Friday, July 04, 2014

The search of the day (July 4)



Wetlands Initiative – Reducing Flood Damage Study, Wetlands needed to reduce flooding disasters

National Geographic (3 MAY 2011) Mississippi floods can be restrained with natural defenses

The Wetlands Initiative (6 AUG 2004) Flood damage reduction in the Upper Mississippi River basin: an ecological alternative

Guardian Sustainable Business (4 JULY 2014) Women and business: the heart of economic value creation

Women are often overlooked in key economic development, yet they make vital contributions to the global economy.  How can women be rewarded and reognised in big business?

There is plenty of evidence that demonstrates the valuable contribution women make to business at the executive level.  A 2012 report by Credit Suisse revealed that share price performance is higher in those companies that have female board representation.

Women are nearly twice as likely to reach the top ranks of social enterprises as they are in big companies.

McKinsey and Company – Women Matter

Business In Vancouver (12 JUNE 2014) Translink Mayors’ Council pushes for $7.5 billion transportation plan

Business In Vancouver (24 JUNE 2014) Mayors’ $7.5 billion transit plan ‘needs a bit more work’: BC transportation minister

ZLC Financial Group (FEB 2014) Warning: Double Digit Inflation

Organizations have enjoyed relatively modest annual cost increases for their employee benefits programs for the past 3 to 4 years. Even though there have been increases in the percentage of employees who have been claiming under their extended health plan and also increases in the number of submitted claims per employee each year, the annual inflation rates have only been about 3% to 5%. Inflation rates have been limited primarily because we have seen the vast majority of medications for the most prevalent medical conditions (e.g., blood pressure, cholesterol, depression, ulcers) lose their patent protection and have seen them replaced by generic drugs at about 30% to 50% of the name-brand drug cost. However, that is all about to change as we go over the “drug patent cliff” with an increasingly unhealthy employee population.


Benefits Canada (13 MAY 2013) Few companies prepared for rising employee benefits costs

Canadian HR Reporter (3 APR 2013) Tackling rising benefit costs

Article refers to a survey on wellness and disease management conducted by Deloitte

Deloitte (2013) Health care costs, benefits, and reform: What’s the next move for employers?  Results of Deloitte’s 2013 Survey of U.S. Employers

Summary of 2013 Survey

Deloitte – Red Ink Rising, The road to fiscal sustainability in Canada

Deloitte and Conference Board of Canada (29 OCT 2013)
Incenting Businesses to Make Wellness a Strategic Objective

Financial Executives Canada [FEI] (2013) Banking on Productivity: Managing Employee Health Costs

Globe and Mail (2014-07-04) Heavy rains, flooding threaten harvests in Manitoba and Saskatchewan

Vancouver Sun (4 JULY 2014) Prime Vancouver property designated flood plain
City proposal aimed to prevent future damage may increase home prices

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