As extreme weather and extreme heat events grow in frequency and severity, employers are facing a new set of workforce challenges that cut across every function — from rising healthcare costs and unplanned absences to employee financial strain, mental health impacts, and operational disruptions. Most companies don't yet have a coordinated plan to address these risks, and the gap between the scale of the problem and current employer preparedness is widening.

This briefing zeroes in on one of the fastest-moving pieces of that gap: the emerging market of heat-tech solutions. A wave of new tools now promises to keep workers safe — from wearables and monitoring platforms to cooling solutions and emergency response systems. Most employers have never had to evaluate this kind of technology before. This session helps corporate leaders cut through the noise and know what to actually do for the rest of this summer and 2027 budget planning.

Whether you work in HR, OHS, Crisis Management, Operations, Sustainability, or other functions, you'll leave with:

• A clearer understanding of the emerging heat-tech landscape — what's changing, what's real, where the biggest blind spots are, and what to consider for 2027
• Practical, evidence-based questions to ask and metrics to look for before you pilot or buy — including what to bring to the table when startups and vendors come knocking, and what "proven" actually looks like
• Connection to a growing community of employers and experts working on this together