ALC compliance summit hears of chain of responsibility awareness challenges
Supply chain industry and government need to work together in creating a better awareness of chain of responsibility laws, a conference was told.
The Australian Logistics Council (ALC) kicked off its supply chain safety and compliance summit in Melbourne this morning.
The one-day forum, which brings together the transport and logistics community, was told supply chain safety is a corporate social responsibility where the community’s trust needs to be regained.
Chain of responsibility (COR) needs to be more prominent at the board level and accountable key performance indicators are needed to drive a cultural change.
Real change requires commitment from the top and audits need to be genuine and transparent, Roads and Maritime Services safety and compliance director Peter Wells says.
“The last thing we want is a friendly auditor who gets you through the system and gives a false sense of security,” Wells says.
Authorities were asked to name those found guilty of breaking the law in order to mitigate future incidents.
Wells believes there needs to be a fine line between “blackening” the industry and sending the message across.
“If we are active in the media about problems, some will think we have blackened the industry,” he says.
“We try to get the good news out [but] there needs to be pressure if you do the wrong thing to discuss it publicly.”
VicRoads regulatory services director Richard Bell says VicRoads has been active in conveying its message through the media.
“Unless the wider community and industry know about it, it doesn’t have the effect we need,” Bell says.
“If we can come into your premises and use your records to create a prosecution, operators need to make sure they tick off every bit of process in reasonable steps.
“If everyone in the supply chain takes reasonable steps we wouldn’t have a lot to do.”