Latest news with #corporateresponsibility
France 24
5 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Talking Europe: Highlights from the 2024-2025 season
Europe 12:43 From the show Reading time 1 min As this political season draws to a close, we bring you a showcase of our interviews with Europe's movers and shakers. They broach the top issues that have dominated the agenda over the past year, from competitiveness and simplification to corporate responsibility; from disinformation to "Choose Europe" for research and innovation; and, of course, the big geopolitical topics such as Ukraine and the Trump presidency.
Fast Company
23-07-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Why leaders should build teams less like machines and more like ecosystems
We still use industrial-age language to describe work: running like clockwork, tightening bolts, and burning the midnight oil. Those phrases made sense when productivity meant turning raw material into widgets. But in an era of climate disruption, AI acceleration, and record-high burnout, a purely mechanical model can't keep up. It drives us to measure hours instead of impact and speed instead of sustainability. Today, with artificial intelligence reshaping knowledge work and climate urgency redefining corporate responsibility, it's time for a new vision of productivity—one centered on human and planetary flourishing, not just output. The next evolution of work demands a shift from efficiency to emergence, from silos to systems, and from time-tracking to meaning-making. From Machines to Living Systems The metaphors we use drive the systems we design. Treat an organization like a machine and you'll optimize for speed, control, and predictable outputs. Treat it like a living system—dynamic, interdependent, and regenerative—and a different design logic emerges. Here's what changes when we swap gears for genes: Sense-and-respond edges. Like cell membranes, customer-facing teams become sensors that provide real-time insights back to the core, allowing the entire organization to adapt quickly. Organizational metabolism. Energy (attention, data, and trust) is metabolized into creativity, innovation, and renewal, not just raw output. Cultural homeostasis. Healthy feedback loops foster psychological safety and inclusion, ensuring the system remains vibrant even as external conditions change. Seeing companies this way frees leaders from predicting the future; instead, they cultivate conditions in which emergent intelligence can thrive. Measuring Vitality, Not Just Time The hours worked show little correlation with the value created. What matters is employee vitality, the degree to which people feel rested, connected, and empowered to take risks and experiment. Global four-day-week pilots demonstrate the benefits: burnout dropped by 71%, stress decreased by 39%, carbon emissions are noticeably lower, and retention is markedly higher. Microsoft Japan 's Work-Life Choice Challenge, a four-day workweek pilot, proves this point. By closing offices every Friday (while maintaining pay), sales per employee increased by roughly 40%, energy use decreased by 23%, and printing costs dropped by 60%. The gains weren't the result of heroic hustle; they were the fruit of redesigning the system itself. Letting AI Amplify Humanity AI can be the scaffolding for a more human-centric enterprise. Routine analysis that once devoured strategic attention now finishes in minutes. In my advisory work, I have seen leadership teams channel the freed-up bandwidth into scenario building, story crafting, and high-trust stakeholder dialogues. McKinsey estimates that generative AI could lift labor productivity growth by up to 3.4 percentage points per year through 2040. Those gains appear only when roles are deliberately reinvented, not merely automated. This isn't AI versus humans; it's AI with humans. From Linear Growth to Regenerative GROWTH If the industrial era taught us to measure work in widgets and hours, the new era demands a more integrated lens, one that blends systems thinking, emotional intelligence, and regenerative design. To translate organism thinking into everyday practice, we developed the GROWTH framework—a six-step shift from extractive output to regenerative impact: G – Generate New Metaphors: Swap 'factory' for 'forest,' and 'assembly line' for 'ecosystem.' Fresh language surfaces hidden assumptions and fresh design options. R – Reimagine Human Roles: Let AI handle the rote tasks so people can focus on curiosity, synthesis, and relationship-building. O – Optimize for Human Vitality: Prioritize rest, autonomy, and connection; vital people compound long-term value. W – Work in Ecosystems: Replace silos with cross-functional guilds that share data, talent, and learning loops. Complexity is tamed through connection. T – Track Whole Metrics: Pair profit with carbon avoided, bias reduced, and ideas shipped. What gets measured gets improved. H – Harvest Regeneration: Design projects that return energy to the system—employee upskilling, circular supply chains, and community partnerships. Questions to Spark the Shift Changing how we think about productivity begins with changing our questions. Use the prompts below in leadership sessions, strategy retreats, or team huddles to surface hidden assumptions and align around a more human-centered, system-aware approach to work. Which metaphors dominate our language today, and what behaviors do they reinforce? Where could AI relieve cognitive or emotional load so humans can do higher-order work? What value are we creating that isn't yet on a scorecard—culture, climate, social trust? If we trimmed hours by 10%, where would vitality and innovation likely rise? What small regenerative habit—repair, reuse, reflective pause—could we start this quarter? We stand at a crossroads. We can cling to mechanical models that view people as cogs and growth as linear output, or we can adopt a living-systems mindset where vitality, adaptability, and shared purpose define productivity. Redesigned productivity isn't about working less; it's about working more wisely. The future won't be built by those who clock the longest hours. It will be built by those who design the richest conditions for creativity, connection, and contribution. The machine age is ending; the living-system era has begun. Let's grow accordingly.
Forbes
18-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
South Korean Bill Takes Aim At Businesses And Human Rights
A bill under consideration by the Korean National Assembly could have ramification on businesses and ... More their human rights obligations around the world. South Korea is considering legislation that would impose legally binding human rights obligations on many companies operating in the country, both domestic and foreign. This could be a turning point in Asia's regulatory landscape, heralding a new era for human rights obligations for businesses across the region. The Legislative Bill for the Act on the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment for Sustainable Business Management, also known as the Corporate Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence Act, was reintroduced to the South Korean National Assembly in June 2024. It would require large Korean companies, as well as foreign companies with significant operations in Korea, to conduct due diligence on their operations and supply chains to identify and address human rights and environmental issues. The bill, which mirrors developments in the European Union, targets companies with over 500 employees or annual revenue above $280 million, and lowers the threshold to 250 employees for high-risk sectors like mining and energy. Under the proposed framework, companies would be required to publish annual reports documenting their due diligence processes and mitigation efforts. Noncompliance could result in administrative penalties while certain violations could give rise to civil liability. While the bill remains under parliamentary consideration and could go through significant revision, it reflects a growing political and public consensus within South Korea that voluntary guidelines are no longer sufficient to address companies and human rights issues. The global business and human rights agenda has been anchored in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), which call on companies to respect human rights by undertaking appropriate due diligence and providing remedies when violations occur. Although widely endorsed by governments and businesses, the UNGPs are nonbinding and their implementation has been inconsistent. South Korea's bill is part of a broader global trend toward codifying the principles embedded in the UNGPs into law. Seoul's proposed legislation mirrors aspects of Germany's Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and the European Union's recently adopted Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, both of which impose due diligence requirements on large companies to ensure corporate accountability for adverse impacts of their global supply chains. If passed, the Korean bill would be the most comprehensive and enforceable business and human rights initiative in Asia. It would require companies not only to assess and disclose risks but also to act on them, implementing concrete measures to prevent or mitigate harm, establishing grievance mechanisms and tracking their effectiveness over time. Although the bill is national in scope, its has implications for Asia and beyond. Korea is a G20 economy with significant outbound investment, deep trade relationships and a central role in global supply chains. If enacted, the legislation would have extraterritorial effects, compelling suppliers and subsidiaries across Asia and beyond to adopt business and human rights practices consistent with the Korean law. Moreover, several other Asian countries are actively exploring similar regulatory models. Japan has adopted nonbinding human rights due diligence guidelines. Thailand is developing a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights and is reportedly considering further regulatory options. India's Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) framework, while currently a disclosure regime, reflects increasing attention to environmental and social risks in corporate governance. For multinational companies and regional conglomerates, this shifting legal environment across Asia demands attention. Business and human rights can no longer be relegated to aspirational policy statements or delegated to corporate social responsibility teams. It must become an integrated part of enterprise risk management and legal compliance across operations, jurisdictions and supply chains. Although the legislation has not yet become law, the bill is an opportunity for those operating in the region. Companies with exposure to Korea or broader Asian markets should consider taking the following steps to prepare for a more rigorous business and human rights landscape: South Korea's proposed legislation reflects a growing recognition in Asia that businesses must be held accountable for human rights issues, and that voluntary frameworks alone are insufficient to address the risks posed by complex, transnational supply chains. No longer a theoretical or reputational concern, it is now a material risk with legal and financial consequences. Companies that approach this issue with the requisite level of rigor, foresight and strategic intent will not only mitigate those risks but also strengthen stakeholder trust and operational resilience. The question for business is not whether to take business and human rights seriously, but how quickly and effectively they can meet rising expectations—before those expectations become enforceable obligations.
Globe and Mail
16-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Claritev Releases 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report
Claritev Corporation ('Claritev' or the 'Company') (NYSE: CTEV), a healthcare technology, data and insights company focused on making healthcare more affordable, transparent and fair for all, today announced the publication of its 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report. The 2024 report showcases the Company's strategic momentum in advancing its sustainability priorities during a pivotal year of transformation. The report emphasizes Claritev's continued focus on managing, tracking and disclosing its social and environmental performance, reinforcing its commitment to accountability and responsible growth. 'I've never been more excited about the opportunity ahead—to reshape healthcare through technology, data and insights that drive affordability, transparency and quality across the healthcare ecosystem,' said Travis Dalton, Chairman, and CEO of Claritev. Dalton continued, 'I'm especially proud of our efforts to drive greater access and equity in healthcare. Our partnership with the National Rural Health Association helps extend the reach of our technology and data science capabilities to underserved communities.' The report outlines Claritev's progress across key corporate responsibility priorities, including access to healthcare, data privacy and security, people strategy, ethics and transparency, and sustainable operations. Notable 2024 highlights include: Completing our third greenhouse gas inventory covering Scope 1 and 2 emissions, reinforcing our commitment to transparency; Reducing our carbon footprint by migrating to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, with a target of 100% cloud storage by the end of 2025; Enhancing our talent strategy with a new performance enablement model, 100% paid parental leave, and the appointment of a Director of Employee Engagement; and Earning multiple workplace recognitions, including Fortune Best Workplace in Health Care™, Best Workplace in New York™, and Great Place to Work® Certification™ for the third consecutive year. The full report is available on Claritev's website at the following link: About Claritev Claritev, formerly known as MultiPlan, is a healthcare technology, data and insights company focused on delivering affordability, transparency and quality. Led by a team of deeply experienced associates, data scientists and innovators, Claritev provides cutting-edge solutions and services fueled by multiple data sources and over 40 years of claims repricing experience. Claritev utilizes world-class technology and AI solutions to power a robust enterprise platform that delivers meaningful insights to drive affordability in healthcare, brings price transparency and optimizes networks and benefits design. By focusing on purpose-built solutions that support all key players – including payors, employers, patients, providers and third parties – Claritev aims to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for all. For more information, visit
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Latin America court calls for unified climate action as legal fights mount
By Alexander Villegas SANTIAGO (Reuters) -Member states must cooperate to tackle climate change and not take actions that set back environmental protections, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) said in a non-binding advisory opinion issued on Thursday. The court holds jurisdiction over 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries and the advisory opinion, requested by Colombia and Chile, said that countries must also regulate and monitor corporate activities, especially those that generate greenhouse gases. The opinion also said companies must adopt "effective" measures to combat climate change and states should discourage "greenwashing" and undue corporate influence in politics and regulations related to climate change. States must also pass legislation for companies to act with "due diligence when it comes to human rights and climate change along their value chain." States must also set binding GHG emission mitigation goals that "are as ambitious as possible" with concrete time frames. Cooperation must go beyond transboundary harm, the opinion said, and should go beyond mitigation and adaptation and cover all necessary measures to comprehensively respond to the climate emergency. Maria Antonia Tigre, director of global climate change litigation at the Sabin Center at Columbia Law School, said that many countries rely on these opinions as precedent, even though they're non-binding. "The (IACHR) is a little bit of a special case because it's highly influential in domestic courts," Tigre said, adding that regional supreme courts often cite IACHR opinions. "The other aspect is if there is a contentious case on the topic, it will likely follow what's said in the advisory opinion," she said, citing a 2024 IACHR as an example. In 2024, the IACHR ordered Peru to pay damages to a mining town, a decision that followed the 2017 interpretation of an 2017 advisory opinion the court issued that stated that a healthy environment was a human right. The ruling builds on a global wave of climate litigation as countries, organizations and individuals are increasingly turning to courts for climate action. Last year, the European Court of Human Rights said climate inaction violates human rights and a South Korean court said that the country's climate change law does not effectively shield future generations. Vanuatu has also urged the top United Nations court to recognize the harm caused by climate change in its judgment on the legal obligation of countries to fight it and address the consequences of contributing to global warming. The ruling is expected this year. The IACHR opinion noted that climate litigation is an "emerging field" but also an increasingly essential tool for holding states and companies accountable for climate change and obligations.
