Social unrest the top risk for 2025?

International SOS has released its 2025 Risk Outlook report revealing essential insights into the mounting challenges for organisational and workforce resilience, alongside risk predictions for the upcoming year.

Geopolitical instability ranks as a top concern for organisations heading into 2025, underscoring the fragility of a deeply interconnected global landscape. Businesses are now contending with an environment where conflicts are not confined to political borders, echoing instead across industries, economies, and supply chains.

The 802 participants in the report comprised senior decision-makers responsible for the health, well-being, and security of people in their organisations; 75% believe that protests, as well as political and social unrest, are likely to have a significant impact on their business and/or people in the next 12 months. Geopolitical tensions also featured prominently, with 74% of participants voicing concern that these will have a significant impact.

“The interconnected nature of today’s risks are creating an environment where issues escalate quickly and unpredictably,” says Sally Llewellyn, global security director at International SOS. This increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape is taking a profound toll on mental health, with 65% of participants predicting that political stress and anxiety will have a significant impact on their business and/or people in 2025. These pressures are intensified by broader wellness risks:

• Stress and burnout: 78%
• Impact of the cost-of-living crisis: 75%
• Mental health conditions: 70%
• Quiet quitting: 52%
• Climate change anxiety: 45%

“Businesses that proactively invest in employee well-being are building operational resilience. Creating a healthy workplace includes protecting and promoting mental health, which will not only help employees weather these stresses, but also drive higher engagement, productivity, and retention – essential for navigating a rapidly changing world,” says Dr Irene Lai, global medical director at International SOS.

Despite the many complexities and challenges organisations face today, there are clear pathways to building resilience. According to the report, resilient organisations share three key characteristics:

1. Access to actionable intelligence: Decision-makers need timely, relevant, and verified information tailored to their organisation’s specific risks. This is critical in addressing misinformation and disinformation; 27% of participants report that their organisation has been impacted by misinformation, with a further 32% reporting being unsure whether misinformation has impacted their organisation – a potential blind spot.
2. Integrated risk management platforms: Unified risk management systems streamline processes and enhance the productivity of risk managers. By providing a single platform of reliable information, organisations can respond swiftly to both anticipated and unforeseen risks.
3. Optimised resource allocation: The consolidation of resources allows organisations to prioritise high-risk areas without overextending. For example, 64% of respondents highlight the fact that employees have great expectations about Duty of Care. This finding makes it essential to embed proactive health, safety, and security measures – vital to addressing current and emerging risks – into operations.