Supply chain performance is increasingly determining which organisations grow, adapt and outperform in an environment defined by disruption, volatility and rising customer expectations. Once viewed primarily as an operational function, supply chain is now a critical source of resilience, profitability, growth and competitive advantage. Yet many organisations remain constrained by limited visibility, fragmented decision-making and operating models that are not equipped for today’s challenges.
Conducted by 4C Associates in partnership with the University of Warwick, the inaugural Transformative Supply Chain Annual Survey assesses the maturity of 85 organisations across sectors and geographies. The research examines the capabilities, governance, relationships, technology and ways of working that separate high-performing supply chains from the rest.
The findings reveal a clear message for senior leaders: organisations with more mature supply chains consistently achieve stronger service performance, better resilience and greater strategic value. Yet no organisation surveyed achieved an overall World-Class maturity position, highlighting a significant opportunity for improvement across all sectors.
Five Findings Every Supply Chain Leader Should Understand
1. Maturity Drives Performance
Established organisations achieve service levels 9.5 percentage points higher than those operating at Basic maturity, with every step up the maturity curve delivering an average improvement of approximately 3%. Supply chain maturity is not a theoretical concept. It is directly linked to measurable business outcomes.
2. Many Organisations Lack Strategic Direction
No organisation reported having a fully developed supply chain vision and strategy, while only 4.7% said their strategy was communicated and understood across the wider organisation. Without a clear strategic framework, transformation efforts often remain reactive and disconnected from business priorities.
3. Visibility Remains a Critical Weakness
More than half of organisations have only a basic or no understanding of uncertainty beyond their immediate suppliers. Limited visibility across extended supply networks reduces the ability to anticipate disruption, manage risk and respond proactively.
4. Stakeholder Engagement is Holding Organisations Back
Nearly 78% of supply chain functions have only a limited or partial understanding of stakeholder requirements, while just 1% are viewed as trusted advisers. The highest-performing organisations consistently demonstrate stronger cross-functional collaboration and business alignment.
5. Technology and AI Remain Underutilised
Technology & AI was identified as the lowest-maturity operating model element. More than two-thirds of organisations reported limited understanding of AI’s business value, and no organisation reported widespread deployment of generative, predictive or agentic AI.
What You’ll Find in the Full Report
The full report provides a comprehensive benchmark across ten critical supply chain operating model dimensions, helping leaders understand where their organisation stands and what capabilities are most strongly linked to performance. You’ll discover:
- How your organisation compares with peers
- The maturity gaps limiting resilience, service and value creation
- The operating model characteristics shared by higher-performing organisations
- Sector-specific insights and benchmarks
- Practical recommendations for accelerating supply chain transformation
The evidence is clear. The organisations creating competitive advantage are not simply investing in new technology. They are aligning strategy, people, governance, processes and data to create supply chains that are more visible, resilient and capable of making better decisions under pressure.
Download the Full Report
Benchmark your organisation, identify your biggest opportunities for improvement, and discover what separates high-performing supply chains from the rest.
Complete the form below to access the Transformative Supply Chain Annual Report 2026:
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
Whether you’re looking to improve resilience, increase visibility, optimise performance or accelerate transformation, our supply chain specialists can help. Get in touch to discuss your current challenges, benchmark your maturity and explore practical opportunities to create long-term value: Allison Ford-Langstaff, or Erika Biggadike.
