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Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Corporation has introduced its ad-supported streaming service, Tubi, to the UK market. This new entry aims to rival popular platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, ITVX, Channel 4’s streaming service, and BBC iPlayer.

Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Corporation launches Tubi to challenge Netflix in UK

2 July 2024 In Business Business Matters 0 Comments

Fox Corporation launches its ad-supported streaming service, Tubi, in the UK with over 20,000 films and TV shows, challenging Netflix and other major platforms.

A recent study by GRiD, the industry body for the group risk sector, has revealed that 34% of UK employers believe their staff are unaware of or do not understand the employee benefits offered to them.

Third of UK employers report staff unaware of employee benefits, new research reveals

2 July 2024 In Business Business Matters 0 Comments

New GRiD research shows 34% of UK employers say staff are unaware of their benefits, highlighting a need for improved communication and engagement strategies.

The English wine industry is experiencing a remarkable transformation, driven by increased investment, expanding vineyards, and a growing list of international awards.

UK Sparkling Wine Gains Global Recognition Amid Industry Boom

1 July 2024 In Business Business Matters 0 Comments

With increasing investments, expanding vineyards, and a surge in awards, UK sparkling wine is attracting international acclaim and investment.

The business secretary, Kemi Badenoch, has signed off UK membership to a large Indo-Pacific trade bloc that the government argues will bring British businesses a step closer to selling to a market of 500 million people with fewer barriers.

UK Trade in Peril: Axing Negotiators Jeopardises US-UK Deals, Business Leaders Warn

1 July 2024 In Business Business Matters 0 Comments

British business leaders express outrage as the government cuts key trade posts in US consulates, endangering crucial state-level deals and decades of expertise.

Goalhanger Productions, co-owned by Lineker, is thriving with hits like The Rest is Politics, especially amidst UK and US election buzz.

Gary Lineker Scores Big with Podcasts as Football and Elections create a Hattrick of Earnings

29 June 2024 In Business Business Matters 0 Comments

Goalhanger Productions, co-owned by Lineker, is thriving with hits like The Rest is Politics, especially amidst UK and US election buzz.

A leading VAT expert is calling on private schools to review the accounting treatment of pre-paid school fees in order to avoid huge tax charges at a later date.

Private school fees: Schools need to act now to avoid huge tax liabilities in the future

28 June 2024 Advice Business Matters 0 Comments

A leading VAT expert is calling on private schools to review the accounting treatment of pre-paid school fees in order to avoid huge tax charges at a later date.

There are so many great reasons to start a business - research from American Express reveals that many entrepreneurs start their own businesses to have the freedom to manage their own work (51%), enjoy a better work-life balance (42%) and feel happier and more fulfilled (38%).

Strong networks are key to success for business owners

26 June 2024 In Business Sponsored Content 0 Comments

There are so many great reasons to start a business – research from American Express reveals that many entrepreneurs start their own businesses to have the freedom to manage their own work (51%), enjoy a better work-life balance (42%) and feel happier and more fulfilled (38%).

A student studying at City, University of London, has been crowned the winner of a Fintech scholarship, following a blog contest on the issues facing students in higher education.

London student named Fintech scholarship winner

26 June 2024 In Business Business Matters 0 Comments

A student studying at City, University of London, has been crowned the winner of a Fintech scholarship, following a blog contest on the issues facing students in higher education.

Thirty leading businesses have spent over £475m with social enterprises, creating thousands of jobs and reinvesting millions in social and environmental causes, according to a new report from Social Enterprise UK.

Major Corporations Invest Nearly Half a Billion in Social Enterprises, Impacting Jobs and Communities

26 June 2024 In Business Business Matters 0 Comments

Major Corporations Invest Nearly Half a Billion in Social Enterprises, Impacting Jobs and Communities

### SHEIN’s London Flotation: A ‘Badge of Shame’ for the Stock Exchange, Says Amnesty International **Meta Description:** Amnesty International condemns SHEIN's potential London Stock Exchange listing, citing poor labour practices and human rights violations in the fashion giant's supply chain. --- Global ultra-fast fashion giant SHEIN has reportedly filed documents with the UK’s market regulator, signalling an impending flotation on the London Stock Exchange. This move has sparked severe criticism from Amnesty International, which has highlighted the company’s questionable labour and human rights standards. SHEIN, notorious for its low-cost production, has faced allegations that workers in its supply chain receive less than 4 US cents per garment. Additionally, there are claims that the company uses cotton harvested by forced labour. Dominique Muller, Amnesty International’s Researcher specialising in the garment industry, reacted strongly to the news: “It’s deeply troubling that a company with questionable labour and human rights standards and an unsustainable fast fashion business model could be set to reap hundreds of millions of pounds via a sale of shares and a listing on the London Stock Exchange. Where SHEIN goes, others will try to follow. The UK authorities and the London Stock Exchange should not facilitate SHEIN’s listing until transparent and binding safeguards regarding internationally accepted human rights standards covering its entire supply chain are agreed and applied, and any abuses identified fully remedied.” Muller emphasised that allowing SHEIN’s flotation would be a “badge of shame” for the London Stock Exchange, the involved bankers, and prospective investors, suggesting it perpetuates a system where the rich benefit by exploiting the poor. This process, she argued, devalues workers, products, and the environment, undermining societal values. The IFS highlighted the UK’s significant debt level, near-record high taxes, and increased public spending, all while public services are visibly struggling. Despite significant spending on debt interest and rising welfare costs, demands on the health system due to an ageing population and increased defence funding are expected to continue. Muller also called on the new UK government to prevent a “race to the bottom” in corporate and human rights standards. She insisted that companies should be held accountable for preventing serious environmental harms and human rights abuses throughout their operations and supply chains. Furthermore, workers worldwide affected by company activities should have access to justice through UK courts. SHEIN’s business model involves subcontracting garment manufacturing to smaller producers in China, often with little transparency or accountability regarding worker pay or conditions. The company’s garments, frequently made from synthetic fibres derived from fossil fuels, contribute to environmental degradation and rapidly accumulate in landfills, polluting communities in the Global South. While SHEIN claims to use independent auditors to assess conditions at its subcontractors, it does not disclose supplier details or remediation processes for worker abuses. The company also lacks transparency in the sourcing and traceability of raw materials used in its supply chain. SHEIN, originally founded in China and now headquartered in Singapore, recently engaged with Amnesty International representatives, providing some details about its supplier auditing, garment recycling schemes, and its Supplier Community Empowerment Programme. However, significant concerns remain unresolved. As SHEIN prepares for its potential London listing, the scrutiny over its labour practices and environmental impact continues to mount, with Amnesty International urging stringent safeguards and accountability measures before any flotation proceeds.

Careers in construction are an untapped treasure trove

25 June 2024 In Business Business Matters 0 Comments

Pressure is mounting on the construction industry to bring in fresh talent as new insight shows around 500,000 workers are needed to fill skills gaps. With a number of large-scale, government-funded infrastructure schemes, such as the National Grid expansion, hanging in the balance, the industry would benefit from casting its recruitment net wider. However, this […]

In a historic meeting at the House of Lords, the top team of the UK Children's Parliament engaged in a thought-provoking dialogue with Emad Mostaque, Co-founder of Stability AI and now Schelling AI, a visionary in the field of artificial intelligence.

UK Children’s Parliament Top Team Interviews AI Visionary Emad Mostaque, Sparking Groundbreaking Taskforce

25 June 2024 In Business Business Matters 0 Comments

In a historic meeting at the House of Lords, the top team of the UK Children’s Parliament engaged in a thought-provoking dialogue with Emad Mostaque, Co-founder of Stability AI and now Schelling AI, a visionary in the field of artificial intelligence.

UK publishers have urged the prime minister to protect authors’ and other content makers’ intellectual property rights as part of a summit on artificial intelligence.

An Introduction to The AI Act: What You Need To Know

24 June 2024 In Business Business Matters 0 Comments

Whether you’re an organisation using AI-driven chatbots for customer enquiries, developing predictive algorithms for credit risk, or image recognition software for security purposes, the upcoming legal obligations of deploying certain artificial intelligence (AI) technologies under the EU’s landmark AI Act may severely impact your data handling practices.

The pandemic brought business travel to a halt, shifting meetings to virtual platforms like Teams. However, today’s business travel has not only rebounded but surpassed pre-pandemic levels, transforming the industry in unexpected ways.

Business Travel Resurges with a New Focus on ‘Bleisure’

22 June 2024 In Business, Travel Richard Alvin 0 Comments

Post-pandemic business travel is thriving with a new emphasis on blending work and leisure. Discover how companies and hotels like Hyatt are adapting to the evolving needs of corporate travellers.

It’s often a challenge working in the insurance industry, because we essentially provide a product that customers don’t actually want to use. No-one wants their pet to become sick, or their house to suffer a flood or burglary, or their business to experience a cyber-attack.

The benefits of advice

22 June 2024 Advice, Columns Tim Weymouth 0 Comments

It’s often a challenge working in the insurance industry, because we essentially provide a product that customers don’t actually want to use. No-one wants their pet to become sick, or their house to suffer a flood or burglary, or their business to experience a cyber-attack.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the chief executive of Ineos and co-owner of Manchester United, has criticised Labour's green energy plans, claiming they could tax North Sea oil and gas production "out of existence".

Sir Jim Ratcliffe Criticises Labour’s Energy Plans Despite Backing Starmer

21 June 2024 In Business Business Matters 0 Comments

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the chief executive of Ineos and co-owner of Manchester United, has criticised Labour’s green energy plans, claiming they could tax North Sea oil and gas production “out of existence”.

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