In general, there is greater optimism among Ecuadorian businessmen for this 2022 compared to the expectations they had at the beginning of last year, according to the survey carried out worldwide by the consulting firm PwC, which today (February 2) presented its results.
The 25th Annual Global Survey was addressed to 4,446 CEOs from 89 countries and closed two weeks before the appearance of the omicron variant of COVID-19.
Of them, 32 are Ecuadorians. The perception that there will be a better economic future is contrary to what existed last year at the beginning of 2021.
91% of the Ecuadorian entrepreneurs surveyed believe that global economic growth will improve during 2022, said Celso Malimpensa, CEO of PwC Ecuador. A year ago, only 78% said that the global gross domestic product (monetary value of all goods and services produced in a year) would increase.
Factors such as environmental commitment, growth prospects, the fight against social inequality and investment approaches are some of the points addressed in the CEO survey carried out in the country at the end of 2021.
72% indicate that social inequality is the main threat at the country level for the performance of their companies, followed by macroeconomic risks (63%), health and cyber risks (53%) and climate change (47%) .
This last point is important in Ecuador, since it shows a greater awareness of climate risk, which is why businessmen undertake more actions in this regard compared to what the rest of the respondents in the region do in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Colombia. Mexico.
The 66% of national CEOs say their organizations have made a commitment to carbon neutrality. This means that they have goals to achieve the same contaminant emission into the atmosphere from which it is removed by different routes, which leaves a zero balance, also called “zero carbon footprint”.
Even the 41% of them work to have net zero emissionswhich means reaching a state in which the activities carried out within the value chain of a company do not cause any net impact on the climate due to greenhouse gas emissions, which cause global warming.
These ranges are greater than those registered in the rest of the region. Regarding carbon neutrality, there are lower percentages in Colombia (43%), Argentina (34%), Brazil (31%), Mexico (20%) and Chile (14%).
This places Ecuador as the first country in Latin America to get involved with global environmental commitments.
Regarding investment approaches, 53% of CEOs allocate their resources to invest in new projects, but only 16% use acquisition strategies to expand their operations in the market, similar percentages in the rest of the region.
There are a negative perception of the regulatory environment in which companies operate in Ecuador. 50% of the national CEOs answered that it is an unfavorable environment in that aspect and 19% said it is “neither favorable nor unfavourable”. Only 19% responded that it is a favorable environment. “This has to do with bureaucratic processes,” says Malimpensa.
Satisfying their consumers is essential for 72% of those surveyed in Ecuador, as are automation and digitization goals (56%), both of which are their top long-term goals. They are followed by a trend linked to environmental protection programs (47%) and rates of gender representation (34%).
Social inequality is of greater concern in Ecuador and Colombia, since its derivative effects on issues of gender, race, ethnic origin and wealth will be the main triggers of the affectation, indicates the report.
Increasingly, leaders need to create sustained results, and for this it is imperative to take decisive action in relation to socio-economic challenges, the climate change crisis and cybersecurity factors, according to a statement about the survey.
The survey report indicates that “at the beginning of 2022 there are hopeful signs of economic recovery.”
Malimpensa affirms that at the beginning of 2021 there was more uncertainty due to several factors, such as a vaccination plan that was not advancing and because presidential elections were coming up. “The new president (Guillermo Lasso) has a more optimistic message, he makes international trips and tries to make labor and tax reforms, and strongly advanced vaccination. These factors have generated a much higher level of trust.” (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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