A cross-source term describing the upstream or linked activities involved in producing and moving a product.
Supply chain is a strategically important term because it connects physical production, sourcing, data collection, and due diligence. It is also a reminder that different sources may draw the chain differently depending on their purpose.
Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for sustainable products
all upstream activities and processes of the product’s value chain, up to the point where the product reaches the customer;
Reference: Article 2, point 10
ISO 14067:2018 - Greenhouse gases — Carbon footprint of products
those involved, through upstream and downstream linkages, in processes (3.1.3.5) and activities relating to the provision of products (3.1.3.1) to the user
Reference: 3.1.5.2
Supply chain is a regulatory term used across ESPR and ISO 14067:2018; it generally refers to all upstream activities and processes of the products value chain, up to the point where the product reaches the customer, but the exact legal scope depends on the source definition.
This term matters when a company needs to know which upstream actors, processes, or data points must be included in a regulatory workflow. It is especially useful for traceability design and supplier-information planning.
For Minespider, supply chain is the connective tissue of the whole glossary. Many other definitions only become operationally useful once they are placed within a concrete chain of actors, materials, and evidence flows.