TAPA accreditation goes beyond physical security

Business processes play a key role JOY ORLEK SECURITY ISSUES have taken centre stage, not only in South Africa but globally, with sophisticated syndicates weaving an intricate web across world markets. While South Africa is perceived in overseas markets to be a security risk, the problem is global and as a global player security issues need to be addressed at the highest level, says Safcor Panalpina’s national supply chain executive Anthonie Verploegh. Criminal syndicates have exploited loopholes at Johannesburg International Airport which is why more and more operators are taking control to plug as many of these loopholes that are within their control as possible. “Several shippers will not do business with companies unless they have adequate security in place,” says Verploegh, “and a lot of those clients keep raising the bar.” This was clear motivation for Safcor Panalpina to establish one of the few Technology Asset Protection Association (TAPA)-accredited warehouses in Johannesburg, and it’s a facility that comes at considerable cost, says Verploegh. TAPA is an association of security professionals and related business partners from high technology companies set up some years ago to address emerging security threats that are common to the technology industry on a collective basis. It focuses not only on the physical security aspects but on business processes that also play a key role, says Verploegh. “The people who have access to IT systems and documents, for example, are very important. If there are interfaces outside of a particular system, TAPA auditors will look at firewalls to ensure that information isn’t compromised.” But it will take more than individual interventions to beat the scourge, and the industry needs to react on a global scale, says Verploegh. Shared information is a key element and motivated recent moves by TAPA and two other foreign industry associations to join forces with the SA government to fight unacceptably high levels of crime. The Association of European Airlines, Freight Forwarders International and TAPA met with officials from the Department of Transport last month to set up a local partnership to tackle the growing problem of cargo crime. They are currently working towards the creation of a Johannesburg 'partnership against crime' working group.