With 36% of buyers indicating they would change suppliers if their sustainability requirements were not met, clear and proactive supplier engagement has become essential. The findings outline several key steps organizations should take from communicating sustainability goals to establishing a reporting protocol with shared targets. These actions help strengthen alignment across the supply base and ensure progress toward sustainability commitments.

Procurement teams take varied approaches to requiring Certificates of Insurance. Most focus on high-risk or onsite suppliers, while fewer extend the requirement to all vendors or high-value contracts. This range highlights how organizations balance risk protection with administrative effort, and where broader coverage could strengthen overall compliance.

With 40–45% of customers globally more likely to buy from companies that are socially and environmentally supportive, organizations must take intentional steps to better engage consumers in sustainability. The results highlight several key actions, such as offering sustainable products and greener alternatives or increasing consumer education. By prioritizing these strategies, organizations can meet rising customer expectations while strengthening loyalty and advancing meaningful sustainability outcomes.

Supply chain disruptions during and after the pandemic elevated the visibility of procurement leaders, positioning them at the center of business continuity, risk mitigation, and strategic planning. The research shows this shift reflected at the highest levels of organizational structure: the percentage of supply management leaders reporting directly to the CEO has increased steadily, from 10% in 2017 to 12% in 2022, and rising again to 18% in 2025. This upward trend underscores the growing strategic importance of supply management and the expanding role leaders play in guiding enterprise-wide decisions.

The research in this report finds that the greatest gains in adopting AI for cybersecurity will come from pairing platform consolidation and automation with disciplined governance, strong contracting practices, supplier enablement, and a skilled workforce. A robust supply chain AI cybersecurity program should include a risk-management Center of Excellence, AI-enabled continuous monitoring, and a supplier evaluation system with clear incentives and consequences. It also requires security addenda, Software Bills of Materials, and strong people-risk controls and training. These actions strengthen security posture, improve visibility across the supply network, and position organizations to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging threats.

Since COVID, process manufacturers are moving away from labor-intensive transactional work and investing in supplier collaboration and risk management. Job role benchmarks help leaders justify additional headcount and reskilling initiatives.

Supply management teams are rapidly expanding systems and technology roles to enable digital transformation, automation, and data connectivity across supply networks. Many discrete manufacturers lead due to complex sourcing systems, product lifecycle tools, and integration with engineering. Growth reflects supply management’s shift toward technology/AI‑enabled agility, efficiency, and smarter decision‑making.

Data and analytics roles in supply management are expanding rapidly as organizations rely on insights to drive category, supplier, and risk decisions. Many process manufacturers lead due to complex, data intensive operations and compliance needs. The upward trend underscores supply management’s shift toward digital fluency and evidence based strategic transformation.

Across manufacturing sectors, supply management organizations are evolving from transactional cost centers into strategic enablers of enterprise value. Tactical buying roles are giving way to analytical, strategic, and cross-functional positions. A higher ratio of strategic FTEs correlates with greater cost avoidance, supplier innovation, and resilience, all of which translate directly to shareholder value.

Post-COVID, volatility reshaped priorities with discrete manufacturers leaning into strategic sourcing efficiency and risk management. By understanding where peers have shifted resources, leaders can identify opportunities to rebalance teams toward strategic impact and build data-driven cases for new roles.