Today marks the start of the final month before the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force, with the Association on Accounting technicians (AAT) providing five tips on what businesses should do if they have not taken any action to date

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has announced it is to prosecute the pub chain Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster) and company chairman Humphrey Smith for failing to provide information and documents required for an ongoing TPR investigation

In the wake of scandals such as the Panama Papers, the European Commission is proposing a new law to strengthen whistleblower protection to ensure safe channels for reporting concerns over unlawful activities, financial irregularities and governance failures both within an organisation and to public authorities

The High Court has handed down judgment in a complex case involving the role of the former directors and their professional advisers in a company called Instant Access Properties Ltd (IAP), which has shed light on the issues of what fiduciary duties are owed by shadow directors

Today is the last day for private companies to report their gender pay gap ahead of tomorrow’s deadline, but employers need to ensure they do not put the pay gap issue to one side once the deadline passes, warns Suzanne Tanser, reward business manager at Croner

The government plans to introduce a new criminal offence to punish reckless behaviour in relation to a pension scheme, which it says will form part of a ‘tougher approach for those whose irresponsible decisions impact on their pension scheme’

As well as advising clients on how to be compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which comes into force on 25 May, accountants must also ensure that their firms are prepared. Adam Prince, vice president of compliance, product management at Sage, provides five tips on what accountants can do to be compliant by the deadline

Auto enrolment pension contributions are set to double for employers from April and companies will have to pay a minimum contribution of 2% from the 2018-19 tax year

Beth Hale & Nick Hawkins of CM Murray LLP examine the pros and cons of non-disclosure agreements (NDA) in employment contracts in light of recent scandals and consider how they these legally binding documents can protect businesses and minimise disputes

The government and the Charity Commission have stressed the need for charities to take urgent action around safeguarding, in response to public outcry over recent revelations around sexual exploitation by individuals involved in international aid agencies, domestic charities and high street charity shops

With only three months to go to the deadline, just 8% of small firms have completed their preparations for the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), according to research by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), which is launching an awareness raising campaign

Accountants have a critical role to play in advising businesses as blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies increasingly mature and enter the mainstream, according to a study from ACCA

MPs are warning of a potential major pensions mis-selling scandal, after the work and pensions committee’s report on British Steel Pension Schemes (BSPS) found members have been ‘shamelessly bamboozled' into ongoing adviser fees and unsuitable funds, and called for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to take urgent action on defined benefit (DB) pension transfers

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has announced a new charge against Barclays Bank in relation to loans made to Qatari investors during the bank’s fundraising in the aftermath of the financial crisis, following on from earlier charges brought against the holding company, Barclays plc, and four individuals in June 2017

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is due to replace existing data protection laws across the EU in May 2018, changing the way data storage and usage is governed and introducing harsh penalties for non compliance. Martin Hodgson of Croner-i Business Essentials looks at the differences between GDPR and current data protection law