ACHILLES
“ There’ s a lot of noise around the term ESG right now and some of it, I would say, is fair,” she acknowledges.“ Some organisations haven’ t robustly collected data and have spun it to suit their narratives.
“ What I will say is that the principles behind it – that narrative around ethical sourcing, sustainability, human rights – are not going away.”
These principles are becoming embedded not just in procurement processes but in broader business strategies and investor expectations.
Katie asserts that the workforce of tomorrow – and today, in fact – expects employers to stand for something meaningful.
“ The next generation doesn’ t want to work for companies that don’ t stand for something,” she says.“ If you’ re not clear on what your position is, you’ re not just risking your supply chain, but your reputation and the talent you could have.”
What’ s clear is that the focus is shifting from pledges to proof, with stakeholders demanding continuous data rather than futile statements and frameworks.
Supply chain cyber threats Cybersecurity represents one of the most pressing and dangerous risks in modern supply chains, but not always in the way organisations expect.
Katie points out that the more serious risks often arise as a result of vulnerabilities that exist within third parties.
88 September 2025