𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Avetta is a Business Reporter client

Supply chain risk is no longer a single issue to manage – it is constant, interconnected and often difficult to detect until something goes wrong. For organisations overseeing complex contractor networks, the challenge is no longer whether to invest in risk management, but where to focus for the greatest impact.

New analysis from Avetta’s 2026 Insights and Impact Report – based on data from more than 130,000 suppliers – offers a clear answer. The organisations seeing the strongest safety outcomes are not relying on a single capability. Instead, they follow a structured progression: build a strong foundation, expand visibility across risk and apply a connected, strategic approach.

Across industries and regions, three takeaways stand out.

Foundation matters

Strong safety performance begins with a consistent foundation – but the data shows that impact increases significantly when those capabilities extend into active worksites.

Among all foundational capabilities, one stands out. Suppliers that implement worksite scheduling and permissions processes experience a nearly 70 per cent reduction in fatality rates.

This finding highlights a critical shift. Traditional processes such as prequalification, audits and worker management establish control before work begins. But risk does not remain on paper. It evolves in real time – at the job site, where workers, contractors and conditions intersect.

Worksite scheduling and permissions close that gap. By tracking contractor activity, enforcing site-specific requirements and capturing real-time data from the field, these processes give organisations visibility where it matters most.

The result is not just stronger compliance, but measurable reductions in the most serious incidents – demonstrating that when foundational controls extend into execution, they become critical drivers of safety performance.

Visibility matters

A strong safety foundation is essential – but on its own, it does not provide a complete picture of risk.

The report shows that suppliers with more mature ESG practices – those classified as “innovators” – are impacted by half as many fatality rates as early-stage ESG suppliers.

This finding underscores a broader reality: safety outcomes are influenced by factors well beyond traditional health and safety programs. Governance, workforce practices, financial stability and operational maturity all play a role in how safely work is performed.

Expanding visibility across these areas gives organisations a more comprehensive understanding of risk across their supply chain. Instead of reacting to incidents, they can identify patterns earlier – whether related to operational strain, inconsistent processes or gaps in oversight – and take action before issues escalate.

In this context, visibility is not about more data. It is about better insight – connecting signals across multiple risk domains to improve decision-making, strengthen alignment and drive better outcomes.

Strategy matters

While individual capabilities deliver measurable improvements, the most significant impact comes from how they work together.

Organisations that take a connected, strategic approach – layering multiple risk management capabilities into a unified system – can reduce fatalities by 97 per cent.

This result reflects the compounding effect of an integrated approach. Each capability adds a layer of oversight, strengthens controls and helps surface risk earlier. When combined, they create a system that is far more effective than any single process on its own.

Rather than operating in silos, leading organisations are aligning their safety, compliance and operational processes into a co-ordinated framework. This shift enables them to move from reactive risk management to a proactive, data-driven approach – one that consistently reduces incidents and improves performance at scale.

From insight to action

The implications of this data are clear. Reducing serious incidents and fatalities across complex supply chains needs more than incremental improvement – it requires a deliberate shift in how risk is managed.

Organisations that see the strongest results are those that move beyond fragmented processes and take a structured approach: establishing a strong foundation, expanding visibility across all relevant risk areas and strategically integrating capabilities into a connected system.

For many, the challenge is not understanding what needs to be done – it is operationalising it at scale.

This is where the right partner becomes critical. Avetta works with organisations around the world to connect clients and suppliers through a unified platform that brings together prequalification, worksite safety, ESG insights and broader risk visibility into a single, actionable system.

By combining data, workflows and expertise, Avetta helps companies turn fragmented risk management activities into a co-ordinated approach – one that not only reduces fatalities and serious injuries but also improves efficiency, strengthens supplier performance and keeps operations moving.

As supply chains grow more complex, the difference between managing risk and controlling it will define which organisations can operate with confidence. The data shows what is possible. The next step is putting it into practice.

Download Avetta’s Insights and Impact Report 2026 to learn more.