SICPA Opens its Doors

SICPA’s IMMERSION event this year, which took place via a series of one-day workshops spanning April and May, focused on the future and features, with innovation as the constant theme throughout.

According to SICPA, IMMERSION is an exclusive invitation event hosting forward-thinking stakeholders of the currency landscape to come together and discuss collective issues, exchange ideas and share insights as to how we can all drive the currency industry forward in a responsible, secured and sustainable manner.

Taking control of the future

The future currency landscape is shaped by the options and decisions we make today, and as such, SICPA has set itself on a journey built on trust towards ensuring a sustainable future. Pascal Wicht, founder of strategic design consultancy Whispers and Giants and lecturer at Lausanne University and the IMD business school, opened with a talk on ‘the future of trust and sovereignty’.

Pascal addressed the megatrends that are shaping business and society today, emphasising the importance of building a resilient society. By relating the historical story of Edo’s spectacular transformation from the 1600s-1800s in Japan, he introduced the concept of a multi-layered, multi-faceted problem-solving approach.

At that time, Japan was failing in every area from politics to the environment. Within two generations, the ‘Edo era’ saw Japan fully recovered, with the resulting civilisation lasting 250 years. It did this by always tackling more than one problem at once and designing a virtuous circle of positive mutual reinforcement.

SICPA’s approach may very well mimic that of this historical era – and that is to tackle several issues at once through its extensive offer of security features and solutions. Moreover, partnering with various stakeholders to ensure the delivery of that appropriate complex solution is equally essential.

He ended by listing five areas of challenges and priorities for change:

• Maintain a balance between efficiency and resilience

• Preserve planetary habituality

• Open and inclusive economies

• Absorb metaverse shifts

• Financial literacy for Generation Alpha.

It was definitely a session requiring reflection.

SICPA then prepared a series of 10 workshops presenting its newest technologies, solutions, on-going developments and best practices dedicated to cash authentication and the cash cycle. The interactive workshops revolved around these key topics: 

• The evolution of cash on a global scale

• The usage and cost of cash in the contest of digitalisation

• New developments related to cash features and functionality

• Supply chain continuity

• Fostering partnerships and building a common vision is key to overcoming the challenges faced by societies in the 21st century.

Two key elements that make IMMERSION such a joy is the unhurried agenda attended by an eclectic mix of people from central banks, state printing works, commercial banknote printers, banknote industry stakeholders and academics. This held true for this year, as it did at the last IMMERSION in 2016.