Addison

Can bigger be better? In health care, the answer may be yes, according to Delos “Toby” Cosgrove, CEO and president at Cleveland Clinic. As Dr. Cosgrove writes in his recent LinkedIn blog post health care is a low-margin activity. Consolidation across the industry, from medical practices to large hospital networks, helps health care providers weather economic fluctuations—especially now, as health care reform reshapes the playing field. [more]

A spate of recent press articles recounts how, faced with underwhelming results from wellness programs, employers are using sanctions to enforce compliance and achieve health goals. [more]

With the holidays behind us, the most wonderful time of the year is almost here: the Super Bowl. A lucky few will travel to New Orleans to watch it live, but most of us will spend a gluttonous day in front of the TV, watching opposing coaches Jim and John Harbaugh scream from the sidelines. There are, however, a lot of reasons why watching on TV is better than being at the game. [more]

According to analysis just released by the Governance & Accountability Institute, there has been a dramatic increase from 2010 to 2011 in the number of the largest U.S. companies issuing ESG, CSR or Sustainability reports. In the 2011 analysis, 53% of S&P 500 and 57% of Fortune 500 companies were reporting on their Environmental, Social, … [more]

You’d like your new video to get a million hits on YouTube, to be shared endlessly on Facebook and Twitter, and to become the talk of the BSR conference next year in San Francisco. But will it? Perhaps not, but don’t despair. Adding video to your CSR website can still be a substantial boon to your communications efforts. And it doesn’t even need to involve a cat playing the piano. [more]

In the aftermath of Sandy, we have a little breathing space to consider the storm from our own specific viewpoint — information design, specifically, data visualization. The most powerful, and moving, visual depictions of the storm are the photographs of the devastation. Houses ruined, boats jumbled in heaps, trees uprooted, and cars and subway stations under water, all convey the information that it was a powerful and terrifying storm. They meet the first test of good visualization — they instantly tell a clear story. [more]

As corporations along the East Coast struggle to return to normal in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, many will be reconsidering their environmental strategies and, in particular, how their long-term risk planning may have caught them off guard. While greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction programs now seem more important than ever, more pressing issues will be [more]

The chattering classes have been busy for the last week parsing the first 2012 presidential debate. What should President Obama’s strategy be? Will Governor Romney use his strong showing to reinvigorate the party base? Will the president be more aggressive with Romney in the next two debates? Did Romney win on style but not substance? [more]

I ask our clients if they’ve seen the Seinfeld episode, when Jerry, who has reserved a rental car, is told when he goes to pick it up, that there are none available. Jerry points out to the customer service representative that the most important part of a reservation is to actually “hold” what’s been reserved. [more]

Soon, companies will need to develop and communicate more mature strategies that can uncover the full environmental effect of their procurement processes. Even if those strategies are a work in progress, these efforts will demonstrate foresight, stability and a desire to do the right thing. [more]

Every year since 2004, sustainability strategists from Addison have attended the Ceres Conference, and every year we return having engaged with some of the most inspiring and passionate people working in sustainability today. The 2012 Conference, with a theme of “Igniting Innovation, Scaling Sustainability,” was no exception. [more]

Today’s health care documents can be complex and confusing. What if they could be as simple—and enjoyable—as a children’s story? Senior Strategist Ed Lanigan makes an incisive comparison between his health insurance plan’s communications and Dr. Seuss’ classic tale, “Green Eggs and Ham.” [more]

When my dad’s health declined late last year, I took over his financial and medical affairs. Since I analyze incomprehensible financial and medical communications for a living, I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised to find myself on the receiving end of a blizzard of complex financial, legal and medical paperwork. [more]

Now that 2012 is here, it’s time to look back and look ahead. Which 2011 sustainability trends can we expect to carry forward into 2012? Addison’s Senior Sustainability Strategist Judy Sandford has six trends to watch in the new year. [more]

A recent walk through the neighborhood showed how some are trying to stave off this existential threat. By looking at a few examples, we can learn just how hard it can be to communicate a desired action. We can also see how combining plain language with smart information design yields clarity and gets results. [more]

Video: Plain Language and Information Design Transform Member Experience [more]

At Addison, we work with many companies that are just beginning to address sustainability as a core business issue, who often ask, “Will producing a sustainability or corporate social responsibility (CSR) report increase our stock price or drive revenues?” The answer: Not necessarily. [more]

If we could write to Santa and ask for just one small health care reform gift, what would it be? Putting aside requests for miraculous cures (or world peace for that matter), maybe we could ask for an ideal health care system in which everyone was covered (and funding was not an issue). [more]

By Ed Lanigan Senior Strategist Resolution: greater wellness We’re all familiar with resolutions to exercise more, lose weight, lower our stress, eat more fruit and vegetables…in general, to live healthier lives. We make resolutions, but all too often, we fall back into our old habits. Why is it so difficult to incorporate greater wellness into … [more]

In another step toward simplifying investor communications, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is allowing mutual fund firms to adopt a new “summary prospectus” for use as early as March 31, 2009. As of January 1, 2010, every mutual fund statutory prospectus will be required to open with a summary section. What does this mean … [more]