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European Edition
5th December 2024
 
THE HOT STORY
Citi launches AI tools for staff in eight countries
Citigroup has introduced new AI tools to enhance productivity for around 140,000 employees across eight countries. The technology aims to simplify work processes and boost efficiency.  Both the Citi Stylus and Citi Assist tools will be accessible to employees in the US, Canada, Hungary, India, Ireland, Poland, Singapore and the United Kingdom, and they will be gradually introduced to other markets. Tim Ryan, Citi's head of technology and business enablement, described Citi Assist as "like having a super-smart coworker at your fingertips to help navigate commonly used policies and procedures across HR, risk, compliance, and finance." Citi Stylus, meanwhile, is able to summarise, compare or search multiple documents at the same time.
WORKFORCE
Job satisfaction plummets in Romania
A survey by BestJobs reveals that only 32% of employees in Romania are satisfied with their jobs. Nearly half (49%) express dissatisfaction, with 60% believing their earnings are below the market average. Ana Vișian, Marketing Manager at BestJobs, observed: “The results of the BestJobs survey clearly show that employees seek more financial support.” The survey highlights that 55% of employees prioritise salary increases to enhance job satisfaction, while 42% report being very dissatisfied with their work-life balance. Stress and burnout are also prevalent, with 42% of employees experiencing symptoms, driven by increasing workloads and health concerns.
Severe disruptions expected from rail strike in Portugal
Comboios de Portugal (CP) has warned of "severe disruptions" in train services due to a strike called by the SMAQ train drivers' union on December 6th. The strike is expected to affect services on the days leading up to and following the event. CP's announcement says "strong disturbances in circulation are expected." The strike was called by the union due to the lack of clarification from the government regarding the relationship between railway accidents and alcohol levels among these workers and to demand adequate safety conditions.
CORPORATE
Fashion group's boardroom battle escalates with stalking allegations
Police in the UK are investigating stalking and corporate espionage claims involving Boohoo Group executives, including chief executive Dan Finley and co-founder Mahmud Kamani. According to the Times, the fashion group's executives have been followed and watched in public spaces, with some alleging they were observed from outside their homes. The incidents coincide with a contentious boardroom battle against Mike Ashley's Frasers Group, which holds a 28% stake in Boohoo. Following the discovery of unregistered surveillance equipment outside Boohoo's Manchester office, the police have been alerted, and inquiries are ongoing. A spokesman for Greater Manchester police said: "An investigation is ongoing around stalking involving serious alarm/distress with no arrests made at this stage."
TECHNOLOGY
Nordic states launch AI cooperation initiative
Nordic countries are enhancing their collaboration on artificial intelligence (AI) through the establishment of the Nordic AI Centre (NAIC), a project initiated by Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway. The initiative aims to bolster security and business competitiveness in the region, with funding from all five Nordic states, including Iceland. Svein Berg, managing director of Nordic Innovation, said: “The strengthening in collaboration this project brings has the potential to boost competitiveness across the Nordic region.” The NAIC is set to officially launch in the first half of 2025, focusing on creating a centre of excellence for AI that addresses societal challenges and promotes responsible AI use. The initiative also aims to improve the Nordic countries' standings in the Global AI index, where their rankings have recently declined.
CYBERSECURITY
UK is ‘widely underestimating’ risks from cyberattacks
Richard Horne, chief of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has issued a warning about the escalating cyber threats facing the UK from state actors like Russia and China, as well as online criminals. In his inaugural speech, he highlighted a “widening gap” between the threats and the defences in place, saying: “What has struck me more forcefully . . . is the clearly widening gap between the exposure and threat we face.” The NCSC's annual report revealed a threefold increase in serious cyber incidents in 2023/24, with 1,957 reports received, and 430 requiring support. Horne emphasised the need for improved resilience in critical infrastructure and warned that the severity of the risks is being “widely underestimated.” He also noted that the rise of artificial intelligence is transforming the cyber threat landscape, making it imperative for the UK to enhance its cyber defences.
HIRING
Vinter tackles bias in recruitment
Vinter, a London-based recruitment platform, has successfully raised €1.4m in Seed funding from Netherlands-based ALCORA. The company employs artificial intelligence technologies developed in its Turkey R&D centre to enhance recruitment processes. Vinter's algorithmic software assesses candidates' suitability while addressing bias, a critical concern in the sector. Founding Partner Erdem Can emphasised the platform's aim to create a "simpler and more transparent process" for both candidates and recruitment teams. The system allows for flexible recruitment processes, asynchronous interactions, and keeps users informed with status notifications, ultimately facilitating data-driven decision-making.
LEGAL
Sexist to refer to a colleague as sour and bitter, UK tribunal hears
A former Cambridgeshire county council archivist sued for sexual harassment after she was made redundant in 2019 over her manager referring to her as "that woman" and describing her in an email as a "sour and bitter individual." Sue Kemsley's case was initially dismissed, but an appeal judge has ruled she can resue the council for sexual harassment, unfair dismissal and age discrimination. The judge ruled the case should be reheard after saying the original panel relied too heavily on the council's comments, and disregarded Kemsley's. The first tribunal in January 2022 ruled the email comment was not related to her sex because of the use of the gender-neutral word "individual." But Kemsley told the appeal hearing the finding that the comment was not related to her sex was "perverse . . . bearing in mind that [manager Richard Anderson] also referred to me as 'that woman'."
INTERNATIONAL
Starbucks and Nestlé under the spotlight for labour practices in China
China Labor Watch, a New York-based human rights group, says that coffee farms in Starbucks’ and Nestlé’s supply chains in China are not living up to the multinationals’ ethical standards, sometimes using children as workers, and mandating excessive hours and lax safety standards to meet targets. A new report investigated 26 farms that form part of the Starbucks and Nestlé supply chains in the mountains surrounding Pu’er city, traditionally a tea-producing region of southern Yunnan province that now produces about half of China’s homegrown coffee beans. China Labor Watch said it found evidence of what it called labour injustices that directly violated the companies’ claims to ensure ethical sourcing and robust health and safety standards. The malpractice manifested itself in “ghost farms,” often family-run plots of land that informally supply the larger estates that have been certified by Starbucks or Nestlé. This enables the estates to meet their quotas while keeping labour violations out of sight. Farmworkers are paid according to weight picked, meaning they often work from dawn to dusk, seven days a week, during harvest to earn as much as possible during peak season. The alleged violations of the companies’ standards in Yunnan underscore the increasing scrutiny that multinationals operating in China face to demonstrate that their local supply chains are free of labour violations and human rights abuses.
Some women say they feel threatened after US election
AP News reports that some men perceive the US presidential election result as a rebuke of reproductive rights and women’s rights and have seized on Donald Trump’s victory to justify and amplify misogynistic derision and threats online. Gender and politics experts have said that, to some men, Trump’s return to the White House is seen as a vindication, but for many young women, the election felt like a referendum on women’s rights and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss felt like a rejection of their own rights and autonomy. “For some of these men, Trump’s victory represents a chance to reclaim a place in society that they think they are losing around . . . traditional gender roles,” observes Isabelle Frances-Wright, director of technology and society at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a think tank which focuses on polarisation and extremism. “With Trump’s victory, many of these men felt like they were heard, they were victorious. They feel that they have potentially a supporter in the White House,” says Dana Brown, executive director of the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics. AP News notes that none of the current online rhetoric is being amplified by Trump or anyone in his immediate orbit.
Nurses flee Malaysia for better pay
Malaysia is facing a significant exodus of nurses seeking better pay and working conditions abroad, particularly in Saudi Arabia. With only one nurse for every 283 people, the South East Asian country is falling short of the World Health Organisation's target of one per 225. Susan Wong, formerly a nurse in Malaysia, expressed her gratitude for her new life, saying: “I am living my dream life, travelling the world and getting paid for it.” The Malaysian Nurses Association highlights that nurses are overwhelmed, often caring for up to six patients each, leading to burnout and mental health issues. The 2023 report by the Institute of Developing Economies revealed that over 80% of overseas Malaysian nurses prefer Saudi Arabia, where salaries can reach 12,000 Saudi riyals (US $3,200) tax-free. The nursing shortage in Malaysia is projected to worsen, with a potential 60% shortfall by 2030, raising concerns for the country's ageing population.
OTHER
Frequent posters face mental health risks
Research from University College London reveals that adults who frequently post on social media are at a higher risk of mental health issues compared to those who only view content. The study, which analysed data from over 15,000 British adults, found that daily posters experienced more mental health problems than non-posters. Dr Ruth Plackett, a senior research fellow, said: “These findings suggest that ‘active' social media use activities, particularly posting, may have a more significant impact on mental health than ‘passive' use.” The authors emphasised the importance of mindful social media use to mitigate negative effects and highlighted the responsibility of social media companies to protect users from harmful content.
 


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