Health and safety risks are top priority for 80% of directors and officers: Willis

Willis, a WTW business, has revealed that health and safety risks remain a leading priority for directors and officers across the globe.

According to the latest Directors and Officers Liability Insurance Survey, 80% of respondents consider these risks to be either very important or extremely important to their organisations. This survey was conducted in collaboration with Clyde & Co.

Among the concerns highlighted, physical workplace risks emerged as the most significant for 43% of respondents.

Meanwhile, employee mental health and wellbeing, particularly linked to work-related factors, followed closely at 28%, with an additional 12% citing personal matters as contributing to wellbeing concerns.

For the first time since 2018, civil litigation and third-party claims have ranked among the top seven concerns, with 63% of directors and officers deeming them major risks to their organisations.

Smaller organisations, particularly those with revenues under $50 million and those with revenues between $1 billion and $5 billion, cited litigation more frequently.

Larger organisations, with revenues above $5 billion, focused more on risks related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as bribery and corruption, while not prioritising issues such as financial distress, bankruptcy, or insolvency that were more common concerns for smaller businesses.

The survey also pointed out regional shifts, such as in Asia, North America, and the Middle East, where climate change no longer ranked as a top concern.

On the other hand, DEI, a new addition to the survey this year, rose to prominence, particularly in Great Britain, North America, and Africa. The report shows that social risks have increasingly captured the attention of directors and officers.

Over the past five years, concerns around human rights violations within business operations surged, with 62% of respondents in 2025 considering it a very or extremely important risk, up from just 23% in 2021. Similarly, worries over supplier business practices have grown from 27% in 2021 to 59% in 2025.

Willis found a strong correlation between the material risks perceived by directors and the expertise and priorities of boards, though a gap remains in areas like cybersecurity and data privacy. Despite 77% of respondents regarding cyber-attacks and data loss, including extortion, as crucial concerns, many boards reported that more time is required to fully address these issues.

Artificial intelligence (AI), which was not seen as an immediate risk, was considered very or extremely important by only 51% of respondents. It also ranked lowest among the issues where directors felt their boards possessed the necessary expertise. However, as AI continues to evolve and new regulations emerge, this perception may change in the future.

This comprehensive survey by Willis highlights the shifting priorities among directors and officers, with an increasing focus on health, safety, and social risks, while also underscoring the growing challenges posed by cybersecurity and emerging technologies.

Angus Duncan, global D&O coverage specialist at Willis, added: “The latest survey results underscore the diverse challenges directors and officers face today, highlighting how fraught the landscape has become. Despite increasing concerns over litigation risks, cost remains the dominant driver for D&O insurance purchasing decisions.

“This trend persists even as regulatory scrutiny and shareholder activism increase global liability exposures. By taking a proactive approach, companies can optimise their D&O coverage while mitigating financial and reputational risk. Our data helps clients anticipate emerging risks before they become serious exposures.”

James Cooper, Partner and Head of Financial Institutions and D&O, Clyde & Co, commented: “The risk landscape for directors and officers is fast evolving and complex, driven by a multitude of factors from geopolitics to tech advancements and a challenging economic climate.

“Identifying the most critical risks and understanding where pressure points may appear is crucial in successfully navigating existing and emerging challenges. So too is ensuring that protections such as D&O insurance reflect this changing environment and can adequately cover areas where leaders may feel more exposed such as cyberattacks or data loss.”

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