Evidence & review guide
The sources, steps and limits behind a Trade Passport.
The problem we help solve
A supplier may have the product a buyer needs, but important business details and supporting records can be scattered or incomplete. Both sides need a clearer picture before the conversation can move forward.
See the difference
Information sits in different places. The buyer must work out what each item supports and which evidence is absent.
Select “One organised profile” to see how the same information can be presented.
For suppliers
You know your product. Understanding which business details, product records and supporting documents to prepare can be harder.
Bring your information together, identify gaps and prepare a Trade Passport with evidence and review status.
For buyers
A product description alone does not tell you who the business is, which records are available or what still needs checking.
See supplier information, available evidence and review notes together, with gaps visible for your next questions.
For institutions and programmes
When each business presents information differently, it is harder to compare readiness and decide where support should go.
Use a structured starting assessment, identify common evidence gaps and follow up on agreed readiness actions.
Our focus: helping African suppliers prepare the evidence that buyers and supporting programmes need to assess them. The scope is agreed for the business, product and intended market.
A supplier’s journey
Follow an example Ugandan coffee supplier preparing to speak with a UK buyer.
This example explains the process. It is not a customer case study or evidence of a completed assessment or sale.
Step 01 / Supply information
The fictional supplier brings a registration document and a green-coffee description.
Starting point: an initial profile and the records already available.
Uganda · Green coffee · Fictional demonstration
Which records link the coffee to its origin and handling history?
The supplier has a business registration document and a green-coffee product description. They add their business details and intended market.
Starting point: an initial supplier profile and available records.
The example profile has no complete link between the coffee batch, its origin and handling records. Those gaps become specific follow-up questions.
Next action: gather the missing origin and batch records.
In this illustration, a human reviewer checks the consistency of the business details and completeness of the product information. The source, date and limits are recorded.
Review result: some information reviewed; traceability still needs work.
The buyer sees the profile approved for sharing, the review notes and the outstanding gaps. They can ask focused questions and decide which further checks they need.
Useful outcome: a clearer assessment conversation and next steps.
The example ends with an organised profile and a follow-up list. The buyer still decides whether to proceed.
The Verified Trade Passport
A buyer needs more than a product description. They need to understand the business behind it and the evidence supporting its claims.
The Trade Passport brings those details together and makes outstanding gaps visible, giving both sides a clearer starting point for the next conversation.
Explore the sample PassportSTIV helps you understand requirements, organise information and work through your next steps. Its guidance supports preparation. Human review and any checks against external sources have their own scope and must be identified separately.
Understand STIV and the review processInside a Trade Passport
Choose a numbered section to explore the fictional coffee-supplier example and understand the information a buyer would review.
Crossgates Connect
Uganda · Green coffee
Intended market: United Kingdom
Sample review: 1 October 2026
Reviewer: fictional human reviewer
Business details: consistency review only
Origin and batch records: incomplete
Supplier: provide origin and batch evidence
Buyer: clarify specifications and checks
Example only · No real supplier or document has been verified.
01 / Supplier profile
The fictional profile brings the business, green-coffee product and intended market into one place. These example details do not establish a real supplier’s identity.
Ask: what evidence supports these business and product details?
Fictional demonstration · No real supplier or document has been verified.
Understanding verification
A Trade Passport brings information and evidence together. Each review conclusion needs a clear scope, a supporting source and visible limits.
Follow one example check
In this fictional example, the reviewer receives a document from the supplier. The issuing registry has not been contacted.
Receiving a document does not establish its authenticity or current validity.
When discussing an assessment, agree its scope and ask to see these details for the conclusions you rely on.
Provided: information or a document has been submitted. This alone does not establish that it is accurate or authentic.
Reviewed: a stated check has been completed. Checking that names match across documents is a limited consistency check.
Verified against a source: a particular fact has been confirmed against an identified source. Read which fact and source, who performed the check, and when. This does not extend to every claim about the supplier.
Ask which of these applies to each item. The name “Verified Trade Passport” is not blanket approval of the business or its products.
Available means supplied, with the review state still to be checked. Pending or Needs review means a check or question remains open.
Missing means requested evidence is absent. Expired means the stated validity has ended. Not applicable needs a reason tied to the assessment scope.
Use the evidence and review notes alongside the label. An available document is not automatically a verified document.
STIV helps explain trade-readiness requirements, organise information and guide preparation. AI-generated guidance can be incomplete or wrong and needs checking against relevant sources.
A human reviewer is responsible for the stated assessment and its conclusions. Any registry confirmation, site visit, laboratory test or specialist check must be identified separately when it has actually been performed.
Crossgates does not replace official certificates, regulatory decisions or a buyer’s own due diligence.
In the fictional coffee example
The supplied registration document is used to compare company details with the profile. No issuing-registry confirmation is represented, and product quality has not been tested.
Your questions, answered
Yes. Start with the information and documents you already have. Crossgates helps you identify gaps and understand the next steps for your business and target market. Contact the team to discuss current onboarding availability.
No. It presents business information, supporting evidence and review status. It does not replace official certificates, regulatory approvals or a buyer’s own checks, and it does not guarantee a sale.
It means a stated check has been completed. Its scope may be limited to document consistency or completeness. It does not automatically establish authenticity or confirm every supplier claim. See how to read the source, reviewer, date and limits behind a status.
No. Supplier profiles are private by default. Buyers see only profiles and information approved for buyer access. Contact Crossgates to discuss the information available for your assessment.
Yes. Contact us to discuss your programme objectives, participating businesses, target markets and reporting needs. We can then agree an appropriate pilot scope and readiness process.
Contact the team to discuss your business, supplier-review needs or programme. We will confirm the available service, scope and pricing before you proceed. Existing users can log in to the platform.
Your next step
Preparing to supply, assessing a business or supporting a programme? Continue on the platform and start with what you need to understand.
Continue on the Crossgates platform. Sign in to access your workspace.
A conversation built around your needs
Select the option that describes you. We’ll help clarify whether Crossgates fits your business, buying needs or programme.
Prefer to write directly?
info@crossgatesconnect.com
Start with your product
Every product has its own story to explain. Start with a few essentials, then explore the next steps with STIV.
Origin, processing, grade, available volumes and batch records. What can you show a buyer?
Talk to STIVProduct form, curing, quality information and supply consistency. Build a clearer product profile.
Talk to STIVVariety, seasonality, packing and handling. Start with the product and intended destination.
Talk to STIV