
Checkout.com defies tech slowdown with increased hiring in 2025. The payments firm expanded its workforce by 15%, integrating AI across operations. This growth coincides with a return to profitability and a valuation adjustment to $12bn.

Big tech leads clean energy purchases as other firms retreat. Amazon, Meta, Google, and Microsoft drove nearly half of global clean energy PPAs in 2025, focusing on AI infrastructure needs, while smaller firms reduced activity amid regulatory challenges.

LanzaJet secures $47 million to expand SAF technology deployment. The funding round, led by IAG and Shell, supports LanzaJet’s efforts to advance waste-based ethanol conversion into low-carbon jet fuel, including a UK grant for a Teesside biorefinery.

UK business lending growth forecast to halve this year. Net growth in lending from banks to businesses is expected to slow to 3.5% in 2024, down from 6.9% in 2025, amid global tensions and economic pressures.

EY launches blueprint to integrate sustainability into enterprise strategy. The EY Sustainable Operating Blueprint provides a roadmap for embedding sustainability across organisations, moving beyond isolated efforts. It aims to unlock innovation and resilience as a strategic value driver.

Microsoft achieves renewable energy goal, a key sustainability milestone. The tech giant met its target to match its annual global electricity consumption with renewable energy, part of its broader aim to be carbon negative by 2030 and remove historical emissions by 2050.

ESSEC has opened a Mumbai hub during Macron’s India visit. The school says the outpost will deepen partnerships, boost recruitment, and expand student mobility. It is developing initiatives with CentraleSupélec, IIM Bangalore, and the Indian School of Business, aiming to combine management and engineering education with industry links in India.

New ISO standard aids climate adaptation efforts for organisations. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has introduced ISO 14092:2026 to assist organisations, including local governments, in developing and implementing climate adaptation plans, addressing fragmented efforts and enhancing access to adaptation finance.

NatWest eases lending restrictions amid energy security pressures. The bank has relaxed its fossil fuel lending policies, reflecting increased energy security concerns and shifting national priorities despite global climate goals.

Mature knowledge systems determine AI and growth outcomes. A global iManage study finds organisations with strong knowledge foundations are nearly twice as likely to report revenue growth and are significantly more successful at embedding AI into daily operations.