It is now common for companies to report their performance on a variety of environmental, social and governance (ESG) indicators. But their use in socially responsible investing is currently held back by a lack of transparent and consistent ratings of corporate practices. Corporate performance on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues has been gaining attention […]
Category: Business, big & small
Brexit is not going to make the UK economy more competitive – and this makes competition policy more important than it has ever been. There are several opportunities that should not be missed, as well as dangers that must be avoided. Competition is a good thing. It brings new ideas, stimulates innovation and keeps prices […]
The UK government-imposed sanctions on the Russian oligarch who owns Chelsea FC include freezing the club as an asset, blocking its proposed sale and cutting off income from ticket sales, broadcasting rights and merchandising. There could be fallout for many other top teams. As Western countries have reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the […]
The past two year’s holiday seasons were tough for the UK’s retail sector, with lockdowns and resulting changes in consumer behaviour. The hope for Christmas 2022 was that things would be back to normal – but inflation, rising interest rates and the threat of recession have put paid to that. The UK’s retail sector has […]
Coronavirus has struck a particularly hard blow to the performing arts and those whose livelihoods depend on them. Having multiple sources of financial support available for the arts and artists increases the likelihood of meeting their many and varied needs. The creative industries are varied – and different parts require different forms of support. Artists […]
Given the wide variation in how the products of the creative industries are made and consumed, the effects of Covid-19 are very different. And given the diversity of ways of working across the industries, so too are the measures needed to counteract the damage. There is a wide disparity between the various creative industries in […]
While some firms have introduced some important innovations in response to the crisis, the experience of past recessions suggests that innovative activities by the private sector are likely to be dampened for several years following the pandemic. We have seen some great examples of product innovation during the pandemic related to ventilators and personal protective […]
New business creation is a key part of any economy, notably for generating new job opportunities. The sharp decline in start-up activity in the UK during lockdown is likely to have a strongly negative impact on aggregate employment in the future, regardless of the shape of the recovery. Firms create and sustain employment; they also […]
Small firms around the world have been hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis. While governments have mobilised substantial resources in support, many measures have had limited effect, in part due to smaller enterprises struggling to access information on relief loans. The Covid-19 crisis has severely affected firms of all sizes, but small and medium-sized enterprises […]
The shift to online shopping prompted by Covid-19 restrictions presents a challenge for businesses, particularly those that are not used to e-commerce. Small firms and micro enterprises can clearly benefit from digital technologies, but many struggle to compete in online markets. Recent statistics for the UK and other European countries (Office for National Statistics, ONS, […]