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Generating novel thought leadership that advances the global dialogue around our key areas of focus is a critical component of our work. Learn more about some of our selected insights below
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The roll-out of President Trump’s tariff regime has ignited an international response, with markets reeling, inflation risks escalating, and projections for a recession increasing. China’s tariff rate has been increased to 145%, while most other countries remain under a 90-day pause on most high tariffs. As the world waits and sees where the trade policy will land, management teams are working with their boards in identifying strategies to reduce their immediate economic losses. To do so, large multinationals with global supply chains are leveraging tariff engineering to modify products or their classification to reduce import duties.
As tensions between D.C. and Beijing escalate, management teams are looking to better understand and reduce their exposures to the U.S.-China trade war. As of mid-April 2025, we offer a review of China’s non-tariff countermeasures that target the U.S. With an unclear off-ramp for either side, management teams will have to further build scenarios that offer greater supplier optionality in the short-term while also re-evaluating long-term enterprise strategy. Overall, the cost of doing business in and with China will increase for U.S. business and will likely have lasting impact. How can businesses manage through China’s escalating retaliation?
With global trade tensions escalating, supplier diversification has been embraced as the leading antidote to mitigate short-term risks. Thus, rapid pushes for multi-sourcing, local-for-local, component substitution, stockpiling, and scenario planning have engulfed executive teams. CPG companies are accelerating years of work in nearshoring and onshoring suppliers and production. While the financial benefits of supplier diversification seem straightforward, the risks posed to an enterprise without a robust know your supplier program will expose new threats to reputation, operations, customer interfacing, and more. How should executive teams re-imagine due diligence during Trump 2.0 and global trade upheaval?
After a week of wild swings in markets and growing demands from investors, President Trump’s trade war may be coming into clearer focus with Wednesday’s (4/9) pause on most reciprocal tariffs for 90 days. With stocks surging on Wednesday, many are hoping that his goal is clearer – China containment. President Trump cited talks with foreign nations in explaining the reversal, but said China would not be included after Beijing announced further retaliations. While the China angle is feasible, we also offer a spectrum of scenarios to help decision-makers play-out risks and opportunities. How will executives assess their risks and re-conceptualize their strategies – supply chain, CapEx, de-valuation, and more?
Real estate companies are navigating RTO policies by balancing financial impacts, employee preferences, and market trends. The rise of remote and hybrid work has led to underutilized office spaces and changes in tenant demand, prompting management teams to explore repurposing, flexible leasing, and strategic property acquisitions. To retain talent, companies are adopting hybrid work models while carefully planning space utilization. Companies are also capitalizing on market downturns by acquiring discounted office properties to adapt to evolving business needs. As the landscape continues to shift, the question is whether management teams are being bold enough to rethink the traditional office model, or are they merely reacting to short-term trends?
In the past, political risk has been a specific category of risks that management teams and their boards reviewed quarterly and managed through insurance policies. Acute issues were handled by task forces or crisis management teams. Now, under President Trump’s second administration, political risks are blurring and broadening to include: protectionist trade policy, sanctions, tariff retaliation, export/import bans, cyber-attacks, regional strife and conflict, border security, human rights, international terrorism, failed multilateral cooperation, increasing influence of populist governments, and more. With many of these themes presenting themselves weekly and daily, how do companies recast their political risk management under Trump 2.0?
As President Trump ramps up his tariff policies in an effort to protect U.S. industries, key trading partners—including Canada, Mexico, the European Union (EU), and China—have announced retaliatory measures. These responses range from reciprocal tariffs to export restrictions on critical raw materials and industrial goods, posing significant risks to U.S. businesses. Understanding these developments and their implications is crucial for corporate executives navigating supply chain disruptions, pricing volatility, and international trade negotiations.
In 2024 alone, over 3,000 trade restrictions were implemented globally. This global trend is reflected predominantly in President Trump's protectionist trade agenda. With their complex international footprint, global companies like Caterpillar, Komatsu, Unilever, Nestlé, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota will either face the impact of tariffs or retaliatory measures. While President Trump's policies create cost and uncertainty, they also call for adaptation, domestic investment, restructuring, joint ventures, automation, and process innovation. Finally, new climate-related compliance requirements add more complexity to global trade flows with China and Europe.
Headlines have proliferated on corporate rollbacks of promises, goals, and investment in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and Sustainability—in the U.S. and globally. This can be a range of topics – be it emissions reduction goals, waste reduction goals, and, most dramatically, Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI). We are seeing an intensifying pressure on U.S. corporate leaders to limit their legal exposure to concepts that were only recently championed as critical to their success.
In February 2025, President Trump reinstated the full 25% tariff on steel imports and increased aluminum tariffs to 25%, eliminating all previous exemptions and alternative agreements. This action expanded the tariffs to include key downstream products and terminated all general approved exclusions. Analysts expect these tariffs to lead to price hikes in vehicles, canned and other consumer products, and construction projects especially. But, if the first round of steel and aluminum tariffs are indicative, U.S. producers generally saw economic gains, job creation, while international companies faced increased costs and market uncertainties. For CPG, Industrial, Automative, and Construction sectors especially, proactive agility and consistent monitoring will be necessary to reduce exposure to global supply chain volatility and increased costs
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This article highlights key takeaways from REITworks 2024, focusing on how sustainability and social responsibility initiatives are driving value for REITs. Learn how industry leaders are tackling climate risks, decarbonizing portfolios, and leveraging tools like Odyssey and Faros to enhance resilience and financial returns.
Many business leaders worry that going green will lead to higher costs, but many interventions can result in significant savings. By implementing practical, energy-efficient strategies, businesses can enhance their environmental impact while improving operating margins.
AI and machine learning are revolutionizing the real estate industry's path to decarbonization by enabling large-scale, cost-effective strategies that optimize energy efficiency and reduce emissions. Odyssey, Telesto’s machine learning-driven platform, exemplifies this transformation, offering tailored roadmaps for portfolios that prioritize both environmental impact and financial return.
Businesses today are increasingly vulnerable to the escalating threats of climate change, and reactive strategies are no longer enough. This article explores how advanced technologies — like predictive analytics, IoT, and blockchain — are equipping businesses with the tools they need to anticipate, adapt, and thrive in an increasingly hazardous world.
A series of recently passed California laws will impact many companies throughout the U.S., requiring them to produce climate-related disclosures as soon as 2026.
If you’re just hearing about the SEC’s climate disclosure ruling, you’re not alone. With its recent announcement, thousands of publicly traded companies in the US will now be subject to the new regulation. But what does the SEC ruling mean for your business?
Cybersecurity threats continue to propagate and intensify, posing enormous risks to enterprise value. This article explores why corporate directors should include cybersecurity in the design and implementation of ESG strategies.
As the urgency to address climate change grows, decarbonizing the built environment has become a critical priority. Non-profit organizations and thought leaders, including think tanks, play an indispensable role in driving innovation, shaping policy, and catalyzing action to achieve this ambitious goal.
Growing recognition of the environmental impact of plastics and packaging materials has prompted the need for a transition towards circularity. Despite obstacles, progress has been made through innovations in material science and recycling technologies, underscoring the importance of collaboration among stakeholders in accelerating the transition towards circular packaging and sustainability.
As governments worldwide intensify efforts to combat climate change, new building efficiency and emissions regulations are reshaping the landscape for building materials manufacturers. This article explores the implications of these regulations for manufacturers, strategies to adapt, and the potential opportunities that lie ahead.
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