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Future-Proofing Strategy: Global Webinar Highlights with WEF, BIF Chair Liselotte Engstam, and Expert Board Directors on the 2025 Risk Landscape
“There are so many issues on the table, but it’s also the speed of these issues. And if you haven’t really adjusted your long-term vision, it’s much harder to have something to hold onto and it’s much easier to react to what’s coming. Most boards can do better on spending a bit more time on the longer perspectives, more support for management on the shortest perspectives and actually help with clarifying the direction.” – Liselotte Engstam, Chair Boards Impact Forum et al
On May 7, 2025, the Climate Governance Initiative convened a high-level global webinar to explore the key findings of the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2025. Bringing together voices from WEF, the Chair of the Board Impact Forum, and other leading climate governance directors, the session offered valuable insights for board directors seeking to future-proof their organizations in an increasingly complex and uncertain world.
The webinar featured Alejandro Díaz de León, Executive Director of Grupo Bal and former Governor of Mexico’s Central Bank; Liselotte Engstam, Chair of the Boards Impact Forum; and Mark Elsner, Head of the Global Risks Initiative at the World Economic Forum. The session was expertly moderated by Jo Paisley, President of the Risk Institute at the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP).
The discussion highlighted the shifting nature of global risks over two distinct time horizons. In the near term, covering the years 2025 to 2027, geopolitical conflicts and confrontations emerged as the most pressing threats to stability. These tensions are compounded by a rapidly growing concern over societal risks—particularly the rise of misinformation and disinformation, which are expected to intensify significantly by 2027.
Looking further ahead to 2035, the report signals a clear dominance of environmental threats in the global risk landscape. Among these, extreme weather events and biodiversity loss stand out as the most severe and likely challenges. These findings serve as a sobering reminder of the enduring and escalating nature of environmental risks, and they underscore the urgent need for long-term strategic engagement by both boards and executives.
Strategic Board Recommendations
Throughout the webinar, a set of strategic recommendations was offered to help board directors navigate this evolving terrain. First, boards were encouraged to adopt a long-term perspective—one that balances the demands of short-term performance with the necessity of building resilient, future-ready organizations. Deepening contextual understanding was also emphasized, as boards must be capable of reading the signals in their operating environment to better identify emerging threats and opportunities.
Scenario planning was highlighted as a vital tool for enhancing strategic agility. By regularly exploring a range of plausible but extreme futures, boards can better prepare their organizations for disruption. Additionally, the importance of articulating and aligning around a clear organizational purpose was reinforced. In an age of heightened stakeholder scrutiny, aligning business performance with societal benefit can serve as both a strategic compass and a unifying force within the company.
The Global Risks Report 2025 stands as an essential resource for board leaders. It offers a forward-looking lens on the systemic challenges shaping our global context and provides actionable insights to guide governance, risk oversight, and strategic foresight. As the risk landscape continues to evolve, boards that proactively engage with these insights will be best positioned to lead resilient, sustainable transformations.
Look at the webinar recording;
Find the World Economic Forums Global Risk Report 2025
For the full article, and more insights, visit: Global Risks Report 2025 – Is your business future proof?
Learn More
At Boards Impact Forum, we remain committed to supporting NEDs in this evolving landscape, ensuring sustainability and governance go hand in hand.
Webinars, Peer Exchanges and Events
Check our upcoming events, all with NED Guest Speakers and Peer Exchange:
June 18, 5-6.30 PM CET, Digitally Savvy Boards – Leading in the Age of AI with MIT CICR Academic Director Stephanie Woerner, BIF Operations Director & Research Scientist Fernanda Torre, Chair & NED Bertil Carlse´n and NED Charlotta Nilsson
June 26, 8-9.30 CET, The Future Boardroom – How to Transform in Turbulent Times with Helle Bank Jorgensen, Founder and Director of Board Intelligence, Håkan Broman, Vice Chair Sweish Corporate Governance Code, CEO Swedish Academy of Board Directors and professional NED, and Monica Lagercrantz, Founder and Board Director at Board Clic and international Boardroom advisor.
Board Programs
Sign up for our programs starting in September and October 2025 again:
About Boards Impact Forum and the blogpost
Event arranged by Boards Impact Forum and Climate Governance Initiative, in collaboration with the INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre
This blogpost is also shared at the blog of of Digoshen, www.digoshen.com.
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