In today’s world, we have increasingly sophisticated and complex models to forecast activities such as economic parameters and weather events. However, science does not currently enable us to anticipate more complex phenomena that involve the simultaneous interaction of demographic, health, social, geopolitical and climatic trends.

We can all agree that predicting the future is no small feat. Why do we still need to plan?

Organizations, regardless of their industry and geographic location, are affected by macro trends. From evolving regulations, climate change impacts and supply chain reconfigurations, to talent shortages, trends often require new business models and ways of working. At the same time, the advancement in information technology enables a wide range of potential solutions, from the digitization of an organization’s entire value chain to the ability to benefit from automation, elastic cloud capabilities and artificial intelligence.

This paper shares how macro trends are transforming and accelerating change within our business environments. Authored by CGI President & CEO George Schindler and Co-Chair of the Board and Executive Vice President Julie Godin, the paper provides context into why holistic digital transformation is required to become digital leaders. Digital acceleration offers many opportunities for growth and innovation, from creating digital value chains focused on continuous innovation to stimulating countries’ growth and supporting the decarbonization of our economies.

At CGI, we believe reflection on macro trends impacting organizations is essential. For ourselves, it helps us to better understand the challenges our clients face and, as a result, support them through change and help them succeed. For our clients, we hope this summary helps inform the planning of your own organizations’ priorities and directions.