BRITAIN'S successful Covid-19 vaccination programme has sparked a surge in the value of the pound, experts have claimed, with the currency rising to its highest levels against both the euro and the dollar in almost a year.
A group of civil society organisations and institutions including Greenpeace, IPPR, Spotlight on Corruption and academics from Sheffield University, today called for urgent reform of the audit profession ahead of the publication of a government White Paper. They argued that wide-reaching changes should be implemented as soon as possible to prevent repeated audit failure and protect the interests of shareholders, staff, customers, pensioners, investors and society as a whole.
The group supports the separation of audit and consulting functions within professional service firms to reduce conflict of interest and argues that auditors should face stricter penalties, including fines and debarment from public contracts, when they fail to do their job properly. They also stress that companies’ accounts must include information on climate change and that auditors should robustly review this information.
By Microsoft reporter
18 February, 2021
The speed and ease we can get around a city have a significant bearing on those who live and work there: impacting our livelihoods, wellbeing and quality of life. Mobility is vital to the successful functioning of cities.
Innovation enabled by a combination of digital technology and collaboration between city government, transport providers and mobility companies will help deliver the solutions needed, says Heiko Huettel, Microsoft EMEAâs automotive lead. Mobility is becoming a smart platform, powered by connectivity, real-time data and AI.
Cities are growing in size and importance
In many places around the world traffic has been at all-time lows since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the latest TomTom Traffic Index, with one-fifth (19%) less congestion globallyâ and congestion down by average 26% during rush hour (Europe: 24%; North America: 40%; Asia 11%â). But the roads wonât sta
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London, Tees Valley and County Durham residents call for better support for green jobs
The organisers of citizens climate juries in London and North East have revealed their key calls to actions for Mayors, councils and the central government, including job creation in low-carbon sectors and a longer-term alternative to the Green Homes Grant.
Pictured: London and Durham
The London project, coordinated by Citizens UK, released its conclusions through a new Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) report this week after ten months of discussions. Taking the members’ calls to action into account, the think-tank has translated them into quantitative targets for the UK Government and for London’s next Mayor.