Month: January 2026

Leading European food companies urge EU to End the Cage Age

Stuart Mitchell

More than 30 leading European food companies have urged the European Commission to end the use of cages in animal farming across Europe. Three statements signed by 17 companies, were submitted to the Commission, each focused on a key species: hens, sows, and rabbits. These statements were signed by companies, including Bompieri Group, Fumagalli Industria Alimentari, Coop UK, and Accor which have made voluntary commitments to remove cage systems from their supply chains for a specific species. Together, they call on the Commission to prioritise and enact strong legislation to…

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Putting workers’ rights at the heart of corporate accountability

Stuart Mitchell

Standards to illuminate how organizations respond to disclosure expectations on crucial labor rights issues across the value chain are being updated, with a global consultation now underway. Launched on International Human Rights Day, this public comment period will conclude GRI’s review of all labor-related disclosures and is open until 9 March 2026. Following approval by the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB), feedback is sought on updates to four Topic Standards that span workers’ rights and protections: Workers in Business Relationships (GRI 414) Forced Labor (GRI 409) Child Labor (GRI 408)…

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Energy efficiency innovations in UK industrial sector could save 4 million tonnes of CO₂ over 10 years

Stuart Mitchell

Thirteen projects awarded a combined £7 million in grant funding have demonstrated industrial advancements in a range of industrial settings, including: metalworking, food equipment cleaning, brewing heat recovery, in-situ road resurfacing and recycling textiles and plastics. Funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero under its Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), the third and fourth phases of the IEEA were delivered by the Carbon Trust in partnership with Jacobs and Innovate UK Business Connect. According to the results published by the Carbon Trust, the projects have demonstrated innovative…

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ILO initiative empowers young women for a greener Moldova

Stuart Mitchell

As part of the ILO project “Skills for an Environmentally Sustainable Transition in Moldova”,  the Girls4Green initiative inspires girls and young women to lead Moldova’s inclusive green transition. Through the Girls4Green Boot Camp, 31 girls aged 13 to 17 strengthened their understanding of climate change and discovered pathways to careers in renewable energy, sustainable construction, and environmental innovation. The project is funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the Liechtenstein Development Service (LED).   Developed by the ILO in collaboration with EcoVisio and EcoVillage Moldova,  the initiative helped girls from…

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First-ever analysis of UK-wide census data reveals Scotland leading on gender representation in PR

Stuart Mitchell

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) has published the first UK-wide analysis of public relations practitioners, revealing the national differences in gender representation at senior levels and confirming that practitioner numbers have grown by 53% since 2011. The PR Population Report: UK-wide edition was produced in partnership with Chalkstream and represents the first dataset to combine Census 2021 and 2022 occupational data for PR practitioners across all four nations. It provides the most comprehensive picture to date of the size and makeup of the UK’s population of PR professionals,…

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