Be updated on our latest insights

These days, it is an accepted fact that the burden of reversing the climate crisis lies largely on the shoulders of governments and corporations. After all, research shows that less than 100 companies are responsible, whether directly or indirectly, for majority of carbon emissions throughout history. Thus, companies have been under scrutiny to ramp up their sustainability initiatives. The recent Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) even saw that 42% of the surveyed Philippine mid-market firms are ready and likely to invest in sustainability reporting and initiatives.

THE importance of going digital has never been more apparent following the onslaught of Covid-19. The notion that work could only be accomplished face to face was quickly shoved out the door when businesses had to find new ways to carry on with operations amid strict safety measures and lockdowns. Before we knew it, team meetings and Zoom webinars quickly became the new norm.

There are some things in life that you can rely on like clockwork. For example, being in the country with the world’s longest Christmas season, you can expect malls in the Philippines to start playing classic Christmas songs as early as September. Jokes about Jose Marie Chan’s inevitable holiday comeback will show up on social media as surely as his songs will play on the radio. And, just as surely, individuals would start worrying about the sheer expense of the holiday season, whether it comes in the form of gifts, outings, media noche and noche buena meals, or charitable donations.

One of the sectors that took a beating at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic was education. The UNICEF, which continues to advocate for the resumption of in-person classes in various countries, mentioned in an article that in 2020, while schools globally were forced to suspend operations for an average of 79 days, schools in the Philippines did not hold face-to-face classes for more than a year and opted instead to have classes through online and distant learning modalities.

Companies operating in today’s evolving business landscape are no strangers to change and disruptions. They have become too aware, based on experience, about the different changes that can make or break their business.

“The enterprise that does not innovate ages and declines, and in a period of rapid change such as the present, the decline will be fast.” This was according to Peter Drucker, a renowned management consultant who has contributed a lot in the field of practical foundations in business corporations.

Ten hours and 27 minutes. This is the average time Filipinos aged 16 to 64 years old spend browsing the internet and staying online. Social media management firm Hootsuite and creative agency We Are Social’s Digital 2022 Global Overview Report reveals that Filipinos are among those who spend the longest time connected online.

“The higher the risk, the higher the return.” This is perhaps the most common investment principle that every entrepreneur is very familiar with. However, often, the emphasis is more on return than risk; that is, focusing on the positive side of the principle rather than dealing with the “negative” side, or the risk. Many have considered risk management as an expensive and complicated activity. Its contributions to revenue generation are not clear and evident as compared to profit (or return) management. Such typical scenario leaves risk with diminutive attention, and businesses, especially the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), vulnerable to ever changing economic and market conditions.