Published on the 01/08/2014 | Written by Newsdesk

The Connect 2014 conference at the end of this month will host global and local experts on exporting, product traceability and digital technologies to address the critical issues involved in supplying products to China and other major markets…

We live and work in a world of expanding opportunities thanks to the powers of technology. Our futures depend on thinking globally to identify and secure the best opportunities, and to build the best connections for growth and prosperity. This is the backdrop for the CONNECT 2014 conference in Auckland on 21st August.

Hosted by GS1 New Zealand and supported by the Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Air New Zealand and Business New Zealand, the one-day conference is an opportunity for New Zealand business and government leaders to discuss some of the major issues of doing business with other major global markets.

GS1 New Zealand, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to create a common language in the supply chain, says last year’s whey protein concentrate contamination scare in China, while a false alarm, is a wake-up call for all New Zealand producers and exporters about the increasing importance of having highly effective systems for tracking and tracing products, and for reputation management in global markets.

“We saw how sensitive consumers can be in relation to the food they buy – and just how inter-dependent we all are here when trading with the world,” says GS1 New Zealand chief executive Dr Peter Stevens.

“New Zealand producers and exporters need to put more emphasis on linking electronic information to the goods we export. Traceability and product integrity are market imperatives.”

The conference will be opened by Trade Minister Tim Groser and the final presentation will be given by Dr Ken Robinson, a world-renowned speaker on creativity and innovation. It will address three broad topics:

• China – what’s next?
• How does New Zealand capture more value in its trading relationships?
• How can New Zealand apply innovation to the threats and opportunities now arising from global market trends?

Conference delegates will hear from key speakers from China, Fonterra, the APEC Business Advisory Council, the US Department of Agriculture, online retailer Amazon.com, cloud computing company Xero and Callaghan Innovation.

Business New Zealand chief executive Phil O’Reilly says the conference should fuel much-needed discussion on New Zealand product integrity in global markets, and on ways to strengthen visibility in supply chains.

“We can all see rapidly rising consumer demands for product quality and product knowledge in our most valuable markets, along with explosive growth in information flows around the world,” says O’Reilly.