Business Comment 27

Edinburgh and International Trade

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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Contents

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Edinburgh and international trade Welcome to the latest issue of BC magazine, which looks at international trade and the vital role it plays in our city.

Edinburgh has been an international centre for trade for many centuries, and while the kind of business now being transacted may be very different there is no doubt the city still enjoys a prominent international role.

Within that, key roles are played by the City of Edinburgh Council in attracting international investment, and in this issue we can read of the great success we enjoy on that front, and also by our award-winning international airport and our busy docks – both of whom are Partners in Enterprise with the Chamber and both feature in the magazine.

And of course, many of our businesses have long enjoyed strong international trade across a whole variety of sectors, and Kinloch Anderson is one of the successful in gaining from its international trade with operations stretching from North America to the Far East.

The Chamber of Commerce also has an important part to play.

We can help in all kinds of ways, from the most pragmatic such as assisting with vital licenses and documents right through to training and development to providing currency exchange benefits. We also offer our Europe Direct service, can provide unique relationships with London Embassies and Consuls in Edinburgh, and can provide access to Chambers across the globe as part of the most powerful and influential business organisation.

Enjoy the magazine, and success on all fronts.

David Birrell chief executive

david.birrell@edinburghchamber.co.uk

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Gordon Dewar

Deirdre Kinloch Anderson OBE

03 Introduction / contents

31 Partners in enterprise

04 Inspiring international trade

32 Training/skills feature

05 First international member for Chamber

36 Health & safety feature

07 Edinburgh – An International Success Story

42 Finance feature

09 Getting the documentation right when trading abroad

47 Going international

48 Get with IT/ Be the best

49 In the spotlight

51 60 seconds

13 Forth Ports is the Gateway to International Trade

54 Getting started

54 New members

18|22 Auto-enrolment feature

55 Events and training courses

24|27 Special Report

56|57 Inspiring connections

28|29 Inspiring leaders

12 Rail company making significant contribution to economy

58 Movers & shakers

30 Ask the expert

Business Comment is an Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce publication.

ALL EDITORIAL AN D G EN ERAL EN QU IRIES: Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Tel: 0131 221 2999 email mayan.grace@edinburghchamber.co.uk Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Capital House, 2 Festival Square, Edinburgh EH3 9SU www.edinburghchamber.co.uk President: Alex Mcleod Chief Executive: Dave Birrell EDITOR David Forsyth, Tel: 07887 955778 Email: david@benchmarkpr.co.uk P RODU CTION & DESIG N Distinctive Publishing, Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 884 2385 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk ADVERTISIN G Distinctive Publishing, Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 884 2343 john.neilson@distinctivepublishing.co.uk FEATU RE EDITORS John Dean & Francis Griss deangriss@btinternet.com FRON T COVER IM AG E studio montage DISCLAIM ER

Distinctive Publishing or Business Comment cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries. No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and Business Comment.

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Chambernews Honour for company founder Dougie Walker, of Claymore Security Solutions, has been named Entrepreneur of the Year at the WeDO Scotland annual awards, 2013.

I look forward to 2014 with drive and excitement. I would like to thank WeDo for giving me this opportunity and for all its support.”

Edinburgh-based Claymore Security Solutions, established in 2011, provides world-class security solutions for corporate clients operating in hostile environments in areas such as oil and gas, maritime security, private investigation and valuable asset transfer.

Claymore’s most recent business venture has seen the creation of a new company, Claymore Afghanistan. This exists as one of the first British companies in Afghanistan to have a Risk Management Company (RMC) licence.

Dougie said: “I am incredibly shocked and humbled to have been awarded Entrepreneur of the Year.”

“Claymore has experienced growth and success in the past year and this award is great recognition of that.”

The continual success of Claymore Security Solutions has been recognised and Belinda Roberts, Founder of WeDo, said: “Dougie Walker and his team have established and built a business in an inspirational way and it has been a pleasure hearing how their hard work and ambition is paying off with the company going from strength to strength.”

“From a small idea I had only a few years ago to being an award winner is extraordinary.

Inspiring International Trade International trade, the exchange of goods, services and capital among countries and throughout the regions of the world, remains one of the most important sources of prosperity for countries.

From the Silk Road that linked China to the Western world and India, and the Spice Trade routes that linked Asia, Northeast Africa and Europe, International trade creates long distance, political and economic interactions between civilizations. These interactions provided huge opportunities for participating countries, such as a reduced dependence on existing markets and the adoption of the technological advances of partner countries.

In recent times, international trade has

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experienced explosive growth. According to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), worldwide trade in goods and services totalled $US5.4 trillion in 1996; by 2012, this amount had risen to $US18.4 trillion.

A central contributor to this rapid growth has been the huge advances made in transportation systems which have reduced the time and complexity of transferring goods or “doing business” across regions.

At British Airways, we have been an active participant in, and beneficiary of, this growth.

In the late 1990s, we pioneered the first fully flat-bed for business travel, allowing our business class customers to arrive more refreshed and therefore more effective at conducting cross border business.

Airbus is currently predicting that international trade will grow by 4.6% per year over the next 20 years, with Asia Pacific and Latin America leading the way. With global air traffic growth closely mirroring international trade, British Airways is well placed to link this growth after our recent acquisition of bmi and through the delivery

of new long-haul aircraft. In September, we continued our growth into the developing economies of the world by commencing operations to Chengdu in China. We will increase our flights to the city from spring 2014.

Today, British Airways operates around 20 services per day from Edinburgh to London’s airports, which enables customers to connect to our global network of more than 170 cities around the world.

British Airways remain committed to providing strong transport links from Edinburgh and in turn, foster the growth of international trade with Scotland and the major economic centres of the world.

Marcus Roach, Strategy Development Manager, British Airways

In our picture Ghenadie Bobeica, Director of ALIRA, is seen presenting to Carol Cairns, Membership Manager at the Chamber.

Also in the photograph from left to right:David Birrell Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce. Graham Carnie B.A. The Representative for Romania of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Mihai Delcea, Minister Plenipotentiary, Head of the Romanian Embassy’s Consular Office in Edinburgh.

First international member for Chamber Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce welcomed its first international member thanks to the efforts of Graham Carnie, the Commerce’s representative for Romania, and the Embassy’s Consular Office in Edinburgh

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Capitalview Edinburgh – An International Success Story

By Greg Ward, Director of Economic Development, City of Edinburgh Council Edinburgh is an international success story – a rich blend of knowledge, skills, culture, geography, history and beauty make it a city attractive to individuals and organisations around the world.

But to that heady blend we must also add hard work, commercial understanding and a real desire to ensure our capital continues to grow and thrive through even the most difficult and uncertain times.

With a growing population of a little under half a million, with a wider city-region population of more than 1.6 million, there is no doubt that Edinburgh benefits from a number of key factors which play strongly in our favour when it comes to attracting international investment:

the national road network, and through our digital infrastructure Our city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and our city enjoys the strongest city economy in the UK outside of London.

This means, for example, that despite the well-rehearsed difficulties seen in the banking and finance sectors (traditionally our strongest sector), we have not seen the employment devastation predicted in the early days of the banking crisis. Instead, new and upcoming financial organisations such as Virgin Money, Tesco Bank and the Green Investment Bank have opened up, taking advantage of the highly-skilled workforce they can attract here.

Our excellent connectivity – we benefit from the international connections through our award-winning international airport, an extensive railway network, good access to

In the past five years, more than 80 spin-out companies have come from the University of Edinburgh, with 95% of these still active and 250 patents have been filed.

Edinburgh is at the forefront of research and development in wind, biofuel and wave power. This helped the city to successfully campaign to provide the home for the new Green Investment Bank in 2012.

Added to these commercial advantages must be the city’s superb quality of life, which is well renowned and wins regular awards.

Not only is Edinburgh an attractive place to do business, it is a wonderful place to live and bring up a family.

World-leading science and technology: A strong knowledge base. Our four internationally renowned universities help to drive a globally acclaimed research base and attract highly skilled and qualified people.

As a result of this, we offer one of Europe’s most highly qualified potential workforces , with 45% of our working age population are educated to degree level or above.

A leading position in key sectors such as financial services, tourism, life sciences renewables, and creative industries.

We continue to play a leading international role in Science and Technology, in particular in software development, research, biotechnology and microelectronics. Our universities play a central part in this.

However, it is our job as the City Council to ensure we don’t simply rely on our current assets attraction, but that we get out there to a attract investment and business – and therefore more jobs and prosperity for our residents.

Greg Ward

Our financial services sector is therefore diverse and resilient, and employs 36,000 people. It is in the UK’s second financial centre, and Europe’s fourth, by equity assets.

We therefore work hard with partners, such as Scottish Development International, the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, to ensure that we have an integrated approach to potential investors in our city. We do everything we possibly can to help them set up in our city, whether that is helping them find good locations and property, helping them recruit highly skilled people, or helping them find places to live.

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Businessnews Sigma Seven Expand Internationally International expansion has built on the success of Sigma Seven, founded in Edinburgh in 2000 to realise MD Paul Reid’s vision for mobile computing.

He anticipated the market for locationaware applications and tablet computers, particularly in the Utility sector, the result being the development of the GeoField product suite which is now established as the leading platform for mobile, map-based data management solutions for UK Utility companies.

Expansion overseas kicked off in 2011 with Iberdrola, and last summer the company employed additional full-time resource to support their international expansion plans in the US. This was followed in October 2013 by the incorporation of Sigma Seven North America Inc. Commenting on the international move, Sigma Seven’s Managing Director, Paul Reid, said: “These are exciting times for the company and it is great to see that we seem to be gaining momentum in North America.

We look forward to delivering the same value to US and Canadian Utilities as we have here in the UK”.

Paul Reid

Bank of Scotland Supporting Exports For the majority of companies with ambitions to grow more than the 1-2% predicted for the UK and Eurozone economies over the next few years, exporting to some of the more developing markets has to be on the agenda.

Granted there are a lot more considerations, research and planning required in order to take that step but the rewards can be significant.

According to recent economic predictions out to 2030, GDP growth in the key developing economies of China, Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico, South Korea,Turkey, Poland, Indonesia and South Africa is expected to be 300% greater than that in the developed economies of the UK’s traditional trading partners.

However, it’s not just about the financial rewards. Other benefits of successful exporting include; • A more stable and sustainable business due to the spread of risk across markets/ economies.

• Improved market perception as a successful ‘international’ business.

• Becoming a niche supplier in an overseas market with increased profit margin potential.

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To take full advantage of export opportunities businesses need to view exporting as a strategic decision that deserves at least the same level of diligence and planning as any other strategic business decision e.g. buying new premises, developing a new product.

So what are the key considerations and who can help? Perhaps not surprisingly the first principles of business apply: • Who are your customers?

• What is your product/s • What are you good at?

• What differentiates you?

Applying these questions to a potentially global client base does however require some help.

Both Scottish Development International (SDI) and UK Trade & Industry (UKTI) are fully focused on supporting the UK export agenda. Both have a wealth of country, market and sector specific information to help you identify the most suitable markets partners and channels for your products or service. Initially the key is to find those markets where your products or services require least enhancement.

Language and cultural differences do need to be taken into account and both SDI and UKTI

can help here either through their own people on the ground in most major economies, or by introducing other agencies and professionals.

You local Chamber of Commerce can of course also provide valuable information and contacts.Trade missions are also a great way to gather more detailed information and local contacts in your target markets.

Bank of Scotland is focused on supporting Scottish businesses to develop export opportunities and our International Trade Specialists work collaboratively with all of these agencies and other professionals to provide comprehensive support, guidance and solutions.

More specifically our International Trade Specialists provide advice and a range of solutions to mitigate some of the additional risks that arise when trading internationally including payment risk and currency risk.

Critically, exporting often extends a business’s working capital cycle due to longer shipping times and payment terms expected by overseas customers. We can offer structured working capital solutions to match the physical supply chain and ensure the lifeblood of your business, cash, is available to support your ongoing requirements and international growth aspirations.

Getting the documentation right when trading abroad The provision of correct, accurate and timely export documentation is a critical element in a successful international trade transaction.

Staff at Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce’s International Division have a vast amount of experience in this area, and are able to assist in guiding companies through the documentation process.

The International Division offers a full Certification service, and is authorised to issue a range of documents Non Preferential Origin Trade Documents are required where the customer or the importing authorities require independent confirmation as to the origin of the goods being imported. In themselves these documents may not entitle the importer to claim any reduction in Duty Rates or other charges payable on importation, but may help ensure that goods comply with other import regulatory criteria.

Document Processing We offer the facility where documents may be processed electronically.

This allows exporters to print approved documents at their own premises, removing the need to present them manually , thereby reducing time and costs.

Chamber members are also offered significant discounts on many of the documents detailed above.

For further information please contact our International Trade Division on 01506 497667 or e-mail Larry.Walls@edinburghchamber.co.uk

These documents can come in two formats • European Community Certificates of Origin • Arab British Certificate of Origin - may be required for shipments to Arab League States

E f f i c i E n t. . . fa S t. . . r E l i a B l E . . . S a f E

Preferential Trade Documents are EC Customs documents which support claims for Reduced Import Duty payable on qualifying goods covered by Trade Agreements between the EC and the Destination country.

These documents also come in two formats • EUR 1 - This is the standard EC Preferential Trade Document.

ATA Carnets ATA Carnets allow goods to be imported into overseas countries on a temporary basis for exhibitions, trade fairs etc , with minimum of Customs intervention.

Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce is one of only two Chambers in Scotland which is authorised to process ATA Carnets.

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Legalisation is the process, in which the UK based embassy of a country, will on request validate documents in support of trade with that country. Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce can arrange for this where necessary.

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Chambernews Rail company making significant contribution to economy

By Sean Duffy, Commercial Director, First ScotRail A major study by the Fraser of Allander Institute has revealed ScotRail’s huge contribution to the Scottish economy.

Its research found we enabled total employment of 59,615 people last year - which equates to an economic impact for Scotland of £1.5 billion.

‘gateways’ in Glasgow - Charing Cross, High Street, and Glasgow Queen Street low level.

There is also a £1million programme of improvements at 20 stations across Strathclyde.

A £12m upgrade to Dalmarnock station has already been completed. It’s the closest station to Games venues such as the Emirates Arena, the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and Celtic Park, where the opening ceremony will take place.

The respected economic think tank also found Dalmarnock’s transformation includes a new that supports additional L every to R -ScotRail Stephenjob Sheal, Bill an McCall, Judy Wagner, Willie Finlayson, Scott Black, entrance, ticket office, lifts and footbridge, 1.45 jobs Cochrane elsewhere - and that for every £1 Stuart and will benefit the East End community of paid to our employees, another £0.99 in wages Glasgow long after the Games are over. is generated elsewhere.

The revamp, funded by Transport Scotland, These figures are impressive. And there’s Clyde Gateway, Glasgow City Council and more: we now employ 4,700 people, up more Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, is than 35% since 2004 when Aberdeen-based expected to be a catalyst for regeneration, FirstGroup took over the franchise from innovation and sustainable economic growth National Express.We also support a total of in the area. £302.5 million in wages across Scotland.

In addition, passenger growth is up by almost a third, and now stands at 83.3million a year – an increase of some 20million.

We’re looking forward to welcoming thousands more people – from home and abroad – this year, with Scotland hosting two world-class events: Glasgow 2014 and the Ryder Cup. Our plans for the Commonwealth Games include refurbishments to three station

There will also be a lasting legacy to the people of Perthshire, with the station being upgraded thanks to our investment and that of Transport Scotland, Network Rail, Perth & Kinross Council,Tactran and EventScotland.

ScotRail, as a leading player in the transport sector, is an essential part of the fabric of Scotland and a key driver of its economy.

We recognise the importance of public transport and the part it will play in delivering a positive impression for all who visit Scotland this year.

The improvements planned include more train services as well as station enhancements.

We’re working hard to ensure that we offer the highest standards of service to everyone who travels with us in this landmark year.

Full details of our extra train services during Glasgow 2014 will be announced in due course.

Meanwhile, work is well underway to provide more services to and from Gleneagles station for the Ryder Cup.in September.

We have a crucial role to play in the transport plans, with around 8,000 spectators a day expected to travel by rail.

Sean Duffy

Edinburgh Chamber to help place graduates with SMEs Edinburgh Chamber joins Scottish Government’s Graduate Recruitment Incentive Programme to encourage & support SME’s to take on graduates The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce has announced that it has now joined up with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Scottish Government to provide opportunities for SMEs in the Edinburgh area to take on graduate employees. It has set a target to help place at least 35 graduates in employment positions by the end of March as part of the Graduate Recruitment Incentive Programme, which originally launched in August.

The Chamber joined the programme in December.

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The Chamber will act as a match-maker between both parties - SMEs and graduates - highlighting the key benefits to both of taking part in this scheme which provides up to 1,500 support towards a new graduate position.

Jimmy O’Connell, Head of Training and Development at Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce explains: “Investing in talent is key to the ongoing success of Edinburgh’s economy. Part of our role is to emphasise to businesses the potential growth opportunities by taking on a graduate. We will work with each business supporting them in the recruitment stages, monitoring successes and delivering funds. We feel this is a wonderful opportunity to enhance growth.”

The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce will actively promote this programme within careers fairs and deliver the key messages.

The programme provides businesses with pre and post recruitment support as well as a financial incentive of 1,500 provided in three installments.

The graduate position must be a newly created one and not an existing vacancy. The new role must be a permanent one with a minimum salary of 14k + (pro rata for parttime). Graduates must be under 30yrs of age and have graduated within the last four years.

Forth Ports is the Gateway to International Trade

By Stuart Wallace, Scottish Divisional Director Ports throughout history have always served as logistical gateways for goods and services around the world. In Scotland, Forth Ports has a wide range of diverse, port-related services which helps connect the UK with Europe and the rest of the world, with over 50% of Scotland’s GDP in goods going through the River Forth and the River Tay. Many key industries, such as Oil & Gas, Food & Drink, Agriculture, Tourism, Manufacturing and Renewable Energy use our main Scottish Ports at Leith, Rosyth, Grangemouth and Dundee for import and export.

Although the UK is seen as a net importer, Scotland and in particular the Scottish spirits trade are net exporters. Our Scottish ports are

kept busy with other export goods including round logs, scrap metal, cullet (crushed glass) and project cargo for example steel fabrications and heavy lift cranes.

In Grangemouth we operate Scotland’s largest container terminal which handles over 225,000 TEU’s each year with the main export drivers being whisky, white spirits, shortbread, potatoes and chemicals. The Port also exports specialist steel plate to pall points throughout Europe for use in shipbuilding and wind turbine manufacturing; and in 2014 the port will begin working with a specialist turbine transportation business.

In Leith we export specialist coated steel pipe for the oil and gas industry around the world, as well as scrap metal, logs and cullet. Rosyth is home to Oceaneering which export

specialist deep water equipment for the oil and gas sector including subsea cable for international markets.

Dundee is Scotland’s main agricultural hub with over 250,000 tonnes of agricultural products moving in and out of the Port and the Port also plays its part in the whisky industry with its specialist in-port Grain Drying facility processing around 70,000 tonnes of local Scottish grain for the industry.

As an oil and gas hub Dundee is also involved in the export of specialist equipment and fabrications.

Our ports play a key part in global trade and we provide a vital link to UK, Europe and international markets.

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Our Head Office is in Edinburgh and we are proud to be a Scottish company with a strong global client base. Our overseas offices in LA, New York and our imminent launch in Hong Kong, allow Jetlogic access to a fleet of over 7000 jets and enable us to offer highly competitive pricing coupled with the security, flexibility and exclusivity that each and every client deserves. Solutions are tailor made to suit our client’s specific needs whether they are for large commercial jets for group travel or ad hoc charters on all available sizes of private jets.

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promising with 4 prospective orders already in place for the first quarter. Our knowledge and experience of the market facilitates our negotiation of the very best prices. At Jetlogic we manage the complete acquisition process

The opening of our Hong Kong office is a very exciting event for the team at Jetlogic and we are thrilled with the prospect of doing more business within the Asia market. The recent change in flight approval procedures in China means their under-developed aviation market will open up and provide significant opportunities for Jetlogic to continue expansion.

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from the evaluation of needs, assistance in determining the best financing, negotiations, contracting, pre-purchase inspection and escrow management leading up to the purchase and ownership of an aircraft. Postpurchase Jetlogic continues to assist clients with maintenance considerations, ownership and management. We deal with both first and second hand purchases and the process requires between 6 weeks – 6 months to complete, depending on the circumstances and market conditions.

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ADVERTORIAL The nature of Hunter100 is flexible with the ability, where required, to provide an expert on-site for an agreed period of time, tailoring the service to individual firms to give them access to more than 500 years of HR experience.

Jenny, who joined the firm in 2012, said: “Outsourcing allows small businesses to have access to quality HR advice without the overhead commitment of an entire department. It is a more thorough and substantial approach than your average blackand-white employment law hotline. Instead, there’s a person there who can listen to a business-owner’s needs, align themselves with the firm’s strategy and dip in and out on a flexible basis.”

Hunter Adams – Jenny Murray, head of outsourcing, and Dean Hunter, managing director

Learn to let go Succeeding in business is about letting go – so says acclaimed international businesswoman Natalie Sisson.

In a recent Forbes article, entitled How to be an Audacious Entrepreneur, Sisson insists firms must concentrate on the things they excel at and outsource the things that take up time and hold them back.

Human resources and business consultancy Hunter Adams, which doubled its turnover last year, has launched a unique new service, taking advantage of this positive wave of outsourcing. The firm, which has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, is offering the Hunter100 programme, providing tailored HR for small to medium-sized businesses (SME).

Ms Sisson, who wrote business guide The Suitcase Entrepreneur, said in ForbesWoman: “I think a lot of entrepreneurs – women and men – tend to try to do everything themselves. And that’s where it goes wrong.

You need to start outsourcing the stuff that is not your core competency, so you can actually work on the stuff that is. Otherwise you’re putting your gifts to the side.”

This is exactly what Hunter100 is all about.

Under the new model, Hunter Adams will

target companies of up to 100 people. These SMEs will have access to a free 100-minute consultation to chat through their HR needs – their recruitment process, people challenges or team performance.

Managing director Dean Hunter said: “Access to quality HR isn’t just for big businesses.

We understand how crucial every penny is for small to medium-sized companies.

Hunter100 was created to address the people needs of the SME market at an affordable rate, without sacrificing the quality.”

The service allows Hunter Adams to absorb the HR role for SMEs – which often find an in-house resource unaffordable – providing companies with a dedicated service equipped with the expertise to deal with people issues and development. Jenny Murray, the firm’s head of outsourcing, said a traditional company would have its own HR department, led by the HR manager and supplemented by advisors.

“Pentagon Freight Services PLC has undergone significant growth over the last eight years and this has increased the demands on Human Resources to meet legal and professional standards. Hunter Adams becoming part of our team has been an absolute success. Having our UK HR managed externally has meant we have the legal standards we were seeking and are comfortable in the knowledge that our HR requirements are being attended to professionally. Hunter Adams’ experts have added this extra critical dimension to Pentagon and we are totally satisfied with their attention to detail, the professional attitude they bring to Pentagon and their ability to integrate with all the UK staff as if they are a natural part of the Pentagon Management structure. I would recommend Hunter Adams to any company wishing to ensure the proper Human Resource standards, legally and professionally, are achieved and surpassed via their outsourced management service.”

David R Wilson, Managing Director, Pentagon Freight Services PLC

“But Scotland isn’t just made up of traditional, big businesses,” she said. “Instead it’s driven by the entrepreneurial spirit of small businessowners.”

SMEs are fast becoming a vital component of the country’s business make-up. According to Scottish Government data, in March 2013 more than 340,000 SMEs operated in Scotland, employing 1.1 million people and accounting for 36.7% of private sector turnover.

Hunter Adams 13 Rubislaw Terrace Aberdeen AB10 1XE 01224 900760

2 Exchange Place Semple Street Edinburgh EH3 8BL 0131 3060100

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Audi Services Our Fleet Services teamFleet are equipped with the power to deliver the Audi you desire with the Our Fleet Services team are equipped with the perfect finance package. power to deliver the Audi you desire with the perfect finance package.

It’s the technology that has given us the edge on the rally circuit ever since it was first introduced over 30 years ago, bringing victory for the Audi quattro on its very first outing.

It’s called quattro® permanent all-wheel-drive.

In this system, four permanently driven wheels deliver better acceleration, road-holding and safety, while asymmetric dynamic torque distribution It’s the technology that has given us the intelligently edge on the rally controls the flowitofwas power theusfront and rear axles. circuit ever since first introduced over 30 It’s the technology that has to given the edge on theyears rally ago, circuit ever sincefor it was overits 30very years ago,outing. bringing victory thefirst Audiintroduced quattro on first for the Audi quattro on its very first outing.

It’sbringing called victory quattro® permanent all-wheel-drive. quattro® all-wheel-drive.

In It’s thiscalled system, four permanent permanently driven wheels deliver In this system, four permanently driven wheels deliver better acceleration, road-holding and safety, while better acceleration, road-holding and safety, while asymmetric dynamic torque distribution intelligently asymmetric dynamic torque distribution intelligently controls the powertotothe the front axles. controls theflow flow of of power front andand rearrear axles.

quattro® quattro®

Visit us toVisit find more usout to find out more Glasgow Audi Edinburgh Audi Audi Stirling Audi Glasgow Audi Edinburgh Stirling Audi

Ayr Audi Ayr Audi

Hillington Road Bankhead Drive 520 Hillington 520 Road 4 Bankhead4Drive Braehead Braehead Sighthill Sighthill Glasgow Glasgow Edinburgh Edinburgh G52 4UB EH11 4EJ G52 4UB EH11 4EJ 0844 947 9689 0844 947 9690 0844 947 9690glasgow.audi.co.uk 0844 947 9689 edinburgh.audi.co.uk glasgow.audi.co.uk edinburgh.audi.co.uk

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Broadleys Business Park Stirling Stirlingshire

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Edinburgh Audi

Part of the Lomond Group

520 Hillington Road Lomond 4 Bankhead Drive Part of the Group Braehead Glasgow

Sighthill Edinburgh

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Origins of quattro Over 30 years ago, Audi chassis engineers had a brainwave that would change the way our cars were built forever. Instead of using front or rear wheel drive to power a car, they decided to deliver power to all four.

Our original all-wheel drive technology has brought us worldwide success on the race track , including the famous 1981 World Rally Championships victory won by Audi quattrothe car that redefined Audi.

However it has achieved much more than that.Ever since building our first quattro road production car in 1980, we’ve continued to enhance our all-wheel drive technology to provide superior grip and traction.

Not just for the rally circuit, but for everyday journeys in all conditions.

What is quattro you may ask? quattro is an all-wheel drive system that works almost instinctively where delivering power to where it is needed across all four wheels.

Just like our hands adapt to grip depending on the object being held. quattro adapts to the changing surface on the road beneath the wheels giving you surefooted grip and cornering in rain, ice,

mud or loose surfaces in fact for all conditions that may throw your way.

quattro system made the experience a smooth drive.

There are 3 quattro systems available

Audi being the Number One brand in the UK for 2013, has heavily weighted the marketing of the quattro system in their vehicles this winter, with a phenomenal uptake of this product, as Tim confirmed in his test drive ‘the feel of the drive was heightened by the quattro system’, that’s is exactly what is meant to do, give the driver the safety and reassurance of all weather and road conditions.

Hydraulic multi-plate clutch is specifically designed for models with an engine that is fitted across the chassis rather than lengthways.

Models with this system are A3,Q3 and TT Self-locking centre differencial is designed for models with a lengthways fitted engine.

Models for this system are A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,Q5 and Q7 Finally the viscous coupling system is ideal for sport models like the R8.

Tim Hares, Fleet Manager for Miller Group, has a wealth of experience in dealing with manufacturers across the spectrum, I we thought who better to test drive the A6 quattro 3.0 TDi, giving us the optimum feedback with his history of driving and experience of our brand against our competitors.

For all business car drivers in central Scotland that wish to drive and have the knowledge of quattro, please give us a call, we would be delighted to assist.

Phil Ramsay Local Business Development Manager Edinburgh Audi 0131-669-8844 Phil.ramsay@edinburghaudi.com

The drive was the weekend before Christmas, with extreme wet weather and high winds, no better challenge for the A6 quattro! Tim said he felt reassured and solid in the A6 and the

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Official fuel economy figures for the XF range in MPG (l/100km): Urban 16.7–48.7 (16.9–5.8). Extra Urban 32.8–64.2 (8.6–4.4). Combined 24.4–57.7 (11.6–4.9). CO2 emissions 270–12

these figures are for comparative purposes only. *Business users only. Based on a 36 month Jaguar Contract Hire agreement on a 14 model year XF DIESEL SALOON 2.2d (163PS) R-Sport 4dr Auto If you are able to claim back VAT for VAT qualifying cars only, assuming some private use of the vehicle, VAT is reclaimable at 100% on service and 50% on hire elements resulting in an effective re mileage when vehicle returned. Finance subject to status. Guarantees/indemnities may be required. This promotion cannot be used together with other manufacturer’s promotions and is subject Hire is provided by Lex AutoLease, trading as Jaguar Contract Hire, Heathside Park, Heathside Park Road, Stockport SK3 0RB. Written quotations are available on request. All details are correct a

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19 Seafield Road East, Edinburgh EH15 1ED 0131 669 0900 www.petervardybmw.co.uk Official fuel economy figures for the BMW range: Urban 13.8–62.4mpg (20.5–4.4l/100km). Extra Urban 26.2–83.1mpg (10.8–3.4l/100km). Combined 20.3–74.3mpg (13.9–3.8l/100km). CO 2 emissions 325–99g/km. *Plus deposit of £1,374 plus VAT. Offer available to business users only. Figures exclude VAT. Based on a 35 month Contract Hire ,agreement for a BMW 116ED with a deposit of £1,374 plus VAT, a contract mileage of 8,000 miles per annum and an excess mileage charge of 7.0 pence per mile plus VAT. **Plus deposit of £1,554 plus VAT. Offer available to business users only. Figures exclude VAT. Based on a 35 month Contract Hire agreement for a BMW 320ED with a deposit of £1,554 plus VAT, a contract mileage of 8,000 miles per annum and an excess mileage charge of 7.8 pence per mile plus VAT. Vehicle condition charges may apply at the end of your agreement. Subject to status and in the UK only (excl. the Channel Islands). Individuals must be 18 or over. A guarantee may be required. The amount of VAT you can reclaim depends on your business VAT status. Rentals may change if VAT rate changes during agreement. Hire provided by BMW Group Corporate Finance. BMW Group Corporate Finance is a trading style of Alphabet (GB) Limited, Europa House, Bartley Way, Hook, Hampshire, RG27 9UF. Offer expires 31 January 2014. †Test drive subject to applicant status and available.

TAKING TAKINGCARE CAREOF OFBUSINESS. BUSINESS. the thenew newmini. mini. the thenew neworiginal. original. * * FROM FROM £149 £149 AA MONTH MONTH . .

The allThe new allMINI new Hatch MINI Hatch buildsbuilds upon upon the success the success of its heritage, of its heritage, with the with the MINI Cooper MINI Cooper D providing D providing class-leading class-leading performance performance and efficiency and efficiency as wellas well as theas lowest the lowest CO2 emissions CO2 emissions of anyofequivalent any equivalent modelmodel with more with more than 100hp. than 100hp.

All-new All-new three three and four-cylinder and four-cylinder engines engines and automatic and automatic gearboxes gearboxes with Auto with Auto Start-Stop Start-Stop also mean also mean that two thatmodels two models withinwithin the range the range exceed exceed 80mpg 80mpg on on the combined the combined cycle, cycle, while while still delivering still delivering MINI’sMINI’s hallmark hallmark go-kart go-kart handling. handling.

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Whatever Whatever your trade, your trade, you’ll you’ll find the find combination the combination of 860oflitres 860 of litres load ofcapacity, load capacity, flat loading flat loading floor, floor, 6 lashing 6 lashing pointed pointed and roof andrails rooftorails be to justbethe just job, thewhile job, while strongstrong standard standard spec spec including including air-con air-con and DAB andradio, DAB radio, provesproves you can youmix canbusiness mix business with pleasure. with pleasure. j 103g/km j 103g/km CO2 j CO2 £3000 j £3000 /Yr BIK /YrjBIK 72.4mpg j 72.4mpg

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Official Official fuel economy fuel economy figuresfigures for thefor MINI theRange: MINI Range: UrbanUrban 26.4-67.3 26.4-67.3 mpg (10.7-4.2 mpg (10.7-4.2 l/100km). l/100km).

Extra Urban Extra Urban 44.8-80.7 44.8-80.7 mpg (6.3-3.5 mpg (6.3-3.5 l/100km). l/100km).

Combined Combined 35.8-74.3 35.8-74.3 mpg (7.9-3.8 mpg (7.9-3.8 l/100km). l/100km).

CO2 emissions CO2 emissions 184-99 184-99 g/km.g/km. *Offer available *Offer available to business to business users only. users Based only. onBased a 47 month, on a 478,000 month, mile 8,000 per annum mile perContract annum Hire Contract agreement Hire agreement for a MINIfor Cooper a MINIDCooper with a deposit D with aofdeposit £894 plus of £894 VAT, plus and VAT, an excess and an mileage excess charge mileageofcharge 5.0 pence of 5.0 perpence mile plus per mile VAT. plus **Offer VAT.available **Offer available to business to business users only. users Figures only.exclude FiguresVAT. exclude Based VAT. onBased a 47 month, on a 478,000 month, miles 8,000 permiles annum perContract annum Hire Contract agreement Hire agreement for a MINIfor Clubvan a MINI with Clubvan a deposit with aofdeposit £1074of plus £1074 VAT, plus and VAT, an excess and an mileage excess charge mileageofcharge 6.0 pence of 6.0 perpence mile plus per mile VAT. plus Subject VAT.toSubject status to and status in the and UKin only the(excl.

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Chambernews International communication: the practical challenges

By Billy Partridge, Director, Grayling Scotland The world we inhabit is fast.Very fast.

News stories forming now in Tokyo are simultaneously breaking in San Francisco.

News travels faster than we ever could.

Opinions formed. Reputations built or broken. Outside of as well as within traditional media.

It is imperative that those communicating across borders do so just as fast. Speed of activation is increasingly important to our international clients as they come to terms with the changing media landscape before us.

But international communication is not just about being quick off the mark.That’s just as true here in Scotland as it is in Singapore and Sydney.There are some other guiding principles, which together can overcome some of the challenges facing organisations whose horizons expand beyond their own borders.

Managing International Campaigns It would be very helpful if globally all media followed the same rules; worked to the same deadlines; used the same staff, who all had the same quirks and idiosyncrasies.

With that vision would also come, frankly, a very boring world. So the key to managing your communications internationally is to strike a balance between an umbrella strategic vision and embracing local differences.

Grayling’s network of 54 offices around the world encompasses over 1,000 communications experts so these challenges are second nature to us.

How do we work together seamlessly across borders? We aim to build teams that are not limited by location or skillset, but which is tailored specifically for the individual needs and nuances of each challenge – without losing sight of that balancing act I mentioned earlier.

Hub and Spoke Grayling’s model of international communications management is based on a hub-and-spoke approach, with a dedicated ‘Engine Room’ hub team coordinating others around the world.

The hub is the Engine Room of your communications, with three main components to the role: is should be your strategic guardian; a creative heartbeat; and a coordination powerhouse.

From there, we are able to closely monitor on-going work in each market, provide guidance and quality control, push for a continual flow of good ideas from each team and ensure that all markets are delivering against work plans and current business needs.

There is flexibility within that model. For example, we manage the international PR for The 2014 Ryder Cup, and we coordinate activity in six European markets. Here we aim to give our colleagues the direction and steer they need to build genuine lasting relationships with media on behalf of the client. However, another of our international clients asks us to build those relationships ourselves from the centre, using local teams for specific and urgent local requirements only.

Whatever the nuance, having a hub also enables you to control your outputs strategically: it mitigates the risk of those local differences becoming too distinct from your central vision. So, if you have teams working in multiple markets with separate plans, the first question I would ask myself is whether those plans come together to support your commercial objectives in a unified manner.

What success looks like The media has changed because consumption habits have changed – and your customers are changing, too. They’re travelling as much as you are. They’re consuming media on the move, using mobile technology and they’re sharing content faster than before; making decisions remotely.

A consistent message is therefore more powerful – if you can reinforce a central theme in spite of these developments, you are communicating well.

Successful international communications campaigns probably reflect the success of international businesses. International thinking is needed; local expertise, however, is vital to provide local context, intelligence and insights.

Finally, a strong approach should embrace empowerment. I am a big believer in providing colleagues, projects and whole teams with the autonomy they need to do their best work. That’s why we keep an open dialogue – after all, a good idea can come from anywhere. And nothing beats a good idea when it comes to communications.

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Specialreport Edinburgh Airport – Scotland’s Gateway To The World Gordon Dewar is a man in a hurry – to save Scotland’s international business travellers as much time, hassle and money as he possibly can.

flown by Qatar Airways to Doha in the Middle East. “This is a tremendous piece of news.

Not only for the sake of the direct link to the Middle East, but also because it offers another very strong alternative for people travelling to the Far East. In terms of breaking a long journey, Doha is an excellent location with a strong international hub offering many destinations in the East.

“Similarly, our launch with Turkish Airlines to Istanbul has been hugely beneficial with Istanbul a tremendous hub with some 200 destinations.”

The man who runs Edinburgh’s enormously successful international airport takes pride in his team’s achievements in continuing to add new international routes at a frantic pace – but he is far from satisfied.

Gordon knows a nation’s ability to trade internationally – vital in this world of increased commercial globalisation – is directly linked to its connectivity, with air travel playing the key role.

In recent months, a raft of new routes has been added – to Scandinavia, the Middle East, North America and Europe, and that hasn’t happened by accident.Vast numbers of hours – Gordon reckons somewhere around 600 man hours – spent on research, enagagement and shared modelling with each airline on each proposed new route – lie behind each win.

The Airport team work hard to identify potential demand, look at possible partners, then begin the long, arduous and expensive task of seeking to marry the two together – no mean feat in the highly and globally competitive market in which the airport operates.

Gordon said: “A lot of hard work, and a lot of investment, goes into securing a new route. I am very confident that if an airline chooses to come to Scotland, they will almost certainly want to use Edinburgh Airport. However,

The desire to travel and do business in the emerging economies in the Far East, and in South America, is high on the agenda at the Airport – both in terms of seeking new direct routes and also routes to international hubs.

Gordon Dewar

we are competing with airports from around Europe and we have to understand they are also all building cases and seeking to attract routes.We need to help airlines by doing a lot of the ground work for them, so that they can come to us with confidence.”

That work certainly seems to pay off. Gordon cites Hamburg as a major success. “We had long wanted to open this route. Hamburg and its environs has a large, affluent population and we have strong trade links with that part of Germany.We were able to demonstrate a real latent demand for the route. Before, people would have required a connection. Since it started, we have seen traffic increase 4000%.”

Gordon is equally excited about the prospects for the recently announced new route being

Gordon said: “We see a direct link between air connections and trade, both in terms of the opportunities it affords our vital tourist industry but also in opening up potential trading links.

We are still a wealthy trading country, but people are time-poor.While much can be done using technology in terms of contacting people, in business there is still no real substitute for getting out, meeting people and looking them in the eyes. So the easier we can make that process, the better for business.”

That ability to help people connect is reflected in the numbers. Edinburgh International Airport recently reported a busy quarter in July – September – with the busiest –ever September seeing 950,000 passengers pass through. Of these, considerably more than 500,000 were international travellers – up almost 10% on the same month the previous year.

The summer was the most successful on record, with more than 3 million passengers travelling during the quarter.

“A lot of hard work, and a lot of investment, goes into securing a new route. I am very confident that if an airline chooses to come to Scotland, they will almost certainly want to use Edinburgh Airport.”

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Inspiring International Trade - How the British Chambers of Commerce and UK Accredited Chamber Network are supporting UK exporters across the globe

By David Riches Commercial Director, British Chambers of Commerce Accredited Chambers of Commerce are the premier source of private sector, business-to-business, support for international trade and export services. Among Accredited Chamber members across the UK, 22% were exporting in 2011, 32% in 2012, and 39% in 2013 – and we are working hard to ensure that more British companies can break into new markets, or increase their export share. As part of this commitment, the Chamber Network is developing its products and services based around the customer journey of an exporter, and the BCC recently launched a new website designed to support exporting businesses called Export Britain. www.exportbritain.org.uk The five pillars of an exporter’s journey are: n Export Readiness n Export Finance n Getting Goods to market n International Market Access n International Sales and Marketing Delivering Trade Support in the UK Every Accredited Chamber is different, and is characteristic of its local area. Individual Accredited Chambers have diverse offerings to reflect the needs of local business communities. Accredited Chambers of Commerce already offer numerous trade services for member and non-member businesses, such as export documentation, market research, translation, overseas marketing and Chamber foreign exchange services.

Additionally, we have implemented a programme across the Accredited Chamber Network entitled the “Best Of Things Everywhere”. This capitalises on the significant cross-trading that already goes on within the Network, enabling a Chamber member in one part of the country to receive services from a Chamber in another part of the country.

The BCC’s new online resource, Export Britain, showcases opportunities in key international markets, and links UK exporters to support available from British Chambers and business groups both in the UK and around the world. Export Britain helps businesses make new connections overseas by drawing on the power of the global network of British Chambers and business groups, part of the wider Enhancing Overseas Business Networks Programme.

Connecting UK Exporters with Opportunities Overseas Accredited Chambers of Commerce also work with UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) in the delivery of some of their trade support programmes at a local level, and the BCC is now the lead partner in the Enhancing Overseas Business Networks Programme, which has the objective of doubling UK exports to £1trn per annum by 2020.

To achieve this objective, we are building an engaged and professional network of business-led organisations supporting UK SMEs abroad, in partnership with the local UK Embassy and UKTI Teams, in the highgrowth markets identified by the Prime Minister when he launched the programme in November 2012.

In most of these markets, British Chambers of Commerce and British Business Groups are already at the forefront of providing support services to UK businesses seeking to access the opportunities for expansion. These organisations are being given additional support and funding under the programme and the BCC and UK Accredited Chambers have two core functions in delivering the vision – helping them to develop their capabilities and accrediting them into our growing global business-to-business network.

For more information on the high-growth markets in the Overseas Business Networks programme, please visit the Export Britain website: www.exportbritain.org.uk

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Specialreport China offers great potential for UK business

By Nora Senior, Chair of Scottish Chambers of Commerce I was honoured to have been invited to accompany the Prime Minister’s trade mission to China in December 2013.

UK as it is well positioned to benefit from these trends and meet the demand for high quality goods and services.

will be eased in childcare, care for the elderly, architectural design, accounting and auditing, and commerce.

There are a number of key sectors where there are obvious opportunities.

Sustainable energy and low carbon schemes will be an integral part of development as China endeavours to stave off the effects of pollution and smog as the country develops its 21st century industrial strategy.

Three intensive days in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu and experiencing first-hand the sheer scale of fast development and urbanisation that is going on in the country certainly opened my eyes to the real potential of this territory.

Working with the Chamber of Commerce network, as first port of call, SME businesses can benefit from assistance with entry into China as a new export market, including introductions to potential clients, agents, distributors and in-market UK networks, in addition to providing tailored training on the local business environment.

China has experienced astounding growth over the past three decades – averaging almost 10% per annum. Much of this growth has been built on low cost manufacturing and export as well as massive government investment in infrastructure projects.

Although economic growth may be ‘slowing down,’ China still creates the equivalent of a country the size of Greece every three months.

The Chinese government has set specific targets to double GDP per capita by 2020 and China’s growing middle class is set reach over 600 million people in the same timeframe.

The number of households in China with an annual disposable income above $10,000 will almost quadruple from 57.1 million to 222 million.

As a result, there has been a shift towards consumption orientated growth and Chinese import demand is expected to dwarf other emerging powers. This is good news for the

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Nora Senior

State-owned enterprises will continue to play the lead role in the economy but market pricing will be opened up to more competitive tendering and could see an opening up of markets to private sector players such as finance, energy, transportation, telecoms and public services.

Education, culture and medical sectors will be opened up to multinationals, while restrictions

Chambers of Commerce is currently working with UKTI on an initiative to establish a robust B2B network internationally. Its partners in China, the British Business Embassy and China British Business Council are the ‘go to’ in country organisations to help UK businesses maximise opportunities and deliver on-the-ground connections and partners.

Reform will be slow, steady and incremental but as China rebalances its economy, there will be strong growth potential in service exports in the sectors where the UK has a distinct advantage. If Scottish companies have aspirations to be truly global, they must be a part of this.

Blazing a trail internationally Edinburgh Napier University has been something of a trailblazer when it comes to forging international links – with its ties to Hong Kong stretching back for more than two decades.

Professor Nolan said: ““Interest in Higher Education courses delivered in English is growing, particularly at Masters level, and the UK is very attractive to internationally mobile students some of whom may stay on to engage in work for a period of time or join the UK research community.

“We need to continue to lobby to ensure that our immigration policy allows us to be competitive with Universities from other countries”. “Talent attraction and retention is of great priority to the Scottish economy; as well as the economic benefits, the social and cultural benefits enrich our environment.”

Of course, the University has grown since then with its courses now taught to around 4,500 students overseas – in particular in Hong Kong, Singapore and India.

Principal Andrea Nolan takes pride in her University’s growing international reputation, and the international dimension at Edinburgh Napier is not limited to those studying Napier courses overseas.

Edinburgh Napier staff engage in teaching students studying overseas, working with partner institutions to deliver the University curriculum; this affords staff the opportunity of a broader international experience and benefit.

Many students from beyond the UK, currently around 3,500, come to study at Edinburgh Napier’s campuses – bringing with them real economic, social and cultural benefits.

Professor Nolan said: “These students have a very significant economic impact in the city and the region during their time living here.

Add to that the richness and diversity of ideas, experiences and culture that they bring and you can understand the major contribution they make to the city and region and our communities.”

Like many Universities, Edinburgh Napier has plans to grow its international dimension

Professor Nolan believes that the Scottish offering will remain an attractive one. She said: “The ‘brand’ is very strong, with recognition around the world for the quality and integrity of what is offered through the Scottish Higher Education system.

Andrea Nolan

and reputation. The high demand for UK and Scottish Higher Education fuelled by the quality of education, coupled with the acceptance of English as the international language of business, makes the future growth potential significant, in particular in some of the emerging economies with very large populations.

However, the market is becoming increasingly competitive with Universities from other English speaking countries, particularly the USA, Canada, Australia, and others now increasingly offering courses taught in English (many European countries). Furthermore, a more restrictive immigration regime – particularly over the past few years – is not helpful to Universities seeking to bring talented people to the UK to study when compared with many other nations.

“We are concerned to protect that, working with partners who share our values and our standards, and engage with our quality processes.”

One area in which the Principal would like to see further progress is in getting Scottish businesses more engaged with the University and its overseas students. She said: “We have some very good links in Edinburgh and internationally which offer our students wherever they are studying the opportunity to gain experience and study in a work based context. These engagements not only benefit the students but they can also provide organisations with innovative and committed people to work on relevant work-place issues.

“I would like to see more businesses taking advantage of this wealth of talent in our universities, doing what they can to provide opportunities through genuine and constructive partnerships and internships. It should be a win for everyone.”

“I would like to see more businesses taking advantage of this wealth of talent in our universities, doing what they can to provide opportunities through genuine and constructive partnerships and internships. It should be a win for everyone.”

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Inspiringleaders No checking growth at Kinloch Anderson Describing Deirdre Kinloch Anderson as passionate about tartan is a bit like saying Pavarotti could carry a tune.

She lives and breathes tartan and Scotland’s national dress – a fact recognised by the OBE she received in 2010 in recognition of her seven-year campaign to establish a Scottish Register of Tartans requiring an Act of Parliament in order to create an official register, belonging to the people.

And she has recently published a book all about tartan and Highland Dress, tailoring and kiltmaking. ‘A Scottish Tradition’ charts the history of the family firm, Kinloch Anderson, trading in Edinburgh since 1868 and now known throughout the world.

Deirdre and her husband Douglas are the fifth generation of the Company, now into the sixth generation of family management with John Kinloch Anderson as Chief Executive and Peter Kinloch Anderson as Director of Brand Development.The Company may operate in the traditional dress market but it is innovation that has kept it going and growing while many others have fallen by the wayside. At one time, in the 1930s, the firm was one of 17 bespoke tailors operating in George Street.To the horror of fellow tailors, Kinloch Anderson took the unmentionable and bold step of selling offthe-peg suits. Needless to say, only one of the 17 tailors now exists…

In the 1940s, Deirdre’s father-in-law went on long travels to Canada to service the uniform requirements for military officers there – and this led to the establishment of a wholesale business to provide Scottish clothing to the enormous expatriate population there and in the USA.

Deirdre said: “We make the products under licence with very high quality manufacturers and they are sold in freestanding shops, shopping malls and concessions in Department stores. Using our knowledge and the reputation of our brand in this way has allowed us to reach many more countries.”

Deirdre said: “After World War II my father in law used to go out to Canada by ship – it took five to six weeks – to service the Canadian regiments.We were premier military tailors to the Highland regiments in the early 1900s and we’ve always been outward-looking. It was the first step into looking overseas for business, and that is something we have been doing successfully ever since.The way in which we operate changes, but our desire to grow and find new markets never does.”

The firm’s presence in North America is also very important, and their links with the upmarket US Brooks Brothers store is a source of pride – in particular the firm’s presence in the flagship store on Madison Avenue, New York.

The firm is proud of its Royal Warrants, and counts the Royal Family amongst its clientele along with many other famous people in Britain and overseas.The firm’s premises in Dock Street in Leith provide a spacious, calm and high quality environment for those seeking the very best of Scottish traditional dress and Scottish clothing – menswear, ladieswear or children’s wear as well as fine ranges of accessories and gifts.

Nowadays, much of the international activity focuses on the growing emerging markets of the Far East, and the firm now has some 300 shops in Japan,Taiwan, Korea and China. China is a key focus, with growth being enjoyed and further growth planned.

As well as their retail and wholesale operations, the firm also works in the corporate market, designing tartans for a wide range of clients Deirdre said: “People ask how we manage the sheer longevity of the firm, and I think there have been and continue to be a number of factors: innovating and being prepared to change how we do things; staying specialist and focused on our niche market; our willingness to marry traditional skills with modern technology and a balance of activities operating in retail, manufacturing and wholesale, corporate identity and brand development.

“In addition to all of that I think there is a real integrity.We believe in our brand, and in what it stands for. As Scotland’s national dress changes and evolves we have been market leaders in that evolution. We take what we do very seriously and people come to us knowing how much we care about providing quality of product, professional advice and best service.”

“We were premier military tailors to the Highland regiments in the early 1900s (so) and we’ve always been outward-looking (and international). It was the first step into looking overseas for business, and that is something we have been doing successfully ever since. The way in which we operate changes, but our desire to grow and find new markets never does.”

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Deirdre Kinloch Anderson OBE

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Asktheexpert

By Douglas Walker Founder and CEO of Claymore Security Solutions & Claymore Afghanistan Claymore Security Solutions is a UK based company with very strong Scottish roots.

Back in 2011 I took myself, my kilt and one small bag to Singapore and spent time with many different companies within the shipping industry. Initially, I set up the company to deliver Maritime Security Services, combating piracy in the Somali region.

Rapid development to the Middle East resulted from an expansion into land-based operations. The team at Claymore continues to ensure secure moves for High Value Asset Transits in high risk areas. As a company, we work closely with many of the world leading companies to provide secure moves for assets including diamonds, technologies and highly classified documents.

Due to Claymore’s extensive experience, this service subsequently led to a keen interest from Africa. Currently we are operating within the most challenging and austere environments around the globe. Therefore it is our priority to have teams ready for deployment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We are steadily expanding into the Oil & Gas sector and offer the highest quality security solutions for the protection of people and assets in this industry as well as ground breaking solutions in exploration.

Other services we provide include, Close Protection, Security Assessments and Risk Mitigation surveys, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) surveys, Security Consultancy and Investigation.

More recent expansions have introduced a number of newly innovative experts into the Claymore team and include developments in our Risk Management services. This has involved the addition of new and improved training packages in Kidnap & Ransom and Hostage Negotiation as well as Journey Management.

It is important when travelling to be aware of language barriers, cultural differences and ultimately building relationships with clients/ partners before building the business. Gain all the knowledge you can about the country and the market you are trying to get into.

We are now fully operational in many countries around the world and this has led to the generation a new company within this business venture: Claymore Afghanistan. In 2014, there will be ongoing developments in Afghanistan, particularly with the country’s infrastructure. People from across the globe will aid this development and in doing so they will require a safe and secure environment to work in. Claymore Afghanistan will ensure the safety of anyone here from as soon as their plane lands to the moment they return home.

• Do your research, know where you are going.

In summary, some key points to remember:

• You must be aware of the culture and the way they work.

• Land in the country with knowledge and respect – know the laws • Join forces with local business partners and build relationships as much as possible – Certain things may be acceptable in our business culture that might be considered rude or offensive in others.

Most recently, we have started work with UK leading experts in the fields of Crisis Management and Risk Mitigation to provide a new Journey management training package for travelling personnel.

It is quite difficult to gain work in the international market. In particular, existing in such a challenging industry the business requires various licenses to operate and as a smaller company these processes will take somewhat longer and it can be more difficult to achieve. Now with our business entering into Afghanistan, we also hold licenses that few other companies are granted.

In developing overseas, it is extremely important to maintain close relationships and communicate face-to-face as much as possible.

Douglas Walker

Future looking bright for Edinburgh’s school leavers More school leavers than ever in Edinburgh are moving into work, education, or training.

This is thanks to the strong partnership that has developed between the public and private sectors through the Edinburgh Guarantee.

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paid apprenticeship, or work-focused training.

Figures published by the Scottish Government show that the success rate of school leavers in Edinburgh achieving and sustaining a positive destination is continuing to rise and is now at the highest rate ever in Edinburgh. The figure is up 3.1% on this time last year and is now at 91.4%.

Cllr Paul Godzik, Convener of the Children and Families Committee, said: “Whether it’s employment, apprenticeships or training, young people need to move out of school and into a positive destination quickly. It is really encouraging that there has been such an improvement in the figures once again. Moving on to make a new start in life is the boost young people need at this critical point in their lives, and I am delighted that the Edinburgh Guarantee is having such a positive effect.”

A positive destination is defined as a place in Higher Education, Further Education, a job,

Cllr Frank Ross, Convener of the Economy Committee, said: “Ensuring that Edinburgh’s

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young people have opportunities is vital for the economic success of our city. The year on year improvements that have been achieved since the inception of the Edinburgh Guarantee show that focused collaboration can make a real difference to many young lives. I am confident that with sustained investment and the support of our public, private and third sector partners these improvements will continue in future.”

PartnersinEnterprise Future vision for Edinburgh Transport When you consider that Edinburgh’s urban transport system has been around for over 140 years continuously in public ownership and consistently providing a high standard of service, it’s clear why its residents and visitors have such a unique love affair with public transport in the Capital.

As Chief Executive of Transport for Edinburgh it is my goal to ensure that the passion of our passengers continues as we move once again into tram operations that will create an integrated transport system for Edinburgh along with our bus services.

Our vision for Transport for Edinburgh is simple; to provide world class, environmentally and socially inclusive transport, that will be an integral part of the future success of Edinburgh and the Lothians. We cannot ignore the fact that the City and the wider City region is changing and public transport provision needs also to change if it’s going to remain relevant to people’s lives, fit for purpose and able to drive the City toward greater growth and prosperity.

Within Lothian Buses we are already looking at not only new, innovative technology for our vehicles but providing our customers with more modern, convenient ticketing options; 2013 saw the introduction of our family ticket and a ticketing app that allows passengers the flexibility of purchasing tickets through their mobile devices. Both of these initiatives have proved successful and 2014 will bring more innovations and with tram operations commencing we will have a truly integrated system that we can be proud of for years to come.

Residents and visitors can feel confident that Transport for Edinburgh will ensure that the City and the wider Region will have a successful, modern transport system that will compliment Edinburgh’s cosmopolitan feel that brings visitors in their millions each year and makes Edinburgh continually voted one of the best places to live in the United Kingdom.

It is not only the day-to-day transport that we are responsible for; Edinburgh Bus Tours continues to hold its Visit Scotland 5 star rating and remains Scotland’s third most popular paid for visitor attraction.

With Edinburgh competing on not just a UK or European stage but against other cities around the world, growing Edinburgh Bus Tours is a key part of our strategy going forward.

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Customised Awards – as unique as your business

Why create your own qualification?

Businesses benefit from a qualified workforce. If staff are trained and qualified they tend to be motivated and more productive. Having your learning formalised within your own qualification can provide you with certification and quality assurance from a renowned awarding organisation.

By creating your own qualification, you can give your staff learning formal recognition outside your business, enhancing your corporate image. Your staff will also receive their own unique certificate, featuring the SQA logo and that of your business.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is Scotland’s national accreditation and awarding body. Although we’re well known for delivering Scotland’s school exams, a major part of what we do is working in partnership with businesses of all shapes, sizes and sectors across the UK and beyond.

At SQA we pride ourselves on providing products and services that are tailored to our customers’ requirements. Nowhere is this commitment better demonstrated than with our Customised Awards.

With SQA’s Customised Awards, your business can create its own unique, certified and quality-assured qualifications that are sharply focused on its needs and ambitions. SQA Customised Awards are truly bespoke, so learning follows precisely the route you choose.

The benefits for your business Precision is at the heart of our Customised Awards.

Above all, they’re about delivering exactly the qualification you want. Focused on achieving your business objectives, your Customised Award challenges and motivates your employees, enhancing skills, standards and productivity and giving you a competitive advantage. Having a Customised Award will also provide recognition and development opportunities for your staff, leading to increased staff retention. As well as recognising talent and rewarding achievement, each award fulfils SQA’s rigorous quality assurance criteria. That means you can be confident of qualifications that are robust enough to stand up to scrutiny and could help you meet regulatory compliance.

and it will sit alongside comparable qualifications.

SCQF provides a clearly defined view of what your award delivers – great news for your employees’ career progression and for demonstrating competence to customers, stakeholders and other third parties. An SCQF credit rated Customised Award protects you too; it can’t be used by others, although you can choose to offer your qualification to other businesses.

Tailored to you For a truly bespoke offering, flexibility is key – and it’s a huge part of SQA’s Customised Awards.

As well as providing you with plenty of space, scope and support to design your qualifications, Customised Awards are flexible to fit your circumstances. So whether you’re building on and formalising existing in-house training, or even starting entirely from scratch, our integrated Customised Awards process is always ready to go.

Supporting your business from day one SQA is well-versed in supporting our Customised Awards customers. From day one you’ll be working with SQA’s experts. These include your own locally based Business Development Manager and a team of specialists ready to advise you about every aspect of developing your learning and assessment materials.

Learn how SQA’s unique Customised Awards can work for your business. Get in touch with our Business Development Team today.

Choose to have your qualification universally recognised by having it credit rated on SCQF (Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework)

Business Development T: 0303 333 0330 E: mycentre@sqa.org.uk W: www.sqa.org.uk/customised

Massive expansion of Edinburgh planned to 2024 Every five years the Council updates its Development Plans. The City over the last 15 to 20 years has looked to the waterfront and other brownfield sites to accommodate its future growth. This development strategy was based on developing Edinburgh as the compact city based on a model seen in northern European coastal cities.

Brownfield regeneration was seen as an opportunity to utilise under used land close to the City Centre and support available infrastructure.This compact city model was the genesis for the Edinburgh Tram project.

This development strategy stalled in 2007 with the credit crunch and recession.

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The Council approved its Edinburgh Local Development Plan (LDP): Proposed Plan in March 2013. An updated version of the Proposed Plan will replace the existing Edinburgh City Local Plan (2010) and Rural West Edinburgh Local Plan (2006) in the coming year.

The need for more housing land remains.This is partly due to the failure of the waterfront’s regeneration to be delivered in full. The ongoing demand for homes in Edinburgh reflects changes in market and demographic trends – smaller households preferring houses rather than flats.

As part of preparing the Proposed Plan, the Council carried out a city wide environmental assessment.This assessment considered environmental, cultural and landscape designations; flood risk; access to Core Paths; public transport and greenspace; and water quality. It concluded that there is scope for major land releases around the City.

The good news for the City is that its future development strategy is currently under review.

The Proposed Plan sets out a development

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strategy which focuses investment in four Strategic Development Areas (SDAs) in the City. Large scale new housing land releases are planned for the two SDAs at West Edinburgh and South East Edinburgh (4,000 to 5,500 homes in total) as well as ongoing support for existing SDAs at Edinburgh Waterfront and the City Centre. Most of these new homes will be built on greenfield sites including sites within the Green Belt.

New development from these land releases will be a bonanza for the Council, leading to a multi-million pound investment in upgrades to the City’s roads, public transport services and schools.This investment will help support and create new job opportunities in both public and private sectors.

Not since the 1960s have the city fathers had the opportunity to carry out such a comprehensive master planning exercise on greenfield land.

All of this is good news for the City.This masterplanning exercise will be an important stimulus to growth for local businesses and services across Edinburgh.

Where will this additional growth of 6,500 homes go?

Locations linked to sustainable transport corridors seem sensible.There will be opportunities for further expansion within the existing identified SDAs. A real choice for the Council will be to look westwards and consider expansion of its villages along the A70 such as Currie and Balerno and the extensive landscape around South Queensferry.The establishment of new villages within the Green Belt in these areas may well be another option.

It is inevitable that the majority of these homes will on greenfield sites released from the Green Belt. But this provides an opportunity to plan for better places and produce the conservation areas of tomorrow.

This expected upsurge in house building will no doubt impact on the need for more skilled construction jobs and to employ more apprentices.

This is over and above the additional demand in the construction supply chain as well as churn in the existing housing market. Hopefully all of this additional housing will help stabilise house price increases across the City.

However, more changes are afoot.

Modifications to the region’s Strategic Development Plan (SESplan) by Scottish Ministers now require supplementary guidance to be completed by the Strategic Development Planning Authority (SDPA).This has been necessary to finalise housing land requirements for all six authority areas including the City.

Who said sustainable economic growth would be easy!

Releasing land for modern new homes will result in a more prosperous and sustainable place which continues to be internationally recognised as an outstanding area in which to live, work and do business.

This supplementary guidance has largely been prepared to distribute some of the City’s housing need and demand to towns and villages in East Lothian, Midlothan,West Lothian, Scottish Borders and Fife.The result of this distribution will reduce the need for the City to accommodate all of its projected household growth to 2024.

Once this distribution strategy is agreed in June 2014 then housing land requirement for Edinburgh can be approved.The Council’s Proposed Plan will then be subject to further consultation and subsequent change.

The Council has already agreed in its Proposed Plan that 26,900 homes are needed over the 15 year period to 2024, equivalent to 1,793 homes per year. Currently, the supplementary guidance has set the housing land requirement for the City at 29,500 homes – an increase of 2,600 homes.

Geddes Consulting has carried out an Assessment of the Housing Land Supply for the city.This Assessment takes into account of the known effective housing land supply to meet any housing land requirement to 2024.

This Assessment concluded that even with the delivery of the Council’s approved development strategy in full, there will be a substantial housing land shortfall by the end of 2024 – possibly around 6,500 homes in addition to those set out in the Proposed Plan.

Further land releases to accommodate an additional 6,500 homes are required to deliver the Council’s new housing land requirement set by the supplementary guidance.

The Council will therefore need to plan for sustainable new developments to accommodate up to 13,500 homes by 2024.

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HEALTH & SAFETY FEATURE

IOSH looks at RIDDOR musculoskeletal disorders, asthma and cancer, as well as diseases due to work exposure to biological agents, which were previously listed as major injuries. Unlike the previous rules, where a disease needed to be linked to a specific work activity or occupation to be reportable; under the new rules, diseases are reportable due to exposure to the hazard, regardless of occupation type.

The catalogue of dangerous occurrences that have to be reported in all industrial sectors has also been shortened and simplified. No longer on the list are those involving the carriage of dangerous substances by road, failure of fairground equipment, and failure of load bearing parts of freight containers.

Richard Jones

Richard Jones, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) Head of Policy and Public Affairs summarises the latest changes to accident reporting regulations.

The beginning of October 2013 ushered in the second set of revisions to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) in less than two years. They are billed as an improvement that should make life easier for employers and simplify reporting.

The latest changes arise from the 2011 Löfstedt regulatory review, Reclaiming Health and Safety for All, which recommended that RIDDOR and its associated guidance should be amended to provide more clarity for business. They follow RIDDOR revisions in 2012, which raised from over three days to over seven the ‘incapacity for work’ time triggering the duty to report an accident.

But IOSH and several other safety organisations believe the latest changes have missed a key opportunity to address fundamental flaws of the old rules, meaning that some key risks are not being given the priority they deserve.

Occupational road risk is a good example.

Practitioners would argue that for many employees, driving for work is one of the most risky daily activities they undertake.

Employers are obliged to manage this risk with the same care as their other risks, but RIDDOR 2013 only includes very specific types of road accident as reportable, such as those involving road works, dangerous goods and loading and unloading.

In place of the old schedule of 10 major injuries, RIDDOR 2013 has a fresh list of eight “specified injuries”. It includes references to crush injuries, scalping and injuries arising from work in an enclosed or confined space.

IOSH also worries that the removal of some major injury categories - such as dislocations, of which there are 1300 a year, as well as electric shocks and “any other injury leading to resuscitation or hospitalisation” - will lead to loss of important data; as such incidents may not be captured under the specified injuries headings.

The former schedule of 47 “industrial diseases” is replaced by eight categories of reportable work-related illness. These include occupational dermatitis, various

However, IOSH does welcome the new scalping, burn and crush categories. It is also pleased the government has dropped some of the original proposals in the consultation,

What’s changed?

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IOSH head of policy and public affairs Richard Jones “To help employers with reporting, IOSH was pleased to contribute to the new HSE online guidance and we’ve also called for reinstatement of the phone-line for lost time injury reporting. One further suggestion we’ve made is for a small reminder for employers to report to be put on the ‘fit note’.”

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for example that only high-hazard industry dangerous occurrences should be reportable.

Richard closed by saying “It’s really important to collect reliable, real-time data on workplace failures, so that lessons can be learned and scarce resources targeted. This is how we can all help to ensure that further work-related deaths, injuries and diseases are prevented”

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) First Aid training legislation is changing. This will affect YOUR business in Scotland.

On 1 October 2013, the HSE will no longer be responsible for approving First Aid training providers. This means you are free to look around for a training provider that best suits your company’s needs but beware, you will also now have the responsibility of ensuring this training meets a quality standard and delivers the most up to date information. On it’s website, the HSE has provided guidance to businesses on how to do this. HSE suggest you find ready made assurances from organisations such as St Andrew’s First Aid Training and Supplies LTD. Welcoming the changes, Jim Dorman, Operations Director of St Andrew’s First Aid says: “Employers must now choose carefully when selecting their First Aid training provider. The changes mean employers are now liable and must conduct full due diligence on the provider. It is no longer the case that HSE will approve the training provider - the responsibility now lies with the employer.”

Providing advice on the considerations employers should take in selecting their First Aid training Jim added: “It is important to have a good understanding of your First Aid needs in the workplace.

Do you have people with specific medical conditions such as allergies? What sort of injuries or illnesses might typically be present in your organisation? Do you have or require specialist equipment such as an AED or Evac-Chair? These are all now factors that must be considered by any employer to comply with new First Aid legislation.”

MAKE YOUR WORKPLACE A SAFER PLACE We are the leading voice in health and safety and offer a wide range of NEBOSH, IOSH, City & Guilds and BTEC safety training courses. Our training leaves delegates with a highly developed understanding of and expertise in the subject matter.

Our flexible approaches to learning use a variety of teaching methods and we have highly experienced trainers who will support you throughout your learning.

Our Scotland training courses include: NEBOSH Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety NEBOSH National General Certificate NVQ Level 5 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety BTEC Level 3 Manual Handling Trainers BTEC Level 4 Safer People Handling Trainers IOSH Managing Safely IOSH Work Placement Assessors Range of short courses – Risk Assessment, COSHH, Fire Risk Assessment and more...

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Matthew Tew Health & Safety, Training & Development Officer, Roadtech Cutting Services Ltd

ADVERTORIAL

Healthy Working Lives helps you get it right The recent amendments to simplify some aspects of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) are now in place. These changes reflect the recommendation made in the Löfstedt report ‘Reclaiming health and safety for all: An independent review of health and safety legislation.’

The changes are designed to simplify the reporting requirements in these areas: • A shorter list of ‘specified injuries’ will replace the current list of major injuries’ • The existing schedule detailing 47 types of industrial disease is being replaced with eight

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categories of reportable work-related illness.

• Fewer types of ‘dangerous occurrence’ will require reporting.

There are no significant changes to the reporting requirements for: • Fatal accidents.

• Accidents to non-workers (members of the public).

• Accidents which result in the incapacitation of a worker for more than seven days.

These changes came into force on the 1st of October 2013.

Robert Fisher of the Healthy Working Lives Adviceline said “like any change in legislation it may throw up some questions from businesses about what they should and should not report. Our free confidential Adviceline can discuss these matters with you and make sure you comply with the changes in reporting of accidents” The Healthy Working Lives Adviceline 0800 019 2211 is available Monday to Friday 9:00 am until 5:00pm Further information on the changes is available on the HSE website RIDDOR.

The widest range of products, expert advice and training to keep you safe in the workplace.

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Arco Training & Consultancy AT&C is the specialist arm of Arco that’s dedicated to helping customers achieve and maintain, full health, safety and environmental compliance by providing: • Tailor-made safety and training packages • Fully qualified sector specialists • Flexible Service Delivery

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Is your business missing out on R&D tax relief?

Recent research from Baker Tilly has shown that many SMEs are simply unaware of the Government’s Research & Development (R&D) tax incentive, which could provide a much-needed boost for businesses coming out of the economic downturn. It could be the case that many simply don’t appreciate that they ‘do’ R&D. Is your business one of them?

For most people, the words Research & Development (R&D) will evoke images of lab coats and microscopes, but in the tax world this term has much wider application. R&D tax credits were introduced in 2000 to encourage greater investment in innovation. Since then, the system has been expanded and the tax breaks have become more generous. The scheme is intended to provide a greater stimulus for investment in innovation, which is believed necessary to aid economic recovery.

The definition of R&D for tax purposes is wider than many imagine and applies to most sectors. Some companies that are eligible for the generous tax reliefs may therefore not realise that their activities could qualify.

What qualifies?

Eligibility extends far beyond laboratories and science-based research centres. R&D tax credits can be equally available to work carried out in a factory, in software development, in construction as well as more traditional settings.

R&D expenditure does not necessarily have to result in the creation of a tangible end product

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and can be the analysis of a process. The key is that an advance is sought through the resolution of scientific or technological uncertainty. That said, R&D is usually present in the development of new and improved products, a bespoke piece of work or in new and improved processes.

Expenditure that can be included in a claim is also often much higher than initially expected. Claims have successfully been made by companies operating in the education, employment/HR, media, financial and professional services sectors as well as the more obvious areas of electronics, engineering, healthcare and IT. What is the benefit for SMEs? The scheme is open to all companies with eligible expenditure, but more generous rates of relief are available to small or medium sized companies (SMEs). SMEs can claim 225% of eligible expenditure against taxable profits.

Companies making losses, which is frequently the case in the early stages of development, can surrender the losses and claim cash back from HMRC, currently equivalent to up to approximately 25% of the qualifying expenditure.

SMEs, for this purpose, will include most groups with less than 500 employees.

Large companies There is another R&D scheme, open to larger companies and certain work performed by SMEs. The large company scheme is going through a period of change. Large companies are currently able to claim 130% of eligible expenditure as an enhanced tax deduction effectively providing total tax relief of approximately 30p for every £1 of R&D expenditure. From 1 April 2013, the large company scheme has been extended to include a new optional “Above the Line” (ATL) R&D credit and this will run alongside the existing regime as an alternative until 2016 when the ATL credit will become mandatory and replace the existing system.

ATL The ATL bit means that the benefit of the credit can be accounted for as income in the P&L account as opposed to being hidden away in the tax line. The ATL credit will also give

companies more flexibility in how they obtain tax relief for their R&D expenditure. Profitable companies will be able to offset the ATL credit against their UK corporation tax liability or, subject to certain conditions, surrender it to other group companies who can offset it against their corporation tax liabilities.

R&D – a missed opportunity?

For the first time, again subject to certain conditions, large companies are able to cash in losses arising from R&D activity early rather than carrying them forward against future profits. This potential cash generator could be important to the on-going viability of R&D projects in tough economic times.

Only 15% of the 750 SMEs surveyed knew about R&D tax credits. HMRC figures show that most of the R&D tax relief claimed in 2011/12 was by large companies (£780m) rather than SMEs (£420m). However, the survey did find that once businesses knew about an incentive they generally tended to use it. This suggests that lack of knowledge was the main issue rather than the perceived effectiveness of the scheme.

As the name suggests, companies claiming the ATL credit will, however, need to change the way in which the R&D credit is presented in their accounts. The ATL credit must be recognised as part of the company’s profit before tax and will need to be separately computed for inclusion in the financial statements.

As a quid pro quo for the added complexity, the benefits are more generous under ATL credit than with the super deduction and equate to a total tax relief of approximately 31% of the expenditure.

Despite the generous nature of the R&D tax credit regime and its 14 year existence, a recent survey by Baker Tilly has found low awareness and usage of this and other tax incentives

by SMEs and this could be hampering their prospects for growth.

This lack of awareness is clearly an issue that needs to be addressed by Government, but equally SMEs should take responsibility for finding out about tax reliefs available to them, including the R&D tax credit. With the next Budget a matter of weeks away, it will be interesting to see whether there will be any further expansion of the scheme in an effort to tempt greater engagement by SMEs.

Shirley McIntosh

For further information about R&D tax relief please contact: Shirley McIntosh, Baker Tilly Partner T 0131 659 8300 E shirley.mcintosh@bakertilly.co.uk

New Year. New Baker Tilly.

Baker Tilly is one of the principal mid-tier professional services firms in the UK, with almost 4,000 Partners and staff operating from 58 offices across the country.

To find out how we can support you, please contact:

Recently, Baker Tilly merged with RSM Tenon making the combined firm the seventh largest UK firm of accountants and business advisers with a revenue of over £300 million a year. The firm’s clients include growing entrepreneurial companies, listed companies, and high net-worth individuals.

Partner

Baker Tilly’s culture is one of ambition and progression, whilst focusing on offering clients exceptional services with proven results that will help them to achieve their goals and objectives.

Shirley McIntosh T: +44 (0)131 659 8300 shirley.mcintosh@bakertilly.co.uk

www.bakertilly.co.uk Baker Tilly UK Audit LLP, Baker Tilly Tax and Advisory Services LLP, Baker Tilly Corporate Finance LLP, Baker Tilly Restructuring and Recovery LLP and Baker Tilly Tax and Accounting Limited are not authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 but we are able in certain circumstances to offer a limited range of investment services because we are members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. We can provide these investment services if they are an incidental part of the professional services we have been engaged to provide. Baker Tilly & Co Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to conduct a range of investment business activities. © 2013 Baker Tilly UK Group LLP, all rights reserved. 0178

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ADVERTORIAL

Interest rates set to stay on hold until after the election in May 2015 Kevin Doran, Senior Fund Manager, Brown Shipley.

Jenny Purves

Brown Shipley strengthens Edinburgh office with senior appointment In October, Brown Shipley appointed Jenny Purves as Private Client Senior Manager in its Edinburgh office. Jenny joins from Bank of Scotland and has over 35 years of experience in the industry. Jenny will further enhance Brown Shipley’s high net wealth offering through providing additional banking and lending expertise to complement the office’s substantial investment management offering.

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As the impact of the credit crisis recedes and the economy begins to recover, households in the UK are adapting to record-low interest rates.

In fact, the change in interest rate mandate at the Bank of England last year and the arrival of Governor Mark Carney and ‘forward guidance’, has cemented consumer behaviour.

With a general election scheduled for May 2015, the government does not want to take the steam out of a recovering economy and this desire is not lost on Governor Carney who was handpicked by the Chancellor.

August 2015 will see the first quarterly Inflation Report produced by the Bank after the election and we believe it is also the most likely date for a rate increase.

The natural inclination in a recovering economy is for rates to start rising and by persuading us

Kevin Doran

otherwise, and holding them in the run up to an election, the Bank may face credibility problems which will ultimately test its independence.

For further information on Brown Shipley’s wealth management services, please contact: Paul Embleton – 0131 524 1278 paul.embleton@brownshipley.co.uk Jenny Purves – 0131 524 1275 jenny.purves@brownshipley.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL

“The biggest change in Pension Legislation in a generation…”

The implications of the Pension Reform on employers are imminent and far reaching. Here John Davidson of John Scott Davidson Ltd, a Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management, tells us how St. James’s Place Wealth Management is helping business owners prepare for this.

Forward planning is crucial

Without obligation Pension scheme audit

Most employers know that Pension Reform is on the horizon but have little idea about how radical the changes are or when they are affected. So a quick recap…

The no obligation audit will identify:

Since October 2012 each employer has a staging date based on the number of PAYE employees. This is the date that all employers with employees in the UK need to start: 1. Automatically enrolling ‘eligible jobholders’ into a pension scheme 2. Making contributions on their behalf 3. Confirming which scheme is being used with the Pensions Regulator 4. Communicating certain information to employees Know when and how you need to act Understanding how and when your business will be affected is complex and necessitates professional advice. That is why John offers Edinburgh business owners a without obligation pension audit to help them understand when and how this legislation will affect them in terms of both costs and additional resource required to meet new extensive reporting duties.

n When you need to act, i.e. your staging

date n How many of your employees qualify

as ‘eligible jobholders’ and must be automatically enrolled on your staging date n Review your existing pension scheme to

establish if any changes are required and how to meet your on-going reporting duties n If there is no existing provision, advise

you when and how to set up a Qualifying Workplace Pension Scheme (QWPS) n Calculate the costs in terms of additional

pension contributions John Scott Davidson Ltd is a Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management. John is based locally and is inviting Edinburgh City Chamber Business Comment readers to request a complimentary pension audit. The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested.

For more information, call 0131 303 0031 or email johnscottdavidson@sjpp.co.uk

“John offers Edinburgh business owners a no obligation pension audit to help them understand when and how this legislation will affect them” The Partner Practice represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The title ‘Partner Practice’ is the marketing term used to describe St. James’s Place representatives. John Scott Davidson Ltd is registered in Scotland No. SC383759. Registered Office 18-22 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7NS.

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Want practical advice for your business?

Business Gateway know how valuable the right advice can be to the success of a business.

Call 0131 529 6644 to book your free appointment and get advice on: • Sales • Marketing • Sources of finance • HR issues

• • • •

Business planning Cash flows Exporting E-commerce

Find out how else we can help your business at www.bgateway.com/edinburgh 0131 529 6644 bglothian@bgateway.com www.bgateway.com/edinburgh

Business Gateway services are delivered by Local Authorities, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Government with the support of associated partner organisations. Maximum call charge from BT landline is 3p a minute.

Goinginternational HELPING MEMBERS GROW Edinburgh Chamber continues to deliver high value products and services – designed to help our members in a challenging trading environment.

At the centre of our existence is our membership pledge to help members grow their businesses, reduce costs and to represent our members’ interests.

That is why we constantly work on improving the benefit package to ensure members save money through a variety of discounts including free HR and legal helpline, and to this can also add discount savings on utilities, and merchant services.

We can also help in fundamental and practical ways members seeking to do business overseas:

What is Horizon 2020?

Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly 80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020) – in addition to the private investment that this money will attract. It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market.

The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation will be complemented by further measures to complete and further develop the European Research Area. These measures will aim at breaking down barriers to create a genuine single market for knowledge, research and innovation.

Horizon 2020 is the financial instrument implementing theInnovation Union, a Europe 2020 flagship initiative aimed at securing Europe’s global competitiveness.

Questions about the EU? Europe Direct can help. The information centre is based at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.

Seen as a means to drive economic growth and create jobs, Horizon 2020 has the political backing of Europe’s leaders and the Members of the European Parliament. They agreed that research is an investment in our future and so put it at the heart of the EU’s blueprint for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and jobs.

By coupling research and innovation, Horizon 2020 is helping to achieve this with its emphasis on excellent science, industrial leadership and tackling societal challenges. The goal is to ensure Europe produces world-class science, removes barriers to innovation and makes it easier for the public and private sectors to work together in delivering innovation.

Horizon 2020 is open to everyone, with a simple structure that reduces red tape and time so participants can focus on what is really important. This approach makes sure new projects get off the ground quickly – and achieve results faster.

Direct Dial; 0131 221 3178 Email; europedirect@edinburghchamber.co.uk Web; http://www.edinburghchamber.co.uk/

Partnership Can Help on Money Exchange As one of the key promoters of International trade in Scotland, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce is always looking for ways to support its members who are helping trade the UK out of recession.

As a result the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce have partnered with Moneycorp, one of the UK’s leading currency providers who supply the British Chambers of Commerce with Chamber Foreign Exchange. By working with the Chamber, members have access to exclusive offers, highly competitive rates or exchange and expert assistance from their personal dealer to help negate the risks associated with foreign exchange.

Edinburgh Chamber members are entitled to a free foreign exchange health check† to assess how foreign exchange affects their business as well as the rates and fees you currently pay.We will also assess the currency products and tools which you use and make recommendations to help you manage your foreign exchange exposure more effectively.

Chamber Foreign Exchange is safe, secure and easy to use. Call us on freephone 0808 163 5138 or email chamberfx@moneycorp.com † A foreign exchange ‘health check’ usually costs between £250 and £500 depending on the complexity of FX exposure and overall trading requirements.

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BetheBest 2014 – Lots happening in Scotland In 2014 Scotland welcomes the world to join in the Year of Homecoming. Along with the Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup & the MTV Europe awards, there’s around 430 music, arts, cultural and sporting events taking place throughout the year.

managing discipline, creating and updating employment contracts, handling difficult employment situations, and dealing with grievances.

In addition the UK’s economic recovery is set to gather momentum this year, according to the latest quarterly survey by the British Chambers of Commerce.

All in all, it looks like 2014 is going to be an exciting year, including opportunities for businesses to develop and grow. If you are thinking about recruiting staff to meet your new demands, then now is the time to think about what is the best option for you to get the right staff on board with the correct contract of employment.

As a Business Owner or Manager, you might be experiencing some other issues with your employees or their performance. These are things you should be competently addressing now; otherwise they may prevent your business achieving its 2014 objectives.

You can get valuable informatiaon and the help you require to meet these challenges from your own HR Manager, HR Consultant, Outsourced HR Service team or “Chamber HR” that all members of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce can access.

The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce are also pleased to offer a comprehensive series of HR training courses providing you with up to date information and practical help when recruiting, appraising and managing personnel in the workplace. Topics covered include

GetwithIT

The series is ideal for those who need to develop a better understanding of the HR function and processes. Derek Liddell of Whyte Park HR delivers the training for Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce bringing over 20 years experience dealing with organisational change, managing employment disputes, performance management and employment legislation.

Running from January to April 2014, the HR series is four standalone half-day courses.

There is a 25% discount for delegates that book all four courses in the series.

For further details and to book your place please visit the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce training website at www.chamberbusinesssolutions.co.uk, or call the training team on 0131 221 3191.

By Bill Magee Scottish Business Technology Writer of the Year

Microsoft to cease extended support to XP A New Year’s resolution must be to plan NOW for April 8th after which, crucially, all Windows XP operating system security patches and hotfixes for all versions plus other enhanced security features will cease.

The Spring will see Microsoft end extended support. This includes built-in firewalls, antivirus, rootkit malware protection and rights management for email and attachments.

Without such critical updates data may become vulnerable with risks of business disruption increasing. Any transitional products released by HP and Lenovo towards the end of the year will NOT be compatible due to the end of driver support.

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To avoid any supply issues in relation to XP compatible devices, both HP Direct and Microsoft UK are contacting their respective Scottish customer bases.

As the software giant extends its “Get to Modern” programme, best to adopt a Windows XP migration program for a Windows 8/8.1 quick turnaround to ensure your organisation is both truly mobile and highly competitive.

Microsoft Cloud Champion IA Cubed’s technical director Daniel Baird says: “Nobody likes change, it is easy to ball back on what is comfortable but as of next April Microsoft will end support for the decade-old XP and Office 2003.

“This means you will no longer receive updates, including security updates, or support from Microsoft including many of your external software like certain accountancy packages.”

Increasingly, organisations are linking up with a Microsoft partner-company to put plans in place to equip themselves with an up-to-date digital communications systems incorporating a broad range of devices, applications and services.

Catch my Daily TechPost (most days!) on Twitter @billamagee plus regular tech microblog at www.KIltr.com

Inthespotlight Company name: Escrivo Internet Consulting Who? Cameron Leask , Managing Director Website: www.escrivo.com 1. What were you doing between 10 and 12 this morning?

Meeting with my business development manager, discussing a number of client projects and looking at planning a number of new market-facing initiatives for 2014.

2. What do you see as your job’s biggest challenge?

In order to be able to offer good advice to our clients, we need to stay on top of the latest technologies, tools and trends, but change happens so fast it can be very challenging to stay current and even more challenging to see the “big picture” trends in the industry overall.

3. What do you consider your biggest business triumph?

It’s a huge buzz when I can see a client’s business growing and developing with support from a website or system that we’ve built for them.

4. Do you have any money-saving business tips?

Invest in business systems that remove as many of the repetitive and error-prone tasks from your business processes as possible. Look closely at the benefits of cloud computing. It’s not for everybody but the absence of capital outlay and the pay-as-you-go model mean that cost can be kept low.

5. What do you believe are the 3 key stages on your career ladder?

Stage 1 was my degree which is a joint honours degree in Accountancy and Computer Science at Heriot Watt University.

I still use what I learned on a daily basis.

Stage 2 was qualifying as a Chartered Accountant. This gave me a professional mindset and has been the true foundation for the rest of my career.

Stage 3 was my 10 years working with Arthur Andersen. This exposed me to dozens of large organisations and (a) I learned to be flexible with my working approach (b) I discovered that no organisation is perfect (c) it gave me excellent experience of working with technology in business and (d) I realised the havoc that the “work hard, play hard” approach can play with your personal life.

These prepared me to fulfil a significant fourth stage: creating and running my own business.

6. Where do you stand on work/life balance?

Work, mostly. It’s not always entirely healthy but you’d probably find that most exAndersen employees are like this.

7. What do you like to do on your spare time?

Photography allows me to be visually creative; I also enjoy musical theatre and perform in at least one amateur show every year – I’m no dancer but can sing when required!

8. What qualities do you need to see in your employees?

Everything we do is centred around providing our clients with the digital tools to grow and be successful. Besides their technical skills, my team needs to demonstrate integrity, commitment, creativity and communication skills.

9. In business, is it more important to be liked or successful?

You need to strike a balance. “People buy from people” is a cliché but fundamentally true.You can probably be liked if you are successful, but I doubt if you could be successful without being liked.

10. What is the one piece of advice you would give to others trying to reach the top?

I was given this advice when at school: Don’t stand staring up the steps, start stepping up the stairs, which I recently learned may be a twist on a quote from Vaclav Havel.

11. Who is your hero?

I have dozens, for their passion, creativity, talents, determination, humour.

12. Any business (or other) projects you would like to plug?

1: Since last year we’ve audited the use of cookies on hundreds of websites, for some of the world’s largest organisations.

2: Support your local schools by helping them give their students some experience of what your business does.

13. Other than your current position, what would be your dream job?

Sometimes I think I’d like to work outdoors… I’d love to work in Formula 1.

14. Who (living or dead) would you invite to a fantasy dinner party?

My Dad, who would be great at putting the other guests at their ease.

15. Outside of business, what is the most important thing in your life?

Mrs Leask.

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CONFERENCES and MEETINGS at the ROYAL COLLEGE of PHYSICIANS of EDINBURGH

Modern conferencing in a historic setting Our comprehensive facilities at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh range from lecture theatre to meeting rooms, Great Hall and Georgian suite Choice of spaces for conferences, meetings, dinners and receptions for 3–300 Full AV support including video conferencing Stylish central Edinburgh location at 9 Queen Street 9 Queen Street Edinburgh UK EH2 1JQ

+44 (0)131 225 7324 events@rcpe.ac.uk

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Tabard IT: contact us for local IT support With over 25 years experience in IT support and management, Tabard IT can really help you make the most of IT. We can provide support for existing networks as well as advise, supply and set up new ones, and maintain them for you. We are a one-stop shop for: Hardware/software advice & support

E-mail, anti-spam, web hosting

Server setup and maintenance agreements

Mobile device setup and use

Procurement of hardware and software

Cloud-based and on-premises systems

See our website at:

Tabard IT Ltd

www.tabardit.co.uk

Room 2/18 Spitfire House

Call or e-mail us to arrange a no-obligation visit to discuss your business IT requirements,

find us on:

or visit our new website.

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Turnhouse Road Edinburgh EH12 0AL t: 0131 339 9448

e: help@tabardit.co.uk

w: www.tabardit.co.uk

60seconds Name: Courtnay McLeod Company Name: Scottish Media Academy Website: www.scottishmediaacademy.co.uk Q In five words or less, what do you do?

A Innovate businesses and education with media

Q How long have you been a Chamber member?

A One year Q Why did you join?

A We joined mainly to connect with other Edinburgh-based organisations and to benefit from the Chamber’s various events.

Q What services do you use?

A Mostly the networking events but we also keep up to date through Twitter and Business Comment.

Q What’s the best business/benefit you have won through the Chamber?

A I met Colette Doyle from Archerfield

House at a networking event. Together, we have developed a partnership that provides corporate clients with unique new services. Packages blend our media expertise with Archerfield’s rich history and stunning venues. It’s an exciting partnership, offering innovative and valuable new opportunities for organisations. (Services launch early in 2014)

Q Are there any additional services or information you’d be particularly interested in?

A I don’t need anything else from the Chamber at the moment but if that changes I’ll certainly ask.

Q If you were telling another business

A Networking is everything in business – each new connection is an opportunity.

The Chamber makes meeting people easy, effective and enjoyable.

Q Where do you read your copy of Business Comment?

A Normally on the train – it’s the perfect length for my commute.

person about the Chamber, what’s the first thing you would say?

Made To Measure Shirts From Brooks Brothers – A Wise Investment Brooks Brothers is an American icon, the oldest clothing retailer in the US and originator of the sporty, Ivy League or ‘Preppy’ style that is still synonymous with the effortless good taste of New England. Brooks Brothers is legendary for the cut and quality of their garments, dressing half of Wall St as well as every US President since Abraham Lincoln.

The Button–Down shirt, now a perennial fashion favourite, was created by the brand in 1896, and the recent introduction of the 100% cotton, non-iron shirt has proven a huge success with the business community as they guarantee a crisp presentation even when travelling.

The ‘Made to Measure’ shirt service is currently enjoying a renaissance, with a new generation of astute businessmen becoming enamoured by the luxury of a shirt that fits them perfectly, with the added advantage that this precise tailoring can sculpt a new silhouette that might lengthen the neck, broaden the shoulders or narrow the waist. Brooks Brothers’ experienced team can advise on the endless possibilities, and naturally, discretion is assured. This service is outstanding value at £195 per shirt or £150 each for three shirts or more. A 100% cotton, Oxford point, white, button down shirt is an elegant and timeless friend that will just improve with age as the feel of the fabric or ‘handle’ becomes softer with each wear.

If your business wardrobe needs an overhaul for this upcoming season, a made to measure garment from Brooks Brothers is a wise investment. Please contact Peter Heggie on 0131 226 2827 to book an appointment at 57 George Street, Edinburgh.

ORDER A MADE TO MEASURE SUIT AND RECEIVE A MADE TO MEASURE SHIRT COMPLETELY FREE PLEASE QUOTE BUSINESS COMMENT WHEN BOOKING YOUR APPOINTMENT

Terms and conditions: Valid from February 27th to March 9th. May not be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion.

No cash value or alternative.

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ADVERTORIAL

Accommodating Religious Belief within the Workplace.

It should not come as a surprise to any employer to learn that they are expected to take steps to accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs within the workplace. This may, for example, involve adjustments to uniform policies, provision of prayer rooms or allowing time off for religious worship. In many cases, employers can accommodate such changes without difficulty; however in other cases the position is not so simple.

A recent Court of Appeal case, Mba v London Borough of Merton, gives an instructive example of the balance to be struck between the interests of employer and employee. In this case, Ms Mba was a care worker in a children’s home. She had a strong Christian belief in the sanctity of the Sabbath. Although her contract of employment stated that she would have to work shifts, including weekends, for the first years of her employment, the Council was able to accommodate her request not to work on a Sunday. This arrangement, however, impacted on the ability of the Council to effectively manage

the staffing of the care home, and eventually Ms Mba was disciplined for her continued refusal to work on a Sunday. As a result of this she resigned and claimed constructive dismissal and religious discrimination.

At first instance, the tribunal found for the Council. It held that Ms Mba’s refusal to work on a Sunday interfered with the effective running of the service and caused issues with staffing and increased costs. It further went on to find that Ms Mba’s views on the sanctity of the Sabbath were not a ‘core’ part of Christian belief.

Ms Mba appealed the decision, firstly to the EAT and thereafter to the Court of Appeal. In particular, she attacked the tribunal’s finding that her strict Sabbatarian beliefs were not a ‘core’ part of her faith; a finding that would cause some surprise among many with Christian beliefs (and clearly the tribunal had never visited the Western Isles).

The Court of Appeal overturned the tribunal’s findings on this aspect of the claim, following

the European Court of Human Rights’ decision in Eweida v UK, where it was found that the wearing of a cross at work, while not a core component of many Christian’s beliefs, was nonetheless a manifestation of those beliefs and hence deserving of protection.

However, while finding for Ms Mba on this point, the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the tribunal, on the basis that it was proportionate, in the circumstances of the job that she was employed to do, to require her to work on Sundays.

The case is a useful reminder for employers that the right of employees to have their religious beliefs accommodated within the workplace is not absolute. It requires a balancing act between the rights of the employee and the needs of the business. It will not always be possible to accommodate an individual’s religious beliefs, particularly where this will involve substantial inconvenience and/or expense to the employer.

Don’t find yourself up the creek.

Law At Work are your expert partners in employment law, HR and health & safety. We know that time consuming and expensive legal issues can take your business into dangerous waters. By delivering the high quality service you expect from a leading law firm, at an affordable, all-inclusive price, we will guide you safely through the rapids.

Minding your business. lawatwork.co.uk

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0141 271 5555

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G12346 Law Creek Campaign LANDSCAPE 7prf.indd 1

14/08/2013 10:51

Are you considering Selling your Company?

KBS Corporate are Company Sales Specialists focussing on UK and Global buyer targeting.

As proud members of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce we have a proven track record of successfully selling businesses across all major sectors throughout Scotland.

If you are a business owner looking to sell a company and would like a confidential discussion about your objectives and requirements, call 0844 38 77 454 Or visit www.kbscorporate.com

Are you a landlord or letting agent in Edinburgh the Lothians or Fife?

Do you need a reliable company that you can trust to be available when you need them for a variety of building maintenance and refurbishment services?

All Cleaned Up is an experienced all-trades company with the experience and capability to meet your needs.

Using our fully qualified tradesmen, we can fulfill a wide variety of property maintenance functions for you.

Our Service for Landlords include: l Free no obligation quotes l HMO preparation works l An all trades reactive repairs service l An all trades planned maintenance and

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All this with fast turnaround times to avoid lengthy voids

Phone: 0131 553 2151 Fax: 0131 553 7354 E-mail: info@allcleanedupscotland.co.uk Unit 4, 7 Sandport Place, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6EU

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Gettingstarted Name: Peter Duncan Business name: Message Matters Start-up date: January 2012 Website: www.messagematters.co.uk Q1: Tell us a bit about your business?

We’re a strategic communications agency, specialising in providing support across a range of disciplines, particularly political and media relations.

Q2: What gives your business ‘the x-factor’?

We’re obsessed with message, ensuring that your communications spend tells the story you want, not the one you fear.

Q3: What motivated you to set up in business for yourself?

Some agencies pitch at high level and execute through juniors. We’re filling a niche for high quality advice and execution.

Q4: What do you like most about working for yourself?

The direct sense of connection between effort and return. I love that, and put in a lot of effort as a result!

Q5: What has been your greatest business success to date?

Building an early chance contact into what is now our most significant client. We prize long-term relationships.

Q7: In terms of business achievements, where do you want to be within the next 5 years?

Not the biggest, just the best at what we do.

Q8: What would be your top tip to someone thinking of starting up their own business?

Take all the advice in the world, but then follow your own instincts. Above all, invest in quality people.

Q6: What has been your lowest moment?

Resigning a lucrative client commission because their decisions were risking their reputation, and could have risked ours too.

New members

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Asia Scotland Institute

Mattioli Woods plc

Bellandain

Mills CTC

Burness Paull LLP

Network Rail

Burning Horseshoe LTD

Newtown Decor

Carter Jonas

Nuergy

Crombie

One Accounting LTD

Cube Datastore

Opsonia Limited

D.R. Scotch Whisky LTD

Powermapper Software LTD

David Wilkinson (St James Place)

Riverside Stationers Limited

Design33

Robertson Technologies

Edinburgh Executive Carriages Ltd

Saltire Executive Golf LTD

Edinburgh Gang Show Productions Limited

Sandemans New Europe Ltd

Edinburgh University Students’ Association

Scotia Accounting LTD

Essential Dental Care LTD

Soilutions Limited

Fulcrum Insured Employee Benefits LTD

Starpic LTD

Gearing For Growth LTD

Strong Bridge Marketing Ltd

Genealogy Worldwide LTD

Thomas Haywood Photography

Infinite Hive

Vending Services LTD

Kangen Water Edinburgh

White Tree Chiropractic Ltd

BC February/March 2014

There is such a thing as a free lunch!

Or 2…

Edinburgh Chamber members are invited to nominate their contacts to become a member of the Chamber: if the nominees take up membership you will be rewarded with free attendance at two of our awardwinning events.

Simply contact the Membership team with full contact details of your Nominee and we’ll do the rest

Tel – 0131 221 2999 Email – Membershipadmin@ edinburghchamber.co.uk Terms & Conditions. Offer only applicable to Companies not already in contact with Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce

Inspiringconnections Keeping you ahead in the world of events Over the festive season, the Events Team worked diligently to bring our Chamber members some of the best events of the year.

At the start of November we had our first ever ‘Curry Club’ at the Khukuri Restaurant in the west end, celebrating this thoroughfare being reopened after the recent tram development works.

November saw our second 5 a-side tournament, The Chamber Cup 2, held in partnership with Lucozade Powerleagues. With a significant increase in team entries from our August league, previous winners, Click Let valiantly battled it out with the Lothian Buses Drivers in the final. The bus drivers eventually succeeded in their endeavours with the other prizes going to George Heriot’s and Scotia.

November certainly proved to be a very busy month, with us also hosting events with the City of Edinburgh Council, the final Chamber Catch Up of the year and a cocktail making masterclass at the Ghillie Dhu. We were delighted to work with Kinloch Anderson celebrating the launch of their book ‘A Scottish Tradition’. The event took place at the Kinloch Anderson retail outlet in Leith.

We returned to the Ghillie Dhu in December for our busiest Breakfast Connections event of the year with Lothian Buses Chief Executive, Ian Craig. The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce were delighted to host this event where the exclusive news of the planned changes for

transport around the city was announced.

Transport for Edinburgh will see our capital host a world class integrated transport system with the launch of the highly anticipated trams. Ian also commented on what this can and will mean for business in Edinburgh.

The newly revived Leith Chamber of Commerce dinner saw councillor Lesley Hinds also deliver key messages about city transport.

Vittoria’s private dining room on Leith Walk served as the perfect venue for its members to hear quality information and express their views about the Edinburgh development. Led by John Kennedy, chairman of the Leith Chamber, the night was a resounding success.

To wrap up 2013 and look towards 2014 we decided to undertake something the Chamber hadn’t done before. In partnership with FREAKWORKS, a short film called ‘By the members, for the members’ was produced. This production provided a fantastic platform showcasing the benefits of working with your Chamber and what we can do for you. We hosted the premier of this in the Filmhouse.

Members were also treated to winter cocktails from the Filmhouse sponsor and Chamber members, Drambuie.

The final event of 2013 was our Annual Christmas Party, held at the Glasshouse Hotel on December 12th.

From Dave and myself, Sian, your events team, we would like to say thank you very much

for all your participation in 2013 and we wish everyone a happy and healthy 2014!

Looking into February, the upcoming events are the new revived “Women in Business” events, with the first one taking place at the Waldorf Astoria on February 25th 2014. We have a “Chamber Catch Up” on February 27th 2014 at 8am (these take place every second Thursday) and moving into March, we launch a new series of events called “60 Really Useful Minutes”.

The first event topic is PR Crisis Management with Mark Leiser from the Drum and Billy Partridge from Grayling. Last year Leiser found himself in the middle of a Twitter storm after sending a tweet about an airline, who then refused to allow him to board his flight. After recently giving this talk to the London School of Economics we welcome Mark Leiser and his story. Billy Partridge has had a wealth of experience dealing with PR crisis management scenarios and will be on hand to advise business who to act in these situations.

March 7th 2014 is the date of the 3rd Chamber Cup, taking place at Portobello Powerleagues for teams of 5-aside football. It costs £70 to enter a team of up to 8 players, including pre and post match drinks. In March we will also have a “Breakfast Connections” event and after the huge success of the first curry night we will be doing another meal at the Khukuri on March 17th 2014.

Forthcoming training courses Writing for the Web Tuesday 11th March 09.30 – 16.30 Need to write clear, compelling content for your website?

Learn writing techniques that will help your key audiences find your website and engage with the content once they are there. Discover how web content helps your search engine ranking. Develop useful editing skills, ideal for the web, but excellent for other kinds of business writing too. Whether you are writing a new website, editing material that was written for another format or managing regular content updates, this course provides an overview of the key principles, plenty of hints and tips and the opportunity to practise.

Training is delivered by Hilary Phillips from Cygnus Extra Tendering for Success Tuesday 18th March 09.30 – 16.30 There are no second prizes when it comes to tendering for work or making a business proposal.

Many people find writing bids, proposals and tenders a time consuming and frustrating task. This intensive one-day course will give you the tools and techniques you need to produce high-impact documents in a resource efficient way.You will learn how to access opportunities, how to increase your win rate, sell at higher prices and streamline your bid production process. Whether you are an owner-manager or part of a large organisation, you will learn what is best for your business and see examples of what other companies submit.

Training is delivered By Anne Farr, Rothera Group Limited.

Social Media Series How to Create a Social Media Strategy – 21st February 09.30 – 12.30 Twitter and Blogging for Business – 28th February 09.30 – 12.30 Google + and Facebook for Business - 14th March 09.30 – 12.30 LinkedIn for Business - 21st March 09.30 – 12.30 We have developed a series of social media training courses which look at all of the sites and tools required to maximise your sales.

If you are a business owner, or an employee with any responsibility for attracting and retaining clients, you should be using social media.Whether you are experienced, a novice or an absolute beginner at using Blogs, Google +, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, our Social Media Series is for you.

Training is delivered by Colin Gilchrist, The Social Tailor.

Bookings and queries: To book on any of our training courses please contact the training team on 0131 221 3191 or email training@edinburghchamber.co.uk Bookings can also be made online through our web portal www.chamberbusinesssolutions.co.uk All our courses are eligible for ILA Scotland Funding and the Flexible Training Opportunities Fund through Skills Development Scotland.

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Chief Executive of Lothian Buses speaks to delegates on December 5th at the Ghillie Dhu for the final Breakfast Connections on 2013.

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Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Chief Executive David Birrell addresses the record breaking crowd at the Breakfast Connections event

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Alicia Edby from DWF Biggart Baillie and Lee Newton from Newton Decor enjoyed some fun at the cocktail making at the Ghillie Dhu on Nov 28th 2013.

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Delegates enjoy the Annual Member Christmas Party at the Glasshouse

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The team at Kinloch Anderson celebrate their book launch “A Scottish Tradition” on December 3rd at their retail store in Leith.

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The final few remain standing in the Christmas Quiz

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The team at the Fourth Craw and James Kanter from 4G Scotland delight after winning the party games

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Annual Sue Bruce Breakfast The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce’s annual Sue Bruce Breakfast was held on Thursday 9th of January at the Scotsman.

With the event a sell out for the second year running, the Edinburgh Council Chief Executive spoke about topical issues concerning commerce in our capital.

She highlighted key business partnerships coming to Edinburgh including Qatar Airways and the importance of TechCube at Summerhall, the world class space for technology startups in Edinburgh. Over 100 delegates enjoyed breakfast and New Year networking.

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Sue Bruce speaks with Leuchie House and JC Decaux after her speech.

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Chief Executives together, Sue Bruce and David Birrell of the Edinburgh Chamber.

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Sue talks to her audience

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Sue Bruce speaks with Mark Douglas from Blue Ptarmigan

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Moversandshakers

Colin Young with Audrey Cameron, partner and head of the corporate team Julianne Reddin

Lakvinder Dhillon

World of film beckons for Julianne

Network challenge for Lakvinder

Julianne Reddin has joined CMI, which runs the Filmhouse and Edinburgh International Film Festival, in the post of Development Manager where she will be working closely with a range of corporate partners and sponsors on behalf of the two brands.

ecoConnect CIC, the UK’s green industry business network which has recently opened a Glasgow office, has appointed Lakvinder Dhillon as its new Events Coordinator.

Originally from Lancashire, Julianne graduated from St Andrews University with an MA(Hons) in English in 2008.

During her time in Scotland, she has gained experience in, project management, business development, marketing and communications in addition to working in hotel management. Her most recent role was with the Royal College of General Practitioners (Scotland) managing a range of marketing and membership engagement activities.

ecoConnect’s mission is to better connect cleantech industry by building the largest green business support network in the UK. A key element of this is the extensive programme of forums and training programmes in both London and Scotland.

Lakvinder, who joins ecoConnect as a graduate from Glasgow University, said: “I think that Cleantech has so much potential in Scotland.

Working for ecoConnect allows me to contribute to the debate about how we can tackle the big environmental questions.”

Have you recently moved to a new role?

Has your company employed a new member of staff?

Would you like to be included in the movers and shakers page of Business Comment? If so then send a couple of paragraphs of information and a jpeg image of the person (minimum 300 dpi) to membershipadmin@edinburghchamber.co.uk

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New partner augments Anderson Strathern’s offering in Glasgow Anderson Strathern has announced the appointment of a new partner, Colin Young, to its corporate team, taking the partnership to 59.

Colin was previously a partner with Morisons LLP and has over twenty five years’ experience in corporate, commercial property and intellectual property work.

He represents clients in all sectors ranging from household name multinationals to institutional lenders. He also acts for a number of wealthy individuals and entrepreneurs.

Anderson Strathern’s corporate team provides legal and strategic business advice on transactions, with expertise in all areas of corporate and commercial work including funding, joint ventures, disposals and acquisitions, and projects (including renewables and regeneration projects).

Audrey Cameron, partner and head of the corporate team in Glasgow said: “We’re delighted that Colin has joined our corporate team. It is an excellent move for Colin and will add depth to the already strong and growing practice in Glasgow.”

Take off with the new Edinburgh Executive MBA An MBA to inspire a new generation of strategic leaders Develop your capability to innovate, craft strategy and lead change.

An applied programme delivered over two years with classes once a month (Friday through Saturday) in a leading financial and cultural capital. edinburghemba.com

The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336

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