EDITOR’ S INSIGHT
Libby Hargreaves, Editor, Supply Chai
“ The sector is caught between the old ways of working and the demands of a faster, messier world”
Procurement doesn’ t operate in a vacuum, and that’ s something these survey results make clear. As global politics applies pressure on trade routes, regulations and supplier relationships, procurement professionals are rethinking their supply chains from the ground up.
The numbers are hard to ignore, with 63 % of procurement teams actively diversifying their supplier base and 57 % near or reshoring, it is clear this is a movement more than reacting to individual crises.
The idea is simple: don’ t rely too heavily on one region or supplier, because when one domino falls, the whole supply chain shouldn’ t collapse. A local-first strategy reduces exposure to global shocks, while keeping operations nimble and more cost-effective. It’ s a tricky balance, blending global reach with
local reliability, but one that procurement has to master.
This also aligns with a more proactive approach to crisis planning, with nearly half of procurement functions investing in risk monitoring and mitigation. Gone are the days of scrambling to fix problems after they hit. The focus has shifted, for the better, to continuous risk assessment, tracking supplier performance in real time and running what-if scenarios before disruption happens.
Macroeconomic pressures aren’ t making this transition any easier as 47 % of organisations chase cost savings, an understandable but shortsighted approach which may slow down digital transformation and sustainability goals. Digital tools are essential to allow procurement teams to scan supplier markets quickly, and track risk in real time – without them, agility suffers.
52 The Procurement Survey 2025