Supply chain security can take a number of forms, and the challenge can seem daunting: cyber-crime, terrorism and even regulatory compliance audits are constant, complicated threats. Software can help secure your supply chain and assist with government compliance and internal risk assessment.
Recently, governments have instituted security-related shipment regulations to keep on top of supply chain crime, which helps to protect the supply chain, but also requires an extensive compliance program on the part of the shipper. Global trade management software can assist with programs like the Importer Security Filing and Additional Carrier Requirements (commonly known as “10+2”) in the U.S., and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT). Additionally, the World Customs Organization has adopted a new framework for security filing programs, meaning that many other countries will adopt similar regimes.
Programs like C-TPAT require importers to query their suppliers as part of a supply-chain security self-assessment. “Our system publishes questionnaires to suppliers, collects their responses and memorializes the information,” says Ty Bordner, vice president of Solutions Consulting at Amber Road, in a recent article in Global Trade Magazine. “The software also screens names against companies blacklisted by world governments and identifies security concerns before an order is accepted.”
Air and ocean cargo shippers can also play a proactive role in the war against cybercrime and terrorism, says Suzanne Richer, Director of Trade Advisory Practices, in a recent feature in Supply Chain Management Review. At the same time, she says, logistics managers can protect themselves and their supply chains.
“Ensuring electronic data is accurate is critical to ensuring on time delivery,” says Richer. “You can’t get anything in or out of a country without data.”
To learn more about supply chain cyber security, read the entirety of Suzanne Richer’s feature in Supply Chain Management Review or Ty Bordner’s interview in Global Trade Magazine. For more resources on supply chain risk, download our white paper on how collaboration reduces your global supplier risks by clicking below, or view part one of our Total Supply Chain Risk Management webinar series on-demand here.
This post was published on June 24, 2015 and updated on June 24, 2015.
