Top Topics
Swiss Re is a leading global expert in managing capital and risk. An important part of Swiss Re’s mission is to anticipate, to identify and to understand the developments which are shaping the future risk landscape. This is why the company has established a formal process to help answer fundamental questions – on the key market, regulatory, scientific and social trends that will be shaping our future business environment.
It is one of Swiss Re’s Guiding Principles to publicly share information on Top Topics such as natural catastrophes or mortality trends. We do this for example when we organise conferences at the Swiss Re Centre for Global Dialogue and release expert publications.
Topic-related knowledge
Just how is topic-related knowledge created, though? Swiss Re of course relies upon the proven expertise in its research teams. But just as important, across the company we follow an approach that balances systematic thinking with a flexible knowledge management culture. Some emerging developments in the risk landscape may only be observable through “out of context” signals. To spot them early on, intuition often has to play a crucial role.
For this reason Swiss Re’s risk managers perform scenario exercises to visualise the future risk landscape and creatively test our assumptions about risks. To identify risks early in the game Swiss Re has also developed risk perception networks designed to detect initial risk indicators and track their potential impact on the insurance business. There are also Knowledge Networks comprising some 1,300 in-house reinsurance experts who exchange information across the Swiss Re Group.
Sustainability is one example of a Top Topic. It leverages three domains - society, environment, economy - to create a forward-thinking business model that addresses the fundamental drivers of the world economy in the 21st century. Swiss Re is therefore firmly committed to building issue-specific awareness among major climate and water stakeholders and fostering dialogue.
Knowledge put to practical use
The identification of Top Topics helps Swiss Re to better spot and to capture business opportunities and, of course, to anticipate potential sources of future losses resulting from changes to the risk landscape. These activities are an important element of a long-term strategy of shareholder value maximisation.
Please click here to find out more about Swiss Re proprietary research and partnerships with leading academic institutions.
