About CRT
The Founding Proposal
The Founding Proposal is the document that establishes the rationale for the CRT Initiative, defines its intended scope, and sets out the framework for the Commission of Registered Traders. It is a living document, subject to revision as the initiative develops.
Overview
The Founding Proposal describes why the Commission of Registered Traders is needed, what it will do, and how it will be structured. It draws on the founder's direct experience in international commodity trade and on analysis of professional standards in comparable fields.
The proposal covers: professional standards and the competence framework; certification pathways and assessment; digital credentialing; the physical trade platform; intelligence and risk functions; governance; funding and independence; and the membership model.
Full text: to be published
The complete text of the Founding Proposal will be published on this page once it has been reviewed for public release. Summaries of each component are available through the relevant sections of this website.
Last updated: June 2026
Scope and ambition
The proposal addresses international commodity trade across the principal physical sectors: energy (crude oil, refined products, natural gas, LNG), metals and mining outputs, agricultural commodities, and soft commodities. It does not address financial derivatives, securities or regulated financial instruments.
The intended scope is global but pragmatic. The initiative will begin with English-language operations and focus on corridors where the gap between current practice and the proposed standard is most acute.
Proposed structure
The proposal envisions a Commission operating through four principal functions:
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1
Standards and Certification
Define and maintain the Professional Competence Framework and Code of Conduct. Award the Foundation Certificate and specialist qualifications through structured assessment.
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2
Digital Credentials
Issue verifiable, portable digital credentials — the Trade Integrity Passport and Digital Mandate Credential — to certified members and their authorised mandates.
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3
Trade Platform
Operate a members-only trade matching platform where buyers and sellers of physical commodities can engage in verified deal-making within a governed environment.
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4
Intelligence and Risk
Publish trade risk alerts, country profiles, sanctions updates, fraud typologies, and market intelligence to support members in navigating their risk environment.
Consultation and feedback
The Founding Proposal is intended to be a basis for engagement, not a final decree. We are actively seeking input from professionals in international commodity trade, trade finance institutions, chambers of commerce, legal practitioners, academic researchers, and relevant government bodies.
If you have substantive feedback on the proposal's scope, structure or approach, we encourage you to contact us. Formal consultation processes on specific standards documents will be announced through the Consultations section.
Document status
The Founding Proposal is currently a working document. It has not been subject to independent review, consultation or approval. It represents the views and intentions of the founder as of the date shown above.
A revised, publicly accessible version will be published following initial stakeholder engagement. Changes will be logged and versioned.