As War in Ukraine Intensifies, Access Insights from The Conference Board on the Economy and Business
New York – As the war in Ukraine intensifies, insights from The Conference Board shed light on what the latest developments mean for the state and trajectory of the economy and business environment. Media can access the daily commentary and analysis here.
In addition, thought leaders of The Conference Board are available for comment. See below for a selection of the latest thought leadership:
The Economy
Absent expansion into a broader conflict, The Conference Board does not anticipate the war in Ukraine will cast the global economy back into recession. However, as our economists detail in a new publication, there likely will be significant drag on global GDP growth this year and possibly next, and serious increases in inflation for businesses and consumers.
To what extent will the war in Ukraine increase inflation in Europe? When will oil and gas prices peak, and how high could prices go? In this podcast, ESF Center economists Ilaria Maselli, Klaas de Vries, and Hiba Itani unpack the implications of the war for the state and trajectory of Europe’s economy.
Just before the invasion of Ukraine, Euro-area manufacturers were starting to see the end of pandemic-related disruptions. However, as detailed by Klaas de Vries, Economist at the ESF Center, it is now likely that the crisis in Ukraine will lead to a new peak length in delivery times—consequences of the logistics crisis that’s about to unfold in Europe.
Public Policy
As detailed in a policy brief by the Committee for Economic Development, the public policy center of The Conference Board (CED), while cutting off Russia’s energy sector might seem an obvious next step on the sanction escalation ladder, the challenge is calibrating a sanctions policy that economically hurts Russia more than the West.
On February 27, the Russian President ordered to put nuclear forces in a “special regime of combat duty” in response to what he called “aggressive statements” by leading NATO powers. This nuclear escalation, while dangerous and very destabilizing, does provide several important opportunities for the US Administration in this crisis, as detailed in a Policy Brief.
Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG)
An unprecedented wave of companies is cutting ties with Russia. In this essay, the ESG Center’s Executive Director Paul Washington and Researcher Merel Spierings offer guidance on how to make “exit” decisions now and to prepare for similar crises in the future.
European political leaders are scrambling to find ways to cripple the power and finances of the Russian government. Energy has become a critical part of the equation. A new analysis by Anuj Saush, Leader of the Governance and Sustainability Center, and Catherine Early, Research Fellow, details the implications of this crisis for energy security in Europe.
How can existing corporate citizenship playbooks for addressing natural disasters and domestic political issues help during an international geopolitical crisis? In the second of a two-part series, Jeff Hoffman, Corporate Citizenship Institute Leader at the ESG Center, and Paul Washington, Executive Director at the ESG Center, outline five key insights.
Human Capital
Ukraine’s President stepped into the spotlight on the largest stage imaginable and delivered the performance of a lifetime. As detailed by Rebecca Ray, Executive Vice President of Human Capital, the President gives us a rare, virtual, “front-row seat” into leadership behaviors when the stakes could hardly be higher.
Just as Asia seemed to be getting back on its feet after being ravaged by COVID-19, the world has plunged into yet another global crisis. Sandhya Karpe, Human Capital Center Leader for Asia, outlines several urgent actions that companies across the region must focus on.
What steps are companies taking to help their employees leave Ukraine? How are they offering financial and logistical support and providing otheraccommodations? In this podcast Anne Stevens, Council Director for our Global CHRO, HR Executives, and Global Business Women Leaders Councils, shares what CHROs from leading multinational organizations are doing to support affected employees.
Marketing & Communications
Any action—or inaction— a company takes on the current Russia-Ukraine crisis can impact corporate reputation, emphasizes Denise Dahlhoff, Senior Researcher at the Marketing & Communications Center. How do consumers generally respond to these forms of corporate activism? And what should companies consider when making decisions like these, with long-term implications for their corporate reputation?
