IBM Think Canada Conference:
climate, cybersecurity and skills key focus for
business
- 56% of Canadian CEOs say sustainability is a significant
challenge, a sharp increase from 31% in 2021
- 59% of Canadian CEOs accept responsibility for business impacts
on the environment
- Only 35% of Canadian CEOs feel they have the people and skills
needed to execute their sustainability strategy
- 57% of Canadian CEOs rank cybersecurity as their top priority
in 2022, up 11% in the face of increasingly costly and frequent
attacks
TORONTO, June 2, 2022
/CNW/ -- Canadian results from a global study from IBM's
(NYSE: IBM) Institute of Business Value were released today at
Think 2022, the company's annual conference held in Toronto. Canadian CEOs who participated in the
survey of more than 3,000 CEOs worldwide marked a milestone with
the majority of respondents (56%) ranking sustainability as a high
priority for the first time ever. This represents a significant
leap from a year ago when less than a third (31%) of Canadian
leaders cited sustainability among their priorities.
Nearly half (47%) of Canadian CEOs feel their sustainability
investments will accelerate business growth. An even larger number
(59%) this year accept responsibility for business impacts on the
environment, as pressure to act mounts from stakeholders after
witnessing a proliferation of corporate sustainability pledges in
the last year. CEOs in Canada
report receiving the greatest pressure on environmental
sustainability from board members (79%) and investors (68%) – the
stakeholders they tend to interact with most directly – as opposed
to consumers (17%). Additional pressure comes from regulators
(56%), government (55%) and ecosystem partners (52%). Pressure from
employees came in at a distant 12%.
When asked whether they felt confident they would achieve their
overall sustainability targets, 53% of Canadian CEOs said they
were, while 24% said the targets announced by government for their
industry are not achievable.
One of the notable challenges when it comes to executing their
sustainability strategies appears to be having enough skilled
employees to deliver. Only 35% of Canadian CEOs say they have
people and skills needed and a mere 21% indicated that their
sustainability efforts had any impact on recruiting talent.
Cyber Risk – the only more pressing challenge for
businesses
Cyber risk is the only challenge weighing more heavily than
environmental sustainability on the Canadian C-Suite, according to
those surveyed. Cited as a top priority by 57% of Canadian CEOs in
2022 – compared to 46% in 2021 – cybersecurity awareness appears to
be growing ever more important in the face of increasingly costly
and frequent attacks, the price tag of which rose to CA$6.75
million per incident on average last year, an all-time high for
Canada.
An expanding footprint in Canada leading up to Think
"In 2022, IBM has focused on helping
strengthen the Canadian workforce through skills development and
hiring, research and innovation, and by tackling big problems –
like sustainability – via quantum computing, AI, hybrid cloud and
transformation services."
– Dave McCann,
IBM Canada president
IBM has continued to invest in innovation, growth, progress and
talent in Canada throughout
2022:
- A multi-million dollar investment with Memorial University, the Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, to strengthen research and
innovation in the region.
- The first universal quantum computer for Canada will be deployed at the IBM
Bromont plant in Quebec.
- Hiring for more than 1,400 roles within the last six
months, with another 700 openings across a range of AI, hybrid
cloud and cybersecurity positions.
"The tech industry is driving growth across
the Canadian economy, which is a trajectory IBM is focused on
continuing. We are seeing that digital acceleration is a key
differentiator between organizations that are emerging stronger and
those being left behind."
– Frank
Attaie, IBM Canada general manager, technology
For more information about IBM Canada, visit www.ibm.com/ca
IBM Canada Media Contact: Lorraine
Baldwin, lorraine@ca.ibm.com
SOURCE IBM Canada