Tag: five year strategy

Acas launches new strategy as polling shows over two in five workers say workplace conflict is rising

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) has today launched a transformative five-year strategy to modernise how disputes at work are handled across Britain.

The new Acas strategy will help to support economic stability by reducing the cost of conflict – estimated to be £28.5 billion – through increased prevention, improved management, and earlier resolution of disputes.

This builds on strong results from our previous strategy, which saw record levels of disputes resolved without the need for a tribunal.

This comes as Acas experiences increased demand for its services and ahead of major new employment law reforms.

  • New Acas-commissioned YouGov polling of over 1,000 employees in Great Britain finds that 44% of workers who knew of conflict in their organisation over the last 3 years said it has increased, compared to just 13% who say it has decreased.
  • The same survey reveals that pay, working patterns, and capability and performance are now among the top causes of workplace conflict.
  • Latest figures show Acas handled 117,000 individual disputes in 2024-25, the highest number since the covid-19 pandemic.

The Employment Rights Bill will introduce significant changes to employment law as part of the government’s plan to Make Work Pay.

The new Acas strategy will:

  • Prevent more disputes before they arise by targeting industries and groups where conflict is most likely
  • Support employers to manage conflict well with clear guidance, tools and training offers
  • Equip workers and employers with the skills and confidence to resolve problems earlier, including doubling the number of SMEs Acas is equipping to manage conflict well
  • Harness technology and data more effectively to focus Acas’s efforts where they can have the greatest impact
  • Drive innovation in dispute resolution, maintaining Acas’s record settlement rates (70% for individual disputes and 90% for collective disputes) while exploring the use of AI and new digital services to make support faster and more accessible.

Clare Chapman, Acas Chair, said: “The world of work is changing, and this is an ambitious strategy for a landmark period in Britain’s labour market history.

“Over our last Strategy period of 2021-25 Acas successfully changed the ways in which we work. This strategy sets out how Acas will contribute even further to improve British workplace relations. 

“We will do more to help prevent conflict arising. If conflict can’t be prevented, Acas will be there to help workplaces manage it by disagreeing well.

“And if conflict continues, Acas will help parties resolve disputes quickly and fairly. Working together, we can deliver lasting improvements to working life and contribute to Britain’s future economic growth.”

Niall Mackenzie, Acas Chief Executive, said: “Britain is a great place to work and grow a business; but we can do even better to ‘disagree agreeably’ in the workplace.

“Our strategy for the next five years will give employers and workers the skills and knowledge they need for the healthy employment relations that prevent conflict.

“By supporting employers and workers to build stronger relationships we will protect productivity, safeguard jobs, and strengthen the foundations for sustainable economic growth.”

Employment Rights Minister, Justin Madders MP said: “Strong workplace relationships are fundamental to the productive, stable employment that drives higher living standards.

“Acas’s new strategy will help prevent workplace disputes before they escalate and provide the skills and tools to resolve conflicts early. This comes as the Government is ensuring employment rights are fit for a modern economy and contributing to economic growth as part of the Plan for Change.”

Rain Newton-Smith, CBI Chief Executive, said: “Acas has an important role to play in supporting the economic growth that is needed to drive up living standards and fund public services.

“Rising employment costs are already colliding with flatlining productivity, forcing firms to make tough trade-offs about jobs, pay and working conditions, putting a strain on the relationships between employers and workers. At the same time, the unintended consequences of the Employment Rights Bill will mean an increase in workplace disputes that need to be resolved.

“Acas has rightly identified that its impartial support and early intervention will be more critical than ever in helping employers and employees navigate these threats and unlock the potential of the UK workforce.” 

Paul Nowak, TUC General Secretary, said: “With the Employment Rights Bill set to modernise industrial relations, this Acas strategy is welcome and timely – recognising the importance of good working relationships between unions and employers.”

https://www.acas.org.uk/about-us/acas-strategy-2025-to-2030

Quality Meat Scotland launches ambitious five-year strategy

Quality Meat Scotland has announced its new five-year strategy, which seeks to build upon the red meat sector’s contribution to Scotland’s national economy by making the nation the ‘go-to’ choice for premium red meat across the world.

According to QMS’s recent independent impact report, the Scottish red meat industry outperformed the rest of the UK by £130 million in production and £124 million in retail performances between 2016 and 2022.

The brand now looks to build upon this success with its new ‘Scotland: The choice for premium red meat’ strategy, which was launched at QMS’s annual industry breakfast briefing at the Royal Highland Show. Its mission, to lead the development of Scotland’s red meat sector by driving demand from consumers who recognise the brands as a mark on integrity, provenance and with sustainability at its core.

Built around three strategic pillars; Provenance; Productivity and Profitability; Planet and Place, the five-year plan looks to lead the development of Scotland’s red meat sector by driving demand from consumers who recognise the Scotch brands as a mark of integrity.

Central to enhancing integrity and driving demand is the delivery of three ‘game-changing’ projects, which will enable the Scotch and Specially Selected Pork brands to compete in both the home and global markets.

The three games changing projects, include advancing work on genomics, boosting brand integrity with world-leading assurance for customers, and securing funding for a verification system for the eating quality of Scottish red meat proteins.

The Scotch and Specially Selected Pork brands will also embrace new sustainability criteria, this will be delivered within the scope of the quality assurance schemes. 

Kate Rowell, Chair of QMS, said: “Our industry, like so many others, has gone through a period of unprecedented volatility. A global pandemic, a constitutional upheaval from leaving the European Union and a war on our Continent have all erupted in the last three years.

“Added to that, there is the ongoing climate emergency which is challenging the way the world lives, works and consumes. Food security pressures are growing and, closer to home, wholesale change to agriculture policy is on the horizon.

“Our new vision is to make Scotland the premium choice for red meat across the globe. Ambitious and bold, it reflects both the passion we have for the red meat supply chain we work on behalf of and our belief in its potential.”

The strategy sets out how the industry body will work collaboratively to deliver authenticity and a competitive edge under its Provenance pillar, with the Scotch brands evolving to project environmental credentials.

New technology will improve traceability and, as a result, less red meat farmed and processed in Scotland will be sold as ‘British’ and an increased proportion of lamb will be sold with Scottish provenance.

QMS will focus on Productivity and Profitability by deepening relationships from a range of UK market channels, as well as targeting premium markets in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia to support exports and drive profitability.

Steps are also being taken to encourage more farmers to engage with the Monitor Farms Scotland Programme, helping to improve efficiency across the sector and promote diversification.

Finally, QMS will position Scotland on the global stage as the home of sustainably produced beef, lamb and pork. The organisation will also go further by introducing an emissions reduction programme.

Sarah Millar, Chief Executive at QMS, said: “Our aim is to make Scotland the choice for premium red meat, but we must be unwavering and commercial in our focus in order to achieve this.

“We know what success looks like. It will be an industry with greater confidence, with profitability and productivity at its heart, delivering a product high in demand, viewed by our key customers – here and overseas – as their premium red meat choice.”

The newly launched strategy reaffirms QMS’ commitment to its members and people right across the supply chain, deepening its core activity to nurture and utilise the best of talent across the sector that will support the delivery of the strategy.

To find out more about QMS or to read the full five-year strategy document and our impact report, visit www.qmscotland.co.uk/qms-five-year-strategy-2024-2028.