All posts

The Cost of Instability: How global volatility is reshaping costs across every sector

authors

Robb Lusk
Alan Birse
Rikesh Nichani
Andrea Cosentino
Iain Clements
Packaging Specialist
Paul Gravatt
Insurance, Employment Benefits and Specialist Tax
No items found.

Content

Share this article

I'm going to be the URL to copy

whatsapp

For years, businesses have focused on managing rising costs. Today, however, the greater challenge isn't simply higher prices—it's how quickly those prices can change.

A freight surcharge appears overnight. A packaging quote is only valid for 72 hours. Insurance renewals become more restrictive. Lead times stretch without warning. Supplier increases become more frequent, and the reasons behind them become increasingly difficult to validate.

Global volatility has moved beyond headlines. It has become an operational reality that affects procurement, finance, supply chain management, and business planning every day.

When Global Events Reach Your Balance Sheet

Geopolitical tensions, shifting trade routes, cyber threats, fuel price fluctuations, labor shortages, and changing trade policies are no longer isolated events. They're interconnected forces that influence how products move, how suppliers price their goods and services, and how organizations manage risk.

The challenge isn't simply responding to individual disruptions. It's understanding how they combine to create ripple effects across your entire cost base.

Organizations that rely on historical pricing assumptions or annual procurement cycles may find themselves reacting long after additional costs have already been absorbed into the business.

Visibility Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage

While no organization can control global events, they can control how prepared they are to respond.

The businesses best positioned for long-term success are those that can:

  • Validate supplier increases instead of automatically accepting them.
  • Benchmark pricing against current market conditions.
  • Identify hidden cost drivers before they become permanent.
  • Build resilience into procurement and supplier strategies.
  • Strengthen business continuity planning for an increasingly unpredictable world.

The goal isn't to predict every disruption. It's to create greater visibility, better decision-making, and more control over costs—even when markets remain uncertain.

Download the Whitepaper

Our latest whitepaper, The Cost of Instability: How Global Volatility is Reshaping Costs Across Every Sector, explores how today's geopolitical and economic landscape is affecting freight, logistics, packaging, insurance, and supplier costs—and what organizations can do to respond proactively.

Inside, you'll discover:

  • Why volatility is becoming embedded in everyday operating costs.
  • How freight, packaging, and insurance markets are evolving.
  • Practical strategies for challenging supplier increases and improving cost visibility.
  • Why cost intelligence has become a critical capability for resilient organizations.

Download the whitepaper today to learn how your organization can move from reacting to instability to building greater control and resilience.

authors

Robb Lusk
Alan Birse
Rikesh Nichani
Andrea Cosentino
Iain Clements
Packaging Specialist
Paul Gravatt
Insurance, Employment Benefits and Specialist Tax
No items found.

The Cost of Instability Whitepaper

Related articles

You might also like

Insights

The Future of Production Cost

Insights

Cost Pressure for Aerospace MROs: A Dramatic Shift

Insights

The 2026 Cost Squeeze in Aircraft MROs

Insights

Private Equity Webinar Replay - Exit strategies for the mid-market

Insights

Optimizing capital deployment: Achieving maximum returns | Webinar Replay

Insights

The 2026 World Cup: Opportunity or Hidden Cost for Central American Companies?

Insights

The Hidden Costs Companies Ignore Before Big Marketing Investments

Insights

ERA IGNITE Session with Nikolas Badminton

Insights

Thought Leadership - Foreign Trade And Cost Structure

Insights

Why Great Organizations Never Stop Improving

Insights

The Hidden Cost of Leadership Bandwidth

Insights

Growth Requires Financial Flexibility

Insights

Why Strong Leadership Teams Still Seek Outside Perspective

Insights

Where Is Your Money Going?

Insights

The Hidden Cost of Conflict

Insights

Interview with our new partner Ronald Batenburg

Insights

Is Lean Manufacturing Your Untapped Advantage?

Insights

Cost to Make, Cost to Move: Manufacturing in a Tariff-Driven, High-Energy World

Insights

The Billion Dollars that No One is Watching

Insights

2026 Cost Management Barometer

Insights

Hospitality's Generational Reset

Insights

Electronic Payments: A Strategic Receivables Tool?

Insights

Cost Management Barometer 2026 - Manufacturing Edition

Insights

Should We Trade In Our Current Company Cell Phones?

Insights

If No One Is Managing Your Broker, You're Overpaying

Insights

Q2-2026: Manufacturing, consumables, & packaging news

Insights

Getting a Grip on Fleet Operating Costs in 2026

Insights

On the Road: Q2 2026 Freight Newsletter

Insights

The Rising ERISA Risk in Voluntary Benefits

Insights

The Growing Impact of Fuel Price Increases on E-Commerce

Insights

Q2-2026 U.S. Small Parcel Market Brief

Insights

Unlocking Hidden Value: How Supplier Cost Optimization Gives You the Competitive Edge

Insights

H1-2026 Benefits Bulletin: Navigating Rising Costs, Legislative Shifts & the Evolving Workforce Benefits Landscape

Insights

Seismic Shifts in the Uniform & Workwear Industry

Insights

Property & Casualty Outlook

Insights

ERA Group Secures Triple Victory at Global Franchise Awards 2025

Insights

Disruption of the Consulting Industry is real: Are You Overpaying?

Insights

The impact of the new mandatory Danish road toll – What does it mean for you and your business?

Insights

New collaboration brings cost reductions and greater focus on sustainability at Carglass

Insights

Smart Procurement should be a Key Strategy in Food Cost Savings

Insights

Finding the Right Media Agency

Insights

Human-led, insight-powered: The Missing Link Between AI and Actual Savings

Insights

Cost Intelligence in Action - Healthcare

Insights

From Contract to Advantage: How Leaders Turn Supplier Agreements into Performance Engines

Insights

Q'4-2025: Manufacturing consumables & packaging news

Insights

ERA enters into partnership with Hapro Electronics AS

Insights

Vilmers UAB chooses ERA Group for cost optimisation

Insights

Kymera uses ERA Group to identify opportunities for improvement

Insights

Meet our new partner: Shahid Salim

Insights

The Hidden Complexity of Microsoft licensing and Cloud Management

Insights

ERA Group identifies four key challenges that are forcing professional services firms to act urgently

Insights

Strategic Partner for the Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Sector

Insights

A Strategic Approach to Risk – Setting the Foundations for Growth

Insights

ERA Group Enters Exciting New Chapter with Horizon Capital Investment

Insights

2025 Cost Management Barometer: Retail & Wholesale Edition

Insights

CEO of BNI Global, Mary Kennedy Thompson, joins ERA Group as board advisor

Insights

Why Not-for-Profit Leaders Must Do More with Less – and Prove It

Insights

Beyond Resilience: A 2026 Supply Chain Playbook for Growth

Insights

Turbulent Times: Middle East Escalation and What UK Businesses Need to Think About Now

Insights

On the road: Q3 Freight newsletter

Insights

What the end of Microsoft EA discounts means for your business

Insights

Are you ready for the office supply industry shakeup?

Insights

2026 Express and Parcel Market Perspective

Insights

The Importance of Digital Marketing in Hospitality

Insights

Inflation within Technology

Insights

The Importance of Supplier Relationships

Insights

What would I do if I were the owner of the company?

Insights

The Importance of Investing in Technology for Business Success

Insights

The Importance of Digital Marketing in the Tourism Industry

Insights

Is there a practical future for cryptocurrency?

Insights

Difference Between Cost and Expense

Insights

The 3 changes that leading companies are currently making

Insights

Interview with Roberto Serra, General Manager of Galbusera SpA

Insights

AI in Procurement: Turning Financial Intelligence into Structural Advantage

Insights

ERA Group names Marcel Lal as new Global Chief Development Officer

Insights

The Post-Peak Profit Squeeze: Q1 priorities for Retail CEOs & CFOs

Insights

2025 Wrapped: Costs, Complexity and the Road to 2026

Insights

ERA Group launches in India!

Insights

The Resilient (But Still Uncertain) World Economy

Insights

5 Procurement Priorities for 2026: From Cost Visibility to Cost Intelligence

Insights

Fuel Finder: Transparency Tool or Profit Booster?

Insights

The Hidden Costs in Service Charge Apportionments: What Finance Directors Need to Understand as a Tenant

Insights

The Oversight Gap: When Cost Optimisation Is “Already Covered”

Insights

Market Intelligence 2026.1

Insights

What 10+ Employee Businesses Must Do Now

Insights

Scotland’s Hospitality Squeeze: When Higher Rates Make Survival the Real Challenge

Insights

PSTN Switch-Off: A Compulsory Change Ahead

Insights

The Strategic Power of Procurement

Insights

Rethinking Technology: Thriving When Change Never Sleeps

Insights

The day electricity also started displaying a “sold out” sign

Insights

The conflict in Iran is affecting fixed electricity and gas tariffs

Insights

Tensions in the Middle East and their impact on business costs

Insights

Will your brand survive, or will it succeed?

Insights

Paper or electronic meal voucher? Instructions for use

Insights

Study: Sustainability in Procurement – Cost and Supply Security Remain Key Focus Areas

Insights

How artificial intelligence is transforming the retail supply chain

Insights

44 staffing agencies have gone bankrupt in 6 weeks

Insights

SORP 2026: What Charities Need to Know and How to Prepare

Insights

What your P&L isn't telling you: Uncovering savings through cost intelligence

Insights

Q'1-2025: Manufacturing consumables & packaging news

Get insights that drive your business

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.