2022: The Year Of Sustainable Growth

Summary: As the crisis continues to take new shape and unfold, it is necessary to acknowledge the fact that companies are more prepared for the uncertainties that lie ahead. This is especially true for the organisations that were able to reach their goals in 2021 and have created a solid foundation for the years ahead. In 2022, sustainable growth will lead the way as companies aim to revitalise their growth through strategic partnerships and expansion; optimise their frameworks for a digital landscape; secure cost optimisation and more favourable bottom lines, and grow their skills through training and development programmes.

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The new year is well underway and from where we are positioned we have more unique insight into what the challenges ahead may entail.?

2020–2021 was defined by a slew of novel challenges that companies, individuals, and economies around the world were unprepared for. In 2022, we have a better understanding of what to expect, and how not just business survival but innovation and growth can be secured.

At Kronos Group, the goals we were able to achieve at the close of 2021 have paved the way to a more promising future for our company as well as our clients.?

Revitalising the market through growth

The challenges of the current landscape, with new outbreaks reported across Europe and new variants taking hold, will likely not dissipate this year.?

It is time, however, for companies to turn their attention back to growth instead of simply survival strategies that ensured continuous operation throughout the challenges they faced.?

This takes a concerted effort, especially in a market that is more integrated than ever before. Companies chose to achieve this growth in 2021 by solidifying partnerships, expanding into new markets, and setting different targets that better respond to the asks of the contemporary market.?

The organisations that Kronos Group supports managed to grow their sales by 19% over 78 major companies spread across the Europe & beyond.?

As a company, Kronos Group reached the CSR and sustainability targets we set out to achieve and took long-term steps to secure the future of our operations. This took among others the form of revitalising our chair in Strategic Sourcing and Procurement with the Louvain School of Management, and creating new partnerships with EPSA and Kloepfel Group to form the largest pan-European procurement service provider.?

We also expanded our reach to Switzerland and Italy to better support our clients located across Europe and the rest of the world.??

Through our efforts, we are better prepared for the market and the more value-added demands that are sure to become a pressing priority in the near future.?

Optimising operations for the digital landscape?

Markets around the world are more globalised than ever before and it is up to companies to rise to these global needs and cater to a more integrated market.?

Securing this framework to meet the demands that have arisen, and will continue to crop up in time, requires cutting-edge technology and the best practices guiding the current industry.?

For contemporary businesses, these needs emphasise the requirement for a more sophisticated technological framework to guide operations.?

Kronos Group’s teams were involved in the facilitation of both digital and non-digital transformation programmes for over 20 clients operating in a diverse range of industries and sectors.

This number highlights the fact that companies are gaining new insight into the value of transforming operations for the rapidly evolving market.?

The right digital transformation takes into account the overall goals of an organisation, optimises operations for greater resilience, transparency, and flexibility while mobilising teams and securing a more sustainable growth trajectory.?

Securing cost optimisation and bottom lines

Despite more value-added objectives taking centre stage, financial health continues to be the lifeblood of a company, and cost optimisation and bottom lines must always lead the way.?

Moving forward, cost optimisation must be acknowledged as a continuous path and not a final endpoint for companies operating in any industry. As the economic landscape changes, so do optimisation methods and ways of generating cost savings.?

Maintaining a sustainable approach to cost optimisation and spend management is the only way for companies to retain their financial footing and set their sights on higher value-added, non-financial goals.?

Kronos Group was able to help our clients achieve over 50 million euros worth of cost savings through bottom line optimisation in 2021.

Crises often make a sizeable, and sometimes irrecoverable, dent in a company’s finances. An unfortunate outcome that ultimately leads to slowed down growth and company-wide uncertainty that takes a hit on morale and overall performance. A result that, in turn, weakens financial performance.?

Our goal—like many companies operating during this period of uncertainty—was to take every possible measure to secure short-term survival without adversely impacting long-term growth.??

Gearing up for the long term?

The steps companies are taking today are setting the tone for not just the near future but the long-term success of all businesses.?

Whether this means benefitting from the best practices guiding the industry or leveraging industry-leading coaching and training resources from sources such as Kronos Group, 2022 is sure to present a new set of challenges and goals, and companies must be prepared.?

As industries make the slow shift towards growth, they will need sustainability on their side to support their endeavours; 2022 is the year to inject sustainability into every operational area.