A Realistic Approach To Supplier Risk Management
Many organizations have fallen victim to unforeseen supply-chain disruptions and vulnerabilities in the last decade. An ineffective supplier risk management system has led to recalls costing millions of dollars in businesses ranging from consumer goods to automobiles, and multiple organizations have struggled with cybersecurity breaches and loss of intellectual property due to failures in supplier systems.
If a business can identify and mitigate supplier risks effectively, it can ensure a smooth supply-chain management system and evade substantial losses that such events may trigger. This article will debate how a business can identify supplier risks and alleviate their effects before any damage is done.
What is Supplier Risk Management?
Supplier risk management is a methodical approach to identifying, assessing, and mitigating any risk to supply chain management that may arise from the actions of the supplier.
How to identify Supplier Risks
If an organization wants to quantify supplier risks, the ideal way to do so is by classifying them into two groups: Known Risks and Unknown Risks.
Known risks can be recognized and measured- this means they can be managed over time. For example, supplier bankruptcy is a known risk that can disrupt the supply chain. A business can assess its likelihood by analyzing the supplier’s financial history and credit rating.
Similarly, cybersecurity breaches are newer risks that can be quantified by analyzing a supplier’s IT system.
Unknown risks are the ones that are almost impossible to foresee. For example, a tornado destroying your supplier’s warehouse can negatively impact your supply chain, and it’s hard to predict the intensity of a natural calamity until after it has occurred. In the same way, a cybersecurity vulnerability buried deep inside a critical electronic component of the supplier’s system can shut down its operations without warning.
When handling unknown risks, the best strategy is to reduce their probability and increase your response time to maintain a competitive advantage.
How can you manage known risks?
Organizations can use a structured problem-solving procedure to manage their known risks effectively.
The first step is to map out and evaluate the supply chain of your products. Each supplier in the supply chain should be identified, along with the risks to which they expose your business.
Build a supplier risk management framework where each risk is scored according to its impact, likelihood, and the organization’s preparedness to handle it.
Regular monitoring of the framework is a critical success factor in supplier risk management. An early warning system should be set in place to track top risks.
Constantly improve the agility and resilience of the supply chain.
How can you manage unknown risks?
Alleviating unknown risks is achievable by setting up robust defenses and building a risk-aware organizational culture. A strong culture ensures that defensive layers are in place to respond quickly when an unknown risk materializes and threatens to disrupt operations.
Final Word
As supply chains become more global, the risk associated with suppliers multiplies. Organizations must map out a systematic approach for supplier risk management to avoid losses and ensure smooth operations.
Visit https://fiscaltec.com/supplier-risk-management/ for more details.