Industry news

The excitement around generative AI continues to struggle to manifest genuine gains for businesses, according to a new report from Capgemini. While almost two-thirds of organisations have piloted initiatives with the technology, three-quarters say that large-scale deployment across their operations would be very difficult.

The importance of generative AI has risen steadily on the corporate agenda, over the last 18 months. The hype around GenAI, and its purported potential to reduce costs and boost efficiency and output has led to its fast-tracked adoption by businesses across the industrial spectrum – with one poll in mid-2024 suggesting 62% of respondents thought it would be crucial in the coming three years. Meanwhile, 57% said they were at least exploring use cases, and 58% were already piloting initiatives involving the technology.

Read the full article on Consultancy.uk here.

Embracing responsible sourcing is known to unlock new growth opportunities for businesses.

Climate change, circular economies, ESG and sustainability have all become business priorities over the past few years, with global supply chains sitting right in the middle of these issues – both as a major contributor to the problem and as an area of focus for improvements. Businesses must, therefore, purchase materials and products from companies that can show that they have good sustainability practices, from both a labour and manufacturing point of view.

Read the full article on Sustainability Magazine here.

Sustainability often starts in the supply chain. Without an effective sustainability program within the sourcing and procurement and supply chain functions, the rest of the environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) footprint can quickly disintegrate.

Why it matters: To maintain competitiveness, organizations must build a diversified and resilient supply base that embeds sustainability into business operations. A key element of sustainable operations is sustainable sourcing.

Read the full article on Protiviti here.

In recent years, TCS has become one of the leading providers of IT Services to the UK retail sector developing an impressive roster of clients that includes the likes of Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, ASDA, Kingfisher, M&S, and Co-op. TCS has worked with fashion retailer Primark since 2016, having helped the company improve the reliability of its IT systems, notably around cybersecurity. TCS has now announced an expansion of this relationship with a new five-year deal to transform the retailer’s IT systems to help accelerate new store openings. Specifically, the IT services provider will look to drive standardisation and consistency within Primark’s IT estate with a “product-based operating model powered by intelligent automation and DevOps”.

Read the full article on TechMarketView here.

Teleperformance, a global leader in digital business services, announced today significant changes to its governance in order to accelerate its growth and foster innovation.

Its Board of Directors has decided to adopt a new structure to meet these three main objectives:

• integrate best governance practices by differentiating the powers of the Board of Directors from those of management;
• strengthen the DNA of the Teleperformance Group, in particular as it relates to entrepreneurship and its business development culture;
• strengthen top management and implement a succession plan managed by an Ad Hoc Committee.

Read the full article on Morning Star here.

Klarna, the prominent "buy now, pay later" fintech company, plans to significantly reduce its workforce as it continues to invest in the AI technology.

The firm, which is based in Sweden and has already shed over 1,000 jobs in the past year, aims to brings its employee count to as few as 2,000 in the coming years to streamline operations and prepare for a potential stock market listing.

In an interview with the Financial Times, CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski revealed that AI has played a crucial role in driving efficiency and reducing costs, enabling Klarna to achieve substantial savings by replacing human workers with AI-powered solutions.

Retailers could reduce their Scope 3 emissions by 15% by 2030 using existing technologies, or achieve up to a 50% reduction with new technologies, according to a recent report from McKinsey & Company.

Scope 3 emissions are the indirect emissions generated throughout a company’s value chain, covering activities from sourcing and manufacturing to transportation and beyond.

Unlike Scope 1 and 2 emissions, which are directly controlled by businesses and usually account for only about 5% of total emissions, Scope 3 emissions represent the vast majority of a retailer’s carbon footprint.

Read the full article on Procurement Magazine here.

A 14-month deal with the Cabinet Office will see KPMG manage learning and development services across the UK’s civil service, including overseeing courses on policymaking, communications and career development. It has been reported that the Big Four firm will “manage the catalogue of products and services” outlined in the deal. It will not directly supply training for accredited qualifications – those services will instead be delivered by universities, business schools and specialist providers.

Read the full article on Consultancy.uk here. 

As the search continues for AI’s best use cases, a new report has suggested it could prove highly effective in the world of procurement. According to the report, generative AI in particular could have a key impact on strategic procurement functions.

With the world still in the grips of multiple supply chain crises, the role of technology has long been touted as a lifeline for the procurement function. Over the past 12 months, companies have turned to AI to automate processes, create content, and uncover new insights. But in the world of procurement, this can mean predicting disruptions long before humans can spot them or optimising inventory to meet fluctuating demand.

Read the full article of  Consultancy.uk here.

The fast pace of digital, people, political and economic change means leadership teams must respond quickly and positively to new challenges and opportunities. Eman Al-Hillawi, CEO of business change consultancy, Entec Si, explains what agile leadership looks like, and how leaders can encourage their staff to follow suit.

Embracing change is the main principle of agile leadership. Leaders across sectors constantly face unpredictable situations and known unknowns when faced with new opportunities or breaking new ground.

Read the full article on Consultancy.uk here.