A Deep Dive into This Year’s Programming Partnership: Q&A with Panorama

Matt, can you start off by describing Concordia’s focus on the future of work at the 2018 Concordia Annual Summit?

Concordia’s focus on this topic began last year with our engagement with United Technologies, which has continued its support of Concordia and it’s been amazing. Around the globe, companies are realizing that they must consider the future of work because constant innovation, both in technology and employment models, is playing a critical role in changing business communities, work environments, and society at large. It’s important to continue this conversation, but it’s also important to address its multiple layers. The future of work is not just innovation in the workforce, but also the impact of trade, shifting education, and the impact these changes are having on working families. The subject is becoming a larger conversation about what the world expects from companies, and, frankly, how those companies can benefit from doing the right thing. This is where Concordia uniquely stands out. We have created an environment where, while discussing the ramifications and factors of the future of work, we also address how companies can benefit from investing in the wellbeing and futures of their workforce. 

Kimble, in your opinion, how did programming at the 2018 Concordia Annual Summit contribute to advancing conversations around the future of work?  

I love to talk about unlikely allies. Concordia is a great opportunity to do this – the Annual Summit platform is one that speaks across sectors, industries, and party lines. It is exciting to see this year’s programming touch on a number of issues within the future of work, from the impacts of technology to how public policy can impact businesses and workers, and our own perspective around emerging business practices that support working families. This programming is a great opportunity to bridge the various conversations, and highlight the impact that this kind of dialogue can have on shaping people’s connection to work, ensuring the wellbeing of working families, reducing inequities, and contributing to better economic outcomes for everyone.

Matt, how does Concordia and, more specifically, the Annual Summit, provide our partners with a platform to help advance their mission?

When speaking about the future of work, a large part of the conversation is discussing the kind of work environments that the private sector creates for its workers. This aspect of the conversation is important and relevant within topics from innovation in the workforce to issues such as equal pay and paid leave. These are standards that should be universal, but aren’t currently universal. These topics were the focus of discussion with several of our partners and sponsors at the Annual Summit. We were able to delve into these conversations with several of our partners and discuss the ways in which we make these standards in the work environment more prevalent within the private sector and society. What I want to address is making these topics important to both employers and employees. Concordia is a safe place for both the public and private sectors, but here, the main objective is setting standards that are really important to the workforce and simultaneously help the bottom line of companies. Our goal is to create a nonpartisan platform to foster a dialogue that includes all key stakeholders to find solutions for businesses, workers, and consumers.  

Kimble, how can cross-sector partnerships help amplify Panorama’s mission?

At the heart of Panorama’s mission is the belief that through a shared vision we can bring dialogue to action and solve the world’s most pressing issues. That doesn’t happen without ensuring that all stakeholder voices are represented at the table. We see a lot of alignment with Concordia’s cross-sector approach and our own, and believe our partnership will help us build deeper, more meaningful conversations.

How are you planning to continue the dialogues and initiatives that will take place at the 2018 Concordia Annual Summit beyond the summit?

We see the Concordia Summit as an opportunity to launch a series of conversations with business leaders. Our Working Family Business Alliance, a working group on paid leave, will be an opportunity for employers to identify and analyze key issues that face businesses, discuss the changing needs of working families, work with other proactive employers toward employee-friendly practices, and identify key lessons learned. We recognize that each company has a unique perspective and has adopted their own practices to create sustainable solutions that fit their needs. Concordia’s ability to bring together a diversity of perspectives is just a starting place for these conversations, and we look forward to watching them thrive.