Last week, I asked the question “What do you see as the biggest supply chain risk heading into 2026?” The results are in.
A clear majority pointed to geopolitical trade risk as the top concern. Cyber and digital threats, supplier disruptions, and AI/automation risk ranked lower, even though they are often linked to global trade dynamics. Trade policy shifts, sanctions, regional blocs, and sudden regulatory changes are now structural features of the operating environment, not outliers.
This pattern is familiar: risks that are visible, external, and headline-driven get the most attention. Meanwhile, the internal and systemic risks that quietly compound disruptions often feel secondary until it’s too late.
At The Supply Chain Risk Management Consortium, we provide consultancy services and training to help organizations go beyond awareness, providing frameworks and training to see how different risks interact under pressure. See below for some helpful recommendations for your consideration.
How to combat geopolitical trade risk:
1. Embed geopolitics into sourcing, network design, S&OP, and capital allocation
2. Use scenario planning tied to real trade events to test assumptions before they break
3. Reduce exposure at critical nodes without over-diversifying
4. Strengthen trade and regulatory intelligence beyond headline monitoring
5. Establish clear response and escalation frameworks for fast-moving trade events
6. Align digital, cyber, and trade resilience planning
7. Train cross-functional teams to operate under real-world pressure
8. Revisit sourcing and cost assumptions regularly, not post-disruption
Are you surprised by the results? Share your thoughts with me in the comments section.
We offer consultancy services, educational risk management programs and supply chain assessment tools.