From Blind Spots to Insights: How Data Ecosystems Drive Operational Impact

From Fragmented Data to Connected Value Chains

Data ecosystems like Catena-X are gaining traction across industries, enabling structured, standardised data sharing across company boundaries. Within companies, they connect functions such as procurement, supply chain, quality and R&D – improving planning accuracy, risk visibility and collaboration. Across companies, they enable real-time data exchange along the entire value chain, creating a shared basis for better decisions and scalable impact.

Why Traditional Systems Are Reaching Their Limits

Industrial companies face increasing complexity: global disruptions, tighter regulations and rising customer expectations. As value chains become more interconnected, coordination now involves a growing number of stakeholders across companies and functions – from R&D and production to procurement and quality. Yet many processes still rely on siloed systems, inconsistent data and manual maintenance. The result: limited visibility across supply tiers makes forecasting unreliable, carbon reporting inconsistent, and supplier coordination inefficient – leading to delays, compliance risks and higher costs.

Catena-X - The Power of Connected Supply Chains

Industrial data ecosystems offer an integrated solution: they create a scalable, standardised digital infrastructure across the supply chain – from sub-tier suppliers to OEMs and beyond. Catena-X sets the benchmark in this regard: as a sector-wide initiative, it enables secure, real-time data exchange across the entire automotive value chain – from Tier-n suppliers to OEMs, customers and recyclers.

Its neutral governance, shared architecture and certified services ensure interoperability, trust and broad adoption – including SMEs. Beyond connecting companies, Catena-X links functions such as procurement, quality and sustainability, making cross-functional collaboration possible at scale. The result: one infrastructure for structured, sovereign data exchange – supporting automation, transparency and measurable impact.

As shown in the graphic, Catena-X supports use cases such as demand and capacity management (DCM), product carbon footprint reporting, and digital product passports. In DCM, demand can be shared transparently, enabling suppliers to plan capacities over the long term. At the same time, the use of common standards unlocks efficiency gains by eliminating redundant data entry across multiple customer systems and formats. In carbon reporting, automated PCF data exchange replaces manual calculations – saving both time and external effort, while ensuring standardised ESG communication across partners. Together, these use cases unlock faster decisions, more consistent data and measurable improvements in efficiency, compliance and supply chain resilience.

These results underline why the automotive industry has taken a leading role in data ecosystem development: few sectors combine the same level of product complexity, regulatory pressure and multi-tier supply chains. Catena-X shows how scalable collaboration can address these challenges. Its architecture and standards now serve as a blueprint for other sectors – including chemicals and manufacturing – where cross-company coordination is equally critical.

Technology Is Not Enough: The Human Side of Data Ecosystems

At H&Z, we see data ecosystems as a key driver of operational excellence. But success depends on people and processes – not technology alone. To realise their full potential, companies must adapt systems, redesign workflows and establish new end-to-end processes. At the same time, ecosystem success depends on activating the supplier network – ensuring that external partners can exchange and apply data reliably. We help clients by enabling internal teams and managing supplier onboarding – making data ecosystems work in daily operations.

Real-World Impact: How H&Z Helps Make It Happen

H&Z supports leading industrial companies in aligning their organisations and processes to actively participate in and benefit from data ecosystems. Our work focuses on internal transformation through strategic planning, ecosystem alignment, and enablement. In parallel, we drive external impact by activating supplier networks – ensuring effective collaboration across the value chain – expertise we are now extending to adjacent sectors and initiatives.