Introduction
Supplier Risk Intelligence aims to reduce supply chain interruptions by hastening response to as many possible preset events. We now know that dangers in the supply chain can originate from anywhere. Although some risks occur more often than others, even those that seem less urgent might be harmful. These might include shifting market dynamics, rival companies expanding their market share, cutting costs, or changing consumer preferences. While checking margins, expenses, and quality, businesses must be adaptable and resilient. Customer satisfaction must continue to be a top concern, needing the ability to quickly adapt the supply chain intelligence to meet changing customer demands. No matter how little it may appear, a single supply chain disruption can affect any of these factors. Therefore, each organization that depends on others for its success must conduct a supply chain risk assessment. The main participants in the supply chain include suppliers, distributors, manufacturers, and retailers. Every part—from raw materials to parts and carriers—must function synergistically for the end-user to receive what they expected.
Factors involved in Supplier Risk Intelligence
Companies often undertake supplier risk intelligence tests to learn more about their suppliers, the risks they can present, and the risk management strategies they employ.
Factors Involved in Supplier Risk Intelligence
Regarding suppliers, there is no such thing as zero risk. Not everything is predictable, and every firm has its weaknesses—both internal and external. The goal of supplier risk assessments is to evaluate supplier risks with the company’s risk thresholds and show whether the suppliers are meeting expectations within an acceptable level of risk, not to exclude suppliers that pose any risk. Of course, in some instances, supplier risk assessments lead to a company needing to fire a supplier because there is no workable method to reduce that risk. As many businesses will attest, diversifying the supply chain enables better agility if a supplier arrangement is broken. It is vital to avoid any situations where businesses are forced to collaborate with a supplier that poses a severe risk to the company just because a replacement cannot be found. There are several factors involved in supplier risk intelligence.
Financial Stability
Businesses should create a financial risk score for each supplier using a credit bureau rather than a data source while trying to reduce threats to financial stability.
Insurance Management
Continuous monitoring is recommended for insurance management since it enables businesses to alert their management if a supplier no longer has sufficient insurance due to not paying a premium or canceling a policy.
Reputational Protection
Resources can also be used to protect one’s reputation. Prominent Supplier Risk Intelligence firms search more than 35,000 periodicals globally using adverse global media monitoring to look for reports about bad suppliers. Programs like these can help businesses in expecting lousy press.
Regulatory Compliance
Global watch-list monitoring and document validation are two methods for monitoring regulatory compliance issues. Regulatory hazards are among the concerns a corporation cannot control but should be vigilant about monitoring.
Cyber Security
Cyber security vulnerabilities are among the most significant issues businesses have been looking for help with Supplier Risk Intelligence firms. The ability to create a security rating, monitoring tools, potentially a security questionnaire, and the resources to gather and manage the information are all necessary for Supplier Risk Intelligence.
Document Management
Businesses should concentrate on document management to gather, organize, and authenticate any standardized document. Humans must review essential documents like insurance policies to ensure they are insured.
Social Responsibility
Verifying diversity, promoting sustainability, and analyzing anti-slavery and human trafficking issues should all be part of efforts to tackle social responsibility concerns. It is essential to build ties with suppliers who perform well rather than associating the business with those who do poorly on these metrics.
Health and Safety
Additionally, businesses must gather and manage data, including public safety and health statistics and other materials, to oversee their operations’ overall health and safety.
Processes in long-term Supplier Risk Intelligence
The most important thing to understand about supplier risk intelligence is that it cannot be completed in a single step. Various processes are needed to achieve it.
Processes in Long-Term Supplier Risk Intelligence
Documenting Known Risks
Mapping the supply chains for all the goods and services offered is the most effective method to start any risk assessment exercise. The goal is to understand each link in the supply chain and the risks. Create a risk registry for each supply chain the company depends on so that processes can be prioritized on what to watch. Any areas where risk is uncertain or the lack of data should be noted when finding and recording risks. To find out if these are unknown risks or if the suppliers need to be more forthcoming, they can flag them for further inquiry.
Creating a Framework
When conducting audits, developing a risk management framework is necessary after creating a risk register. Although the framework can be straightforward, it is vital to consistently evaluate the risks to the supply chain and business operations. Consistency allows prioritized actions based on the risk and harm they pose to the company. This strategy covers bases by enabling access to risks associated with the suppliers and the adaptability and readiness of the company to manage any problems.
Monitoring Risk
A strategy for ongoing and persistent analysis is essential once the risk management framework has been built and initial audits have been completed. Continuous monitoring not only serves as a reliable early warning system for foreseeable problems in the supply chain, but it may also strengthen the relationships with suppliers because they will know where to focus the mitigation efforts. Risk measurement and monitoring are now easier than ever, thanks to the development of digital supply chain visibility technologies in recent years. It is now possible to obtain real-time information while tailoring the metrics, watched according to the needs and risk tolerance. The latter can be beneficial if rapidly changing factors like the weather are being tracked because, for instance, a hurricane or typhoon could impair operations at a supplier’s plant.
Implementing Governance
It is excellent practice to ensure a governance framework to help review supply chain risks and continuously watch hazards. Companies choose internal champions to oversee each supply chain node as part of the supply chain governance strategy. When risk levels change, or mitigation is needed, each person would then collaborate with the suppliers to offer ongoing support and follow-up. Creating a governance board for the company that consists of the people in charge of the various supply chain nodes can be done. The governance board might meet regularly to update the company’s risk profile and forecast and assess the risk ratings related to the supply chain. The procurement and sourcing teams would receive help from these efforts since they always have the latest standards when creating questionnaires and other materials for onboarding potential new suppliers and partners.
Magistral’s Services on Supplier Risk Intelligence
Magistral’s Supplier Risk Intelligence delves more profoundly than just financial risk markers. They offer Custom insight dashboards and Flexible solutions to support the business, regulatory, and sustainability goals. Other services offered by Magistral on Supplier Risk Intelligence include:
ESG Scorecard:
This includes evaluating a supplier on 49 detailed ESG parameters and also preparing a carbon footprint for the client.
Compliance Monitoring:
This is the important step in compliance data collection, analyzing, and reporting it.
Dashboards and Visualization:
This consists of preparing risk dashboards and then highlighting the concerns associated, with the client.
Custom Research:
Risk Analysis is done on the customized parameters as suggested by the clients.
Risk Evaluation:
Quantification of the impact of potential risk is done here.
Supplier Monitoring:
This has newsletters, data collection, and reporting, vendor scorecards, etc.
About Magistral Consulting
Magistral Consulting has helped multiple companies to reduce operations costs through its offerings in Procurement and Supply Chain.
About the Author
The article is Authored by the Marketing Department of Magistral Consulting. For any business inquiries, you could reach out to prabhash.choudhary@magistralconsulting.com