Research and Industry Insights
State of Third-Party Risk Assessments Report
The ProcessUnity State of Third-Party Risk Assessments Report, developed in collaboration with the Ponemon Institute, provides an in-depth look at the real-world state of third-party risk assessments based on original global survey data.
Built on responses from 1,465 third-party risk practitioners, managers, and leaders across multiple industries, the research examines how organizations are managing growing assessment demands, operational complexity, and increasing expectations around vendor oversight.
The report explores:
- The gap between perceived assessment effectiveness and actual third-party breach outcomes
- The number of third-party breaches organizations experience annually
- How long assessments take to complete and where timelines break down
- The level of internal effort required to complete assessments
- The tools, technologies, and emerging use of AI shaping modern assessment programs
The findings provide valuable insight into the operational realities, resource constraints, and modernization challenges facing today’s TPRM teams.
Report
State of Third-Party Risk Assessments Report
Perspectives Shaping Modern TPRM
Third-party risk management is evolving beyond static assessments and manual oversight. As organizations face
increasing regulatory pressure, expanding vendor ecosystems, and the rapid adoption of AI technologies, risk
programs are shifting toward more intelligent, scalable, and continuous approaches to third-party oversight.
The following trends are shaping the future of modern TPRM programs.
From Point-in-Time Reviews to Continuous Risk Intelligence
Traditional annual assessments are no longer enough to manage evolving third-party risk. Organizations are shifting toward more continuous, intelligence-driven approaches that provide greater visibility into vendor risk over time.
The Rise of AI in Vendor Risk Management
AI and automation are transforming how organizations manage assessments, evidence review, and vendor oversight. Risk teams are exploring new ways to reduce manual effort while improving consistency and scalability.
Critical Vendor Dependencies Are Driving Greater Oversight
Regulations and growing operational resilience expectations are increasing pressure on organizations to strengthen oversight across critical third-party relationships and business services.
Third-Party Risk Is Becoming a Data Challenge
As vendor ecosystems expand, organizations need better ways to centralize risk intelligence, streamline workflows, and improve decision-making across the enterprise.
Industry Expertise and Education
Through original research, webinars, educational content, and industry engagement, ProcessUnity helps risk leaders
navigate an increasingly complex third-party risk landscape.
As third-party risk management continues to evolve, ProcessUnity remains committed to helping organizations
modernize risk programs through research, education, and practical guidance for modern third-party risk programs.
Research Reports
Webinars
Industry Guides
Regulatory Insights
Expert Perspectives
Frequently Asked Questions
Key trends include the shift from point-in-time assessments to continuous monitoring, increased adoption of AI and automation, growing regulatory expectations, and the need for organizations to manage larger volumes of third-party risk data.
AI is helping organizations automate evidence review, accelerate assessments, analyze vendor documentation, identify control gaps, and improve the efficiency of risk management processes. Many organizations are exploring AI to address resource constraints and assessment backlogs.
The State of Third-Party Risk Assessments Report is ProcessUnity’s annual research study developed in collaboration with the Ponemon Institute. The report provides insight into how organizations manage third-party risk assessments, assessment timelines, resource challenges, breach experiences, and emerging technology trends.
Risk leaders can stay informed through industry research, educational webinars, analyst insights, peer benchmarking studies, and ongoing monitoring of regulatory developments impacting third-party risk management.
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