Engineering Resilience: How Zurich Is Tackling Physical Climate Risk

Tabea van Hasselt outlines how Zurich Resilience Solutions works with clients worldwide to identify and mitigate physical climate risks - from hailstorms and floods to extreme wind and sea-level rise. Drawing on her environmental-engineering background, she stresses the need to move beyond awareness to measurable action. Using Zurich’s “hazard–exposure–vulnerability” methodology, teams assess each site’s unique risk profile and guide businesses through practical adaptation steps.

She also warns of a growing divide between proactive and passive organisations. Without timely investment in mitigation - whether through structural upgrades, emergency planning, or climate-scenario modelling - more locations could become uninsurable in the coming decades. Van Hasselt sees resilience not just as compliance, but as competitive advantage: protecting business continuity, reputation, and long-term insurability in a changing climate.