Royal Dutch Shell is on the brink of a historic step. If, in the following six months or so, it appoints Linda Cook to be its next chief executive, it will become the first oil major to have a woman chief executive and the biggest company in the world in any industry to be led by one.

Channel 4 broke rules on impartiality and misrepresented the views of the government's former chief scientist in a controversial documentary that became the focal point of a furious debate over the causes of climate change, the media watchdog has ruled.

Large number of long-termed unemployed will be forced to work or lose their benefits under sweeping changes to the welfare system outlined in a green paper published yesterday by James Purnell, work and pensions secretary.

Despite the unintended consequences of greater maternity rights, there can be no way back to the old, male world of work. Comment by Jackie Ashley

Business in the Community is a unique movement of over 750 of the UK's top companies committed to improving their positive impact on society.