Hello 👋 get a brew on because these are the top emerging risks between August 25th, and September 8th, 2025…
Review our report’s terminology here ↗
Our main risk this fortnight is…
1. Environmental: Mass Casualty Declared At Holland's LG Energy Solutions Plant after chemical leak
On Saturday, September 7, 2025, a solvent spill at LG Energy Solutions' Holland, Michigan manufacturing plant prompted declaration of a mass casualty incident. Fifteen workers were hospitalised with breathing difficulties, though all injuries were classified as non-life-threatening. The incident represents the sixth safety event at the facility in ten years, highlighting systemic workplace safety challenges in advanced manufacturing.
Sources
Chemical Spill at LG Plant in Holland Contained, 15 Hospitalized | WHTC
LG chemical spill marks sixth incident in 10 years | Holland Sentinel
LG Energy Solution faces $175,000 in fines over safety violations | WOODTV
You should be concerned if…
You operate manufacturing facilities with hazardous materials: Chemical manufacturing, battery production, automotive, and similar industries face heightened regulatory scrutiny. This incident demonstrates how quickly workplace incidents can escalate to mass casualty events, requiring immediate emergency response protocols.
You are part of the electric vehicle supply chain: LG Energy Solutions is a major supplier for electric vehicle batteries. Supply chain disruptions from safety incidents, regulatory shutdowns, or production delays at key facilities can cascade through the entire EV manufacturing ecosystem.
You have facilities in jurisdictions with strict OSHA enforcement: The facility has accumulated $175,000 in MIOSHA fines, including two "willful" violations—the most serious category. This pattern suggests increased regulatory attention and potential for operational shutdowns.
These items are generic assumptions. We recommend considering your own unique risk landscape against your critical dependencies. If you don’t know what they are, get in touch.
Preventative actions
Emergency Response Preparedness
Establish comprehensive hazmat incident response plans with local fire departments. Conduct regular drills with actual chemical scenarios, ensure proper PPE availability, and maintain direct communication channels with emergency services.
Supply Chain Risk Assessment
Diversify critical component suppliers and establish alternative sourcing agreements. Monitor supplier safety records and OSHA violation histories as part of vendor risk assessments.
Regulatory Compliance Monitoring
Implement proactive safety management systems that exceed minimum compliance standards. Regular third-party safety audits can identify risks before they become regulatory violations or incidents.
2. Economic: New Zealand Income Growth One of the Worst in the World
New Zealand ranks 25th out of 43 comparable countries for real GDP per capita growth over the past decade, dropping to 37th place over the most recent two years. Only six countries performed worse in the recent period. Experts attribute the decline to post-COVID economic adjustments, with "borrowed growth" from pandemic stimulus measures now creating drag effects.
Sources
You should be concerned if…
You have business operations or investments in New Zealand: Declining real income growth indicates reduced consumer purchasing power and potential market contraction. Business expansion plans may need reassessment given the economic headwinds.
You operate in industries dependent on New Zealand exports: Agricultural products, tourism services, and commodity exports from New Zealand may face pricing pressures as the domestic economy struggles. International buyers should prepare for potential supply disruptions or cost increases.
You are considering New Zealand as a business location: The economic performance suggests structural challenges including low productivity growth and post-pandemic adjustments. Location decisions should factor in the current economic trajectory.
Preventative actions
Market Diversification
Businesses heavily exposed to New Zealand should diversify into other Asia-Pacific markets with stronger growth trajectories. Consider Australia, Singapore, or emerging ASEAN markets as alternatives.
Currency Risk Management
Implement hedging strategies for NZD exposure. The economic weakness suggests potential for significant currency volatility as monetary policy adjusts to economic conditions.
Investment Strategy Review
Re-evaluate New Zealand-focused investment strategies. While current weakness may present opportunities, ensure adequate risk management for extended economic headwinds.
Quick snippet stories
Cloudflare blocks record 11.5 Tbps DDoS attack
Cloudflare recently blocked the internet's largest recorded volumetric DDoS attack, an assault that peaked at an enormous 11.5 terabits per second amid a wave of hyper-volumetric campaigns. The attack lasted only 35 seconds and mainly originated from compromised cloud infrastructure and IoT devices. This new record shatters the previous high of 7.3 Tbps from just two months ago, showing rapid escalation in network-layer attack capabilities.
Source: Cloudflare blocks record-breaking 11.5 Tbps DDoS attack | BleepingComputerAmazon stopped Russian hackers targeting Microsoft
The Russian state-sponsored group APT29 launched a "watering hole" campaign by compromising legitimate websites to redirect visitors and steal credentials for their Microsoft accounts. Attackers used the compromised sites to mimic official device code authentication flows, aiming to harvest login information for ongoing intelligence collection. Amazon disrupted the threat by isolating affected EC2 instances, then collaborated with Cloudflare to disrupt malicious domains.
Source: Amazon disrupts Russian APT29 hackers targeting Microsoft 365 | BleepingComputerTelecom outages will need to be reported and explained under new rules
Canada's CRTC is requiring telecom operators to notify regulators within two hours of major internet/phone/service outages and file detailed post-incident reports within 30 days; 911 outages must be reported within 30 minutes. This reflects a global trend toward faster disclosure requirements that businesses should expect across jurisdictions, necessitating updated continuity plans with multi-carrier fallbacks and formalised emergency communication protocols.
Source: Telecom outages will need to be reported and explained under new rules, CRTC says | CBCForum brings East Halmahera's water crisis, deforestation back to light
Environmental degradation in Indonesia's East Halmahera region continues to threaten water security and local communities. The crisis highlights broader environmental risks across Southeast Asia, where rapid development and resource extraction create systemic vulnerabilities for businesses dependent on stable natural resources and local communities. Source: Forum brings East Halmahera's water crisis, deforestation back to light | Indonesia Business PostTop food and beverage disruptions in 2025
The food and beverage industry faces simultaneous operational (labour shortages, rising input/energy costs), environmental (climate-driven crop volatility, cold-chain pressures) and digital (cybercrime) shocks. Industry leaders report that 43% cite workforce challenges as their biggest concern, while climate events threaten essential crops and cyber attacks have hit major retailers like Marks & Spencer and Co-Op. Companies need strengthened workforce planning, targeted automation, multi-tier supplier redundancy, and hardened cyber hygiene. Source: Top food and beverage disruptions in 2025 | Food Navigator
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