Corporate impact of climate-driven disruptions

A report from the Capgemini Research Institute, titled ‘The Resilience Reset,’ indicates that climate change is significantly disrupting global corporate operations. Based on surveys of 2,100 senior executives across 13 countries, the findings show that approximately 87% of organizations have experienced supply chain disruptions and 84% have faced production process disruptions due to extreme weather.

Executives report various operational challenges, including raw material scarcity, increased operating costs, and rising insurance and liability costs. Specific disruptions noted include copper mining issues in Chile, petrochemical shutdowns in the United States, typhoon-related iPhone production issues in Shenzhen, and low water levels on the Rhine river. In the UK, 84% of organizations reported financial losses due to extreme heat.

While there is a gap between sustainability rhetoric and operational execution, companies are increasingly shifting toward sustainability investments. These investments are being driven by the need to create corporate value and mitigate risks related to resource access and geopolitical tensions, rather than solely for ethical reasons.

As the landscape evolves, climate risk has become central to financial regulation, though investors continue to struggle with accurately pricing these risks. Companies integrated into European supply chains now face a transition where measuring carbon footprints has moved from a compliance exercise to a core business necessity. In sectors such as the Tunisian automotive industry, businesses must provide detailed data on organizational and product-specific footprints to remain competitive. The increasing focus on Scope 3 emissions is actively altering purchasing behaviors, as major clients demand precise data from entire value chains to avoid reliance on estimations.