What does commodity volatility mean for treasurers?
From Treasury Masterminds Commodity prices are allergic to calm. Oil sneezes because of geopolitics, gas panics over weather, and metals react to China waking up on the wrong side of the bed. None of this is new. What is new is how directly this volatility punches treasurers in the face. Once upon a time, commodities were “someone else’s problem”. Procurement worried about prices, operations worried about supply, treasury quietly handled cash and FX in the background. That fairy tale is over. Volatility turns cost risk into cash risk When commodity prices swing hard, working capital follows. Higher input prices mean more cash tied up in inventory, higher margin calls on hedges, and sudden pressure on liquidity buffers. Forecasts that looked perfectly fine last quarter suddenly resemble abstract art. For treasurers, this means cash forecasting becomes less about precision and more about resilience. Scenarios matter more than point estimates. Stress testing is no longer a luxury reserved for banks with too much time. Hedging is no longer a checkbox Commodity hedging used to be about smoothing P&L. Now it directly affects liquidity. Margining, collateral requirements, and hedge timing can create real cash drains at exactly the wrong moment. Treasurers need to understand: If treasury is not involved early in commodity hedging decisions, the result is usually surprise cash outflows followed by awkward meetings. Inflation, FX, and commodities are dating Commodity volatility rarely travels alone. It drags inflation and FX along with it. Energy prices impact inflation, inflation drives rates, rates affect funding costs, and FX happily amplifies everything. For treasurers, this convergence means risks can no longer be managed in silos. A commodity shock can hit: Treating these separately is comfortable but dangerous. Data and visibility are suddenly strategic Volatile commodities expose weak data setups very quickly. If treasury relies on monthly updates, spreadsheets, or “best guesses from procurement”, volatility will always arrive before insight does. Treasurers don’t need perfect data. They need timely, connected data: This is where treasury earns its seat at the table, not by predicting prices, but by explaining consequences. So what should treasurers actually do? No, treasurers are not expected to become commodity traders. The value lies elsewhere: Commodity volatility is not going away. If anything, it enjoys the chaos too much. For treasurers, the message is simple and slightly annoying: commodities are now part of the core risk conversation. Ignoring them does not make them disappear. It just guarantees they will show up at the worst possible time. And treasury will, of course, be asked why no one saw it coming. Also Read Join our Treasury Community Treasury Mastermind is a community of professionals working in treasury management or those interested in learning more about various topics related to treasury management, including cash management, foreign exchange management, and payments. To register and connect with Treasury professionals, click [HERE] or fill out the form below to get more information. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.
Franklin
The role of treasury in supply chain finance (SCF)
This article is written by Liquiditas The treasury function plays a central role in supply chain finance (SCF), particularly in reverse factoring programmes, because it is responsible for managing liquidity, financial risk, and funding strategy across the organisation. As supply chains become more complex and capital markets more volatile, treasury’s involvement in SCF has evolved from a supporting role into a strategic control function. Modern treasury teams are no longer focused solely on cash execution. They act as gatekeepers of financial stability, ensuring that SCF programmes align with the company’s liquidity position, risk appetite, accounting treatment, and long-term financial objectives. When designed and governed properly, SCF can strengthen working capital management and supply chain resilience. When poorly managed, it can introduce hidden risk. The role of treasury in managing liquidity and financial risks At its core, treasury is responsible for ensuring that the organisation has sufficient liquidity to meet operational obligations, including payments to suppliers and funding for growth initiatives. In the context of supply chain finance, this responsibility becomes more complex. Treasury monitors short-term cash positions while also managing long-term funding structures. This includes assessing how SCF programmes affect cash availability, payment timing, and liquidity buffers under different market conditions. Effective treasury oversight ensures that early payment solutions for suppliers do not compromise the organisation’s own financial flexibility. In addition to liquidity, treasury manages key financial risks that directly influence SCF performance, including: Through hedging strategies, diversification of funding sources, and continuous monitoring, treasury protects the organisation from financial volatility that could destabilise the supply chain. How the role of treasury can optimise working capital through SCF One of treasury’s most important responsibilities in SCF is working capital optimisation. Supply chain finance allows treasury to improve cash flow efficiency by better aligning payment terms, funding costs, and supplier liquidity needs. Treasury-led SCF initiatives may include tools such as reverse factoring and dynamic discounting, which enable suppliers to access early payment while allowing the buyer to preserve or strategically manage its own cash position. When implemented carefully, these structures can free up capital for investment without increasing operational risk. However, treasury must balance optimisation with discipline. Extending payment terms or expanding SCF programmes without considering supplier impact, disclosure requirements, or funding concentration can create long-term vulnerabilities. Treasury’s role is to ensure that working capital improvements are sustainable, transparent, and aligned with enterprise risk management. Key treasury activities in SCF Within an SCF framework, treasury is responsible for several critical activities that support both financial stability and supply chain continuity. Funding: securing and managing capital for SCF programmes Treasury is responsible for ensuring that sufficient funding is available to support SCF programmes. This involves determining the optimal mix of internal liquidity and external financing, such as bank facilities or capital market instruments. Treasury evaluates funding costs, maturity profiles, and counterparty exposure to ensure that SCF programmes remain cost-effective and resilient under changing market conditions. Ongoing monitoring of financial markets and internal performance allows treasury to adjust funding strategies proactively. By maintaining a robust and diversified funding structure, treasury ensures that suppliers can be paid reliably while protecting the organisation from overreliance on any single funding source. Risk management: assessing and mitigating SCF-related risks Risk management is one of the most critical aspects of treasury’s role in supply chain finance. Treasury must identify, assess, and manage a range of risks associated with SCF, including: Treasury establishes risk limits, monitoring frameworks, and escalation procedures to ensure that risks remain within the organisation’s tolerance. Importantly, treasury must also decide when to slow, restructure, or exit SCF programmes if risks outweigh benefits. Cash flow forecasting and scenario planning Accurate cash flow forecasting is essential for effective SCF management. Treasury uses historical data, current cash positions, and forward-looking assumptions to anticipate funding needs and liquidity pressures. Beyond baseline forecasts, modern treasury functions increasingly rely on scenario analysis and stress testing. These tools help assess how SCF programmes perform under adverse conditions, such as supplier distress, market volatility, or reduced access to funding. This forward-looking approach allows treasury to make informed decisions and maintain financial resilience. Governance, transparency, and accountability In recent years, supply chain finance has come under increased scrutiny from auditors, regulators, and investors. As a result, treasury plays a critical role in ensuring that SCF programmes are governed transparently and aligned with accounting and disclosure standards. Treasury is typically responsible for: Strong governance protects the organisation from regulatory and reputational risk and reinforces treasury’s role as a trusted financial steward. Benefits of treasury-led SCF programmes When treasury is actively involved, supply chain finance can deliver meaningful benefits across the organisation. Enhanced financial stability and liquidity Treasury oversight ensures that SCF programmes support liquidity objectives without undermining financial resilience. By optimising funding costs and maintaining adequate buffers, treasury helps the organisation withstand market uncertainty. Stronger supplier relationships Reliable and timely payments improve supplier confidence and stability. Treasury-led SCF programmes support healthier supplier ecosystems, which in turn reduce operational risk. Greater operational efficiency Integrating treasury processes with SCF platforms improves visibility, coordination, and decision-making across finance and supply chain functions. Real-time data enables faster responses to disruptions and changing conditions. Greater operational efficiency through integration Integrating treasury operations with SCF systems allows financial decisions to be made with a comprehensive view of supply chain dynamics. This integration supports better prioritisation of payments, funding allocation, and investment decisions. With access to real-time financial data and analytics, treasury can respond more quickly to market changes, supplier needs, or liquidity pressures. This agility is increasingly critical in volatile economic environments. Final thoughts The role of treasury in supply chain finance has expanded significantly. No longer limited to cash execution and funding, treasury now serves as the strategic owner of liquidity, risk, and governance within SCF programmes. By optimising working capital, managing financial risk, and ensuring transparency, treasury enables supply chain finance to support operational resilience rather than introduce hidden vulnerabilities. In an environment of heightened scrutiny and uncertainty, an active and integrated treasury function is essential to ensuring that supply chain finance contributes to long-term stability and success. Join our…