Third-Party & Supply Chain

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the addition of several textile companies from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List. This action, effective November 1, 2024, will prevent goods from 78 PRC-based companies from entering the United States, reinforcing the U.S. commitment to fighting forced labor and the atrocities against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

As businesses increasingly depend on external partners, the concept of a "self-contained" organization has become outdated. From suppliers and service providers to contractors and consultants, third-party relationships now form the backbone of modern operations. However, with this expansion into vast networks of external entities comes an equally vast landscape of risks—many of which businesses fail to fully grasp, often resulting in costly mistakes that could have been avoided.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has introduced a cutting-edge supply chain risk assessment tool at its first-ever Supply Chain Summit. The event, held on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, marked a significant shift from reactive measures to proactive strategies in managing global supply chain disruptions.

The banking sector finds itself at a critical juncture. The proliferation of partnerships between traditional financial institutions and innovative FinTechs has ushered in unprecedented opportunities for growth and customer engagement. However, this intricate web of relationships has also introduced a new dimension of risk that demands immediate attention from Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) professionals, Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) specialists, and compliance officers.

In an era where data is often described as the new oil, Toyota, one of the world's largest automakers, finds itself again grappling with the consequences of a significant data leak. The incident, involving the exposure of 240GB of sensitive information, brings to the forefront the complex challenges of managing cybersecurity in a digitally interconnected business ecosystem.

Körber Supply Chain Software announced on August 6 that they have reached an agreement to acquire MercuryGate International Inc., a leading provider of transportation management systems (TMS). Körber, already a global leader in end-to-end supply chain software solutions, is poised with the acquisition to expand their capabilities in delivering comprehensive, innovative, adaptable, and scalable supply chain execution offerings.

Banks and investment firms face a multitude of risks - from financial and regulatory to reputational and legal. To address these challenges effectively, institutions must have a comprehensive understanding of not only their internal risks, but also the risks presented by their third-party vendors, suppliers, and clients.