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The rise of remote work has drastically changed the relationship between companies and their employees. advertisement advertisement What began two years ago as a sudden shift to a work-from-home model has changed collaboration, coordination, and communication permanently. As companies work to find the right balance between flexible work and optimum productivity, the “hybrid” work model is being codified in company policies. The stakes are high: The terms of the new hybrid work contract have a direct bearing on companies’ ability to keep employees happy, and to attract new ones. According to a recent Gallup survey , nearly 60% of employees who can work from home would prefer a hybrid work schedule going forward. At the same time, roughly 60% said they want more structure from their employers when it comes to deciding hybrid work schedules. Less clear for employers, though, is how frequently employees might come into the office. Every company … [Read more...] about What the future of hybrid work will (and won’t) look like, according to 27 business leaders

In the beginning of 2020, when the pandemic first hit and businesses started to realize its economic implications, guess which jobs were some of the first on the chopping block? advertisement advertisement If you guessed jobs in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), you’re absolutely right. In the frenzy of response strategies and emergency planning, many businesses determined that these positions were expendable . That was partly due to a business rationale – Diversity positions are not exactly responsible for supply chains or sales – but it was also the product of 50+ years of corporate America diminishing and disregarding the role DEI plays. It was therefore an ugly irony when the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 prompted so many of those corporations to rethink their position. Suddenly, corporate leaders were terrified about how to respond to their employees. Movements like Black Lives Matter took center stage and encouraged us all to question … [Read more...] about This is what companies get wrong when hiring a Chief Diversity Officer

- A + A LONDON (June 29): A new set of ESG debt guidelines is likely draw a line in the market for sustainability-linked bonds, as investors are offered clear metrics to determine which products to buy and which to avoid, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley. SLBs, which tie a bond’s coupon to an issuer’s performance on sustainability targets, have faced a barrage of criticism amid concerns that the metrics set are often too weak. Regulators have yet to enforce strict parameters for the SLB market, but the industry itself is now stepping in. On Tuesday, the International Capital Market Association published updated guidance for SLBs. The voluntary rules spell out how to select appropriate metrics, as well as penalties if those metrics aren’t met. “We expect that new SLBs that follow these better practices will benefit from strong demand and outperform pre-existing SLBs that have weaker structures and targets,” Morgan Stanley analysts including Carolyn L Campbell … [Read more...] about Morgan Stanley warns of ESG bond fallout amid new guidelines

Republican Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs sent a letter Wednesday to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) demanding answers over the increase in the Department’s effort to revoke Federal Firearms Licenses (FFLs) from law-abiding business owners throughout the U.S. In the letter, first obtained by the Daily Caller, Biggs and 24 House Republicans, including every Republican member of the Judiciary Committee, called on Acting Director Gary Restaino to provide them with details surrounding ATF’s FFL revocation policies. The lawmakers say that due to Department of Justice (DOJ) policies the ATF has put in place an “officially sanctioned practice” of basing revocations on minor infractions that were found in previously closed inspections. The minor infractions usually resulted in a warning letter instead of revocations. According to gun expert Lee Williams, “in the 11 months since Joe Biden declared war on ‘rogue gun dealers,’ the ATF has revoked 273 FFLs — an … [Read more...] about EXCLUSIVE: House Judiciary Republicans Demands Answers From ATF Over Increase In Federal Firearm License Revocations

What matters more: a company’s profit margins or its purpose? For a growing share of workers, the answer is obvious. In a competitive labor market, candidates look for a fair and inviting workplace. But more than that, many employees want their work to make a difference. Their purposeful career choices leverage corporate resources to help create a better, more equitable world. advertisement advertisement The good news is, many companies have made the same decision. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles have emerged as an urgent reflection of corporate purpose. Shareholders increasingly view business prospects as tied to corporate social responsibility. As a result, leading firms have made a full commitment to pursuing ESG factors. And new hires should expect nothing less from potential employers. To advance your career and realize your potential in a purpose-driven world, you can’t afford to ignore three ESG trends. Understand … [Read more...] about Why your career growth depends on working for a company committed to ESG

advertisement advertisement Over the course of our climate-solutions season of the World Changing Ideas podcast, we’ve considered grand ideas like replacing petrochemicals with plant-based chemicals and converting methane into polymers for producing everyday goods. And while many of us want to help make a difference ourselves, most of us probably don’t have a chemical manufacturing plant at home. But, most of us do laundry. We’re trained to wash fabrics at high temperatures to get out harsh stains. Yet, it’s estimated that 90% of energy that a washing machine expends goes into heating the water and that home laundries in the U.S. produce an estimated 179 million metric tons of CO2 every year. On our last regular episode of this season’s World Changing Ideas , we find out how simple cold washes could save energy while also reducing ocean pollution. Last year, laundry detergent company Tide launched its #TurntoCold movement , in partnership with … [Read more...] about How washing your clothes with cold water could help save carbon emissions and ocean pollution

- A + A NEW YORK (June 29): US investment-grade corporate bond spreads have breached a key 150 basis point threshold that analysts and investors say could start to disrupt the flow of credit. The figure, which measures the extra yield investors demand to own corporate bonds instead of US Treasuries, is the highest in two years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg . Spreads recovered after the Federal Reserve took the unprecedented step of purchasing corporate bonds to boost liquidity around that time, but are coming under pressure again, amid concerns about a potential recession. While the central bank has so far shown little sign of slowing its pace of interest-rate hikes, spreads are moving toward a point where officials could begin to face pressure over the path of policy tightening, according to Winifred Cisar, global head of credit strategy at CreditSights Inc. “Historically, investment grade spreads tend to trade to 150 basis points, and then break … [Read more...] about Credit markets signal caution as US spreads surge past 150 mark

Byju’s said to offer over US$1 bil for 2U to expand in US - A + A BANGALORE (June 29): Indian online-education provider Byju’s has offered to buy 2U Inc in a cash deal that values the US-listed edtech company at more than US$1 billion, a person familiar with the matter said. Byju’s made the offer of about US$15 a share to 2U’s board last week, said the person, who asked not to be named as the bid isn’t yet public. The offer represents a 61% premium to 2U’s closing price of US$9.30 on the Nasdaq on Tuesday and gives the Lanham, Maryland-based company an enterprise value of about US$2 Byju’s, one of the world’s most valuable startups with backing from Tiger Global Management and Mark Zuckerberg’s Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, is accelerating its expansion globally through acquisitions. Bloomberg reported in May that Byju’s was likely to bid for either 2U or Chegg Inc. Talks with Santa Clara, California-based Chegg haven’t progressed, the person said. 2U surged … [Read more...] about Zuckerberg-backed Byju’s said to offer over US$1 bil for 2U to expand in US

The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling this month that could curtail the Biden administration's efforts to rein in greenhouse gases, and its impact could weaken the federal government's power to oversee wide swaths of American life well beyond climate change. The upcoming decision on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) climate oversight in a case officially known as West Virginia v. The Environmental Protection Agency, could provide conservative justices on the nation's highest court an opportunity to undermine federal regulations on a number of issues, ranging from limiting greenhouse emissions, drug pricing, financial regulations and net neutrality. At the root of the case, critics of federal government oversight, including 27 Republican state Attorneys Generals and critics of the EPA, who say that it is "unlawful for federal agencies under the president's supervision to make major decisions about industry regulations without clear authorization from Congress." … [Read more...] about Sustainable Investing From The Advisor’s Perspective

The Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City returned in June for its first in-person event since 2019, a return that spotlighted the changes in tastes and behaviors created by the pandemic. The food and beverage industry trade show, organized by the Specialty Food Association , featured more than 1,900 exhibitors across a spectrum of food categories --from cured meats and cheeses to olive oil and sweets and exotic items such as gourmet bananas Foster bonbons ... and sections dedicated to cuisines of countries like Greece and Japan. With continued pandemic perturbations and murmurs of a recession ahead, here are some of the trends that emerged: 1. Convenience still conquers all Consumers prioritized both convenience and comfort during the pandemic, and that sentiment continues to grow. Hybrid and remote work has made e-commerce, delivery, and curated assortments an even bigger part of the convenience trend, according to the SFA's most recent State of the Specialty … [Read more...] about How the Pandemic Is Reshaping Food and Beverage Innovation