Navigating unprecedented challenges alone? Try Community-Led Risk Management

When the U.S. introduced a sweeping new round of global tariffs in May 2025 - part of a broader set of evolving trade policies under the Trump administration, the impact was immediate and far-reaching. Across industries, businesses were forced to re-evaluate their supply chains - some for the first time in years. 

For financial institutions, the implications were serious. Operational resilience, regulatory obligations, and continuity of service are all underpinned by complex networks of third-party providers. Disruption at any point can compromise stability and trust. 

So, the question is: how can you respond with speed and clarity, when your supply chain is at risk? 

And more to the point - what happens if you're tackling it alone?

Coordination, Not Chaos

For many organisations, responding to an international supply chain shock means scrambling to identify exposure, manually engaging suppliers, and relying on patchwork data to make decisions. 

But FSQS members took a different approach. 

Within 13 days of the tariff announcement, Hellios proposed a collective approach to the FSQS community. In less than a month, members had co-developed and approved a targeted set of questions designed to assess tariff exposure across their supplier base. These were live and collecting data within days. 

No duplication of effort. No delay in visibility. And critically - no supplier fatigue. 

3-steps to tackle supply chain disruption 

1. Outreach to suppliers
   Communication is key to mapping areas of your supply chain that may be directly or indirectly affected. You will need to liaise with your entire supplier base.
   
   
2. Ask targeted questions
   Focused, risk-aligned questions ensures you are collecting relevant data without overwhelming your suppliers.
   
   
3. Collaborate to mitigate risk
   Focus your efforts in the high-risk areas, open a dialogue with key suppliers. Co-develop action plans to minimise disruption and maintain service continuity.

A Model Built for Moments Like This

 
What underpinned the rapid response was a pre-built infrastructure, existing supplier database, and an established mechanism for the FS sector to collect data from their suppliers at scale. 
 
FSQS in the UK and Ireland brings together over 60 financial institutions, united by a shared platform and a standardised supplier questionnaire. It enables members to act swiftly and in unison - whether responding to a global event or a sector-specific challenge. 

In this case, conditional logic ensured that suppliers only received questions relevant to them, making the process both efficient and proportionate. The result was timely insight without unnecessary complexity. 

This kind of agility isn’t improvised. It’s the product of a mature system, proven processes, and a community committed to working together. 

Collective Insight. Strategic Advantage.

The response to the US tariffs is not only a case study in risk management - it’s a demonstration of the strategic value of collaboration. FSQS members were able to:

• Gain visibility over potential exposure
• Support their suppliers with clarity and consistency
• Mitigate risk without delay

In today’s landscape, where disruption is rarely local and never predictable, going it alone is a risk in itself. 

When uncertainty arises, community isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a competitive advantage.