Companies are neglecting people as they prioritise corporate resilience. Companies, particularly in financial services are focusing on agility. But, most brands still fall short in achieving agile business models.

A study lead by digital transformation business Kin + Carta looked into the different factors that make a brand truly resilient and ready to face the next high impact event.

The ‘Brand Resilience Index 2020,’ measured businesses against four key benchmarks: agility, responsibility, humanity and maturity.

It found that while agility scored the highest, a third of organisations showed exposure to risk in ‘humanity,’ or the means of engaging with audiences to form relevant emotional connections. The research found that factors including accessibility, inclusivity and tone of voice across their digital platform hinder users’ experiences.

“2020 has thoroughly tested the resilience of brands. However, just because a business has survived or even thrived through the impact of Covid, it doesn’t mean it is truly resilient – or would necessarily survive a different crisis,” says customer experience director at Kin + Carta Connect Claire Robinson

She adds, “No business was scored as being resilient across all four categories, but all brands – ourselves included – are on a journey, and we can’t do everything at once. It does make sense that so many have prioritised agility in the first instance, given the current uncertain economic climate. Even more so considering those doing it best were often the ones hit hardest following the 2008 financial crisis.”

The report also revealed that four of the top 10 brands in the agile indicator come from the financial services sector, and that, while agility scored highest in the factors assessed, 37% of brands still fall short in this category.

Overall, 41% of brands excelled in responsibility, or using their businesses as a force for good. The report found that the standout industry was FMCG, such as Innocent, Pukka Herbs and Ella’s Kitchen, all of which are B Corps, and brands that are differentiating through responsible and sustainable business practices.