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Due diligence increasingly critical for Canadian businesses reconfiguring supply chains amid U.S. tariffs

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Switching suppliers requires robust due diligence as fraud and cybersecurity risks are on the rise, KPMG forensic and cybersecurity specialists warn

TORONTO, March 6, 2025 /CNW/ – With the recent implementation of 25 per cent, across-the-board tariffs on Canadian goods, Canadian businesses that are considering or already making changes to their supply chain must remain extra vigilant for increased fraud and cybersecurity risks, KPMG in Canada specialists warn.

A recent KPMG in Canada survey of Canadian businesses found that in anticipation of tariffs, nearly half (44 per cent) of respondents said they are already reconfiguring their supply chains to divert U.S.-destined exports to these third-party countries, with another 44 per cent exploring that option.

Changing suppliers and reconfiguring supply chains can introduce numerous fraud risks, says Myriam Duguay, Partner and National Forensic Leader at KPMG in Canada.

“With U.S. tariffs now in place for Canadian exporters, many businesses might rush to switch suppliers, and in doing so, they might not do the rigorous due diligence that’s needed to reduce third party risks,” she says.

“Businesses must be vigilant about engaging new suppliers that make illegitimate or overstated claims about their capabilities,” she adds.

Hartaj Nijjar, KPMG in Canada’s National Cybersecurity Leader adds that engaging new suppliers increases an organization’s cybersecurity risks.

“If the new suppliers do not have robust cybersecurity measures in place, they could become a weak link in an organization’s supply chain, potentially leading to data breaches,” he says.

“Businesses should also be aware of fake suppliers that appear legitimate but are actually threat actors in disguise. This is becoming more prevalent now with the rise of AI-powered deepfakes,” he adds. 

KPMG’s forensic and cybersecurity specialists recommend Canadian organizations consider the following points when changing suppliers.

Supplier Due Diligence: When switching suppliers, conducting an integrity due diligence is the first and most critical step. This includes verifying the legitimacy and integrity of the new suppliers, checking their financial stability, and assessing their reputation. Skipping this critical step could lead to partnerships with potentially fraudulent entities that might engage in practices such as overcharging, delivering substandard goods, or even disappearing with prepayments.Contractual Risks: New contracts with suppliers can be a source of fraud if not carefully reviewed. There may be hidden clauses that could be exploited, or the supplier may misrepresent their capabilities or the quality of their products. Legal experts must review contracts to mitigate these risks.Payment Fraud: Changing suppliers often involves new payment processes. This can create opportunities for fraud, such as invoice fraud, where a fraudulent invoice is submitted for payment. According to Payments Canada, one in five Canadian businesses experienced some form of payment fraud in the past six months. Implementing strict controls and verification processes for invoices can help reduce this risk.Supply Chain Visibility: A reconfigured supply chain may lead to reduced visibility over the entire process. If there are multiple intermediaries involved, it can be challenging to track the flow of goods and payments, increasing the risk of fraud. Utilizing technology such as AI-powered digital twins or blockchain can enhance transparency and traceability in the supply chain.Internal Controls: Changes in suppliers and supply chain configurations may also affect internal controls. If these controls are not updated or reinforced, it can create vulnerabilities that fraudsters may exploit. Regular audits and assessments of internal controls are necessary to ensure they remain effective.Cybersecurity Risks: Engaging new suppliers could expose organizations to cybersecurity risks. If new suppliers do not have robust cybersecurity measures in place, they could expose an organization to a security breach. Before onboarding new suppliers, organizations should conduct rigorous risk assessments to evaluate their cybersecurity posture. Deepfake Risks: Deepfakes could be used to create false narratives about a supplier’s reliability or capabilities, which could lead to further risks and supply chain disruptions for organizations. Investing in advanced verification technologies and educating employees on how to identify deepfakes could help mitigate these risks. Employee Training: Employees in the supply chain and accounting departments should be trained to recognize potential fraud and cybersecurity risks associated with new suppliers. This includes understanding red flags and knowing the proper procedures for reporting suspicious activities.Regulatory Compliance: Depending on your industry, changing suppliers may also involve compliance with various regulations. Non-compliance can lead to legal issues, corruption and potential fraud if suppliers are not adhering to the necessary standards.

“While changing suppliers and reconfiguring supply chains can help businesses mitigate the added cost of tariffs, they need to be aware of the associated fraud and cybersecurity risks. Implementing robust due diligence, maintaining strong internal controls, and ensuring compliance with regulations can help mitigate these risks,” Ms. Duguay adds.

For more resources on fraud prevention, visit: Fraud prevention – KPMG Canada

Tune in to KPMG in Canada’s upcoming DX Coffee Chat, Outsmarting Fraud in a Digital World: Outsmarting fraud in a digital world Registration

For more resources on U.S. tariffs, visit: Navigating tariffs – KPMG Canada

About KPMG in Canada
KPMG LLP, a limited liability partnership, is a full-service Audit, Tax and Advisory firm owned and operated by Canadians. For over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting, accounting, auditing, and tax services to Canadians, inspiring confidence, empowering change, and driving innovation. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, For Better, KPMG employs more than 10,000 people in over 40 locations across Canada, serving private- and public-sector clients. KPMG is consistently ranked one of Canada’s top employers and one of the best places to work in the country. 

The firm is established under the laws of Ontario and is a member of KPMG’s global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a private English company limited by guarantee. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. For more information, see kpmg.com/ca 

For media inquiries:
Roula Meditskos
National Communications and Media Relations
KPMG in Canada
416-549-7982
rmeditskos@kpmg.ca

SOURCE KPMG LLP

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POVADDO LAUNCHES NEW RESEARCH SERVICE GIVING ORGANIZATIONS DIRECT ACCESS TO INSIGHTS FROM PUBLIC POLICY PROFESSIONALS IN THE U.S. AND EUROPE

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The Povaddo Panel Omnibus introduces a new shared-survey format that makes high-quality policy professional insights accessible at a fraction of the cost of a bespoke study

ST. LOUIS, May 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Povaddo, a leading provider of public opinion and policy elite research, today announced the launch of the Povaddo Panel Omnibus — a new research service that gives companies and organizations an efficient, cost-effective way to access public policy professional insights across the United States and Europe. Unlike Povaddo’s custom research offerings, the omnibus format allows multiple organizations to share survey space, significantly reducing cost while maintaining the same access to high-quality insights.

Launched in 2018, the Povaddo Panel was built to meet the growing demand for research insights from individuals who shape, influence, and analyze public policy as part of their daily work. Over the past eight years, the panel has grown to nearly 5,000 public policy professionals worldwide, including more than 2,000 in the United States. Many panelists are former elected officials, including former Members of Congress. Each panelist is individually verified to ensure both authenticity and quality.

The 2026 Povaddo Panel Omnibus schedule includes three waves, with the first launching on June 15. Companies and organizations can field questions among 200 U.S. public policy professionals and/or 200 European public policy professionals, with results delivered within two weeks. Pricing begins at $4,500 for a five-question package among one audience, or $8,000 for both the U.S. and European audiences. Each omnibus package includes:

Question consultation to ensure clarity and effectivenessData collection among the selected audienceTopline results for the total sample and key subgroups

To learn more, reserve space in an upcoming wave, or submit questions, please visit the “Omnibus” section of Povaddo’s website or email omnibus@povaddo.com.

“Companies and organizations that want to understand what public policy professionals think—whether about their brand or an issue they are facing—now have a new and more streamlined way to do so. While organizations have long been able to commission custom research through Povaddo, our new omnibus survey among public policy professionals fills an important need in the research marketplace,” said Brooke Hayes, Executive Vice President of Povaddo, who oversees the Povaddo Panel and the firm’s new omnibus research service.

“The organizations that navigate complex policy environments most successfully are the ones that understand how the policy community thinks. The Povaddo Panel Omnibus makes that kind of insight accessible and actionable for any organization that needs it,” said William Stewart, President and Founder of Povaddo. “What’s more, we know many senior management teams are keen to measure their organizations’ reputation among this elite audience.”

The Povaddo Panel Omnibus launches alongside Povaddo’s most recent thought leadership study, which illustrates the kind of distinctive insights the panel is uniquely positioned to deliver. Povaddo’s 2026 survey of public policy professionals in the U.S. and Europe examines attitudes toward artificial intelligence, including AI regulation, labor market impact, misinformation risk, and the broader existential concerns of the policy community. A high-level summary of select key findings is available on Povaddo’s website, and the complete 38-page report is available for purchase at $500.

About Povaddo: Povaddo specializes in public opinion and policy elite research. Founded in 2009, Povaddo is recognized as a trusted advisor to top-tier organizations that are navigating complex issues management, strategic communications, corporate reputation, and business transformation challenges. Povaddo’s expertise spans external affairs, corporate affairs, public affairs, government affairs, regulatory affairs, scientific affairs, corporate communications, and business planning and strategy. For more information, please visit www.povaddo.com.

Inquiries:

Brooke Hayes
+1 (855) 768-2336
hayes@povaddo.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/povaddo-launches-new-research-service-giving-organizations-direct-access-to-insights-from-public-policy-professionals-in-the-us-and-europe-302760478.html

SOURCE POVADDO LLC

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Tianma Highlighting Micro-LED HUD, Ultra-High-Refresh AMOLED, and Glasses-Free 3D Medical Display at Display Week 2026

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Tianma, a leading global manufacturer of flat panel displays, will showcase its latest display innovations at SID Display Week 2026, taking place May 5–7 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. At Booth 805, South Hall, Tianma will highlight three key technology demonstrations spanning automotive, mobile, and medical applications: a Micro-LED head-up display (HUD) designed for extreme brightness and transparency, an ultra-high-refresh-rate AMOLED display engineered for next-generation mobile performance, and a glasses-free 3D medical display enabling real-time 2D/3D visualization.

CHINO, Calif., May 3, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Tianma, a leading global manufacturer of flat panel displays, will showcase its latest display innovations at SID Display Week 2026, taking place May 5–7 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

At Booth 805, South Hall, Tianma will highlight three key technology demonstrations spanning automotive, mobile, and medical applications: a Micro-LED head-up display (HUD) designed for extreme brightness and transparency, an ultra-high-refresh-rate AMOLED display engineered for next-generation mobile performance, and a glasses-free 3D medical display enabling real-time 2D/3D visualization.

This year, at the annual Business Conference on Monday, May 4, Tianma’s Jun Chen, Ph.D., Senior Manager, Automotive Market Development, will be a featured panelist during the Automotive Forum. In addition, Tianma has entered several new cutting-edge products and technologies into SID’s annual People’s Choice Awards competition, honoring the best products at Display Week.

KEY TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHTS

Micro-LED IRIS HUD for Next-Generation Automotive Displays

Tianma’s 12-inch Micro-LED IRIS HUD is engineered to address one of the most critical challenges in automotive display design: maintaining visibility under all lighting conditions without compromising driver awareness.

Delivering peak brightness exceeding 120,000 nits, the display remains clearly visible even in direct sunlight. Its Micro-LED architecture enables an ultra-thin optical engine (approximately 2 mm), while a transparent front-window design eliminates the need for black masking layers — preserving the driver’s field of view and supporting more advanced, integrated cockpit designs.

Ultra-High-Refresh AMOLED for Next-Generation Mobile Performance

In mobile display technology, Tianma will showcase a 6.32-inch AMOLED display with a 240Hz refresh rate, designed to overcome the traditional trade-offs between speed and image accuracy. The display incorporates a dual-track pixel driving architecture, separating data writing and threshold compensation to maintain stable, precise pixel control at high refresh rates. This approach significantly reduces motion artifacts while preserving low-gray detail, enabling smoother visuals and improved image stability for high-performance mobile applications.

Glasses-Free 3D Medical Display with Multi-Region 2D/3D Switching

For advanced professional applications, Tianma will present a 27-inch 4K medical-grade glasses-free 3D display, introducing multi-region 2D/3D switching capabilities. Unlike conventional systems limited to full-screen 3D, this display enables simultaneous presentation of 2D and 3D content, with seamless, real-time switching between modes. The system integrates low-latency eye tracking and real-time rendering, making it well suited for medical environments where precision, flexibility, and sterile operation are critical.

BROAD PORTFOLIO OF DISPLAY INNOVATIONS

In addition to these featured technologies, Tianma will present a wide range of display solutions across automotive, consumer, and professional applications.

In automotive, Tianma will showcase a transparent Micro-LED tiling display with over 60% transparency and a scalable, modular design, along with a 43.7-inch ultra-wide IRIS HUD featuring high brightness and curved integration for immersive cockpit environments.

In consumer electronics, Tianma will highlight its latest AMOLED innovations, including SLOD and U11 architectures designed to improve efficiency, brightness, and device lifetime, as well as a foldable AMOLED prototype engineered to reduce crease visibility and improve durability.

For IT applications, Tianma will demonstrate a 27-inch QHD Oxide TFT LCD with a native 610Hz refresh rate, setting a new benchmark for ultra-high-frame-rate displays.

In professional and industrial applications, Tianma will also feature an adaptive refresh Oxide display (20–144Hz) designed to balance high performance with power efficiency.

Advancing Display Innovation Across Applications

Together, these demonstrations reflect Tianma’s continued investment in Micro-LED, AMOLED, and advanced LCD technologies, enabling new levels of performance, efficiency, and integration across automotive, consumer, and professional markets. More information about the innovative new display solutions being displayed by Tianma is available at Booth 805 at Display Week and in the Tianma press kits, accessible online at usa.tianma.com/press Visit usa.tianma.com for more details.

About Tianma America, Inc.

Tianma America delivers advanced display solutions for the Americas, leveraging the global resources and innovation of the Tianma Group. Our expertise spans small to medium-size displays for a wide range of applications, including automotive, industrial, medical, consumer electronics, and emerging technologies.

As part of the Tianma Group, we combine world-class R&D with manufacturing capabilities across China and Japan to offer cutting-edge technologies such as TFT, LTPS, Oxide-TFT, AMOLED, flexible and transparent displays, and integrated touch solutions.

Through a strong network of distributors and partners, Tianma America provides complete display module solutions that meet the highest standards of quality and performance.

Specifications and pricing are subject to change without notice.

Media Contact

Dale Maunu, Tianma America, Inc., 1 408-313-5642, Dale.Maunu@Tianma.com, usa.tianma.com

Bill Maurer, Macrovision, 1 215-327-8109, bill@macrovis.com, macrovision.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/tianma-highlighting-micro-led-hud-ultra-high-refresh-amoled-and-glasses-free-3d-medical-display-at-display-week-2026-302760839.html

SOURCE Tianma America, Inc.

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FranklinWH Introduces Enhanced 15 kWh aPower in Australia and New Zealand

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Expansion comes as policy shifts and rising power costs accelerate demand for residential energy storage

SYDNEY, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — FranklinWH, a leading provider of whole-home energy management and battery storage solutions, today announced the launch of its enhanced 15 kWh aPower battery in Australia and New Zealand, as demand for residential energy storage continues to grow, driven by evolving policy settings and increasing interest in energy independence.

The updated aPower builds on the company’s established platform, increasing usable capacity from 13.6 kWh to 15 kWh and raising warrantied throughput from 43 MWh to 60 MWh, an increase of 40 percent. These updates deliver more usable energy over the life of the system while maintaining the same footprint and price.

“The energy landscape is shifting quickly, and more homeowners are thinking beyond the upfront specs to what really pays off over time,” said Steve Ruskin, General Manager of FranklinWH Australia. “This upgrade is about delivering more performance over the life of the system, more usable energy, greater throughput, while staying true to our ‘buy once, buy right’ philosophy.”

The increase in warrantied throughput translates into savings for homeowners. Based on typical usage patterns and an electricity rate of A$0.35 per kilowatt-hour, the additional throughput may represent up to approximately A$5,950 in value over the lifetime of the system. The increase in usable capacity also improves energy density, lowering the effective cost per kilowatt-hour and supporting more efficient use of stored energy.

The 15 kWh configuration also aligns with current and upcoming policy frameworks benefitting residential battery adoption. This includes the updated Cheaper Home Batteries Program, with changes coming into effect for Australian homeowners from 1 May, 2026, helping households maximise value as incentives continue to evolve.

As the residential battery market expands, FranklinWH continues to focus on reliability and system performance. The aPower incorporates design elements to support durability, including structural reinforcement to reduce cell stress over time, per-cell temperature monitoring, and the separation of the battery pack and control systems to maintain reliable performance.

“We believe performance should be measured over years, not just at installation,” Ruskin added. “We focus on building systems that deliver consistent, reliable results over time. That long-term perspective is what ultimately defines value for homeowners.”

The aPower is designed to operate as part of the FranklinWH System, an integrated home energy management platform that coordinates energy generation, storage, and consumption. The system is designed to optimise multiple energy inputs, provide reliable backup power, and support more efficient and independent energy use at the household level.

About FranklinWH

FranklinWH Energy Storage is the manufacturer of the FranklinWH System. FranklinWH is a market-oriented, research-driven company focused on next-generation residential energy management and storage solutions. Located in Macquarie Park, Sydney with a global head office in the San Francisco Bay Area, FranklinWH’s team has decades of experience in energy systems, from design, through manufacturing, to sales and installation. FranklinWH is AVL-listed with multiple financial institutions.

Contact: Media@franklinwh.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/franklinwh-introduces-enhanced-15-kwh-apower-in-australia-and-new-zealand-302759086.html

SOURCE FranklinWH Australia Pty Ltd

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