Geopolitical strategy & risk group
Public diplomacy for business
The reputation risk for companies doing business across borders and cultures has never been more extreme or fast-paced. Technology-empowered employee, consumer and citizen activists combined with a growing focus on national priorities – whether Brazil Above Everything, Brexit, Make in India, China Standards 2035 or Made in All of America – have thrust business into the frontlines of 21st century geopolitical competition.
As the competition centers on economic, technological and diplomatic superiority – battlegrounds that nearly all multinational organizations influence – companies are in the political and public spotlight attempting to navigate it all. Reputation and influence has never been more important to business resilience at the same time it’s never been more at risk.
Weber Shandwick’s Geopolitical Strategy & Risk Group counsels clients to protect and elevate their reputation and influence, mitigate risk, and capitalize on leadership opportunities in the 21st century geopolitical arena.
What we're known for...
Our geopolitical and public affairs experts, corporate strategists and crisis counselors are based in the world’s leading political, media and financial capitals, with support from more than 3,000 communications experts in over 115 markets around the world.
As the public, consumers and employees increasingly expect companies to go beyond regulatory compliance, our deep PR heritage in consumer and employee issues uniquely helps clients navigate and engage the key constituencies pressuring CEOs and companies to take a position on international political issues.
We are ready to provide real-time counsel and rapid response to a live geopolitical crisis or issue, including local and global support across international markets, C-suite and employee communications, multi-market messaging, media engagement, and real-time intelligence and analytics.
We provide real-time insights and forecasts on geopolitical issues and events, and the data-driven media and public opinion context around them.
We conduct episodic or regularly occurring assessments of imminent and emerging geopolitical risks to your business and reputation, as well as your organizational readiness to anticipate and mitigate them. And once identified, we work with you to prepare the right contingency plans, protocols and teams in advance of high-risk geopolitical issues.
We design – and execute – strategies that inform, educate and influence stakeholders across multiple markets, cultures and political environments surrounding an international business action or on an ongoing basis to protect and build reputation.
Our research
Aug 3, 2021
New Research Finds Home Country is a Top Three Business Stakeholder
Weber Shandwick, in partnership with KRC Research, conducted a global multi-market survey among multinational business executives in 12 countries to examine perceptions of the relationship between a multinational company and its home country along with the reputational risks and opportunities.
Feb 4, 2021
Global Business at the Geopolitical Frontlines
This report focuses on three of the most prominent geopolitical risks to business reputation in 2021, spurred not only by the events of the day, but by the enduring transformation of great power politics: supply chain geopolitics, technology competition and disinformation.
Mar 31, 2022
A Six Country Survey: Public and Employee Expectations of Business Amid War in Ukraine
Weber Shandwick’s Geopolitical Strategy & Risk Group, in partnership with KRC Research, conducted a public opinion poll in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and United States, to uncover how the public and employees across six countries expect business leaders to take action amid the war in Ukraine, as well as long-term geopolitical issues.
Geopolitical Strategy & Risk Group
