An experienced sales & marketing executive with a strong expertise in supply chain risk management software, Laurent Lebarq has been appointed as Sales Director of Connected Sources. Prior to Connected Sources, Laurent has worked with Enablon, a specialised compliance management software company, as Business development 1 Partnership Manager for 4 years.

Georges Le Nigen, VP Business Development for Connected Sources, said: "We are very delighted to have Laurent on board. We are sure that his proven expertise and acute perception of consumer requirements will help us delivering efficient and profitable solutions to worldwide customers, retailers and brands".

The database will allow retailers to check the accreditation of any one of more than 13,000 premises run by suppliers certificated to the BRC Global Standards. The Global Standards help suppliers win and keep business with retailers by enabling them to demonstrate they are achieving the levels of quality and safety required by retailers and meeting the legal requirements of the markets they serve. The Standards also give retailers a reliable and cost effective way of ensuring safety and quality in their supply chain. 

John Cormode, Chief Executive of BRC Trading said:  “After a careful and rigorous selection process, including extensive consultation with our members and other users, we’ve chosen Connected Sources. They have strong expertise in this market, a worldwide network and proven technology already in use by leading international retailers. The Global Standards Directory is a radically new way for us to provide extensive, up to date information on BRC certified suppliers and sites.” 

Stephane Dugelay, Chief Operations Officer of Connected Sources said: “Connected Sources is delighted to have been selected by the BRC as their exclusive technology partner for their major new certification database.  Our IT platform brings the robustness, scalability, intuitiveness and connectivity needed to support the continuous development of the BRC Global Standards throughout the world, for years to come.  The BRC’s project perfectly matches the mission of Connected Sources which is to provide best-in-class collaborative solutions for global supply chain initiatives.” 

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is the leading retail trade association. We represent the whole range of retailers, from large multiples and department stores to small independents, selling all types of products through town-centre, out-of-town, rural and online stores.   The BRC is a leading international Standards body and the BRC Global Standards are widely recognised throughout the world, with over 13,000 certificated supplier sites in 90 countries.  The BRC Global Standards form a suite of product safety standards that cover Food Safety, Consumer Products, Packaging & Packaging Materials and Storage & Distribution enabling certification of the supply chain    .www.brc.uk            www.brcglobalstandards.com

The BRC Trading and Connected Sources have demonstrated the new BRC Global Standards platform in front of several key retailers, brands and certification bodies during the CIES Food Safety Forum in Barcelona.

According to Georges Le Nigen, VP Business Development for Connected Sources: " we are very proud to have been chosen by the BRC as exclusive software partner to design and deliver what will be the largest food certification platform in the world, gathering 150 retailers and more than 14,000 certificated sites from around the world. The portal will allow all BRC stakeholders (retailers, suppliers, certification bodies and accreditation bodies) to create, edit, share, analyse all certification relevant data  (site profiles, certification decisions, audit reports and auditor qualifications) in a better and cheaper way"

Tessa Kelly, Commercial Director of the BRC Trading, explained why the BRC has chosen Connected Sources: "A leader in web platforms for compliance; extensive knowledge of industry standards and practices; A proven experience in delivering global solutions for leading retailers and brands; cost effectiveness" .  

The BRC Global Standards directory will go live in June 2009. A video cast of the presentation will be soon available on our website.

The future BRC Global Standards Directory platform will allow all BRC stakeholders (retailers, brands and third parties) to collect and share essential certification information, in a cost-efficient and user friendly way. Connected Sources is proud to collaborate with the BRC, which has defined and deployed one of the most widely recognized food safety standards worldwide.