Cost Management Barometer 2026
Original title: Cost Management Barometer – 2026 Outlook
Open ERA Group's original report ↗ERA Group's Cost Management Barometer 2026 is an annual survey report on how senior decision-makers approach cost management for the year ahead. According to its own methodology section, the report is based on a survey of 1,000 senior decision-makers — primarily CEOs, CFOs, COOs and operational leaders — across a wide range of sectors including manufacturing, retail and healthcare. The research was conducted in Q1 2026.
The report is global in perspective but places particular emphasis on the EMEA region. Its central theme is that 2026 is described as a year for disciplined cost leadership rather than heroic cuts: protecting margin, funding transformation and staying resilient in a volatile operating environment.
For JMF Europe the report is mainly useful as a reference when management teams want to understand how peers prioritise between cost control, investment and resilience. The underlying research is ERA Group's, and its findings should be read as the report's observations rather than as results from any individual assignment.
Key takeaways
- Based on 1,000 senior decision-makers, primarily CEOs, CFOs, COOs and operational leaders.
- Research conducted in Q1 2026, with particular emphasis on EMEA.
- Cost management is framed as a strategic capability tied to margin and transformation.
- Focus on visibility, governance and faster decisions in a volatile market.
Relevant for
CEO · CFO · COO · Procurement
- Source
- ERA Group
- Language
- English
- Length
- 32 pages
- Date
- 2026
Original material from ERA Group. JMF Europe provides a short summary here.