HSBC Report Shows Global Supply Chains Remain Vulnerable to Unanticipated External Shocks

Resiliency through supply chain finance can provide important safeguards against unexpected disruptions

With global supply chains becoming more complex and geopolitical uncertainty increasingly impacting global trade, thus changing the nature of trade flows, supply chain finance can be an important tool to help eliminate those risks, according to “Building Resilient Supply Chains Amid an Uncertain Geopolitical Landscape,” a new HSBC report published in collaboration with Procurement Leaders, a World50 Group Community.

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HSBC Americas Head of Global Trade Solutions Marissa Adams (Photo: Business Wire)

While supply chain disruptions are nothing new, complex modern products have become dependent on many different components sourced around the world, thereby making an unexpected event impacting supply chains more harmful. As such, trade experts advise that companies rethink their approach to sourcing, focusing on building supply chains that are transparent and where possible simpler, resilient to geopolitical risks, sourced from markets closer to home, and not reliant on one sole supplier of goods and materials.

Supply chain finance is another important tool that companies can leverage to decouple their financial supply chain from their physical supply chain, according to Americas Head of Global Trade Solutions Marissa Adams. She said supply chain finance allows organizations to hold more inventory on a cost-neutral, balance-sheet friendly basis. Injecting liquidity into a trading relationship can add resilience and safety buffers.

“An intelligently designed supply chain finance program can do a lot of heavy lifting in terms of de-risking trading relationships, improving supplier resilience, and providing suppliers with the finance to invest in and develop their businesses,” said Adams, who suggested that companies follow a four-stage risk assessment and remediation process to plan for uncertainty:

• Take a risk-based approach to sourcing analysis
  
  
  
  Rather than reviewing threats by tier, stock-keeping unit or category, focus on those areas in which the organizations is most at risk, or where the biggest dangers lie. Often, these areas will be associated with specific regions or countries.

• Analyze the consequences of supply disruption
  
  
  
  Estimating the likelihood of disruption is difficult, but exploring the likely consequences of any disruption is not. Which products or product groups would be impacted? How quickly? For how long? Are any substitutes available? What might the financial consequences be?

• Review the options available to help avoid disruption
  
  
  
  What other suppliers exist? Where are they located? Do they offer the same product, i.e. like-for-like? How viable are they in terms of scale, technology maturity, time-to-market and quality? Do you need to locate one, two, or even more alternative suppliers?

• Repeat this process as necessary to avoid new and emerging risks
  
  
  
  If recent history has taught us anything, it is that the world doesn’t stand still: geopolitical uncertainties arise over time. Your product offerings and supply base evolve. Repeat the exercise as new threats and vulnerabilities emerge.

This latest trade report follows the launch of HSBC Global Trade Solutions, a new identity for the bank’s long-standing Global Trade and Receivables Finance (GTRF) business. Global Trade Solutions builds upon HSBC’s foundations as a trade bank, while creating new ways to connect the world through trade. The new direction focuses on supporting businesses for the future, helping them navigate the constantly evolving landscape of global trade by harnessing HSBC’s long-standing network, expertise and solutions.

Click here to learn more about Global Trade Solutions.

About HSBC

HSBC Holdings plc

HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of HSBC, is headquartered in London. HSBC serves customers worldwide from offices in 62 countries and territories. With assets of US$3,0001bn at 31 March 2024, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations.

HSBC Bank USA, National Association (HSBC Bank USA, N.A.) serves customers through Wealth and Personal Banking, Commercial Banking, Private Banking, Global Banking, and Markets and Securities Services. Deposit products are offered by HSBC Bank USA, N.A., Member FDIC. It operates Wealth Centers in: California; Washington, D.C.; Florida; New Jersey; New York; Virginia; and Washington. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is the principal subsidiary of HSBC USA Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings Inc.

These materials are intended solely for your information and HSBC Bank USA, N.A., assumes no obligation to update or otherwise revise these materials. The information, analysis and opinions contained herein constitute our present judgment which is subject to change at any time without notice. Nothing contained herein should be construed as tax, investment, accounting or legal advice. In all cases, you should conduct your own investigation and analysis of each potential transaction, and you should consider the advice of your legal, accounting, tax and other business advisors and such other factors that you consider appropriate. This is not a recommendation, offer, endorsement or solicitation to purchase or sell any security, commodity, currency or other instrument or a commitment to provide any financing that may be described in these materials.

For more information, visit: HSBC in the USA

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