Leading in the New Reality The world has changed forever. Competitive advantage awaits business leaders who act quickly in this new reality. Are you ready for the challenge? By focusing on three critical areas—climate and sustainability, digital transformation, and resilience—companies can thrive today and in the future. Here’s how. Even once the pandemic is behind us, businesses won’t be able to return to business as usual. The rapid acceleration of new ways of working and technology is widening the gap between winning and losing organizations; those unable to adapt to the new reality will be left behind. The task for leaders is to navigate the complexities of this current environment while preparing for the future. They’ll have to pivot quickly and refocus their attention to solve critical challenges in the years ahead, taking bold action to build organizations that are able to withstand the tests of time. BCG has the experience and insights to help. THE FOUNDATION FOR A POSTCRISIS AGENDA Climate & Sustainability Businesses are at a defining moment to act on sustainability. Those that act decisively have the opportunity to create sustainable competitive advantage for the long term. Thanks to the scale and speed at which they operate, businesses are also uniquely positioned to address climate change and many of the other serious challenges facing our world. We have the expertise to help companies step up their commitments, reduce their emissions, and partner across the public, private, and social sectors to generate sustainable impact. Value Creation in a Decarbonizing Economy Exactly how the world will reach net zero is unknown, but at a macro level the science and economics define a pretty clear path. Given the magnitude of value at stake during the transition, many leaders are concluding that inaction may be the riskiest strategy of all. Building a Climate-Resilient, Low-Carbon, Job-Rich Africa Climate change poses a significant threat to the continent. But as global decarbonization efforts intensify, Africa could emerge as a green powerhouse. Use AI to Measure Emissions—Exhaustively, Accurately, and Frequently According to our new global survey, 85% of organizations are concerned about reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, and 96% have set targets for reducing emissions in at least one scope. (See “Our Methodology.”) Yet only 11% have cut their emissions in line with their ambitions over the past five years. For Consumer Companies, It Will Take Collective Action to Fight Deforestation Companies are accelerating efforts to ensure their products do not contribute to global forest loss. But individual company action, while necessary, is not enough. LEARN ABOUT BCG'S EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH COP26 MEET SOME OF OUR CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABILITY EXPERTS Resilience BCG research suggests that the gap between winners and losers increases during a crisis—and that performance in times of turmoil has far-reaching consequences. But resilience isn’t just about weathering the storm. It’s about being ready for whatever comes next, finding ways to minimize disruption and adapt quickly to change. To win in the new reality, businesses will have to reflect on what they learned during the pandemic and integrate those lessons into their operating models and ways of working. How Resilient Businesses Created Advantage in Adversity During COVID These seven companies outperformed their industries during the pandemic—and in the process, they showed how businesses can turn crises into opportunities for growth. Lessons in Resilience from Companies That Were Down but Never Out Some struggling organizations had transformations underway when the pandemic hit. Instead of scaling back their aspirations, they redoubled their efforts and emerged from the crisis far stronger. The Social Economics of Work and Productivity The pandemic unleashed a global experiment in productivity and performance. Just as public health officials have much to learn from the crisis, so too do corporate executives. Real-World Supply Chain Resilience After the COVID-19 crisis forced leaders to shift their attention to navigating critical short-term issues, many are now refocusing on the longer-term agenda for their businesses. Here are five key imperatives for succeeding in the remainder of this decade. Becoming Resilient In this video series, BCG experts explain how successful organizations build resilience in order to rebound from adversity, respond to change, and reimagine businesses that will flourish in new circumstances. Episode Eleven: Transformation Beyond Technology By Tom Reichert A manufacturing company’s successful digital transformation required leaders to reshape systems and structures so their teams could adapt more quickly to change. Episode One: The Upside in a Downturn By Martin Reeves Featuring Martin Reeves The best time to leapfrog past competitors is during a crisis. Resilient companies outperform laggards in their industry by 50% to 100%. Episode Two: Designed for Adversity By Martin Reeves Featuring Martin Reeves, Ashley Grice Like the internet, resilient companies are prepared for change and continuity. Episode Three: Rebirth in Times of Crisis By Martin Reeves Featuring Martin Reeves, Ashley Grice Resilient companies learn from crisis and failure and create new sources of growth. Episode Four: Evolving with Diversity By Ashley Grice Featuring Ashley Grice In biology and business alike, diversity drives renewal. MEET SOME OF OUR RESILIENCE EXPERTS Digital Transformation The pandemic has put the power of digital on full display, catapulting the world of work five to ten years into the future. Even as employees start to return to their offices, it’s clear that workplaces won’t ever return to normal. Leading in the new reality requires robust digital capabilities and—in many cases—a comprehensive transformation that can support these new ways of working. Is Your Company Gaining Momentum in Data? Data is increasingly valuable, yet some organizations lack the capabilities to capitalize on it. A key first step is setting realistic ambitions to improve data maturity. From Relationship Manager to Client Whisperer in Commercial Banking The role of the relationship manager is changing. RMs are harnessing the power of data and advanced analytics to attract more new business and deliver more value to clients. The Fast Track to Digital Marketing Maturity In this series—which began with the original 2014 Decoding report—BCG and The Network document the ongoing evolution of work and highlight how workplaces will have to change in the future. The Hidden Cultural Benefits of AI A new study by GAMMA, BHI, and MIT-SMR suggests a counterintuitive key to morale and organizational effectiveness: robots. LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION CAPABILITIES MEET SOME OF OUR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION EXPERTS EXPLORE OUR LATEST INSIGHTS CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABILITY DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FOLLOW US Belgium | EN © 2021 Boston Consulting Group Careers Contact Subscribe Alumni About Offices Privacy Policy Terms of Use Sitemap Boston Consulting Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity / expression, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state or local law, where applicable, and those with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with applicable state and local laws. Leading in the New Reality LOG IN