It's critical that category management delivers maximum value to the organization through innovation, sharing risk and rewards, and ongoing assessments. For many companies, the hard work of supplier management begins after the contract is signed. We're moving on to the sixth step in category management strategy: supplier relationship management (SRM).

With the onset of the pandemic last year, supply chains struggled to deliver, but payment terms were also affected. Of the supply managers we surveyed, 31% increased their payment terms last year. While 66% paid within 45 days in Q1, by the third quarter of the year, the number dropped to 57%, shifting toward longer 60- and 90-day terms.

Advance your analytics with the new CAPS metrics maturity model. Plus, negotiation and contracting and world news.

Supply management has the power to transform businesses, economies, and lives. CAPS Research honors this, and while we hold our founder's values close, we fearlessly face the future to empower supply chain management leaders and advance the profession. 

Contracting and negotiating is the next step in the 7 stages to business-aligned strategies that organizations should follow as part of their category management playbook. It’s an important step in category strategy execution as you align supplier relationships with your strategy.

While inwardly focused metrics may be “safe” and what is expected of supply management, if the function is going to progress from tactical to strategic, the goal for most supply leaders ultimately should be alignment with stakeholders. Supply management must push beyond its own internal perspective to understand the business and, whenever possible, adopt the metrics that drive the enterprise.

When it comes to what questions supply managers are asking in supplier assessments, less than half include environmental, social, and governance (ESG) questions.

Best practices for sharing and protecting your data, developing your category management strategy, infrastructure proposals, and more timely SCM news.

In today's connected world, sharing data with suppliers is a given. But not all data, and all suppliers, are created equal. Organizations must assess their data-sharing priorities and connect with suppliers that are able to protect the data accordingly. Effective data security must be a critical element in supplier selection, onboarding, and relationship management.

Out of all the data companies collect from suppliers, greenhouse gas (GHG) doesn’t make the list. Nope – it’s not an April Fools’ joke. While it’s encouraging that at least 1/3 of companies gather compliance and human rights information, key environmental data like GHG emissions are missing. Companies need to move beyond basic compliance to validating suppliers’ activities and carbon footprint. What proactive measures is your organization integrating to make a difference?