News

More than six million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the globe are calling on world leaders to take urgent and coordinated action to support business-led climate progress, warning that the path to net zero will stall without their inclusion. In an open letter released ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil, the SME Climate Hub and its global partners urged governments to adopt a unified set of policies that unlock green...

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is shutting down some of his final remaining business ventures, including Pitch@Palace Global Ltd, once seen as a potential source of private income after the King withdrew financial support. Pitch@Palace began as a Dragon’s Den-style initiative allowing entrepreneurs to pitch start-up ideas to investors, backed by the then Duke of York. It attracted global attention and corporate sponsors before collapsing under the weight of scandal following Mountbatten-Windsor’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey...

After a decade of rapid growth, Britain’s employee ownership movement is hitting the brakes. New tax rules introduced in last year’s Budget have curbed the number of business owners selling to their staff, following a clampdown on offshore trusts used to sidestep capital gains tax (CGT). The Employee Ownership Association (EOA) reports that company sales to employee ownership trusts (EOTs) fell from 550 in 2024 to just 200 in the first eight months of this...

The Co-op has announced plans to open or refurbish 50 stores before Christmas, marking a major investment drive as it continues to recover from the fallout of a devastating cyber attack earlier this year. The retailer said the latest openings would bring its total store launches and refurbishments to more than 200 this financial year, representing over £200 million in investment across its estate. The group, which has 6.9 million member-owners and operates more than...

The UK government has unveiled a new £75 million strategy to accelerate the phase-out of animal testing in scientific research, setting out a clear roadmap to replace existing experiments with cutting-edge alternatives such as organ-on-a-chip systems, artificial intelligence modelling, and 3D bioprinted human tissues. Science Minister Lord Vallance announced the plan on Tuesday, calling it a “roadmap for innovation and compassion” that will help the UK become a global leader in non-animal testing methods. The...