Operational resilience in a new world era2 Lighthouses don’t just adapt – they build resilience to thrive amid macro-environment disruption, demographic shifts and technological transformation. The past year has been defined by volatility. Tariffs, geopolitical instability and inflation have shocked global markets, reshaping competitive dynamics and posing risks to global growth. According to the World Economic Forum report, Chief Economists’ Outlook: May 2025, 82% of surveyed economists reported “very high” levels of uncertainty, signalling ongoing pressure on trade and investment.2 After dominating risk perceptions earlier in 2025, trade policy concerns receded by year’s end.³ As confidence improved, leaders shifted focus towards geopolitical risks and company-specific priorities, bringing renewed attention to the internal operational constraints that now define competitiveness.4 Operations leaders face an array of challenges, including ageing legacy equipment and a younger, less experienced workforce than in prior decades. The support ratio, which measures the number of working-age people for every person over 65, was at 6.8 at the turn of the century – but in 2025, dropped in “first wave” industrialized regions to 3.9 (4.9 in China, 3.8 in both North America and Europe).5 Moreover, by 2030, the manufacturing sector has projected a 23% labour deficit in the United States, a 31% deficit in China and a 10% surplus in India.6 Maintaining agility and resilience amid these challenges demands fit-for- purpose, locally-grounded strategies and effective management of both assets and people. Value chain reconfiguration and resource constraints have intensified the pressure to raise productivity without jeopardizing operational continuity.7,8 In this context, resilience has become the foundation for capturing the full promise of GenAI. A study published in May 2024 estimated that, when paired with agile operating models and proactive workforce redeployment, GenAI could lift the productivity growth rate tenfold – 3% annually through 2030 compared to 0.3% annually in a business-as-usual scenario.9 Yet a recent report by MIT Nanda revealed that 95% of enterprise GenAI pilots today fail to achieve measurable outcomes, with only 5% realizing strong return on investment (ROI).10 The challenge is not a lack of technological potential, but the absence of stable operating conditions required to translate that potential into durable, enterprise-level value. Lighthouses in 2025 illustrate what it takes to close this gap: they align investment in core capabilities and enablers to build adaptive operations and technology foundations, empower people for the future and scale with innovation and purpose (Figure 6).GenAI could lift the productivity growth rate tenfold – 3% annually through 2030 compared to 0.3% annually in a business- as-usual scenario. Global Lighthouse Network: Rewiring Operations for Resilience and Impact at Scale 11

Global Lighthouse Network 2026