Business Leaders
addressing environmental impacts within global supply chains. Q&A with HMRC Attendees were provided with a topical overview from Ian Wilkins, Deputy Director at HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), explaining the current situation regarding the considerable changes at the border that form part of the government’s Border Target Operating Model. Explaining the migration of Customs exports from CHIEF to CDS, Wilkins said that while permission to use CHIEF for an additional four weeks in June may be granted in exceptional circumstances, he reiterated HMRC’s advice that CHIEF will be decommissioned in July and that this deadline is definitive. Wilkins also provided some insight into future developments in the Customs environment on other issues such as the Windsor Framework, NI Protocol and Trader Support Service (TSS), as well as the Single Trade Window (STW). Looking ahead Commenting on a decline in the numbers undertaking BIFA training courses over the past year, Parker re-emphasised the importance that training has to all of the standards that underpin the activities of BIFA members. Explaining some initiatives in which BIFA is involved to address this, Parker also reiterated his belief that, with youngsters about to leave school, there is no time like the present for Members to consider recruiting apprentices. The forum concluded with a sneak preview of a documentary about the logistics industry that is being produced by ITN Business in which BIFA has a major involvement. It is hoped that this will be aired at the next Business Leaders Forum. So, record the date in your diaries for the fourth BIFA Business Leaders Forum, which will take place on 10 October 2024. If you have not been receiving invites to these events, contact bifacomms@bifa.org to be added to the mailing list.
A large attendance heard from BIFA’s Director General Steve Parker about the current work of the secretariat and the various policy groups Growing interest in BIFA Business Leaders Forums
B IFA’s third Business Leaders Forum held in Central London on 16 May clearly demonstrated how this event is gaining in traction, providing attendees with fi rsthand insight on some of the numerous issues that BIFA feels will have an impact on the work of freight forwarding and logistics companies, both currently and in the longer term. Around 100 personnel from the trade association and BIFA Members attended the event and heard from BIFA’s Director General Steve Parker about the current work of the secretariat and the various policy groups. He reiterated his call for attendees to contribute to the work of these groups by considering membership for themselves, or someone from their company.
“ The forum concluded with a sneak preview of a documentary about the logistics industry that is being produced by ITN Business in which BIFA has a major involvement
Towards sustainable logistics The work of BIFA’s Sustainable Logistics Policy Group, which is less than a year old, was brought into focus at the event and the audience enjoyed informative presentations from guest speakers Kelly Hobson of Shape Tomorrow and David de Picciotto from Pledge. During their presentations, they covered the 3Ps: People – Planet – Profit, and the importance of considering these when implementing sustainability strategies into businesses. Hobson and Picciotto stressed the ever-growing significance of sustainability as an issue within the freight transport and logistics industry, as well as emphasising the importance of understanding and
8 | June 2024
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