The risk of climate change to business
A growing risk for businesses is climate change. It featured for the first time in 2022 among the most significant business risks according to directors and risk managers worldwide. However, there were regional differences when it came to the level of concern and the type of risk. For instance, directors and risk managers in Asia were most concerned about the transition risk, or the financial costs of moving from carbon-based energy to carbon-free energy sources. Meanwhile, the physical risk was the biggest concern of Latin American respondents. This includes extreme weather and climate events, such as heat waves, tornadoes, and floods.COVID-related lawsuits against employers
Another emerging risk for companies is the return to the office, COVID-safety, and vaccination status of employees. The rate of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered globally varies between countries and regions. Even within some countries there are disparities: The share of people who are fully vaccinated varies between 50 and 80 percent between U.S. states. As of August 2022, there had been almost 6,000 lawsuits filed by employees in the U.S. alone related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The issues ranged from workplace safety concerns to reimbursement of expenses for working from home.
