The Bottom Line

England’s water companies are under fire – there’s public anger over sewage spills and leaks, and now regulators and government ministers are worried some of them are drowning in too much debt. So what’s gone wrong, and who will pay the price of fixing the industry?On the face of it, running a water company seems like a licence to print money – there’s guaranteed revenue, and no competition – but there’s a lot of infrastructure to build and maintain, and strict targets that are getting even tougher and more expensive to hit as environmental concerns grow. Many of England’s water firms have taken on very high levels of debt, but have they used it to invest, or pay off their shareholders? And does the regulator, Ofwat, have questions to answer for strangling spending on improvements in a bid to keep customer prices low?Evan Davis is joined by:Nicola Shaw, CEO, Yorkshire Water; Sir Ian Byatt, Ofwat Director General from 1989 to 2000; Verity Mitchell, UK analyst at Global Water Intelligence.PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett Editor: China Collins Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Mike Woolley Production co-ordinator: Brenda BrownProduced in partnership with The Open University.

From The Office and Succession to The Apprentice and Dragons' Den, does the portrayal of business on television inspire or is it a total turn off to budding entrepreneurs? And how challenging is it to create great drama from the world of business? Is 'greed, for lack of a better word, good' as Gordon Gekko from Wall Street would have us believe? Or post financial crash, is the world looking to find a more equitable and kind example of the business world on screen? PRESENTER: EVAN DAVISGUESTSAsh Atalla, CEO, Roughcut ProductionsDave Fishwick, businessman, subject of Netflix movie, 'Bank of Dave' Nisha Katona, Founder, Mowgli Street Restaurants, Great British Menu judgeMickey Down and Konrad Kay, co-writers, 'Industry' , BBC 2 drama seriesClip from 'Industry' BBC2 Bad Wolf Productions HBO/BBCProduced in Partnership with the Open UniversityPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball Editor: China Collins Sound: James Beard and Graham Puddifoot Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

Demand for pre-loved goods has surged in the UK in recent years, with fashion, books and furniture especially popular. So what’s driving this boom in second-hand sales - the cost of living crisis or the increasingly eco-conscious shopper? And how are companies making money from it?Evan Davis and guests discuss the business of buying and selling pre-loved products, the growing number of online platforms specialising in them, and the bricks-and-mortar retailers looking to get in on the act. Plus, is buying second-hand really better for the environment, and what protection does the customer get when something goes wrong if they’re buying from a stranger rather than a business?GUESTSHugh Hurley, CEO, Gumtree Adam Jay, CEO, Vinted Marketplace Ana Estrougo, founder and CEO, The Octopus Club Adwoa Owusu-Darko, founder, Mini's World and seller on DepopProduced in partnership with The Open University.PRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Simon Tulett Editor: China Collins Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

John Lewis Partnership and Waitrose are possibly two of the most trusted brands in retail. This week, Evan Davis interviews Dame Sharon White, who took over as Chair of the Partnership, literally weeks before lockdown. Post lockdown like all retailers the Partnership faces a cost of living crisis and getting customers back to the High Street. How is she facing these challenges and what are her plans for the future of the partnership?GUEST: Dame Sharon White, Chair, John Lewis Partnership PRODUCTION TEAM Producers: Julie Ball and Simon Tulett Editor: Richard Vadon Sound: Hannah Montgomery and Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

Podcast explores the attitudes and expectations of different generations in the workplace. Speakers challenge stereotypes about millennials and discuss their passion and dedication. They also address the challenges and benefits of remote work and the importance of constructive criticism and open communication in the workplace.

As Covid restrictions were eased last year, the demand to travel abroad by air overtook the readiness of the industry to cope, leading to thousands of flights being cancelled and enormous queues at several airport terminals because of a shortage of staff across the board from security to baggage handlers and flight attendants. What can passengers expect this year and has the industry been able to address the problems it experienced last year to provide a smooth passenger experience this year? Evan Davis and guests discuss.GUESTSWillie Walsh, Director General, International Air Transport Association, Former Chief Executive, IAG and British AirwaysTim Hawkins, Chief of Staff, Manchester Airports GroupSally Gethin, Independent Aviation and Travel Analyst and CommentatorProduced in Partnership with The Open University. PRODUCTION TEAMProducers: Julie Ball and Simon Tulett Researcher: Marianna Brain Editor: China Collins Sound: Rod Farquhar Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

Grocery stores are under pressure – with food inflation still near record highs, some have accused them of profiteering and the UK’s competition watchdog is investigating.So what’s the evidence, if any, that supermarkets and other smaller stores are taking advantage of consumers, and what is a reasonable profit margin in this industry anyway? Food suppliers, large and small, also have a role to play here – we look at how their margins impact prices. And, with government ministers vowing to curb food price inflation, we ask whether a cap on the cost of some products would help.Evan Davis is joined by guests from across the industry to try to get a clearer picture of the UK’s food supply chain, and ask how fair it is on customers.Produced in Partnership with The Open University.GUESTSWilfred Emmanuel-Jones, founder of The Black Farmer Teresa Wickham, retail analyst, fruit grower, and former advisor to Sainsbury’s and director at Safeway Chris Noice, communications director, Association of Convenience StoresPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Simon Tulett Editor: China Collins Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Neil Churchill Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

What makes a great business book and how do you make practical advice on a subject like accounting a riveting read? What makes you more likely to read a business book - a top business leader's journey to the top, like Sheryl Sandberg or Phil Knight of Nike, or one offering simple 'how to' advice. And what is the business model of business books themselves - do they sell loads of copies, or are they more about building up a public brand?Join Evan Davis and guests , in the final programme of the current series, to learn about some great business reads and how business publishing is thriving. GUESTSMargaret Heffernan, Author, Uncharted. Former CEO and Entrepreneur. Alison Jones, publisher Practical Inspiration Publishing and Presenter, The Extraordinary Business Book Club PodcastHelen Kogan, Managing Director, Kogan Page, Business Book PublisherPRODUCTION TEAM: Producer: Julie Ball and Simon Tulett Editor: China Collins Sound: James Beard and Graham Puddifoot Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed.

What's the best way to recruit people who have the right skills for the job, but are also the right cultural fit for your business? And how do you do that without discrimination? Evan Davis and guests discuss the many different hiring options available, from the standard CV and interview to social media snooping, and the importance of getting it right.GUESTSMichael Barrington Hibbert, CEO, Barrington Hibbert Associates Sir John Timpson, chairman, Timpson Group Claire Hamilton, head of UK talent acquisition, Capgemini Wouter Durville, CEO, TestGorillaPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Simon Tulett Editor: China Collins Sound: Graham Puddifoot Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed

Machines now have the ability to write novels, create works of art, or compose original songs thanks to artificial intelligence. In future the technology could be used to discover drugs, design entire buildings, or come up with new materials.So how should businesses respond to the evolution of AI, most embodied by the AI chatbot ChatGPT? Evan Davis and guests discuss its potential for creating new products and increasing efficiency, as well as the risks involved in handing machines even more power.GUESTSPriya Lakhani, CEO, CENTURY Tech Scott Petty, Chief Technology Officer, Vodafone and Colin Murdoch, Chief Business Officer, DeepMindPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Simon Tulett Editor: China Collins Sound: Neil Churchill and Graham Puddifoot Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed