What is a fidelity bond designed to protect against?

A fidelity bond is specifically designed to protect businesses from losses incurred due to dishonest acts committed by employees, such as theft, fraud, embezzlement, or other forms of dishonesty. The bond ensures that if an employee engages in activities that harm the employer financially, the fidelity bond will cover those losses, thus providing a layer of financial security for the business.

In the context of the other options, while natural disasters, missed deadlines, and financial losses from project delays are all significant risks that businesses may face, they are not mitigated by fidelity bonds. Instead, standard property or liability insurance would typically cover losses stemming from natural disasters, while project management tools and contractual strategies are more relevant for managing deadlines and delays. Therefore, the sole focus of a fidelity bond on employee-related dishonesty makes option B the correct answer.