Verified vs Unverified Data
How to read trust signals on Matera and what they mean
Why verification matters on a materials platform
Every product listing on Matera contains data from multiple sources with different levels of confidence. Some fields are directly submitted by the supplier. Others are independently verified by the Matera team. Some are derived automatically from other data points.
Understanding which is which helps you judge how much weight to give any particular claim. A verified EPD-backed carbon figure is not the same as a supplier-submitted estimate. A certification marked 'Verified' has been independently checked; one marked 'Not yet verified' has not.
This guide explains exactly how data enters the platform, what happens to it, and what the trust signals mean when you see them on a supplier profile, material listing, or project comparison.
What suppliers submit directly
Suppliers control their own listings. When a supplier joins Matera, they create their profile and add their products. The following fields are authored and maintained by the supplier.
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product name, description, and usage notes | the supplier's own copy describing the product and how to use it |
| Technical specifications and documents | datasheets, installation guides, and any supporting files the supplier uploads |
| Price and availability | current pricing, stock status, lead times, and delivery terms |
| Provenance narrative | an optional description of where and how the product is made |
| Sustainability traits | tags the supplier applies to describe environmental characteristics of their product |
| Case studies and sustainability commitments | supplier-authored content about their practices and project history |
Note. Supplier-submitted content is not independently checked for accuracy by the Matera team. It is published as the supplier provides it. Treat it as you would any manufacturer's product literature - useful context, but not independently verified.
What Matera independently verifies
Certain data goes through a formal review process before it is shown to buyers. The Matera team checks submissions against external evidence and either verifies, requests clarification, or rejects them.
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Certifications | when a supplier claims FSC, ISO 14001, EPD, or any other certification, the Matera team checks the certificate number, issuing body, and validity dates against external registries. Verified certifications get a green 'Verified' badge. Unverified claims are shown with a 'Not yet verified' label so you can see the difference. |
| Embodied carbon data | carbon submissions go through admin review. The team checks the declared values against the cited EPD or source document, confirms the lifecycle scope, and sets a confidence level. Only verified carbon data is shown on public material listings. |
| Sourcing claims | origin country, manufacturing location, and recycled content declarations are reviewed before appearing on public listings. Component-level sourcing (for multi-material products) is reviewed individually. |
Tip. Look for the green 'Verified' badge on certifications and the data quality badge on carbon figures. If you do not see a verification indicator, the data has either not been submitted for review or is still pending.
What the platform derives automatically
Some data on Matera is not entered by anyone - it is computed from other verified data points. These derived values update automatically when the underlying data changes.
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Supplier tier | Tier 1 (Verified) means the supplier has at least one independently verified certification. Tier 2/3 (Unverified) means no certifications have been verified yet. This is binary and automatic. |
| Sourcing tags | tags like 'Locally Manufactured', 'High Recycled Content', or 'Bio-based' are generated automatically from verified sourcing data. They appear only after the underlying claim has been reviewed. |
| Carbon data quality level | each carbon figure is classified as Verified EPD, Supplier Submitted, or Benchmark based on its source type and verification status. This classification drives how the figure appears in project totals and comparison tables. |
| Sustainability score | a composite score across four dimensions (certifications, transparency, practices, and commitments), calculated from all verified data on the supplier profile. The score and its breakdown are shown publicly. |
| Coverage metrics | the percentage of a supplier's materials that have verified EPDs or sourcing data. Higher coverage means more of the product range has been independently checked. |
How to read the trust signals
Matera uses a consistent set of visual indicators across the platform. Here is what each one means.
Verified
Data independently confirmed by Matera or a third party. Highest confidence level.
Supplier-submitted
Provided directly by the supplier. Plausible but not independently checked.
Derived
Calculated by the platform from related data points. Useful for estimates and comparison.
Unverified
No supporting evidence available. Treat with caution and request documentation.
What is not independently verified
For transparency, here are the areas where Matera does not currently perform independent verification.
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product descriptions and technical specifications | these are published as submitted by the supplier |
| Pricing and availability | these are supplier-maintained and not audited |
| Usage notes and installation guidance | supplier-authored advice, not independently reviewed for technical accuracy |
| Sustainability commitments and case studies | supplier-authored narratives about their environmental practices |
| Provenance stories | optional supplier-authored content about product origins and manufacturing |
Watch out. The absence of verification does not mean the data is wrong. It means the platform has not independently checked it. For critical procurement decisions, always cross-reference supplier claims with your own due diligence - request samples, check references, and verify performance data independently where it matters.
How the verification pipeline works
Understanding the process helps set expectations for how quickly data gets verified and what happens at each stage.
When a supplier submits a certification, carbon data, or sourcing claim, it enters a review queue. The Matera team checks the submission against external evidence - certificate registries, published EPDs, or sourcing documentation. Submissions can be verified (approved), sent back for clarification, or rejected.
Verified data is immediately visible on public listings. Pending or rejected submissions are visible to the supplier in their dashboard but not shown to buyers. This ensures that publicly visible data has passed at least one layer of independent review.
The process is designed to be practical, not exhaustive. Matera checks that the claimed data matches the cited source. It does not re-audit the source itself - for example, it confirms that an EPD exists and matches the declared values, but does not re-run the underlying lifecycle assessment.
