Get off to a flying start in 2026, by taking practice steps to get more traction in managing risks across your business.
The 52 Risks® framework can be used to assist business owners, executives and risk managers gain a deeper understanding of the risks that any business may face. This will enable future, sustainable growth and a more resilient business.
Here are 26 actions you can take today to reboot risk management in any business, irrespective of size or industry.
- Print out the 52 Risks® infographic and hand it around the board or executive table at the next meeting to identify any new risks that arose in 2025 that are not currently in the risk management framework or risk reporting. Read more and download the free infographic here https://www.52risks.com/2024/06/14/the-52-risks-infographic-2024/
- Send the 52 Risks® infographic out to your team and ask them to think about any emerging or strategic risks they can identify from the infographic
- Using a secure AI engine, describe your business in detail and ask it for a list of emerging and strategic risks to consider
- Set up time for a board or executive workshop using the 52 Risks® framework. Select important business issues and risks to be discussed from the framework
- Pu the 52 Risks® framework into the strategic planning process. Use the framework to update and validate the strategic plan against the risks in the 52 Risks® framework
- Use 52 Risks® as a risk assessment tool to highlight the risks of any business case or new investment proposals
- Upload your key management reports into a secure AI engine and ask for a summary of your key business risks
- Arrange for a ‘deep dive’ on one strategic, financial, or operational risk from the 52 Risks® framework. Allocate responsibility to a person (or a team) to complete the deep dive and present back to the board or executive team on the nature of the risk, the business’ risk appetite (either current or in the future) for this risk and how this risk is being managed and mitigated
- Consider using the 52 Risks® framework in your annual report to investors, shareholders and other stakeholders
- Ask your Chief Financial Officer or Finance Manager to present on the 16 Financial Risks in the 52 Risks® framework
- Ask your Chief Information Officer or information technology team to review and assess the key operational risks that are relevant to the operation of your IT function.
- Ask your internal or external audit team to review the 52 Risks® framework and identify any risks that should be the subject of an audit in 2026
- Map the risks in the 52 Risks® framework to specific business or risk owners, using the free template here https://www.52risks.com/2025/02/02/risk-management-map-compass/
- Periodically review the risk profile of key business partners using the 52 Risks® framework
- Consider incorporating the 52 Risks® framework in your vendor risk assessment and procurement processes
- Review your regular management reporting and seek to identify any risks in the 52 Risks® framework that may be missing from the reporting
- Develop risk management learning and development sessions, focusing on risks selected from the 52 Risks® framework, to assist everyone in the business to better understand how to identify, assess and manage business risks
- Use the 52 Risks® framework as the basis of an internal communications to raise awareness of specific risks
- Identify key business risks from the 52 Risks® framework to incorporate into management KPIs and performance plans
- Review any investments you may be considering using the 52 Risks® framework
- Review and assess Climate Change Risk – an important Strategic Risk – and its impact using the 52 Risks® framework. Review this article for more information https://www.52risks.com/2023/11/21/climate-change-risk-developing-a-strategic-response/
- Undertake a scenario planning session around selected risks from the 52 Risks® framework Learn more about scenario planning here https://www.52risks.com/2023/01/05/top-10-scenario-planning-and-stress-testing-resources/
- Ask your Compliance and/or Legal teams to undertake a joint workshop on key non-financial risks in the 52 Risks® framework
- Use the 52 Risks® framework to develop a risk management framework, a detailed risk register, and set appetite for the key business risks you have identified
- Review any existing risk registers to ensure that they have assessed and documented the key business risks under each of the risk categories in the 52 Risks® framework
- Compare the risks in the 52 Risks® framework to your Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and sustainability disclosures. Are you missing any in the ESG documentation?
The Resources Center has all the tools needed to undertake any of the above, including the 52 Risks® infographic and the Mapping the 52 Risks® Template
