Why Shared Assurance Models Are Replacing One-to-One Due Diligence

What Is One-to-One Due Diligence?

One-to-one due diligence is a model where each buyer conducts its own risk assessment of each supplier or third party, independently of other organisations.

This typically involves:

• Buyer-specific questionnaires

• Separate evidence requests

• Individual validation and review

• Limited data reuse across organisations

While this gives buyers direct control, it also creates significant inefficiencies as supplier ecosystems grow.

Why One-to-One Due Diligence No Longer Scales

As supply chains expand and regulatory scrutiny increases, the limitations of one-to-one due diligence become more pronounced.

1. Duplication becomes unmanageable

Suppliers are often asked to provide the same information repeatedly - in slightly different formats - to multiple buyers.

This leads to:

• Supplier fatigue

• Delayed responses

• Inconsistent or outdated data

For buyers, this duplication translates into slower onboarding and poorer data quality.

2. Data quality suffers

When suppliers respond to multiple, fragmented requests:

• Information becomes inconsistent across buyers

• Updates are missed or delayed

• Evidence quickly becomes outdated

This makes it harder for buyers to rely on assurance data - particularly during audits or incidents.

3. Regulatory expectations have changed

Regulators increasingly expect organisations to demonstrate:

• Consistent risk assessment approaches

• Clear audit trails and rationale

• Ongoing monitoring, not point-in-time checks

One-to-one due diligence makes this difficult to prove at scale, especially across multiple business units and geographies.

4. It slows response during disruption

During regulatory change, cyber incidents, or supply chain disruption, buyers need rapid access to reliable information.

One-to-one models slow response because:

• Data is scattered across teams

• Evidence is not comparable

• Updates must be chased individually

This creates operational risk at the worst possible moment.

What Is A Shared Assurance Model?

A shared assurance model brings buyers and suppliers into a common, standardised framework for risk assessment and assurance.

Instead of each buyer assessing suppliers independently:

• Suppliers complete a single, standardised assurance process

• Assurance data is validated centrally

• Information is shared across a buyer community

• Data is refreshed on agreed cycles

This creates a single source of truth that can be relied on across organisations.

How Shared Assurance Solves The Problems

1. Reduced duplication for Buyers and suppliers

Shared assurance eliminates repeated requests for the same information.

• Suppliers submit once, not many times

• Buyers access validated data without chasing updates

• Both sides save time and effort

This improves engagement and responsiveness across the supply chain.

2. Consistent, comparable assurance data

Because assurance frameworks are standardised:

• Data is easier to compare across suppliers

• Risk scoring and tiering become more consistent

• Enterprise-wide reporting becomes possible

This consistency is critical for regulated organisations.

3. Audit-Ready by design

Shared assurance models embed audit readiness into everyday processes.

They provide:

• Clear evidence trails

• Documented assessment criteria

• Records of updates and validation

This reduces audit disruption and strengthens regulatory confidence.

4. Faster response to change

When requirements change - whether due to regulation, emerging risk, or industry standards - shared assurance frameworks can be updated centrally.

This allows:

• Faster alignment across Buyers

• Clearer guidance for suppliers

• Less rework and confusion

Why Regulated Organisations Are Leading The Shift To Shared Assurance Models

Shared assurance models have been adopted most widely in highly regulated sectors, including:

• Financial services

• Defence, aerospace, and security

In these environments:

• Evidence matters as much as outcomes

• Consistency is essential

• Fragmentation creates unacceptable risk

Platforms like FSQS and JOSCAR, operated by Hellios, were developed to meet these exact needs.

The Role Of Hellios In Shared Assurance 

Hellios operates shared assurance communities that replace fragmented one-to-one due diligence with a managed, standardised approach.

Hellios manages:

• Supplier onboarding into assurance communities

• Questionnaire design and governance

• Data validation and refresh cycles

• Buyer dashboards, reporting, and insight

This allows organisations to benefit from shared assurance without losing control over risk decisions.

Shared Assurance vs One-to-One Due Diligence: A Summary

Key Takeaways

One-to-one due diligence was designed for simpler supply chains and lower scrutiny. Today’s risk environment demands a different approach.

Shared assurance models:

• Scale more effectively

• Improve data quality

• Reduce supplier fatigue

• Strengthen audit and regulatory confidence

For regulated organisations, shared assurance is no longer an alternative - it is becoming the default model for managing supplier and third-party risk.