, consistency, interoperability, scalability, openness, simplicity and technology independence.
The GS1 Identification Keys are defined independently of the technology solutions used to carry out the processes of capturing and sharing supply chain information.
The development and implementation of GS1 Standards must also: · · ·
deliver demonstrable business value, be applicable globally and in multiple industry sectors, and have an equitable spread of costs and benefits throughout the supply chain.
6
ABOUT GS1
7
ABOUT GS1
The GS1 System
The GS1 System provides the foundation for enhancing open supply chains and enabling visibility, through the use of digital information. The open nature of today’s supply chains shapes the design of GS1 Standards and places a particular emphasis on interoperability between trading partners right across the supply chain. The GS1 System is portfolio of standards that addresses the identification of real-world entities (both physical and virtual), the capture of data from physical objects, and the sharing of information about those entities, among participants in the supply chain. The GS1 System components are designed to enable three activities being; · · ·
identification data capture, and data sharing.
The first layer of the GS1 System is identification. The GS1 System has globally accepted identification keys which provide a common language to communicate item information from company to company. Different keys have been defined for the identification of various objects and entities such as products, locations, assets, documents and organisations. Examples of the 10 different GS1 Identification Keys include the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) for traded products, the Global Location Number (GLN) for identifying legal entities and physical locations and Global Asset Identifiers (GIAI and GRAI) for individual and returnable assets.
8
The second activity utilising components of the GS1 System is data capture. The GS1 Standards define the means for automatically capturing data that is carried on physical objects, by way of barcode or RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag scanning, enabling a connection to be created between physical objects and digital information about them. GS1 System compliant data carriers include EAN, UPC and GS1 Data Matrix barcodes in addition to GS1 EPC compliant RFID tags. Scanning barcodes or reading RFID tags speeds up data collection and eliminates manual data collection errors. The third layer of the GS1 System is implementing standardsbased processes for data sharing. The GS1 data sharing standards provide the foundation for electronic business transactions and include standards for master data, transactional data and event data. ·
Master data is shared via the Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN)
·
Transactional data is exchanged via the eCom (EDI) EANCOM or GS1 XML messages
·
Event Data is communicated using the EPCIS or Electronic Product Code Information Service for RFID tagged items.
The GS1 System of Standards is an integrated suite of standards that, when used together, enables companies to uniquely identify, capture and share information about products and other business entities and in so doing to achieve supply chain visibility. The GS1 System is a foundation for traceability and other visibility-driven processes and applications which in turn improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction and business performance.
ABOUT GS1
The GS1 System of Standards is a framework for visibility, providing organisations with the what, when, where and why of an item’s movement, enabling them to make more-informed business decisions.
The GS1 System of Standards: a Visibility Framework IDENTIFY GS1 Standards for Identification Company
Product
Logistics & Shipping
• Global Location • Global Trade Item Number (GLN)
Number (GTIN) • Serialised Global Trade Item Number (SGTIN)
Location
Asset
Services
• Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) • Global Location • Global Individual Asset Number (GLN) Identifier (GIAI) • Global Shipment Identification Number (GSIN) • Global Returnable Asset Identifier (GRAI) • Global Identification Number for
• Global Service Relation Number (GSRN)
• Global Document •
Consignment (GINC)
Type Identifier (GDTI) Global Coupon Number (GCN)
CAPTURE GS1 Standards for Automatic Identification & Data Capture GS1 BarCodes
EPC/RFID
GS1-128
EAN/UPC
ITF-14
GS1 DataBar
GS1 DataMatrix
GS1 QR Code
GS1 Composite Barcode
EPC HF Passive
SHARE GS1 Standards for Automated Data Exchange Master Data
• Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN)
Transactional Data
• eCom (EDI) : EANCOM, GS1 XML Business Message
9
Event Data
• EPC Information Services (EPCIS)
EPC UHF Passive
ABOUT GS1
The Benefits of GS1 System Implementation GS1 was established by manufacturers and retailers to develop mutually beneficial standards and, for over 30 years, it has helped business communities in multiple industries to address supply chain challenges. It is a neutral not-for-profit organisation, which facilitates collaboration amongst trading partners, organisations and technology providers, leveraging standards to ensure visibility, efficiency and safety along the entire supply chain.
GS1 Standards Enable
GS1 Standards Enable
SAFETY
EFFICIENCY
Nothing is more important than maintaining consumer safety and confidence. GS1 Ireland is helping organisations meet the requirements of safety-related regulations, such as Irish and EU Food Laws, the US Bioterrorism Act and ePedigree requirements, through the adoption of GS1 Standards.
There are myriad business processes where many organisations have yet to realise the full potential of visibility to drive efficiency. By pervasively deploying GS1 Standards across the supply chain, companies can dramatically increase the amount of data at their disposal for decision making, in addition to automating internal and external processes. Internally, GS1 Standards are often used to track shipping containers and other reusable assets, making business processes work faster and more efficiently.
The visibility created by GS1 Standards enables traceability - a cornerstone of food, product, and patient safety solutions. Traceability starts with the standardised identification of products, assets and locations, and the ability to share information between trading partners. • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • •
Track and trace Pedigree Product authentication Product recall Raw materials Consumer confidence Brand protection Regulation and reform
10
Operational optimisation Data quality and accuracy Order to cash cycles Asset management Inventory management New product launches On-time delivery and receipt Automated audit trails Labour productivity
ABOUT GS1
GS1 Standards Enable
GS1 Standards Enable
VISIBILITY
COLLABORATION
GS1 is committed to helping businesses better analyse processes and applications and to function more efficiently across the supply chain. GS1 provides the foundational standards necessary for the technologies behind these processes to deliver the accurate data needed by organisations to operate efficiently and at speed.
GS1 brings together industry stakeholders from manufacturers and brand owners, to distributors and retailers, to industry associations, to solution providers - to develop, adopt and implement information standards that help them improve business processes.
Specifically, GS1 Standards allow the sharing of common visibility data, providing information about a product’s location and status, answering accurately the what, when, where and why of a specific product’s movement. • • • • •
GS1 Ireland works with industry communities to articulate, identify, resolve and share industry issues and best practices, ensuring representation from all stakeholders in the supply chain.
Effective product recalls Increased supply chain security and efficiency Global traceability Supports regulations Inventory control
• • • • •
11
Connecting communities Trading-partner relationships Data synchronisation Consumer information Interoperability
ABOUT GS1
Visibility
Bringing tangible benefits to supply chain business applications Supply chain management is growing in complexity, in great part because manufacturers and retailers must now manage trading partners scattered across the world. Globalisation is making it more difficult to have the end-to-end visibility necessary to achieve efficiency and meet customer demands. Visibility means knowing where things are now, why they are there, and where they were before. It is a capability that allows a company to make informed decisions based on accurate information about the actual conditions of its supply chain at any moment in time. There is no single solution for visibility. In fact, a range of technologies and stakeholders can be used to provide full supply chain visibility. GS1 is key no matter what solution is adopted: our standards and solutions can be used to identify, capture and share data about the movement of an item across the extended supply chain. This data is then used to enhance business intelligence and facilitate decisionmaking.
Visibility brings different benefits to different sectors: GS1 standards are already helping retailers and manufacturers of consumer goods to get an accurate view of their inventory, allowing them to optimise ordering processes and production planning. Fresh food and livestock producers and the retail stores that sell their produce can trace and if necessary, recall items thanks to GS1 DataBar or EPC/RFID. The healthcare sector is working to establish the authenticity of pharmaceuticals, to track their chain of custody and to record the use and sterilisation of surgical instruments thanks to GS1 standards. Transport and logistics companies are using the GS1 EPC Information System (EPCIS) network to know exactly where shipments are and what is in them. Visibility has been identified as one of the strategic pillars of GS1 and working with users to realise the benefits of the GS1 System will be a key focus of our work in the coming years.
12
SECTION TWO
Global Standards Applicable in Multiple Industry Sectors
GS1 is committed to ensuring that everything we do provides concrete answers to real business needs. Our engagement with speciďŹ c industry sectors is an excellent example of this. We provide global user communities the opportunity to voluntarily come together to improve the GS1 System, drive eďŹƒciencies in their supply chains and strengthen their collaborations. GS1 Ireland is actively engaged with many organisations across a variety of industry sectors. Our traditional core industry sectors include Food and Beverages, Consumer Goods, DIY, Healthcare (including pharmaceutical, medical devices and care services), printed goods and business to business products. Over the next few pages we present a snap shot of our activities for the last year.
13
GS1 REVIEW
Retail & Consumer Goods
Enabling a more efficient, safe and sustainable supply chain Every year, both time and money are lost due to inefficiencies in the supply chain. Retailers and manufacturers of consumer goods have a range of issues, including inaccurate inventory, out of stocks, human errors on manual paperwork, fresh food that expires while still on the shelf and more. With globalisation and the multiplication of trading partners in this sector, supply chain efficiency is becoming more challenging than ever. In addition, product safety and sustainability are growing concerns, with increasing regulatory pressure adding to the complexity. And with smartphones in their pockets, consumers themselves are changing their shopping habits and expecting immediate access to more information about products before they buy. In order to better face these new challenges, GS1 is working to enable
collaboration between trading partners in the retail value chain to better develop visibility and to build a trusted connection with consumers. GS1 brings together many stakeholders in the supply chain: manufacturers, retailers, distributors, transporters, customs organisations, service providers, software developers, local and international regulatory authorities and more. Thanks to our facilitation, these companies and organisations, which may in fact have conflicting business interests, are able to work together to agree upon standards that make their supply chain faster, more effective, less complex and less costly. GS1 also leads a number of innovative initiatives. With our business-to-consumer activities, we are striving to ensure a trusted source of data. Initiatives in traceability and product recall are focused on making sure the food that consumers buy is safe. Work on sustainability aims to protect the planet and its resources. All of our work is about building an efficient, safe and sustainable supply chain.
Companies implementing GS1 standards achieve a 43% reduction in distribution costs compared to companies that use standards in a limited manner Consumer Goods Forum 2010 Global Scorecard
14
EPC/RFID brings the apparel industry tremendous improvement in inventory management, with over 95% accuracy compared to an industry average of 65% University of Arkansas’ Information Technology Research Institute Report January 2011
GS1 REVIEW
GS1: a long history with retail Ever since the barcode on a pack of Wrigley's chewing gum was scanned at a supermarket in Ohio in 1974, GS1 has made a significant contribution to the efficiency of the retail supply chain and the overall growth of the retail industry. Manufacturers and retailers established GS1 to enable them to agree to mutually beneficial standards. Today, GS1 standards mean much more than a barcode and include standards for electronic business messaging, data synchronisation as well as RFID-based identification and solutions for a range of business issues such as traceability and asset management. GS1, as an organisation, brings together all stakeholders in the retail supply chain from manufacturers and distributors, software developers and retailers.
15
GS1 REVIEW
Trusted Product Data for the Smart Phone Enabled Consumer Poor mobile-ready product information means poor sales for consumer products. A GS1 survey shows the importance of trustworthy digital product information. In today’s digital world where consumers are more connected and require more information about the products they buy, providing this data to the endconsumer is increasingly becoming a challenge for both manufacturers and retailers. A whole range of smart phone applications now exist that enable location based price comparisons. Shoppers today use their phones while in store to see if they can find the same product at another nearby shop, but at a lower price.
However, therein lies the problem for manufacturers and retailers. Presently, most barcodes scanned by consumers provide incorrect product descriptions. In fact, a GS1 UK/Cranfield study quantities the error rate at 91% for product descriptions and 75% of mobile scans return no information at all.
But beyond price, other types of data are becoming more critical to the buying decision. Consumers expect information about availability, nutritional value, allergens and carbon foot print, for example, to be instantly accessible.
How Bad Is Product Data on Mobile Apps? 91% of mobile barcode scans returned
In a survey recently conducted by GS1 66% of consumers said they want nutritional information and 65% want a list of ingredients to be available when scanning a product barcode with their mobile phones.
incorrect or incomplete product descriptions
75% of scans returned no product 69% of consumers are interested in receiving
information at all
nutritional information
87% of scans returned no image
68% are interested in information on energy
Source: “Mobile-savvy shopper report,” GS1 UK and Cranfield School of Management
and calories
67% are interested in information on saturated fats
When consumers can’t retrieve product information, or feel that they cannot trust the data they do get, the reality is that they do not buy. Over one third of respondents to the GS1survey stated that would not purchase a product if they did not trust the information about it, displayed on their mobile phone. In this context it is vitally important for brand owners and retailers alike to ensure they are providing trustworthy data to mobile-enabled consumers.
65% are interested in information on sugar 65% of consumers are interested in receiving a list of ingredients Source: “B2C Consumer Survey,” GS1, March 2011
16
GS1 REVIEW
The Solution: GS1 Enables “Trusted Data” for Consumers GS1 is working with manufacturers across the globe to support the processes for managing and sharing accurate product information along the entire length of the supply chain, from original manufacturer or brand owner, through to retailers and the end consumer.
Suppliers, brand owners and retailers need to collaborate to gather and share product information, to boost their presence in the digital world, engage customers and drive sales. This can be done through the use of the GS1 Trusted Source of Data Framework.
With the explosive growth in mobile technologies and barcode scanning applications, brand owners are seeking ways to provide consumers with the accurate product information they need to enable informed purchase decisions.
The Trusted Source of Data Framework: • •
Inaccurate or incomplete product information negatively impacts sales and a brand’s reputation. Across the supply chain organisations are seeking ways to improve the quality of data, addressing both supply chain needs (B2B) and consumer needs (B2C).
•
is an industry-driven initiative is consumer-focused, aimed at improving the shopping experience and helping shoppers make informed decisions is supported by a wide range of industry associations including The Consumer Goods Forum
Sharing product information through the GS1 framework will help manufacturers to compete in the digital world. As consumers increasingly use websites, blogs, social networks and apps in their path to purchase, having accurate information about products helps protect brands, raise consumer confidence and ultimately increase sales.
The key to achieving trusted data is the widespread use of globally-unique identification. Leveraging GS1 Standards for the physical (B2B) and the digital (B2C) distribution of product data, represents a significant opportunity for industry.
17
GS1 REVIEW
The EU Food Information Regulation 2011/1169 The collation and sharing of digital product information will be a significant challenge for brand owners ahead of the introduction of a new EU Regulation on the provision of food information to consumers. In November 2011, the European Union (EU) published a new regulation regarding food information which will come into force in December 2014. The Regulation EU 2011/1169 is known as FIR, the Food Information regulation. The goal of this regulation is to ensure that consumers can make informed purchases by having access to information about products, such as nutritional value, ingredients and instructions for use. The regulation also sets out new requirements for information that should be provided to the consumer for food that is sold online. In preparation for compliance with the regulation it will be critical for brand owners to gather, format, validate and share the mandatory information with retailers in an efficient and ideally electronic way, so that it will be websitefriendly. Otherwise it may prove difficult for retailers to sell the food products online. As a result, a system of co-operation and collaboration between brand owners and retailers will be required to ensure that accurate and complete mandatory food information is available to consumers prior to purchase. GS1 product identification keys and data sharing standards will be a key enabler for supply chain parties to meet this requirement in an efficient and cost effective manner. The GTIN or Global Trade Item Number, used globally to identify products in retailer systems, combined with product description information (Attribute Data) and electronic communications messages will form part of the solution to enable trading partners to share interoperable product data. For more information on the GS1 standards for identification, data capture and data sharing please visit the Retail section of www.gs1ie.org
Key Facts E-commerce is now approaching $200 billion in revenue in the US alone.
The digital path to purchase is the norm. In a multichannel world, consumers are increasingly involving websites, blogs, social networks and apps in their path to purchase. Forrester estimates that 50% of all retail sales are web-influenced. IBM states that 80% of consumers use social networks to research new products. Brand and retailer apps contain good quality information, but third-party apps are where consumers spend most time.
Consumers like researching and buying online because it makes their lives easier.
Smart phones are being adopted at a staggering rate. In most developed markets, over 30% of consumers have a smart phone in their pockets while shopping. Smart phones are accelerating e-commerce growth even further. 18
Inaccurate product information is a critical issue. Barcode scanning is one easy
High quality product information drives sales.
way for consumers to get more information about products. Just one app provider, Scanbuy, measured over 20 million consumer scans in 2011 – a 440% increase versus 2010. Research by GS1 into three major third-party apps showed that correct product information is available in only 9% of cases.
Accurate product data is vital to the apps providing visibility to brands in the digital world, from online grocery shopping to social media sharing, and from digital coupons to consumer reviews. Without accurate product data you are either invisible or, worse, eroding consumer trust.
19
GS1 REVIEW
Retail Grocery Research on Barcode Quality and Accuracy
With almost 3000 Irish companies utilising GS1 standards to conduct their business and meet consumer demands, getting barcodes right is one of the keys to a smooth and seamless supply chain.
Common Barcode Problems Despite the fact that barcoding is almost ubiquitous in the Irish retail sector, the research highlighted several important areas requiring further attention. Firstly, it was discovered that on average 8% of barcodes analysed had some type of problem that caused suboptimal scanning performance. These imperfections varied greatly ranging from print quality to the magnification at which codes were printed.
Everyone is now familiar with the barcode and appreciates the time barcodes can save at checkouts and in warehouses, by reducing queue times and data entry errors. However, poor quality, inaccurate barcodes in turn cause immense delays, blockages and costs along the length of the supply chain; so getting them right is of primary concern to all trading partners.
The most common issue identified was poor print quality. Barcodes with low contrast create a difficulty for scanning equipment to distinguish between the dark bars and the light spaces between them. A second factor causing barcode scanning failure was that the barcode symbols were not printed at the correct size or magnification, thus making them difficult or impossible to scan. The research also uncovered instances where the barcode was placed in a difficultto-scan position (e.g. wrapped around the corner of the package), or did not have the necessary white space on the left and right or some barcodes were simply damaged.
No one likes checkout queues. Occasionally, the delays are caused by a barcode that doesn’t scan. There are several reasons why this may happen; the barcode may not be in the correct position, the print quality may not be optimal, the barcode could be too small, printed on a reflective surface or an unsuitable colour may have been used to print the barcode. In August 2011, to help GS1 Members resolve scanning issues, GS1 Ireland conducted research to establish the level of barcode quality in Ireland. The research was intended to highlight the main reasons why there can be problems scanning barcodes at the point of sale. The research results have enabled GS1 Ireland to better advise Members on how to improve their conformance to GS1 barcoding standards, thus improving both customer satisfaction and trading relationships.
The GS1 Barcode Quality and Accuracy Research also looked at checkout operator reactions to a barcode that failed to scan. The responses included manual key entry, leaving the checkout to find another unit of the product, scanning an alternative but similar product or advising the shopper that they could not sell the product. Each of these work-arounds causes delays, inaccuracies in sales reports and stock figures, lost sales and customer dissatisfaction. Of most significance is the fact that none of the work-arounds actually tackles the root cause of the scanning problem – resolving the barcode quality issue.
There are specific standards that govern the way in which a barcode should be constructed; involving the size, the colour, the print quality and even the orientation on the packaging. When correct, all of these parameters contribute to a barcode scanning first time.
20
GS1 REVIEW
GS1 Ireland has shared the ďŹ ndings of the Barcode Quality and Accuracy Research with the stakeholders involved and is working with them on a number of practical solutions to improve barcode quality across the sector. The programme includes suggested process changes and training initiatives that will be delivered throughout 2012.
Conclusion The research undertaken highlights a number of remedial actions that need to be taken a) additional education in and awareness of barcode quality and conformance requirements and b) implementation of process and quality control mechanisms to maintain barcode quality and accuracy on an on-going basis.
21
GS1 REVIEW
Enabling Better Management of Food and Waste with Intelligent Barcodes
impending EU regulations aimed at reducing food waste sent to landfill and increasing recycling rates are adding a monetary incentive to find more innovative ways to manage the flow of food products throughout the supply chain, especially at the last stage of consumer purchasing.
How using new barcode technology can enable retailers and suppliers to innovate the way fresh foods are managed to increase sales and reduce waste.
Managing “sell-by” dates for fresh food has always been a challenge for retailers and suppliers; when food expires on the supermarket shelf, it must be thrown out. This adds additional financial and labour pressures on organisations to carefully and correctly dispose of products.
Background There is a variety of regulatory, environmental and economic factors which are driving the need for change in terms of how fresh foods are retailed and managed throughout the entire supply chain. These drivers include traceability and recall requirements, reducing food waste, sustainability and the green agenda. In addition to the ethical considerations of sustainability and environmental well-being,
But what if things could be managed differently and stores didn’t need to order excess stock and consumers could be encouraged to purchase, perfectly good but shorter dated products?
22
GS1 REVIEW
The advent of a new type of barcode called GS1 DataBar has that one aim in mind – to create full visibility of products, by enabling not only the identification of the item but combining it with data such as expiry/best before date and batch number to generate information about “freshness”.
Do you actively check the best before dates on fresh products?
95% said Yes for Meat and Fish 94% said Yes for Dairy Products 74% said Yes for Fruit and Vegetables 3% claimed they don’t check any dates at all
A study commissioned by the U.N. Food & Agricultural Organisation revealed that one third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year gets lost or wasted. IBM data puts the value of fresh food lost to spoilage at €334 billion a year. Solution To reduce the waste caused by fresh food spoilage, GS1 DataBar symbols can be used to facilitate automatic price markdowns as expiration dates grow near, and to prevent expired food from being sold. Encouraging consumers to purchase short-dated products is a key step in cutting down the amount of food that is disposed of by retailers, as well as helping to reduce the economic and environmental costs associated with waste.
Would you be in favour of purchasing short dated fresh products if they were discounted?
79% would purchase fruit and vegetable products if discounted
Irish Consumer Attitudes to Fresh Produce and Expiry Dates In order to identify the concrete benefits of deploying GS1 Databar, GS1 Ireland commissioned an omnibus survey in November 2011 to assess Irish consumer attitudes to freshness and the concept of purchasing short dated products.
63% would purchase discounted dairy products
64% would purchase meat and fish products
The survey included a number of questions to assess: 1. Irish consumers shopping habits and whether or not they actively check expiry and best before dates 2. If shoppers are open to purchasing short shelf life products 3. How much of a discount would be expected on a product, the closer it is to expiry.
What sort of discount would you expect for meat/fish, dairy, fruit and vegetable products in the days running up to their expiry date?
The survey results very positively concluded that consumers both proactively monitored the dates on products, and would be very open to buying short dated products if discounted at the till. When asked, over 70% of consumers reacted positively to the idea that barcode scanning at the checkout could enable price markdowns and to being informed by the assistant that a product they had selected was nearing its expiry, or had expired.
•
• •
23
Overall significant discounts are sought by consumers to purchase produce approaching expiry. Fruit and veg commands the lowest level of discounts at 35% with 4 days remaining Consumers expect an average discount of 74% on meat and fish products if they expire on the same day the consumer is in the store.
GS1 REVIEW
BENEFITS FOR ALL: CONSUMERS
RETAILERS
SUPPLIERS
•
• •
•
• •
Improved product availability in store A better product mix Timely and relevant discounts and offers
•
• •
Waste reduction Lower waste management and recycling charges Better deployment of human resources within the store, eliminating some labour intensive stock checking and relabelling processes Better visibility of product across the supply chain More effective traceability and recall
GS1 DataBar delivers benefits for all The case for the GS1 DataBar barcode, which can include product identification numbers, best before/expiry dates as well as batch numbers, is greatly enhanced by the findings of this survey of Irish consumers. The research strongly indicates that consumers would appreciate the benefits that GS1 DataBar can deliver in terms of automated discounts at the till, the accuracy and speed of product identification at the checkout and the improved controls for traceability and recall purposes. Utilising GS1 DataBar also yields benefits for retail management, improving the quality of sales data, enabling more accurate stock management reports and enhancing replenishment processes. To learn more about GS1 DataBar and the benefits it can deliver for all parties in the supply chain, please visit our website www.gs1ie.org.
24
• • •
Better customer and consumer service Fewer product returns and credits Reduced waste management cost Tighter traceability and product recall systems
GS1 REVIEW
New RFID Standards ratified in 2011
New GS1 EPCglobal standards complete the portfolio of GS1 standards for RFID In December 2011 GS1 announced the ratification of two new standards for the capture and exchange of data using RFID technology. The standards are the GS1 EPC High Frequency Radio Frequency Identification Air Interface Protocol and the GS1 EPC Header for Aerospace & Defense.
The GS1 EPC Header for the Aerospace and Defense Sector has been introduced in the new version of the Tag Data Standard (TDS) and the Tag Data Translation (TDT) Standards. This header allows the Aerospace and Defense industry to use their current identification system in EPC applications, as well as enabling the implementation of more efficient safety-checks before take-off of commercial flights.
The GS1 EPC HF Specification is an addition to the GS1 EPCglobal Standards that enable companies to identify, capture and share information about their products using RFID technology and thus gain better visibility into their supply chains.
The GS1 EPC header is the fruit of an-going collaboration with the Aerospace and Defense sector, including representatives from NATO, the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Transport Association (ATA). It paves the way for the Aerospace and Defense sector to use EPC/RFID for tracking aircraft parts in an open system, increasing efficiency, eliminating information leaks and enabling new process innovations.
This new specification originates from patient safety use cases in the Healthcare industry. The specification is designed to be used in the supply chain to handle item-level tagging, with improved read speed relaive to older HF systems. The EPC HF specification v2.0.3 is backwards compatible with older HF systems (ISO 15693).
25
GS1 REVIEW
GS1 in Healthcare Improved patient safety and enabling supply-chain visibility, is transforming healthcare. GS1 Standards are at the forefront of a new era in Irish healthcare. In the last number of years GS1 Ireland has made tremendous progress toward addressing the major supply chain issues for the industry—patient safety, supply chain efficiency, and regulatory compliance—with increased visibility made possible by GS1 Standards. Patient safety benefits will include efficient bedside verification, reduced mediation errors, and more effective product recalls. Supply chain efficiencies, via common identification of products and locations, will include smoother order and invoice processes, more accurate contract pricing and rebate processing, and improved service/fill rate and inventory management. Regulatory compliance areas being addressed are medical device identification, efficient drug traceability, and effective electric health records.
26
GS1 REVIEW
CASE STUDY St. James’s Hospital Surgical Instrument Traceability St. James’s Hospital is a leading major acute and academic teaching hospital, dealing with over 14,000 surgically invasive procedures per year. St James’s is among the many healthcare organisations in Ireland that utilise GS1 Standards for the patient safety and supply chain efficiency benefits they deliver. With 30,000 surgical trays, including over 300 shared loan sets, being reprocessed by St James’s Central Decontamination Unit every year, an interoperable, standards-based, instrument set tracking system that enables data sharing is a must. A GS1 Global Individual Asset Identifier (GIAI) is assigned by St James’s to instrument trays, and when combined with GS1 Global Location Numbers (GLNs), batch and expiry data, the system maintains traceability and quality assurance, even when the tray is loaned outside of the hospital. The system has delivered on the efficiencies sought in terms of reduced manual labour; increased efficiency; and quality assurance. St James’s was the first hospital to roll out the traceability solution under the HSE’s National Sterile Instrument Tracking Programme.
27
GS1 REVIEW
GS1 helps organisations uniquely identify products and comply with EU regulations
be identified. There are many other benefits of a global approach to identification, such as the possibility to enable traceability within the EU as well as interoperability within and across other sectors. The GTIN is used today by many industries to uniquely identify all levels of packaging for a given product from pallet, shipper, carton, and retail pack to single unit. It guarantees uniqueness of numbers across all markets, sectors, companies and products. Companies worldwide have used the GTIN for many years in barcodes on retail packs for product identification at point of sale as well as for moving products through the supply chain. GS1
In a recently published shared vision for product identification, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) supports the use of GS1 standards for the identification of products. In the vision paper, a GS1 DataMatrix is selected as the data carrier of choice. The 2D barcode should be encoded with a product identifier, serial number, batch number and expiry date using the appropriate GS1 Application Identifiers (AI). The choice of GS1 Standards for pharmaceutical product identification and marking has been driven by a broad number of factors including: •
Patient safety - globally unique codes for certainty of product identification
•
Interoperability – ability for the solution to work across markets, stakeholders and sectors
•
Complexity reduction – one solution which can be leveraged for all levels of packaging with the ability to choose the appropriate symbology
•
Technical suitability – robustness of the data carrier and the ability to print in-line
•
Cost effectiveness of solutions – appropriate for the needs of users
•
Flexible and future compatibility – part of an on-going standard which will not be superseded
•
Proven solution - used in the retail and other sectors worldwide.
The GS1 product identifier is called a GTIN or Global Trade Item Number and can be used across countries without any restrictions. This means that no trade barriers are created, which would otherwise potentially impact patient care and safety when products cannot 28
GS1 REVIEW
Healthcare has recently started a global work effort to develop GS1 Standards for item identification at unit dose level.
Product identification must ensure that an item, e.g. a product pack, can be globally identified through a unique identifier. This is to avoid different products having the same identifier which would ultimately lead to patient harm and increased costs for healthcare providers.
GS1 has successfully managed communities of users from various sectors for over 30 years. Through the global Healthcare User Group (HUG), GS1 has provided a neutral, user-driven forum for the last six years for all Healthcare supply chain stakeholders to meet and develop the necessary standards. The GS1 system of standards enables all stakeholders to efficiently and effectively meet the requirements for the Falsified Medicines and UDI regulations. GS1 has published a position paper on the pending EU Directives for both Falsified Medicines (shared vision with EFPIA) and Unique Device Identification (UDI) Implementation which is available at: www.gs1ie.org
29
GS1 REVIEW
Safer Surgery Saves Lives badges to complete the “who, what, where and when” of the traceability system.
GS1 Identification and Barcode Standards deployed throughout the HSE’s Central Decontamination Units (CDUs)
Because GS1 standards-based identification numbers have been used to mark loaned tray sets, the chain of traceability is also maintained when an instrument tray is loaned between hospitals. When a hospital borrows an instrument set, they simply scan the GS1 barcode which acts as the key to access the loan set provider’s database. The details associated with each particular “loaned” instrument set can then be downloaded to the local system to maintain traceability data and to ensure accurate data on the contents of the loan set. Prior to the adoption of GS1 Standards this was a paper-based, error prone and labour intensive process.
There is well documented evidence highlighting the importance of effective decontamination processes to prevent the spread of infections. Numerous international and regulatory bodies recognise this. The Medical Devices Directive (93/42/EEC) specifies the minimum standards in relation to decontamination of medical devices. Hospital acquired infections are a concern for all hospitals. Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) can have an impact on both patient safety (e.g., development of a serious illness) and hospital costs (e.g., additional cost of treatment for the patient).
The HSE have published three documents that now explicitly recommend the use of GS1 Standards to help them realise their exacting standards: • HSE Standards and Recommended Practices for Central Decontamination Units; • Decontamination of RIMD Standards and Recommended Practices for Endoscope Reprocessing; • HSE Standards and Recommended Practices for Dental CDUs.
The importance of a robust track-and-trace system that complies with national, regional and international best practices for medical instruments is recognised as an integral part of all Central Decontamination Units (CDUs). Under the current economic and budgetary pressures that face most health services in European member states, including Ireland, there is often a need to share important hospital resources such as medical instruments between hospitals and, additionally, there is a significant market for manufacturers to loan instrument sets to hospitals.
These documents describe a set of standards which define the structures and processes needed to identify, assess and manage specified risks in relation to the decontamination process.
Sharing Reusable Medical Instrument Sets has obvious benefits, but can challenge proprietary track and trace systems. Having multiple proprietary systems can result in the chain of traceability breaking when an item leaves a hospital because there is no guarantee that the identification of that item is unique. The Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland in recognising this challenge has implemented a solution using GS1 Standards initially in eight hospitals, with a roll out to all remaining hospitals to follow.
Benefits and Outcomes The objectives of the project (to reduce manual labour, increase efficiency and create assurances that an effective decontamination process has occurred) have all been achieved through the track-and-trace solution. For both patients and the internal customers of the CDU, the implementation of GS1 Standards has exceeded expectations and many unanticipated benefits have also been realised. Indeed, one of the biggest benefits identified is the ability to loan instruments seamlessly between the eight hospitals currently participating in the initiative.
Using GS1 Standards of Identification A GS1 Global Individual Asset Identifier (GIAI) is assigned to the instrument trays owned by the hospital. As the tray moves through the decontamination process, its unique identity is enhanced by adding batch codes, expiry dates and Global Location Numbers (GLNs) where applicable. Each step of the process is time and date stamped and recorded. Technicians working in the CDU scan their ID
Ultimately full benefit from this initiative will be realised when the manufacturers apply the GS1 Identifier at the point of manufacture. In this regard, Synthes is the first manufacturer to mark their loaned tray sets at source to guarantee traceability from manufacturing site right through to the patient record. 30
GS1 REVIEW
Benefits Delivered • Patient safety • Quality assurance • Instrument tracking in CDU and theatre, both within and between hospitals • Reduced inventories • Ability to locate instruments anywhere, at any time, quickly • Reduced administrative work • Improved workflow • Ease of reporting both during and post event • More efficient and traceable loan set management.
The Future The success of implementing GS1 Standards for tracing instrument trays between and within Irish hospitals has highlighted that a combination of effective processes, the application of GS1 Standards and use of integrated scanning technologies has measurable benefits for all Healthcare stakeholders. The instrument track-and-trace solution, incorporating GS1 Standards is currently being rolled out to all HSE hospitals. Further phases of the project will involve single instrument marking, helping to ensure a level of traceability and reporting that would not have been previously possible with a manual or proprietary system of identification.
31
MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO DO BUSINESS BETTER: Visibly, EďŹƒciently, Safely and Collaboratively: In an ever-changing global economy, every industry faces unique challenges. GS1 Ireland is committed to building long-term industry relationships through meaningful and strategic collaboration, increasing visibility, eďŹƒciency, and safety.
32
SECTION THREE
GS1 (GLOBAL STANDARDS 1 (IRELAND)) LIMITED Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2011 (A company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital)
CONTENTS DIRECTORS AND OTHER INFORMATION
34
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
35
STATEMENT OF DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES
36
REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
37
ACCOUNTING POLICIES
38
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT
39
BALANCE SHEET
39
CASH FLOW STATEMENT
39
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
40
33
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DIRECTORS AND OTHER INFORMATION
Board of Directors Tony Minogue – Chairman Jim Copeland Susan Moore-D’Arcy Damian Harte Liam Hartnett Helen Keelan Michael Kelly Daragh Monahan Eric Morrissey John O’Callaghan Bob Semple Veronica Sullivan PJ Timmins
Auditors Mazars Harcourt Centre Block 3 Harcourt Road Dublin 2
Bankers Bank of Ireland College Green Dublin 2 Bank of Ireland Merrion Road Dublin 4
Secretary and Registered Office Jim Bracken The Nutley Building Merrion Road Dublin 4
Solicitors Mason, Hayes and Curran 6th Floor South Bank House Barrow Street Dublin 4
Registered Number: 404327
34
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS The directors submit their report together with the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2011. 1.
PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES The mission of the company is to support Irish companies in their efforts to improve supply and demand chain efficiency. The principal activities of the company are the licensing of global company prefixes and global location numbers to identify products and locations for the purpose of automatic data capture and for EDI. The GS1 global standards cover Bar Coding, eCommerce, Data Synchronisation and EPC/RFID. The company also provides education and training for its user companies.
2.
RESULTS AND REVIEW OF BUSINESS Total income, inclusive of deposit interest, for the year ended 31 December 2011 was €1,278,446 (2010: €1,304,352). The number of active user companies was 2,868 (2010: 2,955). The deficit for the year amounted to €153,613 (2010: surplus €506). The reserves on 31 December 2011 were €1,016,231 (2010: €1,169,844). The core membership of the company is stable and mature.
3.
DIVIDENDS The company is a not for profit company and clause 6 of the Memorandum and Articles of Association expressly forbids any form of distribution to the members of the company.
4.
EVENTS SINCE THE YEAR END There have been no significant events affecting the company since the year end.
5.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT The company has been evaluating the value of research and development relevant to the implementation of GS1 standards across the existing end users and for the extension of the user base itself. The company is also participating in a research and development project into improving the traceability and recallability of fresh foods as well as into the use of barcoding and RFID in the tracking of patients and medical devices and other equipment.
6.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS The directors have a strategy in place to develop within other sectors of the market, such as e-procurement across the public sector including healthcare, DIY hardware and also to provide new services to existing members.
7.
DIRECTORS In accordance with the Articles of Association no directors are required to retire at the next Annual General Meeting. The names of the persons who were directors at any time during the year ended 31 December 2011 are set out below. Unless otherwise stated, they all served as directors for the entire year ended on that date. Tony Minogue Michael Kelly Rory Connaughton (Resigned 6 October 2011) Daragh Monahan Jim Copeland Eric Morrissey Susan Moore-Darcy John O’Callaghan John Farrelly (Resigned 24 May 2011) Marco Pattori (Resigned 6 October 2011)
8.
Damian Harte Bob Semple Liam Hartnett David Skerritt (Resigned 9 December 2011) Helen Keelan Veronica Sullivan PJ Timmins Jennifer Brennan (Joined 24 May 2011 and resigned 9 December 2011)
DIRECTORS AND SECRETARY AND THEIR INTERESTS The company is limited by guarantee and does not have any share capital. Therefore, the directors and secretary who served during the year did not have a beneficial interest in the company.
35
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
9.
TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING DIRECTORS There were no contracts or arrangements of any significance in relation to the company’s business, or that of related companies, in which the directors or secretary of the company had any interest, as defined in the Companies Act, 1990, at any time during the year ended 31 December 2011.
10. RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES In common with many not for profit organisations, the organisation must maintain and develop its income sources to ensure the continuation of its role in Ireland. In order to mitigate this risk, the directors review the sources of income on an ongoing basis. In addition, reserve levels are monitored to ensure that they are maintained at a reasonable level in the context of planned expenditure and future commitments. The directors are at all times conscious that maintaining the reputation of the organisation is critical. 11. BOOKS AND RECORDS The directors are responsible for ensuring that proper books and accounting records, as outlined in Section 202 of the Companies Act 1990, are kept by the company. The directors have appointed appropriate accounting personnel in order to ensure compliance with those requirements. The books and accounting records of the company are maintained at The Nutley Building, Merrion Road, Dublin 4. 12. AUDITORS The auditors, Mazars, Chartered Accountants, have expressed their willingness to be re-appointed in accordance with Section 160(2) of the Companies Act 1963. Signed on behalf of the Board by Tony Minogue and John O’Callaghan on 8 March 2012.
STATEMENT OF DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable Irish law and Generally Accepted Accounting Practice in Ireland, including the accounting standards issued by the Accounting Standards Board and published by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the surplus or deficit of the company for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the directors are required to: -
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
The directors confirm that they have complied with the above requirements in preparing the financial statements. The directors are responsible for keeping proper books of account which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Acts 1963 to 1983 and 1990 to 2009 as applicable to companies limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the company’s website. Legislation in the Republic of Ireland governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. Signed on behalf of the Board by Tony Minogue and John O’Callaghan on 8 March 2012.
36
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT AUDITORS To the shareholders of GS1 (GLOBAL STANDARDS 1 (IRELAND)) LIMITED We have audited the financial statements of GS1 (Global Standards 1 (Ireland)) Limited for the year ended 31 December 2011 which comprise the Income and Expenditure Account, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement and the related notes. These financial statements, on pages 6 to 10, have been prepared under the historical cost convention and the accounting policies set out on page 6. This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Section 193 of the Companies Act, 1990. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. Respective responsibilities of directors and auditors As described in the Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities the company’s directors are responsible for preparing the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and Generally Accepted Accounting Practice in Ireland including the accounting standards issued by the Accounting Standards Board and published by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. Our responsibility is to audit the financial statements in accordance with relevant legal and regulatory requirements and International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland). We report to you our opinion as to whether the financial statements give a
true and fair view in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practice in Ireland and are properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Acts, 1963 to 1983 and 1990 to 2009 as applicable to companies limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. We also report to you whether in our opinion: proper books of account have been kept by the company; and whether the information given in the directors’ report is consistent with the financial statements. In addition, we state whether we have obtained all the information and explanations necessary for the purposes of our audit, and whether the financial statements are in agreement with the books of account. We also report to you if, in our opinion, any information specified by law regarding directors’ remuneration and directors’ transactions is not disclosed and, where practicable, include such information in our report. We read the directors’ report and consider the implications for our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatements within it. Basis of audit opinion We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland) issued by the Auditing Practices Board. An audit includes examination, on a test basis, of evidence relevant to the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. It also includes an assessment of the significant estimates and judgments made by the directors in the preparation of the financial statements, and of whether the accounting policies are appropriate to the company’s circumstances, consistently applied and adequately disclosed. We planned and performed our audit so as to obtain all the information and explanations which we considered necessary in order to provide us with
37
sufficient evidence to give reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement, whether caused by fraud or other irregularity or error. In forming our opinion we also evaluated the overall adequacy of the presentation of information in the financial statements. Opinion In our opinion the financial statements: • give a true and fair view, in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practice in Ireland, of the state of the company’s affairs as at 31 December 2011 and of its deficit and cashflow for the year then ended; and • have been properly prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Acts, 1963 to 1983 and 1990 to 2009 as applicable to companies limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. We have obtained all the information and explanations which we consider necessary for the purposes of our audit. In our opinion proper books of account have been kept by the company. The financial statements are in agreement with the books of account. In our opinion the information given in the directors’ report is consistent with the financial statements. Mairéad Divilly for and on behalf of Mazars Chartered Accountants & Registered Auditors Harcourt Centre Block 3 Harcourt Road Dublin 2 8 March 2012
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ACCOUNTING POLICIES The significant accounting policies adopted by the company are as follows: a)
Basis of Financial Statements The financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis and in accordance with accounting standards generally accepted in Ireland and Irish statute comprising the Companies Acts, 1963 to 2009. Accounting Standards generally accepted in Ireland in preparing financial statements giving a true and fair view are those published by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland and issued by the Accounting Standards Board.
b)
Income Income represents amounts receivable in respect of services provided during the year and is stated exclusive of value added taxation.
c)
Tangible Assets Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated in order to write off the cost of tangible fixed assets over their estimated useful lives, using the straight line method. Computer, software and office equipment Furniture and fixtures Leasehold improvements
d)
20% / 50% straight line 50% straight line 12.5% straight line
Foreign Currencies Foreign currencies which arise principally in connection with current assets and current liabilities are translated at the rate of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Profits and losses from foreign currency transactions are dealt with in the income and expenditure account.
e)
Taxation The company is exempt from corporation tax on its ordinary activities in accordance with the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997.
f)
Pensions Pension costs arising under the defined contribution scheme are charged to the income and expenditure account as incurred.
g)
Leased Assets Rentals in respect of operating leases are charged to the income and expenditure account as incurred.
h)
Financial Assets Financial assets are stated at cost less provision for any permanent diminution in value.
38
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT Notes Income Expenditure Operating <deficit>/surplus Interest receivable and similar income <Deficit>/surplus before taxation Taxation <Deficit>/surplus after taxation
2
5 6 7 13
Year ended 31 December 2011 € 1,260,601 <1,427,598 > <166,997 > 17,845 <149,152 > <4,461 > <153,613 > ======
Year ended 31 December 2010 € 1,280,518 <1,297,888 > <17,370 > 23,834 6,464 <5,958 > 506 ======
A statement of total recognised gains and losses has not been prepared as there were no gains or losses for the year or the preceding year other than as stated above. All income is in respect of continuing operations.
BALANCE SHEET FIXED ASSETS Tangible assets
Notes
31 December 2011 €
31 December 2010 €
8
177,743
187,627
9
285,373 446,282 600,000 1,331,655
204,946 632,939 600,000 1,437,885
<493,167 >
<455,668 >
838,488
982,217
1,016,231 ========
1,169,844 ========
1,016,231 ========
1,169,844 ========
Year ended 31 December 2011 €
Year ended 31 December 2010 €
CURRENT ASSETS Debtors Bank Financial assets
10
CREDITORS Amounts falling due within one year
11
NET CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES CAPITAL AND RESERVES Revenue reserves
13
CASH FLOW STATEMENT Notes Net cash <outflow>/inflow from operating activities
<141,410 >
<73,330 >
Returns on investments and servicing of finance
17,845
23,834
Taxation
<9,525 >
<4,302 >
Capital expenditure and financial investment Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets
<53,567 >
<103,194 >
<186,657 >
<156,992 >
632,939
789,931
446,282 ========
632,939 ========
12
Decrease in cash in the year Cash at beginning of year Cash at end of year Signed on behalf of the Board by Tony Minogue and John O’Callaghan. 39
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 1.
LEGAL STATUS OF COMPANY GS1 (Global Standards 1 (Ireland)) Limited is a company incorporated under the Companies Act 1963, without share capital, the liability of which is limited by the guarantee of its members, such amount as may be required, but not exceeding €1.00. The company is a not-for-profit company and its Memorandum and Articles of Association expressly forbids any form of distribution to the members of the company.
2.
INCOME Income represents the amounts receivable in respect of services provided and is stated exclusive of value added taxation.
3.
STAFF COSTS Wages and salaries Employer PRSI Pension costs
2011 € 595,214 54,758 15,701
2010 € 452,129 48,350 18,680
665,673 =======
519,159 =======
The average number of persons employed by the company in the financial year was 11 (2010: 8). 4.
PENSION The company operates a defined contribution scheme for its employees, the contributions to which are paid to an independently administered fund. The pension cost for the year represents contributions payable to the fund. The contribution charged to the income and expenditure account for the year was €15,701 (2010: €18,680).
5.
INTEREST RECEIVABLE AND SIMILAR CHARGES Interest receivable
6.
<DEFICIT>/SURPLUS BEFORE TAXATION <Deficit>/surplus before taxation has been arrived at after charging: Auditors’ remuneration Depreciation
7.
TAXATION Corporation tax for the year
2011 € 17,845 =======
2010 € 23,834 =======
2011 €
2010 €
10,000 63,451 =======
10,000 47,472 =======
2011 €
2010 €
4,461 =======
5,958 =======
Factors affecting tax charge for year The current tax charge for the year is different to the current charge that would result from applying the standard rate of Irish corporation tax to the <deficit>/surplus before taxation. The differences are explained below: <Deficit>/surplus before taxation <Deficit>/surplus for the year multiplied by the standard rate of corporation tax in Ireland - 12.5%
<149,152 > =======
6,464 =======
<18,644 >
808
Effects of: Non taxable mutual trading income Passive income taxable at higher rate
20,875 2,230
2,171 2,979
Current tax charge for the year
4,461 =====
5,958 =======
In accordance with the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, the company is exempt from corporation tax on its ordinary activities on the basis that any surplus arising is derived from business done with its members. The company is only liable to corporation tax in respect of its deposit interest and any other passive income at the rate of 25% (30% subsequently). 40
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 8.
TANGIBLE ASSETS Leasehold improvements €
Fixtures & fittings €
Office equipment €
Computers €
Total €
Cost At 31 December 2010 Additions
143,570 -
2,020 -
24,835 1,105
267,647 52,462
438,072 53,567
At 31 December 2011
143,570
2,020
25,940
320,109
491,639
Depreciation At 31 December 2010 Charge for year
88,225 17,945
2,020 -
24,578 215
135,622 45,291
250,445 63,451
At 31 December 2011
106,170
2,020
24,793
180,913
313,896
Net Book Amount At 31 December 2010
55,345
-
257
132,025
187,627
37,400 =======
=======
1,147 =======
139,196 =======
177,743 =======
2011 €
2010 €
70,041 106,893 97,662 5,316 5,461
55,721 97,431 38,720 12,677 397
285,373 =======
204,946 =======
2011 €
2010 €
600,000 __ -
600,000 __ -
600,000 =======
600,000 =======
At 31 December 2011
9.
DEBTORS Amounts falling due within one year Trade debtors Prepayments Amounts owed by related party (Note 14) Value added tax Corporation tax
10.
FINANCIAL ASSETS Financial investments – at cost At beginning of year Additions At end of year
Financial assets comprise financial investments with a 100% capital guarantee which is due to mature in 2013. The protected amount, before tax, is the higher of: - the original amount invested - 80% of the highest value of the protected consensus bond series 2 during the investment (adjusted for any withdrawal or income taken) - the cash in value of the investment at that stage. The capital protection on the investment with Irish Life Assurances Plc is provided by JP Morgan Chase Bank. The protection as provided by Irish Life is restricted to the investment returns and capital protection actually received from JP Morgan Chase Bank.
41
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 11.
CREDITORS Amounts falling due within one year Trade creditors and accruals Deferred income Other creditors Paye/Prsi
12.
NET CASHFLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Operating <deficit>/surplus Depreciation Movement in debtors Movement in creditors Net cash outflow from operating activities
13.
2010 €
429,674 30,127 4,705 28,661
387,227 43,410 4,750 20,281
493,167 =======
455,668 =======
2011 € <166,997 > 63,451 <75,364 > 37,500
2010 € <17,370 > 47,472 <70,400 > <33,032 >
<141,410 > =========
<73,330 > =======
REVENUE RESERVES
2011 €
At beginning of the year <Deficit>/Surplus for the year At end of year
14.
2011 €
1,169,844 <153,613 > 1,016,231 ========
2010 € 1,169,338 506 1,169,844 ========
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS On 30 September 2010, the company entered into a shared services agreement with Efficient Consumer Response Ireland (ECR), an unincorporated organisation to identify jointly, existing and new opportunities for cooperation and collaboration including endorsement of GS1 standards within ECR guidelines for mutual benefit. In the year ended 31 December 2011, the company recharged certain wages and administration costs amounting to €113,853 (2010: €44,355) and the balance outstanding as at 31 December 2011 was €97,662 (2010: €38,720). There were no other transactions during the year that required disclosure under Financial Reporting Standard 8 – “Related Party Transactions”.
15.
COMMITMENTS In November 2005, the company took assignment of a 35 year lease with 21 years remaining, with an annual rental commitment in respect of its premises at The Nutley Building, Merrion Road, Dublin 4. The annual commitment of €94,200 is subject to review at five year intervals as specified in the lease agreement. The lease is currently subject to review.
16.
APPROVAL OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The financial statements were approved by the board of directors on 8 March 2012.
42
MEMBERSHIP REPORT
MEMBERSHIP AND SERVICES REPORT GS1 Ireland Standards Users - supporting indiginous industry and innovation. The GS1 Ireland membership base for 2011 stood at just under 2,900 organisations spread across the principal industry sectors of Food, Beverage and Tobacco, Healthcare, Consumer Goods (Non Food), DIY and Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing.
MEMBERS BY SECTOR 2011
New organisations that joined GS1 Ireland during the year totalled 170. The new Members came from a range of industry sectors, with the biggest uptake in Food and Beverages, Consumer Packaged Goods including Non-Food Grocery, Healthcare and Apparel.
NEW MEMBERS 2011 BY SECTOR
43
TRAINING REPORT
TRAINING SERVICES Giving staff the tools to enable improved productivity and efficiency On-going education and training is one of the core supports GS1 Ireland offers its Membership and other industry partners. Training is critical both to the successful implementation of standards within an organisation and in terms of building awareness of the extensive scope that GS1 standards cover – from identification and bar coding, to eCommerce (EDI), Data Syncronisation and Radio Frequency Identification. At a fundamental level it is vitally important that orgainsations new to GS1 Standards have a firm grounding in the basic principles of item identification. Errors incorporated at the set up stage can be incredibly expensive to correct further down the supply chain.
GS1 offers regular classroom courses in the Basics of Barcoding as well as in EDI message implementation. Specialist workshops on “hot topics” such as regulation, traceability and barcodes for logstics applications are run in line with demand. The expertise of the GS1 staff is also leveraged to provide in-company training and advisory sessions. In-company training can be especially beneficial if a number of employees within a company or department would benefit from upskilling in the area of supply chain standards. For further information on GS1 Training please visit the GS1 website or speak to one of our specialist advisors.
TRAINING COURSE PARTICIPATION 2011 BY TYPE
44
BARCODE VERIFICATION REPORT
BARCODE VERIFICATION Driving down unnecessary supply chain costs Uninterrupted supply chains are good for business and for consumers. Poorly designed and printed barcodes cause delivery delays, queues at checkouts and increased labour costs. Having a high quality barcode that scans first time, every time is to everyone’s benefit.
analysis is done by trained and knowledgeable GS1 personnel, who are best qualified to offer advice on barcode quality, placement and best practices, in addition to advising on any remediation work necessary to improve non-compliant barcodes. Each year GS1 Ireland carries out verification assessments for many members across different industry sectors. Year on year the number grows as stakeholders realise the financial implications of poorly printed, non-scannable barcodes. GS1 Ireland is actively working with organisations on both the purchasing and supply side to build awareness of the importance of high quality, verified symbols.
GS1 Ireland’s bar code verification service offers manufacturers, printers, packaging designers and brand owners a detailed analysis and grading of the print quality of their barcode image. Verification is a test which evaluates a symbol against established ISO and GS1 criteria and is carried out using state of the art equipment. The
BARCODE VERIFICATION 2011 BY SECTOR
45
ADVISORY SERVICES REPORT
ADVISORY SERVICES Achieving the Benefits with Expert Guidance The GS1 Ireland Advisory Service is here to help any organisation that is considering adopting GS1 Standards, or extending their use into new areas, to improve their business performance and deliver efficiencies and cost savings.
interoperability and data sharing, while eliminating the non- value-add costs and activities. From retail and manufacturing, to pharmaceuticals, medical devices and healthcare service providers, GS1 Ireland offers impartial advice on which standards would solve your business issue and how to best implement them.
As GS1 is a neutral, independent organisation, we are excellently placed to advice businesses on the options open to them, without having any vested interest in a particular technology or software solution. Our organisational objective is to educate and inform organisations, private industry and public sector alike, on the benefits of having standards-enabled systems that facilitate
Last year GS1 Ireland provided advisory and consultancy services to organisations in the consumer goods, food and beverage, logistics and medical device sectors.
ADVISORY SERVICES 2011 BY SECTOR
46
MINUTES
MINUTES OF 30TH GS1 GLOBAL STANDARDS 1IRELAND LIMITED AGM Held 24th May 2011, at GS1 Ireland, The Nutley Building, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Present:
been received and that all votes cast had been cast in favour of the resolutions proposed. The Chairman confirmed that there was a quorum present and the meeting was deemed to be duly constituted and convened.
Tony Minogue (Chairman) Glanbia John O’Callaghan (Vice Chairman) Musgrave Mr. Jim Bracken, (Secretary) GS1 Ireland Rory Connaughton Holfeld Graphics James Copeland IHBMA Susan Moore D’Arcy Unilever Michael Kelly Consultant David Skerritt Consultant
2. Ordinary Business Agenda Item 1: To adopt the minutes of the 2010 Annual General Meeting There being no matters arising the Minutes were taken as read and proposed by D Skerritt, seconded by J O’Callaghan, and unanimously approved.
In Attendance: Ms. Mairead Divilly, Mazars (by telephone conference) Ms. Ide Murphy, Mazars (by telephone conference) Ms. Siobhan Sugrue, Mazars (by telephone conference) Ms. Karen Murphy, GS1 Ireland
Agenda Item 2: To receive and consider the Financial Statements and the Report of the Directors and Auditors for the period ended 31 December 2010 (the “Accounts”) The Accounts were made available to all in advance of the meeting. The Chairman invited any comments and queries on the Accounts. The adoption of the Accounts was proposed by D Skerritt, seconded by J Copeland, and unanimously approved.
Proxy Nominations: Albert Adamson David Ryan John Gallagher Valerie Cotter Gerard Osthues Veronica O'Reillly Brian Ellis Liam Hartnett Richard O'Farrell Dympna Smyth Lorraine Derwin Christine Smith Robbie Grogan Aidan Corcoran Elizabeth Hodges Elizabeth Hodges Morgan Cassidy Norman Ruddock Margaret Digby Jason Leonard Eric Morrissey Robbie Grogan John Toland Louise Johnston Mark Hanratty
Energizer Ireland Ltd Sigma Aldrich Ireland Ryantown Toys & Gifts Paramount Packaging Clonakilty Black Pudding Terryglass Treats Divine Word Missionaries S.O.L. Productions Ltd Ellis Fish Co BOFH Holdings Dublin Bus Photo Import Ltd Better Buy Cards Mackenway Distributors Ltd Kepak Group Cork Tegral Building Products Bulmers Tennent's N.I Ltd Kube Solutions Thai food Co Digby's Dessserts Wes Chem Products Pfizer Healthcare Ireland Kepak Group Clonee Shaun Toland Distinct Distribution Bulmers
Agenda Item 3: Appointment and remuneration of the auditors The re-appointment of Mazars Ireland as auditors to the Company and the authorisation of the directors to fix the remuneration of the auditors was proposed by R Connaughton, seconded by J Copeland, and unanimously approved. Agenda item 4: To re-elect the following as members of the Supervisory Board who retire in accordance with article 7 of the articles of association of the Company: Ms. Susan Moore-Darcy Ms. Veronica Sullivan The re-election of Susan Moore-Darcy was proposed by J Copeland, seconded by J O’Callaghan and unanimously approved. The re-election of Veronica Sullivan was proposed by J Copeland, seconded by J O’Callaghan and unanimously approved. 3. Any other business and conclusion
1. Welcome Address The Chairman welcomed all to the AGM and formally opened the meeting. It was noted that 27 proxy forms had
There being no other business the Chairman declared the meeting terminated.
47
Our Core Beliefs
Not-for-proďŹ t Neutral User driven User governed Platform for collaboration
2nd Floor The Merrion Centre Nutley Lane Donnybrook Dublin 4 Ireland T +353 (0)1 208 0660 F +353 (0)1 208 0670 E info@gs1ie.org W www.gs1ie.org
GS1 - The Global Language of Business