Supply chain disruptions are no longer rare: they are the new normal
From pandemics to geopolitical conflicts, businesses of all sizes face growing risks that threaten their operations, revenue and long-term resilience. As insurance markets tighten and tail risks become harder to predict, traditional risk strategies are under pressure.
Our latest report explores how organizations are rethinking supply chain risk, leveraging advanced modeling, strategic assurance solutions and proactive planning to adapt to today’s volatile global environment.
Key findings: How businesses are rethinking supply chain risks in 2025
THE 2025 WTW Global Supply Chain Risk Survey reveals a decisive shift in the way companies approach supply chain risks, with a greater emphasis on geopolitical uncertainty, cybersecurity, supplier challengesAnd internal risk frameworks.
Since the 2023 survey, companies have advanced their strategies by prioritizing proactive measuresimproving cross-functional collaborationand deployment technological tools like supply chain mapping. Cybersecurityin particular, has become a central pillar of enterprise risk management, with an increasing emphasis on securing supplier relationships and contracts.
Despite this progress, less than 8% of companies believe they have complete control over their supply chain risks, and 63% report higher losses than expected— evidence of the continued unpredictability and complexity of the global supply chain.
Main growing risks
- Geopolitical risk is now the top concern for 19% of businesses, reflecting the impact of global instability, trade tensions and regulatory uncertainty.
- Inflation follows closely at 18%, due to rising supply and transportation costs.
- Cybersecurity risk increased from 5% in 2023 to 16% in 2025, echoing broader trends seen in WTW’s Emerging Risks Survey.
- Shortage of raw materials And regulatory changes have each doubled in importance, both now cited by 14% of respondents.
In the meantime, pandemic and health risks decreased in priority (from 23% in 2023 to 13% in 2025), which suggests a shift in focus towards geopolitical and economic challenges. Environmental risks remain important but have seen a slight decline in their urgency.
Key opportunities and strategic changes
- Digital transformation And data availability are growing priorities, with digital tools becoming central to future supply chain strategies.
- Supplier and customer collaboration remains vital for resilience.
- The emphasis placed on hybrid work models is in decline as businesses adapt to post-pandemic norms.
- Incremental strategy adjustments are favored over complete overhauls, although many companies are still pursuing significant changes.
As investments in resilience increase, fewer companies are reporting transformational improvements. Instead, the focus shifts to executive oversightdedicated risk management teamsand the development of internal risk management tools. As companies move away from budget constraints and access to insurance as limiting factors, they prioritize leadership alignment and long-term capacity building.