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Extensions Development Guide

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Please note that this content is under development and is not ready for implementation. This status message will be updated as content development progresses.

Creating an Extension: Process Overview​

Is Your Industry Ready?​

Your industry is a strong candidate if:

  • ✓ Common sustainability metrics or regulatory requirements across sector
  • ✓ Industry association or standards body that can coordinate
  • ✓ 10+ organizations would implement if extension existed
  • ✓ Association can dedicate 1-2 technical staff for 4-8 months
  • ✓ Member interest in coordinated transparency approach

High-Level Process​

Phase 1: Initiation (Weeks 1-4)

  • Form extension working group
  • Identify representative stakeholders
  • Contact UNTP team for guidance
  • Develop initial business case

Phase 2: Requirements (Months 1-3)

  • Document industry-specific product types
  • Identify key sustainability metrics
  • Map relevant standards and regulations
  • Catalog industry identifier schemes
  • Survey member implementation needs

Phase 3: Development (Months 2-5)

  • Design credential schema extensions
  • Create industry vocabulary context
  • Specify identifier registrations
  • Map conformity criteria
  • Develop test cases and examples

Phase 4: Testing (Months 4-7)

  • Pilot with 2-3 member companies
  • Validate against UNTP core conformance
  • Test interoperability with other extensions
  • Iterate based on feedback

Phase 5: Registration (Months 6-8)

  • Create extension specification website
  • Prepare registration package
  • Submit to UNTP for formal registration
  • Announce to industry

Phase 6: Support (Month 8+)

  • Provide implementation support to members
  • Track implementations
  • Maintain alignment with UNTP core
  • Evolve based on feedback

Extension Business Case​

Benefits of Creating an Extension:

For Your Industry Association:

  • Establish leadership in sector's digital transformation
  • Create member value through coordinated approach
  • Reduce individual member implementation costs by 60-80%
  • Position as authoritative source for industry transparency standards
  • Attract new members seeking transparency solutions

For Industry Members:

  • Industry-relevant credentials (no forcing data into generic templates)
  • Implement once, satisfy multiple customers/regulations
  • Competitive advantage in transparency-demanding markets
  • Shared implementation costs across association
  • Access to sector-specific best practices and support

Cost Comparison:

ApproachCost Per CompanyTotal Sector Cost (50 companies)
No coordination: Each company creates proprietary solution$100-300K$5M-15M
Commercial platform: Subscribe to vendor platform$50-150K + ongoing$2.5M-7.5M + ongoing
UNTP Extension: Association creates, members implement$15-50K$750K-2.5M

Extension Development Cost: $200-500K (association investment) Return: 10-30x through member implementation savings

Resources for Extension Creators​

Success Stories​

Australian Agriculture Traceability Protocol

  • Timeline: 8 months from initiation to registration
  • Investment: $400K (association)
  • Member Benefit: $20M+ in implementation savings (50+ members)
  • Impact: 70% reduction in compliance documentation costs

Critical Raw Materials Transparency Protocol

  • Coverage: Copper, lithium, cobalt, rare earths
  • Adoption: Pilots in Canada, Australia, DRC
  • Impact: Industry-wide coordination ahead of regulations

→ Contact Us to Discuss Extension Development

Implementing an Existing Extension​

If Your Industry Has an Extension​

Step 1: Review Extension Specification

Find your industry in the Extensions Register and follow the link to the extension's specification website.

What to look for:

  • Credential schemas (what data fields are required/optional)
  • Identifier schemes (which product IDs are accepted)
  • Conformity criteria (which sustainability metrics matter)
  • Implementation guides (step-by-step technical instructions)
  • Test cases (how to validate your implementation)

Step 2: Choose Implementation Approach

Option A: Extension-Compliant Software

Check if your current business software or available solutions support your industry's extension:

Best for: Small-medium businesses, standard operations

Option B: Custom Integration

Work with your IT team or systems integrator to implement the extension:

  • Use extension's reference implementation as starting point
  • Integrate with your existing business systems
  • Follow extension's test cases to validate conformance

Best for: Large enterprises, unique workflows

Step 3: Join Extension Community

Each registered extension maintains support infrastructure:

  • Industry-specific implementation forums
  • Regular office hours with extension technical team
  • Shared learnings from other implementers
  • Updates about extension evolution

Find community links on extension specification websites

Step 4: Implement & Test

  • Follow extension implementation guide
  • Issue sample credentials for test products/facilities
  • Validate against extension test cases
  • Validate against UNTP core tests
  • Register your implementation in the extension's implementation register

Step 5: Go Live & Share

  • Deploy to production
  • Issue real credentials for your products/facilities
  • Share credentials with supply chain partners
  • Contribute case study to extension community
  • Provide feedback for extension improvements

Cross-Extension Interoperability​

Using Multiple Extensions:

Some businesses operate across multiple industries and may need to implement multiple extensions:

Example Scenarios:

  • Mining company (Critical Minerals extension) supplying battery manufacturer (Electronics extension)
  • Agricultural producer (Agriculture extension) supplying food processor (Food & Beverage extension)
  • Textile manufacturer (Textile extension) supplying fashion brand (Fashion extension)

How it works:

  • All extensions are interoperable by design
  • Credentials from one extension are readable by implementers of other extensions
  • Supply chain data flows seamlessly across industry boundaries
  • You implement each relevant extension using shared UNTP core infrastructure

Key Benefit: Instead of incompatible industry silos, UNTP extensions create an interoperable ecosystem where credentials flow across the entire supply chain from raw materials to finished products.

Example: Battery Passport​

From UNTP Core:

  • Verifiable Credential structure
  • Digital signature and verification
  • Issuer identity
  • Basic product information (ID, name, description)
  • Generic sustainability claims structure

Added by Battery Extension:

  • Battery-specific properties: capacity (kWh), chemistry type, voltage, warranty
  • Battery regulations: EU Battery Regulation compliance mapping
  • Battery identifiers: Battery serial number, DMC (Data Matrix Code)
  • Battery standards: IEC 62619, UN 38.3, ISO 12405
  • Battery lifecycle: Expected lifetime, state of health, recycling information

Result: A battery passport that uses universal UNTP infrastructure but contains battery-specific information, readable by anyone in the battery supply chain AND interoperable with upstream mining and downstream automotive extensions.

Extensions and UNTP Implementation​

How Extensions Fit the Implementation Journey​

Extensions are part of UNTP's five-step implementation framework:

Step 1: Understand Your Role
→ Determine if your stakeholder type should implement core or extensions

  • Producers/Manufacturers/Brands: Typically implement core + industry extension
  • Software Vendors: Implement core + support for relevant extensions
  • Industry Associations: Create and maintain extensions

Step 2: Choose Implementation Path
→ Decide: UNTP core alone, or core + extension?

  • Check if your industry has an extension
  • Evaluate timing (wait for extension vs. implement core now)
  • Consider creating extension if none exists

Step 3-5: Register, Implement, Activate
→ Follow standard UNTP implementation process

  • If using extension: Follow extension-specific guidance
  • If using core only: Use generic credentials

Key Principle​

Extensions enhance but don't replace UNTP implementation. You still follow the same core process—extensions just provide industry-specific templates and guidance.

→ View Complete Implementation Guidance

Extension Ecosystem Momentum​

By the Numbers​

  • 6 registered extensions across diverse industries
  • Major global organizations leading (RBA, GBA, Standards Australia, UN/CEFACT)
  • Geographic diversity: Australia + Global coverage
  • Industry diversity: Agriculture, mining, batteries, electronics, automotive, construction
  • Timeline: Consistent growth from Jan 2024 → Nov 2024 → Jun 2025

Leading Organizations as Extension Owners​

Responsible Business Alliance (RBA)

  • Coalition of 200+ electronics/automotive companies
  • $7 trillion in combined revenue
  • Leading electronics extension

Global Battery Alliance (GBA)

  • 140+ members across battery value chain
  • World Economic Forum initiative
  • Leading battery passport standards

Standards Australia + International Code Council

  • Leading technical standards organizations
  • Representing construction and built environment sectors
  • Driving global built environment transparency

UN/CEFACT

  • United Nations trade facilitation body
  • Leading critical minerals extension
  • Leveraging UN convening power

More Extensions Coming​

Industries actively developing extensions:

  • Textiles & Fashion (Q2 2025)
  • Seafood & Aquaculture (Q3 2025)
  • Forestry & Wood Products (Q3 2025)
  • Additional sectors in scoping phase

The extension ecosystem is growing. Is your industry next?

Next Steps​

Run Community Activation now

  • Launch the Community Activation Program in parallel → /docs/business-case/CommunityActivationProgram
  • Download the Activation Asset Pack and open a Community Activation GitLab issue

Ready to Engage with Extensions?​

If you found your industry's extension:

  1. Review the Extensions Register for details
  2. Visit your extension's specification website
  3. Join the extension community
  4. Begin implementation planning

If you want to create an extension:

  1. Review this page to understand extension value
  2. Read the Extensions Methodology
  3. Contact UNTP team to discuss your industry
  4. Assemble your industry working group

If you have questions:

Stay Updated​

Register for Updates:

  • Email notifications when new extensions are registered
  • Quarterly extension ecosystem reports
  • Subscribe for updates

Connect with the Community:

  • Extensions Developer Chat
  • UNTP Slack Channel
  • GitLab Discussions