Signal 17% have no method to assess geopolitical impact and only 26% plan scenarios quarterly

Summary

McKinsey's 2026 survey reveals gaps in how organizations track geopolitical risk. Seventeen percent of respondents have no defined way to assess how geopolitical trends affect them. Only 26 percent run scenario planning every quarter to examine possible financial and operational consequences. Smaller organizations with fewer than 5,000 employees are half as likely as larger ones to do quarterly scenario work. The report argues that operating models should rest on adaptability, supported by dynamic scenario planning and simulation of regulatory, political, and economic shocks. It adds that value creation theses may rest on outdated assumptions and should be stress-tested and revised where needed.