# Data on Social Impact in Global Supply Chains Understand social risks in global supply chains through global monitoring. **180,000+** Data points on global supply chain events **18%** of all material events are related to social issues ## About this data ### Understanding social risks Supply chains are the backbone of businesses worldwide, yet they have faced growing pressures in the past two years. From worker strikes to protests, these events disrupt operations and reveal deeper social challenges. To better understand these risks, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship partnered with Prewave, an Austrian tech company, to analyze over 180,000 reported supply chain events between January 2023 and October 2025. The findings tell an important story about how social issues amongst their workers and communities affect global supply chains. ### Research methodology The data provided by Prewave for this report is based on webscraping of social media information, newspapers, and other, publicly accessible information. Only material supply chain events were considered, eliminating events with vague or no immediate impact on operations. The final sample includes approximately 181,600 events recorded between January 2023 and October 2025. Around 64% of these events are classified as controllable, while 36% are non-controllable or external to company operations. The data set is biased towards global supply chain events that are relevant to Prewave’s customers, who are concentrated in Europe and the US. ## What are the most material supply chain events? Supply chain disruptions are becoming more frequent. Disruptions intensified in late 2024 and peaked in early 2025, with March 2025 marking the high point for social-related supply chain events. During this month, social issues accounted for 1,566 reported disruptions, the highest monthly volume for social risks observed in the dataset, signalling a period of exceptional strain on global supply chains.Certain types of events stand out:Legal and regulatory issues accounted for 24% of cases, making them the most common, often involving lawsuits, investigations, or fines.Social issues followed at 18%, within social issues, labour strikes are the single most prominent event type, accounting for 34% of all social events, followed by protests and demonstrations.Environmental incidents (14%), health and safety concerns (12%), and criminal activities (9%) complete the top-5 categories of supply chain eventsWhen isolating non-controllable (external) events, social issues become even more pronounced, accounting for just under one-third of all external disruptions. Labour strikes alone represent approximately 40% of external social disruptions. ## Supply chain events by category and type *Interactive visualization or embedded content* ## Regional patterns: Low- and middle-income vs high-income countries The types of disruptions vary significantly by income group. Overall, social issues are the most prominent category in low-income countries and the second-most prominent category in high-income countries.In low-income countries, social issues represent approximately 19% of all material events, with protests, labour actions, and rights-related incidents featuring prominently.In lower- and upper-middle-income countries, social issues remain consistently significant, alongside legal, regulatory, and environmental events.In high-income countries, social issues account for around 17% of total events, with labour strikes dominating social disruptions.These differences may reflect local economic realities, with workers in lower-income countries potentially pushing back against exploitation, while those in higher-income nations demand better wages or working conditions, more often protected by unions. ## Supply Chain Events by Country-Type The below interactive chart highlights the prevalence of supply chain events by country income category. Hover over the data to see more details. *Interactive visualization or embedded content* ## Impact by Industries Approximately 73,000 events were directly attributable to a specific industry. Certain industries were more affected than others: Transportation and Logistics is the most affected sector, accounting for over 15% of all events, with social issues such as strikes representing a substantial share.Other highly impacted sectors include Utilities (11%), Automotive (9.5%), Financial and Insurance Services (6.7%), and Retail and Wholesale (5.2%).When disruptions are broken down by category within each sector, social issues represent a significant share across all major industries. Transportation and Logistics and Automotive show particularly high exposure to social risks, driven largely by labour strikes, protests, and worker demonstrations.In contrast, Utilities shows a lower relative exposure to social issues compared to transportation and automotive, but social incidents still account for just over 11% of all disruptions within the sector. This indicates that even industries where infrastructure, environmental, or health and safety risks dominate are not immune to social disruption. ## Supply Chain Events by Industry Hover over the data to see more details. Select industries to see the most relevant supply chain events in these specific industries. *Interactive visualization or embedded content* ## Implications for social procurement This data shows that social issues are having a larger, more immediate impact on supply chains than environmental problems, despite the latter often getting more media coverage. Worker strikes, unsafe conditions, and protests are not just problems to be solved; they are symptoms of deeper issues within supply chains. Fair wages, safe working environments, and support for communities are not just ethical imperatives - they are necessary for supply chains to function.One solution to address this issue is social procurement: buying products or services from social enterprises and other impact-first businesses. By working with social enterprises, companies can support fair labor practices and reinvest in local economies. This approach strengthens supply chains while creating positive ripple effects for workers and their families.The rise in supply chain disruptions is a telltale. Businesses that look beyond immediate fixes and address the root causes of these issues may be able to lock in long-term success. Building resilience means investing in fair treatment of workers, supporting local communities, and listening to the signals these disruptions provide. The data sends a clear message: people and their well-being are central to the stability of global supply chains. ### In partnership with This data was provided by Prewave. *Partner organizations and sponsors* Last update was made on 13 January 2026.