SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
The industry is racing to modernise through aggressive digitalisation. According to PwC’ s Global Digital Procurement Survey, companies are targeting a 70 % digitalisation rate for cross-border processes by 2027 to eliminate paper-based customs delays.
Building robust cross-border strategies Developing a robust cross-border SRM strategy follows a systematic framework that balances domestic needs with foreign market realities. The process typically moves through geospatial mapping, evaluation and ongoing management phases. Supplier identification and risk mapping have become infinitely more complex, with Deloitte highlighting that 76 % of CPOs are actively pursuing“ China Plus One” or regionalisation strategies to avoid single-country dependencies. This involves cleaning global spend data to reveal concentration risk where multiple Tier-1 suppliers might source from the same Tier-2 provider in a single high-risk zone.
Multi-weighted evaluation has become the modern standard for international selection. While price remains the floor,“ soft” metrics like cultural alignment, innovation potential and Scope 3 carbon transparency now carry significant weight in supplier selection. Once partners are identified, organisations must define mutual goals – such as shared savings on logistics or joint tax optimisation – before formalising agreements.
Ongoing management is where the longterm value is captured. Sustaining these relationships requires adapting to local business customs through ongoing feedback and joint innovation sessions.
186 April 2026