diff --git a/schema/bom-1.5.proto b/schema/bom-1.5.proto
index 3287ad0e..2e8d710b 100644
--- a/schema/bom-1.5.proto
+++ b/schema/bom-1.5.proto
@@ -425,6 +425,8 @@ message OrganizationalContact {
   optional string email = 2;
   // The phone number of the contact.
   optional string phone = 3;
+  // An optional identifier which can be used to reference the object elsewhere in the BOM. Uniqueness is enforced within all elements and children of the root-level bom element.
+  optional string bom_ref = 4;
 }
 
 message OrganizationalEntity {
@@ -434,6 +436,8 @@ message OrganizationalEntity {
   repeated string url = 2;
   // A contact person at the organization. Multiple contacts are allowed.
   repeated OrganizationalContact contact = 3;
+  // An optional identifier which can be used to reference the object elsewhere in the BOM. Uniqueness is enforced within all elements and children of the root-level bom element.
+  optional string bom_ref = 4;
 }
 
 enum PatchClassification {
diff --git a/schema/bom-1.5.schema.json b/schema/bom-1.5.schema.json
index eba1fbc8..aee24d81 100644
--- a/schema/bom-1.5.schema.json
+++ b/schema/bom-1.5.schema.json
@@ -251,6 +251,11 @@
       "description": "",
       "additionalProperties": false,
       "properties": {
+        "bom-ref": {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/refType",
+          "title": "BOM Reference",
+          "description": "An optional identifier which can be used to reference the object elsewhere in the BOM. Every bom-ref MUST be unique within the BOM."
+        },
         "name": {
           "type": "string",
           "title": "Name",
@@ -284,6 +289,11 @@
       "description": "",
       "additionalProperties": false,
       "properties": {
+        "bom-ref": {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/refType",
+          "title": "BOM Reference",
+          "description": "An optional identifier which can be used to reference the object elsewhere in the BOM. Every bom-ref MUST be unique within the BOM."
+        },
         "name": {
           "type": "string",
           "title": "Name",
diff --git a/schema/bom-1.5.xsd b/schema/bom-1.5.xsd
index 51c4cf30..84c54ff9 100644
--- a/schema/bom-1.5.xsd
+++ b/schema/bom-1.5.xsd
@@ -156,6 +156,14 @@ limitations under the License.
                 </xs:annotation>
             </xs:any>
         </xs:sequence>
+        <xs:attribute name="bom-ref" type="bom:refType">
+            <xs:annotation>
+                <xs:documentation>
+                    An optional identifier which can be used to reference the object elsewhere in the BOM.
+                    Uniqueness is enforced within all elements and children of the root-level bom element.
+                </xs:documentation>
+            </xs:annotation>
+        </xs:attribute>
         <xs:anyAttribute namespace="##other" processContents="lax">
             <xs:annotation>
                 <xs:documentation>User-defined attributes may be used on this element as long as they
@@ -237,6 +245,14 @@ limitations under the License.
                 </xs:annotation>
             </xs:any>
         </xs:sequence>
+        <xs:attribute name="bom-ref" type="bom:refType">
+            <xs:annotation>
+                <xs:documentation>
+                    An optional identifier which can be used to reference the object elsewhere in the BOM.
+                    Uniqueness is enforced within all elements and children of the root-level bom element.
+                </xs:documentation>
+            </xs:annotation>
+        </xs:attribute>
         <xs:anyAttribute namespace="##other" processContents="lax">
             <xs:annotation>
                 <xs:documentation>User-defined attributes may be used on this element as long as they
diff --git a/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-manufacture-1.5.json b/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-manufacture-1.5.json
index 6323f000..c01cd7cc 100644
--- a/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-manufacture-1.5.json
+++ b/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-manufacture-1.5.json
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@
   "version": 1,
   "metadata": {
     "manufacture": {
+      "bom-ref": "manufacturer-1",
       "name": "Acme, Inc.",
       "url": [
         "https://example.com"
       ],
       "contact": [
         {
+          "bom-ref": "contact-1",
           "name": "Acme Professional Services",
           "email": "professional.services@example.com"
         }
diff --git a/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-manufacture-1.5.textproto b/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-manufacture-1.5.textproto
index 9482b219..55bcc6dc 100644
--- a/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-manufacture-1.5.textproto
+++ b/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-manufacture-1.5.textproto
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ metadata {
     contact {
       name: "Acme Professional Services"
       email: "professional.services@example.com"
+      bom_ref: "contact-1"
     }
+    bom_ref: "manufacturer-1"
   }
 }
diff --git a/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-manufacture-1.5.xml b/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-manufacture-1.5.xml
index 79493915..1a76f2db 100644
--- a/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-manufacture-1.5.xml
+++ b/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-manufacture-1.5.xml
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <bom serialNumber="urn:uuid:3e671687-395b-41f5-a30f-a58921a69b79" version="1" xmlns="http://cyclonedx.org/schema/bom/1.5">
     <metadata>
-        <manufacture>
+        <manufacture bom-ref="manufacturer-1">
             <name>Acme, Inc.</name>
             <url>https://example.com</url>
-            <contact>
+            <contact bom-ref="contact-1">
                 <name>Acme Professional Services</name>
                 <email>professional.services@example.com</email>
             </contact>
diff --git a/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-supplier-1.5.json b/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-supplier-1.5.json
index e445641f..47c4f007 100644
--- a/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-supplier-1.5.json
+++ b/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-supplier-1.5.json
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@
   "version": 1,
   "metadata": {
     "supplier": {
+      "bom-ref": "supplier-1",
       "name": "Acme, Inc.",
       "url": [
         "https://example.com"
       ],
       "contact": [
         {
+          "bom-ref": "contact-1",
           "name": "Acme Distribution",
           "email": "distribution@example.com"
         }
diff --git a/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-supplier-1.5.textproto b/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-supplier-1.5.textproto
index c980f312..6986b7f6 100644
--- a/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-supplier-1.5.textproto
+++ b/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-supplier-1.5.textproto
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ metadata {
     contact {
       name: "Acme Distribution"
       email: "distribution@example.com"
+      bom_ref: "contact-1"
     }
+    bom_ref: "supplier-1"
   }
 }
diff --git a/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-supplier-1.5.xml b/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-supplier-1.5.xml
index 2ed3c913..677258c3 100644
--- a/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-supplier-1.5.xml
+++ b/tools/src/test/resources/1.5/valid-metadata-supplier-1.5.xml
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <bom serialNumber="urn:uuid:3e671687-395b-41f5-a30f-a58921a69b79" version="1" xmlns="http://cyclonedx.org/schema/bom/1.5">
     <metadata>
-        <supplier>
+        <supplier bom-ref="supplier-1">
             <name>Acme, Inc.</name>
             <url>https://example.com</url>
-            <contact>
+            <contact bom-ref="contact-1">
                 <name>Acme Distribution</name>
                 <email>distribution@example.com</email>
             </contact>