Geopolitical instability has emerged as the leading risk facing organisations and their travelling workforces in 2026, according to International SOS’s newly released Risk Outlook report.
The 10th annual study highlights a rapidly evolving global risk environment, with political volatility, conflict and regional instability placing growing pressure on businesses to protect employees and maintain operations.
Nearly six in 10 leaders (57 per cent) said new risks are emerging faster than they can be managed, while 74 per cent reported that the window for making critical decisions is shrinking. Just 35 per cent said they are confident in their ability to mobilise teams quickly in response to incidents.
Geopolitical instability was cited by 47 per cent of respondents as the primary driver of rising uncertainty, followed by cybercrime. Almost half (49 per cent) noted that risks are increasingly interconnected and converging, requiring organisations to coordinate security and medical responses more closely – particularly for mobile and travelling workforces.
Alongside the report, International SOS released its open-access Risk Map, reflecting updated medical and security risk ratings worldwide. Several destinations have seen security ratings increase due to geopolitical tensions, including Iran (Medium to High), Myanmar (High to Extreme) and Niger (Medium to High). Mongolia’s security risk rating has been downgraded from Medium to Low, while India’s medical risk rating has shifted from Variable to Medium due to standards of care in major cities.
International SOS co-founder and CEO Arnaud Vaissié said organisations are entering 2026 facing a landscape defined by accelerating change.
“Geopolitical shifts, natural hazards, rising costs and polarisation are straining operations and impacting employees,” Vaissié said. “Risks no longer arrive in isolation – they converge and evolve, challenging even the most robust plans.”
Despite widespread attention on artificial intelligence, only 6 per cent of organisations currently view AI as important for risk management, while just one in five feel confident verifying risk information rapidly.
International SOS global security director Cvete Koneska warned that static or declining budgets – anticipated by nearly 80 per cent of security and health specialists – could limit organisations’ ability to respond to emerging threats.
Global medical director Dr Irene Lai added that health risks, including mental health challenges, increasingly overlap with security crises, reinforcing the need for integrated planning to protect employees and travellers.
