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Governance of Emerging Risks

How boards can govern risks that are not yet fully understood, from technology disruption to climate transition.

Governance of Emerging Risks

This white paper considers how boards can govern risks that are not yet fully understood — from technology disruption to climate transition.

The challenge

Emerging risks share three traits: uncertainty over likelihood, uncertainty over impact, and uncertainty over velocity. Traditional risk registers, built on known exposures, often miss them.

A governance approach

  • Horizon scanning. Assign responsibility for monitoring weak signals across sectors, regulators and peer organizations.
  • Scenario thinking. Test strategy against plausible adverse scenarios rather than single-point forecasts.
  • Risk appetite for the unknown. Define tolerances for uncertainty, not just for measurable exposures.
  • Board engagement. Reserve time on the agenda for emerging-risk discussion, separate from operational reporting.

Role of the board

The board's task is not to predict the future but to ensure the organization is resilient to several futures. That requires diversity of perspective, willingness to challenge management's assumptions, and access to independent assurance.

Next steps

  1. Identify the top emerging risks for your sector
  2. Assign an owner and a monitoring routine
  3. Report emerging risks separately from the operational risk register

Speak with an Expert

Have a governance, risk or integrity question? Speak directly with a founder-led advisor — every inquiry is reviewed personally and held in strict confidence.