Green customs in action

A global survey of customs officers by Charles Sturt’s Centre for Customs and Excise Studies identified a clear disconnect between officers’ commitment to improving the environmental performance of their day-to-day operations and organisational action towards this goal. In response, the Centre held awebinar on green customs to educate customs officers, and to encourage knowledge and experience sharing on the topic.

The webinar, Green Customs in Action, highlighted progress under the World Customs Organization’s Green Customs Action Plan and the limited guidance currently available, as well as the organisational flexibility required to enable meaningful change. This led to the rollout of the Sustainability in Customs Operations pilot program, which supports customs officers to embed environmental sustainability into workplace practices through improved environmental literacy and supply chain management.

Together the webinar and pilot program are raising understanding and awareness, bringing sustainability to the forefront of customs officers’ thinking to drive operational change.