Supply Chain Resilience in 2026: Key Risks and How to Prepare

Over the past few years, we've all seen how quickly things can go wrong: a blocked port, a delayed shipment, or a rule change in a key market can disrupt entire operations. For supply chain leaders, resilience has become a basic requirement. You need partners, platforms, and systems that help you adapt fast and maintain continuity, regardless of what’s happening outside your control.

Read on to discover:

• The 4 core pillars of supply chain resilience
• Today’s biggest threats and how to prepare for them
• Supply chain resilience strategies
• Real examples of companies strengthening their operations

What Is Supply Chain Resilience?

Supply chain resilience is the ability of a supply network to prepare for, adapt to, and recover quickly from unexpected disruptions (whether caused by natural disasters, political shifts, or market volatility), while maintaining continuous operations and meeting customer demands.

There are 4 core pillars of supply chain resilience.

1. Visibility means having real-time access to data across the entire supply chain: from suppliers to customers. It helps companies detect disruptions early, monitor inventory and shipments, and make proactive decisions to minimize delays.
2. Flexibility in a supply chain can quickly adapt to changes in demand, supplier issues, or geopolitical events. Flexibility involves having alternative suppliers, scalable systems, and the ability to reroute logistics when necessary.
3. Strong communication and trust between supply chain partners—suppliers, manufacturers, logistics providers—are critical. Collaboration fosters faster response times, better alignment, and fewer errors during disruptions.
4. Automation reduces manual effort, eliminates bottlenecks, and improves accuracy in tasks like order processing, invoicing, and inventory management. Tools like Comarch EDI enhance automation, enabling faster recovery from shocks through seamless data exchange.[Z1] 

Top Threats to Global Supply Chains

While the core pillars of resilience provide the foundation for a stronger supply chain, it’s just as important to understand what threatens that stability. Today, supply chain management must address a wide range of risks that can disrupt operations overnight.

Natural Disasters and Pandemics

From wildfires and floods to global health crises like COVID-19, natural disasters can cripple logistics, delay shipments, and restrict workforce availability. These events are often unpredictable and far-reaching, making preparedness and agility essential.

When the Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal for just one week in 2021, it brought already strained supply chains—still reeling from COVID-19—to a standstill, with ripple effects lasting for weeks. The lesson was clear: even short-term disruptions can have long-term consequences. And yet, while more than 96% of companies acknowledge the need for stronger protections against future supply disruptions, only about half have acted on it.

Regulatory Changes and Trade Restrictions

Cross-border trade is increasingly affected by shifting political landscapes, tariffs, and evolving compliance requirements. E-invoicing in Poland, France’s PDP system, or other new mandates require businesses to stay compliant or face delays and penalties.

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Cybersecurity Risks

As digital transformation accelerates, supply chains become more interconnected and more vulnerable. Cyberattacks targeting suppliers, logistics platforms, or EDI systems can cause data breaches, system shutdowns, and lasting damage to business relationships.

Between 2021 and 2023, supply chain cyberattacks rose by 431%, with further increases expected by 2025. These attacks are particularly effective because they exploit the trust between connected organizations and their partners, allowing a single breach to paralyze entire networks.

Supplier Bankruptcies

Economic instability and fluctuating market demands can force smaller suppliers out of business without warning. When companies rely on single-source or geographically concentrated vendors, a sudden collapse, or even an abrupt market exit, can halt production and create costly bottlenecks.

A clear example is Nokian Tyres, which, before exiting Russia, produced around 80% of its passenger-car tires there, representing roughly 20% of its total net sales. While not a bankruptcy, the company’s departure from Russia in 2022 significantly reduced production capacity and disrupted tire availability across Central Europe, with a recovery timeline projected at 2–3 years. It’s a stark reminder of how supply chains built around one region or supplier are exposed to massive risk.

Building Resilient Supply Chains

Knowing the threats is just the first step. Real resilience comes from acting on that knowledge. Building resilient supply chains means rethinking how your business collaborates, communicates, and responds to change.

In fact, 54% of companies acknowledged that their supply chains changed significantly between 2020 and 2022, highlighting just how rapidly businesses have been forced to adapt.

Strengthen Supplier Collaboration

Strong supplier relationships are at the core of every resilient supply chain. Effective collaboration allows businesses to respond quickly to unexpected events like raw material shortages or shipping delays. But that collaboration can’t happen without seamless communication.

That’s why businesses are shifting away from slow, manual processes like email or spreadsheets and embracing digital communication channels. These systems support faster information sharing, fewer errors, and stronger supplier alignment.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) plays a critical role in maintaining consistency and accuracy across supplier interactions. By automating document exchange with systems such as Comarch EDI, companies can reduce misunderstandings and eliminate delays.

Improve Data Visibility

Visibility means knowing what’s happening in your supply chain at every level, in real time. Without it, delays and disruptions can spiral into costly setbacks.

Modern supply chains rely on real-time tracking, predictive alerts, and centralized dashboards to stay agile. AI-powered tools can identify anomalies, forecast demand, and alert your team before small problems become big ones.

And that means that your EDI system should integrate with ERP, WMS, and financial software to give you cross-system visibility and a clear picture of inventory, order statuses, and invoice flows. This level of insight empowers companies to respond faster, make better decisions, and reduce risk.

Diversify & Localize Supply Sources

If the past few years have taught businesses anything, it’s that overdependence on one region or supplier is a major risk. Whether it's a port closure in Asia or a geopolitical conflict in Europe, single-source strategies make companies vulnerable.

A resilient supply chain is built on diversification. That means sourcing from multiple regions, working with backup vendors, and planning for alternative routes.

AI and data analytics can help map supply chain dependencies and simulate disruption scenarios. These tools allow companies to identify weak points and develop strategies for redundancy before a crisis hits.

Automate with AI & EDI

Manual processes are slow, error-prone, and difficult to scale, making them a liability in times of crisis. That’s why everyone is talking about automation.

From automated order processing to touchless invoicing, systems powered by artificial intelligence reduce lead times, enhance accuracy, and resolve disputes faster. They also free up your team to focus on more strategic work.

Use an EDI system that uses a powerful AI engine to ensure compliance, boost productivity, and provide business continuity even in volatile conditions.

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Resilient Supply Chains in Real Life

Transition without Disruption: BIC

Faced with the challenge of replacing its EDI infrastructure across global operations, BIC needed a solution that would offer stability, flexibility, and security without disrupting daily supply chain processes. By partnering with Comarch, BIC was able to execute a complex migration across all partners and message flows without a single breakdown in service.

Thanks to cloud-based scalability, robust integration with ERP and ticketing systems, and support for multiple international standards, BIC now processes over 15,000 commercial and logistics documents monthly—securely and efficiently.

Supplier Collaboration at Scale: Leroy Merlin

When Leroy Merlin sought to digitize communication with over 2,500 suppliers, the primary goal was to achieve resilience through transparency. With Comarch EDI, the retailer was able to centralize and automate critical supply chain communications, enabling near real-time responsiveness and greater partner alignment.

Using KAFKA-based data streaming and flexible onboarding protocols, Leroy Merlin digitized 98% of invoices and 100% of orders, improving accuracy and drastically reducing manual intervention. With a dedicated SLA-backed implementation model, they maintain high-quality standards and adapt quickly to ongoing supply chain needs.

Scaling for Global Complexity: METRO Digital

Operating in 24 countries and issuing hundreds of daily orders, METRO Digital needed a platform that could scale with its international supply chain and eliminate inefficiencies from legacy systems. Comarch delivered an end-to-end solution that automated supply chain communication, reduced costs, and enhanced decision-making under pressure.

With real-time visibility, METRO can now react instantly to supplier issues, minimize processing errors, and maintain service quality even in dynamic market conditions. By going paperless and centralizing operations via Comarch Data Centers, METRO also achieved measurable CSR gains.

Sustainability as a Resilience Factor

Supply chain sustainability is today a core element of resilience. As businesses face increasing pressure from consumers, regulators, and investors to meet environmental, social, and governance standards, sustainable practices are becoming essential to long-term operational stability.

Sustainable supply chain management focuses on:

• Reducing environmental impact
• Ensuring ethical sourcing
• Improving resource utilization

While 95% of companies recognize that pressure to cut CO₂ emissions will directly affect their supply chains, only 13% feel adequately prepared to respond to it. This gap underscores the urgent need for proactive sustainability strategies.

One of the most immediate and impactful steps companies can take is digitizing document flows. EDI eliminates paper-based transactions, minimizes human errors, and reduces operational waste. Platforms like Comarch EDI enable businesses to streamline processes, lower carbon emissions, and track sustainability KPIs across their networks.

Additionally, digital supply chains provide the transparency needed to audit supplier compliance with ESG standards, enforce ethical labor practices, and ensure responsible sourcing.

By embracing technology and sustainability together, companies can improve their environmental footprint and create stronger, more future-proof supply chains that are capable of adapting to global challenges.

Regulatory & Digital Readiness for the Future

As governments worldwide continue pushing for transparency and tax efficiency, mandatory e-invoicing is becoming the new standard. Countries like France, Poland, and the UAE are implementing national e-invoicing systems—such as France’s PDP model, Poland’s KSeF, and the UAE’s E-Billing System—requiring businesses to digitize their invoice processes to stay compliant.

That’s where supply chain management software plays a crucial role.

Platforms like Comarch EDI are designed to ensure full compliance with varying legal frameworks while facilitating electronic data exchange. With built-in features for data validation, secure archiving, and real-time regulatory updates, our solutions help businesses avoid penalties, streamline cross-border operations, and ensure resilience in the face of constant change.

Why Comarch EDI?

Trusted by global leaders in automotive, retail, and logistics, Comarch EDI processes over 300 million documents annually across 80+ countries. With 25+ years of experience, our platform delivers real-time data exchange, built-in regulatory compliance, and scalable architecture to support businesses of all sizes.

Whether you're navigating international e-invoicing mandates or aiming to strengthen your overall supply chain resilience, Comarch EDI offers the reliability and flexibility you need.

Let’s build resilience together. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to explore your needs and receive expert recommendations tailored to your supply chain.

Key Takeaways:

• Supply chain resilience is essential in a world shaped by disruptions, climate events, and evolving regulations.
• Visibility, flexibility, collaboration, and automation form the foundation of a resilient supply chain.
• Businesses must be prepared for modern threats like natural disasters, cybersecurity breaches, and supplier failures.
• Real resilience comes from strategic action, including:
  • Strengthening digital supplier collaboration
  • Enhancing real-time visibility across systems
  • Diversifying sourcing strategies
  • Embracing AI and EDI-powered automation
• Sustainability is a resilience multiplier. EDI reduces paper, waste, and emissions while supporting ESG compliance.

What Comes Next for Your Supply Chain

When consumer expectations are higher than ever (and so are the risks associated with running an international company), a resilient supply chain should be your foundation. And it requires work: well-chosen systems, strong partners, and strategic decisions.

Being digital and using data to your advantage with Comarch EDI helps enterprises adapt faster, stay compliant, and avoid many business disruptions. If you’re looking to improve how your supply chain performs under stress, now is the time to act.