However, Hans Selleslagh, Swiss spokesman for the online broker Freedom24, knows that anyone who thinks that insurance companies are in trouble because of this is mistaken: "Studies show that although these companies record slightly negative returns after major disasters, the overall impact is less serious than some would expect." After hurricanes, for example, losses are usually less than one percent, but it depends on the severity of the natural disaster. In the 2017 hurricane season, for example, hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria led to losses amounting to 125 billion US dollars. While insurance stocks initially fell due to the damage payouts, the share prices of companies such as Home Depot and Lowe's, which supplied materials for reconstruction, rose significantly.

Storms on the way: Which sectors are particularly volatile?

For investors, the question of how the markets tend to behave when weather extremes are forecast is an interesting one. Selleslagh says: "The effects are usually felt quickly on the stock markets. Sectors that are closely linked to physical infrastructure, such as energy, agriculture and insurance, are usually the first to be affected by volatility. For example, if a hurricane is forecast in the Gulf of Mexico, oil prices can spike as production facilities prepare for the damage. Similarly, agricultural stocks can move when there is a risk of crop damage."

During hurricanes Harvey and Irma, for example, which significantly impacted US oil production, the volatility index rose sharply, indicating a short-term increase in investor fears. However, when damage estimates began to stabilize and turned out to be lower than expected, the S&P 500 Index quickly recovered, illustrating the complex interplay between fear on the one hand and relief about recovery on the other in market sentiment. However, because damage and adverse effects are usually not over in a few days, but on the contrary, often reverberate for a long time, they also have long-term effects on the stock markets. "Investors tend to view extreme weather events with great concern because they have a direct impact on real assets and cause problems in the long term," says the Freedom24 expert.   

Curse and blessing: Which sectors offer opportunities

While no one wants severe weather and it causes a lot of suffering, the statistically higher probability of its occurrence compared to previous years is now a fact. Certain sectors are particularly relevant in connection with natural disasters, which is why there are also opportunities for investors, for example in the construction and infrastructure sector. "Companies that specialize in post-disaster reconstruction often see increased demand. For example, the construction machinery company Caterpillar usually sees an increase in orders after severe storms," explains Selleslagh. He also mentions the renewable energy sector, as well as companies working on technological solutions for smart infrastructure and early warning systems for floods and storms. And despite massive short-term payment obligations, insurance companies would also offer opportunities and experience increasing demand if, for example, they expand their range to include special natural catastrophe insurance - be it floods or crop failures after droughts.

Sustainability and ESG focus very popular with investors

In view of the frequency of extreme weather events, investors are increasingly factoring these and the resulting risks into their decisions. "Investors are increasingly looking for companies where sustainability plays an important role," says Selleslagh, adding: "Companies that meet high standards in ESG areas are often considered more resilient to the risks of climate change." Funds based on ESG criteria, such as the MSCI ESG Leaders Index, have achieved better returns than traditional market indices in recent years, Selleslagh concludes.

Source: www.freedom24.com

The CIM is organized by the CFM (Collège Français de Métrologie) and attracts almost 650 participants from 45 countries every year. The congress renews its partnership with Global Industrie, the largest industrial trade fair in France, thus consolidating its position as a key event for the sector.

Transition at the heart of every challenge

Metrology plays a crucial role in addressing today's environmental and digital challenges. This year, the focus will be on how metrology can support sustainability in numerous oral and poster presentations as well as in the main plenary session of the congress. Furthermore, the digitalization of metrology, one of the biggest challenges for the next decade, will be addressed in three conference sessions and three roundtable discussions.

"This year we chose the title 'A New Metrology for a Sustainable Industry and Society' because the program highlights how metrology is changing and how our community is seeking new ways to contribute to the sustainability challenge," says Martin Milton, BIPM Director & CIM2025 President

Four days to get started

For four days, participants will have the opportunity to explore all the important topics related to international metrology.

The goal? To give every attendee the opportunity to get the most out of the event, whether it's to expand their knowledge, grow their network or discover the latest technological advances. From the latest innovations in various technical fields to the optimization of measurement and quality processes, nothing is overlooked at CIM.

This issue also celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Metre Convention, a historic milestone not to be missed.

What is on the program?

200 conferences, divided into oral and poster presentations

5 round tables:

• IoT and metrology: on the way to an Internet of Metrology?
• Quality infrastructure in a digital world
• Tackling pollutants of concern for a healthier future
• Quantum sensor technology: the next industrial revolution
• Metrologist: an endangered species?

Plenary session: "A new metrology for a sustainable industry and society"

Workshop QI-DIGITAL: Metrology in the digital transformation of the international quality infrastructure

Short course: Ensuring the traceability of measurements in ISO/IEC 17 025 laboratories - New in 2025

Numerous Networking activities (coffee breaks, catering service, gala evening, MyGI etc.)

All presentations on site will be held in English.

The audience is made up of 650 participants from 45 countries:

• 65 % represent end users from various industries,
• 35 % from official bodies and research laboratories

Exhibition area for players from industry and research

The Metrology Village at the center of the Measurement, Control, Vision and Instrumentation area is the central meeting point for exhibitors, congress participants and visitors to the Global Industry Trade Show. Manufacturers of measuring instruments, service providers, leading institutes, etc. present themselves here and offer a comprehensive experience of the latest innovations and services with their stands and exhibition spaces.

The Metrology Village Square will be the centerpiece for networking and collaboration, making it a perfect place to make strategic connections and explore future partnerships.

Source and further information: www.cim-metrology.org

The mobilezone Group aims to significantly reduce Group-wide CO₂ emissions by 2032 and 2045 respectively. The commitment to the SBTi is a further step towards ensuring sustainable business activities in the long term. Both the short-term and long-term reduction targets will be developed by mobilezone in the coming months and disclosed to the SBTi, which will review and validate them. 

"We are aware of the responsibility we bear as a company and we want to make our contribution to reducing global CO₂ emissions. The collaboration with SBTi enables us to set scientifically sound targets and thus make our contribution to a sustainable future," says Bernhard Mächler, Chief Financial Officer Switzerland.

In its 2023 annual report, the mobilezone Group already recorded its carbon footprint in Scopes 1, 2 and 3 with the base year 2022 and had this certified in accordance with ISO 14064.

The Science Based Targets Initiative supports companies in formulating and validating climate targets that are in line with the latest scientific findings. It was launched by the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United Nations Global Compact and the World Resources Institute (WRI) to provide companies with a tool for setting binding climate targets and thus contributing to the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of the Paris Climate Agreement is to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees, but preferably to 1.5 degrees.

Source: www.mobilezoneholding.ch

This is shown by the latest global industry study "Spotlight Future 2024". On behalf of PLM provider Aras, 835 managers in the USA, Europe and Japan were surveyed.

"Modern industrial products can be adapted to changing user requirements over the course of their life cycle with the help of software. Breaking up the static product concept brings advantages for industry and users," says Jens Rollenmüller, Regional Vice President at Aras. The desire for more flexibility in product adaptations as well as the possibility of better maintenance and permanent data analysis are the main motivators alongside cost efficiency. "Industries such as the automotive industry are increasingly relying on software-controlled functions, also to tap into additional sources of revenue. One example of this is subscription models for additional functions such as seat heating," explains industry expert Rollenmüller.

The increasing integration of software and physical products is reflected in sales. While around a third of companies currently generate at least 25% of their turnover with digital business models, more than half of those surveyed plan to increase this proportion to at least 25% in the next five years. The willingness to expand digital business models is particularly pronounced in the UK and France. Every second company there already generates a significant proportion of its turnover with digital technologies. The DACH region is in the middle of the field here, while Japan is still cautious.

Digital business models with great potential

The results of the Aras study show just how important business models such as Product-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) already are: 76% of companies worldwide already offer PaaS or are planning to do so. DaaS is even more widespread at 85 percent.

"With such offers, companies can react to market changes in a targeted manner and increase their turnover at the same time. This means they are better equipped to deal with crises. In addition, the transformation to digital business models ensures greater predictability and efficiency in day-to-day business," says Aras manager Rollenmüller.

Digital business models are also being implemented in production. Around a third of companies offer individual configurations down to batch size 1, and just as many are in the process of implementing them. Industry expert Rollenmüller: "The aim of the smart factory is to deliver customized products at the speed of mass production. Digitalization makes this mass customization possible on a large scale, although we have found that SMEs in particular still need to do some development work here to avoid being left behind."

Source: www.aras.com

Sophos' experience and reputation as a leading provider of managed security services and end-to-end security products, combined with Secureworks' security operations expertise brought to the Taegis platform, is expected to result in further complementary advanced MDR and XDR solutions that will benefit their global customers. Together, they will help strengthen the resilience and security posture of global organizations of all sizes with a combination of security controls, AI, world-class threat intelligence and two teams with decades of cybersecurity experience.

Sophos expects the two companies' solutions to be integrated into a broader and stronger security portfolio that will benefit small, medium and large organizations. This includes Sophos expanding its current portfolio with additional new offerings such as Identity Detection and Response (ITDR), next-generation SIEM capabilities, Operational Technology (OT) security and enhanced vulnerability prioritization. The combination of Sophos and Secureworks will expand the company's market presence to create greater value within the channel and strengthen the security community as a whole.

"Secureworks offers an innovative, market-leading solution with its Taegis XDR platform. Combined with our security solutions and industry leadership in MDR, we will strengthen our joint position in the market and deliver better outcomes for organizations of all sizes worldwide," said Joe Levy, CEO of Sophos. "Secureworks' renowned expertise in cybersecurity fits perfectly with our mission to protect organizations from cybercrime by providing powerful and intuitive products and services. This acquisition is an important step in our commitment to a safer digital future for all."

Cyber risks continue to escalate, fueled by a proliferating ecosystem of cyber criminals and global geopolitical pressures. Together, Sophos and Secureworks have long had exceptional capabilities in threat intelligence, security operations, incident response and innovative security products to help organizations defeat these attackers.

"Our mission at Secureworks has always been to secure human progress. Sophos' portfolio of leading endpoint, cloud and network security solutions - combined with our XDR-powered Managed Detection and Response - is exactly what organizations are looking for to strengthen their security posture and collectively turn the tide against attackers," said Wendy Thomas, CEO, Secureworks. "Joe and I both believe this transaction will strengthen our market offering with Sophos' global scale, expertise and reputation."

Details of the transaction

Under the terms of the agreement, Sophos intends to acquire Secureworks in a cash transaction valued at $859 million. Secureworks shareholders, including Dell Technologies, will receive $8.50 per share in cash. This represents a premium of 28 % to the unaffected 90-day volume weighted average price (VWAP). The transaction is expected to close in early 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. Additional information regarding this announcement can be found in Secureworks' Form 8-K filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on October 21, 2024.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as legal advisor to Sophos and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Barclays, BofA Securities, HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. and UBS Investment Bank are acting as financial advisors and providing debt financing for the transaction. Piper Sandler & Company and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC are acting as financial advisors to Secureworks and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is acting as legal counsel.

Source: www.sophos.com

This year's Swiss Cyber Storm on October 22, 2024 will focus on the dangers and opportunities of artificial intelligence with the motto "The AI Revolution": On the one hand, AI-supported attacks represent a new dimension of danger for IT systems, but on the other hand, artificial intelligence can also be used to defend against previously unknown attacks. Ultimately, however, AI-based IT systems also place special demands on security.

The conference will therefore discuss topics such as: What is the current state of the threat posed by artificial intelligence? Which AI-based attacks can already be observed? How can we defend ourselves against them and what help can AI already provide today? How must and can AI applications be protected so that they can perform their services without harmful external influences? In addition to AI, other current IT security topics will also be discussed at Swiss Cyber Storm. 

AI and security expert Daniel Miessler will open the conference with his keynote "How to Run Your Security Program with AI Before Someone Else Does". Conference attendees will leave the talk with a new way of thinking not only about AI, but also about security programs.

A selection of speakers and talks on the topic of AI:

• Lukasz Olejnik (independent researcher): "AI and Technology Powered Propaganda and Disinformation Operations"
• Eva Wolfangel (independent journalist): "When Chatbots Talk Too Much: The Risks and Rewards of AI Manipulation"
• Cornelia Puhze (Security Awareness Expert, Switch): "Human-Centred Security Meets AI: How to Navigate New Threats"

A selection of speakers and talks on other security topics:

• Ruben Santamarta (independent researcher): "When Physics Meets (Reverse) Engineering: Understanding Cyber-Physical Attacks Against Nuclear Reactors"
• Maya Bundt (President of the Steering Committee of the National Cyber Strategy) and FabianWilli (Head Cyber Key Accounts, Swiss Re): "An Insider Perspective on Cyber Insurance - Yes or No?"
• Ida Hameete (independent cybersecurity strategy consultant): "Overcoming Resistance with Purpose-Driven Security. A Lesson in Practical Socio-Dynamics"

John Graham-Cumming, CTO of Cloudflare, will bring the debate to a close with his closing keynote ("Lessons from Using Machine Learning for Active Defense Over 20 Years"). Graham-Cumming discusses the long history of machine learning and explains how he has been trying to use ML to secure applications for over twenty years.

The following speakers will also appear in the main program: Monica Amgwerd, Laura Bell Main, Kathrin Grosse, Víctor Mayoral Vilches, David Rosenthal, Allyn Stott, Matt Tesauro and Bonnie Viteri.

The coffee breaks and lunch break will provide ample opportunity for networking and discussion with the speakers. At the end of the official program, all participants are invited to an aperitif with the popular raffle.

Source and further information: www.swisscyberstorm.com

According to the Keeper survey, 84 percent of IT and security managers believe that AI tools make phishing and smishing attacks - already a critical threat - even more difficult to detect. In response, 81 percent of companies have introduced AI usage guidelines for employees. Confidence in these policies is also high, with 77 percent of executives stating that they are either very familiar or familiar with AI security best practices.

Despite these efforts, the gap between policies and how to deal with AI-driven threats persists. Keeper's 2024 Top Data Threats report shows that 51% of security leaders see AI-driven attacks as the biggest threat to their organizations. In addition, 35 percent believe that their organizations are the least prepared to combat these attacks compared to other types of cyber threats.

To overcome these new challenges, companies are focusing on several key strategies:

• Data encryption: This is the most widespread measure: 51% of IT managers have included it in their security strategies. Encryption helps to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, which is crucial for defending against AI-driven attacks.
• Training and sensitization of employees: As a high priority, 45 percent of companies are focusing on improving their training programs to better prepare their employees for the evolving threat landscape. Effective training can help employees recognize and respond to AI-powered phishing and smishing attempts.
• Advanced threat detection systems: With 41 percent of organizations investing in these systems, there is a clear focus on improving the ability to detect and respond to sophisticated, AI-driven threats. Advanced threat detection solutions can provide early warning and mitigate potential damage from these attacks.

The emergence of AI-driven cyberattacks poses new challenges. Basic cybersecurity practices - such as data encryption, employee training or advanced threat detection - remain essential. Organizations must ensure that these basic measures are regularly updated and adapted to new threats.

In addition to these basic measures, the introduction of advanced security frameworks such as Zero Trust and the implementation of Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions such as KeeperPAM can significantly improve resilience. Zero Trust ensures that every user, device and application is continuously checked before critical systems are accessed. This minimizes the risk of unauthorized access and limits the radius of propagation in the event of an attack. PAM helps protect an organization's sensitive accounts by controlling, monitoring and auditing privileged access. This is particularly important for defending against sophisticated AI-driven attacks targeting sensitive credentials.

Organizations should also be proactive by regularly reviewing their security policies, conducting routine audits and promoting a culture of cybersecurity awareness. Even as organizations make progress, cybersecurity is an ever-evolving area that requires constant vigilance. Combining basic practices with modern approaches such as Zero Trust and PAM helps organizations stay ahead of evolving AI-powered threats.

Source: www.keepersecurity.com

The new embedded payments solution combines OPP's payment technology for platforms with Worldline's extensive expertise in acquiring, acceptance and POS. The integrated solution equips platforms and marketplaces with key features such as shared payments, enhanced escrow accounts and unique intermediary processing. This opens up new sales opportunities for companies and promotes greater customer loyalty.

Embedded Payments enables companies to meet the different requirements of platforms. As a comprehensive, turnkey solution, the technology not only helps users to quickly sign up, sell and get paid, but also to manage these processes for multiple currencies. It supports all relevant payment methods and provides the necessary local support to assist users in different markets.

The embedded payments solution offers for platforms and marketplaces:

• a complete turnkey package that streamlines processes through integration support and user-friendly interfaces
• Strong onboarding of companies and consumers, which increases user trust and reduces fraud
• Fully EU and UK compliant solutions to meet regulatory standards
• High support quality through first and second level support, automated mediation tools and much more
• Quick and easy provision of platforms with integrated payment solution

The embedded payments solution is now ready for use in the EU markets. The rollout in Switzerland and the UK will take place at a later date. The integration of Tap on Mobile and Point of Sale is also planned in the long term, which will further improve the payment experience for users.

Marc-Henri Desportes, Chief Executive Officer at Worldline, says: "By combining OPP's robust platform capabilities with our extensive acquiring expertise, we can offer an integrated payment solution that provides a unique way for platforms and marketplaces to integrate and utilize new payment options."

Richard Straver, founder of OPP, adds: "With this joint offering, we are setting new standards in the payment space. The combination of our access capabilities with Worldline's strong presence enables a seamless and efficient experience for platforms and their sub-merchants."

Both companies are delighted to present their innovative solution for integrated payments at the exclusive event "The New Embedded Payments. Designed for Visionaries." hosted at Worldline's Innovation Experience Center at the company's headquarters in Paris-La Défense and broadcast online. This highly anticipated event will take place on the afternoon of October 22, 2024 and will provide a unique opportunity to explore the future of embedded payments for platforms and marketplaces.

Source: www.worldline.com / www.onlinepaymentplatform.com

He addressed the question of how the need for accessible digital products and services in Swiss companies can be determined and implemented. His work was awarded this year's UBS Sustainability Prize for outstanding bachelor theses at the HWZ Zurich School of Business.

In view of the increasingly digital world, it is particularly important that companies' digital products and services are also accessible to people with disabilities. This is now also required by EU Directive 2019/882. Nils Kümin's award-winning bachelor's thesis develops the key factors for the appropriate implementation of digital accessibility, taking particular account of this directive.

New requirements due to EU Directive 2019/882

In April 2019, the European Parliament adopted EU Directive 2019/882, which must be transposed into national law by June 2025. It sets accessibility requirements for products and services. Although Switzerland itself is not a member of the EU, this directive is binding for Swiss companies of a certain minimum size operating in the EU. The work thus addresses a highly topical issue whose significance extends beyond our national borders.

Concrete solutions for Swiss companies in practice

Nils Kümin has skillfully prepared a complex and highly relevant issue and examined it in a scientifically convincing manner. Through qualitative interviews with two key groups, namely people with disabilities and company representatives, the author succeeds in shedding light on different perspectives on the topic of digital accessibility. Based on scientific research, he is able to show that there is still a long way to go and that there are still some obstacles to implementation. On the part of those affected, there is a need for accessible products and services with competent and accessible customer support. On the corporate side, however, barrier-free development is often hampered by a combination of economic concerns, a lack of awareness and a lack of technical know-how.

At the heart of the work are the valuable recommendations for action that the author provides to the companies concerned. In a first step, they help companies to identify the need for accessible products and services and, in a second step, provide guidance on how to meet the new legal requirements. In addition to his theoretical achievements, Nils Kümin has also developed concrete practical solutions.

The awarding of the UBS Sustainability Award

For the sixth time in a row, the HWZ, in collaboration with UBS, is awarding the Sustainability Prize for outstanding bachelor theses. Nils Kümin's thesis combines a methodologically convincing approach with practically relevant findings. He has made a valuable and at the same time innovative contribution with great added value in the field of social sustainability. The jury recognized this achievement by awarding him the UBS Sustainability Prize, which was presented again this year at the Bachelor's graduation ceremony on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.

Source: www.fh-hwz.ch

A jury of investors and financial experts selected the start-ups from over 50 applications. The roadshow offers pitch sessions and client meetings as well as participation in the Fintech Connect conference to expand their network in the international financial sector. The roadshow is organized by Venturelab in collaboration with Swissnex, supported by EPFL, ETH Zurich and Walder Wyss.

This year's fintech entrepreneurs join an impressive group of fintech alumni that includes successful startups such as Crypto Finance (acquired by Deutsche Börse), eCollect (acquired by Intrum), Imburse (acquired by Duck Creek Technologies), Qumram (acquired by Dynatrace), Lend, Sonect, TP24, Wyden and many more.

"The Venture Leaders Fintech Team 2024 represents the innovative spirit of the Swiss fintech scene," says Jordi Montserrat, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Venturelab. "The London Roadshow offers a valuable opportunity to connect with investors and industry leaders.

These are the Venture Leaders Fintech 2024:

Kasparund | St. Gallen | kasparund.ch

Kaspar& is the first all-in-one investment solution that turns paying customers into investors, increases customer loyalty and creates an exceptional long-term banking relationship. Thanks to its simple integration and fully covered processes, Kaspar& enables its partners to be at the forefront of the wealth management market for the affluent middle class.

CrowdTransfer | Train | crowdtransfer.io

CrowdTransfer provides a platform where football fans can participate in funding and shaping their favorite clubs and receive financial rewards based on the club's performance, as well as unique personal experiences.

FumeX | Locarno | fume.finance

Fume is a tokenization platform for funds that enables investment managers to simplify and automate their governance with public blockchains. Designed for efficiency and compliance in leading jurisdictions, Fume defines the new generation of on-chain investment funds for any asset.

Hypt | Bern | join-hypt.com

Hypt empowers companies to measure and scale personalized recommendations to increase revenue and generate customer intelligence on a daily basis. It provides marketing, CX and sales professionals in banking, insurance and beyond with an all-in-one solution for effective satisfaction measurement and new customer acquisition.

Kemiex | Zurich | kemiex.com

Kemiex was founded in Zurich in 2017 to improve the handling of commodities in the feed, food, veterinary and pharmaceutical sectors by supporting the digitalization of transactions and providing data and analytics in these sectors. Its platform supports customers in almost 100 countries.

Layer Finance | Zurich | layerfinance.com

Layer Finance is a deal sourcing platform that offers professional investors exclusive access to prime opportunities in real estate and private assets. With AI-powered automation, data extraction is optimized, insights are delivered and investments are matched, increasing efficiency by over 80 % and enabling faster decisions.

Relai | Zurich | relai.app

Relai is Europe's leading Bitcoin app - developed in Switzerland. With a mission to make Bitcoin simple, they strive to financially empower 100 million people in Europe. The team of 30 employees serves more than 100,000 active users, is backed by leading VCs such as Redalpine Ventures and has transacted a trading volume of over 600 million USD in BTC in the last 4 years.

Riskwolf | Zurich | riskwolf.com

Riskwolf is a full-stack insurance platform that provides unique real-time data and dynamic risk modeling, enabling insurers to build and operate parametric insurance products at scale. The platform currently focuses on climate and technology risks and offers pre-built parametric data sources for various industries such as agriculture, gig economy and credit.

SmartPurse | Zurich | smartpurse.me/en-ch

SmartPurse is a leading financial education platform that aims to empower individuals with the knowledge and tools they need to take control of their finances with confidence. Co-founders Olga Miler and Jude Kelly are on a mission to create a future where everyone can achieve financial independence, security and peace of mind.

Tiun | Zurich | tiun.app

Tiun started with a simple idea - to enable the next generation to connect their mobile wallets to any application and pay based on usage. They are creating a new standard that enables interoperability between wallets and applications through a low-code solution offered to businesses.

Source and further information: www.venture-leaders.ch

Data security in the cloud is increasingly becoming a critical component of companies' IT infrastructure. They are increasingly using cloud services to run applications and store data, while remote and mobile working means that ever larger parts of their workforce are accessing these cloud services from outside the company network using a wide variety of end devices. This increases the attack surface for cyber criminals and offers them new gateways.

If companies lose intellectual property or personal information in the cloud, they face considerable consequences. These range from severe fines and an irreparable loss of reputation to a loss of revenue that could threaten their very existence. Cybersecurity specialist Forcepoint explains five measures that companies can take to prevent this.

1. Implement zero trust frameworks

The Zero Trust security approach aims to ensure that only trusted users can access applications that contain sensitive data. When accessing cloud services, companies can ensure this with the help of a CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker). This security tool supports multi-factor authentication (MFA) and single sign-on (SSO) and can enforce fine-grained authorizations. This ensures that only authorized users have access to certain data and applications.

2. Set up guidelines for data interactions

In order to protect their sensitive data in the cloud, they should define policies for this and specify which data may be uploaded to a cloud at all, for example to a GenAI platform, or which information employees may download from a cloud to BYOD devices that are not managed by central IT. Existing frameworks and standards can help them with this. Pre-defined policies can often be used to quickly and easily create appropriate guidelines for data interactions in the cloud.

3. Continuous data discovery and data classification

In order for companies to protect their sensitive data in the cloud, they first need to find out what data they actually have and where exactly it is located - and not just once, but on an ongoing basis, because their data is constantly being changed and expanded in the course of day-to-day business. Modern tools offer them many automated features for this. They can scan all of a company's storage locations in the cloud and use artificial intelligence to independently understand and classify the collected data.

4. Continuously monitor data interactions

To ensure compliance, companies need to monitor all data movements to, from and within the cloud. They are then in a position to identify potential threats and quickly initiate countermeasures that can stop a data outflow or data protection breach. Appropriate security systems enable them to monitor all data, storage systems and access in real time and detect, limit or completely block suspicious activities such as unusual changes to data or access that deviates from normal patterns.

5. Secure all end devices

To close all security gaps, companies should use a security solution that enables uniform enforcement of policies from company-owned end devices to employees' BYOD devices. This can, for example, prevent employees from saving sensitive information from a cloud platform on their private end devices or moving data from a trusted cloud to an insecure cloud service.

"It is crucial for companies that their security solutions protect data in the cloud without restricting employee productivity," explains Fabian Glöser, Team Leader Sales Engineering at Forcepoint in Munich. "That's why they should definitely use risk-adaptive systems. Such solutions are able to analyze risky behaviour and respond with measures that are appropriate to the specific context. In this way, they prevent the unwanted outflow of data without imposing the same rules and limitations on every employee."

Source: www.forcepoint.com

The platinum award places Epson in the top 1 percent of all companies assessed by EcoVadis across all industries, reflecting the company's progress in sustainability. Epson has increased its overall score from 77 to 83 out of 100, despite EcoVadis having implemented more stringent assessment criteria in the meantime. This independent certification reassures customers that Epson is one of the most responsible and accountable companies in its industry.

Epson also received excellent ratings in various sub-areas and was also ranked among the top 1 percent in the areas of "Environment" and "Labor & Human Rights" and among the top 2 percent of all audited companies in the area of "Sustainable Procurement". The company also ranked among the top 30 percent in the "Ethics" criterion. EcoVaid's assessment criteria for its awards are becoming increasingly strict. To achieve a platinum medal this year, you have to be in the top 1 percent of all companies assessed.

EcoVadis is a globally recognized rating company that evaluates over 130,000 companies in more than 220 industry categories and in 180 countries. The latest platinum award for Epson is a testament to the company's continued commitment and the remarkable improvements achieved in sustainable growth over the past year.

"The Platinum certification is the consequence of our measures to recognize and solve social and environmental challenges," said Takanori Inaho, President of Epson Europe. "We follow the guiding principle of "Sho Sho Sei", which commits us to continuous improvement and thus enables us to develop ever better compact, efficient and precise products. Our proprietary technologies make a concrete contribution to climate protection, as we are aware of our responsibility to reduce the impact of our actions on the planet."

Successes have been achieved...

Epson has already made significant progress towards its goal of becoming CO₂-negative by 2050 and completely eliminating the use of fossil resources by then. Some notable successes were achieved in the 2023 financial year:

- Decarbonization: After Epson achieved the switch to 100% electricity from renewable energy sources at all of its sites worldwide in 2023, further milestones were reached in Europe to achieve its decarbonization targets. For example, emissions from business travel were reduced by 19 percent (in the 2023 financial year compared to the 2022 financial year). Optimizing the logistics chains for deliveries from Asian factories is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by 10-50% in the future. A planned biomass plant in Japan will further reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

- Social responsibility: Epson is strengthening its commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion through comprehensive training initiatives. The company's production facilities in Indonesia and the Philippines have been awarded platinum status by the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) for their high ethical labor standards.

- Strengthening governance: Epson was also re-certified by Bureau Veritas for aligning its business activities with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This makes the company a pioneer in this area.

Boris Manev, Sustainability Director at Epson Europe B.V., explains: "We have a clear idea: we want to be at the forefront of sustainable innovation and set the standard for environmental responsibility. Our ambitious measures, such as promoting the recycling of textiles in collaboration with leading companies in the fashion industry, show that sustainability and business success go hand in hand. Our investments in carbon capture and renewable energy are important milestones on our journey towards a carbon-negative future. The Platinum award is the result of hard work and underlines the strong commitment of the entire Epson team to a sustainable future. This rating not only underlines our leadership in product quality and innovation, but also demonstrates our commitment to making our industry more sustainable."

Source: www.epson.de