3.4 Adapting human capital to technological disruption The survey highlights that technology and digital disruption are critical challenges faced by companies across regions. Over the next five years, 23% of global jobs will be transformed due to industry changes driven by AI and advancements in text-, image- and voice-processing technologies.34 The scale of this challenge is significant. The World Economic Forum estimates that approximately $34 billion is needed in the US alone to upskill workers affected by technological change.35 This skills deficit is not merely a financial issue – it poses a substantial barrier to long-term resilience of economies and societies. To thrive in this evolving landscape, governments must invest in upskilling and the private sector must proactively identify and address skill gaps within the workforce. For example, under its Vision 2030 plan, Saudi Arabia has emphasized the necessity of upskilling and reskilling its workforce to prepare citizens for future job opportunities.36 A key initiative is the Saudi Digital Academy, established in 2019, which offers a variety of training programmes in digital skills, including data science and AI. This initiative will help attract investment and generate new job opportunities in high-growth economic sectors, bolstering resilience and providing individuals with resilience against environmental impacts on businesses, making proactive measures even more crucial. The amount of required climate investment has also increased, with an expected annual need of $4.5 trillion by 2030, up from $1.8 trillion in 2023.30 Achieving energy sustainability and security requires collaboration between the public and private sectors. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) Green Economy Financing Facility, for example, provides credit lines for green investments, helping companies adopt sustainable practices through technical assistance and targeted investments.31 At the same time, examples, including Carlsberg’s renewable electricity target, demonstrate another form of public-private collaboration. By setting a goal that all renewable electricity should be procured through power purchase agreements (PPAs), Carlsberg aims to make sure that its operations not only run on renewable energy but that more green power is actually being created. Moving beyond their own operations to address emissions in their value chain, they are also members of an industry-wide coalition called the REfresh Alliance, which seeks to accelerate renewable energy uptake for suppliers throughout the beverage industry. Government policies and incentives create the enabling environment for renewable energy markets, while private companies like Carlsberg provide the long-term demand certainty that helps renewable energy developers secure financing for new projects. This relationship helps accelerate the green energy transition, as public policy frameworks make renewable PPAs viable, while private sector commitments help achieve clean energy goals.32,33 To accelerate progress, the private sector can integrate climate action into corporate governance and business strategies. The public sector can support these efforts by establishing regulatory frameworks that incentivize clean energy investments, providing tax benefits for green initiatives and promoting public-private partnerships for large-scale green infrastructure projects. This coordinated approach ensures that both sectors’ strengths are harnessed for maximum impact in building climate resilience. Resilience Pulse Check: Harnessing Collaboration to Navigate a Volatile World 21

Resilience Pulse Check 2025