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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.
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UK retailers are bracing for higher employment costs this year. A British Retail Consortium survey found 84% of retail finance chiefs now rank labour and employment costs among their top three concerns, up from 21% in July 2025, as Employment Rights Act changes begin to be implemented.
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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.
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Record numbers of Brits starting businesses, but growth risks remain. Despite increased entrepreneurial activity, innovation and export levels among SMEs have dropped to a four-year low, with looming funding gaps threatening future growth. Uncertainty over business support adds to these challenges.
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UK unemployment rises as AI reshapes hiring decisions. New data suggests scale-up founders are slowing recruitment as automation accelerates and employment costs climb, raising questions about how artificial intelligence is influencing the broader labour market.
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UK SME wages fell in January. Employment growth reached 4.4% year-on-year, its strongest level since March 2025, even as monthly pay declined for the first time in 12 months, according to Employment Hero’s latest UK Jobs Report.
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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.
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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.
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UK unemployment reaches highest level in five years. Official figures show the jobless rate rose to 5.2% in the three months to December 2025, as wage growth slowed and policymakers debated the impact of rising labour costs on youth employment and business hiring decisions.
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Federal judge halts expanded US merger disclosure requirements. A Texas court has blocked a rule that would have significantly broadened the information companies must provide in US merger filings, marking a setback for federal antitrust regulators and creating fresh uncertainty around the future direction of disclosure reform.
