The COVID-19 pandemic fractured the global economy in ways that no single generation had experienced. When the initial shock faded and restrictions began to ease, there was hope that “recovery” would be a simple, uniform return to growth—a V-shaped bounce, as some optimists called it. It did not turn out that way. By now, we […]
The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered its pilot phase in October 2023, marking a transformative shift in the bloc’s climate and trade policy. Designed to complement the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), CBAM aims to prevent carbon leakage by requiring importers of certain carbon-intensive goods to report embedded greenhouse gas emissions and, ultimately, […]
Innovation is often hailed as the engine of economic growth. Yet, turning that slogan into actionable policy or strategic investment decisions demands something more than rhetoric—it requires measurement. One of the most powerful tools for benchmarking innovation is the patent system, where the output of research and development is documented, codified, and (with luck) protected. […]
The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.204-7012 rule, effective since January 2021, represents a critical pillar of the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) efforts to secure its supply chain against cybersecurity threats. This regulation mandates that all DoD contractors and subcontractors implement controls specified in NIST Special Publication 800-171 to protect Controlled Unclassified Information […]
The explosion of interest in green finance is not just a passing phase. Capital is flowing into sustainable projects at a scale that would have seemed fanciful even five years ago. Governments and investors alike are demanding evidence that their money is not merely labeled “green,” but actually lands in activities with verifiable environmental impact. […]
The 2023 amendments to the EU Machinery Regulation (Regulation 2006/42/EC) mark a significant step toward enhancing transparency and accountability in the industrial equipment sector. These updates, adopted to reflect technological advancements and evolving safety priorities, focus on improving traceability for high-risk industrial machines. Manufacturers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) that place such machinery on the […]
Artificial intelligence has rapidly transitioned from theoretical promise to practical tool, quietly infiltrating business processes across sectors. Yet for all the attention, quantifying the true extent of AI integration in the real economy remains a challenge. This is partly a measurement problem. While surveys proliferate, most lack the granularity to distinguish between sectors where AI […]
The 2022 update to the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s Conflict Minerals Rule brought much-needed clarity to the definitions of “necessary to functionality” and “necessary to production,” terms that have long caused uncertainty for electronics manufacturers and other downstream companies. These clarifications, effective January 2022, directly impact how firms determine whether tin, tantalum, tungsten, and […]
India’s new labour codes, effective January 2024, mark a transformative moment for farm sector transparency by extending formal labor protections to millions of migrant agricultural workers. The consolidation of existing labor laws into four comprehensive codes—the Code on Wages, the Industrial Relations Code, the Social Security Code, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions […]
The electric vehicle (EV) revolution has transformed supply chains in ways that challenge even seasoned industry analysts. Behind the headlines—surging EV sales, gigafactories rising from the ground, government incentives—lies a complex web of industrial activity, spanning continents and industries. For economists and policymakers, making sense of this landscape requires more than narrative. It demands structure. […]
Canada’s Bill C-13, known as the Child Labour Denial Amendment, took effect in February 2023 and represents a critical step in the nation’s efforts to eliminate child labor from imported supply chains. The legislation prohibits the importation of goods that are mined, manufactured, or produced wholly or in part by child labor. With increasing scrutiny […]
The 2024 updates to the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), originally adopted in 2018, mark a significant tightening of sustainability obligations for businesses across the European Union. With the revised directive now enforcing higher recycled content targets for packaging, manufacturers, brand owners, and importers must enhance the transparency, traceability, and reporting of their […]
Tracking the true growth of e-commerce has become a kind of statistical puzzle in recent years. On the one hand, the sheer pace of digital transformation is obvious—anecdotes abound, headlines proclaim record-breaking sales, and there’s a general sense that online retail is outpacing every other form of commerce. But policymakers, economists, and anyone charged with […]
The US CHIPS and Science Act, signed into law in August 2022, represents a landmark initiative to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing while enhancing the security and transparency of chip supply chains. As global tensions and supply disruptions have highlighted the vulnerabilities in critical technology sectors, the CHIPS Act provides substantial federal incentives to encourage the […]
Germany’s Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz, or LkSG), effective since January 2023, marked a significant shift in corporate responsibility, requiring large firms to monitor and address human rights and environmental risks across their global supply chains. Now, two years into enforcement, clear lessons have emerged for the automotive and textile sectors—the industries most directly […]
The US Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which came into effect on January 1, 2024, represents a landmark step in combating illicit financial activity by requiring companies to disclose their beneficial owners to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). This centralized registry of ownership information enhances supply chain transparency by helping businesses identify shell companies and […]