Beyond Compliance: Unlocking the Real Power of SBOMs

Most business leaders still haven’t heard of an SBOM (Software Bill of Materials). And for those who have, it’s often seen as a compliance requirement, cybersecurity formality or something for the IT team to sort out. But this perspective overlooks their true potential. SBOMs can be serve as strategic assets if you approach them with the right purpose in mind. To get the right SBOM, you need to know what you want to do with it. 

This mindset shift is essential. Just as no two businesses are the same, no single SBOM use case applies universally. For some, the focus might be licensing risk; for others, it’s vulnerability management, product safety, operational efficiency, or IP governance. The key is clarity of purpose.

Compliance may be the initial driver, especially with rising regulatory pressure. But those who stop there miss a greater opportunity. An effective SBOM becomes a living map of your software supply chain — offering visibility that can transform how you develop, manage, and secure software across the business.

For example, procurement teams can use SBOMs to ensure software purchases meet security and licensing requirements before signing contracts. Legal teams can track licence obligations and intellectual property exposures, whereas security teams can use it to pinpoint vulnerable code faster.

Many companies generate SBOMs as an afterthought — because they "have to" — and the results reflect that. These are often unfit for purpose because they are incomplete or generic. Without a clear outcome in mind, the SBOM you end up with may tick a box but offer no real value.

In contrast, a strategically crafted SBOM aligns with your business goals. It’s structured for actionability, with the right level of granularity, dependency detection, and context to support decision-making across departments.

So how do you move towards an SBOM that supports your business objectives?

Start with intent.

The real value of SBOMs emerges when they’re integrated into the rhythm of business operations. With the right approach, they can reduce time-to-market, improve internal governance, and offer a clearer picture of software risk and opportunity.

Treating SBOMs as static documents limits their potential. Seeing them as dynamic intelligence assets opens the door to continuous improvement, cross-functional insights, and smarter business decisions.

Conclusion: Use the SBOM You Want — Not Just the One You Have to Produce.

It’s time to reframe how businesses think about SBOMs. Instead of asking “Are we compliant?”, ask “How can this SBOM help us operate better, move faster, or manage smarter?” 

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