SHELL
centrally . We have a few key tools to carry out this function . We have our Category Management and Contracting Process framework , which lays out the requirements that everybody needs to meet , which we incorporated into the system , SAP Ariba , which has embedded DocuSign . We also have Salesforce to complement this process , and a few other systems which together operate to manage the entire end-to-end ( E2E ) process .”
With the rise of digital systems in business , and their inevitable impact on global procurement processes , the effects are considerable .
Voorn says : “ The biggest changes have been around centralisation , and a growing awareness of the importance and value of data , and the need to structure and standardise that data in order to extract value from it . The risk-management aspect of procurement has fluctuated a little , but in the last couple of years I ’ ve seen a growing awareness of its importance not only from a cost perspective , but also from a differentiator perspective .
“ The ability to identify viable organisations — that is , who from a risk and ESG perspective we want and do not want to be doing business with — is becoming increasingly important , and I think this trend will continue to grow .”
Growing digitalisation has unmistakable global consequences , according to Voorn : “ We are now able to connect the process End-To-End ( E2E ) that would not have been possible in the past .”
“ The key to E2E system and process optimisation and integration is to create Natural Working Teams ( NWT ) composed of all relevant disciplines . The core of these NWTs consists of the Process Architects from my team , our partners from IT and the
“ MY CURRENT ROLE IS REALLY FOCUSED ON LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN DIGITALISE AND , WITH THAT , LARGELY AUTOMATE OUR SOURCE-TO-CONTRACT ( S2C ) PROCESS ”
SANDER VOORN S2C DIGITAL & PROCESS TRANSFORMATION DESIGN MANAGER , SHELL
Data Analytics team . These experts make the digitalisation happen !”
One of the main systems in Shell ’ s entire S2C process is SAP Ariba , where they now manage all of their spend . Describing the process , he says : “ From my perspective , it begins with category management . We have categories like contingent workforce , rotating equipment or consulting , for example . These categories are managed by the Category Managers ( CMs ) who help collect market intelligence and are responsible for providing global steer to a group of buyers .
“ The CMs set up these category strategies that detail how we want to go to market . They typically create global framework agreements , which are then made available through SAP Ariba . The next step begins when our buyers are looking to identify demand for a specific contract . They come up with a sourcing strategy , tie this into the global category strategies and leverage the information from them .”
54 October 2022