The COVID-19 (novel Coronavirus) pandemic continues to pose serious challenges to health systems, governments and the population at large. Staying on top of the latest news and information is critical. With that in mind, we will continue to provide regular updates via this blog and our COVID-19 Response Team. Global Numbers: 12m million cases, 545,777
Did Russia place a bounty on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan? Did the Trump administration know and, if so, what did they know and when? This is the story that is currently sending the White House, all of Washington, the Pentagon and the media into a tailspin. The allegations could not be more damaging. As the
As New York City celebrates 50 years of Pride parades, TBG joins the #LGBTIQ community in celebrating #PrideMonth. Love is love. While the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted most parades, many are finding ways to participate and celebrate anyway. So,we want to wish Happy Pride to everyone. Here are some good articles: New York City Celebrates
The COVID-19 crisis is worsening in the U.S. with infections rising in at least 21 states — and six states hitting record infections just yesterday. A total of 2.3 million Americans have now been infected while more than 122,000 have died. The situation could not be more grim. As noted here, there “were 38,672 positive
Carbon capture is not exactly a new technology but some innovative companies are redefining it and creating a new field — Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS). One particular company leading the way is Cemvita, which calls itself a company “developing economical carbon-negative solutions for a sustainable future.” Cemvita partners with “[its] clients using the
As a Black-owned firm, we take special pride in celebrating #Juneteenth. We stand with all #Americans of every race, ethnicity, orientation and gender in the fight for racial, economic and social justice. Click below for some curated articles/pieces and links from leading African-American writers and journalists, organizations and institutions. List of Juneteenth celebrations: https://www.juneteenth.com/worldwide.htm Ebony
DACA has been reaffirmed by the Supreme Court. In a landmark decision, the Dreamers won a monumental decision. NYT excerpt below: “The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Trump administration may not immediately proceed with its plan to end a program protecting about 700,000 young immigrants known as Dreamers from deportation, dealing a surprising setback to one of President
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has presented a Sustainable Recovery Plan (2021-2023) focusing on a series of “once in a lifetime” actions that can be “taken over the next three years to revitalize economies and boost employment while making energy systems cleaner and more resilient”. The Plan is positioned to achieve a range of significant
As of right now, 21 U.S. states are experiencing a spike in infections. So, is the U.S. experiencing a second wave? No. Despite the Trump administration’s posturing, the U.S. is actually still deep in the throes of the first wave. NPR notes the following: “Just weeks after parts of the U.S. began reopening, coronavirus infections
As an African-American-owned firm, The Bassiouni Group unequivocally condemns racism (in all its forms), human rights violations, police brutality and the senseless murders of George Floyd and countless African-Americans. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the protesters who are fighting for racial, social and economic justice. It is time to fully acknowledge the deep wound of systemic
New York state is now in the middle of a phased reopening and New York City is close to reopening…but what is going to drive the economic recovery once COVID-19 subsides? Is it “business as usual” or something better? Can NYC unlock trillions of dollars and thousands of new jobs via the Sustainability Economy? Why
The Volkswagen racism debacle is not the first and it probably won’t be the last. Corporate racism is an insidious and systemic problem. In the last few years, we’ve seen a number of companies tripping up in the same way – H&M had the infamous “monkey hoodie” scandal. We had the Gucci and Adidas scandals and
Contact Tracing is a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19 and Paterson, a low-income city of 150K has quickly emerged as a pioneer. As this New York Times article points out, Paterson is setting the gold standard. Key excerpts below: “States and cities around the country have begun with varying degrees of success to
The climate is cleaner and greener these days. So, is the environment making a comeback? From Delhi to Beijing, the COVID-19 lockdown has resulted in cleaner skies as emissions drop to record low levels. But will it last once COVID-19 subsides and human/industrial activity ticks back up? The answer is a little complicated. Let’s consider
COVID-19 was expected to significantly impact African countries. However, as this New Yorker article points out, many African countries are doing a lot better and can provide some key lessons for Western countries that are usually lecturing the African continent. Some key excerpts below: “African governments, unlike their Western counterparts, aren’t relying on common
Businesses must adapt to survive COVID-19. With lockdowns being relaxed and reopening on the agenda, how can you restart and reimagine business after COVID-19? What key functions should you prioritize? How do you rebuild revenue and operations? What does “agile” really mean? Click here to access an excellent (and succinct) post from GZERO Media. Quick
PDF: TBG — COVID-19 Response Team — Overview of Solutions Although some countries (or states/provinces) are now moving to relax lockdown/quarantine measures, COVID-19 (novel Coronavirus) continues to pose serious challenges to health systems, governments and the general population. Given that we are dealing with a pandemic that is still relatively unknown, it is clear that much
In fighting COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the airlines’ new face mask requirement is a step in the right direction. But in order to fully “upgrade”, airlines will have to do a lot more to address hygiene and bacteria concerns. Planes can serve as bacterial/viral “super-carriers” and so airlines will become the key testing and proving ground for
Credit: Photo by Ramon Costa/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images We have been talking to the Infectious Disease Epidemiologists (“Disease Detectives”) on our COVID-19 Response Team about the important of Contact Tracing. So, what exactly is Contact Tracing and why is it so important? Per this article, it’s a tried and tested method of determining who has
Happy Earth Day! Just some useful numbers to keep in mind: 120% — Sustainable brands outperform the market by 120% (Interbrand — Best Global Brands) 12.2 Trillion — Sustainable business models could open economic opportunities worth up to US$12T and increase employment by up to 380 million jobs by 2030. Worth keeping in mind for
Are you able to effectively respond to and manage through the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic? We have mobilized our Crisis/Emergency Management Team to support governments, institutions and corporations with actionable solutions drawn from the frontlines. Get guidance from our leading Epidemiologists and Public Health, Crisis Management, Emergency Response, Humanitarian Response, Evaluation and Data Management experts.
In a matter of weeks, the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has transformed Western democracies. States have shut down businesses and sealed people indoors. With the expected slowdown in the economy and dark clouds of a global recession, governments around the world are scrambling to find a financial cure that would stimulate the economy and midgate the
Although it seems from an entirely different era, it was only last month when we covered the gathering of the world’s leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Unlike in other years, this year’s conference was dedicated mostly to sustainable development and climate change. Indeed, When reading these lines, it is hard to believe
As the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is felt here in New York City and across the globe, The Bassiouni Group (TBG) is taking all necessary measures to ensure that our workplace, people and clients are safeguarded and that we have the strictest protocols in place for business continuity. We have taken the following
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic requires strong and decisive leadership. Governments can learn from the UN’s humanitarian response experiences. In this article, Dr. Bassiouni shares his experiences as a former UN Humanitarian Coordinator, and how the lessons from Somalia, Ethiopia, Israel and other countries can inform the response today. Excerpt below: “The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has
With the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic impacting and transforming lives all over the world, there has never been a more important time for corporations to demonstrate Social Responsibility and Corporate Citizenship through action. With your help (use the #CorporateHeroes hash-tag), we want to start tracking and listing all of the companies that are *proactively* taking measures
Unfortunately, global financial markets are finally catching up to the threat posed by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) as they now act as a litmus paper that shows the risk and uncertainty of rapidly approaching global recession. Interdependence between economies – resulted from interlinked supply chains and tourism – means that the outbreak cannot be considered an
Today marks International Women’s Day 2020. It’s worth noting the following facts about Women’s Leadership and and how “women as leaders and decision-makers at all levels are critical to advancing gender justice and gender equality—and to furthering economic, social, and political progress for all.” When women are meaningfully represented and engaged in leadership bodies—such as legislatures,
Over the weekend, Tesla CEO Elon Musk suggested on Twitter that Tesla’s solar roof technology would be made available worldwide during 2020. After a surge in the company’s electric tiles sales, Musk announced that “the world is ready for the next energy revolution”, referring to the electric vehicles revolution Tesla had initiated almost a decade
Today, on February 20, 2020, we’re excited to launch #TBG2020, a new series that will showcase some of the most dynamic innovators who are solving key challenges around the world – from Kansas to Kenya to Kazakhstan. Throughout 2020, the #TBG2020 series will take you into our world and you will meet the
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced on Monday via instagram that he will commit $10 billion to create the Bezos Earth Fund. This fund will support scientists, activists, and NGOs. Bezos stated that he will begin issuing grants this summer. Bezos said, “Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet. I want to work alongside
With increasing concern about the global climate crisis and unprecedented urbanization, this year’s World Urban Forum theme of “Cities of Opportunities: Connecting Culture and Innovation” was especially apt. Over 540 events occured, with 13,000 participants discussing the importance of using cities in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year’s outcome, the
On Tuesday evening, February 4th, President Trump delivered his third State of the Union address in front of Congress. While noting economic achievements, among them, is the U.S.-China “Phase One” trade deal that had induced a wave of optimism amongst analysts across the political spectrum. However, amid celebrated achievements, the markets delivered a very different
The World Health Organization(WHO) officially declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on January 30th, 2020. The very next day, the U.S. declared a public health emergency over coronavirus and restricted entry into the U.S. from China. Because of the increase of cases, WHO indicated that the coronavirus outbreak could become a
Earlier this month, Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder and CEO, flew to India in an attempt to reignite Amazon’s ambitions for global dominance of e-commerce overseas. During his visit, Bezos announced that the firm would invest $1 billion in digitizing small and medium-sized businesses in India, bringing its total investment in the subcontinent to $6.5 billion.
CSR/Sustainability executives, what is your number one priority in 2020? Check below and let us know what else is on your mind.
How is your CSR/Sustainability program performing? Where are you making progress and where are you falling behind? What are your goals and are they aligned? Are you using the right metrics and reporting standards? Are you fully compliant? What measures do you need to put in place now – at the beginning of the year
This year’s World Economic Forum in Davos placed climate change clearly on the agenda, signaling a shift that businesses are realizing the real consequences for their profits. In fact, the Wall Street Journal described the event as a “climate change conference this year.” At the conference, many climate topics were addressed, such as sustainable development,
We are excited to introduce you to The Bassiouni Group’s Winter/2020 Internship Team: Yunzhen Wang — MPA “21 (International Finance & Economic Policy), Ines Boussebaa — MPA “20 (Sustainable Development, Energy & Environmental Policy), Yuval Bresler — MPA “21 (International Finance & Economic Policy and Management),and Chunyan Qiu — MPA “20 (Environmental Science & Policy).
Wall Street is finally waking up to Sustainability and Sustainable Finance & Investment. So, if you’re still denying science/climate change and living in a cave somewhere, you may want to digest the recent news from BlackRock. The world’s largest money manager is putting Climate Change/Sustainability at the center of its investment strategy with environmental sustainability
It’s no secret that we are big proponents of Emerging and Frontier Markets. While some advisors and investors maintain a myopic focus on North American and European markets, we will continue to promote Emerging Markets (EMs) and Frontier Markets (FMs), which now represent approximately 60% of global GDP (source: IMF/using PPP measures). During the last
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/Sustainability is now a fixture at most companies but that doesn’t mean the path is well-worn or easy to navigate. Most CSR executives are often charting a new course (with little support) and dealing with the day-to-day challenges of implementation, measurement and improvement. Leading the way as a CSR/Sustainability leader requires vision
Did you know that effective CSR can lead to a 4-6% increase in a company’s market value? Implementing an effective CSR/Sustainability program is not just a “nice” thing! Good business is good business! #TBGPurpose #CSRLeaders #TheBassiouniGroup #CSR #CorporateSocialResponsibility #CorporateResponsibility #CorporateCitizenship #Sustainability #SustainableBusiness #Sustainable #Sustainable Development Goals #SDGs #ThursdayThoughts Source: “Project ROI: Defining the Competitive and
Whether you’re a startup, a growing SME/SMB or multinational, you need practical, growth-focused solutions to successfully navigate the global economy. So, CONTACT US NOW for a rapid assessment of your situation and needs. Why choose The Bassiouni Group? We have 500+ experts in over 150+ countries — and they’re proficient in over 100 languages. We combine business/market
Very powerful and moving speeches by Pres. Obama and Pres. Clinton at Chairman Cummings’ funeral today. Pres. Obama said that we “have an obligation (as citizens) to root ourselves in good soil” and noted that “being a strong man includes being kind”. That is a simple and powerful lesson. This sense of strength and compassion
So, you made it through the 3-hour Democratic Debate on Tuesday night. Well done. Have some Gatorade to rehydrate. Our guess is you’re now asking yourself this question: Just why do we use debates as a key indicator when determining “Presidential readiness?” Do we really learn anything, especially when you have 12 candidates on stage
TBG is excited to introduce the Summer 2019 Internship Team. This accomplished group of graduate students will be assisting TBG on our ongoing projects covering Consulting (Business, Institutional, CSR/Sustainability), Investment and Trade and will tackle numerous sectors from Agriculture to Cleantech/Energy to Infrastructure Development.Learn more about our each intern below. George Khoury — Columbia University
The word ‘Artificial Intelligence’ or ‘AI’ has increasingly been a spotlight of the business world since early 2010. According to Statista, global revenues from AI for enterprise applications is projected to grow from $1.6 billion in 2018 to 31.2 billion in 2025. The growth in AI investment is a global trend: The UK announced approximately
In late June, Facebook unveiled its plans for a new blockchain-based currency, Libra. Expected to launch in 2020, Facebook claims that its new digital currency has the unique potential to advance financial inclusion and create economic opportunity for billions of people around the world. So what sets Libra apart from existing cryptocurrencies and
At its inception, venture capital (VC) investing was huge in clean tech, pledging billions of dollars to eventually produce a wave of startups between 2006-2008. However, VC investment in clean technologies plummeted in 2012, after investors took a number of losses from bad bets, as well as dealing with fallouts from the 2008 financial crash.
