According to PwC鈥檚 February 2024 Digital Procurement Survey, which included 1,000 companies across 60 countries, procurement departments are prioritising:

1. Cost Control
2. Digital Transformation
3. Strategic Sourcing

1. Cost Control

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of procurement executives cite cost control as their primary focus. Despite inflation and interest rates decreasing in 2024, the impact on margins persists, necessitating proactive strategies for cost savings and efficient working capital management.

2. Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is a key focus for 46% of survey participants. While most procurement teams have already implemented foundational digital solutions such as Source-to-Contract (S2C) and Procure-to-Pay (P2P) systems, there is a clear ambition to extend digital capabilities beyond the traditional Source-to-Pay domain. Data and automation through AI is top of mind.

3. Strategic Sourcing

Strategic sourcing remains a top priority for 36% of respondents, vital for cost efficiency and value creation. Enhanced sourcing capabilities enable procurement departments to improve performance and manage risks effectively. Especially when looking at intelligent sourcing automation for unmanaged spend areas that go beyond traditional RFX/auctions.

Integrated Approach for CPOs

Looking at the top three priorities, it seems not much has changed during the past years. However, the challenge lies in the fact that CPOs need to address and execute on their priorities simultaneously and synergistically. This can take place by leveraging procurement technology that integrates data insights, strategic planning, and execution tools.

An example of this approach is outlined below:

1. Start with Insights

• With Data Analytics listed as the biggest area of investment for Procurement, the ability to aggregate and analyse spend data across categories, suppliers, and geographies allowing the business to identify opportunities for cost savings, sustainability, supply base optimisation, and risk mitigation is a strategic imperative.

2. Plan Strategic Actions

• Based on insights from intelligent analytics, the CPO, in collaboration with category managers, develops category strategies. Plans may involve consolidating suppliers, negotiating volume-based discounts, and selecting suppliers aligned with sustainability standards.
• AI-assisted category segmentation, cost analysis, and supply market intelligence enhance and accelerate planning.

3. Execute with Precision

• Organisations use e-sourcing tools to conduct competitive sourcing events across multiple sourcing channels to action the strategy.
• Interconnected process ensures the strategy is updated with negotiated savings.

SAP鈥檚 Triple Crown

SAP鈥檚 Triple Crown combines spend analytics insights with planning in category management and enables strategic sourcing execution across multiple channels. This integrated approach helps CPOs address their priorities effectively by leveraging best-of-suite and best-of-breed technologies infused with AI automation, to help procurement teams achieve greater efficiency, compliance, and strategic value.

To dive deeper into how SAP鈥檚 Triple Crown can tackle challenges around visibility and insights, stay tuned for upcoming posts detailing this innovative approach.

The post How Can CPOs Lead the Charge? Key Procurement Priorities and SAP鈥檚 Triple Crown for a New Way Forward appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

As part of the BBC鈥檚 continued digital transformation journey, the move to the cloud will mean it鈥檚 simpler and more cost effective for the BBC to run its IT systems 鈥� helping it focus investment on high-quality services for audiences.

RISE with 51风流has successfully replaced the BBC鈥檚 previous model of separate contracts for use of data centres and software licenses 鈥� each of which had annual maintenance, support fees and services. The organisations will roll out further updates over the coming months.

Peter O鈥橩ane, BBC Chief Technology Officer, says: 鈥淲e want to make sure we鈥檙e investing the most we can in services for audiences. By simplifying our IT services, we can focus on running our business and ensure we鈥檙e meeting the needs of our viewers and listeners.鈥�

鈥淭his marks a key moment in the BBC鈥檚 aim to streamline its business operations鈥� added Leila Romane, Managing Director of 51风流UK and Ireland. 鈥淲e are delighted to partner with the BBC and our solutions, backed by the security and availability of the AWS Cloud, means the BBC has the ideal foundation to deliver on its promise to serve all audiences.鈥�

Tanuja Randery, Vice President and Managing Director, Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) at AWS, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e delighted that the BBC has chosen to move its critical 51风流business systems to run on AWS. Our proven track record in delivering high-performance, secure, and scalable cloud services aligns perfectly with the BBC鈥檚 needs and enables them to improve performance, increase resilience and reliability, and accelerate their digital transformation journey with confidence.鈥�

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About SAP

As鈥痑 global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, 51风流(NYSE:SAP)鈥痵tands at the鈥痭exus鈥痮f business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted SAP鈥痶o bring out their best by uniting business-critical鈥痮perations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit鈥痺ww.sap.com.

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London, UK 鈥� 19 September, 2023 – (NYSE: SAP), today announced it has selected to drive its digital procurement transformation programme as it embraces a single modern procurement platform in the cloud.

This new partnership with 51风流will streamline sourcing, contracts, supplier risk and procure to pay operations across two Trusts, addressing its legacy technology deficits and risk. The move to 51风流Ariba will help enable BWPC鈥檚 vision for procurement; 鈥淭o provide procurement support to the whole Healthier Together Partnership, improving patient care through effective management of the supply chain, whilst leveraging value across all our spend鈥�.

BWPC is staffed by NHS employees hosted by North Bristol NHS Trust and its聽services include all aspects of clinical and non-clinical purchasing, supply chain management and capital equipping (CES). BWPC currently supports two NHS Trusts including North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, representing over 23,000 employees.

Close working relationships with these Trusts, and collaboration with other organisations, brings economies of scale, sharing of data and best practice so that they maximise savings and efficiencies.聽BWPC works closely with each client to support compliance with all purchase-to-pay procedures and delivering improved efficiencies in all areas including automation, consolidation of invoices, strictly controlled access to purchasing systems and so on.

To enable collaboration with other NHS organisations that are using Atamis for source to contract activity and to ensure compliance with transparency notice publication requirements, BWPC will be adhering to national data standards and building relevant process and integrations during the implementation of their new procurement platform.

To drive more efficiency and ultimately significant cost savings, BWPC has partnered with 51风流to digitially transform its entire source to pay processes. By implementing 51风流Ariba Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Risk and Procure to Pay, BWPC is looking to generate over 拢16m savings over five years as part of a multi-trust initiative.

David Druett, Director of Procurement at BWPC, said: 鈥淭he delivery of a comprehensive end to end procurement system will support our overarching vision to improve patient care through effective management of our supply chain. We look forward to partnering with 51风流to help us meet our objectives and ultimately provide a better service to our customers and patients.鈥�

Ellie Lamey, Head of Intelligent Spend & Business Networks at 51风流UK&I, said: 鈥淭oday鈥檚 partnership with BWPC is further proof that we are the perfect scale and innovation partner for public sector organisations. With the speed, flexibility and agility of the cloud, organisations like BWPC can effectively manage costs and spend, while future-proofing their procurement operations against what challenges may come. We鈥檙e excited to help BWPC with its procurement transformation journey and ensure it continues to deliver the best possible patient care.鈥�

About SAP

SAP鈥檚 strategy is to help every business run as an intelligent enterprise. As a market leader in enterprise application software, we help companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 51风流customers generate 87% of total global commerce. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers鈥� businesses into intelligent enterprises. 51风流helps give people and organizations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want 鈥� without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables business and public customers across 25 industries globally to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, 51风流helps the world run better and improve people鈥檚 lives. For more information, visit .

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LONDON, UK 鈥� (NYSE: SAP) today announced new research revealing that almost every UK organisation admits their supply chain needs improving, and over half (58%) think their supply chain needs a lot/ significant improvement. In response, 84% of UK businesses are planning to move on from the 50-year-old 鈥榡ust in time鈥� supply chain model, which prioritised costs above all else when selecting suppliers, to a 鈥榡ust in case鈥� approach.

The findings from the report highlights that since the start of the pandemic, supply chain issues have been disastrous for organisations in the UK. 66% of businesses have experienced delays in production of goods/delivery of services, 64% have seen revenues decrease and 58% have experienced a loss of customers. Given this outlook, it perhaps comes as little to no surprise that almost a quarter (23%) of businesses expect supply chain issues to last until Summer 2023.

Earlier this year, the UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: 鈥淭he supply chain crisis felt by so many businesses could in fact provide an impetus for companies to improve productivity, and thus ensuring higher wages are not cancelled out by rising inflation鈥�.

But the picture for UK businesses tells a different story. For many businesses, increasing the price of their products/services isn鈥檛 an option to cover increases in supply chain costs. Instead staff will bear the brunt of any cost rise as 68% expect wage/recruitment freezes and 61% plan job cuts.

UK businesses are looking to the government for supply chain recommendations, but they are torn over the advantages and disadvantages of deglobalisation:

• 60% of businesses want increased government collaboration with industry
• Over half said the government should monitor the UK’s supply chain itself and invest where necessary (56%) and there is demand for increased industrial policy and trade policy (54%)
• The majority (72%) of UK businesses think deglobalising the UK鈥檚 supply chains would be disastrous to economic growth but over half (56%) plan to prioritise UK-based supply chain solutions.

Michiel Verhoeven, Managing Director 51风流UK & Ireland, says: 鈥淭he challenges and uncertainty facing so many UK businesses has meant that, for the majority of consumers, the days of wandering into a supermarket and seeing full shelves of produce now seem like a distant memory.

鈥淲here once supply chain management was mostly about cutting costs, businesses are faced with the challenge of staying ahead of consumer demand, while improving resilience, cutting carbon emissions, reducing staff churn and keeping costs down. Years of political, social and economic uncertainty, on top of a global pandemic, have exacerbated challenges with the UK鈥檚 current supply chain models. Whatever future external factors disrupt the movement of goods/ services, our on-demand consumer culture is only going to increase. Overnight shipping is considered late, with hourly tracking updates expected. A novel approach is needed to meet this demand.鈥�

Global logistics, consulting and manufacturing organisation, Unipart Group, recently announced a deepened partnership with SAP to deliver supply chain resilience and bring to life its extensive expertise in forecasting, Machine Learning, sensors and .

Commenting on the report findings, Unipart Logistics Managing Director, Ian Truesdale, said: 鈥淎lthough deglobalisation and other structural changes to supply chains like re-shoring may help UK economic growth, the changes and hence opportunities are more complex. We are seeing that growth can be increased further by developing a much more sophisticated approach to understanding patterns of demand and the impact of those changes along the supply chain to manage risks and prevent shortages.

鈥淚t鈥檚 why we are re-engineering our processes and streamlining our data to focus on process design and governance, operational execution and data & analytics. In doing so we, aim to have the ability to forecast, optimise and simulate supply chains to provide greater agility and resilience,” he added.

Elsewhere, findings from the study show that UK businesses are exploring various other avenues to improve their supply chains, in particular adopting new technology and implementing new contingency measures:

• 70% plan to adopt new technology to help overcome challenges in the next 1-2 years
• 51% plan to find new environmentally friendly supply chain solutions

Michiel concludes: 鈥淚t is exciting to see so many organisations realising the importance of investing in advancing technologies to innovate and are planning to adopt new sustainable supply chain solutions. Resilient supply chains must be sustainable, not only in terms of the environment, but sustainable against developments in technology and infrastructure in the UK and abroad. For decades, supply chain management has focussed on cost 鈥� where keeping them lean and fast has been the priority. This is different from being agile and resilient. With the end of 鈥榡ust in time鈥� models, businesses have to start putting the same expectations on their supply chain as they do on their wider business, structuring themselves to be 鈥榡ust in case鈥�, so that when disaster occurs, they can adapt. Those who don鈥檛 make this change are in for a very tough 18 months.鈥�

A copy of the complete findings from the study can be found here:聽Tomorrow鈥檚 Supply Chain: Disruption Around Every Corner

Visit the 51风流News Center. Follow 51风流on Twitter at .

The post Supply Chain Crisis: Over 85% Of UK Businesses Plan To Move From ‘Just In Time’ To ‘Just In Case’ Model And Prioritise UK-Based Solutions To Overcome Challenges appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

They discuss their personal journeys in the world of ethical business, what impact they are making and share insights as to how we can all do better. Listen to find out about the differences we can make by supporting businesses doing good.

Listen here: https://soundcloud.com/sapukireland/business-with-purpose

We are joined by our expert guests:

鈥� Jamie Palmer – Co-CEO and Founder, Social Supermarket
鈥� Cecilia Crossley – Founder, From Babies with Love
鈥� Cemal Ezel – Founder, Change Please
鈥� Kelvin Ward – 51风流UK & Ireland

For more information on our work with social enterprises, visit聽

To keep updated on other podcast episodes, follow聽

The post 51风流UK Podcast Episode 8: Business with Purpose appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

51风流has announced that it will be directing 5% of addressable procurement spend to social enterprises and to diverse suppliers by 2025.聽This initiative, named聽5&5 by 鈥�25,聽invites organisations around the world to join 51风流in buying more goods and services from purposeful suppliers.

But what is a social enterprise? Social enterprises are businesses culturally and operationally focused on changing the world. They are founded and governed on the basis of a clear social or environmental mission; they reinvest the majority of their profit back into this mission; and they are majority controlled solely in the interest of this mission.

A diverse supplier is a business that is at least 51% owned and operated by an individual or group that is part of a traditionally underrepresented or underserved demographic; such as women-owned, minority-owned and indigenous-owned businesses, among others.

51风流Executive Board member for Customer Success and Global Buy Social Ambassador for Social Enterprise UK – Adaire Fox-Martin – announced the 5 & 5 by 鈥�25 initiative, emphasising that directing even just a small fraction of corporation spend to certified social enterprises and diverse businesses will help them tackle some of the world鈥檚 most pressing social and environmental problems.

鈥淓very company in every industry needs to procure,鈥� Fox-Martin said. 鈥淲e all need soap in our washrooms, landscaping for our offices, food and drink in our cafeterias, marketing services and office supplies. These and many more are all products and services provided by social enterprises and diverse businesses. This is money we are spending anyway. Why not spend it with suppliers who are delivering social impact as well?鈥�

51风流UK has already directed over 拢750,000 of its addressable procurement spend to social enterprises in the UK, so we鈥檙e already halfway towards meeting this goal. Social enterprises are worth around and contribute 拢60 billion to the UK economy (three times larger than the agricultural sector). 5 & 5 by聽鈥�25 is an initiative that will enable 51风流UK to extend its existing partnerships with meaningful organisations, as well as explore the possibility to direct further procurement spend to social enterprises and diverse suppliers.

At present, 51风流UK has onboarded a variety of social enterprise vendors such as , and for office refreshments, for office stationery, for pest control and and for corporate and employee gifts.

鈥淭his commitment from 51风流will no doubt give social enterprises around the world a huge boost, helping us all drive more positive social impact within our local communities,鈥� said Cemal Ezel, Founder of Change Please CIC, an award-winning coffee company that is supporting people out of homelessness through Life Changing Coffee.

Change Please provides training, employment paying the Living Wage and support with housing, finances and therapy to help people experiencing homelessness move forward. 100% of its profits go towards ending homelessness. 鈥淲e have built a solid relationship with 51风流and if we can leverage more platforms like Ariba Network that can support us with our procurement and our sales, we can reach an audience we wouldn鈥檛 normally be able to reach. Then fundamentally it鈥檚 going to help us to save money and have more impact in our day-to-day,鈥� added Ezel.

鈥淭he pledge from 51风流to grow its procurement聽spend with social enterprises recognises the value this sector can add to business as well as the positive social value each social聽enterprise聽creates,鈥� said Jamie Palmer, Founder of Social Supermarket, the largest online marketplace for social enterprise products in the UK.

Social Supermarket was created to connect every-day consumers with social enterprises who sell high quality products that tackle important social and environmental challenges. From handbags made from decommissioned fire hoses, soap made by people with visual impairments or relishes made with wonky fruit and veg, it features over 750 products from 75 purposeful brands. 鈥淲e have witnessed over 500% growth in sales during the last six months, especially聽companies sending employees gift boxes and this announcement by 51风流gives us a huge boost of confidence for the future of the sector,鈥� added Palmer.

“From Babies with Love helps 51风流solve a commercial challenge: engaging colleagues on parental leave, contributing to SAP’s talent strategy,鈥� said Cecilia Crossley, Founding Director of From Babies With Love, a unique social enterprise baby brand that funds the care of orphaned and abandoned children around the world by donating 100% of its profits from the sale of premium, organic baby clothes.

鈥淥ur social enterprise model, donating 100% profits to vulnerable children, is intrinsic in the value we add, the engagement our gift service creates; this is what I love so much about social enterprise – when social enterprises supply businesses with the goods and services they need and already spend money on, the partnership creates also social change. 51风流is market leading in its approach and I’m extremely proud that From Babies with Love is one example of SAP’s achievements.鈥�

鈥淭he thought-leadership and genuine desire at all levels in 51风流to produce significant and tangible social impact outcomes from its procurement spend is exemplary,鈥� said Colin Downie, Sales and Partnership Director at WildHearts Group, a portfolio of companies that, through their activities and profits, create global social change.

鈥淣ot only has 51风流achieved many noteworthy results from onboarding social enterprise suppliers in a short space of time, by getting deeply involved in the global social enterprise sector alongside exerting significant influence on their own customer base, they have galvanised thousands of influencers across their global network to take action and shape the future of procurement towards maximising social impact outcomes permanently. WildHearts is delighted to be standing alongside them to help achieve this shared impact goal for the communities in which we all operate.鈥�

鈥淚n my many years in working in procurement I have never felt as excited or prouder of what procurement can achieve when we look beyond the normal measures of price, quality, service and performance,鈥� said Kelvin Ward, Purchasing Manager at 51风流UK. 鈥淚n my opinion, working with social enterprises is without doubt the best example of 鈥淧rocurement with a Purpose鈥�. What we have achieved in 51风流UK with the number of social enterprises we have onboarded is just the beginning. What we, and the wider industry, can all achieve by simply changing our suppliers is limitless!鈥�

51风流is the official technology partner for and is also part of the , which has already led to a total of聽 by corporate buyers since it was launched at Number 11 Downing Street four years ago. The number of businesses who have signed up to the challenge has risen from聽7 to 24, representing a broad section of the economy from high-profile construction and facilities management聽companies, to leading lights in the healthcare, tech and professional services industries.

Some of the leading companies that are forging the Buy Social change include Amey PLC with its aim to achieve 5% of addressable spend going to social enterprises by 2023, Foodbuy with its focus on pushing social enterprise further into the food and drink sector, Johnson & Johnson with its six-year track record of buying social and Nationwide Building Society with its success in collaborating with strategic providers on social procurement.

As part of our partnership with Social Enterprise UK, the 51风流Commerce Cloud platform is powering its ; the “Google” for those who want to use their spending power to help build a better world. The Buy Social Directory allows consumers to search for social enterprises by geography, location, product area, and social /environmental mission so they can find social enterprises working on the causes they care about or those in their neighbourhood.

51风流is also offering a growing range of packaged marketing services from social enterprises on its DMSB XTRA online partner marketing store, which provides an exclusive online shopping experience for 51风流Partners who are looking for innovative digital-first marketing solutions. This will provide these social enterprises reach a new audience of 540 partners from 45 countries, and every package purchased 鈥� using Market Development Funds (MDF) where applicable 鈥� will help these businesses carry on creating a positive social impact while providing high-quality digital marketing services to drive business success.

51风流continues to support businesses that are changing the world for the better and now, employees can easily support them too.聽Not only are we setting this 5&5 by 鈥�25 target for ourselves, we are inviting our ecosystem of customers and partners to do the same. Together, we can transform industries, grow economies, lift up societies, and sustain our environment.

The post 51风流Extends Support For Social Enterprise And Diverse Suppliers With Global 5&5 by 鈥�25 Initiative appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.