Updates

The DMCC Bill: a major upgrade to competition and consumer law?

Following a protracted build-up, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill (the Bill) is working its way through parliament. One of the most significant developments in competition and consumer law in over a decade, it heralds a new legislative era empowering the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to act against businesses who abuse their strategic …
Read more

Election ’24: Publishing advocacy materials or political statements

Here are some key issues to look out for when publishing advocacy materials or political statements ahead of a general election (many of these issues will apply regardless of whether there is an election coming, but of course public activity may be more likely to be scrutinised in the sensitive pre-election period): Election law Spending …
Read more

Election ’24: Charities and campaigning ahead of a general election

In spite of myths to the contrary, the vast majority of charities can campaign and engage in policy advocacy in the run up to elections, making the most of the opportunity that a pre-election period presents for furthering a charity’s purposes through policy and political work. Provided that your governing document does not expressly restrict …
Read more

Does government ‘do’ God?  The Bloom Review

Four years in the making, stretching to 159 pages, and considering over 21,000 responses from the public, the Bloom Review was published on 26 April 2023 by Colin Bloom, Independent Faith Engagement Advisor.  It is the first of its kind, a far-reaching and independent review into how government engages with faith in a broad range …
Read more

Election ’24: How election law might affect your organisation

For many organisations, general elections are a chance to push forward their agenda and build relationships with potential future MPs, ministers and parties of government. This includes charities and campaigning organisations seeking to promote their issue base and acquire pledges of support from candidates; businesses and trade associations seeking to influence commercial policy; and ‘pop-up’ …
Read more

The New UK Data Protection Bill – A Practical Summary

The UK recently introduced a new data protection bill, titled the Data Protection and Digital Information (No.2) Bill (the Bill). The Bill is still at an early stage (second reading), and it remains to be seen how it will be amended, if at all, but we wanted to take the opportunity to give you an …
Read more

UKVI refuses to commit to closing loophole for transgender individuals in right-to-work checks guidance

Employers are required to carry out right to work checks for any new employee or for an existing employee on a time bound visa. UKVI’s current guidance is clear on how right to work checks are to be carried out – but the guidance currently does not address how transgender individuals can adequately address discrepancies …
Read more

Setting up your EdTech company in the UK: What you need to know

If you are an overseas EdTech company considering setting up in another country, there are lots of advantageous reasons for choosing the UK. As well as being a popular jurisdiction for cross-border trades, it is simply really straightforward to set up a company in the UK. In this quick guide, Jean Tsang and Laura Hobbs explore the reasons why …
Read more

Update for sponsor licence holders | Changes to Home Office compliance guidance

New reporting duties have come into effect after the Home Office made extensive updates to its compliance guidance (part 3 of the sponsor guidance) on 31 March. These relate to: Here’s a breakdown of some of the key changes: Work Location There’s now a duty to report where a worker’s “normal work location” changes, including …
Read more

Purpose-driven business: Focusing on responsible supply chains

Bates Wells convenes a regular Impact Counsels’ Forum for senior counsel within impact investors, B Corps, and other purpose-driven businesses. A recent meeting of the forum discussed how purpose-driven businesses are approaching the impact of their supply chain, particularly on the environment. Inspired by the forum discussion, we share our thoughts on how businesses can …
Read more

Take note | Bringing employee values to the table

According to a survey from Deloitte, nearly 2 in 5 young people have rejected a job offer or assignment because it did not align with their values. Another survey from McKinsey has shown that 90% of 18-25 year olds ranked having a positive societal and environmental impact in their career as a priority. Employers are …
Read more

B interested | Why and how does the B Corp community go against the grain?

This year, the theme for B Corp month is We Go Beyond. As well as promoting our usual resources and social media posts, we’re going even further by putting together a fanzine to give insight into the how and why our B Corp community goes against the grain. So, dive in to hear from radical …
Read more