C-TPAT and the WCO Minimum Security Standards – SAFE

Protect your brand equity and our economies

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has developed the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), a program that plays a key role in strengthening the security of the nation’s supply chain. The C-TPAT program helps build strong security processes, mitigates the potential for loss, and reduces gridlock at US borders, while at the same time promoting increased resilience to threats. Businesses benefit by being transformed into strong, transparent organizations with solid security processes and programs, allowing them to accelerate recovery and prevent loss.

The requirements for C-TPAT are not only security oriented, they are also designed to foster improved customer service through minimized supply chain variance at the border while improving overall asset utilization and working capital efficiency.

Gravick performs C-TPAT assessments that examine your supply chain with a focus on global security internal controls. We help prepare your business for C-TPAT certification by pointing out global security guidelines that must be implemented in order to qualify for the program’s benefits or to exceed the program’s minimum requirements. Gravick Worldwide’s experts examine selected key factors in your organization, including:

Business environment

Management’s approach to risk management

Risk assessment

The company’s exposure to known or unknown threats

Control procedures

Catalogued scenarios and actions the organization takes as events unfold based on escalation procedures

Information and communication

The intra-company and extra-company communication platform the company uses to ensure risk mitigation

Monitoring

The security measures risk assessment strategy that is employed

Some of the benefits to your organization include access to free and secure trade lanes at land border crossings, lower examination rates by CBP, enhanced international supply chain efficiency and security, established supply chain security procedures, reduced cargo theft and pilferage, and ultimately a decrease in cost. C-TPAT certification also validates your business as a contributor to global business ethics that strives for the prevention of reprehensible business practices.

In 2005, the World Customs Organization adopted the SAFE framework of cargo security standards. As a result of this measure, companies can now be part of programs that will further enhance cargo security around the globe. Along with the United States’ C-TPAT program, Canada, Jordan, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, the entire EU, and other parts of the globe have their own respective trade security programs. Gravick Worldwide has trained many of these countries’ customs agents; we understand the potential benefits of mutually recognized low risk designation between countries and can assist in this endeavor.

Comments

No comment yet.

Leave a Reply