Business exists in a different world now.
Fifty years ago, the only thought your business might have given to extreme weather was to listen for a tornado siren. Sure, hurricanes happened but they were not that frequent and not typically that damaging. You could be forgiven for thinking it was unlikely to affect your business.
The reality in the 21st century, though, is very different. Extreme weather events are increasing. They are happening in areas that were not considered high risk. And they are far more costly than ever before. In 2024 alone, there were 27 extreme weather situations in the United States that led to losses over $1 billion.
And these events don’t just affect one or two business in the area. During Hurricane Beryl, 56% of companies in the Houston area reported weather-related losses.
The future of business is resiliency.
For your business to compete successfully in this new reality, you need to build resiliency into your operations. That resiliency comes from careful planning to ensure your business operations survive a natural disaster.
It also means thinking about what a different future will look like. Would green infrastructure investments now reduce your costs long-term? Would that approach give you buffers against flooding, wind, or heat? Would a new approach to your power supply give you more control in the face of power outages and downed utilities?
Time to think differently.
Businesses can no longer afford to continue with the way things used to be done. In the new business reality, preparing for extreme weather will be essential for your company – and all the stakeholders that rely on you – to survive.
Photo by Hadija on Unsplash