By Gert Christiansen, Vice President, Pharma & Healthcare, LEMAN
In pharma logistics, security has always mattered. But the role it plays in supply chain decision-making is changing.
For many years, security was often something that operated in the background. It was part of the setup, part of the procedures and part of the risk assessment. But it was not always at the center of customer conversations.
That is no longer the case.
Today, customers are not only asking whether a shipment can arrive on time and in the right condition. Increasingly, they are asking how it will be protected, how risks are managed, and how security standards are documented throughout the journey.
This was also one of the key themes when LEMAN recently spoke at the TAPA Regional Conference Scandinavia in Stockholm. The discussion confirmed what we already see in our daily work with pharma and healthcare logistics: security is becoming less of a specialist topic and more of a basic requirement for robust supply chains.
Cargo security is becoming more complex
The risks facing supply chains are not new, but they are becoming more organised, more professional and more difficult to manage through isolated measures.
Cargo theft, trailer intrusion, hijackings, diesel theft and other security incidents are real operational risks across Europe. For pharma and healthcare shipments, the stakes are particularly high. Products may be valuable, sensitive, time-critical or linked directly to patient treatment. That means a security incident is rarely just a financial loss. It can also disrupt availability, compliance and trust.
At the same time, supply chains have become more complex. Goods move across borders, partners, systems and modes of transport. Every handover matters. Every process matters. Every deviation needs to be understood quickly.
That is why security can no longer be reduced to locks, alarms and checklists. Those things are important, of course. But strong security is also about structure, behaviour, visibility and discipline.
Documented standards create a common language
One of the clear developments in pharma logistics is the growing demand for documented security standards.
Customers increasingly expect logistics providers to prove that security is not just promised but embedded in the operation. This is where frameworks such as TAPA become important. They create a shared language across the supply chain and help turn security from an internal ambition into a documented, auditable way of working.
For LEMAN, becoming the first TAPA TSR1-certified logistics company in the Nordics was not approached as a sales tool. It was a practical operational investment. The goal was to strengthen our overall security setup; create a common framework across countries and support the growing expectations we see in pharma and high-value logistics.
A certification alone does not protect a shipment. People do. Processes do. Follow-up does. But a strong framework helps align all those elements and makes security more consistent across the operation.
Especially in an asset-light logistics model, where strong partner alignment and operational control are essential, structure becomes even more important. When you do not own every physical asset in the chain, you need to be even sharper on procedures, expectations, communication and accountability.
The real value is what changes afterwards
One of the most important lessons from working with structured security standards is that certification is not the finish line.
In many ways, it is the beginning of a more disciplined way of operating.
The implementation journey requires alignment across countries and suppliers. It requires investment in equipment, training, audits and new routines. It takes time, and it requires cultural adaptation.
But the value comes from what changes afterwards.
Security becomes more visible in daily operations. Procedures become clearer. Teams become more aware of risks. Drivers have stronger guidance and feel more secure in their daily work. Operation teams become more proactive because the framework gives them a clearer basis for decisions and follow-up.
That human impact is important. In logistics, security is often discussed in technical or commercial terms. But at its core, it is also about people. It is about the driver making the right decision at a rest stop. The planner asking one more question before confirming the route. The operations team reacting quickly when something does not look right.
Strong security cultures are not built by documents alone. They are built when people understand why the procedures matter.
Security and quality are moving closer together
In pharma logistics, quality and security are increasingly connected.
Temperature control, documentation, deviation handling, traceability and secure transport are all part of the same broader expectation: customers need to trust that the logistics setup protects both the product and the supply chain around it.
That is why security is becoming part of overall supply chain quality.
It is no longer enough to say that goods are being moved from A to B. The question is how they are moved, how risks are assessed, how partners are aligned, and how quickly the setup can respond if conditions change.
In pharma, that development will continue. Requirements will become more detailed. Expectations for documentation will increase. And customers will continue to look for partners who can combine operational flexibility with strong, proven standards.
From protection to trust
The future of pharma logistics will not be defined by security alone. But security will become one of the foundations that determines whether a logistics setup can be trusted.
For logistics providers, this requires a mindset shift. Security should not be viewed only as a cost, a compliance exercise or an add-on to normal operations. It should be seen as an enabler of stronger customer relationships, more resilient supply chains and safer daily operations.
The companies that are best prepared will be those that treat security as part of their operating model, not as a separate layer placed on top of it.
In the future, security may no longer be a differentiator in pharma logistics. It may simply be the baseline expectation. And that is exactly why companies should act on it now.