News and Insights

Breaking Down Silos: Integrated Supply Chain Communication for Business Resilience

June 17, 2025

Supply chain communication keeps proving its strategic importance. As the global supply chain continues to change on a scale not seen in decades, effective integration between supply chain and communications teams has become strategically important for business resilience, stakeholder trust and brand reputation. Casy Jones, Supply Chain Practice Lead at FINN Partners, discusses success stories, team structures and leadership roles that drive business value and resilience.

Value Creation

Q: Can you share an example where breaking down silos created measurable value?

Casy Jones: Without sharing specific client names, I’ve seen many cases where stronger integration between supply chain and communications teams at large- and mid-size companies created significant value.

One manufacturing client was facing major supply disruptions and embedded communications professionals within supply chain teams. The comms team was able to develop real-time, transparent messaging about solutions they were implementing. This not only helped maintain customer and investor confidence during a challenging period but was also credited with increased market share as competitors struggled with messaging.

When comms has direct access to supply chain leadership and operations, they are better equipped to highlight stories that matter, like risk and disruption management, sustainability, and responsible sourcing initiatives. They also can share applications of AI, data analytics and other innovative technologies and how they’re benefitting the business and its customers.

Q: How does integrated supply chain communication impact customer satisfaction, employee engagement or financial performance?

Casy Jones: The impact can be substantial. Greater communication about supply chain capabilities, disruption management, proactive initiatives, fair labor practices, sustainability efforts, award wins, and behind-the-curtain looks at technologies like AI and demand management can inspire confidence and improve customer satisfaction.

Financially, effective supply chain communications can buffer negative market reactions during disruptions. I’ve seen companies maintain stock price stability during major supply challenges because their communications strategy gives investors confidence in their ability to manage it. Effective communication can also generate long-term value if maintained.

And internally, when employees understand how supply chain improvements contribute to company success, engagement increases. They feel part of something meaningful, especially when their work in navigating complex challenges is recognized and celebrated.

Q: What are the critical steps that make this integration successful?

Casy Jones: First, domain-specific communicators linked directly to the Chief Supply Chain Officer or senior supply chain leaders. Second, you need a core supply chain narrative with proof points that serve as the foundation of all communications. Third, you need a supply chain communications strategy that is updated regularly as market conditions inevitably change. You also need an experienced team that can deliver messages through multiple channels. I also recommend daily monitoring of global supply chain news and social media, a mis/disinformation listening program, and a crisis communications playbook specific to supply chain that includes mock scenario practice.

The key to long-term success is preparation and consistency. Once you start creating confidence and competitive advantage through integrated communications, you’ve got to maintain it, especially around tough topics that might surface in earnings calls. If you stop, you risk losing the gains and potentially facing backlash.

Organizational Barriers

Q: Talk about structural barriers that prevent integration between supply chain and comms teams.

Casy Jones: Our team has found that while some large companies have specific supply chain comms professionals or liaisons between supply chain and corporate comms, most don’t. Given how critical supply chain has become, having internal supply chain comms professionals and/or PR agencies with deep domain expertise is increasingly recommended. They have perspective and the ability to translate the industry to non-experts.

Q: How have successful organizations overcome the technical language barrier between operations and communications professionals?

Casy Jones: The technical language barrier is absolutely real, which is one reason why there’s such a need for domain-specific internal and external communicators. Supply chain teams speak their own language and that can be difficult for comms professionals to translate effectively. While some topics may seem straightforward, there is often hidden nuance on several levels that is important to understand. Forward-thinking organizations should invest in specialized supply chain communicators linked directly to the Chief Supply Chain Officer or senior supply chain titles.

Q: What metrics should organizations track to identify communication gaps?

Casy Jones: Supply chains are critical to corporate success in so many ways, but especially in times of disruption and black swan events, which are now occurring several times per year. Once you’re through one disruption, another seems to pop up: the pandemic, natural disasters, factory fires, significant shipping disruptions, cyberattacks that come through the supply chain, dynamic tariffs…the list goes on.

Companies should track metrics like the number of media articles and social posts dedicated to supply chain versus other critical business functions. Also important is measuring the level of investment in supply chain communications compared to other communications functions. Another telling indicator is how often ‘supply chain’ or closely related terms are mentioned in earnings calls. We saw a peak in 2021, a strong presence in 2022, some decline in 2023 and another re-focus in 2024. In 2025, lots of disruption due to tariffs, geopolitical tension and the ongoing need for operational efficiency has supply chain peaking again. Case in point, more than 2000 U.S. publicly traded companies mentioned tariffs on earnings calls through May 22, 2025 – the greatest number in quarterly data that goes back to 2016. What we don’t know is how many companies are effectively executing and messaging around tariffs in a way that inspires stakeholder confidence – or at least doesn’t shake it.

Team Structures

Q: How are organizations structuring teams to ensure consistent messaging across all touchpoints?

Casy Jones: The most effective structure I’ve seen involves specialized supply chain communicators who work as a bridge between technical operations and broader comms teams. These specialists need to be fluent in both languages—the technical aspects of supply chain and the strategic priorities of corp comm.

For companies with $2B+ in revenue, having dedicated supply chain communication resources is becoming an imperative. According to 2024 data, 65%-75% of large companies now have CSCOs or equivalent titles, especially those in manufacturing, retail, pharma and tech. In my view, these executives need dedicated comms support.

Q: What role do cross-functional teams play in successful integration?

Casy Jones: Cross-functional teams are essential for consistent messaging across stakeholders and touchpoints. My view is that specialized supply chain communicators and external agencies are key to this integration. The most successful organizations create formal structures where supply chain leadership, comms teams, the agency and other key functions like sustainability, HR and investor relations meet regularly to align on messaging priorities and ensure everyone understands how supply chain narratives support broader business objectives.

Q: How are companies balancing centralized messaging with the need for specialized supply chain communication?

Casy Jones: Supply chain has become such a critical business function that it must both exist on its own and be integrated into core corporate messaging. In fact, it’s become virtually unavoidable and has transitioned from crisis management (though that is still prevalent) to strategic optimization of supply chain operations.

The best approach I’ve seen is developing a narrative that aligns with the company’s overall positioning but allows for specialized messaging that addresses specific supply chain challenges, initiatives and wins – and is then activated across communications channels. This requires collaboration between corp comms and supply chain comms specialists.

Again, look at how frequently the supply chain is mentioned in earnings calls. It ebbs and flows a bit with market conditions but the trend is clear: supply chain communication has become a permanent, strategic component of corporate messaging.

Leadership Roles

Q: What role should supply chain leaders play in shaping communications?

Casy Jones: Supply chain leadership should drive communications through what’s happening in operations, sharing insights about optimization initiatives, supplier relationships, technology applications like AI, upskilling efforts, and sustainability and corporate responsibility programs. They should also engage supply chain comms teams and agencies to maintain a pulse on what’s happening externally.

The global supply chain has evolved into a new role for companies. It’s no longer just a tactical producer and mover of goods; it’s now recognized as a competitive advantage creator and path to brand enhancement. Supply chain leaders need to embrace this shift in the strategic communication role.

Q: How can supply chain executives better partner with communications leaders?

Casy Jones: The best partnerships I’ve seen involve strategy co-development between supply chain comms and corp comms leaders. This requires regular and consistent touchpoints—and not just when there’s a crisis. Supply chain executives should intentionally dedicate a percentage of their time to external comms efforts like media engagement, social media initiatives, speaking engagements, award submissions and internal events like town halls.

When supply chain leaders make communications a priority and invest time in building relationships with comms teams, the result is more authentic, impactful messaging that resonates with stakeholders. It also ensures that when disruptions occur, the response is coordinated, effective and increasingly trusted.

Three Steps to Elevate Your Supply Chain Communication

As our conversation wraps up, I’d like to outline how FINN Partners helps supply chain and communications leaders take three critical actions to strengthen their integrated approach:

1. Supply Chain Communication Audit: We evaluate how frequently and effectively your organization communicates about supply chain operations. This comprehensive audit compares your current approach to industry benchmarks and identifies any gaps around both challenges and enhancements. The goal is to identify where improved communication could drive greater stakeholder confidence and competitive advantage.

2. Cross-Functional Bridge Assessment: We audit your existing cross-functional capabilities and provide a detailed gap analysis and recommendations for improvements. This includes identifying whether you have the right communicators who can serve as translators between technical supply chain teams and broader comms functions, and if you need additional in-house specialists or external partners with deep supply chain expertise.

3. Supply Chain Narrative Evaluation: We assess your supply chain messaging and provide an analysis and suggestions to help you develop a core narrative that resonates with your various stakeholders. This includes building messaging that clearly explains your supply chain organization’s mission, vision, values and competitive advantages, complete with proof points and impact stories that demonstrate how it creates value for customers, employees and shareholders.

The companies that thrive in today’s dynamic environment will be those that recognize supply chain communication as a strategic imperative. As supply chains continue to face spotlight-heavy challenges, effective communication won’t just support your operations—it will become a competitive advantage in itself.

Casy Jones is Supply Chain Practice Lead at FINN Partners. With 27 years’ experience in supply chain communication, Casy and his team of 25+ integrated communications professionals helps organizations navigate complex supply chain challenges through strategic communications that build resilience, stakeholder trust and brand reputation.

Get in Touch with Supply Chain & Logistics Experts