SAP News Center

SAP Study Finds Procurement Is Vital to Manage Supply Chain Disruptions

WALLDORF SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today released research findings that highlight the elevated role of procurement in navigating global supply chain disruptions.

The study of U.S. supply chain professionals conducted with Regina Corso Consulting found that 90% say procurement has taken on greater responsibilities to address both supply chain and sustainability challenges. With nearly half (49%) of supply chain professionals saying shortages and disruptions are keeping them up at night, this is a pivotal time to lean on the procurement function to alleviate these challenges.

“Supply chain disruptions aren’t a new challenge, but they’ve been dramatically compounded and lasting due to ongoing shortages and delays caused by the pandemic,” said Etosha Thurman, Chief Marketing and Solutions Officer, Intelligent Spend and Business Network, SAP. “To navigate these unpredictable circumstances, supply chain leaders must strategically leverage procurement to effectively manage supplier relationships, mitigate customer frustrations, control costs and ensure business resiliency.”

Top Challenges Keeping Supply Chain Professionals Awake at Night

Supply shortages and disruptions are not the only issues that the surveyed supply chain professionals say they face today. Other areas include:

Despite only 28% of respondents saying sustainability keeps them up at night, 91% say their company has specific sustainability goals or objectives, and 95% say procurement plays a significant role in achieving those sustainability goals.

The Elevation of Procurement in Mitigating the Impacts of Ongoing Supply Chain Problems

Between the global pandemic, labor and supply shortages and increasing consumer demands for sustainability, the supply chain professionals surveyed agree that procurement has taken on a more strategic role to help mitigate key challenges:

The study shows that procurement is helping businesses achieve visibility, transparency and accountability with their suppliers, especially when it comes to potential disruptions, enabling them to pivot quickly to new suppliers and ensure continuity.

The Consumers’ Role in Easing Supply Chain Shortages

Supply chain professionals surveyed say consumers have a part to play as well in easing the challenge of supply chain disruptions:

The research study was conducted between October 15 and 25, 2021, on a sample of 210 U.S.-based employees who work in the supply chain at companies with at least 500 employees.

“If postpandemic supply chains are to be resilient, they must be sustainable. It’s not enough to just track and extoll green virtues, sustainability must become part of the way that supply chains are run,” said Simon Ellis, Program VP, IDC. “On the other end, the growth of e-commerce and consumer expectations for ‘next day’ delivery often runs counter to sustainable fulfillment and carbon footprint. There will have to be a rebalancing or rationalization about the way that people consume: ‘do I really need the product the next day?’”

Visit the SAP News Center. Follow SAP on Twitter at @SAPNews.

Media Contacts:
Kelly Sheldon Murray, +1 (978) 708-6821, kelly.murray@sap.com, ET
Geraldine Lim, +1 (415) 418-0945, geraldine.lim@sap.com, PT
SAP Press Room; press@sap.com

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “should” and “will” and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP’s future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including SAP’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.
© 2021 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices.

Exit mobile version