TECH & AI have carried over the same problems that exist with social auditing ”.
She adds : “ Most business tools are designed for large brands and cost around $ 30- $ 50,000 per year on average . And , while there are tools that focus on upstream actors in the supply chain and others that focus on workers , very few create a tailored end-toend due diligence journey for all partners .”
This , she says , means that today ’ s digital tools can miss “ hidden ” agents , such as subcontractors or lower-tier suppliers . “ We need affordable and scalable tools that cater to downstream and upstream companies and workers , and that provide relevant data for all parties ,” she stresses .
Industry 4.0 tech & supply chain cybersecurity concerns Another area in which many feel leadingedge tech has a way to go is around cybersecurity . Cybercriminals are known to target supply chains to gain ‘ back-door ’ access to multinational targets upstream .
A recent report from consulting firm Capgemini highlighted this , suggesting Industry 4.0 tech is leaving smart factories open to cyberattack and that action is urgently needed . Sloss , for one , agrees that organisations must be wary of the vulnerabilities that come with technology .
He says : “ Industry 4.0 brings a lot of benefits but an increasingly connected factory producing more and more data also increases the potential attack surface for criminals to try and exploit , “ Manufacturers must be aware that this means cyberattacks are a much more realistic threat than ever before .”
Sloss says to combat this risk , businesses need a strategic approach to security . “ At a fundamental level , they need to establish private networks within the wider system so they can isolate areas , divide the network flow , and keep end-users and mission-critical applications separate ,” he advises .
For her part , Melnyk feels that , deployed properly , blockchain has the capability to counter cybersecurity risks . “ If everyone in the supply chain knows who the other players are , then a cyberattack on one part doesn ’ t necessarily mean everyone goes down with them ,” she says . “ So , if an attack were to happen , it could remain isolated at that point in the supply chain .”
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