Readiness, near-term priorities, and key takeaways
In addition to assessing the extent to which respondents have already implemented specific approaches across the five strategic imperatives, the survey asked participants to evaluate their overall readiness to act in each area and to identify up to two imperatives that represent their highest near-term priorities. The readiness chart offers an indication of perceived organisational capability and implementation maturity.
The prioritisation chart highlights where management attention is expected to be focused in the near term. The combined view helps to provide a perspective on the coherence between the level of readiness and actions to be taken to address the gaps across the five imperatives.
Readiness and near-term priorities
The readiness chart offers an indication of perceived organisational capability and implementation maturity. The prioritisation chart highlights where management attention is expected to be focused in the near term. The combined view helps to provide a perspective on the coherence between the level of readiness and actions to be taken to address the gaps across the five imperatives.
Average level of readiness by strategic imperative: Overall sample and listed versus non-listed companies
Distribution of short-term priorities for action: Overall sample and listed versus non-listed companies
The readiness and prioritisation results suggest that respondents are generally more prepared in relation to infrastructure resilience, followed by supply chain resilience and stress testing future scenarios, while workforce adaptability remains at an intermediate stage, and AI and analytics in risk management emerge as the area with the lowest readiness. At the same time, AI and analytics are identified as the leading near-term priority, followed by supply chain resilience. This indicates that organisations increasingly recognise the importance of leveraging analytics, automation, and dynamic insights to strengthen decision-making, while acknowledging that implementation capability remains less developed.
The readiness findings across the five strategic imperatives reinforce survey outcomes seen in previous sections. Stress testing appears comparatively more mature in scenario analysis and quantitative assessment, but less advanced in translating outputs into structured action through risk appetite and strategic decision-making. This further highlights the often parallel risk and strategy processes, with risk analysis often performed at a later stage. Indeed, for some clusters of revenue (that is, above €5 billion and €500 million and €1 billion), it emerges in the top two priorities for action.
Supply chains and AI
Supply chain resilience is also recognised as a key priority. This may be due to persistent geopolitical volatility. However, current approaches remain only partly embedded and still rely significantly on manual monitoring. This may explain why perceived readiness is somewhat higher than the effective maturity reflected in adopted practices.
AI and analytics present the clearest gap between ambition and execution, and need to find practical value-added applications. This would optimise and enhance the breadth and effectiveness of risk analysis.
Workforce adaptability remains constrained by the limited use of structured analytics and forward-looking scenario tools. Nonetheless, short- to medium-term planning to address the critical skills shortage is underway or planned for most of the sample. Such plans appear not to be founded on grounds which properly consider the implications on business models of external transformation factors such as data and AI, automation, robotics, and decarbonisation.
By contrast, infrastructure resilience appears comparatively more advanced, although the survey suggests that structured adaptation and mitigation planning are not yet fully consistent across the sample.
Listed companies show signs of being more mature
Subgroup analysis provides additional context. Listed companies generally appear more mature than non-listed respondents across several imperatives, particularly in structured stress testing, supply chain analysis, climate-related integration, and implementation readiness. Company size also emerges as a relevant factor, with respondents with revenues above €5 billion typically displaying more structured and embedded approaches, while smaller organisations are more likely to rely on qualitative, selective, or reactive practices.
At the same time, the survey points to a more nuanced pattern in the €1 billion to €5 billion segment, which, in several areas, appears less mature than expected, particularly in AI and analytics, workforce adaptability, scenario analysis, and stress testing. This may highlight a transitional phase in terms of operational complexity, but not yet fully structured governance, as in larger organisations.
FIs, energy, and utilities
Financial services and energy and utilities frequently emerge as more mature sectors, especially in structured analysis, planning, integration, and implementation. Other sectors show higher readiness on selected topics, such as fashion and technology on supply chain resilience, and mobility on infrastructure resilience. Sector differences are also visible in short-term priorities. Financial services and energy and utilities prioritise AI, scenario analysis, and stress testing. Mobility prioritises supply chain and scenario analysis, and fashion and luxury prioritise supply chain and workforce adaptation.