Financial and environmental performance improves across assessed energy suppliers, although more than one in five remain classified as high risk on governance
Key Data Points:
· Proportion of suppliers classified as high-risk falls from 15.3% to 12.3%, a relative reduction of approximately 20%
· Nearly six in ten assessed suppliers are classified as low risk overall, up from approximately half
· Share of suppliers classified as high financial risk falls by around a quarter
· Average environmental scores improve 8%, although more than one in five suppliers remain high risk on governance
Abingdon, UK – 12 October 2026 – Achilles, a global leader in supply chain risk and performance management, has released findings from its Global Energy network showing a 20% reduction in the proportion of assessed suppliers classified as high risk, alongside improvements in financial and environmental performance.
The analysis compares supplier assessments from FY26, covering May 2025 to April 2026, with those from the preceding financial year. The proportion of suppliers classified as high-risk overall decreased from 15.3% to 12.3%, representing a reduction of three percentage points and a relative decline of approximately 20%.
Over the same period, the proportion of suppliers classified as low-risk increased from 50.5% to 58.9%, meaning nearly six in ten assessed suppliers now fall within this category. The average overall supplier score also increased from 60.0 to 62.9, representing an improvement of approximately 5%.
Financial risk classifications showed a substantial improvement, with the proportion of suppliers rated high risk falling from 11.6% to 8.6% – a relative reduction of approximately 26%. For energy buyers, financial assessments can provide an early indication of suppliers whose financial position and ability to meet commercial commitments may warrant closer examination as part of ongoing supply chain management.
Environmental performance also improved, with the average score rising from 52.2 to 56.4 – an increase of approximately 8%. This represents the largest improvement across the environmental, social, governance and financial categories included in the document’s comparison table.
Together, these findings highlight how changes across individual assessment categories can provide useful context for the overall risk picture. Examining these underlying factors can help procurement teams identify the specific issues to raise with suppliers and determine where further information or corrective action is needed.
“The overall reduction in the proportion of high-risk suppliers is encouraging, and the financial and environmental findings give us a clearer understanding of where progress is being made.
“For energy companies, the practical value is in using this information to guide supplier engagement. Financial risk assessments can prompt a closer discussion about where a supplier’s circumstances may warrant closer attention, while environmental assessments can help buyers identify where expectations are being met and where further progress is needed.
“Improvement across the assessed population should also be considered alongside the weaknesses that remain. Buyers need to look beyond the overall score, understand the issues affecting individual suppliers, and agree proportionate next steps. This is how assessment information can become a practical tool for day-to-day procurement and supplier management.”
Adam Whitfield, Head of Global Compliance and ESG at Achilles
Despite the wider improvement, governance remains an area of concern. The proportion of suppliers classified as high risk on governance fell from 25.7% to 21.5%, leaving more than one in five assessed suppliers in this category.
The findings underline the importance of looking beyond overall performance to understand the individual areas of risk. A positive overall trend can coexist with weaknesses that require targeted engagement, further assessment or evidence of improvement.
The analysis does not establish the cause of the changes. It does, however, provide a basis for energy companies to consider where supplier oversight should be focused and how progress should be continuously monitored throughout commercial relationships.
Further Information:
Achilles
Hayley van Leeuwen, Chief Marketing Officer
BlytheRay
Public Relations
