Russia and Ukraine together account for 25-30% of global wheat production. Sanctions against Russia and the crippling of Ukraine’s agriculture industry have sent the price of wheat and various other commodities skyward and disrupted supplies in the global food production chain.

The Ukraine crisis presents a myriad of risks to the sector – direct underwriting losses, rapidly rising prices, slower economic growth, financial market volatility and the potential for asset shocks – that are not altogether different to what occurred during COVID-19 and the financial crisis. But with direct investment and underwriting exposures limited overall, and with second order effects in financial markets currently manageable, the sector is strongly positioned to support clients through this period of uncertainty.

Russia and Ukraine rank 11th and 55th respectively in terms of their national economies but, for the global supply of critical resources such as energy, food, and minerals, these two countries together are far bigger hitters – and both the threat and reality of resource flows from them being reduced have already driven up global prices.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is having ripple effects around the world. In times of turmoil, employers need to address the impact that events can have on their workers, even those far from the center of conflict.