Three things global companies should do in the new year

A grounded take on how global companies can move through uncertainty by strengthening their message, supporting their people and building resilience.

(A calm, competent response to worldwide chaos.) 

A new year is upon us. The inbox is quieter, the Teams calendar looks hopeful and early planning is already shaped by the need to adapt to an evolving global political landscape. 

For global companies, the start of the year is not about “new year, new me”. It is about “new year, same planet, slightly more complicated”. Elections across regions, shifting alliances, regulatory divergence and a climate that is keeping receipts have made one thing clear – volatility is no longer a temporary phase. It is the context. 

Most experts agree that this does not call for either bold pivots or a retreat into “wait and see”. The smarter response is calmer and more deliberate. Observe carefully, strengthen what you can control and keep moving with intention. With that in mind, here are three smart, and sane, priorities for global organisations. 

1. Get your message straight (because the world is already confused enough) 

In an unstable environment, clarity becomes a strategic asset. 

Customers, partners, employees and (increasingly) regulators want to understand what a company stands for and how seriously it takes its responsibilities. Expert commentary across geopolitics and sustainability is increasingly aligned on this point. Inconsistency, not controversy, is one of the biggest risks global organisations face. 

This is the year to tighten your narrative: 

• What are your beliefs? 

• Where do you operate, and why? 

• How far can you take sustainability and climate responsibility beyond the slide labelled “ESG”? 

  
  

A clear, values-led message does not mean being political. It means being consistent across regions, honest about trade-offs and credible in execution. If your brand says one thing in Europe, another in Asia and something entirely different in the US, someone will notice. And they will talk about it. 

The companies that earn trust in volatile times are those that communicate clearly, ensuring that even when the message is nuanced, it can still be explained from the boardroom to the project office without opening a 47-slide deck. 

2. Empower your people (they’re holding this together) 

Volatility does not just test strategies. It tests organisations from the inside out. 

Your teams are navigating hybrid work, cultural differences, time zones, geopolitical uncertainty and a global news cycle that refreshes faster than most risk registers. Experts consistently point out that freezing decision making at the centre in times like these slows response and increases risk. 

This year, global companies should: 

• Invest in leaders who understand nuance, not just numbers 

• Encourage meaningful collaboration across borders, not just regional silos with nicer branding 

• Trust project managers and local teams to make informed, context-aware decisions 

  
  

Sustainability and resilience do not materialise through statements alone. They appear in everyday project choices such as suppliers, timelines, materials, travel and design assumptions. Empowered teams can balance delivery, risk and climate responsibility in real time. Supported people make better decisions. Still not radical. Still just good business. 

3. Build resilience, not panic plans 

If recent years have taught global organisations anything, it is that worst-case planning is no longer pessimistic. It is professional. 

Expert consensus has shifted away from prediction and towards flexibility. Political shifts, regulatory change and climate impacts are now part of the baseline, not edge cases. The goal is not to forecast every disruption, but to be prepared enough to adapt when it arrives. 

Resilience now means: 

• Diversifying supply chains before geopolitics or extreme weather forces the issue 

• Stress-testing projects against regulatory and environmental risk 

• Investing in digital systems that reduce waste, travel and unnecessary complexity 

  
  

Calm beats chaos. Prepared beats reactive. And nothing reassures stakeholders more than a company that does not panic when the headlines do. 

Final thoughts (before Q1 gets opinionated) 

The world remains unpredictable. But global companies are uniquely positioned to bring a degree of stability into the system through clear leadership, empowered teams and practical climate action. 

The year ahead does not need dramatic reinvention or bold promises made in uncertain conditions. It needs steady decisions, confident people and organisations willing to think long term while delivering responsibly today. 

Do that, and even in a volatile landscape, progress is not only possible – it is already happening.  And that is a good way to start the year.