NetWorks Issue 11, The Future-Proof Issue

PEOPLE WHO KNOW PEOPLE THAT HELP PEOPLE

www.bita.ie • Edition 11 • 2021

F U T U R E P

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MEMBER SUPPORT

BUILDING BACK BETTER

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT

Wrap-around support to help

Laing O’Rourke’s investment in

Ballymore’s new addition to

your business recovery

technology and apprenticeships

the London Skyline PEOPLE WHO KNOW PEOPLE THAT HELP PEOPLE

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TEAM

Editor: Diane Birch, BITA Executive Director Sub Editor: Laura Watkins

WELCOME

Features Editor: John Reynolds BITA Contributors: Alex Luketa, Xerini; Diane Birch, BITA Ltd; Mark Liston, Cavendish Professionals; Paul Mirage, GM Business Connect Magazine Design and Production E jules@stimula.co.uk Online version https://bita.ie/magazines.html Printer Aquablue

Sales, Events and Marketing T +44 (0) 7587 035740 E laura@bita.ie

Published by BITA Ltd HEAD OFFICE: The Hive Enterprise Centre, The Old Central Library, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6EX www.bita.ie T +44 (0)1702 417132 E laura@bita.ie

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elcome everyone to an issue of NetWorks that is very meaningful to me, and that links in very well with the BITA long-term view (see page 23).

This issue is looking at concerns surrounding future-proofing your business, something that is very relevant to a lot of our members right now, hot on the heels of an incredibly difficult year.

You’ll see lots of articles on technology, but also looking at skills, training and the environmental and social impact of businesses; it’s the latter that I want to talk about here.

The last year has allowed for a lot of introspection, and even greater appreciation of our colleagues, friends, and communities. We have reached a point I think, where we are a lot more aware of what is happening around us, and more in tune with how people are coping. Following long years of being told to ‘get on with it’ or ‘man up’, I am so happy now when I see people being open about their feelings and leaning on each other. We all struggle, and it is strength to seek help – not weakness.

Over the last year in particular, this has been made more relevant to me as I struggled myself during long months at home, and my natural out-going nature made me struggle to adapt. To support others with the same issues, BITA started cultivating relationships with members – Wake up with Zest, Life on Time, DBC Health Retreats and others – to provide our members access to crucial resources for wellbeing; we are now taking this a step further and creating a wellbeing hub on the website. You can see more about this on page 14.

Lastly, I was recently honoured to be appointed a Powerday Foundation Ambassador, and was invited to visit their premises in Cricklewood, North London where they help disadvantaged young people learn discipline and respect. The conversations I had and lessons I learned there will stay with me for a long time. You can read more about the Powerday Foundation on page 32, and needless to say I am thrilled to be able to support this charity.

I wish you all the best and cannot wait to see you soon at the many events we are planning!

BITA Ltd. All rights reserved

Terms and conditions NetWorks is published by BITA Ltd. Its entire content is protected by copyright 2021 and all its rights reserved.

Reproduction without prior permission is forbidden. Every care has been taken in compiling the content of the magazine, but the publisher assumes no responsibility in the effect arising therefrom. Readers are advised to seek professional advice before acting on any information which is contained in the magazine. Neither BITA Ltd or NetWorks accept any liability for views expressed, pictures used or claims used by advertisers.

PAUL WHITNELL President

@BITAIntl @BITAIntl @BITA @BITA_Intl

Sponsored by Revive Digital

www.revive.digital www.bita.ie

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CONTENTS 14

PEOPLE WHO KNOW PEOPLE THAT HELP PEOPLE

www.bita.ie

18

26

7

The Cost of a Click

9

A Good way to learn and develop

11

Flying high

12

Without Prejudice Negotiations

14

Member Support

16

A Change for the Better

18

Welcome to the Machine

22

London Calling

23

Planning Long-Term

26

The Sky’s the limit

29

To Outsource your IT or not

30

Do you believe what you thought you saw?

Sponsored by Revive Digital

www.revive.digital

PEOPLE WHO KNOW PEOPLE THAT HELP PEOPLE # 11 I July 2021 I the Future Proof issue

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THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

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32

The Power of Positive Action

34

Chosing the Right Partner

36

Building Back Better

38

Getting Protection

40

Manifesto from a Small Island

41

Steps to Success

43

Big Changes for Directors of Irish Companies

45

Ireland’s City of Culture

46

Leaning Green

47

BITA Manchester Kicking Off!

49

My Experience with BITA

50

Amber Alert

38

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TECHNOLOGY

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lthough the cost of ‘pay-per-click’ advertising had a wobbly start in 2020, it has only grown in popularity over the last year. One guess as to why that might be! However, simply investing in pay-per-click, might not be the best place to put your money, especially if you don’t have the staff, time and expertise to back it up.

Peppered Moth Marketing joined the BITA community in 2021, and given my own marketing background I was excited to talk to their founder, Jonathan Slobom, about his experience in this area, and where he thinks the solutions might lie.

stores. These will be driving their sales through paid clicks and other online marketing.”

In my experience as a marketing strategist, I have seen many businesses rely solely on the bottom-line figures – outlay and outcomes – whilst failing to investigate their pipelines for insights and sales advantages that could help them expand. Jonathan confirms that this holds true for businesses online as well.

“Even businesses that are sophisticated enough to effectively measure their analytics and growth opportunities aren’t immune to the pressure to hit sales targets. They often succumb to the temptation of spending all their budget increasing traffic and sales but spend little to no time or money increasing their conversion rate or retention”.

THE COST OF A CLICK Diane Birch talks to Jonathan Slobom on how to increase your marketing conversion rate, and why paying for clicks might not be a bargain

Why is this so difficult?

People who work in this area are often very detail oriented and have a head for strategy and analysis – spotting chokepoints in your pipeline and hurdles to converting a follower to I HAVE SEEN MANY BUSINESSES RELY a customer. Even if the staff have these skills, it can still prove difficult.

ON BOTTOM-LINE FIGURES, WHILST “The problem with improving conversion IGNORING PIPELINES FOR INSIGHTS rates quickly is a lack of data” Jonathan explains.

AND SALES ADVANTAGES. “To be successful, businesses need to run many tests concurrently and harvest enough data to make statistically robust decisions. This requires intelligent software, highly experienced people, relentless focus and of course, hours of effort.”

Pay-Per-Click These difficulties are why it pays to bring in an expert.

Thousands of businesses rushed online in 2020, to counter There are many specialist agencies or individuals that operate the negative effects of Covid. Many of these invested more exclusively in the online area, and who are never happier than time and attention into already-established sales channels in when sifting through vast piles of data that would daunt even the order to convert extra online sales, filling the gap left by most stalwart employee that isn’t an expert in this field. in-store spending. Many others hastily erected new platforms Even better, there are now agencies that only charge for and channels online, where they had previously had no, or successful campaigns! “Demonstrable, measurable outcomes a minimal presence. form the basis of their remuneration” explains Jonathan. “Many They urgently needed traffic. so-called CRO (Click Rate Optimisation) specialists ask to be paid Many of these businesses lacked the deep digital marketing upfront on the hope of a positive outcome. Some even ask for a experience required to establish and grow these channels long-term contract before they have proven ability to increase themselves and were willing to pay for those coveted online your sales. Of course, every business needs to find the right clicks. This resulted in a smaller market share, and an eversolution for them but working with an agency that operates with increasing cost per click to these digital newcomers. a ‘no win, no fee’ model can mean that everyone is a winner.”

“The issue is that many of the companies we saw weren’t The idea of hiring experts and only paying a fee if they are putting in enough of the quality groundwork” says Jonathan; successful will definitely sound enticing to many businesses, and “they weren’t improving their SEO which meant that the holy it is a great way of ensuring you don’t spend your entire budget grail of online marketing – organic reach and conversions – in an area that gets you nothing in return. Perhaps even more weren’t materialising”. importantly from my point of view, is that when you work with It would be reasonable to assume that with the relaxation experts, you will be able to access those insights that help you of lock-down and successful vaccine drive, the costs would soon increase conversion rates, create more loyal customers, target start going down. Not so says Jonathan. new customers, and find new markets for your product. Doing this “Many of these businesses are desperate to recover their risk free? Sounds like a no-brainer! losses and may have let go or downsized their ‘bricks and mortar’

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MARK LISTON

APPRENTICESHIPS:

A GOOD WAY TO LEARN AND DEVELOP

T

he UK has seen a huge effect on the unemployment rates during the Covid19 pandemic. Every city, country, industry, globally has been affected (some more severely than others). As a result, many people have looked to retrain and reskill or move into a totally different industry.

Working within recruitment we always see qualified candidates for roles, but sometimes what can make one candidate really stand out (industry dependant) from the rest, is a candidate with experience. There are several ways to gain that experience; through voluntary work experience, or another popular way which is gaining momentum is through embarking on an apprenticeship training scheme.

Apprenticeship training can be the perfect way to learn the theory behind the craft, whilst at the same time gain vital hands-on experience. Employers wherever possible will look for someone that has a keen interest in the field and gained some experience within the field.

Apprenticeships date all the way back to the Middle Ages, since then it has continued to evolve into what we know now as the ‘Modern Day Apprenticeship’.

It has been estimated that there are more than 1,500 occupations that cover over 170 industries using apprenticeships.

Hence, why deciding to go down the apprenticeship route can be a great way to get ahead.

Apprenticeships not only cover entry level training within a desired industry, but also offer training all the way though to degree, higher and advanced level. Therefore, in many instances the educational part will take place at universities and provides the opportunity to work in different locations and comes with the ability for career progressions.

There are many companies that offer their own apprenticeship program and they are really seeing the value of this initiative. One industry that is really embracing the apprenticeship route is

IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE MORE THAN 1,500 OCCUPATIONS THAT COVER OVER 170 INDUSTRIES USING APPRENTICESHIPS.

the construction industry. In addition, with the government ‘Build Initiative’ to kickstart the economy from the effects of the pandemic, an apprenticeship program via a construction company could be an alternative option for people looking to enter a new industry.

Apprenticeships are beneficial to both parties, employers are seeing a boost

productivity and by the end of the training to have a ready qualified, experienced individual that is familiar with the business and ready to employ is advantageous.

If you wish to take the apprenticeship path it is by no means the ‘easy’ route, becoming an apprentice is still a very difficult task, you are working fulltime (in some instances) and studying which does require commitment, being focused and dedicated to successfully complete the programme. However, you are rewarded with a qualification and first-hand experience, which makes you an ideal candidate for recruiters and getting your foot through the door with other companies within the industry.

TACKLING THE SKILLS GAP As many BITA members will know, especially those in construction and related industries, there is not only a massive labour shortage, but a worsening skills gap.

There are many reasons for this, including Brexit impact on foreign labour, the push to move students into university rather than skills training and apprenticeships, and a lack of perceived career or earning potential.

Working with training providers, making use of the apprenticeship leavy or accessing some of the funding mentioned in this article, can be a great way to set up your labour and skilled workforce for years to come. A further incentive is that if you invest in your employees with training, skills and qualifications, they are more likely to be loyal and feel valued at your company.

BITA is working with our members, sponsors and supporters to discuss these issues facing the industry and develop initiatives and make connections to help combat this issue. Let Paul Whitnell know if you would like to know more or get involved!

www.bita.ie

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We love taking on projects that help the environment and create a sustainable source. Our recent project at Acton aimed to create a sustainable energy source by replacing the requirement for a large amount of energy from the grid with energy generated on site from solar panels along both roofs. They have passed the testing phase and are good to go, they also look magnificent! (picture, right).

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BITAx

BITAx is the chapter of BITA aimed at helping younger members with Education, Experience and Expertise. We were founded in 2017 and have been expanding since with new members and informative events.

Before the plague, we were meeting every month at the Steel Yard at Cannon Street, and since we went virtual, we have hosted a steady stream of events featuring incredible young people who have been extraordinarily willing to share their hard-won life lessons and experiences with our audience.

We’ve had an exclusive live interview with Dean Kelly, who holds the record for fastest zero to exit sale of a recruitment company, exiting for an 8-figure sum

amount of time, I’m sure you’ll agree!

Following that, some commercial companies require an additional 5,000 hours of training which, timed with the arrival of Covid, made it difficult for him to find a job.

‘I was naive enough initially to send out my CV with an email, and I realised that this wasn’t a strategy that would work – especially when going up against 90,000 unemployed pilots, who had many thousands of hours flying experience.’

Seth realised that he needed to use what he had to stand out. ‘I started attaching covering letters, newspaper articles and online pieces that had been written about me as the youngest qualifying pilot, and

FLYING HIGH Peter Vanspall, Chair of BITAx, talks to Seth Vanbeek about the power of perseverance

in less than 3 years at 30 years old, and spoken to entrepreneurs about the best time to start a business.

Most recently I was pleased to be able to speak with Seth Vanbeek and interview him live at a BITAx online event. Seth was the UK’s youngest qualified commercial pilot when he qualified at 18 years old, and we spoke about how persistence was key to achieving his goals.

Talking to someone who has achieved so much and strived to achieve their dreams at such a young age was inspiring.

As Seth told us, to get qualified you need to pass an 18 – 24-month long course, consisting of 830 hours of theory and 250 hours of flying. Which is a reassuring

even then, it wasn’t working and around 90% weren’t getting back to me.’

This is when Seth realised the importance of relationship building and networking. He went to LinkedIn and started connecting with heads of recruitment companies and people who hired in the companies he wanted to work for and started messaging them to build a relationship.

As we at BITA know, relationships are key and as Paul Whitnell often says – ‘People do business with people.’

Seth even started looking for the CEOs of companies and sending them messages; ‘Most of them didn’t reply, and it’s tough because you can see when they’ve read

your message, but it’s expected, and you just need to keep pushing.’

In the face of such a difficult start after all the work he had done, and the challenges of trying to get hired as a pilot when the air travel industry has been decimated, it’s doubly impressive that he continued. ‘All I needed was one person to respond, and to agree to talk to me on the phone so I could explain my vision’ elaborated Seth.

Even though there were less demand for commercial flights, corporate aviation saw a lift, with many high net-worth individuals taking to the sky in smaller, luxury, corporate planes. It was here that Seth found his foothold.

‘I started making phone calls to corporate aviation companies after looking up their CEOs, and asking to be put through to them, or getting their email addresses. But at least at this point I know I’m speaking to a specific person, rather than a generic email address.’ This is what paid off for Seth eventually.

‘It’s about perseverance’ says Seth.

‘I managed to connect with one of the people hiring, and I just kept checking in, saying hello, and he called me one Friday morning and told me that there was an opportunity if I wanted it.’

Seth doesn’t feel like he has started his journey yet and still has a lot to achieve. He is from an underprivileged background and was raised by a single mum; he wants to inspire people and show them that with hard work and perseverance, people have a real shot at achieving their goals.

His next goal is to break the record for youngest captain of a commercial aircraft and has plans to set up foundations, to help others gain access to the opportunities that he had to work hard to create. We wish him the best of luck and certainly found ourselves inspired.

The video recording of this interview is on the resources section of the bita.ie website

11

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

NEGOTIATIONS David Daly from HD Construction Solutions discusses Final accounts and without prejudice negotiations

The JCT standard forms of contract contain provisions for assessing final accounts stipulating timeframes for issuing and disputing final account assessments. Failure to comply with these timeframes can lead to potentially disastrous consequences. Where final accounts contain disputed sums, it is common to find that without prejudice (“WP”) discussions are held in parallel with the parties seeking to resolve their differences amicably.

This article examines the potential pitfalls of this approach where one party is unaware of the potentially draconian consequences of failing to dispute a final account issued by an employer or contractor. Whilst applicable to contractors, it is especially aimed at subcontractors who we have found fall foul of this issue more often.

Introduction We have seen a number of recent enquiries from specialist sub-contractors employed under JCT Design and Build Sub-Contracts (“JCT DB SC”) in relation to WP discussions and final accounts.

These queries centre around negotiations with employing contractors on a WP basis but remain unagreed. If however, a contractor issues its assessment of the sub-contractor’s final account on an open basis during WP discussions, what should a sub-contractor do? Would failing to respond result in the contactor’s assessment being deemed as final?

What is a WP discussion?

This is a confidential exchange between parties that can be either written or oral where they participate in negotiations to amicably resolve a dispute. Exchanges are usually marked ‘Without prejudice’ to avoid potential arguments in future on what was and was not a WP exchange.

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WP discussions allow the parties to make offers to one another in the knowledge that these discussions will not be admissible in future proceedings unless both parties agree otherwise. WP discussions encourage parties to seek settlement of disputes thus avoiding formal dispute resolution methods.

Sub-contractors need to be aware that WP discussions do not negate a contractor’s entitlement to issue a final account assessment under the subcontract on an open basis i.e. fully admissible in proceedings.

Final accounts Standard form contracts/subcontracts often (but not always) contain provisions that enable employers/contractors to start the final account process. They provide specific timeframes within which this process must be undertaken in order to prevent accounts being left inconclusive such as clause 4.26 of the JCT Standard Building Contract 2016 and clause 4.24 of the JCT Design and Build Contract 2016.

For JCT Design and Build Sub-Contracts, the procedure is set out in clause 4.6.1-4 (2011) and clause 4.21.1-4 (2016).

Clause 4.21.1-3 of JCT DB SC 2016 sets out the timeframes within which a sub-contractor should issue its final account submission and supporting information, together with the contractor’s response. Especially important to note is that clause 4.21.4 states the following: “If nothing in the statement sent by the Contractor…is disputed in writing by the Sub-Contractor… within one month of submission of the statement to the SubContractor, the Final Sub-Contract Sum shall be deemed to have taken into account all adjustments required by these Conditions.”

Sub-contractors need to be wary of situations like these – is the assessment issued by a contractor similar or different to that of the WP discussions? Does the assessment contain amounts due to the sub-contractor or does it now state that the contractor is due a payment from the sub-contractor? If you receive a final account assessment from a contractor during WP discussions that you do not agree with, it is essential that you dispute this assessment within the period stated in your contract. If you do not, you could find yourself time barred from later bringing a claim to dispute this assessment. What you might think is a WP discussion for a positive payment could end up leaving you seriously out of pocket if you fall foul of the stipulated timeframe.

Practical tips • If you intend for your exchange to be WP, then clearly mark it ‘Without prejudice’ to avoid any doubt • If during WP discussions you intend for an exchange to be open, then make this clear • Be aware that even if in WP discussions, there is nothing preventing the other side from issuing open correspondence like a final account assessment – be aware to this and do not be out manoeuvred • Always, always comply with any time bar provisions related to the final account (and anywhere else in the contact for that matter) – you do not necessarily need to provide full particulars at that time but not responding is likely to be fatal to your position • If in doubt, always seek advice in good time.

Disclaimer: this content is provided free of charge for information purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. No responsibility for the accuracy and/or correctness of the information and commentary set out in the article, or for any consequences of relying on it, is assumed or accepted by HD Construction Solutions Ltd.

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COMMUNITY

MEMBER SUPPORT WE HAVE CREATED VALUABLE SUPPORT ACROSS A RANGE OF AREAS TO SUPPORT OUR MEMBERS

G THE NEW HR HUB IS A VALUABLE AND MUCH-NEEDED RESOURCE THAT OUR MEMBERS CAN TURN TO AGAIN AND AGAIN.

rabbing an opportunity with both hands we have been working hard over the past year to provide you with some valuable resources to help you to grow and prosper!

As we were not able to host face to face events, we have been holding regular consultations with members, board members and sponsors, where we discussed new ways that BITA can support our community. We then spent 2020 and 2021 developing these ideas and working hard to support the growth of our incredible business community.

By teaming up with innovative and dedicated members and supporters of BITA, we have developed a new area of our website: Business Support. Instead of resources being spread across the website, we have condensed them into one easyto-access area and created new sections where we can offer materials, resources and access to help make managing your business as smooth as possible.

In our Business Support Section, you will find our innovative HR Hub, Mentor/Specialist Hub, Procurement Hub, Resources Hub, Training Hub and we will soon be adding a Wellbeing Hub.

COMMUNITY

HR Hub This wonderful resource has got us quite excited! We did a soft launch at the end of June 2021, and by now we are positive that you have all checked your emails and signed into the website. For those that haven’t, what are you waiting for?

BITA members and HR specialists, Practical HR, have developed an outstanding HR site for our members and stocked it full of everything you need to manage your teams. From template application forms and every employment policy you could wish for, to helpful tips on how to deal with performance issues, the BITA HR Hub is there to support your and your HR department (if you have one).

Members of BITA can access around 40% of the resources as part of their BITA membership. Should you want to extend this, you can take advantage pf BITA+ membership for a small extra cost which will provide you with total access for you and your company for the life of your BITA membership.

Policies on sickness, how to conduct interviews, pregnancy policies, redundancy procedures and much more are all available to download from this site, many included in the standard BITA membership. This is a valuable and much-needed resource that our members can turn to again and again during their periods of recovery and growth.

Mentor/Specialist Hub Last year BITA created an online portal that offers access to mentors and specialists. So far, we have had 26 members and board members volunteer their time on this platform, with more coming forward all the time.

Initially aimed at members of BITAx, this is an excellent resource for all our members, and we encourage you to take a look at the expertise and experience on offer.

As the title indicates, this is also where you can find specialists in a broad range of subjects. Whereas a mentor will be on hand to develop meaningful relationships over time, our specialists are experts in their fields and are available to answer one off questions or have quick conversations about their specialism.

Want to ask a recruitment question? Bridie Cunningham is on hand to help with her mobile number and email address. Or if you have a confidence conundrum, Will Polston may be able to offer some insight. From logistics to finance, we have a wide range of specialists that have volunteered to help our members, for free. Make use of this incredible resource!

Procurement Hub BITA’s Procurement Hub is a powerful opportunity for our members to work with new clients, suppliers and collaborators. You will see that businesses can post an opportunity or advertise a service, and we recommend that you keep up to date, with many only appearing for a limited time.

Whether you want to put a job out for tender, attract new suppliers or job applicants, or want to promote your service, this is an excellent resource that connects suppliers with buyers.

Resources Hub The resources area is where you will find useful videos, downloadable PDFs and more that will help you manage your business plans. There is a wide variety available, from tips for effective presentations, to legal updates, financial reviews and more.

If there is a resource that your business needs, that can’t be found here or in any of our other Hubs, please contact Laura@btia.ie directly, who will do her best to source the right resources for you.

Training Hub Working with MyKademy, we have set up the BITA Training Hub that offers both pre-recorded and live training. The pre-recorded videos cover a range of topics, from ROSPA certified electrical safety and working at heights, to GDPR and HS1 construction.

From only £30 per course, the BITA Training Hub can connect you and your staff with experts that will help them learn and develop. The ROSPA certified courses and HS1 Construction are excellent resources for our construction members, but there are also courses on wellbeing, grief management, GDPR for board members and a lot more.

Wellbeing Hub Our wellbeing hub is currently in development with our specialist members including Life on Time, Wake up with Zest and DBC Health Retreats, with the intention to launch in Q3 of 2021. This hub will be full of excellent resources and contacts to help improve your mental and physical health. It will also provide opportunities for you to help your staff with their wellbeing. You will find here resources, events and more to help you on your journey.

If you aren’t already taking advantage of our existing membership benefits of a free month of online yoga with the Yoga Factory for between 1 and 25 or your staff or access to Wake up with Zest a platform offering an abundance of wellness support throughout the lifetime of your membership, contact Felicity@bita.ie to hear what you’re missing out on! www.bita.ie

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LAURA WATKINS

GLOBAL FORUM

L

ast year, BITA announced the launch of #beplasticaware, an initiative of the Global Forum, to increase awareness of the impact of plastic pollution across the world.

This will be a long-term focus dedicated to galvanising BITA members and communities through charitable action and organisational dedication to plastic reduction. Our participation in the 2021 World Cleanup Day is the next step on our mission to encourage our members to get involved where possible and make a real change for the better.

Following a successful involvement in Beach Cleanup Day in 2020, this year we are working directly with Let’s Do It World, the

A CHANGE

FOR THE BETTER

Talking to Ingird Nielsen about her organisation’s

World Cleanup Day Initiative

WORLD CLEANUP DAY IS ON THE 18TH SEPTEMBER AND BITA IS TAKING PART – GO TO THE EVENTS PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE! organisers of World Cleanup Day, and spoke to their Head of Global Communication, Ingrid Nielsen, about the initiative.

The NGO Let’s Do It World spans 150 countries and was founded as a result of a one-off day of action called Let’s Do It in Estonia in 2008.

Around the mid-2000s, Estonians started to see more issues with illegal dumping and litter, and in 2007, a group of friends decided to get together and spend a day collecting litter and clearing natural sites of illegally dumped waste. It appears this initiative spoke to a lot of Estonians, and the idea caught fire with the general population.

“In a matter of months, a technological solution to map illegal waste was created,” explains Ingrid, “volunteer trash hunters registered trash sites, agreements were reached with municipalities and local governments for removal of the collected trash and on 3rd May 2008, 50,000 Estonians cleaned the whole country up in 4 hours.”

A story like that was too good not to promote, and by 2012 nearly 100 countries were implementing Cleanups with the same format. In 2018, for the 100th Independence Day of Estonia, 157 countries participated in the first ever World Cleanup day.

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“There was this world-wide movement,” says Ingrid, “17.6 million people participated that year, with wave of green Cleanups starting in New Zealand and ending in Hawaii. Tonnes of litter and trash were collected, and in 2019 the numbers were even higher, with 21.2 million people taking part.”

The threshold for change in a population is when 5% of that population gets involved or engaged with an initiative or idea, and in some of the 157 nations that take part, that magic 5% has not yet been reached. Over the next few years, Let’s Do It World will be focussing their efforts on increasing in-nation participation, and where BITA feels that we can help, buy encouraging participation from ourselves, families and members.

Due to restrictions in 2020, there were limited organised Cleanups, and the participation number fell more than 50% to 11 million. However, Ingrid says that she was amazed to see a swell of more grass-roots support. “There were images all over social media of people taking the initiative and going out alone, or with their families and just collecting bags of trash and making a difference just to their local areas. It was marvellous to see!”

It can be difficult in the face of a relentless barrage of depressing headlines to think you can make a difference alone, but of course that is not true. We can all make decisions that impact the world around us, whether deciding to follow the Leeds example (see page X) of making one more journey a week by foot or bike or choosing to buy from a local greengrocer that doesn’t wrap their produce in plastic. Ingrid agrees.

“Do something every day that makes the world kinder to the environment. Start small and simple, but don’t stop, be curious, and don’t be scared to change. And of course, send your elected representative an email asking for a commitment to a greener world and concrete steps to achieve it.”

Leaving the last words to Ingrid, I asked what she would say to anyone who is considering participation this year, “Let’s beat trash blindness in 2021! Grab gloves and a trash bag and pick up trash on a walk, on your way to the market, in the park, on a beach, at a riverside, behind your house, or anywhere! Do a cleanup alone, or in a group! Let’s change the world for good.”

Tara Dixon, Independent Financial Advisor at BKD, discusses funding retirement via your company

N

early all of us have plans for what we would like to do when we retire. Most of us know when we would like to retire. Some of us even have a vague idea how much we would like to have as an income in retirement. Few of us have done anything about it.

The question, as to how much money do I need to retire, is commonly answered with another question; How do I want to spend my time in retirement?

Whatever vision of a comfortable lifestyle in retirement you have, it will come at a cost, which, the full state pension will not cover at £175.20 a week. Therefore, taking advice as to how to put together that retirement pot as efficiently as possible makes sense. For most business owners one of the last things on their minds when building the business is how they will pay for their

O’CONNOR CONTRACTS LTD

O’Connor Contracts is a construction company that offers first and second fix carpentry; timber frame and roofing carpentry, external roof and wall finishes and bespoke joinery. O’Connor’s experienced workforce and supply chain allows us to provide a wide range of services on a supply and install basis whilst operating nationwide throughout numerous key market sectors such as residential, commercial, hospitality and assisted living.

O’Connor was formerly known as Keane O’Connor, which was establish back in 2015 as a partnership between Thomas O’Connor and Brian Keane. Following Brian’s return to Ireland, Thomas acquired control of the company in 2018 and has since

retirement. They are far too focused on “the day job” with all effort and funds being channelled into developing the company.

To quote Alexander Pope “swiftly fly the years” and the business is doing well and suddenly the prospect of taking it easier and retiring is very appealing. How will it be paid for?

For some, the answer will possibly be to sell their successful business. But what if you want to pass it on to the next generation? What if the successful business is really you, if you try to sell the business without you, what is its value to someone else?

Risk warnings: • The value of investments may go down as well as up, and you may not get back the amount invested.

• Levels of income from investments may fluctuate.

• The information contained within this article does not constitute advice, individual personal advice should be sought.

To have an informal chat about how you can use your company to fund your retirement, please call Tara Dixon on 075 4164 4492 or email tarad@bkdfinancial.net

continued to grow the company and their offering.

O’Connor Contracts recent surge in growth demanded an expansion which subsequently promoted the implementation of a strategic plan to rebrand and reconstruct the company on multiple facets. The untethering of Keane from O’Connor with the full overhaul on branding, reinforced and solidified the company’s increasing presence within the industry.

Behind every successful business is a team of dedicated staff. Thomas O’Connor (Managing Director) has been leading the team for over 5 years, working directly with his Commercial Lead Daryl Evans and Senior Site Management Team Vincent Walsh, Daniel Cronin & Niall O’Driscoll.

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“At O’Connor, we are dedicated in providing quality construction, technical and management services to our clientele. We take pride in our work and it is reflected through our numerous successfully completed projects. The pillars that underpin our company are: Integrity & Trust, Client-orientated, Innovation, Collaboration, Excellence & Quality and Delivery.”

Thomas O’Connor “Our strategic business plan is to grow organically within the capacity of our highly skilled workforce and reputable supply chain. We aim to achieve longevity within the construction industry by establishing a foundation which cultivates high standards and precedence, functioning at the forefront of the construction industry.” Daryl Evans

Website – www.oconnorltd.co.uk

www.bita.ie

17

ALEX LUKETA

TECHNOLOGY

WELCOME TO THE MACHINE WHAT CAN MACHINE-LEARNING DO FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

T

he revolution in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) over the last decade has seen headlines such as DeepMind’s AlphaGo beating a world-master Go player and the arrival of self-driving vehicles. There have also been impressive impacts on everyday life, such as improved shopping recommendations or targeted advertising. Some have expressed fears of advanced AIs taking over our jobs. But while the impact on our lives will be dramatic, in the shortterm technology will augment workers rather than replace them. Demystifying the ideas behind AI/ML shows how embracing it can positively impact and enable your business.

ML is a branch of AI, working with small or large datasets to train a model to make a prediction about something (a house price, based on size and location) or classify something (is an email spam or not). Data preparation is the first step to train a model. This involves removal of errors, enriching the data with other sources, and identifying features for training. Features might be numerical (e.g. raw sensor values) or categorical values (e.g. weekday or weather). In spreadsheet terms, features are columns, and training data are rows.

Once you have the training data, the model is trained by supervised or unsupervised learning. In supervised learning, each instance of data is labelled with the actual prediction or classification, often manually. Labelled data is fed into the model, and the prediction accuracy is assessed. Training takes several iterations with the model evaluated against a validation dataset to enhance the performance. A trained model is used to predict or classify new, never-before-seen un-labelled data.

In unsupervised learning, training data is not labelled and is fed into the model using just the features. Clustering algorithms are a popular type of unsupervised learning – they group unlabelled data into clusters with similar features.

Unsupervised learning algorithms can power systems that classify and group documents or financial systems that predict fraud, as fraudulent transactions are often outliers to clusters of nonfraudulent transactions.

Now we know some basics about ML,

what about tangible business value?

Predicting Sales Cycles: Sales cycles that revolve around anything more complicated than seasons or the weather can be hard to predict. ML enables more accurate predictions of complex cycles by utilising public or proprietary data. A retail business such as a bakery can use this data to match production with expected demand, cutting wastage and reducing cost.

Predicting Equipment Failures: Many companies have IoT sensor data. Rail maintenance companies, for example, can use their infrastructure sensor data to predict failures, improving reliability and reducing maintenance cost.

Visually Identifying Materials and Defects: Computer vision advances mean that models can be trained for previously impossible tasks for computers. e.g. spotting defects in the manufacturing process or identifying materials within the built environment.

Document Classification and Summarisation: Many organisations have numerous documents, but it can be challenging to find information. Search engines help, but by using supervised and unsupervised learning classification models, documents can be grouped together for more effective organisation.

Additionally, ML can be used to summarise documents, reducing the time and cost of managing and finding information.

Fraud Prevention: Unsupervised learning can spot fraudulent transactions, often classified as outliers compared to legitimate transactions. A similar approach applied in manufacturing can identify product defects or find items that do not conform to a required quality or standard.

The field of AI/ML is exciting, with significant potential. One day we may converse with intelligent automatons driving us around and doing our jobs, but we are not (entirely) there yet. I hope this article demonstrates the potential for ML to make a positive impact on your business today, even if your business is not Google as these algorithms are often free and open source. The hard part is putting an ML hat on, getting the data together in the right place, in the correct format, and asking the right questions.

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IN PRINT AND ONLINE Contact Paul Mirage to be in the next issue... paul@businessconnectpublishing.co.uk • 07708 987518 @gmbizconnect

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Asset Training is one of the leading private Training Providers in the North West. We specialise in the delivery of industry-recognised Apprenticeship standards across a range of sectors including Leadership and Management, Accountancy, Digital Marketing and many more, all programmes can be tailored to meet the needs of the employer and the candidates.

A

sset staff are passionate, experienced and learner focused and we will do all we can to help learners, employers and organisations by providing quality delivery and utilising technology in delivery and assessment. We are proud of our latest Ofsted inspection which took place in February 2016 and we retained an overall grade of ‘Good’ achieving ‘Good’ in all aspects.

“Learners develop a wide range of good practical, personal and employability skills, which are recognised and valued by employers” (Ofsted Report – Feb 2016).

Asset Training is celebrating its 25th birthday this year, which is a massive achievement that all the staff, stakeholders and board are excited to celebrate in the summer. A word from our Managing Director Ruth Smith on this, “I have been with the business for the 25 years that it has existed, which is a very long time in the world of private training providers. I have seen the many challenges the training industry has faced, one of the biggest ones being the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Asset Training has had to adapt and overcome the challenges faced by the

For Employers We provide comprehensive information and advice to help you get the most out of your employees, including; • The different training options available.

• The most appropriate development programmes to meet your business needs.

• Regular progress updates throughout each programme.

• Regular opportunities to discuss and feedback on all aspects of the programmes.

• Most importantly we find out what you want, we listen to your needs, and then we DELIVER.

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pandemic, as an educational institute we had a duty of care to our learners and we remained open throughout all of the lockdowns to give our learners the support that they needed. We had to bring ourselves up to date with technology quickly in order to keep in touch with our learners, so we had to adopt a remote delivery approach and learners were seen via Teams or Zoom and set learning our short course portal that has 100’s of short courses for added value for our learners. Our learning platform is now accessible across the world, with the 100’s of courses across a wide range of sectors meaning our employers can buy just short standalone courses for their staff, without the need for a full Apprenticeship.

We realised that online presence was going to be massive for employers in this new world of online delivery, so we decided to expand our Apprenticeship delivery into Digital Marketing and we start to deliver Junior Content Producer Apprenticeships. We practice what we preach and realised that Asset Training’s social media and online presence needed a face-lift, so we decided to recruit our own Junior Content Apprentice who joined the Business Development team in October 2020 and has been working tirelessly on our website and social media presence.

Asset have built a solid network of like-minded providers of education across England and Scotland which allows us to be the one-stop shop for all BITA members when it comes to training and recruitment. If we are unable to deliver to your needs, we are able to point you in the direction of another trustworthy provider or college who can and will deliver the same quality you would expect from Asset Training.

For Learners We offer valuable support to help you; • Identify opportunities open to you.

• Understand more about yourself and what you are capable of.

• Consider the implications of your chosen options.

• Plan the path towards your chosen goal.

• Identify ways to overcome any barriers that may be in your way.

• Plan your next step before you finish.

21

COMMUNITY

I

t is an exciting time to be appointed London Chair after a very unique year.

I am looking forward to the challenges ahead as we start to meet in person (fingers crossed) and hope to meet some of you at our first post-pandemic London Construction Lunch.

BITA’s strength has always been networking and in-person events, so the

of the working day. Many of our members, particularly those in construction, have been pleasantly surprised at how useful they have found the event, so much so that they have requested we continue it post lockdown as it is a great use of time.

Outside of BITA I am the Co-Founder of Portman Scott, a search and recruitment business. We specialise in senior hires

LONDON CALLING Bridie Cunningham, new chair of the London Chapter, looks forward to an exciting year ahead

last 16 months have been particularly challenging in maintaining contact with our 200 plus London members. Thankfully, we were able to use technology to plug the gap and one of our big successes has been our Friday Morning networking hour.

Using Remo, a relatively new but easy to use platform, we have been able to create a weekly gathering of members, in a setting similar to meeting in a pub or café (without the beer)! Some weeks we have had almost 50 members attending, “moving around” the virtual room or not (their choice) and having a chat with other members. New connections have been made, with some leading to work now or in the future and some just being good for the soul - and all done in one hour at 8am on a Friday at the beginning

FORMING NEW RELATIONSHIPS IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. from Board to Manager level. As you would expect, various lockdowns gave us some challenges, including the question would anyone ever hire anyone again!

Whilst some sectors were dramatically affected, others saw growth, the challenge was - how do we hire when no one could meet in person? Culture and attitude are two major factors when hiring. Statistics

demonstrate that when people are happy in a role they will not only stay in that role but overachieve, reducing staff turnover and saving time and money.

We have our own unique technology “Next Generation Search” (NGS) which gives clients the confidence to understand the values and motivations of the candidate as well as how that candidate matches with the values and culture of their organisation. Using world recognised behaviour assessment methodology we are able to measure candidate performance against the role they are currently in and how they would perform in our client organisation. This coupled with all the traditional methods of search and interviewing ensure both our clients and candidates remain better informed when making decisions.

Technology, as we all know, is no substitute for skill and experience in hiring. It can however provide a useful tool in giving a more science-based insight into the person you are hiring and with a 96% success rate in people staying in post more than 12 months, it works. It has enabled our clients to be confident in their hires during lockdown and we will use NGS to continue to support our clients as we, and they, continue to grow.

We have learnt a lot over Lockdown and will continue to use the technology available to complement the other planned events and services available.

Going forward, whether it be through technology or in person, please take some time to come and have a chat with myself and/or the other members of the London Board. All our details are on the London Chapter page on BITA website.

Bridie Cunningham can be contacted directly to discuss the London Chapter of BITA, or your recruitment needs, at Tel: 07932 585601 or Email: b.cunningham@portmanscott.com

22

PLANNING LONG-TERM Paul Whitnell looks at pressing issues, and how BITA can help www.bita.ie

Although we were initially founded to provide opportunities for businesspeople to meet and network, hopefully – having seen our newsletters, updates and other articles in this magazine – you will also know that we now offer much more.

We have our excellent members’ support area with HR Hub (see page 14), our powerful CRM, which allows us to be more proactive when making introductions, and much more besides. I felt that now is the time to decide where the focus of BITA should lie for the next five years, so we can best serve our members and wider business community.

Encouraging Manufacturing This is of pressing importance, as I’m sure many of you know. Lack of manufacturing in the UK, Brexit, and covid impact on labour and materials have all caused massive chokepoints in the supply line. We want to work with councils, government and businesses to encourage more manufacturing and innovation in the UK. Labour Supply and Skills Challenge We are putting together a focus group from our members and supporters to tackle this issue and develop actionable solutions to the problem.

Increase Engagement for a Sustainable Industry Our Global Forum has the commitment of individuals and organisations across the world, to find and encourage sustainable solutions to the pollution problem plaguing the construction, and other, industries. We have a big event on the 18th September with our involvement in ‘World Cleanup Day’, visit our website to sign up.

Encourage and Support Innovation None of the above are possible without innovation. We are working on creating a focus group that will be considering funding for innovation, and guidance for those that need it. We are working with supporters to find innovative solutions to pressing issues, in unexpected places.

We are a membership organisation that is run to help you with your businesses – whether it’s with business or personal growth, considering sustainable options, trying new things, whether you have a suggestion or need help; we want you to get involved. If you would like to know more, I invite you to connect with me so we can discuss how you might like to get involved.

PEOPLE WHO KNOW PEOPLE THAT HELP PEOPLE

UCL Student Centre

Back to Work Covid-19 Working Practices Video

www.jcoffey.co.uk

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23

SECTION DESIGN

THE SKY’S

THE LIMIT Talking to Ballymore about breaking new ground

to stay true to an artist’s impression. We really wanted to create something that would capture people’s imaginations” However, after the long years spent trying to make the pool into a reality, the firm had success in September last year (2020).

Due to the highly specialist nature of the materials and demands that would be placed on them, a specialist manufacturer was appointed in Colorado called Reynolds Polymer, where they had to undertake rigorous, hydrostatic testing. After this, the pool travelled 1,000 miles to Galveston, Texas, before making its three-week journey across the Atlantic Ocean to Antwerp, Belgium.

From there, the pool was transferred to London Gateway and then travelled across the River Thames to Albert Embankment overnight, before reaching its final home at Embassy Gardens.

“It’s wonderful as a developer to be working with so many excellent businesses and individuals” explains Peter McCall, “the architects, artists, engineers, specialist manufacturer testing facilities and logistics companies all played a truly crucial role to get this project to completion. It’s always worth the long hours when a project on this scale, with such unique and breath-taking elements, is finished.”

The rooftop on either side of this crystal-clear pool that appears to float in the air, is home to the Sky Deck, a double terrace incorporating a bar and restaurant serviced by onsite Darby’s restaurant. This will be furnished with loungers where

S

uspended 35m in the air, the Sky Pool has captured imaginations across London and beyond.

Thanks to recent developments in materials technology, many ideas that would have been impossible to execute only a few years ago, now offer a multitude of dizzying opportunities. The Sky Pool is the most recent example of this and is all the more spectacular for being so aesthetically pleasing.

Filled with 148,000 litres of water, the Sky Pool spans 15 metres, is 10 stories high and connects two apartment buildings (a world first) to allow residents to swim between them. Given the unpredictable nature of UK weather, it seems serendipitous that the opening of the pool coincided with the hottest weather of the year so far.

It’s no surprise then, that when the population was boiling, the images of the gravity-defying Sky Pool captured imaginations and inspired many articles and features in the press and on social media.

We have been speaking to BITA sponsors, Ballymore, about the project, and what it took to get it across the finish line.

Peter McCall, UK Construction Director at Ballymore said; “The structural engineering firm who developed the pool, Eckersley O’Callaghan, spent seven years developing it and trying

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residents can enjoy the views and the food, whilst whiling away the hours during their staycations.

For those who forgot their costumes that want to reach the other tower, Ballymore has kindly constructed a parallel footbridge.

The Sky Pool forms the jewel in the crown of the Embassy Gardens development in Nine Elms, London, a mixed-use development developed by EcoWorld Ballymore that has spearheaded the vital extension of the South Bank.

The development is one of Europe’s most significant regeneration projects.

Wrapping around the US Embassy, the towers offer stunning and airy apartments in a riverside neighbourhood that spans 8 hectares, providing over 1,500 new homes. To make sure that the residents have something to do, Ballymore have also developed world-class amenities to service the residents, as well as retail and office space, and provisions for cafés, bars and restaurants.

“We really wanted this to serve as a highlight in our portfolio, and we had a vision to deliver on the incredible potential offered by this

site.” Peter continues; “We have been able, with the expertise and dedication of our contractors, to transform this formerly derelict site into a dynamic hub that offers a 24-hour lifestyle to residents to live, work and socialise.

“It’s only walking distance from key public transportation hubs, which reduces the need for private vehicles, and will be further connected by the extension of the Northern Line. We are very pleased to have worked on such an incredible project that is really transformative for the area.”

It would be disingenuous not to mention the muchdiscussed rules that don’t allow residents in the social housing portion of the development to access many of the facilities, however as our readers in construction will know, and as Peter explains, the managers of the affordable housing organisation, Peabody and Optivo, have final say in which residents can access which amenities.

Ultimately, Embassy Gardens stands out as a stunning addition to the London skyline, and to the much-needed regeneration of some of the more neglected areas of the city.

Pilgrims will find it well worth visiting for the vertigo-inducing view of people swimming 10 stories above the heads of the passers-by below.

DIGGING DEEPER Spurred on by engineering and materials development, it seems that architects across the world are envisioning increasingly spectacular pools.

Just following the opening of the Sky Pool, the private company Blue Abyss announced their plans to construct the world’s deepest artificial pool in Cornwall – 50 metres deep. Far from being a place that the publica can enjoy, they are intending to offer the pool as an astronaut and deep-sea diver training site, and as a location for filming.

www.bita.ie

27

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NAVIGATING THE RETURN

Richard Hare of Peopletime and the employer perspective of returning to work post-Covid

With restrictions easing and some semblance of normality beginning to return, there are many factors for employers to consider in relation to bringing employees back to the postpandemic workplace. These range from the advice received on specific legal requirements to the multitude of organisational and cultural considerations that will help determine not only the success, but also the ease, with which your employees’ return to your workplace is achieved.

Legally, all employers are required to take steps to reduce the risk of exposure

to COVID-19 in the workplace, and to be able to explain these to their employees.

It is a requirement that employers of 5 or more employees have a written COVID-19 risk assessment; for those employing over 50 staff, this should be published on your website.

Internally, defining and publishing clear policies and procedures will help explain to employees how the now all too familiar measures such as increased hygiene measures, social distancing and protection of the most vulnerable, will be applied in the context of your specific business. It can also help you to position

yourselves in relation to emergent topics such as vaccinations, and give you the chance to consider any legal implications upfront. Do you know how you want to tackle employees who decline to be vaccinated? What about those who believe it is not safe to return to their workplace?

However, it is communication beyond the formal written documentation that will be crucial in creating a positive experience for returning employees. Every individual’s experience of the pandemic will have been different, and while some may be keen to return, others may be highly anxious; particularly if they have been shielding. Providing opportunities for employees to contribute to the development of plans and procedures, as well as to address any individual concerns, will help ensure pragmatic, high quality and workable solutions.

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Call us today on 01280 875220, email info@peopletime.co.uk or visit our website www.peopletime.co.uk

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TO OUTSOURCE YOUR IT OR NOT Mark Williams from Pensar talks about your organisation’s IT function and whether or not to outsource it

M

ost organisations make use of a variety of outsourced services. Long gone are the days when everything was done internally by employed people.

Businesses generally prefer to focus on their core products and services that they offer to their clients.

Invariably this means having production (whatever ‘production’ may entail for the business), a sales team to go out and sell what’s been produced and the smallest admin function that makes sense for the organisation.

This means that functions such as HR, marketing, accounting, customer service (depending on the product), logistics and others are all ripe for being outsourced. As is a business’s IT function.

Many organisations have outsourced their IT function for years. And many more are now doing so as offices are scaled back or let go completely due to Covid. Additionally, the truth is that most businesses’ IT can very easily transition to being fully ‘in the cloud’ so negating the need for expensive in-house infrastructure to be maintained.

Still, the right way of handling IT will depend on several factors particular to your organisation. There can be appropriate occasions for both in-house IT and outsourced IT.

DIFFERENT BUSINESSES REQUIRE DIFFERENT SERVICES, IT’S IMPORTANT TO FIND THE ONE THAT WORKS FOR YOU.

THERE’S ALWAYS THE HYBRID APPROACH TOO This can be the sweet spot for many organisations.

• In-house IT for any jobs that require in-house knowledge.

• Outsourced IT provider for expert advice and a wider variety of benefits.

If you can’t decide which approach is appropriate, why not get the best of both?

When In-House IT Makes Sense 1. If your business would benefit from IT staff being physically in the office - In-house IT is always a short walk away, ideally in a nearby room. If your business relies on complex internal hardware infrastructure, you may need an IT professional to physically attend to an emergency quickly.

2. If your business has its ‘own way of working’ - Similarly, there may be nuances to tasks that only internal people are able to grasp quickly. Your business may be in a particularly complex sector, and you may need to spend months training a new recruit how to handle your data or manage certain tasks.

3. If your business has a culture that you need your team IT to be a part of Company culture is important to many businesses and there may be a need for the IT professional to attend regular meetings and to remain aware of essential company information.

When Outsourcing Your IT Makes Sense 1. If you need to keep costs down - In-house IT staff will require a salary, pension, sick pay and holidays. They also need to be paid regardless of how much, or how little work they have. With outsourced IT support, there are no such issues. You simply pay per month or per project.

2. If you need to remain agile and adaptable - Business needs and challenges can be in flux, especially in the current climate. A start up may be scaling rapidly or a business may be restructuring. Hiring, training, or letting go of IT staff is not an efficient way to meet these challenges. It makes more sense - both financially and operationally - to have an outsourced IT team that can scale as you do.

3. If you require 24/7 assistance (or think you might) - Keeping within a 9 to 5 workday is getting less common. Can you afford to be without IT support when your in-house IT staff clock off at the end of a working day? What if someone’s hard drive fails them during some last minute, late night presentation tweaks?

What if someone needs to find a deleted file over the weekend? What if someone is not able to access their emails? 24/7 support from an outsourced IT provider will assist with problems that may arise at any time of the day or night.

4. If you require specialist knowledge - Say you wanted to undertake a large, complex, and risky task, like a cloud migration. You’d want an expert, well versed in cloud migration challenges. Hiring one is tricky. A true expert in such a matter will be both expensive and rare.Team up with an outsourced IT provider though, and you’ll get access to a pool of specialists in any field you need.

Do bear in mind that getting into any long-term partnership with an outsourced IT provider will require careful thought beforehand.

You need to do proper due diligence to ensure that any prospective partner is going to be reliable and financially sound, as well as having the right technical skills and experience. www.bita.ie

29

LAURA WATKINS

TECHNOLOGY

A

few months ago, Tom Cruise joined the myriad of celebrities on Tik Tok who, deprived of an audience, were uploading videos of themselves in their homes and #keepingitreal.

Cruise did magic tricks; turning a cookie into currency, cleaned the floor, and talked about the

technology. Machine learning modelled the President’s mouth using only 14 hours of footage, which then allowed the developers to put any words into his mouth, resulting in very realistic videos.

Every time a video surfaces, it seems to be even more believable, and the most recent Cruise

CAN YOU BELIEVE

WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU SAW?

Tom Cruise Deepfake top left, Tom Cruise top right, Barack Obama deepfake bottom

importance of exfoliator. Except he didn’t. The videos uploaded to the platform have the account name @deeptomcruise, and they are the work of a very talented visual effects artist.

The account was made to have fun, and to make people aware of what was now possible.

It’s working, and the murky world of deepfake technology is now gaining more attention. Reality has never been more flexible.

Although the Cruise videos have been made with good humour – they are clearly presented as clever fakes and don’t feature the actor doing anything unsavoury – they are the most recent example of how far machine learning has come, and what is possible.

Deepfake is a combination of ‘deep learning’ and ‘fake’, whereby someone combines an existing video or image with someone else’s likeness. This may include acting, clever lighting and direction, but also utilises powerful machine learning and AI to manipulate images and footage to generate believable results.

One of the first, best-known examples is the video of Barak Obama, which was created in 2017, also to increase awareness of the 30

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videos would be incredibly difficult to detect. Even experts have said that only a slight distortion around the pupils give it away.

Unsurprisingly, around 90 - 95% of deepfake videos are porn, and around 90% of them are nonconsensual porn of women. In fact, this technology got started in this arena, with a tech-savvy Reddit user swapping female celebrity faces onto porn videos back in 2017. It wasn’t long before the technology started to be used in a ‘revenge’ capacity, with women finding intimate or violent images of themselves online that they never posed for.

Unlike revenge porn (where someone makes public footage or images that weren’t meant for public sharing), there is no law against faked images or videos and nothing that the police can do. The real issue happens when they look so real that anyone watching them would believe them. How do you explain that the images of you in compromising positions online aren’t actually you?

Hot on the heels of this new technology, was the launch of apps that do the same thing, DeepNude was launched in 2019 which helped users create the videos they wanted with minimal input or knowledge themselves, and there is code that uses AI to remove the clothing of any woman whose image you upload.

When the resultant deepfake images are undetectable from the real thing, is invasion of privacy taking place? Where is the line?

The UK are looking at the laws around online harassment, so hopefully the legal system will soon catch up to the technology available.

Offering almost a limitless potential for misuse, this technology has criminals waking up to the possibilities it offers. Businesses, governments and the public need to take note of the potential dangers it poses and consider how best to tackle this new threat on truth.

Despite the dangers, the technology is currently sitting at the fringes of public awareness (around 80% of the general public are unaware of what deepfake technology is), but it is not difficult to see the potential issues for business, politics and healthcare.

TECHNOLOGY

Given the current vaccine hesitancy across the world, we can all too readily imagine the impact of a faked video of a politician or healthcare worker talking about how vaccines contain microchips, or how shares would react to a video of a politician promising tighter business restrictions. Impacts would be felt long after the video was proven a fake.

It also offers a new avenue for fraud; though the public are aware of scams over traditional communications (email, text, phone), there are millions lost each year as the scammers get ever more sophisticated. What would be the impact of this new technology?

Imagine going online to meet your boss or financial advisor over Zoom. You talk about moving around money, making purchases or investments, and once you finish the meeting you make the discussed transactions. Your actual boss or financial advisor has no idea that you think you’ve spoken to them.

This isn’t as unlikely as you may think.

The first known case involving this technology

happened in 2019, when criminals used machine learning to impersonate the voice of a chief executive at a UK-based energy firm. The CEO of the company thought he was talking to his boss on the phone and was told that he needed to urgently make a payment of £200,000 to a Hungarian supplier. The money was transferred, but when the criminals tried for a second payment later that day, the CEO became suspicious, and it was reported. The £200,000 was swiftly moved to Mexico and was lost in a sea of bank accounts.

It is unknown if this is the first case of its kind, as previous victims may not have reported a crime, or the use of AI may not have been detected. Either way, companies are going to have to get more serious about fraud, cyber-crime and protecting themselves.

In the above scenario, as we’ve seen in the previously mentioned examples of Obama, or Cruise, a machine would only need 14+ hours of footage of the person they are imitating – at awards, press conferences, or even harvested from social media. They can then build a working AI ‘puppet’ of the person that can be manipulated to say whatever the fraudsters want.

PROTECTING YOURSELF We are somewhat behind with detecting this technology; as always, the threat appears before the protection is developed.

REALITY HAS NEVER BEEN MORE FLEXIBLE.

There are software programmes that can detect deepfakes, however these are more useful if, for example, a video of a politician emerged saying something unsavoury. They compare numbers of eye-blinks, unusual head poses and facial expressions, and inconsistencies with face-wrapping.

With the day-to-day operations of a business, unfortunately tackling this tech is more about prevention than detection, and there are steps we can take to mitigate risk: • Make your social media accounts private and only allow people you know to access your videos and images.

• Minimise channels for communications in a company. The CEO above was eventually suspicious in part due to an unknown number being used. Consider using certain lines of communication only, and never deviating from it. That way if a staff member gets a WhatsApp from you, they’ll know something is wrong.

• Drive consistent information distribution.

• Create multiple layers of authorisation.

• Change passwords on communication platforms regularly.

• Organise central monitoring and reporting of attacks and suspicious activity.

• You may want to consider agreeing a password or confirmation from a known phone number, when discussing sensitive information or making financial transactions.

• Talk to a specialist. Each business is different and has different needs. A specialist in cyber security will be able to generate a plan about how to keep you and your business as safe as possible.

Creating truly convincing deepfake videos is currently very time consuming and requires specialist skills, but the threat is coming, if it isn’t here already. It will pay to make your business as unappealing a target as possible.

With the proliferation of ‘fake news’ on the internet, it is already crucial to really question what we read and hear. This new technology makes it essential to carefully consider the information we choose to believe.

www.bita.ie

31

LAURA WATKINS

COMMUNITY

Opening of the Powerday Hooks Boxing Club, August 2018

Image above and right: Paul Whitnell and Ed Crossan visiting the Cricklewood Boxing Club

POWER OF POSITIVE ACTION

COMMUNITY

O

ur President Paul Whitnell was honoured in June 2021 when he was asked to join the Powerday Foundation as an Ambassador for their incredible work. He was only too pleased to accept, and in mid-June went to visit their Boxing Club in Cricklewood to meet with the staff, volunteers and service users.

We last featured Powerday’s investment in boxing initiatives in issue 2 of this publication, when we wrote about the Powerday Bursary Scheme, their relationship with the Repton Boxing Club, and involvement in the ‘Drop the Knife, Pick Up the Gloves’ project rolled out across London in 2018 in conjunction with the opening of the Powerday Hooks Amateur Boxing Club in Ealing.

The waste management company have been busy since then, developing a plan to expand the existing Cricklewood Boxing Club and grow the number of users by 100%, focusing on increasing participation of less advantaged people from the local community.

Following demand of women and girls to access boxing facilities, they are also accommodating this newer demographic by building ladies changing rooms and facilities.

As you will know from Paul’s welcome this issue (go ahead and read it, we’ll wait!), BITA is focusing strongly on wellbeing for the foreseeable future, and the Powerday Boxing Initiative is an excellent example of how businesses and individuals can help achieve far-ranging social impact.

Boxing is not only a wonderful way to get in shape and stay healthy, it offers myriad benefits for mental health.

Getting a young person engaged in organised sport saves society around £4,800 each year. This is due to savings against truancy, anti-social behaviour, and substance and alcohol abuse. Factoring the 10,000+ participants across London, Powerday are directly helping to save over £4.8 million of public funds annually!

Paul saw this first-hand during his recent visit to the Club. “It is incredible the impact it has on the lives of these young people.” says Paul. “It isn’t really about getting fit, although of course that is often the motivating factor for many of the participants, at least in the beginning. The real benefit is to them as individuals as it encourages them back into education, provides a sense of self belief and the potential of a new future that might not normally be open to them.

Ultimately, this project is about respect. “Every time a young person got into the ring, it was very clear that they had the utmost respect for their coach and opponent, and it was incredible to see so many selfpossessed and driven young people.”

It is not only young people that benefit from the club, as their users range from 8 to 60 years old, and everyone is welcome. As a company that is proud of its working-class roots, Powerday have a long history of investment in more deprived areas of London where people may have otherwise struggled to access sporting opportunities and facilities.

The club has been serving its community for 10 years, and by partnering with Powerday, we expect that they will only continue to grow and help more people. The Powerday Hooks Amateur Boxing Club has achieved incredible successes, winning 37 National Boxing Titles since being founded in 2009, we wish the Boxing Club in Cricklewood the same successes.

“We are delighted to strengthen our already strong ties with BITA by working closely with Paul as an ambassador to the Powerday Foundation.” Says Edward Crossan, CEO of Powerday; “Paul’s involvement will help raise the profile we have already, bringing further support through promoting all our fantastic initiatives throughout BITA and ultimately helping more young Londoners, mentally and physically.”

A NEW

CONTENDER

According to studies, boxing regularly can provide many benefits, including:

• Stress relief and increase production on endorphins

• Encourages socialisation and consistency (as you don’t want to let down sparring partners)

• Helping with mindfulness and allows someone to be solely in the moment

• Teaches strategy and your own resilience • Helps build up self-confidence • Last but not least, it can also help participants manage and overcome anger issues Why not look into joining your local boxing club?

www.bita.ie

33

BUSINESS

CHOOSING THE RIGHT

PARTNER Radek Stejskal, CEO of Adamapp, shares insights to help you find the best tech partner for your needs

I

n a rapidly changing digital world, you can’t be an expert at everything. At some point, you’ll need a tech partner to help you achieve your goals. But how can you be sure you’ve found the best one?

Phone a friend The best place to start is by asking for recommendations from your network. The inside scoop from someone you know and trust can be golden.

However, the chances their company and project have the exact needs and objectives as yours are slim. And even if someone in your network recommends a company, you’ll want to check them out yourself, too. Plus, if your network can’t recommend enough strong contenders to choose from, you’ll need to cast the net wider.

One of the best places to find potential tech partners - and to check reviews of their services - is Clutch.co. It lists more than 150,000 agencies in 500 tech categories and provides independent and verified reviews from real clients.

Platform and industry expertise Be sure to check with your in-house team which platforms and tools your company needs the project to work with. If you need an Android app or a multi-platform Progressive Web App, for example, then a company that has mostly developed in iPhone apps would not give you the best result.

It’s the same for industry expertise. Does the tech partner you’re thinking of using know what your competitors are up to - and therefore understand how to make your offering stand out among the competition?

This kind of knowledge and experience can make the difference between a tech solution that does the job today but falters tomorrow, and one that stands the test of time.

Money matters Everyone wants value for money, but basing a decision on price alone has backfired on all of us at one time or another. Having said that, you’ll know what your budget is, so you can pretty quickly eliminate those wildly outside of your price range. But if the majority of the quotes are significantly higher than expected, it might be worth rethinking your plans.

Communication culture The world of tech is highly diverse, with specialists from across the globe. This gives a brilliant pool of talent to choose from, but it also leads to one of the most fundamental areas of frustration for many companies - communication.

Two key areas to consider here are language and company culture.

Firstly, does the company speak your language - literally? You don’t need the entire team to speak the same language as you, 34

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but it can help enormously if your key contacts are fluent in the same language as you. Using translation tools to discuss complex tech requirements can be difficult and potentially lead to costly mistakes.

Secondly, consider your potential tech partner’s communication culture and how it aligns with yours. Some tech partners will give you regular communication and ensure you feel an integral part of the process every step of the way. Others might just take the brief and head off on their own to develop the project.

For anything apart from the simplest projects, you probably want a tech partner that involves you throughout the process, but how they do that will vary, and you need to determine if their communications approach is the right fit for your company.

Support structure Once your tech partner has provided you with the product, how will they support you going forward? It is almost inevitable that you will need some level of ongoing support, and if they plan to just hand over the final product and vanish, you could soon end up with a tool that is virtually useless.

They should provide this information in their pitch. If they don’t, it should sound alarm bells.

Understandable process You are typically looking for a tech partner because you need expertise that you lack, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t understand the process. If the company can’t explain to you, in simple terms, how they work and how the project will progress in clear and jargon-free language - then you might want to look elsewhere.

After all, if you’re looking for a tech partner, you want someone who will work with you to achieve your goals. And that means bringing you along for the journey.

AdamApp (adamapp.co.uk) has more than a decade of experience providing technology solutions - including apps, websites, bespoke tools and AR - to a wide variety of clients. Email radek.stejskal@adamapp.com to discuss your project.

Thinking about technology for your business?

Our proven 4-stage methodology has successfully brought 423 complex digital projects to life.

Book a free strategy session with radek.stejskal@adamapp.com ADAMAPP brought us a solution for a mobile application that streamlined our requirements in an ever-changing fastpaced market. We needed a flexible solution that was fast, secure and simple to use for our customers across multiple platforms. Without exception, they delivered over and beyond.

TESCO IRELAND

www.adamapp.com

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35

T BACK BUILDING

BETTER

By Eamonn Dolan, Operations Manager at Laing O’Rourke

his past year has seen some sectors forced to close their doors to help the country manage the spread of covid while others have continued; albeit with dramatic adaptions made to the way they operate. Nearly all businesses have had to seriously consider how they will adapt and prepare for returning to normal, and whether there might be improvements to make while they are at it.

The sudden and dramatic change to the way we go to work was completely unprecedented, it is likely that a consequence of covid will be an acceleration in dynamic or different working patterns.

With that significant shift comes a need to adopt technologies and to adapt workplace cultures; every business must recognise shifting sands and make necessary future-proofing investments.

I believe that a large part of this will be around investment in staff development and training, as well as the investment made in technologies that will serve a tangible purpose in driving innovation and productivity. These are the essential areas that will promote growth and success.

My own organisation, Laing O’Rourke is an international engineering and construction company. Throughout covid the UK government called on our sector to continue safely operating, maintaining progress on important social infrastructure, and in recent times has said that the industry made “an invaluable contribution to supporting the economy.”

The ‘Build, Build, Build’ and ‘Build Back Better’ mantras over the past year have emphasised that UK infrastructure is essential – not just because our country needs new hospitals, schools, railways and power supplies, but because the

BOOSTING DATA SKILLS

through professional apprenticeships Research by the UK Government has found that almost a quarter of employees use advanced data skills in their work, yet a shortage of skills in this area is estimated to cost UK businesses £2bn a year.

The engineering and construction sector is awash with big data: yet 96% of this data goes unused in the industry, and 90% of data generated is unstructured.

Proving its commitment to a data-driven culture, Laing O’Rourke has invested in a pioneering Data Academy to improve skills across the entire organisation. Initially, 87 of its people taken from a range of disciplines including engineering, quantity surveying, design management to human capital, IT and finance; ranging from early talent to experienced individuals; will gain skills through data apprenticeships delivered in partnership with Multiverse.

The Data Academy programme delivers best-in-class training in data analysis and over the 18-month programme, the data champions will master data wrangling and analysis techniques as well as covering data science, including an introduction to machine learning.

The move shows a commitment from Laing O’Rourke towards on-the-job training and skills development for its staff. The new skills will drive greater efficiencies in shared functions and create repeatable and scalable processes, where data is used to create certainty and predictability in project delivery for clients.

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Laing O’Rourke saw the decision to invest their apprenticeship levy in the new Data Academy as a vital part of their transformation journey, and a valuable addition to enhancing the experience already held within the organisation.

Euan Blair, CEO and Founder of Multiverse, said: “The fastest growing apprenticeships are in data, tech, and the jobs of the future. We’re incredibly excited to partner with Laing O’Rourke to deliver a Data Academy to their team based on intensive coaching and an applied learning experience. Data is at the heart of their operation and a vital part of the modern construction industry - this data academy will help the company embed these skills across their workforce and provide incredible opportunities for those looking to reskill.”

Amy Lindsay, Chief Data Officer at Laing O’Rourke said: “The amount of data that will be flowing through construction sites in years to come will be ever growing with new technologies and sensors; drones, IoT, computer vision, etc.; with greater connectivity between actors -design partners, supply chain, local communities. The untapped potential is huge and the horizon for data analytics limitless.

“Investing in our people to diversify our skill sets and nurture new talent streams ahead of the curve is the best decision that we can make.”

BUSINESS

THE ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT COMES WITH LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS IS ESSENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND THE NATION’S FUTURE PROSPERITY.

economic growth that comes with such large-scale projects is essential for our economic recovery and the nation’s future prosperity.

Complex engineering projects need to attract, retain and develop a diverse cohort of skilled personnel to bring them to fruition. And those people need to be empowered to spearhead the modernisation and reform required of the construction industry to ensure it remains sustainable.

Training and development in areas of digital literacy, digital technology and data interpretation will support productivity, efficiency and quality of delivery and furthermore, will help in the attraction, retention and inspiration of new generations of talent for our sector. This push to secure the next generation of skilled workers is business-critical and it’s fundamental in driving change and increasing the pace of modernisation.

At Laing O’Rourke we have sought to attract people with diverse skills and career experience from industries one may not immediately associate with construction and engineering. We have found that skills learned in industries such as gaming – immersive technology, app building and augmented reality can be easily transferred to a digital engineering environment, and that convergence of industry knowledge brings great value in our drive for innovation and change.

Equally important to attracting new talent is the commitment to improving the skills of an existing staff base and in this regard, we have recently shaped a new professional data apprenticeship, giving an initial cohort of 87 colleagues the opportunity to train in data capabilities (see box out). It is an investment that we see as critical to the positive transformation of our business and to the sector.

Of course, focusing on technical skills and capabilities is but one element of investment.

The construction industry remains a predominantly male environment and we are missing out on talented female, ethnic minority and LGBT candidates. In relation to gender, the campaign group WISE points to the fact that women account for just over 10% of engineering professional occupations. While the figures are growing, diversity remains unacceptably low in our sector.

In April of this year, Laing O’Rourke announced far-reaching sustainability targets, including a commitment to achieving equal numbers of men and women among our 5,500 global staff by 2033, with additional plans to increase the number of people from different under-represented groups. We see this ambitious investment in diversity as a key strand of our business’ mission to be the recognised leader for innovation and excellence.

As we emerge from covid and transition into whatever a new normal might become, investing in new technologies, committing to developing the skills of your people and to shaping a more diverse employment base is going to remain fundamental in future proofing any business.

37

GETTING PROTECTION

O

ne look at the latest figures on cyber-crime is enough to scare even the most confident of business owners. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) identified that almost half of UK businesses suffered a cyber security breach or attack during the 12 months prior to March 2020.

This concern is further compounded by the latest available figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) which show that you are more likely to be the victim of online fraud or cyber-crime than any other crime.

Cyber-crime is also developing to make use of the latest technology (see ‘Can you Believe’, page X). Sadly, it’s probably not an exaggeration to say that if your business hasn’t yet been a victim, it’s a case of when and not if. Whilst we don’t like to scaremonger, it is important to have a conversation with your insurance provider to make sure that you are adequately protected. Pandemic aside, cyber-crime is the biggest threat to the success of businesses right now.

Hearing from Neon Mavromatis, MD of Construction at Kerry London, on why not all Cyber and Crime policies are created equal

YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE THE VICTIM OF ONLINE FRAUD OR CYBER-CRIME THAN ANY OTHER CRIME.

Protect against cyber and crime But what is the difference? Put simply, cyber is all about the data and crime is all about the money. So, if a hacker steals your business’s data or affects any of your key computer systems, that’s cyber. A Cyber and Crime policy would typically cover your data and that of your customers, suppliers or other third parties if they take you to court for misappropriation of their data.

On the other hand, if a hacker uses digital methods to steal money or commit financial fraud, including employee theft and collusion, that’s a crime.

There’s little doubt that cyber is a key emerging threat to all businesses right now. It’s a constant topic of conversation because there are just so many ways in which a hacker can create real and lasting damage to a business. Ensuring your business is covered for cyber and crime is critical.

Make sure that your cyber policy is worth the paper it’s written on, without crime cover, it probably isn’t. Your business needs protecting from both cyber and crime to ensure that you have the right cover in place.

.. . s p i T p o T 5

Prevention and education are key Having a good Cyber and Crime policy in place will help protect you if something does happen but doing all you can to prevent it happening in the first place is crucial. We’ve got five top tips for you and your business to help:

1. Employee Education Maintain constant awareness of the risk of a cyber-attack. Provide staff training, produce security policies and keep on delivering the message.

2. Guard your network Guard your network and filter out any malicious content. We recommend producing a plan for regular monitoring and testing of your security systems.

3. Establish strict rules for flash drives Rigorously control all access to flash drives and removable media devices. Scan everything for malware before allowing it to be imported into your systems.

4. Define your mobile working policy Working from home is more prevalent than ever.

Make sure you have a mobile working policy and train your employees to protect data in transit.

5. Be prepared If you’d like to talk about Cyber and Crime cover with Kerry London, please get in touch on 020 8225 1165. We can work with you, to ensure you are protected for the relevant risks to your business.

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Be sure to have business recovery plans so, if something does happen, you are ready to respond quickly. It can make all the difference.

ADVERTORIAL

CELEBRATING IRELAND, NORTHERN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND Call for nominations for Causeway: Ireland Scotland Business Exchange’s flagship annual Awards Ceremony, scheduled to take place in Edinburgh, 7 October 2021

BITA’s partner membership organisation, Causeway: Ireland Scotland Business Exchange is delighted to share that its flagship Gala Black Tie Celebration of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland Awards Night will take place at the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh on the evening of Thursday 7 October 2021 and invites businesses and individuals from across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland to submit nominations now.

As the Causeway membership numbers and network continue to grow, the Causeway annual awards ceremony has become a high-profile and prestigious event, attracting industry leaders and decision-makers from Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and offer a valuable opportunity for valued members, partners, and professionals, from both sides of the Irish Sea, to gather together to celebrate, network and share successes.

Commenting on our aspirations for this year’s Awards Celebration, Chair of Causeway David Greenlees said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on businesses and events globally, and while we were disappointed last year we had to make the decision to cancel our faceto-face awards ceremony, we still managed to host an enjoyable and interactive Virtual Awards, in which we brought together, online, business leaders from across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and had the opportunity to showcase business success from both sides of the Irish Sea, and it was described by attendees as “a brilliant and fun, and really cleverly organised and run event” and “a well put-together evening and easily the most professional virtual event I’ve been to this year”.

“We are committed this year to continue to highlight, through our growing network, successes within Irish, Northern Irish and Scottish business communities, and I encourage you to consider submitting nominations for our Awards now! There are also some fantastic sponsorship opportunities available for businesses.

“As we recover and emerge from such an unprecedented, challenging time, we need more than ever to come together to showcase positive stories of triumph and the connections that have helped us to build success! Our Causeway Awards are an enjoyable evening of celebration and laughter, and also provide a great opportunity for businesses to network, collaborate and share opportunities.”

Nominations are now open in the following categories: • Irish Exporter of the Year Award • Northern Irish Exporter of the Year Award • Scottish Exporter of the Year Award • Innovative Organisation of the Year Award • Sustainable Organisation of the Year Award • Social Impact of the Year Award • Rising Star - Young Professional of the Year Award Read more about our Awards 2021 at causewayexchange.net/awards-2021 Causeway is a partner membership organisation of BITA, and we work collaboratively with them to provide opportunities for members across a wider area. Dual Corporate membership of BITA and Causeway offers excellent value and is £660 (inc. VAT). A saving of £262 over getting separate memberships.

About Causeway: • Causeway: Ireland Scotland Business Exchange is a not-for-profit membership organisation that facilitates business connections from both sides of the Irish Sea. • Its members are based in Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland and share an interest in boosting professional relationships across all three regions.

• Causeway provides a valuable and proven platform for our members to meet, cooperate and collaborate through networking events; conferences; round table discussions; awards nights.

• Causeway also delivers a valuable forum for entrepreneurs and companies that either currently operate or seek to expand in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

• Causeway acts as a facilitator to engage businesses with representatives from the Irish and Scottish governments.

For further information contact Events and Communications Manager Aoife O’Sullivan on aoife.osullivan@causewayexchange.net or at 078 7055 6486. www.bita.ie

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BUSINESS

MANIFESTO

FROM A SMALL ISLAND Spotting Opportunities on the Isle of Man On the Isle of Man, we are lucky that the business community can participate in discussion and planning at the highest levels to influence the Islands future. A benefit of the county’s size and population is that people in government and influential positions in business and the community are easier to engage with. This has been demonstrated to great effect with the new Business Manifesto, issued by the island’s Chamber of Commerce.

The impending general election and the ongoing impact of the pandemic, means that there is much anticipation around the Chamber’s new Manifesto.

ADVERTORIAL

Members of the Chambers were asked about their priorities and areas of concern that they would like to see the government tackle, and the resulting list includes: • A need for a more joined-up, smaller and less bureaucratic Government • A Strategic Skills Plan aligned to the needs of the local economy • Root and branch reform of public sector finances • Increased Government collaboration with the private sector, and earlier meaningful consultation on business, legal and economic issues

The Chamber President Caren Pegg says that the Manifesto sends a powerful message to election candidates to ensure that they address the issues highlighted by the business community.

The IOM chapter of BITA is lucky enough to count the Department for Enterprise as a founding member, and by working closely with them and the IOM Chamber of Commerce, BITA can serve the needs of this vibrant and influential nation.

Brendon Kenny, chair of the BITA IOM chapter said “We appreciate the activities and communication with the Chamber and believe that it is very important to support their initiatives.

One of the key aims of BITA is to introduce the Island to UK and Irish business, and this is supported by the findings of the Manifesto.”

The results of this consultation with businesses across the Island provide a clear path for BITA members to follow so they can provide needed services and products to help expand the island’s economy. “The work that the Chamber have done here is amazing, and we are looking forward to working with them to provide welcome opportunities and growth for our incredible community.”

IS YOUR BUSINESS’S ‘NEW NORMAL’ A DAILY FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL? Due to the pandemic, many businesses’ ‘new normal’ is a daily fight for survival, but to survive and then prosper has required businesses to restructure and quickly. Identifying the need for change is a standard management competence, but specialist expertise is often required to draw up and implement a ‘turnaround’ plan.

What is a business turnaround?

Business turnaround usually refers to the process of securing the financial recovery of an organisation that has been under-performing, or is facing insolvency.

What are the signs of a distressed business?

To ensure the long-term survival of a struggling business, it is vital that management recognise the need for a turnaround and ask for help. Typical business distress symptoms include: The business is struggling to pay suppliers.

Management are fire-fighting.

Management don’t understand their cost base.

Management information is inadequate.

Reliance on a small number of major customers.

Failure to recognise and respond to new opportunities.

No adequate cash reserves or access to funding.

No clear overall strategy.

Low staff morale.

• • • • • • • • •

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What does a turnaround involve?

An experienced turnaround specialist will work closely with management to: Stabilise performance and liquidity Manage the crisis with stakeholders Conduct a thorough situational and financial analysis Assess the turnaround options Prepare a robust plan Execute the turnaround plan

• • • • • •

Why someone outside of your business?

If management can identify the problem, one might challenge the additional expense of a turnaround specialist, but in these circumstances impartiality is invaluable. With no political agenda and no legacy to enshrine, turnaround specialists are driven only by wanting to see businesses fixed.

For information on EFM’s business turnaround service and to request a confidential consultation, contact Pat Lavelle at +353 87 0518 293 or email patrick.lavelle@efmireland.ie To read EFM’s turnaround article in full go to www.efmireland.ie

Sponsored by www.revive.digital

DIANE BIRCH

STEPS TO

BUSINESS

SUCCESS

If it’s not broke don’t fix it – and other dangerous lies Step one: Examine your Financials In a business, cash-flow is king. It’s not enough to know that you are making money, you need to get under the skin of where your profit is generated, how can you increase the margin for those profit centres, and who your best customers are.

Step two: The Cost of Mistakes Delve into where your business is losing money. To take an example of construction, if the wrong material arrives on site and the job can’t be completed, you need to know why. What was the root cause of the mistake, was it planning, communication, staff training, software malfunction or something else?

Unless you know this, you won’t know what it cost you and we aren’t just talking the cost of staff doing nothing all day. In the long-term, loss of reputation and staff morale can all end up costing you more that it cost to fix the mistake.

Step three: Processes Processes form the framework of your businesses, and you need your framework to be made from strong stuff! Using the family of ISO 9000 Quality Management Systems, or even doing a back-to-basics review to make sure that your processes are sound, will future proof your business and make sure it works properly. Without the right framework in place, your business will collapse.

T

he need to future proof your business has never been more apparent. Coming immediately out of an unprecedented year, it now looks like we could be heading towards inflation and rising interest rates.

However, the past year has also seen startling innovation and well-managed risk taking from leading business owners and operators.

Step four: Know thy customer

Plans for businesses strategy and future planning is always open to interpretation, but in my 30 years’ experience, I have found that following these six guiding principles are the difference between growth and success, or stagnation and death.

There is an oft repeated adage: If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. I would suggest this is replaced by: If it’s not broke, make it better. Always make it better, always innovate, question, measure and test. Gather the hard data and talk to your customers.

Businesses, like sharks, have to keep moving and if you stop; you’ll die. Looking at static profit may feel safe, but just like any doctor will tell you, a flatline is not a good thing.

Hard data is crucial to planning for the future of your business and you need to measure everything: conversion rates, retention rates, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, delivery on expectation and more.

Customers don’t tell you they are unhappy; they vote with their feet. If they dislike your service or product, they just won’t use you again and possibly tell others not to either. The solution to this is to measure constantly, learn by trial and error, and innovate all the time.

As we all know, people do business with people, not businesses. By taking the time to understand your customers’ pain points you can then implement changes to alleviate them. Understanding the customer journey and investing time building the relationship will increase their loyalty to your business, making them unlikely to be swayed by price reductions somewhere else.

Step five: Measure Everything

Step six: Take People on a Journey Leaders must make sure that all staff are on the same journey, making sure that organisational and employee objectives are aligned. If your employees don’t know what your objectives are, they won’t prioritise them. They are your troops in the war of economy, and without the right tools and information they can’t fight for you.

www.bita.ie

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YOUR TRUSTED ADVISORS FOR BREXIT AND IRISH BUSINESS ADVICE As an Irish based accountancy and business advisory firm, Roberts Nathan assists frustrated UK and Irish business owners who are confused, worried, and uncertain where to turn to in a bid to maintain their turnover and profitability following Brexit.

Aidan Scollard, Chartered Accountant Partner, Roberts Nathan Dublin Chapter Chair of BITA

For accurate advice you can rely on, please contact us directly: www.robertsnathan.com +353 (0) 1 876 4550 aidan.scollard@robertsnathan.com

BUSINESS

W

hile the EU and the UK finally reached agreement on a Free Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), avoiding a hard Brexit in late December 2020 there were uncertainties created around the impact on UK resident Directors of Irish registered companies.

As the UK had left the EU and is therefore now regarded as a third country this created a significant impact where there was

BIG CHANGES FOR DIRECTORS OF

IRISH COMPANIES Brexit continue to cause issues for companies and especially UK based Directors of Irish companies. Roberts Nathan Partner, and Dublin Chair, Aidan Scollard, explains

no other Irish or EEA resident Director on the Irish company board (even if this was a subsidiary of the UK parent company).

While there are more than 60,000 Irish Directorships of UK registered companies there are also a significant number of UK based directors of Irish companies.

EEA Resident Director Requirement Companies Registration Office (the Irish equivalent of Companies House) had previously alerted that under Irish company law an Irish registered company must have at least one European Economic Area (EEA) resident Director on the board on an ongoing basis or put a bond in place to cover filing liabilities.

Where an existing Irish company had fulfilled this Director requirement by appointing a UK resident to the Director role up until 31st December 2020 this will no longer qualify. They should now consider replacing that Director or adding an additional Director who is an EEA-resident unless exempted. The CRO had initially muted that they would require a B10 for every UK Director stating a change in details from being an EEA resident

to being a non-EEA resident but this is now confirmed as only requiring to be declared at the next annual return.

The Director requirement is based on residency, not nationality and so, a company Director of Irish nationality who lives in the UK and has done so for a number of years is unlikely to satisfy the EEA requirement in the future.

Companies and their officers must self-assess their compliance with the requirements of company law

Options There are a few options available for those companies now: Appoint an EEA resident to your Irish company board Put a bond in place - an insurance policy that CRO approves in replacement of having an EEA resident individual on the board The Exception to the Rule – ‘Real and Continuous link’ It is possible for the Directors of an Irish Company who have no EEA-resident Directors to apply to the Irish Revenue Commissioners for a Statement under Section 140 of the Companies Act 2014

-

How will this be enforced?

CRO have now confirmed that where a company has only UK resident directors and requires a bond to be put in place due to the UK no longer being part of the EEA, that a form B10 will be required to be filed noting the change in particulars for the directors and attaching the bond. The bonds are relatively easy to put in place but will have a premium cost to maintain for the two-year period and we have put these in place for a number of clients recently.

Where no such bond is needed (under the exemptions) the company will not require the filing of a form B10 and companies can instead update the classification of the UK Directors from EEA to non-EEA resident Directors on the next filed form B1 annual return.

For most Irish companies the Annual Return Date is at end of September and so companies should now start to plan for these changes.

FINAL WORD Company Directors need to consider the implications on their Irish companies since the UK has left the EU and consider their options. As with any legal or accounting issue early advice is important as failure to deal with this is a company law offence.

Contact us if you wish to discuss the impacts of any of these changes to your company structures here in Ireland or any planning or bond requirements. aidan.scollard@robertsnathan.com / www.robertsnathan.com

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Here is a more detailed look at the services we provide: Contractor services: We offer a full range of PAYE Umbrella services to busy contractors.

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ADVERTISE IN

Published by the British and Irish Trading Alliance (BITA), this is the eleventh edition of our magazine NetWorks, focusing on ‘Future-Proofing your Business’.

We have covered topics as diverse as nanotechnology, biophilic design and rugby, but every article is written with our members in mind, focusing on information sharing as well as something engaging to read during the commute!

NetWorks is distributed through our contacts, online through email and social media, and print copies are posted to all our members and distributed at BITA events in all chapters – London, Liverpool, Manchester, Dublin, Isle of Man, Leeds, Kent, South West and Cork. We have featured adverts from Gallagher Group, Peppered Moth, Adamapp and many more who have found NetWorks the ideal place to engage with BITA members and promote their businesses.

The next edition will be published in September and will be exploring themes around ‘The Circular Economy’ and issue 13 will be our Christmas edition and looking at ‘Innovation’.

We always want to hear from members that can contribute to future editions, so if you would like to take a space for advertising or write an article to share your knowledge with our members, please get in touch with the sub-editor, Laura Watkins: laura@bita.ie

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Advertising space is available from as little as £350 and sponsorship of the magazine is £1,500 +44 (0) 1702 417132 / laura@bita.ie / www.bita.ie

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CULTURE

IRELAND’S

CITY OF CULTURE Tina Coy, Chair of the Cork Chapter, looks to the future of the city

I

n 2005, Cork was named the European Capital of Culture, a designation that saw the city organise many incredible events that I remember to this day. Never a subdued city, it felt like Cork was alive 24/7 in 2005, with a seemingly never-ending series of experiences on offer.

Never people to miss an opportunity, Cork used this designation to help foster considerable economic benefits by way of tourism, cultural capital, and regeneration of urban, residential, and industrial areas.

A hub for tourists, activities in Cork aren’t limited solely to the famous annual jazz festival, but also with the galleries, museums, theatres, music, and of course the thriving arts scene. One of the main reasons I’m looking forward to lockdown restrictions being lifted is a return to the regular calendar of festivals and cultural programmes.

These cultural aspects form such an important part of our identity, and

THE MEBAS IS A BOON FOR CULTURE IN CORK.

economy through tourism, that I was thrilled with the announcement in March 2021 from Minister Martin. The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, launched the Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme (MEBAS) on the 9th June this year.

The MEBAS comprises a €14m fund that will be available to businesses in sectors that have been most seriously impacted by COVID-19. This is in addition

to other financial support schemes that are available for affected businesses.

Previous concerns have centred around whether the smaller players – artists and musicians – would be able to benefit from the fund, and I was pleased to see that they have not been forgotten.

Sadly, the amount of support isn’t as high as some might like, ranging from €2,500 - €5,000 one off payments for recipients, however I am pleased to see that this neglected area has been recognised as one worthy of additional support, as it forms part of a €50m support package for those working in the live entertainment sector.

I have always enjoyed living in this vibrant city, and I believe that its cultural identity will continue to play a pivotal role in the development of the area and its people far into the future.

Constructing Cork It was a relief to hear in March that the government has green-lit a €405m investment package for Cork Docklands, of which €50m will be spent on improvements in the city-centre.

As anyone in Cork will know, the docklands site was one of the largest brownfield regeneration sites in Europe, and the opportunities offered by the €355m docklands regeneration package will be enormous for the city, which is anticipated to be the fastest growing in Ireland over the next 20 years.

Of course, investment on this scale will demand more people, so it is good that the plans for the dockland’s redevelopment include housing for over 25,000 and the facilities and infrastructure to support them. The transformative effect of this scheme for the area is difficult to overstate.

I will be expecting outside investment, increased influx from tourists, even more cultural events, greater opportunities for those who may be disadvantaged, and of course wide business and economic growth.

Although things have been changing, Dublin has always acted as a draw for the youth and talent of the nation, but I believe that the coming investments and improvements in our incredible city, will position it as a genuine alternative and competitor to Dublin.

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ENVIRONMENT

LEANING

GREEN

Tariq Hussain, Leeds Chapter chair, and his plans for summer

I

t’s been an exciting few months for BITA, as I’m sure it has been for many of you. The end is in sight, and we have started planning face to face events to reach the Leeds business community.

It feels somewhat like we have been in a holding pattern since launching in September 2020, and while we have hosted a couple of very small face to face events when we launched, the whole Leeds board is looking forward to kick-starting our chapter!

Talking to contacts and colleagues, it seems (unsurprisingly) that people are even more keen to get out and network – the long months at home have ignited in us all a desire to meet up and build relationships.

I’m pleased to say that despite the restrictions, our membership has grown following joint online networking events with

the Manchester Chapter of BITA, with whom we are delighted to be hosting a joint event on the 13th August at the Lowry Hotel. We are also planning to start arranging monthly networking events at a local venue – keep your eyes open for the monthly newsletter or check the bita.ie events page for more information!

These will be excellent opportunities for us to finally meet friends we’ve been speaking to for over a year online, and to celebrate as life returns to normal.

As a final thought, in the last magazine I mentioned that the Leeds Climate Innovation District was powering ahead, creating new green spaces and low carbon homes. Leeds seems to be at the forefront of green living, and in June started championing a new campaign: Walk it Ride it, which aims to boost healthier and greener travel across the city.

The idea is simple, asking everyone to make just one small change to their routine when it comes to transport. To walk to the shop instead of driving, or cycle to work for a day a week, instead of getting a bus.

In fact, it’s such a simple idea I would like to suggest that everyone reading this article considers informal participation. Walking to the shops might take longer, but it’s better for you and your community.

ADVERTORIAL

INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY ENGAGES WITH INSPIRED TAX INCENTIVES TO UNLOCK R&D TAX CREDITS Sean Cavanagh, Director at Inspired Tax Incentives

A

rdmac are a leading provider in the delivery of high-value workspaces and technical environments, specialising in high-tech cleanrooms, data centre solutions, quality fit-outs, bespoke refurbishments, and turn-key construction of manufacturing facilities.

Having started out operating as a small company operating solely in the Irish market the Company is leading in the delivery of projects right across Europe.

Ardmac use the most advanced construction tools, committing to reducing costs and improving efficiencies by utilising disciplines such as BIM & 3D visualisation, to provide a broad portfolio of solutions. The Digital Construction Team at Ardmac is at the forefront of innovation constantly exploring how the latest tools, software applications and hardware can be deployed to support and enhance the work of their project and field teams.

From project to project, Ardmac are tasked with developing highly technical and bespoke solutions to meet the needs of clients across sectors such as Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, Medical Devices and Advanced Manufacturing. The design and implementation of products and processes to meet their clients’ needs are often not readily available, and as such can be examined for potential R&D tax relief.

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NETWORKS

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THE PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH WITH INSPIRED TAX INCENTIVES WAS BRILLIANT. EUGENE & SEAN WERE VERY HANDS ON WITH OUR APPLICATION WALKING US THROUGH THE PROCESS AND HELPING OUR TEAMS FULLY UNDERSTAND THE R&D SCHEME. THIS GUIDANCE MADE IT MUCH EASIER FOR OUR TEAM TO GO AWAY AND PREPARE THE RELEVANT EVIDENCE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE CLAIM. IT’S ALSO CLEAR THAT THE GUYS AT INSPIRED HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING AN INTEREST IN THE ACTIVITY WE ARE UNDERTAKING, WHICH TELLS US THAT WE ARE VALUED AS CLIENTS. Daniel Lane - International Finance Manager at Ardmac

In collaboration with Directors and several project managers, Inspired Tax Incentives supported Ardmac in submitting their first ever R&D claim. Ardmac now have an understanding of what aspects of their services qualify for R&D relief work and have put into place measures to capture and track this in current and future projects.

PAUL MIRAGE

BITA MANCHESTER KICKING OFF! BITA Manchester were the first chapter to hold a face-to-face networking evening this year, on the 20th May. The event was held at the iconic Atlas Bar, situated in City Centre Manchester, hosted by owners Mark and Elaine Wrigley, who were very pleased to once again to be hosting the region’s business community.

As well as offering 540+ brands of gin, the bar featured a fantastic outside area offering safe networking for everyone involved, which in this case limited the guests to 30, all adhering to COVID-19 rules.

The evening was sponsored by BITA members GM Business Connect Magazine, represented by co-owners Jon Cheetham and Paul Mirage (who is also a BITA Manchester board member). Paul commented; “It was a great event, and the Atlas Bar did a tremendous job of offering us all a warm and safe welcome. Getting back to face-to-face networking is extremely important for a business like ourselves, and it’s events like these that will help kick-start the economy and ensure a sense of community is re-established - which will ultimately help support well-being within the business sector.”

Everyone received a welcome drink on arrival, and a delicious selection of foods were provided by the Atlas Bar throughout the event. Paul Whitnell, President of BITA, attended, and he was speechless when he saw GM Business Connect’s new banner which featured him on a recent cover of the magazine. As President, Paul spoke to members and prospects along with Manchester Chair Tony Goodman MBE, and several board members were also in attendance marking the evening as a great opportunity to catch up with old friends as well as meeting new ones.

True to many successful face-to-face networking events it went on well beyond the 8pm finish time, and the feedback from both members and guests was extremely positive, with a number of prospects signing up to BITA membership as a result of the evening. The event was kindly captured by Steve Potter from Steve Potter Photography.

A lunch is currently being planned for the Manchester Chapter at the Lowry Hotel in August, as well as many more events throughout 2021 as further lockdown measures are being relaxed.

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KEEPING PROJECT GIGABIT ON TRACK Phil Ridgewell, CEO of CG Utilities, on the currently super-speed internet rollout

A

t CG Utilities, we are connecting the UK and delivering the infrastructure of the future every day. So when the Government announced its original plan to roll out super-speed broadband to each UK home by 2025 - we were delighted. However, that gigabit-speed coverage goal was cut to 85% in November last year, and just £1.2 billion of the original full £5 billion budget will be accessible until 2024.

Boris Johnson has described the project as a ‘rocket boost’, saying that Project Gigabit will ensure that lightning-

fast broadband becomes available all across Britain.

However, there is still an enormous challenge concerning the remaining parts of the country’s businesses and homes, which won’t be reached by commercial firms, and that’s what the government’s scheme should focus on helping.

At CG, we are driven to ensure we play our part in helping deliver on that goal - and hope that the rollout will actually be quicker, with the government ready to provide subsidy support to telecoms companies that were able to deliver it to the most remote areas of the country.

The sector has collectively said that it plans to ‘build like fury’ to ensure a full rollout of fibre internet in line with the latest rules announced by Ofcom, the telecoms regulator. Broadband operators and installers have been calling on the government to clarify how it plans to allocate and distribute the funding reserved for the project, as this detail isn’t yet available.

It is clear that the plan to bring rural Britain up to speed is already behind. But as an organisation working daily to deliver on the vision of a digital Britain, we stand ready to do our bit to make sure we get there and connect the nation.

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MY EXPERIENCE WITH BITA Elliott Looney, of BITAz, discusses BITA’s impact

Where to start? At the very beginning My name is Elliott Looney, I am 16 years old, currently a transition year student attending De La Salle College Chuchtown, and I am currently the youngest BITA board member and so to be a founding member of the board of BITAz. How did I get to where I am today?

It all started back in the early months of September 2020. When my father, Brendan, approached me with a proposition while I was just doing the usual bit of homework I had for school.

At first, my dad briefly spoke to me about what the whole idea of BITA was about.

A little confused, I kept listening, and my father then asked me if I would like to attend a board meeting of BITA. My father had known Paul Whitnell, our brilliant CEO, quite a long time (seemingly as they are both originally from the Cork, the Rebel county) and I with some thought grasped the opportunity and said “Why not”.

“Why not” I am very happy I took that “why not”.

The past few months with BITA have been unbelievable. From all the board

meetings, the online events, the people that I have met, and most importantly, the debut launch of the BITAz initiative programme in my own school, the list of experiences goes on and on. I feel that I have accomplished so much with a plethora of many new people during my time with BITA. Probably my most evident and favourite experience with BITA is that of the BITAz initiative we launched in my school only a few months ago.

The transition years in my school were having their first week of work experience and due to covid-19, close to half the year had not managed to secure a real work placement. Seeing the opportunities, the BITAz initiative was born, and with the sheer dedication of BITA, we facilitated a week of work placement with a super interactive, fun, informative and intriguing online week based around the fundamentals of business and BITA. Each day was comprised of something new; one day allocated to the construction of an unforgettable CV, another dedicated to introducing BITA, and so on. We even invited the transition years to one of the online BITA Remo events, which was fantastic - I received so much positive feedback.

The experience I gained from that week I cannot begin to express. So many new encounters, new experiences, new feelings of fulfillment, so much of me has grown through all of my experience with BITA. See, as soon as I was immersed in the BITA

environment, with all its members and all its community, I not only felt welcomed, but I felt like I was part of something bigger than me. Something that, not only, had the potential to blossom in all its aspirations that it continues to pursue, but as something that, I myself, could help pioneer and propel into the future of all our generations.

What BITA means to me Through the past few months, through countless emails, and many zoom calls, I haven’t only learned about what it’s like to be in that working environment, but I have lived and become what BITA truly is. And to sound as non-cliché as possible, to me BITA isn’t just a non-profit organization, it isn’t just the service it provides, BITA is a community. One of the most important and inviting characteristics of BITA, that always continues to draw me in, is the complete and utter passion of every member. The passion and emotional effort that everyone gives is not just mindblowing, but heartfelt. All the dedicated BITA members, without fail, put all their effort, give all their very best, to continue to grow BITA as far and as much as it can go. My experience with BITA has changed my life. I have improved in confidence, my speech, conversation and leadership skills, my attributes, everything. And especially in a time like this, I am so grateful for having the opportunity to join such a great community. A community that always commits to its values first, is willing to always go the extra mile to get things right and is always true to its nature. A community that I am grateful to be part of, and that I hope you can be too.

I FELT WELCOMED AT BITA, AND FELT LIKE I WAS PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN ME.

ELLIOTT LOONEY

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

AMBER ALERT BITA teams up with Amber to help young homeless and unemployed people transform their lives

T

he Amber Foundation is a small charity providing young people with a temporary home and all the support, space and opportunity that they need to make positive changes to their lives. Based at three residential centres near Dorking in Surrey, Trowbridge in Wiltshire and in mid Devon, they offer support that is a little bit different.

The young people are aged 16 – 30 and are often dealing with complex problems such as mental ill-health, childhood trauma and family breakdown.

Amber provides intensive and holistic support that helps young people tackle what is holding them back so that when they leave Amber they do so into sustainable accommodation and with a job or further training for employment.

The day at Amber is structured to mirror a working day and all young people take turns helping with day to day things like cleaning and cooking. Although everyone has their own tailored plan, young people are encouraged to develop their skills in four key areas: employability, independent living, health and wellbeing and personal development.

And Amber’s approach works. Last year, 71% of the young people moved on positively from Amber into stable accommodation. An independent report into Amber’s work found that for every £1 invested, Amber generated £12.24 in social value over 3 years through economic benefits and avoided Exchequer costs.

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So how can BITA help?

•

Around 160 young people move through Amber’s centres each year and are looking for employment or apprenticeships and opportunities to learn new skills in the workplace. Unemployment is running at 14% for 16-24 year olds at the moment, which is higher than any other age group so support helping young people into work is vital.

• Amber relies on fundraising for half of its income each year so if anyone is looking for a fundraising challenge then any support would be hugely welcome!

Tasha’s story Tasha had a traumatic childhood and in her early teens she got involved with the wrong crowd and started drinking and taking drugs. Aged 16, she began working for a gang and eventually became street homeless.

Whilst at Amber, Tasha volunteered with Volunteer-It-Yourself (VIY), an organisation who challenge young people to renovate community space while teaching them trade skills, and helped to turn some disused garages into workspaces. She also got involved with GASP Motor Project who came to Amber once a week to teach the young people basic motor mechanics and practical engineering skills. Working on renovating an old go-kart inspired Tasha to re-enrol at college to do a course in Mechanics.

Tasha recently moved out into a room in a shared house. She is still doing her college course full-time and is also doing some cleaning work part-time. Once she has finished her course, Tasha would like to work in construction or mechanics, but she is proud of how far she has come to date, she said: “There was always someone to talk to and to make me laugh, I remember one night when I was struggling, I sat out on the field and one of the support workers came and joined me and chatted for ages. He made me feel like I wasn’t alone. If I hadn’t come to Amber, I think I’d be dead or in prison. I would definitely still be using as I couldn’t see any way out from the situation that I was in. Amber saved me.”

If you are interested in getting involved with Amber or finding out more please make contact with Stephen Ballantyne on Stephen.ballantyne@amberweb.org or 01761 221 557

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