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Does sustainable investing make any difference? Sep 13, 2021

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Is corporate social responsibility, so called "greenwashing", really changing carbon emitting businesses or just making it look that way? Canadian businessman Tariq Fancy used to work as Blackrock's Chief Investment Officer for sustainable investing. He tells Ed Butler why he thinks CSR isn't a good enough tool to achieve a net zero economy.

(Picture: Two climate activists from Extinction Rebellion talk to each other outside the Bank of England during a protest. Credit: Getty Images.).

Business Weekly: 11/09/2021 Sep 11, 2021

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In this edition of Business Weekly, we look at why one of the poorest countries in Latin America, El Salvador, decided to make Bitcoin legal tender. We also find out what happened when the cryptocurrency crashed on the first day it was rolled out. We hear about the devastating economic effect of covid in Kenya as it rolls out further curfew restrictions. Also, in a few weeks’ time, the matriarch of European politics, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, will step down. We hear what issues are playing on the minds of German voters as they get ready to head to the polls. And for years Lamu, Kenya’s ancient trading port, has been in decline. But government hopes the opening of a vast, new facility means it can be a commercial superstar once more. Plus, the chief executive of Babbel, Arne Schepker tells us why the company is listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and whether lockdowns have impacted on people’s desire to learn languages. Business Weekly is presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Matthew Davies.

Where have the UK's lorry drivers gone? Sep 10, 2021

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The UK's suffering a huge shortage of lorry drivers, but where have 100,000 drivers gone? The shortage is now having an impact on everything from chicken in restaurants, to mattresses in furniture shops, fuel at pumps and even beer in pubs. So what's going on? We hear from drivers, driving trainers, retailers and the wholesale industry and what's causing the shortfall and what can be done to solve it.

Picture credit: Getty Images

Reviving Kenya’s ancient trading port Sep 08, 2021

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Lamu, once a bustling gateway to the Indian Ocean, has seen its fortunes decline in recent decades, not least because of its position near the border with Somalia, and the threat from militants. But earlier this year a new deep sea port was opened, which, the Kenyan government hopes, will make Lamu a commercial superstar once more. Vivienne Nunis takes a tour of the port with Dolly Okanga from Kenya Ports Authority. We also speak to Famao Shukry about a special kind of sea turtle in the area, and from Atwaa Salim from the Lamu Marine Conservation trust, who explains why the area’s mangroves are so significant to the economy and the environment.

Picture: Dolly Okanga from the Kenyan Ports Authority. Credit: Vivienne Nunis / BBC

Where next for AI? Sep 07, 2021

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AI will be the defining development of the 21st century and in the next two decades it is set to transform our lives. Kai Fu Lee, a former CEO of Google China and AI pioneer tells us that the technology will revolutionise health and education and has the power to create great wealth but it also has a dark side. AI he says, can pose huge risks like when used in autonomous weapons. Kai Fu Lee believes that we are now at a turning point, and is urging society to wake up to the benefits and the existential threats. (Image: Kai Fu Lee, Image credit: Getty Images)

Kenya and coronavirus Sep 06, 2021

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During coronavirus, while case numbers have seemed relatively low, there’s been a huge economic impact on many Kenyans. We hear from the BBC’s Michael Kaloki about the particular challenges of the Kibera slum, from single mother and Kibera resident Josephine, who Business Daily has heard from several times since the start of the pandemic. We also hear how reverse migration has meant that some Kenyans have returned to rural areas. Chris Macoloo the Africa director for the international development organisation World Neighbors explains.

(Photo: Kibera resident Josephine. Credit: Vivienne Nunis / BBC)

Business Weekly: 04/09/2021 Sep 04, 2021

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On Business Weekly, we hear from the World Meteorological Organisation which has been tracking weather-related disasters for the last 50 years. We look at the economic and human cost of extreme weather - and ask if anything, really, can be done to protect ourselves against it. Covid has claimed yet more victims in India as the economic hardship brought by the coronavirus sees a rise in the number of child brides forced into marriage. We hear from a young girl who resisted her family’s attempt to marry her off to an older man. Plus, filming for the latest Mission Impossible film has been put on hold multiple times over the last 18 months thanks to coronavirus cases on set as well as covid restrictions. But now, Paramount Pictures is suing its insurance company, saying the resulting pay-out doesn’t begin to cover its losses. And as more of us head back to the office, whatever will we wear? Business Weekly is produced by Matthew Davies and presented by Lucy Burton.

Should you trust reviews? Sep 03, 2021

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When are reviews real and when are they fake? We'll be asking a range of guests whether it's ok to be paid to do a review and how online sites can detect fraudulent write ups. We’ll also hear why negative feedback can be good for a business in the long run. Elizabeth Hotson speaks to James Kay, head of corporate communications at Tripadvisor, Carolyn Jameson, chief trust officer at Trustpilot and Michael Hanney, founder of Review Solicitors. We also hear from restaurant pr Hugh Richard Wright and Alison Edgar, author of 'The art of getting what you want.' Plus, Cynthia Giles from Cut Throat Marketing explains why negative reviews aren't necessarily bad for business.

Presenter: Elizabeth Hotson Producer: Sarah Treanor

(Picture: A mouth and comment symbols. Credit: Getty Images)

OnlyFans flip flops on porn Sep 02, 2021

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Why did one of the world's best-known porn provider platforms, OnlyFans, decide to ban porn? The controversial site has become a global phenomenon over the last five years, but its decision to outlaw adult content got everyone talking. It appeared to bow to pressure from financial services companies and anti-porn groups. Then it changed its mind. We look at the pressures the company is under and also at the business logic of internet porn. We speak to content creators Jessica Starling and Alana Evans, President of APAG; Mike Stabile, Director of Public Affairs at the Free Speech Coalition and Alexander Konrad from Forbes. BBC reporter Noel Titherage talks us through his investigation of the site. (Image: OnlyFans logo; Image credit: Getty Images)

Life after Messi: FC Barcelona's financial mess Sep 01, 2021

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How did one of the world's biggest sporting brands end up in such a financial mess? FC Barcelona's collapse, from European Champions League winning juggernaut, to unable to register its players under salary cap rules took less than a decade. So how did it take so little time for one of football's giants to fall so hard? We explore that with club members and supporters, as well as the Financial Times journalist Simon Kuper, the author of a new book about Barcelona; Barca, the Inside story of the world's greatest football club.

Picture credit: Getty Images

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