As clean energy standards and net-zero CO2 emission commitments accelerate across the United States, utilities and other stakeholders are focusing on the transmission challenges associated with achieving these aggressive goals. Indeed, a robust long-haul high-voltage transmission backbone is the linchpin in our energy transition. Integrating large amounts of renewables (on the order of $11 trillion by 2050 per the latest analysis from
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The COVID-19 pandemic has forced healthcare human resources (HR) teams to flex policies, processes, programs, and resources to adapt to operational changes. For example, healthcare HR organizations have experienced increases in call volumes related to furlough, benefit, and leave questions; increased data changes to process organizational shifts; and communications to accommodate new
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Cryptocurrency mining is profitable when the cost of the primary production resource needed to mine it is low. Electricity accounts for upwards of 80% of total O&M spending in a typical-mining operation. For this reason, bitcoin miners circle the globe searching for $0.06/kWh. How much more appealing would the cryptocurrency mining business be if the power was acquired at cost?
ScottMadden polled attendees at the Shared Services and Outsourcing Network’s (SSON) SSOW Live Conference 2020 on the topic of virtual work. We have heard many success stories from our clients and other practitioners about how their shared services organizations (SSOs) were able to quickly transition to a virtual model when the global pandemic hit. In many cases, the nimbleness and efficiency of the organizations have allowed them to play crucial roles in supporting their business during these challenging times. Conversely, some who were not well prepared have struggled. The data from our poll highlight these successes and challenges and show how the pandemic will likely have a lasting effect on shared services models.
Light-duty consumer vehicles often own the spotlight in the world of electric vehicles. Now, 15 states have put their focus on accelerating the market for electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by signing a memorandum of understanding. See how utilities can prepare as the MOU signees develop an action plan within the next six months.
In this follow-up to our workshop presented at the Shared Services and Outsourcing Network’s digital Shared Services for Finance and Accounting conference, experts Brad DeMent and Trey Robinson go deeper with insights, tips, and recommendations on how to lean into the finance delivery model during COVID-19 and beyond.
Until the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazil’s economy had been steadily gaining momentum since the downturn experienced in 2015 and 2016. While Gross Domestic Product growth can no longer be expected to materialize in 2020, this growth is delayed—not cancelled. Economists currently forecast growth rates as high as 3.6% in 2021. Will your business be prepared for this return to growth?
Jonathan Harb, a manager at ScottMadden, joined the firm in 2014. With previous IT experience in the oil and gas industry, Jonathan works across both of ScottMadden’s practice areas—corporate & shared services and energy—and is a member of the supply chain and strategy & services communities of practice. He is the lead and founder of the &Cookies program, which offers employees a fun opportunity to gather and discuss professional development topics. These conversations are centered around TED Talks and are always paired with a sweet treat! Jonathan holds a B.S. in computer engineering and an M.B.A. from LSU.
While investors have pushed for companies to address environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues for some time now, COVID-19 and recent protests against racial injustice have forced some businesses to reevaluate their strategies and commitments to these topics. Businesses that are better prepared to handle these challenges are often those which evaluate ESG issues as part of their corporate strategy—not standalone initiatives.
Businesses of all sizes are shifting near- and long-term plans as they determine how to best weather and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. As a result of rapidly shifting priorities, corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activities are also receiving additional scrutiny. Reading headlines about ESG in the COVID-19 era tends to prompt whiplash. Is corporate responsibility more important than ever before,[1] or are companies unilaterally abandoning sustainable practices in these difficult times?[2] The reality is more nuanced. While many companies will focus on mitigating the economic impacts of the pandemic, an effective recovery approach will also take a long-term view and address the following areas essential to ESG strategy.
While the experts are learning more and more each day, no one can say with certainty when the COVID-19 pandemic will end. What is likely, however, is there will be lasting impact on the way businesses operate. What is an absolute certainty is that even with COVID-19 in the rear-view mirror, your service center should be an integral part of how your company efficiently and effectively supports your business during a crisis, be it pandemic, natural disaster, or normal business headwinds.
Healthcare systems continue to face a multitude of challenges related to their registered nurse (RN) population, including a growing demand, increasing turnover rates, and high replacement costs. In fact, the average hospital loses nearly $5 million per year on RN turnover.[1] However, that figure does not include additional costs related to impacts on patient satisfaction (e.g., brand image, decreased patient volumes) that may also result from an instability in the patient-facing RN population. Typical initiatives to combat the challenge are often high level, such as increasing retention or shortening time-to-fill, and tackled in a narrow or siloed fashion with limited insight into core issues.
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