Solving Compliance & Data Management Challenges in the Aerospace & Defense Industry

This is an excerpt from an interview Generis Group did with Assent Compliance prior to the American Aerospace & Defense Summit 2018.

“What are some of the biggest regulatory and compliance challenges aerospace and defense companies face?

The “Once an Article, Always an Article” ruling under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation has had a significant impact on aerospace and defense companies. They must now evaluate their products for substances of very high concern (SVHCs) under the regulation. Many parts produced by industry manufacturers are complex, containing several subparts and undergoing a range of processes that could potentially introduce restricted chemicals to the end product. Each of these must be evaluated individually in accordance with the article interpretation.

The list of chemicals restricted under REACH is also growing considerably and will continue to do so over the coming years. Companies must manage business continuity risk as more SVHCs are restricted, denying them access to substances that are critical to the ongoing maintenance and repair of their products.

Companies must also manage a range of emerging human rights legislation that requires them to show year-over-year due diligence efforts to mitigate the risk of human rights violations in their supply chains. Key markets that have introduced disclosure requirements include the U.S., the UK, France and Australia.

Additionally, the industry is threatened by a rapidly shifting trade landscape that includes fluctuating tariffs, sanctions, and free trade agreements.”

Questions discussed:

• What are some of the biggest regulatory and compliance challenges aerospace and defense manufacturers face?
• How can aerospace and defense manufacturers use technology to ensure product compliance?
• What strategies can manufacturers employ to streamline their inspections and audits?
• How can compliance technology drive effective supplier management?
• What is the process that manufacturers will have to undertake to onboard and leverage compliance software?
• What are the quantifiable outcomes Assent Compliance’s clients have seen once they have implemented the software?
• What makes Assent Compliance’s solutions unique?

Click through to access the full Q&A here.

Travis Miller, General Counsel at Assent Compliance, will speak at the American Aerospace & Defense Summit 2018 on his topic “Now Preparing for Takeoff: Responding to Market Access Restrictions”. He will discuss why materials compliance is a critical business continuity risk for aerospace and defense companies, how the European Court of Justice’s “Once an Article, Always an Article” ruling impacts the industry, and best practices for gathering compliance information for bills of materials that effectively balance privacy, tariffs, controlled technical data and trade secret concerns. He will also provide insight into pending compliance issues and regulatory changes that will affect aerospace and defense supply chains over the coming years.