When audits, supplier approvals, logistics checks and certificate reviews happen separately, risk can hide in the gaps between them, said Jennifer Lott, technical development director, SGS North America, during an educational session at the 2026 NASC Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
"Each team may be doing its job, but because we're doing them in silos, we may be missing things," Lott said.
Lott shared findings from SGS data collected from 2020 to 2024, including supplier audits, transportation and cold chain inspections, certificate tracking and nonconformity timelines. Across that data, three recurring issues emerged: documentation gaps, inconsistent environmental controls and audit fatigue.
"These are not people problems, these are system design problems," she said.
Measurable value from integration
The data showed integrated audit models produced about 30% less audit redundancy and 40% faster closure of nonconformances, Lott said.
"That doesn't mean that there's less oversight," she said. "What it means is there's more risk-based oversight, and you're looking at the things that you really need to be looking at."
Closure speed matters, too. In siloed models, closure depends on manual handoffs, while integrated models make ownership and escalation clearer. SGS data showed average closure time improved from 34 days to 20 days.
"Imagine if you're able to close a gap in 20 days instead of 34, imagine how much better protected your organization is," Lott said.
Three pillars of unified oversight
Lott outlined three core pillars of integrated oversight:
- A harmonized audit framework that aligns audit protocols across suppliers, transportation and facilities
- A centralized certification registry serving as one source of truth for active certifications, expiry dates and recognition
- Cross-functional data sharing, so quality, logistics and regulatory teams see the same information at the same time.
A shared certification dashboard gives teams a synchronized view of certificate validity, expirations, audit gaps and corrective action status. "The biggest benefit is fewer surprises," Lott said.
She also stressed that not all suppliers carry equal risk. Integrated data allows dynamic segmentation, so stable suppliers face less duplication while higher-risk suppliers receive more focused attention. Supplier tiers should draw on multiple inputs, including audit history, certificate stability and supplier criticality.
"Integration is not just a technology decision," she said.
Case studies
Lott shared three case studies illustrating the value of integration. In the first, a manufacturer used separate systems for audits, logistics inspections and certificate tracking. Once the data was centralized, 18% of active supplier certificates showed silent lapses. The company closed the gaps within six days and added recurring sync logic to prevent recurrence.
In the second, a food ingredient transportation company was not comparing transport temperature exceedances with facility audit findings. Once the data streams were merged, a recurring cold chain gap appeared at one logistics leg, and corrective action reduced exceedances by 62% within two quarters.
The third case study addressed verification fatigue: One procurement team managed 14 separate audit programs, with key suppliers audited up to nine times per year. After harmonizing scope and recognizing shared results, the average dropped to 4.8 audits per supplier annually, while closure of corrective actions improved.
From compliance to competence
Beyond efficiency, integration strengthens trust by showing that supplier controls, certifications, deviations and corrective actions are connected and actively managed, Lott said.
"Regulators, retailers, customers and consumers increasingly expect that level of supply chain visibility," she said.
Lott described four phases of continuous assurance — consolidation, harmonization, integration and optimization — beginning with an inventory of programs and data systems, then standardizing scope and scoring, connecting procurement, quality, logistics and certification data, and finally using predictive tools and segmentation.
To get started, she recommended companies assemble a cross-functional team, benchmark current programs and engage their audit partner.
"For animal supplement companies, this is about moving from compliance activity to a true supply chain competence," Lott said.
