Historically, the collection of scope and transaction certificates in multi-tier supply networks has been a time-intensive and highly manual process. Each certificate must be requested, the data input and then validated to ensure that it matches the supplier and the purchase order associated. But with AI assistance, we can now speed up and add confidence to this process.
But let’s back up a little and explain why this is all important.
What are Scope and Transaction Certificates for?
What does Certificate Management Look Like in Practice?
How can AI Reduce the Workload?
How does Segura's Automated Certificate Management System work?
The Benefits of Certification Automation
Will AI Replace Human Teams in Certification Management?
Where does Certificate Management fit into the Supply Chain Mapping Process?
Sourcing Certificates substantiate the sustainable attributes of a product, verifying the source of materials and the factories which process them. Certificates are issued by overseeing bodies that inspect and approve producers and manufacturers that meet their ecological standards. For retailers, certificates also attest that suppliers are using the materials which have been specified. The certificates also substantiate the information printed on care labels and in any marketing claims related to the eco-credentials of a product.
Scope certificates validate a supplier’s declaration of who they’ve engaged as a manufacturer, and that their facility is an authorised location approved by the overseeing certification body.
Transaction certificates validate a supplier’s declaration that this sub-contractor has been engaged to fulfil the Purchase Order (PO) for the material, which has sustainable attributes, all under the certification scheme.
The major schemes that issue certificates to suppliers are:
A retailer needs to collect and verify certificates from their suppliers to validate that the materials used in their products have the sustainable credentials which have been specified in a purchase order. Multiple product lines, including an array of garments or shoes, will involve potentially hundreds of transactions and scope certificates. So managing them all is no mean feat!
It is the retailer's responsibility to check that any certificates provided are valid. Key points are to ensure that certificates are in date, are issued to the correct supplier, and that the facility addresses match. Thereafter, a retailer can make further checks on the issuer's database to ensure that the certificate matches their entry.
Requesting and tracking certificates through emails, spreadsheets, fragmented ERP systems, and manual data entry requires significant effort and leaves room for error. The result is often chasing suppliers manually, missing deadlines and missing certificates altogether. There is also the potential that suppliers' certificates are not within their expiry date, or not issued to the exact facility that was engaged for the work. This can lead to low confidence in sustainability claims, limited visibility into supplier risk, and increased exposure to compliance penalties, particularly around greenwashing.
Today, these challenges associated with manual certificate collection, tracking and management can be sped up and mitigated through automation using artificial intelligence.
Let’s explore how automated certificate management works in practice, the benefits it delivers, and how AI and human expertise can work together to create a more efficient, resilient approach to ensuring your products align with the claims you make about them.
The Segura system will automate the request and chasing of suppliers to upload a valid certificate relevant to the products, components and services they are providing as part of their purchase order (PO).
Suppliers upload their certificates into Segura’s supplier portal against a PO. AI-powered document recognition extracts key data points directly into the client database, eliminating manual data entry and reducing human error.
The extracted information is automatically categorised, including:
This ensures structured, searchable, and standardised records across the entire supply base.
AI cross-references captured data with known factors such as:
Approved supplier records - The system validates certificate details against the organisation’s approved supplier database. It ensures that certificates are correctly matched to the supplier name and location which is uploading the certificate. This reduces the risk of misattribution or a supplier uploading someone else’s certificate, or certificates being submitted for unauthorised suppliers.
Recognised certification bodies - The software checks that certificates display valid, official bodies, comparing them with known valid certificates. Plus, it verifies if they are current, by extracting the expiry date on the certificate, ensuring it is in date. These checks reduce the risks associated with invalid or expired documents.
Expected certificate formats - AI reviews the document to make sure it is either a scope or a transaction certificate as expected. And that it matches the format of a genuine certificate and contains all the required information. If anything is missing, incomplete or unusual, the system can flag it for further review.
This step helps identify inconsistencies or potential irregularities before approval.
The system generates a confidence score based on the accuracy and completeness of the certificate data.
Organisations can set approval thresholds and certificates marked above a defined confidence score can be automatically approved, while lower-scoring submissions are flagged for human review.
This allows teams to focus their time where it’s truly needed.
One of the biggest advantages of certification automation is the significant reduction in manual effort. Time-consuming tasks such as manual data entry, certificate validation and approval, document chasing and follow-up emails are dramatically reduced.
AI excels at repetitive, data-heavy, time-sensitive tasks. It will never miss a deadline, get tired of monitoring data, or overlook a detail buried in a document.
By taking on the bulk of this administrative workload, AI frees up teams to focus on interesting and higher-value activities such as strategic supplier engagement, risk management and relationship building, all of which are more impactful and rewarding.
Humans are naturally more prone to errors when handling repetitive, time-consuming tasks such as entering incorrect expiry dates or overlooking missing documentation. Automation reduces this risk by capturing and validating data consistently and accurately.
Furthermore, potential issues can be identified early through automated validation and confidence scoring. This proactive approach reduces the likelihood of non-compliant suppliers slipping through the net and strengthens overall supply chain resilience.
Instead of information being buried in spreadsheets, teams gain access to centralised dashboards that provide a clear, real-time view of certification status across all suppliers and tiers.
AI can also proactively flag expired, missing or soon-to-expire documentation, allowing teams to take action before issues escalate or disrupt operations.
AI-powered automation scales with supply chain growth, supporting hundreds or thousands of suppliers without proportionally increasing headcount. At the same time, documentation is structured, searchable and traceable, making audits faster, smoother and less stressful.
No — and it shouldn’t. Certification management within the supply chain is not purely administrative. While AI can take on the bulk of the operational workload, it cannot replace the human judgment, communication and relationship-building that effective supplier management depends on.
By removing repetitive administrative tasks, AI allows people to focus on the areas where they add the most value.
When certifications lapse or gaps are identified, resolving the issue often requires discussion and collaboration. Human teams are needed to assess context, negotiate realistic timelines, and agree on corrective action plans that are both compliant and commercially practical.
Regulations and standards are constantly evolving. Translating complex regulatory updates into clear, actionable guidance for suppliers requires nuance, clarity and dialogue, something that still relies heavily on human expertise.
Not all suppliers have the same resources or maturity levels. Many need support to meet certification requirements. Human engagement helps suppliers improve over time through coaching, education and structured improvement programmes, strengthening the supply chain as a whole.
Disagreements can arise around compliance expectations, documentation validity, or timelines. These situations require careful handling, empathy and negotiation skills that AI alone cannot replicate.
Strong supply chains are built on trust. Long-term supplier relationships rely on transparency, collaboration and mutual understanding, all of which are fundamentally human. Trust encourages openness, faster issue resolution and more resilient partnerships.
Ultimately, AI enhances human capability rather than replacing it. By handling the repetitive, data-heavy work, automation gives teams more time to focus on strategy, collaboration and supplier relationships, the areas where humans make the biggest difference.
Supply chain mapping to N-tier is a significant undertaking for any retailer. All businesses must begin with the basics before they can benefit from the efficiencies that come with having your supplier network onboarded into the Segura system. Having said that, the benefits and efficiencies are huge! The mapping process starts by onboarding your Tier 1 suppliers, and they, in turn, declare their sub-contractors. The declaration process, tied back to the order chain of custody, cascades upstream through the supply chain down to raw materials. It is a chain of custody model that means Purchase Orders are issued and accepted using Segura. Over time every supplier will be visible and managed via the platform, and suppliers will upload their sourcing certificates for evaluation and approval, all tied back to the supplier, product and services by the purchase order.
It is an optional but strongly recommended function for our clients to also use their sourcing certificates to feed into care label specifications.
We encourage you to read "The Supply Chain Mapping Process - a step by step guide" to learn more about the Segura way of achieving supply chain transparency.
For more information about automated certificate management, please get in touch.
Segura is the leading fashion supply chain traceability solution, empowering fashion retailers and brands to deliver ethical, sustainable and efficient multi-tier supply chains.
Segura provides n-tier mapping, transparency, traceability, visualisation, compliance and reporting. Segura sits in the centre of your supply chain management structure creating a central repository for all your supply chain, ESG-related data and evidence, including from third-party data sources.
With all supply chain traceability data stored on a single platform, our customers get the right evidence in the right place to back up claims and meet regulatory compliance.
To keep up to date with our latest news; subscribe to our newsletter
To learn more about how Segura can help you manage your supply chain; contact us today