In our latest Building Women episode, host Julia Jolley speaks to Ffion Jones, Founder of Beautiful Minds - a team coaching consultancy for the engineering, construction and infrastructure sectors - about the power of relational intelligence and why whole, “beautiful humans” build better projects.

This conversation explores: 

• Why, in a tech and AI-enabled world, relationships, collaboration and “relational intelligence” matter now more than ever

• How women in a time-poor, project-driven industry can invest in their own development without guilt or burnout

• “Giving to gain”: how senior women can lift others sustainably, and how early-career women can focus on 1-2 opportunities that give them satisfaction and growth

This must-listen episode covers...

• Why the “leaky pipeline” persists and practical fixes like flexibility, menopause awareness and culture change.
• Why we should stop telling women they have “imposter syndrome,” but address the active allyship men can practice every day.
• The power of setting out boundaries and knowing when to leave a toxic environment.

Tune in for an honest, energising conversation about entrepreneurship, inclusion and creating safer, sustainable places.

Driven by her passion for sustainability and urban planning, Anyi focuses on regeneration schemes and building communities that truly serve their users. Tune in to hear about the importance of accessibility, mindful design, and creating inclusive spaces.

Kate Shattock discusses developments in the FS sector with Paul Harris, Chris Ratcliffe and Charlotte Harris.

This episode discusses sensitive topics which may be triggering for some listeners, such as eating disorders, mental health struggles, domestic abuse, PTSD, autoimmune diseases, and chemical menopause. It also discusses late diagnosis of neurodiversity. 

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues discussed today, we encourage you to seek help and support. Useful resources and charities are listed below: for our internal listeners at OC and charities are listed below:

Resources and charities:

• Mental Health: Call Samaritans on 116 123 for immediate support (Contact Us | Samaritans)
• Eating Disorders: Beat Eating Disorders (www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk ) offers a support helpline and information for those affected by eating disorders.
• Domestic Abuse: Refuge (www.refuge.org.uk ) offers support for women and children experiencing domestic violence.
• PTSD: PTSD UK (www.ptsduk.org ) provides information and support for those affected by PTSD.
• Autoimmune Diseases: Versus Arthritis (www.versusarthritis.org ) offers support for individuals living with arthritis and other autoimmune conditions.

Internal resources for staff at Osborne Clarke:

•  Our AXA Medical insurance offers free neurodiversity assessments. Opt in anytime via the Flex platform.
• Arrange free counselling via OC's therapy provider, HelloSelf (access platform here).

Osborne Clarke has recently partnered with Berkshire Women's Aid, a charity which provides confidential support, information, outreach services and refuge accommodation for women and their children who are affected by domestic abuse and violence, to create a podcast which discusses domestic abuse and what caring and supportive employers can do to support suspected victims of such abuse within their workplace. 

This is particularly relevant since some individual MPs have recently tabled amendments to the Employment Rights Bill proposing the introduction of 10 working days' leave for victims of domestic abuse and protection against suffering a detriment or dismissal where an individual is or is suspected to be a person affected by domestic abuse. It is also being proposed that employers are placed under a duty to take all reasonable steps to prevent domestic abuse and to develop and publish a policy to support workers who are victims of such abuse.

As a firm, Osborne Clarke supports BWA. We are also looking to implement appropriate policies to support victims of domestic abuse within the firm.

 
This episode explores how these visas are transforming the hiring landscape for high-growth businesses, the opportunities they present, and what businesses need to know to navigate the process. If you are interested in the future of immigration for businesses, this conversation is for you!

Postscript: After the recording of this podcast, on 10 December 2024, the Supreme Court granted permission for the decision to be appealed and expects to hear the appeal before the end of March 2025.

• Her early years living in both East London and Trinidad and Tobago 
• Why we should love the work we do and aspire to make a positive difference 
• The importance of trusting in yourself and others around you as a leader
• The exciting future for The Institute for Social Value

Useful links:

1. Book tickets for the Institute for Social Value conference in Birmingham Tuesday 26th November and online Wednesday 27th November - https://www.eventzilla.net/e/social-value-uk-annual-conference-2024-2138649034

2. Partner with The Institute for Social Value - apply to join our Council, be a part of a Working Group, sponsor research, host networking events, create a Thought Leadership Group and so on: https://www.jotform.com/form/242866517100352

 The Future of Retail in Europe session explored the complexities of deploying Artificial Intelligence into retail businesses and as well as adapting to new regulatory requirements in relation to greenwashing and sustainability. 

Our international expert panellist discussed the recent legal developments and provided an outlook on what retail brands should be aware of and how to mitigate future risk in relation to AI and greenwashing. Click below to listen into the discussions.

Focus on Greenwashing 

Panel speakers: Anna Williams, Louis Hoffreumon, Marie-Laure Pidoux, Robert Briske and Angelo Molinaro. 

The Future of Retail in Europe session explored the complexities of deploying Artificial Intelligence into retail businesses and as well as adapting to new regulatory requirements in relation to greenwashing and sustainability. 

 
Our international expert panellist discussed the recent legal developments and provided an outlook on what retail brands should be aware of and how to mitigate future risk in relation to AI and greenwashing. 

Focus on Artificial Intelligence

Panel speakers: Laurens Dauwe, Alexandre Glatz and Anna Elliott.

•  shares her unconventional route into planning and construction 
•  reflects on her higher education and what advice she would give to her younger self 
•  the supportive community she has found at Barratt Developments
•  top moments from her career

Here is the link to the AI webinar mentioned: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4585775/CFE88CC16FFD70733F1F49D1C5FA4A9A

In this special episode, which we recorded rather appropriately on International Women's Day, I had the privilege of interviewing not just one impressive woman in construction, but two: I sat down for a chat with the brilliant Terry Styant and Sophia Erfan, both Associate General Counsel at Balfour Beatty. Terri had a somewhat international upbringing but is now settled in Surrey with her husband and 'lockdown' cockapoo, Molly. Sophia lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and son. Both started out in private practice and both 'fell' into construction legal roles - today Terri is responsible for a team of 12 lawyers advising the business on operational matters ranging from ethics and governance to company secretarial work and Sophia manages a team of both lawyers and non-lawyers working on corporate matters which can range from ethics, compliance, dispute management and legal strategy and operations. They are a part of what the Legal 500s GC Powerlist calls a "trio of leaders".

Perhaps unusually, Terri and Sophia are part of an almost all-female legal team at BB and, even more unusually they perpetuate the somewhat emerging trend in this podcast series of senior women in construction having only sisters as siblings! I am sure there must be something in that. 

Anyway, I do hope you enjoy our chat and that you have a couple of nuggets to take away that provoke some interesting thoughts and conversations within your own lives and careers.  

In our seventh Telecoms Takeaway podcast, Tom Bumstead and Chris Dent continue our four part mini-series with the second instalment which focuses on the changes which the Product Security Telecommunications Infrastructure Act has introduced to the Electronic Communications Code. In this episode, we take a deeper dive into these changes, looking at how these might operate in practice and the potential impact this may have on Code operators and landowners alike.

Catherine speaks about her career journey and some of the incredible projects she has worked on over the years.

• what makes her tick; 
• who her biggest cheerleaders are; and 
• the main barriers to moving towards more sustainable energy methods in the industry.

This podcast has been set up to capture conversations with leaders across the Digitalisation eco-system, shining a light on the topic of digital inclusion and the positive role that technology has to play in its acceleration. In this episode of our series 'Digitalisation, A spotlight on'. 

In this episode Thomas Sharpe in the commercial team at Osborne Clarke joined by Rob Cam to discuss digital inclusion in the workplace. 

Helen speaks about the power digital and sport in bringing communities together, the continuation of a hybrid world and the importance of digital inclusion.

The last 18 months or so has seen businesses relying on newer and more effective technology systems and processes to enable remote working. In this episode we look at some key issues such as how best should you exit your current IT contract? What are the considerations and factors to take into account when looking to create a relationship with your new tech provider? How best should you address any liability issues and contingency plans? What practical steps should be taken to reduce IP and infringement claims issues? What should you be aware of around licensing and safeguarding of confidential information? In conjunction with this podcast, you can download this flyer detailing our 3 step approach to help you minimise and manage some of the risks 

In this podcast, we look at some of the health and safety measures that employers had put in place prior to the pandemic, what has evolved since, and what the focus will be as we move more and more toward a hybrid working model.
Aside from the provision of equipment and workstation set-ups, what is emerging and will be key, is how to promote well-being and manage mental health concerns. In addition, we also touch on some potential upcoming regulations such as the DSE regulation and the right to "switch off". And with ESG moving up the boardroom agenda, the health and safety aspects of this initiative are going to be even more important.  

1) What constitutes a deliberate inaccuracy by the taxpayer? This matters because a deliberate loss of tax gives HMRC much longer to raise a discovery assessment. Broadly, the Supreme Court decided that only an intention to mislead counts and where an inaccurate entry is explained elsewhere in the document (a so called white space disclosure), there won't have been a deliberate inaccuracy.

2) Can a discovery assessment become stale if HMRC don't act quickly enough? The Supreme Court held not: despite a recent trend in the cases supporting this type of argument, the Supreme Court decided that, provided the statutory time limits are complied with, there is no additional requirement to act promptly. 

In this podcast we give examples of what that means in practice and look at time limits, what to do if you suspect HMRC are conducting a "fishing expedition" and some useful tips on strategy.

In most cases, that will mean that it will be the end-user who will have to determine worker status and collect tax. Particular issues arise where a worker is working both inside and outside of the UK and for umbrella companies. These issues are discussed further in the podcast, together with a look at how income tax and NIC will be collected. 

Brand, reputational damage, liability, community, management of communal areas, and the benefits of technology are all touched upon.

These powers were created following the implementation of the Consumer Protection (Enforcement) (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2020, which was in response to the EU's new Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation. They mark a significant increase in the regulator's enforcement powers. 

In Episode two of Osborne Clarke's Consumer Law Podcast series, Simon and Katrina discuss this development and whether the CMA is likely to see its consumer protection powers extended further by the current administration.