There are plenty of legitimate reasons why organizations delay supplier engagement - the data isn't complete, internal processes aren't ready, the technology is still being implemented. Or perhaps the intention is simply to wait until the program can be launched properly.
But when it comes to supplier engagement, “start imperfectly now” versus “start properly later” is a false trade-off.
This is because supplier engagement is cumulative. The relationships, data quality, internal processes and knowledge that underpin an effective program are built through repeated cycles of engagement. They cannot simply be compressed into a single push later.
At the same time, the external timetable isn't standing still while you prepare. Regulatory and voluntary frameworks continue to evolve, increasing the value of having established supplier relationships and historical data already in place. You don't need to have every supplier, data point or process perfected from day one. In fact, starting the work sooner gives those foundations time to develop.
The consistency clock doesn't start until you do
Strong supplier engagement programs are built through far more than a single data request. They require familiarity, trust and, crucially, consistency.
As we've explored previously, suppliers asked to report year after year are more likely to participate than those approached once. Regular engagement helps establish what you need, why you need it and what suppliers can expect from the process.
Each year your program is delayed is therefore a year that doesn't contribute to that track record. If you wait two years to begin, you can't compensate by squeezing three years of supplier engagement into the next twelve months. The relationship hasn't had those repeated cycles to develop and that time can't be recovered by asking later.
Supplier attention is finite
Suppliers are already fielding sustainability and emissions requests from multiple customers, often alongside their own reporting requirements. Secaro regularly hears that the volume of competing buyer requests is one of the biggest pain points suppliers face.
This makes supplier attention a limited resource. Delaying your program does not create more capacity; it means entering an already busy environment later and asking suppliers to make space for another request.
Consistency is another important consideration here. A familiar, established process is very different from an unexpected request arriving from a buyer with whom the supplier has never previously engaged on emissions. Starting earlier gives you time to establish that rhythm rather than expecting immediate engagement when the need becomes urgent.
Contact continuity has to be built
Supplier engagement happens between organizations, but it depends on people, and establishing who needs to be involved isn't always straightforward. Emissions data may need to be gathered, validated and reported by multiple people, often spanning different teams, facilities and, in some cases, countries. Understanding who holds the relevant data, where responsibility sits and who ultimately owns the response can take time.
Building that network of contacts and establishing productive working relationships can take multiple cycles of engagement. Those relationships also need to be maintained as roles and responsibilities change, or as different reporting requirements bring new teams and individuals into the process.
Over time, your team builds knowledge of who to approach, how information moves through the supplier organization and where responsibility sits. A later start means beginning that process from zero. This institutional knowledge is critical to program success, and it can't simply be bought when you eventually need it.
You can't manufacture a historical baseline retrospectively
The value of collecting supplier data isn't limited to what it tells you today. Over time, it allows you to understand a trajectory. Several cycles of data can help you see where emissions are changing, whether interventions are working and where progress has stalled. Crucially, historical data has value precisely because it's historical. If it wasn't collected at the time, you can't simply recreate it later.
This becomes increasingly relevant as frameworks evolve. SBTi's Net-Zero Standard V2.0, for example, introduces rolling near-term target cycles, increasing the value of understanding where your organization and supply chain are starting from and how that position changes over time. If you've already established a history of supplier data, you have an evidence base from which to understand and demonstrate progress. Starting later means that history still has to be built.
Your organization has to learn too
The cumulative benefit of starting earlier isn't limited to your suppliers. Your own program needs time to mature.
Successful supplier engagement requires your team to establish processes for what happens when a supplier doesn't respond, when to escalate, who owns the relationship internally, how procurement is involved, how data quality is assessed and, ultimately, how the information collected is turned into action. You won't necessarily have the perfect process from day one. These are things your organization learns by doing.
Governance, escalation processes and internal responsibilities are refined through repeated cycles. Each round of engagement shows you where the friction sits and gives you an opportunity to improve the next one.
Additional budget, technology or headcount can help a program scale, but internal program maturity can't be solved by resources alone. Organizational learning takes experience, and experience takes time.
Starting imperfectly is still starting
Waiting can feel like the lower-risk option, particularly when data, processes or supplier readiness aren't where you want them to be. But waiting has a cost of its own.
The cost isn't simply another year without data. It's another year without the supplier relationships, historical insight, contact continuity and organizational learning that make engagement programs stronger over time.
None of this means launching an extensive, perfectly formed supplier program tomorrow. It means recognizing that some of the most valuable foundations can only be built through repeated engagement. You don't need a perfect supplier program to start building them. But you do need to start.
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