Business Network March 2022

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BUSINESS

Keep up to date on latest developments at

network www.emc-dnl.co.uk/news

MARCH 2022

@EMChamberNews

MAKING A POINT ABOUT DIVERSITY HOW INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE CONTRIBUTES TO BUSINESS SUCCESS

INTERVIEW

POLITICS

EMH GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE CHAN KATARIA OBE ON BUILDING DIVERSE BOARDROOMS

A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT LEVELLING UP PLAN MEANS FOR EAST MIDLANDS COMMUNITIES

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THE FIRST WORD

CONTENTS MARCH 2022

NEWS UPDATE 4

inally, the end is in sight. After two long years, we appear to be emerging from the pandemic with the final restrictions being lifted in recent weeks. The rights and wrongs of ending self-isolation rules have been fiercely debated but, for businesses, there is at last certainty about what lies ahead.

But while we can now contemplate a return to normal life, we should seriously consider what this means – because the business landscape doesn’t look like it did back in 2019.

The most obvious evidence is that, for firms in sectors where this is possible, we will likely now see a hybrid of office and remote working. Other changes may be more difficult to identify immediately, but are perhaps the most transformative and indeed rewarding.

You may have noticed that we at the Chamber have ramped up our work around the ESG (environmental, social and governance) agenda over the past couple of years.

From our Sustainable East Midlands campaign supporting businesses to adopt low-carbon practices to our EMComingTogether initiative promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR), we are preparing our members for the future as customer, employee and regulatory demands change. Another key topic is equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), the theme of this issue to mark our Celebrating Culture and Communities event on 24 March, which showcases the East Midlands’ fantastically diverse mix of cultural backgrounds. See p87 for more details.

Like sustainability and CSR, having an EDI strategy is no longer a “nice-to-have” and increasingly business-critical, as leadership trainer Pippa Blessett explains in our focus feature (p70). She points to McKinsey data that illustrates how ethnically and gender diverse teams perform the best. The Chamber’s own research in this area (p40), in partnership with emh group, suggests East Midlands firms are waking up to this as they recognise an EDI strategy creates better workplaces, improves decision-making and increases innovation.

Building our organisations with people from a wide range of backgrounds offers us an eclectic mix of talent, experiences and perspectives. Chan Kataria OBE, the subject of our big interview (p34), is testament to this – he arrived in Britain aged 11 after his family was forced out of Uganda, instilling a drive for social equity that guides him every day as chief executive of a housing association that continues to go from strength to strength.

Hopefully, this edition offers some food for thought and meaningful takeaways for where to begin on your own EDI journey.

F

Dan Robinson, Editor, Business Network

MEMBER NEWS CBI chair believes things are looking up for the region

32 APPOINTMENTS Senior management restructuring programme at Talk Staff

THE BIG INTERVIEW 34 Chan Kataria OBE, chief executive at emh group 38 PATRONS Return of exhibitions a sign of the times 40 CHAMBER NEWS Chamber research illustrates the benefits of adopting EDI strategies

SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS 60 Washroom innovation wins green competition

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 62 ATA Carnets: What you need to know

POLITICS 64 Plans to Level Up are finally on paper

FEATURES 66 CREATIVE INDUSTRIES Shall we get engaged?

68 A creative way to manage your day 70 FOCUS FEATURE The importance of equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace 75 LOGISTICS, FREIGHT & TRANSPORTATION Encore drives to encourage more women into logistics 81 Choosing the right logistics partner for you

EVENTS & TRAINING 86 How the Chamber training team managed the pandemic 87 A celebration of culture and communities

Editor Dan Robinson T: 07764 431028 E: dan.robinson@emc-dnl.co.uk Contributor Jasmine Thompson All Submissions E: magazine@emc-dnl.co.uk Chamber Membership E: membership@emc-dnl.co.uk Follow the Chamber W: www.emc-dnl.co.uk Twitter: @EMChamberNews

Publishers Kemps Publishing Ltd Unit 8, The Courtyard, 707 Warwick Road, Solihull, B91 3DA T: 0121 765 4144 w: www.kempspublishing.co.uk

DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY 88 How the Digital Growth Programme helped local SMEs

BUSINESS SUPPORT

Managing Editor Laura Blake T: 0121 765 4144 E: laura.blake@kempspublishing.co.uk

92 LEGAL The benefits of IP protection

Designer Lloyd Hollingworth

94 FINANCE Record financial year for schools

Advertising T: 0121 765 4144 E: jon.jones@kempspublishing.co.uk

96 SKILLS Laying the foundations for college’s future

Printers Warners (Midlands) plc

98 PROPERTY Major investment in ‘golden triangle’ PRIVACY NOTICE Kemps Publishing Ltd process personal information for certain legitimate interest purposes, which includes the following: •

To provide postal copies of this publication to Chamber members and Kemps’ customers; and

•

To offer marketing and promotional opportunities within this publication to Chamber members and prospects.

Whenever we process data for these purposes, we always ensure we treat your Personal Data rights in high regard. If you wish to, you can visit www.kempspublishing.co.uk to view our full Privacy Notice and to learn more about our legitimate interests and your rights in this regard.

BUSINESS NETWORK is produced on behalf of East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) by Kemps Publishing Ltd and is distributed to members without charge. The Chamber and the publisher are committed to achieving the highest quality standards. While every care has been taken to ensure that the information it contains is accurate, neither the Chamber nor the publisher can accept any responsibility for any omission or inaccuracies that might arise. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Chamber. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format without prior written permission of Kemps Publishing Ltd.

100 MOTORING Nick Jones tests the McLaren 720S 101 INFORMATION How to tell your story

COMMENT 102 THE LAST WORD Chamber president Lindsey Williams explains why equity is a crucial part of the EDI agenda March 2022 business network

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MEMBER NEWS

Award win shows Nik’s credentials

CBI chair believes things are looking up for the region Overcoming skills shortages and driving up productivity can help East Midlands businesses bounce back from Covid-19 and build a sustainable and prosperous future, according to the CBI’s new regional chair.

Dr Nik Kotecha OBE – founder and chairman of Morningside Pharmaceuticals in Loughborough – has taken over as chair of the CBI East Midlands Regional Council.

He succeeds Darren Wilson, of LKAB Minerals in Derbyshire, who has held the position for the past two years.

CBI Midlands director Richard Blackmore said: “Nik brings a wealth of knowledge of the region and insight into the issues that matter to businesses. His expertise will be a major asset for businesses and for the CBI as we look to work towards a net-zero future and implement the strategies for

growth set out in our “seize the moment” economic vision.”

Dr Kotecha has long been active in public service at both national and regional level. He is a Department of International Trade export champion and sits on its SME Trade Policy Advisory Group.

‘I am confident there is a bright future in store for East Midlands businesses’ He has also chaired the Chamber’s Brexit Advisory Group, co-chairs the Loughborough Town Deal Board, and has involvement with the Leicester and Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, as well as the Midlands Engine Council.

In 2017, Dr Kotecha was awarded an OBE for services to

Dr Nik Kotecha OBE

entrepreneurship, innovation in pharmaceutical services and philanthropy.

He said: “The CBI has some bold ambitions designed to grow prosperity and opportunity throughout the East Midlands economy, as we look to rebuild from the pandemic, nurture new cross-sector collaborations and move towards a low-carbon future.

“Doing so will take a concerted effort from Government, education and enterprise. Leaders must foster a culture of growth by investing in the infrastructure, people and skills this region needs to combat pockets of deprivation and raise aspirations and attainment.

“If we get the key decisions right at this pivotal time, I am confident there is a bright future for East Midlands businesses. I look forward to playing my part in this new role alongside regional CBI colleagues.”

Dr Kotecha has won a top university accolade that celebrates the achievements of outstanding alumni.

He won the Distinguished Alumni Award at Imperial College London’s Alumni Awards 2022.

The annual awards honour outstanding alumni who have demonstrated sustained excellence in their personal and professional achievements, are leaders in their field or have made a substantial impact on society.

Dr Kotecha studied a PhD in medicinal chemistry at Imperial College before working at the University of Cambridge and eventually setting up Morningside Pharmaceuticals in 1991.

The business has exported to more than 120 countries since inception, and has 240 generic and branded licensed medicines in the UK and EU. Dr Kotecha said: “As a child growing up in Leicester, my family had very little, but I was fortunate to be given opportunities to gain a good education. After finishing my degree in Newcastle, Professor Steve Ley at Imperial College took a chance in accepting me into his eminent group and this really was the opportunity I needed to forge a career.

“More than three decades later, it’s truly humbling to be recognised for my entrepreneurial journey, which was only made possible by the help and support I received to gain a good education along the way.”

Louise earns female entrepreneur accolade Louise West

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Lace designer Louise West has been named as one of the UK’s most inspirational and dynamic female entrepreneurs by the f:Entrepreneur #ialso100 campaign.

Louise, who founded Louise West Lace Design in 2011, is profiled as one of 100 female entrepreneurs from across the country in a campaign to celebrate the multi-achievements of women running businesses in the UK today.

She was celebrated for adapting to the changing world by bringing lace design and the teaching into the digital era, with the introduction of digitally-created patterns and taking her teaching online – while also raising money

for charity through her passion for swimming.

Delivered by Small Business Britain, f:Entrepreneur was launched in 2017 to highlight the stories of female business owners and help provide inspiration and role models across the wider small business community.

Louise said: “It is a great honour to be recognised alongside such an inspiring group of women, all worthy of this award. I love lacemaking and being able to share that passion with so many people worldwide over the past two years has been a great experience. Being recognised for this contribution is the icing on the cake.”

This year, the #ialso100 set out

to recognise trailblazing female entrepreneurs from a variety of industries who have flourished in business despite the challenges of the past two years, while maintaining a host of other projects including volunteering, campaigning and community support.

Ismay Mummery, the founder of sustainable boys’ fashion brand Boy Wonder, was also recognised.

After receiving support from the Chamber’s Digital Growth Programme on areas including digital marketing, SEO, analytics and social media, she was able to increase web traffic by 42%, which converted into a significant uptake of online orders.

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MEMBER NEWS

Rejecting ‘canteen culture’ boosts morale and success An emotional intelligence expert believes businesses can learn from the failings of the Met Police – after the force was condemned in a damning report into “canteen culture”.

Kul Mahay spent more than 30 years working for Derbyshire Constabulary and now runs the leadership consultancy Ignite Your Inner Potential, where he works with a variety of organisations including oil firms, police forces, healthcare providers, local authorities, charities and universities.

‘A real need for deeper conversations and action regarding workplace culture’ He believes the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s (IOPC) report into the conduct within the Met Police – in which examples of racist language and bullying were uncovered – will be an eye-opener for many senior leaders who may recognise similarities within their own organisations.

Kul said recent events such as the murder of Sarah Everard and various high-profile protests “have created a real need for deeper conversations and action regarding workplace culture and values”.

“Now is the time for leaders to build up the courage to challenge these longstanding cultures and build the foundations of new, inclusive and emotionallyintelligent teams,” he added.

“If you want a vibrant, healthy culture within your organisation, where everyone can be seen and heard, you need a solid foundation of trust. Without this, any change in management and, consequently your performance as an organisation, is compromised.”

In Kul’s new podcast, Human

Centred Leadership, he interviews Sal Naseem, the regional director for London for the IOPC who reiterated that a lack of supervision from senior officers allowed a “really, really toxic culture” to grow.

Kul added: “In order to succeed, it is important that other organisations and leaders in other industries should be aware of the report and its findings, and the pressing need to address the cultures that exist.

“In light of the ‘great resignation’, we will see more talent leaving those organisations that simply don’t invest in creating emotionally-intelligent cultures of inclusivity.

“The real challenge for leaders in HR is to influence organisations to embrace emotional intelligence as a key tool to eradicate canteen culture that alienate minority staff.

“This will not only help to retain talent, increase trust, improve communication but also drive performance across the organisation.”

Sarah Walker-Smith

Sarah gets vocL about leadership Kul Mahay

Podcast talks to industry leaders Chief constables, decision-makers working in central Government and Gogglebox star Baasit Siddiqui are among the first guests on Kul’s podcast.

The Human Centred Leadership series, which is recorded in Derby, began in January with guest Keith Fraser, chair of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales. He has also interviewed College of Policing chief executive Andy Marsh, Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles and Baasit Siddiqui, best known for featuring on Channel 4 TV show Gogglebox and founder of Siddiqui Education.

Kul said: “I have interviewed incredibly fascinating people at the very top end of industries, from policing to education, from those working in public services to chief executives of top organisations and charities. Every single one of these guests has one thing in common – a firm belief in emotional intelligence to great effect.”

Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles featured in the third episode of Kul’s podcast, where he spoke about understanding business owners’ needs through building strong relationships in the community.

Listen to this episode of the podcast at bit.ly/SK-podcast

University technician receives MBE The University of Nottingham’s most senior technician has received an MBE from Prince William.

Technical skills and strategy director Kelly Vere was announced in the Queen’s New Year Honours 2021 for services to championing the role of technicians in higher education and research institutions.

Kelly, who was accompanied at the ceremony by her 14-year-old son Lewis (pictured), said: “My

family and I have had the most amazing, surreal, unforgettable day and it was such an honour to meet His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, who was an absolute delight.

“We talked about technical expertise, the need for more women in science and engineering and the importance of role models.

I’m so proud to represent our wonderful university and technical community – it means the world.”

The East Midlands-based boss of a national law firm has teamed up with corporate leaders including former Siemens UK chief executive Juergen Maier to set up a new group that promotes responsible business leadership.

Sarah Walker-Smith, chief executive of Ampa – the parent company of law firm Shakespeare Martineau, which has offices in Leicester and Nottingham – has joined Timpson chief executive James Timpson, Be the Business chair Sir Charlie Mayfield, and former CBI chief and current London First chair Paul Drechsler to form vocL. Pronounced “vocal”, the new community interest company was founded by Maier and has two central aims – to make the voice of responsible business a louder part of the national conversation and to mentor the next generation of business leaders.

Sarah Walker-Smith said: “We believe in responsible business, in business leaders stepping up, and in supporting the next generation,” she said.

“This is about being very positive, future-focused. It’s a response to what we see coming up, and how we play our part.”

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Rolls-Royce goes into Space (Park) Nuclear power experts at RollsRoyce will develop their unique expertise from a new base at Space Park Leicester.

Specialist staff at the engineering firm have been deployed to the £100m research institute to expand their work on nuclear power in space.

Rolls-Royce is the only UK firm with a singular focus on creating mechanical, electrical and nuclear power solutions that can tackle the challenges of the future.

Space is one of the most challenging and growing sectors in which it believes power, propulsion and thermal management will play a significant role.

The Derby-headquartered company intends to progress and expand these developments by collaborating closely with Richard Ambrosi, professor of space instrumentation and space nuclear power systems at the University of Leicester, and other experts.

Abi Clayton, director for future programmes at Rolls-Royce, said: “Having the opportunity to have a presence at Space Park Leicester allows us to be close to the action.

It’s also incredibly inspiring to work among scientists from the University of Leicester and representatives from space-related companies.”

In January last year, Rolls-Royce signed a contract with the UK Space Agency for a study into future nuclear power options for space exploration.

Space Park Leicester has been designed to enable collaboration between the University of Leicester’s researchers and the private sector, creating high-quality knowledge-based jobs, building the skills base, and contributing to economic growth and resilience.

Professor Ambrosi, executive director of Space Park Leicester, said: “The presence of Rolls-Royce at Space Park Leicester, and its work in leading the development of space reactor systems, will enable Leicester researchers to collaborate on a range of space mission concepts and technology solutions that will transform access to space for scientific and human exploration endeavours.

“We welcome the opportunity to grow our portfolio of research in space nuclear power technologies.”

Dr Gary Jones (left), Abi Clayton and Professor Richard Ambrosi outside Space Park Leicester

A new centre for life sciences

Charnwood Campus

Medilink Midlands has become the latest organisation to take space at Charnwood Campus – the rapidly growing science, technology and enterprise park.

The life sciences industry association intends to play an instrumental role in the region’s ongoing development of the sector by taken roots at Charnwood Campus.

It is the UK’s first “life sciences opportunity zone” – an initiative to help areas with clear strengths in the sector to grow by working closely with relevant Government departments.

The centre’s world-class flexible laboratories, specialist manufacturing facilities and office space, coupled with a wide range of amenities, technical and 6

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clinical resources, makes it ideally suited to being a focal point of the regional life sciences ecosystem.

Medilink Midlands chief executive Darren Clark believes that now is an ideal time for the move, with Charnwood Campus recently securing Charnwood Molecular to join 3M, Almac and Kindeva on site.

He said: “Charnwood Campus has always been a great friend to Medilink. It has always been seen as a gem for the region and its commitment to creating a life science community and ecosystem makes it a natural choice for us to establish a base. With our own position in the Midlands life science community, we look forward to helping to realise the full potential of the campus.”

...and hub brings ideas to fruition The East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (EMAHSN) has launched a hub to bring together the expertise needed to help budding health entrepreneurs turn innovative ideas into commercial propositions.

The East Midlands Innovation Academy, set up in collaboration with Medilink Midlands, offers free short courses to equip participants with the core skills required to work with the NHS and deliver new health solutions.

Modules will cover understanding NHS structures and payment systems, budget impacts and business cases, patient involvement, and more.

Each module includes a webinar, live Q&A with experts and online resources.

Darren Clark, chief executive of Medilink Midlands, said: “The Midlands is a hotbed of innovation and we have many inventive and inquisitive companies looking to tackle the life science issues we face.

I’m pleased we are working with the EMAHSN to better enable companies in the region to bring their ideas to reality.”

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Exhibition Centre and Nuns Mill

University aims to make city connection A vision for how the University of Derby intends to develop its city centre footprint and improve connectivity between its sites has been launched.

“The City Masterplan”, designed in conjunction with Matthew Montague Architects, focuses on the development of an area next to Derby’s One Friar Gate Square, Ford Street, Bridge Street, Agard Street and Nuns Street.

The overall ambition is to create two areas in the city – an academic zone, centred on the university’s current Sir Peter Hilton Court site, and an enterprise zone, based around the Princess Alice Court halls of residence and enterprise centre.

In addition to the proposed new Derby Business School, the academic zone will have the capability of delivering additional learning space, students’ union facilities, catering and student residential space, as well as offices for staff and letting to other businesses.

The enterprise zone will aim to deliver a mixed-use development comprising space for start-up and scale-up businesses, retail, entertainment and student accommodation.

Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, vice-chancellor and chief executive of the University of Derby, said: “Derby is a city with huge momentum and as its only university, we are committed to supporting and driving forward its ongoing regeneration, making a long-lasting positive impact on the communities within it and helping to enhance its overall offer.

“The links between the two areas we have identified are critical to developing a vibrant hub that creates a safe and welcoming space for students, staff and the wider public, and enables them to feel connected and involved in our city.”

The masterplan aligns with the university’s aspirations to develop further as a civic institution with an increased city centre presence and enhanced connectivity across its estate, delivered through the creation of greener and more connected routes from the city.

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The Swap Shop team

Skills swap shop celebrates key membership milestone An interactive skills-swapping website for small and micro businesses, first set up in Derby, has brought on board its 1,000th member.

The UK Swap Shop reached the milestone when Devon-based goldsmith and artist jeweller Isabella Day joined the community, offering a jewellery experience day or wedding ring day.

The free-to-use platform was created during the early months of lockdown by three Derby-based entrepreneurs – Ask the

Chameleon’s Rachel Hayward, HUUB’s Dean Jackson and Think3’s Lee Marples – in an effort to support the 5.6 million micro businesses across the UK. Funded by the trio, the site has steadily grown beyond its immediate Derbyshire borders, across the East Midlands and finally UK-wide in November 2020.

At least 350 swaps have been posted, ranging from headshots for SEO advice and accountancy guidance to website design and TikTok videos.

Rachel Hayward, who won the Female Entrepreneur of the Year at the Chamber’s Enterprising Women Awards, said: “We are so delighted to welcome Isabella to our Swap Shop family – not only celebrating her as our 1,000th member, but also to help her business grow through new connections and swapping.

“The Swap Shop has been our business-grown response to our survival through Covid and we have clearly captured the imaginations of so many business owners keen to support one another.”

Software firm in recruitment drive

Buffet in a Box from the River Kitchen café at Derby’s Museum of Making

Popular museum café is really delivering the goods Derby’s Museum of Making has launched its River Kitchen café on Deliveroo.

Since opening in May 2021, the River Kitchen has successfully aligned itself as a popular eatery, serving locally-sourced food and drink at the site of the Derby Silk Mill.

The café is now branching out on Deliveroo, building on its success as a finalist in the Best Café category of the 2021 Derby Food and Drinks Awards.

It has now created a corporate lunch concept – its “buffet in a box” menu – for office lunches and meetings for up to 20 people, and can be ordered though the Deliveroo app.

Derby Museums’ catering manager Joe Donoghue said: “Being able to provide our customers with an accessible takeaway option is a fantastic way to reach more people.”

Solutions for Accounting and CRM has launched a recruitment drive to hire 11 new employees.

The financial and business management software provider – which has offices in Nottingham and Derby – is hoping to fill multiple vacancies including sales consultants for manufacturing and CRM products, support and implementation technicians, customer account managers and internal sales development representatives.

Since forming in 1998, Solutions has grown into one of the UK’s top Sage business partners, a Salesforce certified consulting partner and an Act! diamond certified consultant.

Managing director Iain Barker said: “We are now laying the foundations for our next period of growth by creating these roles, which will enable us to provide even more high-quality, valueadded services with excellent customer care.

“The East Midlands has provided us with a rich pool of dedicated professionals, and this has been a major factor in our success. We are looking forward to bringing more talented individuals on board.”

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The four-day working week:

Stress-buster or stress-booster? n June, employees at 30 UK firms will begin a sixmonth pilot of a four-day working week, in which they will be expected to maintain their current productivity level while working one day less a week for no loss of pay.

Led by the 4 Day Week Global campaign in partnership with Think Tank Autonomy and researchers at Oxford University, Boston College and Cambridge University, the idea is regarded as a perfect solution to gaining a work-life balance, designed to offer

I

employees flexible hours and increase productivity during working hours.

Supporters believe the change will lead to heightened productivity, improved mental and physical health of employees, and a more sustainable work environment – but opponents argue it could heap more pressure on the four days of work, while it doesn’t suit every business.

Two East Midlands business leaders offer their opinions on either side of the divide:

FOR

AGAINST

Rob Day, founder and CEO at workplace consultant and commercial office interior fit-out specialist Blueprint Interiors

Matt Wheatcroft, managing director at fullservice marketing agency Purpose Media

Our work dynamic has changed dramatically and any work that is transactional or a commodity will be automated.

The four-day week is simply the next phase of the workplace revolution.

Working on the basis that your people are your most valuable asset, empowering them with the resources to deliver their best work fosters a culture in which people do what they need, when it needs doing, to meet objectives.

Humans will always be better at imagining and visualising solutions. As our work continues to evolve into creative problem-solving – where we work from ‘Coronavirus and for how long – will become has accelerated irrelevant.

Think about the jobs we did 20 to 30 the already years ago that don’t exist anymore, as a growing trend major part of our economy is servicefor hybrid driven.

Offering a service requires a more working’ personalised and tailored approach as people are buying a solution. As such, the world of work has changed, and with it the time people spend “at work” as opposed to “doing work”.

Fortunately, the days of “battery farm” employees coming to work to “peck away” at a keyboard or assembly line in dedicated workspaces for a set period of time are diminishing.

Coronavirus has accelerated the already growing trend for hybrid working. As a result, an increasing number of people discovered they work best when they can adapt their working space to individual needs.

Now, as people return to work, we’re seeing a shift to a peoplefocused workspace, designed to emulate certain parts of homeworking, and support our fundamental human needs, such as making connections with other people, and the resources to feel valued for doing a good job.

On the basis there’s already been a significant shift towards cultures that empower people to choose how, when and where they work – as long as the needs of the business are accommodated within a four-day working week – why would it not be a good idea?

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I’m not convinced it’s a good idea as I don’t think it’s a concept that can be applied fairly – though I look forward to reading the outcome of the trial to see if I’m wrong.

The employer is paying someone the same amount for less time, yet the same amount of work still needs doing. Also, how do you set the benchmark for what is the equivalent of five days in the long term? Especially when new employees have no prior knowledge of what can be done in five days.

In our environment, clients expect us to be available five days a week and now people are working hybridly, there is even greater expectation they will be available at any time.

All I see this change creating is longer unpaid working hours and more stress on the four days people are working to try and meet the requirements of employers and customers.

This will be unsustainable for our health – employees will feel under pressure to work longer hours on those days, and employers will need more staff to cover opening hours, which may lead to price increases.

I am also not convinced the four-day week can be universally applied – particularly in industries where the ‘Employees amount of time you can work is will feel under regulated, such as for HGV drivers or airline staff. It could lead to more time pressure to work staying away from home to ensure longer hours’ regulations are not breached.

Office culture could be affected.

There will always be financially and target-driven employees who see the gap created by colleagues heading off for an extended weekend as an opportunity to impress bosses, leaving those who take the four-day week feeling at a disadvantage.

I also fear for the development of young people. Companies that invest in apprentices have to provide the right training and support.

This reduction equates to losing 20% of time in the business for learning and participation, which is a huge amount at such a crucial part in their career.

Finally, there will always be people who see their work team as their social circle so working a four-day week will actually be detrimental to their mental health.

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Experts needed to meet climate targets There should be greater investment in a wider group of decision-making experts on landscape management if the UK is to reach climate targets such as net zero, a new report warns.

An interdisciplinary team of UK researchers, led by the University of Leicester and including the University of Nottingham, highlighted “multiple contradictions” in the pathways to net zero climate targets and called for wider-reaching solutions to create a more sustainable future.

The Landscape Decisions Programme report, funded by the UK Research and Innovation agency, stresses the potential negative impact of existing pathways to net zero climate targets, which include losses in the benefits of biodiversity, human wellbeing and cultural knowledge of the landscape.

Lead author and senior research fellow Dr Beth Cole, based at the University of Leicester, said: “To reach the net zero goals, we need to make some challenging decisions about the way we use, manage, and interact with landscapes in the UK.” The UK Government has set a net zero target of 2050, to be achieved via a proposed reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and better management of so-called “carbon sinks”, such as peatlands and forests, with new carbon capture technologies.

Recommendations made by the interdisciplinary group include a greater focus on locally-devolved decisions in land-use solutions, as a one-size-fits all approach to net zero landscape management could be damaging in certain environments.

Beth added: “These landscape decisions are dependent upon many factors including the environmental characteristics and the geographic location of the land, but in this report, we also consider the wider social framing of these decisions and call for inclusive, place-specific net zero practices within landscapes that support both biodiversity and people.

“Collaborating across disciplines, this group of researchers together make a team that is greater than the sum of its parts.”

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Research to enhance diversity in sports coaching Researchers from Loughborough University have outlined a series of recommendations to enhance the diversity of sport coaches across the UK. Academics from the university’s School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences were commissioned to capture key findings and learnings from the Coaching for All (CFA) initiative.

It was delivered between March 2020 and June 2021 by community and social development group Sporting Communities, with the university appointed as its lead research partner.

A total of 29 participants from disadvantaged communities who identified as black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) or as a refugee were recruited to the Sport

England-funded project.

The university’s research primarily identified a series of structural and cultural barriers experienced by coaches.

Academics advised that stakeholders and national governing bodies should consider reviewing and broadening recruitment practices, enabling more learning and career development opportunities, and ensuring community sports agencies are equipped to recruit and pay ethnically-diverse coaches.

Dr Carolynne Mason (pictured), senior lecturer in sport management, said: “The underrepresentation of some ethnic groups within the paid and

voluntary coaching workforce both reflects, and perpetuates, broader inequalities in opportunity, experiences and outcomes in sport.

“Our research demonstrates there is a complex interplay of factors that need to be considered and responded to in addressing these inequalities.

“The research also demonstrates that collaborative partnership responses are required to ensure that coaches from ethnically-diverse communities are able to realise their aspirations to become paid and voluntary coaches, and to create a more representative sports coaching workforce.”

Competition celebrates inclusion LU Arts and Loughborough University’s equality, diversity and inclusion committee held a competition for students to design a mural for the campus that celebrated inclusion in the community.

Eleven students were invited to take part, with judges looking for imaginative and powerful designs that celebrated marginalised groups, and their campaigns for social justice.

Final-year graphic communication and illustration student Kelsey Bebbington won the overall competition, with her commission titled All of Us. The artwork embodies hope in inclusivity and sends a strong yet positive message that the future of

the university involves all communities across the institution.

Kelsey said: “As an LGBTQ+ person, I often find myself upset about the negative incidents my community face. It can be hard to celebrate and feel pride when hate incidents are on the rise.

“This design has the intention of celebrating not only my community and our fight, but also those of other marginalised communities.”

Kelsey received £500 for her win and her design will be printed onto aluminium panels and permanently displayed under the bridge on the university’s Sir David Davies building.

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Ram trail boosted economy in Derby A tourist trail in Derby guided by ram sculptures, set up to coincide with Covid-19 restrictions easing, contributed about £1.4m to the local economy, according to a new study.

Derby Museums’ report, which includes the findings of a public survey, details the Derby Ram Trail’s positive impact on the city’s economic recovery across several areas – which it says strengthens the case for culture as a key driver in making Derby a vibrant place to live, work, visit and invest.

Launched in May 2021, the free sculpture trail was delivered by the charity – which operates the Museum of Making, Museum and Art Gallery, and Pickford’s House – in partnership with Wild in Art, and the Cathedral Quarter and St Peters Quarter business improvement districts.

It invited people to find 30 rams dotted around the city centre, all sponsored by local organisations and businesses – with the Chamber’s Generation Next young professionals’ network one of the supporters.

Tony Butler, executive director of

Derby Museums, said: “Bringing the Ram Trail to Derby has been a great way to galvanise local businesses and artists to create a fun and accessible focus in the city centre at a time when it was needed the most. After an arduous lockdown, the trail helped many people to reconnect and rediscover their city.”

‘The trail helped many people to reconnect and rediscover their city’ As well as boosting the economy, the trail significantly raised footfall in and around the city. More than 50% of people surveyed visiting the city more than once to complete the trail and saying they had been encouraged to visit different places to where they had previously been.

Three-quarters of trail participants spent more than £10 during their visit, with an average spend of £35 per group.

More than 32,000 trail maps were

distributed and 7,840 downloads made of the Ram Trail app.

Tony added: “The impact of the trail, led by Derby Museums, on the city’s recovery proves the incredibly important part culture has to play in the life of a city.”

The Derby Ram Trail culminated

in a public auction, hosted by celebrity auctioneer Charles Hanson, in which all 30 ram sculptures were auctioned off to raise £172,000 for Derby Museums’ Endowment Fund – doubled to £344,000 with match funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

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Agency helps keep Olympians safe A campaign to promote safe Covid19 behaviours among Team GB athletes in the run-up to the Winter Olympics was designed by a Nottingham-based creative agency.

Turbine Creative, based in Beck Street, partnered with the British Olympic Association (BOA) on the initiative, which featured messaging focused on the ideas of protecting teammates and promoting reassurance during a stressful time.

It worked with a range of Team GB experts from the fields of medicine, sports performance and behavioural psychology to establish the most effective communication methods.

The strategic messaging was complemented by a unique visual identity created by the agency, which incorporated active and dynamic imagery of Team GB

athletes to drive home the sense of teamwork and success.

The campaign was delivered at the Olympic Village in Beijing via posters, videos on large screens, wayfinding signage and athlete social media platforms.

It followed a similar campaign by the BOA and Turbine Creative at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, in which all Team GB athletes remained Covid-free.

Turbine’s creative director Tim Bassford said: “We are incredibly proud to work with Team GB at such a crucial and significant time for athletes globally.

“Following Team GB’s huge success at Tokyo, we look forward to hearing how the campaign is received in Beijing and will be following the team’s success along with the rest of the country.”

Putting the Focus on Blackpool’s history

SureScreen Diagnostics is believed to be the first company in the world to mass-produce biodegradable lateral flow test cassettes for Covid-19.

The tests will use biodegradable materials for the test cassette housing.

SureScreen, headquartered in Derby, has been at the forefront of UK testing for the past year and has exported to more than 50 countries across the world. But the company, which has long had a reputation for innovation, recognised that the increase in one-use medical products has been reversing the battle against plastic pollution.

Director David Campbell said: “We have analysed everything used to make a full kit to see where firstly we can reduce materials and secondly what alternative materials could improve the sustainability of the kits. Two of the big changes we are currently making is the use of PBAT and PLA for the test cassette and component bags. Both materials biodegrade a lot faster than traditional materials, depending on the environment, in years rather than centuries.

“This is just the start, and we are continuing to research and trial other plant-based materials throughout the kits to make them more sustainable.

“We hope other lateral flow test manufacturers will also move to using more sustainable materials wherever possible. We would welcome their collaboration on this project.”

On display will be more than 800 items of memorabilia, plus experiences and activities for families, while changing exhibitions will attract visitors back time and time again.

The museum will create about 40 jobs, offer 20 training placements by engaging with residents and schools, and aims to attract 300,000 visitors a year.

Blackpool Council leader and cabinet member for tourism and culture councillor Lynn Williams said: “As Blackpool’s first museum we wanted to work with a company that truly understands our product and is on board with all the excitement that is to come.

“We are delighted to be working with Focus Consultants on the cost management of the Showtown exhibition. They come with a wealth of experience in managing successful cultural developments up and down the country.”

Casson Mann

Greener Covid-19 tests in production

Nottingham-based Focus has been appointed as part of the team developing Showtown – Blackpool’s first ever museum.

The company is providing cost management services for the scheme, which will explore the history of dancers, acrobats and comedians who have performed at the seaside town as well as behind-the-scenes stories from producers, visitors and residents that provide a new insight into the history of Blackpool.

Focus was initially involved with the project providing a due diligence review of project status and costs, suggesting options on how to re-work the scope given the budget challenges it was facing.

Eleanor Clarke, partner at Focus, said: “It is wonderful to be involved in a project that looks to celebrate the town’s rich heritage and we look forward to seeing this vision come to life.”

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Local partnership delivers new website Pennine Healthcare enlisted the support of fellow Derbyshire businesses to launch a new website – 15 years on from the creation of its previous site.

Keen to work with local firms on the project, the Derby-based medical device manufacturer recruited South Normanton marketing agency Purpose Media to design and develop the site, while commercial photography studio Cactus Images, also based in the city, shot and edited the product imagery.

The website features easy-to-use navigation, a visual product range and downloadable literature.

Pennine Healthcare marketing manager Dan Wilson said: “We worked on this project for just under a year, so it’s great to finally see finished article and we now have a website which we are proud to showcase. I was delighted to work with local businesses to bring the website to fruition.”

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Young people find work at Chatsworth House Young people working at Chatsworth on placements set up to address rising youth unemployment have praised the valuable experience – with several now progressing into permanent roles.

The Devonshire Group, the tourist attraction’s owner, appointed a number of six-month placements under the Kickstart Scheme last year across the garden, catering, farmyard, textiles, collections and wider operations at its Chatsworth and Bolton Abbey estates.

Now several of the young people who have completed their placements have been offered permanent jobs, while other candidates used the experience as a launchpad into related employment elsewhere.

Chatsworth’s head of textiles Susie Stokoe said: “Kickstart has been a great way to bring young people into the workplace, giving them the flexibility to work

in positions they may not have originally thought of.”

In the Chatsworth farmyard and adventure playground, Josh Nicholls will join as an apprentice, and Jordan Henshaw now has a permanent job as farmyard and adventure playground assistant.

The group’s sustainability officer Tom Hendry was also keen to create a high-quality placement for a young person in the area, and hired Ella Thompson from the scheme, who has been offered a full-time role.

Nathan Fairhead, talent and training co-ordinator at the Devonshire Group, added: “We are thrilled at the progress of our Kickstarters and the attitude they have shown to working with us. They have thrown themselves into their placements, becoming valued members of their teams. We are very excited for how their experience with us will influence their careers, especially those who will remain with us.”

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Directors from MacMartin and ’AV IT Media

Creatives team up to fly the flag for Derbyshire Bob Bushby

Homegrown businesses with a client-base that includes Olly Murs and TV presenter Rylan Clark are flying the flag for an economically strong Derbyshire by joining forces.

Marketing agency MacMartin has teamed up with video and photography company ‘AV IT Media, which alongside famous faces has worked with East Midlands Railway and Derby County Football Club.

The partnership means the duo will be able to offer their clients a full marketing service featuring photos and videography.

Anna Hutton, marketing director at MacMartin, who founded the company with sister Claire MacDonald, said: “I’m so excited to have found such a great synergy between ourselves and ‘AV IT. It

means we can offer a full-blown marketing service to our clients of a standard that has not previously been reached.

“By doing this we’ll be able to create the ultimate marketing experience, from people that are at the top of their game. We’ve joined up with ‘AV IT to offer our clients something that’s above and beyond.”

‘By doing this we’ll be able to create the ultimate marketing experience’ MacMartin and ‘AV IT were able to team up after forging a connection through the local business community, with both companies bondholders of Marketing Derby

and members of the Chamber.

Ash Stanley, who founded ‘AV IT with Mark Averill in 2018, added: “We’re beyond excited to be working with MacMartin. Meeting the MacMartin team is the best thing that could have happened to us and we’re excited to be shooting videos and pictures to help all our clients reach the next level.

“With Derby bidding to become City of Culture in 2025, it’s great to fly the flag for this great city and show the world what happens when homegrown creatives get together.” ting legacy in the communities in which we work is very important to us and this development is a great example of where our passion for social value and community wellbeing has been matched by our partners.”

My HR Hub is top small business Nottingham-based My HR Hub has won a top award at the Nottinghamshire Live Women in Business Awards.

The HR and business consultancy, which was founded in 2016 by Rebecca Bull (pictured), was named Small Business of the Year at the annual awards in January.

The Small Business of the Year award highlights the best femaleowned small business in Nottinghamshire that has achieved consistent business growth since being established.

My HR Hub provides bespoke, affordable “pick and mix” HR and business consultancy services to start-up, small, medium and fastgrowth businesses in the region and beyond.

Founder and managing director Rebeca Bull said: “After winning the Sole Trader of the Year Award at

the 2018 Women in Business Awards in Nottingham, I was asked by a lot of people if I planned to carry on by myself or grow the business further and take on a team.

“Well, I took the plunge in 2020 and recruited a team of three.

Without a doubt, the team has enabled 2021 to be our biggest year of growth yet. We support some incredible businesses spanning 25

sectors across the East Midlands, the UK and internationally, and are proud to work with each and every one of them.

“To be named Small Business of the Year is a testament to our team and personally a very proud moment.”

Now in its eighth year, the Nottinghamshire Live Women in Business Awards, sponsored by Hillarys, aim to shine a spotlight on women in Nottinghamshire who have triumphed in business and recognise their inspiring work and achievements from the past 12 months.

Enterprising Women co-chair Jean Mountain was also among the winners, picking up the Businesswoman of the Year award for her contribution to helping professional women “break the glass ceiling”.

Further growth for PR specialist Derby-based PR and communications specialist Nielsen McAllister is celebrating continued growth and expansion after a raft of new business wins.

The agency has added three new accounts to its client base – global engineering service provider Advanced Tooling Systems (ATS), global temperature-controlled solutions supplier Tower Cold Chain, and brickwork, scaffolding and drywall business Phoenix Brickwork.

Nielsen McAllister delivers B2B communications to help companies build their brand and business reputations, and these latest accounts were attracted to the agency’s proven ability to enhance their presence across traditional and digital channels in the press and social media.

Managing director Bob Bushby said: “Winning three accounts in such a short space of time is testament both to our communications expertise and our experience in their respective sectors.

“Despite the challenges of the past 18 months, we are seeing increased demand for our B2B communications services, and this is always great news for us.

“These are exciting times for our business here in Derby and we are very much looking forward to continuing our focus on delivering the best PR and communications support to both our new and existing clients.”

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Law firm offers support for menopausal staff Thoresby Park

Eventing Spring Carnival returns Some of the country’s leading horse riders will be at this year’s Eventing Spring Carnival, which takes place at Thoresby Park in Nottinghamshire from 1-3 April.

Olympic and world-class stars will join the horse trials, as well as the all-female team of Nicola Wilson, Piggy March, Ros Canter and Kitty King, who won gold at the Eventing European Championships last year.

Also running throughout the event is the Animalintex Leading Rider Award, who will take the prize at the grand finale.

The carnival is run by equestrian event specialist Bede Events, based in Shelford, which is offering a range of packages for businesses.

These include hospitality suites on the lawns of Thoresby Park with views over the show jumping arenas, private chalets and the Pierrepont restaurant for hosting clients, colleagues, friends and family.

For more information, visit www.bede-events.co.uk

Banner Jones has demonstrated its commitment to the health and wellbeing of its staff by signing the Menopause Workplace Pledge.

It reflects the Chesterfieldbased solicitors’ recognition that the menopause can be an issue in the workplace and women need support.

The company will create an environment where women can talk openly, positively and respectfully about menopause, and will actively support and inform employees affected by it.

The pledge, created by charity Wellbeing of Women in partnership with Hello! magazine and sponsored by Bupa, has been signed by about 300 organisations including big names such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, BMW Group, Channel 4 and First Direct.

Lisa Gill, human resources manager at Banner Jones, said: “The continued health and wellbeing of our staff has always been of real importance at Banner Jones, but it has become even more of a focus over the past year or so during Covid-19.

“We have an open-door policy in place, and we encourage our team members to come to us with any concerns that are affecting them in the workplace so that we can best support them.

Boosting prospects for young people

The Ignys team

Ignys signs exclusive contract Nottingham-based Ignys has become the exclusive UK distributor of test fixtures for Dutch firm MG Products.

This latest contract will see it distribute the specialised mechatronics and mechanics company’s test fixtures, which are used by manufacturers to test printed circuit boards at the production stage to maximise reliability and accuracy.

Ignys, an electronics design and software development consultancy, works with engineering teams and product development companies of all sizes to bring tech ideas to life.

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“This pledge is a further commitment to that, and to putting our staff at the heart of every decision we make in order to provide a positive workspace for everyone.”

Wellbeing of Women reports that about 900,000 women have left their jobs because of menopausal symptoms, and a further 25% have considered resigning from their roles.

Katie Ash (pictured), head of employment law at Banner Jones, said her team has seen an increase in the number of enquiries from businesses wanting to put policies in place to support staff experiencing menopause symptoms.

She added: “Many businesses are now looking to ensure they retain their best staff by better accommodating their needs during key life changes – be that having children, losing a loved one, or experiencing symptoms linked to the menopause.

“In doing so, they are likely to also improve productivity and facilitate a far more diverse workforce.”

formed this exclusive distribution agreement with MG Products because we both believe in maximising the reliability of products during production for quality and efficiency. Our companies share a strong belief in working collaboratively with the people we serve.

“Expanding into the test fixture market feels natural to us. It has always been our vision to help people with electronic product development. Providing quality test solutions allows us to give innovators, entrepreneurs and product manufacturers peace of mind that products are reliably tested before shipping to end customers.”

Youth engagement and employment specialist Learn by Design has developed a new programme that aims to boost young people’s job prospects across Leicestershire.

The organisation has designed “Find Your Fit”, which provides meaningful and personalised support to a group of 30 young people, currently not in education, employment or training (NEET), in order to meet the local skills gap and jobs shortages in the area.

Participants must be aged between 16 and 24 and live within the city or county to take part in the scheme, which is funded by the Leicester and Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LLEP).

Find Your Fit programme manager Simon Weaver said: “The pandemic has impacted young people in many different ways, with employment opportunities becoming more limited and education and training disrupted.

The Find Your Fit programme will help young people across the local area to get back into education and employment.”

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Call for women to jump on the buses The reigning UK Top National Bus Driver Karen Miles has called on more women to get on board with a career in the bus and coach industry.

Karen, who lives in Littleover, is only the second female winner of the UK bus industry’s premier driving award in its 26-year history.

A bus driver for seven years after joining trentbarton in 2015, Karen says more women should consider a career in public transport.

She said: “There are more and more women driving buses – and working in the other varied roles that keep us on the road. It’s a career with training and many benefits.”

Women work throughout trentbarton, including in marketing, customer service and senior management – and half its depot managers are female.

Sharon Bailey started as a trentbarton bus driver in 1989 and went on to be an operations controller, then manager and is now head of operations for the company.

Sharon added: “The bus industry has many wonderful career opportunities for women at all stages of their working lives.”

‘Great resignation’ is major cause for concern As the UK’s “great resignation” continues, new research by RSM reveals recruitment is now a major concern for 41% of employers.

The quarterly RSM Real Economy report demonstrates six in 10 (61%) businesses are finding staff recruitment “extremely” or “very” challenging.

The report demonstrates that staffing challenges are hindering business growth, with about a third (34%) of companies saying they have had to delay expansion plans as a result. Almost a third (30%) say they have turned business away, and a further 30% say they have had to close some locations completely.

According to ONS employment statistics, vacancies reached a record high of 1.3 million in the three months to January, while jobto-job moves hit a record high of 979,000 between October and December 2021, largely driven by resignations rather than dismissals.

Kevin Harris, office managing partner at RSM Leicester, said: “The pandemic has accelerated workforce trends that were already emerging, such as the growth of the wellbeing movement and an increased desire for flexible working.

“It appears employees now hold more of the cards, with the record levels of vacancies, largely due to resignations, demonstrating that people are not afraid to walk if the company they work for doesn’t meet their needs.”

Kevin Harris

‘It appears employees now hold more of the cards, with the record level of vacancies’ In response to the record rise in resignations, RSM’s report found 43% of employers are increasing salaries and the same proportion is improving staff benefits in a bid to improve retention.

As remote and hybrid working becomes the norm for many employees, 71% of employers say they expect to see a permanent increase in remote working in future.

RSM UK economist Tom Pugh added: “Businesses should continue to invest in productivity-enhancing technology, upskilling their workforces and digital technology to allow them to access the widest possible labour pool. Indeed, we suspect that investments like these,

especially in digital technology, will lead to larger productivity gains across the economy over the next decade.”

The survey was the fifth in The Real Economy series of topical quarterly surveys focusing on the middle market as the powerhouse of the UK economy. It was also used as a means of uncovering the wider workforce challenges faced by middle market businesses.

Finance firm begins recruitment drive

L-R: Rocky Leanders, Martin Tilley, David Santaney, Martin Tilley and Lucas Harding Cox

The WestBridge Group moves into new home The WestBridge Group has relocated its Leicester head office to the Meridian Business Park.

Previously located within the city centre in New Street, the firm – which provides specialist tax advice and independent administration, consultancy and trustee services for small self-administered pension schemes (SSAS) – has taken the ground floor offices at Meridian Business Park as part of its growth strategy to create a centrally-based headquarters.

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The new location has easy access to essential transport links and will enable the company to service its UK-wide client base, as well as create room for further expansion.

Founding director Tom Moore said: “We recognised some months ago the requirement for high quality office accommodation suited to the demands of the ‘hybrid working’ era. The Dominus Way building fits the bill and also offers opportunities for expansion.”

Future Life Wealth Management has undertaken a recruitment drive to cater for the increasing demand for its services.

The Renishaw-based firm is seeking a financial planning administrator to ensure it can consistently provide the highest level of service to both new and existing clients.

Future Life offers a bespoke financial planning service to generators of wealth – typically business owners, executives and professionals – and receivers of wealth, such as inheritors, divorcees, widows and retirees.

This newly-created position will result in the company having 11 fulltime employees.

Founder and managing director Jillian Thomas (pictured) said: "As a firm, we’re constantly getting busier – and the person who is appointed to this newly-created position will play an essential role in a closely-knit and highly-effective team.

“Future Life Wealth Management has a policy of fostering and promoting talent internally as we look to ensure that precisely the right team is in place – so this really is a fantastic opportunity for the right person.”

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New awards will reward the entrepreneurial spirit

Anita Jackson

Recruitment firm in pottery partnership Recruit 2 You has become the official recruitment partner of Derbyshire-based manufacturing powerhouse Denby Pottery.

The Heanor-based agency will help fill both temporary and permanent roles for the pottery, which sells across the world from its headquarters in the village of Denby.

Founded in 1809, Denby Pottery is the largest casual tableware brand in the UK – and looking to expand on its rich history, a number of new production-based positions have been made available to support business growth.

With the aid of its new recruitment partner, Denby will bring in at least 20 fresh additions in various handcraft roles, as well as machine operators, product inspectors and other various production technicians.

Recruit 2 You managing director Anita Jackson said: “Denby Pottery is an integral part of the local community and very wellestablished across the East Midlands and beyond.”

Awards organiser Jenny Cross, CEO of Cross Productions

The finalists of a brand-new awards that celebrate entrepreneurial success in the East Midlands are gearing up for the ceremony next month.

The Real Entrepreneurs’ Awards 2022, taking place at Radisson Blue Hotel near East Midlands Airport on 28 April, will recognise individuals who have started their own businesses, invented a new product, successfully collaborated with others or grown their company significantly.

Born off the back of the established Real Entrepreneurs’ Club, the awarding body was created to promote, support and encourage entrepreneurship across the board after a dramatic rise in

‘Recognise and celebrate those who have truly excelled in the face of adversity’ business start-ups during the pandemic.

Jenny Cross, CEO of Cross Productions, which has organised the awards, said: “After a particularly challenging two years for many businesses, we’ve seen a dramatic rise in entrepreneurship.

These awards have been born to both recognise and celebrate those who have truly excelled in the face of adversity.”

Dr Nik Kotecha OBE, founder and chairman of headline sponsor

Morningside Pharmaceuticals, will make a speech to encourage entrepreneurship on the night of the awards ceremony.

He said: “We want to showcase the successful entrepreneurs’ stories of tomorrow, and hope our story inspires and encourages others to try new things and follow their entrepreneurial dreams.”

Chamber members among the shortlist include Narinder Nijjar of Fraser Stretton; Luke Tobin of Digital Ethos; Dawn Edwards of Challenge Training & Consulting; Nicki Robson of Breedon Consulting; Nisha Pahuja of Charnwood Regency Guest House; Jake Karia of Jake & Nayns; Chris Cain of Kazzoo IT; and Rob Spence of Paragon Sales Solutions.

Creative firm cooks up restaurant brand A creative agency in Leicester helped cook up a new brand identity for a recently-opened Mexican restaurant in the city.

Creative62, based in Enderby, created a new logo and visual identity reflecting Mexican culture and a modern street food vibe for Let’s Burrito, which opened in Braunstone Gate in February last year.

The agency’s graphic designer Adam Lister said: “We love working with ambitious start-up businesses, starting at ground level to create the foundations of a good brand from the off.

Let’s Burrito has a real passion for the bold food it produces, so it needed a bold brand to set it on the right path. We can’t wait to see where the journey takes it.”

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encourage returning customers.

Let’s Burrito co-owner Laura Diana said: “We are so happy with everything we achieved after

contacting Creative62. As a new business, we had a lot of questions and it helped to guide us through all the process.”

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MEMBER FOCUS: SADLERGATES Food is typically at the centre of any event, be that a business meeting or a family party, and getting it right is imperative for Nottingham-based catering company Sadlergates. Director Nathan Thomson (pictured) explains to Business Network how he’s striving to become one of the leading catering firms in the region by listening to his customer’s bespoke needs.

Tell us what your company does and a brief overview of its history?

We provide buffet, BBQ, hog roast and threecourse meal catering in Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield and surrounding areas.

We launched in 2012 and, at that time, shared a kitchen with a restaurant. We then started to grow considerably so we moved to a small unit and became one of the most reputable catering companies in Derby.

In 2018, we wanted to give more people the chance to experience our tasty food, so we moved into a purpose-built commercial kitchen in Nottingham.

Who are your main customers and what is your USP to them?

Our main customers are businesses requiring buffets for meetings or catering for their corporate events, and members of the public who require catering for weddings, funerals and parties.

Our USP is we always listen to our customers and tailor each order to their specific needs, as we know that food is always at the centre of every event or party – so it is imperative we get it right.

What is your position in the business and what does your day-to-day role involve?

My role in the business is to bring direction and vision, while cultivating an environment for my employees to be able to grow, learn and reach their full potential. Even though my role is to

oversee and bring a wider vision, I love being hands-on in the business, which involves the day-to-day running and supporting staff where required.

How have you fared during the Covid-19 pandemic?

Our business came to a sudden halt when lockdown was implemented but we saw a massive need in the community, with people struggling to receive food deliveries so – using our suppliers and delivery vans – we started food deliveries to help serve the community.

We also started a secondary business, as we didn't want any of our staff to lose their jobs. It’s great to say that after a long two years, we are starting to see the world open back up and our services returning to normal.

What are the company’s plans for the future?

To continue refining the services we offer and the food we provide, as we want to deliver the highest quality catering and to be recognised in the local community as a top provider.

What encouraged you to join East Midlands Chamber?

The Chamber was already helping and supporting us with business growth as nonmembers, and as a result of the support and guidance we received, we decided it would be incredibly beneficial to become members.

So far we have used business growth support,

Source BioScience backs Nottingham Rugby Club An emerging scientific powerhouse headquartered in Nottingham has backed one of its local sports clubs.

Source BioScience, an international supplier of integrated laboratory products and services including Covid-19 testing, has become a platinum sponsor of Nottingham Rugby Club, which plays in the second tier of English rugby.

It will have its logo emblazoned on the team’s playing kit for the remainder of the 2021-22 season, as well as featuring on advertising boardings and in matchday programmes at the club’s ground, The Bay. Headquartered at Nottingham Business Park with sites across Europe and the United States, Source BioScience provides bespoke services and a diverse 26

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product offering for varying precision medicine, pathology, and stability storage requirements.

Chief executive Jay LeCoque said: “This sponsorship deal is a fantastic opportunity to connect with a wider audience while strengthening ties with the local community, supporting our mission to provide quality and trusted laboratory services offerings with excellent client support.”

What do you believe is the most important role of a chamber of commerce?

An important role of a chamber of commerce is to build a business community where connections can be made, as well as providing support and guidance with the process of running a business.

NEW MEMBERS The Chamber welcomed 34 new members in January: • • • • • • • •

Nick Bills, director of healthcare at Source BioScience (left), and Andrew Jackaman

the Chamber Connect events and members directory – all of which have been incredibly helpful and it's been great to connect with other businesses already.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

AHCT Limited Ann’s Cosmetics Broadway Cinema C A Fields International Clippers Coffee Blue Coalville South Corfu Ltd Derby County Community Trust Dom Whiting Media Elevates Trampoline and Gymnastics Club Family Law Mediation Firetree Visual Media Gift Wellness Ltd GoldBox Productions Limited Hillside Environmental Services Iethico Limited Kirkby College Love Brewing Ltd Mansign Mining Equipment Ltd Mens Mind GP

Kirkby College

• Muu La Ltd • Narinder Consultancy • National Mobility Hire Ltd (International) • Pay iO • Primary Integrated Community Services Ltd • Qure Management • Radio Fiza Limited • Sovos • SAM Software Solutions LTD • Strive Business Ltd • The Brand Strategy • The Training Society • Total Skills Ltd • W D Models

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MEMBER NEWS

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MEMBER NEWS

Lifeline for charity that helps elderly Nottingham-based Solutions for Accounting and CRM has donated a four-figure sum to The Silver Line charity, which provides a confidential and free helpline for the elderly.

The business management software provider fundraised via 50/50 prize draws, sponsored events and donations to support the charity. It has supported many charities over the years, including The Little Princess Trust, Mind, Nottingham Children’s Hospital and The Alzheimer’s Society.

In response to the pandemic, it has elevated its corporate social responsibility activities to dedicate its fundraising efforts to a local charity each year – and for 2022, the team will raise money and awareness for stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands.

Solutions Accounting and CRM managing director Iain Barker said: “We hope our contribution will help The Silver Line staff to continue to make a difference to those who are in need.”

emc-dnl.co.uk/EMComingTogether

Prince’s Trust funds new traineeship programme Derby County Community Trust is partnering with the Prince’s Trust to deliver a new traineeship programme to support young people’s entry into the health and social care sector.

Funding has been awarded through the Prince’s Trust’s SCORE (supporting, career, opportunities, recruitment and employment) programme, and is part of an ongoing workforce development drive to meet the shortfalls within the sector.

The focus of the 12-week course is to support 16 to 30-year-olds to gain tangible qualifications alongside soft skills to prepare them for employment, and it will cover all roles within the industry.

In order to maximise the potential of the three-year-project, Derby County Community Trust has set up an advisory panel of local representatives who work in the health and social care sector.

The CEO of Derbyshire-based medical manufacturer Pennine Healthcare, Graeme Cameron, chairs the advisory group. He said: “We are combining health and social

Graeme Cameron

‘We are combining health and social care with a passion for supporting young people’ care with a passion for supporting young people into enriching and fulfilling careers. Pulling these two together is a powerful force in ensuring that young people can become inspired by a long-term career built on a purpose to protect, and improve, the lives and communities around us.”

The project will run in tandem with the Trust’s existing employability activity, which already supports those who are not in

education, employment or training to re-enter one of these avenues.

Pivotal to the projects is the opportunity for learners to gain their functional skills qualifications in the core subjects of English and maths.

Bev Crighton, employability lead at the Trust, said: “The Prince’s Trust new funding stream will enable us to more than double the amount of young people who we are able to support on an annual basis to gain sustainable employment.”

Sleep Easy 2022 to help homeless youth

Menphys chief executive Ian Caldwell (left) and Dr Nik Kotecha OBE (right) with Ash Field Academy's principal Jenny Eshelby and communication lead Jade Hirst

Tablet donation supports young disabled people Fifty young people with disabilities from six Leicestershire schools have received tablet devices to support their communication after a grant from a charitable foundation.

The Randal Charitable Foundation, based in Loughborough, provided £25,000 funding to Wigston charity Menphys – which paid for the iPads, screen protectors, specialist verbalisation software and distribution.

Some of the additional needs experienced by the young people include non-verbalisation, autism, Down’s syndrome, and severe motor and physical disabilities, which Menphys was founded to champion in 1970.

Following receipt of their tablet computers, the youngsters will receive regular progression assessments to monitor how the technology is adding value to their lives and personal development. Their parents will also receive one-to-one training to support their children.

Menphys chief executive Ian Caldwell said: “Everyone, no matter their circumstance, should have a voice and this project has made that possible for 50 wonderful young people.”

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YMCA Derbyshire is appealing to businesses, schools and individuals in the county to come together under the stars and raise funds in aid of young people at risk of facing homelessness.

On Friday 11 March, attendees will meet at the Incora County Ground car park for Sleep Easy 2022 – where they will sleep rough for one night to raise money for the youth charity.

It provides employability support, mentoring, volunteering and diversionary activities to improve mental and physical wellbeing in order to help young people at risk of homelessness.

YMCA Derbyshire CEO Gillian Sewell said: “We’re calling on our community again this year to help us continue our vital services to young people and those most in need. By participating, donating or sponsoring, you will directly impact the lives of young people in our city and county.”

For more information about Sleep Easy, visit www.ymcaderbyshire.org.uk/sleepeasy

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MEMBER NEWS

Tailored support for those in need Social entrepreneur Mark Esho MBE has launched a new charity to provide funding, business support and time for disabled people who want to start their own businesses.

The Circle Foundation aims to give back to the UK disabled community and provide them with the help and support that Mark never received when he started his career in business.

‘I’m passionate about creating better opportunities for disabled people like me’ Mark is a best-selling author, motivational speaker and the founder of several successful businesses including Leicester-based web hosting company Easy Internet Solutions, digital marketing agency Easy Internet Services, property investment firm Dreme and community interest company Access Rating.

Through the Circle Foundation, he wants to empower disabled entrepreneurs with a “circle” of su pport, building their skills and confidence to make their business a reality.

The charity also works to promote disability equality by encouraging its beneficiaries to “pay it forward”, offering support to others who are at the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey.

Mark said: “When I first started in business, I wasn’t taken seriously. As such, my first business failed and I was left unable to pay my mortgage payments while trying to support my young family. A

lot has happened since then and I am thankful that now I’m in a position where I can help others. I’m passionate about creating better opportunities for disabled people like me and seeing how, with the right help and support, they too can achieve amazing things and make their business dreams a reality.”

Mark has been disabled for the majority of his life, after contracting polio at the age of five and has experienced first-hand how difficult setting up a business is when you’re disabled, beyond the prejudice.

Each year, The Circle Foundation will accept one budding entrepreneur onto the programme, providing up to £50,000 of cash and in-kind business assistance over the course of one year. The package includes full personal support from Mark and the Circle team.

Mark added: “The Circle Foundation is all about giving back to the disabled community – and just like a circle is infinite, with no end, there is no end to what disabled people can achieve when we are given the right opportunities.”

Mark Esho

• How Access Rating helps to make businesses more inclusive for disabled people and benefit from the ‘purple pound’ – p70

Contact us now T: 01623 825516 E: nfsl@notts-fire.co.uk March 2022 business network

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APPOINTMENTS

Restructure sees founders take new roles at Talk Staff

Karl George

Governance expert boosts RSM growth RSM UK has strengthened its environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials with the key appointment of Dr Karl George MBE, one of the UK’s leading corporate governance experts and an internationallyacclaimed thought leader.

The appointment marks a major step for RSM as it looks to strengthen and expand its ability to offer a market-leading ESG advisory service to UK middle-market businesses.

Previously the founder and managing director of The Governance Forum and creator of the Effective Board Member programmes, Karl works with senior executives in the private, public and voluntary sectors. He has more than 25 years’ combined experience in accountancy, business and strategic development.

Based in the Midlands, Karl will apply his insight for corporate governance solutions to strengthen RSM’s commitment to creating sustainable value and growth, both for its own people and its clients throughout the UK and internationally.

Karl said: “I’m delighted to be joining RSM during what is an exciting period of growth and opportunity for the firm. RSM is a well-established brand, and it has a clear ambition to become the leading adviser to middle-market businesses here in the UK, and globally, with sound corporate governance at its core.

“This is also a people business with a fantastic, collaborative culture. I look forward to applying my expertise to help develop the team and support its clients to help realise their goals.”

Kevin Harris, office managing partner at RSM Leicester, added: “Karl’s appointment marks a major step for us in realising our ambition to offer market leading advice that is tailored to individual businesses and their objectives.”

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Derbyshire-based people consultancy Talk Staff has made two appointments as part of a senior management restructuring programme.

Talk Staff’s managing director and co-founder Gary Parsons steps into the new role of CEO, and will drive an ambitious growth strategy to support those that want to become people-focused.

Top of his focus areas will be to oversee the evolution of the group structure and the smooth integration of a number of acquisitions set to be announced over the coming months.

‘To be successful in 2022, you need to become the most people-focused employer in your industry’ Gary said: “I’m excited to continue our journey, ensuring that we remain as a ‘people consultancy of choice’ with employees and employers at the heart of everything we do.

“To be successful in 2022, you need to become the most peoplefocused employer in your industry, able to recognise that those of us

David Orange (left) and Gary Parsons

that focus on the most important assets – the people – in our businesses will see the most success.

“And, as a multi-award-winning people consultancy knows all too well, it’s important to ensure the best management structure is in place to support this.”

Progressing from sales and marketing director into the role of managing director, co-founder

David Orange will assume responsibility for the overall performance at Talk Staff.

David heads up the operational teams and acts as a lead people consultant for clients during their own transformation programmes.

In his new role, he will continue to manage these relationships alongside spearheading for the continued growth and expansion of the core business.

David’s given a sporting chance

David Nelson

A senior partner at PKF Smith Cooper has joined the Derbyshire Institute of Sport (DIS) as a board member.

The Castle Donington-based accountancy and advisory firm has further cemented its relationship with the DIS by establishing David Nelson on the community interest company’s board.

A keen cyclist and golfer, David has a long association with amateur sports, having spent seven years as finance director at UCI Professional Cycling Team Raleigh GAC – later known as Vitus Pro Cycling – as well as running local under-13s football team Allestree Romans FC. PKF is a gold sponsor of the DIS, and has helped fund training for young athletes in the region.

By joining the board at the DIS – headed up by founder and managing director Chloe Maudsley – David will further assist the group on its mission to develop, inspire and support local athletes.

David said: “Both myself and PKF Smith Cooper have been supporters of DIS for some time and have watched with great interest the success it has had over recent years.

“Having been involved in amateur sport for many years, I know the dedication and commitment it takes both by the athletes themselves and the support teams around them.

“With a passion for sport, I look forward to working alongside Chloe and the board at DIS to see where we can take the institute over the coming years. With the Commonwealth Games coming up just down the road in Birmingham, there is no better time for businesses to come together to support our local athletes.”

DIS board chair Michael Kirkland added: “David brings a wealth of financial and operational experience with him, which will be invaluable as we push on to our next period of growth.”

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APPOINTMENTS

Josh Donnell (left) and Olly Torrance

Melanie Swift (left) and Rachel Preston

Duo have Blueprint for career success

Apprenticeships serve real Purpose at marketing agency Full-service marketing agency Purpose Media has appointed its 15th apprentice and two former apprentices to senior roles.

Josh Donell joined the South Normanton-based agency first six years ago, and Olly Torrance the following year.

Both have followed a structured career development plan gaining work experience in all areas of the business before settling into their preferred specialism.

Josh found his passion lay in front-end development, where he is now a senior developer, and Olly rose through the ranks to senior SEO strategist.

Olly said: “Working at Purpose Media exposes you to a vast range of industries and each approach

needs to be unique. This challenging environment is always pushing the boundaries of your own ability while driving fast-paced growth.”

Josh added: “I have been very lucky to have great mentors over the past six years and have experienced first-hand the value of an apprenticeship. Now I am in a senior role, I am looking forward to nurturing the next generation of Purpose Media apprentices, and helping them understand the company culture and needs of our clients.”

Purpose Media’s latest apprentice is Alli Howland, who joins on a digital marketing apprenticeship.

The company has also strengthened its content team following the appointment of Olivia Beesley, who has a degree in professional writing with media studies from the University of Derby.

Blueprint Interiors has boosted its back-office support following the appointments of Melanie Swift as project administrator and Rachel Preston as accounts administrator.

Rachel has worked in accounts since leaving school and will assist operations director Rachel Biddles.

She will be responsible for maintaining and recording the financial transactions at the Ashbybased specialist workplace strategy consultancy, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, VAT returns and all other general accounting duties.

Melanie has previous administrative experience working in similar roles for a bicycle manufacturer, a post office and as a medical secretary for a GP Surgery.

She will be responsible for the day-to-day administrative duties, including assisting with furniture quotes, working with the contracts managers and managing the ISO audits and accreditations process.

Eleanor added to accountants’ team

Recruiter Loreta gets recruited!

Shorts has appointed Eleanor Heslop as a corporate finance executive.

Eleanor joins the Chesterfieldbased accountancy firm with several years’ experience working within the profession. Her appointment follows that of Connor Marshall, who joined the corporate finance team last year in response to increasing levels of activity.

Corporate finance partner Andy Ryder said: “Eleanor joins us at an exciting phase as the Shorts' corporate finance team continues to grow, on the back of a record year. The mergers and acquisition and funding markets remain very positive and alongside our employee ownership trust specialism, we think it is important to further strengthen our team as an essential part of supporting our clients in 2022 and beyond.”

Eleanor added: “Shorts has an outstanding reputation of excellence, and I am really excited to join this growing and talented team at this time in the firm’s continued development.”

A recruitment specialist who has helped to fill hundreds of roles for Boots says she is looking forward to forming more personal client relationships after switching roles.

Such was the skillset of Loreta Juranecaite that Derby-headquartered Sky Recruitment Solutions created the role of client and candidate relations manager especially for her.

Loreta spent seven-and-a-half-years helping to find staff for the Nottingham-based health and beauty retailer in her previous roles as branch administrator and then senior account co-ordinator for the agencies that sourced workers. At one point, she was involved in a 1,200-worker recruitment drive for the household name.

She will now split her time between Sky’s Derby office and its East Midlands Distribution Centre base at Castle Donington, facilitating a link between jobseekers and companies across the region.

Loreta said: “The general Sky culture attracted me to want to work for the company – the aims that people have here, and they are so close and helpful to each other. They all have the same goal and everyone works as one big team. In joining them, it’s something really different to other agencies I’ve worked for. There are real opportunities for progression.”

Her appointment comes at the ideal time, as the company is celebrating 50% growth within a year.

Beckie Elliott, Sky Recruitment Solutions’ regional business manager, added: “Loreta knows the industry, the demands and the client requirements. Therefore, it was a no-brainer offering her the role.”

Loreta Juranecaite (centre) with Sky Recruitment Solutions regional business manager Beckie Elliott and managing director David Torrington March 2022 business network

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

Building a home where everyone is welcome Ever since he arrived in Britain as a youngster having been forced out of his home country, Chan Kataria OBE has been on a path to make society a fairer place. The chief executive of emh group, one of the UK’s most inclusive housing associations at board level, explains to Dan Robinson why diversity matters for an organisation that is dedicated to creating opportunities. ousing associations, bastions of the not-for-profit business model but with huge financial responsibilities in developing, upkeeping and retrofitting properties, may have noticed the game has changed when it comes to seeking investment in capital markets.

Chan Kataria OBE has certainly been paying attention. A healthy balance sheet is still priority number one – organisations like his emh group are regarded as one of the safest bets due to the consistently strong demand for affordable housing – but social value is rapidly moving up the scorecard.

“Increasingly, those pension funds and financial institutions are looking at our ESG (environmental, social and governance) credentials,” says Chan.

“They want to know what we’re doing to make society a better place, as well as the bottom line.”

This relates not only to the decarbonisation agenda, arguably the biggest challenge for the social housing sector in the coming decades as it works out how to lower carbon emissions in its stock while maintaining affordable rents, but also diversity and inclusion.

“We provide housing for more than 25,000 people, and many come from black and minority ethnic (BAME) communities,” says Chan.

“If we don’t represent the customer base and aren’t aware of the diverse range of cultural sensitivities, then we’re less likely to provide the right service.

“Our boards are responsible for strategic decision-making and they need to be aware of what’s important to our customers.

“It’s an economic, as well as social, necessity and that’s why one of our core values is diversity in all its manifestations.”

The emh group team

CHAN’S DRIVE FOR social equity stems from his upbringing, including how he arrived in the UK. Born in Uganda to Indian parents, he was aged 11 when his family was forced out of the country by President Idi Amin, who ordered the expulsion of the country’s Asian minority with just 90 days’ notice. His father passed away shortly before they moved to Britain – where many Indian nationals were citizens – meaning his mother brought up seven children in both the private rented and social housing sectors.

Despite going to Loughborough University in the early 1980s to study economics with an ambition to be an accountant, he came out the other side with a desire to do something with a “strong social purpose”.

H

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Chan with Sir Peter Soulsby, the Mayor of Leicester (left)

COLLABORATING ON INCLUSION Promoting the diversity and inclusion agenda within the wider business community is at the beating heart of emh group’s strategic partnership with the Chamber.

The two organisations have collaborated on a series of projects linked to this topic, including a social media campaign to promote Black History Month throughout October.

Pritti Allen, emh’s head of communications, and the Chamber’s strategic partnerships manager Sanjib Sahota engaged with members of the region’s business community to showcase examples of successful entrepreneurs and professionals from BAME backgrounds.

The Chamber’s Celebration of Culture and Communities event, taking place in Leicester on 24 March, is sponsored by emh group and its Quarterly Economic Survey for Q4 2021 included questions on diversity and inclusion in business as part of an effort to collect more data about a subject that grows in importance.

Chan says: “No organisation is an island we can only achieve what we do by striking the right partnerships to solve issues together as a region.”

To find out more about the diversity and inclusion research, see page 40.

Further details on the Celebration of Culture and Communities event can be found on page 87.

“A strong motivation was that I benefited from social housing,” recalls Chan. “We became penniless – everyone had to leave behind their entire wealth in Uganda so in many ways, social housing was a saviour for my family.

“I was also quite political and at university had believed in various causes, whether it was nuclear disarmament at the time or fighting for equity and fairness.

“There was always something that compelled me to want to make a difference. It’s part of my DNA in a sense, having been conditioned by my circumstances and the way I was brought up.”

Beginning his career in the sector as a housing officer at Leicester City Council, he moved through the ranks to area manager, while also completing a professional qualification with the Chartered Institute of Housing and a master of business administration (MBA) at De Montfort University in the 1990s.

Jobs at local and national housing associations followed – as well as being the Midlands and East Anglia regional head for the

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national property management company Places for People, which owns the affordable housing provider Derwent Living – before taking on the chief executive position at emh group, where he had previously spent three-and-a-half years in a regional role, in 2004.

Chan, who was named Chief Executive of the Year in the industry’s 24Housing Awards, credits his career rise to the qualities he passed on by his parents.

He explains: “They moved from India to Uganda in the early part of the 20th century, and went from having nothing to owning a textiles business.

“My parents instilled a work ethic in me and, along with the drive to help those who are most socially and financially excluded, it has played a major part in where I’ve got to.”

‘There’s no reason why we can’t be well-run commercially while maintaining our strong social ethos’ He recognises the influence he can have on his 1,100 employees having climbed the ladder from an entry-level housing officer position.

“People are our greatest resource and we have many who will go the extra mile in the work we do with our customers,” adds Chan, who is a second dan black belt in karate, a sport he believes has also equipped him with leadership qualities due to the emphasis it places on pushing boundaries to make continuous improvement.

“If we manage that talent, give them the tools and autonomy to do their job, and they are motivated to make a difference, it has an impact on how successful we are in meeting our mission – and hopefully they will be inspired to know it’s possible to make it all the way to the top.”

IMPROVING LIVES IS the mantra for Chan but he is pragmatic enough to recognise you can’t become a philanthropist without money, acknowledging “there’s no reason why we can’t be well-run commercially while maintaining our

LEVELLING UP IS THE KEY

strong social ethos”.

With this in mind, he has been instrumental in continuing the growth journey for the organisation, which started life as East Midlands Housing Association in 1946 with the purpose of building a small number of affordable homes for ex-servicemen after the Second World War, and an initial capital of 39 pounds and 10 shillings.

When he joined, it was a social landlord for 8,000 homes and posted a turnover of £19m.

Today, it has 21,000 homes – spread across 50 local authority areas in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire – and a £125m turnover, having grown both organically and through a series of mergers and acquisitions.

Alongside its core function of providing affordable housing via emh homes – set up in 2013 when four housing associations under its belt amalgamated – the group also comprises emh care & support, which helps a range of people including those with disabilities and domestic abuse victims, as well as a specialist rural housing service and specialist home sales agency.

Providing opportunities is one of its key objectives and emh group academy was set up 10 years ago to provide education,

Placemaking should be at the heart of the levelling up agenda, believes Chan.

He supports the Government in placing a strong emphasis on closing geographical divides across the UK as it is integral to fair opportunities.

“Levelling up is absolutely crucial to address as a society,” he says. “There’s class and race-based inequalities, but we also have place-based inequalities between London and the regions.

“Some of this is about investing in skills and infrastructure, but also in places. If you look at a city like Leicester, we need to make the most of the entrepreneurship that exists.

“We have large black and Asian communities, where a lot of families have moved to England in the 20th century and started businesses that have created opportunities for their children in other enterprises.”

Chan is a big supporter of political devolution and wants to see the introduction of a combined authority in the East Midlands, giving the region greater local decision-making powers.

He adds: “The two really do go together because in order to make a real impact in levelling up, we need to empower local and regional institutions to make decisions.

“The East Midlands is disadvantaged compared to the West Midlands and Greater Manchester because of the lack of a combined authority, so we really need to come together as a region.”

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

REDUCING HOUSING EMISSIONS

Chan believes housing is key to improving life prospects

training, skills and apprenticeships – in jobs as diverse as accounting, electrical maintenance, health and social care, housing, IT and marketing – for young people.

For Chan, this holistic service reflects how housing associations have moved with the times and must now cover the entire breadth of needs within its communities, He adds: “Housing is the bedrock upon which other opportunities in life are built. If someone has a stable and affordable home in a good neighbourhood, they can use that as a platform to seek the right education and employment opportunities.

“At the same time, poor housing conditions – and even more so for homeless people – lead to poor health and educational outcomes, and generally poor social outcomes too. It’s a very simple need but is central to so many other important needs in life.

“That’s why our mission is to provide housing and care to improve opportunities for people, and by bringing them all together it’s allowed us to provide a wider offer that makes a bigger difference to society.”

Meeting the decarbonisation targets will be one of the biggest challenges for housing associations over the next few decades – but Chan says it’s one the sector must meet head-on.

Britain’s homes accounted for 16% of the country’s total emissions in 2019, according to the Climate Change Committee, having overtaken the power sector in the pollution stakes a year earlier. While equipping newbuild properties with energy-efficient heating systems and effective insulation should be a relatively simple task, retrofitting older properties will be a costly exercise.

In its 2021 annual review, emh group estimated it could cost up to £100m to bring its stock up to an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of C – the compulsory standard to be given to new tenancies in the private rented sector by December 2025 – over the next decade.

Chan says: “Housing is a huge source of emissions and as a major landlord with more than 20,000 properties, we have a key role to play in reducing the environmental impact by 2050. But between now and 2030, we need to focus on getting all our properties to EPC Level C because frankly, until we address energy leaks, installing clean heating systems would be ineffective. It’s a big challenge but one we must meet head-on.”

In 2019, the Government launched a £3.8bn Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, which will be allocated as grants to registered social housing providers over a 10-year period.

It aims to address the 1.6 million social houses that have an EPC rating of D or below by

Chan is ready to tackle the green housing agenda head-on

subsidising upgraded insulation, energy-efficient doors and windows, and new heating systems.

Bids are led by local authorities in partnerships with providers, and emh group has already linked up with Blaby District Council and Erewash Borough Council to secure funding for external wall insulation improvements.

Chan, who believes hybrid working models could also help to make CO2 savings as fewer people travel to workplaces, says: “It’s useful backing but it won’t cover everything we need to do, so there’s going to be a huge amount of activity that will stretch housing associations’ finances.

“Ultimately, we will have to make trade-offs but must not compromise on the support we offer to customers, many of whom are on zero-hours contracts or part-time employed.

We’ll be looking extensively at how to get the best value for rent payers’ money so we get the right mix of affordability for them and viability for the business.”

IN ORDER TO succeed in this mission, emh group must hold up the mirror internally.

Alongside the diversity and inclusion promotional work it conducts in partnership with organisations such as the Chamber, it has been busy getting its own house in order – so to speak – in recent years.

‘It’s a travesty we haven’t had success in greater representation at CEO level’ To increase diversity within the leadership team, it has adopted the “Rooney rule” when recruiting for senior posts, meaning anyone from a minority background who meets certain criteria for a job is guaranteed an interview.

A Women on Boards initiative also helped to identify a pipeline of potential female candidates for boardroom roles by giving those who might not feel ready to apply for non-executive director positions a taster.

As a result, its three boards contain a roughly 50-50 gender split, although Chan admits there is more work to be done in securing a more ethnically diverse leadership team.

He says: “Boards should reflect greater diversity because there’s plenty of evidence that diversity improves performance and makes the organisation 36

business network March 2022

Emh group is one of the largest affordable home providers in the East Midlands

a more attractive place to work.

“Importantly though, it’s not just about diversity of characteristics but diversity of thought.”

A 2020 study from McKinsey on the impact of diversity on corporate profitability worldwide found that companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity outperformed the least diverse by 33%, while the figure was 21% for gender diversity.

Yet research from Inside Housing last year – which ranked emh group as being one of the top ethnically diverse organisations – found that a quarter of housing associations had all-white boards and the proportion of women on boards had barely changed in the past five years at about four in 10 people.

Chan is very much aware he is one of very few chief executives from a BAME background among the 1,600 social housing providers in Britain.

He adds: “We’re in a sector that’s driven by values of diversity and inclusivity, and yet we don’t have enough chief executives from BAME communities. It’s a travesty we haven’t had success in greater representation at CEO level.

“The onus is on the sector to do more to remove any glass ceilings that exist. I’m also keen to learn about why people from BAME communities don’t see housing associations as a natural career choice. They’re quite happy to go to banks or financial institutions, yet every town and city has a housing association and each one of those will have career structures for people in many disciplines.

“Not only will they have a great career, but everything we do makes a difference. It’s such a powerful argument but we need to make it more widespread and eloquent.”

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BUSINESS NETWORK

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PATRONS

Return of exhibitions a sign of the times

By Nik Hardy (pictured), managing director of Hardy Signs Exhibition signage was completely wiped out of the equation for all marketers during 2020 and most of 2021.

However, during the second half of last year, there was a rapid increase in demand as many of the exhibitions returned face-to-face.

The Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey illustrated how the economy bounced back strongly throughout 2021 and the same growth could be associated with exhibitions.

The highly-anticipated resurrection of events has come as a relief for many teams that had either been stuck in the office or working from home for a long time.

Going back to exhibition halls enabled sales conversations alongside networking once more.

service, or just raise brand awareness?

Addressing these points will facilitate your planning.

MAKE SURE YOU’RE REMEMBERED

Exhibition stands can be an important selling point for businesses at expos

GETTING YOUR EXHIBITION STAND RIGHT Where there is competition, there is also a need for an attractive offering. Why not start with your exhibition stand?

Bespoke signage can help to ignite new conversations, attract visitors to your stand and close deals. It is an interactive zone where clients and prospects can really get to know your business, your products and your people.

A well-built stand could be a game-changer.

Whether you're a seasoned professional or exhibiting for the first time, options vary from well-designed roller banners and lightboxes to fully bespoke made exhibition stands.

To create the most successful exhibition stand, you need to define your goals clearly.

What is your budget? What would you want your visitors to do when they come to your stand? Would you like to sell a product or

When it comes to planning, it usually involves bringing together many different disciplines, ranging from decision-making, stand considerations, design and marketing strategies.

Working with a dedicated manufacturer that can help design, build and manage your stand on the big day leaves you to do the most important job – selling your business' products or services.

Unless you are a well-known brand already, the best practice is to incorporate some simple descriptive copy in your stand’s graphic design, letting passers-by know what product or service you offer.

One of the most effective ways of selling what you do is to allow visitors to become interactive with your stand – such as by providing a simple product demo, the chance to test the product out, an interactive game or quiz.

Immersing your visitors to your brand gives you the best chance of being remembered when they go home.

Purpose Media purchases office building

From left: Matt Wheatcroft, Tim Lenton and Claudio Davanzo outside Purpose Media’s office

Full-service marketing agency Purpose Media has invested £450,000 in buying the office buildings it had previously leased.

It had already owned unit 14 and leased units 16 and 18 at its headquarters, located at The Village Business Park in South Normanton.

The combined 5,000 sq ft footprint features a variety of collaborative workspaces, meeting rooms and recreational areas for staff.

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purchase was originally planned to complete two years ago, but the initial uncertainty caused by Covid19 meant this was placed on the back burner.

Business confidence, driven by the high demand for digital marketing expertise since the beginning of the pandemic, enabled the deal to be resurrected at the end of 2021 and it finally completed in February 2022.

Managing director Matt Wheatcroft said: “At a time when most businesses are downsizing office space, we have invested in

Bricks and mortar retailers must wake up to the accelerating trend towards online shopping by building a strong web presence for their building, believes Matt Wheatcroft.

The Purpose Media managing director warned they could otherwise be left behind after data published by the Office for National Statistics showed an online sales reached an all-time high in the build-up to Christmas. The internet accounted for 37% of all retail sales in November, driven by Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers, compared to 9.4% for the same month back in 2012.

Matt said: “The ONS’ data is a stark warning for high street businesses without an online presence.

“The slump back in December [to 27.7% of all sales] proves customers want to visit city centres, traditional high streets and retail parks, as being able to see products up close is still a desirable experience. However, businesses need to offer a blend of in-store and online click and collect to cater to all their customers.

“The way we speak to our customers has changed considerably in recent times, and business owners need to wake up to the change.”

Purpose Media is a partner for the Chamber-run Chesterfield Digital High Street project and Derbyshire Business Resilience Programme, which both offer free digital support to small high street businesses.

our future, and in providing our staff and clients an attractive environment to meet and collaborate.

“Now that we own all the buildings, we plan to invest further by re-designing and fitting out the space to enable more hybrid styles of working and accommodate

further growth in our team.”

Purpose Media creative director Claudio Davanzo added: “Having an attractive workplace means we can retain and attract the best talent and offer a work balance that enables people to adapt their work style according to how they work best.”

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PATRONS

University partners with the Chamber A new strategic partnership between the University of Nottingham and East Midlands Chamber cements links between academics and businesses to support the post-Covid recovery of the region’s economy and the levelling up agenda.

The agreement was unveiled at a launch event held at the university’s iconic Trent Building. It will help to underpin the university’s civic mission, while widening access for businesses to world-leading research and SME support.

The partnership formalises at an institution level links forged between the Chamber and Nottingham University Business School, which is a current partner on the Chamber’s Generation Next network for young business leaders and professionals.

Professor David Park, associate dean of Nottingham University Business School, said: “I strongly welcome the exciting evolution of our current patronage relationship between the Chamber and Business School into an active, institutionwide strategic partnership designed to help deliver our shared priorities.

“The agreement includes details of specific, regionally-focused projects and formalises relations at the highest level between two regional powerhouses.”

The Chamber will provide a conduit to business communities in Nottingham and the wider county to support the delivery of the pioneering civic agreement between the city’s two universities and local partners, which makes a number of pledges.

At the heart of this civic engagement will be Castle Meadow in Nottingham, which is to become the university’s fourth UK campus in the city. It will enhance opportunities for collaboration with industry and small businesses, and make it easier to develop longterm, mutually beneficial relationships with partners.

One of the site’s first occupants will be the new Digital Nottingham initiative, which will support economic activity, attract investment and bridge the digital skills gap in the city.

An innovation hub will establish a research and knowledge exchange programme in artificial

intelligence, data science and fintech in partnership with industry.

The closer collaboration between the university and Chamber places the region in a prime position to capitalise on potential additional research funding and investment brought about by the levelling up agenda.

It also brings together academics with businesses to find solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges, including the development of zero-carbon aviation technology to help tackle climate change.

Scott Knowles, chief executive of the Chamber, said “At the University of Nottingham, there is some fascinating research happening right now that could play a central role in the net zero agenda and advanced manufacturing, to name just two areas that have huge commercial potential. By partnering with East

Midlands Chamber, we can forge a strong alliance between business and academia for the greater benefi t of Nottingham by helping to address key issues, and identify opportunities, in the levelling up agenda and postCovid economic recovery.”

The strategic partnership includes university sponsorship of the Education and Business Partnership Award category at the Nottinghamshire Business Awards 2022 and the 2022 Midlands Energy Summit in December.

The university will continue to be a partner Generation Next, including sponsoring the Breakthrough Award at the annual Generation Next Awards.

From left: University of Nottingham pro vice-chancellor Professor Todd Landman, East Midlands Chamber president Lindsey Williams, University of Nottingham chief financial officer Margaret Monckton, East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles and University of Nottingham deputy vicechancellor Professor Andy Long outside the Trent Building on University Park at the launch event of the new strategic partnership

THE CHAMBER IS HONOURED BY THE SUPPORT OF ITS STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS

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CHAMBER NEWS

Firms say EDI strategies offer a wide range of benefits Better workplaces, improved decision-making and increased innovation are among the benefits cited by East Midlands businesses that have an equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy, according to a new report.

Research by the Chamber, in partnership with housing association emh group, found that almost half (48%) of businesses in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire have a dedicated policy in place.

More than two-thirds (68%) consider EDI can contribute, at least to some degree, in the success of their business plans over the coming 12 months – while it was attributed as an important part of leadership strategy by 55% of firms.

When asked to give a score between one and 10 to how important consideration of EDI would be to the success of their organisation, the average score was 5.6 – suggesting that while it may not be integral to firms overall, it’s also not an insignificant consideration within business activity in the East Midlands.

The Chamber’s director of resources at Lucy Robinson, who is the business representation organisation’s diversity and inclusion champion, said: “It’s clear from these findings that equality, diversion and inclusion is increasingly becoming less of a ‘nice-to-have’ for organisations and more business-critical.

“The majority of East Midlands businesses recognise an important role for EDI within their planning and activity, and there’s clearly a need for further support in helping those that identify its value but are yet to have policies in place.

“A core of roughly one in 10 feel it doesn’t play any role in their success. When examining this figure further, these businesses are more likely to be micro in size, with a very small bias towards the manufacturing industry.

“Given that those actively engaged in the EDI agenda have illustrated some very real commercial benefits – ranging from a better workplace culture, recruitment and retention, through 40

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Chan Kataria OBE, chief executive of emh group

Lucy Robinson

to supporting innovation and a diversity of thought in decisionmaking – we should now be looking at how to better showcase good examples of business success in this agenda.

“We will also explore further work that may quantify how progressive approaches to EDI can result in productivity gains – which is high on the business priority list as they seek to grow once more following the pandemic.

The research also highlighted some particular sectoral gaps across the East Midlands economy when it comes to embracing the EDI agenda.

While 48% of all businesses have a specific policy in place, the proportion fell to 43% for manufacturers – although those unsure increased to 20%, suggesting slightly less understanding or communication of EDI activity within these businesses.

Chan Kataria OBE, chief executive at emh group, said: “This research builds on our joint commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within communities and organisations across the region.

“The findings provide a solid platform for exploring opportunities to enhance performance on EDI. “We see this as a starting point for showcasing engagement on EDI issues and exploring some of the barriers within specific sectors and small businesses. We look forward to further discussions with Chamber members to consider and share good practice.”

‘This research builds on our joint commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within communities and organisations across the region’ KEY FINDINGS IN EDI RESEARCH The Chamber and emh group surveyed 341 East Midlands companies in November 2021 for the study – the first of its kind in the region – which found: • 48% of businesses have a specific EDI-related policy, but four in 10 (40%) haven’t and 12% were unsure whether they did • 68% felt having specific approaches to EDI would play a role in supporting the achievement of business plans for the next 12 months, with 26% believing this role would be significant and 11% saying it would play no part • 55% of respondents felt EDI formed an important part of their leadership discussions and strategy, with 14% saying this was to a great extent and 12% believing there was no EDI focus at all • When asked about the benefits of having an engaged approach to EDI, 61% said it can help create an inclusive working environment, 54% believed a “diversity of thought” could lead to better decisionmaking, 45% felt it supported innovation and creativity, 42% claimed it supported staff retention and recruitment, and 41% identified how it helped to better represent customers and clients – with just 17% seeing no real benefits

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION A set of recommendations were made as part of a discussion paper published by the Chamber and emh group, titled Understanding attitudes and approaches to EDI in the East Midlands: • Further support on developing EDI-specific polices can be offered to those businesses that view these as having a value but are yet to have policies in place • Businesses that are active in this space should be encouraged to demonstrate their approaches and showcase best practice • There is an opportunity for further work to quantify how progressive approaches to EDI can support a business’ success and productivity gains

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CHAMBER NEWS

Tailored support crucial for BAME business owners As a business adviser for the Chamber-delivered D2N2 Growth Hub, Sonny Lakhani (pictured) specialises in supporting SME owners from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. He tells Business Network why this work is important.

Why does your role exist and what does it involve?

It was recognised there is a lack of intervention, engagement and uptake of business support among different BAME communities.

As well as advising and supporting businesses, I attempt to nurture and build relationships with a variety of community leaders to understand their needs – with the aim of helping those with aspirations of starting a business.

Which unique challenges does the BAME community face in setting up and developing a business?

To highlight a few – cultural and language barriers, lack of cohesion with other cultures, and being understood by other communities.

BAME communities contain many people with significant experiences, skills and knowledge. Their

frustration is not being able to use these to meet their ambitions for their families, themselves and the wider community to enjoy if realised and relished.

They also face the same challenges any business does, including cashflow, skills, rising costs and supply chain pressures.

As advisers, we need to adapt the business support language and methodology we use.

We’ll identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, skills and experiences of the individuals, help them to understand the business landscape and build their confidence so they can succeed.

as non-BAME organisations – with the D2N2 Growth Hub offering workshops, funding, mentoring, business development and signposting to partners.

It’s not all about funding – they could require support for business readiness, sustainability, growth, or assessing the markets they operate in and their operating model.

We cover aspects such as value proposition and positioning, revenue, cashflow, marketing and business modelling, which are put into the context of their mission, goals, trends and sector growth areas before we begin to focus on areas of development and growth.

uncertain of what to ask – some people struggle to formulate questions in their mind due to a lack of knowledge or understanding – but are serious about starting, growing or sustaining a business, they should simply reach out for support.

It starts with an individual being proactive and calling – even just to bounce off thoughts and questions – and we can then start the journey.

How do you support BAME-owed businesses?

While my job has a particular focus on BAME-owned businesses, ultimately the same support is available to them

What advice would you give to anyone from a BAME background who wants to set up a business but doesn't know where to begin?

If they have questions or are

Anyone in Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire who wants to reach out for business advice can call 0333 006 9178 or email info@d2n2growthhub.co.uk

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CHAMBER NEWS

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

The real cost of recruiting nurses overseas Detailed calculations and comparison An overseas nurse in the UK

Article by Liza Moroz The Covid19 pandemic combined with the effect of Brexit heavily impacted the care sector, causing severe staff shortages. Traditionally the UK healthcare sector relies on foreign workers to fill about 15% of the positions, and the care industry may use the same path to find quality talent from abroad. Still, for many recruitment and home managers, overseas recruitment remains a complex operation related to too much uncertainty, especially regarding its cost. In this article, we will try to answer how much it costs to hire an overseas nurse.

FINDING THE RIGHT PEOPLE Finding the right people could be complex and cost your organisation a lot of effort and time.

Unless the organisation has dedicated personnel who deal with the task, you may seek external help from agencies who will connect with the right candidates. The fee often is equal to one month salary, starting at about £2K to £3.5K. Issuing the Visa will cost, £232 plus a TB health check for £55. To transport then to UK the place ticket will cost around £500-£700 depending on the country of origin.

GETTING LICENSED The primary and more complex step is getting the Certificate of Sponsorship that covers four years of sponsorship but could be extended.

Under this license, the employer may recruit for all their roles, and the chosen recruits are getting their visa to come and work under a multiyear contract. The cost of the Certificate of Sponsorship is £536 for small businesses and charities and £1,476 for medium and large organisations.

Additionally, the government charges Sponsors an Immigration skills fee for each overseas employee. The sum depends again on the size of the organisation and the length of the contract.

• small or charitable organisations pay £364 for the first year and £182 for every additional six months after • medium and large organisations pay £1000 for the first year and £500 for every additional six months after.

MANDATORY TRAINING Upon arrival overseas nurses have a strict timeline to cover the mandatory UK training and take exams: three months for OSCE and CBT, six months for OET. In total, candidates have eight months to obtain their PIN and become Registered nurses. When an employer pays for these courses, OET and OSCE may cost between 42

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£1000 to £2000 each depending on length, personalisation, and quality of the coaching.

The actual exam also costs you as CBT is £130, OET £315 and £794 for OSCE. It is important to know that during the period of training, candidate nurses can work limited hours under supervision. The employer has an obligation to provide time for study and the opportunity to attend the exams.

OTHER RELATED COSTS NMC Application Fee of £140 is paid to Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) when a new nurse applies to the register. Upon receiving the PIN another £153 are paid to the same organisation.

Health Surcharge Fees of £200 per year are paid for access to free NHS healthcare.

Recruiting foreign personnel also increases the time load on people dealing with HR, compliance, and welfare as it will require monitoring, reporting and regular counselling. The whole process is time-consuming and requires specific knowledge. The sum of all related indirect costs will affect your bottom line with an additional £300 to £500 as working hours.

to selection, transportation, training and registration are covered entirely by the candidates during the initial period of their training in the UK. When introduces to the employers they are already Registered nurses ready to work.

In this case, the main expenditure will remain the licence and paying the compulsory government charge. The cooperation with QAQF will also reduce the indirect cost offering Legal, Compliance and Welfare support to the trainees before they settle successfully in the country.

QAQF partners with UK care and nursery homes in recruiting talent from all over the world directly from our training courses avoiding complications and reducing the related costs more than half.

DRAWING THE LINE After adding up all the related costs, the total sum may reach an impressive number over £10K. It could be 'money well spent' to guarantee long-term employment and access to a broader talent pool for some organisations. The cost will also spread if the organisation recruits and trains more nurses at the same time.

With Agent

With QAQF Difference

Approx.

Summary of costs 10.6K 3.9K

62%

Still, the cost is significant, and can be reduced with the QAQF Discover – Train Deploy scheme, by an astonishing 62% as the expenses related

Liza Moroz (pictured) is part of QAQF BD Department. She likes connecting with people, solving problems and finding new opportunities.

You can connect with Liza for more information about Discover – Ttrain Deploy via elisaveta.moroz@qaqf.co.uk

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CHAMBER NEWS

Chris Hobson

‘Cautious optimism’ for businesses after economic bounceback but many medium-term issues linger Businesses are “cautiously optimistic” about the future after the economy bounced back strongly last year, believes the Chamber – but it warns that rising costs means stormy waters are ahead for some time yet.

The UK’s GDP increased by 7.5% in 2021 – the fastest pace of growth since 1941 – having fallen by 9.4% in the previous year when the harshest lockdown restrictions forced numerous industries to shut down temporarily.

But with the economy shrinking by 0.2% in December as a result of “Plan B” measures to combat the Omicron variant, and costs for staffing, energy and raw materials rising significantly through the early part of 2022, the prospects

for the continued rate of growth remain in the balance.

Chris Hobson, director of policy and external affairs at the Chamber, said: “The headline figure clearly illustrates both the resilience and potential of the UK economy, having come through some extraordinary challenges over the past two years to record a strong recovery.

“Ultimately, what businesses really want is an economy that’s fully open and functioning, and we’ve been encouraged by the strong demand that met the lifting of restrictions.

“In conversations with firms across the East Midlands in numerous sectors, we know they are excited to now move on to the

FIVE-POINT PLAN TO TACKLE THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS CRISIS In a letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the BCC’s director-general Shevaun Haviland put forward a five-point policy to respond to cost pressures facing firms: 1. Publish findings of the Government’s Supply Chain Advisory Group and Industry Taskforce, and work with businesses to deliver practical solutions to ease the supply and labour shortages that continue to drive upward price pressures 2. A moratorium, for the life of this Parliament, on all policy measures that increase business costs, including no new business taxes or added regulatory burdens 3. A temporary energy price cap for smaller businesses, offering the same protection as households 4. Additional financial support through the expansion of the energy bills rebate scheme for households to also include small firms and energy-intensive businesses, as well as a new support fund for the smallest firms administered by Ofgem 5. Delay the impending national insurance rise by one year to give firms much-needed financial headroom to weather this unprecedented surge in costs and allow them to power the recovery.

Eileen Richards MBE

New roles for former president

next chapter and have a successful 2022. However, they recognise there are some significant immediateterm challenges ahead related to the spiralling cost of doing business, which must not go unaddressed.”

‘What businesses really want is an economy that’s fully open and functioning’ In the Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey, the proportion of East Midlands businesses concerned about future price rises grew from 46% in Q3 2021 to 62% in Q4 2021. This rose to more than 90% when looking solely at manufacturers.

Last month, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) published research illustrating further the various price pressures facing businesses in the Midlands – with 62% citing rising costs from utilities such as gas and electricity, 60% from raw materials, 59% from staffing, 51% from fuel, 35% from import or export tariffs, 30% from shipping containers and 27% from UK taxes.

As a result, three-quarters (76%) of firms in the Midlands plan to increase their own prices, with only 6% saying they didn’t face any pressure to do so.

Chris added: “While the economic bounceback is reassuring, there is perhaps only cautious optimism right now as we grapple spiralling inflation and price rises – issues that ultimately hit consumers in the pocket and affect the private sector’s ability to grow and create jobs.”

Eileen Richards MBE has followed up her year as Chamber president with two new roles – after being appointed as the vice-chair of Hope Against Cancer and a Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire.

In taking over from Prof Ian Lauder at the cancer research charity in Leicestershire and Rutland, she brings her wealth of experience from the Chamber board and a passion for making a positive impact in the fight against cancer.

Since joining the Hope Against Cancer board in 2016, Eileen has been a part of many initiatives including the Hope through Business club, which hosts two annual lunches and now has more than 50 members raising £1,500 every 18 months. Her own team at ER Recruitment also frequently participates in fundraising events.

Eileen said: “Hope holds a very special place in my heart and I am proud to have been a part of the incredible work it has achieved so far. I’m excited to continue to take the charity forward in funding research to find a cure for cancer.”

Last month, she was also commissioned by LordLieutenant of Leicestershire Mike Kapur OBE – who is the official representative of the Queen in Leicestershire – as one of seven new Deputy Lieutenants in honour of her service to the local community.

The others were Prof Robert Allison CBE, Ian Borley, Prof Ivan Browne, Penny Coates, Dr Nik Kotecha and Mike Sandys.

They will each undertake a wide range of duties and participate in citizenship ceremonies, attending remembrance services and parades, and helping to assess local organisations nominate for awards and honours.

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generationnextemc.co.uk

CHAMBER NEWS

Scheme offers a Next step for young professionals After the Chamber’s Generation Next network launched a mentoring scheme last month to link young professionals with senior businesspeople, Jasmine Thompson meets one of the first mentors who will be lending their time to pass on their knowledge and experience.

Name: George Oliver Current position: Founder of 1284, a strategic consultancy based in Loughborough that provides corporate communications and PR to innovators

George Oliver

Making the most of our mentoring opportunities

What can you offer to Generation Next members as a mentor?

We are slightly unusual in that myself and my associates have worked as editors of large regional newspapers – I founded 1284 after leaving the Leicester Mercury, where I was editor from 2016 to 2020. It means we have good knowledge of the workings of the media.

Our approach is to combine that with SLT-level business leadership experience and strong regional networks.

1284 provides a premium service but at a range of entry points. This means we support change leaders at various stages of their development. For example, alongside our commercial consultancy, we provide reduced or pro bono support to selected start-ups, charities and social enterprises.

Why did you want to sign up for the mentoring scheme?

I like the idea in Brad Feld’s 2012 book Startup Communities that “entrepreneurial leaders follow a give before you get philosophy”. Feld argues that, by using your experience and skills to support the growth of others, you can reasonably expect, in some way, to ultimately get back more than you invest.

I became interested in how my support might be most useful and impactful. One way was free mentoring for future regional leaders and exciting startups that would otherwise not have the opportunity of specialist comms support. It’s why I also volunteer for Charity Link and Leicester Startups.

Why is mentoring an important part of career and personal development?

My company specialises in regional development and innovation because, like good regional news campaigns, they have the potential to make positive difference at

scale. As a regional journalist, I was interested in how content could be used to develop communities through public affairs and campaigning. I suppose 1284 continues that idea.

I’m an advocate of continuing professional development, and have been both mentor and mentored over the years. There is real value in having guidance from an experienced person when working as a young manager or new business leader. I remain in regular contact with those who have mentored me since I was a junior reporter 17 years ago – including guest lecturing for one of my former bosses on the journalism programme at the University of Derby.

The mentoring scheme is available to all members of Generation Next, the Chamber’s network for young professionals and future business leaders aged under 35.

By signing up for the programme, members will be paired with a business leader among a group of volunteers, representing a range of company sizes and sectors, to ask for advice and learn from their experiences.

Career guidance and coaching support will cover a minimum of eight hours over four months.

They can access the scheme via a new portal on the Generation Next website, which also contains learning and development material via a document library.

For more information, visit generationnextemc.co.uk/gen eration-next-mentoringscheme

So good to be able to meet face-to-face Generation Next lead Lucy Robinson shares what’s coming up for the network and what it’s like going back to face-to-face networking opportunities.

Starting the year in the wake of Omicron was unsettling to say the least as we desperately wanted our young members to finally get out the home office and start making connections.

Thankfully, the booster rollout proved successful, and our team was able to run a faceto-face networking morning last month.

Members of the network were able to come together for the first time this year at Nottingham coffee company Blend's latest location at the EastWest building (pictured) to meet our board of champions and team, as well as a handful of our new mentors. The venue’s roaster Stewarts Coffee kindly provided complimentary coffee for delegates, and our members were able to catch up and forge new opportunities.

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For our next social, we are teaming up with Creative Coffee Leicester – a meet-up for people in the creative industries based in Leicester – on 10 March. It is our first evening networking session, and will be held at Manhattan34 for some creative cocktails and mocktails.

The team and I are looking forward to being able to run more of our networking events this year – welcoming our current members as well as some new faces along the way.

To view the latest events for Generation Next, visit www.generationnextemc.co.uk/event. If you are not a Generation Next member and interested in joining its events, contact the team at gennext@emc-dnl.co.uk

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CHAMBER NEWS

MP backs new laws on body images Body image is an important aspect of the diversity and inclusion agenda, and Dr Luke Evans (pictured), MP for Bosworth in Leicestershire, is aiming to push through legislation that could affect businesses’ marketing material via his #RecogniseBodyImage campaign, as he explains.

In January, I introduced my Digitally Altered Images Bill into Parliament, which calls for images featuring digitally-altered bodies to be labelled with a disclaimer.

To put it plainly – if someone is being paid to post a picture on social media which they have edited – or if advertisers, broadcasters or publishers are making money, or have far-reaching influence – they should be honest and upfront about having edited it.

In my role as a GP before becoming an MP, I saw first-hand how unrealistic adverts and images can have a tangible and dangerous impact on both men and women – from eating disorders and body confidence issues, to steroid use to bulk up.

Research shows that one in five adults, and one in three teenagers, feels shame about their body, and a survey by the Girl Guides in 2017 showed that 88% of girls aged 11 to 21 said they wanted adverts that had been airbrushed to say so.

Similar legislation already exists in France, where any commercial image that has been enhanced must feature a label of “edited photograph”, or companies face a fine. Norway has introduced similar legislation to my bill most recently, and the stock images agency Getty has banned retouched images from its commercial category.

‘Healthier and more realistic representations of the way we look’ If my bill was passed, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) would develop specific guidelines on how the disclaimer would look, where it would be placed, what qualifies as “edited” and what is a “commercial purpose”.

Much of the legwork has already been done, and some businesses will already be aware of this. If you

collaborate with influencers on social media, for example, they must now put “#ad” on their post – and this is the influence of the ASA’s rules.

The vast majority of influencers and advertisers comply voluntarily, and there is no reason why this would not also be true for my bill, and businesses of all shapes and sizes.

Since I introduced my bill in Parliament, there has already been support from a range of businesses, which is fantastic to see. David Lloyd Clubs, for example, recently announced it is pledging to not digitally alter body shapes in its advertising, to help promote more realistic depictions of the way we look.

Going forward, my campaign is about encouraging healthier and more realistic representations of the way we look, without feeling the need to perpetuate an unrealistic sense of reality, which we know is having a real effect on physical and mental health.

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CHAMBER NEWS

Taking the steps to inclusivity Businesses are increasingly being encouraged to promote the equality, diversity and inclusion agenda within their organisations, but knowing where to begin is sometimes the biggest challenge. Lucy Robinson (pictured), the Chamber’s director of resources and “diversity champion”, suggests a few first steps.

LOOK INWARDS TO IMPROVE WHAT WE PROJECT OUTWARDLY An internal diversity and inclusion network comprising employees can be used to champion this agenda.

Gathering people’s thoughts and opinions can be a great help in rolling out a diversity and inclusion strategy across the organisation.

At the Chamber, we set this up recently and have made a plan of the first year’s actions to look at our own internal processes one by one.

This includes talking more about the issue, setting up diversity and inclusion awareness training, and implementing a diverse interview panel in recruitment where possible.

One recommendation was to create a photo collage of all our staff to showcase – both internally and externally – the diversity that exists within our workforce.

BECOME A DISABILITYCONFIDENT EMPLOYER Businesses can sign up to the Government’s Disability Confident scheme, which supports organisations to make the most of the talents that disabled people can bring to their workplace.

There are three levels – Disability Confident committed (level one), employer (level two) and leader (level three) – and organisations must complete each stage before progressing.

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multiple important benefits – it’s a badge of honour for companies to showcase to their customers and potential recruits on how they are progressive, widens the labour pool during a period in which there is a war on talent, and enables existing employees to feel they are supported to be the best they can be in their role.

At the Chamber’s HR forums, we’ve also had talks from the Autism Society about how businesses can make themselves more autism-friendly.

Examples can be something so small as reviewing job descriptions.

Some companies can get creative to say they’re looking for people who can “reach for the stars”, but this can be taken literally by people with autism – potentially putting them off from applying when they might have important skillsets to offer.

OPEN THE DOOR FOR MENTAL HEALTH DISCUSSIONS A key pillar of being an inclusive employer is having an open-door mental health policy. We know this has become a prevalent issue during the pandemic that can affect anyone, so our labour force is increasingly looking for employers that will be supportive in their time of need.

The Chamber signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge, which is a commitment to changing the way

we think and act about mental health in the workplace, and underpinned by a 12-month employer action plan for making the transition.

In our region, there is also the Midlands Engine-backed Mental Health and Productivity Pilot, which brings together universities and mental health charity Mind to provide a cost-effective and sustainable resource for businesses to use – with the aim of not only reducing the stigma of mental health but also increasing productivity.

With both disability and mental health activity, it’s not a case of looking at whether you do or don’t have a problem. Instead, it’s about being aware of how unconscious biases can exist, and being willing to review and evaluate internal processes to make sure your organisation is more inclusive.

Businesses don’t need to feel alone – there are plenty of charities and organisations out there that will help you to harness best practice.

Chamber members can access support in these areas via the Quest ChamberHR service, Westfield Health’s wellbeing plan online resource centre and attending HR forums. Visit www.chamberhr.co.uk or call the ChamberHR advice line on 01455 852037.

Learn how to embrace diversity Businesses can learn how to embed diversity and inclusion into their organisation at an upcoming training course run by the Chamber.

Titled Building a diverse and inclusive workplace for business success, the programme runs over three half-days on Wednesday 4, 11 and 18 May. It will introduce delegates to the essential elements of understanding diversity and its protected characteristics, and guiding them through the process of building a more inclusive workplace where belonging and employee engagement is part of the culture.

Delivered by Pippa Blessett, owner of Exceptional Zebra, the course will combine theory with practical action, culminating in each individual creating a bespoke diversity and inclusion strategy to take away.

Pippa said: “Being a proactively diverse and inclusive organisation is no longer a nice-to-do, it’s business critical.

“It’s an informative-led approach with plenty of interaction and a bit of fun along the way. Everyone is welcome and there is no such thing as a daft question.”

The course costs £365 + VAT for members. To book, visit bit.ly/DiversityTrainingMay2022

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Scheme targets town centre crime Businesses in the Derbyshire Dales and High Peak districts can now sign up for free for a year to an East Midlands Chamber-run scheme that helps to reduce town centre crime and anti-social behaviour.

Retailers, bars, cafés, restaurants and other venues in towns including Ashbourne, Matlock, Bakewell, Buxton, Glossop and New Mills can access Disc, an online crime information-sharing system that connects businesses with local police forces, as part of the Derbyshire Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP).

‘It makes it so much easier for businesses to share intelligence about incidents’ The BCRP, which is run in partnership with Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster and has about 300 members across the county, usually costs up to £100 to join.

But after the Chamber secured funding via the UK Community Renewal Fund – which provides funding to help places across Britain prepare for the introduction of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund as a replacement for exhausted EU funds – it is giving 12-month free access to the scheme, which is also available in Derby, Chesterfield and Staveley.

Jackie Roberts, BCRP manager at the Chamber, said: “Businesses in town and city centres have been hit hard by the direct impact of the pandemic and for those struggling the most, being a victim of crime

Matlock is just one of the towns that is part of the Disc scheme.

can sometimes be the tipping point.

“The Disc portal is an integral part of crime reduction strategies as it makes it so much easier for businesses to share intelligence about incidents and offender images between members, police, community safety officers and other partners such as the BCRP team – ultimately creating a safe town centre for everyone.

“Police resources have become really stretched so the BCRP fills the gap where police can’t deal with petty crime, and we’re delighted to offer this scheme for free to businesses in order to support them in becoming more resilient during the post-Covid economic recovery.”

The Derbyshire BCRP, one of 200 such programmes in the UK, is

funded by both the Chamber and Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

Its remit to reduce crime in the participating towns fits into an overall objective to make them a safer place to work, visit, socialise and shop.

Member benefits include a GDPRcompliant data-sharing system that facilitates direct reporting to the police without the need to use the time-consuming 101 system.

Intelligence and crime reports can be submitted electronically to the police and other BCRP members, who also have access to app and web-based image galleries of people who have been arrested or are known offenders.

A radio-only version of the scheme was previously available in

Matlock and Bakewell before the recent upgrade to an online system.

The British Retail Consortium’s 2021 Retail Crime Survey found there were 455 violent or abusive incidents towards staff per day nationally in 2019/20 – up 7% from the previous year.

The total cost of crime rose from £700m in 2016/17 to £1.3bn in 2019/20 – with customer theft the most significant, costing companies £935m – while the cost to retailers of crime and crime prevention was £2.5bn last year, an increase of 14% on the previous 12-month period.

Anyone interested in discussing how to get involved with the Derbyshire BCRP can email jackie.roberts@emc-dnl.co.uk or call 07919 303816.

Fund to help tourism businesses recover Visitor economy businesses in the Peak District and Derbyshire can now access support to boost jobs and encourage growth as the sector recovers from the direct impacts of the pandemic in a Chamber-supported scheme.

Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire has secured £500,000 from a wider pot of Government funding as part of the UK Community Renewal Fund – which runs until 30 June to pilot programmes that will eventually replace exhausted EU funds – to deliver tailored support for tourism firms in the county.

Working in partnership with the Chamber, University of Derby, The Food and Drink Forum and Nottingham Business Venture, it will involve activity spread across five key strands as part of the East Midlands Accelerator project.

Investment in low-carbon practices, business growth, employment, training and digital skills are among its aims.

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Jo Dilley

Financial support for businesses includes growth vouchers and start-up grants of up to £2,000, plus flexible grant funding of up to £8,000 to help organisations access green solutions, adopt digital technology and receive specialist training.

The project also includes two feasibility studies in the development of two apps – one

that provides real-time data on visitor behaviour and a transport planning tool that aligns bus and rail routes to popular destinations in the area.

Jo Dilley, managing director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire – for which the Chamber is the accountable body – said: “As highlighted in our Tourism Recovery Plan, our ambition is to become a leading destination in sustainable tourism and this, alongside our ongoing commitment to boosting jobs, skills and growth, clearly aligns with the Government’s aims for the Community Renewal Fund.

“We look forward to working alongside our partners and hope this project will pave the way for future funding to ensure visitor economy businesses can not only survive, but thrive, as we embark on the road to recovery.”

To register an interest, visit www.visitpeakdistrict.com/industry/businesssupport/community-renewal-fund

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CHAMBER NEWS

Dr Nik Kotecha on stage at the festival

Paul PriceHazlehurst

Innovation Festival puts the spotlight on green growth Green growth and SME opportunities were at the heart of a key event at Leicestershire Innovation Festival.

A speaker line-up of public, private and university leaders offered advice on how East Midlands businesses can innovate amid a backdrop of net zero and levelling up during a packed event at Space Park Leicester to open the week-long festival last month.

Dr Nik Kotecha, chair of the Leicester and Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LLEP) Innovation Board, presented innovation as being about “continuous improvement and open to all sizes of businesses”, with the county’s £23bn economy built largely upon SMEs.

He drew the example of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as an example of what can be achieved when key needs are met – including defining innovation, signposting funding opportunities, removing barriers, and collaboration between public, private and academic innovators.

Julian Bowrey, regional manager at Innovate UK, described Leicestershire as a “happy hunting ground” for his organisation in issuing awards to support innovation projects.

He made a case for increased communication, whether it be locally, nationally or internationally, to ensure conversations in a language that business understands are supporting

collaboration and creativity.

Dennis Hayter, vice-president for business development at Loughborough University spin-out Intelligent Energy, described how collaborations with the likes of Suzuki and London Taxi Co were developing and trialling worldleading projects in the use of hydrogen fuel cells for transport.

It was a theme continued by Robert Evans, CEO of Cenex, a consultancy for low-carbon and fuel cell technologies also based on the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park campus. His not-for-profit organisation formed in 2005 and works between industry and customers in getting emerging fuel cell technology into general transport use.

Students ‘nudged’ in right direction A fresh intake of apprentices will go into schools and colleges across Leicestershire to act as ambassadors – talking to other young people about the benefits of vocational training and T-levels.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) Careers Hub has teamed up with the Government’s Behavioural Insights Team – the so-called “Nudge Unit” – for an innovative project designed to get pupils and families thinking differently about apprenticeships.

UK-wide research found that twothirds of young people have not discussed traineeships or T-Levels at school. Just over 14% of students had never heard about apprenticeships.

The new project will address this by building a network of apprentice ambassadors – representing a range of sectors and social backgrounds – who can answer questions from students about

Kevin Harris (left) and Pieter Eksteen

their experience and inspire others to consider it as a career path.

Kevin Harris, chair of the LLEP board and a member of the Chamber's board, said it would help to increase the region’s productivity by developing the skills needed by employers.

“It will also focus on parts of the region where apprenticeships are not typically being taken up,” he said. “Such inclusivity is important

because young people are particularly impacted by changes in the labour market that reduce entry-level positions typically catered for by apprenticeships.”

Pieter Eksteen, education and business partnership manager at the Chamber, added: “Families are the biggest influencers of career decisions by children and this new project will make a difference by demonstrating to them that apprenticeships are an excellent option for school leavers and a genuine alternative to university.”

Apprentice ambassadors will be supported by employer ambassadors that have a desire to support their communities and develop pipelines of new talent.

The project runs until July this year.

To learn more about becoming an employer ambassador, visit bit.ly/LLEPApprenticeAmbassadors

Service aims to aid recruitment A virtual one-stop-shop has been launched to link Nottinghamshire jobseekers with employers.

Nottinghamshire Opportunities aims to become the go-to place for exploring local career opportunities by providing a platform for people to search for jobs, training courses and apprenticeships – while also supporting businesses to develop their talent pool.

Nottinghamshire County Council, which is funding the portal in partnership with careers guidance service Futures, hopes it will ultimately improve access to training and employment by matching an individual’s skills and experience with relevant jobs.

Councillor Keith Girling, chair of the council’s economic development and asset management committee, said: “Our goal is to remove employability barriers, and provide access to better and more rewarding jobs that allow individuals to progress in their careers and fulfil their potential.

“It will also be a very useful tool for employers in our county that are looking to recruit local talent to join their teams as they continue to recover from the impact of the various lockdowns in the past two years.”

Futures CEO Paul PriceHazlehurst added: “The landscape of careers, employment and skills provision is complex, but there’s lots of support out there for employers, young people and jobseekers.”

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Growth Hub is ‘invaluable’ to clothing manufacturer The boss of a Nottingham-based manufacturer of contemporary African clothing says its future is in its hands after receiving help from a Chamber-backed business support programme.

Grass-fields director John Tchoudi praised the “invaluable” input of the D2N2 Growth Hub after being guided through the creation of a long-term business strategy that will enable it to increase its market share.

The company has created new jobs in the 18 months, taking its UK headcount to more than 20 people, since he first reached out to the Growth Hub –

‘We’d recommend the Growth Hub service to any business that’s looking to scale up’ John said: “The past 18 months have been really tough for everyone but the support has enabled us to get through it, protect the business and come out the other side in good shape.

“Our future is in our own hands.

We’d recommend the Growth Hub service to any business that’s looking to scale up.”

Grass-fields was founded by Christelle and Michelle Nganhou, twin sisters who are John’s nieces and originally from Cameroon.

They initially began selling garments via the online sales platform Etsy before spotting a gap in the market for unique, well-made clothing that combines African textiles with western styles.

The company also launched its own e-commerce website to sell the products for men, women and children from a Bulwell base, and it is now a market leader in the UK and US. Its imported garments are ethically produced in 11 factories between Nigeria and Cameroon, supporting employment for more than 2,000 people in those countries.

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John Tchoudi

Funding to extend scheme sourcing products and producers while he oversees imports and processing the shipping orders – John has sought to scale the business by putting in place the right structures for enabling growth.

When he approached the Growth Hub for support in accessing external finance as a B2C brand, he was looking to develop the infrastructure to white-label manufacture for other brands and grow the retail side of the business.

A business adviser carried out a diagnostic of the company and provided consultancy to help Grass-fields develop a long-term strategy, as well as signposting him to the Goldman Sachs 10KSB programme for start-up and highgrowth potential companies.

John used his learnings to improve its project management, cashflow forecasting and accounting processes.

The Growth Hub also provided grant funding via the Business Investment Fund to enable the firm to purchase new IT equipment and part-fund the recruitment of a new employee.

After experiencing significant growth in what remains a niche market, John added: “The support the D2N2 Growth Hub has given us has been invaluable.

“The 10KSB course on its own has been worth its weight in gold in terms of how I’ve been able to apply what I’ve learned to help grow the business.”

The D2N2 Growth Hub has been extended until next year after close to £4m additional funding was secured.

The money from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities enables its extension from 1 April this year to 30 June 2023.

This includes £3m to enable the continuation of services that ensure SMEs can find the right support for their needs and £900,000 of additional cash for the Business Invest Fund, which provides grants of between £3,000 and £30,000.

Over the past five years, the Growth Hub has worked with more than 10,000 businesses across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire with backing until this point from the European Regional Development Fund.

It works with six local authorities across the two counties and cities, as well as the Chamber and Erewash Partnership.

Fully-funded leadership and management training A new training subsidy is available from the Chamber to help businesses across the region with their post-Covid growth.

The subsidy covers the upfront 10% fee – usually £750 – of joining the Help to Grow management programme, which is designed to help businesses develop leadership, boost productivity, innovate and produce a plan for growth. The remaining 90% cost of course attendance is paid by Government.

A total of 100 eligible businesses can benefit from access to the fully-funded, 12-week executive development leadership and management programme, which blends online and face-to-face sessions. To qualify for the subsidy, organisations must employ between five and 249 people, and have been operational for at least a year. They must be based in a local

authority area earmarked for UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF) support, namely Bassetlaw, Derbyshire Dales, High Peak, Leicester city, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, or Nottingham city.

Diane Beresford, deputy chief executive at East Midlands Chamber, said: “Boosting skills among the businesses and staff members involved means our region is in a much stronger position to seize the opportunities that lie ahead.”

Applications, which can be submitted via the Chamber’s Help to Grow webpage, are being approved on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Courses starting from March onwards are available to join at smallbusinesscharter.org/h2gmregistration

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Unemployment rate continues to fall in the region The East Midlands’ unemployment rate continues to drop – once again hitting its lowest point on record, new figures show.

It was 3.4% for the period between October and December last year, compared to a 4.1% national average.

This is the lowest level since the Office for National Statistics (ONS) began publishing regional labour market figures in April 2015, and is higher than only four other regions – East of England, South West, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Chamber’s chief executive Scott Knowles said it was “fantastic news” for the region’s labour market and “sends a clear signal that the East Midlands is open for business”.

“It reflects our own research that indicates our region’s firms are creating jobs to meet strong demand following the effects of the pandemic,” he added. “The Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for Q4 2021, covering the same period as the ONS figures, showed two-thirds of companies attempted to recruit, while a net 35% expected to increase their headcount in the first three months of 2022.”

However, the East Midlands economic inactivity rate – which

Scott Knowles

measures the proportion of 16 to 64-year-olds who have exited the labour market for reasons such as retirement, caring duties or studying – was above the 21.2% national average at 21.9%. It recorded the largest increase compared with the previous year at 1.7 percentage points.

‘major recruitment challenges in a super-competitive jobs market’ Another key finding in the ONS data was that UK wage growth continues to lag behind the rising cost of living – representing a 0.8% fall when taking inflation into account.

Scott added: “Despite the positive trajectory in unemployment, businesses are still encountering major recruitment challenges in a super-competitive jobs market, as evidenced by yet another record of 1.3 million job vacancies nationally between November and January.

“The significant rise in the proportion of people exiting the labour market in the East Midlands

means there are fewer people to choose from – a worrying trend at a time when companies are desperately trying to fill roles to cope with demand, which will enable them to continue growing and creating more opportunities for local people.

“Many companies in traditional industries such as manufacturing and construction often tell us about the difficulties in replacing an ageing workforce with younger

Covid plan provides clarity Lifting all Covid-19 restrictions offers businesses some much-needed certainty, says the Chamber.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a “living with Covid” plan in which the legal duty to selfisolate for those who tested positive would be dropped from 24 February and free mass testing will end on 1 April.

Scott Knowles said: “While no-one will truly believe we are fully out of the woods yet with regards to the pandemic, the incredible success of our vaccine rollout to date means we have thankfully reached the point when personal responsibility must take precedent above constant state intervention in our day-to-day lives.

“Businesses will be significantly emboldened by confirmation that all legal restrictions have now been lifted as it finally provides the certainty they have lacked for the best part of two years.

“This announcement comes at an important point in the economic recovery, which after strong growth throughout much of 2021 has looked somewhat delicate in recent months, as illustrated by the Chamber’s State of the Economy Index falling in the final quarter of last year for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic and the subsequent cost of doing business crisis.”

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While Scott acknowledged some people will be concerned the Government is lifting all restrictions too early, he added: “The removal of restrictions allows businesses to plan with confidence and make their own measured Covid-19 management plans.”

talent, and the latest QES showed that eight in 10 of those that attempted recruitment struggled to find people with the right skills.

“All this highlights the importance of investing heavily in skills, something that was highlighted in the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper as one of its 12 ‘missions’ but must now be prioritised with rapid action to ensure our post-Covid and post-Brexit economic recovery doesn’t stall.”

New directors join British Chambers Two new directors will join the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) team this month.

Alex Veitch will be director of policy and public affairs, working with the entire Chamber network to develop a proactive and reactive advocacy agenda.

He joins from Logistics UK, where he is deputy director for public policy with responsibility for policy issues affecting supply chains, such as Brexit, the environment and skills.

Meanwhile, Balshen Izzet is the new director of campaigns, with responsibility for the media and marketing teams where she will develop the BCC’s proactive campaigning activity.

She is a communications and public affairs professional with 20 years’ experience, including working in the Government for departments including the Treasury and Shadow Chancellor, as well as for national charities.

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Property veteran will help push major developments A property veteran has been appointed to chair the board leading one of the biggest large-scale development opportunities in the Midlands.

Sir Chris Haworth, who has a 40-year career in the industry and is a former head of commercial at property consultancy Carter Jonas, is the new independent chair of the East Midlands Development Company, which has been set up to accelerate the development of three huge sites covering an area the size of three London Olympic Parks.

His appointment marks a significant acceleration of activity by the DevCo, which has been set up by five local authorities ahead of the parliamentary process needed for it to become a development corporation with planning powers.

Sir Chris believes it represents a “transformational opportunity” for the East Midlands and comes at an ideal time given that investors are looking for strong, long-term opportunities within the context of levelling up, net zero and the post-Covid economic recovery.

He said: “This is probably the biggest and most coordinated development opportunity I have been involved with during my career and it will be a privilege to lead the board, which includes a blend of private and public sector expertise.”

Sir Chris is the second senior appointment at the EM DevCo joining managing director Richard Carr on the team.

Richard said he was “thrilled to secure a seasoned commercial professional” in the role, adding: “The next six months will be an exciting period for the DevCo, as

Sir Chris Haworth and Richard Carr

we progress plans to unlock the potential for major developments that will deliver new housing, industrial and business space, better connectivity, and help place the region at the cutting edge of the net zero economy.”

The three key sites include Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, the UK’s last coal-fired power plant that has been identified as a potential net zero energy hub once it closes in 2024; East Midlands Airport, the UK’s largest dedicated freight-handling airport; and Toton & Chetwynd, a 200-hectare former barracks earmarked as a modern mixed-use development featuring an innovation campus.

CEO to energise British Council The founder of Octopus Energy has been selected to feature in a rebooted Business Council that Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes will help turbocharge the UK economy.

Greg Jackson (pictured), CEO of the Leicester-based renewable energy supplier that now powers more than two million UK homes, is one of 28 members representing a range of industries.

The revamped council, cochaired by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, was announced on the two-year Brexit anniversary in late January.

Meeting at least quarterly, it will work in partnership with the Government to help drive a high-productivity, highgrowth economy over the next 12 months and achieve levelling up goals, wile also supporting the UK’s recovery from Covid-19.

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West Burton A power station

Newark to create hub for logistics Businesses operating in the logistics industry across the East Midlands can have their say about their skills and training requirements in a consultation.

Newark and Sherwood District Council says the results will help shape a new initiative to create a Logistics Enterprise Zone in Newark.

It will act as a hub where companies from across the region can work with higher education institutions – primarily Nottingham Trent University and the University of Lincoln – to ensure the right training and development opportunities are available to them in the future.

The council has invited businesses to help them understand the logistics industry’s training and skills development priorities and how higher education providers could support to fill any gaps.

Further information and an opportunity to share thoughts can be found at bit.ly/NSDCLogistics

Fusion project could now be going for West Burton Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station has been removed from a shortlist to host what is hoped to be the world’s first commercial fusion power station – but it is replaced with another Nottinghamshire site.

West Burton A, near Retford, now features as one of five potential sites to host the ambitious Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production project – known as STEP and being led by the UK Atomic Energy Authority.

The Ratcliffe landmark, which is due to be decommissioned as a coal-fired power station in late 2024, has long been earmarked as a future net zero energy hub but no decision has yet been made by owner Uniper.

Tris Denton, STEP’s head of commercial and programme development, said Ratcliffe was a “very good site” with several development options but he felt other sites on the shortlist would be more suitable for the specific needs of the scheme, which is

targeting operations around 2040.

He said West Burton A, which had previously been on a reserve list, “compares favourably” with the other sites on the shortlist and the STEP team will now restart assessment to further consider its merits.

Nottinghamshire County Council leader Ben Bradley (pictured) added: “While we would have loved to have two local sites on the shortlist, the future of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar site as a whole is still looking very bright.

“It is earmarked as one of the three main sites for attracting investment and growth under ambitious plans led by the East Midlands Development Corporation.

The vision is for it to become a hub for technology, advanced manufacturing and energy.

“So all-in-all this is still a positive

Conflict also brings cyber threat East Midlands organisations are being urged to bolster their cyber security resilience in response to the escalating situation between Russia and Ukraine.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which is part of GCHQ, updated its guidance to British firms to stay ahead of potential threats.

It followed malicious cyber incidents in Ukraine that it identified as fitting with patterns of Russian behaviour, including in the damaging NotPetya incident in 2017 and cyber-attacks against Georgia.

The NCSC encouraged organisations to follow actionable steps that reduce the risk of falling victim to an attack, including: • Patching systems • Improving access controls and enabling multifactor authentication • Implementing an effective incident response plan • Checking that back-ups and restore mechanisms are working • Ensuring online defences are working as expected • Keeping up to date with the latest threat and mitigation information.

Paul Chichester, NCSC director of operations, said: “While we are unaware of any specific cyber threats to UK organisations in relation to events in Ukraine, we are monitoring the situation closely and it is vital that organisations follow the guidance to ensure they are resilient.”

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result for Nottinghamshire having West Burton A now included in the final five.

“We have a proud heritage of producing energy – especially in the north of the county – which helped power the industrial revolution, but looking to the future, we want to be at the heart of the UK green energy revolution.

“As global energy demand continues to grow, this technology is expected to play a crucial role in helping to achieve net zero emissions – in a safe and sustainable way.”

West Burton A began generating in 1966 and is operated by EDF. It comprises four units and four turbines, with a 2,000-megawatt capacity, but will shut in September 2022 to leave Ratcliffe as the last UK station generating power from coal.

A gateway for new start-ups Budding entrepreneurs can learn how to make their business start-up idea a reality in a new programme run by the Business Gateway Growth Hub and De Montfort University (DMU).

DMU’s Crucible Start-Up programme, which has supported 60 companies over the past five years, is now being made free of charge and will provide masterclasses in business essentials – including marketing, finance, intellectual property law, copywriting and growth management.

Each session is delivered by a businessperson who is also an expert in that area.

Anyone interested in taking part should contact the Business Gateway on 0116 366 8489 or email growthhub@bizgateway.org.uk

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SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS

www.emc-dnl.co.uk/sustainability

UK could become pioneer of heating technology which uses the seabed Coastal towns could be heated by warmth taken from the seabed – with the UK becoming a world leader for the technology due to its long coastline rich in shallow geothermal energy, say researchers.

An international study involving Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has shown the true potential for using capillary heat exchangers for heat pumps in the shallows of the seabed, with the potential to provide homes with an infinite supply of heating.

The study shows that during winter – with a seawater temperature of only 3.7C – it can produce up to 60 watts per metre squared (W/m2) of heat energy to nearby coastal properties. The amount required to heat an average UK home is 100W/m2.

The research – with Beijing University of Technology, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry and Beijing Municipal Institute of Labour Protection – builds on the development of ground-source and air-source heat pumps as alternatives to gas boilers. The warmth would be delivered to homes through air-conditioning units, and the same technology could be used to cool properties in hot countries by using the cooler seabed temperatures to supply cold air.

Senior lecturer Hua Zhong, an expert in applied energy and environmental engineering at NTU, said: “This technology has the potential to become a new and significant addition to the way in which homes around the world can reduce their carbon footprint.

“Due to their proportionately large coastlines, and rich sources of shallow geothermal energy in coastal areas, the UK, US and China have the potential to pioneer this under-researched renewable energy source.”

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HSG founder and managing director Simon Rice

Washroom innovation wins green competition One of the frontrunners in the next generation of green technology can be found in Derby after a company specialising in washroom water conservation was recognised in a sustainability innovation competition.

HSG, whose eco-friendly Ureco system is used in venues across the country to reduce water consumption and prevent costly urinal blockages, was one of four winners in the scheme run by property giant Wates Group and Lloyds Banking Group.

The Dragons’ Den-style competition, which had more than 100 applications and involved a pitch at The Shard in London, aimed to unearth green tech businesses that can decarbonise the built environment and support Lloyds in its transition to net zero operations.

‘Most people are not aware that the majority of fresh drinking water used in a commercial premises goes through the urinals’ The bank will provide £100,000 investment to each winner to allow new technologies to be tested in a live environment – with Ureco to be piloted across Lloyds’ branches and offices – to understand whether they can ultimately be rolled out at scale.

HSG will also be added as an innovation partner to the Wates Innovation Network portal – an online marketplace that connects suppliers of environmental technologies with built environment customers.

Simon Rice, founder and managing director of HSG, said: “Most people are not aware that the majority of fresh drinking water used in a commercial premises goes through the urinals.

“Most urinals flush four times per hour – so every 15 minutes, even at night when the building is empty, resulting in a mammoth 96 flushes per day. In a standard nine-litre cistern, the amount of water used would be cut from

more than 315,000 litres a year to just over 13,000 litres. Not only is this a massive reduction in water usage, it results in a potential saving of more than £750 in water bills and significant reductions in a business’ carbon footprint.

“In addition to the water and cost savings, the patented Ureco technology stops unpleasant smells and blockages which, in turn, negates the need for harsh chemicals being poured in the drainage system and sewerage system.

“We are obviously delighted to be recognised in this way and to have the opportunity to pilot the Ureco across Lloyds Bank sites under the Wates Innovation Partner programme.”

HSG, based at Pride Park, has become a market leader since launching its dualtechnology system 12 years ago.

The Ureco urinal sleeve stops smells by trapping urinal odours below the surface and reduces blockages through a patented enzyme system that breaks down the fat, acid and salt in urine.

This enables the Uretech water manager to reduce urinal flushes from about 96 times to just four times a day – saving money by reducing water consumption by up to 96%.

In 2018, HSG was recognised with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation for its positive impact on venues ranging from single-site pubs to the O2 Arena and NEC. It was selected as a winner in the sustainability innovation competition following a rigorous assessment process by Wates Sustainable Technology Services’ technical advisory panel because of its ability to deliver against Lloyds’ ambitious operational pledges.

These commit to net zero carbon operations and a 50% reduction in energy consumption by 2030, as well as a 40% reduction in absolute water consumption by 2030.

Dr Zainab Dangana PhD, head of sustainable technology services at Wates Group, said: “Too often, new, viable technologies fly under the radar because suppliers are unable to get in front of the right decision-makers. We’re bridging that gap.”

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SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS

Can we truly operate on green energy?

While the vast majority recognise the need to clean up our energy system, questions remain over the true impact and reliability of green alternatives due to sporadic weather conditions. But Azar Khan (pictured), director at Leicester-based energy consultancy Axiom Energy, argues why we can safely embrace the low-carbon agenda.

RENEWABLE ENERGY IS RELIABLE As long as there is a breeze and the sun shines, we have sources of energy. Reliance on national grids is always going to be there – the only difference is the way energy is generated will change.

If, by chance, a city doesn’t have enough sunlight or wind, then as technology advances with storage of energy becoming more easily facilitated, it can be generated in one area and moved to another.

The switch will take some time but the sooner we all make the move, the sooner these technologies can be put into gridlines. We need to emphasise here that sole dependence on green energy may not be the best way to operate – a reduction in conventional use of fossil fuels is the aim.

RENEWABLES BENEFIT THE ECONOMY • Energy security: Renewable energy provides reliable power supplies and fuel diversification,

which enhance energy security, lower the risk of fuel spills and reduce the need for imported fuels • Economic development: The renewable energy sector is more labour-intensive than its fossil fuel counterpart, meaning on average it creates more employment opportunities – with a positive ripple effect through the supply chain

• 72% emission reduction in the power sector since 1990

• Energy price stability: Renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydro and geothermal do not incur fuel costs or require transportation, therefore offering greater price stability and offering greater savings for end users

• 738,000 jobs are supported in the UK

Renewable energy provides opportunities on multiple scales and with the UK leaving the EU, having a self-sufficient energy structure will only support the economy. Some of the positive contributions it has made include:

• £95bn generated in economic activity through the supply chain

• 54% of the power is generated from lowcarbon sources • £13bn invested by the UK energy industry

• £770m spent by the sector in 2019 to support vulnerable customers via social schemes.

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE

UKCA marking replaces CE from January 2023

Standards marking will change next year UKCA marking will replace CE marking for most products from the beginning of next year. Chris SumnerSmith (pictured), UKCA marketing manager at the UK’s standards body BSI Group, explains how businesses can prepare for a key change resulting from Brexit.

Following the UK’s departure from the EU on 31 January 2020, the UK introduced United Kingdom Conformity Assessed marking, known as UKCA marking.

From 1 January 2023, this replaces the CE mark on some products placed on the market in Great Britain – with an exception for manufacturers in Northern Ireland, which will still be able to use CE marking on products sold in GB. Notified bodies must be approved by the EU to provide CE certification services. Notified bodies across the EU could certify for CE marking, but only UK-approved bodies can support organisations with achieving the UKCA mark.

IMPORTERS AND DISTRIBUTORS Companies bringing goods into the UK from EU countries are typically classified as “importers”, whereas they were previously known as “distributors”.

It is the importer’s responsibility to meet both the relevant regulations and place UKCA marking on the product. Therefore, importing an applicable product from Europe now requires a UK-approved body. The organisation that first places the product on the market is responsible for ensuring UKCA marking on a product.

ENTERING DIFFERENT MARKETS Organisations wishing to sell a product in both the EU and UK will require both UKCA and CE marking, and it is possible to achieve and place both marks on a single product.

Some regulations involve self-declaration and don’t require an approved body. The circumstances for self-declaration of conformity for UKCA marking are the same as for CE marking.

UK regulations are currently similar to the EU directives and regulations, with identical underlying standards. This means manufacturers shouldn’t need to repeat product testing. However, both remain free to amend regulations or introduce new regulations to suit their own needs.

BSI Group will run two webinars in partnership with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, hosted by the Chamber, on how organisations can meet UKCA marking requirements. To book a place on the free online events, held on Wednesday 6 April and 17 May from 3-4pm, visit bit.ly/UKCA-EMC 62

business network March 2022

ATA Carnets: What you need to know When taking goods temporarily out of the UK, businesses may need to obtain an ATA Carnet – a document often referred to as the “passport for goods”. Lucy Granger (pictured), international services team leader at the Chamber, explains what it involves.

If you are temporarily exporting goods from Great Britain, you need to check what documentation is required.

One of the documents that can be used is the ATA Carnet. This can be used for professional equipment, samples and for items like exhibition stands at trade fairs and expos.

WHAT IS THE ATA CARNET? The ATA Carnet acts as a passport for goods and simplifies the customs formalities by reducing the amount of paper required. It is valid for a maximum of 12 months and can cover multiple trips to the EU and other countries in the scheme.

Information needed to apply for an ATA Carnet includes details of the Carnet holder (the company responsible for payment of any duties to foreign customs), details of the individuals who will be travelling with the goods, intended use of the goods, and finally list of goods taken.

All the goods must be individually itemised with each item having its specific description (such as make and serial number), weight and value to facilitate customs identification, and prevent substitution of goods.

WHEN AND WHERE TO USE ATA CARNETS The Chamber can handle all these enquiries, and the practical elements, for you – taking away any confusion and ensuring you’re using the right documents while avoiding unnecessary costs and charges.

It can be used for a number of countries, including those in the EU.

Indications are that hand-carried goods may not require a Carnet for EU, especially sports equipment and musical instruments. We would recommend you either contact the receiving customs and query if the Carnet will be required for the goods you're carrying in your baggage or driving in your personal vehicle.

Another option could be to use a Carnet for your first visit, go through the red channel at the destination and ask the receiving customs if the document will be required for future visits.

For goods shipped against a transport contract – including by haulier or freight forwarder – we recommend getting a Carnet for any goods that are being moved against a transport contract.

If the goods are hand-carried, then no separate customs declaration is usually required other than presenting the Carnet to HMRC and foreign customs.

If the goods are freighted and are bound for an “inventory-linked” port or airport they may need to be included on an import and export customs clearance request (C21) form.

If you're a haulier and move goods through a port in the UK that uses the Goods Vehicle Movement Service, you'll need to obtain a GVM number to get your goods through customs – although this isn’t required for movements between GB and Northern Ireland.

A security and safety declaration (SSD) is mandatory for hauliers.

The Chamber’s international team is able to guide businesses through any export and import queries. Call 0333 320 0333 (option 4) or for information specifically on ATA Carnets, email carnet@emc-dnl.co.uk

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE

The problems with plastic packaging tax Plastic packaging tax (PPT) is introduced on 1 April in the UK to encourage the use of recycled plastic in product packaging. Andrew Thurston (pictured), customs duty consultant at Chamber patron MHA MacIntyre Hudson, argues the process of proving compliance or exemption to this new tax will be especially burdensome for businesses reliant on imports for packaging.

ATA Carnets are ‘passports for goods’

Musical instruments may not need a Carnet for the EU

UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL TRADE TRAINING COURSES 6 April, 9-12: Inward/outward processing (£150 + VAT)

20 April, 9-12.30: Incoterms 2020 rules (£184 + VAT)

Introduction to methods of obtaining inward and outward processing relief from customs duty and VAT on international transactions

Get a detailed and focused commercial view of the latest Incoterms 2020 standards used for moving goods

7 April, 9-4: Export documentation (£270 + VAT) Practical programme equipping delegates with necessary skills and knowledge to prepare and process documents when exporting goods overseas

12 April, 9-12.30: Rules of origin (£150 + VAT) Learn about the certifications required by customs officials around the world to demonstrate the origin of a product, which determines how tariffs are decided

26 April, 9-4.30: Letters of credit (£270 + VAT) Detailed guide on how to be proactive in opening a letter of credit, how to work with the documents and present to the bank correctly

27 April, 9-4: ITOPS – International Trade Operations and Procedures (£1,750 + VAT) Four-day course resulting in the ITOPS qualification, which is designed to prove that candidates have the necessary skills to accurately operate the administration procedures in international trade

19 April, 9.30-12.30: VAT rules when exporting and importing in a post-Brexit world (£160 + VAT)

28 April, 9-2: Customs declarations (£280 + VAT)

Ensure your business knows what its UK VAT obligations are when selling goods to overseas customers

Learn how to produce a customs declaration or check one being produced for your company by a customs agent

*Prices listed are exclusively for East Midlands Chamber members For a full list of courses, visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk

There are good intentions behind PPT but, while it should work well for UK businesses that source their plastic packaging domestically, it will create a very cumbersome administrative burden for those relying on imports and could potentially prove self-defeating.

The tax is designed to encourage UK businesses to increase the recycled content of single-use plastic packaging. It will apply to finished plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into, the UK if the plastic is less than 30% recycled.

It means companies will need to meticulously calculate and report their recycled packaging plastic to ensure they remain tax-complaint.

The administrative burden will be felt most acutely by those businesses purchasing goods and packaging materials from outside the UK. To ensure they are compliant with or exempt from PPT, they must obtain evidence from their international suppliers of the recycled content of packaging. Obtaining the necessary evidence could be a difficult and costly request, potentially rendering any attempts to claim tax exemption cost-prohibitive.

Ironically, this could result in businesses ignoring the call to use more sustainable materials as meeting the exemption threshold might not be worth it financially, defeating the purpose of the tax.

In addition, any companies purchasing goods from outside the UK will need to review individual products for the weight of the plastic packaging to be able to accurately report quantities and account for PPT. This is a dauntingly long and complex process, especially as hundreds of different products enter the UK through today’s complex supply chains. The additional costs will ultimately be passed through to the end consumer, resulting in increased retail prices.

All in all, the PPT could prove a huge headache for certain kinds of business – in particular those that package goods and fresh produce for retail, such as supermarkets.

More taxes designed to promote sustainability are also likely to be introduced in the near future. UK businesses would be wise to adapt to the new tax landscape as quickly as possible to ensure they are prepared.

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POLITICS

Plans to Level Up are finally on paper Finally, after months of delays, leaks and speculation, the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper was launched last month. Chris Hobson (pictured), director of policy and external affairs at the Chamber, takes a closer look at what it could mean for the East Midlands. hile it may be easy to be sceptical of the 332 page-long document (particularly given some of the content appears to be more pontification than policy – ancient cities of civilisation anyone?), on a closer read, the paper contains a number of themes that, taken seriously, will prove important in shaping the economic growth landscape for our region over the coming years.

So what are these themes and what could they mean for the East Midlands? The first thing to focus on is less a theme and more an approach. The Gov.uk website describes a “moral, social and economic programme for the whole of Government” – a mighty ambition for a white paper.

And in reading it, it’s clear to see the input of different departments, which have evidently been lobbied hard by Michael Gove’s new Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for meaningful content to include.

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A GENUINE RETHINKING OF SPREADING OPPORTUNITIES? The paper includes five pillars for making this a reality, which on first hearing may sound similar to the old Industrial Strategy, but actually on closer inspection read very differently.

Activity consists of four specific focus areas, made up of 12 medium-term “missions” for how ambitions will be achieved, along with relatively clear, data-led KPIs for measuring their success and a commitment to hold Government to account if they are missed.

This leads to another encouraging aspect within the programme. The deadline for achieving its ambitions is 2030 – falling outside the electoral cycle trap that undermines so many well-meaning pieces of policy and not too far in the future to be meaningless if things don’t get done.

So if the question is “does the Levelling Up White Paper signal a genuine rethinking of how wealth and opportunity are spread around the country?” then I think the answer is yes, it does.

But, and there always is a but, the intention still has some way to travel to prove it’s a reality.

A QUESTION OF FUNDING One of the other things that becomes clear on reading is there is very little new money or projects detailed within the paper itself.

Reports leading up the release suggested a

fierce back-and-forth between Michael Gove and Rishi Sunak on how much new money can be committed at this stage and the Treasury clearly won the argument.

If people were waiting to see big announcements of new spending then they’ll have been disappointed, perhaps unsurprisingly given other recent decisions such as the descoping of HS2.

There was, however, more signs of how future funding will be distributed. The role of local authorities in directing spend, as opposed to local enterprise partnerships, is emphasised, as is the future course of devolution discussions.

Very interestingly, of the nine areas invited to submit bids for a new “county deal”, our region’s three county council areas were all included along with their cities – with the notable exception of Leicester, where a mayor is already in place. Discussions are underway among these areas around their bids, which will need to be submitted later this year.

If all three are successful, it will provide very interesting dynamics for future regional decision-making, as well as the deployment of central Government funds to local areas – with investment decisions determined by those with the knowledge of how to ensure it has the greatest impact on the most people.

LEVELLING UP LEVERS START WITH CONNECTIVITY If that’s the “why” and the “how” covered, this still leaves the “what” in terms of which key policy areas are included within the white paper.

There are a few I’d highlight as being of interest.

The first aligns to the aim to “boost productivity, pay, jobs and living standards by growing the private sector, especially in those places where they are lagging”. By 2030, the Government commits to increasing domestic public investment in R&D outside the Greater South East by at least 40%, and over the spending review period by at least one third.

We know we have some fantastic and unique strengths in the region that could benefit from a

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refocus of where Government R&D spend goes – not least our strong pharmaceutical and MedTech clusters, along with a series of advanced manufacturing strengths.

Too often, it feels they get overlooked by businesses in the London-Oxford-Cambridge arc, for example. With proper backing and recognition, the great growth these businesses have recorded over recent years could be taken to another level.

The second and third areas also fall under the first aim. The paper states that by 2030, local public transport connectivity across the country will have improved services, simpler fares and integrated ticketing, while it also commits to nationwide gigabit-capable broadband and 4G coverage, with 5G coverage for the majority of the population.

Why are these two important to highlight?

One of the things that has arguably held the region back is our physical and virtual connectivity. The fact we don’t have one major conurbation has arguably led to a hotchpotch of investments in routes across the region.

While the biggest thing that would rectify this is a significant amount of infrastructure investment, improved digital connectivity and public transport can only help link communities with businesses and opportunities.

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POLITICS

Nottingham was the ninth most affected city in terms of sales weeks lost due to Covid-19

East Midlands high streets hit hard by the pandemic

The Government's Levelling Up White Paper sets out its plans for rebalancing regional inequalities

UPSKILLING THE REGION The final area to highlight falls under the focus area to “spread opportunities and improve public services, especially in those places where they are weakest” and concerns skills in the region.

The paper commits to a “significant” increase in the number of people completing high-quality skills training. It also wants to work to increase the standards of English and maths in primary schools.

For so long, there has been a mismatch between the skills that businesses need and those being produced locally.

Projects such as the Local Skills Improvement Plans – the Chamber is leading a pilot across Leicestershire as part of a Department for Education trailblazer programme – have the potential to play an important role in getting this right and it’s good to see the white paper back this.

So what’s the final verdict of the long-awaited White Paper? Overall, when you look past some of the more obscure references, we think it provides a commendable ambition to change how things get done and backs this up by seeking to hold itself to account through the different missions and measurables.

Will it have any real impact? Time will obviously tell, but right now the ball is at least partly in our court with the invitation to apply for county deals.

The coming months will be instructive with regards to how ready we might be as a region to take advantage of what, on the face of it, is being offered.

Covid-19 has cost businesses in city and large town centres more than a third (35%) of their potential takings while forcing thousands to shut down, according to new data.

Since March 2020, 2,426 commercial units had become vacant across 52 areas studied by the Centre for Cities think-tank in its Cities Outlook 2022 report. In comparison, 1,374 were made vacant between 2018 and 2020.

Nottingham was in the top 10 worst affected cities, losing 40 weeks of sales between the first lockdown and the onset of Omicron in December last year. Mansfield was the sixth least affected area, losing 13 weeks of lost sales. The Centre for Cities said high streets in economically weaker places were impacted less than those in economically stronger places.

Andrew Carter, chief executive of the

campaign group, said: “While the pandemic has been a tough time for all high streets, it has levelled down our more prosperous cities and towns. Despite this, the strength of their wider local economies means they are well placed to recover quickly from the past two years.

“The bigger concern is for economically weaker places – primarily in the North and Midlands – where Covid-19 has actually paused their long-term decline.

“To help them avoid a wave of high street closures this year, the Government must set out how it plans to increase peoples’ skills and pay to give them the income needed to sustain a thriving high street.

“Many of these places are in the so-called ‘red wall’ so there is a political imperative for the Government to act fast, as well as an economic one.”

THE CITIES OUTLOOK 2022 REPORT DISCOVERED FIVE “SURPRISING” TRENDS, WHICH WERE: 1. People switched to online but offline has bounced back: In the January 2021 lockdown, 40% of all spending was online, but by September 2021, spending in bricks and mortar stores had for the most part returned to normal 2. Pubs and restaurants weren’t the hardest hit – the biggest high street casualty was fashion: While 37 weeks of sales were lost on average for hospitality, they recovered to above pre-pandemic levels by September 2021 – but the shift to buying clothes online shows no sign of reversing 3. The suburbs are not experiencing a boost at the expense of city centres: There are no real differences between cities and suburbs when it comes to sales recovery for sectors like fashion and hospitality 4. High streets in weaker areas struggled the least: Stronger city centres have large catchment areas that shrank during the pandemic, severely restricting the number of workers, shoppers and tourists travelling into cities to drive demand for the high street 5. ‘Returning to normal’ might not be possible or desirable: Once Government support is gone, shop closures in weaker cities may accelerate again, making it even harder to level up these places.

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FEATURE

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

Shall we get

engaged?

By Georgina Pearson (pictured), head of service at Whispering Trees CIC hether it’s matrimony or other activities, when people become engaged, they give up the position of detachment and take on the role of participant. They mean business and commit to the project.

A workforce prepared to commit to aims and invest in process is an asset to any business.

Business leaders and managers may have sets of skills to attract others to a company. They may be able to maintain this interest by the use of incentives, such as status and financial rewards. But, over time, does the initial impetus deepen into a full-blown commitment or does it dissipate, crowded out by change and pressures which may not even be work-related?

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STAFF WELLBEING IS BUSINESS-CRITICAL If you have experienced, from either side of the contract, employee “wobbles and dwindles” – disaffection or stress – it can be debilitating. What is there to be done?

Disciplinary action is sometimes a wake-up call for the employee but, more often than not, it makes things worse for both parties, particularly if the root cause is stress-related.

Research by Deloitte in 2017 discovered that stress costs businesses billions of pounds in terms of absence from work, lowered productivity through presenteeism, colleague dissatisfaction (by contagion or over-work) and the possibility of legal claims. Time to call in the “experts” in wellbeing?

As the proprietor of a community interest company whose focus is wellbeing and learning, I appreciate the value of this call. But what form of stress-relief is most effective and how might the client engage to become a participant? Only as a participant can the experience make a difference to wellbeing.

IDEAS FOR STRESS RELIEF An intervention that fully engages the person needs to effect more than temporary relief.

We’re talking a commitment – not a dalliance. The quality of the experience is key and that is determined by human interaction. Outdoor exercise is more likely to be maintained if you are a member of a team; social therapeutic horticulture has more impact than gardening and animal-assisted interventions give one more to think about than a “doggy cuddle”.

If participants are to be empowered to engage on a basis which effects permanent positive change, those people initiating the process need to consider not only the content but the style of the experience. In the words of the song: “‘Tain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it”.

These words have been echoed by Professor Peter Fonagy, who stated that, in his revised view, it was not the style of therapy that made the difference but the relationship between the therapist and client.

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ENGAGEMENT IS A SHARED JOURNEY Engagement is a two-way process as a relationship implies. It is not one person doing something to another but a shared journey, a journey that requires mutual respect and compassion – compassion not only for the other but also for the self.

I would argue that engagement needs to be at a multi-tiered level to effect maximum empowerment of the person who feels disempowered and overwhelmed by their circumstances.

Trusting relationships with the employer wherever possible, the staff manager, the mental health first aider and outside therapists, as applicable, are able to support the participant to effect and maintain positive change.

The absence of such a support structure during Covid times has been glaringly apparent. Lockdowns, working from home, furloughing, job losses and social isolation have severed meaningful connections – even between family members, let alone business colleagues.

“Let alone” could be a concept better expressed as “left alone”. People have been left alone to make their own way when what they desperately needed was engagement with others.

Leaving psychoanalyst Peter Fonagy to have the last word: “Social isolation cannot be tackled without creating an emotional tie to support and motivate the joining of minds. For that, there has to be trust, which, in turn, enables communication and creates the wondrous process of minds changing minds.”

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CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

FEATURE

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FEATURE

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

A creative way to manage your day

By Priscilla Hackman-Asamoah (pictured), director at PHA Coaching

common question I get asked by business owners and self-employed people is how to combine their normal workload with family responsibilities, while ensuring we are living healthy lives.

Making sure all aspects of our lives work well together in complete harmony can be very challenging.

Business in itself can be very stressful having to wear many hats and spin many plates together to ensure we keep our customers, suppliers, employees and other stakeholders happy.

Combining these activities with family responsibilities could be very daunting and it requires an excellent organisational ability to juggle these roles in perfect synchronisation.

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COVID-19 IMPACT REQUIRES A NEW APPROACH TO TIME MANAGEMENT The current conditions we are living in are changing the way businesses work and meet up to do business. Many businesses are working remotely from home and meeting online using platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

These conditions present a new situation that could require new organisational skills to deal with the complexities and the complacencies that accompany working from home. New habits are formed to combat the dangers of real distractions from the home environment.

‘Time should be set aside for exercise and sleep, which go a long way to ensuring you function well’ Business owners can improve their output by enhancing their organisational skills and living a disciplined life.

Firstly, efficient time management is key to managing all aspects of your time. Realistic time should be allocated to various activities, making sure that equal importance is given to all parts.

Many business owners fall into the habit of spending lots of hours working and making their customers happy at the expense of their health and family relations.

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CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

FEATURE

Getting time management right is crucial when working remotely

Time should be set aside for exercise and sleep, which go a long way to ensuring you function well and are productive at work.

There should also be time for recreation and this could be merged with family time. Where your time is apportioned well, most of the distractions that we get from family and friends during work time could be avoided.

PLANNING YOUR DAY AND WEEK Vital to ensuring we are effective at living balanced lives is to plan our activities well in advance.

Business owners will benefit immensely if they plan their week and day. What I normally do on a Sunday afternoon is set aside an hour of my time to plan my week.

I map all the major events that I intend to do during the week. Similarly, before I start the day, I map all the major activities and assignments I intend to engage in. Writing them down keeps me focused and serves as a means to evaluate my output at the end of the day.

Having a well-defined structure for all aspects of your life has a major impact on getting the best out of each aspect of your life.

DESIGNING A HOME-WORK DIVIDE So even if you are working from home, ensure that a section of the home is dedicated to working.

This allows you to put on your work hat and work effectively. It also makes the other family members aware you are working and reduces distractions.

Similarly, customers, suppliers and employees should be educated on when it’s appropriate to contact you and to respect your time with your family.

Refrain from the habit of bringing work home and picking up work calls when you should be having family time. People in business should learn when to say yes and when to say no.

Underpinning your success to having a balanced life is to live a disciplined life. What I find is that most people who try organising their lives are successful for a short period, and then go back to their normal way of doing things and jumble everything together.

So, a conscious effort should be made to practise planning and managing our time regularly until it becomes second nature.

Once these habits have been formed, we will begin to see the benefits it brings to us.

Complaints from family and friends will subside and we will see the joy in family life. Also, we will appreciate the joys and benefits of spending time exercising and having enough sleep.

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FOCUS FEATURE

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

When it comes to hiring, think outside the box

Inclusive recruitment could be key to plugging skills gaps in industries such as manufacturing and construction

“If you do what you’ve always done, you will get what you’ve always got.” his, in a nutshell, is why the issue of equality, diversity and inclusion – or EDI, for short – should be towards the top of any business’ strategy, believes Wendy McPherson.

Take the construction and engineering industries, which have been grappling with a skills crisis for years with a dwindling talent pool to choose from as older employees retire.

A more inclusive approach to hiring could open the door to a broader range of candidates, while for sectors that want to sell goods and services far and wide, it pays to have a good understanding of the different people they are selling to.

And for stat enthusiasts, McKinsey found in 2018 that gender-diverse executive teams reported a 21% increase in profitability, while those in the top quartile for ethnic and cultural diversity on boards were 33% more likely to have industry-leading profitability.

“There’s a lot of research coming out about the opportunities for organisations to be more profitable by embracing EDI,” says Wendy, a director at Inclusive Boards, an executive search agency based in London and Nottingham that specialises in diversity and inclusion.

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‘Diversity and inclusion should start with leadership to facilitate those difficult conversations that will ultimately create opportunities’ “Someone shouldn’t be appointed just because they are from a diverse background – it should be on merit – but diverse organisations are more creative by having that greater mix of people.

“Otherwise, they are risking ‘groupthink’, in which everyone accepts the same conclusions regardless of whether or not they are valid, and it can result in the organisation going stale.

“Innovation is what helps them to survive and grow, so the business case is strong.”

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governance structures. It is also behind the #IB100 list of the top 100 most influential black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) leaders in the tech sector in partnership with the Financial Times, as well as hosting the annual Women in Engineering Leadership Conference.

Wendy adds: “Diversity and inclusion should start with leadership to facilitate those difficult conversations that will ultimately create opportunities. It’s very important for a service provider to really understand what its beneficiaries require – whether it’s different cultural backgrounds, age groups, sexual orientation or anything else – and having people from diverse backgrounds in their organisation puts them in a position to support this. It’s also important in the workplace so that people can show up in their full self, fearlessly, and thrive in their job.

“For example, older women experiencing menopause can explain to senior leaders in HR about what some of the challenges are, or people from a particular religion can explain which facilities would be helpful for employees who would like to practise their faith.

“Having a representational board that takes all these things into account will give you the lived experience and empathy that ultimately leads to better workplaces for everyone.”

THIS IDEA OF lived experiences – and how they arm us with our own unique perspectives, ideas and skillsets – is a theme Wendy frequently returns to when discussing the make-up of a successful boardroom, but also when explaining how she came to view her own professional contributions.

Born in Liverpool with a “racially diverse” heritage – her great, great grandmother moved to Bristol in 1886 and married a freed slave from South Carolina – she grew up in a deprived area of London.

None of her family had ever gone to college or university – Wendy admits it wasn’t even a possibility she’d considered – and she secured a low-paid clerical assistant job in the public sector after being enrolled on a 1980s school leavers’ job training scheme.

Working her way up to middle management to oversee 30 people across four teams, she eventually hit the glass ceiling as the growing number of university graduates bypassed her into senior leadership positions. It was around this time she also grew to realise there were few role models to aspire to.

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Given the well-publicised skills crisis – the latest Quarterly Economic Survey by the Chamber found that two-thirds of East Midlands businesses attempted to recruit in Q4 2021 but 80% of those faced difficulties in finding people – this could be a potential gamechanger in hiring.

Returning to her favourite mantra, Wendy adds: “If the recruiters continue to recruit the way they always have done, then they will probably get the same results.

“Recruitment strategies need to be challenged if whatever method they’re following doesn’t find the people they’re looking for.

“Organisations are now understanding this – they’re holding their hands up to say they realise how they have inherited a legacy of underrepresentation, but they want to do something about it.”

IT’S NOT JUST about leadership, of course – true inclusivity brings everyone on board.

Pippa Blessett, founder and managing director of performance and leadership training company Exceptional Zebra, says there are two strands to EDI for companies to consider – legal responsibilities and balance.

“People are the single biggest cost for an organisation and inclusivity affects every single stage of the employer-employee relationship – from recruitment and onboarding to engagement and productivity,” she says.

5 ACTIONS TO BUILD A MORE INCLUSIVE ORGANISATION

BY PIPPA BLESSETT Build senior-level commitment to inclusion: Leadership and senior management set the tone for the organisation so it has to come from the top.

1

Involve everyone in inclusion: Empower employees to be part of setting clear standards of behaviour, from respecting differences to calling out exclusionary behaviour.

2

Evaluate policies and practices: Provide a clear channel of communication for feedback to be heard, and to ensure support is in place for particular groups or individual needs. Be honest about where you are now and where you’d like to be.

3 “There were very few people of colour in management, never mind senior leadership positions,” says Wendy. “At the very most, there would be a woman. So people in my generation, from my background, were trailblazers because there was no-one above us who we could pick up the phone and ask for support.”

Formal qualifications would eventually arrive when a publicly-funded scheme to support people from poor, ethnic minority backgrounds into further education enabled her to complete a postgraduate degree in management studies at Kingston University, before going on to gain a master of business administration (MBA) qualification from The Open University – both of which offered remote learning so she could look after her son.

These opened up new possibilities and, having become an expert in local government and housing, she moved into more strategic roles with a broader remit within the private sector in 2008. Some business consultancy work was complemented by an 18-month stint in Zambia, where she advised on elections and getting more women into leadership work.

“This lived experience of other cultures and hemispheres – and the ingenuity that exists in other countries – opened my mind much wider than the silo of UK work,” says Wendy.

“When I combined that experience of integrating into a new way of working with being a late adult learner and my passion for bringing more diversity to executive level, I was armed with a unique set of skills and knowledge that I could offer to organisations when I returned to the UK.” All this led her to Inclusive Boards in 2018 and she is now acting executive director of the executive search agency, which has a diverse talent pool of more than 60,000 professionals, including over 50% from BAME backgrounds and 60% female. Working with more than 150 organisations on board and executive appointments in the STEM, sport, not-for-profit and public sectors, it also delivers diversity and inclusion training.

Wendy stresses that it’s not about “calling anyone out” and there are no disqualifying factors in the people her company sources, with the only purpose being to offer a conclusive longlist of candidates.

Embed inclusion into wider people management practices: Consider bias when conducting performance reviews or making reasonable adjustments to working conditions.

4

Make developing your culture of inclusivity a continuous learning experience: Regularly review values, climate and people practices through a “lens of inclusivity” to grow with change and keep listening, listening, listening.

5

Pippa will run the training programme, Building a diverse and inclusive workplace for business success, in partnership with the Chamber’s business training team starting on Wednesday 4 May. For more information, see p86.

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“We can recruit in an inclusive way and promote diversity, but if an organisation doesn’t live those values day to day then it’s not going to work. Healthy relationships, and open communication, between employer and employee are key to getting the balance right between responsibilities and a genuine desire for people to feel respected for who they are in exchange for doing a good job.

“Under those conditions, you will see better wellbeing – which leads to reduced absence – but also improved recruitment and retention, productivity and greater innovation. That means

AGILE WORKING IMBALANCE The agile working revolution may have put more power in the hands of employees – but Pippa Blessett (pictured) warns there is evidence it could widen gender disparity.

A survey by pollster FindOutNow on behalf of the The Telegraph in November 2021 found that one in 10 women working from home planned to return to the office, with many citing the need to maintain the balance with childcare responsibilities. By comparison, the majority of men intended to return.

Bank of England policymaker Catherine Mann voiced concerns about creating a “two-track” workplace where those who are present get ahead more quickly.

Pippa echoes these sentiments, referring to how the Gender Pay Gap in the UK Report 2021 already demonstrated how the gender pay gap had widened since 2019.

She says: “As work from home measures are lifted, this imbalance will likely result in women missing out on crucial conversations or being overlooked for career opportunities.

“From an employer’s perspective, it is essential to review EDI policies and practices to take into account carer responsibilities and the need for employees working from home to be properly supported in an inclusive way – or they will risk alienating valuable talent.

“At a time when many organisations are experiencing difficulties recruiting quality employees, losing out on this sizable pool of experience and intellectual capital is a costly oversight and could also result in existing staff turning to competitors for career opportunities.”

From left: Access Rating co-founders Mark Esho, Rich Copson and Jignesh Vaidya

TAP INTO THE ‘PURPLE POUND’

BY MAKING VENUES ACCESSIBLE The so-called purple pound packs a healthy punch for businesses that are willing and able to make the necessary adjustments to welcome customers with disabilities.

Assisting them in making these changes – which can be as small as adding signage to highlight accessible entrances into a building – is Access Rating, a social enterprise that aims to make the lives of disabled people easier.

It has created an app with accessibility information for about 20,000 hotels, bars and restaurants around the UK to remove the anxiety of leaving the house for those with physical impairments. It has been downloaded 5,000 times and continues to grow.

‘The moment you mention ‘disabled access’, some businesses will panic and think it’s going to be expensive, but it’s often not at all’ Mark Esho MBE, the Leicester-based entrepreneur who co-founded the group, says: “One of the big things that disabled people struggle with is access anxiety – not knowing whether a venue is accessible and having to do lots of research to try find out – so we’re aiming to eradicate this issue.

“We’re also trying to educate businesses on the value of making their venues more accessible because the ‘purple pound’ is worth £264bn per year nationally – and £3bn just in Leicester.

“People like myself will frequent the same places where we don’t have to think too much about it, and will invite our friends and family, so there’s a lot of spending power within our social networks. What we find is that the moment you mention ‘disabled access’, some businesses will panic and think it’s going to be expensive, but it’s often not at all. Sometimes it’s just a case of a £200 portable ramp or

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even some signage to say there’s flat access around the back, and a bell by the door.”

Mark contracted polio aged five to leave him paralysed from the neck down and with only a 10% chance of survival. But he defied the odds to eventually regain limited mobility and went on to write a best-selling autobiography detailing his struggles called I Can. I Will.

A part-time wheelchair user, he founded digital marketing agency Easy Internet Services in 2000, before establishing sister business Easy Internet Solutions to provide web hosting services.

Deciding he wanted more time to himself, he has gradually stepped away from the dayto-day running of those companies and turned his attention to Access Rating, which he set up in November 2019 with co-founders Rich Copson and Jignesh Vaidya.

They invested £30,000 of joint personal savings complemented by a crowdfunding campaign to create an app described as being “like Trustpilot for disability access”, with users able to input their own experiences of venues to build up a comprehensive database.

Alongside Access Rating, Mark and Rich have helped young disabled people to find employment via Rich’s role as an enterprise adviser for Ash Field Academy, a special educational needs school in Leicester.

Next up is a venture called The Circle Foundation, which Mark launched last month with the aim of offering bespoke financial and advisory support to disabled people who want to set up their own business.

He adds: “It’s one-of-a-kind because there’s pockets of funding but the support is separate, which can add to the barriers already faced by disabled people with entrepreneurial ambitions, such as the difficulty in networking. For the first time, we’re going to comprehensively support a disabled person into business.”

• How The Circle Foundation will support disabled entrepreneurs – see p29

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HELPING PEOPLE TO GET BACK INTO WORK For people recovering from addiction, being granted another chance in life is integral to making the next stage of their journey a success.

At the heart of this is sustainable employment and TTK Confectionery, a gifting wholesaler based in Nottingham, has placed a strong emphasis on offering such opportunities.

It works with Double Impact, a charity that supports people with drug and alcohol addiction across Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to reintegrate into society, to offer 20 work placements in warehouse positions lasting up to three months for service users over the past six years.

Five of these have since taken up permanent employment with the company, which has 49 staff

TTK Confectionery is always seeking to make its recruitment policy more inclusive

across four warehouses at the Robin Hood Industrial Estate in Sneinton.

Brand director Jess Barnett, who runs the £3.5m turnover business with her husband Martin, says: “We’ve always seen that by developing an inclusive and diverse workforce, we create a more open and productive environment – where people work better together as a team because of the melting pot of people, styles and attitudes.

“So we’ve adapted our recruitment strategy to look outside the traditional routes like Indeed and agencies to work with organisations such as Double Impact via its Groundwork Greater Nottingham Towards Work programme.

“We have some very valued team members who have come through this system and been with us for many years now.

“They’re very invested in our business because they’ve been on a journey with us. We’ve grown as a business and hopefully helped with the challenges they’ve faced in life at the same time.”

Double Impact matches businesses with candidates who have interests or experience in the sector, while it is also on hand to offer support related to their personal issues during the placement if required.

TTK, meanwhile, has extended

it’s not a ‘nice to have’ but actually businesscritical.”

The data backs up the importance of feeling respected. A 2016 Weber Shandwick and KRC Research study found that 47% of millennials – those born between 1981 and 1996, who will account for three-quarters of the workforce by 2025, according to Deloitte – felt a diverse and inclusive workplace was important when job hunting. Further research by Accenture shows that feeling included can increase team performance by as much as 50%.

“If you have a team of 10, that’s going to make a massive difference to your output, and a lot of it’s just about being heard,” adds Market Harborough-based Pippa, who has more than 20 years’ marketing strategy and communications experience for corporates including Sainsbury’s Argos, Pets at Home and T-Mobile.

“When it comes to recruitment, very often there’s a pressure for businesses to hire quickly, especially in a smaller organisation.

“So thinking about what the input and output requirements of that job are might help to offer more flexibility in terms of geography and how often a person might need to be in the workplace.

“Also, you should consider where you will advertise the job. There are some brilliant recruitment agencies but it’s worth challenging

Radiant Cleaners offers jobs to people facing multiple barriers to work

its role within the individuals’ lives to helping them find housing, secure passports and health advice. Many of them will also find permanent jobs elsewhere, with one woman securing an administrative role at a charity following the placement.

The company also works with Nottingham Trent University to train its team to be more aware of how to support colleagues on the autism spectrum, and has taken on a design student with autism via the scheme.

Jess says: “We’re happy to give a chance to everyone but hadn’t done a lot of work around disability awareness, so it’s really helped us to make some adjustments in order to encourage a really open and inclusive environment.”

Procurement is another major aspect of the company’s work in

them about where they are publicising roles because sometimes we’re stuck in the same channels. Being curious about these things might just help you explore alternative ideas and could well produce some interesting results.”

These are some of the insights she gives to organisations large and small via bespoke, practical training programmes, with clients including the Chamber, University of Leicester School of Business and Nottingham-based digital 3D mapping specialist GeoSLAM. Examples of simple changes she recommends may include opening up meetings to more voices to avoid slipping into patterns of asking the same people for opinions or creating

this area, with its commercial cleaning contract given to Radiant Cleaners, a Nottingham-based social enterprise that offers jobs to people facing multiple barriers to work, such as homelessness, ex-offending, addiction and having survived modern slavery.

TTK also plans to work with the Radiant team’s new social business Jubilee Events as a supplier for any staff or customer events it runs in future.

“As businesses, we should always be looking to be a more responsible and ethical member of the local and global community,” adds Jess, who has noticed a lot of interest in such activities from its customers, which include Sainsbury’s. “If you’re able to, then through procurement you can make a real difference.”

employee groups to discuss ideas on new approaches.

While the pandemic created new priorities for businesses, Pippa has noticed many are back on track with examining how to create a more inclusive culture throughout their organisation.

She adds: “It did pause a bit because of the urgent issues businesses needed to address, but now it’s picking up again because they see the business value and can hear what their employees are saying.

“EDI investment isn’t lip service but creates very meaningful change for employees – which is great for people, great for business and great for the region.”

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Encore drives to encourage more women into logistics

ne of UK’s top recruitment agencies for driving, warehousing, manufacturing, logistics, engineering and professional services, Encore Personnel, is leading the charge to encourage more women into the logistics industry, having appointed a female recruitment consultant as the company’s in-house ‘women in logistics’ champion.

Established in Leicester in 2001, Encore Personnel operates 10 branches and 22 managed services sites across the Midlands. It employs more than 200 staff and places 4,000 workers each week, many of these within the driving, warehousing, and logistics industry.

The transport and logistics industry is one of the biggest workforces in the UK, however women only account for 20% of the employees in the sector. With the support of the entire Encore Personnel team, newly-appointed “women in logistics champion” Cara Frayling is now tackling the shortage of females in the industry head-on.

She is working to launch Encore’s own Women in Logistics programme, and through partnering with Women in Logistics UK, an organisation that supports, connects, engages with and inspires women in the sector, her goal is to increase the number of women Encore recruits into logistics roles by 50%.

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Speaking from her experience of working in the sector for many years, as well as from research and networking, Cara is concerned by the lack of women in driving, warehousing and logistics positions.

She explained: “The logistics industry isn’t one that is typically appealing to women, and this is a perception we are working to alter. The draw of being able to work shift patterns, which allows women to still manage home duties and have a good work-life balance, is one reason why the sector should appeal far more to women than it currently does. But this side of the industry is under-represented and not promoted to female jobseekers in appealing ways.

“Through working with Women in Logistics UK, we also want to set up and attend support groups to allow more women to share their experiences and stories of working in the industry, be able to provide and get advice to and from those in logistics, and feel even more supported in their career.

“Ultimately, we hope these groups will help women build roots and connections to get into the industry in the first place and then craft a long-lasting career.”

The reasons why women don’t want to take a step into the industry have also become increasingly apparent to Cara, as she added: “We understand

‘The logistics industry isn’t one that is typically appealing to women, and this is a perception we are working to alter’

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that the logistics industry may give off the impression of being a rough, tough, tiring one but it is also a very rewarding job.

“In addition, we know the thought of having to take a break in a male-dominated truck stop, with facilities that may be more suited to men than women, may not be the most appealing to females. However, with Women in Logistics UK, this is a challenge we are tackling. Ultimately, we hope to see truck stops change, and become more welcoming and suitable places for women.”

Cara is encouraging the entire sector to lead the change in how they appeal to and recruit more women to join the industry, as well as recognise the benefits of having more females in the industry. She said: “The whole industry would shift if more women took up logistics positions. With women said to be more cautious drivers, the roads would be safer and less accidents would be potentially likely to happen, which ultimately would bring far-reaching benefits to the supply chain.

“My advice to businesses within the logistics sector would be to take the lead and review your current approach to certain historically male-dominated roles, and how you can attract women to these positions as well as men.

“On the other side, my advice to women who are exploring a career in logistics is to delve in. There are many benefits as explained, so why not take up a driving and warehousing role and see for yourself.”

Andrew Fletcher, senior team member in the Encore driving division, added: “I am incredibly proud to support Cara with this drive to get more women into logistics roles.

The importance of this programme is paramount in tackling the ever-growing HGV driver shortage.

“From flexibility around shift working to support with onthe-job training, there are so many great reasons for women to build a career in the industry. I look forward to helping Cara in any way that I can with her exciting plans and drive.”

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Choosing the right logistics partner for you Finding the right logistics partner is of the utmost importance for exporters. There is more to the role than delivering products to your customers – a good logistics partner should also be able to improve supply chain efficiency, effectively manage costs and enhance your customer service. Business Network looks at what to consider when choosing a logistics partner.

PRICE You may be tempted to choose the partner that is the cheapest, but be warned – a logistics provider that does not meet your needs or expectations could wind up costing you more in the long run. Normally the costs should include transportation, warehouse storage, packaging and shipping, but check the pricing model is transparent and there aren’t any “hidden” charges you may encounter. Is there a monthly minimum payment? Are you being offered an introductory fee that will be increased in a few months’ time? Do they offer money back guarantees if you’re unhappy with their service?

REPUTATION There are a lot of logistics companies out there, so it stands to reason that some of them are going to be better than

others. The reputation of your chosen partner is important – after all, the reputation of your business stands to be affected by the competence and expertise (or lack thereof) of your supply chain. If your logistics partner does a bad job, it will reflect badly on you, and you may lose customers because of their mistakes. Check online reviews, social media and testimonials.

CUSTOMER SERVICE Alongside reputation, customer service is another key factor to consider. If something goes wrong in your supply chain, or if there are costly delays, you need to be sure the issues will be communicated clearly and swiftly dealt with.

Will your chosen partner make you feel like a priority, or will they prioritise the needs of larger firms? Will you have a dedicated agent to speak to, or will you be left to the mercy of a chat bot? Do they offer 24/7

‘If your logistics partner does a bad job, it will reflect badly on you, and you may lose customers because of their mistakes’

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customer service, or will any weekend issues be left until Monday morning?

SERVICES AND EXPERTISE On the face of it, the primary service offered by a logistics partner is the transport of goods from one place to another. However, not every logistics partner will offer the same services, or the same level of expertise. Food and drink exporters will need, for example, a partner that can transport chilled and/or frozen goods, while partners that operate on a small scale will not be the best option for exporters that require large-scale distribution. Keep in mind your particular needs and make sure your chosen partner can meet them.

TECHNOLOGY Does your chosen partner offer the latest technology innovations, or are their operations slow and antiquated?

Technology plays a huge role in smooth and efficient delivery, and a partner with extensive technology at their fingertips can help you save both time and money.

Warehouse automation will provide you with up-to-date reports at every stage in the process and allow you track your shipments from warehouse to customer, while a webbased booking system will allow you to submit an order at any time, anytime, making the process much faster and smoother.

SAFETY AND SECURITY Your chosen partner will both store and transport your goods, so if you want them to arrive on time and in one piece it’s vital that you check their safety awareness and operations if you don’t want to put your products are risk.

Ask to see their storage facilities and enquire about their packaging and shipping processes. Are staff properly trained? How are accidents managed and mitigated? What security systems do they have in place to protect goods at every stage of the journey?

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Warehouse automation makes it easier to track shipments

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EVENTS & TRAINING

Looking to a brighter future

Like many aspects of Chamber activity, the commercial training team was forced into new areas of working by switching to virtual delivery overnight. But as it eases into a new hybrid model, business training manager Vicki Thompson (pictured, inset) reflects on the past two years and ahead to the future.

I must admit, I had a very difficult and personally challenging few weeks as Boris Johnson announced we had to stay at home in March 2020 and, of course, at that time none of us could have imagined it was going to last so long.

But once the initial panic was done, I sat down and thought about how, after delivering inperson training for over 30 years, we were going to adapt.

We are very lucky – we work with an amazing team of trainers, coaches and consultants who not only wanted to support their own clients, but also the Chamber and all our customers – and so we came up with a plan that would allow us to continue offering some amazing training and development programmes via an online platform.

AGILITY THE WATCHWORD We adapted – or to use the new word, we were agile – and within the space of just a couple of weeks, we were using an online platform, having trained ourselves how to use it effectively. The majority of our courses were re-written for online delivery, while we included a scattering of new half-day courses and some free offerings to ensure we were meeting the needs of as many companies as possible.

At first there was some hesitancy, with companies advising they would “wait until we can come back in-person”, rather than attend online, but as time passed and it became clear we were in this for the long haul, slowly and steadily the courses started to fill with delegates who were eager to learn and willing to adapt to this new way of delivery.

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our Microsoft Office packages right through to our Director Development Programme. The courses have been fun and informative, and even more importantly, it has allowed companies to continue to develop and even grow during these most difficult of times.

‘It has allowed companies to continue to develop and even grow during these most difficult of times’ Of course, our mandatory health and safety courses continued to be delivered in-person and many companies made use of these over the past couple of years – so a big thanks to our trainers for continuing with this delivery and ensuring the safety of our customers.

We also continued to run a large number of bespoke courses on our customers’ own sites, ensuring we met all their stringent Covid-19 requirements, bringing teams together and helping them drive forward with their development while allowing businesses to flourish.

BACK IN THE TRAINING ROOM So where are we now? Well, we had a brief period of hybrid delivery last autumn, where we were delivering both online and in-person, but this quickly came to a stop again when the Omicron variant arrived.

Last month, we commenced again with inperson delivery and have been able to welcome delegates back on-site at both the Chamber’s offices and our partner Challenge Consulting’s premises.

Delegates’ safety is of paramount importance and we are still maintaining social distancing,

asking delegates to wear masks and take a lateral flow test before attending. It’s been great to see people again and feel the buzz of the training room.

And what for the future? We know the journey may not be over – if nothing else the past couple of years has taught us that viruses can be unpredictable so we will continue to adapt and be agile with our delivery, ensuring our customers receive the best we are able to offer at all points.

We have also learned there is a very strong place for online learning within our programme.

We received great reviews from delegates with a large number preferring to attend online because it is more convenient and involves no travelling time or costs, which has to be good for us and the environment. We are also able to offer our fantastic courses to a much wider audience, with delegates joining us from all over the country – in fact, one of our trainers now regularly delivers online courses to companies in the USA. Going forward, we will continue to offer a hybrid approach, with many of our courses back to in-person delivery, but some online options available too – the best of both worlds.

We adapt and we move forward with our sincere thanks to all our customers who have continue to support us by attending courses online. To our amazing trainers, coaches and consultants, who have worked immensely hard to ensure the learning has been relevant, interactive and fun – you’ve all done an amazing job and it’s a privilege to work with you all.

To discuss your training requirements, contact Vicki on 07469 148833 or email vicki.thompson@emc-dnl.co.uk For a full programme of training courses, visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/all-training-courses

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A chance to really step out!

A Leicester-based dance academy that featured in Marvel Studios’ Eternals movie will perform at an upcoming Chamber evening that celebrates the East Midlands’ diverse mix of people and cultures.

Nupur Arts – which had four dancers and an alumni member star as Bollywood dancers in the superhero film released last November – will be one of the headline attractions at the Celebration of Culture and Communities event at Leicester Tigers’ Mattioli Woods Welford Road stadium on Thursday 24 March.

Established in 1990, the organisation specialises in Bharatanatyam, Bollywood and folk, and also offers dance workshops and community activities.

Showcase will offer support for SMEs SMEs in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire can find out about the support available in their area at a free event run by the D2N2 Growth Hub, which is delivered by a consortium including the Chamber.

Delegates at the D2N2 Business Support Showcase, held at the Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill on Wednesday 6 April from 8.30am to 1.15pm, will hear from Growth Hub clients about how they have benefitted from the programme, as well as the future of the support landscape.

Business support on offer includes one-toone consultancy, access to finance, webinars, action planning, workshops, peer networks and signposting to further support.

Sarah Pittendrigh (pictured), awardwinning founder of wedding and event styling company Simply Bow & Chair Covers, will be the keynote speaker.

The showcase is part of the Derbyshire Festival of Business. For more information, visit www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/ events/d2n2-business-support-showcase/

A children’s choir from the Embark Federation, a group of 13 schools across Derbyshire that work together to push up standards, will be among the other local performers in music, dance and art.

The Celebration event – held in partnership with emh group, Morningside Pharmaceuticals and HSBC UK – also features a line-up of speakers and wide range of food reflecting its cultural diversity.

The Chamber’s strategic partnerships manager Sanjib Sahota said: “Celebration of Culture and Communities is a fantastic event that celebrates our diverse region, the people and our communities. Bringing together people, businesses and charities provides a great opportunity for collaboration and support, and

to further enhance the relationships between business and communities.”

Speakers include business leaders Dr Nik Kotecha OBE, founder and chairman of Morningside Pharmaceuticals and the Randal Charitable Foundation; emh group chief executive Chan Kataria OBE; and two HSBC UK directors based in the East Midlands, Jenny Frank and Roger J Pratt.

Meanwhile, recognition will be given to businesses, charities and individuals who have championed or made significant contributions in equality, diversity and inclusion.

Tickets cost £55 + VAT, with charities receiving a discounted rate. Visit bit.ly/EMCelebration22

New award categories added Three new categories – including a Lifetime Achievement Award – have been added to the Enterprising Women Awards for 2022 as the East Midlands Chamber-run network celebrates its 25th anniversary.

A Diversity Champion and Rising Star award are also on the bill for the annual showpiece, which takes place on 30 September at a venue to be announced in the coming months.

The awards, held in partnership with headline sponsor Futures Housing Group, will be launched at an International Women’s Day celebration event on Tuesday 8 March at Casa Hotel, in Chesterfield.Natalie Bamford, the managing director of Derby-based Colleague Box who was crowned Business Woman of the Year at the 2021 awards, is the guest speaker.

Enterprising Women’s roots go back to 1997 and the awards have been held in their current guise across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire since 2013. Jean Mountain and Eileen Richards MBE continue to lead the network as co-chairs.

Jean, who was named Businesswoman of the Year at the Nottinghamshire Live Women in Business Awards for her contributions to helping other professional women “break the glass ceiling”, said: “We’re so excited about ramping up the celebrations for our 25th year as a network and to top it off, we wanted to create an extra-special edition of our Enterprising Women Awards.

CATEGORIES • Business Woman of the Year (sponsored by Futures Housing Group) • Female Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored

by Midlands Engine Investment Fund) • Social Commitment Award (sponsored by She Inspires) • Small Business of the Year (sponsored by Unique Window Systems) • Female Employee of the Year (sponsored by Smallman & Son) • Team of the Year (sponsored by PPL PRS) • Business Woman in STEM (sponsored by Pick Everard) • Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by EMA Training) • Diversity Champion (sponsored by Breedon Consulting) • Rising Star (sponsored by The Turnaround CEO) • Lifetime Achievement (sponsored by Paradigm Wills)

“Adding three new categories offers a great opportunity to recognise even more successful people who are fantastic ambassadors of enterprising women.”

Entries are now open and the deadline is 29 April. To enter, visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/ ewawards March 2022 business network

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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

SMEs make most of scheme As the Digital Growth Programme comes to an end later this month, Business Network looks at how it has supported Leicestershire-based SMEs to embrace the digital world.

Case study 1: Metro-Boulot-Dodo (MBD)

Paul Long

Established more than two decades ago, MBD is a not-for-profit organisation in Leicester focused on creating immersive artistic experiences with a positive social impact.

Creative director Paul Long, who has worked in the virtual reality (VR) space since 2016, identified that creating “room-scale” visitor experiences using VR technology would be key to further develop MBD’s offering in digital storytelling as the pandemic forced many traditional arts venues to close.

He was supported through the R&D journey by digital business adviser Prashant Gandabhai in accessing a £5,000 grant to help it buy laptops, software and VR headsets that were used to build a prototype for a “walkaround” VR museum experience called Heritage Storeys.

Visitors are able to travel through time and space in a virtual lift, selecting a “floor” to become immersed in a series of historical stories.

After a pilot was rolled out, 98.6% of visitors expressed an interest in more experiences of this type and MBD plans to open its own arts and culture VR experience venue soon. It was recognised by the Creative Industries Council as part of its Createch 100 Ones to Watch list in 2020.

Case study 2: KJN Automation KJN Automation has built a market-leading reputation for supplying aluminium profiles and associated components to bluechip manufacturers – across sectors including aerospace, automotive and medical – since being formed in 1999.

As it continued to win sizeable new contracts during a period of expansion, the amount of time being spent manually processing orders notably increased and was beginning to limit growth potential.

So the Peckleton-based company set out plans to elevate its e-commerce function by making transformational improvements to its digital infrastructure.

It was signposted to the Digital Growth Programme and worked closely with digital business adviser Prashant Gandabhai to identify opportunities and navigate a funding process to receive a

£9,000 technology grant – which was used for the design and build of a bespoke online ordering system that improved customer experience and delivered significant time efficiencies.

The new online capabilities led to an increase in ordering via the website by 25%, helping to access more overseas customers for the business – which was acquired by industrial supplies multinational Rubix Group in January.

“This has been a real gamechanger for our business as we’ve successfully increased digitisation and automation, which has reduced the burden of manual order-taking by our team. This has played a major role in reducing our cost of sale and has boosted productivity across the company.”

Tina Walsh, sales director

Tina Walsh

“Over and above securing the funding we needed to grow and secure our future as an organisation, involvement in the programme also had a positive impact on me, on a personal level. It really boosted my confidence and enabled me to fill skills gaps.”

Paul Long, creative director

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Growth Programme has delivered on many levels The £9.3m Digital Growth Programme – funded by the European Regional Development Fund, East Midlands Chamber and Leicestershire County Council – has been delivered by the Chamber since 2016. Successes include: • 1,888 businesses supported • 337 two-hour events delivered to 8,423 delegates • 252 strategic workshops delivered to 2,638 delegates • £2.2m grants awarded to 211 businesses • £3.8m private sector technology investment leveraged • 187 new products to market • 252 businesses received dedicated specialist advice 88

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How to access digital business support Following the end of the Digital Growth Programme, businesses can access fully-funded digital support via the Digital Upscaler.

Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), it aims to provide high-growth businesses across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire with the knowledge, investment and capacity to scale up through embracing new technologies.

Visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/digitalupscaler

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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

How mobile is shaping business in 2022 This spring, as new communication channels take centre stage and new technologies become more accessible, we recognise that the experience customers expected pre-pandemic is vastly different from the one they demand today. Learn how we expect mobile will continue to shape business in 2022.

NEW MOBILE TRENDS FOR BUSINESS Mobile-first web design is no longer only a B2C priority. With 80% of B2B buyers using mobile at work, and 60% citing mobile as having played a significant role in a recent purchase1, buyers are using their mobile phones increasingly to make informed decisions prior to purchase. Regardless of your target audience, if your website is unable to be successfully navigated or loaded quickly on mobile, you’re missing out.

Additionally, throughout 2022, as the adoption of rich communication channels increases (driven by both Google and Apple launching their own business messaging platforms this year2), digital communication should remain one of your top priorities going forward.

THE IMPACT OF 5G TODAY With hundreds of towns and cities now 5G enabled with O23, the roll out of 5G infrastructure continues across the country to connect more people and things than ever before; paving the way for new and innovative use cases.

Whilst we estimate 5G will take around 3-5 years to realise its full potential, there are benefits that businesses are taking advantage of today. For example, smart inventory management is reducing theft/loss by tracking the location (and condition) of equipment. Additionally, through sensors or cameras, you can monitor your people’s wellbeing remotely – important for lone workers.

With most new smartphones & tablets now 5G ready... Our recommendation? Future proof your mobile fleet when you upgrade.

1 - tinyurl.com/2p9e2ksy

RETURNING TO WORK FROM ANYWHERE

2 - thedrum.com/profile/infobip/news/digitalcommunications-a-look-ahead-to-2022

In the past two years, the shift to hybrid working patterns has accelerated. With 67% of employees placing flexible working within their top five benefits4, to retain your staff, your business must ensure they have the devices and data they need to successfully work from anywhere.

Research is also showing that data usage is increasing – with monthly global average usage per smartphone estimated to reach 41GB by the end of 20275. This growth will be largely driven

by 5G devices, online content consumption and video conferencing, amongst others.

Choosing the right network has never been more important. Business mobile plans from O2 include data rollover, customisable usage caps AND free EU roaming – get greater support with fellow EMC member Welcomm Communications, O2’s Best Business Partner.

3 - o2.co.uk/coveragechecker 4 - connect.o2.co.uk/theflexiblefutureofwork 5 - tinyurl.com/ywtckwzs

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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

T: 01332 473400 E: info@licencepro.co.uk W: licencepro.co.uk/our-services

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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

Case study 4: Fleet Planner Compliance

Case study 3: Yoga Loughborough

Leicester-based Fleet Planner Compliance was already wellversed in the digital world as a developer of smart fleet management software for the haulage and transport industry.

Its technology enables operators to conduct daily checks and safety inspections on vehicles via a cloudenabled mobile device, with a userfriendly dashboard enabling fleet operators to identify and manage defects, log inspections and schedule maintenance.

Michal Nawrocki, who founded the company in 2014, identified clear

Originally set up to deliver physical yoga and meditation classes, Yoga Loughborough recognised the need to drive digital transformation as online access becomes more essential post-pandemic.

Reena Patel, who founded the business in 2015 after a high-stress corporate career and has since delivered 2,500 hours of yoga teaching, attended strategic actionplanning workshops to drive digital transformation.

One-to-one expert consultancy from Rob Gregory also equipped her with the knowledge to make website improvements so she could deliver a seamless online experience, equipped with a better payment system, and broaden her digital marketing skillset.

Having been badly affected by Covid-19 as a traditionally face-toface business, Yoga Loughborough has benefited from being able to offer hybrid classes, and blending online and offline learning for both B2C audiences and a growing B2B client base.

“Moving forward Yoga Loughborough will now be able to present a hybrid solution with a mix of online and offline learning access. This gives us great scope to develop as a business.”

Reena Patel, founder

commercial opportunities to expand through an R&D programme but found it extremely difficult to finance the skills and technology needed to keep ahead of the competition.

The Digital Growth Programme helped the business to access a £17,500 grant that was used to invest in growing its team, and integrate new features and introduce new product innovations to meet specific customer needs.

As a result, Fleet Planner Compliance has attracted new clients and recorded a “tangible increase” in turnover.

Michal Nawrocki

Reena Patel

Effective management of remote working As the working environment undergoes a major shift and an increasing number of people work remotely, visibility of employee activity is more relevant than ever. Kevin Carrick (pictured), CEO of Derby-based software developer Data Clarity, has a six-point checklist for how companies can use technology to support these new challenges.

1. Equip your business well to stay in the game Challenges associated with a decentralised workforce won’t magically disappear. The main prize is to stay relevant for customers, but what if the management is one foot in chasing the tail of neverending admin tasks? Admin is a money pit, only taking you to the status quo.

There is a distinct call for implementing new business tools that keep the management running their departments smoothly and engage employees, even from a distance.

One of the best tools you can get right now is a self-serve system providing data for management about hours worked, annual leave, employees’ location and expenses.

2. Remember the mobile app A mobile app companion that employees can access on the go is a great addition to such software.

It’s all about simplicity and time savings these days. Employees shouldn’t be spending more than a couple of minutes to submit their daily admin.

3. The UX comes first User experience is the key focus when choosing a software solution for your company. The easier it is to use, the more it’s used. A clean and intuitive interface allows instant submission of back-office processes, such as timesheets, expenses and absences on the go.

This flexibility is convenient when employees spend significant time travelling and processing a high volume of expenses.

4. Time, absence and expenses on one platform A big part of digital transformation is about integrating tools. Input data such as hours or expenses can be allocated against a project, or customer, and billed. A manager who can see employees’ availability or spending data can plan ahead more precisely. Moreover, an app that scans receipts and calculates mileage rates could reduce manual input and potential human error. Automation shortens the reimbursement cycle and the actual cost of expenses.

5. Communication, communication, communication Time, absence and expense software should facilitate communication between manager and employee when requesting time off, dealing with unplanned leave and providing

necessary documents. Good communication is the foundation of a strong team and traceability of the approval process provides a reference when needed.

6. Cyber security A business tool has to be secure to use and this especially applies to cloud-based software. A pin password or biometric recognition are a must, not to mention secure encryption during logging in. Look out for ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials certifications that ensure any sensitive data is stored securely.

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LEGAL

The value of IP to engineering and manufacturing businesses Nic Ferrar (pictured), patent attorney at Adamson Jones, explains some of the opportunities provided by having intellectual property (IP) protection that are often missed by the engineering and manufacturing sectors. here are wildly differing views about the value of IP protection within industry. At its core, it is about the ability to prevent others from copying. For some, it is one of the most fundamental considerations that underpins the products and services they offer, while for others it is a distraction that has nothing to do with the day-to-day running of their business.

T

UNDERPINNING BRAND AND INNOVATION POWER One of the key considerations that affects attitudes to IP protection is the size of the company. Large organisations typically understand the importance of IP as an indicator of their ability to sustain or increase profitability.

In short, IP protection is known to have a positive impact on share price and so it is worthwhile having an IP budget to make sure those benefits are sustained.

The other big factor that affects attitudes to IP protection is the industry in which a company operates. Manufacturing industries such as medical devices, electronics and pharmaceuticals are IP-heavy and it is highly likely you will stumble into someone else’s patents, trade marks or designs if ever you try to create a new product without doing your homework.

It is simply a practicality that you will need to become IP-literate to compete in those industries and avoid costly mistakes. As such, there is a fundamental need to build your own IP portfolio to be part of the race.

KEEPING AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION In more traditional engineering and manufacturing industries, which grew up without the same focus on IP protection, it is often possible to carry on business without 92

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significant IP issues arising.

More immediate practicalities, such as the cost of setting up production facilities and the stability of existing supply chains, can be sufficient to control competition. The mindset that IP protection will be ignored unless it becomes a necessity is not uncommon.

However, this misses the opportunity that IP protection can offer in those spaces. Precisely because an industry is less crowded with IP protection, there is greater scope to gain a market lead by protecting innovation.

One benefit of IP protection for innovation is the opportunity to win orders for products based on unique product features instead of competing solely on quality and price. This can apply not just to the product but also a manufacturing process.

INCENTIVISING BUSINESS AND FINDING NEW MARKETS The ability to add value to products based on innovation plays to the strengths of UK manufacturers when compared to some other countries that offer a lower cost of manufacture. The Government has recognised this and offered incentives to encourage businesses to protect, and thereby unlock the full benefit of, their innovation.

In addition to R&D tax credits, the Patent Box scheme offers a generous saving in corporation tax for UK companies that have patented their technology. There has also been funding made available in recent years to help start the process by conducting an IP audit to better understand what can be protected and how.

The further benefits of IP protection will depend on specific circumstances. For smaller companies, IP protection can help attract investment to make their commercial plans a reality.

Even if the company that developed the new IP does not have the ability to realise its full commercial potential, owning the IP rights opens further options for commercial exploitation by licensing it for others to use.

When entering new markets overseas, having fundamental IP protection in place, not least registered trade marks, can provide some control over distributors or other collaborators to make sure they do not become future competitors.

Perhaps the biggest single indicator of its value is evident

upon exit, where a huge uplift in the price paid for a company can be derived from its IP portfolio.

However, focusing only on the specific financial value of IP at that stage would miss the other benefits that can arise in the meantime.

Nic Ferrar is one of the speakers at the Chamber’s Manufacturing and Engineering Conference, which will be held at the University of Derby’s Enterprise Centre on Wednesday 16 March from 8.30am to 1.30pm. To register for the free event, visit bit.ly/MEConference2022

Nelsons fights the cyber threat Nelsons has been recertified by a Government-backed, industrysupported scheme for its commitment to preventing cyber-attacks and keeping data safe.

The law firm, which has offices in Nottingham, Derby and Leicester, maintained the national Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation, which protects businesses from low and mid-level attacks, helping to guard against the most common cyber threats.

This is the second time it has been certified, recognising all the appropriate procedures that have been implemented to protect its own, and its clients’, data.

Cathryn Selby (pictured), partner and director of professional standards, said: “It’s crucial that we not only empower our clients by steering them through the legal issues they face, but that we provide the assurance that their personal details are secure with us.”

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BUSINESS NETWORK

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FINANCE

Lockdowns and temporary closures result in a record financial year for schools Academy schools across the UK have had their best financial year on record, despite the pressures of Covid-19, according to a major new report.

Co-authored by East Midlands accountancy and business advisory firm Duncan & Toplis, the Kreston Academies Benchmarking Report 2022 surveyed more than 300 academy trusts and 1,500 schools across the country, assessing their financial performance for the 20/21 academic year – the first full year since the start of the pandemic.

The schools, which account for 16% of all academies in the UK, recorded fewer in-year deficits, increased reserves and improved cash balances, with just 3.8% of trusts running at a cumulative deficit – down from 5.4% in 2020.

The record performance is largely due to the spending reductions made possible through temporary school closures and lockdowns, with exam fees, supply costs, utilities and facilities management savings outweighing any resulting financial losses.

While many trusts are now forecasting a budget surplus within

the next three years, the report’s authors warn of troubling uncertainties which could stretch budgets further.

‘Schools faced a myriad of challenges during the last academic year’ These include the longer-term impacts of the pandemic, further disruption to the educational timetable, staff shortages, inflation and soaring energy costs. Duncan & Toplis director and head of academies Rachel Barrett said: “Schools faced a myriad of challenges during the last academic year as they played the critical role of educating children while responding to changing restrictions and public health measures.

“While these figures paint an encouraging picture, this is really a reflection of the unusual circumstances of the last academic year and the long-term situation isn’t nearly as positive.

“School funding is still very much

Rachel Barrett

uncertain but costs are likely to rise quickly, primarily due to staffing pressures, rising energy prices and operational costs.

“Of course, the savings that were possible during lockdowns and temporary closures may never be available again, and there may well be some long-term impacts of the pandemic from an educational and resourcing perspective which will have to be overcome.

“Budgeting will be very difficult due to all this uncertainty so schools may choose to seek efficiency savings through centralisation and the formation of more, larger MATs (multi academy trusts).”

During the year, MATs saw their in-year financial surpluses rise the most, with average surplus doubling to more than £460,000 in 2021, up from £221,000 in 2020.

Academy trust cash balances have also been bolstered through the injection of Government funding earmarked for Covid testing, education catch-up programmes and other Covidrelated costs that schools have not yet had the time or capacity to spend due to the pandemic.

To download the full report, visit: www.duncantoplis.co.uk/krestonacademies-benchmark-report.

Digital transition will be a taxing time for business Ahead of the requirement for all VAT-registered business to adhere to Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT, a provision that comes into force on 1 April, Alison Horner (pictured), partner at MHA MacIntyre Hudson, explains why this will be the really hard part of the digital transition – but there are solutions.

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A large number of UK sole traders and micro-businesses are now in the firing line as HMRC pushes ahead with the digitalisation of tax.

From 1 April 2022, MTD for VAT will be extended to companies with a turnover below £85,000, affecting about 52% of UK-registered VAT businesses. These firms will be required to register for MTD and to maintain digital records. For many, the switch to digital tax will represent a demanding and timeconsuming transition.

Larger companies got away comparatively lightly with the switch, which started in April 2019.

They could afford to either hire the

staff with the right computer skills or provide the training for existing employees to handle the systems needed for this digital transition.

Very small businesses do not have this luxury.

However, worried businesses can use two relatively quick-fire solutions to buy more time. Firstly, for those not ready to take the leap to dedicated accounting software, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets coupled with bridging software, such as QuickBooks Online, can provide a simple, cost-effective and compliant way to submit VAT returns digitally to HMRC. Businesses can produce a “nine-

box” VAT return within the spreadsheet and upload this to the bridging software, which connects to HMRC and submits the VAT digitally.

Secondly, exemption from MTD is also available, but only if a business can show it is not reasonable or practical to use computers, software or the internet to comply with MTD rules. Depending on the circumstances, it is definitely worth exploring this option even if a business plans to digitalise its tax affairs in the end. Most businesses will not qualify for an exemption though and will have to bite the bullet between now and 1 April.

In the end, MTD will improve efficiency. The ultimate goal for businesses should be to view tax documents and information in real time, as opposed to accessing records months, or even years, after the event.

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FINANCE

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SKILLS

Laying the foundations for college’s future

The foundations and skeleton of a new £2.8m T-Level Centre are now in place as Loughborough College prepares to launch a new generation of qualifications in September.

The college’s new building will be dedicated to teaching and learning for T-Level qualifications – two-year courses that deliver the equivalent to three A levels, and are a mixture of classroom and workplace learning.

It will provide cutting-edge facilities and high-quality, flexible teaching and learning spaces to meet the needs of T-Levels, as well

as creating a prominent, contemporary “gateway” to the college’s campus on Epinal Way. Jo Maher, principal and CEO at Loughborough College, said: “It is fantastic to see the new building taking shape so we are able to deliver T-Levels in a state-of-theart, modern building.

“Our aim is to create an environment which inspires and enhances the career aspirations of people in the community we serve, and to also create an exciting and modern gateway to our campus from Epinal Way.

“T-Levels are an exciting addition to our provision which will boost the future prospects of our learners, meet the skills needed by employers and support the local and regional economies.”

T-Levels have been developed in collaboration with employers and businesses so that course content meets the needs of industry and prepares students for work, further training or study. They will offer a mixture of classroom learning and “on-the-job” experience during an industry placement of at least 315 hours – about 45 days.

The college aims to complete construction this summer and will begin delivering T-Levels from the building in September 2022. It will focus on four areas – digital, construction, health and science and education and childcare.

Stuart Lindeman, Loughborough College’s chair of governors, added: “It is such an exciting time for Loughborough College as we continue to invest in an ambitious estates strategy, which will enhance the quality of learning and the overall college experience for our students.”

Talent Match programme aids student recruitment A programme that connects Loughborough University talent with businesses has returned for 2022.

Talent Match helps students and graduates to secure short-term, high-level work experience by working closely with organisations to develop exclusive opportunities. It supports students with applications and also has several bursaries available for employers to fund the role.

Programme leader Will Freestone said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Midlands businesses to engage with our fantastic students and graduates here at Loughborough University.

“These programmes have been designed to support business and to take away the strain, resource and time it takes to recruit, while ensuring our students and graduates secure high-level, interesting opportunities.”

This year, Talent Match is made up of two programmes – micro internships and graduate internships.

The micro internships, which launched last month, offer fully-funded 40-hour placements for first and second-year students, who will earn the equivalent of £10 per hour for carrying out project-based work that can be split across a number of weeks.

Next month, graduate internships will begin and cover 140 hours split across four weeks. These are also fully-funded at a cost of £1,350, and are aimed at 2021 and 2022 graduates.

Loughborough University offers a consultancy service and full recruitment support, such as marketing the roles and processing applications.

Any organisations that would like to talk in more detail about potential opportunities can email employer.services@lboro.ac.uk

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VR system in line for award An immersive technology system designed by North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC) to boost training for the manufacturing industry has been shortlisted for a national award.

AutoLive, which uses game engine technology and VR simulations, is one of three finalists in the Skills Innovation of the Year category at the Enginuity Skills Awards.

Initially conceived to meet a need identified by the automotive sector, the platform enables fast and safe “on-the-job” training to be delivered to new recruits in manufacturing and engineering workplaces.

It uses a blend of immersive technologies to provide realistic, interactive and engaging experiences of the production line

and the surrounding environment – reducing training costs, minimising safety risks and increasing efficiency.

Marion Plant OBE, principal and chief executive of NWSLC, said the recognition “shows how further and higher education are working together to create impactful solutions in response to training requirements within the manufacturing sector”.

She added: “With 180,000 people employed within UK automotive manufacturing, and 20,000 new jobs forecast by 2030, the sector faces accelerating skills gaps.

“We know manufacturing businesses need highly skilled and competent staff that can hit the ground running quickly to maintain consistency, safety and productivity.”

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SKILLS

Building careers in bricklaying A building firm’s “apprentice mum” is doing her bit to help the country’s shortage of bricklayers.

Sophia Jelaca is relishing her role in business development and recruitment at Derby-based Hodgkinson Builders.

During last month’s National Apprenticeship Week, which shines a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy, Sophia spoke about how rewarding it is to help nurture the next generation of brickies.

By the age of 22, a bricklayer could be earning around £1,000 a week. There are currently eight apprentices at Hodgkinson’s, which has taken on about 100 apprentices since being founded by managing director Ian Hodgkinson in 1989 – who says all have gained full-time employment with his firm.

Sophia said: “They have an onsite manager, and a bricklaying mentor, but Ian calls me their ‘apprentice mum’.

“The apprentices check in with me daily, with photographs of their

work and any issues they may have.

They also keep a diary, which monitors work completed and quantities laid, as well as sending their timesheets to me at the end of each week.

‘We aim to nurture their passion for bricklaying’ “I’m a point of call where the apprentices can feel supported and in monitoring their progress and having regular reviews, we can see how far they’ve come and focus on helping them with any areas of improvement.”

The apprentices are currently working on the construction of the landmark apartment building on the site of the former Debenhams store in Derby’s Victoria Street, which forms part of the extensive £200m Becketwell regeneration development, as well as going to college one day a week.

Hodgkinson’s will soon train its apprentices in partnership with the

Sophia Jelaca (right) with apprentice Lucas Robinson

National House Building Council (NHBC).

Sophia added: “Through their employment with us, we aim to nurture their passion for bricklaying and teach them the skills and behaviours they need to turn this into a successful and lifelong career.”

About 45% of Federation of Master Builders (FMB) members reported difficulty hiring bricklayers, according to the latest

FMB State of Trade Survey.

The continued lack of skilled labour is putting increasing pressure on builders, with 60% of members reporting delays in jobs.

Ian, who started out as an apprentice, added: “The only way we are ultimately going to solve the skills issues is with apprenticeships. Companies should see it as an investment in their business as they would look to any other sort of investment.”

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PROPERTY

Major investment in ‘golden triangle’

The planned redevelopment of Broadmarsh shopping centre in Nottingham

Investment in the East Midlands’ commercial real estate sector smashed to a record-breaking level of £2.29bn in 2021, according to the region’s annual property review by Innes England.

The figure was almost double that of the previous year and 71% above the five-year average with the industrial market leading the way.

The figures were revealed in the agency’s 15th Market Insite report, which monitors trends in the regional property market, focusing on Leicester, Derby and Nottingham.

Ben Robinson (pictured), head of Innes England’s investment consultancy, said: “The industrial market accounted for more than three-quarters of all transactions, a strong increase on the previous year’s 50% market share and further reinforcing the region’s ‘golden triangle’ reputation.”

But he warned that supply of stock has struggled to keep pace with the strong post-lockdown rebound in investor demand.

“Overall, 2021 was dominated by a large number of deals in the ‘sheds and beds’ space, with office and retail lagging behind,” he added.

ACROSS THE EAST MIDLANDS, THE MARKET INSITE REPORT HIGHLIGHTED: • The region’s distribution market continues to thrive – logistics deals included the sale of Amazon’s one million sq ft warehouse at Bardon, Leicestershire, to Savills IM for £161m • Large sites being developed include East Midlands Gateway near Junction 24, the new £150m global hub for Jaguar Land Rover near Ashby and the continuing expansion of Magna Park near Lutterworth • “Surprising” results in the office take-up sector across the East Midlands, including a 122% jump in Leicester • Nottingham and Derby experienced increased levels of industrial take-up • Commercial real estate investment in Leicestershire rose to £629m in 2021 – almost double the previous year • Investment in Derbyshire more than tripled, reaching heights of £380.5m • Competition for industrial sites in Nottingham soared.

Supply is now a key challenge in the industrial sector, says the report.

Greater Nottingham has a “chronic” lack of supply as levels almost halved at year end to 434,000 sq ft, with 50% of that under offer.

Industrial availability in Derby dropped from 364,000 sq ft in 2020 to just over 200,000 sq ft, with no buildings above 30,000 sq ft ready to occupy on the market.

Leicestershire’s supply remains

broadly the same as 2020 at 3.2m sq ft.

In office take-up, Leicester recorded a jump from 193,000 sq ft to 429,000 sq ft, up 122%; Nottingham’s increased by nearly 20%, from 295,000 sq ft to 352,000 sq ft, and Derby recorded a 43% rise from 156,000 sq ft to 224,000 sq ft.

The report says the office market is at an interesting stage, with the

start of a possible strategic change in the need for offices and how that will affect demand and supply regionally.

The food sector, local shopping and destination retailing will continue to perform well. But Innes England managing director Matt Hannah warned that 2022, could be “the year of the squeeze” as inflation hit a 30-year high in January at 5.5% and anticipated sales growth is at 3.3%.

However, he pointed to success stories in all three cities, such as Frasers Group taking 127,000 sq ft in the Derbion Centre; a £168m extension to Leicester’s Fosse Park now open and the city’s railway station having a £17m facelift.

And he hailed the planned transformation of Nottingham’s half-demolished Broadmarsh shopping centre. Matt added: “This is a generational opportunity to develop 20 acres to suit the demands of a modern city. Lots of city centres across the globe would love to have such a significant opportunity to bring forward relevant and exciting new space.”

New buildings in store for the East Midlands Construction work has begun on two speculative Grade A warehouse developments in the East Midlands.

Investor Urban Logistics REIT and developer Wilson Bowden Developments are working with commercial property agency FHP Property Consultants to pre-let a 166,000 sq ft four-unit scheme at the Blenheim Industrial Estate, in Nottingham, and a 43,850sq ft unit in Leicester, located off the A46 and Junction 21 of the M1.

Both are expected to be completed by the end of next month. The Nottingham development, which has the potential to create up to 200 jobs, comprises warehouses measuring 18,000 sq ft, 24,000 sq ft, 43,000 sq ft and 81,000 sq ft.

Commenting on the Nottingham project, FHP director John Proctor said: “This scheme will provide much-needed Grade A warehouse space to Junction 26 of the M1. The current level of supply of existing warehouse space is close to zero, which has provided Urban Logistics with the confidence to build these units speculatively.”

Fellow director Tim Gilbertson, who is overseeing the Leicester development, added: “Leicester and its environs is a terrifically strong market and this new-build unit of more than 40,000 sq ft should go extremely well given the strength of demand in the marketplace and the number of enquiries we continue to receive.”

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From left: FHP associate director Chris Proctor, Urban Logistics development director John Barker and M1 Agency commercial surveyor Toby Wilson on site at Blenheim Industrial Estate in Nottingham

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PROPERTY

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MOTORING

McHappy in a McLaren Following on from last month’s Ferrari test, motoring journalist Nick Jones tries one of the main supercar rivals, the McLaren 720S, over a week.

McLaren is a relatively new name to charm our roads, being more synonymous with the global sport that is known as Formula 1 than the M1.

It all started back in the day with a few models that commanded huge sums of money to own, but recently the 650S brought the name to the masses and showrooms with supercar looks and price tags.

That version has been replaced with the 720S here, a lightweight mid-engined supercar with a carbon fibre chassis and mainly carbon in the body.

It’s light – at 1420kg, it weighs around the same as an ordinary family hatchback – but that’s where the similarities end.

Power comes from a four-litre twin turbo V8 that drives the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic gearbox that can be manually controlled with paddle shifts on the steering wheel.

It’s faster than last month’s Ferrari 488, and even quicker than the Lamborghini Huracán on the road and track.

It uses clever “active aerodynamics” that utilises various wings and ducts to aid high-speed grip and stability.

The brakes are huge too – large carbon ceramics with big callipers to slow it down from break-neck speeds.

I do like the variable drift control it has which, when

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FACTFILE MODEL McLaren 720S

PRICE OTR £221,800

PERFORMANCE Top speed: 212mph 0-60 mph: 2.8 seconds

CO2 EMISSIONS 249g/km

COMBINED MPG 23.1 mpg

POWER 710 horsepower

WOW FACTOR 11/10 you accelerate hard out of corners, makes the car slide in (relative) safety.

Internally, it’s extremely comfortable like no other supercar, with good visibility, and you don’t feel claustrophobic.

It has plenty of glass, which eliminates potential blind-spots and, unlike the Ferrari with its buttons and switches all over the wheel, the McLaren has none. It has a very minimal readout for the revs and speed too, kind of like the view you get from a driver’s perspective in an F1 car.

The screaming engine on full chat is magnificent, and on low speed those twin turbos really do “whoosh” around you.

Love this car – it’s packed full of technology and doesn’t disappoint. But for me, given the choice, it would have to be the Ferrari. Just.

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INFORMATION

Why it could be the perfect time to tell your story

By Christopher Lomas (pictured), owner of Southwell-based ghostwriting service Lomas Editorial

IS IT TIME TO TELL YOUR STORY? You have a story that only you can tell. Your lived experiences, your struggles and your triumphs are uniquely yours. And now, with self-publishing breaking down so many barriers, it’s easier than ever to tell your story and share the lessons you’ve learned about love, life, work and identity in a book of your own.

With the themes of diversity and inclusion in mind, I’d like to get you thinking about your own story. Is this the time to finally write your memoir, biography or business book? There are probably just as many reasons for writing a story as there are stories to be told, but I’d like to focus on four in particular. See if one of them strikes a chord with you.

GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY For some, writing their story feels like a responsibility to themselves and others. Many of my clients who have felt under-represented wanted to communicate the lessons they’ve learned to help and inspire people. For the men and women who have suffered prejudice, trauma or hardship, their book is their chance to reach out and help others living through similar difficulties.

NOTHING IS QUITE SO CATHARTIC AS TELLING YOUR STORY Writers usually find the experience of telling their story to be deeply cathartic. For people who have suffered the indignity of being marginalised, ignored or mistreated, writing is a powerful way to regain agency. People often feel liberated after speaking their truths. For some, their book is the end of one chapter of their lives, leaving them ready to embark on a new chapter.

THERE ISN’T ANOTHER STORY QUITE LIKE YOURS I’ve worked with many people who’ve told me: “I wanted to read a book that reflected my

experience, my background and my issues, but there wasn’t one… so I had to write my own.” As reasons for writing go, that one’s hard to beat and it’s a great motivator. Your story can genuinely be the first of its kind.

Your story can engage a community of readers who have never been addressed before.

BRING GREATER VISIBILITY AND UNDERSTANDING TO YOU, YOUR BRAND AND YOUR COMPANY The trick in writing persuasive business books is to write them in such a way that they don’t feel like conventional business books at all. Presenting your story in the right way can give your client base an unparalleled understanding of who you are, and why you do what you do, all without imparting a single sales message.

THREE ESSENTIAL WRITING TIPS If you’re already feeling inspired by one or more of the reasons above, then I’d say you’re ready to tell your story.

These tips should help: 1. Think small to begin with.

It’s all too easy to lose focus and feel like you need to say everything. Instead, think about the key themes or incidents you want to convey, and plan around them.

2. Who is the audience for your book? Always write with them in mind. That will help you retain the right tone of voice for your readers.

3. Remember, your first draft won’t be perfect, and that’s okay. Just give yourself plenty of time to review, edit, re-edit and edit some more. That’s where the magic happens.

If you’d like to join us, please contact Amanda on 07715 078 789 or at amanda.mcfarlane@vistablind.org.uk for your invitation and the meeting link. www.vistablind.org.uk Registered Charity No. 218992

March 2022 business network 101

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COMMENT

THE LAST WORD Chamber president and Futures Housing Group chief executive LINDSEY WILLIAMS explains why equity is a crucial part of the EDI agenda. his month’s magazine centres around equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) – a topic that’s been the subject of much discussion and, I’m pleased to say, action in my own organisation over the past year or so.

I’m also writing this not long after the Government published its Levelling Up White Paper. On the surface, these two issues might seem distinct, but they are absolutely connected.

For me, EDI is not about focusing on what makes each of us different – but instead thinking and acting in ways that level the playing field for everyone.

In some ways, equity is a better word than equality. Surely we want everyone to have the same chance to contribute or participate, and that means sometimes we have to recognise that some of us start from a different place.

You’ve probably seen this image already but I think it explains the concept really well.

T

There’s a strong parallel here with the levelling up agenda. And now we know in much more detail what that means for Government, and where it intends to focus its energy and direct resources to help provide the “boxes” for parts of the country that have struggled to “see over the fence”.

The Levelling Up White Paper will provide lots of opportunities for our region and the Chamber will be leading the way in helping us move forward on that front.

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MAKING OUR BUSINESSES MORE EQUITABLE There’s also a lot we can already do as leaders to make a start on our own turf.

Strong social responsibility programmes can make a huge difference to our communities.

They may also generate returns by creating more resilient, resourceful and engaged communities that in turn support our businesses.

We can look beyond the legal protections in place to safeguard the rights of different people and invest in making our organisations more equitable for everyone.

‘We can design our organisations to comply with the law but are there subtle things at play we may not be aware of’ While someone’s gender or ethnicity may be apparent at first sight, many more points of difference may sit below the surface.

Disability, for example, isn’t always obvious.

Dyslexia is really prevalent – affecting up to one in 10 people in the UK. How many of us even know how many of our employees face this or similar challenges, and have simply learned ways of adapting?

Is there more we could or should do to recognise conditions like this, and ensure we do all we can to minimise any disadvantage we may have unwittingly designed into our organisations?

What about sexual orientation or gender identity too? Again, this may not be apparent – someone may not be clear about their own status or want to be put in a neat category.

We can design our organisations to comply with the law but are there subtle things at play we may not be aware of that are actually getting in the way?

I think a good place to start is to create an environment where people feel psychologically safe in our organisations to talk about issues they feel do get in their way.

And, of course, to make this meaningful, we need to be open and proactive in showing we take concerns seriously and are prepared to act.

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER While recognising the diversity within our region, we are all united at the same time in that our geography, history and regional economics set us apart from other parts of the UK. Some factors, such as the loss of parts of our industrial and manufacturing heritage or reductions in public transport, present challenges to all communities that hinder growth and wellbeing.

We need levelling up to live up to its promise, and provide both investment and autonomy to help us support both businesses and individuals to compete on a level playing field with the rest of the country, and to thrive.

Recently, I chaired my first president’s roundtable on the theme of levelling up, and it was great to see how much commitment there is to deliver more equality and opportunity in our region.

I believe the white paper will give us a platform to capitalise on this and ensure the East Midlands is equipped not just to look over that fence, but to push it aside.

ENTERPRISING WOMEN LANDMARK TO CELEBRATE This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Enterprising Women network. I’ve been proud to be associated with it for many years and that Futures Housing Group remains a headline sponsor of its awards.

This year’s programme launches in March and what better way to take another step towards tackling gender equality than by putting in your nominations for the annual Enterprising Women Awards. Reviewing so many inspiring entries each year makes it abundantly clear we have a lot to shout about.

We also have our Celebration of Culture and Communities event on 24 March, which I hope you’ll all embrace as another opportunity to stand up and be counted when it comes to showing your support for equity for all our communities.

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3. Biz Network MARCH 2022 75-104.qxp_Chamberlink 28/02/2022 12:27 Page 104

Celebrating 150 years of pioneering service Davies Turner is one of the UK's leading freight forwarder and logistics organisations, with 21 branches throughout the country. With a warehouse capacity of over 1,000,000 square metres and a network of overseas partners, you can be assured of a fantastic service. With ISO 9001 accreditation too and a UK-wide collection and delivery service that fuels an annual turnover of over £145 million, Davies Turner are flexible experts in logistics, storage and supply chain management solutions. Anything from courier to overland can be tackled, as well as freight by sea and air, with IT support in the form of in-house management systems and the latest WMS software, ensuring security and safety.