Meridia

The real EUDR deadline is sooner than you think—most companies have only 6 months to clean their data before submission. With supply chain complexities and data verification taking 3–4 months, the time to act is now. #EUDR #dataverification

Meridia Verify v1.04 now provides in-depth test details, offering full transparency into how verification results for EUDR risk assessments are determined. You can now see: 🔍 Exact thresholds and criteria – Understand the specific parameters used to assess compliance and risk. 📊 Detailed risk scoring – Understand how different factors contribute to a plot’s final risk score. 🛠 Technical specifics – Access a breakdown of the verification process, including methodology and data sources. 📄 Clearer reporting – Generate more transparent and auditable reports to support compliance efforts. Alongside this, we’ve introduced advanced usage analytics to track data consumption effortlessly and expanded country coverage to include Venezuela and the Republic of the Congo. ↪️ Read more through the link in the comments. #EUDR 

We want to welcome Robert Horster as our new advisor! Robert bridges real-world practice and academic research, focusing on the intersection of decarbonisation of agricultural supply chains, global food security, and environmental markets. Most recently, Enterprise Sustainability Leader for Agriculture and Head of Environmental Markets at Cargill, and prior to that, Robert also served as the Managing Director for the company’s oilseeds business in Europe and the global head of trading for its vegetable oils refineries group. Earlier in his career, he managed the oilseeds crush assets and feed ingredients business in the Benelux, helped establish non-GMO soybean supply chains and advised the Dutch government on sustainable biomass imports. Throughout his career, Robert held various positions with Cargill in Asia, North America and Europe. Robert is an Associate Fellow of the Erasmus Commodity and Trade Centre at the Rotterdam School of Management. We’re excited to have you on board, Robert!

Meet Parisa Anand at the RSPO member meetup. Wondering how to navigate EUDR compliance by addressing data quality, legality, and deforestation challenges? These are some of the main challenges, solutions, and timelines required: https://lnkd.in/eF_9_hrx 📧 Set up a meeting with Parisa (in Madrid) and discuss how we can support you: parisa.anand@meridia.land Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) #RSPO #palmoil

📍High-quality field data is essential to meet EUDR requirements. Accurate farm mapping is crucial in ensuring correct geolocation and boundary data. Our farm mapping guide is a practical resource to support better mapping practices, reduce errors, and improve supply chain data integrity. 📥 Download and share the guide: https://lnkd.in/epCzVmGg What’s inside the guide? - Practical techniques for accurate farm mapping - Best practices for defining precise farm boundaries - Guidance on improving data accuracy and traceability ‼️ But mapping alone isn’t enough—verification is still essential Even with improved mapping, errors can still occur, such as incorrect geolocation data or inconsistencies in farm boundaries. These mistakes can lead to non-compliance and put supply chain integrity at risk. That’s why verification remains a crucial step. ✅ Check and verify your data here: https://lnkd.in/eC9FRRkH By ensuring accurate mapping and proper verification, traders and operators can strengthen their supply chains and confidently meet EUDR requirements. #EUDR #farmmapping #dataverification #fielddata #EUDRcompliance

At Amsterdam Cocoa Week, we tackled a topic that many in the cocoa sector (and beyond) aren’t fully prepared for—substantiated concerns under the EUDR. For businesses, this isn’t just another compliance box to tick. A substantiated concern can mean trade bans, financial penalties, and serious reputational risks. NGOs and civil society groups can file cases, and authorities must investigate—sometimes leading all the way to court. So, what do companies need to know? Here are the key takeaways from our panel: ✅ Substantiated concerns are a real compliance risk. Authorities are required to investigate within six weeks, and cases can escalate quickly. If an NGO or another party believes your due diligence isn’t solid, they can file a concern—even if you think you’re compliant. In some cases, investigations under previous regulations (like EUTR) have even gone to the high court. ✅ Traceability gaps could trigger enforcement. Under EUDR, companies must provide plot-level traceability—but many supply chains, especially those relying on indirect sourcing, still have significant data gaps. If you can’t prove exactly where your cocoa comes from, that alone could be enough for a substantiated concern, even without evidence of deforestation. ✅ NGOs are already monitoring supply chains and filing cases. Watchdog organisations are actively using real-time satellite data, shipment records, and supply chain mapping to flag non-compliance. Some NGOs focus on risk assessments, while others are already building and filing cases—meaning businesses may face scrutiny whether they’re ready or not. ✅ Ticking the box isn’t enough anymore. Companies need more than just a due diligence statement—they need verifiable evidence that their supply chains are clean. And it’s not just deforestation that’s under the spotlight—land tenure disputes and legality risks are also high on the enforcement agenda. What businesses should do now: 🔹 Strengthen traceability: Ensure direct sourcing relationships and robust geolocation data. 🔹 Engage with suppliers, particularly indirect suppliers who are most likely to need your help to be able to prove compliance. 🔹 Monitor risk exposure: Assess data to check for vulnerabilities. (e.g. through Meridia Verify) 🔹 Prepare for scrutiny: Develop a response strategy for potential substantiated concerns. With EUDR enforcement starting from 30 December 2025, companies that act now will have the best chance of staying ahead of compliance issues. A huge thanks to our expert panellists—Meriam Wortel (Nederlandse Voedsel en Warenautoriteit - NVWA), Sarah Drost (AidEnvironment), and Valentin Guye (Trase - Intelligence for sustainable trade & Université catholique de Louvain)—for sharing these crucial insights, and to Thomas Vaassen (Meridia) for moderating. #EUDR #Cocoa #Traceability #Deforestation #DeforestationFree #AmsterdamCocoaWeek

We are #hiring an Indonesia-based Data Officer. You will monitor and clean data submissions to ensure they are accurate and meet project needs and reporting requirements. This position is remote in Indonesia, so selected candidates can work from their home office. Some of the perks: - Four-day workweek - Remote working position Apply now: https://lnkd.in/eYEZcP3h Applications will be processed on a rolling basis. The ideal starting date is March 2025. For more information, contact dinda.selina@meridia.land and jobs@meridia.land. #DataOfficer #DataJobs #remotejobs #lokerdataofficer #lokerremote #lokerwfh #remoteworking #infolokerwfh #infolokerremote #wfh

❗ Happening today! Our panel discussion on “Navigating the Impact of EUDR Substantiated Concerns in the Cocoa Sector” at Amsterdam Cocoa Week. It’s an overlooked topic that could have serious consequences: substantiated concerns under the EUDR. Being unprepared could mean potential trade bans, financial penalties, and reputational damage. Our speakers will share what companies need to know—and do—before enforcement kicks in. 📅 Date: 6 February ⏰ Time: 16:00 - 18:00 CET 📍 Location: Verwey Room @ Beurs van Berlage 👥 Panel  - Meriam Wortel, Coordinating Specialist Inspector at Nederlandse Voedsel en Warenautoriteit - NVWA - Sarah Drost, Senior Research Consultant at AidEnvironment - Valentin Guye, Postdoctoral Researcher at Université catholique de Louvain and Trase - Intelligence for sustainable trade 👤 Moderator Thomas Vaassen, co-founder and CEO of Meridia ➡️ Register now: https://lnkd.in/ejR5ndmy #EUDR #Sustainability #Cocoa #SupplyChains #DeforestationFree #Deforestation

What do EUDR-related substantiated concerns mean for companies and enforcement in cocoa supply chains? As part of Amsterdam Cocoa Week, our panel discussion, “Navigating the impact of EUDR substantiated concerns in the cocoa sector,” offers the private sector a key opportunity to engage with stakeholders and gain critical insights into the role of substantiated concerns under EUDR. We’re pleased to have Dr. Valentin Guye share his expertise on how EUDR will affect the cocoa sector, particularly in West Africa. As a postdoctoral researcher with the SUSTAIN-COCOA project and Trase, he maintains data and models of cocoa supply chains to map and assess the impacts of sustainability interventions. Companies failing to understand or prepare for substantiated concerns risk being among the first enforcement targets. Don’t miss this crucial conversation! 📅 Date: 6 February ⏰ Time: 16:00 - 18:00 CET 📍 Location: Verwey Room @ Beurs van Berlage 👥 Panel  - Meriam Wortel, Coordinating Specialist Inspector at Nederlandse Voedsel en Warenautoriteit - NVWA - Sarah Drost, Senior Research Consultant at AidEnvironment - Valentin Guye, Postdoctoral Researcher at Université catholique de Louvain and Trase - Intelligence for sustainable trade 👤 Moderator Thomas Vaassen, co-founder and CEO of Meridia ▶️ Who should attend? This event is essential for cocoa industry stakeholders, sustainability professionals, legal and compliance teams, and anyone invested in preparing for the EUDR. ✔️ Register now: https://lnkd.in/ejR5ndmy #EUDR #Sustainability #Cocoa #SupplyChains #DeforestationFree

Sarah Drost, Senior Research Consultant specialising in deforestation-free supply chains at AidEnvironment, will share how civil society and NGOs are developing tools and strengthening the evidence base to support substantiated concerns under the EUDR. To effectively hold companies accountable, campaign organisations and legal teams need credible evidence and robust monitoring tools—ensuring stronger cases for compliance and enforcement. She and her team at AidEnvironment are also working on the development of the Compliance Checker, an interactive tool designed to monitor real-time social and environmental impacts of commodity production, building evidence for substantiated concerns for forest campaigners and legal organisations. Under EUDR, substantiated concerns could trigger enforcement actions. Companies failing to understand or prepare for the weight of substantiated concerns risk being the first targets of enforcement. 👥 Panel  - Meriam Wortel, Coordinating Specialist Inspector at Nederlandse Voedsel en Warenautoriteit - NVWA - Sarah Drost, Senior Research Consultant at AidEnvironment - Valentin Guye, Postdoctoral Researcher at Université catholique de Louvain and Trase - Intelligence for sustainable trade 👤 Moderator Thomas Vaassen, co-founder and CEO of Meridia ▶️ Who should attend? This event is essential for cocoa industry stakeholders, sustainability professionals, legal and compliance teams, and anyone invested in preparing for the EUDR. ✔️ Register now: https://lnkd.in/ejR5ndmy #EUDR #AmsterdamCocoaWeek #Cocoa #Deforestation #SustainableCocoa #DeforestationFree