Suppliers may evaporate, but leadership does not

From the March-April 2026 edition of Supply Chain Management Review.

March-April 2026

The March/April 2026 issue of Supply Chain Management Review examines how supply chain leaders are managing supplier risk, circular supply chain design, AI-driven retail planning, CPG network optimization, and…

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When we talk about risk management, we often focus on the physical—weather, tariffs, even cyber. What we don’t usually mention is the risk your suppliers bring if they are not financially sound.

It is one of the hardest truths supply chain leaders continue to confront. Stability is often an illusion. Suppliers that appear financially sound and our strategically aligned can disappear with little warning. That reality is at the heart of this month’s cover story, “Suppliers can evaporate: Five ways to improve SCM risk management,” which offers a practical and at times uncomfortable reminder: risk in supply chains cannot be eliminated, only understood and managed more intelligently.

In an era of supplier bankruptcies, transportation failures, geopolitical disruption, and financial volatility, the most dangerous posture for supply chain organizations is complacency. As the article outlines, effective risk management today depends on better visibility into supplier health, smarter contracting practices, disciplined insurance and liability controls, and balanced supplier portfolios that emphasize redundancy without sacrificing performance. In short, risk management is no longer a periodic audit exercise, but a continuous leadership discipline.

Moving on from risk, I want to announce that we are introducing a new feature this month. But, it is only available to our digital subscribers. Our first Digital Extra article, “From operations to orchestration: The CSCO’s nexus role in a synergistic C-suite,” explores how the chief supply chain officer has moved from functional executor to enterprise integrator.

As supply chains become the connective tissue linking finance, technology, operations, and customer experience, the CSCO increasingly serves as the orchestrator of enterprise performance—not just a cost or logistics leader.

This Digital Extra is available exclusively to Digital Edition subscribers, and to all subscribers with an active account on scmr.com. We plan to publish several Digital Extra articles throughout the year, allowing us to go deeper into emerging leadership, technology, and organizational issues without the physical constraints found in our print format. So please check that out.

Finally, I’d be remiss not to look ahead. Planning is well underway for the 2026 NextGen Supply Chain Conference, and we are actively seeking practitioner speakers from organizations operating in our four focus areas: logistics and fulfillment, retail, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage. If you are leading real-world supply chain initiatives in these areas and are interested in sharing your experience, I encourage you to reach out directly.

We have also revamped our NextGen awards program for 2026, introducing clearer categories that reflect how supply chains are actually evolving—including Intelligent Transformation, Autonomous Operations, Visionary, Startup, and Partnership in Execution awards for both end users and solution providers. Full details and submission information is available on the NextGen website at nextgensupplychainconference.com, and I encourage you to consider nominating your organization or partners.

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