ABSTRACT
Halal supply chain compliance is fundamentally built on trust. A trust that all supply chain actors will ensure the hygiene, cleanliness, safety and wholesomeness of the product and the services they provide from origin to consumption. Halal supply chain compliance is not just the responsibility of regulators, certifiers and other quality assurance stakeholders. It involves a fundamental commitment to managing the product, communication and financial practices within the supply chain so that they comply with Shariah Law. With the making of this commitment come unique Human Resource Development (HRD) challenges and opportunities to ensure all supply chain actors have the skills, knowledge and attitudes to ensure that trust and respect are maintained. This paper focuses on the human capability development interventions needed to ensure Halal supply chain compliance and to assure brand claims remain consistent with the expectations of Muslim and non-Muslim consumers. The growing complexity of global supply chains, along with the interdependency of the actors involved at each stage, means that considerable effort and investment should be made on better understanding the management human actors within this process. The people component is a fundamental piece of the compliance puzzle, in not only meeting the regulatory and certification requirements of Halal but also establishing the respectful practice of all stakeholders needed to maintain trust within the system.
