The British Retail Consortium have released figures that show UK sales values rose 0.5% like-for-like in the year to July 2010, boosted by a revival in food sales. Homewares and non-food, non-store sales such as internet sales showed weak sales growth in July.

Channel 4 has signed agreements with Sainsbury's and BT to become joint sponsors of programming related to the London 2012 Paralympic Games on Channel 4.

The two multi-million pound deals will see Sainsbury's and BT share sponsorship equally across a variety of programmes broadcast across the Channel 4 network leading up to the London 2012 Paralympic Games as well as the live coverage and highlights shows broadcast during the Games themselves. This ground-breaking dual sponsorship also includes sponsorship of Channel 4's new website dedicated to the Paralympic Games, www.channel4.com/paralympics, programming on PC and TV VOD as well the joint creation of Short Form Programming content.

The Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) has won the prestigious FT Sustainable Bank of the Year award, beating runner-up HSBC and 110 other financial institutions from 44 countries in the process.

The highly contested global award recognises leadership and innovation in social and environmental banking and was announced at a ceremony in London, attended by business leaders from all continents.