How we proved to the world that a woman’s place is in a FTSE 350 boardroom October 7, 2019 With Brexit dominating the news, you may have missed an even-longer-in-the-making development last week: women now make up 30 per cent of the boards of the average FTSE 350 company – a “first” after 450 years of listings on the London Stock Exchange. It took 350 years to reach 10 per cent women on UK [...]
The City Corporation is leading the charge for a greener, cleaner, plastic-free capital October 7, 2019 Brexit has been top of the agenda for many City firms in recent years, but one issue that could disrupt business models even more significantly in coming decades is climate change. In the words of Bank of England governor Mark Carney, the transition to a carbon-neutral economy poses an existential challenge – and it is [...]
Are you too scared to be yourself at work? October 4, 2019 In the run-up to World Mental Health Day on 10 October, one thing is abundantly clear: British workers have never been so stressed out. And while hostilities generated by heated debates over Brexit or global warming may well be contributing factors, the principle cause is more alarming: we’re simply not happy being ourselves at work. [...]
DEBATE: Is the departure of Dave Lewis a problem for Tesco? October 3, 2019 Is the surprise departure of Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis a serious problem for the company? YES, says Adam Vettese, an investment analyst at multi-asset investment platform eToro. It’s going to be a challenge for Tesco. To say that Dave Lewis will be a tough act to follow is an understatement. He took over at [...]
Campaigners hail milestone as FTSE boards hire most women in 450 years October 2, 2019 City grandee Dame Helena Morrissey has hailed an effort to bring more women onto the boards of London’s quoted companies as the FTSE 350 hit a major milestone. For the first time in its nearly 450-year history the exchange’s top companies have boards where 30 per cent of the members are women. Read more: Diversity [...]
Strength in numbers: The value of business associations October 2, 2019 In these uncertain times, adopting a united front can be a powerful way to overcome challenges. We only have to look at the political, social, and economic turmoil of the last decade to observe how making big decisions in a fractured fashion has negative long-term consequences. Understandably, the current news landscape has made UK business [...]
DEBATE: Is the Thomas Cook boss right to defend his high pay? October 1, 2019 Is Peter Fankhauser, boss of now-collapsed Thomas Cook, right to defend his high pay and bonuses? YES, says Benedict Spence, a freelance writer. It never sits well, watching those high up the corporate ladder gorge themselves as companies go under. But the case of Peter Fankhauser and Thomas Cook isn’t quite as clear cut as [...]
A splash of colour: Art can boost workplace productivity September 30, 2019 Florence Nightingale once wrote: “Little as we know about the way in which we are affected by form, by colour, and light, we do know this: that they have an actual physical effect. Variety of form and brilliancy of colour in the objects presented to patients, are actual means of recovery.” That’s a quote from [...]
The Rugby World Cup has lessons for business September 27, 2019 After being dumped out of the 2015 Rugby World Cup early, England will be hoping to improve on their performance this time round in Japan. So far, the team has beaten both Tonga and the USA. It’s been a long wait for redemption – four years in the making – and, as well as their [...]
Mind the gap: The daily commute is exacerbating inequality September 26, 2019 Now that summer is over and that holiday feeling has worn off, millions of UK employees are back to the grind of the daily commute. For many of us, it is the least inspiring part of the day, and most organisations do not give a second thought to how their employees make it to their [...]