Achilles, a global provider of supply chain risk and performance management solutions, has launched Achilles Action Plans, a new module designed to help procurement and supply chain teams turn verified supplier findings into targeted, trackable improvements.
The new module addresses the need for buying organisations to move beyond identifying supplier risks and establish a structured process for resolving them. Once a weakness, risk or performance issue is identified through supplier assurance activities, buyers can use Action Plans to define required improvements, communicate expectations to suppliers and monitor progress through to completion.
Achilles Action Plans can be used across a broad range of supplier risk areas, including health and safety, sustainability, compliance, financial risk, cybersecurity, insurance and other performance-related issues.
Each action plan can be tailored to the supplier, the nature and severity of the issue, as well as the buyer’s risk appetite, internal policies and industry requirements. Buyers can establish specific actions and deadlines, track progress, review evidence submitted by suppliers and maintain a documented record from the initial finding through to remediation.
For suppliers, the module provides greater clarity on the improvements expected by their customers. Suppliers can respond directly to requested actions, raise questions, highlight practical considerations, agree on next steps and submit evidence demonstrating progress.
Achilles said the approach is intended to create a more transparent and constructive remediation process, allowing suppliers to demonstrate improvements while giving buying organisations continued visibility and oversight of outstanding risks.
“Identifying supplier risk is important, but the real value comes from what you do with that insight,” said Mark Chamberlain, Chief Product Officer at Achilles. “Action Plans helps organisations close the gap between identifying an issue and addressing it. Buyers can set clear expectations, suppliers can demonstrate the action they have taken, and both have visibility of progress.”
The company said the new module enables supplier assurance to become an ongoing process focused not only on identifying risks but also on reducing risk and improving supplier performance.
Achilles Action Plans is now available to buying organisations as an addition to their Achilles subscription. Supplier access is automatically enabled when a buyer creates an Action Plan, with no additional cost to the supplier.