Workforce Heat Resilience: An Actionable Framework to Close the Execution Gap (Boston Consulting Group)

Summary

• Over 2.4 billion workers are exposed to excessive heat, resulting in at least 22 million injuries and 18,000 deaths annually.p.4
• A heat stress management programme at one Latin American food and agriculture company generated 60% return on investment.p.4
• Over 80% of 40 surveyed senior leaders agree extreme heat is an urgent and major risk for their workforce.p.9
• Only 39% of organizations advance to solution planning and just 28% implement solutions.p.9
• Approximately 75% of respondents report difficulty translating workforce heat risk into financial terms.p.10
• A food and agriculture company measured a 12% productivity decline during high-heat alerts.p.13

Key insights

1. Fewer than 1 in 3 companies have workforce heat resilience initiatives today.p.9
2. Around 35% of respondents cite limited resources or expertise as a barrier.p.10
3. 75% of downstream-focused companies report demand shifts and 63% face heightened performance expectations from customers.p.7
4. A mining company reported a 30% reduction in workload during summer months.p.7
5. A 2025 US analysis estimated approximately 31,500 heat-attributable workplace injuries in 2023 alone.p.13
6. The report defines extreme heat as a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) at or above 25°C.p.6