What does the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Survey mean for your company? 🌐
Each year, the World Economic Forum publishes its Global Risks Report, drawing on insights from more than 1,300 experts across academia, business, government, international organisations and civil society.
In other words, if you could ask 1,300 experts what the future holds, this is what they would tell you.
As always, it’s a gold mine, I always love reviewing it.
I see five key takeaways for companies this year 👇
1️⃣ Design governance that is equipped for uncertainty
Uncertainty is the defining theme of the WEF’s global risks outlook. The road ahead is likely to be turbulent and stormy 🌩️.
So, what governance structures does your company have in place to be ready? This includes proactively bringing in external insights, creating cross-functional structures with the right functions involved, and designing clear escalation pathways to senior executives.
2️⃣ Integrate heightened human rights due diligence into operations
The risk most likely to trigger a material global crisis is geoeconomic confrontation, followed closely by state-based armed conflict.
Does your company have a clear understanding of heightened human rights due diligence - when to apply it and what it involves? If not, now is the time to build that understanding and put structures in place that can activate - as time is always of the essence when they are needed ⚠️.
3️⃣ Prioritise both living wage and affordability
Economic downturn and inflation have risen as key risks, while inequality was identified as the most interconnected global risk for the second year running.
So, how is your company advancing living wages while also considering the affordability of its products and services? (This is also a core theme in the latest World Benchmarking Alliance rankings 💸)
4️⃣ Build structures to integrate human rights into AI roll-out
Adverse outcomes of AI show the largest rise in risk ranking over time, moving from 30th in the two-year outlook to fifth in the ten-year outlook 📈. Over the next decade, AI will significantly shape labour markets, societies and global security.
What does your company have in place to identify and mitigate the human rights implications of AI across the business? AI-driven automation could displace workers on a historic scale - is your company applying a rights-respecting approach to this?
5️⃣ Act on climate and nature risks now - while respecting rights
Over the longer term, environmental risks continue to rank as the most severe. Extreme weather events are identified as the top risk, with half of the top ten risks being environmental in nature 🌱
What is your company doing today on climate and nature risks- and is it enough? And what structures exist to ensure these risks are addressed in a rights-respecting way?
And now, let me ask you.
How did you think the world would look like when you graduated? 🌍
What comes to mind for you?
Twenty year ago, I swore in as a lawyer.
If you’d like to find out more about the one thing that I’m both deeply sad, and nostalgic about, while also feeling privileged, and humbled about, check out my latest newsletter - which includes some helpful learning to set us up for success for 2026. (And a blurry photo of me swearing in 😆)
Link here.
Speaking of 2026, I’m so so thrilled to kick-start 2026 with the addition of not one, not two, but THREE incredible new Advisory Partners 🎉 - all with deep, inside-the-company experience of putting human rights into practice.
I truly feel so lucky to work with so many amazing people every day.
That includes you by the way (if we are working together, and if we’re not, I’m sure it would be true if we were 😄)
2026. Bring it. We’re ready. 🚀
Anna 💫
