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Sometimes Sustainability Costs More. So What?

Topics Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Corporate sustainability efforts are seemingly facing a slump of low enthusiasm, with some tired clichés like “sustainability always costs more” resurfacing. It’s a blunt, unnuanced argument. The business case for sustainability is still sound. Broadly speaking, when done well, sustainability…

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2024 Election Results: Missouri Voters Pass Ballot Measure for Sick and Safe Leave, Minimum Wage Increase

Quick Hits Missouri voters approved a ballot measure to enact a law that will require employers to allow employees to use up to fifty-six (56) or forty (40) hours of earned paid sick time per year depending on the size of the employer. Employees will be entitled to start accruing paid sick time on May 1, 2025, and employers must provide written notice of the paid sick time by April…

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Unlocking the future: Azure networking updates on security, reliability, availability

Our latest enhancements strengthen core network capabilities for mission-critical applications running in the cloud. In an era defined by the transformative power of AI, industries are reimagining the possibilities of predictive analytics, automation, and real-time decision-making. AI is now ubiquitous, reshaping sectors from retail and finance to healthcare and biotechnology. While new applications harness AI’s potential, it’s the evolution of existing applications through generative AI methodologies that drives exponential progress.…

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  • Reading time:10 mins read
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How Private Investors Can Help Solve Africa’s Climate Crisis

African people, businesses, and nations are becoming increasingly stressed by climate-related perils like droughts, river flooding, extreme heat, and rising sea levels. This is leading not only to the destruction of assets but also challenges to lives and livelihoods—not to mention disturbing the area’s peace, stability, and national security. And the situation is getting progressively worse, partly due to people migrating out of suddenly unlivable situations.“Governments and development finance institutions…

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Mastering the new science of engineered management decision processes

Despite huge efforts to improve operational processes over the past 20 years, critically important management processes are left up to the discretion of each manager to define. Some are good, some are bad. It all depends on their experience. There are no standards. But, management processes drive decision-quality and productivity, especially in the information age where group-dynamic is a lever of influence. Lacking good practices, organisations evolve their own sub-optimal…

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  • Reading time:5 mins read
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The best jobs in the world: How Lighthouses shape production’s future

Companies globally are looking to adopt Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies to boost both productivity and sustainability. However, the path to success is fraught with challenges, from outdated legacy systems to the critical need for workforce upskilling. In some cases, companies need to overcome an image problem that makes it hard to recruit and retain the talent required to fill vacant production roles.In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, host…

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  • Reading time:24 mins read
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‘Globalise It’: The SCO and the Future of the Economic Agenda in the Organisation’s Globalisation

For the Russian Federation, cooperation with partners in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in multilateral and bilateral formats is one of the international priorities enshrined in the current Foreign Policy Concept of 2023 (hereinafter referred to as the FPC). Moreover, this not only details using the SCO's potential to develop relations on the Eurasian continent, in particular, to form a broad integration circuit - the Greater Eurasian Partnership (Clause 54…

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How Integrating DEI Into Strategy Lifts Performance

Jing Jing Tsong/theispot.com Today’s top leadership priorities include attracting and retaining top talent, fostering innovative thinking and action, motivating employee performance, and enhancing stakeholder value in an increasingly diverse and competitive market. At the same time, many leaders have supported diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to address inequities for marginalized groups. But our research shows that there is a broader opportunity to use DEI as a strategic lever in…

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Podcast: Want real AI transformation? Focus on your people and processes

MOLLY WOOD: Today I’m talking to Delphine Zurkiya, senior partner at the strategy and management consulting firm McKinsey and Company, maybe you’ve heard of it. Zurkiya works at the intersection of technology and healthcare, helping medical and life sciences companies accelerate their digital and AI transformations and their growth. She’s also a member of the McKinsey Technology Council and currently leads generative AI initiatives for her division of the company.…

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  • Reading time:26 mins read
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Capital expenditure efficiency in chemicals: An opportunity for CFOs

Although capital deployment is strongly linked to enterprise value (EV) and financial health, it has always been difficult to manage. The chemical industry is no exception.Our research finds that the chemical industry anticipates annual growth of 3 to 5 percent by 2030, a 4 percent increase in capital expenditures, and the reallocation of significant capital to meet strategic and operational objectives. At the same time, chemical companies have been grappling…

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  • Reading time:12 mins read
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Supercharging product portfolio performance with generative AI

Product portfolios tend to grow. Companies add new products and variants all the time to meet specific customer needs, pursue new market opportunities, or exploit technological advances. They can also be reluctant to kill off older items, for fear of upsetting long-standing customers. Finding the sweet spot in a portfolio is an ongoing challenge. Offer too little choice and customers will choose to play elsewhere, costing the company revenue. Offer…

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How to Make Culture a Strategic Imperative: Cummins CHRO Marvin Boakye

Topics Culture Champions Building a healthy culture is one of the most important — and hardest — leadership jobs. These articles, based on a webinar series and research by Donald Sull and CultureX, share actionable advice from leaders whose cultures produced exceptional business results and a world-class employee experience. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Aleksandar Savic “We have a very long-tenured board member who said to me, ‘Every…

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If Pain, Yes Gain – Part 128: Alaska, Missouri, and Nebraska Join Nation’s Paid Sick Leave Law Patchwork

What You Need to Know: As we reported last week, paid sick leave initiatives were on the ballot and up for vote in three states – Alaska (“Ballot Measure No. 1”), Missouri (“Proposition A”), and Nebraska (“Initiative 436”). Notably, constituents in all three states have voted and passed their respective paid sick leave ballot measures[1]. The three paid sick leave mandates will go into effect on the following dates: (a)…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:13 mins read
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How AI is improving long-term care insurance for insurers and customers alike

When people can no longer perform the everyday activities of life without some kind of assistance, the clear priority should be to ensure their health and dignity. Money should not be a prohibitive factor. Yet in too many cases, quality long-term care is hindered by financial concerns. Consider, for example, that Americans who live past the age of 70 can expect on average to spend $172,000 for long-term care over…

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  • Reading time:7 mins read
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London & Capital Expands its European Headquarters with Relocation of Todd Cowan, Executive Director, Providing Dedicated Advice to US and UK Expats

By London & Capital | 07 Nov, 2024 London & Capital, a leader in cross-border and international wealth management services, announces the relocation of Todd Cowan, Executive Director and Wealth Manager, from the firm’s London office to its European headquarters in Barcelona, Spain. With this strategic move, London & Capital is delivering on its commitment to enhancing the firm’s presence and commercial operations across Europe, with a particular focus upon…

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Copilots are helping drive innovation to get business results that matter

The pace of AI innovation today continues to be extraordinary, and at Microsoft we are focused on helping organizations embrace it. By providing our customers with the most advanced AI technology across every product we build — combined with our unparalleled partner ecosystem and co-innovation approach — we are helping them make real progress in ways that matter. I am proud to share over 100 customer stories from this quarter…

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Key considerations for CEOs in the oil and gas sector

The demand for oil and gas has returned to prepandemic levels; however, the energy transition is expected to change the demand trajectory for the industry over the medium- to long term. For oil, under all bottom-up scenarios modeled in our recent Global Energy Perspective 2024 report, demand is projected to continue to grow in the short term before plateauing over the next five to seven years and then declining due…

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How CEOs Should Navigate the Trump Presidency

This commentary originally appeared in Time. The American democratic system worked even though the American Democratic party failed. Donald Trump was decisively reelected president by the largest popular vote and the most demographically diverse voting base in history without allegations of foreign election interference or domestic voting fraud. Kamala Harris performed worse than Joe Biden with Black voters, Hispanic voters, young voters, and women voters. There is hardly a major…

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Planting trees in the Arctic could make global warming worse, not better, say scientists

But, writing in the journal Nature Geoscience, an international group of scientists, including from the University of Cambridge, argue that tree planting at high latitudes will accelerate, rather than decelerate, global warming.As the climate continues to warm, trees can be planted further and further north, and large-scale tree-planting projects in the Arctic have been championed by governments and corporations as a way to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. However,…

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How to Sabotage Your Board

Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Ever sat through a board meeting and wondered whether other directors or trustees are not conscious of the time or are consciously sabotaging the meeting? Do some members seem hell-bent on turning decision-making into a no-win game? You’re not alone. The line between accidental and intentional sabotage can often be as thin as your treasurer’s patience after the third hour of budget discussions. We’ve…

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Pioneers and Pathfinders: Tony Thai and Byong Kim

Today’s episode of Pioneers and Pathfinders takes a slightly different approach. We are joined by Tony Thai, a returning guest, who is the CEO and Chief Engineer of HyperDraft, a contract automation software platform for various enterprises. We’re also joined by Byong Kim, Senior Director of Technology Innovations at Seyfarth. He runs Seyfarth Labs, which is a tech R&D team that leads the way in applying emerging technologies to the…

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Ontario’s Working for Workers Five Act, 2024—More Rules for Employers?

Quick Hits The Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 amended the Occupational Health and Safety Act’s definition of “industrial establishment” to exclude any office in a private residence, and the definitions of “workplace harassment” and “workplace sexual harassment” to include virtual activities. Under the Employment Standards Act, 2000, as amended, employers can require evidence for sick leave, but cannot demand a certificate from a qualified health practitioner. Key provisions of…

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Federal Court of Appeal finds lengthy and complex privacy policies breached meaningful consent

In its recent decision, Canada (Privacy Commissioner) v. Facebook, Inc., 2024 FCA 140, the Federal Court of Appeal explored, defined, and explained two requirements of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, S.C. 2000, c. 5 (PIPEDA): (1) the requirement that an organization must obtain “meaningful consent” to collect, use, or disclose any personal information; and (2) the requirement that an organization safeguard all personal information once collected. Since…

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Varun Parmar on how CPOs are shaping the future of sales

In this episode of McKinsey on Building Products, McKinsey’s podcast on software product management and engineering, McKinsey partner Rikki Singh speaks with Varun Parmar, general manager of Adobe. Throughout his career, Parmar has led product teams at technology companies that are leaders in product-led growth (PLG), such as Box, Miro, and Adobe. Their topics of discussion include how exceptional products drive growth, the importance of reducing the amount of time…

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  • Reading time:11 mins read
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Think Better – Going beyond the world of ‘different’ 

“Thought has been the father of every advance since time began. ‘I didn’t think’ has cost the worlds millions of dollars.” – Thomas J. Watson Sr. Former chairman and CEO of IBM The original slogan ‘Think’ has been prominent since C-T-R became IBM in 1924 and was the starting point for Apple’s iconic ‘Think Different’ campaign. ‘Think Different’ was a campaign that underpinned Apple’s core values and vision, rather than…

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What are natural climate solutions?

A 3D rendering of light bulb covered with green grass and blooming yellow flowers against light gray backgroundAs with many aspects of modern life, technology has a significant role to play in tackling climate change—arguably the greatest challenge our species has ever faced. But to avoid the most devastating effects of a warming planet, we’ll need to utilize not only the most cutting-edge technological tools but also the natural systems that…

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How Not to Organize In-House Experts: Lessons From Boeing

Accidents involving 737 Max airplanes and Boeing’s ongoing internal struggles serve as a stark reminder that having experts is not enough: Leadership must organize expertise effectively. Pedro Monteiro November 06, 2024 Reading Time: 11 min  Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images In the race to recruit and deploy talent, organizations often focus on attracting highly skilled experts and then optimizing internal knowledge flow. But translating expertise into better business decisions…

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Colorado AG Proposes Amendments to the Colorado Privacy Act Rules to Implement Recent Legislative Updates

Quick Hits The Colorado Attorney General’s Office recently proposed draft amendments to the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) Rules. The draft amendments are largely focused on consumer data and implement recent changes to the CPA that reflect increased regulation of entities that collect and use biometric information and personal information relating to children under the age of eighteen. The amendments also include a new process for entities and individuals to request,…

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Canada’s proposals for implementing a modernized CEPA

On Oct. 2, 2024, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) published three proposals for implementing changes to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), one of Canada’s core environmental laws regulating toxic substances and pollution. All three proposals relate to the CEPA modernizations made in June 20231, which we first wrote about when Bill S-5, the Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act, was enacted, marking the first major update…

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Windows Server 2025 now generally available

Generally available today, Windows Server 2025 builds on our mission to deliver a secure and high-performance Windows Server platform tailored to meet customers’ diverse needs. This release will enable you to deploy apps in any environment, whether on-premises, hybrid environments, or in the cloud. Windows Server 2025 Investing in your success with Windows Server Advanced multilayered security  In an era where cybersecurity is of utmost importance (see the Microsoft Digital…

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3 crucial benefits of working with a financial adviser demonstrated by the Budget

On 30 October 2024, chancellor Rachel Reeves became the first woman in history to deliver a Budget to the UK parliament. In the lead up to the announcement, there was much speculation in the media about which taxes would increase and how this might affect your financial plan. You might have been concerned about the effect that the Budget could have on markets too, and whether it could influence the…

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Inside the Coming AI Market “Supercycle” and How Cloud Startups Can Benefit: The Battery Ventures 2024 State of OpenCloud Report

Has it finally happened? Have fledgling  AI “experiments” inside companies finally morphed into real technology deployments, paving the way for big new efficiencies and streamlined workflows across all manner of industries and business processes? The answer, according to our Battery Ventures 2024 “State of the OpenCloud” report, is yes—to a point. Our research finds there’s still a big gap between expectations and reality when it comes to actually deploying generative…

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Do not let your Estate become a Horror Story

Ensure your wishes are known from the grave Halloween, the season of ghosts, ghouls, and things that go bump in the night, reminds us how the past can haunt the present. But there is a far scarier spectre than any creature in a costume – the nightmare of an unplanned or outdated estate! Without a proper Will, your loved ones could face confusion, disputes, and unintended consequences long after you…

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How banks can supercharge technology speed and productivity

Technology has reshaped banking. Traditional financial institutions have grown their technology teams and are demanding more from them than ever before. Technology teams build innovative new products such as AI-enabled personalized customer experiences, digital payments, and analytics-driven cross-selling. They integrate acquisitions, automate back-office processes, and securely manage vast amounts of data. A look through a bank’s strategy reveals that most of the initiatives require extensive technology delivery. Yet many banks…

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Crafting a Structure in an Unstructured World

As a discussion club widely known for focusing on global politics and world affairs, it is appropriate and timely under the circumstances that we start brainstorming and debating the possible structure of a new world order. This is because, on the one hand, the relatively stable balance of power achieved after the Second World War is gon, writes Nelson Wong, President of the Shanghai Centre for RimPac Strategic and International Studies,…

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Why your business should register its design rights

In a world where visual identity can make or break a brand, the Marks and Spencer v Aldi case has brought design right infringement to the forefront of UK intellectual property law. This legal dispute revolves around allegations that Aldi copied Marks and Spencer’s premium gin packaging, specifically its distinctive “M&S Gin” bottles. The case highlights the critical importance of design rights in protecting unique product designs and maintaining brand…

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How energy companies are using AI to capture and store carbon, even underground

During a time of both rapid transformation and intense scrutiny, today’s energy industry leaders are increasingly turning to advanced solutions in AI and data management to drive sustainability and efficiency as the global community works to combat climate change. This is a time-sensitive effort, as increased energy demand and the continued role of fossil fuels mean emissions could keep rising through 2035.1 As energy leaders look to reduce greenhouse gas…

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Building the Road to ‘Small Business Utopia’ with AI and Fintech

Editor's note: The following is an excerpt from chapter one of Fintech, Small Business & the American Dream, written by Karen G. Mills, senior fellow at Harvard Business School. The second edition was published in 2024 by Palgrave Macmillan.The cycle of fintech innovation in small business lending is not yet complete, but we can already see its promise. As technology opened the doors to vast troves of data, opportunities emerged…

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The state of gen AI in the Middle East’s GCC countries: A 2024 report card

Of all the various AI technologies, generative AI (gen AI) has arguably captured the most excitement among organizations in the business world and the public sector. Its ability to automate activities across a range of functions—customer interactions, content generation, and computer coding, for example—promises to reshape how much work gets done and boost performance.McKinsey research has estimated that the application of gen AI to 63 use cases could generate global…

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