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Untangling Supplier Data: The Hidden Risks in Your Procurement Systems

The Problem: Disconnected Supplier Data

Many organizations believe their procurement and supplier management processes are working smoothly—until they take a closer look. Procurement leaders often rely on multiple systems, such as ERP platforms, risk intelligence providers, and supplier management tools, each handling a different piece of the supplier lifecycle. While these systems may function well in isolation, the lack of integration creates data silos, inefficiencies, and risks that can go unnoticed until a disruption occurs. 

Imagine this common scenario: A procurement leader insists their internal systems manage supplier data effectively. But when asked where banking validation occurs, they reference their ERP. Supplier onboarding? That happens in a separate workflow tool. Risk profiling? That data sits in multiple third-party solutions that offer no integrated view. And ongoing supplier updates? Those are rarely monitored in real-time and often are updated only at contract renewal.  

This disconnected approach leads to manual data entry, duplicate records, and outdated information—all of which expose businesses to financial, operational, and reputational risk. 

The Hidden Costs of Dirty Data

Supplier data inconsistencies may seem like only an administrative headache, but they can also have significant financial implications. Consider these risks:

  • Compliance Failures: Outdated supplier information can lead to non-compliance with regulations such as DORA, SCDDA, and ESG mandates, resulting in fines and legal action. 
  • Fraud & Payment Errors: Manually entered bank details increase the risk of fraud and payment misdirection. 
  • Operational Bottlenecks: A lack of real-time updates causes delays in supplier vetting, onboarding, and risk assessment, slowing down procurement cycles. 
  • Missed Risk Signals: Without a unified view, businesses may overlook financial instability, sanctions, or cybersecurity vulnerabilities in their supplier base. 

The Business Case for a Centralized Supplier Data Solution

Procurement leaders facing resource constraints and growing regulatory complexity need a better way to manage supplier data. A centralized, integrated approach—like the one offered by Trust Your Supplier (TYS)—eliminates data silos, ensuring that supplier information is accurate, up-to-date, and easily accessible. 

With TYS, organizations can: 

  • Automate Supplier Onboarding & Updates: Streamline data validation and risk profiling across multiple sources.  TYS integrates with multiple risk data providers, allowing you to seamlessly bring 3rd party risk analysis and insights into the platform. 
  • Ensure Compliance & Reduce Risk: Maintain up-to-date supplier information to align with regulatory requirements.  TYS’ Connect allows suppliers to securely store up-to-date documentation, including validated bank account information, in one place.  
  • Enhance Decision-Making: Gain a holistic view of supplier risk and performance with real-time insights. Drill down into key data points and access supplier profiles directly from dynamic reports. 
  • Reduce Costs & Improve Efficiency: Minimize manual work, reduce errors using TYS’s intelligent workflow modeling to accelerate procurement cycles and leading to measurable ROI.  

In today’s volatile business environment—where geopolitical risks, cyber threats, and supply chain disruptions are increasing—accurate supplier data is not just a convenience, but a necessity. Companies investing in a comprehensive supplier management solution like TYS gain not only operational efficiencies but also a competitive advantage. By eliminating data chaos and ensuring real-time visibility, procurement teams can make faster, smarter decisions that protect their business and drive long-term value. 

The question isn’t whether businesses can afford to centralize supplier data—it’s whether they can afford not to. 

Stay ahead of the latest supplier management insights! Follow us on LinkedIn for expert tips, industry trends, and updates from Trust Your Supplier. 

April Harrison Blog, Supplier Information Management 0 Comments ,

Trust Your Supplier Recognized in Fall 2024 Spend Matters SolutionMap

We are excited to announce that Trust Your Supplier (TYS) has been recognized in the Fall 2024 Spend Matters SolutionMap, which evaluates leading procurement technology solutions. This recognition places TYS among the key providers in three essential areas of supplier management and risk visibility:

1. Supplier Management (SXM)

TYS has been acknowledged for its ability to streamline supplier information management, performance, and compliance. Our platform integrates with a variety of procurement tech stack solutions, allowing organizations to access up-to-date, verified supplier data for more efficient collaboration and decision-making. TYS enables businesses to centralize supplier management, ensuring seamless operations across different procurement systems.

2. Supplier Management (Risk Enhanced)

In this category, TYS stands out by integrating risk data from leading third-party providers. TYS enables organizations to view and monitor comprehensive risk insights within supplier profiles, including environmental, financial, and geopolitical risks. By automating alerts and approvals based on this data, TYS helps businesses stay proactive in managing supplier risks, ensuring they can act quickly to address emerging threats.

3. Risk Management (TPRM/SCRM)

TYS’s recognition in the Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) and Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) category highlights our ability to provide visibility into third-party risks across the entire supplier network. Through integrations with trusted risk intelligence providers, TYS allows businesses to monitor risks at multiple levels of their supply chain. Automation within TYS helps trigger appropriate actions and approvals, ensuring companies can respond efficiently to risk alerts.

Why This Recognition Matters

The Spend Matters SolutionMap is known for its rigorous, data-driven evaluation process, including over 500 RFI requirements and impartial customer feedback. Being recognized across these categories validates TYS’s role as a trusted solution provider, empowering organizations with tools to manage suppliers and gain visibility into potential risks.

How TYS Can Help Your Business

In today’s evolving supply chain landscape, having real-time visibility into supplier performance and potential risks is crucial. TYS provides the integration and automation capabilities that help businesses streamline supplier management and ensure timely responses to risks—all while enhancing compliance. Our platform integrates seamlessly with procurement tech stacks, offering flexibility and efficiency. This recognition from Spend Matters reinforces the value TYS brings to supply chain resilience and management.

Looking Ahead

As we continue to innovate, TYS remains committed to delivering enhanced supplier management and risk visibility solutions. Our inclusion in the Fall 2024 Spend Matters SolutionMap underscores our focus on helping businesses thrive in an increasingly complex environment.

Interested in learning more? Get in touch to explore how TYS can help your organization manage supplier relationships and stay ahead of potential risks.


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April Harrison Awards, News, Risk Management, Supplier Information Management 0 Comments , , ,

Enhancing Transparency and Reliability in the Food Manufacturing Supply Chain

Ensuring the highest standards of transparency and reliability in the food manufacturing supply chain is paramount. Consumers today are more conscious than ever about where their food comes from and how it’s produced. Every step in the supply chain needs to be meticulously monitored from farm to table to ensure safety, quality, and compliance. Trust Your Supplier (TYS) offers a cutting-edge blockchain-based solution that transforms supplier and risk management for food manufacturers, ensuring unparalleled transparency and reliability.

The Challenge: Complexity and Risk in the Food Supply Chain
Food manufacturing companies face a unique set of challenges in their supply chains. With numerous suppliers, from farmers to packaging companies, the complexity is immense. This complexity often leads to issues such as: 

  • Lack of Visibility: Difficulty in tracking supplier information and credentials 
  • Compliance Risks: Ensuring all suppliers adhere to food safety regulations and standards 
  • Inefficiencies: Manual processes can lead to errors and delays
  • Risk Management: Predicting and mitigating risks related to supplier reliability


The TYS Solution: Blockchain-Based Supplier Information Management
Trust Your Supplier addresses these challenges head-on with our innovative blockchain-based platform, providing a single source of truth for supplier information and updates. Here’s how TYS enhances transparency and reliability in the food manufacturing supply chain: 

  1. Immutable Records and Transparency: Blockchain technology ensures that every update or change to supplier information is immutable, meaning it cannot be altered or deleted. This immutability guarantees that all information about suppliers is accurate and tamper-proof, providing complete transparency to food manufacturers.
  2. Comprehensive Supplier Profiles: TYS supplier profiles are owned by each supplier, and firmographics are aggregated with risk intelligence data. These profiles are continuously updated with real-time data, ensuring food manufacturers have the most current information to make informed decisions. This comprehensive visibility helps identify and mitigate risks before they become issues.
  3. Enhanced Compliance and Approval Workflows: With TYS, food manufacturers can automate compliance checks and approval processes. TYS approval workflows streamline validating supplier information and compliance documents.
  4. Real-Time Monitoring and Updates: TYS offers real-time monitoring of supplier information, including risk data and updates to firmographics or documents such as certifications and tax documents. This ensures that food manufacturers are always aware of the current status of their suppliers and can react swiftly to any changes.
  5. Predictive and Prescriptive Insights: Leveraging advanced analytics, TYS reports provide insights into potential risks within the supply chain. By analyzing historical data and trends, users can mitigate these risks to maintain a steady and reliable supply chain.
  6. Efficient and Trustworthy Data Exchange:  By using a distributed ledger, all parties have access to the same information in real-time, reducing misunderstandings and errors. This transparency fosters trust and collaboration among suppliers and internal stakeholders. 


Use Case: Streamlining Supplier Management
Consider the scenario where a food manufacturing company sources ingredients from multiple suppliers. With TYS, each supplier’s information, including compliance questionnaires, certifications, and risk assessments, is recorded on the blockchain. As suppliers update their documents or firmographics, TYS provides real-time alerts to the food manufacturer, ensuring they always have the most up-to-date information to make informed decisions. 

Maintaining transparency and reliability in the food manufacturing supply chain is not just a regulatory requirement but a critical differentiator. Trust Your Supplier provides a reliable blockchain-based solution that helps food manufacturers manage compliance checks, real-time monitoring, and supplier information effectively. By offering comprehensive supplier profiles and streamlined approval workflows, TYS supports food manufacturers in confidently managing their supplier relationships.  

Reach out to discuss how you can enhance the integrity and efficiency of your supply chain with TYS.

 


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April Harrison Blockchain, Blog, Consumer Products, Risk & Compliance, Risk Management, Supplier Information Management, Supply Chain 0 Comments , , , ,

Accelerating Supplier Pre-Qualification with Trust Your Supplier

In the realm of procurement, time is a precious commodity. According to McKinsey*, it typically takes three months to complete a single supplier search, with a sourcing professional dedicating over 40 hours of work—often only managing to consider a few dozen suppliers from a pool of thousands. This statistic underscores the inefficiency and frustration inherent in traditional supplier pre-qualification processes. 

At Trust Your Supplier (TYS), we recognize these challenges and have designed our platform to streamline and enhance supplier pre-qualification, allowing businesses to operate more efficiently and make informed decisions swiftly. 

 

The TYS Advantage

Premarket Analysis with Pre-Populated Data One of the key features of TYS is the integration of pre-populated firmographics by the supplier and risk data, along with verified and accurate contact details. This comprehensive database provides procurement professionals with essential information upfront, significantly reducing the time spent on initial research and data gathering. 

Swift Qualification & Verification With TYS, users can quickly move through the qualification and verification steps necessary for onboarding suppliers. Our platform facilitates thorough market analysis before onboarding tasks begin, enabling companies to identify potential suppliers that meet their criteria early in the process. This upfront analysis ensures that only the most suitable suppliers are considered for further evaluation, eliminating unnecessary effort and costs associated with onboarding unqualified candidates. 

Informed Decision-Making By providing more information at your fingertips upstream, TYS empowers procurement teams to make informed decisions about whether to proceed with onboarding a particular supplier. This early determination helps to minimize the time and resources spent on suppliers that may not ultimately meet the organization’s needs. 

Realizing the Benefits 

The advantages of using TYS for supplier pre-qualification are manifold: 

  • Efficiency: Reduce the time required to identify and qualify suppliers, allowing your team to focus on strategic tasks. 
  • Cost Savings: Lower the costs associated with the onboarding process by eliminating unqualified suppliers early. 
  • Risk Mitigation: Access to accurate risk data helps in identifying potential issues before they become problematic. 
  • Enhanced Collaboration: Our platform fosters better collaboration between sourcing professionals and suppliers, ensuring a smoother onboarding process. 

By leveraging TYS, your organization can streamline procurement operations and build stronger, more reliable supply chains. 

*Source: McKinsey & Company 


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April Harrison Blog, Digital Transformation, Supplier Information Management 0 Comments ,

Embracing Innovation in Telecommunications: Enhancing Digital Agility

by Michelle Armstrong, TYS Global VP of Value Engineering

In today’s fast-paced telecommunications industry, innovation and digital agility are key drivers of success. As companies strive to keep up with rapid technological advancements and ever-changing customer demands, a reliable and efficient supply chain becomes more critical. 

Digital agility refers to the ability of an organization to rapidly adapt to changes, implement new technologies, and respond to market demands with speed and efficiency. For telecommunications companies, this means being able to quickly roll out new services, upgrade infrastructure, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Achieving this level of agility requires a robust and flexible supply chain that can keep pace with the industry’s dynamics. 

Several innovative solutions are emerging to help telecommunications companies enhance their supply chain management and improve digital agility. These solutions leverage advanced technologies such as blockchain, data analytics, and automation to create transparent, efficient, and resilient supply chains. 

Enhanced Transparency and Trust: Advanced technology can create immutable records of supplier information, ensuring data accuracy and fostering a higher level of trust and collaboration between telecom companies and their suppliers. 

Improved Supplier Verification: Telecom companies can now quickly verify the credentials and compliance of their suppliers, reducing the risk of fraud and non-compliance, and ensuring that only reputable and qualified suppliers are part of the supply chain. 

Streamlined Procurement Processes: Automation tools are transforming procurement processes, from supplier onboarding to performance tracking. This saves time, reduces administrative burden, and allows telecom companies to respond more swiftly to market changes and new opportunities. 

Data-Driven Decision Making: Real-time insights and analytics empower telecom companies to make more informed decisions about their supply chain. This data-driven approach helps identify potential issues before they escalate and uncover opportunities for improvement and innovation.

Real-World Impact: Case Studies of Innovation in Action
Several leading telecommunications companies have already begun to realize the benefits of these innovative solutions. For example, a notable telecom company successfully reduced its supplier onboarding time by 50% and improved overall supply chain efficiency by 30% by implementing advanced supply chain technologies. 

In an industry where innovation and digital agility are paramount, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to enhance supply chain management is crucial. Telecommunications companies that embrace these innovations can streamline their operations, foster stronger relationships with their suppliers, and stay ahead of the curve in delivering exceptional value to their customers. As the telecom landscape continues to evolve, those who adopt advanced supply chain solutions will be best positioned for success. 

Learn more about digital agility and TYS’s blockchain-driven platform to better manage and engage your suppliers.

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April Harrison Blog, Supplier Information Management, Telecom, Value Engineering 0 Comments , , ,

The Value of Building a Telecom Industry Vertical Around Supplier Management

by Michelle Armstrong, TYS Global VP of Value Engineering

Building a dedicated telecom industry vertical around supplier management can unlock numerous advantages, enhancing data quality, streamlining workflows, and managing risks effectively. Here’s how a unified approach can transform the telecom sector: 

Increased Efficiency for Suppliers
Suppliers often grapple with diverse requirements and processes for each telecom company they serve. A telecom industry vertical standardizes these processes, reducing administrative burdens and enabling suppliers to focus on delivering high-quality products and services. 

Centralized Supplier Data
Creating a centralized repository for supplier information and performance data improves data accuracy and accessibility. This centralization provides telecom companies with a comprehensive view of their suppliers, enhancing decision-making and operational efficiency. 

Enhanced Collaboration and Transparency
A unified platform fosters better communication and collaboration between telecom companies and their suppliers. This transparency builds stronger, more reliable relationships, facilitating smoother operations and more effective problem-solving. 

Streamlined Compliance and Risk Management
Standardized supplier management processes ensure consistent compliance with industry regulations and standards. Telecom companies can more easily monitor and manage multidimensional risks, leveraging shared insights and best practices to enhance overall supply chain resilience. 

Cost Savings and Innovation
Reducing redundancies and streamlining workflows can lead to significant cost savings for telecom companies and their suppliers. Additionally, a collaborative industry vertical encourages innovation, enabling suppliers to share and implement new ideas and technologies more effectively. 

At Trust Your Supplier (TYS), we understand the critical importance of a robust telecom industry vertical around supplier management. Our blockchain-based platform ensures seamless data exchange, real-time risk monitoring, and workflow automation. By leveraging TYS, telecom companies can standardize supplier management processes, enhance data accuracy, and foster stronger supplier relationships. Let’s look at how TYS can help you build a robust telecom industry vertical, driving efficiency, innovation, and growth:

 

Blockchain for Secure and Transparent Supplier Management
Blockchain technology is central to our platform at TYS, providing an immutable ledger for all supplier transactions and data exchanges. This ensures data integrity, security, and transparency across the entire supply chain. Blockchain enables real-time updates and verifiable records, which are crucial for maintaining trust and accountability among telecom companies and their suppliers. 

Extensive Network of Global Qualified Suppliers
Our network includes over 400 million global qualified suppliers, which supports efficient sourcing and initial risk qualification. By leveraging this extensive network, telecom companies can quickly identify and engage with suppliers that meet their specific needs and standards, significantly reducing the time and effort required for sourcing. 

Preventing Supplier Fatigue
A telecom industry vertical can prevent supplier fatigue by addressing shared assessment and firmographic requirements. Instead of completing multiple assessments for different telecom companies, suppliers can provide their information once and share it across the entire vertical. This not only reduces the burden on suppliers but also ensures that telecom companies receive consistent and up-to-date information. 

Building Vertical Compliance Assessments
We build vertical-specific questionnaires that, when updated by suppliers, are shared across their customer verticals. This approach ensures that all telecom companies have access to the latest supplier data, reducing redundancy and improving the efficiency of supplier assessments. By maintaining a shared pool of updated supplier information, telecom companies can streamline their evaluation processes and make more informed decisions. 

Managing Multi-Dimensional Risk
A telecom industry vertical allows for more effective management of multi-dimensional risks. By utilizing a unified platform, telecom companies can monitor financial, operational, and compliance risks in real time, ensuring a proactive approach to risk management. 

Working in Partnership to Address Supply Chain Requirements
Collaboration within a telecom industry vertical promotes a partnership approach to addressing supply chain requirements. Telecom companies and their suppliers can work together to develop solutions tailored to industry-specific challenges, ensuring a more resilient and adaptive supply chain. 

Firmographics and Compliance Regulation
A centralized system improves the ability to track firmographic data and ensure compliance with regulations. Telecom companies can maintain up-to-date information on suppliers, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards and minimizing risks associated with non-compliance. 

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Initiatives
A unified platform supports ESG initiatives by providing transparency into supplier practices. Telecom companies can monitor and promote sustainable practices, ensuring that their supply chains align with broader environmental and social goals. 

Building a telecom industry vertical around supplier management offers a myriad of benefits, from enhanced efficiency and innovation to improved risk management and compliance. By partnering with Trust Your Supplier, telecom companies can leverage advanced technologies to create a resilient, efficient, and forward-thinking industry vertical.

 

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April Harrison Blog, Supplier Information Management, Telecom, Value Engineering 0 Comments , , ,
TYS Precheck Blog image

Streamlining Supplier Engagement: The TYS Pre-Check Experience

As many of us prepare for summer holidays, the anticipation of travel often brings to mind the sometimes tedious experience of going through airport security. The long lines and exhaustive checks can turn what should be a seamless process into a frustrating ordeal. This got us thinking about an analogy that perfectly encapsulates the traditional supplier engagement process versus the innovative solution offered by Trust Your Supplier (TYS).

Traditional Supplier Engagement: The Airport Security Experience

⛔ Long Boarding Time

Just as waiting in line at the airport eats into your travel time, onboarding a new supplier can be a lengthy process. Traditional methods involve multiple steps, approvals, and verifications, leading to delays that can impact your project timelines and overall efficiency.

⛔ Redundant Administration

Imagine filling out the same forms over and over again for every trip you take. That’s how repetitive and cumbersome traditional supplier engagement can feel. Suppliers often need to provide the same information to multiple customers, causing unnecessary delays and administrative headaches.

⛔ Tedious Security Checks

The rigorous security checks at the airport, while necessary, can be time-consuming and exhausting. Similarly, traditional supplier vetting processes are thorough but often slow and labor-intensive, requiring extensive background checks, certifications, and compliance verifications.

The TYS Pre-Check: Revolutionizing Supplier Engagement

✔️ Immediate Onboarding

With Trust Your Supplier, the onboarding process is as smooth as breezing through the TYS Pre-Check. Our system significantly reduces the time it takes to get suppliers up and running. Immediate onboarding means no more waiting in line or dealing with prolonged processes.

✔️ AI-Driven Profiles

TYS leverages advanced AI to create comprehensive supplier profiles. These profiles are automatically updated and maintained, eliminating the need for redundant paperwork and ensuring that all information is current and accurate. This automation leads to a more streamlined and efficient engagement process.

✔️ Pre-Certified, Ready-to-Do-Business

Just like having a TSA Pre-Check status gets you through security faster, our pre-certified suppliers are ready to do business right away. Suppliers in the TYS network have their information and questionnaires completed, so you can confidently engage with them without the usual delays and uncertainties.

Experience the Difference with Trust Your Supplier

Say goodbye to the hassle of traditional supplier engagement and hello to streamlined efficiency with Trust Your Supplier. Our blockchain-based solution ensures daily monitoring, and historical, predictive, and prescriptive risk insights, enabling trusted data exchange and workflow automation beyond traditional boundaries.

Enjoy a seamless and efficient process that keeps your business moving forward. Safe travels to all!


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April Harrison Blog, Digital Transformation, Supplier Information Management 0 Comments

TYS Podcast S2E4 – Unraveling the Global Tapestry of Politics, Economics, and Supply Chains

In this episode, we dive deep into the intricate web of global politics, economics, and supply chains, unraveling the complexities that shape the landscape of modern business. Join us as we explore pressing questions and uncover insights that shed light on the evolving dynamics of the global risk environment.

The volatile nature of today’s global political and economic climate reverberates across industries, making it imperative for supply chain and procurement professionals to stay vigilant. Every shift in geopolitics or economic policy can send ripples through the supply chain, impacting everything from sourcing strategies to operational efficiency.

So, why does this matter for supply chain and procurement? Simply put, businesses operate in a connected world where disruptions in one region can have far-reaching consequences. Whether it’s trade disputes, sanctions, or geopolitical tensions, these factors can disrupt supply chains, increase costs, and affect business continuity.

Tracking these issues requires a comprehensive approach, leveraging a mix of data sources, analytics, and expert analysis. By monitoring key indicators, companies can anticipate risks and identify opportunities, enabling proactive decision-making.

To gain deeper insights into these challenges, we asked the experts at Prism about the emerging trends in global politics and economics. Watch our conversation with them and read our blog, co-authored by TYS and Prism, on how the Swiss climate ruling reshapes supply chains and risk management.

April Harrison Blog, Data Privacy & Security, Geopolitical Issues, Podcast, Risk & Compliance, Supplier Information Management 0 Comments , , , , , ,

TYS Podcast S2E3 – Unlocking the Power of Master Data Management

In the ever-evolving landscape of business operations, one concept stands out as the cornerstone of success: master data management (MDM). Recently, Trust Your Supplier (TYS) hosted a thought-provoking episode of the TYS Podcast, delving deep into the intricacies of MDM, financial information, compliance, and data privacy. This enlightening discussion shed light on the challenges and opportunities facing businesses today and provided invaluable insights for industry professionals. 

The conversation kicked off with an exploration of the “core theater” essential for operational success, encompassing individuals, suppliers, transportation, and data privacy. Participants emphasized the critical importance of maintaining master data governance throughout the supply chain lifecycle, citing real-world examples of companies teetering on the brink of bankruptcy due to lapses in data management. This sobering revelation underscored the profound implications of master data on individual businesses and entire supply chains, making it a non-negotiable aspect of organizational strategy. 

As the discussion unfolded, participants turned their attention to recent trends and innovations in financial information provision and MDM. They highlighted the adoption of technology for financial crime prevention and the challenges posed by the quality of customer and third-party data. The consensus was clear: high-quality, accurate, and complete information is paramount for enhancing customer experiences and detecting suspicious behavior, making MDM indispensable for achieving business objectives and ensuring compliance. 

The conversation then shifted gears to address the complexities of monitoring and verifying data across different jurisdictions, particularly in light of evolving compliance regulations. Participants stressed the need for globally sourced, accurate, and consistent data to support robust risk assessment and compliance efforts. The impact of mergers and acquisitions on MDM and compliance was also explored, with a focus on identifying beneficial owners and understanding complex family structures. 

A particularly poignant moment in the discussion arose when the intersection of data privacy regulations like GDPR with compliance requirements was examined. Participants acknowledged the conflicting nature of Know Your Customer (KYC) and GDPR regulations, highlighting the need for companies to navigate these regulations effectively while safeguarding sensitive information. 

Further insights were shared on the challenges of continuous auditing of information and the importance of monitoring data changes. Participants underscored the necessity of providers offering robust monitoring capabilities and event-driven updates, emphasizing the role of compliance officers in reviewing critical changes. 

The conversation culminated in a discussion on the transformative role of AI and machine learning in automating manual processes and ensuring data quality. Participants stressed the importance of high-quality data as the foundation for AI applications and the need for data cleansing to avoid exacerbating existing problems. 

In conclusion, the episode provided invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities in MDM, compliance, and data privacy. It underscored the critical role of accurate and high-quality data in driving business success and ensuring regulatory compliance. As businesses navigate the complexities of today’s landscape, embracing robust MDM practices and leveraging innovative technologies will be key to staying ahead of the curve. Trust Your Supplier continues to lead the conversation in thought leadership, empowering industry professionals to navigate the ever-changing business landscape with confidence and agility. 

April Harrison Blog, Data Privacy & Security, Podcast, Risk & Compliance, Supplier Information Management 0 Comments , , , , ,

Revolutionizing Pharma Supply Chains: Navigating Risks and Embracing Digitalization for a Resilient Future

by Michelle Armstrong, TYS Global VP of Value Solutions Consultant

Abstract 

The pharmaceutical supply chain is grappling with significant issues of medicine shortages. This study adopts a risk management approach to identify key risk factors affecting the pharmaceutical supply chain, using the Malaysian pharmaceutical industry as a case study.

The research utilizes Fuzzy Failure Mode and Effect Analysis and Data Envelopment Analysis for risk assessment. The study finds the pharmacy node as the riskiest, with unexpected demand and scarcity of specialty drugs as major risk factors. To mitigate these risks, the study advocates the use of digital technologies like big data analytics and blockchain. 

Introduction
Medicine shortages in the pharmaceutical industry pose serious challenges, impacting health outcomes and the broader healthcare system. These shortages lead to increased healthcare costs due to the use of alternative medications and managing patient health complications. The study aims to understand the root causes of these shortages and how digital technology can address them, ushering in the Pharma 4.0 era. 

Pharmaceutical Supply Chain and Risk Factors
The pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC) is intricate, involving multiple stakeholders and extending across countries. It’s segmented into three levels: sourcing, distribution, and consumption. The supply chain’s complexity and unpredictability often lead to inefficiencies and disruptions. 

 Key risk factors include: 

  • Disconnections and lack of accountability among supply chain partners. 
  • Long lead times and the “bullwhip effect,” where demand changes cause supply fluctuations. 
  • High operating costs due to maintaining optimum inventory levels. 
  • Transportation-related risks like delays and damage to goods. 
  • Impact of natural disasters, political instability, and pandemics on the supply chain. 
  • Regulatory challenges include documentation, changes in standards, and drug recalls.

Methodology
The study adopts a risk management approach using Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). FMEA helps identify potential failure modes in the supply chain, while DEA is used to calculate risk-based efficiency. The methodology involves fuzzification of risk factors, risk assessment metric development, and the use of Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) and DEA for evaluating failure modes. 

Results and Analysis
The study’s application to the Malaysian pharmaceutical supply chain reveals: 

  • High-risk factors at the manufacturing node include delays in raw material supply due to overseas suppliers. 
  • The distributor node faces moderate risks due to transportation and inventory management challenges. 
  • The pharmacy node shows the highest risk, particularly due to unexpected demand surges and lack of substitute drugs. 
  • The DEA cross-efficiency method highlights the varying risk levels across different nodes of the supply chain, emphasizing the need for targeted risk mitigation strategies.  

Managerial Implications
The study suggests a framework for incorporating digitalization into the pharmaceutical supply chain to mitigate risks. Key recommendations include: 

  • Collaborative technologies for information sharing to manage inventory and reduce the bullwhip effect. 
  • Blockchain technology for drug sharing networks, improving data transparency and trust. 
  • Utilization of data analytics and AI in manufacturing to address supply delays and enable more effective forecasting. 

Conclusion
The study concludes that medicine shortages are a pressing issue in the pharmaceutical supply chain, exacerbated by complex risk factors. Digital technologies, especially big data analytics and blockchain, are crucial for addressing these challenges. The proposed framework for digitalization aims to enhance the efficiency and resilience of pharmaceutical supply chains.  

April Harrison Blog, Pharmaceutical, Supplier Information Management, Supply Chain, Value Engineering 1 Comment , ,