Geopolitical uncertainty is reshaping the operating environment for businesses worldwide, according to the latest Oxford-GlobeScan Global Corporate Affairs Survey. Against this backdrop, geoeconomic risk has emerged as the leading concern for Corporate Affairs professionals, with 76% of respondents identifying geoeconomic themes as among the biggest risks facing global business over the next two years. Artificial intelligence (AI) ranks second at 44%.
Director of the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation
CEO of GlobeScan
According to the report, Corporate Affairs teams are working within a world in which geopolitical competition is increasingly being played out through economic measures, including trade policy, regulation, sanctions, and industrial strategy. The report describes this as a “return to geoeconomics”; the use of economic power to achieve political objectives. The impact of AI and technology is emerging as a significant risk to global business, rising from 17% in 2025 to 44% in 2026 and overtaking macro-economy and climate change concerns.
The latter two risks are, however, felt more keenly than those relating to AI in sectors such as consumer products, food, agriculture, and beverage. Data privacy and cyber risk remain consistent global concerns, while preparedness for AI-driven misinformation among companies is reported as low – only 18% of companies surveyed say they are fully prepared for AI misinformation.
Across sectors, corporate affairs practitioners say they are ill-prepared for potential damaging crises of AI misinformation. Globally, 43% of those surveyed said they were ‘not very prepared’. The worst affected sector was consumer products and retail – which could be highly vulnerable to misinformation – with 62% admitting they are not prepared. And, despite expertise in technology, 38% of Financial Services firms are also not prepared.
At the same time, more than 70% corporate affairs professionals view AI as one of the biggest opportunities for businesses.
Climate change has been starkly downgraded as a ‘top issue’ by more than 20% points to 40% over the last year, while governance and ethics have increased by 14% – with over a third of practitioners viewing it as a top issue under the ESG heading. According to the report: ‘Taken together, these shifts suggest a recalibration rather than a rejection of ESG concerns. Climate remains important, but governance-related issues, particularly those linked to compliance, oversight, and regulatory exposure, are becoming more pressing as organisations operate in more contested and fast-moving political and economic environments.’
Another area of major concern for practitioners is the Corporate Affairs function itself, with close to 80% of those surveyed saying it needs ‘revision’. It is perceived to be creating value, across delivering effective forecasting in times of crisis and political risk (32%), protecting and promoting the reputation of the company (30%), and building alignment behind internal strategic goals (21%). But compared to 2025, less emphasis is placed on keeping the organisation connected to stakeholders and building communications strategies across key strategic initiatives.
‘The key driving forces behind this urgency [to improve the corporate affairs function] are a need to adapt to better respond to the current geopolitical volatility (33%) and to better manage and/or leverage AI/communications technology (23%),’ according to the report.
This is the seventh annual Oxford-GlobeScan Global Corporate Affairs Survey Report, which provides the latest overview of opinions, trends, and challenges through the lens of Corporate Affairs practitioners. Conducted in partnership between the Corporate Affairs Academy at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School and GlobeScan, the research captures insights from senior Corporate Affairs, Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, Corporate Responsibility, and Community Engagement professionals worldwide. The 2026 survey includes responses from 294 practitioners representing 51 countries and a broad range of sectors.
The Centre for Corporate Reputation is an independent research centre within Oxford University’s Saïd Business School. The Centre aims to understand how the reputations of organisations are created, sustained, enhanced, destroyed and rehabilitated.
Run by the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation, the aim of the Corporate Affairs Academy is to enable corporate affairs professionals to make a more strategic and valuable contribution to their business by providing an opportunity to connect with the latest academic research in the field and share experiences, ideas and best practice with expert faculty and a global peer group of Corporate Affairs Directors.
Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford is an innovative and vibrant business school embedded within a 900‑year‑old university, and home to QS’s highest ranking Executive MBA in the world. Educating global business leaders, change makers and innovators across every industry and sector through accredited degrees, diplomas for undergraduates and postgraduates and in-person and online Executive Education programmes. In its thirtieth year, Oxford Saïd consistently delivers ground-breaking research and exceptional teaching, creating impact from within.
