Are Vaccine Mandates Helping Companies?
With the delta variant driving up COVID-19 cases across the country, more companies are mandating vaccinations for employees to ward off the economic losses that come from having an unhealthy workforce. Delta and United airlines, Facebook, Walmart, Google, Black Rock, Microsoft, Anthem, and Tyson Foods are among dozens of firms that have announced mandates in recent weeks as COVID-19 cases climb. For the first time since February, [...]
Ireland’s savvy CFOs may become tomorrow’s climate heroes
By Alan Werlau, Head of Investments, Barclays Bank Traditionally, sustainability was often, at best, alluded to somewhat vaguely in a paragraph in a company’s annual report, and considered a cost centre and a non-priority. Before 2013, for example, just 20pc of S&P 500 companies disclosed environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information. By 2019 though, that figure had risen to 90pc. Since then, ESG-linked funds have grown [...]
SMEs hit hard by insurance premiums
Insurance companies are quitting parts of the Irish market rather than insure some businesses because of high legal costs and settlement payouts, research from the Central Bank shows. Insurers that provide liability and property cover to businesses lost money on average in the five years to 2019 despite rising premiums, making many lines of business unprofitable, according to new figures from the National Claims Information [...]
Fintech news: Stripe takes first step towards listing
Digital payments giant Stripe has hired a law firm to help prepare for a stock market listing according to reports. The company, which was valued at $95m in a fundraising round earlier this year, hired New York headquartered Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP as a legal advisor on its early-stage listing preparations, according to Reuters. The report, which cited sources, said there has been [...]
Fintech firms see exponential growth
With an underbanked population and skyrocketing use of mobile tech, Mexico offers an open door to growth for Irish financial technology firms seeking new opportunities in the global market. This is a market with a real need for innovative financial services. In fact, Mexico is in the early stages of a financial technology revolution, with start-ups focusing on flexible, low-cost, accessible services. It is the [...]
G7 nations set to back reform deal on international corporate tax
Momentum towards a major reform deal on international corporate tax could be set to accelerate, with G7 finance ministers to discuss backing an agreement at an online meeting on Friday. If agreement is reached on Friday – or at a subsequent meeting on June 4th/5th – it will be a strong signal to other OECD countries of support for a deal from the major players. The [...]