Global Economy Briefs

Two months ago, corporate citizenship and philanthropy professionals were primarily treating COVID-19 through their disaster relief plans and focusing on China. Now is the time to shift gears by looking at our own communities and the most vulnerable.

With the focus on the health and safety of staff and partners, how do you balance your work between planning for the impacts of COVID-19 and identifying alternative volunteer experiences for workers in response to travel restrictions and cancelled events?

Labor shortages are becoming one of the main barriers for sustaining a healthy US economy, especially in industries that hire many blue-collar and manual service workers. Is this a passing phase or a long-lasting problem?

Because mental health is very individualized, it remains a challenge to create a realistic mental health culture that satisfies all employees’ needs. As with communication tactics, mental health programs must be diversified and measured in order to generate positive change.

Strategic partnerships with nonprofits are increasingly important to companies that understand the business case for community engagement. For Atlanta-based Novelis, a decade-long collaboration with FIRST has helped the company innovate and advance its diversity and inclusion goals.

Trust is an important, but often neglected, intangible asset of the corporation. Trust is a value enhancer for corporate value, and conversely, a lack of trust can destroy market value in an instant.

As the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has initiated proposed reforms to the proxy voting process, retail investors - whose retirement accounts, savings and private investments fuel the markets - have become more aware of the role proxy advisors play in the system. With greater knowledge of proxy advisors’ influence comes greater support among retail investors for increased SEC oversight.

With the World Health Organization declaring the Coronavirus outbreak a global health crisis and cases arising around the world, Jeff Hoffman, The Conference Board's Corporate Citizenship & Philanthropy Institute Leader, offers companies six steps they can take as they consider how to respond.