“ The resource constraints in those SME organisations is a real issue when we’ re trying to roll out programmes which go into incredible amounts of depth of their competence capability,” Katie goes on.
“ So, what we’ re trying to do is really work with those suppliers. I’ d say at least 50 % of the organisations we work with are SMEs.”
Achilles is investing heavily in AI to address this challenge, aiming to make the onboarding process faster and easier whilst maintaining data quality.
Katie stresses that this isn’ t about web scraping data indiscriminately:“ The cornerstone of what Achilles offers is really that robust, reliable data that’ s validated correctly.”
The firm has also shifted its approach to be more collaborative with suppliers. Rather than treating them merely as subjects of assessment, Achilles shares performance data and benchmarking information to help suppliers understand how they compare to peers and identify improvement opportunities.
ESG under scrutiny – but here to stay Despite ongoing scrutiny around ESG action terminology, Katie believes the underlying principles remain crucial.
supplychaindigital. com 87