THE PROCUREMENT INTERVIEW
Building resilience Recent years have fundamentally changed what companies expect from procurement.
Jacob observes that a number of external pressures have raised expectations considerably. Anticipation has shifted from being a nice-to-have capability to a strategic imperative for competitive advantage.
“ The past few years have raised the bar for procurement,” says Jacob.“ Geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and climate-related disruptions have made one thing clear: anticipation is a strategic imperative. The management mindset has shifted from reacting to adapting and anticipating.”
Procurement now occupies a central role in building organisational resilience across Nestlé’ s global operations. Several factors are enabling the company to achieve this transformation, starting with an intensified focus on risk management throughout the supply chains.
“ Our teams are doubling down on transparency, sustainability and resilience,” Jacob explains.“ Risk mapping and scenario planning are becoming core capabilities.”
Sourcing strategies are evolving rapidly in response to market volatility. Teams are identifying new origins for key materials, updating technical specifications and in some cases even reformulating recipes to ensure continuity. This demands close collaboration across operations, research and development, and marketing functions.
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