Why Horizon Scanning Must Be a 2026 Priority for Every Company

Senior Vice President Mihaela Grad, Head of Risk & Resilience Practice

As we look at 2025 in the rearview mirror, we can agree that even the best prepared companies were not ready for the degree of political, economic and social volatility that happened this year. Planning ahead for 2026, one thing is clear: the landscape for regulatory, policy, and reputational risk is shifting faster than most organizations can track, let alone manage. From intensifying scrutiny on chemicals and food ingredients to global policy realignments, immigration restrictions and greenhushing sustainability efforts, the coming year will reward companies that plan proactively and challenge those that do not. That’s where horizon scanning becomes indispensable.

Horizon scanning is not about predicting the future with perfect accuracy. It’s about systematically identifying early-stage signals—emerging regulations, litigation trends, cultural shifts, scientific developments, activist campaigns—and understanding how they converge to create potential headwinds or opportunities. When done well, horizon scanning transforms uncertainty into strategic advantage.

In 2026, several dynamics will make this capability essential: 

1. Regulatory acceleration

Across sectors, regulatory momentum is increasingly shifting from Washington to statehouses. As federal action rolls back, states are moving aggressively with their own rulemaking, bans, disclosure requirements, and enforcement priorities. The result is a more fragmented, fast-moving regulatory landscape, where requirements vary widely across jurisdictions. Companies that wait to react until these state-level measures are finalized are already too late.

2. Litigation as a policy tool

Stakeholders are increasingly using the courts to achieve outcomes that legislation cannot. The rising plaintiff bar sophistication—combined with public pressure on issues like pesticides, environmental contamination, and product safety—means companies must anticipate litigation signals before they materialize.

3. Escalating stakeholder expectations

Investors, NGOs, employees and customers are demanding transparency, accountability and responsible innovation. These expectations can shift rapidly, and companies that don’t detect early signals of concern may find themselves on the defensive.

4. Reputation as a multiplier—positive or negative

A company’s reputation can strengthen its license to operate or undermine its resilience. This is especially important when misinformation can spread fast and impact not just opinions, but also behavior, regulations and legislation. Horizon scanning helps organizations flag reputational risks, identify which issues are gaining traction, and inform communications and engagement strategies before public attention peaks.

5. The convergence of ESG, policy, and business risk

ESG debates are evolving, not disappearing. In 2026, companies will have to balance between disclosure requirements in various global and state jurisdictions, take into account rising expectations for product life-cycle accountability (managing downstream waste and disposal), and demonstrate how sustainability contributes to business resilience. Understanding where these conversations are headed is crucial for long-term strategy.

Avoid Costly Impacts Through Early Detection

At its core, horizon scanning is a disciplined process for turning weak signals into strategic foresight. It brings together regulatory intelligence, scientific developments, litigation trends, political shifts, stakeholder sentiment and media narratives to identify issues long before they reach an inflection point. By continuously monitoring these inputs, analyzing patterns and stress-testing potential scenarios, companies gain a clearer understanding of which risks are accelerating, which are converging and where proactive action is needed. Curious how horizon scanning can help your organization? Contact us at inquiries@standingpartnership.com.