How Corporate Sustainability Went from Optional to Essential

Consumer expectations for six months in the future continued to worsen in November, and confidence fell to its second-lowest level this year. Will holiday spending turn the tide on this rising pessimism?  Join Dana M Peterson, Chief Economist and Center Leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center, and Malala Lin, Economic Research Associate, both of The Conference Board, to find out how consumers are approaching holiday shopping this year, whether and how tariffs are factoring into their spending, and why health care costs are increasingly top of mind.      For more from The Conference Board:  US Consumer Confidence   Forecast for the US Economy   Global Economic Outlook    

AI is redefining what effective leadership development looks like. Coaching, once limited to the few, can now reach the many, empowering managers and employees alike.  Diana Scott welcomes Allan Schweyer, both of The Conference Board, to discuss how embedding AI coaches into daily workflows is redefining employee development, scaling mentorship, and enabling organizations to cultivate a more agile and emotionally intelligent workforce.  For more from The Conference Board:   A Coach for Every Worker: Scaling Access and Performance with AI  Does AI Coaching Work?  Activating the AI Coach: Effective Implementation Strategies for CHROs 

Globalization is being rewritten as geopolitics, trade, and industrial policy collide. Shifting alliances are reshaping markets, supply chains, and the balance of economic power.    In this episode, Steve Odland of The Conference Board, speaks with Maria Demertzis about what these shifts mean for corporate decision-makers. Together, they share how business leaders can adapt to rising uncertainty and build resilience in a fragmented world.    For more from The Conference Board:   Dutch Government Intervenes on Nexperia, Rewriting Europe's Geoeconomic Playbook  Europe's Financial Independence Needs Derisking, Not Decoupling  How Decision-Makers Can Prepare for Fundamental Uncertainty in Today's World 

Companies in the S&P 500 are increasingly disclosing AI-related risks. Find out what this means for C-Suite leaders and boards.     More than 70% of the S&P 500 disclosed material AI risks in 2025, up from only 12% in 2023. What are the biggest AI-related risks for these companies, and how can they integrate AI into governance and risk frameworks?     Join Steve Odland and guest Andrew Jones, principal researcher at the Governance & Sustainability Center of The Conference Board, to discover why AI disclosures have soared since 2023, the challenges of divergent regulations in the EU and US, and why AI further complicates cybersecurity.    For more from The Conference Board:  AI Risk Disclosures in the S&P 500: Reputation, Cybersecurity, and Regulation  How Should Companies Approach Reputation Building in the AI Era?  A Coach for Every Worker: Scaling Access and Performance with AI 

The modern workplace is being reshaped by a sweeping "whole-of-government" approach to policy, enforcement, and regulation. From diversity and inclusion to AI and immigration, the Administration's actions are influencing how both federal and private employers manage compliance, talent, and organizational risk.  In this episode, Steve Odland speaks with Camille Olson, partner at Seyfarth, about what this evolving landscape means for business leaders. They explore how executive orders, agency directives, and litigation trends are redefining the boundaries between public policy and corporate governance.  For more on this topic:   To H-1B or Not to H-1B: That Is the Policy Question  Is ICE Coming for Your Workers?  No, DEI Is Not Banned: A C-Suite Guide to Navigating the Legal Landscape in 2025  Workplace Governance Under the Trump Administration (Seyfarth) 

Find out why a 1-2% increase in annual electricity demand could create stress to the US electrical grid.     US electricity demand has been largely flat for 20 years, thanks to efficiency gains. But with rising power demand from AI, electric vehicles, and other forms of electrification, how can the US grid keep up?      Join Steve Odland and guest Alex Heil, PhD, senior economist at the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center of The Conference Board, to find out the current pressures on power generation and distribution, what kinds of investment are required, and how higher power demand affects US businesses and consumers.     For more from The Conference Board:  Power Playbook: How US Businesses Can Prepare For Electricity Price Pressures  US Power Surge: How Businesses Can Prepare for Electricity Demand Spikes from AI  Plugged In or Power Outage? Corporate Risk in US Grid Capacity 

What does the latest Consumer Confidence Index reveal about the economy's true pulse amid a prolonged government shutdown?  In this episode, host Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist and Center Leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center, talks with Stephanie Guichard, Senior Economist of Global Indicators, both of The Conference Board, about the latest Consumer Confidence Index results and the ongoing federal government shutdown.  They discuss how Americans are feeling about the economy, inflation, and the job market; early signs for the 2025 holiday shopping season; and what the shutdown means for growth, data, and consumers.  Topics covered:  Why consumer confidence is holding steady despite uncertainty  Shifts in inflation expectations and buying plans  Insights on holiday spending and tariff impacts  The shutdown's effects on data, jobs, and GDP  What to watch for as policymakers debate next steps  For more from The Conference Board:  US Consumer Confidence  Forecast for the US Economy  Global Economic Outlook 

"This is a self-inflicted wound on our economy," says former Congressman Ron Klein.    In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Steve Odland, CEO of The Conference Board, sits down with Klein to unpack the ongoing US government shutdown: what it really means, who it affects, and how it might end. Together, they explore the technical mechanics behind a shutdown, the political dynamics fueling it, and the ripple effects across the economy and private sector.    Executives should monitor the shutdown's downstream effects on consumer confidence, supply chains, and federal partnerships. Klein underscores that resolution will come—but the longer the impasse, the broader the economic and social toll.    For more from The Conference Board:  US Consumer Confidence  Navigating Washington 

In just a few decades, corporate sustainability has grown into a core corporate function, particularly at publicly traded companies. What is the state of corporate sustainability in 2025, and how will it evolve in the coming decade?     Join Steve Odland and guest Andrew Jones, principal researcher at The Conference Board's Governance & Sustainability Center, to find out what "corporate sustainability" means, why most companies are embracing a hybrid model, and where sustainability leaders see the function evolving next.     For more from The Conference Board:  Structuring Corporate Sustainability for Business Advantage  Sustainability Under Scrutiny: Corporate ESG in an Uncertain Policy Environment  Survey: 80% of Corporations Are Reworking ESG Strategies Amid Policy Shifts 

Learn what the latest research on US shareholder activism can teach CEOs and boards.  Activism has evolved from a niche effort to a mainstream investment strategy, with campaigns in the US quadrupling since 2018. Learn how activists are targeting not only small-cap firms but increasingly large S&P 500 companies, using sophisticated communication strategies and exempt solicitations to influence boards.  Join Steve Odland and guest Matteo Tonello, Head of TCB Benchmarking and Analytics at The Conference Board, to find out what's behind the surge in activism campaigns, how companies are being targeted, the increasing scrutiny of CEOs (including gender bias), and how boards can prepare and respond effectively.     For more from The Conference Board:  2025 Proxy Season Review: From Escalation to Recalibration  TCB Benchmarking  2026 Executive Compensation Event