Advisors provide a continuous flow of information on the topics covered by each practice, including consultant insights and reports from the front lines, analyses of trends, and breaking new ideas. Advisors are delivered directly to your email inbox, and are also available in the resource library.

How Leader Character Impacts ESG Strategy

Oana Branzei, Dusya Vera, Kimberley Young Milani
Through a recent executive leadership roundtable, we learned that top leaders tend to construct their ESG strategies through three lenses (or frames): Games (with referees and rules), Positions (with some being deciders and some doers), or Capitals (with money overpowering other capitals). In short, as this Advisor explains, ESG strategies are neither given nor static. Rather, they evolve depending on the character dimensions of the leaders who envision and enact them.

SUMP: A Methodology for Sustainable Urban Development

Andrea Lorenzini
This Advisor explores the European Commission SUMP, a consolidated methodology to help local and regional authorities improve accessibility of urban areas by providing high-quality, sustainable transport to, through, and within the urban area. Essentially, it contains actionable guidelines for comprehensive and sustainable urban mobility planning.

Improving Tech Security with LLMs

Michael Papadopoulos, Nicholas Johnson, Michael Eiden, Philippe Monnot, Foivos Christoulakis, Greg Smith
With careful design and effective oversight, large language models (LLMs) can be an ally rather than a liability in securing organizations against modern technological threats. This Advisor looks at specific ways responsible LLM adoption can improve security.

Social Intelligence & High-Performance Team Leadership

James Rychard
Building a high-performance team takes significant effort, and it doesn't occur until all members of the team are working together like a well-oiled machine. In this Advisor, we explore a key ingredient of high-performance teams: leaders who display social intelligence when leading and putting the team together.

The Problem with Plastic: AI, Computer Vision & Robotics in Plastic Recycling

Curt Hall
In this Advisor, Cutter Expert Curt Hall examines how AI, computer vision, and robotics are being implemented to optimize the plastic recycling process.

CEO Insights 2024: AI Use on the Rise, But Challenges Remain

Francesco Marsella, Petter Kilefors, Maximilian Scherr, Ralf Baron, Satya Easwaran
In this Advisor, we explore a key trend uncovered by ADL’s 2024 CEO Insights study: AI use, particularly for efficiency and effectiveness, is on the rise; however, many leaders are still on a transformation path to fully understand its impact and integrate it across their organizations.

Making AI Work for Your Organization

Myles Suer
In this Advisor, Myles Suer offers nine pieces of advice gleaned from a forthcoming book on AI-savvy leadership. Effective leaders can use this advice to propel AI in their organizations and gain real business value.

Mobility as a Service: Current State & New Trends

François Joseph Van Audenhove, Hans Arby
This Advisor presents the current status of mobility as a service (MaaS) and explores some interesting new mobility models.

Leveraging Technology for Better Circular Economy Investments

Tien Shih Hsieh, Zhihong Wang
Investing in the circular economy involves financial support of businesses and projects that embrace sustainable practices. Unfortunately, a lack of data availability and poor data quality make it difficult for investors to choose where to invest and evaluate the performance of their investments. This Advisor explores new sources of data and emerging technology that can be deployed to offer a more comprehensive understanding of circular investments and performance.

Creating Inclusive Environments

Tiffany Maldonado
Stakeholders are demanding more than just financial results from organizations. They’re increasing the pressure on CEOs to encourage strong ethical behaviors in their organizations, address social problems, and take a stance on current events. The worldwide increase of social injustice, both inside and outside organizations, demands that CEOs establish cultures and processes that are inclusive of all people.

Sustainable, Intelligent & Connected: Electric Tractors for Precision Agriculture

Curt Hall
As we explore in this Advisor, electric tractors offer both environmental and economic benefits and can play a significant role in sustainable agriculture efforts. In addition to pollution-reducing EV technology, these quiet, no-exhaust tractors use AI, robotics, and the IoT to enable autonomous operations and support precision agriculture.

Are You Investing in the Right Banking Technology?

Ignacio Garcia Alves, Philippe De Backer, Juan Gonzalez
Effective adoption of next-generation banking technology is the road to greater customer engagement; faster product development; better operational management; and improved compliance, efficiency, and growth. It will also enrich the customer experience through stellar, hyper-personalized service.

CEO Insights 2024: Cautious Strategies & Increased Investment in Growth

Francesco Marsella, Petter Kilefors, Maximilian Scherr, Ralf Baron, Satya Easwaran
In this Advisor, we explore two trends uncovered by ADL’s 2024 “CEO Insights” study: CEOs plan to continue existing growth strategies and are increasing their growth investments.

Communicating Circular Performance & Progress

Subhasis Ray, Ritesh Kumar Dubey
The buzz around the circular economy is not new, but the pandemic and climate change have led to more serious discussions and activities for large companies like Apple, Nike, and Unilever. This Advisor explores how these companies and others are supporting circularity and communicating their progress.

AI in Space: Applications & Risks

Sylvester Kaczmarek
AI is increasingly being used for tasks in space like satellite repair, spacecraft maintenance, planetary-surface exploration, and data processing. However, there is a risk of system compromise, either through cyberattacks or internal failures. This Advisor explores AI-driven space systems and ways to mitigate the risks associated with them.

How Boards Can Develop Effective Climate Agendas

Cynthia Clark
In this Advisor, Cynthia E. Clarke delves into climate strategies for boards of directors, including avoiding greenwashing, staying up to speed on potential regulatory changes, reporting on the risks of transitioning to net zero, and having a dedicated team accountable for ESG reporting to ensure information accuracy.

Decarbonizing Urban Transportation Systems

Ani Melkonyan Gottschalk, Maximilian Palmié
This Advisor explores the relationship between urban density and transport-related energy consumption and offers strategies for decarbonizing urban transportation systems.

GenAI: A Double-Edged Sword for Cybersecurity & Data Protection

Curt Hall
GenAI appears to be lowering the barrier to entry for developing sophisticated cyberattacks and scams. However, the technology also offers solutions to help meet the threats imposed by hackers, cybercriminals, and state actors. This Advisor examines the evolving GenAI threat and solution landscape.

Activating Transcendence & Drive to Lead DEI Efforts

Natacha Prudent, Mary Crossan
DEI has evolved from “nice to have” to a mission-critical component ensuring an organization’s progress and competitiveness in the global market. The questions in this Advisor serve as a guide to activate transcendence and drive, which are important character traits for leading DEI efforts.

CEO Insights 2024: ESG Is Now “Business as Usual” & Approaches Have Matured

Francesco Marsella, Petter Kilefors, Maximilian Scherr, Ralf Baron, Satya Easwaran
In this Advisor, we explore a key trend revealed through ADL's CEO Insights research analysis: while a shift has occurred in ESG priorities, approaches to it have matured, and most leaders still see its importance.

FSC’s Blockchain-Based Supply Chain: Lessons Learned & Future Features

Michael Marus, Curt Hall
Cutter Expert Curt Hall recently spoke with Michael Marus, CIO of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC has been testing and applying blockchain since 2021 to enable sustainability with forest-based materials and has found that blockchain’s traceability helps it achieve integrity and credibility for its certification system. This Advisor presents an excerpt from that interview.

CEO Insights 2024: Leaders Optimistic About the Future, Predict Positive Growth

Francesco Marsella, Petter Kilefors, Maximilian Scherr, Ralf Baron, Satya Easwaran
In this Advisor, we explore findings from ADL’s 2024 “CEO Insights” study, including the first trend uncovered by research: CEOs are positive about the medium-term economic outlook and confident about future company growth.

Is Your Company Ready to Embark on a Nature Positive Journey?

Margaret O'Gorman
In this Advisor, Margaret O’Gorman offers some initial steps leaders can take to help their companies start a nature positive journey: raise awareness in the organization, explore the organization’s relationship to nature, assess for impacts, and plan interventions.

Digital Experience Management Rising: Practice, Issues & Platforms

Curt Hall
This Advisor explores the rise of digital experience management (DXM). When implemented successfully, DXM can facilitate better engagement with existing customers, assist in acquiring new customers, and help differentiate a brand from its competition.

What Is Character & Why Does It Matter in Leadership?

Kimberley Young Milani
This Advisor delineates how character is defined and positioned within a leadership context. Based on extensive research conducted by the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership, character can be understood through two foundational frameworks: the Effective Leader framework and the Ivey Leader Character Framework (ILCF).