Well Connected July 2021

Well

Connected Summer 2021

Official Magazine for Liverpool Chamber

Skills for the future

Professor Gerald Pillay, Vice Chancellor of Liverpool Hope University, shares his vision for enhancing student employability INSIDE...

• • •

Liverpool Chamber in conversation with Mayor Joanne Anderson Members discuss the importance of developing skills and talent in the Liverpool City Region A new approach on supporting our charity members

Liverpool Chamber

Connect Support Thrive.

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Workspace | Retail | Leisure

CONTENTS

Find Inside 4-5 Economy 7

Message from CEO

8-9

Chamber Membership

11

Patron News

15-17

International Trade

19

Health and Wellbeing

20-22 Developing Talent

7

24-25 Members News

15

26-27 Feature Interview 28-30 Cover Feature

26

32

Patron News

35 Transport 36

Members News

38

Business Growth

41 Digital 42-43 Responsible Business 44 Exporting 45

Digital Skills

46

Chamber Events

48 Charity

28 35

49

Staff Directory

50

5 Minutes with...

50

38 Enquiries Liverpool Chamber Suite G08 – G10, Cotton Exchange Building, Bixteth Street, Liverpool, L3 9LQ t: 0151 227 1234 e: membership@liverpoolchamber.org.uk w: www.liverpoolchamber.org.uk Publisher Benham Publishing Limited, Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ t: 0151 236 4141 e: admin@benhampublishing.com w: www.benhampublishing.com

Liverpool Chamber

Published July 2021 © Benham Publishing Media No. 1815 Editorial Content Manager Emily Hardy Emily.Hardy@liverpoolchamber.org.uk Advertising and Features Karen Hall Tel: 0151 236 4141 e: karen@benhampublishing.com Advertising Sales Catherine McCarthy e: catherine@benhampublishing.com Studio Peter Wilkinson e: peter@benhampublishing.com

@LpoolChamber

@LiverpoolChamber

Disclaimer Well Connected is mailed without charge to all Chamber members and distributed at all Chamber events. All correspondence should be addressed to the Editorat Liverpool Chamber.

Views expressed in publication are not necessarily those of Liverpool Chamber. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission of the Editor. © 2021. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content. Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

Liverpool Chamber

3

BRITISH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

LOOKING AHEAD

The survey of over 6,400 firms, employing more than 800,000 people, points to continued stagnation amid rising business costs and a slowing global economy. The balance of firms reporting improved cash flow – a key indicator of the health of businesses – remains very weak across both manufacturing and service sectors. Indicators for improvements across investment and business confidence also show continuing downward trends.

Firms facing pressures to raise prices due to the following factors:

0%

0% +25%

-25%

Manufacturing Sector

+25%

-25%

Service Sector

72% -50%

+50%

+35%

Prices

-75%

+75%

-50%

+50%

+29%

-75%

59% 46%

+75%

33%

28% 29%

28% 19%

+100%

-100%

...of manufacturers expect their prices to increase, unchanged from Q3 2019

+100%

-100%

...of service firms expect their prices to increase, up from +28% in Q3 2019

+25%

Raw materials Financial costs

Other overheads

Balance of firms increasing investment in training

0%

0% -25%

Pay settlements

40% +25%

-25%

Investment

30% -50%

+50%

+11%

-75%

+75%

-50%

+50%

10%

+11%

-75%

20%

+75%

0% -10%

+100%

-100%

...of manufacturers increased investment in training in Q4 2019, up from +8% in Q3 2019

+100%

-100%

...of service firms increased investment in training in Q4 2019, down from +13% in Q3 2019

+25%

QES % 2015 2017 2019 Service Sector QES

Balance of firms reporting improved cash flow

0%

0% -25%

-20%

-30% Balance 2007 2009 2011 2013 Manufacturing Sector QES

30% +25%

-25%

20%

Cash Flow

-50%

+50%

+1%

-75%

+75%

-50%

+50%

+75%

-10% -20%

+100%

-100%

...of manufacturers reported improved cash flow in Q4 2019, up from -7% in Q3 2019

+100%

-100%

...of service firms reported improved cash flow in Q4 2019, down from +5% in Q3 2019

+25%

-50%

QES % -40% Balance 2007 2009 2011 2013 Manufacturing Sector QES

+50%

+75%

-50%

-75%

80%

+25%

-25%

+27%

-75%

-30%

0%

0% -25%

Confidence

0%

+2%

-75%

10%

+50%

+32%

+75%

2015 2017 2019 Service Sector QES

UK GDP growth and QES balance of firms confident 2.0% their turnover will increase

60%

1.5%

40%

1.0%

20%

0.5%

0%

0.0%

-20%

-0.5% -1.0%

-40% -100%

+100%

...of manufacturers are confident turnover will increase in the next 12 months, up from +25% in Q3 2019

-100%

+100%

...of service firms are confident turnover will increase in the next 12 months, up from +30% in Q3 2019

-60% QES % Balance -80% 2007 2009 GDP Growth

GDP % Growth (ONS) 2011

2013

2015

Service Sector QES

2017

2019

-1.5% -2.0%

Manufacturing QES

4 www.britishchambers.org.uk | @britishchambers

ECONOMY

BRITISH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

LOOKING AHEAD

The survey of over 6,400 firms, employing more than 800,000 people, points to continued stagnation amid rising business costs and a slowing global economy. The balance of firms reporting improved cash flow – a key indicator of the health of businesses – remains very weak across both manufacturing and service sectors. Indicators for improvements across investment and business confidence also show continuing downward trends.

+25%

-25%

Firms facing pressures to raise prices due to the following factors:

0%

0%

Manufacturing Sector

+25%

-25%

Service Sector

72% -50%

+50%

+35%

Prices

-75%

+75%

-50%

+50%

+29%

-75%

59% 46%

+75%

33%

28% 29%

28% 19%

+100%

-100%

...of manufacturers expect their prices to increase, unchanged from Q3 2019

+100%

-100%

...of service firms expect their prices to increase, up from +28% in Q3 2019

+25%

Raw materials Financial costs

Other overheads

Balance of firms increasing investment in training

0%

0% -25%

Pay settlements

40% +25%

-25%

Investment

30% -50%

+50%

+11%

-75%

+75%

-50%

+50%

10%

+11%

-75%

20%

+75%

0% -10%

+100%

-100%

...of manufacturers increased investment in training in Q4 2019, up from +8% in Q3 2019

+100%

-100%

...of service firms increased investment in training in Q4 2019, down from +13% in Q3 2019

+25%

QES % 2015 2017 2019 Service Sector QES

Balance of firms reporting improved cash flow

0%

0% -25%

-20%

-30% Balance 2007 2009 2011 2013 Manufacturing Sector QES

30% +25%

-25%

20%

Cash Flow

-50%

+50%

+1%

-75%

+75%

-50%

+50%

+75%

-10% -20%

+100%

-100%

...of manufacturers reported improved cash flow in Q4 2019, up from -7% in Q3 2019

+100%

-100%

...of service firms reported improved cash flow in Q4 2019, down from +5% in Q3 2019

+25%

-50%

QES % -40% Balance 2007 2009 2011 2013 Manufacturing Sector QES

+50%

+75%

-50%

-75%

80%

+25%

-25%

+27%

-75%

-30%

0%

0% -25%

Confidence

0%

+2%

-75%

10%

+50%

+32%

+75%

2015 2017 2019 Service Sector QES

UK GDP growth and QES balance of firms confident 2.0% their turnover will increase

60%

1.5%

40%

1.0%

20%

0.5%

0%

0.0%

-20%

-0.5%

-40% -100%

+100%

...of manufacturers are confident turnover will increase in the next 12 months, up from +25% in Q3 2019

-100%

+100%

...of service firms are confident turnover will increase in the next 12 months, up from +30% in Q3 2019

-1.0%

-60% QES % Balance -80% 2007 2009 GDP Growth

GDP % Growth (ONS) 2011

2013

2015

Service Sector QES

2017

2019

-1.5% -2.0%

Manufacturing QES

5 www.britishchambers.org.uk | @britishchambers

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• Fats, Salt & Sugars • Cereals, Oils & Seeds • Food & Dairy Products

laboratory@alexstewartagriculture.com www.foodtestlab.co.uk T: 0151 525 1488 Food Test Lab, 21 Sefton Business Park, Olympic Way, Aintree, Liverpool, Merseyside, L30 1RD, England

A message from our Chief Executive, Paul Cherpeau Welcome to the summer edition of Well Connected, where we are focussing on skills and employability, fundamental to the growth of our city region, and supporting both our people and our places.

Over the past three months businesses have continued to operate under extremely challenging circumstances and whilst there is optimism as restrictions are lifted we should in no way assume it is “business as usual”. The latest results from British Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey are largely positive, showing the greatest improvement on key indicators since the onset of the pandemic. Despite this it is clear that we still have a long road ahead of us in the return to pre-pandemic conditions. You can read the full results of the QES on pages 4 and 5.

The impacts of Covid and Brexit will continue to have an impact, particularly for youth unemployment, creating a lag in our economic recovery that will need to be addressed. This edition of the magazine contains some great examples of how we and our members are tackling the issues around skills and employability head on, to ensure we have a sustainable and skilled workforce in the City Region through the collaboration of enterprise and education.

The importance of this collaboration is becoming increasingly apparent and more of our members are coming to us to find out how they can get involved. At our strategy event in May we focused on skills and employability, and in particular how we

Liverpool Chamber

can bridge the gap between employment and education. Our Panel members all emphasised the importance of business in the development of education curriculums and skills development programmes. This is what will truly prepare our young people for the world of work.

We are already witnessing this first-hand through our work with our Patrons, Hugh Baird College. The college is consulting with businesses across a number of sectors including healthcare and digital maritime to determine how their curriculum can deliver what they require. Students will complete their studies with the right knowledge and skills to meet the demands of employers in their sector.

Of course it is not just the pandemic that has affected business over the last year and a half. Brexit has continued to create uncertainty and additional challenges for our members who are trading internationally. We will continue to support these businesses through our export documentation services, funding opportunities, insightful events and training courses. You can read more on pages 15 to 17.

As we seek to accurately represent the voice of Liverpool businesses throughout the

coming period of economic recovery, we are pleased to be creating several Expert Panels and network specialists across our member network. These specialist groups will enable the Chamber to properly source intelligence and insights in thematic areas including skills & employability, international trade, net zero & climate change, access to finance & funding, transport & infrastructure and responsible business practice. We welcome all representation from business members to these networks which will shape our campaign activity and events programme. Please contact my team to join these networks.

Finally, we have made some changes to the way we work. We can’t wait to welcome you in person to our new offices in Bruntwood’s Cotton Exchange building and our new website provides a new window onto Liverpool Chamber’s ambitions and aspirations for our members as we move out of the pandemic.

We look forward to working with you to create a shared sense of optimism, recognising the challenges that remain but focussing on the opportunities, particularly on how we can develop our talent pool, including creating opportunities for those who are often left behind.

CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP

Welcome

to our new Chamber Patrons and Strategic Partners from Tom Woolley, Business Growth and Membership Manager Becoming a patron of Liverpool Chamber positions an organisation as a key supporter, contributor and ambassador of not only Liverpool Chamber, but also the wider Liverpool City Region. We are delighted therefore that two organisations who share our vision for the future of the City have joined us as new Chamber Patrons.

As you will have read earlier in this issue, Liverpool Chamber has relocated its headquarters to Bruntwood Works’ Cotton Exchange building.

Bruntwood Works is also to become a Patron of the Chamber, allowing it to offer direct support to the Chamber’s private sector directive to support the Liverpool business ecosystem as it recovers from the pandemic.

Colin Forshaw, regional director at Bruntwood Works, said: “We are excited to welcome the Liverpool Chamber to the Cotton Exchange, an organisation which shares our commitment to sustainability and wellbeing in the workplace. The Chamber has a principal role to play in helping the Liverpool City Region to emerge successfully from the pandemic and we are looking forward to working with them on this.

We are also delighted to have extended our partnership with Hugh Baird College, a further education College and University

8

Centre situated in Bootle, who have become Patrons of Liverpool Chamber, building on the momentum gained from our successful Strategic Partnership last year.

Hugh Baird College are one of the largest providers of education and training in the region, delivering over 300 courses to more than 5,000 learners. The College deliver courses across an extensive range of provisions, from 14-16 year olds and apprenticeships, to A-levels, university levels courses and adult learning, with dedicated campuses and employmentfocused results, and we are excited to work on a range of initiatives with inspirational Principal Rachael Hennigan and her team.

Strategic Partners It gives me great pleasure to welcome three new Strategic Partners to Liverpool Chamber in this issue of Well Connected.

Working closely with these members allows us to ensure that the companies have representation at our most prominent events, engage with us on policy activity and are featured in all of our communications channels. They also help to shape the Chamber’s voice with industry specialism and thought leadership, and so we are thrilled to announce such high profile organisations as Suez Recycling and Recovery UK, Morecrofts Solicitors and Jayne Moore Media as Strategic Partners of the Chamber.

Working with these organisations gives a range of exciting opportunities to Liverpool Chamber. Suez Recycling and Recovery UK are part of the world-leading SUEZ group, employing more than 5,000 people in the UK. Since 1988, they have been managing waste and water for local authority and business customers, and Liverpool Chamber are excited to work closely with the team on our Net Zero, environmental and sustainability campaigns.

We would like to formally welcome Morecrofts Solicitors as a Strategic Partner of Liverpool Chamber, which will also see two special prizes being presented on behalf of the Merseyside Independent Business (MIB) Awards, organised by Morecrofts Solicitors, which have not been able to take place in 2020 or 2021.

Liverpool Chamber CEO Paul Cherpeau explained: “We’re pleased to work with one of our strategic partners, Morecrofts, to deliver a cameo appearance from the MIB Awards and specifically honour the homegrown businesses that are the lifeblood of our local economy.”

Alison Lobb, managing partner at Morecrofts Solicitors and chair of the policy committee at Liverpool Chamber, said: “It’s really exciting to make a guest appearance at this year’s Innovation in Business Awards and we are grateful to the Chamber for

CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP

A warm welcome to the new members of Liverpool Chamber this quarter: • Holloways of Ludlow

• Orange County CBD

• Gregory Communications

• RHA Customs Brokerage

• Course Pilot Ltd

• JK Domestics North West Ltd

• Career Connect

• Inpractice, a Liverpool Law Society Affiliate Member

• The Tech Saver Ltd • The Social Desk

giving us this platform. We cannot wait to once again recognise local independent businesses that have continued to pursue their ambitions in very difficult times and joining fellow Chamber members for what should be a great evening.”

Moore Media offer a raft of services, including strategy, branding, digital marketing and a lot more. The firm have also recently added a new venture and social justice mission to their impressive portfolio: I am Moore. This registered and accredited Learning Provider recently became an authorised Gateway Provider for the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) Kickstart Scheme, which was created to support young people back into employment after losing (or being unable to start) their jobs as a by-product of Covid-19. The scheme allows the roles that employers create for new staff to be entirely funded by DWP for 6 months, with a £750 fee per new employee to help with onboarding costs. The roles can be offered to 16-24 Universal Credit claimants in almost any sector or job type, and so Liverpool Chamber will work closely with the I Am Moore team to showcase the benefits of the scheme to our members.

If you would like to discuss how Strategic Partnership or Patronage to Liverpool Chamber can support your business, please contact Tom Woolley via tom.woolley@liverpoolchamber.org.uk.

Liverpool Chamber

A word from our membership team…

By Jordan Rhoda, Membership Executive “As the economy has slowly began to reopen over the past quarter, it has been a true privilege to be able to once again meet with businesses face-to-face.

In May I was fortunate enough to be invited to speak at the beautiful Clockwise Offices’ “Back to Business Breakfast” event. It was one of Liverpool’s first live networking events since the January lockdown, and it was brilliant to meet with some of the new and familiar faces there over a socially distanced coffee.

I left the event filled with optimism, not only because of the leadership shown by established figures such as Sutcliffe’s MD Sean Keyes, but because of the ambition and willing shown by new and emerging businesses.

Since then, I have seen the business community abuzz with energy for the reopening. Hospitality partners have prepared to welcome back customers, charities ready to relaunch fundraising events, and growing businesses have taken their first steps on our Grow Your SME programme.

As I look forward to the next quarter I am reminded of a phrase I often hear “people work with people” – and I can’t wait to meet more of you in person.”

• Sean Peloe - Travel Counsellors

Coeus Insurance launch Membership Insurance Benefits for members Following difficult trading conditions in the last 18 months, many businesses have experienced a significant downturn as a direct result of COVID-19. Understandably, and in order to survive, many businesses have taken the decision to reduce their insurance coverage in order to reduce their financial outlay. The uncertainty around operations also makes it difficult to assess insurance requirements accurately.

To address this issue, Liverpool Chamber are delighted to have partnered with Coeus Insurance Management Ltd to offer all members a free insurance health check, providing business owners with peace of mind that cover is as comprehensive as can be and placed as cost effectively as achievable.

Coeus Insurance Management Ltd is an independent Commercial Insurance Broker that provides many businesses across the region and the UK with access to a diverse range of Insurance products and risk management services, fully tailored and bespoke to each business. For further information on Chamber Business Insurance, please visit coeusinsurance. com/membership-insurance.

9

Built on reputation Hello, my name is Katie, and I am the owner of ACM Caretaking, a facilities management company based in Liverpool City Centre. Myself and my team would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves to those who do not know us, and to thank everyone who has helped us to get where we are today. Our business is built on reputation, and we strive to maintain high standards across all our services.

A selection of the services we are offer include concierge and security for both residential and commercial premises. We thoroughly vet our officers to ensure sure that you are in safe hands.

Each officer has a full SIA licence and to join our team and a minimum of five years’ experience within the security industry.

As security and safety of your premises is a top priority, we can provide manned guarding, CCTV and access control systems to emergency light and fire alarm testing.

We work hard to maintain high standards across the board. Our cleaning team is on hand to make sure that commercial and residential spaces are deep cleaned, to maintain a safe working and living environment for staff returning to the office and common area spaces at home.

We can fully sanitise your office space with our fogging equipment, ensuring that all surfaces are thoroughly disinfected.

For any outside space, we also offer a pressure washing service, we can spruce up the pavement outside your business or property.

Here at ACM, we also offer a wide range of services for the general maintenance inside of your property. This is anything from lock changes to minor repairs. We have a much larger team of contractors on hand ready to deal with any larger projects. Our objective is to take the headache away from the landlord and ensure that the property is running smoothly and efficiently.

For a personalised quote that is tailored to your requirements, please speak to a lovely member of our team today, or alternatively visit our website for more details. This list is not exhaustive so please feel free to drop us an email and we will get back to you as soon as a member of our team is available.

Again, we would like to thank everyone who has helped us get through the current climate, we hope to continue to provide you with our services.

Independent Property Management Business based in Liverpool City Centre With over 40 years’ experience of managing commercial and residential properties, we provide peace of mind, a quality service and competitive prices that are personalised for our clients needs.

OUR SERVICES • Cleaning • Pressure Washing • Fire Protection • Access • Control & CCTV

• Key Holding Services – giving peace of mind that your building is being attended too if the alarm should be triggered • Vacant Property Inspections • Monthly Emergency Light Testing

• CCTV Installation

• Weekly Fire Alarm Testing

• All Types of Electrical Work

• 24 Hour Emergency Call out service

24 Hour Callout: 07785 595 866 Call or email us for a personal quote.

We cover Liverpool, Wirral & Chester acmcaretaking@outlook.com acmfacilities-management@outlook.com acmhousekeeping-fm@outlook.com

www.acmfacilitiesmanagement.co.uk 10

Patron News

Collaboration and investment are key to driving skills and employability

Colin Forshaw is regional director at Bruntwood Works, which owns and manages a portfolio of commercial and retail spaces across the Liverpool City Region.

We’ve introduced two types of Learning Loan for all colleagues. One smaller amount helps them to ‘Pursue their Passions’, which is any learning that contributes to their development, not necessarily relevant to their role. The second is a larger amount to help them ‘Learn and Grow’ and this is to support continuing professional development, even if it’s not something we require of them as a business. We’ve had great feedback from this benefit and it’s really enabled some of our colleagues to continue their professional and personal development.

We’ve always placed real emphasis on maximising skills and employability in Liverpool, and collaboration is central to that approach.

a Central Rotational Graduate Scheme where graduates can shape their careers and find their true passions. We also plan to recruit Kickstarters in the near future.

We partner with organisations such as InnovateHer, which promotes STEMbased skills among girls especially minority groups and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and University of Liverpool Business School, helping to bridge the gap between higher education and employment.

To create a learning culture, you must be vocal and show staff what that looks, feels and sounds like in your organisation.

Investing in your employees helps remove potential barriers to learning and demonstrates your commitment to their development.

Future talent is incredibly important to us and we’re heavily invested in growing our own and developing them to be great colleagues and leaders.

“To create a learning culture, you must be vocal and show staff what that looks, feels and sounds like in your organisation. Investing in your employees helps remove potential barriers to learning and demonstrates your commitment to their development.”

Working closely with educational institutions allows us to recruit excellent apprentices and graduates who bring fresh ideas and approaches and help to keep us ahead of the curve. We recently launched

Liverpool Chamber

Our experience tells us collaboration and investment are crucial to finding and developing people and boosting jobs within the regional economy.

11

See more of the World Stay Curious Relax. Unwind

Prime location on Old Hall Street in the heart of Liverpool and 207 rooms where you can stretch out or snuggle up. Savour the view from our floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city or the River Mersey.

Every INNSiDE room is peppered with thoughtful touches and all the essentials so you can make each stay your own.

Say hello to INNSiDE by Meliã Liverpool Opening September 2021 Opening offer: 30% OFF www.innsidebymelia.com

Edward Pavilion, Liverpool

YOUR HOME, FOR WORK Positioned in Edward Pavilion, a Grade I listed building in the heart of the Albert Dock, Clockwise Liverpool is an impressive spot for work. We provide well-designed, contemporary private offices, shared workspaces and meeting rooms with brilliantly flexible membership plans.

Experience Clockwise, meet the team and join the community, with a free day pass.

To set up a trial at Clockwise Liverpool, visit: workclockwise.co.uk/free-day-pass/ and enter the code below.

UNIQUE REFERENCE CODE: LI0002

WORKCLOCKWISE.CO.UK Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Single use only. Subject to availability and blackout dates may apply. Must be booked in advance.

Interested in saving money on your IT hardware?

Want to help to reduce electrical waste and protect our environment?

THEN COME AND TALK WITH US AT THE TECH SAVER The Tech Saver ltd is a fast growing Liverpool start-up opened in December 2019 supplying the best new, nearly new and refurbished computers to business and consumers at the lowest prices.

We have quickly established a strong reputation with both SME’s and consumers, selling directly through our own website and through key e-commerce platforms.

Offering solutions direct to businesses from single machine sourcing up to full swap out and replacement IT hardware.

We offer excellent pricing to buy and securely recycle your old laptops & computers, which we subsequently refurbish allowing you to save the normal costs associated with disposing of old IT hardware.

We pride ourselves on being among other things one of eBays top rated sellers with over 3800 100% positive customer ratings, proving that exceptional prices can come with top quality and great service.

The Tech Saver has an environmental ethos, by reusing and restoring laptops and computers we can significantly reduce waste going to landfill.

Call or email me Daniel Bebb on Tel: 0151 725 7251 Email: daniel.bebb@thetechsaver.com

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Chamber members leading the way in innovation The Marine Specialised Technology Group has been awarded a £36 million contract with the UK MOD Defence Equipment & Support Organisation (DE&S) to supply eighteen state-of-the-art 15.0m high-speed patrol craft to the UK Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) and Gibraltar Defence Police (GDP).

To be used around Royal Naval bases in the UK and British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, the five-year contract will deliver 16 patrol craft to the MOD Police and two craft to the GDP, replacing those currently in use.

Based in Liverpool and on the River Mersey, the contract will sustain 50 jobs and create a further 15 across the north west of England.

Please see the link below and the attached press release for more information. www.gov.uk/government/news/36-million-contract-for-new-mod-police-patrol-crafts

Anti-viral protection for touchscreens to help combat the spread of COVID-19

method. Unlike sprays and chemical treatments, it is permanent and friendly to the environment. The layer is only 10-20nm thick and rapidly kills 99.9999% of bacteria – LOG6 reduction in contamination, which places the technology alongside the most effective known biocidal materials.

The new technology creates a transparent ‘solid-state’ durable copper-based layer on the surface by the vacuum sputtering

The coating technology is applied to flexible thin plastic film that can be fixed to touchscreen surfaces, with test sites including self-service ticketing machines provided by Flowbird Transport Intelligence and located at selected Northern Rail stations in Merseyside.

Gencoa Ltd (Liverpool, UK) has developed a touch-friendly and highly antimicrobial transparent coating for use on touchscreen surfaces.

Working in collaboration with partners including Emerson & Renwick, University of Liverpool and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the project was funded by UK Research and Innovation via Innovate UK, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Liverpool Chamber

A first phase of anti-viral Covid-19 tests was completed in May, with a further phase of testing planned for the final quarter of the year.

Further partners are sought for trials, which will focus on the application of the coated film to smaller display sizes such as retail and supermarket check-outs. Contact: Patricia Killen Tel: 0151 486 4466.

15

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Post Brexit campaign, Platforming Liverpool as a Global city We’ve been working on a Post-Brexit campaign in partnership with the Liverpool City Council to showcase some of the agile businesses we have in Liverpool, and their post-Brexit journeys.

We met with 11 local businesses in June to film the challenges they have faced in the process, as well as the successes and solutions. Where opportunities emerge? Where their priorities are? What are their trade aspirations and which expertise is available within the city to support these challenges.

Elena Enciso, International Trade Manager at Liverpool Chamber said: “It has been really eye-opening to speak with businesses from sector-to-sector, and understand more about their post-Brexit challenges and successes so we can continue to support Liverpool businesses”

BCC Global Annual Conference Rebuild - Global trade a key driver for economic recovery Our 2021 Global Annual Conference, held virtually on 16 and 17 June was one of the main events in the business calendar and was attended by high profile politicians, inspirational business leaders and the wider Chamber Network, including international representation from the Global Business Network.

Both days featured an impressive roster of senior political figures, Leader to Leader ‘In Conversation’ sessions, panels, interactive workshops and essential keynotes, exploring how we can restore confidence and build a more resilient sustainable future that supports businesses to recover, grow, invest and thrive.

Speaker highlights from the two day programme included:

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• The Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP, President for COP 26 • Ben Francis, Founder of Gymshark • The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Shadow Business and Energy Secretary, Labour MP for Doncaster North • HRH The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO, Chair of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award • The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy • Lisa Witter, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Apolitical Some conclusions from the day: Despite the ongoing Global challenges, the Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng felt there was cause for optimism across a number of areas which he described as ENZI - Enterprise, Net Zero and Innovation.

Thanks to Brabners, ALGEOS, Wild Thang , THE LIVERPOOL ART SCHOOL LTD, CHARGE POINT TECHNOLOGY LIMITED, Crown Plaza Speke Kew Green Hotels, Gencoa Ltd, Panoramic 34, DLA Piper and Yuken Europe Ltd for hosting us.

Former trade negotiator and policy adviser, Miriam Gonzalez said that the UK was continuing to operate in a period of transition, with no clear trade strategy.

Replacing EU trade would be challenging and she felt there was still no clarity around whether or not our future trade ties were closer to the EU or to the US. A lot of work was needed to rollout new trade agreements and it might be beneficial for the UK to focus on niche areas in the financial and technological sectors.

Shevaun Haviland, the BCC’s new Director General set out what action was needed to help businesses and communities rebuild post Covid where trade could play a key role.

Attended by hundreds of delegates from a vast range of different sectors, the British Chambers of Commerce Global Annual Conference continues to be a flagship event on the business events calendar – a must-attend event for business leaders, corporate affairs and public policy professionals. Join us again in 2022 to be inspired, informed and network with some of the best in the UK and global business communities.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

More UK Trade Agreements with non EU countries CPTPP The UK has begun its accession process to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) - the 11-country trade agreement focused on Asia-Pacific which amounts to 8% of the UK’s total trade. CPTPP members are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. On 2 June 2021, CPTPP announced that the accession process would begin.

UK Agrees historic trade deal with Australia The UK has secured a trade deal with Australia eliminating tariffs on all UK goods and boosting jobs and businesses across the country, in the first major trade deal negotiated from scratch by the Government since we left the EU. The main elements of the deal were agreed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson

TRADE UPDATES EGYPT UPDATE Implementation of ACI system ( Advanced Cargo Information ) The Egyptian Government has introduced a new National Single Window for Foreign Trade Facilitation called Nafeza.

Nafeza aims to simplify shipping procedures, save time and costs, and provide extra security for the electronic transfer of shipping documents. It is a digital platform that allows importers and exporters to securely transfer shipping documents using blockchain technology.

A unique ACID (Advance Cargo Information Declaration) number is issued for each shipment. Implementation Period The Egyptian government introduced the new ACI pre-shipment system on 1 April 2021, the new system will be mandatory for all seafreight shipments from 1 October 2021.

Liverpool Chamber

and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison at a meeting on Monday 14 June. The leaders reaffirmed the enduring partnership between the UK and Australia during their discussion and agreed to work closely together on defence, technology collaboration and tackling climate change – including through a future Clean Tech Partnership.

The new Free Trade Agreement means iconic British products like cars, Scotch whisky, biscuits and ceramics will be cheaper to sell into Australia, boosting UK industries that employ 3.5 million people across the country.

The UK-Australia trade relationship was worth £13.9 billion last year and is set to grow under the deal, creating opportunities for businesses and producers in every part of the UK. British farmers will be protected by a cap on tariff-free imports for 15 years, using tariff rate quotas and other safeguards.

We are also supporting agricultural producers to increase their exports

Upskill and stay compliant with new international trade procedures Understanding the practical impact of trading is essential to avoid costly mistakes, you can join several courses to help you to move your goods across the borders smoothly.

BCC Accredited Courses Liverpool Chamber offers a number of courses accredited by the BCC, those who pass any six courses will achieve a nationally recognised “Foundation Award in International Trade”. We also offer Bespoke training courses to suit your specific requirements. The ‘core 10’ courses are – • UNDERSTANDING EXPORTING INCOTERMS2020 • EXPORT DOCUMENTATION • METHODS OF PAYMENT • DOCUMENTARY LETTERS OF CREDIT • IMPORT PROCEDURES • PREFERENCE RULES OF ORIGIN • CUSTOMS PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTATION, • AGENTS AND DISTRIBUTORS

overseas, including to new markets in the Indo-Pacific.

Under the agreement, British citizens under the age of 35 will be able to travel and work in Australia more freely, opening exciting opportunities for young people.

William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, says: “We urge the government to engage closely with businesses over the coming months on how to get the most value out of the final agreement. Chambers of Commerce stand ready to work with government to ensure that the benefits of this agreement are felt by firms as widely as possible.”

More information about the benefits and implications of this last agreement can be found here, https:/ /www.gov. uk/government/publications/ukaustralia-free-trade-agreementbenefits-for-the-uk

• INWARD AND OUTWARD PROCESSING Additionally to the above we organize training on how to complete a Customs Declaration-

The Export Academy The Export Academy from the Department of International Trade in the North West is ongoing! You’ll learn directly from experts in international trade who are on hand to provide support across a range of sectors and businesses, from selling children’s clothes to Spain, to providing PR services for clients in the US. Running a slightly different format in the Summer season: instead of ten one-hour sessions there will be two mornings on the 13th and 14th of July and on the 20th and 21st of July; from 09:00-13:00.

The Export Academy is currently held on Microsoft Teams, at the end of each session, our advisors will remain on the call for a minimum of 15 minutes in order to field any questions delegates may have about the course content, or about their export venture more generally.

You can find out more by contacting export@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

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As we start to ease out of lockdown it’s important to acknowledge that what we once knew as to ‘normal’ now changing...

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If you support with your mental health Wefeel areyou yourneed localadditional NHS service offering free psychological contact Talk Liverpool. therapiesWe toare help you overcome common health problems your local NHS service offering mental free psychological therapiessuch to help overcome common mental health problems as you depression, stress and anxiety. such as depression, and anxiety.

We are your local NHS servicestress offering free psychological therapies help 16+ you and overcome commonwith mental health problems If you aretoaged are registered a Liverpool GP visit If you are aged 16+ and are registered with a Liverpool GP visit such as depression, stress and anxiety. our website talkliverpool.nhs.uk orcall call 0151 our website talkliverpool.nhs.uk or usus onon 0151 228228 23002300 to find out makeaaself self referral. to find outmore more and and make referral.

If you are aged 16+ and are registered with a Liverpool GP visit our website talkliverpool.nhs.uk or call us on 0151 228 2300

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Demand soars for Affordable Health & Wellbeing Solutions One of the key outcomes from the Covid-19 pandemic is how it has made businesses focus more on how they support the health of their workforce and pushing wellbeing up the boardroom agenda.

This is backed up by a recent study of 2,000 employees which found that 51.1% of the UK’s SME workers want their company to offer benefits that help manage their health and wellbeing in 2021*. It also mirrors the experience of Liverpool based health insurer Medicash.

digital healthcare solutions. This includes providing access to a Virtual GP service on all policies, its new mProve YOURSELF app and SkinVision – a skin cancer screening app that allows users to assess their skin spots and moles for the early signs of skin cancer via their smartphone.

Despite the pandemic, 2020 was a recordbreaking year for new sales at Medicash with over 97,000 new policies sold, a 7% increase compared to the previous record, and a 14% increase in new sales value. And, with a strong first half of 2021, Medicash now covers over 320,000 policyholders across the UK. 70% of all new business in 2020 came from companies who previously had no health cash plan in place.

Medicash’s new mProve YOURSELF app contains a wide range of wellbeing tools and advice to help users improve their body and mind. This includes access to a 30-day beginners guide to a mindful life course; a range of guided meditations and breathing exercises; over 100 yoga, fitness and resistance training videos; and a wide range of mental wellbeing courses. This has been particularly relevant at a time where many have been struggling with their mental health due to the effects of the pandemic.

One of the reasons for Medicash’s success is from understanding the changing demands of its policyholders and expanding its products to include a range of new

Liverpool Chamber

significant growth. In 2020 there were an additional 80,000 app registrations and over 250,000 claims were submitted via the app – this represents over 70% of all claims made in the year. In addition, 46,000 policyholders chose to update their details via the app, whilst 7,500 children were added to their parent’s policy free of charge.

Paul Gambon, Sales & Marketing Director at Medicash said: “Health cash plans have evolved to cover so much more than just your everyday healthcare expenses, such as going to the dentist, optician or physiotherapist.

They now provide the ideal whole of workforce health and wellbeing solution for many employers, as they are affordable, easy to implement and help to look after an employee’s physical and mental health.

“The expansion into new digital healthcare solutions not only widens the range of cover provided, but also improves the ease of access to these services for users, meaning that more people than ever before have the tools to look after their own health.”

Source: * Drewberry’s 2021 Employee Benefits and Workplace Satisfaction Survey

All of Medicash’s health benefits are easily accessible via its app which has also seen

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DEVELOPING TALENT

The apprentice – you’re hired and highly regarded Modern apprenticeships have changed hugely along with the world of work, and as employers we need to always be anticipating the changing needs of both the business and people – prospective recruits as well as apprentices and existing employees. By offering apprentices the opportunity to gain a holistic understanding of our business and how it operates is more attractive and stimulating than a narrow, learn-the-ropes and ‘get on with the job’ approach. Opening someone’s eyes to the wider purpose of the business and the breadth of career opportunities within it also nurtures our team spirit and inspires trainees to raise their sights to new career goals.

At SUEZ recycling and recovery UK we have supported 146 apprentices on our programme since 2019, putting apprentices at the heart of our recruitment and development strategies.

Our approach is shaped both by business need and our philosophy. Working with business and communities to create a low-carbon circular economy is a huge challenge and we need capable people at all levels to accomplish it. Providing learning opportunities for our people is something we’re passionate about, and apprenticeships are a key element of our vision to become a learning organisation.

We involve apprentices in business projects, where they shadow senior leaders

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and directors, facilitate peer support, and encourage them to network within and outside the organisation. Apprentices can broaden their knowledge and experience, putting their current role in context and building on it as they continue on any chosen career pathway.

And the starting points for apprenticeships are many and varied, ranging from HGV fitter to business administrator, tax or payroll assistant to mechanical engineer through to MBAs. Our continuous learning programme allows apprentices to gain skills beyond the boundaries of their course and role, and our e-learning platform also makes access inclusive and practicable.

External training providers have widened

the array of apprenticeships available, and trainees can study from Level 2 NVQ to a degree qualification.

Apprenticeships, irrespective of their level, can be a central part of this rebalancing of the economy – just as the UK rebalances its system of education so that vocational qualifications are awarded the same respect as academic credentials, and STEM-based careers are valued as highly as those in the arts, humanities and professions such as the law. In the aftermath of the pandemic, the value of apprenticeships to trainees, employers and UK Plc is set to grow even faster than it would otherwise have done.

DEVELOPING TALENT

Personal Development through the Business Clinic Current technical knowledge, good communication skills, numeracy skills and problem solving are baseline skills that all graduates should possess. At Liverpool Business School we wish to go further. Our teaching approach is based on a notion of clinical business practice. This recognises that academics are not the only source of knowledge creation; knowledge is also created in the workplace. It follows, that to provide our students with a study programme that meets the needs of employers we must assume responsibility for sharing knowledge and developing that knowledge in context. The classroom becomes a space where knowledge and skills are developed through the act of doing.

This requires a number of different interventions. First, staff are recruited from professional as well as academic backgrounds. Guest lectures bring managers, leaders and entrepreneurs into the classroom while site visits enable students to understand how manufacturing and service businesses are organised. Further, internships and placements place our students inside organisations and support both knowledge and skills development.

A distinctive feature of the Liverpool Business School, however, is the Business Clinic. Within the Business Clinic students act as consultants to solve a business problem presented by organisations from both the for profit or third sectors.

Students are supported by both academic staff and practitioners as they seek to provide solutions to real business problems.

The Business Clinic has delivered over 50 projects this academic year.

The Business Clinic aims to develop particular attributes and attitudes.

We develop emotional intelligence, for example, through interaction with clients.

Professional relationships are critical

Liverpool Chamber

to all organisations and understanding behaviour and communication is important. We also aim to develop distinctive intellectual attributes. Decision making in uncertainty is a key part of management and the Business Clinic confronts students with this reality. They face, as managers do on a daily basis, the potential of multiple solutions to problems raised, the importance of

context in decision making, the need to deal with incomplete knowledge and the potential for circumstances to change.

Through developing knowledge in context our students are better prepared for the workplace and the role they will play.

To find out more about Liverpool Business Clinic and their recent projects, visit ljmu.ac.uk/liverpoolbusinessclinic

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DEVELOPING TALENT

Why now is the time to find and nurture the next generation of engineers!

In the industry for over three decades, Sutcliffe’s managing director Sean Keyes has worked his way up the ranks in the industry and has seen his own company grow from strength to strength. As he looks towards the next decade, he has discussed the importance of continually reskilling and training the future generation of engineers...

“Improving talent at all levels from school leavers to experienced professionals has always been our mantra at Sutcliffe, with our team constantly engaging and working with key educational providers and stakeholders to find and nurture the next generation of engineers.

“Our dedicated and skilled team visit numerous careers events, open days and Q&A sessions every year to engage with young people, as we do our best to ensure that colleges and universities in particular are teaching the most relevant aspects of engineering needed for a career in the construction sector.

“Sutcliffe has a continual process of training, retraining and up-skilling that never stops,

with our directors recently arranging additional REVIT and software courses for our staff members, so they are able to excel in the constantly evolving digital age.

“I’ve noticed recently that the pandemic has seen our industry lose a host of experienced engineers who have opted for early retirement and that is now presenting an opportunity for those in their 20’s and above to really excel and grab opportunities they may not have initially got.

“Apprentices are the lifeblood of our whole industry and we’re always actively looking for 16 - 22 year olds to train from new starters right up to directorship level. The new Kickstart scheme has also been well received at Sutcliffe, with the candidates coming through keen to learn and determined to succeed and we will continue to actively search and employ through these channels.

“Employers are now more conscious than ever about their position in society and what we’ve realised as employers ourselves, is that we need to have a greater relationship with local schools, colleges and universities to ensure that the future generation are work ready at the age of 18.”

In February 2021, Jayne Moore Media Ltd launched I Am Moore (IAM), a social impact mission aimed at up-skilling young adults and supporting them into employment through the Government’s Kickstart scheme.

Kickstart was announced by the Chancellor in July 2020, and gives 16-24-year-olds claiming Universal Credit the opportunity to gain paid six month work placements.

I Am Moore works as a brokerage between employers and the Department of Work and Pensions, to recruit Kickstart candidates for hundreds of vacancies across the North West.

The range of jobs on offer includes app developers, web programmers, learning support assistants, assistant architects, trainee civil engineers, chefs, labouring assistants, junior marketeers, baristas, finance assistants, office administrators and many more - with 400 vacancies already having been sourced by I Am Moore.

I Am Moore recently held careers days at Otterspool Adventure Park and Costa,

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which have their own vacancies, and invited unemployed young people to take part in various activities to prepare them for interview and working life.

“After making contact with Lynn, she offered me an amazing opportunity to work with her and help other people like me as part of the I Am Moore team.”

Alfie Kearns, I Am Moore’s own Kickstarter, was unemployed himself earlier this year until he heard I Am Moore chief executive, Lynn Lock, talking about the mission on local radio.

I Am Moore will be hosting a series of events and pop ups across the Liverpool City Region in the coming months to try and match unemployed young people with the jobs of their dreams.

Speaking about that life-changing moment, Alfie said: “2021 did not have the start of dreams, I was unemployed, unmotivated and unheard, then one afternoon I was in the kitchen with my nan when I heard Lynn talking about opportunities, social justice and personal development.

For more information, you can visit www.iammoore.org/ or @iamkickstart on social media

“It was like colour poured into my world, there were vacancies out there for talented, young people of our city region who had too long been shut out.

“The regular, one-to-one support was such a benefit of studying with OXPEG and having someone who I could email or call if I had an issue or needed help was essential. Having the option to study my CIM qualification alongside my apprenticeship was also a key benefit. I would say it’s a no brainer to choose an apprenticeship. It has allowed me to gain valuable work experience, but it’s also allowed me to build an extensive portfolio of professional-grade work that has shown how my skills have developed. I would not be where I am today without completing one.”

APPRENTICESHIP PROVISION WITH OXFORD PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION GROUP Oxford Professional Education Group (OXPEG) provide outstanding apprenticeship delivery and learner support in the areas of marketing, sales, digital marketing, procurement and supply, public relations, management, and project management.

We are an established top performing professional college, delivering accredited professional qualifications and apprenticeships throughout the UK. The quality of our training is independently recognised by professional institutes; we are a Strategic Partner of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and hold the prestigious Centre of Excellence with the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply.

OXPEG work closely with employers to develop bespoke programmes to suit their business. We provide flexible, high quality training and use appropriate governance and safeguarding processes to ensure employer needs and requirements are met.

Apprentices are supported throughout the programme by a personal trainer with relevant practical experience, through monthly visits / calls to ensure new skills are applied within the workplace. Our delivery also includes monthly workshop sessions, work-based learning, selfstudy and practical workbooks and activities.

Learners use the comprehensive online learning platform, OneFile to access study resources /

interactive content, an e-portfolio system to upload workbooks/assignments and to log offthe-job hours, activities, and meetings.

We are currently offering the following apprenticeship standards: •

Marketing Assistant ST0807

•

Marketing Executive ST0596

•

Digital Marketer ST0122

•

Marketing Manager ST0612

•

Procurement and Supply Assistant ST0810

•

Commercial Procurement & Supply ST0313

•

Associate Project Manager ST0310

•

Sales Executive ST0572

•

Team Leader and Supervisor ST0384

•

Operations & Departmental Manager ST0385

•

Public Relations & Communications Assistant ST031

•

Junior Content Producer ST0105

Harry Laverick, a Marketing Assistant from Palex, recently completed his Marketing Executive Apprenticeship with OXPEG and also achieved his CIM Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing professional qualification. Harry said:

Apprenticeships are providing an exciting opportunity for UK businesses to upskill team members, providing them with the skills, knowledge and behaviours they need to succeed and contribute more. Apprenticeships can also have a positive impact on staff motivation and retention. Currently, the Government are encouraging apprenticeship participation with incentive payments (up to £3,000) for employers who hire an apprentice between 1st April 2021 and 30th September 2021.

OXPEG can also offer assistance with the recruitment of apprentices. Vacancies are posted on approved recruitment sites and our team can lead on more detailed recruitment campaigns by sitting on panels, shortlisting candidates and approving job descriptions.

Whatever the size of your organisation, if you are looking to make use of your levy, access incentive payments, recruit an apprentice or train an existing employee as an apprentice, contact our team who will be delighted to offer further advice and guidance.

01865 515255 or email us at apprenticeships@oxfordpeg.com We look forward to hearing from you and becoming your development partner!

MEMBERS NEWS

How to improve talent engagement and skills development during a pandemic Since the opening of our office in Liverpool in 2019, CGI has recruited constantly from experienced hires to graduates and apprentices, growing our local workforce to more than 70 members.

Like most businesses, the global pandemic slowed down our recruitment process, bringing on the challenge of virtual working for most of our members and clients. Widespread virtual working challenged us to deliver all our Learning and Development programmes digitally, making us adapt to the new environment to continue to provide the best training opportunities to our members.

We delivered virtual sessions focussing on key technical skills, designed to upskill members into new growth areas. More importantly, we translated many of our classroom based training opportunities into virtual offerings for members to access any time, from anywhere and launched our new online training platform called CGI Academia.

During the first lockdown, we also joined multiple mentoring programmes, like ‘FastFutures’ , a programme, which included mentees from the Liverpool region, linking businesses with young

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people aged 18-22 to help them kick-start their career. And the ‘The Girls Network’ , a programme specifically aimed at young women aged 14-19.

We found these initiatives very impactful, giving young people the chance to access valuable careers advice, whilst enabling our members to develop further their professional mentoring skill-sets.

All sessions were delivered digitally and feedback has been tremendous.

CGI also collaborates with Further Education and Higher Education Providers to support skills development and employability within schools and colleges, delivering a mix of careers presentations and employability sessions, and attending careers fairs. During the pandemic, we have continued this work by attending virtual career events.

Virtual events have opened up new opportunities for recruiters and trainers, as accessibility has increased reducing travel time and cost and making it easier to engage with local talent.

We should most definitely continue to leverage this opportunity during the economic recovery in order to improve talent pipelines in the Liverpool City Region, like elsewhere in the country.

Find out more, visit www.cgi.com/uk and www.cgi.com/uk/careers

The Sovini Group named Best Place to Work for Women for 4th consecutive year The Sovini Group has been recognised as the UK’s Best Workplace for Women™ for the fourth consecutive year. Great Place to Work® has ranked the Group in pole position every year since the award’s inception in 2018.

The northwest based construction, property and facility services company achieved the accolade just two months after being ranked #1 Best Workplace in the UK™ for the third time (2018, 2020 and 2021). The Group was also named #3 in Europe (2020) and has ranked in the top 5 UK companies since 2017, and has recently been awarded Laureate status (2017-2021).

Great Place to Work® helps organisations create exceptional, high performing

MEMBERS NEWS workplaces where employees feel trusted and valued. The UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Women awards enable outstanding organisations to celebrate their achievements, build employer brand, and inspire others to take action.

Kerry Beirne, Director of People and Learning said: “We pride ourselves on our inclusivity, with equality at the heart of our award winning culture. Our commitment to fair and equal rights for all remains strong.

We continue to buck the national trend on gender pay*, with a gap of -6.20% in 2020/21 in favour of female employees.

In spite of the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, The Sovini Group has continued to thrive and build on its ethos to ‘create opportunities and change lives’.”

Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® UK, added: “We’re delighted to recognise so many great organisations in this fourth year of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Women list. The issues affecting women in the workplace, particularly what we’ve witnessed in the face of the pandemic including parity of pay and advancement opportunities, continue to be important topics. We are proud that, thanks to this ranking and the insights afforded by our successful organisations, we can help raise awareness of the importance of fairness around pay, recognition, training and development opportunities, and work-life balance. What our 2021 UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Women clearly show is the positive impact their practices have on business. As a result, they are better able to attract and retain women of talent, encouraging them to develop professionally and personally, and in turn, contribute exponentially to the success of the organisations they work for.”

Since its inception in 2011, the Group has grown rapidly through a mixture of organic growth and successful acquisitions, and has recently expanded its operations in to Derbyshire and the South East. The Group’s growing commercial activities complement and support its social and not-for-profit businesses - One Vision Housing and Pine Court Housing Association. Profits are reinvested to build new homes, improve service delivery and support the communities who remain central to its business.

Liverpool Chamber

Cardiovascular Disease: Are you at risk?

Recent scenes at the Euro 2020 football competition in which a young, fit, healthy sports person had a sudden cardiac arrest has triggered the question: am I at risk of cardiovascular disease?

The term ‘cardiovascular disease’ (CVD) refers to any disease of the heart, vascular disease of the brain, or disease of the blood vessel which are connected to your overall circulatory system.

According to Public Health England, 1 in 4 people will die from heart and circulatory diseases and is the leading cause of death worldwide, CVD accounts for 17.9 million lives each year, which is 31% of all global deaths. Poor cardiovascular health can cause stroke, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, peripheral arterial disease, and the onset of vascular dementia.

With the World Health Organisation estimating that 80% of cardiovascular disease is preventable, there are several things you can do to lower your risk of getting CVD. Controlling key risk factors with weight management, eating healthier and getting active along with monitoring your blood pressure regularly can reduce an individual’s risk of CVD. Although treatment for common cardiovascular disease is very effective at preventing cardiovascular events, late diagnosis and under treatment is common and simple cardiovascular risk assessments could be lifesaving.

At Randox Health, we provide a range of specialised tests that enable you to take full control of your health. Heart Health is one of our specialised tests and includes the Signature Heart Health panel of tests plus a resting ECG to give an in-depth assessment of risk of future heart disease.

Within our health packages we will test your total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), Homocysteine, Myoglobin and your overall cardiovascular risk score.

If you’re concerned about cardiovascular disease, we can offer Chamber members 10% off tests. For more information on how we could help you, email David.Hallendorff@RandoxHealth.com or phone 0800 2545 130

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FEATURE INTERVIEW

In Conversation With…

Mayor Joanne Anderson

How have you settled in to the role of Mayor?

It’s been a hugely positive experience so far and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well this early period has gone. Of course, there are huge challenges within that and the sheer volume and variety of matters can be pretty daunting at times and I have had to learn fast in some respects, but I’m relishing those challenges.

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Naturally I want to read the detail of everything that comes across my desk and, alongside my two portfolio roles at the Combined Authority, that can prove very difficult, but my professional background means that I have lots of general experience which gives me a head start in some of the new things I am learning about. I’m also accustomed to being very busy and I think that has probably helped me to adapt.

How do you plan to work with the local business community?

My overarching ambition is for the city to do great business with a good heart.

Having been around and connected to the business community for many years, including groups such as the Chamber’s Responsible Business Forum, I am absolutely committed to working with business.

FEATURE INTERVIEW

“I feel a strong civic and personal duty to pave the way for the generations coming behind me and to make that pathway as smooth and seamless as possible.”

A high proportion of investment into people comes from businesses based and registered here and my focus is on how we best support those businesses to keep on investing and growing.

I’m a strong believer in the power of clusters and I will be trying to encourage businesses to work collaboratively together to strengthen their influence and provide a greater platform for growth and job creation.

We welcome businesses of all shapes and sizes and I’d really like to see them pulling together, adding social value and investing in people who want to live, work and stay here. That spirit in turn can help to attract further inward investment and create an upward spiral.

Will your professional experience in skills & employability play a big role in your mayoralty?

Yes, I certainly hope so.

Throughout my career, I am fully aware that I wouldn’t have got anywhere if employers hadn’t given me those chances.

Employability and skills are at the heart of how we can take the city region economy forward post-pandemic. I feel a strong civic and personal duty to pave the way for the generations coming behind me and to make that pathway as smooth and seamless as possible.

The route from school into work remains too unclear for many, while students are leaving universities without jobs to go to, and there is an even greater disparity for people from minority backgrounds.

We need to help businesses access all parts of the community to ensure we are unearthing the very best talent.

Liverpool Chamber

What do you see as the priority challenges and ambitions for the city?

As we hopefully move towards a postCovid world, we can see the fragility in some sectors such as hospitality, which is now struggling to recruit staff due to both Brexit and the fact that many workers have been displaced into other sectors during the pandemic.

We need a better pathway, just as we do in the care sector. I’d like to see Liverpool become a centre of excellence for worldclass training in certain sectors such as hospitality and then send those people around the world to share their expertise.

I am impatient for change and I want to get things done; this includes starting trial projects to create pathways now. What initiatives are there and how do we raise awareness and aspirations so that people go looking for those opportunities? This includes fixing postcode disadvantages and creating employment pathways that make a real difference.

What will the city council do to support these ambitions?

The only time the race equality unemployment gap closed in Liverpool was when we had a Positive Action programme at Liverpool City Council and I would like to create more programmes like that.

There are still various things we need to fix inhouse ourselves, such as making sure that businesses get their questions answered in a timely and effective fashion. We must continue to ask ourselves how best to spend public money on supporting businesses and this is certainly an area where I would welcome feedback and input from Chamber members.

You’re a strong advocate for wellbeing in the workplace, why do you think this is important?

I am guilty of working non-stop at times and since being the Mayor I have tried to pause a little and live in the moment.

I think I have the best job in the City, and I think it’s important to remember to enjoy it. During Covid lockdowns, I was also studying an MA and as I would be working from home it would be commonplace for me to barely move a muscle all day and that’s certainly not good. I was also struggling to sleep, so I would go out on my bike as dawn was breaking and that would set me up for the day.

When I was appointed Mayor, I started work on the following Monday and I realised it would be very easy for me to never take a break. Let alone the rule of diminishing returns, I also recognised this would not be good for my mental or physical health so I decided I must take a day off each weekend to go for walks or socialise with family and friends. This has had a hugely positive effect on me and reinforces the value of topping up your happiness regularly.

If you had one wish for the city in the next 12 months, what would it be?

It would be to take people out of poverty as I think we should measure ourselves against the most vulnerable in our community. I want everyone to be able to access opportunities that improve their quality of life founded on a positive and intelligent local economy.

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Liverpool Hope University’s vision for enhancing student employability Liverpool Hope University, headquartered in the picturesque suburbs of Childwall in the south of the city, is an institution with a distinct philosophy that’s geared to guiding all of its students into finding their vocation and calling.

As the nation seeks to emerge from a crippling global pandemic, the importance of ensuring graduates are equipped with the skills industries require has been brought into sharp focus.

Hope recently put into place a new strategy - its ‘vision’ - for enhancing student employability.

And here we speak with the University’s Rector and Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerald Pillay, as well as key members of

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the high-profile Liverpool Hope Business School, about its commitment to the employability of its students, what it’s doing in a tangible and practical sense to foster crucial links with industry, and why it’s also listening to what local firms are really looking for in its graduate recruits.

Professor Pillay, who was recently made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for ‘services to Higher Education’ in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, says: “Just like Schools of Medicine need hospitals to form a doctor, and good Schools of Education need actual schools to form the teachers, a Business School needs partners in industry to form the future business leader. It can not be done in an ivory tower and it can not be done on our campus alone - as beautiful as it is.

“The next five to ten years are going to be centred on the recovery of our economy.

Not only have we been hit by side-winds like Brexit, Covid then came and all of us had to rethink our positions.

“We’ve shrunk as an economy. It’s going to take many years to build back better.

“So focussing on employability, and preparing our graduates to take their places in industry with confidence, is absolutely crucial, as is developing the professional know-how that will make them successful.”

Under-pinning that strategy is renewed focus on ways in which Hope can give students the best possible chance of not just getting a job, but thriving in it.

Hope’s overall philosophy talks about ‘educating in the round’ - focusing on the mind, body and spirit. In creating free-thinking, engaged, participating individuals, it places the emphasis on generating citizens who can contribute

“Just like Schools of Medicine need hospitals to form a doctor, and good Schools of Education need actual schools to form the teachers, a Business School needs partners in industry to form the future business leader. It can not be done in an ivory tower and it can not be done on our campus alone - as beautiful as it is.”

to the global economy, not just excel at passing exams.

award runs alongside any degree and is a great addition to someone’s CV.

Professor Pillay adds: “We will facilitate a journey of self-exploration, societal engagement, gaining appropriate work and placement experiences to stimulate confidence, creativity and innovation.”

There’s also the Hope Placement and Internship programme, which sees the University working closely with employers and voluntary organisations to offer placement opportunities that cover a wide spectrum of professions - with recent examples including Law Clinic Advisor, Social Media Consultant, Sports Coach, Finance Intern, HR Intern and Design Intern.

Over the next five years Hope plans to expand its already-extensive portfolio of employability opportunities while also developing students’ professional and social skills to enable them to ‘engage and compete successfully on the world stage’.

But Hope’s ambitions go much further.

Hope already has a dedicated ‘Employability Hub’, aiding students when it comes to CV writing, interview tips, work experience opportunities, and job vacancy information.

The target for the next five years is to be above the national average for graduate level employment from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) ‘Graduate Outcomes‘ survey 15 months after graduation.

Students are also encouraged to join its ‘Service and Leadership Award’ scheme, or ‘SALA’, which provides opportunities to volunteer in local organisations to help with community-based projects. The

It’s striving to be in the top 10% of universities for graduates employed or in further study from the Graduate Outcomes survey 15 months after graduation.

Liverpool Chamber

It wants to be in the top 10% of universities for graduates in graduate level employment or further study in the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) ‘Graduate Outcomes‘ survey 15 months after graduation.

Crucially, Hope is also committed to increasing the number of students who engage with the Placement and Internship Programme, placement years and employer insight events, year on year.

Ginny Mair is Head of Student Development and Employability at Hope.

In recent years Ginny and her team have placed a huge focus on working in conjunction with employers to actually shape the curriculum.

A recent

COVER FEATURE

example saw Hope’s School of Creative and Performing Arts partnering with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse theatres to co-design the Drama & Theatre curriculum and also to offer collaborative masterclasses, assessment tasks and placements.

Ginny reveals: “We were one of the first universities to embed careers programmes in all subjects at all levels.

Now we’re following that up by bringing employers into the University to help shape curriculums.

“The Business School has always been excellent at doing this, and now all of the other subjects are following suit, including disciplines like English and History which might not have traditionally met with employers.

“And the focus now is very much on placements. The University has agreed that every subject can now be linked with a placement year, giving everyone the opportunity to take a year out to work in industry during their studies, helping to form those invaluable relationships with employers.

“The other thing we’re mindful of is that, historically, employers have been very vocal about how graduates are not ‘work ready’, or how they’re not equipped to enter a workplace and hit the ground running when it comes to their responsibilities.

“This is why placements, and bringing employers into the curriculum, is so important to us. It’s about us saying, ‘Okay, if you think UK graduates aren’t work ready, then come and have an input and help us deliver precisely what you’re looking for’.”

Lyndsey Burkert is Business Engagement & Employability Manager, as well as a Professional Tutor, in the Liverpool Hope Business School. She’s in constant discussions with Liverpool Chamber of

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Commerce when it comes to research the Chamber conducts to home-in on the skills local firms need right now, as well as any barriers companies might face in recruiting graduates with the appropriate skillset.

Last year Lyndsey launched the ‘Skills Passport’, a new initiative to develop ‘soft skills’ among Business Management students - such as resilience, interpersonal relations and communication techniques, to support future employability outcomes.

Lyndsey adds: “The ‘Passport’ programme isn’t just about upskilling, it’s about adding value through industry insights into the academic programmes at the Business School.

“Some of the feedback we’ve had from businesses is that they’re not sure how to engage with Hope and its students. If they’re small SMEs they simply might not have the time or resources to work out who they should be speaking to at the University. But for us, the message is clear - simply reach out to the Business School and we’ll do the rest.”

There are other, more strategic ways, in which Hope is engaging with local industry.

As part of the International Master of Business Administration, students are required to perform a consultancy project with a local firm.

This year saw one student, Umair Sadiq, being praised by Merseyside tech firm IoT Horizon for a consultancy which revolved around the implementation of sustainable business practices by utilising the circular economy principle.

IoT Horizon went so far as saying the consultancy had changed its ‘business outlook on sustainability and circularity’.

Meanwhile the event, which perhaps symbolises Hope’s links with business best, is the annual Insight to Business Awards, where industrious students from Hope are presented with coveted work experience placements from some of the region’s most influential firms and organisations following a rigorous nomination, shortlist and interview process.

Head of Hope’s Business School Ian McKenna argues: “Whether students win an award or not is almost irrelevant - the process of going through the nomination and interview is ‘money in the bank’ for them as they set out on their careers. It’s just a great experience.”

RSM UK - a global firm specialising in audit, tax and consulting services was one such firm offering a placement.

Ian Taylor, Partner and North West Regional Head of Real Estate and Construction at RSM UK, commented: “The students that have come to us in the past have been invaluable and we really enjoy working with them.

“Graduates are a really important part of our business because, fundamentally, we are a training organisation and last year alone we took on more than 400 graduates nationally. We intend to do the same going forward into next year and into the future.

“So having close contacts with the universities in Liverpool, and the graduates coming through, is incredibly important to us.”

As Hope looks to the future with renewed enthusiasm following the pandemic, Vice-Chancellor Professor Pillay sumsup: “We want all our students to be successful regardless of the career choices they make.”

PATRON NEWS

As We Start to Return from Turbulent Times, is your Business Focussed on People Recruitment?

BT Local Business Liverpool shares how it is addressing its latest recruitment drive and the challenge to find good long term team members.

Why so important?

Having struggled to get recruits familiar with a complex role, it often felt only the strongest survived, and getting to them delivering great customer service and their targets proved tough.

Managers were responsible for recruiting, training, and developing. Once trained, retention rate was good, but getting there was a struggle. Understanding BT systems, products, services, and the workings of a large company, often proved too much for new recruits.

• 46% never made it past the first year.

• Average starter that left within first year cost us £15,200.

• 13 months was the average time it took us to develop see them achieve their personal targets and deliver a ROI.

The challenge.

We decided to recruit and retain 8 desk sales executives, meaning employing around 16 and a potential loss of approx. £121,600. To address, we invested in a Learning and Development manager, and created a Graduate Bay, ensuring recruits were given clear guidance, set expectations and 1-2-1 coaching.

Enter existing employee Becky Roberts, who wanted a fresh challenge. Becky immediately set some key objectives: • Getting people to apply is hard and competitive on salaries. To sell ourselves and help people understand what a BTLB looked like, we did snippet interviews and created videos on YouTube. BTLB - Liverpool, Chester and North Wales - YouTube

• Planned regular catch ups and assessments.

The Outcome • 7 who joined are still with us, giving 100% retention.

• All 7 in our Graduate Bay are achieving their phased targets, with several exceeding.

We had our ROI back in the first 6 months.

Better still, we have not seen those historic retention rates, making the company a better place to work, as no one likes to see people come and go.

One last “WIN WIN” With the positive ROI, we are recruiting further to make our total 10. Additionally, when we conduct interviews, we are also able to introduce potential recruits to existing Grad Bay members who are enthused by their achievements to date and the whole training programme.

• Induction pathway detailing training, development, and expectations of the recruits, and more importantly, what they could expect from Becky.

• Side by side coaching, delivering focus and value.

Chamber Patron Takes “Jerry McGuire” Approach.

Face for Business provide outsourced reception services, and are confronting the challenges of 2021 head on. Do you want lots of customers where you provide a reasonable service or do you want less customers, who feel valued, loved and really appreciate your service...! Yes, they know it sounds like Tom Cruise from Jerry McGuire and yet it is really is their view too.

They have a mission statement – ‘to overdeliver on everything we promise’ and working towards this is a key focus of their business strategy for this year.

With this in mind, they have recently appointed a Quality Manager Helen Christian, who is heading up the company’s quality programme.

Helen explains “For us the gold standard is when clients’ callers leave the call in a positive manner and actually enjoyed the call to our client’s company, just good enough is not enough, callers need to leave the call feeling valued...!”

‘Over the years we have developed a 12-week Induction programme with a combination of ‘classroom’ and ‘at desk’ training. Our new starters not only develop valuable customer service and telephone skills, but learn the ‘FFB way’ – that is, the quality standard, the icing on the cake, that propels our service above and beyond our competitors’.

‘Similarly, with new customers, one to one training is completed to introduce

and familiarise their business to our call handlers, enabling callers to receive the fantastic service they deserve.

‘Our key USP is that we record all of our calls. Our customers can listen to all of the calls that we take for them and then provide us with feedback. This gives them peace of mind that their calls are being handled in a quality manner, and gives us valuable feedback, enabling us to further improve our service.

‘All in all we believe that we are developing a Training Programme that will underpin our vision ‘to be the UK’s most trusted business support service by 2025, providing our customers with fantastic service and our staff with all the development tools that they need to provide it ’ For more info on how your callers could feel the Face for Business Gold Standard please contact us at www.ffb.co.uk or 01704 898400

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TRANSPORT

Making connections to broaden the reach of employment opportunities We’re proud to connect the diverse communities we serve across our network.

Here at TransPennine Express (TPE), our aim is to continue to build an inclusive culture and our values are central to this, especially being ‘Supportive of each other’.

Working together we can build a better future for our colleagues and customers.

Part of this is reaching out to communities to expand our employment opportunities to a wider audience and to challenge any outdated perceptions about the rail industry and the range of roles on offer.

TPE colleagues are from all walks of life, working as a team to support the smooth running of the railway. Many colleagues have varied career journeys into rail for example: • Young people starting out.

• People starting second careers with valuable, transferrable experiences.

Liverpool Chamber

and having contact with these teams signposts their young people to real time opportunities, challenges their perceptions and has proved to be a positive step forward for us. Mindful that many will be completing their studies, we have been reaching out and sharing details of entry level roles plus our latest apprenticeships with various colleges across our network.

We’ve provided useful links to videos and blogs that show our colleagues diverse experiences, a guide on what we are looking for plus the transferrable experiences young people could potentially draw upon to enhance their application. We’ve also been working with the Care Leavers Covenant who help those leaving the care system secure support for their next step.

• Colleagues who have worked within the industry for a long time and are keen to share their knowledge and experience with the next generation.

There are many careers fairs and valuable initiatives out there, but we recognise it’s real time opportunities that young people are looking for and support to help them navigate the recruitment process which can be daunting.

Many colleges have amazing careers teams to work with their students directly

We’re currently working on our latest apprenticeship campaign which covers opportunities in HR, Commerce, Customer Experience, Fleet Maintenance, Service Planning, Communications and Operations and very much looking forward to seeing the same progression as we’ve seen with the previous cohort of apprentices who have gone on to secure permanent roles with us.

To find out more about careers at TransPennine Express, visit www.tpexpress.co.uk/about-us/careers

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MEMBERS NEWS

Article – Merseyside C

Dr Tony Lloyd CEO AD

‘Think Differ Understanding the Climate Michaela Wain, Design and Build UK Kathryn Lennon-Johnson, Built Environment Skills in Schools (BESS) Matthew Burrows, Self Build Heroes Neil Horner, P34B Judi Greenwood, Regeneration Brainery Luke Rumney, ArchiPhonic Helen Hesketh, Hesketh Jones Construction PropCon Social North West – Sector Skills The PropCon Social North West series - a joint venture between Hesketh Jones Construction and ArchiPhonic Architectural Design - addressed the most pressing challenges currently facing the property and construction sectors, from mental health to doing business in the post-pandemic world.

However, no challenge is more prescient than the sector’s growing skills shortage.

It is estimated that the industry needs 1 in 5 school leavers to join it to fill skills gaps. The demand is there, yet there is still a shortage. The two-hour discussion highlighted several ways that could be tackled, based on the experience of the industry leading panel.

36

Kathryn from BESS highlighted the unique and challenging environment presented by the post pandemic world, stating: “About 85% of young people don’t believe their dream career is an option, they feel like that’s all been taken away. ”She acknowledged that the sector is not the only one fighting to attract talent and that it also has the challenge of competing with schools’ primary focus of helping students to catch up. She added: “There won’t be time for fluffy, lovely activities, everything you do with schools has got to evidence how you are helping their students to catch up.”

Creating Pathways Judi from Regeneration Brainery highlighted the issue of industry only recruiting from within and failing to access the talent pool in schools: “We are seeing gaps and lack of understanding in schools and finding ways that we can understand what young people really need create those pathways [into the industry].”

Neil from P34B challenged the tendency of those in construction to just look forward at their own career. “What I’ve done with P34B is effectively stopped and said, if our industry is a family – and I feel like it is – how can we work together and help the next generation to come through?” Focusing on passion, perseverance and belief, and considering what young people actually need, P34B is instilling that in people and giving them opportunity in the industry.

Diversity Michaela addressed the issue of diversity by targeting young people – particularly women - from primary school age, in academic and non-academic settings, stating that the opportunity has often

Success is based on ou competencies neede Success in business and in the succ been missed if left until university determinant level.

She also highlighted the importance of for investing in The case highlighting the range of opportunities leading for technology indu women in the sector, saying: “Yourobotics, might bioscience, eng well start off a bricklayer and endmindset up as aof what is po project manager” as well as highlighting workforce for almost th the financial opportunities of learning a imperative. trade, versus other common career options We have for decades co such as hairdressing apprenticeships. ability. Yet, - whether yo that context of place, cu Untapped Resources dyslexia or ADHD (or bo Matthew, a military veteran and founder Relevantofto every busin Self Build Heroes, highlighted the existing yet untapped talent pool of veterans - 15,000 people leave the military each year - with the ability and work ethic to fill many of the current skills gaps, offering a can-do attitude, motivation, good timekeeping and determination to succeed, to flexibility, good communication and teamwork in abundance. Matthew said: “Companies miss the fact that they have 80% of what you want in a dream employee, you’ve just got to put the effort in to get the extra 20%.”

What can the industry do?

After a lengthy discussion, key actions for the industry that emerged were better The ADHD Foundation Neu it enjoys an international r collaboration to create a vetted and derives from traded servic engaged talent pool, creating pathways brings over 1 million pound from primary school upwards, the willingness brands such as Heathrow A of SMEs and not just large companies to Flordis Switzerland, Withe take on apprenticeships, awareness of and umbrellas in Brighton, E utilisation of other existing talent pools such this not simply as CSR – bu of umbrellas across s as veterans and a commitment toposts making the working environment is welcoming and 2021 will see the launch o appealing to women, from facilities and leaving site the care sy people culture to visible role models. employment. We are colla

start-up, agencies such as P

To watch the full video, visit the who will link these young p to promote a new inv www.archiphonic.co.uk insightsaims page.

Dynamic partnerships betw any innovative, business

Chamber of Commerce. Monday 12th July 2021

DHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity

rently’.

ur mind’s ability to adapt to the requirements of our environment and developing the ed to adapt our environment to suit our changing needs. enterprise therefore demands that we ‘Think Differently’. This mantra has been the key cess of the major growth industries of the 21st century so far.

Think Differently

n neurodiversity in business, is now well established. Apple, Sony, Google, Microsoft, and ustries have transformed not only our culture, but also our economy. Together with the Success based onis our mind’s ability to adapt to the requirements gineering and web-basedis media, industry increasingly driving the changes and the very ossible. These growth industries have been actively recruiting neurodiverse ofmajor our environment and developing thea competencies needed to hree decades, recruiting a workforce that for whom ‘thinking differently’ is a genetic

adapt our environment to suit our changing needs.

35% of entrepreneurs have either dyslexia or Success in business enterprise therefore onsidered such different minds – inand a school classroom context, as ‘disabled’, or low ADHD (or both).

University graduates with demands that we ‘Think Differently’ .

This ou are viewed as disabled or talented, depends on the context you find yourself – be ADHD are twice mantra hasResearch been the key determinant ulture, period in history. suggests that over 35%inof entrepreneurs have eitheras likely to start their own Relevant to every business is that 1 thegraduates success of the major oth). University with ADHD are growth twice as industries likely to start theirbusiness. own business. in 5 of your customers are neurodiverse. of the 21st century so far. ness is that 1 in 5 of your customers are neurodiverse.

The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Liverpool Charity that has been a pioneer in the UK neurodiversity movement and why it enjoys an international reputation for its health, education, and training services. Over 80% of the Foundation’s revenue derives from traded services.

Sales of training across all sectors in the UK and abroad generates non statutory revenue that brings over 1 million pounds per year into the city. Its neurodiversity umbrella project has now been adopted by well-known brands such as Heathrow The case for investing in neurodiversity in Airport, Rolls Royce, Admiral Insurance business, is now well established. Apple, Group, Mastercard, Shaftesbury Estates Sony, Google, Microsoft, and leading Plcmovement London,and Soho technology have transformed urodiversity Liverpool Charityindustries that has been a pioneer in the UK neurodiversity why Flordis Switzerland, reputation for its health, education, and training Over 80% of theWitherslack Foundation’s revenue Group, and consortia of not only our culture, but alsoservices. our economy. ces. Sales of training across all sectors in the UK and abroad generates non businesses, statutory revenue that who in 2022 are funding the Together with the robotics, bioscience, ds per year into the city. Its neurodiversity umbrellamedia, project has now been adopted bycoloured well-known canopies of umbrellas brightly engineering and web-based Airport, Rolls Royce, Admiral Insurance Group, Mastercard, Shaftesbury Estates Plc London, Soho in Brighton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Chester, industry is increasingly driving the changes erslack Group, and consortia of businesses, who in 2022 are funding the brightly coloured canopies Crewe, Manchester, Huddersfield, and and the very mindset of what is possible.

Edinburgh, Glasgow, Chester, Crewe, Manchester, Huddersfield, and Gloucester. Businesses see Gloucester.

Businesses see this not simply These major growth industries have been ut branding opportunities that benefit from over 40 million media hits every year as the frenzy of as CSR – but branding opportunities recruiting neurodiverse workforce social media actively promote those businessabrand values. that benefit from over 40 million media for almost three decades, recruiting of a new employability programme in Liverpool is designed for creative neurodiverse young hits every year as the frenzy of posts of a workforce that for whom that ‘thinking ystem, to ensure they make a successful transition from school to further education training and umbrellas across social media promote differently’ is a genetic imperative. aborating with The Women’s Organisation who have a track record for enterprise and business those business brand values.

Positive Futures Charity, local universities, City Council, and a new Liverpool Charity ‘Cornerstones’ We have for decades considered such people with training and employment opportunities offered by Merseyside employers. The project different minds – in a school classroom 2021 will see the launch of a new vigorated culture of corporate and social responsibility in Merseyside. context, as ‘disabled’, or low ability. Yet, employability programme in Liverpool ween third sector organisations andviewed businesses value to or the mindset and sense of purpose for of creative neurodiverse - whether you are asadd disabled that is designed workforce. This CSR hasdepends enabled the Foundation Charitypeople to become a talented, on ADHD the context youNeurodiversity find young leaving the care system, to yourself – be that context of place, culture, ensure they make a successful transition period in history. Research suggests that over from school to further education training

and employment. We are collaborating with The Women’s Organisation who have a track record for enterprise and business start-up, agencies such as Positive Futures Charity, local universities, City Council, and a new Liverpool Charity ‘Cornerstones’ who will link these young people with training and employment opportunities offered by Merseyside employers. The project aims to promote a new invigorated culture of corporate and social responsibility in Merseyside.

Dynamic partnerships between third sector organisations and businesses add value to the mindset and sense of purpose of any innovative, business workforce. This CSR has enabled the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity to become a pioneering, trend setting NGO delivering efficient, value for money support to individuals, businesses and public services that benefit the city of Liverpool. The Chamber of Commerce and the business networks and investment agencies face new post Brexit, post pandemic challenges, and opportunities, collaborating with the Third Sector offers synergistic partnerships that will enable us all to think differently, to benefit from these new opportunities.

For information about the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Services for Businesses or about how you can become involved in the Neurodiversity Umbrella Project or Employability Training Centre, contact tony.lloyd@adhdfoundation.org.uk

BUSINESS GROWTH

Grow Your SME Programme Fully funded business support available.

The Grow Your SME Programme is a Liverpool City Region business support project delivered by Liverpool Chamber of Commerce designed to build confidence and capacity in local SMEs by providing direct advice, guidance and information to provide a clear route to growth and sustainability. Dedicated face to face interaction coupled with a range of complementary support, will help businesses to begin the journey to growth.

How it works: Join us for an initial discussion to understand your needs. From marketing to HR support, support with accounts or tips on selling your products at home or abroad, our expert mentors can help.

Once we understand what you need, you’ll be matched with an expert mentor whose experience matches your required support.

We provide a bespoke programme of workshops, covering everything needed to grow your business. For example: • Compliance (HR, insurance, legal issues)

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• Promoting your business (PR, social media, networking) • Business planning and growth (accounting, budgeting, tax) • Access to finance (funding and investment, business finance and administration) • International trade (requirements, considerations and international contacts) • Responsible business (ESG requirements, social and community impact, environmental considerations) Once you’ve completed the programme, you’ll receive ongoing advice and support across our network, to help further growth through events and networking opportunities.

Workshops: On July 6th we hosted the first of our Grow Your SME workshops with our members, The Social Desk. Our experts ran a “trauma unit” session where they answered questions and provided bespoke advice to applicants, along with sharing their top tips and tricks of the trade.

Phil Pentone, CEO & Founder of The Pentone Family joined the Grow Your SME Programme in June and had this to say: “The ‘Promoting Your Business’ event was perfect timing for us, as we look forward to working with the reopening and recovering hospitality sector. The Liverpool Chamber of Commerce have been very proactive in bringing together their community of businesses and this can only benefit the city region as well as the wider British economy. The event was timely and well considered, reminding us that promotion should be front and centre.”

Eligibility: To qualify for the support, SMEs must be: • Headquartered in Liverpool City Region • Have fewer than 250 employees • Have not received assistance from the ERDF BGP project via other providers, or no more than £170,980 public funding in the last three years.

To sign up to the programme or for further information contact Jordan.Rhoda@liverpoolchamber.org.uk.

Liverpool’s very own Hidden Gem We are Daisy Inclusive UK, the “can do charity that makes it happen”.

We have been supporting disabled people and their families in Liverpool for over twenty years through links in our Daisy Chain-each link being its own ecosystem; from point of contact to sports, education, employment, advice and guidance. Another link in the Daisy chain are the workshops and training we deliver to businesses and schools.

We can help your business to become more disability confident and attain the quality mark which helps you to access the 270 billion disability pound that disabled people spend per year in the UK. Daisy Inclusive UK was the: • first charity in the country to employ our own disability hate crime officers • first charity in Merseyside to become Department of Work and Pensions Disability Business Confident leader • worldwide winner of the Beyond Sports Diversity and Inclusion award • …not forgetting the 5000+ people we help each year Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic it has been both unprecedented and extraordinary times. Whilst many charities and organisations reduced their services or closed; we at Daisy Inclusive UK have been working tirelessly on the frontline providing much needed physical and mental wellbeing support alongside food parcels and other life necessities to some of the most vulnerable families in our community. We did not charge for any of these services as we felt that when the most vulnerable people in our community needed help, we had to be

there for them. We put other people’s needs before our own, refusing to profit from their misfortunes. We love and care for our community especially those who slipped through the net and were left isolated. Without putting too fine a point on it, Daisy Inclusive UK’s support saved lives.

We really need your help and support as we have been unable to hold charitable fundraising activities during the pandemic, threatening the continuation of our services. Despite this, so far we have battled through and have actually increased our help and support for those who need us most. This makes me feel proud to be the Founder and CEO of this genuinely caring charity that really makes it happen.

Due to the deficit in our fundraising income, we are reaching out to local businesses for help and support to ensure our frontline services to the most vulnerable and disabled people in Liverpool can continue. Please show your support through corporate social responsibility by making Daisy Inclusive UK your charity of choice. Your donations will be well spent at Daisy Inclusive UK and will really make a difference.

Donations can be made via our Just Giving Page.

Check out the amazing work we do on our website and our Facebook , Twitter, Instagram pages (Daisy Inclusive UK)

Thanks Dave Kelly CEO

Daisy Nucleus Academy (DNA)

Tel: 0151 261 0309 | Email: info@daisyuk.com | www.daisyuk.com 2 Barnes Street, Everton, Merseyside L6 5LB | Charity no: 01140148

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DIGITAL

Mashbo ‘Gets Connected’ to careers advice service Earlier this year software development company, Mashbo, started a scoping project with Career Connect, a large charity that helps young people and adults to achieve their potential by providing high quality, professional career, employment and training services. The foundation of its work with schools and colleges is its ‘Get Connected’ platform, a digital tool that engages young people in the careers process and provides support to teachers, alongside its inperson services.

Originally created in 2015, the platform had been due a refresh, but the impact of the pandemic on young people has seen 72% of schools highlight that careers guidance as more important than ever*.

A new approach was needed.

Mashbo MD, Gavin Sherratt, explained: “Prior to March 2020 no one really thought that the ability to operate virtual classrooms and provide online training for school-age children was a priority. Now it is in fact pivotal to delivering consistent, high-quality education and within that, careers guidance.”

The scoping process began with reviewing the current platform, identifying gaps and - crucially - understanding its users, from students to careers advisors, the functionality they needed and what best engaged them.

Liverpool Chamber

significant societal events, easily tailoring and deploying content in response to local and global events in the news.

The project is now moving from scoping into delivery phase and is another example of how forward-looking businesses are looking not to rehash existing solutions, but evolve them to meet new needs and expectations.

Gavin continued: “If you have the skill set, it is easy to create a tech platform that delivers a set list of functional requirements. What is difficult is making sure you build something that your target audience will actually use and that will deliver on the platform’s objectives.”

The scoping process, which involved sessions with Career Connect staff, teachers and students, was used to create a refined set of essential and desired features and technical spec that would act as a roadmap for the project.

At the heart of this was the needs of the young people who would be using the tool to help forge their way into higher/further education and a more-challenging than ever global workplace.

Combining features like CV builders, educational slideshows and employability quizzes, with the integration and streamlining of disparate systems used by schools and the necessity for the learning experience to continue whether in school or working remotely, meant that the platform essentially needed to be built in a new and futureproof way.

Gavin said: “During Digital Leaders Week 2021, it was mentioned that the pandemic has offered an opportunity in education to shift away from the traditional and often restrictive classroom-based system and to focus on pupil-centred approaches.

“This is exactly what the objective of the Get Connected project is. To deliver the best solution for its key users - young people seeking careers advice and information - and ensure the people supporting them have the flexibility to do this effectively in any situation.”

Plans for the new platform will not only better accommodate remote working and allow users to adapt to logistical changes, but will also provide teachers and Career Connect staff with the ability to react to

Barry Fletcher, CEO at Career Connect, said: “The team at Mashbo has helped us to see our project from a number of completely different perspectives. The scoping process has explored how all of our users currently engage with the platform and really honed in on what we need our new tech to do and where it really has the power to make a difference.

We now have a solid plan in place with clear objectives that underpin our business strategy and we’re confident that the changes will enhance the experience of all of our users, from Career Connect staff to students.”

Learn more about evolving your tech platforms in Mashbo’s latest report “Digitalise to Thrive”, which can be downloaded at mashbo.com *Source: The Careers and Enterprise Company

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The end of late-night emails from the boss?

Employment solicitor at Morecrofts, Charles Millett, looks at a workforce’s rights to ‘disconnect’ outside their working hours.

AS our working culture has evolved in the technological era to keep pace with the times, an inevitable consequence has been the huge increase in out of hours email, text and WhatsApp communications between employers and their staff.

Thinking back 20 years or so, it would have been the norm to ignore any emails sent after leaving the workplace and to deal with them the next day. The same would have applied to emails sent while somebody was on holiday. Now that most of us have smartphones, we are never far away from our emails and by virtue of that fact, we are only a passcode or screen face recognition away from the workplace at any given time, whether that be first thing in the morning or the last thing at night.

The sudden increase in remote working that has been necessitated by the response to the Covid-19 pandemic

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has increased the expectation that many employees should read and check their emails, text messages or WhatsApp messages outside of the normal working hours. Of course, the very phrase “normal working hours” may different from one person to the next, so that somebody working a different shift pattern from a work colleague may well be communicating with their colleague outside the colleague’s working hours without intending to do so.

has been read, the employee is probably already back in “work mode” and thinking about what was in the email.

The Office for National Statistics has found that 35.9% of the UK’s employed population did at least some of their work from home last year. These people on average did around six hours of unpaid overtime each week, much of it possibly taken up by reading communications from their employer and colleagues and responding out of normal working hours.

If it is mere guidance, it may not have the desired effect, as if an employee believes their employer expects them to respond out of hours, it is likely they will still feel an obligation to do so.

In France, it has been an entitlement for the past four years for an employee to “disconnect” from their work. In Ireland, a new code of practice was recently introduced to require employers to include messages on emails to remind their staff that there is no requirement to reply to emails out of hours. How effective this will be is debatable, as by the time the email

The Government’s Flexible Working Taskforce is currently looking at hybrid working and how this will operate in practice. Importantly, this will include considering the right to disconnect. What remains to be seen is to what extent the encouragement to disconnect from work will be guidance rather than strict law.

We should also remember that as we are no longer members of the EU, any rules passed by the EU to reflect this trend and to limit out of hours contact with employees across its member states will not be applicable to workers in the UK.

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

Merseyside business and sport combine to boost STEAM skills Everton in the Community has partnered with Liverpoolbased gifting and rewards company Appreciate Group to launch the pioneering new E-STEAM project, combining robots with football to inspire children in Merseyside to engage with technology.

The charity’s new E-STEAM programme is delivering fun and imaginative learning to around 2,000 children aged five to 16 in 63 schools across the Liverpool City Region, to encourage them to aspire for future careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) subjects.

The programme sees Everton in the Community tutors use programmable robots on football pitch-themed mats to transform the way children learn, create, and invent through coding and technology.

The aim of the project is to reduce the education inequality gap that exists in

Liverpool Chamber

STEAM topics for children from more disadvantaged communities, an issue that has been exacerbated by school closures during the pandemic.

The ground-breaking programme is backed by a range of partners including Appreciate Group, one of the UK’s leading gifting and engagement providers. The Liverpool-based firm has funded the state-of-the-art Sphero robots as part of its commitment to supporting young people in the City Region.

“Like many businesses, technology is at the heart of our strategy so it’s vital the workers of tomorrow have the digital

and STEAM skills we will need to remain successful,” said Andy Hammerton, Head of Corporate Affairs at Appreciate Group.

“Being able to help local young people aspire to into future careers is a privilege and we’re delighted to be supporting Everton in the Community on this important programme.

“The programme illustrates how innovation can be brought into the classroom to help children learn valuable skills in an engaging way. It’s a pleasure to be involved and see children enjoying the fun interaction the programme provides.”

STEAM learning is proven to help young people to develop important personal and social skills, such as problem solving, critical thinking, communication and teamwork; all skills that are most likely to be in demand in 2025 according to a recent report by the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs.

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EXPORTING

Trainings for Financial Growth The Boomerang Britannia Benefit Optimizing savings on Customs duties and taxes is an ATA Carnet benefit boomerang carnets UK has provided customers since 2015 in partnership with the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce (LCC). Boomerang is currently formulating trainings to develop business growth exclusively to the LCC membership and will partner with Britannia Bureau Ltd. to present the only ATA Carnet/exportimport duty management trainings available in the U.K. The LCC looks forward to the benefits members will gain from listening to experts share their knowledge of avoiding duty and tax on temporary exports and duty management in general.

Curt E.H. Wilson, Managing Director of boomerang carnets UK and Mark Taylor, Managing Director of Britannia Bureau,

each have 30+ years of experience in their respective fields, ATA Carnets and Customs solutions in the export/import industry.

Their aim to join forces and leverage their expertise is to provide the tools to foster growth, savings, security, and success now when it is needed most as we emerge from the double whammy of COVID and BREXIT. Boomerang will address the many applied uses of ATA Carnets as a flexible trade tool to grow businesses and increase profits with temporary exports. Britannia Bureau will offer their three-tiered systematic approach to identify and deliver major cost and performance improvements whilst protecting customers from risk of non-compliance penalties. Both companies serve a wide spectrum of sectors and industries and have

experiential knowledge of the unique challenges inherent in each. Their shared mission aims to increase customer profit and growth. Companies taking advantage of the trainings will learn how to save the money they would otherwise have spent in payment of import-duty and -taxes which over time can add up to hundreds of thousands of pounds. The money saved can be used to keep a job, create a job, or simply retain cash.

Trainings will aim to put forth the best and most current information to help build a launching pad for all businesses in this new age of commerce and trade. Watch for updates and/or announcements through the Liverpool Chamber or on the Boomerang or Britannia websites: boomerangcarnets.co.uk | britanniasolutions.com

DIGITAL SKILLS

How improving insight can create a skilled and resilient business community

Investing in data and insight can transform how we understand businesses, their place within local markets, and the opportunities for growth and expansion.

One of the primary functions of the Liverpool BID Company is to support decision making in order to help improve the environment in which businesses operate within. Over the past twelve months, an investment in the quality and breath of data available has helped Liverpool BID Company provide valuable insights into the workings of Liverpool’s economy.

Monthly business insight updates are provided for free to firms across the city covering a range of topics. Driven by data, these reports provide a comprehensive snapshot and analysis of the city centre showing how many people are visiting on a day to day basis, how and where visitors are spending, how and from where people are travelling, levels of expenditure, plus where available retail units are located.

Liverpool Chamber

Regularly used by the media to provide an overview of Liverpool’s economic and social activity, this data has been able to highlight various trends, from the recovery in footfall levels as Covid restrictions have eased through to the return of workers back into the office. Such understanding enables an increase in customer confidence and allows businesses to benchmark themselves within their market, protect jobs and forecast with a greater level of certainty.

For businesses, this data can also help create a more skilled business community. Mapping and tracking this data, in the comprehensive monthly reports, is a vital skill in the modern workplace. Analysing this data and being able to present it to management teams is an important aspect of supporting business development. Performance and data analysis are skilled and

growing fields in Liverpool’s creative and technical community. In a super connected workplace, the provision of this data is allowing some businesses to count on an unofficial data officer supporting their teams.

Understanding how the city works, with its ebbs and flows, ensures businesses are equipped with a level of knowledge to remain competitive. The greater the level and depth of data a business has of the wider environment, the more agile and responsive they can be. In a period where the way we work is changing rapidly, regular data driven reporting provides valuable insight in the opportunities the Liverpool market holds for businesses.

Future and past Liverpool BID Company Business Data Reports can be found here: www.liverpoolbidcompany.com/ business-data-reports

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CHAMBER EVENTS

LIVERPOOL CHAMBER KEEPING EVENTS ON TRACK In Association with MSP Studios As the impact of the COVID pandemic has continued into Spring and Summer, so has our delivery of a virtual events programme. We are delighted to have been able to work with MSP Studios in Bootle to give the Chamber a professional studio location to host some of the discussions around your priority business areas. It is important to keep the conversation moving and we have been thrilled to host such interesting debates:

April: Health, Well Being and the Liverpool Plan We brought together some of the leaders in healthcare to talk about the future. Liverpool has world class assets in innovation and healthcare so we explored how this sector is developing, changing, responding and managing whilst recovering from the health crisis.

Mike Moran, Chief Executive, Rutherford Health Gary Thorpe, Head of Inclusion and Participation Management, Merseycare Justene Ewing, Vice President Health & Care, CGI David Hallendorf, Regional Account Manager, Randox Health Hannah Randles, Health and Life Sciences Champion, Growth Platform & Innovation Agency

May: Business Talent and the Future

This session explored how the synergy between business and education can be maximised for the betterment of Liverpool City Region’s economic future, with a joined up approach to ensure the very best talent can be developed in – and attracted to – our city region.

Rachael Hennigan, Principal, Hugh Baird College Katie Spall, Schools Talent Pipeline Manager, Liverpool City Council Lyndsey Jayne Burkert, Business Engagement & Employability Manager, Liverpool Hope University Sean Keyes, Managing Director, Sutcliffe Jayne Moore, Managing Director and Founder, Jayne Moore Media & I AM MOORE Jane Gratton, Head of People Policy, British Chambers of Commerce Maria Whittingham, Student Recruitment Specialist, CGI Gill Roberts, Social Value Manager, Morgan Sindall

Liverpool Chamber at the Randox Grand National: Liverpool Chamber are delighted to announce The Silver Birch Garden Party will return on Randox Grand National Thursday (7 April 2022): the biggest business gathering over the three days of racing. Tickets are priced at £250 + VAT for members, and £285 + VAT for nonmembers, with sponsorship opportunities available. For further information, please visit www.liverpoolchamber.org.uk/ events/liverpool-chamber-day-onrandox-grand-national-thursday/

And don’t forget some of our regular programme of events: Monthly Well Connected: The first Friday of every month

Lauren Evans, Head of Radiotherapy Innovations, Rutherford Cancer Centre

Strategic Events Programme: Monthly strategy events discussing key topics from Healthcare to Skills

Looking Ahead Let’s Go LIVE!

International Training and Brexit: Ongoing meetings, briefings and training through our international arm to prepare business for new trading arrangements with Europe and the wider world.

BUT we have been so excited to be able to start to go live with events! Seeing members face to face at Well Connected in July was fantastic and we are excited about the programme we have ahead using our new offices at the Cotton Exchange to host a range of monthly events, sector showcases, business development workshops.

Key events to get involved with include:

Liverpool International Tennis Tournament: Join us for Liverpool Chamber day on Thursday 19th August, 11.30am-6pm. We are offering 20% off tickets for Chamber members to join us in the Legends Marquee. Find out more and book www.liverpoolchamber.org. uk/events/liverpool-chamber-dayat-the-liverpool-international-tennistournament-2021/

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Innovation in Business Awards, Thursday 18th November, all open for nominations so get in touch to celebrate the great businesses in Liverpool City Region.

For more information on pricing, nominations and sponsorship, visit www.liverpoolchamber.org.uk/events/ innovation-in-business-awards-2021/

Charity and Sector showcases for your sector to meet and network.

If you want to host an event with us, or have ideas for themes, please contact tom.woolley@liverpoolchamber.org.uk.

MSP GLOBAL

HYBRID EVENTS THE BEST SOLUTION INTO 2022 Businesses should expect a hybrid approach to events until the end of the year.

virtual 2021 Spring/Summer conference. With over 13,000 employees worldwide while making significant budget savings. United Utilities’ virtual conference broadened reach from 600 delegates to 6000, and Northern Power Women received over 25 million twitter impressions alongside its virtual awards in March.

This is according to MSP Global who have helped clients adapt to a virtual world throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Bootle-based event production company has seen an upturn in live event bookings in response to the UK Government’s announcement that most remaining restrictions were to be lifted on July 19.

new streaming technologies, upskilled staff and adapted event strategy to ensure clients could continue delivering key messages to stakeholders.

That has restored some market confidence but MSP Director Lisa Richards believes there are still obstacles preventing a full return to live events.

MSP has delivered around 300 virtual events through the pandemic, working with longstanding clients and also attracting new business to the Liverpool City Region.

She said: “People want to meet in-person but are still bound by restrictions, either from the local authorities, through their own company policies or for personal reasons.

Hybrid events combining live and virtual aspects are likely to prove popular in a post-Covid world and Lisa sees a blended approach as an opportunity for venues in the meantime.

“We can’t wait to get back into the venues but, with international travel restrictions continuing to be unpredictable, we will see more in-venue hybrid studios with lower numbers.

She said: “Virtual events can take place from any venue as people still need to work with their immediate team and may want a change of scene.

“This is going to be a key solution for large groups globally to attend a conference together until we can return to some form of normality.”

In the January edition of Well Connected Liverpool Chamber of Commerce CEO Paul Cherpeau said 2021 would be a year of recovery and opportunity, stressing the importance of finding solutions to challenges.

That is a fitting description of the transition from live to virtual events where, following a period of trial and innovation, MSP adopted

Liverpool Chamber

“This can lend well to hybrid event solutions at venues. Technical costs may be more than for a fully virtual event but, if the end client is not flying in guest speakers or catering for large numbers, there will be cost savings.

MSP Director of Operations David Clatworthy said: “We have spoken to many people and they believe when they go back to live events they are also going to stream the event as well.

“They’ve had so much great feedback and love how it has made everybody feel more of a family bringing more inclusivity.

“We’ve got virtual bookings until December in our main studio and smaller studios and we are also taking bookings for gala events on the road. But I think we’ll find more virtual than live events until at least the end of the year.”

Lisa believes a series of late Downing Street U-turns over the past 16 months have made it difficult for event planners to think too far ahead.

She said: “The Government’s quick changes and tight guidelines do not help businesses with trying to plan future events and this is leading to an uncertain last quarter with regards to event planning.

“This can be a win-win all around with the end client saving money and reaching more people.”

“Once all restrictions are lifted, we will start to see more live events being organised.

However, many corporate events will only fully come back again next year.”

Virtual and hybrid events can provide clear benefits for businesses. Matalan were able to share content from their

*For more information on live, virtual and hybrid events contact MSP Global – events@msp-av.co.uk / 0344 811 0901

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CHARITY

Renewed strategy to support chamber charity members The response to COVID-19 from charities across Liverpool and Sefton has been nothing short of phenomenal, and in response Liverpool Chamber are delighted to announce a renewed strategy to support our charity members.

We are also thrilled to embark upon a ground-breaking charity partnership with two leading charities who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic: Clatterbridge Cancer Charity and Everton in the Community.

Our Charity Mission Liverpool Chamber are passionate about creating opportunities for charities to promote their missions, impacts and specific services to, and build relationship with, members of Liverpool Chamber. Over the coming months we will provide regular opportunities for our charity members to connect with businesses from across the region, with bespoke events held to educate our members on the benefits of working with charity partners. We want to encourage all of our members to adopt a charity partner, and will work to connect them with a charity who shares their ethos.

Our events Liverpool Chamber will hold two “Charity Sector Showcase” events per year. These events will bring together corporate partners interested in the third sector and charity representatives for networking opportunities. We will also hold sessions run by local and national funders, giving advice on the most effective way to access funds from them, and corporate partners on their aims and objectives from recruiting a charity partner. The dedicated charity speaking slot at each monthly Well Connected networking event has always been a popular feature, and we look forward to hearing from many more inspirational charities in the coming months. Finally, Liverpool Chamber’s Business Growth Programme will contain six modules, one of which, Responsible Business, will give a quarterly platforming opportunity to one charity partner, whilst educating all delegates on the importance of charity partnership and the tangible benefits it can bring to the business, charity and wider community.

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Our Charity Partnership

• Freshfields Animal Rescue

Liverpool Chamber recently launched a partnership with Clatterbridge Cancer Charity and Everton in the Community, with the aim of raising significant funds for a jointly delivered project. This project will align with the aims of the Team Liverpool City Plan, of which Liverpool Chamber are the private sector partner, with the aims of tackling health inequalities, and responding to what matters most to people in terms of improving their health and wellbeing across all stages of life – Starting Well, Living Well and Ageing Well. Significant funds will be raised at three major events over the course of the next financial year, and we look forward to working closely with colleagues from both charities.

• Granby Community Mental Health Group-Mary Seacole House

Get Involved

• Merseyside Dogs Home

If you represent a charity or business who would like to learn more about our work to support charity members, please contact Jordan Rhoda or Tom Woolley via Jordan.Rhoda@liverpoolchamber.org.uk or Tom.Woolley@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

• Moving on With Life and Learning

Charity Directory

• Relate Cheshire and Merseyside

• Institute of Fundraising North West • LCVS • Leadership Through Sport and Business • Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art • Liverpool Medical Institution • Liverpool Parish Church (Our Lady & St Nicholas) • Liverpool YMCA • Local Solutions • Mary’s Meals

• Natural Breaks Ltd • North West Cancer Research • Nugent

Liverpool Chamber are delighted to count some of the most impactful charities from across the Liverpool City Region as members, including:

• Resume Foundation - Aintree Hub

• Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Services

• Salvation Army

• Age Concern Liverpool and Sefton

• Team Oasis

• Alder Hey Children’s Charity

• The Brain Charity

• Blackburne House

• The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust

• British Music Experience • Cancer Research UK

• The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation

• Chasing The Stigma

• The Whitechapel Centre

• Claire House

• The Women’s Organisation

• Clatterbridge Cancer Charity

• The Yellow House

• Crisis Skylight

• When You Wish Upon A Star

• Daisy Inclusive UK

• Wirral Hospice St John’s

• Directory of Social Change

• Woodlands Hospice

• Emmaus Merseyside

• Young Persons Advisory Service

• Everton in the Community

• Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice

• Riverside • Ronald McDonald House

• Sefton Women’s and Children’s Aid

STAFF DIRECTORY

Staff Directory

Chamber staff are here to provide dedicated support for business members of the Chamber. The directory below provides a list of contacts for members should they need to contact us.

Connect Support Thrive.

Paul Cherpeau Chief Executive

Jon Cranston Director of Finance & Operations

Tom Woolley Business Growth & Membership Manager

Elena Enciso International Trade Manager

Julie Sankey International Trade Executive

Ian Bulmer Programmes & Policy Manager

Sarah Woolley Export Documentation Specialist

Helen Gibbons Accounts Manager

Michelle Cameron Senior Policy & Communications Advisor

Melissa Healy Office Manager

Laura Edwards Events Manager

Nathan Taylor Administration Assistant

paul.cherpeau@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

julie.sankey@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

Heather Whitaker Export Documentation Specialist

heather.whitaker@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

Jordan Rhoda Membership Executive

jordan.rhoda@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

Emily Hardy Marketing and Communications Officer emily.hardy@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

Liverpool Chamber

jon.cranston@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

ian.bulmer@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

Lisa Noon Export Documentation Specialist lisa.noon@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

Conor Williams Executive Officer

conor.williams@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

tom.woolley@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

sarah.woolley@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

michelle.cameron@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

laura.edwards @liverpoolchamber.org.uk

elena.enciso@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

helen.gibbons@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

melissa.healy@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

nathan.taylor@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

Tel: 0151 227 1234 Email: membership@liverpoolchamber.org.uk export@liverpoolchamber.org.uk www.liverpoolchamber.org.uk | @LpoolChamber 49

4/5 have really inspired and challenged me to ensure that I am focused on the important things in life and work. They are leaders who have engaged with teams with empathy and passion. These individuals are authentic and honest about their strengths and the mistakes they make and as a consequence motivate and inspire the people around them.

In your personal opinion, how can we maximise the development of talent within young people and how do your aspirations for Hugh Baird fit in with that?

We are fortunate to live in a region with so much talent, regardless of age and as I mentioned earlier, our ability to maximise those talents relates to the strength of the relationships between the employers (those who need the skills) and colleges (those who train the skills). I have seen this work at our College really well. This relationship is at its best when the employer has a passion to share what they need and when the college is flexible and adaptive enough to meet those needs.

What does a typical working day look like, and has this changed since the onset of Covid?

The significant part of my job is interacting with people, from students, colleagues and other key stakeholders. I am not going to lie, being the Principal of a college means there is never a dull day. It ranges from working with people to develop our strategic plan and performance indicators, to litter picking in Bootle. I love it.

What is on the top of your to-do list?

Making sure that students we train leave us with the most relevant skills and knowledge so that they can get better jobs and have better lives. Our students deserve every opportunity in life and so it’s our responsibility to make this happen. To do this we must continue to foster stronger links with employers and work hand in hand with them to understand the needs they have now and in the future.

What is the best advice you have been given in your career?

The best piece of advice I have ever been given which has steered the way I act, is to not only make sure that I always to try

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to do the right thing but also do it in the right way. I think at times decisions are not always implemented in the right way in some organisations. So it is essential that we are not only doing the right things, for the right reasons but we are also aware and considerate in how we go about our day to day activities. I/we don’t always get it right, but I know we will always reflect and seek to improve.

If you weren’t doing your current job what would be your ideal role?

My aspirations for the College are intrinsically linked to this. We have set the vision of being the best College in the country for our stakeholders, which obviously includes employers. To make this a reality, we need to continue to engage with even more industry leaders, ensuring that everything we do at the College enables our students to leave being equipped for the world of work. This then in turn leads employers to be confident that they will have the best employees of the future. It is an exciting time to be in education and I am looking forward to engaging with even more employers to make this happen.

A Gin taster. In all seriousness, probably teaching again. I love it. The day to day interaction with students is amazing.

Watching people of all ages develop in a variety of ways, not just by gaining a qualification. Seeing them go on to be successful in whatever shape that comes in for them is an amazing privilege and one that I have never taken for granted.

Why choose Liverpool City Region?

Who is your role model (business or personal) in business?

I mean it when I say that I feel so fortunate to be Principal of a college in my home city. It is exciting, vibrant and full of passion. Liverpool is a special place, with good people and amazing culture and I feel so lucky to call it home.

This is an odd one for me because it’s not a famous person and it isn’t a single person.

I have worked with, and for, so many people in my career and I would say that

Because it’s Liverpool City Region.

I have worked in Blackpool, Blackburn and Halifax and have always lived in Liverpool (I think I spent most of the last 14 years either on the M6 or the M62). I just couldn’t bring myself to move and this is because there is no place I would rather be.

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