In October, MAPI held its most attended webinar of the year: Transfer Pricing & Customs Valuation. In today’s cross-border business environment, transfer pricing and U.S. Customs valuation are integral, and companies must have a clear understanding of the unique requirements of each to the business.

A combination of dynamic and powerful forces including cyber risk, ever-accelerating technological advances, regulatory complexity, natural and human-made catastrophes, and globalization of the supply chain confronts manufacturers more than at any other point in history. To respond to this continually evolving array of risks, executives need robust tools and fresh insights to support their understanding of the risk landscape, as well as to accurately assess the sophistication, effectiveness, and maturity of their risk management programs.

See the most popular content from 2017; the impact of hurricanes on the economy, infrastructure investment, encouraging diversity and inclusion in the workforce, the impacts of the GDPR, and the new language of digital.   

While the U.S. has seen two major hurricanes in the last two weeks, we are just halfway through hurricane season.

What went wrong? This is the question many people in the Equifax organization are asking today. How did hackers gain access to over 143 million U.S.

With whistleblower suits on the rise, increased CEO firings over ethical lapses, and National Whistleblower Appreciation Day falling on July 30, it’s an important time for companies to think about their corporate governance structures, whistleblower systems, and whistleblower investigation processes. Instead of looking at whistleblowing as harmful, companies should consider whistleblowing a safety valve and a sign of an engaged, ethical culture.

Even just days into 2017, it seems likely that uncertainty and risk will be yearlong themes. MAPI members share insights on how they are preparing for the new year.  

One day in mid-October, more than 1,200 U.S. websites were taken down by a massive botnet attack launched through hacked Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as home Wi-Fi routers and CCTV cameras. There doesn’t seem to have been a political or criminal motive for the assault. Rather, it was more like some sophisticated hackers taking a joyride at the expense of millions of Americans.

Jennifer Hardwick, pandemics and global health analyst at OSAC, recently gave a webinar on the Zika virus titled “Zika and Mosquito-Borne Illness: What Companies Need to Know.” The webinar recording is available here; MAPI members can log in to download the slides.

MAPI’s research has found that the problem lies in how companies implement their diversity and inclusion strategies. Many businesses make the mistake of tackling D&I across too many fronts too quickly. This leaves many manufacturers stuck in a programmatic mode in which efforts are led by human resources but no cohesive strategy exists and programs are deployed ad hoc. As a result, diversity and inclusion are often seen as just another HR initiative and too few leaders and employees understand the link to business results.