Elevate Indirect Spend to Connect Customers and Suppliers

Elevate Indirect Spend to Connect Customers and Suppliers

We’re living in a hyper-connected and complex world that presents both risks and opportunities to business. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is the single biggest challenge faced by supply chains in the 21st century and is a stark illustration of how interconnected and vulnerable these links can be.

Current systems largely focus on managing direct expenditure, with indirect spend generally considered too difficult to tackle. And while it is complex, it warrants procurement’s time and attention. Globally, indirect spend is expanding at a rate of 7%1 a year. It accounts for more than 20% of overall expenditure for most organisations, and as much as 30% for some, making this untapped potential a chance not to be missed.

In this whitepaper, produced in partnership with Mercateo, we explore:

  • The Challenges - how suppliers who provide repetitive and special products are not usually digitised and procurement
  • The Opportunities - looking at the platforms that enables CPOs to empower internal customers to do their own buying from a wide selection of approved suppliers with an easy-to-use system
  • The Benefits - To create a competitive advantage, organisations need to look at indirect spend through a new lens and discover the rewards this could have on its business.

Related Expert Reports

The Supply Chain AI Readiness Report

More than half of supply chain professionals are probably using generative AI. But fewer than 1 in 10 of supply chain AI pilots have identified what it takes to translate that enthusiasm into industrial-scale results.

Through our research and interviews with senior supply chain executives, we have identified a group we call the “Performance Elite.”

Time to Lead: CIPS Global State of Procurement & Supply 2026

Geopolitical volatility. Rising risk. AI acceleration. ESG accountability. Procurement and supply professionals are navigating a landscape of shifting pressures and expanding expectations. The CIPS Global State of Procurement and Supply 2026, supported by GEP, reveals a profession at a defining moment and leaders stepping closer than ever to the heart of organisational strategy.

share