Recent global disturbances have revealed the fragility of supply chains, making their resilience a crucial subject for boards of directors and management teams.
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Recent global disturbances have revealed the fragility of supply chains, making their resilience a crucial subject for boards of directors and management teams. The examples include pandemic, wars, terrorism, geopolitical tensions on prices, as well as cyber and climatic events. Effective advice and C-Suite leaders anticipate, mitigate, mitigate and manage an increasing range of potential risks and disturbances.
Recent wtw 2025 Global Supply Chain Risk Survey The reports that less than 8% of managers think they have total control over their risk chain risks, and 63% continue to undergo higher than expected supply chain losses. The ability to adapt and respond quickly to risks in the complex network of the global supply chain has become a key factor in determining the long -term success of the company.
Major changes in risk chain risks
The WTW survey reports a significant change in the main risk priorities of the business supply chain. While pandemic and environmental concerns were the main concerns in 2023, the risk of reputation, inflation and geopolitical risk appeared to be significant priorities in 2025. The risk of reputation was an absolute priority for 67% of respondents in 2025, against 41% in 2023. 2025, although a smaller percentage mentions it in 2023. materials and critical components increased significantly compared to 2023, representing an absolute priority for about a third of respondents in 2025.
Although the overall trend in 2023 is worrying about short-term sales and market share, in 2025, it moved to long-term reputation and confidence problems, such as cyber risk and products of products. Participants recognize that short -term income loss can be recovered, but wider problems concerning customer confidence and the brand’s reputation have a more lasting effect on profitability and value creation.
With regard to the main concerns over the next two years, participants have expressed different prospective concerns in 2025 than in 2023: cybersecurity (56% against 20%), regulation changes (54% against 28%), shortages of raw materials (50% against 39%) and logistics and warehouse shortages (45% against 36%).
Actions for effective leaders and advice
Efficient leaders take the following measures to combat the risk of the supply chain in 2025:
1. Increase collaboration with customers and suppliers – 54% of respondents in the survey highlighted the collaboration of suppliers and 49% highlighted the collaboration of customers as the greatest opportunities to improve the management of the supply chain in 2025. Effective leaders cultivate solid relationships through the supply chain to strengthen trust, improve operational efficiency and mitigate potential risks.
2. Improve strategic planning around the supply chain – 52% of respondents in the survey cited the improvement in strategic planning within their organizations as an absolute priority to manage the risk of the supply chain in 2025. Effective leaders align the planning of the supply chain and the objectives with broader organizational strategies to stimulate long -term success.
3. Adopt alternative approaches such as double -source suppliers – A little more than half of the respondents in 2025 declared that they had adopted a strategic approach to the management of the supply chain which includes the evaluation of critical suppliers and the implementation of duplicate and inventory strategies to mitigate the disturbances. 32% identified their approach as proactive, focused on continuous monitoring of the main suppliers. Effective leaders oppose risk management of more proactive and more.
4. Focus on commitment and membership – 75% of respondents quoted the challenge of securing the membership of the board of directors as the main concern for 2025 (against 36% in 2023). Effective leaders are increasingly guaranteeing support for executives and board of directors to the risk management strategies and actions of the supply chain, recognizing that the alignment and governance of leadership are essential to respond to the complexities of modern supply chains.
5. Focus on data and digital transformation – 46% of respondents cited the availability of more and better quality data as a leading opportunity in 2025, and 41% cited digital transformation. Effective leaders recognize that high data technologies and digital technologies are fundamental to building more agile and resilient supply chains. They prioritize investments in digital tools and platforms to adapt to a rapidly changing global environment.
6. Focus on risk management tools and knowledge – 86% of respondents cited the lack of internal risk management tools and information as a major concern for 2025 (compared to 55% in 2023), and 84% cite the lack of data, knowledge and risk understanding. Effective leaders strengthen their internal capacities to measure and manage risks successfully and create more robust internal risk management systems and data capacities to approach and mitigate emerging risks before they occur.
7. Refine the supply chain – 57% of respondents declare plans to make significant changes to their supply chains in 2025, 36% indicate a fine adjustment and 7% indicate plans for an overhaul. Although total revisions remain relatively rare, effective leaders continue to focus on progressive, remaining prudent but committed to refining operations to improve performance and mitigate risks. They recognize more and more that continuous adaptation and improvement are essential to maintain the resilience of the supply chain and to meet the changing market requirements, even among those with stable supply chains.
8. Take insurance / risk transfer solutions – 80% of respondents cited lack of access to insurance and risk transfer solutions as a major concern for 2025. Effective managers refine their risk transfer practices to protect themselves against disturbances and guarantee resilience to the long -term supply chain by seeking coverage for public responsibility, public responsibility for administrators and managers. They recognize that the risk management of the supply chain is even more important today given the absence of a single risk transfer solution.
Effective leaders adopt a complete and balanced approach to the management of the supply chain which integrates both current and systemic threats, guaranteeing resilience not only to today’s crises but also to those that could occur in the future.