C-Suite Perspectives

In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Barbara Mendes-Jorge, Sustainability Communications Expert
and guest host, speaks with Manali Paranjpe, Program Director of the Governance & Sustainability
Center at The Conference Board Europe, about how sustainability is being integrated into European
businesses' corporate strategy.
They explore a range of insights from C-suite leaders, including on recent ESG regulatory changes, 
resilience as a growth strategy, how the role of CSIO has evolved, and what these developments
mean for the future of sustainable business in Europe.
More from The Conference Board:
Europe 2026: Competitiveness, Clean Industrial Policy, and Institutional Reform
EU Regulatory Outlook: The Way Ahead for 2026
Corporate Governance in an Era of Sustained Disruption
EU ESG Regulatory Outlook Q3–Q4 2025: Navigating Simplification

Consumer confidence has ticked up slightly from March but remains low, and the global economic outlook has been downgraded for a second time. 

 

The growing impact of tariffs, inflation and ongoing war is extending to consumers' expectations for their incomes, job prospects and overall confidence in the economy. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® edged up by 0.6 points to 92.8 (1985=100) in April, from 92.2 in March's upwardly revised reading. 

 

The Present Situation Index — based on consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions — retreated, while the Expectations Index — based on consumers' short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions — rose.  

 

Join Dana M Peterson and Erik Lundh, to find out what to make of the latest consumer confidence results and what's next for the global economy. 

 

For more from The Conference Board: 

US Consumer Confidence 


Forecast for the US Economy 


Global Economic Outlook

In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Steve Odland, President and CEO of The Conference Board, speaks with Gillian Riley, President of The Conference Board of Canada*, about what business leaders need to know when operating in and with Canada. 

They discuss how CEOs are navigating heightened volatility, evolving US-Canada trade tensions, and a shifting economic landscape. The conversation explores Canada's resilience; the need for trade diversification; and the country's opportunities in energy, AI, and global finance. They also examine talent challenges, productivity gaps, and how leaders can build organizational resilience in an increasingly uncertain environment. 

More from The Conference Board:  

The Conference Board of Canada 


Global Economic Outlook 


*The Conference Board of Canada and Signal49 Research are separate, unaffiliated entities.

What does the ongoing conflict in the Middle East mean for European markets? Join Sara Murray and Alejandro Fiorito as they unpack the latest developments and economic implications.

In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Diana Scott, leader of the Human Capital Center at The Conference Board, is joined by Robin Erickson, head of human capital research, and Matt Maloof, human capital researcher, to discuss insights from The Reimagined Workplace 2026: Adopting AI Today, Poised for Tomorrow. 

 

They explore how organizations are assessing and accelerating AI maturity, why most remain in early stages of adoption, and what it takes to build AI fluency across the workforce. The conversation also examines the evolving balance between hybrid and onsite work; the growing importance of flexibility in total rewards; and how leaders can address talent, retention, and well-being challenges while reimagining the workplace. 

 

More from The Conference Board:  

The Reimagined Workplace 2026: Adopting AI Today, Poised for Tomorrow 


CHROs Navigating Uncertainty to Drive Growth 


Enhancing Employee Engagement: 5 Often-Forgotten Fundamentals 


Off-Site, Out of Mind? Overcoming the Downsides of Hybrid Work