In this Global Insight episode of the On Aon podcast, Joe Peiser is joined by Liz Henderson  to discuss why climate resilience has become a defining leadership priority. As expectations from investors, insurers, regulators and stakeholders continue to evolve, organizations are increasingly being asked to demonstrate how they can withstand disruption and sustain growth.

Ahead of New York Climate Week, Peiser and Henderson explore how climate risk is shaping access to capital, influencing insurability and informing strategic business decisions. The conversation focuses on how leaders can use data, analytics and risk capital to make more confident decisions, strengthen resilience and position their organizations to stay ahead.

Key Takeaways:             

1. Climate resilience has become a business and capital priority, influencing access to insurance, investment and long-term growth.
2. Organizations create greater value when they connect climate insights to clear action, translating analytics into resilience investments, risk financing strategies and measurable outcomes.
3. Demonstrating resilience through data and evidence can help organizations strengthen stakeholder confidence, unlock capital and stay ahead in a rapidly changing risk environment.

Experts in this episode:           

• Joe Peiser, CEO of Risk Capital, Aon
• Liz Henderson, Global Head of Climate Risk Advisory, Aon

Key Moments:             

(5:00) Why insurability is emerging as a strategic business indicator, informing investment, financing and operational decisions.

(9:45) The common pitfalls that prevent organizations from turning climate insights into meaningful action and measurable business impact.

(12:55) Aon's four-stage resilience framework and how organizations can move from identifying risk to delivering stronger outcomes across operations, capital and insurance programs.

Soundbites:             

Joe Peiser: 

“Climate resilience is increasingly becoming a business and capital issue, not simply an environmental one.”

Liz Henderson:   

“The conversation has really shifted from understanding risk and quantifying it to actually building out plans to manage it and build resilience within their organization.”

In this Industry Insight episode of the On Aon podcast, Steve Schell and Nancy McCarrick discuss why healthcare strategy has become a critical business priority for life sciences organizations. As healthcare costs continue to rise, leaders must make disciplined decisions that protect workforce health, support innovation and strengthen long-term growth.

Schell and McCarrick explore why healthcare benefit decisions can no longer sit solely within HR, how data-driven insights can help leaders allocate resources more effectively and why closer alignment across finance, HR and the business is essential to building sustainable workforce strategies. They also examine how AI, advanced analytics and targeted investments can help organizations make smarter healthcare decisions, unlock greater value from benefits programs and position themselves to stay ahead in the competition for highly skilled talent.

Key Takeaways:            

1. Healthcare strategy is now a business issue, influencing talent outcomes, workforce performance and an organization's ability to deliver on growth objectives.
2. Leading organizations are using data and benchmarking insights to identify where investments create the greatest value. Organizations that align finance, HR and business leaders around a long-term strategy are better-positioned to manage costs, strengthen workforce health and stay ahead of future challenges.

Experts in this episode:          

• Steve Schell, Global Life Sciences Leader, Aon
• Nancy McCarrick, Senior Vice President, Health Solutions, Aon

Key Moments:            

(01:40) Why healthcare costs are becoming a strategic leadership issue and what makes workforce and benefits decisions particularly consequential in the life sciences industry.

(05:50) How leading organizations are using data, benchmarking and total rewards insights to align healthcare investments with talent and business priorities.

(09:45) How AI, advanced analytics and targeted healthcare investments are helping organizations create more informed, future-focused workforce strategies.

Soundbites:            

Steve Schell:

“Poor benefit decisions do not stay in the benefit budget. They show up in talent, productivity and growth. Across-the-board cuts can damage the employer proposition precisely where the life sciences industry needs hard-to-find talent.”

Nancy McCarrick:  

“The central message is that healthcare strategy can no longer be separated from talent strategy. Organizations that succeed won't rely on one-time cost cuts. They're going to use data to understand workforce, evaluate healthcare within the total rewards pie and build that multi-year roadmap.”

In this Human Capital Insight episode of the On Aon podcast, Sharon Egilinsky and Jeff Alpaugh explore a critical question facing organizations investing in digital infrastructure: can their leadership, workforce and operating models scale as quickly as their ambitions?

As investment in AI, cloud computing and digital infrastructure accelerates, success will depend on more than just capital deployment and construction timelines. Egilinsky and Alpaugh discuss why workforce strategy, leadership capability, operational resilience and risk management have become essential drivers of execution and growth. They examine how organizations can align Human Capital and Risk Capital decisions to strengthen performance, adapt to evolving risk profiles and position themselves to stay ahead as they scale.

Key Takeaways:           

Experts in this episode:         

Key Moments:           

(2:35) Why leadership capacity and organizational readiness may become the defining factors in successful digital infrastructure growth.

(9:45) How workforce challenges can affect execution, customer outcomes and the ability to stay ahead in a rapidly expanding market.

(21:50) Why operational resilience depends on connecting people, governance and risk into a cohesive growth strategy.

Soundbites:           

Sharon Egilinsky:      

“The organizations that are in the hyperscaling business that suddenly want to power themselves are not going to need the same leaders, the same skills. And what got them to where their business is today is not necessarily what's going to get them to where they want to take their business tomorrow.”

Jeff Alpaugh: 

“Growth does not remove risk. In some cases, growth is what creates the next generation of risk.”

In this Risk Capital episode of the On Aon podcast, we look ahead to the re/insurance industry's annual gathering in Monte Carlo. Aon leaders Cynthia Beveridge and Anshuman Srivastava discuss the forces shaping insurance and reinsurance markets and the implications for organizations approaching year-end renewals.

With capital and capacity remaining strong, organizations have an opportunity to rethink the role of insurance within their broader business strategies. Cynthia and Ansh explore how leaders can use risk and capital decisions to unlock greater confidence, strengthen resilience and support growth. They also examine how data, technology and alternative sources of capital are creating new ways to address risk and make more informed decisions in an increasingly interconnected environment.

Key Takeaways:         

Experts in this episode:       

Key Moments:         

(1:00) Why Monte Carlo Rendezvous remains a critical gathering for the industry and the issues shaping renewal discussions.

(3:30) How record levels of reinsurance capital are influencing market dynamics and expanding options for organizations.

(08:35) The trends expected to shape the future of insurance and reinsurance, including technology, alternative capital and greater connectivity across the risk ecosystem.

Soundbites:         

Cynthia Beveridge:    

"There's a big disadvantage, I believe, in viewing insurance purely as a cost rather than a strategic enabler."

Anshuman Srivastava: 

"Alternative capital is playing or continues to play quite a pivotal role in being supplementary and complementary, more and more complementary actually to traditional capital."

In this Global Insight episode of the On Aon podcast, Aon experts examine how the European Union's AI Act is reshaping leadership priorities for organizations — including workforce decisions. As AI is used more and more in hiring, talent assessment and workforce management, leaders will need to understand how these tools are governed, monitored and deployed. The discussion explores why accountability cannot be delegated, how organizations can strengthen oversight of third-party solutions and the actions HR leaders can take to build confidence, unlock value and stay ahead as AI adoption accelerates.

Key Takeaways:        

Experts in this episode:      

Key Moments:        

(03:10) Understanding the EU AI Act, why it was introduced and why its influence may extend beyond Europe.

(08:35) Breaking down the Act's risk-based framework and what "high-risk" classification means for AI tools used in employment decisions.

(12:05) Why organizations cannot outsource accountability, and the importance of AI vendor due diligence, explainability and governance.

Key Insight:

The Time is Now: Five Actions for HR to Consider as the EU Artificial Intelligence Act Comes into Force

Soundbites:        

Charlotte Schaller:   

“If there's one message to leave HR leaders with, it's this: The EU AI Act is not just a compliance issue. It's a trust issue, a governance issue and ultimately a business performance issue.”

John McLaughlin:

“You can outsource the technology, but you cannot outsource the responsibility for it, how it affects your people.”

Michael Fetzer:

“A lot of companies are wondering where do we start? I've always recommended the great first step you might want to start with is carry out a thorough audit of your current HR AI use.”

In this Industry Insights recap episode of the On Aon podcast, leaders revisit key conversations from the first half of the year, sharing perspectives on how organizations are making better decisions and positioning themselves to stay ahead amid rapid change across the four interconnected megatrends of Trade, Technology, Weather and Workforce.

From AI-enabled decision-making in insurance to climate-informed growth strategies in food and agriculture, workforce investment in retail, infrastructure expansion in construction and talent strategies in aerospace and defense, the discussion explores how leaders are turning insight into action. The episode highlights the decisions, investments and capabilities that are helping organizations strengthen resilience, deploy capital with greater confidence and unlock opportunities for growth.

Experts in this episode:

Featured topics:

Featured Episodes

In the final episode of our special three-part series exploring Aon's 2026 Human Capital Trends Study, Byron Beebe is joined by Max Saraví and Guy Clarkson to discuss how leaders can turn workforce investments into stronger business outcomes.

As workforce and healthcare costs continue to rise, organizations are facing increasing pressure to make every people investment count. The conversation explores how leading employers are using employee value propositions, data and personalization to make more informed decisions, strengthen the employee experience and align workforce strategies with business priorities. The episode also examines how AI and emerging technologies are helping organizations deliver greater value, generate deeper insights and position themselves for long-term growth.

Key Takeaways:       

Experts in this episode:     

Key Moments:       

(1:30) Why organizations are rethinking people investments as employee expectations and healthcare costs continue to rise, and how a strong EVP can help employers deliver greater value.

(5:05) How leading organizations use data, personalization and employee insights to guide workforce investment decisions and improve employee experiences.

(11:00) The future of workforce investment, including AI-powered personalization, integrated employee experiences and the growing importance of data maturity.

Soundbites:       

Byron Beebe:  

“As workforce costs continue to rise, the real opportunity lies not in spending more but making every investment in your people count.”

Max Saraví:  

“A strong employee value proposition acts as a framework for making better decisions about people investment rather than simply adding more programs or benefits."

Guy Clarkson:

"For me, an employee value proposition should be a decision-making framework that helps organizations decide where to invest, balancing what matters most to their employees, but also how they can then allocate limited resources."

In this Risk Capital Insight episode of the On Aon podcast, Aon leaders discuss why supply chain risk has become a critical leadership priority as geopolitical uncertainty, changing trade relationships and interconnected supplier networks reshape the global business landscape.

The conversation examines how disruptions can emerge well beyond direct suppliers to impact revenue, operations and reputation. Aon experts explore how organizations can use data, analytics and deeper scrutiny to make more informed decisions, strengthen confidence in their risk strategies and identify opportunities to stay ahead of emerging threats. They also discuss the evolving role of insurers and capital providers and how innovation in risk capital is helping organizations better understand exposures, unlock capacity and support growth.

Key Takeaways:      

Experts in this episode:    

Key Moments:      

(2:00) Why geopolitical developments, trade dynamics and supplier interdependencies are creating new leadership challenges across global supply chains.

(7:55) The factors driving supply chain risk onto boardroom agendas, including concentration risk, limited visibility beyond Tier 1 suppliers and the need to balance efficiency with continuity.

(22:45) How data, analytics and emerging risk capital solutions are helping organizations gain confidence in decision-making and strengthen their approach to supply chain risk.

Soundbites:      

Bianca McKenzie: 

“It's clear that supply chain disruption isn't just an operational issue, it's ultimately a financial resilience issue.”

Lee Meyrick: 

“Building forward-looking models that allow the carriers to understand both their per risk and their aggregated risk is really helpful in them coming to the to the fall when it comes to providing capital. I think this is of real value to both clients and the carriers, because there is an increase in demand. This is a new market. This is a new product that needs to come into the market.”

Richard Waterer:

“I think supply chain risk has moved up the agenda because leaders now recognize that it can directly affect revenue, earnings, customer service and reputation. It's no longer an operational issue that's buried in the supply chain function.”

In this Global Insight episode of the On Aon podcast, Aon leaders examine why extreme heat is emerging as a critical business challenge that demands greater visibility, preparedness and investment. Against the backdrop of heat waves and wildfires across North America and Europe, the discussion explores how heat can create significant financial and operational impacts across organizations, even when physical damage is limited or unseen.

The conversation highlights how heat can disrupt workforce productivity, energy systems, infrastructure, supply chains and business continuity simultaneously. It also explores how organizations can use climate analytics, engineering insight, scenario planning and risk transfer to better understand exposure, make more informed capital decisions and build resilience that helps them stay ahead of evolving climate risks.

Key Takeaways:       

Experts in this episode:     

Key Moments:       

(02:20) Why extreme heat is rising on leadership agendas, including the growing financial exposure associated with higher temperatures, aging infrastructure and more frequent heat events.

(6:05) How heat creates cascading business impacts, from workforce productivity and construction delays to equipment performance, energy demand, cooling costs and transportation disruption.

(20:20) How organizations can move from awareness to action through exposure analysis, mitigation and adaptation planning and risk transfer strategies that support long-term resilience.

Soundbites:       

Liz Henderson:  

“It's a risk amplifier in general. So across different industries like the food industry or construction, they might be worried about worker productivity, business downtime, crop impacts. And the underlying cause of those things is climate change risks and things like extreme heat.”

Josh Turner:  

“Extreme heat waves are becoming more common as the climate is shifting in ways that make historical averages a pretty unreliable guide for planning.”

In this Industry Insight episode of the On Aon podcast, Aon leaders discuss why employee benefits have become a critical leadership agenda item for retailers. As benefits costs rise and workforce expectations evolve, organizations have an opportunity to unlock greater value from one of their largest workforce investments.

The conversation explores how leading retailers are using data, analytics and governance to make more informed decisions, align workforce investments with business priorities and strengthen outcomes across talent, operations and financial performance. They also examine how a more strategic approach to benefits can help organizations gain deeper insight, deploy capital more effectively and stay ahead in a rapidly changing environment.

Key Takeaways:     

Experts in this episode:   

Key Moments:     

(01:50) Why employee benefits have moved beyond a traditional HR function and become a leadership priority tied to workforce performance, financial outcomes and risk management.

(08:25) How organizations can improve visibility into benefits spending, strengthen governance and identify opportunities to create greater value from workforce investments.

(13:08) How data and analytics are transforming benefits decision-making and helping organizations connect workforce investments to business outcomes.

Soundbites:     

Tom Bowman:

"Benefits are no longer simply a cost of employment. They are now much more of a strategic lever that can actually influence workforce performance. And that then improves employee experience that then drives real benefits, both on operational resilience and also the real financial outcomes of an organization."

Matt Duffy:

“Benefits have now become one of the largest workforce investments that organizations make, secondary only to payroll. And yet historically they've received far less attention and far less strategic oversight by the people within the organization that really matter.”