From 9–12 February, the global GS1 community will come together in Noordwijk–Amsterdam, Netherlands for four days of collaboration, inspiration, and practical action.
As we move from Vision 2030 to Action, this year’s Global Forum features an exciting programme of 40+ sessions designed to inspire, connect, and equip our global community with the insights and tools needed to deliver real impact. The programme combines strategic discussions, practical workshops, and real-world success stories, covering key themes and priorities such as next generation barcodes and AI.
From Vision to Action: powering trust, accelerating adoption and delivering impact.
This year’s theme — “From Vision to Action” — reflects our collective ambition to translate ideas into measurable results and bring Vision 2030 to life.
The exciting programme of 40+ sessions is designed to inspire, connect, and equip our global community with the insights and tools needed to deliver real impact. The programme combines strategic discussions, practical workshops, and real-world success stories, covering key themes and priorities such as:
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Next generation barcodes (2D) and data-driven transformation
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Artificial intelligence (AI) and real MO applications
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Trusted identification, data integrity, and interoperability
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Sustainability, digital product passports, and regulatory readiness
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SME onboarding, market access, and scalable growth
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Industry innovation across healthcare, retail, rail, construction, and agriculture
Key plenary sessions across Global Forum 2026
Global Forum 2026 includes three plenary sessions scheduled across the week, creating moments for the GS1 community to come together around trust, growth, culture, and collective direction.
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Mon. 9 Feb. | 13:00–14:00 | Plenary: Patient & consumer safety – “Trust at the point of care and point of sale” This opening plenary brings together perspectives from retail, healthcare, and regulatory bodies to explore how trust and safety are reinforced at the point of care and the point of sale. The session also includes opening remarks by GS1 President & CEO Renaud de Barbuat and GS1 Chair Mark Batenic, introducing the Global Forum 2026 theme, “From Vision to Action.”
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Tues. 10 Feb.| 15:00–16:30 | Plenary: Market Access – “Unlocking growth in a connected world” This plenary focuses on market access and growth, highlighting how GS1 standards and next-generation barcodes support product listing, regulatory compliance, and expansion into new channels. Industry leaders will share how GS1 enables responsible and sustainable growth across sectors in an increasingly connected world
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Thurs. 12 Feb.| 13:00–14:30 Plenary: Awards, Culture & Closing The closing plenary recognises the winners of the Everyone Makes a Difference Awards and reflects on the importance of culture in collaboration and impact. The week will conclude with final remarks from GS1 President & CEO Renaud de Barbuat and GS1 Chair Mark Batenic.
Session tracks aligned to Vision 2030
At Global Forum 2026, the programme is structured around the Vision 2030 pillars, helping connect strategic priorities with practical discussions across the week.
Pillar 1 – Industry needs first
Pillar 1 "Industry needs first" focuses on understanding the challenges and opportunities faced by the industries we serve, supporting users of all sizes in their digital journey and regulatory compliance implementation.
Sessions under this pillar span multiple sectors — including retail and marketplaces, healthcare, agriculture, as well as rail, construction, transport and logistics — alongside cross-cutting topics such as public policy and marketing.
Below are some of the sessions taking place under Pillar 1 – Industry needs first:
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Bringing the new unauthorised numbers quick start guide to life (09 Feb. @10:30 CET)
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Powering membership growth with online visibility and AI (09. Feb @14:30 CET)
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Threading the needle: Creating seamless standards for apparel (09. Feb @14:30 CET)
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Retail and Marketplaces: From industry needs to GS1 standards and solutions (10 Feb. @13:00 CET)
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2D at Retail POS: Ambition 2027 what you need to know (11 Feb. @16:30 CET)
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The sustainability programme: Accelerating value chain digitalisation (12 Feb. @10:45 CET)
Pillar 2 – GS1 Standards, Services and Solutions
Pillar 2 "GS1 Standards, Services and Solutions" focuses on how GS1 enables trusted, interoperable data at scale — covering work related to trusted identification, connecting identity to data, and the future of data sharing.
Sessions under this pillar highlight how GS1 standards, services, and solutions are evolving to support businesses, ecosystems, and technologies — ensuring data is accurate, interoperable, and fit for an increasingly digital and regulated world.
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Trusted identification: how your MO can help strengthen what we do | 09 Feb. @ 09:00 CET
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Unlock the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Join the “Applied AI Network” | 09 Feb. @ 09:00 CET
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GS1 digital relevancy and the new interoperability landscape | 10 Feb. @ 08:30 CET
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GDSN Modernisation – Value story and future proofing the foundation | 10 Feb. @ 13:00 CET
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Machine-readable standards: What, why, when & how | 11 Feb. @ 15:00 CET
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From idea to impact: Pathways to global standardisation | 12 Feb. @ 10:45 CET
