ZLC organizes a forum to discuss legal threats faced by companies in the logistic area

Last Wednesday and Thursday, the headquarters of Zaragoza Logistics Center (ZLC) held the 1st edition of International Compliance Forum in the Logistics Area, an event organized jointly by ZLC, Alamán & Asociados and ComplianZen, bringing together experts in the field of logistics and law. They addressed issues such as legal threats faced by companies in the logistic area, tools to be applied to avoid fines and the responsibilities faced by managers and directors in this evolving climate.

Zaragoza, 7th March 2018

Logistics has undergone huge transformation and overcome many obstacles due to globalization, which has increased the possibility of committing offence in the supply chain. To avoid those illegal proceedings, “compliance” has arisen as a preventative mechanism of the responsibility statement and the introduction of substantial fines. Fernando Beltrán, Technical General Secretary at the Department of Innovation, Research and University who opened the event, highlighted that the aim is for SMEs to get to know the essential mechanisms to enforce legislation. He also emphasized that the centre works on a daily basis to strengthen the collaboration between companies and the University of Zaragoza in Aragon, a key area for logistics.

Zaragoza Logistics Center (ZLC), research centre, promoted by the Government of Aragon, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has been the headquarters of the 1st edition of the International Compliance Forum in Logistics Area, with the aim of dealing with the new criminal and commercial responsibility framework, as well as advising action to be taken by the companies in the logistic area.

This was a great opportunity for getting to know the legal threats in the logistic area, discussing the tools to avoid fines and prevent offences, as well as explaining the keys to managers and directors related to the new regulations.
 
In the agenda this Wednesday, the spotlight focused on logistic risks and the enforcement of the outstanding regulations in this area in Aragon. The act includes issues such as creative accounting, crimes related to the transport area and environmental risks faced by corporate areas. There is the added benefit of a round table, where experts shared real-case scenarios.
 
In the 1st presentation, ZLC professor Alejandro Serrano, tackled the importance of detecting anomalies in the accounting of a company and the negative impact of certain fraud in the management of the stocktaking. In particular he presented a real case to prove that "benefit is merely an opinion, sales a promise and cash a fact".

In the second presentation, the person responsible for the Legal Department in Esprinet, Juan Martínez, referred to crimes relating to the transport area and the legal consequences of failing to comply with the law and the impact on reputation. He has also illustrated compliance from 3 different points of view: the general, the sectorial and the personal. Besides that, he emphasized the importance of promoting a culture of compliance enforcement and “establish a risk control and management policy in both large companies and SMEs."

As for Raquel Montaner, Compliance advisor at Molins & Silva and professor at the University of Pompeu Fabra, explained the value of compliance in the logistics area and the viability of its introduction, dealing more specifically with environmental risks and protocols for its prevention.

For ZLC Director Susana Val, this 1st edition of the International Compliance Forum in Logistics, has several benefits. One implies a connection between logistics and legal areas, considering that logistics is gradually recognising the inherent risks that originate from compliance. “We should not forget that logistics and transport average 5.5% of GDP in Aragon and around 8% in Spain. It also presents more marked risks (money laundering, smuggling or corruption crimes among civil servants) in comparison with other activity areas”. On the other hand, she highlights that “this 1st International Forum represents a starting point for those small and medium-sized enterprises in the transport area, so fragmented in the current context and the Forum sheds light on the  introduction of law enforcement procedures, as well as increasing the reputation and prestige of companies”. In her opinion, “This Forum is shared in a more suitable context, in ZLC facilities, drawing together the logistic companies at PLAZA and the surroundings of Zaragoza”. According to Val, the Forum constitutes "a success" because “for the first time this issue is being treated in Zaragoza through cases and real judgements with the finest speakers in both the legal and logistic fields.”

In this 1st edition, the Forum has seen more than 50 participants from companies including Dachser, Grupo Carrerasm Esprinet, Deloitte and Cibernos.

For more information, contact:
* Sira Marqueta
Marketing Director in Zaragoza Logistics Center (ZLC)
608 237 804 / smarqueta@zlc.edu.es