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Public crypto asset funds in Canada – What’s at “Stake”

Canadian securities regulators recently published a staff notice that sets out their views and expectations regarding the operations of public investment funds that invest in novel forms of digital (cryptographic) assets such as bitcoin and ether. The first public crypto asset fund (PCAF) was approved in Canada by prospectus receipt issued in 2020.This led to the establishment of the world's first exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that invest directly in crypto assets. …

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  • Reading time:10 mins read
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Apparel Industry Outlook: Assessing Our 2023 Trends Report

In January, our retail experts made a number of predictions about the apparel industry outlook for 2023. As we move into the second half of the year, let’s see how well our predictions held up for the five trends discussed in our 2023 Apparel Industry Trends report. Trend Review Trend #1: Conscientious customers are forcing brands to rethink sustainable apparel. When predicting conscientious customers forcing brands to rethink sustainable apparel, our…

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How to help forests fight climate change

Forests across the United States are major contributors to the fight against climate change, annually removing damaging excess carbon from the atmosphere equivalent to approximately 13 percent of overall U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. According to a new report published today by Stanford Law School’s (SLS) Law and Policy Lab and the Bezos Earth Fund, implementing “climate-smart” forestry practices—such as expanding urban forests, integrating trees into pasture lands, and accelerating reforestation…

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Menopause, Menstrual Health and Workplace Policies

Last week, the British Standards Institution (BSI) celebrated the launch of its new guidance aimed at supporting employers to better retain experienced employees by enabling them to prioritise the needs of those experiencing menstruation or menopause. ‘Understanding the Menopause and Menstrual Health’ sets out recommendations and guidance for creating a more inclusive workplace, an important facet of which is the implementation of effective workplace policies. The Menopause and Menstrual Health…

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NYC to Consider Indoor Air Quality Regulations

  Seyfarth Synopsis: The COVID-19 pandemic and wildfire smoke shrouding the skies over the East Coast this summer have drawn more attention to indoor air quality, leading the New York City Council to propose indoor air quality resolutions.  Indoor air quality has long been a source of employee health complaints. While the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) offers industry consensus standards on ventilation rates and federal OSHA…

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UK Government Announces Upcoming Changes in Employment Law

The UK government has announced its intention to limit the duration of noncompete post-termination restrictions in employment contracts to a maximum of three months. Noncompete covenants are designed to provide business protection to an employer by seeking to restrict a former employee from undertaking employment with a rival competitor for a defined period following the termination of their employment. Noncompetition covenants are common in employment contracts with senior or key…

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AI-sia: What’s happening in Asia on AI?

More than half a year since the public launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, AI and generative AI remains a hot topic all around the globe. Companies and businesses of all sizes and from all regions are still looking for ways AI can help them deliver better products and services, but many are facing the same question – what are my regulatory compliance obligations? The answer at this stage really…

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  • Reading time:6 mins read
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3 ways to tackle the effect of sustained inflation on cash savings

Cash savings are a simple way to hold your wealth and you can easily access the funds whenever you need them. You may also generate interest over time, and you typically don’t assume the same level of risk that you do when investing. As such, you may think that cash savings are a “safe” and low-risk option. However, that is not necessarily the case, particularly during a period of high…

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AI can coach you to lose weight. But a human touch still helps

Given artificial intelligence’s ability to mimic humans’ problem-solving ability, it’s not surprising that many people are turning to AI-powered wellness coaches to help them plan exercise routines, track their nutrition, and set goals for losing weight. However, in one important aspect, these apps may not be able to match their sentient counterparts. New research finds that a mobile weight loss application that uses artificial intelligence to mine personal data and…

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Optimizing the Customer Experience: Enhancing Satisfaction and Loyalty

To optimize the customer experience, businesses must first gain a deep understanding of their customers’ needs and preferences. In today’s competitive business landscape, optimizing the customer experience has become paramount. With consumers having more choices than ever before, providing a seamless and delightful experience has become a key differentiator for businesses across industries. From e-commerce websites to brick-and-mortar stores, companies are increasingly focusing on understanding their customers’ needs and preferences…

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Whistleblowers and Trade Secrets: Does the DTSA Protect Confidential Data?

  Employers often go to great lengths to protect company documents and communications concerning and discussing confidential trade secret information. But what happens when employees leave, bring a whistleblower claim, and the employer learns they have sent themselves numerous confidential communications containing trade secret information? What about when an employee later attempts to introduce those documents as evidence in a subsequent whistleblower lawsuit? Unfortunately, employers often have limited options in…

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Washington: Will You Let AI Make Us Healthier?

The world is amidst an AI-driven industrial revolution. As a16z cofounder Marc Andreessen recently wrote, AI will save the world. The United Kingdom just staked its claim on the AI frontier, challenging US policymakers to reaffirm America’s role as the powerhouse of tech innovation. Whether we let it improve the health of Americans is up to how we regulate it. There is no sector where AI can drive more immediate, life-saving impact than in…

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What Is Instagram’s Threads? Everything You Need To Know

If you were on vacation last week, buckle up: Instagram Threads is the hot topic right now. The text-based app has taken social media by storm, with over 100 million new users joining in the first week. But what exactly is Threads, and does it replace existing apps like Instagram or Twitter? In this post, we’re sharing everything we know about Instagram Threads so far. Whether you have a strategy…

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How to Know When You Need to Fire Your Customer

A startup spends so much energy on acquiring and retaining its customers that voluntarily severing its relationship with any of them feels like self-inflicted harm. Yet, when necessary, acting decisively to “fire” a customer can mean the difference between survival and failure for a young company. By far the most important time to act is when customer relationships entered into in good faith reveal themselves to be strategically misaligned. Here’s…

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What drives dating app users

Satisfaction with online dating app depends on what you’re looking for A new study shows that some Tinder users access the the app to cope with negative emotions, but they may not find what they’re looking for. Author Nina BaiPublished on July 6, 2023July 6, 2023 With an estimated 75 million active users each month, Tinder is the most popular dating app in the world. But a new study by…

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The future of seeing

Neuroscientist Kalanit Grill-Spector studies the physiology of human vision and says that the ways computers and people see are in some ways similar, but in other ways quite different. In fact, she says, rapid advances in computational modeling, such as deep neural networks, applied to brain data and new imaging technologies, like quantitative MRI and diffusion MRI, are revolutionizing our understanding of how the human brain sees. We’re unraveling how…

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Investing in Sound.xyz

When social and music platforms started taking off in the 2000s, many musicians saw the huge potential of global distribution networks to showcase their artistic talent and connect with fans. Unfortunately, as they consolidated more power and leverage, the platforms acted more as gatekeepers – ceding little control and extracting large take rates from artists’ revenue. Thankfully, a new movement has emerged in web3 music, led by platforms such as…

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What Does It Mean to Be Generous?

Q: Are there key questions that have guided your career? All my research looks at judgment and decision making. I’ve done work on couples’ financial behavior. I’ve looked at how emotion influences our perception of risk. I’m quite interested in our moral intuitions and how they align with our actual behavior. Right now, I’m doing research on how people evaluate moral transgressions. But, over the course of my career, the…

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“It couldn’t happen here …” (or could it?)

Board members must ask the right questions to achieve assurance when it comes to health and safety. Campbell Tickell has produced a briefing for Board members which aims to equip them with an overall understanding of some key issues and a good set of questions for them to pursue. Find out more. ‘Health and safety gone mad’ is a familiar trope from certain newspapers – narratives of mollycoddling, bureaucracy and…

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Deglobalisation: risk or reality?

After decades of being both hero and villain, globalisation is said to be on the retreat. There is a common perception that companies are diversifying supply chains and relocating business closer to home. So, are we heading towards deglobalisation? We dig deeper and find that the data tell a different story. By Martina Di Sano, Vanessa Gunnella, Laura Lebastard The increasing integration of more and more economies into international trade…

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Can You Make a Donation Today—and Tell All Your Friends?

In the summer of 2015, a woman named Dawn Dorland donated a kidney to a stranger. She set up a private Facebook group to update her friends about the surgery and her recovery. Unbeknownst to Dorland, some group members decided that sharing the news of her generosity was a form of virtue signaling and began mocking her behind her back. One of those so-called friends eventually incorporated an earnest letter…

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Exploring industrial design protection for software in Canada

While you are probably aware that you can use patents and copyright to protect your software, websites and apps, you might not be aware of another valuable form of intellectual property protection: industrial designs. Industrial designs can be a cost-effective way to protect user interfaces and icons. Industrial designs protect the visual features of an article, such as the shape, configuration, pattern, or ornamentation. Industrial designs only protect features that…

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How to create an inclusive work environment in a hybrid workplace

Post-Covid, leaders are encouraging their teams to head back to the office, aiming to create an inclusive work environment. But have employees been as eager to return? Clarasys consultant Ana Sukhishvili looks at hybrid workplace best practices. Pre-pandemic, employees were already showing a desire for flexibility at work. Fast forward a few years, and with enforced lockdowns in our rear view mirror, hybrid ways of working seem to be here…

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The Business Impact of Great Managers

The impact of great management on workplace outcomes and employee health and well-being cannot be overstated. A good boss can make your work life feel a lot like a walk in the park, even on days when it's more of a hike. You feel heard, encouraged, and inspired, resulting in increased productivity and loyalty towards the organization. Employees who are currently working for their stated “best boss ever” report many…

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EU Launches Crypto-Assets Regulation

In September 2020, the European Commission adopted a digital finance package with the aim of creating a supportive regulatory framework to enable the digital transformation of the European Union’s financial industry. It established the groundbreaking piece of regulation – the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) – to provide a harmonised regulatory framework for crypto-assets in the EU. MiCAR came into force on 29 June 2023, almost three years later, and…

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Working Assumption: Factors Slowing AI’s Impact on Jobs

“How will this affect my job?” “It could never do my job!” We hate to disagree, but it is almost certainly the case that at least part of your current role could be performed by an AI. The discussion of the possible impact of AI on the workforce is being played out in many places. AI’s impact on the world of work has an enormous number of possible legal implications,…

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  • Reading time:12 mins read
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European autonomy in payments: Digital euro is not the only option

Inspired by the overarching goal to strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy, its authorities are pushing for a retail payment solution provided by European players and functioning in all member states as well as across national borders. European citizens already enjoy a wide choice of payment options. However, card and mobile/online payments are dominated by non-European providers in many countries. What is more, these are the only ones to enable euro…

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Africa can be the “Clean, Green Continent of the Future”

Committing to sustainable energy development can be achieved alongside socio-economic development First stated by President William Ruto in his welcome address on the opening morning of the conference and then reiterated throughout, it is clear that leaders on the African continent see sustainable energy development and socio-economic development as not only compatible, but inextricably linked as crucial factors in the present and future of their nations and continent as a…

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How are World markets faring in 2023?

At the halfway point of the year, some of the key themes which have influenced global markets through the early months of 2023 have continued to dominate. Charlie Buxton, our Head of Investment Management, spoke to Ian Hooper, Chief Investment Officer at Progeny, to explore some of the recent developments. When it comes to global investment markets, two factors continue to play out. Firstly, strong returns are largely down to…

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Dealing with Workplace Jerks

Different personalities exist in every workplace, and among them, some individuals can make work challenging for others. These individuals tend to be selfish, aggressive, and arrogant, causing disruptions to morale and productivity in the workplace. Unfortunately, the prevalence of toxic coworkers is increasing, making it a frustrating task to handle them. Toxic coworkers exhibit various behaviors that can complicate identification. However, they commonly demonstrate traits such as controlling, manipulating, and…

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The 3 Newest Companies on YC’s Top Revenue List and What They’re Doing So Right

Much of that list is made up of companies that have been up and running for a decade or more. That makes sense, of course — the longer a company has thrived, the more time it has had to nurture what works and build up that momentum. Even so, a handful of relatively new companies (including one that went through YC just three years ago!) managed to break onto the…

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Money matters – tackling tough conversations about finance

Talking about money can feel uncomfortable and be fraught with challenges. In this new series, Trust Executive Shannon Brightman, explores some of the tough conversations about finance that come up at different stages of life and offer some thoughts about how you can approach some of those challenging discussions. It’s no surprise that discussing any aspect of personal finance can be awkward and emotive. Knowing when and how to broach…

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China, Russia, Iran, Are Just Following The US Example

  The US’s historical ascent to global dominance, and the implications for China, Russia, and today’s geopolitical landscape On this week’s WhoWhatWhy podcast, we delve into the dynamics of rising powers with Sean A. Mirski, author of the new book, We May Dominate the World. Mirski, a lawyer and foreign policy scholar, has worked on national security issues for several US presidential administrations. He is a member of the Council…

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Helping adolescents feel competent and purposeful may improve grades

Encouraging adolescents to feel capable and purposeful – rather than just happy – could improve their academic results as well as their mental health, according to new research which recommends changing how wellbeing is supported in schools. The University of Cambridge study, involving over 600 teenagers from seven English schools, examined two separate aspects of their wellbeing: life satisfaction and ‘eudaimonia’. While life satisfaction roughly equates to how happy a…

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