CIPS Global Standard 2030
- ukrsedo
- Apr 23
- 4 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Mapping WEF Core Skills for 2030 with the CIPS Global Standard
The “future of work” isn’t all about embracing cyber-physical systems—it’s about whether procurement leaders can keep up.
The World Economic Forum identified skills which will matter the most by 2030. So, I mapped the CIPS Global Standard v4.0 against the WEF’s Core and Emerging Skills matrix for 2030.

Here’s what I found.
CIPS Segment | CIPS Theme | Seniority Level | 2030 Emerging skills | 2030 Core Skills |
1.1 Understanding the Role | Theme 1: Position & Influence | Tactical | Systems Thinking | |
1.2 Apply Procedures | Theme 1: Position & Influence | Tactical | Resilience, Flexibility and Agility | |
1.3 Advising Stakeholders | Theme 1: Position & Influence | Operational | Resilience, Flexibility, Agility, Empathy and Active Listening | |
1.4 Improving the Role | Theme 1: Position & Influence | Operational | Creative Thinking | |
1.5 Developing SCM | Theme 1: Position & Influence | Managerial | AI and Big Data | |
1.6 Leading P&S Function | Theme 1: Position & Influence | Professional | Leadership and Social Influence | |
1.7 Strategy Development | Theme 1: Position & Influence | Professional | Systems Thinking | |
1.8 Building Relationships | Theme 1: Position & Influence | Advanced Professional | Empathy and Active Listening | |
2.1 Recognise Sectors | Theme 2: External Environment | Tactical | Analytical Thinking | |
2.2 Impact of External Environment | Theme 2: External Environment | Tactical | Analytical Thinking | |
2.3 Understanding Market Mgmt | Theme 2: External Environment | Operational | Marketing and Media | Analytical Thinking |
2.4 Globalisation Impact | Theme 2: External Environment | Managerial | Global Citizenship | Analytical Thinking |
2.5 SCM Contexts | Theme 2: External Environment | Professional | Analytical Thinking | |
2.6 Challenges of Global SCM | Theme 2: External Environment | Advanced Professional | Global Citizenship | Systems Thinking |
2.7 Strategy in Organisation | Theme 2: External Environment | Advanced Professional | Systems Thinking | |
2.8 Finance in Organisation | Theme 2: External Environment | Advanced Professional | Analytical Thinking, Curiosity and Lifelong Learning | |
3.1 Understanding Systems | Theme 3: Technology | Tactical | Networks and Cybersecurity | Technological Literacy |
3.2 Using Systems | Theme 3: Technology | Operational | Networks and Cybersecurity | Technological Literacy |
3.3 Developing Systems | Theme 3: Technology | Managerial | Programming | Technological Literacy |
3.4 Use of Technology | Theme 3: Technology | Professional | Networks and Cybersecurity | Technological Literacy, AI and Big Data |
3.5 Improving System Capabilities | Theme 3: Technology | Advanced Professional | Design and User Experience | Technological Literacy, AI and Big Data |
3.6 Data Integrity | Theme 3: Technology | Advanced Professional | Networks and Cybersecurity | Technological Literacy, AI and Big Data |
4.1 Effective Purchasing | Theme 4: Spend Management | Tactical | Resource Management and Operations | |
4.2 Inventory Control | Theme 4: Spend Management | Tactical | Resource Management and Operations | |
4.5 Category Management | Theme 4: Spend Management | Managerial | Analytical Thinking | |
5.1 Contract Admin | Theme 5: Contracting | Tactical | Resource Management and Operations | |
5.2 Developing Contracts | Theme 5: Contracting | Operational | Systems Thinking | |
5.4 Legal Aspects | Theme 5: Contracting | Managerial | Curiosity and Lifelong Learning | |
6.1 Sourcing Process | Theme 6: Sourcing | Tactical | Systems Thinking | |
6.6 Negotiation | Theme 6: Sourcing | Professional | Resilience, Flexibility and Agility, Analytical Thinking | |
7.1 Logistics Mgmt | Theme 7: Delivering Outcomes | Tactical | Service Orientation and Customer Service | |
7.6 Supplier Performance | Theme 7: Delivering Outcomes | Professional | Service Orientation and Customer Service | |
8.1 Develop KPIs | Theme 8: Metrics & Measurement | Operational | Analytical Thinking, AI and Big Data | |
8.3 Use Analytics | Theme 8: Metrics & Measurement | Advanced Professional | Analytical Thinking, AI and Big Data | |
9.1 Team Dev | Theme 9: Developing Teams | Tactical | Talent Management, Empathy and Active Listening | |
9.2 Leadership | Theme 9: Developing Teams | Professional | Leadership and Social Influence | |
10.1 Self Assessment | Theme 10: Developing Self | Tactical | Motivation and Self-awareness | |
10.5 Change Mgmt | Theme 10: Developing Self | Professional | Design and User Experience | Motivation and Self-awareness |
11.1 Ethical Standards | Theme 11: Ethics | Tactical | Environmental Stewardship | Resilience, Flexibility and Agility |
11.4 Governance | Theme 11: Ethics | Professional | Design and User Experience | Systems Thinking |
The Good: CIPS Isn't Out of Touch
Some themes from the CIPS framework already play nicely with the skills we know are rising in importance: CIPS excels in promoting strategy formulation, digital awareness, and stakeholder management.
These map well to "Analytical Thinking," "Tech Literacy," and the all-important "Leadership & Social Influence."
The Weak: Tactical-Level Overload, Strategic Blind Spots
Tactical and Operational competencies feel overengineered for yesterday’s job descriptions. Themes like “Apply Procedures” or “Recognise Sectors” look rusty when WEF is shouting about Curiosity, Creativity, and Agility.
Let’s be honest: if “manual dexterity” is still on our radars in 2025, we're extinct.
The Gap: Self-Efficacy & Ethical Courage Are Now Business Critical
One major omission? Self-efficacy skills.
Things like resilience, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and curiosity barely resonate with the Global Standard. Yet these are precisely what WEF ranks as dominant differentiators by 2030.
Theme 11 in the CIPS Global Standard - Ethics- is still too focused on policy compliance rather than ethical courage or influence in dynamic governance scenarios.
In the next five years
Reweight the importance of themes: shift focus from process-heavy tasks to cognitive and behavioural agility.
Infuse cross-cutting capabilities like “Tech Fluency” and “Creative Thinking” across all levels, not just the advanced roles.
Add behavioural indicators for emotional maturity, coaching, and psychological resilience. These are no longer soft skills - they’re survival skills.
If the profession is going to shine, the frameworks we use must evolve faster than our buzzwords do.
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