PwC Global Crisis Survey 2019 - Crisis Preparedness as the next competitive advantage - Learning from 4,500 crises

Sep 20, 2026

PwC’s Global Crisis Survey 2019 gathers evidence from 2,084 senior executives across 25 industries and 43 countries, analyzing 4,515 corporate crises reported over the past five years. The research reframes crisis management by comparing organizations that emerged stronger with those that did not, identifying preparedness steps linked to better outcomes. Findings show crises are inevitable, diverse across trigger categories, and shaped by industry context, with strong expectations of future disruptions even among respondents who reported no prior crises.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

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Crisis Preparedness as the next competitive advantage: Learning from 4,500 crises

Living with crisis

Five takeaways and definition of crisis

It’s not if. It’s when: No one is immune

The diversity of crises keeps companies guessing

Crisis Preparedness as the next competitive advantage: Learning from 4,500 crises PwC’s Global Crisis Survey 2019 [www.pwc.com/globalcrisissurvey](www.pwc.com/globalcrisissurvey) 2 | PwC Global Crisis Survey 2019 We talked with 2,000 companies about their worst crises—so you don’thave to We are pleased to present PwC’s first-ever Global Crisis Survey, the most comprehensive repository of corporate crisis data ever assembled. We heard from 2,084 senior executivesin organisations of all sizes, in 25 industries, and across 43 countries — 1,430 of which had experienced at least one crisis in the past 5 years, for a total of 4,515 crises analysed overall. What we found out is game-changing. By delving deep into the real-world experiences of organisations like yours, we uncovered some surprising findings, many of which turn the basic notion of crisis management – in fact, how we even think of crisis – on its head. Instead of “admiring the problem,”we’ve used this data as a springboard to reverse-engineer a successful crisis response. We looked at the companies that self-identified as having emerged stronger from their worst crisis – and compared them to those who did not fare as well. What did these organisations do differently? What crucial preparedness steps did they take that led to their positive outcomes? Can crisis actually be a positive experience… even one that can yield competitive advantage? Yes, it can. And you don’t have to go through a crisis to learn how. 2,084 respondents Across 43 countries In 25 industries 64%of respondents from C-Suite 36%of respondents Head of departments 3 | PwC Global Crisis Survey 2019 Crisis Preparedness as the next competitive advantage: Learning from 4,500 crises Living with crisis What is crisis? And what does it mean to operate in this new normal? Can crisis be good for you? Some companies emerge stronger — and even experience revenue growth — after a crisis, while others stumble along. What’s the secret sauce? The chain reaction of crisis The shock waves from a crisis can travel far and wide — and then back again. So how do you contain the damage? The future of crisis What can the past experiences of your peers tell us about the future of crisis? We talked to 1,400 of them — so you don’t have to. 4 | PwC Global Crisis Survey 2019 Five takeaways from the most comprehensive repository of corporate crisis data ever assembled What is crisis? And what does it mean to operate in this new normal? For purposes of this survey, we defined crisis as a situation that: • Is triggered by significant internal and/or external factors or escalation of smaller incident(s) • Has an enterprise-wide, multi-functional impact • Creates disruption in normal business operations • Has the potential for reputational harm/damage 5 | PwC Global Crisis Survey 2019 1 It’s not if. It’s when: No one is immune. Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) leaders have experienced at least one corporate crisis in the last 5 years — with the average number of crises experienced being 3. What’s more, the risk scales up: companies with more than 5,000 employees are more likely to have experienced more than 5 crises – an average of one per year. The sheer number of crises reported is striking in light of our definition of the phenomenon: a major disruption to multiple functions of the enterprise – and one with the potential to significantly harm your reputation. Clearly, crisis is here to stay. Nearly all respondents (95%)– including those who did not report a crisis – expect to be hit by one in the future. The 5% of respondents who do not expect to experience a crisis in the future might feel “inoculated” by their recent experience – or they could be engaging in wishful thinking. (Or both.) Crises don’t discriminate. Like companies themselves, they come in all shapes, forms, and sizes – and no one, and no region, is immune. What’s more, the very definition of a c

FAQs

How many executives and crises does the PwC Global Crisis Survey 2019 analyze?

The survey involves 2,084 senior executives and analyzes 4,515 crises in total.

How does the survey define a crisis for the purpose of this study?

Crisis is defined as a situation triggered by significant internal and/or external factors, with enterprise-wide multi-functional impact, disruption to normal operations, and potential reputational harm.

What types of crisis triggers do respondents most frequently report?

More than half of respondents report operational crises (53%), with technology-related crises reported by about one third, and humanitarian and financial categories also close behind.

Sep 20, 2026

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