Sustainability reporting will become mandatory in more and more countries in the future, especially for large companies. This increases the pressure to act for many companies. This is because heterogeneous data sources, poor data quality and complex regulatory requirements represent a major challenge that can only be met with the appropriate tools and a high degree of automation. So far, many companies still rely on the on-board tools of large software and cloud providers and thus leave a lot of optimization potential unused, as the current "IT & Sustainability - Maturity Index 2023" shows. For the study, the market research company PAC surveyed 150 IT and business decision-makers from the automotive industry, the manufacturing sector and the logistics sector on behalf of Lufthansa Industry Solutions.

Sustainability tools on the wish list of many companies

"To meet the regulatory requirements of sustainability reporting, companies have to collect, analyze and prepare a lot of data. Managing these tasks manually is not only too time-consuming and personnel-intensive, but also very error-prone," says Moritz Röder, Associate Director Supply Chain Management & Sustainability at Lufthansa Industry Solutions (LHIND). For the "IT & Sustainability - Maturity Index 2023" LHIND has therefore determined a sub-index for the "Tooling" area. The sub-index takes into account whether companies prepare their sustainability report with the help of tools and in an automated manner, whether they carry out a risk assessment of their suppliers and which tools they use for this purpose. On a scale of "0" (immature) to "10" (mature), the sub-index achieved a value of 6.4. "The index shows that companies are already intensively addressing the issue of sustainability and the tools required for this," says sustainability expert Röder.

And what must such a tool do from the companies' point of view? In addition to calculating the carbon footprint (93 percent), 82 percent of respondents want support in making sustainable purchasing decisions and 78 percent want complete sustainability reporting. For 70 percent, recording the status quo is important in order to be able to improve sustainability, and 61 percent expect a holistic view of financial and sustainability KPIs.

Only 15 percent of companies have automated their sustainability reporting

To date, every second company surveyed for the study has already produced a sustainability report, either voluntarily or as required by law. Four out of ten of these companies still do this manually and are supported to varying degrees by a reporting tool. 44 percent of the companies already produce their report at least partially automatically. Often, sustainability monitoring tools are used that are already established in the company as part of the software portfolio of large software or cloud providers. But only in 15 percent of the companies is the report generation already largely automated. Moritz Röder: "Contrary to what the sub-index might suggest at first glance, there is still considerable potential for optimization here."

The same applies to supplier risk assessment. Two-thirds (67 percent) of the companies already carry out a risk assessment on the sustainability of their suppliers today, and a further 26 percent have this in planning. Less than a third of these companies have largely automated this process to date. In contrast to sustainability monitoring, specialized tools are generally used for supply chain assessment. LHIND consultant Röder: "To improve their own maturity level and drive automation, companies do not need a bouquet of different tools, but a single source of data truth. A tool that guides them step-by-step through reporting while providing supply chain visibility."

Cloud-based solution on the market

To avoid unpleasant surprises when implementing the tool, companies should also make sure that it is in line with process governance and reporting guidelines and that it can be adapted both to the requirements of the finance department and to future organizational structures. "If these requirements are met, such a tool ultimately enables the data-based sustainability management that companies need to achieve their climate targets," says Moritz Röder.

LHIND has therefore developed the cloud-based solution EPACTO (ESG Performance Accounting Tool) as the digital centerpiece for sustainability management. EPACTO brings together all relevant data, uses it to calculate the company's current sustainability performance, and shows a development path towards planetary impact limits. 

Source: www.lufthansa-industry-solutions.com

Today, the 100 label companies and organizations in Switzerland and Liechtenstein include well-known names such as SBB, Swisscom, Migros, Lidl, V-Zug, the Zurich and Bern cantonal banks, and the insurers Suva, Visana, Helsana, and Swica. As of this week, the Graubünden Civil Engineering Office is also one of them. "We are proud of this milestone. It shows that investing in workplace health management is worthwhile," says Thomas Mattig, director of Health Promotion Switzerland. The shortage of skilled workers in certain industries and the realization that occupational health management also pays off financially are among the important drivers for a steady increase in the number of label companies. "In terms of systematic occupational health management, the 100 Label "Friendly Work Space" companies and organizations are the flagship companies in Switzerland and are thus fully in line with the trend," Thomas Mattig continues. According to the representative BGM Monitoring 2020, the proportion of companies with 50 or more employees that systematically implement BGM rose from 22.7% (2016) to 26.3% in 2020, with a further almost 50% implementing BGM for the majority. This means that the proportion of companies that are implementing OHM measures today is likely to be over 75%.

Those who are a "Friendly Work Space" showcase company meet six BGM quality criteria that can be easily integrated into existing quality processes. "Thanks to the assessment, we were able to clearly identify where there is still potential for improvement. That's where we are now targeting our efforts," says Reto Knuchel, Cantonal Engineer at the Civil Engineering Office of the Canton of Graubünden. Certification is not only a reward for successfully implemented OHM, but also an obligation to continuously invest in good working conditions and healthy employees. After passing the assessment, the companies and organizations can use the label for their internal and external communication for three years. After that, they are each recertified at a reassessment for a further three years. "Our goal is not only to use the label to appeal to potential employees in the long term, but also to be and remain attractive to our employees," Reto Knuchel continues.

The online tool FWS Check shows interested companies and organizations within a few minutes where strengths lie and, if necessary, improvements can be made. After that, the certification process can be tackled alone or, if necessary, by an external, independent and certified consultant or a consultant accompanied. Independent, certified assessors then check the quality criteria on the assessment day.

Notice:
All 100 companies and organizations awarded the "Friendly Work Space" label can be found at here. Companies and organizations will receive the latest developments in occupational health management and especially in the area of New Work at this year's National Conference for Occupational Health Management 2023 on the topic "Healthy new world of work?" on September 20, 2023 in the Kursaal Bern. Around 900 participants have already registered. www.bgm-tagung.ch

For 44 years, Consilex AG has offered its customers highly qualified consulting in organization and information technology. Local experts for local customers has been a guiding principle in the company's development since its founding, the company writes. Thematically, Consilex focuses on project management, requirements engineering, legal engineering and corporate learning. 

Consilex AG also describes itself as progressive in terms of corporate structure and management: lean organization, sociocracy, self-responsibility, entrepreneurial thinking, and home office have been lived practice not just since Corona, but since the company was founded in 1979, according to the company. This is matched by the fact that all of Consilex's certified and other business processes are now completely digitalized.

Now the company is in new hands. As part of the succession plan, the areas of responsibility are divided among the three new owners as follows: Reto Schneider in the role of CEO is responsible for marketing and sales, Stefan Schürch for operations and finance, and Andreas Gerber takes over responsibility for human resources, administrative activities and quality management.

With the certification of its quality and environmental management system according to ISO standards 9001 and 14001, Consilex documents its progressive corporate structure with two standards relevant to customers. The ISO certification is not only a commitment of Consilex to continuously improve its performance towards customers and employees - with the certification the company also expresses its will to make its contribution to sustainable business.

Further information

Since the company OpenAI released its ChatGPT program for general free use at the end of 2022, a hype has arisen around the topic of artificial intelligence (AI). The consulting scene has also recognized the benefits of chat programs such as ChatGPT - and rightly so, because they can be used to quickly and easily generate at least initial drafts of such advertising texts as blog posts, advertising letters or posts for social media, which can then be further edited.

Consultants often have texts written by ChatGPT

Sometimes, however, the consultants' use of ChatGPT takes on strange forms. For example, when we as a PR and marketing agency are asked to write an article for consultants on a current trend topic - such as artificial intelligence, transformation, hybrid teams, sustainability, blended learning, Generation Z, etc. - and place it in print and online media, for example because the consultant in question has just developed a new product on this topic and wants to promote it.

Suppose we then say to the consultant "We'd be happy to do that. But please give us some input beforehand, so that we know your core messages and the direction of your content". Then, not infrequently, a text is sent to us a short time later that was recognizably created by ChatGPT. That is, ideally it consists of some rather general statements, for example on the topic of "Artificial Intelligence" or "Transformation", which we ourselves would have found by googling on the net. However, there is no trace of the consultant's own thoughts in the texts.

Consultants often do not think through issues

Quite often, if we were to offer the texts to trade journals without a new focus in terms of content, they would even be absolute nonsense from their point of view - for example, because they do not reflect the fact that small companies have fewer resources than corporations and that the logistics sector, for example, ticks quite differently from the financial sector, which is why different solutions are also required for many problems. In other words, there is no differentiation in the articles, even though this is precisely where a consultant's expertise can be seen.

Here's an example. A few weeks ago, a personnel consultant specializing in SMEs, who had obviously also read somewhere "The future belongs to AI", asked us to write an article for him on the topic of "AI use in the personnel selection process". After I had asked him to send me some keywords in this regard, I received a text of about 30 lines a short time later. It described a possible AI application in the personnel selection process for applicant pre-selection - without any reference to small and medium-sized enterprises.

The consultant had told me in advance that most of his customers were currently struggling with the following problem: they were receiving a maximum of 1 or 2 applicants, if any, in response to their job postings and therefore, due to a lack of alternatives, they often had to hire applicants who only partially met their requirements in order to retain their ability to work. When I called the consultant and asked what benefit an AI system for pre-selecting applicants would offer SMEs in such a labor market situation, his answer after a moment's thought was: "Actually, none - because if there is only one applicant at the door, then..."

Consultants often regurgitate phrases and clichés

I had a similar experience when we were asked to write an article on the topic of "Intergenerational Collaboration" for a larger consulting firm. The draft text I received suggested the impression: The majority of employees and managers in companies today are still digital immigrants who are at war with IT and have strong emotional reservations about IT solutions, resulting in problems in collaboration with digital natives.

When I then asked the text supplier to what extent this was still true today, since many members of the generations X and Y quoted in the article were already 35 or even 40 years old and had not infrequently been among the top performers in companies for years, his answer was: "You could be right about that. Obviously, however, he had never thought about the extent to which these clichés, which were valid a decade or two ago, are still true today. So they didn't bother him in ChatGPT's draft text either.

Consultants reflect too little: Who are my addressees?

We also gather similar experiences more and more often when we are asked to write new pages for consultants' homepages and articles for their blogs, for example because they have developed a new product or want to be found by their potential customers on the web for a certain keyword that is "in" at the moment. Even then, when we sift through their copy, we often find ourselves asking, "What was the consultant thinking here?" And quite often the answer is, "Nothing, because he just entered some prompts at ChatGPT."

The reason for this: The texts are so banal and general that one senses nothing of independent thinking on the part of the consultant or even of his field and practical experience. The only thing is, why should potential customers who come across the consultant's website while Googling contact him at all? Many consultants obviously don't ask themselves this when they use ChatGPT. They don't ask themselves this any more than they ask themselves when writing articles: Why should a professional journal publish an "expert article" by me, which their editorial staff could also create themselves by entering certain prompts in ChatGPT?

ChatGPT cannot think out of the box

The above lines are not meant to be a vote against the use of the program ChatGPT by consultants of any kind. It is and remains a very helpful tool. What ChatGPT cannot do for consultants, however, is to think (in all its facets such as think-through, think-about, and think laterally) and to develop tailor-made problem solutions for their target customers.

Ultimately, this program can only reproduce a more or less meaningful substrate of the information it finds on the web. It cannot (to use a current consultant buzzword) think "out of the box" and find completely new solutions to problems. That is and remains the job of the consultants (alone or in dialog with their customers).

What applies to the consulting guild naturally also applies to the use of AI in companies. Here, too, there is a danger that users will become lazy and blindly trust the solutions proposed by AI systems instead of asking themselves: To what extent are these goal-oriented?

Qualify for adequate AI deployment

Incidentally, sensitizing and training the employees of the companies in this regard could be a consulting or training offer of the providers in the education and consulting sector. I have not yet found such an offer when googling on the net. However, at the latest after the publication of this article, this is only a question of time - if only because a corresponding reference appears in a text created by ChatGPT for consultants.

To the author:
Bernhard Kuntz is managing director of the marketing and PR agency Die PRofilBerater GmbH, Darmstadt, which specializes in consultants. He is the author of, among others, the books "Selling a Cat in a Bag," "Fat Booty for Trainers and Consultants," and "Why Does Everyone Know Him?" (Internet: www.die-profilberater.de).

A new Data Protection Act (revDSG) will come into force in Germany on September 1. All companies will then be obliged to adapt to the revised regulations, which are aligned with the EU directives. Secjur's founders are very familiar with the EU regulations. In 2018, Niklas Hanitsch and Manuel Stahl founded their start-up for automated compliance, with Simon Pentzien and Sven Moritz joining as co-founders by 2021. Since then, they have won the German Start-up Cup for their solution and convinced venture capital companies and prominent angel investors of their solution for automated compliance. Just in time for the adaptation to the EU data protection law, they launch their business in Switzerland with offices in Bern and Zurich.

Revolutionize compliance with automation

Compliance has become a challenge for companies of all sizes, and the work behind it is often manual, repetitive and expensive. Hamburg-based Secjur has developed its Digital Compliance Office, an AI-based automation platform for compliance processes that can save hundreds of man-hours. Secjur helps companies in diverse industries digitally automate their compliance processes, including data protection, information security, anti-money laundering and whistleblowing. In addition to international corporations such as Siemens and Samsung, customers primarily include SMEs and fast-growing companies such as Tomorrow Bank. "In the coming years, there will be many more compliance challenges, such as the AI regulation. Regulation can help protect consumers' rights and make both the digital and the real world a better place," says lawyer and Chief Innovation Officer Niklas Hanitsch.

Leveraging knowledge in Switzerland

With the new data protection law in Switzerland, Secjur's founders recognize the optimal time to implement their expansion strategy in the DACH region. In addition to the more than 70 employees in Hamburg, Berlin, Regensburg and Munich, around 20 employees will in future look after the Swiss business from Berne and Zurich. "In Germany, we have already easily implemented the General Data Protection Regulation for many hundreds of companies in 2018. With this head start in knowledge and our intelligent platform, we support our Swiss customers in correctly implementing all requirements right from the start." Secjur addresses both corporate groups and SMEs that want to create trust among customers and partners, prevent cybercrime, avoid fines and optimize processes.

Expertise and audits at the touch of a button

Secjur's data protection experts are familiar with the specifics of over 60 industries and identify corresponding risks and compliance challenges. Secjur's data protection solution, Digital Compliance Office, provides a comprehensive overview of all relevant processes and documents and is easy to use even for beginners. The central control of all compliance issues saves time-consuming multiple audits: With over 60 API connections (such as Jira, Slack, Hubspot, Salesforce or Lexoffice), Secjur easily integrates into existing tech stacks. This allows audits to be partially automated - and specific recommendations for action to be generated at the push of a button. For a company with around 50 employees, the audit effort can be reduced from around 14 to 2 hours per week so far, and from around 23 to 2 hours for 250 employees - an immense resource saving. The data is hosted in Germany.

Ambition and prominent investors

"We aim to offer the best and most widely used compliance automation solution in the world," says co-founder Manuel Stahl. The founders' subject matter expertise in the key fields of law, IT, finance and business gives Secjur a distinct advantage. One of Secjur's key investors is the Berlin-based Visionaries Club, which manages a €600 million venture capital fund. The club is supported by a network of founders of companies such as Flixbus, Spotify and Hello Fresh as well as family-run business dynasties such as Swarovski, Miele, Siemens and Stihl. The circle of investors also includes business angels who support Secjur financially and in an advisory capacity. Among them are prominent personalities such as soccer star Mario Götze and Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg.

For individuals interested in learning more about the new data protection law and Secjur's solutions, the company is offering a free webinar on Sept. 4, 2023, at 12 p.m. Learn more at www.secjur.com

The summer vacations are over. Many photos remind of the beautiful experiences and new acquaintances. However, when photos, contacts or other important data are lost, many only realize how important data backups are. Unfortunately, this is too late. The awareness campaign S-U-P-E-R.ch therefore puts the current focus on the "S" like "Backup.

With backups to more cyber security

Backups not only protect data from loss due to broken devices or theft, they are also an important backstop against cyberattacks and extortion attempts. Those who can fall back on their backed-up data are less vulnerable to blackmail by cybercriminals in the event of data encryption. Data backups are therefore an important step towards greater cyber security. Backups should also be kept separate from the network and stored securely so that attackers cannot additionally encrypt the backups. Data backups should be made regularly and integrated into everyday life. This applies to companies, organizations as well as private individuals. Interested parties can find out how to do this on the campaign website S-U-P-E-R.ch.

National data security awareness campaign

From September 1, the NCSC, the SKP and the cantonal and municipal police corps, with the support of iBarry and EBAS, are raising awareness among the Swiss population about the importance of data backups. On the communication media, a possible data loss is visualized with slowly disappearing text, combined with the request to make a backup in time. On the campaign website S-U-P-E-R.ch learning videos convey the most important information. With the knowledge acquired and a little luck, you not only win more cybersecurity, but also a competition prize. The campaign lasts until September 30, 2023. 

Swiss and international cybersecurity experts will meet at the second Global Cyber Conference at the Dolder Grand in Zurich on September 14-15, 2023. The Swiss CISO Awards will also be presented for the first time at the conference.

Focus topic Prioritizing cyber resilience.

The two-day conference, which will focus on prioritizing cyber resilience, will provide a unique platform for networking, knowledge sharing and collaboration to improve cyber resilience, organizers say. The conference program revolves around three sub-themes: Cyber Governance, Cyber Risk Management and Cyber Technologies. Each subtopic will be discussed in depth, providing attendees with comprehensive knowledge and tools needed to address the complex challenges of cybersecurity in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Speakers and participants from Europe, America and Asia will come from top companies such as Booking.com, Council of Europe Development Bank, EDGE Group, eBay, Equifax, ETH Zurich, IMD, Logitech Mars, Mastercard, Migros, Paramount Global, Philips, Pictet Group, Richemont Group, Saudi Arabian Government, Siemens, Spanish Government, SolarWinds, Swisscom, UAE Government, UBS, United Nations, US Army, Virgin Media O2, World Health Organization and many more. The conference will thus become a hub of the cybersecurity network - international attention is thus likely to be assured.

"We are very proud to be able to count on the support of some of the most renowned organizations in the fields of technology, cybersecurity and business, as well as on the academic research leadership of ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences and the St. Gallen School of Computer Science (HSG)," says Samir Aliyev, founder and CEO of the Swiss Cyber Institute, which has just received a Swiss Digital Shapers Award 2023 from Bilanz, Handelszeitung and digitalswitzerland. "In today's digital landscape, cybersecurity resilience has become a critical aspect of business strategy. It is essential for companies to mobilize a collective response to protect critical assets and limit systemic damage. Effective governance foundations are required to manage cyber risks, and enforcement is necessary to increase cyber resilience," emphasizes Samir Aliyev. "With this conference, we aim to provide a networking and learning platform for key decision makers to gain a common understanding of what needs to be done to strengthen cyber resilience."

Appreciate the role of chief information security officers

The inaugural Swiss CISO Awards, for which a panel of experts has been specially assembled, will also highlight the central role of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) in securing organizations against evolving cyber threats and recognize the exceptional achievements of Swiss-based security leaders who have dedicated their careers to strengthening the security of their companies or organizations. The awards ceremony will be an integral part of the Global Cyber Conference. A distinguished and expert jury will evaluate the nominations and select the winners.

The Global Cyber Conference is organized by the Swiss Cyber Institute, a cybersecurity education provider. With the goal of promoting cyber resilience, the Institute offers comprehensive training programs, conferences and networking opportunities to empower individuals and organizations in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. The Swiss Cyber Institute is a course provider registered by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI for the federal exams in Switzerland. It is also an ISACA Accredited Training Organization (ATO) and ISC2 Official Training Partner. 

For more information and registration details, visit the official Global Cyber Conference website at. https://globalcyberconference.com/.

In medical and analytical technology as well as in pharmaceuticals or pipetting applications, media separation in valves via a chemically resistant elastomer diaphragm that complies with regulations is important in order to prevent contamination of the fluid even during longer periods of use. When larger flow rates or flushing quantities also have to be metered quickly and precisely, the valves are often the weakest link in the chain. Until now, users have had to make compromises here, especially in terms of size, but also in terms of flow rate, permissible temperature or process times.

WhisperValve family expanded

Bürkert Fluid Controls Systems has expanded its WhisperValve series for the above reasons: The new Type 6757 analysis valve now covers the pressure range up to 16 bar and is insensitive to pressure surges, according to the manufacturer. In addition, its design enables switching times of less than 8 ms with a power consumption of less than 4.5 W, making it ideal for battery-powered field devices. The wetted components are selected according to the fluids involved. Therefore, the valve is also suitable for critical reagents or cleaning agents and withstands 90 °C media temperature for up to 30 min, for example in sterilization processes. This also applies to the smaller members of the WhisperValve family Type 6712 and 6724, which are designed for system pressures up to 7 bar. This results in a wide range of applications, from mobile and stationary measuring and analysis devices in medical and laboratory technology, to systems for endoscope cleaning or filling systems, to disinfection devices.

Energy efficient and virtually no heat input

According to the manufacturing company, the pulse variants of the WhisperValve switch back and forth between the switching positions practically silently with only a short current pulse and then also hold them currentless by means of permanent magnets. In this way, both long-term measurements with continuous reagent flow can be implemented in a battery-saving manner and sensitive media can be switched through the valve without heat input. Since energy is only required briefly during the switching process, both the energy consumption and the heat input do not depend on the duty cycle, but only on the switching frequency. The back-pressure-tight, easy-to-flush valves permit fast switching operations with operating noise levels during changeover of just under 20 dB(A) for the medium-sized Type 6724, which is therefore also suitable for use in particularly noise-sensitive areas at the point of care. The operating noise of the small Type 6712 is 36 dB(A), while the maximum noise level of the large Type 6757 is 45 dB(A). The 2/2- or 3/2-way valves of the WhisperValve family are only 7 mm, 9 mm and 18 mm wide and can be easily connected in series or combined to form complete system solutions. The technical functionality within the product family is the same, thus facilitating electrical control and, if necessary, approvals. An electronic expansion module can be used to implement analysis functions, for example feedback on switching positions, unwanted pressures, temperatures or energy consumption. Optional expansion modules also enable boost pulse or soft close functions.

Source and further information

Blockchain technology and associated digital assets are opening up exciting prospects and creating a new vision of money, but at the same time there are serious challenges to existing regulatory and compliance regimes. These have made themselves felt in a number of ways. In the U.S., the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has targeted Binance and Coinbase, the two most powerful exchanges in the cryptocurrency world. The SEC accuses Binance founder Changpeng Zhao of operating a "web of deceit" and brings 13 violations against him and his platform. Binance and Coinbase have made billions of dollars in investments. What triggered the SEC's investigation? 

"House of Cards on Foundation of Deception".

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), more than 46,000 people reported losing more than $1 billion in cryptocurrencies to various scams between January 2021 and June 2022, and that number only includes people who voluntarily shared that information with authorities. The Time.Stamped blog lists the most common crypto scams, such as business opportunities that promise to help you get rich. One common scam involves stealing your cryptocurrency from the exchange, as was the case with FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF). Investors seem to know little about how to keep their cryptocurrencies safe. According to the Wall Street Journal, Sam Bankman-Fried "built a house of cards on a foundation of deception" while telling investors it was one of the safest buildings in the crypto world.

With respect to Binance, the SEC alleges that while Binance publicly claimed that Binance.US was a separate, independent trading platform for U.S. investors, Zhao secretly controlled the U.S. company behind the scenes. Among the products Binance.US allegedly illegally offered to its U.S. customers were commodity derivatives.

What is a free market?

Perhaps it is worth revisiting what constitutes a free market. A free market is one that is not controlled by anyone; no individual buyer or seller has the power or authority to influence prices on the exchange. They simply build on the market; therefore, large and very liquid markets are required. One issue besides willful influence by a player, founder, or manager is the size of the market. If bitcoin is independent, it should not drop by 50 % the moment Elon Musk decides to sell the bitcoins accepted and used to pre-fund Tesla orders. The market should digest large orders without influencing the price and be rock solid and liquid so that no single player can influence the price. The Bitcoin example shows that this condition of market size, liquidity and independence of players is not always met.

Compliance issues in the crypto world

Let's get back to the scams. While investor education and increased regulatory scrutiny is a must, we can also question the governance and compliance culture of crypto exchanges. The Global Investigation Review published in September 2022 notes a number of compliance issues and regulatory challenges with cryptocurrencies.

Broadly speaking, there are two main approaches that governments are taking in various combinations: (1) they are trying to fit digital assets into existing regulatory and compliance regimes (the approach that has been taken primarily at the federal level in the United States), and (2) they are creating new laws or amending existing laws to specifically address digital assets (as is the case in countries such as Switzerland and Dubai and in certain states in the United States such as New York).

CIP culture is missing in the crypto world

But what about a compliance and governance culture at the level of the exchanges themselves? An important component of a compliance culture is that employees feel comfortable raising issues and reporting violations without fear of retaliation. It also requires an internal reporting and resolution system to address issues as they arise. This means creating a culture that promotes open and transparent communication and allows employees to voice their concerns. Since cryptocurrencies claim to focus on the value of freedom and take an ecosystem approach, one might assume that this is the industry where a compliance culture can thrive. A compliance culture starts with leadership. The leader must manifest and live the compliance values. There are enough examples to show that this does not happen by itself in the crypto industry. There also seems to be a lack of clear policies, procedures and training. Where is the "speak-up" culture and continuous kaizen improvement in the crypto world? We see it in the community's commitment to the protocols, but it doesn't carry over to corporate behavior and culture.

Let's sit back and think about risk management for a moment. What does this missing link in the corporate culture, this missing compliance culture, mean for cryptocurrency risk management for investors, regulators and, of course, the crypto company itself? The risk that has already occurred for investors and companies is in the $10 billion direction. Perhaps not all, but some of these losses could have been avoided if good business practices such as ISO standards had been applied, if a good example had been set, and if a culture of compliance had been created within the company.

Sources used:

• https://globalinvestigationsreview.com/guide/the-guide-compliance/first-edition/article/compliance-issues-in-cryptocurrency
• Investors club https://emotional-agility.dg1.com/vc4diversity/pages/memberships

Author: 
Karen Wendt is president of SwissFinTechLadies, a group of women actively encouraging women in the FinTech, tech and blockchain ecosystem to take more leadership positions in startups and become shareholders in tech companies. More articles and information here: https://www.presseportal.ch/de/nr/100096065

The five fingers of one hand alone are no longer sufficient to list the arguments in favor of cloud computing: They are already exhausted with the higher flexibility, scalability, availability and security, as well as the cost advantages of cloud resources. In addition, there are the inherent cloud capabilities for disaster recovery and the speed of innovation with which cloud providers continue to develop their platforms. But simply moving to the cloud rarely works. Rather, cloud migration must be carefully planned and implemented if it is not to become a disaster. Cloud service provider Couchbase outlines the most important steps on the way to the cloud:

1. Evaluation: Cloud computing only begins in a few greenfield startups. As a rule, it is built on top of existing systems (legacy), with which it is combined in hybrid structures. The first step evaluates the existing IT infrastructure and decides which applications and workloads are to be moved to the cloud - and which are not.
2. Planning: The migration plan based on this defines the timeline, the budget and the necessary resources for the cloud migration, such as equipment, personnel or the costs for accompanying service providers.
3. Preparation: Before the start of the migration, the systems, applications and data concerned must be made cloud-ready. This includes any necessary security measures, performance tuning, and data backup and recovery.
4. Migration: After these preparatory steps, the actual migration of systems, applications and data to the cloud can begin, accompanied by appropriate performance and validation tests.
5. Integration: Since not all IT services are usually migrated to the cloud, cloud services and the remaining on-premises legacy systems must be brought into productive harmony with each other. This applies above all to data and security management.
6. Optimization: Cloud services have enormous potential for optimization if they are fine-tuned to meet specific requirements. The most important parameters for this are performance, scalability and cost efficiency.
7. Maintenance: Like the legacy systems, the cloud systems must also be constantly maintained after commissioning. At the top of the maintenance list are the monitoring of all services and any updates to systems and applications.

"A well thought-out migration strategy is a critical success factor for cloud projects," explains Paul Salazar, Senior Director Central Europe at Couchbase. "It paves the way for a smooth transition and ensures that the benefits of cloud computing can be realized quickly and efficiently."

Source and further information: Couchbase

In combination with glass or carbon fibers, epoxy resins are used, for example, to manufacture components for aircraft, cars, trains, ships and wind turbines. Such fiber-reinforced epoxy-based plastics have excellent mechanical and thermal properties and are much lighter than metal. Alongside these many advantages, they have one decisive disadvantage: they are not recyclable - at least not yet.

Limits of recyclability 

Empa researchers led by Sabyasachi Gaan have now succeeded in developing an epoxy resin-based plastic. This is said to be fully recyclable, repairable and also flame retardant, as reported in a paper published in the journal Chemical Engineering Journal published article is called. What's more, the favorable thermomechanical properties of epoxy resins are also still guaranteed.

Why is the recyclability of epoxy resins so difficult? Epoxy resins are so-called duromers. This type of plastic consists of closely interlinked polymer chains. These chemical bonds make melting impossible. Once the plastic has cured, it can no longer be deformed. Such duromers contrast with thermoplastics such as PET or polyolefins. Their polymer chains are close together but not bonded. Under the influence of heat, these plastics can be melted and formed into new shapes. However, because of the lack of crosslinking, their mechanical properties at elevated temperatures are generally not as advantageous as those of duromers.

A new type of plastic

The new plastic developed by Empa researchers is actually a duromer. What is new about it, however, is its meltability. This is due to a special functional molecule from the class of phosphonic acid esters. This was introduced into the matrix of the epoxy resin. "We originally synthesized this molecule as a flame retardant," says Empa scientist Wenyu Wu Klingler, who co-invented the technology. However, the bond that the molecule forms with the polymer chains of the epoxy resin is reversible, meaning it can be released under certain conditions. This loosens the crosslinking of the polymer chains so that they can be melted and shaped.

Such materials, also known as vitrimers, have only been known for about ten years and are considered particularly promising. "Today, fiber-reinforced plastics are virtually impossible to recycle, except under extreme conditions that damage the fibers," explains Wu Klingler. "Once they have reached the end of their useful life, they are incinerated or disposed of in landfills. With our plastic, it would be possible for the first time to put them back into the material cycle." Their vision for the future, adds group leader Sabyasachi Gaan, is "a composite material in which the fibers and the plastic matrix can be completely separated and reused." The researcher sees a particular advantage, for example, in carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, such as those used in the construction of airplanes, trains, boats, cars, bicycles and more. "The production of carbon fibers requires a lot of energy and releases an enormous amount of CO2," he explains. "If we could recycle them, their environmental footprint would be a lot better - and the price a lot lower." In addition, valuable additives such as phosphorus could also be recovered from the polymer matrix in this way.

Customized material

Fiber-reinforced plastics are not the only application for the new epoxy resin. The plastic could also be used for coating wooden floors. There, it could serve as a transparent layer that is flame-retardant on the one hand, but "healable" under the influence of pressure and heat on the other: scratches or other damage could thus be repaired. "We didn't develop a single material for a specific purpose, but rather a toolbox," Gaan explains. "The flame retardancy, recyclability and repairability are all there. We can optimize all other properties depending on the intended use." For example, he says, tile properties are particularly important for the production of fiber-reinforced plastics, while exterior wood coatings must also be weather-resistant.

To pursue these and other applications of the material, the researchers are now looking for industrial partners. The researchers believe that the chances of commercial success are good: the modified epoxy resin is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

Source: Empa