C-Suite Perspectives

In February, consumer confidence saw its third month-on-month decline, sliding 7 points to 98.3, the steepest decline since August 2021. Additionally, consumers' short-term outlook for the economy fell below 80, which usually signals a recession ahead, for the first time since June 2024.

Erik Lundh, Senior Global Economist, and Stephanie Guichard, Senior Economist of Global Indicators, both at The Conference Board, unpack what's behind declining consumer sentiment, including survey respondents' write-in responses, and how it could shape economic growth this year.

(00:30) February U.S. Consumer Confidence Survey Insights (01:08) CEO Confidence vs. Consumer Confidence (02:15) Detailed Breakdown of Consumer Confidence Components (04:49) Consumer Inflation Expectations (06:43) Consumer Spending and Market Expectations (14:40) Global Economic Outlook (15:20) U.S. Economic Forecast for 2025 (18:20) Impact of Tariffs on the Economy

For more from The Conference Board:

• US Consumer Confidence Retreated in January

• Download the full Consumer Confidence Survey Report

• Are You Optimistic About the Economy? Most CEOs Are

Learn why CEOs are much more optimistic about the economy in the new year.

CEO confidence is up 9 points from Q4 2024, signaling a shift to confident optimism among CEOs.

The Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence™ reached 60 in Q1 2025—marking the highest reading in three years. What's driving these gains, and what does that mean for investment and capital spending?

Join Steve Odland and guest Stephanie Guichard, senior economist for global indicators at The Conference Board, to learn about the biggest perceived risks, what's next for hiring, and why we're in an unusual period of high uncertainty and high CEO confidence.

(01:57) CEO Confidence and Economic Outlook (05:18) Labor Market Insights (08:41) Impact of Policy and Uncertainty (11:51) Capital Spending and Investment Plans (14:33) Risks and Challenges Ahead

For more from The Conference Board:

• CEO Confidence Increased Sharply in Q1 2025

• C-Suite Outlook 2025: Seizing the Future

• The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the US Declined in January

AT&T Chief Sustainability Officer Charlene Lake shares how the company adds value to society, communities, and the company all at once.

AT&T—a 2025 recipient of the Corporate Responsibility Awards—wants to reduce its business customers' emissions by 1 gigaton by 2035—the equivalent of 1.6 billion cross-country flights. How is AT&T making sure its corporate responsibility effortsbenefitthe company and societyin the short and long term?

Join Steve Odland and guest Charlene Lake, Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President, Corporate Responsibility at AT&T, to find out how the company designs corporate responsibility programs, why replacing copper wiring reduces energy use, and how to measure the success of these efforts.

The 2025 Corporate Responsibility Awards, taking place on April 23, celebrates organizations that have gone beyond making public sustainability commitments to fully integrate sustainability into their business strategies, creating measurable, positive impacts on their organizations, stakeholders, society, and the environment.

(00:51) Meet Charlene Lake: AT&T's Chief Sustainability Officer (02:07) Evolution of Corporate Responsibility (02:49) AT&T's Approach to Corporate Responsibility (03:15) Balancing Multiple Stakeholders (05:11) AT&T's Digital Divide and Environmental Goals (06:10) Integrating Corporate Responsibility into Business Strategy (17:25) Climate Resilience and Community Engagement (25:11) Leveraging AI and Technology for Sustainability

The ceasefire in Gaza hangs in the balance as President Donald Trump's proposal forces all sides to rethink the region's future.

The conflict in Gaza has displaced 90% of the population, with President Donald Trump proposing to take over the region and resettle nearly 2 million Gazans elsewhere. What does Trump's proposal mean for negotiations, and how can all sides broker a lasting peace between the Palestinians and Israelis?

Join Steve Odland and guest Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, senior fellow for national security and managing director of CEO programs at the Council on Foreign Relations and a CED trustee, to find out the current state of the pause in fighting, how the world reacted to Trump's proposal, and what obstacles remain to a permanent ceasefire.

(00:41) Overview of Gaza's History (02:32) Hamas' Rise to Power (03:16) Current Governance and Control (06:20) The October 7th Attack (07:47) The Aftermath and Ceasefire (11:15) US Proposal for Gaza (13:55) Reactions to the Proposal (19:12) Challenges and Alternatives (28:47) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

For more from The Conference Board:

• 2025 Outlook for Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy

• Corporate Citizenship Responses to the Israel–Hamas Conflict: One Year Later

• The (Unfortunate) Need for a Corporate Playbook to Respond to War

Our C-Suite Outlook 2025 survey reveals the year's priorities for each letter of ESG.

CEOs around the world rank sustainability and climate events as their top two ESG priorities for 2025, and more than 80% of S&P 500 companies say climate change is a risk factor. How can companies manage ESG-related risks while meeting the evolving expectations of stakeholders?

Join Steve Odland and guest Andrew Jones, PhD, a senior researcher at The Conference Board ESG Center, to find out why climate events are a key risk factor, the challenges of meeting disparate reporting regulations, and why US CEOs are especially worried about water.

For more from The Conference Board:

• C-Suite Outlook 2025: Seizing the Future

• CEOs Recognize Economic Opportunity and Education as Essential Social Priorities

• Climate Resilience Gaining Momentum as an Environmental Priority

Explore our C-Suite Outlook 2025 report with key insights from David Young of the Committee for Economic Development (CED).

The US debt stands at more than $36 trillion, and it's no surprise that US CEOs cite the US national debt and deficits as the biggest risk totheir business and business strategy in 2025. What other risks are the C-Suite monitoring, and how can they work with governments to mitigate them?

Join Steve Odland and guest David K. Young, president of the Committee for Economic Development, the public policy center of The Conference Board, to find out how the priorities of US CEOs differ from their global counterparts, what to expect with tariffs and immigration, and why energy and security are essential for US leadership on AI.

(01:04) Fiscal Health Concerns of CEOs (01:44) Regulation and Corporate Tax Rates (05:38) Protectionism and Trade Issues (09:25) Executive Orders and Immigration (13:52) Geopolitical Risks and Global Concerns (15:52) Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation (19:34) Energy, Climate, and Sustainability (24:39) Social Priorities and Final Thoughts

For more from The Conference Board:

• C-Suite Outlook 2025: Seizing the Future

• Committee for Economic Development (CED)

• America in Perspective: Policy Priorities for 2025

Consumer confidence is down for the second month in a row, with assessments of the present situation, current labor market conditions and business conditions all having deteriorated. Pessimism over future employment prospects seen in December continued into January, according to the latestConsumer Confidence Index® from The Conference Board, but the overall index remained in the same narrow range it has since 2022.

Join Erik Lundh, Senior Global Economist,and Stephanie Guichard, Senior Economist of Global Indicators, both at The Conference Board, for their full conversation abouthow consumer sentiment could weigh on US economic growth and the global economy in 2025.

(00:32) Consumer Confidence Index Overview (01:37) Detailed Analysis of January's Consumer Confidence (05:00) Inflation and Consumer Expectations (06:00) Positive Insights from the Survey (11:02) Consumer Spending and Buying Plans (16:08) Global Economic Outlook (16:36) US Economic Forecast (19:20) European Economic Conditions (20:03) Emerging Markets Focus: India and China (21:21) Risks and Final Thoughts

For more from The Conference Board:

• US Consumer Confidence Retreated in January

• Download the full Consumer Confidence Survey Report

Learn what the C-Suite Outlook 2025 tells us about priorities for marketing and communications leaders.

Nearly all marketing and communications leaders (95%) are already using AI, but there remain concerns about AI output quality and a lack of internal expertise. How can CMOs and CCOs continue to embrace AI in 2025, and what are the top priorities for these functional leaders?

Join Denise Dahlhoff, PhD, and guest Ivan Pollard, Center Leader for Marketing & Communications at The Conference Board, to learn about CMO/CCO investment priorities for 2025, the role of AI in change management, and the continued importance of sustainability.

(01:45) Global Perspectives on AI (02:25) AI Adoption and Usage Statistics (04:45) Marketing and Communication Investments (11:04) Internal Priorities and Change Management (14:11) External Pressure Factors (17:21) Skills for Future CMOs and CCOs (21:34) Sustainability and Regional Differences

For more from The Conference Board:

• C-Suite Outlook 2025: Seizing the Future

• 2025: A Year In Preview

• Marketing & Communications Skills Needed to Win in 2025

Join Ivan Pollard and guest Sean Murray, chief product officer at Barclays US Consumer Bank, to find out how companies can use generative AI, the benefits of adopting agile methodology and design thinking, and how companies across industries can approach product development.

(01:44) Evolution of Product Development (03:24) Emerging Trends in Financial Service (06:49) Impact of AI on Banking Product (16:59) Ensuring Compliance in Rapid Tech Change (19:58) Customer Centricity and Digital Experience (30:04) Future-Proofing and Adaptation

For more from The Conference Board:

• AI and Investor Relations: Practical Insights and Real-World Applications

• Leading Through the AI Transformation: Event Insights

• OpenAI's Game-Changer: ChatGPT Pro Takes the AI Assistant to New Heights

Dive into our annual C-Suite survey and discover how leaders plan to grow revenue, use AI, and more.

The two biggest geopolitical risks for C-Suite leaders in 2025 are intensified trade wars and foreign cyberattacks. How do these business leaders plan to grow revenue and embrace AI while safeguarding against these active threats?

Join Steve Odland and guest Dana M. Peterson, chief economist and leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center at The Conference Board, to learn about internal and external company risks, how the C-Suite think about AI implementation, and why business leaders remain worried about a recession.

(00:29) Overview of the C Suite Outlook Survey (01:36) Top Line Results and CEO Concerns (04:05) Geopolitical and Economic Challenges (08:29) Regional Differences in Economic Sentiment (16:57) Strategies for Growth and Innovation (23:06) Leadership and Talent Retention (25:01) AI Implementation and Challenges (29:15) Human Capital and Workforce Productivity

For more from The Conference Board:

• C-Suite Outlook 2025: Seizing the Future

• 2025: A Year In Preview

• Global Economic Outlook 2025 to 2039: Opportunities, Caveats, and Uncertainties