UK Knowledge Collection | ESG, data protection, and litigation risk
Published on 10th April 2026
Welcome to this week's Knowledge Collection
Rules affecting the circular economy, nature markets and sustainable finance have all seen shifts. Our ESG Knowledge Update outlines the main changes mooted, which include revising sustainability criteria under the EU Taxonomy Regulation, amendments to international sustainability reporting standards on a sector-specific basis, new guidance on UK nature investment standards, and the introduction of eco-modulation (variable fees based on environmental performance) for packaging in the UK. Our Insight considers the impact of the UK financial regulator's review of sustainability labels for funds, which suggests that it is moving beyond the policy-setting phase into active supervision of how these labels are used in practice. Next week, our Eating Compliance for Breakfast webinar discusses what businesses should know about the changing ESG landscape.
New data protection complaints obligations, provided for in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, will come into force in June. The ICO has issued guidance to explain the new requirements to organisations. Our latest GDPR for HR edition considers the growing tactical use of data subject access requests (DSARs) in employment disputes and what the new law means for how employers should handle them, and our Insight looks at what pension trustees can do to prepare for their new obligations to respond to data protection complaints made directly to them.
Increasing regulatory restrictions on "forever chemicals" (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS) in both the EU and UK, and uncertainty over insurance coverage, mean that businesses face growing exposure. Our Insight explores what businesses can do to mitigate the growing litigation risk. Our webinar later this month considers new litigation risk from class actions more broadly.
Recent Insights
ESG Knowledge Update
This month's round-up includes amendments to international sustainability reporting standards in specific sectors, a proposed EU Industrial Accelerator Act, a UK consultation on sustainable aviation fuels, and approval for a Welsh deposit return scheme.
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FCA publishes good and poor practice for UK funds using sustainability labels
The regulator's review of sustainability labelling signals a clear shift from policy setting to active supervision.
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Regulatory shifts increase litigation risk on 'forever chemicals'
The trajectory of regulatory activity at both UK and EU level signals that more stringent restrictions on PFAS use are likely, creating fertile ground for future claims.
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GDPR for HR
Why internal investigations should be treated as data protection events from the outset; the use of AI in DSARs and recruitment; and deleted data obligations.
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New data protection complaint duties for UK pension trustees take effect from 19 June
The change means trustees, not just the ICO, become a formal point of contact for data protection complaints.
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UK government to ban construction retentions and tighten late payment rules
The reforms raise practical questions for the industry around defects risk, alternative security and the potential for payment schedule restructuring.
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Events
Eating Compliance for Breakfast
09:00-09:30
A webinar series providing a comprehensive overview of regulatory developments.
ESG: what do you need to know for 2026? | 16 April
Class actions: the new litigation risk landscape | 30 April
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The future of IP
16:00-16:45
A series of webinars exploring the latest trends and cases in the world of intellectual property.
Navigating the new EU Digital Regulation landscape | 14 April
UPC long-arm jurisdiction: inside and outside the system | 21 April
Getty, GEMA and generative models | 28 April
Trade mark trends | 12 May
Trade secret protection: a pan-European perspective | 19 May
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Power Play Live: resolving disputes in renewable energy projects
29 April | One London Wall | 15:00-17:00
How to resolve disputes and claims that may arise from the development of a renewable energy project.
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Digital Regulation Download: the new cyber security rulebook
11 May | 14:00-15:00
A look at how the new cyber security regulations in Europe fit together, and what this means in practice, including the NIS2 Directive, the EU Cyber Resilience Act, the UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill and the UK Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act.
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