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STANDARDS SUPPORT STANDARDS FAQs #18 A monthly update by Mark Gruentjes, TAPA EMEA Standards Lead


After receiving a steady stream of questions about TAPA’s Security Standards from Audit Bodies and our members, we feel it will be beneficial to share some of the questions received and the responses given by the TAPA EMEA Standards Team. We aim to cover 3-5 questions in Vigilant each month.


Hopefully, through these monthly FAQ articles, many of you have picked up some useful information on how to interpret and use TAPA’s Security Standards. In the last article we looked into the future plans for our TAPA Standards and how we will update them over the next year. We will share more details on the Standards in future articles as we continue to develop them.


To compliment the work being done to update our Standards, this month’s article takes a look at some ideas and opportunities that may be worth considering to help promote the businesses that support TAPA’s Standards. We are all aware that the TAPA Standards provide a minimum set of security requirements to help protect goods, people and services. However, have you ever thought about how you could use TAPA Standards to promote your company in an industry that is increasingly looking for assurances to counter supply chain security threats? What other benefits could be available to TAPA Standards certification holders?


If you would like to raise a new topic for discussion or ask questions about one of our published responses, please contact us at info@tapaemea.org.


Question 2.


If I wanted to promote my TAPA certification to my customers, what advice can TAPA give me?


Question 1.


Please explain the reasons why Logistics Service Providers seek to obtain TAPA certification?


Answer: Typically, the TAPA certificate holders fall into 3 categories and the reasons for this are as follows:


1. Compliance: In many instances, Logistic Service Providers obtain TAPA certification to comply with customer contractual requirements. This is perfectly fine and fits the profile of many of our certification holders;


2. Opportunity: Logistics Service Providers which have incorporated TAPA Standards into their own company security policies and procedures. They proactively seek TAPA certification as an opportunity to promote their investment in security measures. They are “security ready” when contacted by potential new customers;


3. Compliance and Opportunity: A hybrid of 1 and 2, but we often see a proactive supporter of TAPA Standards actually using the Standards to promote their business and services, especially in niche markets for the transportation of vulnerable loads, where security is one of the most important customer requirements. The Logistics Service Provider will often use TAPA Standards as a baseline but then offer additional security measures according to customer requirements.


Answer: TAPA certification is now an established and credible method of demonstrating a Logistics Service Providers’ intent to provide adequate security. These are some tips we would recommend:


1. Make sure your customers know about your TAPA certification, even if they don’t require it. This will mark you out as a provider which cares about the security of their customers’ goods;


2. Include security performance as a discussion topic in your customer meetings. In addition to explaining your security programme, tell them about your relationship with TAPA;


3. TAPA encourages use of its logos where the Logistics Service Provider follows and meets the terms and conditions of use. You can find this information on our website or contact us for help and advice.


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