ChainReact · Project

Open Platform That Maps Corporate Supply Chains and Tracks Social Responsibility

digitalTestedTRL 5Thin data (2/5)

Imagine you buy a product from a big brand, but you have no idea who actually made it — or under what conditions. ChainReact connected three open platforms so that anyone can trace who supplies whom, report problems like forced labor, and score companies on their real social and environmental performance. Think of it as a "TripAdvisor for corporate behavior" built on real data, not PR statements. Walk Free Foundation, an anti-slavery organization with 8.5 million campaign participants, ran pilot campaigns through the system.

By the numbers

8.5 million

campaign participants in Walk Free Foundation community

integrated platform struts (TalkFree, OpenCorporates, WikiRate.org)

consortium partners

countries represented (DE, EL, PL, UK)

total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies face growing regulatory and public pressure to prove their supply chains are free from human rights violations, forced labor, and environmental damage. But tracing who supplies whom across multi-level corporate networks is extremely difficult — supplier data is scattered, corporate ownership structures are opaque, and self-reported CSR data is unreliable.

The solution

What was built

Three interconnected open platforms: TalkFree (a campaign-management tool for collecting reports on corporate behavior from advocacy groups), enhanced OpenCorporates (multi-level corporate network mapping connecting subsidiaries to parent brands), and enhanced WikiRate.org (open analysis platform with network-aware CSR metrics). Entity matching technology was developed to extract corporate network data from unstructured documents. At least 3 annual prototype iterations were completed for WikiRate.org.

Audience

Who needs this

Large retailers and brand owners needing supply chain due diligence toolsESG rating agencies looking for open, non-self-reported corporate dataInvestment firms screening portfolios for supply chain risksCompliance officers preparing for EU supply chain due diligence regulationsNGOs and advocacy organizations running corporate accountability campaigns

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Retail & Consumer Goods

enterprise

Target: Large retailers and brand owners with complex global supply chains

If you are a retailer dealing with mounting pressure to prove your supply chain is free of forced labor and environmental violations — this project developed an integrated data network linking corporate ownership maps (OpenCorporates), crowd-sourced reports (TalkFree), and open CSR metrics (WikiRate.org) that can expose risks hiding behind multi-level supplier networks. Pilot campaigns were run with Walk Free Foundation's community of 8.5 million participants.

ESG & Compliance Consulting

mid-size

Target: ESG rating agencies and compliance advisory firms

If you are a compliance consultancy struggling to gather reliable, non-self-reported data on corporate social responsibility — this project built an open analysis platform (WikiRate.org) with collaboratively-developed, network-aware CSR metrics that integrate data from corporate disclosures, advocacy reports, and corporate ownership databases. The system was prototyped and iterated over 3 annual development cycles.

Financial Services

enterprise

Target: Investment firms and banks with ESG screening requirements

If you are an investment firm that needs to screen portfolios for supply chain risks like modern slavery or environmental damage — this project created multi-level corporate network mapping through OpenCorporates that connects subsidiary-level violations back to parent brands. The consortium included 6 partners across 4 countries combining research expertise with live platform development.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to use or license these tools?

All three platforms (WikiRate.org, OpenCorporates, TalkFree) were designed as open platforms. WikiRate.org and OpenCorporates were already operational before the project. Licensing terms for commercial use of their enhanced features would need to be discussed directly with the platform operators (WikiRate e.V. and Chrinon Ltd).

Can this work at industrial scale for a company with thousands of suppliers?

The project specifically targeted multi-level corporate network mapping — tracing suppliers behind suppliers. OpenCorporates is described as the world's largest open repository of corporate information, which suggests the data backbone can handle large-scale queries. However, the depth of network tracing for any specific company would depend on available data coverage.

Who owns the intellectual property?

The platforms involved are open: WikiRate.org is run by WikiRate e.V. (a nonprofit), TalkFree was built on the open-source Decko framework, and OpenCorporates is run by Chrinon Ltd. As an RIA (Research and Innovation Action), IP generated during the project typically stays with the partners who created it. Commercial use terms should be negotiated with the respective platform operators.

Does this help with upcoming EU supply chain due diligence regulations?

Based on available project data, ChainReact was designed to make supplier networks transparent and responsive — which directly aligns with corporate supply chain due diligence requirements. The network-aware CSR metrics and multi-level corporate mapping tools could support regulatory compliance workflows, though the project ended in 2018 before current EU regulations were drafted.

How mature are these platforms today?

WikiRate.org and OpenCorporates were already operational platforms before ChainReact began. The project enhanced them with new features including entity matching for extracting corporate network data from unstructured documents. The deliverables show at least 3 annual prototype review cycles for WikiRate.org, indicating iterative development through the project's end in 2018.

Can this integrate with our existing compliance systems?

Based on available project data, the platforms were designed as open data sources. WikiRate.org integrates data from multiple sources including direct corporate disclosure, advocacy reports, and OpenCorporates data. Integration with proprietary compliance systems would likely require custom API development with the platform operators.

Consortium

Who built it

The consortium of 6 partners across 4 countries (Germany, Greece, Poland, UK) is research-heavy with 3 research organizations and 2 universities, but each partner operates a specific platform or brings a defined skill. Chrinon Ltd runs OpenCorporates, WikiRate e.V. runs WikiRate.org, and Decko Commons e.V. built TalkFree on their open-source Decko framework. CERTH (the Greek coordinator) contributed entity matching technology for extracting corporate data from unstructured documents. University of Cambridge and University of Warsaw provided research oversight. The industry ratio is low at 17% (1 SME), which reflects the project's civil-society orientation rather than a direct commercial focus. For a business looking to adopt these tools, the key contacts would be the platform operators: Chrinon Ltd for corporate data and WikiRate e.V. for CSR metrics.

ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXISCoordinator · EL
UNIWERSYTET WARSZAWSKIparticipant · PL
THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGEparticipant · UK
OPENCORPORATES LTDparticipant · UK

How to reach the team

CERTH (Ethniko Kentro Erevnas kai Technologikis Anaptyxis) in Greece coordinated the project. For platform access, contact WikiRate e.V. (WikiRate.org) or Chrinon Ltd (OpenCorporates) directly.

Order a report on this consortium See ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how open supply chain transparency tools from EU research can strengthen your ESG compliance? SciTransfer can connect you with the right team — contact us for a briefing.

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