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Transforming Supply Chain Risk Management with Data and Technology
In times of global and economic uncertainty, supply chain resilience is crucial — a unified data approach helps guard against risk.
Supply chains are the lifeblood of global commerce, encompassing everything from office supplies to critical telecommunications infrastructure. But in today’s volatile geopolitical and economic climate, organizations are grappling with unprecedented challenges in ensuring supply chain resilience, integrity and efficiency.
To overcome these challenges, businesses must transition from reactive, investigatory approaches to proactive, anticipatory ones to make better-informed decisions, either through human insight or automated systems. This can be done by unifying and connecting internal and external data at an enterprise scale.
Why now? The rising urgency of supply chain resilience
The need for supply chain visibility has never been greater. The increasing complexity of supply chains, combined with global economic shifts and regulatory changes, makes it critical for organizations to be able to access the right data at the right time to make informed decisions.
A recent PwC and Quantexa Client Supply Chain Risk Survey found that 87% of respondents do not feel they have access to the data they need to manage supply chain risks effectively. This lack of visibility contributes to inefficiencies, increased costs and heightened risk exposure.
Key aspects include:
Resilience: Are businesses doing all they can to shield themselves from supply chain disruptions? One survey participant stated, “52% of the components from our top 100 products come from or touch Taiwan or China.”
Integrity: Are businesses ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks and ethical sourcing obligations? “Managing supplier information across many dimensions of risk is complex,” noted a survey participant.
Intelligence: Are supply chain operations optimized for efficiency and risk management? Many telcos struggle with fragmented supplier data, preventing a comprehensive risk assessment.
The critical need for a unified and connected data approach
A key takeaway from the PwC and Quantexa Client Supply Chain Risk Survey is that organizations lack a highly contextual and interconnected view of their risk landscape.
Many supply chains operate with fragmented data, spread across multiple teams, platforms and geographies. This makes it difficult to gain both breadth (visibility across all tiers of suppliers) and depth (a granular understanding of individual suppliers and transactions) in their insights.
To truly mitigate risk, organizations must:
Unify data across silos: For a complete view of supplier relationships and risk exposure, organizations must integrate structured and unstructured data from internal and external sources.
Create context-rich insights: A connected data strategy allows businesses to uncover hidden patterns, such as indirect links to sanctioned entities or financial distress signals within a supplier network.
Enable continuous monitoring: Real-time data and AI-driven analytics empower companies to move beyond static, periodic assessments and engage in dynamic, proactive risk management.
Current challenges in supply chain management
The PwC and Quantexa Client Supply Chain Risk Survey highlighted a range of significant challenges faced by procurement and supply chain teams:
Lack of transparency: Many organizations rely on fragmented data sources, with some still using Excel and manual processes for risk assessments. This lack of a centralized intelligence system leads to inefficiencies and unanticipated risks.
Regulatory burdens: Compliance with evolving regulations, such as the UK's Failure to Prevent Fraud Act, which goes into effect in September 2025, and the earlier Telecommunications Security Act, presents a growing challenge.
Geopolitical risks: Supply chains are increasingly vulnerable to global instability. Organizations are reporting concerns about reliance on a small number of critical suppliers, particularly in high-risk areas like China and Taiwan.
Supplier risk and resilience: Over-reliance on key vendors without diversified sourcing strategies has been identified as a major risk. One survey participant warned that losing a key supplier could be a “company-killing event,” with an estimated cost of €10bn.
Cyber and data security: As supply chains become more interconnected and digitized, they face heightened exposure to cyber threats. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive cybersecurity strategies, continuous monitoring and collaboration to ensure the integrity and security of the entire supply chain ecosystem.
The benefits of data-driven supply chain management
Organizations that effectively integrate diverse data sources into their supply chain strategies gain several advantages:
Expanded risk coverage: Integrating diverse data sources enhances visibility into third-tier suppliers and beyond. The PwC and Quantexa Client Supply Chain Risk Survey found that leading telcos are prioritizing deeper supplier vetting and due diligence processes.
Operational efficiency: Centralized oversight improves category management and procurement processes.
Technology optimization: Efficient tech lowers the total cost of ownership (TCO) and simplifies architecture.
Competitive edge: A well-managed supply chain enhances market positioning and investor confidence.
Higher contextual awareness: A holistic risk intelligence framework ensures that organizations don’t just identify risks in isolation, but also understand the interdependencies that could create compounding vulnerabilities.
The role of AI and technology in risk management
The survey found that telcos are increasingly investing in AI-driven risk assessment tools, with 75% planning to deploy Generative AI (GenAI) within the next two years. Additionally, many organizations are looking to adopt machine learning and anomaly detection techniques to improve fraud detection and compliance monitoring.
However, the adoption of these technologies can be challenging. Survey participants cited data fragmentation, lack of skilled personnel, and budget constraints as barriers to implementing AI-driven risk management solutions.
A unified and connected data strategy will enable AI models to deliver more accurate, contextual and predictive insights, rather than generating recommendations based on incomplete or siloed data.
Personal and global impact of reliable supply chains
Telecommunications enable of modern life as we know it, influencing how we communicate, bank, travel and access goods. A resilient supply chain ensures that products and services remain high-quality and financially accessible for consumers and businesses alike.
Business has a profound responsibility in shaping ethical, sustainable and resilient supply chains. The decisions we make today will have lasting impacts on economies, societies and future generations.
Guarding against uncertainty
The future of supply chain management lies in proactive risk mitigation, driven by data and technology. By leveraging advanced analytics and enterprise-scale data connectivity, businesses can move from reactive responses to strategic foresight, safeguarding their operations against an increasingly uncertain global landscape.
