Find out the latest trends in shareholder proposals—and whether they’ll succeed. Shareholder proposals are at an all-time high, but support for most of these proposals has greatly declined. What’s on deck for this year’s proxy season, and how should corporations prepare to engage with shareholders? Join Steve Odland and guest Andrew Jones, principal researcher at The Conference Board ESG Center, to find out why proxy filings have risen, what’s trending in proposals related to DEI and ESG, and wh...
Mar 26, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 258
In March, consumer confidence saw its fourth month-on-month decline, with people’s assessment of current business and labor market conditions, plus their short-term outlook for income, business and labor market conditions, all dropping. Crucially, consumers’ optimism about future income, which had held up strongly in recent months, largely vanished, which suggests that worries about the wider economy and labor market have started to spread to people’s assessments of their personal situations. Ye...
Mar 25, 2025•21 min•Season 1Ep. 257
Are we on the verge of a trade war? And if so, how would we get out of it? The aggressive US stance on tariffs is already affecting trade relationships with China, Canada, and Mexico, and that’s before the April 2 announcements of additional tariffs. How do economists define a trade war, and how might one affect not only the US but also the global economy? Join Steve Odland and guests David Young, president of the Committee for Economic Development, the Public Policy Center of The Conference Boa...
Mar 24, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 256
Learn how recessions are defined and the current risk of the US economy entering one. If your GDP growth slows to a mere 1%, history tells us to watch out—negative growth is on the way. How likely is the US to face a recession this year, and how can we tell if that’s happening? Join Steve Odland and guest Yelena Shulyatyeva, Senior US Economist at The Conference Board Economy, Strategy & Finance Center, to find out the "official" definition of a recession, why inflation and growth patterns c...
Mar 20, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 255
The US economy will growin 2025–26, but tariffs and other factors are dampening expectations. The US economy is expected to grow by 2.0% this year and 1.7% in 2026, according to The Conference Board—both revised down from previous projections. What’s driving this pessimism about economic growth, and could stagflation become a serious risk? Join Steve Odland and guest Yelena Shulyatyeva, Senior US Economist at The Conference Board Economy, Strategy & Finance Center, to find out what's driving...
Mar 19, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 254
Find out what corporate responsibility looks like as part of a company’s core strategy. For Webster Bank —a 2025 recipient of the Corporate Responsibility Awards —philanthropy, community investment, sustainability, and government affairs are all part of the corporate responsibility bailiwick. What does exemplary corporate responsibility look like, and how can companies do this work while furthering business goals and serving all stakeholders? Join Steve Odland and guest Marissa Weidner, chief co...
Mar 17, 2025•24 min•Season 1Ep. 253
What did the recent AI Summit reveal about the state of AI, including the energy problem? The recent AI Summit in Paris raised key issues about AI regulation—and saw the US and UK refuse to sign on to the declaration. Generative AI is becoming autonomous—not only performing assigned tasks but figuring out how best to achieve goals. How likely is a “Terminator” scenario, and how should the world address important issues such as energy use, regulation, and deepfakes? Join Steve Odland and guest Iv...
Mar 10, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 252
Tariffs on goods imported from the US’ largest three trading partners—Canada, Mexico, and China—will result in 0.6% rise in US inflation over four quarters, The Conference Board modeling shows. Consumers will definitely feel the bite in the short term, but will the administration’s long-term strategy pay off? Join Steve Odland and guest Erin McLaughlin, Senior Economist, to find out why reshoring is more complicated than it sounds, when “made in the USA” may not be, and how some negotiating tool...
Mar 04, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 251
In February, consumer confidence saw its third month-on-month decline, sliding 7 points to 98.3, the steepest decline since August 2021. Additionally, consumers’ short-term outlook for the economy fell below 80, which usually signals a recession ahead, for the first time since June 2024. Erik Lundh, Senior Global Economist, and Stephanie Guichard, Senior Economist of Global Indicators, both at The Conference Board, unpack what’s behind declining consumer sentiment, including survey respondents' ...
Feb 25, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 250
Learn why CEOs are much more optimistic about the economy in the new year. CEO confidence is up 9 points from Q4 2024, signaling a shift to confident optimism among CEOs. The Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence™ reached 60 in Q1 2025—marking the highest reading in three years. What’s driving these gains, and what does that mean for investment and capital spending? Join Steve Odland and guest Stephanie Guichard, senior economist for global indicators at The Conference Board, to learn about...
Feb 24, 2025•20 min•Season 2Ep. 249
AT&T Chief Sustainability Officer Charlene Lake shares how the company adds value to society, communities, and the company all at once. AT&T—a 2025 recipient of the Corporate Responsibility Awards —wants to reduce its business customers’ emissions by 1 gigaton by 2035—the equivalent of 1.6 billion cross-country flights. How is AT&T making sure its corporate responsibility effortsbenefitthe company and societyin the short and long term? Join Steve Odland and guest Charlene Lake, Chief...
Feb 18, 2025•29 min•Season 2Ep. 248
The ceasefire in Gaza hangs in the balance as President Donald Trump’s proposal forces all sides to rethink the region’s future. The conflict in Gaza has displaced 90% of the population, with President Donald Trump proposing to take over the region and resettle nearly 2 million Gazans elsewhere. What does Trump’s proposal mean for negotiations, and how can all sides broker a lasting peace between the Palestinians and Israelis? Join Steve Odland and guest Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, senior fellow f...
Feb 13, 2025•29 min•Season 2Ep. 247
Our C-Suite Outlook 2025 survey reveals the year’s priorities for each letter of ESG. CEOs around the world rank sustainability and climate events as their top two ESG priorities for 2025, and more than 80% of S&P 500 companies say climate change is a risk factor. How can companies manage ESG-related risks while meeting the evolving expectations of stakeholders? Join Steve Odland and guest Andrew Jones, PhD, a senior researcher at The Conference Board ESG Center, to find out why climate even...
Feb 11, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 246
Explore our C-Suite Outlook 2025 report with key insights from David Young of the Committee for Economic Development (CED). The US debt stands at more than $36 trillion, and it’s no surprise that US CEOs cite the US national debt and deficits as the biggest risk totheir business and business strategy in 2025. What other risks are the C-Suite monitoring, and how can they work with governments to mitigate them? Join Steve Odland and guest David K. Young, president of the Committee for Economic Dev...
Feb 03, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 245
Consumer confidence is down for the second month in a row, with assessments of the present situation, current labor market conditions and business conditions all having deteriorated. Pessimism over future employment prospects seen in December continued into January, according to the latestConsumer Confidence Index® from The Conference Board, but the overall index remained in the same narrow range it has since 2022. Join Erik Lundh, Senior Global Economist,and Stephanie Guichard, Senior Economist...
Jan 28, 2025•22 min•Season 1Ep. 244
Learn what the C-Suite Outlook 2025 tells us about priorities for marketing and communications leaders. Nearly all marketing and communications leaders (95%) are already using AI, but there remain concerns about AI output quality and a lack of internal expertise. How can CMOs and CCOs continue to embrace AI in 2025, and what are the top priorities for these functional leaders? Join Denise Dahlhoff, PhD, and guest Ivan Pollard, Center Leader for Marketing & Communications at The Conference Bo...
Jan 27, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 243
Join Ivan Pollard and guest Sean Murray, chief product officer at Barclays US Consumer Bank, to find out how companies can use generative AI, the benefits of adopting agile methodology and design thinking, and how companies across industries can approach product development. (01:44) Evolution of Product Development (03:24) Emerging Trends in Financial Service (06:49) Impact of AI on Banking Product (16:59) Ensuring Compliance in Rapid Tech Change (19:58) Customer Centricity and Digital Experienc...
Jan 24, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 241
Dive into our annual C-Suite survey and discover how leaders plan to grow revenue, use AI, and more. The two biggest geopolitical risks for C-Suite leaders in 2025 are intensified trade wars and foreign cyberattacks. How do these business leaders plan to grow revenue and embrace AI while safeguarding against these active threats? Join Steve Odland and guest Dana M. Peterson, chief economist and leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center at The Conference Board, to learn about internal ...
Jan 20, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 242
Did you know that 86% of junior and midlevel marketers already use AI at work each week? What are the top use cases for AI in marketing, and how should CMOs incorporate AI into strategy? Join Steve Odland and guest Ivan Pollard, Marketing & Communications Center leader at The Conference Board, to find out how marketers are currently using AI tools, what “agentic AI” means, and how AI will impact each of the 4 P’s of marketing. (00:40) AI in Marketing: A Historical Perspective (01:44) AI as a...
Jan 06, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 240
What is the biggest takeaway from the December Consumer Confidence Index® from The Conference Board? In short, the recent rebound in consumer confidence was not sustained in December, as consumers expressed discontent with inflation and future business conditions. Join Mitchell Barnes and guest Dana Peterson, Chief Economist and Leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center at The Conference Board, for their full conversation about how consumer sentiment could weigh on US economic growth ...
Dec 23, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 239
For three years running, CEOs and CHROs have rated employee attraction and retention as a top internal priority. How can employers optimize their total rewards programs to attract top talent while meeting business goals? Join Steve Odland and guest Rita Meyerson, EdD, principal researcher for human capital at The Conference Board, to discover the many elements of total rewards, why employee recognition can enhance engagement, and how leaders should think about total rewards strategy. (00:45) Def...
Dec 16, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 238
The price of bitcoin recently hit $88,000, yet it remains a speculative currency with few present-day commercial uses. Why is bitcoin so compelling to certain investors, and what is its potential for everyday use? Join Steve Odland and guest Hollis Hart, former president of international franchise management at Citi and a senior fellow at The Conference Board's ESF Center, to learn why there’s a finite amount of bitcoin available, the differences between bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, and h...
Dec 09, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 237
President-elect Donald Trump is already breaking norms with his unusual transition process. What will be his domestic priorities in 2025, and how much can he get done without Congress? Join Steve Odland and guest John Gardner, vice president of public policy at the Committee for Economic Development (CED), the public policy center of The Conference Board, to find out what to expect for the federal budget, immigration enforcement, and tariff and tax policies. (00:45) Transition Challenges for the...
Dec 02, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 236
Consumer optimism is up again in November, according to the latestConsumer Confidence Index® fromThe Conference Board.Amid growing optimism over the labor market and a stock market rally, the consumer confidence index increased to 111.7 this month from 109.6 in October. Join Erin McLaughlin and guest Dana Peterson, Chief Economist and Leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center at The Conference Board, to find out what consumers are optimistic about, what concerns they have, and how the...
Nov 26, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 235
No poll is perfect, but this year’s pollsters did better than average in predicting the presidential race, especially in swing states. What lessons can we learn, and why do pollsters need to tell the right story, not just get the right numbers? Join Steve Odland and guest Clifford Young, President of Ipsos Public Affairs in the United States, to find out lessons learned from the 2024 cycle, the differences between public and private polling, and how pollsters find people to interview. (00:40) Ac...
Nov 25, 2024•28 min•Season 2Ep. 234
Can COP29 be a turning point in the fight to reduce emissions and cap warming? The US has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 17% since 2004, and yet the US and world are falling short on limiting global temperature rise and establishing a net-zero economy. What kind of progress can we expect to emerge from this year’s UN climate conference, COP29? Join Steve Odland and guest Alex Heil, Senior Economist at The Conference Board's ESF Center, to find out why COP29 was hosted by Azerbaijan, whether...
Nov 21, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 233
The average CEO’s tenure is declining, especially at smaller companies. How can boards reassess their approach to CEO succession planning given the increasing complexities of the job and the rise in activist stakeholders? Join Steve Odland and guest Blair Jones, Managing Director at Semler Brossy, to discover the latest insights on CEO succession, the progress being made on gender equity, and why boards should have an emergency succession plan before a crisis strikes. (01:20) CEO Tenure Trends (...
Nov 18, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 232
DEI isn't dead, but senior executives are recognizing the need to reevaluate these programs. Despite the backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), 80% of senior executives say they’ll adjust their DEI strategies rather than scale them back. How can businesses create effective DEI programs that align with core values and follow the law? Join Steve Odland and guest Diana Scott, US Human Capital Center Leader at The Conference Board, to find out how companies can rethink DEI, measure...
Nov 14, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 231
CEO pay isn’t just salary: There’s also bonuses, stock awards, stock options, and perks. What does the latest report on executive compensation from The Conference Board tell us about pay trends — and the boards that set compensation levels? Join Steve Odland and guest Dana Etra, managing director and head of the Boston office at FW Cook, to dispel public misconceptions about CEO pay, discuss the latest trends and regulations, and explain why corporate jets are suddenly so popular. (01:14) Unders...
Nov 11, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 230
Chief marketing officers (CMOs) are the growth engine for businesses, yet 50% of CEOs and CMOs don’t agree on success metrics. How can CMOs align with CEOs on expectations, speak the same language as CFOs, and drive revenue growth? Join Steve Odland and guest Denise Dahlhoff, PhD, Director of Marketing & Communications Research at The Conference Board, to discover where CEOs and CMOs differ on expectations, what metrics matter most, and how CMOs can communicate marketing's value to key stake...
Nov 04, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 229
