September 16, 2026

Biological threats, including disease outbreaks, the accidental release of pathogens or toxins from labs, and bioterrorism, have received considerable recent media coverage. Much of this coverage has centered on warnings from major technology companies on the ability of AI to develop biological weapons, garnering global attention and alarm. At the same time, news outlets have highlighted concerns from experts about accidental laboratory releases of pathogens or toxins, noting that the same scientific and technological advances that are accelerating discovery and innovation, are also raising serious questions about biosafety and biosecurity.

The headlines are not limited to the biological threats noted above. Naturally occurring disease outbreaks continue to impact populations across the globe; measles is one example, with the media reporting that U.S. cases have reached the highest level in 30-years, along with the Ebola outbreak in Congo, which the World Health Organization has said is on track to surpass the 2014-2016 West Ebola outbreak - the deadliest on record.

Taken together, your CEO may be asking how your company should prepare for and respond to biological threats that can impact workforce health and well-being, and business operations.

Why Your CEO May Care

Biological preparedness is becoming an increasingly important area of workforce health and organizational risk management. One of the profound learnings from COVID-19 is that employers have significant responsibility for protecting and supporting employees and maintaining business continuity during biological events. The COVID-19 pandemic also demonstrated that employers often receive critical information too late to act effectively. As disease outbreaks continue to occur, and concerns about novel pathogens and bioterrorism risks grow, your CEO may be interested in your company’s approach to staying abreast of potential biological threats, and your preparedness plan if and when they occur.

What Employers Can Do

The Business Group has formed a strategic partnership with BioRadar, a public benefit corporation, to advance workforce readiness for emerging biological threats such as disease outbreaks and bioterrorism. BioRadar has developed biological intelligence that integrates environmental, clinical, and behavioral data sources to identify unusual biological patterns and emerging threats earlier than traditional systems.

Through this partnership, Business Group members will have access to employer-focused biological insights that can help inform workforce and business decisions to better protect the health and well-being of employees and their families, reduce operational disruption and support business continuity and organizational resilience.

To assist employers in developing or refining their preparedness plans, the Business Group and Bioradar are developing an employer toolkit focused on infectious disease and bioterrorism readiness and response. This toolkit will be paired with educational information from leading experts at events hosted by the Business Group. Additionally, Business Group members will have access to strategic support during significant biological events when timely information and guidance matter most.

The Business Group will update members with any relevant information related to biological threats and will share the employer toolkit as soon as it is available.

For questions related to the Business Group’s partnership with BioRadar or our initiatives focused on biological threats, please contact [email protected].

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