Top Five Procurement Stories: Proxima, Siemens, Amazon, GEP
Why CEOs Struggle to Execute Supply Chain Resilience Plansāāāāāāā
It is no secret that businesses are navigating a period of intense supply chain uncertainty.
Business operations now face continuous upheaval rather than isolated disruption events. This has prompted leaders to shift from efficiency to resilience as their main priority, but many are struggling to turn plans into action.
Proxima, part of Bain & Company, has published its Global Supply Chain Resilience Outlook report, examining the main concerns and obstacles facing leaders.
The research covers issues including cyber resilience and artificial intelligence (AI) implementation.
Siemens and AWS: AI Agents for Enterprise Procurement
Industrial companies face unique procurement challenges including complex machinery, systems requiring integration, security protocols and regulatory compliance.
Traditional buying cycles can stretch for months. In defence, procurement cycles can run a decade or more, according to Goldman Sachs.
AI technology for procurement, built on combined Siemens and AWS capabilities, is delivering products to market 30% to 50% faster across energy, infrastructure, aerospace and automotive sectors, Siemens claims.
Deloitte says that many operations in sourcing and procurement still rely on manual activities and swivel chair processes though it notes that gen AI has the potential to transform these day-to-day operations.
How Amazon is Using AI for Supply Chain Decarbonisation
Amazon matched all electricity consumed across its global operations with renewable energy for a third consecutive year.
According to the company's 2025 Sustainability Report, this was made possible through a carbon-free energy portfolio that now spans 712 projects with a combined capacity of 42GW.
The expansion in renewable energy capacity corresponds with Amazon's data centre growth. In 2025, Amazon added more data centre capacity than any other company to meet demand for its AWS and AI services.
GEP: Businesses are Stockpiling to Avoid Sourcing Issues
Organisations around the world have been undergoing immense pressure in recent months, with procurement teams having to make strategic decisions to avoid disruption.
Decisions made by procurement leaders have been the driver of resilience throughout an entire organisation, putting these leaders at the forefront of strategy – particularly in recent times.
Now, as volatility shows no signs of stopping, GEP has found that companies are looking at stockpiling in order to avoid supply chain risks.
How Starbucks is Creating Resilient Coffee Supply Chains
Starbucks has operated for more than 50 years. The company's 2025 Impact Report outlines progress in building what it describes as a sustainable and resilient coffee supply chain.
The report details efforts to affect the environment and communities. The company began fiscal year 2025 by implementing its Back to Starbucks strategy, which refocuses on business fundamentals.
