By Paul R Salmon FCILT, FSCM
In 2025, supply chains are no longer hidden deep in the operational layers of a business—they are front and centre in the boardroom. Over the past decade, a series of global crises have exposed the fragility of supply chains and forced executives to reimagine them as a core strategic capability.
For many organisations, the Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO) has become as critical to success as the CFO and CIO. This shift reflects a growing recognition that resilient, intelligent, and sustainable supply chains are now central to competitive advantage.
So how is the C-suite engaging with supply chain management (SCM) in 2025? What trends are shaping this new dynamic? And how can supply chain leaders seize this moment to influence corporate strategy?
🚨 Supply Chains Are Now Boardroom Issues
The global shocks of recent years—from COVID-19 to the Ukraine war, Red Sea shipping disruptions, and semiconductor shortages—have taught hard lessons: supply chains can make or break a business.
Today’s CEOs are asking new questions:
Where are the weak links in our value chain? How exposed are we to geopolitical risks? What is the true cost of resilience?
Boards are demanding real-time visibility of supply chain risks and expect predictive analytics to anticipate disruptions before they happen.
In response, the CSCO role has evolved dramatically. No longer confined to logistics and procurement, supply chain leaders are now tasked with orchestrating the entire value chain, from supplier relationships to customer experience. Some organisations have even created a Chief Value Chain Officer role, recognising the need for end-to-end integration.
🌱 Resilience and Sustainability: The Dual Mandate
The C-suite’s supply chain priorities are no longer just about cost and efficiency. In 2025, two equally important imperatives dominate: resilience and sustainability.
The challenge is balancing them. Over-investing in resilience—by holding excess inventory, for example—can create environmental and financial waste. Under-investing can leave organisations vulnerable to shocks.
Sustainability is no longer optional either. Scope 3 emissions reporting has pushed supply chain carbon footprints into environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosures. Investors, customers, and regulators are watching.
Forward-thinking leaders are adopting bimodal supply chain strategies:
One chain optimised for cost and efficiency in stable markets. Another designed for agility and resilience in volatile regions.
This approach reflects a growing understanding in the boardroom that “one-size-fits-all” supply chains no longer work.
🤖 Digital Supply Chains: AI and Automation in the C-Suite
Digital transformation is reshaping how the C-suite engages with SCM.
In 2025, AI-driven orchestration tools provide executives with dashboards showing real-time data, risk forecasts, and optimisation recommendations. CEOs can now see at a glance how a typhoon in Asia or sanctions in Europe could ripple through their operations.
Technologies gaining traction include:
Digital twins that simulate supply chain scenarios before decisions are made. Autonomous logistics, from drones and driverless vehicles to fully automated ports and warehouses. Blockchain for transparent, tamper-proof supplier data.
These innovations are not just operational tools—they are strategic enablers. As one FTSE 100 CEO recently remarked, “Our AI supply chain model saved us more than our last five cost-cutting programmes combined.”
🌐 Geopolitics and the Rise of Friendshoring
Global supply chains are under unprecedented geopolitical pressure. Trade wars, tariffs, and conflicts have forced companies to rethink sourcing strategies.
In place of globalisation, the C-suite is adopting friendshoring and regionalisation, prioritising suppliers in politically aligned nations and shortening supply lines.
For defence and public sector supply chains, this shift is even more acute. Strategic stockpiles, dual sourcing, and greater collaboration with allies are essential to ensure readiness in the face of global instability.
CFOs and CSCOs are increasingly working together to build cost-of-risk models, balancing low-cost sourcing with political stability.
💼 Talent and Leadership: Supply Chain Experts in the C-Suite
Supply chain expertise has become a passport to the C-suite. Companies now recognise that SCM is not just about moving goods—it’s about shaping strategy, managing risk, and delivering value.
Consider how many global CEOs today have supply chain backgrounds. Apple’s Tim Cook—an operations and supply chain veteran—set the template. In 2025, that trend is accelerating.
New C-suite roles are also emerging:
Chief Resilience Officer, focused on building shock-absorbing organisations. Chief Circularity Officer, driving closed-loop supply chains for sustainability.
Professional bodies like CILT and networks such as the Supply Chain Council UK have an important role to play here, helping SCM leaders develop the financial acumen, geopolitical fluency, and boardroom presence needed to thrive at this level.
📊 From Back Office to Boardroom: The Supply Chain Opportunity
In 2025, supply chains are no longer just pipelines for goods—they are lifelines for business success. The C-suite has woken up to their strategic importance.
For supply chain leaders, this is a moment of unprecedented influence. Those who can combine operational excellence with strategic vision will not only shape the future of their organisations—they will shape the future of global commerce.
At the Supply Chain Council UK, we believe supply chain professionals are no longer simply operational managers—they are strategic partners transforming the way businesses work. As global challenges and opportunities converge, now is the time to elevate supply chain thinking into the boardroom and beyond.
📢 Join the SCC Community Today
Are you ready to take your supply chain thinking to the next level? Join the Supply Chain Council UK and connect with a network of forward-thinking leaders, innovators, and practitioners who are redefining supply chain management for 2025 and beyond.
✅ Stay ahead with exclusive insights and thought leadership.
✅ Expand your network with peers across industries.
✅ Shape the agenda for the future of supply chains in the UK and globally.
🌐 Join us today at supplychaincouncil.org.uk
Together, we can move supply chain management from the back office to the boardroom—and make it a force for resilience, sustainability, and success.
