If the first few weeks of 2025 have taught us anything, it’s that we must stay particularly vigilant regarding this country’s sustainability policies — even as they’re being rewritten, removed, or ignored. As fires raged across southern California, the demand for AI technology outpaced the capabilities of the energy grid and continued deregulation from the incoming administration may only increase the strain on the grid and open the door for weakened environmental protections. We’re reaching an inflection point where businesses must create their own Sustainability & Impact policies, but many don’t seem to understand the urgency.

At Highwire, we’ve never shied away from our commitment to sustainability. In March, the Energy and Sustainability Practice will be discussing energy strategies for a complex world at CERAWeek 2025 in Houston, Texas. Among the major themes of the conference are:

• Geopolitical competition and its effect on the energy markets
• How new policies and regulations could impact existing sustainability efforts
• How the rapid expansion of AI is reshaping the consumption of energy

We’ll be sharing our insights from CERAWeek next month! 

In the meantime, we’d like to examine key takeaways from our recent Highwire-hosted discussion about how business leaders can navigate the evolving sustainability landscape.

Danny Maiello
Managing Director
Strategic Communications, Corporate Affairs & Impact

You ask. We answer.

How can my business elevate its trade show presence and stand out from the crowd?

The packing of suitcases, the scanning of boarding passes, the building of booths — can you feel it in the air? Once CES returns to Las Vegas in January, it marks the unofficial kickoff of a hectic, exhilarating, and hopefully productive conference season. These trade shows draw in tens of thousands of attendees and hundreds of speakers and exhibitors, creating fresh opportunities for tech companies to make their mark. But how can you stand out when the sights and sounds on the show floor are so overwhelming?

With CERAWeek 2025 just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to hone your trade show strategy. Highwire has extensive experience in this area, and we’re here to help. Here’s how your business can rise above the competition:

• Know your show: Not all conferences are the same. Some are more geared toward executives, while others spotlight practitioners and workers in the trenches. Keep your audience in mind as you prepare.
• It’s not about you: Your conversations shouldn’t all be about your company. Instead, focus on your audience, particularly their pain points and challenges. That resonates far more than product roadmaps and feature lists.

• Attention-grabbing visuals are key: Don’t try to lure attendees to your booth with over-explanatory videos. Keep your assets short, punchy, and clever — while staying on brand. The idea is to use visuals to draw people in; from there, you can tell your story. And speaking of…

• Get everyone on the same page: Everyone working at your booth, from executives down to volunteers, should know that story. Consistency in messaging is critical for building a brand and creating a memorable trade show experience.

• Use creative activations: Trade shows are hard work, but don’t forget the fun. Draw traffic to your booth with smart activations like trivia contests, photo booths, and giveaways.

• For the home audience: Not everyone can attend these shows in person. Be sure to share insights from the show floor in real time using your social media channels.

AI and Industry News

• Representatives from Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service have fed sensitive data from across the Education Department into artificial intelligence software to probe the agency’s programs and spending, according to two people with knowledge of the DOGE team’s actions. Coverage here.
  
  
• A bipartisan duo in the U.S. House is proposing legislation to ban the Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek from federal devices, similar to the policy already in place for the popular social media platform TikTok. Coverage here.
  
  
• Trump's flurry of executive orders includes revoking a 2023 order establishing an AI regulatory system, appointing executive agencies to roll back existing regulations, and creating new ones around AI. Coverage here.

• Alan Murray launched a new WSJ Daily Newsletter, the CEO Brief. This newsletter is a curated experience from Dow Jones for business leaders and executives looking to stay informed on news and views that matter.