An NHS worker has been awarded nearly £30,000 in compensation after a tribunal found that being compared to Star Wars villain Darth Vader in a workplace personality test constituted a 'detriment'. Lorna Rooke, a supervisor in the NHS Blood and Transplant service, was subjected to the comparison during a team-building exercise, which the tribunal ruled caused her harm and contributed to her decision to leave her job.

The incident occurred when Rooke's colleagues participated in a Star Wars-themed Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test. While Rooke was absent from the room, a colleague completed the test on her behalf, resulting in her being categorized under the Darth Vader personality type. Despite arguments that the Darth Vader category described a 'very focused individual who brings the team together', Employment Judge Kathryn Ramsden dismissed these as positive attributes, stating that 'being aligned with his personality is insulting'.

The tribunal heard that the comparison made Rooke feel 'unpopular' and contributed to her experiencing low mood and anxiety in relation to her work environment. Although the tribunal acknowledged that Rooke's decision to leave was influenced by personal circumstances, it upheld her claim for detriment, awarding her £28,989.61 in compensation.

This case highlights the potential for workplace team-building exercises to have unintended negative consequences when not conducted with sensitivity and respect for all participants. The ruling serves as a reminder to employers of the importance of fostering a positive and inclusive work environment.

King Charles has joined forces with Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett in a previously unpublicized podcast recording focused on global conservation efforts. The 22-minute episode, titled "Unearthed: The Need For Seeds," was recorded in the private gardens of Windsor Castle in July and features the monarch alongside Blanchett and Kew seed scientist Dr. Elinor Breman. This marks only the second podcast recording in the King's public life, demonstrating his continued commitment to environmental causes that have defined much of his royal work.

The conversation centered on the Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, West Sussex, which King Charles originally opened in 2000 and has maintained an active interest in since. The facility represents one of the world's most ambitious conservation projects, having collected, cleaned, dried and stored nearly 2.5 billion seeds from more than 40,000 plant species in walk-in freezers maintained at minus 20 degrees Celsius. Both the King and Blanchett, who became Wakehurst's first ambassador last year, emphasized the critical importance of this work in preserving global biodiversity.

During the discussion, Blanchett expressed concern about the rapid loss of natural habitats, noting that "97 percent of wildflower meadows have been decimated" in recent decades. She highlighted the disconnect between perceived natural beauty and actual ecological fragility, stating that "there is an urgency to the work that the seed bank does." The King echoed this sentiment, reflecting on his long-standing awareness of environmental degradation, particularly the damage to flower-rich meadows since the postwar period.

The podcast also touched on broader conservation challenges, including the need for increased funding and public awareness. Blanchett pointed to the frustration of seeing "so many extraordinary initiatives right there ready to be scaled up" but lacking financial support and direction. King Charles acknowledged both the progress made and the need to accelerate conservation efforts, stating that while the seed bank's work is "wonderful," the process must speed up to address escalating environmental threats facing plant species worldwide.