PwC India releases a study of 150+ CXOs that finds supply chains as ‘growth enablers’
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PwC India on Friday unveiled its report “Backroom to Boardroom: securing supply chains at the table”, based on insights from CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, CSCOs, and supply chain leaders across India-based organisations with global operations.
The study, which encompasses sectors including manufacturing, retail, FMCG, e-commerce, EPC, construction and infrastructure, pharma and MedTech, and oil and gas/chemical, emphasises how supply chains are quickly evolving into strategic enablers of enterprise reinvention, profitability, and customer value.
The study’s findings reveal that 32% of business leaders admit they have yet to integrate supply chain leadership into boardroom-level decision-making, underscoring how supply chains remain underleveraged, despite being central to cost, trust, and customer experience. It exhorts business leadership to integrate supply chains at the CEO level and to make long-term investments to fully unlock their potential.
“In today’s volatile business environment, supply chains sit at the intersection of trust, technology, and transformation. Their elevation from backroom functions to strategic enablers is critical to building resilience, agility, and sustainable growth,” said Ajay Nair, Partner and Leader Supply Chain and Operations, PwC India, in a statement. According to Nair, the report highlights responsiveness, resilience, and sustainability as the three glidepaths shaping the next generation of supply chains, supported by a 12-point roadmap for transformation.
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“Businesses that continuously reinvent and create value for people, planet and investors are the ‘trust pioneers’ of tomorrow. Supply chains have a pivotal role in enabling this transformation,” added Vishvesh Prabhakar, Partner & Leader Supply Chain Solution Cluster India, PwC India, in a statement.
The report finds that only 16% of organisations feel fully prepared for large-scale disruptions, while 35% describe their supply chains as fragile. PwC, in the report, recommends embedding digital twins, scenario modelling, and diversified supplier ecosystems to strengthen continuity and risk management.
Despite increasing digital maturity, technology adoption, especially AI or GenAI, remains limited. The report urges companies to move beyond pilot programmes and leverage digital platforms, automation, and AI/GenAI to enable predictive, intelligent supply chain decision-making.
The report also adds that sustainability is now a major growth factor. “Low-impact products are now preferred by 60% of consumers, and 29% of CXOs report income increases from sustainability-led projects. PwC urges businesses to transition to circular, regenerative economies that benefit society, business, and the environment,” adds the report.