Business & Technology
Meaningful Planet wins B Corp status with 91.4 score
Meaningful Planet has received B Corporation certification with a score of 91.4, placing the UK business mobile provider above B Lab’s 80-point threshold.
The Isle of Wight-based company said the process prompted several operational changes, including amending its Articles of Association to embed stakeholder considerations at board level, widening supplier selection criteria across its downstream chain, and formalising systems for staff feedback, development and wellbeing.
B Corp certification is awarded by B Lab, a non-profit that assesses companies on governance, workers, community, environment and customers. Meaningful Planet’s score was also above the 50.9 median for businesses completing the assessment.
The business operates in the UK mobile market, combining mobile connectivity with its telecoms management platform, MILO, to manage large SIM estates. It also tracks carbon emissions to SIM level, offsets its operational footprint through UK-based carbon credit projects, and directs 10% of profits to habitat restoration through regional Wildlife Trust partnerships.
According to the company, those projects include seagrass work in the Solent and beaver reintroduction in Northamptonshire. It added that its model links commercial performance to customer outcomes rather than charges tied to overuse.
Assessment changes
The certification process affected internal systems as well as public sustainability positioning. The assessment comes as B Lab updates its standards and the B Corp network grows to nearly 10,000 certified businesses across 103 countries.
Meaningful Planet was founded by executives with backgrounds in product, engineering and commercial leadership at Bionic and Trustpilot. Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Nick Falkowski previously held senior product and growth roles at both companies, while Chief Operating Officer Richard West was formerly Managing Director of Group Sales at Bionic.
Director of Engineering Piotr Jaworski also previously worked at Bionic and has experience in financial technology and B2B utilities. The company said it is focused on tackling inefficiencies in business telecoms procurement and management.
Commenting on the certification, the company highlighted the effect the review had on day-to-day operations.
“The assessment gave us a framework set by people who do this work for a living, and a process designed to find the gaps in ours. What surprised me most was how much it changed the way we work day to day – turning ideals and good intentions into coherent frameworks and operating habits,” said Nick Falkowski, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Meaningful Planet.
The B Corp framework requires certified businesses to be reassessed every three years. For smaller companies in competitive service markets, the label can serve as an external benchmark for governance and environmental practices as customers and suppliers look more closely at how firms operate.
Meaningful Planet describes itself as the UK’s first sustainability-driven business mobile provider. The certification gives it a recognised standard at a time when telecoms and technology businesses face growing scrutiny over emissions, supply chains, and the treatment of workers and customers.
The company said its connectivity is offered on a carbon-neutral basis and that part of its profits is committed to UK nature restoration through five regional Wildlife Trust partnerships.
Business & Technology
Rosa’s Thai is giving away 4000 free Pad Thais to students
Celebrating both GCSE and A-Level Results Days, the chain will offer the popular dish to students who buy one of its bubble teas.
The free offer is available at all 42 Rosa’s Thai restaurants across England and Wales.
To avail of the free noodles, students need to register on Rosa’s Thai website for a unique code, which they should present at the restaurant together with a copy of their results.
Rosa’s Thai has a new range of bubble tea flavours, including Ube-Taro, Matcha-Coconut, Mango Sticky Rice, and Milo Chocolate Milk, as well as favourites like Home-brewed Thai Tea with Tapioca, and Lychee Mango with mango boba.
Students can sign up for their free Pad Thai at rosasthai.com/result-day-free-pad-thai and find their nearest restaurant at rosasthai.com/locations.
Business & Technology
Historic coin company enters administration after 20 years
The London Mint Office, which distributes commemorative coins and medals, appointed administrators on July 31 after 20 years in business.
The company’s website now displays a message confirming the appointment of Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP as joint administrators.
A spokesman for Alvarez and Marsal said: “On July 31 2026, Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP were appointed as Joint Administrators of The London Mint Office Limited in administration (the “Company”).
“Regrettably, the Company’s liquidity challenges have led to a number of immediate redundancies. We are supporting the affected employees through the redundancy process.
What Happens When a Company Goes Into Administration?
“The affairs, business and property of the Company are being managed by the Joint Administrators who act as agents of the Company and without personal liability.”
The announcement confirms that it is no longer possible to purchase coins or medals through the company’s website.
The London Mint Office operates a distribution centre in Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, where it employs a significant number of people.
Administration is a formal insolvency process triggered when a business cannot meet its financial obligations.
An insolvency practitioner is appointed to manage the company’s affairs and may attempt to restructure the business or sell off assets to repay creditors.
What happens when a company goes into Liquidation?
Founded in 2006, The London Mint Office describes itself as “one of the UK’s most trusted suppliers of historic, commemorative, and collector coins.”
It is part of Samlerhuset AS, a Norwegian company based near Oslo and one of Europe’s largest distributors of commemorative coins and medals.
Samlerhuset’s website states that it offers “provide a wide range of coins from ancient to modern, originating from virtually every country in the world.”
The London Mint Office has advised anyone with an interest in the company’s assets to contact the administrators at INS_THLMOL@alvarezandmarsal.com.
Business & Technology
Warning of new rules for Aldi and Lidl after watchdog review
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally decided that both discounters should be added to the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010, which currently applies to Asda, Co-op, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.
This order is designed to prevent large grocery retailers from using land agreements to block competitors from opening nearby stores, often through restrictive covenants or exclusivity terms.
Juliette Enser, executive director of competition enforcement and markets at the CMA, said: “We want everyone to have the best choice of supermarket and range of prices when buying their groceries.
“To ensure this happens, we put rules in place to prevent big supermarket chains blocking rival stores from opening nearby – and now we propose applying those rules to Aldi and Lidl too.
“This is about allowing shoppers to choose where they spend their money and levelling the playing field for all major supermarkets.
“Today’s proposals are provisional and we welcome views before deciding the best way forward.”
The CMA’s review found that Aldi, Lidl GB, and Lidl NI now meet the criteria of ‘Large Grocery Retailers’ (LGRs) due to their store footprint, nationwide presence, procurement model, and the breadth of their grocery range.
Aldi and Lidl were originally excluded from the 2010 order as ‘limited assortment discounters’, offering a smaller selection of products compared to traditional supermarkets.
However, the CMA’s provisional findings indicate that this is no longer the case.
All three now operate large grocery stores, each with more than 1,000 square metres of shop floor space, and offer a full range of products, though with less category choice than some competitors.
They also purchase goods directly from suppliers through integrated wholesaling.
With the UK grocery market estimated to be worth £215 billion, Aldi and Lidl are now ranked among the top five retailers by market share.
The CMA is seeking feedback from stakeholders before reaching a final decision.
Aldi and Lidl could join the other supermarket chains later this year.
The CMA is inviting views until 5pm on Monday, September 7, 2026, and will issue its final decision in the autumn after reviewing responses.
If the discounters are included under the order, they will be prevented from using land agreements to limit competition from other supermarket chains.
The CMA aims to ensure competition across the grocery sector to give shoppers more choice and competitive pricing by removing obstacles to new store openings.
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