The Procurement Glossary » Supply Chain Mapping

Supply Chain Mapping

Compliance & Risk

Definition

Documenting the suppliers, sites and flows in a supply chain, including lower tiers, to reveal dependencies and risk.

Explanation

Mapping exposes hidden concentration and single points of failure below the first tier, and supports compliance (e.g. modern slavery, emissions). It is the foundation for managing supply risk in complex, extended chains.

Example

Mapping reveals four key suppliers all rely on one sub-tier chemical plant — a concentration risk.

Related terms

• Sub-Tier Visibility — Insight into the suppliers beyond your direct (first-tier) suppliers, deeper into the supply chain.
• Supply Risk — The risk that supply of a good or service is disrupted, constrained or made more costly.
• Second-Tier Supplier — A supplier to your supplier — one step removed in the supply chain from the buyer.
• Scope 3 Emissions — Indirect greenhouse-gas emissions across a company's value chain, including those from purchased goods and services.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Supply Chain Mapping?

Documenting the suppliers, sites and flows in a supply chain, including lower tiers, to reveal dependencies and risk. Mapping exposes hidden concentration and single points of failure below the first tier, and supports compliance (e.g. modern slavery, emissions). It is the foundation for managing supply risk in complex, extended chains.

Can you give an example of Supply Chain Mapping?

Mapping reveals four key suppliers all rely on one sub-tier chemical plant — a concentration risk.

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