As the global business landscape continues to evolve, 2026 is shaping up to be another year defined by uncertainty, complexity, and rapid change. From cyberattacks and climate-driven disasters to shifting political dynamics, the risks facing organisations are becoming more interconnected — and more disruptive.
For leaders, the question is no longer if disruption will occur, but how prepared your organisation is to adapt, respond, and recover. At Resilient Services, our organisational resilience consultants help businesses across Australia build the capability to withstand shocks and thrive through volatility.
Below, we explore the top emerging risks that organisations must prepare for in 2026, and how business resilience strategies can help mitigate their impact.
1. Cyber Incidents: Ransomware, Data Losses, and the Growing Digital Threat
Cybersecurity remains the number one threat to business continuity in 2026. The frequency, scale, and sophistication of cyberattacks are increasing, with ransomware, phishing, and data breaches continuing to dominate headlines.
Organisations are facing an escalating threat environment where cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities in AI systems, remote work infrastructure, and third-party supply chains. Even small and mid-sized enterprises are becoming prime targets, often lacking the defences of larger corporations.
Key risks for 2026 include:
- Ransomware-as-a-service operations are making attacks more accessible to non-technical criminals.
- AI-driven phishing and impersonation scams that bypass traditional security filters.
- Data privacy regulations are tightening, increasing the financial and reputational cost of breaches.
To build resilience, organisations must go beyond IT security alone. This means integrating cyber risk management into enterprise-wide resilience planning — including employee training, crisis communication, data backup strategies, and regular incident simulations.
Resilient Services works with clients to create cyber resilience frameworks that ensure rapid recovery from data loss or cyberattack, minimising downtime and maintaining stakeholder trust.
2. Climate and Environmental Events: The Rising Cost of Natural Disasters
Climate change continues to be a defining global risk, and in 2026, its impacts are becoming more local and immediate. Australia’s exposure to bushfires, floods, and extreme weather events makes environmental resilience a top priority for both public and private sector organisations.
Emerging climate risks include:
- More frequent and severe floods, storms, and bushfires are disrupting operations and infrastructure.
- Supply chain vulnerabilities due to global weather events affecting transport, agriculture, and logistics.
- Increasing regulatory and investor pressure for sustainability and climate risk disclosure.
Organisations must take a proactive approach by integrating climate risk assessment into their business continuity and crisis management frameworks. This means understanding physical and transition risks, identifying critical dependencies, and planning for recovery scenarios.
At Resilient Services, our business resilience consultants assist organisations in developing adaptable continuity plans that account for both immediate weather disruptions and long-term climate adaptation. By embedding resilience into strategy, governance, and operations, businesses can safeguard assets, employees, and reputation.
3. Business Interruption and Supply Chain Disruption
Global supply chains have become more complex — and more fragile — in recent years. From geopolitical tensions and trade restrictions to pandemic-related logistics challenges, business interruption remains one of the most financially damaging risks.
In 2026, the focus is shifting from response to pre-emptive continuity planning. Organisations that fail to map their dependencies, identify bottlenecks, or diversify suppliers are at significant risk of prolonged downtime when disruption occurs.
Common causes of business interruption include:
- Cyber incidents causing IT system outages.
- Extreme weather damaging infrastructure or transport networks.
- Supplier insolvency or global trade restrictions impacting production.
- Critical infrastructure failures, such as power or telecommunications outages, can occur.
To remain resilient, organisations should conduct end-to-end supply chain risk assessments, establish redundant suppliers, and maintain updated business continuity plans. Having a tested response framework not only accelerates recovery but can also strengthen relationships with partners, regulators, and customers.
Resilient Services helps businesses design and implement robust continuity and crisis management systems — ensuring they can continue delivering essential services even in the face of disruption.
4. A Changing Political Landscape: Regulation, Geopolitics, and Social Change
The global political environment is becoming increasingly volatile. Shifting alliances, trade restrictions, and domestic policy changes are reshaping the business environment in ways that affect supply chains, workforce stability, and investment confidence.
In Australia, organisations must also navigate new layers of regulatory compliance, sustainability mandates, and cybersecurity standards — alongside a broader societal focus on ethics, governance, and transparency.
Key political and social risks for 2026 include:
- Regulatory uncertainty around AI, data privacy, and environmental performance.
- Global tensions influencing trade and supply chain access.
- Labour and workforce movements, including protests, strikes, or industrial actions.
- Public pressure for corporate accountability, particularly in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) areas.
Building organisational resilience in this context means developing adaptive governance structures that can respond quickly to change. This includes scenario planning, risk horizon scanning, and ongoing engagement with key stakeholders — from employees to regulators and community partners.
At Resilient Services, we support leaders in building resilience not just for crisis events, but for evolving systems — helping organisations remain agile and compliant in a world of continuous change.
Preparing for 2026: Building True Organisational Resilience
Emerging risks are no longer isolated events — they are interconnected, cascading, and fast-moving. A cyber incident can trigger business interruption. A flood can expose data vulnerabilities. A regulatory change can disrupt entire industries overnight.
True organisational resilience means being ready for complex risk scenarios — not just individual threats.
At Resilient Services, our consultants help organisations:
- Conduct enterprise risk assessments across cyber, climate, operational, and political domains.
- Develop and test business continuity and crisis management plans.
- Strengthen supply chain resilience through risk mapping and diversification.
- Integrate resilience governance into everyday decision-making.
By anticipating emerging risks and investing in proactive resilience measures, organisations can protect their people, assets, and reputation — and even find competitive advantage in uncertainty.
Partner with Resilient Services
As 2026 approaches, now is the time to review and strengthen your organisation’s resilience capabilities. Whether it’s preparing for cyberattacks, navigating climate-related disruptions, or managing regulatory change, Resilient Services provides expert guidance to help you stay ahead of emerging risks.
Build confidence in your organisation’s future — partner with Resilient Services today.
