Quality Management Uncovered: Key Takeaways From The 2025 Global Corporate Survey

As quality management evolves within an increasingly complex regulatory and technological landscape, organizations are broadening their definition of ‘quality’ to cover operational resilience, supplier integrity, sustainability performance and customer trust. To gain greater insight into this trend, Verdantix surveyed 102 senior decision-makers across 11 countries and 11 highly regulated industries, with findings presented in the Global Corporate Survey 2025: Quality Management Budgets, Priorities And Tech Preferences. Our research finds that:

• Quality functions are gaining strategic influence as budgets expand and responsibilities grow.
  Organizations are increasing investment in quality management systems to meet stricter regulatory expectations and drive operational excellence. Leaders are embedding quality into product design, supplier evaluation and process improvement. However, legacy systems and limited interoperability restrict data-driven decision-making.
  
• Supplier quality management is becoming a critical focus as global value chains grow more complex.
  Increasing disruptions – semiconductor shortages, geopolitical tensions and evolving regulations – are driving firms to strengthen quality controls and ESG compliance across supplier networks. This reduces defect and delay risks, supports operational continuity and meets growing demands for transparency and sustainability.
  
• AI adoption faces barriers rooted in data quality and technology readiness.
  While AI promises to transform quality management through predictive analytics and automated inspection, adoption remains measured. Organizations are prioritizing digitization of quality processes and strengthening data infrastructure to create foundations for scalable AI use. Quality leaders focus on practical, prevention-focused applications while monitoring evolving regulatory standards.
  
• Integration and collaboration remain top priorities for quality leaders.
  Quality management demands cross-functional collaboration across operations, supply chain, EHS and regulatory teams. Firms seek integrated platforms that break down data silos and enable seamless collaboration across global value chains.

For comprehensive insights into quality management budgets, priorities and technology preferences, read Global Corporate Survey 2025: Quality Management Budgets, Priorities And Tech Preferences. If you are a qualifying corporate practitioner, be sure to sign up for free access through our Vantage platform to explore more research on quality management.