NATO official urges businesses to prepare their supply chains for war

A top NATO military official is telling businesses in the U.S. and Europe to be ready for a wartime scenario. Dutch Adm. Rob Bauer, the head of the organization’s military committee, told the European Policy Centre this approach would be key to avoiding countries being vulnerable to Russia and China.

“I’ve been going around boardrooms, finance conferences and even philanthropic institutions in Europe and America to persuade people to think about two questions,” Bauer said. “One: Is my company or organization ready for war? And two: What can my company or organization do to prevent war?”

Bauer said that deterring war was about more than just weapons. He warned businesses about becoming overly dependent on countries that could shut off access after starting a war.

This became an issue after Russia invaded Ukraine nearly three years ago. A deal allowing Russian gas to flow through pipelines in Ukraine will expire at the end of the year and no new agreement has been reached.

Bauer mentioned China’s dominance in producing and processing things like rare earth metals and chemicals for medications.

The global supply chain is still recovering after disruptions at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Bauer urged companies to be ready if any future war rattles it again.

“Businesses need to be prepared for a wartime scenario and adjust their production and distribution lines accordingly,” Bauer said. “Because while it may be the military who wins battles, it’s the economies that win wars.”