C-Suite Perspectives

“We are on the precipice of war in Europe if Russia decides to move into Ukraine,” warns Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, President of the Committee for Economic Development, the public policy center of The Conference Board. In a new episode of CEO Perspectives, she joins President and CEO Steve Odland to discuss NATO and what has led to the biggest flashpoint with Russia since the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Tune in for insights on:

• The crisis in Ukraine: What’s driving the increasing hostility? Why is Ukraine strategically and historically important to Russia? And what will happen if NATO grants Ukraine membership?
• The history of NATO: Why was it founded? How did it evolve after the fall of the Soviet Union?
• Russia’s perspective: How does Russia view the purpose and expansion of NATO?
• Strengthening NATO: What new challenges does the organization face and what reforms are needed to meet them?
• The threat of China: Will the expansion of NATO push China and Russia together? How does China’s role in the economies of NATO’s member countries complicate matters?

As capitalism becomes more multi-stakeholder focused, investors care not only about the end—returns—but increasingly, the means to that end—how they get those returns.

That’s according to Ron O’Hanley, Chairman and CEO of State Street, one of the world’s largest asset management companies. In a new episode of CEO Perspectives, he sits down with President and CEO Steve Odland to discuss multi-stakeholder capitalism—the challenges, opportunities, and what lies ahead.

Tune in for insights on:

• Addressing competing demands: How should CEOs balance the needs of multiple constituencies?
• Unpacking index funds: What is permanent capital? How does it influence both the long-term strategy of a business and the way shareholders engage with that business?
• Creating long-term value for the business and the community: How should investors, management teams, and boards think about the corporation’s role in society?
• The future of ESG: Where is ESG going for companies? What does nirvana look like, and how will we know when we’re there?

COVID-19 prompted the “greatest exodus of women from the workforce in all of history,” explains Camille Olson, a Partner at Seyfarth Shaw and a Trustee of The Conference Board. In a new episode of CEO Perspectives, she joins President and CEO Steve Odland to discuss this alarming trend.

Tune in for insights on:

• Reasons behind the exit: From caregiving responsibilities to childcare demands to heightened stress, why are more women leaving their jobs than ever before?
• Overhauling outdated practices: Only 57 percent of women are currently participating in the workforce. What can companies do to better attract and retain female employees?
• Policy at play: Would updates to federal and state laws help more women feel knowledgeable about their rights, and therefore more willing to stay at their jobs?
• Generational shifts: The composition of workers is changing. Do millennial women approach work differently than their predecessors?

“Robust growth” will characterize the world economy of 2021. The Conference Board economic team expects overall global growth to be five percent for 2021, “which is really astounding,” says Chief Economist Dana Peterson. In a new episode of CEO Perspectives, President and CEO Steve Odland sits down with Peterson to discuss the new forecast. Tune in for insights on:

• The US economic forecast for 2022: What do Peterson and her team expect for GDP growth in the US and what’s the impact if the Fed raises interest rates?
• China’s changing dynamic: As China grows, will that new consumer-based economy last?
• Europe’s struggles: An aging population on top of a serious labor shortage are adding to the EU’s woes. What is the outlook for the European economy?
• The future for young economies: Thirty percent of the world’s economies are young, what impact will their growth have on global businesses?

Over the past two years, the global pandemic, social unrest, and political turmoil have highlighted the need for workplaces to consider how societal challenges affect workers. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is more important than ever for businesses as they work to ensure employees of all backgrounds feel valued for who they are and what they bring to the organization. But how should companies evaluate their DEI programs to guarantee they are driving real change? Steve Odland, President & CEO of The Conference Board sits down with Laura Sabattini, Principal Researcher of Human Capital at The Conference Board, to talk about DEI in the workplace. In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Steve and Laura answer the following questions and more:

• How can businesses fully integrate DEI efforts into their work culture?
• What are the different components of DEI, and how has it evolved over time?
• How have external factors like the labor market, politics, and the pandemic driven changes in the field of DEI?
• How can businesses go beyond a focus on representation? What other metrics should they track?
• How can data be used in a meaningful way?

All eyes are on the Fed, as today President Biden renominates Jerome Powell as Chair of the Federal Reserve and nominates Lael Brainard as Vice Chair. How will these choices impact financial markets and interest rates? Steve Odland, President CEO of The Conference Board sits down with Roger Ferguson, Jr, former Vice Chair of The Federal Reserve, and former Chair of The Conference Board, to talk about the central bank of the United States. In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Steve and Roger answer the following questions and more:

• What’s the purpose of the Fed?
• How much autonomy does the Fed have?
• What role do the Fed’s regional banks play?
• What is the Fed’s balance sheet, and how is it used?
• What are the risks of politicizing the Fed?

Supply chain issues are global, multifaceted, and involve goods from threads to chips. On a new episode of CEO Perspectives, President and CEO Steve Odland sits down with Cathy Leonhardt, Managing Director and Co-Head of Solomon Partners’ Global Consumer Retail Group, to discuss the current and future states of supply chains. Tune in for insights on:

• Clogs and chokepoints Southern California ports, which take in 40 percent of US imports, can have as many as 100 ships waiting to unload. The issues: shortages of containers, chassis to move containers, and drivers to move goods. There are similar chokepoints in the rail system.
• How it happened While some supply chain issues (labor shortages) predate COVID-19, 18 months of pandemic-related factory shutdowns triggered a dramatic worsening, especially for bulky low-cost items.
• Outsourcing and offshoring Could the trend to leave the US for cheaper production costs now reverse itself? Reshoring, says Leonhardt, is difficult. “And it’s still much more expensive than anyone can fathom.”  
• What companies can do The two biggest retailers in the US, Wal-Mart and Target, have upped warehouse inventory. Leasing ships and using air freight are partial, albeit costly, fixes.
• Silver linings Less discounting, higher prices, and bigger margins, leading to more profitability.

The fragility of both the environment and the US energy grid are raising new, urgent questions about US energy policy. On a new episode of CEO Perspectives, President and CEO Steve Odland sits down with Vicky Bailey, former Assistant Secretary, US Department of Energy, for a wide-ranging conversation on the state and future of America’s energy policies. Tune into this podcast for insights on:

• The changing US energy picture: Two decades ago, says Bailey, US leaders looked at energy policy from the vantage point of scarcity. After 9/11, their focus shifted to security. Today, due to hydraulic fracking technology, the US has energy abundance—but at what cost?

• The security of the energy grid: The grid, aging and vulnerable, now enables communication (and Teslas) as well as electric power. Capital-intensive, long-game investment in this infrastructure is needed, to prevent crises like the one in Texas last year.

• Reaching net zero carbon emissions: “I don’t think you get there without nuclear,” says Bailey. But there are valid concerns about safety. And we need a plan for disposal of nuclear waste.

• Wind and solar power: These renewables comprise 15 percent of US energy sources. Can they become a bigger part of the energy picture, or does their weather dependency limit their efficacy?

In today’s political and social climate, the calls are loudening for the United States to move away from capitalism toward socialism. But will an economic system with increased size, scope, and involvement of government generate more prosperity for Americans, or end up leaving the country worse off?

On a new episode of CEO Perspectives, President and CEO Steve Odland sits down with Maria Sastre, a Trustee of The Conference Board, and Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, President of the organization’s public policy center, the Committee for Economic Development. The three of them size up the competing economic systems, including why socialism is gaining appeal, if this trend has staying power, and the need to make capitalism sustainable. Tune into this podcast for insights on:

• The American dream, realized: Maria and her family lost everything during the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s. How did her family leverage America’s capitalist system to turn their economic fate around?
• Understanding the differences: What are the fundamental differences between capitalism and socialism?
• The perspective of Millennials: Recent polls in the US show that many—Millennials, especially—prefer socialism over capitalism. What’s causing this shift in attitudes?
• Making the case for markets: What steps can business leaders take to help people understand the benefits of our market-based economic system?

Coal use accounts for 26 percent of global energy use, second only to oil (31 percent). Renewable energy sources account for only 14 percent of global energy use, and nuclear energy a mere five percent. These numbers are center stage in a new episode of CEO Perspectives, in which Uwe G. Schulte, leader of the Global Sustainability Centre at The Conference Board, joins President and CEO Steve Odland to discuss ways businesses can incentivize cleaner energy use.

Tune into this podcast for insights on:

Coal use across the globe: Which countries are the biggest coal consumers and what is the expected trajectory of this usage

Quantifying coal: How do you accurately measure the cost of energy? How do coal costs compare to renewable sources?

More than just carbon: How do you quantify the full environmental cost of energy production and which energy sources are best?

Areas for innovation: What opportunities exist for businesses to improve sustainability?

The needs of the future: What does the electric grid of the future look like, and what is needed to get there? What is the future of battery technology?

The role of government: From incentivizing private investors and creating public-private partnerships, to securing the grid and using a carbon tax to address social issues, what is the role of government in building a sustainable future?