Journal · Survey
Board readiness survey 2025
We asked 212 directors of listed companies and large private groups in the United Kingdom and the United States how ready their boards are for a crisis. 61 per cent have never rehearsed one.
Between May and July we asked 212 directors of listed companies and large private groups, 118 in the United Kingdom and 94 in the United States, how prepared their boards are for a crisis. This is the first time we have run the survey; we intend to repeat it every year.
| Question | Yes | No | Don’t know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Has your board rehearsed its response to a crisis in the last three years? | 39% | 61% | 0% |
| Does your board know who would approve the first public statement? | 68% | 23% | 9% |
| Has your board discussed a crisis scenario in the last twelve months? | 54% | 44% | 2% |
| Does your risk register include the stories that could be told about you? | 17% | 71% | 12% |
| Could your chair be reached within an hour on a Sunday evening? | 74% | 11% | 15% |
Three findings stand out. First, most boards have never rehearsed. Of those that have, nearly all said the rehearsal changed their crisis plan. Second, nearly a quarter of directors could not say who would approve their organisation’s first statement, which is the decision most likely to be needed in the first hour. Third, fewer than one board in five keeps any record of narrative risk, though most directors said, when asked separately, that reputational damage was the consequence of a crisis they feared most.
The full results, with breakdowns by country, sector and board size, are available to clients on request.