2021-12-15
Newtícias nº 53
The theme “We're Together” was chosen for several reasons and I let you know because they cut across all of us, in one way or another.
We are a business group that includes many people and companies who work in different departments, in different areas of activity, in different regions and countries and who even speak different languages. In this set of differences, there is a certain lack of knowledge of others, which should not happen because there is a common end to be achieved, and it is much easier to do this together, sharing efforts and results. We will discuss the matter and, I am sure, we will come much closer together and together find better ways for everyone.
But this theme has much broader applications, just think of the Environment theme. As I write to you, world leaders are meeting in Glasgow at the United Nations Climate Summit. We hope that firm commitments will emerge from here that will allow us to reverse a trend towards the destruction of our planet, more specifically, to agree on the effective reduction of greenhouse gas emissions that avoids an escalation in temperatures with unpredictable consequences, but with certainty disastrous for everyone, because "we are together" on this planet and, until you see, there is no alternative planet.
In the global economy, we are beginning to see signs of improvement, after the control of the pandemic and as vaccination plans became widespread all over the world. With that, however, came other problems in tow, yet another sign that "we are together", as logistics on a global scale could not cope with this more or less sudden demand and we now face new challenges for the near future. It is now evident that one must have closer access to sources of supply – raw materials and finished products. Countries and companies must have alternatives to the distant “factory”, which is China, and they must seek to have manufacturing and stocks more suited to their needs without depending so much on third parties. In our Group, we are already experiencing the effects of this problem: very long delivery times and continuous price increases. It is a global problem for which, we hope, there will also be the ability to find a solution with the participation of the many parties involved.