Your expert for questions
Marcel Scholze
Director Open Source Software Management at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 151 16157049
Email
Making Digital Sovereignty measurable. Managing risks in a targeted manner.
Our sovereignty analysis & strategy enables you to make digital dependencies within your organization, products and services transparent. We examine the four dimensions of infrastructure, software, know-how and data. This reveals where dependencies exist, which risks may arise from them and where action is required to strengthen your resilience.
You will receive a well-founded assessment of your current position, including a clear maturity rating for each dimension, specifically identified risks and prioritized recommendations for action. On this basis, we will work with you to develop a target vision and a roadmap for your Digital Sovereignty. This will enable you to make informed technology decisions and strengthen your resilience and ability to act in a targeted manner.
“Digital sovereignty begins with transparency regarding dependencies. Not all of them pose a risk. Those who understand their dependencies and assess them realistically can steer technology decisions independently.”
Four dimensions for strengthening your Digital Sovereignty
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Why digital sovereignty determines your ability to act
Dependencies on individual providers, proprietary platforms or external expertise can severely restrict an organization’s ability to act. It therefore makes sense to consciously manage dependencies and assess risks realistically. Geopolitical uncertainties and jurisdictional conflicts can disrupt supply chains and business continuity. Complex licensing models, indexation clauses and bundling requirements increase licensing and software costs and weaken the negotiating position. Depending on the sector, role and use case, regulatory frameworks such as NIS2, DORA and the EU Data Act are raising the bar for control over data, systems, supply chains and resilience.
Similarly, organizations seeking to differentiate their products and services, and thereby gain a competitive advantage, require technological freedom of design. This is achieved, for example, through open standards, Open Source software, multi-vendor strategies and purpose-built in-house digital capabilities.
Our sovereignty analysis examines business-critical processes across the dimensions of infrastructure, software, know-how and data. It is based on criteria, whose assessment is linked in each case to concrete evidence.
As a result, you will receive your individual Sovereignty Maturity Index from PwC – a maturity index for the four dimensions. It shows the maturity level for each dimension, ranging from 0 ‘dependent’ to 4 ‘strategically sovereign’. In addition, you will receive critical findings that cannot be offset by strengths in other areas, as well as a target vision and a roadmap: ranging from short-term immediate measures to long-term objectives. This enables you to establish a robust basis for decisions regarding software replacement, cloud strategy, vendor selection, knowledge development or data locations.
Sovereignty Maturity Index at a glance
- Infrastructure Dimension
- Software Dimension
- Know-how Dimension
- Data Dimension
Infrastructure Dimension
We analyze your technical infrastructure, comprising data centers, cloud environments and networks. In doing so, we assess your level of independence in terms of operations, site selection and scaling. We also examine your options for switching providers or operating models. This enables you to identify concentration risks at an early stage and build a resilient infrastructure.
Example question: Have provider switches and failover scenarios for business-critical processes been verifiably and successfully tested?
Software Dimension
We analyze your application landscape for vendor dependencies and lock-in risks. In doing so, we assess how open your systems are, how easily components can be replaced and to what extent operations are tied to proprietary products. This enables you to identify where dependencies hinder further development and where Open Source software or other open alternatives might be appropriate.
Example question: Is there verifiable evidence that the software can be further developed independently of the current supplier?
Know-how Dimension
The focus is on your expertise as a customer and purchaser: defining requirements yourself, making informed assessments of services, managing service providers and drafting contracts with confidence. We also examine your understanding of the market and technology, as well as the development of business-critical skills. This enables you to identify where strategic or operational knowledge is lacking and where you should strengthen your management capabilities.
Example question: Is there evidence that the organization can manage critical systems from a technical perspective and develop them further from an operational standpoint?
Data Dimension
Your data is a key asset of your organization. We examine where it is stored and processed, who can access it, and how freely it can be transferred, analzsed and protected. The focus is on data sovereignty, access control and portability. This enables you to retain control over your data and implement risk-based backup, recovery and exit strategies.
Example question: Can it be demonstrated that data can be exported in full and independently at any time?
Frequently asked questions
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Director Open Source Software Management & Digital Sovereignty, PwC Germany
Tel: +49 151 16157049
