Digital sovereignty

How organizations are balancing resilience, control, and innovation in an increasingly complex digital landscape

As a result, digital sovereignty is moving from a policy discussion to a business priority. Organizations are seeking to strengthen resilience, retain control over critical assets, and manage dependencies without compromising innovation or competitiveness.

This report draws on a global survey of 1,300 executives and interviews with leaders across industry, technology, and policy to examine how organizations are approaching digital sovereignty in a rapidly changing environment.

The defining shifts in digital sovereignty

Digital sovereignty has become a boardroom issue
Ninety-three percent of organizations have discussed digital sovereignty at board level, while half have appointed, or are considering appointing, a chief sovereignty officer.

Strategic autonomy matters more than full independence
Most organizations recognize that complete control across the technology stack is neither realistic nor desirable. Instead, they focus on managing dependencies while maintaining flexibility and control over critical assets.

Dependency on external technology providers remains high
Reliance on global suppliers across cloud, software, hardware, and connectivity continues to expose organizations to concentration risk, limited visibility, and lengthy switching timelines.

Organizations are taking a pragmatic approach
According to 59% of organizations, full digital sovereignty is unrealistic. Many are pursuing hybrid models built on federated control and managed interdependence to protect critical operations while maintaining access to innovation.

Digital sovereignty requires balancing resilience and competitiveness
Just over half of organizations (54%) believe they can strengthen digital sovereignty without sacrificing competitiveness, highlighting the need for practical, risk-based strategies.

Five actions for business and technology leaders

Organizations should:

• Elevate digital sovereignty to a board-level priority
• Assess exposure across critical operations and dependencies
• Prioritize interventions based on business impact and risk
• Build resilience and control into operating models and governance
• Foster innovation through managed interdependence

This report is essential for CIOs, CTOs, CDOs, chief data and security officers, and executives responsible for risk, compliance, and digital strategy. It provides practical insights into balancing control, resilience, and innovation in an increasingly complex digital ecosystem.

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