Supply chains: Two thirds of Swiss companies part ways with risky partners

Swiss companies are particularly active in international business networks - and therefore have to react more frequently when risks arise with partners. According to a recent Navex survey, 67% of the companies surveyed in Switzerland have parted ways with at least one third-party partner in the last twelve months. On average, around 13.5 business relationships were terminated. The international nature of these decisions is particularly striking: 70% of companies reported that their offboarding decisions also affected business partners abroad - the highest figure of all the markets surveyed. There is also a particularly high level of intensity when it comes to terminating business relationships. 22% of companies ended more than 20 partner relationships in the past year, and 8% even ended more than 50. Oliver Riehl, Regional Vice President Sales at Navex, puts this development into perspective: «The Swiss economy has a strong international focus. Companies work with partners in many different markets and regulatory environments. As a result, risks often arise at the interfaces of international supply chains. Companies should therefore set up proactive programs to assess and monitor the risks associated with their supply chain partners.»

International supply chains increase the risk of disruption

The strong international network is also reflected in disruptions caused by third parties. 65% of Swiss companies report problems with suppliers or service providers within the last twelve months. They most frequently cite operational problems (35%), followed by regulatory challenges (31%) and cyber and technology risks (29%). At the same time, many companies are convinced that they can identify risks at an early stage. 85% of respondents state that they are able to identify problems in good time before they escalate. However, the proportion of those who feel «very confident» is just 21% - the lowest figure of all the countries surveyed. Oliver Riehl sees this as a typical challenge of international business models. «International supply chains are complex systems. Risks often arise where different regulatory requirements, technologies or business processes come together,» explains the Navex expert, who has been working on the interface between compliance, governance and technological innovation for some time. The consequences of such risks can also be seen economically. 34% of Swiss companies report having lost business opportunities in the past year - such as partnerships, investments or customers - because they were unable to meet compliance or risk requirements themselves.

Strategic responsibility is not always clearly anchored

The study also shows a differentiated picture when it comes to the question of governance. 67% of companies see their management boards as fundamentally responsible for decisions in third-party management. However, only 26% of respondents ascribe full responsibility to the company management. At the same time, comparatively few companies would like to see senior management more closely involved. Only 54% of respondents believe that board members should be more responsible for risks in third-party management - also the lowest figure in an international comparison. Oliver Riehl is critical of this reluctance: «Many organizations manage risks very professionally at an operational level. However, without clear strategic responsibility at board level, there is often a lack of an overarching perspective on the entire risk landscape.»

Great uncertainty in the use of artificial intelligence

In addition to dealing with third parties, the Navex study, which was conducted in December 2025, also examines the use of artificial intelligence in companies. There is a particularly high level of uncertainty here in Switzerland. Only 33% of the companies surveyed feel fully prepared for upcoming regulatory requirements - the lowest figure among the countries surveyed. Internal guidelines are also often not yet clear. Although 80 percent of companies state that they generally have guidelines for the use of AI, only 29 percent consider these to be very clear. At the same time, the results of the survey show that AI is not yet being used across the board: 29% of respondents use it regularly or consistently. However, another figure from the study is particularly striking: 15 percent of companies are unable to estimate how often they use AI despite the potential risks. In other countries surveyed, this figure is almost zero. Oliver Riehl therefore warns of a growing governance problem: «If companies do not know exactly where and how AI is being used, this creates a blind spot in risk management.» The Navex expert emphasizes that clear guidelines and transparency about areas of application are crucial. «Internationally active organizations in particular need to closely interlink the use of technology, compliance and governance in order to manage innovation and risk in a controlled manner,» concludes Riehl.

Source: www.navex.com/de-de

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/lieferketten-zwei-drittel-der-schweizer-firmen-trennen-sich-von-riskanten-partnern/