Industry news

Transformation is going nowhere in a hurry; it’s still the number one business critical project among major enterprises around the world. But succeeding with your transformation project is easier said than done. Adrian Odds, Marketing & Innovation Director at the agency CDS, believes a simple focus on a few core areas could make all the difference…

Digital transformation is difficult. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. And a lack of C-suite leadership may be the single biggest risk factor in whether your ‘transformation’ will succeed or fail. But the second biggest consideration is most likely to be a failure to design your change – and the new services that sit around it – with the human needs of your internal and external customers at the centre.

Read more on CEO.Digital here.

Global Supply Chains have been under increasing pressure over the last few years triggered by the pandemic and subsequently made worse by raw material and skills shortages, the war in Ukraine, an energy crisis and ratcheting inflation. Supply Chains that were optimised for cost and quality of service are having to increasingly accommodate the need for resilience and the necessity of sustainability. Such a challenging environment is however, presenting opportunities for Software and IT Services (SITS) providers where technology will have a significant role to play in offering solutions to the plethora of threats and risks.

Read more on TechMarketView here.

• Supply chain shortages are causing widespread manufacturing disruptions.

• Procurement from suppliers should not rest solely on cost savings, but also on revenue impact.

• Business leaders must develop incentives that recognize protecting continuity of supply chains.

Read more on World Economic Forum here.

Considering a supply chain transformation? Many companies are, as the supply chain impacts their top and bottom lines. In fact, the effects are not only on revenues and costs but also on cash flows.

Being critical for the company's profitable growth, supply chain transformations can become a vehicle for greater earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; improved cash flows; and higher customer satisfaction.

Read more on Forbes here.

Starting with just one client and a workforce of 100 people across two floors of Webhelp’s Umhlanga Ridgeside office in October last year, this global consultancy and customer experience organisation has quickly shown the demand for Durban as a business hub.

“BPO (business process outsourcing) is one of the fastest-growing sectors in South Africa with significant year-on-year growth. We’ve had significant government and stakeholder support leaning into the incredible job opportunities this sector creates for young, unemployed individuals with little or no work experience,” commented Tammy Chetty, managing director of Webhelp South Africa.

Read more here.

• The latest findings from KPMG reveal that sustainability reporting has grown steadily, with 79 percent of leading companies providing sustainability reports
• There has been marked improvement in companies reporting carbon reduction targets, but action remains too slow in key related areas, with less than half of companies currently recognizing biodiversity loss as a risk
  
• Among the thousands of reports analysed, less than half of the world’s largest companies are providing reporting on ‘social’ and ‘governance’ components of ESG
• KPMG outlines a series of recommendations, including companies shifting from a narrative-driven approach and making better use of data to drive change and provide evidence of action
• From recent local data and discussions with our community, Maltese companies appear to be lagging the global trend presented in this survey, although there are promising developments, including reporting by 17 companies under the Malta ESG Platform. Transparent ESG reporting and action will be crucial if Maltese companies are to remain relevant to international business and align with the broader values of Malta’s residents. 

Read more in KPMG here.

What happens when virtual reality meets reality? With the metaverse — interactive, virtually enhanced spaces that can be accessed by multiple users via avatars — it has led to the shaping of uniquely immersive and authentic experiences that have opened up new ways for businesses, communities and individuals to create value, socialise and solve problems.

To explore a new world of opportunities present in this bold new universe, KPMG recently conducted a consumer survey gathering perspectives, expectations and feelings towards metaverse participation.

Read more on KPMG here.

As organisations place advanced data and sophisticated analytics at the heart of their operations and reshape customer experiences with innovative digital services, new cybersecurity and privacy challenges are emerging that require corporate leaders to take digital trust seriously. 

Building and protecting trust is integral to how businesses interact with stakeholders. KPMG’s 2022 ‘Cyber Trust Insights’ report has surveyed 1,881 executives to outline five key steps to building trust through cybersecurity and privacy. 

Weaving cybersecurity and privacy into organisations, building internal alliances, evolving the role of the CISO, securing leadership support, and collaborating with other partners in the corporate ecosystem is key to increased trust. 

Read more on Security Brief here.

DXC Technology is launching a major UK initiative, focused on providing opportunities and support for neurodivergent individuals. The DXC Dandelion Programme was initially trialled within Australia and New Zealand and now, following the success of the initiative those territories, it is being expanded across Europe and APAC.

The Dandelion Programme has been designed to help people with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other neurological conditions to establish careers within the IT industry. The initiative is particularly active in the UK where DXC has just completed a successful twelve-month pilot. In total, the Dandelion Programme in the UK has so far resulted in opportunities for 25 neurodivergent individuals.

Read more on TechMarketView here.

As part of its mission, Crown Commercial Service (CCS) helps to manage over £10 billion of technology spend each year on behalf of public sector customers, and in the last 18 months, the technology team has increased commercial benefits for technology customers from £431 million to £1.2 billion. In this interview, Dr Philip Orumwense, Commercial Director and Chief Procurement Officer for Technology at CCS, explains what it takes to achieve such commercial success.

Read more at Civil Service World here.