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Nearly half of Americans believe that we will see a civil war in the United States in our lifetime. As a corporate leader of a large, diverse team that operates across the United States, I am simultaneously horrified by this and hopeful that it will not come to fruition. The workplace gives me a window into the relationships that are at stake if our country further divides. It also gives me hope that relationships can hold us together, two people at a time. I met my colleague Ted last year. We are a generation apart. Im a city girl. Hes a country guy. Ive never voted Republican. I doubt hes ever voted for a Democrat. We both call ourselves Christian, while our similar faith identities guide distinct political choices. Ted and I met at a company-sponsored volunteer week, swinging hammers and painting bold yellow safety lines on the floor of a Habitat for Humanity warehouse in rural Kauai. Amidst bruised thumbs (mine) and splattered paint (also mine) we talked about our opposing views on social issues. We also shared tears about loved ones lost and pride for the purpose of our company, Thrivent, where Ted is a 41-year veteran financial advisor, and I am a relatively new executive. Ted and I came away knowing that, despite differences, we have many more values that we share, including our passion for service and community-building among colleagues. Weve stayed in touch. Ted has both questioned and complimented my marketing teams work in how we are evolving telling Thrivents story in our advertising. Hes also graciously welcomed my family at corporate events. Post-election day On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, I knew it might be difficult for many colleaguesregardless of how they votedto show up for work the morning after the election. As soon as I arrived, an email came in from Ted. Good Mornin Sunshine!!! read the subject. One could bristle at seeing that, but I did not. Seeing this come from Ted is like seeing it come from my favorite uncle. I smile as I open the message. Ted was not writing to gloat. He didnt even mention the election. He was writing to offer thoughts on an article on Thrivents intranet site highlighting veterans work. He discussed Thanksgiving plans and wished my family well. He was making an authentic connection despite political divisiveness around us and demonstrating genuine care. In a world where we are increasingly sucked into echo chambers of our individual beliefs, the workplace remains a place where we can connect with people with different beliefs and recognize that it is possible not only to work together, but to do work together. For those of us lucky enough to work at a purpose-based and values-driven company, now is the time to lean into those strengths, focus on growth and the impact we have, even amidst differences. Everyone should belong at work Thrivent is a Fortune 500 financial services company whose purpose is to empower lives of service and faith. It is a unique organization that faces cultural challenges of divisiveness just like any large corporation today. Regardless of politics, I want Thrivent to continue to be a place where both Ted and I belong. I read Teds email and thought about this for a moment, and then about my team, and our upcoming daytoday of all daysof team building that had been on the calendar for months. I sent them an email with the subject Taking on the day. In it, I included the following: I am cognizant of how divisive our country is right now, and how divided we are, and how, regardless of the outcome of the election, we would all be among people who are hurting and worried today. I know you all care about this team just as I do. I was thinking about our shared values at Thrivent and how relevant they can be as guiding principles for how we get through tough days together: Empathyrecognize that we all have our own emotional journeys today and be there for one another Authenticitydont be afraid to be real with each other, and know that that realness will be met with empathy Commitmentkeep moving forward and look for opportunities to serve, and live into the community that we want to be a part of Impactrecognize the strength of our collective effort, and the good that we can do in the world when we focus our energy together Gratitudeeven on the difficult days, take comfort in all the gifts that we have, including the gift of each other These are Thrivents values. They are not the values of Republicans or Democrats, red states or blue. At workat my workthey rally us despite forces that could otherwise divide. There are many corporations whose purpose and values put them squarely on one side of a social issue. Most large organizations, though, do not have a purpose that puts them on one end of a political spectrum or another, and, therefore, can be a place where people can work together to have impact despite political differences. In the worldview that Ted and I share, our greatest role in work, and life, is to love one another. There is no room for civil war in this worldview. Using shared purpose and values at work is a unifier that helps us find love for all. Lets get to work. Carolyn Sakstrup is EVP and chief growth and generosity officer at Thrivent.
Category:
E-Commerce
The connection between innovation and climate action has never been more vital. As the urgency of global climate goals intensifies, industries are being forced to rethink old methods and adopt bold, forward-thinking solutions to drive real progress. At the same time, more than 60 recent and upcoming global elections, including the return of a Trump administration in the U.S., could signal major shifts in federal climate policies. Yet one thing remains certain: Businesses and investors are not waiting for governments to take the lead. Sustainability is still a priority, pushing companies to focus on transparency and take tangible steps to meet climate challenges head on. So what does it take to navigate these complexities? I spoke with Erik Saito of Workiva, a cloud-based financial reporting platform, to explore the importance of data transparency and how integrated reporting can create a singular story about impact. How can innovation help tackle issues like inconsistent standards, scattered data and complex regulations, bring everything together to drive real change? Innovation is key because it lets us tackle challenges with fresh perspectives and practical solutions. It helps break down barriers, sparks new ideas, drives smarter processes, and enables technologies that help us reduce emissions, use resources more efficiently, and discover sustainable solutions we couldnt have imagined just a few years ago. But perhaps most importantly, innovation brings people and ideas together, empowering us to address these challenges collaboratively and create meaningful, lasting change. Its the driving force that turns sustainability goals into real, impactful action. What sparked Workivas move toward sustainability? The shift was really a natural evolution. As more companies recognized the importance of sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG), there was a clear need for delivering the same transparency and accuracy in financial reporting to this space. We saw an opportunity to help companies navigate these evolvingand oftentimes challengingnew requirements, making their ESG data just as reliable and actionable as their financial data. The shift wasnt just because of customer demand; it aligned with our mission, which is to power transparent reporting for a better world. Were there any themes at Novembers COP29, the United Nations Climate Change conference, that stood out as especially promising or transformative? To no surprise, a large focus of this years event was on the need for standardization in sustainability reporting. I think that can be reflected by how financial reporting went through the same process as it matured, with stakeholders recognizing that consistency, transparency, and comparability are essentialsomething we’re now seeing in the ESG field. The EUs Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, or CSRD, is a great example of the push for standardization, and it was a hot topic at COP29. The CSRD significantly expands the number of companies required to report on ESG metrics and it uses detailed, standardized guidelines to ensure consistency. This kind of uniformity is helping organizations and investors get a clearer picture of ESG risks and opportunities, which is driving it deeper into core business strategies. I see regulations like the CSRD as a real opportunity for companies. Its a chance to drive meaningful change, invest in sustainable practices, and create long-term value. Its also a way to build resilience and lay a strong foundation to weather the kind of volatility were seeing in todays macro environment. Do you think companies will continue retreating from their sustainability commitments or even abandoned them altogether, either due to investor pressure or the current economic and political landscape? Are there risks in doing so? Weve been tracking this sentiment through surveys over the past few years, and the data tells a different story. In our 2024 Executive Benchmark on Integrated Reporting, not only did 82% of institutional investors report that they havent changed how they make investment decisions despite recent criticism of ESG, but 91% of executives also agreed that integrated financial and ESG reporting offers a more holistic view of performance. Companies that step back now risk damaging their reputation, losing investor confidence, and falling behind in a world thats increasingly focused on ESG. Customers, investors, and regulators are all demanding more transparency, not less. Those who dont keep up could find themselves struggling to compete. In 2025, I think well see more companies adopt tools and strategies that help them stay on track, even in tough economic or political environments. The shift were seeing is clearsustainability isnt just good for the planet; its good for business. Given the uncertainty of the evolving climate landscape, what advice do you have for companies reporting on ESG factors? You need to invest in innovation. I think a lot of us are used to doing manual, time-consuming work because thats how its always been done. But today, technology has advanced to the point where we dont have to settle for business as usual. Technology allows businesses to integrate financial, ESG, sustainability, compliance, and risk management into a cohesive frameworkone that tells a powerful, unified story to stakeholders. Technology strengthens your business value by demonstrating measurable impact, enhancing transparency, and enabling smarter decision making. Organizations that prioritize unifying these areas through innovation dont just stay competitivethey build trust, drive sustainable growth, and future-proof their business in an increasingly complex world. Celia Jones is global chief marketing officer of FINN Partners.
Category:
E-Commerce
In just a couple of years, generative AI (GenAI) has made a big impact on the way people, companies, and entire industries think about work. Its helping doctors and nurses, who spend more than a third of their work week on paperwork, free up more time to focus on patients. Scientists are using GenAI ideation to achieve research breakthroughs. In the field of law, where time is so valuable its often measured in six-minute increments, GenAIs ability to understand and analyze documents faster than any person can is quickly becoming indispensable. Many legal teams doing text-heavy work are using innovative GenAI tools to speed their race against the ever-present clock. The next time youre in a time crunch with your work, GenAI can also come in clutch for you. Here are three inspirational ways that GenAI is giving legal teams an unmistakable advantage in speed. 1. Cut through the chaos Even the most sensational courtroom dramas rely on evidence. Complex matters such as criminal cases, business disputes, corporate mergers, and countless others are based on the facts found in millions of evidentiary documents. For example, litigation against the opioid industry has created more than four million documents. The vast majority of legal cases never make it to trial. Instead, they unfold in what feels like a game of chess, as opposing parties maneuver and negotiate back and forth. Knowledge and speed are strategic assets here, and GenAI has become an important tool that lawyers are using to achieve both. Cole, Scott & Kissane, a law firm specializing in civil litigation, has experienced the real-world impacts in resolving matters faster than before with the help of AI technology. “GenAI legal software proved helpful in reaching a settlement, Manuel Delgado, the firms litigation support manager told us. With it, we were able to quickly summarize dozens of financial reports prior to conference. Some of the insights we gained caught the plaintiff by surprise. A settlement was solidified thereafter, and our client was thrilled. 2. Find the needle in the haystack, faster Discovery is the stage of a civil lawsuit where opposing parties gather and exchange information and evidence relevant to their respective cases. It is part of the law of civil procedure adopted by the U.S. legal system in 1938. As recently as the late 1990s, discovery was a paper-based chore. With large cases, hundreds of cardboard bankers boxes would be delivered to law firms; junior associates then spent hours scanning thousands of pages, searching for bits of invaluable information like a needle in a haystack. It was tedious, brain deadening work. Today, the problem seems harder: Millions of discovery documents may arrive at once, electronically, often at the last allowable minute. Sometimes a needle is found in the haystack. In civil litigation against Theranos cofounder Elizabeth Holmes, prosecutors dove into evidentiary metadata to find more than 40 key documents, all potentially bolstering the case that Holmes and other company executives were well aware of the deception the company was later accused of, and of which Holmes was eventually found criminally guilty. But historically, legal teams have had to spend enormous amounts of time, usually measured in months and often requiring dozens of attorneys, reviewing discovery documents manually to find such needles. GenAI-powered e-discovery legal tech software has completely changed the game, allowing large volumes of electronic documents to quickly be analyzed, summarized, and assembled into a structured story. Cal Yeaman completed the review of more than 10,000 documents in minutessomething that would have taken a team of human reviewers several days. Yeaman is a project attorney at Orrick, one of the largest law firms in the country. He said at our company summit that GenAIs coding suggestions, which help identify relevant documents in discovery, were more accurate and consistent than human review. Running the numbers, Yeaman estimated that the new AI-powered review process reduced their cost of document review by more than 50%. 3. Get the lay of the land in minutes Law is a service business with high client expectations. Firms pride themselves on their commitment to serving client needs, an attitude that extends to the legal support teams behind the scenes. Jen Jackson, a senior analyst at the boutique employment law firm Baker Dolinko & Schwartz, had GenAI come in clutch when 10 new business requests for proposals, including over 120 pages of questions and 500 items, landed in her inbox. She also mentioned at our summit that instead of handing the task off to a junior attorney, wasting time and billable hours, she uploaded the documents to a GenAI tool that functions as a smart intern and got a condensed two-page summary of the tasks in minutes. How will GenAI come in clutch for you? Do you need to cut through the chaos? Find a needle in a haystack? Get the lay of the land, fast? With a little imagination, GenAI can be an invaluable tool the next time youre in a time crunch. AJ Shankar is CEO of Everlaw.
Category:
E-Commerce
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