Mitie CEO on Why He’s Ignoring the Woke Wars and Focusing on ESG

Phil Bentley is in an unusual position. As chief executive officer of Mitie Group Plc, he’s on both sides of the UK government’s contortions to revive the economy and cut spending.

On the one side — as a major private-sector employer — his business will soon shell out more money on national insurance taxes and is on the hook for increased employee protections under a proposed workers’ rights bill. On the other side, the business-services firm gets half its revenues from the government, with Mitie adding 700 jobs to operate Britain’s first electric prison.