On 25 February 2025, the UK Government finally published the first UK Sustainability Reporting Standards, the UK SRS. The UK said at the Glasgow COP in 2021 that it would be an early adopter of ISSB and yet it has taken nearly three years after publication of the ISSB standards for the Government to endorse them, and far from being the first world economy to do so, the UK joins the ranks of more than 35 countries bringing ISSB sustainability standards into their national frameworks.

The past few months have proved more than ever that predicting tomorrow's headline is a fool's game.  While that illustrates the uncertainty of today's world, it also serves as a timely reminder that short-term, reactive strategies rarely maximise opportunities. That is never more true than on sustainability issues, where striking the balance between immediate and longer-term priorities is the name of the game.

Meeting the growing demand for data centres is complex and challenging enough, without having to contend with the extensive range of acronyms and technical vocabulary that are often used when discussing the sector.  Our glossary of data centre-related terminology is intended to provide a useful resource to help cut through the jargon.

Recent months have thrown automotive supply chain risks into the spotlight, with the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) cyber attack and the collapse of First Brands Group providing stark reminders that supply disruptions can strike from multiple fronts and have wide-ranging consequences.

A High Court claim by over 100 Filipino nationals against Shell may be the first to attempt to hold English-domiciled entities liable for climate-related harm suffered overseas.  The claim draws on advances in attribution science in an attempt to demonstrate Shell’s role in global warming and the intensification of extreme and catastrophic weather events.

A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry. 

On 30 January 2026, the UK's Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") launched a consultation on the introduction of mandatory sustainability reporting for listed companies, based on the yet-to-be-finalised UK Sustainability Reporting Standards ("UK SRS"). The consultation will be of high interest to any UK listed company – including overseas companies with a UK listing – though as we explain below, its immediate impact will be relatively limited for the next few years.

We expect the onward march of ESG-related litigation to continue throughout 2026.  Although the last 12 months have seen a fragmentation of policy approaches to ESG issues across various jurisdictions, we expect this only to encourage activists and claimants to redouble their focus on achieving their ESG goals via litigation.