Source: G20 Insights. PricewaterhouseCoopers outlined ideas to enable a sustainable Fourth Industrial Revolution. How G20 countries can create the conditions for emerging technologies to benefit people and the planet. “The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) offers huge potential to transform and realign our economies and societies. There is an increasing realisation that the 4IR could also exacerbate problems for people and the […]
ISO 19600:2014 Compliance Management Systems
By Jack Kruf. Compliancy is on the way up. More and more organisations focus on being compliant. Not only for being compliant, but also for karma, transparency, branding, imago, security and accountability reasons. And more. To be reported also to elected councils, citizens and shareholders. ISO defined this 19600 standard and published it on the 15th of December 2014. It […]
Future Cities: Building infrastructure resilience
This report by Lloyds includes for the first time three new pathways that will help city officials, businesses, communities and insurers work together to build greater city resilience. It contains analysis of each infrastructure category – energy, water supply, information communications technology and transport – and uses case studies to assess past infrastructure failures and to suggest actions that could be […]
A Strategic Approach to Resilience in the EU’s External Action
The EU and its Member States have established a robust policy framework to guide the Union’s external action, anchored in Article 21 of the Treaty and the Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy (“EU global strategy”), and linked to commitments they have taken at global and regional level. The challenge now is how to sustain progress […]
Ten Questions Every Board Should Ask in Overseeing Cyber Risks
Nasdaq & Simpson Thacher present – in June 2017 – a compact, highly informative and well written document, which in fact is a general guideline and a first step for an integrated approach of risk management. It is suitable for in fact every company or public organisation which has experienced or will be experiencing cyber attacks. It is offering a […]
Incêndio de Pedrógão Grande
Quercus considers clearance of responsibilities necessary and recalls management mistakes of successive Governments in the forest area. Quercus is a Portuguese non-governmental organization and a independent, non-partisan association of national scope, non-profit and made up of citizens who have gathered around the same interest for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and in Defense of the Environment in general, with […]
The Dutch Have Solutions to Rising Seas. The World Is Watching.
By Michael Kimmelman, New York Times. In the waterlogged Netherlands, climate change is considered neither a hypothetical nor a drag on the economy. Instead, it’s an opportunity. “It is, in essence, to let water in, where possible, not hope to subdue Mother Nature: to live with the water, rather than struggle to defeat it. The Dutch devise lakes, garages, parks and […]
You can teach yourself to be risk-taker
By Vivian Giang, BBC. Business leaders say taking risks is an essential part of getting ahead in today’s world. If that’s not your style, how can you become more comfortable with leaping into the unknown? “Our ability to take a chance and be comfortable with an unknown outcome is affected by our own psychological make-up, the physiological functions in our bodies, […]
US is not ‘us’ anymore
By Jack Kruf. The decision of president Donald Trump (another one per decree and not via political and democratic debate and decision lines) to undo existing policies, pledges and contracts related to the commonly Paris agreed and signed innovative climate change approach, must give other countries reason to reconsider the trustworthiness and credibility of the United States. Where promises, commitments and contracts […]
Malta may be a desert by the end of the century
Source: Malta Times. Malta could end up a desert by the turn of the century, if no immediate action is taken about climate change, with the effects kicking in by 2030. An advisory company has started looking at Malta as a case study for best practices – that could be applied to the rest of the Mediterranean countries – to […]
Leadership failures
By John O’Dea. We in Europe believe that our democratic system provides the foundation for a great set of principles and values that lead to good public governance. Public leadership is embedded within this, at least we think it is fair to say we ‘believe’ this. One might even say we have believed this for a long time since democracy […]
Public Risk and ISO 20400:2017
Practitioners experience as well scientific research related to public governance point in the direction of a high correlation between the quality of interfaces – within or between organisations – and the presence of public risks. Working together and tuning in the chain of things are crucial for quality. Many of the international strategies and polices points in the direction of a need for a […]
The Benefits and Risks of Policymakers’ Use of Smart City Technology
By Emily Hamilton. Mercatus Working Paper, Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Arlington, VA. The term smart cities refers to the intersection of connected devices (also known as the Internet of Things), big data, the urban environment, and city dwellers. Smart city innovations have been widely lauded for their potential to improve government services and government transparency. Sensor technology creates […]
2017 Global Risk Management Survey
By AON. The report concludes, that by the rapidly changing business environment and the world’s increased connectivity means that traditional and emerging risk are becoming more and more unpredictable. Despite big data, companies are less prepared for managing those risks. You might expect otherwise. The report highlights developments as disruptive technology and innovation, cybercrime and political risks and uncertainties. The main conclusions: Leaders […]
Distortions and deceptions in strategic decisions
Source: McKinsey Quarterly, by Dan P. Lovallo and Olivier Sibony. Companies are vulnerable to misconceptions, biases, and plain old lies. But not hopelessly vulnerable. The chief executive of a large multinational was trying to decide whether to undertake an enormous merger—one that would not only change the direction of his company but also transform its whole industry. He had gathered his top […]
IoT unlocks the door to hackers
Source: Strategic Risk. Businesses need to wise up to security flaws as they embrace the Internet of Things. This is a buzz phrase we hear used regularly but it is one which is prone to misconception and misunderstanding. Connecting devices, such as a kettle or light bulbs, over the internet and allowing them to communicate with each other and ourselves […]
Coral reef – our ocean delivery room – under great stress
Source: Arc Centre of Excellence Coral Reef Studies For the second time in just 12 months, scientists have recorded severe coral bleaching across huge tracts of the Great Barrier Reef after completing aerial surveys along its entire length. In 2016, bleaching was most severe in the northern third of the Reef, while one year on, the middle third has experienced […]
Revision ISO 31000-2009 scheduled
Source: ISO. ISO 31000:2009 on risk management is intended for people who create and protect value in an organization by managing risks, making decisions, setting and achieving objectives and improving performance. The standard’s revision process discovers the virtues of keeping risk management simple. The revision of ISO 31000:2009, Risk management – Principles and guidelines, has moved one step further to Draft […]
Strategic Disaster Planning
Source: ICMA. Those who work with communities in the aftermath of natural disasters see the importance of advance planning firsthand. Disaster plans save time, money, headaches and, ultimately, they can save lives. In short, planning makes disasters less disastrous. And yet, it can be difficult for communities to prioritize disaster planning, particularly for those with limited time, budget, or staff. […]
Acceleration on Disaster Reduction Sendai Framework
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR), European Commission and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) seek to accelerate the implementation and monitoring of the Sendai Framework, in order to reduce the impact of natural disasters. The scope is that disaster resilient development needs to be imbedded into all public investment strategies by transforming the commitments, made by policy […]
Climate change: global reshuffle of wildlife will have huge impacts on humanity
Source: The Guardian. Mass migration of species to cooler climes has profound implications for society, pushing disease-carrying insects, crop pests and crucial pollinators into new areas, says international team of scientists. Global warming is reshuffling the ranges of animals and plants around the world with profound consequences for humanity, according to a major new analysis. Rising temperatures on land and sea […]