diff --git a/internal/service/email/templates/templates/risk-stale-open-reminder.html b/internal/service/email/templates/templates/risk-stale-open-reminder.html
index 98fd8353..d86ab4d1 100644
--- a/internal/service/email/templates/templates/risk-stale-open-reminder.html
+++ b/internal/service/email/templates/templates/risk-stale-open-reminder.html
@@ -1,14 +1,48 @@
 <!DOCTYPE html>
-<html>
+<html lang="en">
+<head>
+  <meta charset="UTF-8" />
+  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
+  <title>Stale Risk Reminder</title>
+  <style>
+    * { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; }
+    body { font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, sans-serif; background-color: #f1f5f9; color: #0f172a; }
+    .email-container { max-width: 600px; margin: 32px auto; background: #ffffff; border-radius: 12px; overflow: hidden; box-shadow: 0 4px 24px rgba(0,0,0,0.08); }
+    .header { background: linear-gradient(135deg, #d97706 0%, #b45309 100%); padding: 32px; color: #ffffff; }
+    .header h1 { font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 4px; }
+    .header p { font-size: 13px; opacity: 0.85; }
+    .content { padding: 32px; }
+    .greeting { font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin-bottom: 12px; }
+    .message { font-size: 14px; color: #475569; margin-bottom: 24px; line-height: 1.6; }
+    .detail-card { border: 1px solid #fde68a; border-radius: 8px; padding: 16px; background-color: #fffbeb; margin-bottom: 24px; }
+    .detail-row { font-size: 14px; color: #374151; margin-bottom: 8px; }
+    .detail-row:last-child { margin-bottom: 0; }
+    .detail-label { font-weight: 600; }
+    .cta { display: inline-block; background-color: #d97706; color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none; padding: 12px 24px; border-radius: 8px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 600; }
+    .footer { padding: 24px 32px; border-top: 1px solid #e2e8f0; background-color: #f8fafc; text-align: center; }
+    .footer p { font-size: 12px; color: #64748b; }
+  </style>
+</head>
 <body>
-  <p>Hello {{.OwnerName}},</p>
-  <p>A risk appears stale and should be reviewed.</p>
-  <ul>
-    <li><strong>Risk:</strong> {{.RiskTitle}}</li>
-    <li><strong>SSP:</strong> {{.SSPName}}</li>
-    <li><strong>Status:</strong> {{.RiskStatus}}</li>
-    <li><strong>Last seen:</strong> {{.LastSeenAt}}</li>
-  </ul>
-  <p><a href="{{.RiskURL}}">Open risk</a></p>
+  <div class="email-container">
+    <div class="header">
+      <h1>Stale Risk Reminder</h1>
+      <p>Attention — a risk has not been updated recently</p>
+    </div>
+    <div class="content">
+      <p class="greeting">Hello {{.OwnerName}},</p>
+      <p class="message">A risk assigned to you appears stale and has not been updated in some time. Please review the risk and update its status or details as appropriate.</p>
+      <div class="detail-card">
+        <div class="detail-row"><span class="detail-label">Risk:</span> {{.RiskTitle}}</div>
+        <div class="detail-row"><span class="detail-label">SSP:</span> {{.SSPName}}</div>
+        <div class="detail-row"><span class="detail-label">Status:</span> {{.RiskStatus}}</div>
+        <div class="detail-row"><span class="detail-label">Last Seen:</span> {{.LastSeenAt}}</div>
+      </div>
+      <a href="{{.RiskURL}}" class="cta">Open Risk &rarr;</a>
+    </div>
+    <div class="footer">
+      <p>You are receiving this reminder because you are an owner or point of contact for this risk.</p>
+    </div>
+  </div>
 </body>
 </html>
