diff --git a/ods_tools/odtf/runner/pandas.py b/ods_tools/odtf/runner/pandas.py
index a0b475c..9072174 100644
--- a/ods_tools/odtf/runner/pandas.py
+++ b/ods_tools/odtf/runner/pandas.py
@@ -413,8 +413,8 @@ def transform(
         self, extractor: BaseConnector, mapping: BaseMapping
     ) -> Iterable[Dict[str, Any]]:
         """
-        Transforms the data.
-        It receives it in batches from the extractor, calculates which
+        Orchestrates the data transformation.
+        It receives the data in batches from the extractor, calculates which
         transformations can be applied to it, applies them, and yields the
         transformed rows.
 
@@ -422,7 +422,17 @@ def transform(
         :param mapping: The mapping object defining transformations.
         :return: An iterable of dictionaries, each representing a transformed row.
         """
-        validator = PandasValidator(search_paths=([os.path.dirname(self.config.path)] if self.config.path else []))
+        # Initial search paths
+        search_paths = [os.path.dirname(self.config.path)] if self.config.path else []
+
+        # Add search paths from the config, if provided
+        config_search_paths = self.config.get('mapping', {}).get('options', {}).get('search_paths', [])
+        if isinstance(config_search_paths, str):
+            config_search_paths = [config_search_paths]
+        search_paths.extend(config_search_paths)
+
+        # Instantiate the validator with the updated search paths
+        validator = PandasValidator(search_paths=search_paths)
         runner_config = self.config.config.get('runner', None)
         batch_size = runner_config.get('batch_size', 100000)
         total_rows = 0
@@ -438,13 +448,28 @@ def transform(
                     logger.info(
                         f"Running transformation set {transformations[0].input_format} -> {transformations[-1].output_format} [{extractor.name}]")
 
-                validator.run(self.coerce_row_types(batch, transformations[0].types),
-                              mapping.input_format.name, mapping.input_format.version, mapping.file_type)
+                # Validate input data
+                try:
+                    validator.run(self.coerce_row_types(batch, transformations[0].types),
+                                  mapping.input_format.name, mapping.input_format.version, mapping.file_type)
+                except KeyError as e:
+                    logger.warning(f"Validation failed due to a missing column: {e}")
+                except Exception as e:
+                    logger.warning(f"Validation failed: {e}")
 
+                # Apply the transformations to the batch
                 for transformation in transformations:
                     batch = self.apply_transformation_set(batch, transformation)
 
-                validator.run(batch, mapping.output_format.name, mapping.output_format.version, mapping.file_type)
+                # Validate output data
+                try:
+                    validator.run(batch, mapping.output_format.name, mapping.output_format.version, mapping.file_type)
+                except KeyError as e:
+                    logger.warning(f"Validation failed due to a missing column: {e}")
+                except Exception as e:
+                    logger.warning(f"Validation failed: {e}")
+
+                # Log the transformation progress
                 total_rows += len(batch)
                 logger.info(f"Processed {len(batch)} rows in the current batch (total: {total_rows})")