Welcome to Mobility Minute, a newsletter published every Friday byWorldwide ERC®for the benefit of members and the global mobility and relocation industry. Here’s a quick glimpse of what you’ll find in this week’s issue:
How Private Equity Is Powering the Global Mobility Industry
Worldwide ERC Works With Regional Associations to Launch First Mobility Day
U.S. Senate Passes Bill to Protect Transferee Sensitive Data
Transferee Data Privacy Protection Bill Introduced in House
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How Private Equity Is Powering the Global Mobility Industry
Private equity and other investment dollars play a significant role in supporting the growth and development of individual global mobility businesses, as well as the industry as a whole. These investment dollars provide the necessary funding for businesses to scale their operations, invest in new technologies, and expand their reach into new markets. All of these factors contribute to the continued growth and success of the global mobility industry.
Why is this important?
Is external funding beneficial for the global mobility industry? In general, the answer is likely to be yes. External funding allows companies to recruit more employees, develop new features more rapidly, offer more comprehensive customer support, and effectively compete with each other. Competition stimulates further innovation, more user-centric design, and, in the end, a wider range of technology to support global mobility professionals.
Worldwide ERC Works With Regional Associations to Launch First Mobility Day
Worldwide ERC® is partnering with the Greater Washington Employee Relocation Council, the North Texas Relocation Professionals, the Puget Sound Relocation Council, and the Corporate Relocation Council of Chicago to host four simultaneous in-person events on 10 May in Washington, D.C., Dallas, Seattle, and Chicago.
Lynn Shotwell, president and CEO of Worldwide ERC, will join the leaders of these regional organizations in delivering a shared keynote address that will be broadcast across all Mobility Day locations. Speakers will discuss the state of our industry at the global level, while also detailing the regional and local trends driving mobility in the United States.
U.S. Senate Passes Bill to Protect Transferee Sensitive Data
On 9 March, the U.S. Senate passed under unanimous consent the Moving Americans Privacy Protection Act (S. 758). S. 758 would help protect the sensitive personal data of transferees and military personnel shipping their household goods to the U.S. Worldwide ERC® has been actively involved with the reintroduction of the bill and sent letters of support to senators Daines, Peters, Stabenow, and Marshall.
Why is this important?
For the past five years, Worldwide ERC® along with the American Trucking Association and the International Association of Movers (IAM), and more recently, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and Senior Executives Association, have supported efforts to protect the PII of military personnel and transferees. The Moving Americans Privacy Protection Act would require the Secretary of the Treasury to remove the PII of individuals before making the manifests available to data brokers. A copy of the press release by senators Daines, Peters, Stabenow, and Marshall on the introduction of the bill can be accessed here.
Transferee Data Privacy Protection Bill Introduced in House
On 10 March, just a day after introduction and passage in the United States Senate, Congressmen Mike Waltz (R-FL) and Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives the companion bill to the Moving Americans Data Privacy Protection Act (H.R. 1568, S. 758). H.R. 1568 would help protect the sensitive personal data of transferees and military personnel shipping their household goods to the U.S.
Why is this important?
“Right on the heels of Senate passage of the Moving Americans Data Privacy Protection Act, Congressmen Mike Waltz and Bill Pascrell introduced a House companion bill. We greatly appreciate Congressman Waltz and Pascrell keeping up the momentum generated from the Senate champions to protect the sensitive personal data of employees and our service members,” says Worldwide ERC® President and CEO Lynn Shotwell.
CRP Q&A Session — Join us for an open Q&A session on 21 March with industry colleagues to learn more about the certification, how it has helped people in their career journey, how hard it really is, and anything else you want to ask our panelists. Learn more and register.
Women’s History Month Celebration— Join the Corporate Housing Providers Association and Worldwide ERC for a virtual Women’s History Month event on 30 March. With a dynamic keynote and two interactive, breakout sessions, learn while connecting with other industry professionals in this three-hour online event. Learn more and register.
Webinar: Supporting your Expatriate Population Through an Unpredictable Immigration Environment— How can you provide the support required to help your employees navigate the rocky immigration landscape? In this presentation on 19 April, global mobility experts will share tips and strategies to help you lead with empathy and provide support for the unique needs of your expatriate employees. Learn more and register.
Corporate Relocation Council of Chicago (CRC) CRP Exam Review Class— On 9 May, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT in Chicago, learn from and study with mobility experts. Learn more and register.
Mobility Day— Join us for the first Mobility Day event to be held across the United States on 10 May. Worldwide ERC is excited to work with four regional groups to bring you the best content from local to regional to global. We are excited to partner with the Greater Washington Employee Relocation Council (GWERC), North Texas Relocation Professionals (NTRP), Puget Sound Relocation Council (PSRC), and Corporate Relocation Council of Chicago (CRC) to bring this event to life. Learn more and register.
Global Economic Snapshot
The State Department will launch a pilot program later this year offering visa renewal options in the US for H-1B specialty occupation workers and other temporary visa holders who are currently required to travel abroad. — Bloomberg Law
Dozens of major tech firms and high-value startups stood to lose billions of dollars as Silicon Valley Bank cratered last week. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., by law, insures deposits of up to $250,000 per account. But these filings showed that many companies held much more in their accounts. If the government hadn’t stepped in, most of this money might have been lost. — The Washington Post
Argentina’s inflation rate has soared past 100% for the first time since the end of hyperinflation in the early 1990s. Inflation hit 102.5% in February, the country’s statistics agency said, meaning the price of many consumer goods has more than doubled since 2022. — BBC
Narrowing the difference in wages between men and women in the labor force can boost the world’s economy by about 7%—or $7 trillion, according to a Moody’s Analytics report. — CNBC
After being dethroned by Qatar for two consecutive years during the pandemic-induced travel restrictions, Singapore’s Changi airport has once again secured its position as the best airport in the world. The airport’s allure lies in its stunning indoor waterfall, which towers at an impressive height of 40 meters (approximately 130 feet), a beautiful butterfly garden, and an IMAX cinema. In addition, Changi boasts over 280 shopping and dining options that cater to various preferences.
To create its list of the world’s best airports, Skytrax, a UK-based airline and airport review and ranking platform, conducts a survey that asks global travelers to evaluate their entire airport experience, from check-in to departures and everything in between. The results reveal that Paris Charles de Gaulle has improved its standing and secured the top spot in Europe, climbing one position to claim the fifth spot globally. Meanwhile, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has emerged as the highest-ranked airport in North America.
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