The Conference Board announced today that the Consumer Confidence Index® declined in November, suggesting the economy has lost momentum as the year winds down. Steve Odland, President and CEO of The Conference Board, sits down with Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators and Surveys, and Erik Lundh, Senior Economist for the US, to discuss what to expect for the US economy. Tune in to find out:

• How are consumers feeling now, and what do they expect in six months? What does this mean?
• How are consumers feeling about big-ticket purchases?
• What are we hearing about holiday spending?
• What’s signaling an upcoming recession?
• What is the expected impact of a recession on unemployment? Inflation? Housing?
• Are efforts by the Fed having any impact on inflation?

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, The Conference Board President & CEO Steve Odland talks with Paul Washington, Executive Director of The Conference Board ESG Center. They discuss how CEOs can integrate environmental, social, and governance goals into the heart of a company’s business strategy. Tune in to explore:

• How should CEOs decide which ESG issues truly matter to the company?
• Why should they focus on developing business strategies that are sustainable versus sustainability strategies?
• How can they address the conflicting expectations of stakeholders?
• What are the key components to sharing the company’s ESG story?
• How can they work effectively with the C-suite and board?

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, The Conference Board President and CEO Steve Odland, and Sam Charlton, Managing Director of Asia at The Conference Board, discuss China’s contentious relationship with the West and what impact these geopolitical tensions will have on multinational companies. Tune in to find out:

• What has caused the downward trend of US-China relations?
• What is the state of China’s relationship with the West?
• Is it inevitable that China will become the dominant economy and culture in the world?
• Can we expect conflict between China and Taiwan in the short-term? What should multinational companies do to prepare?
• Given the geopolitical tensions with the West, how actively should companies be moving their manufacturing out of China?
• How should businesses adapt in order to cope with the current geopolitical tensions?

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, The Conference Board President and CEO, Steve Odland, and Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, President of the Committee for Economic Development, the public policy center of The Conference Board (CED), discuss the results of the midterm elections and how it will impact policy moving forward. Tune in to find out:

• How do the results of the midterm elections compare to what polls predicted?
• How will a split government impact policy?
• With Republicans now in control of the House, McCarthy will likely be the next Speaker. What challenges does he face and what are his priorities going to be? 
• Where is the common ground on legislation between a split Congress and the Administration?
• How will Congress respond to rising geopolitical tensions, existing conflicts, and potential ones? 
• What impact do the midterm results portend for the 2024 elections?

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, The Conference Board President and CEO Steve Odland, and Rebecca Ray, Executive Vice President of Human Capital at The Conference Board, discuss how businesses can—and should—tell the story of their human capital strategy. Tune in to find out:

• Why is it increasingly important to measure and share your human capital strategy with a range of stakeholders?
• What should businesses consider disclosing about their human capital?
• How should businesses determine which metrics to look at and which to share?
• What are the key components of a human capital strategy?
• How can you create a narrative around your strategy and communicate it to a variety of stakeholders?

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Denise Dahlhoff, senior researcher at The Conference Board Marketing & Communications Center, joins President and CEO Steve Odland to discuss an endless frustration for many US consumers—and a surprising fascination for experts: customer service in the US. Tune in to find out:

• Why does the quality of customer service in the US feel like it’s declining year after year? Does the data match the anecdotal frustrations?
• When did this decline start—and what was its underlying cause?
• Can technology and corporate innovation turn this situation around—or are they part of the problem?
• What was the role of the pandemic in exacerbating customer service woes? Is a turnaround in the cards?
• How do generational changes and labor shortages impact the problem?
• What are reasons for hope in a better customer experience? Do certain industries or regions of the country stand out as models to emulate?

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, The Conference Board President and CEO Steve Odland, and Alfredo Montufar-Helu, Head of the China Center for Economics and Business at The Conference Board, discuss China's global infrastructure development strategy, the Belt and Road Initiative. Tune in to find out:

• Are China’s goals for the Belt and Road Initiative more economic or geopolitical in nature?
• Is the debt that developing economies owe to China giving them control and influence over those countries?
• How is China approaching unpaid loans?
• How has the pandemic impacted China’s rate of investment?
• Why hasn’t the project been fulfilling its potential for global economic development?
• What should western nations be doing to counter the influence that China has developed around the world?

The Conference Board announced today that the Consumer Confidence Index® declined in October, with many consumers fearing a recession. As the likelihood of a recession in the US and Europe climbs, Steve Odland, President and CEO of The Conference Board, sits down with Dana Peterson, Chief Economist, to discuss what to expect for the US and global economies. Tune in to find out:

• What can we expect for the global economy? Will there be a global recession?
• Why is China experiencing slow growth, but not a recession?
• How will the labor market impact growth over the next decade?
• When will the US recession start and how long will it last? What do CEOs expect?
• Is there a risk of a financial meltdown in Europe?

Has starting a nonprofit been a dream of yours? In this episode of CEO Perspectives, The Conference Board President and CEO Steve Odland talks with Paul Washington, Executive Director of The Conference Board ESG Center, about how to launch a successful nonprofit organization.

Tune in to explore:

• What are the first steps to start a nonprofit organization?
• How can you differentiate yourself from other organizations?
• What challenges might you face?
• How can you develop a vision and purpose?
• How can you make your nonprofit sustainable?

How can business leaders and governments build a resilient and sustainable energy grid? In this episode of CEO Perspectives, The Conference Board President and CEO Steve Odland, and George Kirby, CEO of RS Technologies, discuss what technologies are needed and what investments should be prioritized to prepare the grid for the needs of the future. Tune in to find out:

• What is needed to harden the sustainable energy grid?
• Why is disruption important when making tech advances?
• What investments are needed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050?
• How can the investment gap in renewable energy be addressed?
• Is nuclear energy a reliable source of renewable energy?