Only 37% Spot Reputation Hotspots as Appetite for Risk Falls to 56%
Willis research reveals only 37% of organisations identify reputational risk hotspots, down from 56% in 2024, while 56% now report low appetite for such risk versus 36% previously. Over 30% of firms can model financial impact of reputational damage, up from 11%, and 82% rank reputation among top five risks.
1. Survey Scope and Participants
The 2026 Reputational Risk Readiness Survey polled 500 senior executives across retail, manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, transportation and NGOs in 20 countries spanning Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific, the Americas and Africa, with 37% of firms reporting $1bn–$2.5bn turnover, 26% at $2.5bn–$5bn and 36% above $5bn.
2. Decline in Awareness and Appetite
Only 37% of respondents could identify key reputation risk hotspots, down sharply from 56% in 2024, while 56% indicated a low appetite for reputational risk compared with 36% previously, signalling growing uncertainty around stakeholder perceptions and boardroom caution.
3. Strengthened Controls and Financial Modelling
In response, 82% of organisations now place reputation among their top five risks and efforts to enhance controls have accelerated, including deeper stakeholder engagement and integrated enterprise risk management, with over 30% of firms able to model the financial impact of reputational damage, up from 11% last year.