In it together

Amid continuing concern about the hard economic consequences of Brexit, there’s cause for optimism from good progress on the Paris climate agreement and the roll-out of the Global Goals.

Martin Schulz signs Climate Agreement

Mark Carney, the softly-spoken Canadian governor of the Bank of England, provides a rare focus for optimism right now. Indeed he has been dubbed by one pundit  ‘the only adult in the room’ while politicians play children’s games.

He can’t do much about the remorseless logic of the UK government putting border controls and immigration limits ahead of staying in the world’s largest trading block and what that will do for economic prospects; still less about the possible global consequences of Brexit’s American cousin, Trump, should that come to pass next month.

But he is intervening vigorously in the debate about opportunities arising from the move to a low carbon economy. His timing is excellent, with the EU Parliament fast-tracking its approval of the Paris Climate Agreement, meaning we are now over the threshold of 55 countries equating to 55% of global emissions needed for ratification. Continue reading →

As the fallout from Brexit continues, there’s growing agreement about the causes but a lack of clarity about what comes next.

US President Theodore Roosevelt

Britain’s referendum result has its roots in long-standing economic unfairness, and it will get worse unless business learns some lessons

The shockwaves from the UK’s vote to leave the European Union continue to reverberate around the world. Economists speculate on the implications. Politicians with elections looming in Europe and America worry what it means for them. Individual citizens in Britain – well, about half of them – ask profound questions about their country and the divisions so starkly revealed.

The sense of shock and the search for meaning is palpable. I will resist adding lots to the Continue reading →

Controversial taxi company, Uber, has just launched a new statement of mission to reposition the business.  They follow in the footsteps of others, but beware of the dangers.

Technology is disrupting many businesses.  Enabled by smartphone apps, radical change is coming – and just one example is playing out on the streets of London, where 100,000 private hire vehicles now compete daily with the traditional black cab trade.  Behind it is Uber and its army of self-employed drivers, all part of the new sharing economy. Famously forthright, the London cabbies are still only arguing about this change in their livelihoods, unlike Paris where militant drivers took to the streets.

Uber started out in 2009 as UberCab in San Francisco, and has grown exponentially ever since.  It recently relaunched its corporate branding. Out went the classic U logo and in came flexible treatment in its different markets, built around a new statement of corporate purpose: not a taxi app any more, but all about “creating industries that serve people – Continue reading →

The Financial Times reports that shares in AG Barr, maker of Irn Bru, closed down 2.4% following the UK government’s announcement of a tax on sugar in soft drinks, while Britvic, producer of Robinsons squash, fell 1.3%.  Loss of shareholder value in those two companies alone – some £40m.

Compare that to the small amount typically invested in corporate responsibility programmes and the business case for listening to stakeholders and acting correctly becomes overwhelming.  Continue reading →