Take on Tomorrow

No one is untouched by the effects of climate change. That includes businesses of all sizes, which face the mounting risks of nature loss and a warming planet. But these challenges can also reveal opportunities. The transformation, and sometimes complete reinvention, of how a business functions could be just what’s needed to spark the new ways of thinking that will lead to green growth.       To tackle these issues—and launch Series 3 of Take on Tomorrow—we’ve recorded an episode live, on the ground, at Climate Week NYC.      Host Lizzie O’Leary talks with Helen Clarkson, CEO of Climate Group, and Renate de Lange, PwC’s Global Sustainability Markets Leader, to hear how—despite the risks climate change presents—there’s still a huge opportunity to build greener, more successful, and more sustainable businesses that can thrive through the decades ahead.     Take on Tomorrow is brought to you by strategy+business, a PwC publication © 2024 PwC.  

Take on Tomorrow, the award-winning podcast from PwC’s management publication, strategy and business, returns on Friday 27 September for Series 3. Join hosts Lizzie O’Leary and Femi Oke and hear some of the brightest minds and boldest thinkers on how they’re tackling the greatest challenges facing the world. Follow Take on Tomorrow so you don’t miss an episode. 

Delving into the urgent need for businesses to strengthen their supply chains amidst geopolitical, environmental, and technological shifts. Discussing the challenges faced by global supply chains and the importance of resilience, technology integration, and collaboration. Exploring the evolution towards diversified sourcing strategies, technology-driven operations, and risk mitigation. Highlighting the trend towards localized and flexible supply chains, along with strategies for companies to embrace future opportunities and drive growth.

If cybercrime were a country, it would be the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China, according to the World Economic Forum. In the face of such a substantial and pervasive global challenge, generative AI is emerging as a tool to level the playing field—offering sophisticated capabilities for both cyberattackers and defenders. In this episode of Take on Tomorrow, Sarah Armstrong-Smith, Microsoft’s Chief Security Advisor in EMEA, is joined by Sean Joyce, PwC’s Global Cybersecurity and Privacy Leader. Together, they spotlight how organizations can leverage GenAI for cyber defense, where policymakers fit in, and what opportunities exist for companies that get cyber resilience right. 

Discussions include the need for sustainable cities to meet the needs of growing populations, the use of satellite data to measure environmental sustainability, the concept of smart cities, challenges and opportunities in Middle East urbanization, and the importance of justice, inclusion, and sustainability in smart cities.

CEOs' anxiety about the long-term viability of their business models, the impact of generative AI and climate change, strategies for keeping organizations future-ready, and PwC's top priorities for being 'reinvention ready'

Recorded at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum—an event convening leaders from government, business, and civil society to address the state of the world—this episode looks at the escalating global demand for energy and its impact on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Special guest host Sarah von Fischer from PwC sits down with Rob Turner, Energy Transition Partner for PwC UK, and Ramya Krishnaswamy, Head of Institutional Communities and ESG Initiatives at the World Economic Forum, to discuss the importance of demand-side management to a sustainable future—plus a set of possible business actions that together have the potential to cut global energy demand by more than 30% while saving US$2 trillion per year in the process.

The podcast explores how generative AI will transform the workforce. It discusses the potential impacts of AI on different sectors, such as boardrooms and the job market. The analogy between AI and the domestication of electricity is discussed, highlighting the transformative potential. The timeline for AI adoption and the importance of responsible implementation are also emphasized. The hosts reflect on the rapid deployment of AI tools and preview upcoming episodes.

Take on Tomorrow is on the move again—recording live in Dubai at COP28 to discuss a core theme at the annual climate change conference: climate technology. Host Lizzie O’Leary sits down with Dr. Yahya Anouti, PwC Middle East’s Sustainability Leader, and Patricia Keating, part of the ventures practice with PwC Middle East, to survey the landscape of climate change solutions and examine the role played by technology—and investment in that technology. Together, the trio spotlights today’s most impactful tools in the fight against climate change, the expansive horizon for innovation, and strategies to rejuvenate climate tech investment, which has plummeted by more than 40%, year-over-year. 

As the world grapples with the realities of climate change, a significant gap has emerged between recognizing necessary actions and implementing them effectively. So what factors are impeding progress—and is there still a way to increase the speed and scale of change? In this episode, hosts Lizzie and Ayesha are joined by Christiana Figueres, chief negotiator of the 2015 Paris Agreement, and Emma Cox, PwC’s Global Climate Leader, to discuss the role of leadership in accelerating the shift from understanding to action, the impact of emerging technologies, and the advantages for businesses that integrate climate mitigation and adaptation into their strategies.