What Does the Global TPRM Survey Reveal About Third-Party Risk?

The eighth annual Global Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) survey examines how organizations are responding to geopolitical pressure, ESG expectations, supply chain dependencies, and new technology. In this panel discussion, experts unpack the findings and consider what they mean for building a more mature TPRM program. What the Survey Found Geopolitical challenges were the most commonly cited macroeconomic headwind, selected by 61% of respondents. Investment in risk models, methodologies, policies, and standards was a priority for 63%. The panel notes that technology remains useful, but teams also need people who can interpret risk data and act on it. ESG and Data Quality Organizations are putting more budget and leadership attention toward ESG risk. Many are still working out which data to collect and which sources to trust. The discussion covers corporate ethics, labor and human rights, environmental issues, and climate change. Resilience and Concentration Risk The panel explores how supplier dependencies affect operational resilience. It discusses joint simulations with suppliers and the difficulty of identifying concentration risk among subcontractors and large technology providers. It also examines “reverse concentration,” where a supplier depends heavily on one customer. Trust, Technology, and AI Many organizations still use spreadsheets and repetitive questionnaires to manage third-party risk. The speakers discuss more collaborative approaches to gathering information, along with potential uses for AI in document review and risk analysis. They also note that AI introduces risks that TPRM teams need to monitor. What You Will Learn Which pressures survey respondents identified as their biggest challenges Where organizations are prioritizing TPRM investment Why ESG programs need trustworthy data How supplier dependencies can affect resilience What concentration and reverse concentration risk mean Where AI may help, and what risks it introduces FAQs Q: What was the biggest macroeconomic challenge in the Global TPRM survey? A: Geopolitical challenges were the most commonly cited headwind, selected by 61% of respondents. Q: Where are organizations investing in TPRM? A: Risk models, methodologies, policies, and standards were a priority for 63% of respondents. The panel also discussed investment in leadership and talent. Q: What is reverse concentration risk? A: It describes a situation where a supplier depends heavily on the organization it serves. That dependency can create risk if the commercial relationship changes. Q: How can AI support third-party risk management? A: The panel discussed using AI to assist with document review and risk analysis. Organizations also need to assess the new risks AI may introduce within their own programs and supplier relationships. Read the TPRM Survey: https://mitratech.com/resource-hub/bl... Related Topics: Global TPRM Survey | Third-Party Risk Management | Geopolitical Risk | ESG Risk | Operational Resilience | Concentration Risk | Supplier Dependencies | AI in TPRM