Blogs and Opinions
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We have a business and social imperative to transform equity, inclusion and social justice
Monday 26th of October 2020
At AARP, we are deeply concerned about the disparities that exist in our society—in healthcare, economic opportunity and quality of life. We fight against ageism, racism and gender inequality because we believe all people should be empowered to choose how they live as they age. These disparities are not random, but instead are the result of a long history of inequality due to a lack of social, economic and political opportunities.
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As Canada bans bags and more, this is what’s happening with single-use plastics around the world
Monday 26th of October 2020
Canada will ban a range of single-use plastic products by the end of next year.
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Japan’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2050
Monday 26th of October 2020
Japan is aiming to cut greenhouse gases to zero by 2050 and become a carbon-neutral society, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Monday as he unveiled a major shift in position on climate change.
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5 ways to tell if you are an effective leader
Monday 26th of October 2020
People often debate what makes a better leader: the no-nonsense, results-focused type or the motivational, people-focused type. Recent research has provided the answer—neither.
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How to stay socially connected as lockdown returns
Monday 26th of October 2020
After a fairly relaxed summer, more and more places are bringing back tighter restrictions in response to rising COVID-19 cases, with some even returning to full or near-full lockdowns.
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5 ways COVID-19 has impacted working parents in the U.S.
Monday 26th of October 2020
The COVID-19 recession has upended the lives of American workers, millions of whom remain without a job despite a recent upswing in hiring. Working parents have faced unique challenges as many schools and child care centers around the United States closed their doors due to the coronavirus outbreak. A new Pew Research Center analysis of government data finds that in the first six months of the pandemic, the workplace engagement of mothers and fathers with children younger than 18 at home has been affected about equally.
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IMF: What we can expect for the Latin American and Caribbean economy
Monday 26th of October 2020
COVID-19 has hit Latin America and the Caribbean harder than other parts of the world, both in human and economic terms. The relatively large human toll is evident: with only 8.2 percent of the world population, the region had 28 percent of cases and 34 percent of deaths, by end-September.
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2020 is on course to be the warmest year on record
Monday 26th of October 2020
While this year will be memorable for many reasons, it is now more likely than not that 2020 will also be the warmest year for the Earth’s surface since reliable records began in the mid-1800s.
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AI has just revealed there are over 1.8 billion trees in the Sahara Desert
Monday 26th of October 2020
There are far more trees in the West African Sahara Desert than you might expect, according to a study that combined artificial intelligence and detailed satellite imagery.
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Duque, Kagame and Netanyahu: How to harness digital tech after the pandemic
Monday 26th of October 2020
• The Forum’s latest Great Reset meeting brought together Iván Duque, the President of Colombia, Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda, and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel.
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Why wisdom is the most important value in the Great Reset
Monday 26th of October 2020
The global health system is in a state of unprecedented crisis under the pernicious influence of COVID-19. Both narrow-minded hegemony in international politics and compartmentalized myopia in science prevail, while too many marginalized people are losing their lives, livelihoods, and dignity. Cash transfers and investment for the disadvantaged are at far from the required level, and rich countries are in the severest turmoil they have seen since World War II.
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50 homeless people in Canada were given over $5,000 each. Here’s what happened next
Monday 26th of October 2020
Empowering people to manage their own money with a one-off cash payment could have an enduring impact on homelessness, if the “beautifully surprising” results of a Canadian initiative are anything to go by.
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COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 26 October
Monday 26th of October 2020
1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe
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Don’t fear AI. It will lead to long-term job growth.
Monday 26th of October 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated technological advances and the automation of many routine tasks – from contactless cashiers to robots delivering packages. In this environment, many are concerned that artificial intelligence (AI) will drive significant automation and destroy jobs in the coming decades.
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6 home truths for the new head of the WTO
Sunday 25th of October 2020
The race to be the next Director-General (DG) of the World Trade Organisation is now down to two candidates: Ngozi Okonjo Iweala of Nigeria, and Yoo Myung-hee of South Korea. Whoever prevails will face the reality as the global trade body chief. The DG has little power to strongarm governments into agreements, or to remould underlying power dynamics. But she can provide the mood music at a time when trade is not only weaponised but also a weapon of choice. A few home truths here might be helpful.
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Ground robots are coming – This step can help keep streets safe
Friday 23rd of October 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a steady growth in last mile deliveries. In fact, in the past 12 months, delivery has become such an attractive application of automated driving technologies, many companies have pivoted from developing solutions for autonomous ride-hailing to delivery vehicles and robots.
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How to scale up the COVID-19 response around the world
Friday 23rd of October 2020
COVID-19 is sweeping through developing countries such as Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and India. With teeming urban centres, cramped quarters for migrant workers, massive health disparities, and far fewer physicians and hospital beds per capita than the US or UK, these countries face grave health risks from the pandemic.
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Tough air quality rules are making a difference, says London’s mayor
Friday 23rd of October 2020
Londoners worrying about air quality can now breathe a little easier, thanks to news from the city’s mayor.
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This CEO says businesses have to offer to new skills to staff to succeed
Friday 23rd of October 2020
Businesses need to become organizations that promise employees the ability to learn new skills and develop, says Manpower Group Chairman and CEO Jonas Prising.
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How to achieve racial justice in the workplace: reconnecting with 4 basic rights
Friday 23rd of October 2020
Diversity efforts in workplaces have been criticised as paying lip service to the cause, simply checking the boxes, and relying exclusively on an overly-simplistic, instrumental, potentially exploitative business case for racial diversity.
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The number of permanent remote workers is set to double in 2021
Friday 23rd of October 2020
The percentage of workers around the world that is permanently working from home is expected to double in 2021 as productivity has increased during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey from U.S.-based Enterprise Technology Research (ETR).
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6 changes needed to upskill workers for the robotics age
Friday 23rd of October 2020
There’s a skills gap in robotics education. Bridging it is possible and can transform the labor force while expanding the use of robotic automation. The solution, however, will require simplifying robot programming and embracing a new approach to standardization.
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Regulation could transform the AI industry. Here’s how companies can prepare
Friday 23rd of October 2020
Given Artificial Intelligence’s rapid adoption in high-stakes domains, as well as the growing public concern with potential AI misuse, regulation is around the corner. In fact, The European Commission is currently developing a regulatory framework that could have a wide impact, similar to the GDPR, on any company looking to do business in the EU. In anticipation, companies should pre-emptively introduce a sound vetting process for AI products and services to experience the least disruption.
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Why organisations need to care about caregiving
Friday 23rd of October 2020
Around the world, millions of people each year assume the role of family caregiver, for which they have no formal training or preparation. As the world population ages and the number of paid caregivers stagnates, an increasing number of adults are indeed juggling caring for elderly family members with holding down full-time jobs, and raising children.
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Finding ‘breathable’ seas may get tough for marine critters
Friday 23rd of October 2020
Laboratory experiments indicate that many marine creatures could theoretically tolerate temperatures far higher than what they encounter today. But these studies don’t mean that marine animals can maintain their current ranges in warmer oceans, says Curtis Deutsch, a professor of oceanography at the University of Washington.