Analysis on risk, pressure, and decision-making across systems.
The CORE Series brings together analyses on risk, pressure, and decision-making across sectors. Each piece focuses on how issues emerge, how signals are missed or misread, and why outcomes are often shaped well before they’re publicly visible.
The goal is simple: surface patterns early, clarify what matters, and create space for better judgment before decisions are forced.
The Campaign Before the Campaign
Most activist campaigns appear to begin suddenly — with a protest, headline, or viral moment. In reality, the most important work often happens long before the public ever sees the conflict. Understanding that early groundwork helps explain why pressure campaigns can escalate so quickly.
Pressure Doesn’t Begin When You See It
Institutional pressure rarely begins inside formal processes. It forms across networks, narratives, and coordinated actors — often long before complaints are filed or regulatory scrutiny begins.
Why Collaboration Isn’t a Shield Anymore
Collaboration used to reduce risk. Today, it often creates leverage. As organized pressure campaigns evolve, engagement no longer signals resolution—it creates artifacts that can be exploited, escalated, and reused. Leaders who treat collaboration as a shield are often surprised when it becomes a source of pressure instead.
Speaking Across Worlds: Cross-Cultural Communication Isn’t Just Translation — It’s Transformation
In cross-cultural spaces, clarity isn't enough—respect is essential. This #COREseries explores why Indigenous communication begins with listening, not translation, and how true allyship means doing the work to understand lived experience on its own terms.
Sinking another Canadian industry
The goal of CORE is not to be partisan, but we do have ideas. We support many different industries because of the impact they make. They allow small communities to grow, becoming vibrant hubsof activity and places for people to live and work. They provide quality jobs close to where people want to live. Industry pushes innovations and technologies forward so we realize greater benefits. And yes, they contribute significant investments and opportunities for people to benefit – companies, suppliers, investors, rights holders, stakeholders, employees and governments alike.
We interviewed the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance to learn more about this issue - and the devastating impact this activist-driven policy will have on communities in Canada.
Can you get your credibility back?
Planes. Trains. Automobiles. We rely on all of them for many things in our lives. And at times, the companies we rely on in those industries fall far short. On safety, quality, transparency and accurate information.
Not only does it shake public and consumer confidence, it leads to long-term damage for those companies. Sometimes they can make their way back - but the reputation damage is still there. Enjoy reading our look at some of the major reputation crises for brands we all know.