Discussions around climate change continued in 2014, with the biggest news coming in November, when the US and China announced a bilateral agreement in which both countries committed to reducing their emissions. China, the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, has agreed to cap its output by 2030 or earlier if possible, while also promising to aim to produce 20% of its energy from low carbon sources by the same year. The US committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28% below its 2005 levels by 2025. The US-China dea... Continue reading

Major Court rulings in the past week that could potentially have severe implications for businesses across Europe have ensured that organisations head into 2015 with plenty to consider. Is obesity a disability? According to a European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling on 19 December 2014, obesity can constitute a disability in certain circumstances. The judgment follows a referral to the ECJ from the Danish courts, where a case was raised by an overweight Danish childminder. Karsten Kaltoft sued his former employer for discrimination after he cla... Continue reading

Keeping your warehouse or manufacturing facility safe is just as important as keeping it profitable. Many times the two actually go hand in hand. Your current safety measures may place a great deal of emphasis on chemical safety and preventing fires or explosions. While these are important areas, it is the little everyday mistakes that can account for the most injuries and accidents, so it is vital to take a look at the most common areas for injuries and see what you can do to prevent these issues.  During 2012, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Stat... Continue reading

Sick leave causes UK businesses to lose money every year. Expert physiotherapists Harris & Ross explain how to keep sick days to a minimum within your workplace. When your employees take days off sick it can cost your organisation money for a number of reasons; you may need to hire extra staff, offer overtime rates to cover the absence and comply with your sick pay policies. With these factors in mind, it is important to help your employees remain as healthy as possible and lower the likelihood of them needing to take time off from work. Bac... Continue reading

An amendment to the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 in January 2015 will mean that collectors in England and Wales are legally obliged to ensure that paper, glass, metal and plastic waste are collected separately from non-recyclable waste where this is technically, economically and environmentally practicable. Businesses should work with their waste contractors to ensure that these regulations are complied with. While it is only a matter of weeks until this change is enforced, a large proportion of organisations are unaware of the f... Continue reading