Recommendations: The need for disordered cooperation 2 Leaders across public and private sectors face new urgency in deepening cooperation on critical global objectives that they cannot advance alone. Yet, such cooperation is at risk of becoming elusive as the world seems poised to enter a period of instability and volatility – an era of greater geopolitical (and, in some cases, political) disorder. Because the landscape is fast-changing, historical strategies for cooperation will likely be less effective than they once were. The following, therefore, are steps that leaders can take to build cooperation in today’s context: –Find flexible ways to cooperate. Leaders should be open to new approaches to cooperation that may depart from the more orderly approach that was fit for a more stable global context. While existing partnership models and multilateral mechanisms may still offer the possibility of broad global agreements, leaders cannot rely solely on approaches that were designed for more collaborative climates. Instead, within today’s unsettled political and geopolitical periods, leaders must be opportunistic and open to dynamic partnerships that may differ from issue to issue. Though this approach may feel disordered, ultimately, it will likely have the greatest chance of delivering effective solutions. –Practice “planned opportunism”. Leaders must be ready to pivot quickly towards opportunities as soon as they emerge. “Planned opportunism” requires the ability to read weak geopolitical or market signals that offer early indications of emerging cooperative trends; it also requires the agility to rapidly reallocate resources to capture these nascent opportunities.53 To have this capacity, governments will need to be open to signals that may run counter to their assumptions or conventional thinking and build more nimble, responsive teams. Businesses will need to strengthen in-house geopolitical expertise and put in place mechanisms for reading these signals as well as empower teams to make decisions accordingly. –Redefine proximity. To identify novel cooperative solutions, leaders will need to reevaluate what “proximity” means. While stakeholders who are geographically nearby, ideologically aligned or operate in the same sectors often make for natural partners, leaders will likely need to look further afield when it comes to forging solutions. This means potential partners should be seen as those who are not necessarily physically or ideologically nearby, but who are proximate to workable solutions and desirable outcomes. –Think big by starting small. Leaders should not overlook what may appear to be small opportunities for cooperation. Starting with these small cooperative approaches can yield large long-term results, as the 2024 edition of the Global Cooperation Barometer advised, because, over time, cooperation can beget cooperation as trust among parties grows. –Consider “structural segmentation”. In the private sector, firms are facing an existential question of whether they should remain global in a risk-filled landscape. One potential response is to pursue “structural segmentation”, which entails a series of moves to manage geopolitical exposure, to enable locally informed decision- making, and to clear a pathway to safe, stable growth. Structural segmentation can take several forms, from localizing parallel activities in multiple locations across the world to relocating towards home or geopolitically aligned countries, at least in select domains. This allows companies to retain a global footprint and its advantages while at the same time increasing resilience by reducing exposure to risks. Importantly, today’s political climate and the urgency of issues like climate change, a weak global economy and a deteriorating global security landscape have shortened the timeframe leaders have to deliver results. Leaders will need to implement tools that are brutally honest in measuring progress and in keeping companies and countries only on pathways that are moving towards solutions. Staying the course on ineffective pathways will only build greater distrust among partners, leaders and between leaders and their constituents. However, being agile and pivoting to cooperative solutions will both deliver results and build trust among constituencies, creating a virtuous cycle in which trust in cooperation deepens and new opportunities for shared solutions emerge. Being agile and pivoting to cooperative solutions will both deliver results and build trust among constituencies. The Global Cooperation Barometer 2025 Second Edition 22