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Today’s infrastructure, with its aging roads, bridges and ports, is arguably the largest hurdle for alternative fuels and the energy sources of tomorrow. Efficiency, technology and scale are also major barriers to the wider adoption of green energy.

So what is the path forward? And how do we take an approach that eases – rather than constrains – our transition away from fossil fuels?

Traditional energy sources won’t disappear tomorrow. The smartest approach is an all-of-the-above approach, one that explores all possible options, Mike Whitlatch, Vice President of Energy and Procurement at UPS, argues.

Whitlatch has worked in the fuel and energy space for more than a decade. He now oversees a wide array of energy sources powering more than 8,000 UPS alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles around the world.

Whitlatch sat down with Longitudes to discuss how companies and consumers can use new types of fuel, as well as the technologies that will make households and businesses of the future more energy-efficient.

Click here to read the full transcript

INTERVIEW EXCERPTS

On rapidly changing fuel alternatives:

“We always talk about this concept called Moore’s Law, which is the doubling of efficiency in a very short period … the technology that’s involved with finding solutions or actually converting energy from one state to another – that’s what this is really about.”

“How do we convert existing energy – because it’s finite – from one state that’s not really usable or obvious today into a state where we can actually use it.”

On vehicle and fuel development:

“It’s the chicken and egg. Do you develop the new vehicle – let’s say it’s a fuel cell or hydrogen-based or electrification – and do you then adapt the infrastructure around it, or do you look at the existing infrastructure and try to develop a solution, an actual vehicle around that?”

“In the US – the gas, the automobile, the gasoline that you and I use – I think last year it was 9.3 million barrels per day. That’s 390 million gallons per day that you’ve got to figure out. It’s a lot of fuel.”

“For us, the exciting part is that when we look around at the infrastructure that’s available to us, things like electrification become kind of obvious. I mean we use it to power the homes, and we use it to bring lights on around the world, so the infrastructure is there, and it is vast and there’s a lot of connectivity.”

On ways to follow a greener path:

“I think there are things you do in your daily life, and we’ve seen the recycling side and simple things like turning off lights. But at the end of the day, it does start to make an impact.”

“You might not accept 10 miles per gallon any more, and it is more common to see the 30 miles per gallon-plus. We even talk about UPS as an enabler to this – an enabler to benefit.”

You might also like:

The Future of Fuels

Clean Fuel Just Got Easier

Steering Toward Sustainability

Click to play podcast.

Barry Silbert has a simple goal: to build a better financial system. He says he’s found a way to do just that.

Silbert, the founder of Digital Currency Group, a strategic investment company that helps entrepreneurs, financial institutions and technology investors, believes that blockchain will help build that better system.

Blockchain is a global digital ledger where anything of value can be moved or stored. It’s secure, decentralized and completely transparent.

We all know that the line between physical and digital money is blurring, but what does that transformation mean for consumers around the globe – and the societies of tomorrow? And are there any potential pitfalls?

Silbert sat down with Longitudes after presenting in the UPS Speaker Series last fall. In our wide-ranging conversation, he argues that blockchain will change more than just the future of money. It will make global trade more seamless, bring greater financial opportunities to impoverished areas and even make us safer.

Do you agree with Silbert’s prognostication? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Click here to read the transcript.

INTERVIEW EXCERPTS:

On the world’s increasing comfort with digital currencies:

“If you take a big step back and look at the history of money, money has taken lots of forms. It’s been rocks, it’s been wampum, it’s been salt, it’s been squirrel pelts. For a period of time it was coins that were made of precious metals. Then it went to physical paper representation, which for a period of time was backed by gold – and that’s no longer the case.

So it’s not crazy to think that society will get comfortable with and embrace a world where money is only represented in digital form.”

On the need for a new financial system:

“There’s certain things that I’m 100 percent convinced of. I’m 100 percent convinced that we’re going to digital money. The timing is uncertain, but i know we’re doing that.

I’m 100 percent convinced that the existing financial system that exists today is broken and dysfunctional, and that we need a better system. And I’m 100 percent convinced that we’re moving into a world and a society that is very much driven off of mobile devices and connectivity.

In knowing all of that, what are the companies that we can invest in? What are the businesses we can start that will help support and accelerate that, but will also take advantage of that world we will be living in?”

On the application of blockchain beyond financial services:

“Social security cards, birth certificates, driver’s licenses … all of these documents that are given to you by the government exist in a database somewhere already, yet that database is not accessible by you or anybody else.

So I get excited about the idea of having all of that information in some type of immutable distributed ledger, where i control the keys, I can provide access to that database to whomever i want and they don”t get to keep that information.”

“What gets me excited right now is finally, finally seeing small businesses and some very large companies experimenting around using Bitcoin as a rail to move money across borders.”

You might also like:

Blockchain and the Digital Currency Revolution

Does Global Trade Need A Global Currency?

The Promise of Digital Finance

Click to play podcast.

Every year, millions of babies are born premature around the world.

Thousands perish because they lack access to something as basic as an incubator.

With the average incubator costing $20,000, this life-saving device is beyond the reach of remote areas in developing countries.

That’s the kind of problem TED speaker and author Navi Radjou wants to solve.

His outlook comes from living in difficult conditions. Frugality wasn’t a choice. It was a part of everyday life where he grew up in India.

In his book, Frugal Innovation: How to do More With Less (2015, The Economist), Navi describes the need for society to create nimbler, more cost-effective solutions to problems like incubators.

Earlier this fall, Navi spoke at the UPS Speaker Series event in Atlanta, Georgia about the obstacles and opportunities surrounding implementation of the frugal-innovation approach.

In an interview with Longitudes, Navi described a changing global landscape where consumers are pursuing a simpler, higher quality of life.

It makes us wonder: Are businesses adapting to this new wave of consumer thinking?

Check out the podcast and share your thoughts with us.

Every morning, wake up to the blog that gives you the latest trends shaping tomorrow.

In his latest of 35 books, executive coach Marshall Goldsmith talks about the things that keep us from being the best we can be. Triggers discusses how to identify the stimuli that impact our behavior and learn how to avoid being controlled by them. In this podcast, Longitudes editor James Rowe talks with Goldsmith one on one about how to achieve positive long-term change in your career and in life. There are four keys, Goldsmith says – listen to the podcast for insights.

Want more leadership tips? Goldsmith and others recommended favorites here last year.

 

[Also on Longitudes: VIDEO: Jeremy Rifkin Has Seen the Future]

 

Every morning, wake up to the blog that gives you the latest trends shaping tomorrow.

 

In part one of our chat with bestselling author Jeremy Rifkin, we learned about the next industrial revolution (spoiler alert: it’s almost here).

But what exactly will it mean for our economic future, and how are some of the world’s leading businesses planning for this new day?

Rifkin elaborates in part two of our discussion, explaining the growing connection between sustainability and profitability in today’s marketplace.

According to Rifkin, this evolution is particularly compelling in the transportation and logistics sectors.

Rifkin, the first presenter in the 2016 UPS Speaker Series, spoke with Longitudes in advance of his presentation at 9:30 a.m. (EST) on Feb. 24 in the Founders’ Auditorium at UPS in Atlanta, Georgia.

You can view his presentation by registering for the live webcast.

[Also on Longitudes: PODCAST: Jeremy Rifkin on the Next Industrial Revolution]

In this installment, Rifkin details how citizens are now thinking globally and acting locally.

The thought leader also breaks down the concept of “biosphere consciousness,” predicting that such a disruption will change the world for the better.

Lastly, you’ll want to hear Rifkin’s thoughts on virtual reality … this is about much more than the next generation of video games. 

Every morning, wake up to the blog that gives you the latest trends shaping tomorrow.

 

You probably know a little bit about the Industrial Revolution or even the Second Industrial Revolution.

But what if I told you we’re now on the cusp of another industrial revolution, a Third Industrial Revolution, to be exact?

This era will usher in a fundamental reordering of human relationships, changing the way we conduct business, govern society, educate our children and engage in civic life.

That’s the vision of the future as imagined by Jeremy Rifkin, one of the big thinkers of our time.

The bestselling author spoke with Longitudes in advance of his presentation at 9:30 a.m. (EST) on Feb. 24 in the Founders’ Auditorium at UPS in Atlanta, Georgia.

Rifkin is the first presenter in the 2016 UPS Speaker Series.  You can view his presentation by registering for the live webcast.

In part one of our discussion, Rifkin explains exactly how the Third Industrial Revolution will change our daily lives.

[Also on Longitudes: Rifkin’s Revolution]

What role will the Internet of Things play in this transformation, and how will that connectivity affect global productivity? Rifkin has the answers.

And finally, the author delves into the blurring lines between the physical and virtual worlds, connecting the dots behind global trends already at work.

Click here to listen to part two of this podcast. 

Every morning, wake up to the blog that gives you the latest trends shaping tomorrow.

Note from the Editor:

We’re talking about Mexico all week here at Longitudes. We’ll take a look at the rise of the right-shoring movement, the growing importance of the U.S.-Mexico trade lane, the evolving nature of the Mexican middle class and the auto industry of tomorrow in Latin America.

But really, Mexico’s ascent is a story about opportunity. Forget everything you thought you knew about the country – and join us every day this week for an in-depth exploration of how our path to the future will certainly go through Mexico.

Check out today’s podcast on U.S. manufacturers moving to Mexico and recent trade reforms:

Click Here to Read Full Podcast Transcript

More and more these days, sophisticated U.S. imports – often from the aerospace, automotive and high-tech industries – share a common designation: Made in Mexico.

This trend reflects growing confidence among U.S. manufacturers that Mexico offers far more than affordable labor just across the southern border.

The country has modern, industry-specific manufacturing hubs staffed by skilled workers. U.S. companies and their customers can gain these benefits without having to wait for goods shipped across thousands of miles of ocean or paying for higher-priced air shipping.

Mexico has long been an important location for production and end delivery of goods, especially for companies that want to put manufacturing closer to U.S. demand.

But the country’s participation in many free trade agreements and its recent emergence as a world-class manufacturing center present an excellent opportunity for U.S. companies to balance other factors like costs or local resources to determine the proximity of sourced materials to production, warehousing and distribution.

In this case, U.S. companies establish manufacturing operations in Mexico to boost the benefits derived from just-in-time production practices while also taking advantage of Mexican skills and infrastructure.

[Also on Longitudes: Industry 4.0: Smart Factories Need Smart Supply Chains]

Worth a second look

Over the last few decades, Mexico has established itself as a country where companies can build supply chains nimble enough to meet the demands of 21^st century manufacturing.

Manufacturers need speed, efficiency and the ability to ramp up and contract production depending on the demands of the day. They also face more pressure than ever before to reduce transit times. This often requires shorter supply chains.

For U.S. companies that sell goods domestically, nearby Mexico is a logical choice to locate crucial supply chain links. That’s why we’re witnessing dramatic growth in a number of industries in regions throughout Mexico.

Take the aerospace industry, for example. Mexico has several aerospace manufacturing hubs that are known for industry expertise. Of Mexico’s 31 states, 16 have factories that specialize in aerospace, according to the Offshore Group. Between 2008 and 2013, as many as 36 aerospace factories were established in Chihuahua City.

The state of Chihuahua has universities and technical schools that graduate thousands of engineers and technicians each year. These graduates enter the workforce ready to support the local manufacturing industries, including aerospace.

U.S. automakers Ford, General Motors and Chrysler also are concentrating some manufacturing operations in Mexican cities, including Ramos Arizpe, Toluca, Hermosillo and Chihuahua.

The companies gain the benefits of relatively low business costs, skilled workforces and free trade agreements, which enable easier exporting to foreign markets.

Meanwhile, the city of Guadalajara has become known as a Latin Silicon Valley. More than 600 high-tech companies have facilities there, and the city is now the top producer of software, electronics and digital components in Mexico.

Manufacturing hubs like these compete directly with rival hubs in China, which, for a long time, has been the offshore manufacturing destination of choice for companies around the world.

But, as Chinese labor and transportation costs rise, U.S. companies see more value in locating manufacturing operations in Mexico where they can more easily supply U.S. markets.

Mexico’s improving transportation infrastructure is another important factor that companies consider when they decide to put operations in the country.

They also take a close look at intellectual property protection, which is stronger in Mexico than in other parts of the world. This is especially important for industries like aerospace and high-tech, which develop cutting-edge products.

Finally, concerns about setting up operations in Mexico are gradually dissipating as governments work to secure supply chains and improve personal safety for the people who live and work there.

[Also on Longitudes: 7 Ways 3D Printing is Disrupting Global Manufacturing]

The Mexico of tomorrow

Mexico’s economy is one of the most trade-integrated in the developing world, and trade between North American nations is on the rise. U.S. goods traded with Mexico in 2013 amounted to $506.6 billion, a gain of 2.8 percent from 2012, according to the U.S. Mission to Mexico.

In the 20 years since the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement, exports from the United States to Mexico have increased by 336 percent while Mexico’s exports to the United States have increased by 465 percent.

That’s why UPS is so bullish on Mexico and has devoted so many resources to the region of late.

[Click here to learn how UPS can help U.S. exporters capture new opportunities in Mexico — and Mexican exporters to increase trade with the U.S.]

For example, UPS CrossBorder Connect service bundles the necessary transportation components north and south of the U.S.-Mexico border with the company’s leading brokerage capabilities. This provides seamless integration and supply chain efficiencies and helps companies balance the need for speed with cost concerns.

UPS launched the service in 2012 in direct response to the resurgence of Mexico as a manufacturing base.

We see immense opportunity in the U.S.-Mexico trade lane in the years ahead. When it comes to fostering economic growth, Mexico is a modern-day success story.

But the best part of the story is yet to be told. In 20 years, Mexico could be one of the primary incubators for innovation in the world. In large part, I see that happening through expanded business ties with the United States.

You may not know that Mexico is already the leading trade partner for 32 U.S. states. But reading the tea leaves, even better times are on the horizon – for both countries. 

Every morning, wake up to the blog that gives you the latest trends shaping tomorrow.

On Tuesday Nov. 24, 2015, Regina Hartley’s TED@UPS talk was featured as the Talk of the Day on TED.com. In honor of this, Teri McClure, Chief Legal Officer and Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Employee Communications and Labor Relations, sat down with Regina a few days beforehand to dig a little deeper into what it really means to be a scrapper. *The transcript was edited for length and clarity. The podcast is an abridged version of the conversation.

 

McClure: Regina, congratulations on your TED@UPS talk being selected as the “talk of the day” by TED on TED.com. That’s an exciting opportunity. Tell me about where you came up with this idea, and what your thoughts were in preparing for this talk.

Hartley: A long time ago I noticed that there was a strong connection in people that I met who I considered successful leaders, and a lot of them had a background similar to mine. They were scrappers. They fought their way through difficult circumstances yet were able to navigate the business world. This idea has been brewing inside me for quite a long time.

McClure: That’s interesting. What’s your story? What makes you a scrapper in this context?

Hartley: I grew up poor and I was a beneficiary of scholarships through education. I didn’t have a lot but always knew that if I worked hard, I could overcome the challenges. I had a disabled father, and with that came a lot of disadvantages that I wanted to navigate around.

McClure: You mentioned that you had worked with a number of folks who you deemed to have this sort of background, and were scrappers. What do you think it is about UPS that attracts scrappers like you?

Hartley: I think it’s in our DNA. If you think about the history of UPS, our founder Jim Casey was the consummate scrapper. Jim Casey’s father died when he was young. He was the oldest of four kids and he had to go to work at 11 years old. So the culture at UPS is really a testimony to that spirit of entrepreneurship and accepting everybody – regardless of where they came from and what value they bring to the table.

McClure: What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from your scrapper background?

Hartley: It’s making sure you’re willing to accept new assignments and challenges. You have to embrace opportunity when it’s in front of you, but you also have to prepare yourself for opportunity. You can’t just expect things to be handed to you because you checked a box. You have to dig in, you have to learn new things, you have to be willing to understand the business that you support, and put your best foot forward.

McClure: Based on your talk and my thoughts about it afterwards, it seems that being a scrapper is about overcoming hardship, failure and adversity. What kind of lessons can we all learn from these things?

Hartley: Many times, people who fail are worried that they’re not going to be accepted, and that’s the end of their career. However, people can learn great lessons from a person who’s gone through failure. That’s the connection for adversity because once you’ve experienced adversity, you’re always looking for a way to navigate around it. Those people tend to come at problems with a mindset of “I want to find the solution” – not, “I can’t do this.”

McClure: Why do you think other companies don’t value that scrapper experience? Why do you think they put the emphasis on the traditional indices of success – education, that sort of thing?

Hartley: They think that success can be groomed and can come from a book or academic knowledge, rather than life experience. Many circumstances that people face every day are applicable to the business world, and if you can uncover those experiences and translate them into how they manage situations and lead people through difficulty, I think companies would unleash a lot of power and potential.

McClure: That’s a great perspective because I know many of the challenges and opportunities we face at UPS you can’t learn from a book. You have to apply experience and wisdom to address situations, and that’s sort on a daily basis as well as from a broader strategic basis. What do you think more companies should do? How can companies sort of generate the sort of scrapper mentality?

Hartley: I think it’s important that companies allow people to bring their whole self to work. They have to enable people to be who they are and not feel ashamed of their background. That includes a mix of thought, a mix of experiences, what countries they’re from and what religions they’re from. Through that difference, you create this beautiful tapestry that then enables people and companies to flourish with new ideas.

McClure: That’s a great point. What you’re saying is that it’s not that we should only look for the scrappers or only look for the academics, but it’s about embracing the value that both perspectives or a variety of perspectives bring to the table.

Hartley: Absolutely.

[Also from TED@UPS: Following Your Heart, Not the Rules]

McClure: One of the comments you made in your talk was about the worst circumstances leading to growth and transformation – what scientists call post-traumatic growth. To me, that was an interesting concept. It  appears like some people can grow from these traumatic incidents, but some people aren’t able to move beyond them. What does that mean for companies when they look at their employees and their employees’ comfort zones? How should we evaluate that sort of ability?

Hartley: First, you need the ingredients for success. The way that people can transcend difficult circumstances is by having advocates – somebody who takes a vested interest in them. For employees to flourish, especially employees who may have experienced disadvantage, they must feel that they’re being nurtured and somebody’s looking after them. Whether it’s formal or informal, people need a person to turn to for help in understanding the rules.

McClure: That’s interesting. Is that something that you had as you were going through your challenges – or is that something you determined later would have been helpful to you?

Hartley: I was very lucky. I had a lot of people [helping me] along the way that—some of them I conscripted into that role and some of them volunteered. It was a constant refinement of my leadership style, what I learned, and [requires] people to give you honest feedback. But you have to be open to accept it and then do something with it.

McClure: Do you think that UPS does a good job  in  nurturing our employees?

Hartley: Absolutely. I think that we, inherently – through our development processes and succession planning processes – take a holistic approach. We’re not looking at someone solely based on today’s job. We’re always looking at what they can contribute based on agility and ability rather than a checklist of experiences that they’ve previously held.

McClure: It’s important that we continue to do that because we don’t want to fall into a situation where we’re only looking at what’s on a sheet of paper or academic credentials or a resume. We need to look beyond that to the breadth of a person’s perspective and experiences to make sure we’re getting the best, brightest and talented to the table. Do you think we can help people appreciate the value of scrappers – and are there things that we can do to encourage that even more?

Hartley: I think we have a number of things already in place. I think about the Business Resource Groups, the BRGs. There were times when people might have felt alone because they didn’t come from the same country as everybody else. Now, in the business unit I work in, we have seven Business Resource Groups, and they enable people to bring their whole self to work and talk about their culture and their difficulties in a nurturing and supportive environment.

McClure: That’s a great thought – and a great example of what we’re doing and should continue to do. One of the key points you made is giving people the comfort level of sharing their experiences and, as you’ve pointed out, bringing their whole self to work. That’s something that we can all encourage each other to do on an ongoing basis.

[Also from TED@UPS: Turning Skeptics into Believers]

McClure: Regina, when your TED talk goes live on TED.com and is seen by industry leaders and thought leaders around the world, what’s the one thing you want them to take from your talk if nothing else? How can they learn from your experience specifically and our shared experience here at UPS?

Hartley: I want to challenge them to think differently about their hiring practices, their promotion practices and their succession planning practices by valuing all of the pieces of an individual, whether they’re from a great university or a state college. We can’t limit, contain and filter the talent that’s out there.

McClure: That’s a great perspective, and I think you’ll accomplish that from your thoughts and shared TED talk. Regina, congratulations again. We are proud of you and happy that others will see an example of the great talent we have here at UPS. Congratulations.

Hartley: Thank you, Teri.

To learn more about Regina, read her bio or watch her TED@UPS talk. 

Every morning, wake up to the blog that gives you the latest trends shaping tomorrow.