Bates Wells

Get to grips with the new Procurement Act at our upcoming in-person workshop for suppliers and partners on Tuesday 4 February. Lindsay Draffan, Head of Competition, and Charlie Miller, Senior Associate in our Dispute Resolution & Litigation team, will be covering changes to tendering under the new Act, challenging a contract award and what to consider if you are a charity, social enterprise or not-for-profit business. Sign up below - https://lnkd.in/ewUFZdE7

Ethically sourcing your supply chain is a critical part of ensuring the positive impact your business has on society, workers and the environment. It can even contribute positively to your bottom line. As part of Good Business Fortnight, Bates Wells, joined by the Ethical Trading Initiative will look at what ‘ethical sourcing’ means in the context of supply chains, talking you through practical tips to ensure your supply chain meets your ESG goals, and builds more purpose and impact into your organisation. Kate Lewis from the Ethical Trading Initiative will also be discussing human rights issues in supply chain. Join us online at 10am on 12th February to listen in on the discussions. Register your attendance here: https://lnkd.in/ewtvdQct Leela Fair, Ruth Clifford, Good Business Charter

The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive was published in the EU’s Official Journal on 5 July 2024, and it officially entered into force on 25 July 2024. EU Member States are required to transpose the Directive into their national laws by 26 July 2026.   In the first article in this series, Tim Constable and Matilda Graham focus on which companies will be caught by the Directive.   Look out for the next article in our series as we dive deeper into each of the provisions of CS3D. https://lnkd.in/gU-Zu-hq

Tomorrow we will be hosting our first employment law update of the year. If you work in HR, people management, or immigration, join Paul Seath and Smruti Jeyanandhan at 3pm online for practical insights to help you navigate the latest case law, legislation, and guidance Register here https://lnkd.in/enSpVmVr

On 24th January the Climate and Nature Bill will see it’s 2nd reading in the House of Commons. Introduced by Alex Sobel MP, the Bill would give the Secretary of State a duty to implement a strategy to achieve climate and nature targets, establish a Climate and Nature Assembly, and give duties to the Committee on Climate Change and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee regarding the strategy and targets. After a thorough analysis of the legal considerations, Bates Wells are supporting the Bill. Importantly, the requirements of the Bill are aligned with scientific findings on climate change, set stringent standards around emissions reductions (beyond carbon dioxide), commits to ending fossil fuel production, and considers the UK’s impact beyond our national borders. We want to see the UK leading on action to reduce negative environmental and biodiversity impacts, and the Bill would provide the commitments and framework to go further than current strategies, legislation, and targets. We’ll be sharing our thoughts around the Bill in an upcoming blog. https://lnkd.in/eKZ28wmG https://lnkd.in/e8TPuEp9

It might not be an obvious spot, but the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC) means significant changes to subscription-model income for both commercial and not-for-profit businesses including the charitable sector. The overall thrust of the DMCC is enhanced consumer protection and more enforcement powers to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Lindsay Draffan, Head of Competition, has put together an easy-to-digest FAQ with more information. Read her article here: https://lnkd.in/ejN29WXK #Subscriptions #Competition

As we move into 2025, UK immigration rules continue to evolve, impacting both employers and individuals. Chetal Patel and Aisha Choudhry published an article on Personnel Today at the start of the month exploring key developments to watch, from the transition to digital eVisas and the expansion of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme to stricter sponsor licence compliance. Read the full article here https://lnkd.in/e9cSaAiS

Eleonor Duhs discusses Trump, Zuckerberg, the Labour government, and internet policies that have failed to hit the mark, on the podcast "The Internet, Seriously". Tune in to the fascinating discussion here: https://lnkd.in/eWwjh4iX

The new public Procurement Act is due to come into force on 24 February 2025, changing the landscape for public procurement. Are you ready for the upcoming changes? Join us at our in-person workshops next month to discuss the new Act, the impact on your organisation and the practical steps you can take now to prepare. Whether you’re a public sector provider, or a commissioner of services, you’ll know how many rules there are to navigate – and how easy it is to get caught out. If you are an organisation which bids for public contracts, join us at our suppliers and partners workshop on Tuesday 4 February. We will be exploring changes to tendering under the new Act and what to consider if you are a charity, social enterprise or not-for-profit business. Sign up here - https://lnkd.in/ekVxKgcq If you are a public body that procures services from third party contractors, our workshop for commissioners on Tuesday 11 February will be useful to explore changes to standstill periods, managing a claim and training your teams. Sign up for the event here - https://lnkd.in/e7T-tpgY Augustus Della-Porta Lindsay Draffan Charlie Miller Suhan Rajkumar

We thrive as part of the B Corp community and were the first law firm in the UK to achieve certification in 2015. Following our recent recertification, we are not only the highest scoring UK B Corp but also the highest scoring B Corp globally out of a total of 105 firms in the legal activities category with a score of 140.2. By focusing on both profit and purpose, we have been able to grow as a business while showcasing our values and commitment to our communities, and we are dedicated to continuing to make a positive impact. Thank you to our teams, colleagues and leadership who made such a score possible