Doing Business Responsibly - Food & Beverage
The environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues that Food & Beverage (F&B) businesses face have evolved significantly in recent years. Increased scrutiny from regulators, investors and customers means that doing business responsibly and sustainably is no longer a choice, or even just the ‘right’ thing to do; it is key to financial performance and future survival.
Clearly, a return to growth will be a priority post-pandemic, not least for F&B businesses that have been among the hardest hit by sustained periods of lockdown. But all indications are that COVID-19 has made a focus on sustainable operations more, not less important – that investor capital and customer loyalty will flow to those businesses that are best prepared to withstand future systemic shocks (including climate change) and seen to be making a positive contribution to society.
In ‘Doing Business Responsibly: Food & Beverage’ we consider a range of options for businesses seeking to operate sustainably and build back better. We explore:
Becoming a B Corp
One way for your business to mainstream purpose and responsibility into the DNA of your corporate governance and structure.
Modern Slavery
And what you can do to mitigate the risks in your supply chain.
Charitable Foundations
And how you can help support the wider community with them.
Your Environmental Impact
How you can shape your commercial contracts to support the move towards a low carbon economy.
We have supported many in F&B as they have sought to tackle the challenges of the COVID-19 restrictions. We understand the difficulties you have faced and believe that taking measures now to enhance your ESG credentials will strengthen your business now and for the long term. Our experience guiding clients through these issues, together with our own commitment to doing business responsibly, make us well placed to help other businesses at all stages of the sustainability journey.
Please find our link below to ‘Doing Business Responsibly’. We hope that you find the guide insightful - please get in touch with us to discuss sustainability in the context of your business.
For more information, or to discuss the themes in our Doing Business Responsibly guide, please get in touch with Kerry Stares, or Sarah Rowley.
Our thinking
Georgia Sutton
Music to our ears? Well, perhaps not for Apple.
A feud first began when the music streaming giant, Spotify, filed a complaint against music streaming provide rand competitor, Apple Inc.
Michael Powner
Linking ESG and Executive Pay
How does a business go about embedding a focus on strong ESG performance into the structures and culture of its organisation?
Emma Humphreys
Risk allocation in commercial leases: the High Court considers rent suspension, insurance and frustration arguments
Read our summary of the full judgement on the latest Covid arrears case.
Paul Stone
Competition and Markets Authority announces review of the EU vertical agreements block exemption
The UK Competition and Markets Authority is reviewing the future application of the EU vertical agreements block exemption in the UK.
Anna Rogers
Playing Copycat – Why have M&S begun legal action against Aldi over Colin the Caterpillar?
M&S’s chocolate caterpillar was the first of its kind to land on our supermarket shelves, over 30 years ago.
Caroline Swain
Building Back Better: Future Gazing
What’s next for the hospitality industry post-pandemic?
Caroline Swain
Building Back Better: Re-examining your proposition
Why hospitality businesses should re-examine their proposition now
Caroline Swain
Building Back Better: Real Estate and Restructuring
How and why should hospitality businesses re-structure post pandemic?
James Broadhurst
Charles Russell Speechlys advises Fudco Partnership on sale to Exponent-backed Vibrant Foods
Fudco is a family-owned business selling South Asian ethnic foods in UK and Europe.
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ESG is an acronym much used but perhaps less understood.
Paul Stone
Focus Antitrust - 21 April 2021
This week's competition update.
Daniel McDonagh
Burn After Redditting – Scottish Court of Session Lays Down Marker for Online Copyright Protection
Sky UK Ltd have successfully obtained interim protection from infringement of their broadcast rights through links posted on Reddit.
David Coates
Charles Russell Speechlys advises shareholders of Modern Networks on sale to Horizon Capital
Modern Networks is a leading provider of IT support, broadband and telecoms managed services to the UK’s commercial property sector.
Paul Henty
Paul Henty writes for New Law Journal on the often-painful experience of tackling rules of origin post-Brexit
Defining provenance post-Brexit: Paul Henty charts the often-painful experience of tackling rules of origin.
Paul Stone
Focus Antitrust - 14 April 2021
This week's competition update.
Caroline Swain
THE. PUB. IS. OPEN. but for how long?
Emma Humphreys
How will the commercial property market exit COVID-19 restrictions?
Paul Stone
Focus Antitrust - 7 April 2021
This week's competition update.
Rahim Hirji
No ticket, no merger: Viagogo and StubHub are one step closer to merging but must satisfy the CMA’s conditions
The £3.2bn acquisition of online ticketing company Stubhub by one of its competitors, Viagogo is one step closer to being finalised.
Simon Ridpath
The Purpose Podcast: Corporate purpose
Simon Ridpath discusses corporate purpose and the rise of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in “The Purpose Podcast”