A belated Happy 4th July! We hope all who celebrated (and those in the spirit of it) the long weekend fired up the BBQs and spread some merriment (and not COVID!)

This week we visit a topic that is on the rise: ESG. It is the acronym du jour. We believe it is essential for business models to align with the tenets of ESG for a sustainable and safe-guarded future. More on that right below.

In keeping with our due diligence theme, 'mindful monitoring' where Measures of Effect (MOE) and Measures of Performance (MOP) is another feather to add to your cap when creating a strategy for a campaign – it's one of the biggest pitfalls companies face. Find out why a little further down.

'Shaping Tomorrow' looks at tech in the main – from how Facebook is dominating the U.S. media landscape to the percentage of female employees in the workforce in major tech companies.

Now, when it comes to podcasts, we've got something up our sleeves at the moment – to be revealed in the fullness of time – but for now, indulge in Outside Magazine's five podcast recommendations for the summer.

And we know you will just love our musings on the five-hour work day as explored by Wired magazine. Research indicates that five hours is about the maximum that most of us can concentrate hard on something. There are periods when we can push past that, but the reality is that most of us have about that good work time in us every day. Why work harder when you can work smarter?

Off we go to rewrite the rulebook!

Team E.

Mindfully Monitoring

You've got a strategy, a plan or a project and you're in the full throes of rolling it out and implementing it - but then what? How do you know it's working, effective, being implemented properly and that it's actually being carried through? How have you determined your KPI's, KRI's and how are you ascertaining your Measures of Effect (MOE) and Measures of Performance (MOP)? We help organizations with the full monitoring and evaluation of their plans, strategies and/or campaigns. Monitoring is one of the biggest failures of business or campaign implementation and most companies aren't equipped with the right tools, data or information to enable them to do it effectively or at all.

That's where we come in. Full monitoring and evaluation backed by qualitative and quantitative data that gives you real insight and information that you can actually use. We're well beyond endless numbers which neither help you with your day-to-day nor long term decisions and goals. We’ll tell you what's being done right, what's not and how to fix it - in real time. Take control of your vision and let us do the heavy lifting.

SHAPING TOMORROW

We’re always on the look out for dynamic change makers, disruptors and new information to fuel our own dexterity and creativity. So, this section sees a few of our recent picks on how the world’s outlook is changing. We hope these little nuggets will help you land on that 'aha!' moment you were looking for!

OUR DIVERSIONS

We know everyone says it's not all work, it's about play, too – and as much as we don't want to sound like a broken record, there is truth in the truism. Like we said earlier, we are all about ingesting the complex and the trivial in equal measure. In fact, we love nothing more than thinking deeply about the more 'playful' things in life. Read ' em and ponder away.

TODAY'S QUOTE

The origins of YOLO was birthed by Mae West. Live a diverse life, make random decisions, leave no stone unturned and you won't wish you need to live a second life.

THE OUTLOOK

Sometimes a calm body of water is all you need to charge up your batteries.