Global Risks Report 2026: An urgent call for boardroom action on property, infrastructure and operational resilience

Business leaders and risk professionals face an era marked by rising uncertainty, complexity and threat accumulation, according to the newly released Global Risks Report 2026 from the World Economic Forum.

The findings underscore an urgent need for the boardrooms to reframe risk management, moving beyond traditional insurance and technical silos to focus on integrated resilience across property, infrastructure and operations. For risk and insurance management professionals, the key message is clear: safeguarding the future of organisations means acting decisively today.

The 2026 report signals that the most pressing risks are no longer acting independently but compounding with each other in ways that demand a holistic, cross-disciplinary approach.

This year, the spotlight falls on three intersecting domains: critical infrastructure vulnerability, the ripple effects of digital transformation and the destabilising influence of societal factors such as misinformation and polarisation.

Each domain, taken in isolation, represents a significant challenge. Together, they create a risk environment where losses can quickly escalate, threatening not just individual projects but entire business models.

Critical infrastructure: a fragile foundation

A core finding of the report is the mounting pressure facing power grids, transport networks, water supplies and other vital infrastructure.

Ageing assets are under increased strain from extreme weather events, targeted physical attacks and the growing sophistication of cyber threats. Deferred maintenance, short-term investment horizons and fragmented responsibility for infrastructure risk have left many organisations vulnerable to disruptions that can reverberate across the business.

For risk professionals, this means there is an immediate need to reassess exposure to infrastructure failure, not just in terms of physical damage but also business interruption and reputation loss. Finally, it is important to evaluate potential insurance coverage gaps related to risk interdependencies, how different risks are connected and dependent on one another.

The report makes it clear that mitigation cannot rely solely on insurance. Instead, boardrooms should prioritise systematic asset audits, invest in upgrades and maintenance, and foster robust contingency planning. These measures require buy-in from across the business, bringing together facilities, finance, IT and executive leadership to ensure that resilience is embedded in both strategy and daily operations.

Digital dependency: new risks in a connected world

Digital transformation continues to revolutionise every aspect of business, unlocking new efficiencies but also introducing fresh vulnerabilities. The interconnected nature of modern operations means that a cyber incident can trigger supply chain breakdowns, equipment failures and cascading financial losses, with impacts reaching far beyond data security.

Increasing reliance on cloud computing, remote working and digital communications amplifies the potential consequences of disruption. The report emphasises that cyber risk is now inseparable from physical risk, with operational downtime, asset damage and regulatory repercussions all possible outcomes from a single event.

Boardrooms must expand their horizon scanning to include multi-risk scenarios. For instance, consider how a ransomware attack might compound the effects of an extreme weather event, paralysing response systems just when they are most needed.

In this environment, siloed risk management is no longer sufficient. Integrated cross-functional teams, including risk managers, IT specialists and business continuity professionals, are essential to identify exposures, build resilience and develop response strategies that account for overlapping risks, to effectively protect the organisation.

Societal factors: the amplifying effect of misinformation and polarisation

Perhaps the most insidious threat identified in the 2026 report is the impact of societal risks, particularly the rapid spread of misinformation and growing polarisation. These trends complicate crisis management and decision-making, disrupt supply chains, and can undermine both public trust and internal morale.

For risk professionals, the challenge is to anticipate how social unrest, reputational attacks or breakdowns in communication might amplify the consequences of physical and digital incidents.

Boards should encourage ongoing monitoring of public sentiment and stakeholder engagement, integrating reputational risk into broader resilience planning. Proactive communication, clear internal policies and crisis simulations that account for misinformation scenarios can strengthen readiness and reduce vulnerability to external shocks.

From analysis to boardroom action: practical steps for resilience

To respond to this complex, accumulating risk landscape, risk leaders and boards should take several practical steps:

1. Prioritise resilience of core assets: Undertake regular, cross-disciplinary assessments of property, infrastructure and technology exposures, ensuring that maintenance and upgrade programmes are central to business planning.

2. Strengthen scenario planning: Move beyond single-risk frameworks by developing horizon scanning that considers how multiple risks might interact. Use workshops and simulations to stress-test contingency plans.

3. Foster cross-functional collaboration: Break down internal silos, bringing together expertise from across the business. Engage suppliers, insurers and public authorities to share information and coordinate on risk management strategies.

4. Promote proactive boardroom engagement: Boards should devote agenda time to long-term risk trends, focusing on systemic exposures and the potential for risk accumulation. This should be supported by up-to-date analytics and regular reporting from risk teams.

The Global Risks Report 2026 offers a stark warning: resilience is no longer an optional consideration, but a foundational requirement for survival and success. Property and casualty risks, critical infrastructure, digital transformation and societal disruption must be addressed together, not separately.

By recognising the interconnected nature of today’s threats and acting decisively to strengthen resilience, boardrooms and risk professionals can chart a path through the age of disorder, safeguarding assets and ensuring continuity for years to come.

Collaboration between risk managers and insurers is essential to ensure that risk strategies address the broader needs of the company rather than operating in isolation. Open communication and transparency help align priorities and support informed decisions.

This article is written by Penny Seach, Chief Underwriting Officer, Commercial Insurance at Zurich Insurance Group.