The green agenda: those three words often draw a weary sigh from directors. Amid economic uncertainty, UK business owners tend to feel that they have 100 other things to worry about, such as getting the economy moving again, without the added responsibility of driving environmental change.
With a raft of carbon-related sustainability regulations emanating from government, including the Climate Change Levy and CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, you can understand why the dialogue regularly falls back to the cost of complying with environmental legislation. The fact that companies' efforts to become more sustainable can largely go unnoticed by consumers adds salt to the wound.
But carbon-reduction regulations are here to stay, and the UK has pledged deep cuts in emissions by 2050. What's more, large purchasing corporations have started greening their supply chains not just in an effort to stay ahead of regulations, but also because it's good for business. Can small firms risk being cut out of a supply chain because they don't share the same approach as the big guns?
And with fuel costs spiralling, improving energy efficiency makes business sense. As Alison Coleman points out in our special report on sustainability, companies such as Jaguar Land Rover are saving by reducing emissions.
The government has passed another baton to industry—preparing young people for the world of work. And while this one has been accepted with more gusto, myriad organisations are appealing for employers to engage further. The message is: don't gripe about the so-called skills gap if you're not willing to devote some time to filling it.
You won't find Mike Lynch, founder of tech firm Autonomy, doubting the talent of future workers. He tells David Woodward that the private sector is more than capable of answering David Cameron's call to create jobs, wealth and opportunity. He thinks Britain is home to an "incredible natural resource of creativity and knowhow", and adds: "We are sitting on a gold mine of talent".
And in a respite from the popular sport of bank-bashing, Director brought entrepreneurs round the table with Santander directors to discuss challenges facing business. It's a frank and enlightening debate.
Amy Duff, Deputy editor