LONDON — The latest umbrella analysis of key global reports on trust, reputation, risk and resilience concludes that communications professionals must "rethink risk, reimagine crisis and re-engineer preparedness" in the current environment. 

The third annual ‘Reputation, Risk & Resilience Report’, compiled by independent consultant Rod Cartwright, is a summary and analysis of 11 key papers from highly-regarded international bodies from the past 12 months.

The reports Cartwright has analysed are: the Gallup State of the Global Workplace report; the Edelman Trust Barometer; the Page Society CCO Views into 2025/Page-Harris Confidence in Business Index; the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) Horizon Scan Report; the AXA Future Risks Report; the Lloyds Register Foundation World Risk Poll Report’ Oxford University/ GlobeScan Global Corporate Affairs Survey; the Deloitte Corporate Affairs Report; The Conference Board C-Suite Outlook; the World Economic Forum Global Risks Report; and Ipsos’ Navigating Through Turbulence Report.

The themes explored in the report encompass a wide spectrum of global challenges, including the constancy of risk; geopolitics; the environment; mental health and wellness; polarisation; the economy; cybersecurity; and the role of communicators as “sensemakers”.

Cartwright said: “As professional communicators and business leaders, we operate in a world where the major risk ‘buckets’ dominating expert and public concerns are starting to become remarkably consistent. That said, while the overall risk landscape is relatively stable, these ‘steady-state’, dominant risks and increasingly interconnected, mutually-reinforcing, structural and systemic – intensifying almost by the day.

“And yet for all the undoubted volatility, uncertainty and complexity, I believe passionately that our response must be to fundamentally rethink crisis, reimagine risk and re-engineer preparedness.

In the 2025 edition of report, I unapologetically revisit my consistent argument that there is real opportunity lurking beneath the sense of permacrisis. That opportunity is the chance to use risk management, crisis preparedness and resilience-building as sources of hugely positive tangible value and material opportunity, rather than viewing them as irksome, costly insurance policies.”

Cartwright said the 2025 edition of the report would not make “a particularly cheery read”. That said, “there is simply no hiding from the fact that we live in a world of complexity, uncertainty and fear. However, I continue to argue and assert that issues and crises are – in reality – nothing more than vulnerabilities manifested, risks realised and threats materialised.

“How we respond to the ‘stimulus’ of today’s undeniably complex risk environment is in our hands – professionally and personally. The sooner we acknowledge, internalise and culturally embed the fact that there is opportunity in every risk and risk in every opportunity, the better prepared we will be for what lies ahead.”

PRovoke Media founder and CEO Paul Holmes contributed to the expert commentary section of the report, saying: “The idea of communications professionals as “sensemakers” strikes me as particularly important. I suggested in a speech earlier this year that PR should stand for “pattern recognition,” the idea being that communicators need to be able to look at disparate and often confusing events, and understand the hopes and fears the underpin those events, in an attempt to understand where they might lead and how they can be addressed.

"The fact that communicators interact with employees, customers, shareholders and communities gives them a unique field of vision. Making sense of what they see may be their most valuable contribution.”

As well as PRovoke Media, sponsors of this year’s report include Ipsos, Onclusive, CIPR, EACD and ICCO.

The full ‘Reputation, Risk & Resilience Report’ can be downloaded here.