What Is the Logistics Sector Warning Registry (WLS)? Everything Employers Need to Know

July 6, 2026 2 min.
What Is the Logistics Sector Warning Registry (WLS)? Everything Employers Need to Know

Every year, logistics companies suffer tens of millions of euros in losses due to fraud and theft. And in most cases, the perpetrator is not an outsider but someone within the organization itself. For this reason, ACN, TLN, and FENEX have jointly established the Logistics Sector Warning Registry (WLS): an industry-wide tool that enables logistics companies to prevent individuals with a proven track record of fraud or theft from slipping unnoticed into another company in the supply chain.

More and more employers are searching online for terms such as “warning registry,” “fraud registry,” and “employee blacklist.” This is a clear sign that the topic is a hot one within the industry. In this article, we explain exactly what the WLS is, how the screening process works, and why joining the registry is relevant for virtually every logistics business owner.

In this news article

What exactly is the Logistics Sector Warning Registry?

The WLS is an initiative of ACN, in collaboration with industry organizations TLN and FENEX. The registry was established without any commercial interest: its sole purpose is to create a safer work environment for the entire logistics sector. Participating organizations can inform each other about employees who have been terminated due to fraud, theft, or other criminal or reprehensible conduct in the workplace, so that other participants can take this into account when hiring new staff.

The WLS is therefore neither a government registry nor a public list that anyone can consult. Only member organizations can access the registry through a secure environment and for a specific purpose, such as a job application process.

How does the assessment process work within the WLS?

The operation of the registry is set forth in the WLS protocol, and the Warning Registry is licensed by the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP). This means that inclusion in the registry is subject to strict conditions: a participant must weigh the importance of inclusion against the consequences for the person concerned, and those consequences must be proportionate to the nature and severity of the incident. Inclusion is therefore not taken lightly.

Data remains in the registry for a maximum of eight years. After that, it is automatically deleted. Participants can consult the registry when they are considering hiring a job applicant, as part of their pre-employment screening.

Did you know that?

Research shows that approximately 80% of all fraud cases in the logistics sector are committed by the company’s own employees, not by external parties. The resulting losses include the theft of goods, fuel, or money, as well as the disclosure of information about cargo and routes to accomplices outside the company. These losses amount to tens of millions of euros annually.

Warning registry, fraud registry, or blacklist: What’s the difference in terminology?

In practice, employers use various terms to refer to the same underlying concept: a “fraud registry” or “employee blacklist” to screen out people with a history of theft or fraud. The WLS is the formal, legally grounded implementation of this concept. The difference from an informal blacklist is fundamental: the WLS operates according to an established protocol, including a proportionality test, a fixed retention period, and oversight by the Dutch Data Protection Authority. An unregulated blacklist without these safeguards is not permitted in the Netherlands under the GDPR.

Will you help make the supply chain safer?

Please provide your contact information, and the office will contact you regarding your membership.

Become a Member
Protocol Approved by the Dutch Data Protection Authority
WLS has a certificate of compliance from the Dutch Data Protection Authority.
Industry Initiative
Established by the industry associations themselves. The more companies that participate, the stronger the registry.
Secure and GDPR-compliant
A joint initiative of TLN, ACN, and FENEX.
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