The Climate School has released a new white paper, The Focus of HR Challenges in the UK, shedding light on the growing role of human resources in navigating the green transition. As the UK faces increasing pressure to decarbonise its economy, whilst tackling one of Europe’s most severe skills shortages, the report offers a timely roadmap.
The white paperwas designed to help HR professionals in the UK understand the scale of transformation ahead and take action with clarity and purpose. And reveals that HR managers are no longer satisfied with simply supporting change, they are expected to lead it. Whether redefining jobs, upskilling teams or rethinking recruitment, benefits and targets, HR must now become the strategic driver of climate resilience and workforce alignment.
The green transition, like the digital revolution before it, is structurally reshaping organisations. Not only will this have a technological and operational impact, the green transition will also affect the culture, development, and personnel of organisations.
Skills, purpose and climate: the new talent equation
Structured into three core chapters, this white paper aims to equip HR leaders with the insights and tools to act. It explores how working conditions must evolve in response to environmental risks such as extreme heat or resource scarcity.
Additionally, the white paper considers how HR teams can contribute to their organisation’s decarbonisation trajectory and foster collective engagement by embedding ecological values into workplace culture. Throughout, the report draws on current UK-specific data, expert interviews, and emerging best practices.
A key finding of the report is the scale at which labour has already transformed. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the green transition could generate up to 100 million new jobs worldwide by 2030, provided social inclusion is built into the process*. In the UK alone, the government has set a target of two million green jobs by the end of the decade, requiring significant upskilling and new talent strategies across sectors.
The challenge is considerable: four million workers will need to upskill in the UK by 2035 to meet the needs of the green economy.
In addition, workforce expectations are rapidly evolving. Environmental commitments are now a decisive factor in employer appeal – 72% of Gen Z and 71% of millennials in the UK consider environmental credentials important when evaluating job offers. Interestingly, 46% of Gen Z and 42% of millennials report having already changed roles or are planning to do so due to environmental concerns.**
From risk to opportunity: HR as a catalyst for transformation
Given the pressure on the labour force to drastically upskill within the next ten years, the report calls for immediate action. HR professionals are uniquely positioned to help companies move from reactive compliance to proactive adaptation. This includes integrating sustainability into employer branding, designing climate-conscious benefits and wellness programmes, and embedding ecological considerations into organisational culture.
It also underlines the importance of placing training and skills development at the heart of HR strategies, making ESG integration not just the next step but the foundation of tomorrow’s workforce.
The UK Government has confirmed the first vehicles eligible under its new Electric Car Grant (ECG), offering drivers a £1,500 discount on select electric vehicles (EVs).
Four Citroën models are the first to be approved: the ë-C3, e-C4, ë-C5 and ë-Berlingo. The discount will be applied automatically at the time of purchase, with no action required from buyers. More vehicle models are expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Launched in mid-July, the ECG offers discounts of up to £3,750 on new zero-emission vehicles priced at £37,000 or less.
The level of discount depends on how each model scores against strict sustainability criteria. Higher-ranking vehicles in band one can receive the full £3,750, while band two models qualify for £1,500.
Funding is provided directly to manufacturers on a first-come, first-served basis, with no need for customers to apply themselves.
The grant will remain in place until at least the 2028–29 financial year, subject to available funding.
The UK Governmenthave stated that the first four models approved and more to come over the next few weeks, this summer we’re making owning an electric car cheaper, easier and a reality for thousands more people across the UK.
Delivering the Plan for Change by standing firmly on the side of motorists and manufacturers, driving down costs for consumers, supporting jobs and putting money back in people’s pockets.
Easing EV uptake
This comes as the automotive sector faces significant pressure to meet EV regulatory requirements amid slowing consumer demand and rising compliance costs.
Registrations of electric cars in the UK were up almost 26% year-on-year in May. But while fleet managers have increasing access to affordable light-duty vehicles, uptake among individual motorists has been weaker.
The market shift to EVs is not keeping pace with expectations, citing weak consumer demand and increasing regulatory burdens.
Volvo also revised its all-electric target for 2030, now allowing up to 10% of sales to come from plug-in hybrids. The company pointed to delays in charging infrastructure and the scaling back of government incentives as key obstacles.
A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm. Harm means physical or mental damage or injury, as well as reduced quality of life and performance. Hazards in the workplace are potentially everywhere, and they most certainly should not be ignored or taken lightly.
Some industries naturally carry more risks but hazards can occur in workplaces of all types. As part of managing the health and safety of your business, you must control the risks in your workplace. To do this you need to think about what might cause harm to people and decide whether you are taking reasonable steps to prevent that harm.
The guide takes you through the main hazards found in the workplace and control measures to manage them.
How is harm gauged?
Harm can be gauged in the following ways:
How much? (Quantity)
How often? (Frequency)
How long? (Duration)
How susceptible is a person to the type of harm? (Condition)
The harm arising from a great many common hazards can be understood in these terms.
One way of classifying hazards is to group them by the general category of harm they cause, such as:
Mechanical
Physical
Chemical
Biological
Environmental
Organisational
Mechanical hazards
A mechanical hazard is any hazard involving a machine or process. Mechanical hazards are created by the powered operation of apparatus or tools, which may be machine-generated or human.
Mechanical hazards can be categorised according to the type of injury caused:
Crushing – when part of the body is caught between a moving part of a machine and a fixed object.
Shearing – when part of the body is subjected to a scissor action from equipment.
Cutting and severing – when part of the body comes into contact with a saw or knife.
Entanglement – when clothing or hair comes into contact with rotating objects or catches.
Drawing-in or trapping – when part of the body is caught between two counter-rotating parts.
Impact – when a moving object strikes part of the body.
Stabbing and puncture – when flying or ejected objects penetrate the body.
Physical hazards
Physical hazards are those substances or conditions that may harm a person’s physical safety. A physical hazard is a naturally-occurring process that has the potential to cause injury, illness and death, including:
Tripping;
Slipping;
Falling from a height or on a level; and/or
Being struck by a falling object.
Physical hazards are usually overlooked because of familiarity, or a resistance to spend time and money on improvements. However, slips and trips are the most common cause of major injuries at work.
Physical hazards also include ergonomic hazards – a physical factor within the environment that harms the musculoskeletal system. Working conditions or body positions often put strain on the body when a worker’s capacity for work is restricted by the type of work. Ergonomic hazards include repetitive movement, manual handling, workplace / job / task design, uncomfortable workstation height and poor body positioning.
Fire is included amongst physical hazards, as is noise, pressure and vibration.
Chemical hazards
Chemicals are considered a hazard due to their intrinsic properties to cause harm to humans, property or the environment. Chemical hazards can be presented by substances that are:
Used directly in work activities (for example, adhesives, paints, cleaning materials).
Generated during work activities (for example, fumes from soldering and welding).
Chemicals can harm a person’s health when entering the body by absorption through the skin, ingestion through the mouth, and inhalation through the lungs.
Most people associate chemicals with certain professions and workplaces such as laboratories; however, chemicals are found in many common workplace products. While these chemicals have a variety of beneficial uses, they can also be extremely harmful if they are misused.
Biological hazards
Biological hazards are organic substances or microorganisms that pose a threat to the health of humans and other living organisms. Biological hazards also include toxins that are produced by organisms.
Biological hazards pose risks for many workers in a variety of ways. People working with microorganisms (such as in laboratories) are at a high risk of exposure, but other examples of work activities that may bring people into contact with biological hazards include:
Working with animals – for example, farming.
Working with people who might be infectious – for example, healthcare professionals.
Handling waste materials – for example, refuse disposal.
Working in an environment or with equipment that could be contaminated – for example, sewer maintenance.
Environmental hazards
Environmental hazards have the potential to affect the environment and adversely impact people’s health. These hazards come in various forms and are often unnoticed until an accident occurs. Environmental hazards can include poor lighting, unreasonable temperatures and dust.
Understanding the various environmental hazards that exist and taking precautions can help prevent accidents. Balancing work activities and work rates with the right temperature, humidity, air movement, clothing, food and drink intake, body build and psychosocial factors is important for workers’ efficiency, comfort and safety.
Organisational hazards
Organisational hazards are associated with behaviour, workload, time constraints and deadlines. Studies have shown that the following have the potential to be stressful:
Temporal aspects of work – for example, shift work, overtime. Work content – for example, nature of tasks and level of autonomy. Interpersonal issues within a team – for example, interaction with co-workers, equality of workload. Interpersonal issues with supervisors – for example, provision and receipt of feedback. Organisational structures.
The ideal workload should be organised and balanced, to avoid fatigue on the one hand, and on the other, to ensure employees are engaged and being productive.
Conclusion
When classifying hazards like this there is potential for some ambiguity. For example, a toxin produced by a micro-organism that is present in inhalable dust could easily be classified in more than one category: there are environmental, biological and chemical components. Almost every hazard situation is going to have an organisational component.
However, the main benefit of the six categories is that it is hard to think of any hazard that does not fit into one of the categories. So, on examining a workplace to find several examples in each category of hazard, it will result in a very thorough risk assessment.
Then the hierarchy of Control measures can be implemented
Tesco is set to take its advocacy for other businesses to tackle food loss and waste to the global stage, ahead of the COP30 climate summit in November.
WRAP (The Waste & Resources Action Programme) is notably advocating for national governments to include tangible plans to measure and reduce food loss and waste as part of their contributions to the Paris Agreement. Of the 195 countries that attended the last UN climate summit, only 12 had taken this step.
In the UK, as is the case in many developed nations, the majority of food waste occurs within homes (60%). However, there are still ample further opportunities to reduce the amount of surplus and food loss at the farm level, and to increase efficiencies and redistribution in retail and manufacturing.
Future-fit food systems
WRAP highlighted that reframing food waste through the lens of food security will be necessary in the months ahead, with the need to reset the global food system as the population grows and the climate changes.
One-third of what we produce goes to waste every year while millions go hungry. We need a fair and sustainable system to protect these fragile networks from future disruptions and to make the most of the food we have, for all.
Food security will become a priority for governments as the real impacts of climate change bite harder in the coming years, and tackling waste is a key step they must take. WRAP and Tesco are taking a stand to call out inaction, and demand more from those who fail to act.
Tesco was one of the first retailers globally to report on food waste on a voluntary basis. It also led the way in asking suppliers to adopt the Target-Measure-Act approach to food waste reduction.
The company was a founding member of the UK Food and Drink Pact, managed by WRAP. This Pact was founded to help businesses align their food waste targets and strategies with the UN’s global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
WRAP is aiming for 50 new businesses to join its food pacts and agreements as part of a new expansion target. It is focusing on businesses in the UK, Brazil, the EU, Indonesia, Mexico, Australia and South Africa.
Transport for London (TfL) is pressing ahead with plans to stop exempting electric vehicles (EVs) from the capital’s Congestion Charging schemes from January 2026. Instead, a discount will apply from an increased standard price.
Launched in 2003, the congestion charge was the first scheme requiring drivers in Central London to pay a daily charge. As the name implies, it exists to incentivise a reduction in traffic by nudging motorists towards public transport, walking and cycling.
The charge is currently £15 per day, per vehicle – a rate that has applied to individual motorists and to fleet vehicles alike since 2020.
TfL is proposing to increase the charge to £18 per day, per vehicle, from 2 January 2026. The aim is to switch even more journeys to public transport and active transport.
Discounts for Electric Vehicles
TfL has also provided clarity on the future of congestion charging discounts for EVs. At present, they benefit from a 100% discount, which is expiring at the end of 2025. Mindful of the ongoing electrification of London’s vehicle stock, changes to the scheme are needed to meaningfully address congestion.
From 2 January 2026, TfL is proposing, electric cars registered for Auto Pay will benefit from a 25% discount, to £13.50. Meanwhile, electric vans, electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and electric quadricycles registered for Auto Pay will receive a 50% discount to £9.
TfL estimates that these changes will result in 2,200 fewer vehicles on Central London’s roads on an average weekday, compared to a scenario in which the scheme remains as it is.
The discount schemes are intended to benefit fleet managers and individual drivers completing trips which are the most challenging to shift to public transport.
TfL is also consulting in further reductions to EV-related congestion charging discounts from 2030. It is proposing that, from this point, electric cars registered for Auto Pay will only get a 12.5% discount. The discount for electric vans, electric HGVs and electric quadricycles will decrease to 25% at this point.
Residents’ Discount
Those living within the congestion charge zone benefit from a 90% discount, provided that they have registered their vehicles.
TfL is proposing that eligible new applicants, from 1 March 2027, only receive the discount for EVs.
Lithium-ion batteries are widely used across multiple industries due to their efficiency, portability and sustainability. They are integral to modern workplaces, powering everything from consumer electronics to industrial equipment. However, despite their advantages, they pose significant safety risks, primarily due to thermal runaway, fire hazards and toxic gas emissions.
Lithium-ion batteries can be found in:
Consumer electronics, such as smartphones, laptops, tablets and cameras.
Electric vehicles (EVs) – cars, bikes and scooters.
Renewable energy systems – solar battery storage units.
Industrial equipment – including power tools, drones and robotics.
Medical devices such as portable monitors and ventilators.
Household appliances, including cordless vacuums and electric toothbrushes.
Despite their potential hazards, lithium-ion batteries offer numerous benefits:
Low maintenance: No need for constant water refilling.
Long lifespan: Lasts for at least eight years with proper care.
Safety: No immediate health hazards under normal operation.
Quick charging: Technological advances allow for rapid charging.
Superior depth of discharge: Efficient energy use.
Eco-friendly: Reduced environmental impact compared to traditional batteries.
Operates in extreme temperatures: Functions in diverse environments.
Unlimited cycle life: Enhances longevity and cost-effectiveness.
There has been a lot of negative press about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion battery fires are primarily caused by thermal runaway, an uncontrollable rise in temperature. Contributing factors include:
Overcharging – excessive voltage can overheat the battery.
Physical damage – punctures or impacts may cause internal short circuits.
Exposure to high temperatures – proximity to heat sources accelerates degradation.
Electrolyte breakdown – leads to gas emissions, increasing fire risks.
Inadequate battery management systems (BMS) – f ailure to regulate charging/discharging.
Ageing batteries – degraded cells are more prone to failure.
Thermal runaway is a self-sustaining chain reaction leading to fires and explosions. It occurs when the battery temperature exceeds 60°C, triggering an internal reaction. Toxic and flammable gases are released, leading to swelling and rupturing. Once the gases ignite, a fire ensues, often difficult to extinguish.
Obligations and best practice
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO), the Responsible Person (RP) must:
Conduct fire risk assessments, including lithium-ion battery risks.
Implement fire safety measures, such as proper storage and fire suppression systems.
Ensure staff training on fire response and battery handling.
Maintain fire safety equipment and comply with legal standards.
HSBC will no longer strive to achieve net-zero emissions across its operations and supply chains by 2030. The bank has blamed the slow pace of decarbonisation globally for scaling back its climate ambitions.
The business first set the 2030 emissions target in 2020 and opted for a 2019 baseline.
Announcing its annual results this week, HSBC noted “good” progress on decarbonising its own operations but said that change was “proving slower” across the supply chain. It pointed the finger at factors outside of its control.
“As a bank, our ability to finance our customers’ transition and, in turn, progress toward and meet our targets, relies on decarbonisation solutions scaling across sectors, alongside growing demand from our customers for capital to transition their business models,”
HSBC’s annual report states.
“We are limited by, and cannot on our own overcome, the present lag in policy measures and the overall slower pace of the transition… These factors put our customers’, and our own, net-zero ambitions at risk.”
With this in mind, HSBC said it would need to rely on carbon offsetting to a significantly greater extent than anticipated to meet its original 2030 target.
HSBC is therefore delaying its net-zero emissions target for operations, travel and supply chains to 2050. For 2030, it will strive for a 40% reduction against a 2019 baseline.
HSBC will also review its targets for reducing financed emissions – those generated by the businesses and projects which it financially supports. It has sector-specific 2030 emissions targets for financed emissions in oil and gas; power and utilities; cement; iron, steel and aluminium; aviation; automotive and thermal coal mining.
It is disappointing to see that HSBC has chosen to further weaken its climate target. If it cannot even strive to reduce emissions from its own operations and supply chain, there is little hope that it will trigger meaningful change through its investments.
“HSBC claims the transition is moving too slowly, yet it forgets that its own financial services are locking the world into fossil fuel dependence, exacerbating climate change.”
Waitrose has partnered with a digital mapping tool provider to help more than 2,000 farmers across the UK assess the state of nature on their land and develop plans for improvements. British farmers are the backbone of our food system, and this partnership with Land App is about supporting them to secure a sustainable future for their farms.
The supermarket has forged a partnership with Land App as it strives to assess the state of nature on all UK farms supplying for its own-brand product ranges by 2026.
Under the partnership with Land App, farmers in Waitrose’s supply chain will gain free access to advanced mapping tools. Land App enables farmers to gather real-time data on the environmental health of their land, with information measured in relation to dozens of sustainability metrics (more than 60), evaluate and act on to support the adoption of nature-friendly farming.
This then enables reporting & Waitrose will monitor progress year-on-year.
Once farmers have baseline information about the environmental health of their land, they will be supported to identify areas for improvement and implement impactful changes. Beyond receiving advice in the app, they will be supported to connect with ‘accredited professionals’ from organisations including the Wildlife Trusts and the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group.
Farm resilience
Building resilience and sustainability on farms is more crucial now than ever. It not only supports nature, reduces flooding and mitigates the effects of climate change but also secures food production for future generations.”
A 2024 survey from the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) confirmed that eight in ten farmers have seen either ‘fairly negative’ or ‘very negative’ impacts to their land and infrastructure from flooding recently. 65% of respondents confirmed a year-on-year fall in profits.
These pressures, compounded by other issues including low farm-gate prices, export challenges post-Brexit, and changes to inheritance tax, have prompted farmers to protest in Westminster in recent weeks.
Farmers need to see a coherent and signposted plan for change with details of the risks posed and the support available to farmers.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published its annual statistics on work-related ill health and workplace injuries. The figures also show that 138 workers were killed in work-related accidents in 2023/24, while 61,663 workers sustained a self-reported non-fatal injury in the workplace during the same period.
The statistics reveal that 1.7million workers reported they were suffering from work-related ill health in 2023/24, an estimated 0.8 milliondown to stress, depression or anxiety.
An estimated 33.75 million working days were lost in 2023/24 due to self-reported work-related ill health or injury.
HSE’s statistics also reveal the impact that the work-related ill health and workplace injuries are having on Britain’s economic performance. Preventing or tackling work-related stress can provide significant benefits to employees, improving their experience of work and their overall health; and also to employers including increased productivity, decreased absenteeism and reduced staff turnover
In 2022/23, the estimated annual costs of workplace injury and new cases of work-related ill health reached £21.6 billion.
Extreme weather events and ecosystem collapse have, for the second year running, been confirmed as the risks which experts across the world are most concerned about over the next ten years.
Drawing on surveys of more than 900 risk experts, policymakers and industry leaders, the report provides a snapshot of the risks perceived to be the most likely and most severe over a two-year and ten-year horizon.
The top two risks for the next two years remain the same year-on-year, with misinformation and disinformation taking the top spot and extreme weather events in at second. Indeed, Christian Aid recently estimated that extreme weather events resulted in at least $200bn of costs and damages in 2024.
Storm damage in St Petersburg, Florida, in autumn 2024.
More than half of the respondents expect instability over the next two years.
And for a ten-year horizon, extreme weather continues to be classed as the top risk. Moreover, as was the case last year, experts believe a range of interlinked and cascading environmental risks will crystallise within a decade.
The top ten list for the next ten years includes biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, natural resource shortages, critical change to Earth systems (i.e. climate tipping points) and pollution.
Yet the WEF found that many large businesses are not prioritising environmental risk management in their strategies. When businesses were asked which challenges they expect the highest benefits from addressing in terms of resilience, nothing related to climate and nature was in the top ten.
Corporations are far more likely to be preparing to address talent and labour shortages. Most are concerned about supply chain disruptions and more than one-quarter are preparing for disruptions to critical infrastructure, which can be caused by climate risks, but are not using environmental framing.
The UK Government has set out measures to prevent airlines from both paying for carbon offsetting under a new mandatory international scheme, and paying carbon pricing under the UK’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
The Government has this week published its response to the advisory body’s most recent annual progress report to Parliament on the delivery of net-zero by 2050 – the nation’s long-term, legally binding climate commitment.
Airport expansion
Nonetheless, the Government’s official response to the CCC’s report shows that it is not prepared to take all of its recommendations on board.
The CCC urged the government to halt all airport expansion projects until a UK-wide passenger capacity management framework is in place to assess the aviation sector’s climate impact. Its report stated: “There should be no net airport expansion unless the carbon intensity of aviation is outperforming the Government’s emissions reduction pathway and can accommodate the additional demand”.
The Government has stated that it “recognises a role for airport expansion where it provides economic growth and is compatible with our legally binding net-zero target and strict environmental standards”. No pause will be implemented.
Age discrimination in the workplace is a pervasive issue that affects many aspects of employment, including hiring decisions. From a health and safety perspective, age can be a significant factor, with employers often making assumptions about older workers’ abilities and risks. How age might influence hiring decisions from a health and safety viewpoint, highlighting the legal, ethical and practical considerations involved.
The intersection of age and workplace safety Workplace safety is paramount in any organisation, and employers have a duty to ensure a safe working environment for all employees. This responsibility often leads to careful consideration of potential employees’ physical and mental capabilities, which can be influenced by age. While it is illegal to discriminate based on age under laws such as the Equality Act, age-related concerns about health and safety still play a role in hiring decisions.
Common assumptions and stereotypes
Physical ability. Employers might assume that older workers are more prone to physical limitations, such as reduced strength, stamina or agility. This can be particularly relevant in industries that require manual labour, heavy lifting or prolonged physical exertion.
Cognitive decline. There is a stereotype that cognitive abilities decline with age, affecting memory, reaction times and the ability to learn new skills. In safety-critical roles, this assumption can lead employers to favour younger candidates who are perceived as more mentally sharp.
Health risks. Older individuals are often viewed as being at higher risk for chronic health conditions, which could potentially lead to more frequent absences or a higher likelihood of medical emergencies on the job. Employers might be concerned about the impact of these health issues on overall workplace safety.
The HSE has recently released detailed annual statistics on work-related fatalities, which show that the rate of fatalities increases with age. Workers aged 60 or over accounted for 42% of those killed at work, and workers aged 60-64 are twice as likely to be killed. These figures are four times higher for workers aged 65 and over, despite comprising only 11% of the workforce. The cost-of-living crisis is increasing the amount of people working beyond retirement, which could be the cause of the increase in fatality levels amongst these age groups.
Legal and ethical considerations
Discriminating against older workers based on these assumptions is not only ethically questionable but also legally precarious. Employers must ensure that their hiring practices do not violate these protections by unjustly favouring younger candidates. Ethically, it is important to recognise the value that older workers bring to the table. Experience, knowledge and a strong work ethic are qualities that can enhance workplace safety rather than compromise it. Employers should focus on individual capabilities rather than making broad assumptions based on age.
Best practices for employers
Objective assessments. Use objective, job-related criteria to assess all candidates. This can include physical fitness tests, cognitive assessments and health screenings, provided they are relevant to the job and applied equally to all applicants.
Reasonable accommodations. Be willing to make reasonable accommodations for older workers. This might include ergonomic adjustments, modified work schedules or assistive technologies that can help mitigate any age-related limitations.
Training and development. Invest in ongoing training and development for all employees, regardless of age. This ensures that older workers remain competent and confident in their roles, thereby maintaining high safety standards.
Inclusive culture. Foster an inclusive workplace culture that values diversity, including age diversity. Encourage intergenerational collaboration and mentorship, which can enhance safety practices and create a more cohesive work environment.
Conclusion
Age should not be a barrier to employment, especially when it comes to health and safety considerations. While it is natural for employers to be concerned about the physical and cognitive abilities of their workforce, it is crucial to base hiring decisions on objective criteria and individual assessments rather than age-based stereotypes. By doing so, employers can ensure a fair, inclusive, and safe workplace for employees of all ages.
