2026 Supply Chain Priorities, Challenges, and Trends

Why It Matters

The report signals that cross‑functional collaboration and strategic AI investment are essential for firms to mitigate escalating geopolitical risk and maintain service performance, directly impacting cost efficiency and market competitiveness.

Key Takeaways

• Global trade risk tops 2026 supply chain impact list.
• Collaboration gaps remain primary obstacle to achieving supply chain goals.
• Budgets for technology and innovation rise for half of firms.
• Supply chain planning emerges as top priority across industries in 2026.
• AI, especially generative and agentic, moves into top seven trends.

Summary

APQC’s 2026 Supply Chain Priorities and Challenges webinar presented findings from its twelfth annual survey of 344 organizations across five regions and 19 industries. The research tracks performance after a turbulent 2025, where only 39% of respondents met or exceeded their supply‑chain goals, and highlights the persistent volatility driven by geopolitical tensions and shifting tariffs.

Key insights show that global trade risk now tops the list of trends expected to reshape supply chains over the next three years, followed closely by digital transformation, advanced analytics, and the rise of generative and agentic AI. Sustainability, cybersecurity, talent shortages, and regionalization also feature prominently. A poll of participants identified lack of collaboration across functions and external partners as the leading obstacle (37%), with technology implementation, budget constraints, and data‑governance trailing.

Marisa Brown, APQC’s senior principal research lead, emphasized the concept of “orchestrated resilience,” urging firms to break silos and integrate planning, supplier relationships, and digital tools. Survey data revealed that 57% of respondents prioritize supply‑chain planning, while sourcing, logistics, and innovation each attract roughly 43‑48% focus. Industry‑specific variations were noted, but the overarching message is a push toward standardized processes and AI‑augmented decision‑making.

The implications are clear: companies must allocate rising technology budgets—half of respondents expect increased spend—to collaborative platforms and AI solutions that enhance visibility and risk management. Failure to do so could exacerbate service disruptions and erode competitive advantage in an environment where geopolitical uncertainty and rapid digital change are the new normal.

Original Description

In this webinar, APQC's Marisa Brown presents insights and results from APQC’s 12th annual supply chain priorities research and discusses the top goals and challenges facing supply chain professionals in 2026.

Speaker: Marisa Brown, Senior Principal Research Lead, Supply Chain Management | APQC