Responsible business and human rights

Responsible business and human rights—content

Content on responsible business and human rights in this subtopic includes the following Practice Notes and Checklists:

Corporate responsibility and environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG)

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ESG—new starter guide—which sets out what ‘environmental, social and governance (ESG) encompasses and the key regulatory and legal considerations for businesses and legal professionals. It summarises the three pillars of ESG issues, their practical application, the possible ESG ratings, and tips for creating and implementing ESG strategies. The Practice Note also explains how ESG and corporate social responsibility (CSR) interact, as well as an introduction to the key legislation and guidelines which businesses must navigate in relation to due diligence, reporting and disclosure of ESG issues in their operations and supply chains. This includes the position in the UK in relation to the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA 2015), the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006), and the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). It also sets out the relevance of the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and its extraterritorial application to non-EU companies, as well as the United Nations’

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Latest Environment News

EA launches consultation on proposed charges to recover costs associated with assessing DR

The Environment Agency (EA) has launched a consultation on proposed charges to recover costs associated with assessing decarbonisation readiness (DR) reports and reviewing updated DR plans for electricity-generating combustion plants in England. These requirements, introduced under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, will apply to new or substantially refurbished plants and form part of the Agency’s regulatory duties. The proposed charges, intended to cover administrative and compliance costs, are scheduled to take effect from 28 February 2026, with the consultation closing on 6 January 2026.

COP30 round-up—17 November 2025 (Forests, Oceans, Biodiversity, Small and medium entrepreneurs, Indigenous peoples, Local and traditional communities and Children and Youth)

On 17 November 2025, the seventh day of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) published the 2025 Global Methane Status Report and the Adaptation Fund secured over US$133m in new pledges. In addition, Brazil hosted a ministerial dialogue focused on expanding financial mechanisms for global forest protection and launched a consultation on its National Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy.

DESNZ confirms reforms to Boiler Upgrade Scheme and certification framework

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has published government responses to its April 2025 consultation on the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) and certification requirements for clean heat schemes. The measures, finalised in November 2025, expand BUS eligibility to include air-to-air heat pumps and heat batteries (each supported by £2,500 grants), relax the Energy Performance Certificate requirement from 2026/27, and mandate that installers deduct grants upfront. The department has also confirmed that the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) will become the sole certification body for clean heat measures under BUS, ECO4, and Warm Homes schemes, with a memorandum of understanding between DESNZ and MCS to ensure oversight.

Council of EU and European Parliament reach provisional agreement on revisions to the Measuring Instruments Directive

The Council of the EU and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement to update the Measuring Instruments Directive (MID), expanding its scope to include technologies vital to the green and digital transitions, such as electric vehicle chargers, compressed gas dispensers, and thermal energy meters. The revision harmonises rules to ensure accurate measurement and fair charging, clarifies display requirements to support smart and cloud-based metering, and introduces stricter conformity criteria for energy conversion devices with a maximum permissible error of 0.05%. Member States will have 24 months to transpose the directive and 30 months before its application, while electric vehicle chargers and compressed gas dispensers benefit from a 48-month transitional period to allow industry preparation. National certificates issued under previous rules will remain valid for up to 12 years. The updated framework, endorsed by Danish Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Morten Bødskov, modernises measurement standards to ensure technology-neutral, digital-ready regulation aligned with the EU’s sustainability and decarbonisation objectives