Are businesses becoming more risk averse? Insights from the BDO Global Risk Landscape Report

The BDO Global Risk Landscape Report 2025 shows global trade tensions and policy shifts are having an impact on how businesses around the world approach risk, with 69% of respondents now saying they are risk-averse - compared to 61% last year.

In addition, business leaders appear to increasingly be viewing risk management as a compliance issue, despite seeing the value in taking a more proactive approach to risk. So what impact is this approach having on the risk landscape for businesses globally?

Compliance-led risk vs risk management

The BDO Global Risk Report surveyed 500 business leaders to gain insight into their current challenges and strategies to better understand the risk landscape today.

It reveals that businesses are increasingly taking a compliance-led approach to risk - perhaps as a response to increased regulation. However, 74% of executives believe that embedding proactive attitudes to risk into corporate culture can shift focus from simple compliance to strategies that deliver value and opportunities.

By adopting a compliance-first rather than risk-first mindset, businesses are in danger of missing out on critical growth opportunities. To overcome this, the report states that business leaders can take advantage of greater strategies to navigate and leverage risks for growth - stepping away from a mindset dictated by fear, to one dictated by opportunity.

Learn more

The Global Risk Landscape Report explores the attitudes of risk leaders towards evolving challenges such as geopolitical tensions, artificial intelligence, and supply chains and offers practical takeaways to help manage risks. 

Read the global report below to understand more about how businesses internationally are approaching risk. For more local insights, stay tuned for our 2025 BDO New Zealand Risk Report, to be released in July.

Learn more about BDO's Risk Advisory services here.