Fascinating as they are, statistics don’t often tell the whole story. Guiding clients and the wider business community through the difficulties of running a business or working for a major company is equally about ideas; it’s about being approachable; it’s about talking. 

We find out what the launch of Insight Out and the new Business Club has to offer the business community. Senior Partner David Evans explains why the company believes clients need all the help they can get in these troubled times.

The pressure is increasing for companies to incorporate human rights into their business plans. The UN Human Rights Council’s recent endorsement of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, proposed by UN Special Representative John Ruggie, now gives this topic the gravitas it deserves. These principles outline how companies can implement the UN ‘Protect, Respect and Remedy’ Framework, which will help them develop a sustainable business model that can also add to the bottom line.

Just how the sector will cope with reforms and continue to balance risk versus competitive practices are issues preoccupying financial institutions up and down the UK. Throw into the mix some of the toughest economic conditions on record, a European debt crisis and the business landscape ahead looks tough.

Governments are facing a wide range of economic pressures. However, despite budget restraints, regulators appear to have increased their level of activity in an effort to return confidence to the market, according to the latest Dispute Resolution Survey* by Mazars, which surveyed 2,000 top litigation lawyers. 

Investors are nervous of companies whose revenue depends upon export as fears of a global double-dip recession prevail. But the Portmeirion Group’s achievement of over 60 per cent increase in export sales over the last three years, coupled with its focus on meeting individual market preferences, means this pottery firm is well up to the challenge of worldwide market expansion. 

“Tax doesn’t need to be taxing” used to be one of HMRC’s advertisements, but recent HMRC announcements suggest that things might be just about to get more taxing after all. Whilst the March 2011 Budget will seem a long way away for many, the announcement that HMRC intends to focus its investigative efforts on the small and medium sized business sector will be an unwelcome development at a time when owners are already working hard in tough times. 

The UK Bribery Laws affect all companies in the UK from FTSE 100 companies right down to small businesses. Individuals and companies found guilty of bribery under the new laws will now be subject to 10 years in prison, unlimited fines, disqualification of directors and potential confiscation of property. But as Peter Cudlip explains in this quick Webinar guide, companies that show they have proper anti-bribery and corruption procedures in place will be in the best position to defend themselves.

From October 2012 new legislation requires employers to automatically enroll their eligible employees into a qualifying pension scheme. Whether you have existing pension arrangements in place or not, all employers, big and small, will be affected. We identify the latest issues affecting reforms and how these are changing the face of employee benefits. 

The Accounting Standards Board (ASB) has methodically and very publicly been carrying out its task to replace UK GAAP with an international-based financial reporting regime. The challenge for the ASB is to make sure these changes remain suitable for the vast majority of businesses in the UK and Ireland.

The Midlands has added a feather in its cap with the announcement that Birmingham has been designated an Enterprise Zone by the Government. The news provides a welcome boost to the region’s economic prospects. Businesses can take advantage of a raft of incentives including discounts on business rates, new super fast broadband, lower levels of planning control and the potential to use enhanced capital allowances.

HMRC is reforming the taxation status of non-domiciled residents in the UK. Questions such as how domicile differs from residency, whether the proposed changes will make being a non-dom better or worse off and why the proposed changes will be good for the UK economy are all tackled in our 3-Minute Masterclass.