Shaping a Global Customs & Trade Compliance Management Organisation

After a major restructuring that transformed the hardware sector, a new leading company emerged, facing the challenge of improving its worldwide customs and trade compliance framework. Central to this effort was an extensive global audit led by the VP Supply Chain and carried out meticulously by DOJÖ (now part of Customs Support Group). This analysis aimed to shape an agile, solid and scalable trade compliance management organisation.

Decentralised Trade Compliance Structure Limiting Efficiency and Governance

The company faced several structural challenges with its existing trade compliance setup, including decentralised operations and inconsistent compliance practices across regions. The need for a structured, unified approach was clear, to not only enhance compliance but also integrate it more deeply into the strategic framework of the global business.

Designing a Unified and Strategic Trade Compliance Organisation

Customs Support Group initiated the project by conducting over 30 interviews across various functions of the company to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current organisational structure and operational challenges. This thorough investigative phase was crucial for identifying the key areas that required restructuring and aligning with best practices as per the CSG Trade Management Model but also company’s culture and business objectives.

Strengthening Governance and Aligning Global Compliance Operations

Based on the recommendations from the CSG team, the company successfully deployed a new customs & trade compliance management organisation with strong governance, compliance programs-oriented and less person-dependent processes.

The reorganisation led to significant structural changes within the company:

• As part of the strategic overhaul, the trade compliance function was transferred to the legal team. This move was designed to strengthen governance and ensure that compliance was at the core of legal oversight, facilitating better management of regulatory risks.
• A new organisational structure for the trade compliance team was established, which included the recruitment of a new global leader. This leader was charged with unifying the team and steering the compliance efforts across all markets, ensuring a cohesive approach to managing trade regulations.
• The scope of all trade compliance staff was thoroughly reviewed to align with the new organisational structure. This review helped clarify roles, distribute responsibilities appropriately, and ensure that all team members were effectively contributing to the global compliance goals.
• To enhance communication and accountability, new reporting lines were created at the regional level. This structural change was aimed at improving the flow of information between central and regional teams and enhancing the execution of compliance strategies locally.
• The activity scopes of all customs and trade compliance staff were harmonised to ensure consistency and efficiency across all operations. This alignment was crucial for minimising redundancies and optimising resource utilisation globally.

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Disclaimer:

We take our clients’ confidentiality very seriously. While we have changed their names, the results are real. All our case studies are derived from real cases. Feel free to contact our experts to obtain referrals from our clients about the value creation of our services. You will then be able to see the results firsthand.

Article originally published by DOJO Consulting Group on www.welcometodojo.com, now part of Customs Support Group.