Business partnering in action When business partnering between the CFO and the supply chain is happening, our survey indicates a clear link to good business outcomes. However, 55% of finance executives surveyed say their relationship with the supply chain is still based around a more traditional finance role, which suggests that the shift to a more collaborative relationship may be difficult. In this section, we look at four areas where the CFO’s unique skills and perspective can enable them to improve corporate performance by partnering with the supply chain . We compare the perceptions of CFOs and supply chain leaders in business partnering relationships to identify the opportunities that yield results, as well as the areas of tension . 1. Creating consistency across the supply chain, the business and corporate strategy A business partnering relationship between finance and the “There is a strong connection between helping the supply chain supply chain offers the opportunity to break down functional to achieve financial targets and fulfilling our long-term financial barriers and establish a clear line of sight between corporate objectives,” says Michalis Imellos, CFO of Coca-Cola Hellenic . strategy, sales and marketing, and the operational side of “Ensuring that there is congruence between what the supply chain the business. By creating greater end-to-end visibility across function aspires to, and how this aligns and enables the business the organization, companies can strengthen planning, align strategy, is of critical importance to achieving our long-term manufacturing capacity with demand, and improve the strategic goals .” efficiency and effectiveness of operations. 20 Partnering for performance Part 1: the CFO and the supply chain