Measuring the sovereignty of a company - 4 sections
13 Aug 2025
In the previous article, we defined strategic corporate sovereignty and explained why it has become a central issue in 2025. The next step is clear: understanding how to measure it objectively.
Open Sovereignty has developed a unique methodology designed to adapt to all sectors and company sizes, whether it be a industrial SME or a large international group.
Why measure rather than rely on intuition?
Many leaders believe they know their dependencies, but recent crises have shown that:
Certain vulnerabilities remain invisible until they appear.
Indirect interdependencies (rank 2 or 3) can have as much impact as a direct supplier.
Risk perception is often biased by past experience, rather than factual data.
This is where the 4-block method of the Open Sovereignty methodology comes into play.
The 4 blocks: a 360° view of sovereignty
The methodology relies on four complementary axes, each scored out of 100.
The overall score is the simple average of these four blocks, offering a clear and balanced reading.
Block 1 – Governance
Objective: assess the legal robustness and strategic control of the company.
Key indicators:
Country of registration: a registered office located in France or the EU benefits from a higher score due to legal stability and regulatory security.
Country of control: location of the parent company, holding company, or majority shareholders.
Strategic compliance: absence of executives or shareholders on international sanctions lists (OFAC, EU) or politically exposed persons (PEP).
AML-CFT: verification of risks related to money laundering and terrorism financing.
EU Framework: For companies registered in a member state, foreign commercial policy is defined at the European level, ensuring a coherent and predictable regulatory environment for international trade.
Example: A French company whose capital is controlled by a holding located in an allied country will obtain a better score than a company under the control of a country under sanctions.
Block 2 – Turnover
Objective: measure commercial dependency on certain geographic markets.
Key indicators:
Geographical distribution of clients: breakdown of turnover by country.
Geopolitical weighting:
FR = 100 points
EU = 75 points
Allies = 60 points
Neutrals = 50 points
Tensions = 25 points
Sanctions = 0 points
Revenue concentration: increased risk if a significant portion of turnover comes from a single high-risk country.
EU Framework: Trade agreements signed by the Union can open or restrict access to certain markets. For instance, a free trade agreement can create a strategic opportunity in an allied country, but an anti-dumping measure can reduce access to a key market.
Example: A French agrifood company selling 60% of its production to a single country classified as "tensions" will have a lower turnover score than a company diversifying its sales across multiple EU and allied zones.
Block 3 – Purchasing
Objective: evaluate the resilience of the supply chain.
Key indicators:
Geopolitical origin of suppliers: analysis from rank 1 (direct) to rank 2 and 3 (indirect).
Critical dependencies: strategic raw materials, unique components, market monopolies.
Diversification: number and distribution of supply sources.
EU Framework: The EU's trade policies directly influence import conditions (tariffs, quotas, standards). Some strategic imports may be subject to licenses or restrictions.
Example: A European battery manufacturer importing 80% of its critical metals from a country under tension will see its purchasing score drop, even if it diversifies its clients.
Block 4 – Digital
Objective: analyze the sovereignty of IT tools and infrastructure.
Key indicators:
Origin of cloud providers, APIs, critical software.
Digital sovereignty: use of European or open-source solutions valued with a bonus.
Legal risk: exposure to extraterritorial laws such as the US CLOUD Act.
EU Framework: The EU is pushing for the development of sovereign digital infrastructures (GAIA-X projects, trusted cloud) to reduce dependency on non-European actors.
Example: An SME hosting its data on a French cloud certified SecNumCloud will obtain a better score than a company depending on a provider subject to the CLOUD Act.
How to read and interpret the SovTrack score
The global SovTrack score using the Open Sovereignty methodology is the simple average of the 4 blocks, each weighing 25%.
High score (80-100): strong strategic autonomy, low risk exposure.
Average score (50-79): identified dependencies, significant scope for improvement.
Low score (<50): high vulnerability, requiring a priority action plan.
SovTrack provides a visual radar to quickly view the performance of each block and guide improvement efforts.
Why this method is suitable for EU companies
It incorporates the legal reality of the EU's exclusive competence in external trade.
It weights risks according to the geopolitical typology of countries.
It combines sectoral data (for companies that have not yet provided information) and declarative or verified data.
It is simple, fast, and free for all companies registered in the EU.
Measuring strategic sovereignty is essential… but it is necessary to speak the same language as your clients, investors, and partners.
In the next article, discover the Glossary of strategic sovereignty applied to businesses: geopolitical typology, tier 1/tier 2 suppliers, PEP, digital sovereignty... everything you need to know to understand and utilize a SovTrack score.
