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In Cyprus, food is not just about survival. It is an important part of our culture, our traditions, and our well-known hospitality. During special celebrations like Easter, especially the Easter table, it becomes a symbol of abundance and togetherness. The Easter table is expected to be full and rich! However, behind the full plates, packed fridges, and many trays of food, there is often a less talked about issue: Food waste.

The implementation of separate collection of organic waste in Cyprus represents one of the most decisive steps toward modernising the country’s waste management system. Although, since 2024, Local Authorities have had a legal obligation to introduce separate collection of food waste — as this constitutes an obligation for EU Member States — the process was delayed, mainly due to the parallel reform of Local Government.

As the cost of living continues to strain households across Europe, a growing contradiction is becoming harder to ignore. While many families are spending more on groceries and cutting back on essentials, millions of tonnes of edible food are still wasted every year. In response, the European Union has introduced its first ever legally binding targets to reduce food waste, signaling a shift from voluntary commitments to enforceable policy.

Europe has long been a pioneer in establishing mandatory obligations for companies to report on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) parameters. While social expectations and investor pressure for ESG transparency have intensified, the absence of uniform regulation historically resulted in fragmented and incomparable reporting practices across companies.

Sustainability isn’t slowing down. It’s speeding up. In a year marked by political pushback and regulatory rollbacks, many expected businesses to retreat from sustainability. But our International Business Report (IBR) data tells a different story.

Στην παρουσίαση της Grant Thornton με θέμα "Μετασχηματίζοντας την Τοπική Επιχειρηματικότητα - Ο Δρόμος προς τη Βιώσιμη Ανάπτυξη", παρουσιάστηκαν πρόσφατα παραδείγματα έργων που αναδεικνύουν πώς οι επιχειρήσεις, με ξεκάθαρη στρατηγική, συγκεκριμένο σχέδιο δράσης και δέσμευση της διοίκησης, κατάφεραν να ενισχύσουν το επιχειρησιακό τους πλαίσιο και την ανταγωνιστικότητά τους.

Expanding into new international markets can be challenging due to the many issues to consider and resolve. Our Unlock Cyprus service can provide expert advice and insight to support you every step of the way. From helping you find the best location, to setting up a branch or subsidiary, we are committed to providing pragmatic and timely advice that allows you to focus on achieving your business goals.

In recognition of World Environment Day, we are honoured to share a timely conversation with Professor Manfred A. Lange, a distinguished climate scientist with a particular focus on water and energy security.

World "Zero Waste Day" serves as a powerful reminder of the critical need to address waste across all sectors. This year's theme, "Towards Zero Waste in Fashion and Textiles," highlights the significant impact of the fashion industry on global waste and the environment. The fashion and textile industry has long been a major contributor to environmental degradation, and as demand for fast fashion continues to grow, it is essential to rethink production, consumption, and disposal practices to reduce waste and promote sustainability. Valued at USD 1.3 trillion and employing over 300 million people globally, the industry is a significant economic force with a substantial environmental footprint.

With the slogan "Right to food for a better life and a better future," World Food Day brings to the forefront one of the most serious challenges of our time: food waste. Every year, millions of people suffer from hunger and food insecurity, while about one-third of the food produced globally ends up in the trash. This paradox not only highlights social inequalities but also worsens environmental issues such as climate change, as food waste also means wasting resources like water, energy, and labor.

In an era defined by climate change, businesses are increasingly recognizing the critical need to take real action. "Net zero" has evolved from an environmental goal to a core business imperative, shaping strategies for long-term success and resilience. As the global economy slowly but steadily shifts toward sustainability, companies that fail to adapt, risk being left behind. Achieving net zero emissions is no longer just about environmental responsibility—it's a pathway to innovation, financial stability, and future-proofing operations in an unpredictable world. A resilient future depends on businesses that lead the charge toward carbon neutrality.

For many years, since the industrial revolution and the birth of the notion of the firm in the western world, the purpose of the new vehicle was to produce profit for the shareholder/s. Industrial firms are relatively recent in history. They arose only after the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, in the second half of the 18th century in England and, a bit later, in the European Continent and in America.

Whether we are buying coffee, booking a vacation, or making an investment we are producing emissions. It is not so easy to understand how for example the habit of buying a cup of coffee may cause an extreme heat wave in Europe or a flood in Pakistan but remember no single drop of water thinks its responsible for the flood. The impacts of our actions and our way of life is affecting the climate worldwide.

By the end of 2023, the EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) will be in force. The NFRD requires large public interest companies and listed companies to prepare and publish information related to their sustainability performance (society, environment, governance (ESG)) on an annual basis.

The European Commission proposed the EU Network and Information Security Directive as part of the European Cyber Security strategy. The directive came into force on the 10th of May 2018 with aim to increase the maturity level of cybersecurity across the state members of EU and ensure their strategic cooperation through Risk Management and Incident Reporting.

Distributed ledgers have grown beyond their cryptocurrency roots and the once-emerging technology is at last ready for your business to put it to work right now.