Risk factors
Principal risks
The key factors and uncertainties that could have a significant effect on the Group’s financial performance, include the following:
Adverse changes in macroeconomic conditions
Adverse changes to economic conditions could result in reduced customer spending, higher interest rates, adverse inflation, or adverse foreign exchange rates. Adverse conditions could also lead to limited debt refinancing options and/or an increase in costs
Adverse market conditions
Increasing competition could lead to price wars, reduced margins, loss of market share and/or damage to market value.
Adverse political and policy environment
Adverse political and policy measures impacting our strategy could result in increased costs, create a competitive disadvantage, or have a negative impact on our return on capital employed.
Company transformation
Failure to effectively and successfully transform Vodafone to adapt to future challenges and demands could result in outdated business models, increased operational complexity, and hinder growth.
Cyber threat
An external cyber attack, insider threat or supplier breach could cause service interruption or data breach which could lead to fines, reputational damage, loss of value, loss of business and failure to meet customers’ expectations.
Data management and privacy
Data breaches, misuse of data, data manipulation, inappropriate data sharing, poor data quality or data unavailability could lead to fines, reputational damage, loss of value, loss of business opportunity, and failure to meet customer expectations.
Disintermediation
Failure to effectively respond to threats from emerging technology or disruptive business models could lead to a loss of customer relevance, market share and new/existing revenue streams.
Portfolio transformation and governance of investments
Failure to manage appropriate joint ventures (‘JVs’), and other investments or challenges to the timely completions of inflight portfolio actions may result in a loss of growth potential and shareholder value.
Supply chain disruption
Disruption in our supply chain could mean that we are unable to execute our strategic plans, resulting in product and service, unavailability and delays, increased cost, reduced choice, and lower network quality.
Technology resilience and future readiness
Network, system or platform outages or ineffective execution of the technology strategy could lead to dissatisfied customers and/or impact revenue.