By Yashy Raghoo Luchmun, Sustainability Scientist Tunley Environmental When evaluating a business and looking at the growing stack of mandatory sustainability regulations, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) can feel overwhelming. Among its detailed guidelines and hefty nine disclosure requirements, the European Sustainability Reporting System (ESRS) E5: Resource Use and Circular Economy has a difficult dichotomy to swallow; it is challenging to understand and report on, but may also be the most powerful and valuable to companies. Why? Because beyond adding another line in an ESG report, E5 focuses on how businesses fundamentally manage resources; what is bought, how products…
Author: sme-admin
The UK’s rural areas could be on the brink of a population boom, with growth set to outpace urban regions by 2050, according to a new report released today. Commissioned by leading Altnet, Fibrus and authored by Applied Futurist, Tom Cheesewright, The Future of Rural report predicts that in the next 25 years, the UK’s rural areas will become hotspots for entreprenurial excellence thanks to AI technology developments, improved digital infrastructure and connectivity and expansion of the metaverse. Key predictions from the report include: Rural population growth to continue to outpace cities by 2050. Digital tech and AI drive remote work shift, with the number of people working…
For many business owners, the Christmas season is a chance to close up shop and enjoy a well-deserved break with family and friends. However, holiday closures can also increase the risk of theft, vandalism, fire hazards, and safety incidents. Without the right precautions in place, this season of joy and celebration can quickly turn into an anxious time for business owners. Fortunately, with the right security measures in place, these risks can be effectively managed, giving business owners confidence and peace of mind. Gary Agnew, Head of Solutions, Securitas UK outlines key takeaways to prepare your business and ensure safety…
Leading UK and European cloud platform outlines that a business continuity strategy must go beyond just data backups to include automated recovery, proactive monitoring and rapid failover capabilities. Despite increasing digital risks, many SMEs continue to place their trust in data backups as the cornerstone of business continuity. Yet recent cloud outages and cyberattacks have revealed the flaw in this approach, highlighting the urgent need for more robust continuity planning and secure cloud infrastructure. When it comes to a random software failure or oversight, or in the event of a malicious cyber event, the vulnerability of business operations quickly comes…
The UK has an incredible community of female entrepreneurs who are launching and growing businesses that are shaping the future of technology. They are developing tools that improve our lives, connect communities and drive economic growth. Yet, despite their impact, the environment they operate in often isn’t set up for them to succeed, with too many barriers like limited access to investment, networks and technical skills stymying growth. Iana Vidal, Head of UK Public Policy at Block, Inc., discusses why the UK ecosystem needs to create the infrastructure for female tech founders to succeed. Breaking down the barriers to access For…
By Justin Kuruvilla, Chief Cyber Security Strategist at Risk Ledger When the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) was introduced, much of the initial focus naturally centred on compliance. Financial institutions moved quickly to align internal processes and governance frameworks with the new rules, ensuring they met regulatory expectations. But DORA was never just about ticking boxes. At its core, it represents a shift in mindset, from safeguarding individual firms to protecting the stability of the entire financial ecosystem. Regulators are seeking to uncover and address the systemic risks that arise from deep interconnections and shared dependencies across the sector. True…
A new framework aimed at preventing workplace sexual harassment through practical, measurable steps has been launched by Chloe Wallace, founder of OneSource HR. The CEASE Framework®, is a structured five-step model designed to embed harassment prevention into core business processes and everyday operations. Drawing on her 15 years’ experience in manufacturing, engineering, and professional services, the continuous improvement framework moves beyond box-ticking and reactive policies. She explains, “In compliance-driven sectors, continuous improvement is second nature. I wanted to bring that same rigour to harassment prevention, something that’s often treated as an afterthought.” CEASE stands for Call it out culture, Educate,…
Workplaces are evolving at a rapid pace and leaders are facing new pressures and opportunities that will define success in 2026. From the way teams collaborate to how managers demonstrate value, the next wave of workplace change is set to challenge assumptions about productivity, technology, and leadership. Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs, shares his perspective on the forces shaping the future of work—and what organisations must do to stay ahead. Four-day week: The next mainstream workplace shift: “Recent successes of private sector four-day week pilots are continuing to drive rapid adoption, transforming the four-day work week from a narrow experiment…
Steady recovery of the property market and resurgent interest from institutional investors and shifting developer strategies are redefining the UK real estate finance landscape. The UK property market is showing early signs of equilibrium, following two years of turbulence, with house prices rising 2.8% year-on-year. And as developers adapt to a changing interest rate environment and constrained traditional lending, a renewed focus on forward funding is re-emerging as a preferred route for large-scale residential and living sector schemes, driven by renewed institutional appetite and the need for capital certainty. This is according to the latest UK Real Estate report from Heligan Group. Build-to-Rent…
Research from Boston Consulting group found that 30% of software development projects were late or over budget with 50% of these projects still producing unsatisfactory outcomes. According to Justin Megawarne, managing partner at Megaslice, the next generation of UK founders are being failed by developers that churn out ready-made solutions to support complex and multifaceted business ventures. “The majority of development companies operate on a model that will give you a modest estimate on what something might cost, then bill you by the day until the budget runs out,” Megawarne explains. “The problem is you could be pouring money into something…