The Future of Materials Systems 2026

Business leaders predict rising challenges to materials systems in next three years FIGURE 3 Note: Percentage values represent the proportion of leaders identifying materials-related challenges as “significant” or “very significant” over the specified time periods. Source: World Economic Forum global leaders survey, 2025.Three years ago Today In thr ee years 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%% of business leaders (n=150)+19% +30%+34%Survey question: How significant do you expect this materials-r elated challenge to be for your industry , for the specified time frames? Accessibility Productivity Sustainability The perception of mounting materials-related challenges reflects the practical realities firms are already facing in their operations and supply chains (see Figure 4). Among the top pressures shaping materials management today, those most frequently cited by respondents include: –Growing concentration of materials supply in a small number of countries (64%). –Inconsistent or protectionist trade policies (63%). –Rising geopolitical tensions between supplier and consumer regions (62%). Nearly half of business leaders cited the weak level of international agreement on the governance of materials as being challenging. For companies operating across global value chains, these dynamics translate into higher exposure to disruption, greater price volatility and a less predictable environment for long-term investment and innovation. At the same time, fragmentation across many initiatives, uncertainty around data sharing and intellectual property, and the absence of clear coordination or leadership at the intergovernmental level continue to limit effective international cooperation. While corporate appetite for cooperation is high, the institutional structures needed to convert that intent into coordinated, scalable action remain underdeveloped. The Future of Materials Systems: Cooperation Opportunities in a Multipolar World 9