Peter Day's World of Business

Sexual harassment at work has become “normalised” according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission. A recent UK survey by polling company ComRes found that half of women and a fifth of men have experienced it during their careers. From unwanted comments and jokes to inappropriate touching, actions that go beyond office banter seem to have become the norm for many in the workplace. As MPs and shareholders start to look at the issue more closely - business reporter Katie Prescott explores how companies are dealing with the growing number of sexual harassment revelations, and how they can prevent it happening in the first place. Producer: Charlotte McDonald

Ohio is one of the worst hit US states for opioid addiction rates and deaths. Huge numbers of people have dropped out of the workforce and employers say they struggle to recruit the people they need. If automation increases as a result, will unemployment, despair and addiction get even worse? And is drug testing workers part of the solution or part of the problem? Claire Bolderson asks why the opioid epidemic has taken such a hold here and visits companies hoping to develop new medical solutions to treat pain and manage addition. For them, the opioid crisis might just be a very profitable business opportunity. Producer: Rosamund Jones

Ireland’s economy is hugely interlinked with its next-door neighbour, the UK, in everything from energy to transport to finance. Can those links be kept after the UK leaves the EU, or will Irish business have to change direction? Ruth Alexander travels to Ireland to find out how businesses large and small are preparing for Brexit, and what challenges - and opportunities - they see. Producer: Chris Bowlby

The WTO has facilitated global trade since the 1990s but is now under threat. Ever since he was elected, US President Donald Trump has been critical of the World Trade Organisation, which he has described as a “catastrophe”. Also known as the WTO, the organisation was set up to facilitate global trade and act as a referee in trade disputes. Its ultimate objective is to avoid the sort of trade war that can lead to a real war. But as the United States and China threaten each other with new tariffs, fears of a trade war are back with the WTO’s own relevance under question. This comes at a crucial time for the United Kingdom, which after Brexit may have to fall back on the rules and regulations of the WTO. So could the world survive without the WTO as President Trump suggests? What does the organisation actually do? And how big of a threat is it under? Jonty Bloom goes looking for answers in its long corridors in Geneva. (Image: WTO Banner, Credit: Getty Images/Fabrice Coffrini)

What happens if you give every adult in a village $22 a month, no strings attached, for 12 years? In rural Kenya, researchers are trying to find out. They're conducting the world's largest study of 'universal basic income' - giving 'free money' to nearly 200 villages, to see whether this could kick-start development and bring people out of poverty. The BBC's Africa correspondent Anne Soy visits western Kenya to meet some of the people involved in this giant economic experiment, and to find out what they make of this unexpected windfall in their lives. How will people spend the money? Will they try to start businesses, or stay in education longer? Or will people stop working, now they have a guaranteed income? What impact will this have on the villages? The BBC intends to return to the same village over the course of the study, to continue to monitor and assess the impact of this 'basic income', and to see what difference it makes to peoples' lives, the choices they make, and the dreams they hold. Presente

The vast Minsk Tractor Works in Belarus was famed all over the Soviet Union. And it's still making tractors. Raging capitalism in the 1990s closed down hundreds of state-owned factories. But Belarus kept open this complex providing not only work but cradle to grave care for tens of thousands of Belarusians. Clinics, nurseries and holiday camps formed an industrial megapolis within a city. Despite its huge workforce, original buildings and old technology, the Minsk factory is finding new markets world-wide as well maintaining social provision for its workers. But how is this behemoth coping with the challenges of the 21st century and the changing economic landscape of modern Belarus? We go inside the factory to meet the workers and contrast their world with that of Belarus's newest industries - state of the art IT and video gaming companies. Presenter: Lucy Ash Producer: Monica Whitlock Photo: Workers at Minsk Tractor Works Credit: BBC/Monica Whitlock

By 2050 the world needs to produce 70% more food and we need to do so using fewer resources and with less damage to the environment. Peter Morgan travels to Skjervoy in Norway to find out how technologically sophisticated fish farming businesses are increasing the availability and lowering the price of the fish we consume and he hears about the environmental issues that pose a serious challenge to the sector's growth. He also discovers how fish farming is providing employment for people in remote coastal communities -from the Norwegian coastline to Grimsby in the North East of England. For centuries Grimsby was a thriving fishing town, but the 'Cod Wars' of the 1970s coupled with EU fishing quotas decimated the livelihoods of many of its inhabitants. In recent years, though, the town has created a multi-billion pound seafood processing industry that is - ironically - fuelled by huge amounts of fish imported from Scandinavian countries. Peter talks to people working in the industry in Grimsby and asks whether

A small German city with a population of under a million has big ambitions. It wants to beat Paris to the top spot of financial centre of Europe. But can the city of Frankfurt attract the international bankers and their support work force when the UK leaves the European Union next year? Several international banks have already confirmed that staff will be moving to Frankfurt. Office space is secured and the international schools say banks are block booking places for pupils. But what will this mean for Frankfurt and its own residents who face soaring rents and property prices? And given a choice would the financial community really choose a regional German city over the French capital? Caroline Bayley heads to Frankfurt to find out… Photo: Euro-Monument in Frankfurt Credit: BBC

Why Spain’s sparkling fizz, Cava, is seeking to re-invent itself. If you think of sparkling wine what probably comes to mind is popping corks and Champagne. But what about Cava from Spain? In terms of exports Cava is as big as Champagne, and it is made in the same expensive, time-consuming way. Yet its image in recent years has suffered and it’s now generally thought of as a cheap, less popular alternative to the likes of Prosecco. Most Cava comes from Catalonia, that region in Spain which has been beset by political problems and calls for independence. For Global Business, John Murphy explores how Cava has become mixed up in Catalonia’s troubled politics, how it is trying to boost its image and how it’s seeking to re-establish itself as a very special bottle of fizz. Producer: Estelle Doyle Photo: Desgorging bottles Credit: Marçal Font / Recaredo

Many fees and charges in the investment industry - which, among other things, manages vast pension fund wealth - have been hidden for decades. Lesley Curwen meets the transparency "detectives" intent on bringing reform to a sector that has long shunned it. She asks why the investment industry has been so slow to embrace change and explores the barriers that might still lie ahead. How much money has been unnecessarily spent and how might more transparency alter the shape and structure of the industry? She also hears the stories of the pioneers who are spearheading this new approach. How difficult has the process been for them? Producer: Rosamund Jones

Why can you phone in sick with flu but not with depression? Mental health is a big deal in the workplace at the moment. Following recent celebrity and Royal disclosures about their own mental health issues, it's become a hot topic. But away from the glare of publicity what's actually going on - what are employers actually doing? In this edition of In Business David Baker asks how far companies should go in managing their employee's mental health. With technology and an on-call culture increasingly blurring the lines between our work and home, what are the boundaries between issues at the office and those which should remain part of our private lives? Producer: Jim Frank Credit: DragonImages

Second-hand fashion is big business in Tanzania. Every year, it imports millions of dollars-worth of used clothes from richer nations and many ordinary Tanzanians have come to rely on these - known locally as 'mitumba' - as a reliable source of affordable outfits. Now the Tanzanian government want to phase-out these imports, which they say are killing the local textiles industry. But if they do, they risk losing a lucrative trade-aid deal that allows them to export to the United States duty free. BBC Africa's Sammy Awami investigates the 'mitumba' business and asks local textiles producers if they are ready to clothe this rapidly-growing nation. Producer: Helen Grady Photo: Esther Kolale and fellow tailoring students at the Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre in Dar es Salaam Credit: BBC

In September Ryanair was headline news and in crisis, having had to cancel many thousands of flights at very short notice. By offering extremely low fares to flyers, the company has become one of the world's biggest and most profitable airlines. Matthew Gwyther traces Ryanair's history and explores how its business model differs from its competitors. Has Ryanair suffered reputational damage since September or will its passengers stick with the company no matter what? And has a change of direction now been forced on Ryanair? Producer: Rosamund Jones Photo: A Ryanair plane lands at Dublin Airport Credit: PAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images

There is a motoring revolution underway: the fast accelerating switch from petrol and diesel cars, to electric vehicles. In Norway, almost 40% of new car purchases are now fully electric or hybrids. Other countries are starting to catch up, and are setting ambitious targets. Britain wants to ban the sale of all petrol and diesel cars by 2040. Motor manufacturers are investing vast sums in new electric models. Those who don't, risk being left behind. And yet, as Peter Morgan reports, obstacles remain. Many drivers feel "range anxiety", the fear that the car battery will run out before they can recharge. And electric cars are not cheap to buy. But costs are coming down fast, batteries will soon last for hundreds of miles, and charge-points are being installed in more and more places. So much so, that there's a new land grab going on for market share. Start-ups are getting in on the act, and even big oil companies like Shell are branching into this business. Nevertheless, where will all the extra electricity com

President Vladimir Putin has gifted Moscow with a new park – a free public space right next to the Kremlin. Designed by the US architects behind New York’s High Line, Zarydaye Park is a bold step in city branding, aiming to demonstrate that Moscow is open to the world and to innovation. But does it break new ground for large-scale development projects in 21st century Russia? For Global Business, Lucy Ash explores some of the prizes and pitfalls of this notoriously bumpy terrain. Contributors include: Boris Bernaskoni, architect, Bernaskoni Bureau Galina Gordushina, Head of Engineering, Mosinzhproekt Sergei Kuznetsov, Chief Architect of Moscow Michal Murawski, anthropologist, Queen Mary University Anton Pominov, Director, Transparency International Russia Charles Renfro, architect, Diller Scofidio + Renfro Saskia Sassen, sociologist, Columbia University Producer: Dorothy Feaver Photo: Zaryadye Park Credit: Iwan Baan

If you're the Chancellor of the Exchequer, worrying about where the next financial crisis might come from, what keeps you awake at night? Jonty Bloom hears about the potential problems which might induce insomnia; including car loans, High Frequency Trading and the threat of Cyber attack. Producer: Phoebe Keane

Oil and gas are the backbone of Russia’s economy and swings in energy prices can push the country from boom to bust. 80 per cent of the country's exports are directly related to hydro-carbons. So how successfully is Russia diversifying into new areas? As Caroline Bayley discovers, government money is supporting hi-tech start-ups and counter sanctions imposed by the government on food imports from the US and EU are helping the food sector. However, doing business in Russia is far from straightforward. Producer: Kate Lamble

Why are so many US workers forced into job contracts that make it hard for them to leave? Employers routinely ask new recruits to agree to "non-compete" clauses when they start work. This means they might be unable to work for a competitor company, or to set up on their own. Is this a good way to protect intellectual property or an unnecessary infringement of workers' rights? Claire Bolderson goes to Massachusetts to explore the personal and economic impact of the legislation and asks if reform might, finally, be a possibility. Producer: Rosamund Jones Photo: Claire Bolderson in Boston, Massachusetts Credit: BBC

Can entrepreneurs at Sofia Tech Park kick-start one of the EU's poorest countries? Ruth Alexander meets the tiny companies growing fast at Sofia Tech Park, Bulgaria's first technology business centre. Start-up culture is a new phenomenon in the former communist state, which has an unfortunate reputation for corruption; but does it now have what it takes to spark an entrepreneurial revolution? Producer: John Murphy Photo credit: Walltopia

Uganda has taken in more than a million South Sudanese refugees. Many have lost almost everything. So how do they get back on their feet? For some of them the answer is to set up a small business. But doing that in a refugee settlement, when you have no capital and many of your customers have no money, is no easy task. Yet markets are sprouting up across the refugee settlements of northern Uganda. There are stalls selling eggs, vegetables, mobile phone cards, jeans; and there are even hairdressers and photocopying services in small shacks, where both the refugees and the local Ugandan population can trade. So how have these places come to existence? How have they grown out of what very recently was untamed African bush land? As John Murphy discovers, it’s a story of entrepreneurship, sacrifice, taking a gamble and simple necessity. Produced and presented by John Murphy Photo: 22 year old Aida who sells avocados, onions and bananas, to make money to pay for further education and training. Cred