For most of our working lives we have taken the office for granted: the commute, the meetings, the squeaky chairs, the coffee machine! The seismic disruption of the pandemic, global technology advancements and the climate crisis have completely transformed our idea of the office of the future.

In the ever-evolving world of commercial real estate, one acronym is gaining significant traction: ESG—Environmental, Social, and Governance. These three pillars are increasingly shaping the way commercial developments are planned, constructed, and managed. As both investors and occupiers place greater emphasis on sustainability, social impact, and governance practices, enhancing ESG credentials has become a priority for developers.

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 (“MSA”) received royal assent in March 2015, but one of its most important provisions only recently came into force at the end of October.

No longer just a matter of social equity, the presence of women in boardrooms is now proving to be a demonstrable driver of financial success among FTSE 100 companies. As these organisations embrace gender-balanced leadership, they are reaping measurable financial rewards that underscore the importance of inclusivity at the top. With the rewards now tangible, will we see small organisations make the push needed for greater gender diversity in the boardroom?

Since our first article about the 2019 Loan Charge, we have received a number of enquiries and common issues have appeared. Here we address some of the points we have experienced with clients in relation to the 2019 Loan Charge.

Over many years we have been committed to being a good employer and a responsible, sustainable business. Our regular involvement in our neighbourhood and wider region has been important in establishing our reputation as a responsible legal services firm, conducting our business to benefit our employees and the whole community. Today this also means being on a journey towards net zero and evolving our service to consider the implications of climate change. This is our story.

Business property relief (BPR) is a relief from inheritance tax (IHT) at either 50% or 100% on trading business interests or assets owned by the person claiming the relief. This relief applies to business property either transferred during a person’s lifetime, or on their death, providing they have owned them for the preceding two years.

While Enterprise Management Incentive (“EMI”) options are often seen as easy to implement, the company’s and employee’s eligibility at the point of grant of the option is not the end of the story.

The new pre-pack regulations are designed to regulate connected person pre-pack sales with the aim of balancing the rights of creditors affected by business failure with the need to promote viable business rescue options to businesses, especially in the current economic climate.

As lockdown is once again gradually eased for what will hopefully be the last time, businesses must look to the future and important decisions will have to be made about the size and shape of the business going forward.