Preparing for EUDR: What Companies Are Learning on the Path to Compliance

Today, we’re launching a new guide that brings together insights from companies already navigating the journey towards EUDR compliance and those already prepared and operationally working at an EUDR ready standard.

While the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is widely discussed, many organisations are still trying to answer a more practical question: what does preparation actually involve?

We’ve worked closely with operators, traders and suppliers across global supply chains as they respond to the regulation. Alongside this, we’ve had ongoing conversations with businesses at different stages of readiness - from those just starting to map their supply chains, to those already implementing traceability systems and engaging suppliers at scale.

What’s become clear is that, while every organisation is different, the challenges they face,  and the lessons they’re learning, are remarkably consistent.

This guide brings those experiences together.

Moving beyond theory: what EUDR looks like in practice

Much of the existing conversation around EUDR focuses on regulatory requirements - due diligence statements, geolocation data, risk assessments. But for the companies responsible for implementing these requirements, the reality is far more operational.

Preparation typically begins with a relatively straightforward set of steps: identifying products in scope, mapping suppliers, and understanding what documentation is required.

However, it’s when organisations move from awareness into implementation that the true scale of the task becomes clear.

Supplier data is often fragmented and inconsistent. Documentation arrives in multiple formats and languages. Internal teams must align around entirely new processes, often spanning procurement, compliance, sustainability and IT. What initially appears manageable can quickly expand into a significant operational effort.

As one company shared, even receiving hundreds of documents from a single supplier doesn’t guarantee clarity. The real challenge lies in verifying, structuring and making sense of that information.

A shared challenge across the supply chain

One of the most striking insights from these conversations is how interconnected EUDR preparation really is.

Operators are responsible for submitting due diligence statements, but those statements rely heavily on suppliers providing accurate, timely and complete information. In turn, many suppliers are still trying to understand what is being asked of them, and why.

This dynamic makes supplier engagement one of the most consistently cited challenges.

It is rarely a question of willingness. In many cases, suppliers want to support their customers but lack clarity on requirements, formats, or expectations. For organisations with long-standing supplier relationships, the focus is often on education and collaboration rather than replacement, recognising that strong partnerships are critical to long-term success.

At the same time, there are encouraging signs that awareness is growing. As the regulation approaches implementation, suppliers are beginning to recognise that compliance will be essential for maintaining access to European markets. Many are not waiting for their customers to place demands on them; they are proactively preparing their businesses in order to gain a competitive advantage.

Emerging value amidst unexpected complexity

Many organisations are developing a far deeper understanding of their supply chains than ever before. 

Information that once sat across spreadsheets, inboxes and internal systems is being brought together into a more structured, connected view. Supplier conversations are becoming more detailed and transparent. Internal teams are aligning more closely around shared processes and data.

In some cases, this is already leading to more confident decision-making, improved supplier oversight, and early signs of operational efficiencies.

However, across every organisation we spoke to, there was a common reflection: the process is more complex, and more time-consuming, than initially expected.

Documentation management alone can represent a significant operational burden, particularly when dealing with multiple countries, languages and document types. Mapping multi-tier supply chains introduces further complexity, especially where visibility has historically been limited.

And yet, alongside these challenges, companies are beginning to see clear benefits.

Why starting early makes a difference

If there is one message that comes through consistently, it is the importance of starting early.

Even companies that began preparing more than a year ago describe the process as taking longer than expected. Gaps in supplier data, the effort required to build internal processes, and the complexity of aligning multiple stakeholders all contribute to extended timelines.

As one participant put it:

“Yesterday would have been the best day to start. If not, today is the second best.”

For organisations still at the beginning of their journey, this isn’t a cause for concern — but it is a clear signal that preparation should begin as soon as possible.

A practical, peer-led perspective

The purpose of this guide is not to interpret the regulation, but to share how companies are responding to it in practice.

It brings together perspectives from across the supply chain, including timber operators, global manufacturers and suppliers, each approaching EUDR from a different angle, but facing many of the same questions:

• Where do we start?
• How much work is involved?
• What do suppliers need to provide?
• And how do we build processes that will stand up to regulatory scrutiny?

By sharing these experiences, the guide offers a more grounded, practical view of what EUDR preparation really involves and how organisations can begin to move forward with greater clarity.

Download the guide

EUDR readiness is already underway across global supply chains. The companies featured in this guide are not waiting - they are building processes, engaging suppliers, and putting the foundations in place for compliance - or are already working at an EUDR ready standard.

If you’re starting your own journey, their experiences provide a valuable place to begin.

Download the guide to learn how organisations like yours are approaching EUDR and what it means for your business.

And get in touch to see how Interu can turn compliance into a competitive advantage. 

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