For Sarah Pearson (pictured), head of enterprise risk management at Ecclesiastical Insurance, working with churches, cathedrals and historic buildings is both a professional calling and part of the company’s origins. “Religious organisations have been in our DNA for over 135 years,” she said. “The business started in the church space but over time we’ve extended to provide cover to other areas such as heritage sites, independent schools and charities.”
Pearson joined Ecclesiastical six years ago to develop a proposition focused on strategic risk, helping clients address non-insurable threats through resilience frameworks and practical support. “We’ve always had operational risk expertise,” she explained. “This was about adding strategic risk support, helping organisations prepare for challenges that could threaten their sustainability.”
Pearson is clear about the biggest issues. “One of the most pressing is financial sustainability,” she said. “Since the pandemic, many groups have seen donations fall, making it harder to support daily activities or plan confidently for the future.”
Declining participation is another concern. “Fewer people are attending religious services, though cathedrals have generally seen a rise in visitors since Covid,” she said. For heritage organisations, rising energy and maintenance costs are adding further strain, sometimes forcing redundancy measures.
People risks cut across both sectors. Many organisations depend on a handful of staff or volunteers. “If one individual leaves, a lot of knowledge can walk out the door,” Pearson said. Recruitment is often difficult, with lower salaries than other sectors and increasing demands on those who remain, a large proportion of which are unpaid volunteers. In heritage, there is also a shortage of skilled workers in specialist trades like conservation and curation.
Historic buildings, whether religious or heritage, were rarely designed for today’s climate. Ageing infrastructure and limited funds make adapting to extreme weather particularly challenging. “Many need urgent strategies to protect these spaces,” Pearson said, adding that churches and historic sites are also increasingly targeted by theft, vandalism and violence.
Technology is both an opportunity and a risk. Limited investment and outdated systems can weaken engagement and leave organisations vulnerable to cyber threats. “Tight budgets often mean they’re working with old systems and have a weak online presence,” she explained. “These same systems, combined with limited staff training, can increase cyber risk.”
One example illustrates the value of early action. A small heritage trust relied on a single computer for donations, bookings and historical records. During a risk review, it introduced automatic cloud backups, basic cybersecurity training and a recovery plan. “A few months later, a power surge damaged their main computer,” Pearson said. “Because they had planned ahead, they restored operations quickly, avoided losing data and maintained public trust.”
Pearson sees encouraging signs that religious and heritage bodies are adapting to what she calls a “volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous” operating environment. “They are shifting from a reactive to a more proactive approach,” she said. “We’re seeing investment in flood defences, stronger building security, and digital tools to safeguard sensitive data.”
Crucially, she added, leaders are embedding risk thinking into strategic decisions and training staff and volunteers to recognise and respond to threats. “It’s about integrating risk into day-to-day activities,” she said. “Have the conversation at meetings, report key risks to your board, and make sure people feel confident raising concerns.”
With limited budgets, she advises keeping the process proportionate and simple: identify the biggest risks, maintain a basic risk register, and review it regularly. “Don’t overcomplicate it,” she said. “The aim is to make risk management part of how you operate, not an extra burden.”
For Pearson, the mission is as much about preservation as it is about resilience. “These buildings and communities are irreplaceable,” she said. “By taking a strategic approach, even with small steps, organisations can strengthen their resilience and continue their work for generations to come.”
