Newsmakers

1SUPPLY PROBLEMS HIT HOSPITALITY Food supply markets saw distribution problems and a spike in demand in June following the return of the hospitality sector, states the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index. It cites a shortage of HGV drivers and “insufficient manufactured stocks and Brexitrelated challenges”. tinyurl.com/Fac0910-supply

UK LABOUR MARKET BOUNCES BACK 2 UK HYDROGEN PLAN HEATS UP The government has launched its hydrogen strategy, which it says could provide a third of the nation’s energy for commercial and residential buildings, driving on “the PM’s 10 Point Plan for a green industrial revolution”. tinyurl. com/Fac0910-hydrogen

OFFICES WILL REPOPULATE, SAYS CBRE Offices will repopulate over the rest of this year, according to the EMEA Occupier Survey of 130 companies by CRA advisers 3 CBRE. It says repopulations will be led by small firms because they are further advanced in the return to the office. Over 80 per cent of small companies report that all locations are open. tinyurl.com/Fac0910-cbre

The CIPD’s quarterly Labour Market Outlook survey has found that two in three firms plan to take on new staff and many plan to upskill staff to tackle labour shortages. The study, canvassing more than 2,000 employers and covering all industries, shows that employers are indicating “strong employment intentions for Q3”. tinyurl.com/ Fac0910-cipd 4

5WORKPLACE GAS EXPLOSIONS ON RISE Gas explosions in the workplace have caused more injuries during 2019 to 2020 than any other time in the past five years, indicate Health & Safety Executive figures. A study of the data by health and safety firm CE Safety reveals that the injuries and fatalities caused by gas safety failings such as carbon monoxide leaks and gas explosions were the worst during this period, with 41 gas explosions injuring 35 people. This was a 58 per cent rise and out of 11 fatalities over the past five years, eight were in 2019/20. tinyurl.com/Fac0910-gas

UNITE URGES GOVERNMENT NOT TO AXE FURLOUGH SCHEME Sectors such as hospitality could benefit if the government adapts its furlough scheme to meet skills shortf alls, says trade union Unite. The government’s Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme ends on 30 September. At its peak, it provided wage support for more than 11 million UK workers. Unite, which played a central role in negotiating the scheme, says that in July two million workers were still on the scheme. tinyurl.com/Fac0910-unite6

FIRE SAFETY ACT PROMPTS RISK REVIEW HUMANS CAN ALLEVIATE CLIMATE CRISIS CONNECTIVITY IS KEY

Human actions could still determine the 9Digital Landlords are being urged to prepare for the Fire Safety connectivity climate’s future course, says August’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. It warns that change is “widespread, rapid, and intensifying”. Scientists are “observing changes in the Earth’s climate in every region and across the whole climate system”, many of them “unprecedented in thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of years”. tinyurl.com/Fac0910-human GENDER INEQUALITY DOGS SUPPLY CHAIN Ethical trade membership group Sedex says women make up half of the global workforce, but hold only 27 per cent of 11 £7M MORE FOR FLEXIBLE APPRENTICESHIPS Sectors including agriculture, construction and creative industries can now bid for a share of a £7 million fund to managerial posts and a third of supervisor support new flexible apprenticeships. In his roles. About 38 per cent of promotions in Budget, the chancellor the past year went to women and 62 per said cash incentives cent to men. The data was gathered from for firms to hire 42,000 business apprentices will be sites in 143 nations doubled to £3,000, and 12.5 million and there will be workers. tinyurl. £126 million to help com/Fac0910- firms offer trainee gender shift s. tinyurl.com/ Fac0910-apprentice Act 2021 by certification firm Bureau Veritas because trumps location it poses “significant” and even rental challenges for all duty price for firms looking for new 7 holders, who will be held to account if they fail to comply. tinyurl.com/ Fac0910risk 8 offices in the wake of Covid-19, shows research by digital firm Backbone Connect. Its study,, Connecting the Dots: What Office Tenants Want, found that 82 per cent of tenants ranked connectivity, the infrastructure which enables internet and digital activity, as “very important” when looking for a new space. tinyurl.com/Fac0910-connect NEW PLANNING RULES ON FIRE SAFETY Developers of high-rise residential buildings must prove that they have been 10 designed with fire safety in mind before planning consent is granted, according to rules announced in August. This involves clear site layout and good access provided for fire engines. tinyurl. com/Fac0910-fire 12