Amid an increasingly volatile global landscape, 88 percent of associations and not-for-profit organizations believe that geopolitical instability will impact their operations—with 85 percent stating it already has. These are among the headline findings of new research released by The Hague & Partners Convention Bureau in collaboration with the European Society of Association Executives (ESAE).
Conducted amongst 99 association and not-for-profit leaders from across the globe, the research shines a light on how associations are adapting—or struggling to adapt—to mounting global pressures, including political instability, the rise of populism and tightening regulatory and operational environments. Adding weight to the results is the seniority of the respondents: 54 percent describe themselves as executive/board/C-level, whilE a further 18 percent cite their role as association management.
While 14 percent of organizations described themselves as not prepared for the ongoing geopolitical impact, a further 72 percent said they are only somewhat prepared. Just 13 percent feel they are well-prepared. This suggests widespread concern around resilience and agility in the face of fast-moving change.
The rise of populist parties and movements also ranks high on the list of concerns: 77 percent of respondents see it impacting their organizations. Worryingly, 30 percent ranked their concern as four or five out of five, regarding the influence populism could have on the composition and decisions of their boards. In response to these risks, 81 percent of respondents are reinforcing their focus on core mission and values; 63 percent are prioritizing stronger governance policies; and 61 percent are working toward more diverse board representation to balance perspectives.
While 83 percent believe that lessons from past crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the global financial crisis are helping them respond today, 42 percent say critical knowledge gaps remain.
Though just 27 percent of respondents said political instability has directly disrupted their ability to organize events in Europe, 28 percent have already moved their events to more politically stable regions—an early sign of what could become a significant trend in event location planning.
For more information, visit www.thehague.com/conventionbureau.
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