Skip to content

IRM Risk Trends Survey 2027

We are excited to announce the launch of work on the IRM Risk Trends Report 2027 — one of our flagship pieces of research that provides vital insights into the evolving global risk landscape.

This annual report is built on the shared expertise and perspectives of our global membership, and it would not be possible without the invaluable contributions of our Special and Regional Interest Groups, as well as IRM members like you.

To ensure that the 2027 edition reflects the most accurate and up-to-date picture of emerging risks and industry challenges, we are inviting you to take part in our survey. This survey has been designed in close collaboration with our Interest Groups, ensuring it addresses the issues that matter most to the risk community worldwide.

Your input will help us capture a truly representative view of what is happening in the world of risk — from shifting global priorities to sector-specific challenges and new opportunities for risk professionals.

We invite you to complete the survey below and add your voice to this important research project. By sharing your experience and perspectives, you will be directly shaping the insights and recommendations that will inform risk leaders across the globe.
About you
1.In which region are you primarily based?
2.Which sector best describes your organisation?
3.Which best describes your current role?
4.Approximately how many people does your organisation employ?
5.Approximately how many people work primarily in risk management within your organisation?
6.What is the geographical remit of your risk function?
The risk environment
7.Which risks have had the greatest impact on your organisation during the past 12 months?
8.Which risks do you expect to have the greatest impact on your organisation over the next 12-24 months?
9.Which risks do you expect to become most significant for your organisation over the next five years?
10.Which risks are changing more quickly than your organisation’s ability to respond?
11.What risk or development do you believe organisations are currently underestimating?
Preparedness and organisational response
12.Where does your organisation most need to strengthen its approach to risk management over the next three years?
13.How embedded is risk management within your organisation’s decision-making?
14.Which statement best describes your organisation’s risk culture?
15.How much influence does the risk function currently have on major strategic and operational decisions?
16.How would you describe the level of board or executive engagement with risk management?
17.To what extent is risk management used to support strategic decision-making and long-term organisational performance?
The future risk function
18.Which should be the most important priorities for your organisation’s risk function over the next three years?
19.Over the past three years, how has the scope of responsibility of your risk function changed?
20.Over the past three years, how has the size of your risk function changed?
21.How confident are you that your current risk function has sufficient capacity to meet the expectations placed upon it?
The workforce behind risk management
22.How difficult is your organisation currently finding it to recruit professionals with the risk management capabilities it needs?
23.In which areas is your organisation finding it most difficult to recruit suitable risk professionals?
24.Which three areas represent the greatest capability gaps within your organisation’s risk function today?
25.Looking ahead five years, which capabilities do you expect to become most important for risk professionals in your organisation?
26.How confident are you that managers and decision-makers outside the risk function have the skills and judgement required to manage risk effectively?
27.How confident are you that your organisation has the risk leadership capability and succession pipeline required for the next five years?
28.How significant is retaining experienced risk professionals as a challenge for your organisation?
29.Which factors are most important in your decision to remain with an employer?
Developing risk capability
30.How does your organisation currently develop risk management capability?
31.Which three approaches do you expect to become more important for developing risk capability over the next three years?
32.Over the next 12 months, do you expect your organisation’s investment in developing risk management capability to:
33.What are the greatest barriers to developing the risk capabilities your organisation needs?
34.How important do you expect professional qualifications, accreditation or recognised professional status to become for risk professionals over the next five years?
AI and technology
35.Which best describes your organisation’s current approach to AI risk governance?
36.To what extent is your risk function currently using AI or advanced analytics in its work?
37.How confident are you that your organisation’s risk function has the skills and knowledge needed to assess, manage and use AI-related risks effectively and responsibly?
38.Which AI-related risk do you expect to grow most significantly over the next two to three years?
Career and the future profession
39.Approximately how many years have you worked in risk management or a closely related profession?
40.Where do you expect your career to be in five years?
41.What are the biggest barriers to attracting new and early-career professionals into risk management?
Specialist modules - routed
42.How resilient is your organisation to a significant technology or cyber-related outage?
43.How prepared is your organisation for energy, commodity and climate-related risks over the next five years?
44.Which climate or environmental transition risk is most significant for your organisation?
45.What is the main challenge for financial-services organisations responding to changing regulation?
46.Which operational risk assessment approaches does your organisation use?