The experts at the Institute of Risk Management recently revealed some of their top risk predictions for enterprises in the new year. From political unrest in the Middle East to the potential exit of the UK from the European Union, these events could create major challenges in business continuity planning across the globe, but they aren't the only potential risks that firms will face. Here are a few of the top risk predictions for 2015, and a little advice on how to better prepare for them:

Healthcare – Knee​-jerk reactions to health crises are expected in 2015, following the continued, unprecedented death rate of Ebola victims in West Africa. Patrick Keady, a risk leadership expert with the NHS, noted that this will likely affect government policy making and healthcare decision making, but businesses will be affected as well by the decisions made.

Oil prices plummet – Tied to the political unrest in the Middle East, oil and gas prices are already falling and this trend is expected to continue in 2015. While this sounds like positive news initially, it can have a massively negative impact on operations if companies aren't prepared for the change. Mark Boult, a risk management expert, noted that the falling oil prices will "raise a number of risks, including, political and social disruption in oil producing countries,which, if not successfully managed, will impact on the world." 

Politics – The political scene both domestically and internationally is in turmoil right now, with major decisions being made in the Middle East, the EU and United States. These decisions will definitely impact firms across the globe by affecting international partnerships, vendors and other aspects of operations.

By hiring business continuity consultants to assist in preparing for these trends and events, companies can better prepare for the expected and unexpected.