Procurement – managing the uncertainty?

„In what direction is procurement going and at what speed?“

That was one of the big questions at this year’s World Procurement Congress.

„Speed is a question of direction,“ said Nandini Basuthakur, CEO of Procurement Leaders, in her opening speech at the Congress.

The answer was fiercely debated at the two-day event, which focused on finding ways in which function can provide a competitive advantage in a fast-paced world. This year’s World Procurement Congress in London once again brought together the purchasing elite from all sectors.

CPOs from Unilever, Heineken, Johnson & Johnson and Nokia talked about the direction of procurement, what projects they are working on and what the future will look like.

It’s about managing the uncertainty, coping with it. It’s about risk and sustainability – especially in the consumer goods industry.

Large companies in particular invest in CSR campaigns, while some of the savings are reinvested to push CSR. Almost all speakers mentioned that „sustainability“ or „social responsibility“ is an integral part of their business strategy and explained that procurement contributes to this. As a result, many of the best-known brands are launching large-scale CSR campaigns, such as Unilever, Mars Incorporated (Winner CSR Award), Clariant and, from a technical perspective, ecoVadis and integrity next.

The issue of uncertainty remains. Purchasing must respond to fundamental new developments. Consistent risk management is called for. We rely on intelligent concepts in terms of value analysis, supplier collaboration and big data strategies. Many people are aware that business transformation and change management are the key to success.

We all know the next disruption is on its way. No one can say when and how exactly, but it will come for sure. That is why we have to arm ourselves, because only those who are ready will not be injured. But if you’re well prepared now, you should not be put into a state of disquiet.