Author: Eric S

Where Sustainability Unites: Climate Week NYC, UNGA, and CGI | Blog

Everest Group proudly participated in three noteworthy global sustainability events in Manhattan this September: Climate Week NYC, the 78th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 78), and the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) annual meeting. These events centered around economic inclusion, climate change, health access, biodiversity, and other critical concerns. Read on for insights from our analyst team, who attended and presented at these pivotal gatherings that fostered collaboration and dialogue with the international community to advance sustainability efforts.

Climate Week NYC

This year’s Climate Week NYC was the largest climate event globally, bringing together 500 events and uniting over 10,000 people with a theme of “We Can. We Will.”

The week-long event from September 17-24 focused on accelerating action to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and building a more just and equitable society. We are seeing businesses across industries planning their paths to net zero, while also focusing on the “people” aspect of sustainability by actively working toward diverse and inclusive workforces and social and economic equity.

Climate Week NYC presented many opportunities to engage with like-minded individuals and organizations actively working towards a more sustainable and resilient future. Capgemini invited Rita Soni, Everest Group Principal Analyst, Impact Sourcing and Sustainability Research, to speak on a panel about technology companies’ unique role in addressing biodiversity entitled, Data & AI for Climate: Biodiversity Buzz.

Representatives from governments, businesses, and civil society convened to discuss innovative solutions and concrete commitments to reduce carbon emissions, preserve ecosystems, and transition to a low-carbon economy.

Climate Week NYC serves as a powerful reminder that despite the immense challenges of climate change, an incredible amount of collective will and ingenuity dedicated to finding solutions exists.

At Everest Group, we assist enterprises by guiding them toward forward-thinking strategies such as the circular economy. This innovative model of production and consumption focuses on making the most of resources. By adopting frameworks like the circular economy, enterprises can effectively handle material resources, minimize waste, and seamlessly incorporate sustainable principles into their operations.

Additionally, we are helping businesses embrace crucial initiatives like carbon accounting and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting. Companies are increasingly prioritizing ESG reporting to manage risk, enhance their reputation, and comply with regulations.

UNGA 78

During the UNGA meeting, global leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015 to work toward creating a more equitable, sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous world.

While leaders are intensifying efforts to reach the SDGs by 2030, global progress has been hindered by multiple critical issues, such as the ongoing pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the looming climate crisis. However, the imperative to achieve these goals has never been more pronounced.

Our analysts participated in global and domestic discussions, including two particularly impactful events:

  • Delivering Development: Journeys, Directions, and Lighthouses, hosted by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, highlighted recent development progress and considerable efforts to meet the SDGs.
  • The National Wildlife Federation hosted the premiere of the documentary film, Where it Floods: Planting Hope in Coney Island. The film and panel discussion covered the devastation from Superstorm Sandy in October 2012. It also showcased local non-profit organizations’ work with children to restore the waterfront while raising climate change awareness.

CGI Annual Meeting

Held during UNGA and Climate Week NYC, CGI’s annual meeting focused on the need to “Keep Going.” CGI is a “community of doers taking action on the world’s most pressing challenges, together.”

Everest Group shared the industry’s progress on its 2022 commitment to grow the impact sourcing market to half a million people in three years. Impact sourcing is a growing practice where businesses intentionally train, hire, and nurture people from a wide range of excluded and marginalized groups, such as people with disabilities, the long-term unemployed, individuals from rural/forgotten communities, and veterans.

We proudly announced that in just the first year of the commitment, the global services industry is within striking distance of the three-year target. The number of impact workers has increased from 350,000 to at least 430,000, representing faster growth than traditional hiring, even during this tumultuous year of economic uncertainty.

Everest Group’s pledge to inclusive talent

To uphold our pledge, Everest Group has enlisted support and partnership pledges from more than 50 prominent global employers, service providers, and enabling organizations. Together, we are embarking on a collaborative mission to enhance lives through impact sourcing. With the backing of CGI, this group is poised to expand its reach and ultimately impact more lives by bringing employment opportunities to those affected by discrimination, inequality, or systemic poverty.

Why impact sourcing is good for business

What makes this initiative so remarkable is that Everest Group’s research shows impact sourcing has mutual benefits for workers, employers, and buyers. For impact workers, this endeavor opens doors to newfound opportunities and a sense of purpose. As they engage in meaningful employment, workers not only gain valuable skills and financial independence but also experience personal growth and empowerment.

Companies that employ impact workers are making strides toward achieving their sustainability objectives and witnessing increased sales as consumers seek products with a greater social purpose. Moreover, companies are enhancing their employer brand proposition as potential employees are drawn to organizations that champion causes beyond profits. By prioritizing impact sourcing, businesses not only attract top talent but also inspire existing employees to be more engaged and committed to their work.

How your company can get involved

With the implementation of evolved impact sourcing practices and performance indicators, impact sourcing’s true potential lies in its widespread adoption at scale beyond the initial commitment. To fully harness its power:

  • Buyers must actively demand impact sourcing with timelines for growth
  • Service providers and enterprises need to:
    • Integrate inclusive talent strategies across locations and job roles
    • Establish a growing ecosystem of skilling institutions, recruitment firms, non-government organizations (NGOs), and government agencies to provide the necessary support

As emerging technologies like generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other yet-to-be-developed advancements become mainstream, the talent market will face both opportunities that will expand certain roles and reduce others. Impact sourcing can provide a viable workforce solution for the jobs of tomorrow.

Everest Group looks forward to partnering with employers, service providers, and recruitment and sourcing firms to leverage impact sourcing’s many opportunities and promote the benefits of a globally relevant and inclusive talent model. To join the movement and make a difference to individuals, families, communities, and businesses, learn more here.

Check out our 2024 Key Issues webinar, Key Issues 2024: Creating Accelerated Value in a Dynamic World, to learn the major concerns, expectations, and trends for 2024 and hear recommendations on how to drive accelerated value from global services.

The Road to GBS/GCC Leadership: Perspectives from Executive Search | LinkedIn Live

LinkedIn Live

The Road to GBS/GCC Leadership: Perspectives from Executive Search

View the event on LinkedIn, which was delivered live on Thursday, October 19, 2023.

There is an unprecedented transformation occurring in Global Business Services (GBS) / Global Capability Center (GCC) leadership across the industry. The qualities that define the GBS/GCC leadership role and the path to promotion have become increasingly less clear. 🌐

📢Watch this LinkedIn Live session to hear from distinguished GBS/GCC Executive Search experts, Gaurav Gupta, Partner at Egon Zehnder, Deborah Kops, Principal of Sourcing Change and Executive Advisor at Everest Group, and Eric Simonson, Managing Partner at Everest Group, as they discuss the current state of GBS/GCC leadership.

This session allows participants to hear the speakers’ latest perspectives and spark dialogue on the core expectations and competencies of the next generation of GBS/GCC leaders. They will explore the keys to success as a new GBS/GCC leader, how to prepare for a GBS/GCC leadership role, and the possibilities of attaining a leadership role from within the organization. 🗝️🚀

What questions does the event answer for participants?

✅What are organizations looking for in their next GBS/GCC leader? 🔍
✅What experiences and capabilities are important for aspiring GBS/GCC leaders to gain? 🌟
✅Is there an internal path to GBS/GCC leadership, or must you switch organizations?

Meet The Presenters

Screenshot 2023 09 20 153708
Partner
Egon Zehnder
Kops Deborah
Sourcing Change, Principal
Everest Group, Executive Advisor
Simonson Eric A
Managing Partner
Everest Group

Clinton Global Initiative 2023

In-Person event

CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE | 2023

September 18-19, 2023

Everest Group’s Eric Simonson, Managing Partner, and Rita N. Soni, Principal Analyst for Impact Sourcing and Sustainability, will attend the Clinton Global Initiative 2023 meeting on September 18-19 in New York City. This year’s focus is what it takes to keep going.

Last year, Everest Group pledged to dramatically increase the impact sourcing workforce – connecting hundreds of thousands of marginalized individuals to new jobs – by providing research and enablement tools, sharing best practices, and engaging enterprises, service providers, governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in collaborative efforts. 

Everest Group’s Commitment to Action is to grow the impact sourcing market to half a million in three years. As the CGI community knows, making and keeping commitments isn’t easy. Despite this, we know the antidote is as simple as it is true  we must keep going.

Eric and Rita will join colleagues and global stakeholders at the event to discuss impact sourcing, the potential it provides to companies and underserved communities around the world, and initiatives to help companies incorporate impact sourcing into their business models.

Learn more about Everest Group’s Commitment to Action.

Simonson Eric A
Managing Partner
Soni Rita B
Principal Analyst
Kumar Santhosh

Driving Growth: Evolving the GBS Role in Marketing Services | Virtual Roundtable

VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLE

Driving Growth: Evolving the GBS Role in Marketing Services

July 27, 2023 |
9:30 AM EDT | 7:00 PM IST

Marketing has undergone a substantial transformation brought on by the adoption of digital technologies; however, support service delivery models have not kept up with the pace of change. GBS and GCC organizations can play a pivotal role in unlocking marketing efficiencies and benefits.

Join this virtual roundtable discussion to participate in conversations with our expert analysts and your peers. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the latest adoption trends and actively contribute to a group discussion exploring their positioning of marketing service delivery models, including vision, enablers for future value creation, futuristic plans and evolution, and governance models.

This session will help participants develop an understanding of priorities and opportunities for the global delivery of marketing services such as:

  • The vision for marketing services in GBS organizations
  • Key areas and enablers for future value creation
  • Futuristic operating and governance models
  • Critical success factors
  • Success stories from best-in-class peers

Who should attend? 

  • GBS leaders
  • GBS strategy leaders
  • Marketing services leaders

Virtual Roundtable Guidelines

The only price of admission is participation. Attendees should be prepared to share their experiences and be willing to engage in discourse.

Participation is limited to enterprise leaders (no service providers). Everest Group will approve each attendance request to ensure an appropriate group size and mix of participants. The sessions are 90 minutes in duration and include introductions, a short presentation, and a facilitated discussion.

M Bharath
Vice President
Simonson Eric A
Managing Partner

NASSCOM GCC Conclave 2023: Upgrade your CX Game with New-age Tech | Event

EVENT

NASSCOM GCC CONCLAVE 2023: UPGRADE YOUR CX-GAME WITH NEW AGE TECH!

June 1, 2023

Everest Group’s Managing Partner, Eric Simonson, will chair a session titled, Upgrade Your CX Game with New-age Tech!, on June 1. The session will examine how, to thrive at scale, enterprises need to constantly design and redesign their experience ecosystem to be agile and responsive to customer needs. This session will discuss opportunities and challenges for the GCCs to continue implementing new technology to impact experience across stakeholders.

The 13th edition of NASSCOM GCC Conclave marks the return of a full in-person experience after three years. 

This year’s theme, Getting Ready for the Hyperconnected World, aims to emphasize continuous digital transformation via collaborative innovation and further discuss India’s role. There is an urgent need for GCC leaders to collaboratively come together to discuss their greater role to create competitive advantage for their global enterprises. It is imperative to constantly identify new growth opportunities, drive innovation with emerging tech and realign business strategies.

Will you be visiting Bengaluru for NASSCOM GCC Conclave? Let’s have a conversation! Drop in at stall number 15.

Learn more

Simonson Eric Refresh gray square
Eric Simonson
Managing Partner, Everest Group

Finance Shared Services to Global Business Services: A Journey Worth Taking? | Roundtable

EVENT

Finance Shared Services to Global Business Services: A Journey Worth Taking? | Roundtable

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

The ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) report released in September 2022, Finance Shared Services to Global Business Services: A Journey Worth Taking? evaluated the relative maturity of Finance Shared Services (FSS) organisations compared to Global Business Services (GBS), across the dimensions of people, process, and technology. The results of the analysis, based on the responses of over 800 organisations, run counter to the commonly held belief that GBS, rather than FSS models, should be the destination of leading organisations. The findings consider the current challenges as well as prevailing opportunities for driving future success. 

ACCA, PwC, and Everest Group, along with leaders of other leading enterprise operations, will debate the merits, opportunities, and challenges of moving from a finance-focused business services organisation to a multi-functional, integrated operation at a roundtable on Wednesday, 1 March 2023 in London. 

This is an invite-only event. If you are interested in joining roundtable discussions, contact Susan Sehmi

Where

London

Speakers

Aggarwal Rohitashwa B
Rohitashwa Aggarwal
Partner - Global Business Sourcing Lead, Europe, Everest Group
Kops Deborah
Deborah Kops
Principal, Sourcing Change
Simonson Eric Refresh gray square
Eric Simonson
Managing Partner - Research, Everest Group

Sustainability in the New Year: Follow Through on Resolutions for People and the Planet | Webinar

ON-DEMAND WEBINAR

Sustainability in the New Year: Follow Through on Resolutions for People and the Planet

Sustainability has moved from the fringes to the center of strategic planning for CEOs worldwide. For this reason, we recently held a survey to learn how organizations are planning for sustainability in 2023 and uncover the top sustainability approaches and roadblocks.

Join this webinar as we deliver the survey results along with strategies and ESG best practices that incentivize and grow sustainability within the organization.

Quick poll results

Our speakers will also introduce Everest Group’s emerging philosophy for sustainability, which helps organizations remain aware of current conversations, opportunities, competitive advantages, and strategic decision-making.

Our speakers will discuss:

  • The newest trends for 2023 on sustainability
  • Sustainability planning challenges and how to address them
  • Our philosophy for sustainability and how organizations can embrace the business benefits and opportunities

Who should attend?

  • Chief sustainability officers
  • Chief diversity officers
  • Responsible supply chain leaders
  • Sustainable supply chain leaders
  • Actually everyone! ESG cuts across every function
Simonson Eric Refresh gray square
Managing Partner
Soni Rita Refresh gray square
Rita N. Soni
Principal Analyst, Impact Sourcing and Sustainability

How to Manage the Ukraine-Russia Impact on Service Delivery | LinkedIn Live

LinkedIn Live

How to Manage the Ukraine-Russia Impact on Service Delivery

March 10, 2022 |
8:30 AM CST | 9:30 AM EST | 2:30 GMT | 8 PM IST

The service delivery ecosystem has been disrupted in nearly every region of Ukraine and its bordering countries such as Poland, Romania, and the Baltic States in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region. As businesses move into recovery mode, what do they need to know and what can be done now as the conflict persists?

Everest Group and the Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON) hosted a LinkedIn Live event to discuss the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war on service delivery and actions global business services / shared services organizations, enterprises, and global services firms should take as they immediately recover and plan for the coming months.

Watch the replay of the LinkedIn Live session to learn:

  • Impacts of the conflict on service delivery in Ukraine and the broader CEE region
  • Key actions and measures for enterprises that already have or are considering investments in Ukraine
  • Recovery plans to address the various scenarios of the conflict

Our Panel

Herbert Julian Refresh gray square
Julian Herbert
Vice President
Everest Group
BarbaraHodge
Barbara Hodge
Global Editor-in-Chief
Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON)
JD
Janusz Dziurzynski
Global Information & Digital Technology Manager
BAT
Deborah Kops 1
Deborah Kops
Principal and Co-founder
Sourcing Change
Simonson Eric Refresh gray square
Eric Simonson
Managing Partner
Everest Group

The Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Will Service Delivery from Ukraine and the CEE Region Suffer? | Virtual Roundtable

Virtual Roundtable

The Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Will Service Delivery from Ukraine and the CEE Region Suffer?

March 3, 2022 |
9 AM CST | 10 AM EST | 3 PM GMT | 8:30 PM IST

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 threatens the service delivery ecosystem in Ukraine. While the country’s eastern regions are under direct and immediate attack, other major centers in Ukraine, including Kyiv and Lviv, are also under threat of missile attacks and prospective ground invasion. There are also dangerous implications for bordering countries such as Poland, Romania, and the Baltic States in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region.

In this collaborative session, attendees will have the opportunity to exchange perspectives on likely impacts on Ukraine and the CEE region, including key actions and measures their peers have already taken, as well as contingency plans to address the various scenarios of the conflict.

Who should attend?

  • Global services executives
  • Outsourcing services executives

Virtual Roundtable Guidelines

The only price of admission is participation. Attendees should be prepared to share their experiences and be willing to engage in discourse.

Participation is limited to enterprises (no service providers), and Everest Group must approve each attendance request to ensure an appropriate size and mix of participants. The sessions are 90 minutes in duration and include introductions, a short presentation, and a facilitated discussion.

Sakshi Garg
Vice President
Everest Group
Hintze Todd Refresh gray square
Partner
Wavestone
Mittal Nitish Refresh gray square
Partner
Everest Group
Simonson Eric Refresh gray square
Managing Partner
Everest Group
Srivastava Anurag Refresh gray square 1
Vice President
Everest Group

Our Latest Thinking

The mounting tension between Ukraine and Russia is likely to threaten the service delivery ecosystem in Ukraine and the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region. Discover our recommended approaches, risk profiling in Ukraine, and the possible impact on business and the global services industry in our recent Everest Group Risk Radar ™. 

Download Everest Group’s Risk Radar ™  

Is Amazon’s HQ2 Strategy Viable? | Sherpas in Blue Shirts

Unique, bold, unprecedented…those are just some of the words that describe Amazon’s announcement to establish a second headquarters in North America, with an end-state over the course of 10-15 years of 50,000 employees with an average salary exceeding $100,000.

The intent is exciting, both for potential employees and the cities that Amazon identified as location contenders. But is Amazon’s strategy viable? We believe it’s realistic to the extent that Amazon can keep its mojo going over such a long period of time.

Four factors driving Amazon’s HQ2 location selection

Scalability of talent

For Amazon to be able to amass 50,000 employees in 15 years, it will need to add 3,000 to 5,000 employees per year. These employees will have to be a mix of recent college grads and mid-management-level workers. So Amazon will have to take into account how many local universities and businesses there are in the selected location and the city’s relocation attractiveness.

Business mix

This is all about what Amazon intends HQ2’s business concentration to be. For example, will it have a retail focus like its Seattle headquarters? Does it intend to grow its advertising business in its new location? Will its focus be on the government sector, shipping/transportation/ logistics, or Latin American market growth? Whatever its intent, the new location will have to be a hot-bed of activity.

Time zone

If Amazon wants its second headquarters to help lead its international growth or manage suppliers based in Europe or Asia, the time zone overlaps of a location in the eastern or central U.S. time zone will be a huge business advantage.

Physical proximity

This relates to how easy it is to get to other geographical markets of interest. For example, if Europe is a target, a site in the northeast or central U.S. makes sense. But if Mexico, Central America, and Latin America are on the radar screen, a major city in the southeastern U.S. would be a good option.

Of these four, the biggest issue and most important consideration is: can Amazon get the volume and quality of talent it needs to fulfill its HQ2 vision? As we said above, the company will need to add up to 5,000 employees each year to get to 50,000 strong in 15 years. That’s a massive hiring agenda. For comparison purposes, when we’ve worked with other leading brand name organizations that are scaling new IT shops, they’ve typically been able to hire 200-350 people per year.

Can Amazon do it, or might it ultimately revert to a hubbed model, first establishing HQ2, and several years later HQ2.5? Only time will tell.

The six cities on our short list

Although Amazon recently winnowed its options down to 20 cities, we think only six of those are truly viable. Here, in alphabetical order, is a quick look at our short list:

Atlanta is a diverse economy, with UPS and Delta-driven strength in shipping and transportation, and Home Depot in retail. There’s a lot of impressive university talent available, in Georgia as well as the neighboring states of Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina

Boston is a great education center, and is known for large, corporate innovation. It would be a wonderful place for Amazon to build on what its been doing with Siri there, and to continue its growth in the high tech space. It’s also an airline hub with comparatively short flights to Europe.

Chicago is strong in the consumer and retail industries, and that obviously overlaps nicely with Amazon. It also has good connectivity to Europe, Seattle, and, to a reasonable extent, Asia.

Dallas has a good history of relocating companies’ operations and a strong tech talent pool and ability to pull talent in from universities in the region. One unique aspect in favor of Dallas is Amazon’s AWS business. As that matures, we expect it will need to increase the sophistication of how it sells to enterprises. And because Dallas is considered the original home of outsourcing enterprise IT services in North America, Amazon could find a lot of sales, marketing, and other talent in the area that wouldn’t be as common in the other cities.

New York City is by far the largest labor market, and Amazon could attract a lot of talent. If the company is trying to really increase its advertising business, the Big Apple would be a good choice. And because of the city’s diversity, Amazon wouldn’t be too limited in any one direction.

Washington, D.C. has a fairly large labor pool with a lot of high tech, much of it government-oriented, which may be both a pro and a con, depending upon Amazon’s mission. It’s well connected internationally, and is a fairly interesting place to try to establish a large corporate.

To learn more about our take on the viability of Amazon’s HQ2 strategy, please read our viewpoint, and listen to a discussion I recently had Ryan Takeo, host of KING-TV’s The Sound Podcast, called, “Talent, not incentives, most important in HQ2 search.”

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