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Corporate board members interested in maintaining diversity equity and inclusion programs at their companies will want to take note of what Costco's board is doing in the fight against anti-DEI activists.The National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) has filed a motion asking Costco to discontinue its DEI efforts, saying they are discriminatory and exposing the company to financial and legal risk. “DEI poses litigation, reputational, and financial risks to companies, and therefore to shareholders,” the conservative think tank said in a statement. NCPPR is asking shareholders to vote in favor of the proposal at Costco's annual meeting, scheduled for…

The past 12 months have seen once category-defining companies such as Boeing, Starbucks, Intel, and Nike suffer severe damage to their brands and businesses, demonstrating that their history of business dominance is largely a wake-up call. I showed it again. Their setbacks demonstrate what can happen when a culture of excellence declines, reflecting the malaise that is quietly stifling innovation and ambition across our business culture. Simply put, over time, American workplaces have increasingly accepted and encouraged merely good performance. Even in the midst of the threat of disruption posed by rapid advances in AI, most leaders have yet to…

Advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion policies suffered another setback this month with five policies.th The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules that the Nasdaq Stock Exchange requires nearly 3,000 publicly traded companies to have at least one woman, one minority, and one LGBTQ director on their boards, or explain why it won't do so. He refrained from asking for it. The Nasdaq rules approved by the SEC also required companies to annually disclose how board members identify these categories. Board members of Nasdaq-listed companies are now free to decide whether to continue complying with Nasdaq's diversity rules.”It is not…

“We're working on real-life big problems here, and they're getting bigger every year,” says Dryad Networks CFO, when talking about the appeal of working for a technology company focused on wildfires and their early detection. says one Stephan Beyer. Dryad's technology uses a platform with solar-powered sensors sensitive to specific gases, low-power wide-area networks, and ML algorithms to “sniff” a fire early in the smoldering stage. can. Organizations such as Mada, a communications provider to the Middle East and Africa, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and the United Kingdom's National Trust are in various stages of piloting…

If management believes that people are its most important asset, why is payroll considered a cost center rather than an investment? Labor costs are one of the largest line items on the income statement is. Managers often look first to control costs and increase profits. But the instinct to keep labor costs as low as possible can be destructive.Too many employers view employee compensation for low- and moderate-wage earners as an expense with little or no return. They recognize the short-term costs, but not necessarily the long-term value. They're missing something pretty basic: investing in paying low-wage workers more can…

The future is indeed bright for dealmakers. As 2025 approaches, the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) landscape is poised for a major transformation, with mid-market deals expected to become mainstream. This shift is being driven by lower interest rates, lower inflation and a new U.S. administration, leading to widespread optimism among those in the trade. Our Quarterly Deal Performance Monitor, conducted in collaboration with Bayes Business School, shows a significant increase in deals over $1 billion over the past 12 months, inspiring confidence across corporate boards. I'm giving.5 M&A trends for 2025After a difficult few years marked by inflation and rising…

Ever since the first management consultants brought Uber out of the primitive corporate soup, they have wrestled business leaders with how to strike the delicate balance between comfort and tension needed to build and maintain a healthy company culture. I did. Ultimately, successful organizations must strive to balance internal interests, drivers, interests, and outcomes with agility and constant interaction. Times change, cultures adjust, norms change, but nothing remains the same. But as companies try to attract younger generations, I sometimes wonder with frustration if there's a point where the pendulum swings too far into the warm and fuzzy direction that…

Grameen America is more than microfinance—it is a lifeline for women striving to build a better future. Their CFO, Lucas Ramirez, sits down with Jack McCullough to share how they prioritize social impact over financial gain to make actual and tangible change in community and society. He shares how Grameen America garnered impressive growth through its unique approach to microfinance and operational efficiency. Lucas also shares how he found himself in the CFO role, emphasizing the importance of work-life harmony, networking and financial depth.Listen by clicking below. The Q&A, lightly edited and trimmed for clarity, follows.—Listen to the podcast hereI’m…

As workplace dynamics evolve, stripping employees of their flexibility and encouraging them to return to the office, as evidenced by major companies like Boeing mandating nearly an entire week in the office. The trend to mandate is gaining momentum among companies. Leaders often cite improved productivity and financial results as the driving force behind these decisions. However, this trend is questionable given the growing body of evidence supporting the benefits of flexible working arrangements, particularly when it comes to productivity, employee engagement and organizational growth. A recent study led by Professor Mark Ma and graduate student Yue Ding at the…

The future is indeed bright for dealmakers. As 2025 approaches, the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) landscape is poised for a major transformation, with mid-market deals expected to become mainstream. This shift is being driven by lower interest rates, lower inflation and a new U.S. administration, leading to widespread optimism among those in the trade. Our Quarterly Deal Performance Monitor, conducted in collaboration with Bayes Business School, shows a significant increase in deals over $1 billion over the past 12 months, inspiring confidence across corporate boards. I'm giving. 5 M&A trends for 2025 After a difficult few years marked by inflation…