A UK government body promoting ethical business practices has registered a sevenfold rise in complaints over firms' conduct in five years, as companies face growing pressure on environmental harms and labour abuses. The UK Office for Responsible Business Conduct (ORBC) received 36 complaints against British companies between January and late August 2026, up from just five in 2021, according to a freedom of information request. The office handles complaints against multinationals with a significant footprint in Britain and promotes OECD guidelines expanded in 2023 to boost environmental protection, human rights, technology and supply chain accountability.
The ORBC's current caseload includes a complaint against Barclays Bank over its links with a coal-powered plant near the world's largest mangrove forest spanning India and Bangladesh. Barclays declined to comment. Legal expert Nicholas Queree of Addleshaw Goddard predicts complaints will continue to rise as AI makes it easier to file them.
Complainants include NGOs, trade unions and private individuals. The ORBC cannot fine companies but can investigate and publicly criticise them for failing to meet international standards, using reputational pressure to force change. It can also facilitate mediation between complainants and companies.
Four complaints out of 86 in the past six years have proceeded to mediation. The government says it takes complaints seriously to drive growth. This increase comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves seek to court business to drive economic growth.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing