
Extreme heat is becoming a workplace planning issue for employers. HSE has warned companies to assess and manage heat risks as alerts raise fresh duty-of-care and productivity concerns.

Audit sanctions sharpen independence warnings for finance and governance leaders. The FRC has penalised King & King and Milankumar Patel over GFG Alliance audits, citing fee dependency, ethical breaches, and audit failures.

Deforestation rules would bring procurement deeper into ESG compliance work. Defra plans to consult on mandatory due diligence for forest-risk commodities, requiring stronger supply-chain evidence, geolocation data, and sourcing controls.

Workplace loneliness can persist even when colleagues are close by. Chris Britton, People Experience Director at Reward Gateway | Edenred, examines six questions that can help employees identify disconnection and rebuild healthier workplace connections.

Workplace conflict is becoming a larger management capability test again. Acas research suggests managers and employee representatives are not yet working together effectively enough to prevent disputes.

Supply chain rights are moving higher up Westminster’s agenda again. MPs have debated forced labour, transparency reporting, environmental harm, and calls for stronger due diligence rules across UK supply chains.

Commercial landlords face a clearer energy-efficiency direction from ministers now. The government’s MEES update keeps commercial property energy performance on the compliance, valuation, and operating-cost agenda.

Water service is becoming an operational ESG issue. Business Stream says its Customer Care Charter has delivered service, satisfaction, water-efficiency, and emissions progress in its first annual report.

Deforestation risk is becoming a financial governance problem. Global Canopy says most major financial institutions still lack policies covering key high-risk commodities, leaving portfolios exposed to nature, supply chain, regulatory, and reputational pressure.

Plug-in solar could create a new retail energy category. Government plans are advancing as major retailers explore low-cost panels that may widen access to home generation, particularly for renters, flats, and households without rooftop systems.