Pharmacy giant Boots is the latest big retailer to find itself at odds with landlords over rent during the Covid pandemic. Mark Paul writes that the pharmacy and wellcare group is facing two legal actions from landlords after "pausing" rent for discussions on new terms.
Also struggling is Inglot, the make-up brand popular with younger, social-media savvy customers and for whom Love Island star Maura Higgins. The family running the business in Ireland and Britain – the Swarbriggs – is putting its holding company into liquidation. Mark writes that the brand will continue to operate online and wholesale in Ireland.
Workers at a the English factory of Irish sandwich maker Greencore at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak were told they would be paid less than £100 a week if they had to self-isolate, union officials have claimed, after nearly 300 cases emerged among the 2,000 strong workforce.
In better news, an Irish retail software developer, Intouch.com, has announced the appointment of senior former Coca-Cola executive Francisco Crespo to its board as it nears completion of a multimillion euro funding round. Charlie Taylor has the details.
A private charity set up and funded by businessman, Denis O'Brien, in his mother's name, recorded an almost 30 per cent drop in its income last year as it scaled back its spending on charitable activities in Ireland, writes Mark Paul.
With Covid likely to be a threat hanging over companies for years, business should appoint public health professionals to their boards and into top executive ranks, a top Harvard academic has advised.
In an opinion piece, Mercer chief executive John Mercer warns that, even with Covid grabbing all the attention in Government circles, kicking the pension reform can down the road will cost us all in the long term.
Introverts are relishing the level playing field created by working from home, not least the easing of pressure to fight for air at office meetings and conferences, writes Kesewa Hennessy, standing in for Pilita Clark. Online conferences mean dominant voices are muted and all can be heard clearly when they are called on to contribute.
Finally, Chris Johns casts an eye on the fiasco of exam results across the water and hopes Irish education mandarins have time to learn the essential lessons before the Leaving Certificate results are announced next month. The failure of the first big test in "levelling up" bodes ill for future policy challenges, he says.
Stay up to date with all our business news: sign up to our news alerts and our Business Today daily email news digest.
