Ground Truth | Business and human rights: new challenges, new rules?

The Democratic Party triumph in the US Midterm elections will reshape America's political landscape from the state level to Capitol Hill. For organisations, the question is: "What survives and what is swept away?" Democrats control both chambers of Congress so can severely constrain President Trump’s domestic agenda, but he retains considerable power to act on trade, national security, military operations and immigration. Members of Control Risks’ new Geopolitical Advisory Council explain what this means ahead of the 2028 election. Our experts cover where the president is likely to turn his attention on foreign policy, how an emboldened Democratic Congress could use oversight, funding and investigations to shape the agenda, and why state-level regulation matters more than many organisations assume. The panel also considers how the results are being read across the globe and why businesses should resist the temptation to expect a return to normal. Speakers: Bill Udell Bob Scher Sorana Parvulescu

The concept of Business and Human Rights (BHR) has entered an era dominated by geopolitical competition. What constitutes harm, and how it should be addressed, is increasingly contested. As a result, BHR’s focus has shifted from just reputation management to one that includes market access, supply chain resilience and resource nationalism in a fragmented global economy.    In this episode of Ground Truth, Control Risks experts examine the weaponisation of human rights, conflicting laws and outcomes-based rules. We also explore what organisations can do when caught between governments that demand opposite things, with human rights as the justification on both sides.    Speakers:  Dr James Sinclair, Head of Business and Human Rights, Control Risks  Claudine Fry, Partner, Geostrategic Advisory, Control Risks 

Insights from Control Risks and GE Aerospace Threats to executives and organisations are growing more complex. In Ground Truth, Control Risks experts explore how online threat intelligence, behavioural threat assessment and workplace violence prevention help distinguish credible threats from online noise, spot escalation, and stop threats becoming incidents Speakers: Alex Hillier Shawn VanSlyke Terri Patterson

In this episode of Ground Truth, Control Risks and Standard Chartered examine enterprise security in an era of converging risk, exploring where security begins, why boards must reframe AI risk, and the capabilities that will define the most resilient organisations over the next five years.   Speakers: James Owen Shelley Boland

The US-Iran conflict is far from over. As shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slows once again, concerns over energy security, supply chains and inflation continue to shape boardroom discussions around the world. In this episode of Ground Truth, we examine why the months ahead may prove more volatile than many expect.    Speakers: Sorana Parvulescu Barnaby Fletcher Arran Kennedy

Kidnap-for-ransom and extortion incidents are rising, becoming more complex, opportunistic and global.  In this episode of Ground Truth, we draw on Control Risks’ latest report, Kidnap and Extortion in 2026, pairing expert analysis with frontline response experience to unpack what’s driving trends and how organisations can protect their people and operations. Guests: Mark Rossin, Control Risks Director of Response Operations  Michael Barty, Control Risks Director of Special Risks Analysis

Six months on from RiskMap 2026, Control Risks experts assess how the global risk landscape is actually unfolding. From geopolitical shocks and shifting US policy to accelerating AI risk and rising societal pressure, this episode cuts through the noise to identify what matters now and what business leaders should prepare for next. 2026 RiskMap top risks: New rules-no rules world | Rise of activated societies | Growing web of organised crime | The AI compute test | The normalisation trap Guests:  Claudine Fry, Partner Caitlin Egen, Director Jonathan Wood, Principal Read the full RiskMap 2026 report.

How do you know when you have enough evidence to act? In investigations, determining the sufficiency of evidence gathered is often the thorniest part of the job. Join host Sushmit Bhattacharya as he speaks with Control Risks' Brian Mich on the real-world challenge of evaluating evidence, especially when it is circumstantial.

The US’ recent designation of certain Latin American criminal groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) means a far broader range of activities can now implicate companies and investors doing business in areas where these groups operate. How has this changed the risk landscape for companies in the region? Join host Martina Rozumberkova as she speaks with experts Ana Cortes and Ana María Ramirez about how this new designation has intensified risk for companies with operations or supply chains in Latin America.

As diplomatic tensions between the US and India make headlines, the extensive economic ties between the two nations face a new test. With India standing as one of the world's largest consumer markets, these tensions raise critical questions about its future direction and the risks for its businesses. Join host Sushmit Bhattacharya as he speaks with experts Ryan Rohlfsen, Kunal Gupta, and Brian Mich to unpack these issues. They explore whether Indian companies should prepare for heightened regulatory scrutiny from US regulators amid the ongoing friction.