The largest UK fines for health and safety incidents have increased substantially in the past year, with some of the biggest brands in business having to pay millions of pounds for failing to control serious risks to employees and the public. There were 19 fines of £1 million or more in 2016 – the largest...Continue Reading
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) across the UK are missing out on vital energy savings according to a new ScottishPower survey which has revealed only 1 in 10 claim to have decreased their energy consumption over the past 12 months. The survey – conducted by YouGov – also found that over 60 per cent of...Continue Reading
Global supply chain risk grew for the fourth consecutive quarter as the CIPS Risk Index, powered by Dun & Bradstreet, rose to 81.6 in Q3 2016 from 80.8 in Q2. The figure is the highest since 2013 and has been driven by increases in supply chain risk in Western and Central Europe. The Index, produced...Continue Reading
New standards that enable all organisations to report on their economic, environmental and social impacts – and show how they contribute towards sustainable development – have been launched. Developed by the Global Sustainability Standards Board, the GRI Standards are based on years of expert input from a diverse group of stakeholders. They represent global best...Continue Reading
The number of victims of modern slavery in the UK receiving support from the Salvation Army has more than tripled since 2011. The Salvation Army is responsible for providing the government’s Victim Care Contract, to manage the support of adult victims of modern slavery. Between April 2015 and March this year more than 1,300 victims...Continue Reading
Almost eight in 10 of firms say managing supply chain risk is a growing requirement for them. A survey conducted by Greenstone found 72% of companies were collecting non-financial information from suppliers, though 43% only collected data as part of a tender process. In a report Greenstone said: “Therefore these organisations are not conducting ongoing...Continue Reading
A mere handful of leading consumer goods companies and retailers have taken meaningful steps to sustainably source soft commodities such as paper or soy, a report claims. A study by WWF found only 14% of consumer goods companies had made measurable time-bound commitments to sustainably source palm oil, paper, soy, sugarcane or farmed fish according...Continue Reading
What is the return on investment of business continuity? How do you justify to top management any investment in business continuity? It’s a tough question. If a disruption does occur, then clearly having a business continuity plan will demonstrate significant value, as it will help you manage through the disruption. But what if a disruption...Continue Reading
Publication of the long-awaited new international standard for occupational health and safety – ISO 45001 – is likely to be delayed after participating members of the ISO committee ‘disapproved’ its first draft. Participating members – ie. those national standards bodies elected to work on the development of the draft international standard (DIS) – were balloted...Continue Reading
Designers working on construction projects must consider how contractors will be kept out of harm’s way from the outset of their planning, a meeting of safety and health professionals heard. Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM), which came into force last April, designers “must take all reasonable steps” to assist all those...Continue Reading
