When cyber and D&O insurance premiums soared, businesses may have felt it necessary to reduce coverage. Now, rates have declined, so it may be a good time to “top off” your cyber and D&O limits – especially because, unlike premiums, risks are not falling. Cyber and D&O Premium Trends Both cyber and D&O insurance have seen substantial swings in recent years. Cyber insurance premiums skyrocketed between 2020 and 2022. According to CIAB, rates were up 34.3% in the fourth quarter of 2021. After that, rate hikes began to moderate, although double-digit increases were still the norm for a while. By the second half of 2023, rate hikes were only up 3.6%. In the second quarter of 2024, CIAB says rates were actually down 1.7%. D&O insurance has shown a similar pattern. Rate increases started to climb around 2019 and 2020. CIAB says D&O insurance rates were up 16.8% in the second quarter of 2020 and 16.1% in the third quarter. However, the hard market di

ZURICH, Oct. 8th, 2024 – Amcor (NYSE: AMCR, ASX:AMC), a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, has been awarded the prestigious EcoVadis Gold medal for its industry-leading sustainability practices. Amcor's overall score increased from 70 to 73, placing the company in the 95th percentile of all companies assessed by EcoVadis. This recognition highlights Amcor's extensive work and positions the company among the top 5% of all companies evaluated. Notably, Amcor ranks in the top 1% of companies in its sector for sustainable procurement. The EcoVadis Gold medal underscores the company's commitment to implementing impactful initiatives and achieving measurable progress throughout the year. David Clark, chief sustainability officer at Amcor, said, "We understand that our customers seek partners who not only share their values and support their strategic goals but also consistently demonstrate the highest standards. We are thrilled

While winery eCommerce has been around for a while, many wineries did not fully embrace this direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel until they were forced to during the pandemic. Some wineries have adapted quickly, leveraging modern technology and eCommerce platforms to thrive, while others have struggled to keep up with the fast-paced world of digital marketing and SEO. Thanks to the rise of eCommerce giants like Amazon, consumers expect seamless, fast, and personalized experiences. Wineries face the added challenge of shipping regulations, compliance, and managing perishable goods like wine, but SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can help them stand out and thrive in this competitive market. In the United States, the eCommerce share of wine sales grew from only 0.3% in 2018 to nearly 3% in 2022. The eCommerce channel promises to be lucrative, too. The top five wine and liquor online stores in the U.S. together generated more than one billion dollars in eCommerce net sales in 2022. For long-t

R290 vs C02 R290 is tomorrow proof because it has an extremely low global warming potential Zero ozone depletion potential Contains zero PFAS chemicals 70% more efficient than CO2 A2Ls are a great interim solution, but they won’t be around forever. CO2 has major problems that make it a poor choice for the future, it is highly inefficient, equipment, maintenance, and operational costs are high, and reliability is poor. A quick note about A2Ls which are a good interim solution, but they won’t be around forever. Europe is already starting to phase them out because of the PFAS (forever) chemicals they contain. New York has already set a timeline to eliminate all the existing A2L refrigerants (even in existing systems) that exist today because of their global warming potential. California and the rest of the nation won’t be far behind. A2Ls all have multiple components, and glide (various component gasses boil at differing pressures and temperatures) – this adds to

Afternoon Brief, March 20th

Thieves Hit Chablis Winery, Stealing More Than 1,000 Bottles: Thieves entered Domaine du Château de Viviers undetected in the middle of the night and stole wines with a total estimated value of more than €50,000, said the Chablis producer...

U.S. Beverage Companies Face a Cautious Consumer in 2024 with Slower Topline Growth and Limited Rating Upside

Sales growth in the U.S. beverage sector will revert closer to pre-pandemic levels with much more muted pricing. Several industrywide trends are likely to change course, including lower on-premise and […]

TRANSPARENCE gives wine and spirits brands clarity and assurance around sustainability initiatives New program supports Amcor’s wider sustainability agenda to develop all packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2025 Colombes, France, 18 July 2023: Amcor Capsules, a global leader in developing and producing responsible closures for wine and spirits, announces today TRANSPARENCE, a new far-reaching sustainability program to support the Wine and Spirits industry. TRANSPARENCE is a continuous improvement program focused on environmental impact; through which Amcor Capsules will establish clear data-driven objectives and actions to deliver more sustainable closures and capsules. All progress and achievements under this program will be duly verified and certified by independent and expert third parties. Yannick Magnon, General Manager of Amcor Capsules says, “TRANSPARENCE is a strong commitment that directly supports Wine and Spirits brands and distributors. It is our

What To Make Of The Online Advertising Crash. As we’re planning with our clients for 2023, one question frequently popping up is the viability of Meta (the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, What’s App, and Messenger) and Google as advertising platforms. We understand the scrutiny, as 2022 has not been kind to the tech sector. The stock market saw seven years of gains erased in 10 months this year. The headlines are brutal, calling Meta a “risk,” a “loser,” or in what CNBC named a “death spiral.” Every other day there is news of another large marketer pulling out of the platform. Meta’s meltdown is shocking but not singular. Google is down 40% this year, Amazon 45%, and Snap 80%. Add the absolute insanity with Twitter, and even the boldest marketer is wondering how much budget to attach to social media in 2023. We must break down the causes of these market shifts to answer those questions and apply them to the wine business.

Amcor (NYSE: AMCR, ASX:AMC), a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, has been awarded the gold EcoVadis medal for its industry-leading sustainability practices. This award highlights Amcor’s extensive sustainability work, and places Amcor among the top 5% of all companies assessed by EcoVadis and in the top 1% of companies in its sector regarding sustainable procurement. David Clark, vice president of sustainability at Amcor, said, “EcoVadis provides an important and unbiased assessment to organizations looking to maintain more sustainable supply chains. Amcor’s gold award recognizes the high aspirations and quality of our corporate sustainability program and our leadership role in the industry. We know customers look for partners who share their values and hold the highest standards, which the EcoVadis gold medal confirms.” The objective of the EcoVadis assessment is to measure a company’s sustainability performance ac

Inclusion within the yearbook recognises the progress that Amcor has made on its sustainability targets. Today, it has been announced that Amcor has been included within the S&P SAM Sustainability Yearbook, highlighting that it is making real progress on its ambitious sustainability goals. Amcor’s inclusion reflects the progress it has made, which includes reducing the intensity of its greenhouse gas emissions by 36%* since 2006. The Company has also been leading the packaging industry by creating innovative designs that are made in a more efficient way and use more recycled material. The Company is committed to making 100% of its packaging reusable or recyclable by 2025. Along with its inclusion in the SAM Sustainability Yearbook, Amcor’s efforts have seen it be recognised by a range of organisations over the last year, with the CDP scoring it an “A-” grade for Climate Change in its annual ratings. David Clark, Amcor’s Vice President for Sustainabilit