Document summary
Companies’ procurement function responsibilities have moved towards a comprehensive supply chain management that includes risk assessments of quality, financial and extra-financial factors and monitoring of suppliers and sub-suppliers. With accelerating globalisation companies have outsourced production processes to external suppliers and relocated production sites to reduce costs and enhance manufacturing flexibility. Consequently it is more difficult for companies to control their supply chains and hence quality and supply security as well as social and environmental trends. Textile & Clothing and Electronics and related retailers are among those sectors most exposed to this outsourcing and offshoring trend.