energy prices, rapid inflation, spiralling interest rates, a dwindling labour pool and freefalling pound – the list of hurdles facing businesses right now is extraordinary.
For months, the Chamber has been highlighting how the cost-of-living crisis and cost-ofdoing business crisis are two sides of the same coin. Our firms are being hit left, right and centre by cost pressures from energy, people, fuel and raw materials.
It’s unsustainable and is illustrated perhaps most starkly by the latest Office for National Statistics figures showing that while Consumer Prices Index inflation was 9.9% in August, Producer Price Inflation was a near-record high of 20.5%. Companies have been trying to absorb these costs as much as possible, but six in 10 East Midlands businesses now tell us they expect to be forced into putting up their own prices in the coming months.
In this issue of Business Network, we take a closer look at the current economic situation with the help of some of the professional services firms within Chamber membership. In our big interview (p29), Kevin Harris, Leicester office managing partner at RSM UK and incoming chair of the Chamber board, says the multitude and combination of issues facing businesses make the past two-and-a-half years the most challenging period he has ever witnessed.
Senior leaders from wealth management firm Mattioli Woods, law firm Freeths and Barclays Corporate Banking discuss how businesses are responding to the various challenges in our focus feature (p60). While it’s clear times are tough, one of their overriding messages is there are long-term opportunities for businesses, whether it’s in making their operations more efficient, adapting their offer to employees or re-evaluating where their business is at. It’s also keenly felt that the East Midlands is in a great place to grasp many of these opportunities.
Just before publication, the new Government administration led by Liz Truss unveiled its “Growth Plan” to combat many of the issues mentioned. You can read our position on this in our politics section (p54), which also features an explainer of the Derbyshire-Nottinghamshire devolution deal, while we comment on Ms Truss’ Energy Bill Relief Scheme on p36.
The final note from us at the Chamber is to reflect on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Among her many roles in seven decades of unwavering public service, she was a friend to the business community as patron of the British Chambers of Commerce, and we send our deepest sympathies to the Royal Family and the rest of our nation.
Dan Robinson, Editor, Business NetworkKemps 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.
Publishers Kemps Publishing Ltd
Unit 8, The Courtyard, 707 Warwick Road, Solihull, B91 3DA
T: 0121 765 4144
w: www.kempspublishing.co.uk
Managing Editor Laura Blake
T: 0121 765 4144
E: laura.blake@kempspublishing.co.uk
Designer Lloyd Hollingworth
Advertising
T: 0121 765 4144
E: jon.jones@kempspublishing.co.uk
Printers Warners (Midlands) plc
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) must not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format without prior written permission of Kemps Publishing Ltd.
4MEMBER NEWS
East Midlands businesses remain robust
26APPOINTMENTS
Law firm welcomes operations development manager
29 Kevin Harris, new Chamber chair
Purpose Media secures royal appointment
36CHAMBER NEWS
Truss energy plan welcomed – but more certainty is needed
50 Innovative partnership to continue
52 Opportunities available in Kosovo
54 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire take step towards devolution
56HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE
Prioritising workplace mental health beyond the pandemic
58 Six tips for maintaining wellbeing
60FOCUS FEATURE
The rising costs of doing business
67ENTERPRISE & INNOVATION
Creativity in the workplace
69 Switching on to the benefits of innovation in business
73 Energy Summit to discuss clean growth
74 How the Digital Upscaler project can help you
76LEGAL
Moving to employee ownership trusts
78FINANCE
HMRC’s R&D tax relief enquiries explained
80SKILLS
High praise for LLEP Careers Hub
82PROPERTY
Site sold for affordable housing
84MOTORING
Nick Jones tests the Cupra Born
85INFORMATION
School’s improvement led by survey
86THE LAST WORD
Chamber president Lindsey Williams reflects on the current economic challenges
East Midlands businesses accounted for just 4% of administrations in the first six months of the year – the joint third lowest region in the UK –according to analysis by law firm Shakespeare Martineau.
More than 620 businesses, 28 of which came from the East Midlands, filed for administration between 1 January and 30 June 2022, marking a 60% increase compared to 2021. Construction, manufacturing and retail were the sectors worst hit, accounting for 40% of administrations.
“However, the headwinds are still of concern and the East Midlands is far from immune from economic challenges such as inflation, interest rate rises and skills shortages. With this in mind, it continues to be vital that business leaders seek early advice on cash flow and trading positions to avoid falling victim to sustained pressure.”
While administrations nationally are still yet to hit pre-Covid levels –there were 940 in the first six months of 2019 – recession fears and the financial pressure on households and businesses means the worst is still yet to come, an insolvency and restructuring expert has warned.
Greater London led the way with 22% of the filings, followed by the South East (17%) and North West (15%). The East Midlands sat in sixth place alongside Scotland and Wales, data from The Gazette Official Public Record has revealed.
Duncan James, partner and regional head of Shakespeare Martineau in the East Midlands, said: “The East Midlands placing so low in the rankings shows how robust the region is, which is likely due to the diverse nature of business types – with many major international players, British household brands and innovative start-ups situated here.
Andy Taylor, partner and head of restructuring at Shakespeare Martineau, added: “Administrations were suppressed during Covid due to the introduction of numerous measures, such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the subsequent Recovery Loan Scheme and a general prohibition on many forms of enforcement.
“Businesses are facing numerous headwinds – from inflation and interest rises to the challenging political landscape at home and further afield. There are a lot of businesses with endemic problems they have been sitting on for months and, in some cases, years. If things continue as they are, we expect to see an increase in business failures as they attempt to address their underlying issues and battle tough trading conditions.”
Shakespeare Martineau has launched a new food and drink sector group to provide a full-service legal offering to support the industry, which is valued at more than £100bn.
Offering tailored advice and a one-stopshop to the food and drink market, the group covers commercial, employment, corporate and real estate law, alongside intellectual property, business immigration, landlord and tenant disputes, commercial disputes, food regulatory and uninsured loss recovery advice. The firm has launched the group to support the food and drink industry at a time when it is facing multiple challenges following Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic.
Matt McDonald (pictured), partner and food and drink sector lead at Shakespeare Martineau, which has offices in Nottingham and Leicester, said: “Working in food and drink is different from many other commercial enterprises – it is highly competitive and brings with it a plethora of ever-evolving industry-specific regulatory regimes, taxation considerations, and technological and logistical challenges.”
Nottingham-based My HR Hub is expanding its existing work with the charitable and non-profit sector with a drive to provide accessible HR services to charities.
In a world where HR is becoming increasingly complex and business costs are rising faster than ever, My HR Hub is seeking to help charities and non-profits with both problems via the provision of low-cost, remote HR support via its My HR Club service.
Founder and director Rebecca Bull said: “Our team’s values align
very much with the charitable and not-for-profit sector, and we have loved supporting a number of wonderful local charities and nonprofits that are carrying out truly inspiring work in their communities.
“Every day, we see the increasing burden of employment law, the challenge of attracting and retaining great employees, as well as the general cost of running an organisation increasing and the impact it is having on businesses, charities and non-profits up and down the country.
“Our business model will allow us to support more charities and non-profits – no matter their size or budget – with the choice between low-cost HR support through My HR Club, or more traditional outsourced HR consultancy through My HR Hub.”
Carl Wakeman OBE, director of Nottingham-based charity Imara, which supports victims of child sexual abuse, said it was
“reassuring to have guidance and advice from an organisation with HR skills and expertise”.
‘Businesses are facing numerous headwinds – from inflation and interest rises to the challenging political landscape at home and further afield’Andy Taylor
Staff who have worked at an East Midlands law firm for more than 200 years between them have been praised for their loyalty after they were given long-service awards.
Ten employees at Smith Partnership were recognised at a special ceremony held at the firm’s headquarters in Friar Gate, Derby, in August.
They work across the company’s offices in Derby, Leicester, Burton, Swadlincote and Stoke, and have each worked for either 20, 25 or 30 years. Among them were two employees with 30 years’ service, legal secretary Paula Ward and Andrew Hambleton, who joined the company not long after it formed in 1991 and are based in its debt recovery department.
Andrew said: “It was a very pleasant feeling to have been recognised for long service and for showing such a commitment to the firm, but I do really enjoy the work I do, not least because it’s always very busy.”
Also receiving awards were Adele Mosley, Jo Plant and Lorraine Horton, who have completed 25 years’ service, and legal secretaries Sheema Gohil, Sanjeev Siniara, Jo Banfield, criminal clerk James Lamming and High Court advocate Vaz Vaitha, who have all reached their 20-year anniversary.
There is a growing gap between what people have – and what is considered to be – a decent standard of living, caused in part by the cost-of-living crisis.
That’s according to the annual update of the Minimum Income Standard (MIS), based on research by Loughborough University’s Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP).
It found millions of people risk falling well short of this standard, which is calculated based on what the public think is needed for an acceptable standard of living.
The gap between incomes and MIS is particularly stark for workingage families without children who receive out-of-work benefits.
Even when factoring in the Government’s cost-of-living support, the income available to a single adult without children after taxes and rent is only 32% of MIS and 29% of MIS for a couple without children.
A couple with two children, where both adults receive out-ofwork benefits, reaches around half of MIS when factoring in the Government’s cost-of-living support. A single parent with two children who receives out-of-work benefits can reach 54% of MIS.
While the situation is better for families in work, earning the National Living Wage (NLW) doesn’t guarantee a decent standard of living.
Abigail Davis (pictured, inset), co-director of CRSP and one of the report’s authors, said: “This report captures and reflects the challenging and changing times we are in.”
Overall, a single person would need to earn £25,500 a year to be able to reach MIS and ensure a decent standard of living.
This is well above earnings of just £18,600 working full-time on the NLW. A couple with two children would need to earn £43,400 between
The awards were presented by Kevin McGrath, managing partner of Smith Partnership, who said: “Staff are at the very heart of any successful company and these long service awards are testament to the commitment and loyalty that our employees show us. In particular, to have reached 30 years, as Andrew
and Paula have, is an incredible achievement.
“Both will have seen a huge amount of changes in both the company and the way we do business, and it’s remarkable to think they have both been with Smith Partnership since almost the very beginning.”
them per year to fully reach MIS, but will only have earnings of £37,200 if both parents work full-time on the NLW.
Abigail added: “What is clear this year is that in the face of significant social, economic and political uncertainty, the public’s views on what constitutes an acceptable minimum still emphasise the importance and value of being able to feel part of the world around you.
"As prices continue to rise well ahead of incomes, the reality is that more and more people are going to be focused on survival – keeping a roof over their heads, putting food on the table, and keeping their homes warm – and will fall well short of reaching this minimum living standard.”
‘Staff are at the very heart of any successful company’From left: Kevin McGrath, Paula Ward, James Lamming, Vaz Vaitha, Andrew Hambleton, Sheema Gohil, Christine Watkins and Jo Banfield
Jewellery business CW Sellors has secured £1.5m in investment to expand its design and manufacturing centre.
The Ashbourne-based family business has secured funds from MEIF Maven Debt Finance, via the Recovery Loan Scheme. The debt fund is part of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF), which is managed by Maven Capital Partners.
Tax specialists from Leicesterbased WestBridge Group advised on the sale of a 22acre unit on Stephenson Industrial Estate, in Coalville, to one of the UK’s largest wholesale used vehicle suppliers.
The site was sold by The Fleet Auction Group to Motability Operations, which will develop the space into a vehicle conditioning centre, doubling its existing capacity to assess and refurbish vehicles.
It will be operated by IT Fleet, one of Motability’s vehicle refurbishment partners, and up to 25,000 vehicles will be refurbished on the site each year and sold via the business’ remarketing arm, mfldirect. Motability expects its investment in the site will be a long-term commitment and will generate new jobs.
Tax advice on the transaction was provided by Tom Moore and Lucas Harding-Cox from WestBridge Tax, part of The WestBridge Group.
Tom said: “We are delighted to have supported this transaction, which was significant for both parties and will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the local economy going forward.”
Fleet Auction Group chairman Martin Betts added: “Bringing Motability Operations to Coalville, to create a state-of-the-art vehicle conditioning centre, will leave a lasting legacy and be a positive contribution to the regeneration of the local area.”
Along with the expansion of its facilities, the funds will also help the business increase its sales and marketing activity.
Founded in 1979, CW Sellors has managed to establish a successful online presence along with a good reputation as a retailer of jewellery and luxury watches across Derbyshire and Yorkshire.
It plans to use the funding to expand its design and manufacturing centres with a new facility in Carsington, Derbyshire, which will also include a boutique jewellery store, exhibition space,
tours for visitors, and a café for refreshments. New jobs will be created in its manufacturing and design teams.
Richard Altoft, investment director for Maven, said: “This is a really exciting time for CW Sellors and the expansion of their design and manufacturing centre could see a continuing number of prosperous years ahead for the business. Following an introduction from Midlands Asset Finance, we are delighted to be able to support the business through this key growth stage.”
In addition to its new building
project, CW Sellors will use the funding to boost its marketing and sales activity, strengthening the promotion, advertising and branding of its products to reach a wider audience and increase visitors to its stores.
Chris Laud, head of finance at CW Sellors, added: “It has been a pleasure to work with Maven at this important time in the development of our business. Raising finance can be a difficult and often quite painful process, but Richard was very supportive and, in the end, the whole experience was very straightforward.”
TSB is boosting customers’ access to cash in Nottingham with the creation of a new cash kiosk in the Victoria Centre, as part of a pilot scheme in collaboration with shared banking innovator OneBanks Hub.
TSB already operates a pop-up service in the Victoria Centre where customers can access a range of services such as making payments, getting help with products and services, and assistance with bereavements.
The bank is enhancing this offering by installing a OneBanks Hub transaction terminal in the kiosk, enabling TSB customers to withdraw and deposit cash.
It gives TSB customers access to their accounts on the open banking network, using the TSB cash kiosk app. Customers needing assistance to use the service will be supported by a TSB mobile money confidence expert.
Director of branch banking Carol Anderson said: “We are committed to delivering face-to-face local services through our national branch network and in new locations like this TSB cash kiosk. We know accessing banking services and cash remains important to many customers, and we’re always looking for innovative ways to help them. This pilot will assess demand for this new service, providing insight on what more we can do for customers in the future.”
Tom Moore‘The expansion of their design and manufacturing centre could see a continuing number of prosperous years ahead for the business’CW Sellors jewellery on display The Victoria Centre in Nottingham will host the cash kiosk
Scenariio has transformed the offices of LKAB Minerals to make it one of the smartest buildings in the East Midlands.
LKAB Minerals is internationally active in the minerals market and holds a leading position within a number of product applications. It is part of LKAB, a Swedish stateowned company and one of the world’s leading producers of highly upgraded iron ore products, producing close to 27 million tonnes of iron ore products.
Based in the heart of Derby’s industrial cluster in Raynesway, LKAB was keen to bring its offices up to modern standards by improving the site as a place to work, focused on employee wellbeing.
Russell Webster, operations director at Scenariio, said: “We are pleased the team at LKAB Minerals has allowed us to deliver a smart building that puts sustainability and
wellbeing at the heart of its operations. This project is a great example of how combining high quality infrastructure and smart building technology delivers outstanding results and is an exemplar for our region.”
Sir Jonathan Van-TamThe University of Nottingham’s Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam has been recognised for the critical communications role he played during the Covid-19 pandemic with a prestigious award by the Royal Society.
Prof Van-Tam, who is now provice chancellor for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences after leaving his role as the UK deputy chief medical officer (DCMO) earlier this year, will receive the Attenborough Award and Lecture, awarded annually by the society for outstanding public engagement in science.
During the pandemic, he received international acclaim for his ability to explain complex Covid-related issues, including transmission risks and the importance of vaccines using
Scenariio proposed a smart lighting solution of 120 lights that would deliver key data metrics alongside state-of-the-art AV and office connectivity equipment, delivered with its partner Coodart.
The smart engine lighting system, which uses power over ethernet (PoE) technology to control LED light fittings, enables LKAB to reduce energy consumption by up to 90%
compared to its previous lighting.
The use of PoE also helps reduce the carbon footprint of the project due to reduced delivery times and a faster installation compared to traditional lighting.
The smart building also contains 184 sensors that monitor occupancy, temperature, humidity and CO2 levels, alongside power consumption and motion. This is all done in real time to facilitate a better working environment and
enable space planning to be at an informed, evidence-based level.
Samantha Bucknall, UK group performance manager at LKAB Minerals, said “The Scenariio team is very professional, knowledgeable and easy to work with, which has helped to make the project such a success. As we move forward, we expect to bring the technology implemented in Derby to future refurbishments.”
Hiring intentions among UK businesses remain strong despite a turbulent outlook across output and inflation, according to the latest Business Trends report from accountancy and business advisory firm BDO.
The BDO employment index soared to 114.79 in July, up by 0.23 points from the previous month to reach its highest level since January 2019.
creative – often sports-based –analogies during the regular televised Downing Street press conferences.
He said: “I feel very humbled to have been chosen by the society because so many UK scientists do really great work making science accessible to the public.
“I am passionate about people from all walks of life and backgrounds, being able to engage with science in a way that meets their needs and allows them in turn to benefit from science discoveries in their daily lives.
“There is no better example than the Covid-19 vaccines, which have literally allowed our society to reopen after a devastating pandemic – but it is always our job as scientists to meet the public at their point of need and understanding.”
Staff shortages heightened by Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic have driven a buoyant labour market as firms push hard to recruit. This can be seen in the unemployment rate, which stood at 3.6% nationally and 2.8% for the East Midlands in the three months to June.
However, BDO’s inflation index shows no sign of slowing, reaching a further record high of 118.72. Growth was driven by increases across both the input inflation and consumer inflation indices, with the former recording its highest ever reading of 121.19 due to a weakening currency, supply side shortages and significant supply chain disruption.
This tough inflationary environment and the threat of a recession look to diminish employers’ hiring intentions towards the end of this year, mirroring the trend of decline that was seen by the employment index during the 2008 financial crisis.
Kyla Bellingall (pictured), partner and head of the Midlands at BDO LLP, said: “Reports of a less optimistic outlook are by no means surprising as the economy now faces the prospect of a recession towards the end of the year.
“Despite the current hiring activity, we’re likely to see demand for labour and the employment index decline later in the year, with employers devoting their resources to managing inflation, interest rate rises, and ever-growing energy costs.”
‘A smart building that puts sustainability and wellbeing at the heart of its operations’
The University of Nottingham has launched a new service for bringing meetings, events and hotel stays under one brand.
Nottingham Venues was launched at a July summer party, held at the East Midlands Conference Centre, in the university’s Jubilee Campus.
More than 150 guests heard from general manager Tom Waldron-Lynch about plans for the future, driven by sustainability and a £2m refurbishment project completed just prior to the pandemic.
The rebrand brings the Orchard Hotel, Jubilee Hotel and Conferences, Hugh Stewart Manor House, Campus Venues and East Midlands Conference Centre under one roof – employing almost 200 people collectively.
Tom said: “We’re standing on our own, proud to be who we are, where we are. The name says it all. We’re very proud of our history and heritage, and also our ownership in terms of the University of Nottingham and its fantastic support.
“Ten years ago, The Orchard Hotel changed the dynamic of what Nottingham could offer in terms of conferencing and events. That change
allowed us to attract a lot of people from outside the city, region and UK to our venues and to Nottingham. The more recent addition of the Jubilee Hotel and Conferences has added even greater depth to that offering.
“We have a fantastic heritage but also a hugely exciting future ahead of us, driven by sustainable practices and with a focus on creating local jobs, local partnerships and driving
the economy in the city, the county and across the region.
“None of this would have been possible without the fantastic support of the superb team we have here, especially the staff who worked right throughout the pandemic and the team behind what we call ‘project fusion’, which led the transition to where we are today as Nottingham Venues.”
‘A focus on creating local jobs, local partnerships and driving the economy in the city the county and across the region’Tom Waldron-Lynch and guest ‘Robin Hood’ at the Nottingham Venues launch event
The acquisition was backed by funding from SME Capital, and supported by fellow Nottingham companies HSKSG and Actons Solicitors.
As one of the founding shareholders, Shane has taken the business from strength to strength over the years, with the hardware solutions provider one of the fastest-growing firms in the sector.
The company, which started with just four employees in 2014, now boasts 21 people with more than 200 clients across six continents and various industries, as well as a £4.5m annual turnover.
Shane said: “I am absolutely delighted with this outcome. We have worked tirelessly to get PLM Global to the stage it is at today. With our experienced and strong-skilled board of directors, I have every faith that we will progress further.”
Wayne Swallow will take on the role of chairman after being a non-executive director at the company for the past two years. He holds 30 years’ experience in retail technology and logistics, in roles including managing director of Htec and IT director of Nisa.
Rob Alcock has been promoted to sales director, Leroy Stratford is the new head of finance and Matt Leary is the operations manager.
Employers are invited to take part in the latest edition of Loughborough Talent Match and tap into young talent emerging from the East Midlands.
Loughborough University’s annual scheme is designed to help SMEs, both regionally and nationwide, to gain access to its students, harnessing their skills and expertise for shortterm projects and resourcing.
It offers an opportunity to bring a student into the business, using their skillset and desire to create an impact in order to add value to the organisation.
The university also offers free recruitment support to ensure a stress-free service, ranging from advertising roles on its careers portal to sifting through applications. There are also potential funding opportunities for SMEs.
The programme includes two streams – microinternships and finalist internships – both of which are planned to get short-term support on a project or piece of work from students.
Micro-internships, which are aimed at first and second-year students, involve 50 hours of work placements across four to eight weeks.
These are fully funded by the university, which suggests offering the students further opportunities within the business, such as part-time work or summer placements, should they impress.
The University of Nottingham has awarded more than £3.8m in funding to four Midlands-based SMEs as part of its aerospace unlocking potential (UP) programme.
Designed to help smaller companies develop new technologies and solutions to make aviation greener, the £20m Aerospace UP programme is being delivered by the university and Midlands Aerospace Alliance (MAA). It is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and Midlands Engine.
The programme not only provides funding for projects but also offers SMEs with unique access to industry experts, academic support, and facilities that might otherwise have been unattainable.
Professor Pat Wheeler, head of power electronics in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham, said: “We are very excited to open the university up to businesses at this critical time where
the industry has been affected by three waves of disruption – Brexit, Covid and climate change.”
Skyfarer, Assemtron, KITAU Robotics and Holscot Fluoropolymers now join more than 200 other companies from across the region that have benefited from the scheme, which is due to run until summer 2023.
Between them, the innovative companies represent the diversity of the broader aerospace industry, with the chosen projects working towards simplifying sensor data processing to make companies more efficient, saving lives by making drones accessible in remote communities, automating airport cleaning, and enabling satellites to be refilled in orbit.
Andrew Mair, chief executive of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the University of Nottingham to deliver Aerospace UP support to Midlands SMEs.”
Finalist internships, aimed at final-year students or graduates, last for 140 hours across four weeks – or 35 hours per week – and are part-funded by the university. These roles should be suitable for graduate entry level.
Businesses have until the end of October to register for the programme. For more information, contact Employer.Services@lboro.ac. uk or visit www.lboro.ac.uk/ services/careers/employers/ lborotalentmatch
Nottingham-based PLM Global is under new management, with Shane Watson being appointed CEO and majority shareholder. From left: Andrew Mair, chief executive of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance; Samantha Cowley, director of Holscot Fluoropolymers Ltd; and Professor Pat Wheeler, of the University of Nottingham Photography by Alex Wilkinson Media Shane Watson (left) and Wayne SwallowDerby-based specialist contractor Cawarden has made substantial strides in reducing its carbon emissions – achieving a 67% reduction overall so far.
The reduction has been achieved in just 10 months following an emissions audit and the successful trial of a new eco fuel, Green D + HVO, which is hydrotreated vegetable oil.
The fossil-free, paraffinic fuel is made from 100% renewable raw materials, including waste fats and vegetable oils, making it a more sustainable and environmentallyfriendly alternative to diesel.
Based on the success of the initial trial last year, a phased transition and roll-out of HVO across Cawarden’s extensive fleet of excavators and site machinery has been taking place.
HVO has the potential to eliminate up to 90% of net carbon dioxide compared to diesel and without any modifications to existing engines. It also significantly reduces nitrogen oxide, particulate matter and carbon monoxide emissions. The initiative is part of Cawarden’s de-carbonisation journey and supports clients in reducing the carbon footprint of their projects.
Quality director Jonathan Groves said: “To put it into context, we’ve saved the equivalent emissions of 94 single flights to Sy dney, Australia – or 1,072 metric tonnes of carbon –so far. It’s enormous progress in such a short amount of time.
“Through our De-Carbonisation Project partnership with the University of Derby, Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council, which we joined in 2020, we have a clear road map, recording and monitoring regime for our net-zero journey. The rollout of HVO and achievements in reducing our greenhouse gas
emissions is a major step forward –and it will complement other initiatives we have in the pipeline to decarbonise the business.”
The Environment Agency, which introduced Cawarden to the DeCarbonisation Project partnership, was invited to its South Derbyshire demolition site.
Victoria Prowse, regulated industry officer at the Environment Agency, said: “Cawarden has made a significant step forward in its decarbonisation journey, and it was great to learn more about and see first-hand how it is decarbonising their day-to-day operations.”
Chesterfield-based BRM Solicitors completed more than 800 plot sales, exceeding £100m in value, in the 12 months to July.
Its plot sales team was specifically recruited in June 2019, in advance of large-scale instructions from several regional developers, based on business modelling to ensure client needs were met from the outset and not in reaction, as is often the case.
In total, 846 homes were sold during the period, an increase of 38% compared to the previous year, with the average selling price of £156,000. On 30 June alone, the team completed more than 127 deals.
Having already had a busy first half of 2022, the team, headed by BRM director Stuart Taphouse, is predicting more of the same.
BRM head of real estate Adrian Sheehan said: “The success comes on the back of the hard work and organisation of the plot sales team and we are looking forward to more completions in the coming months. The figures speak for themselves, but the positive feedback from our clients is particularly gratifying.”
RedTree PR has opened a new office in Regent Street, Nottingham, and appointed an account director.
The move into its new office lays the foundations for the future growth of the business, which was established by managing director Chris Mitchell in 2013. Since then, the agency has grown to work with a range of clients across the UK, primarily in the education, finance, property and construction sectors.
To support its client base, the company has also appointed Sarah Wilkinson as account director. Sarah will be responsible for developing, and delivering, client PR and content strategies, while
also supporting the growth of RedTree PR.
Sarah joins the business from her previous role as PR and content marketing specialist at Mortgage Advice Bureau and brings with her a wealth of marketing experience from numerous different industries, including travel and tourism, software development and financial services.
Chris said: “Sarah has significant experience that will be perfect for our current clients, future clients and the business as a whole. I am delighted to welcome Sarah to RedTree and I am looking forward to her becoming an integral part of the company over the coming years.”
Chris Mitchell and Sarah Wilkinson Adrian Sheehan
Derby-based Baytree has opened a newly-refurbished showroom, following a £250,000 investment.
The independent luxury and supercar dealer, which was established in 2007, has been based in Chequers Lane for the past nine years.
The investment follows a period of recent growth, which has seen the business more than double its turnover over the past three years.
The works incorporate a full
showroom refurbishment, allowing up to 20 prestige and supercars to be on display at any one time, the inclusion of private dealing rooms, as well as a relaxing reception area.
The project also includes additional storage facilities as the business increases its on-site stock holding of luxury vehicles from 80 to 120.
Co-owner and director Chris McDermott said: “The investment in new facilities marks our ongoing
commitment to our customers in sourcing and showcasing the absolute best in used luxury prestige and supercars on the market and will underpin our growth ambitions over the next five years.
“Not only are we investing in our facilities, but we are also strengthening and growing our team with three key appointments in 2022, following Chris Astle joining as managing director in January.”
A University of Derby student has won a work placement at a company making products used by half the world’s consumers.
Business management student Lydia Turner will spend the third year of her degree working at the UK headquarters of chemistry company Lubrizol in Hazelwood, near Belper in Derbyshire.
The company, which has a workforce of almost 9,000 people worldwide, makes chemical additives that are used in a range of products from shampoo to mobile phone screens to fuel – and it is estimated that around half of the world’s consumers use them.
Lydia, 20, beat off stiff competition to win the coveted work placement, which will see her working in the company’s corporate communications team.
She said: “With my degree I had the option to do a placement over a four-year course rather than completing my studies over three years. This opening was one of around 30 work placements I applied for.
“It’s exciting because this is the first corporate setting I’ve ever been in.
“I’m looking forward to getting started. This experience will be above and beyond what I could have had at university. You can study for a degree, but you can’t learn about the world of work first-hand until you are in it.”
Lydia takes over the role at the company’s creative services team from previous work placement student
Laura Barrie, who will now return to the University of Reading to complete her studies in international business and management having spent a year at Lubrizol.
Her role at Lubrizol has involved a wide range of responsibilities including compiling reports and writing social media updates.
She said: “One of the highlights of my year was getting an email from the CEO of Lubrizol, thanking me for doing a good job, which you definitely don’t expect as a student on a work placement.
“Another highlight has been speaking to so many people in different regions. It’s so valuable to get the chance to speak to so many different people.”
Wirksworth-based Thompson Tree Services has invested in a new machine, bringing it one step closer towards mechanising its abroricultural services.
The Jekko JF545 V-Max crane has an elevated operating height of 30 metres and an outreach of 28 metres.
It is capable of a 15.5-tonne lift, all from a compact size that allows the flexibility to access narrow routes.
It can be set up to be a lifting crane, a grapple saw or a mobile elevating work platform, which gives the company multiple options for carrying out jobs.
As well as the machine, Thompson has invested in the team, providing full training for an operator and appointing an employee to manage the crane so that jobs can be planned and performed safely. The crane and personnel can also be hired out as a contract lift across multiple sectors.
Managing director Jack Thompson said:
“Mechanisation reduces a tree climbers’ exposure to the risks of working at height. We take pride in hiring some of the best arborists the industry has, and we want to take care of them so they can carry out their jobs efficiently and safely.”
The Jekko Laura Barrie and Lydia Turner Baytree’s newly-refurbished showroom in DerbyA Burton charity offering emotional support for victims of sexual abuse is appealing to businesses to help ensure it continue its work after reporting a rise in demand in 2022.
The Sexual Abuse and Rape Advice Centre (SARAC) has launched a new corporate sponsor scheme offering the opportunity for businesses to become involved in the charity.
The centre was formed in 1994 by a group of women who were shocked at the lack of local support for those dealing with the aftermath of sexual abuse during childhood or as adults. Between 2020 and 2021, SARAC helped 218 adults plus 83 children and young people.
Catherine Miles, CEO of SARAC, said: “Our charity offers a vital service to help people carry on with their lives after suffering the acute trauma of sexual-related assault. We want to be there to offer our services to anyone who needs them.”
Chamber members and supporters of Derby Kids’ Camp visited the site to see for themselves the impact the charity has on hundreds of disadvantaged children each year.
Penguin PR account manager Kerry Ganly and Paul Taylor, of YMCA Derbyshire, joined employees from educational supplies company Cosy, which is patron of the charity, for a tour of the campsite. They also met volunteers and children.
The camp also welcomed LordLieutenant of Derbyshire Elizabeth Fothergill CBE and Deputy Lieutenant Brell Ewart over the summer, as well as representatives from Derby City Council, Trent
Community Chesterfield is extending its free training offering to volunteers, students and community groups throughout Derbyshire.
As a partnership between Derbyshire Voluntary Action and the University of Derby, Community Chesterfield aims to strengthen the voluntary sector by creating opportunities for the university and community to learn together.
The lottery-funded project has provided 2,271 hours of training so far to Chesterfield-based professionals, and is welcoming back trainer Andrew Deighton from AWD Development Solutions to run the next cohort of “training and tea” sessions, which will now be available across the county.
Upcoming events include building and developing an exceptional team on 19 October; managing difficult conversations on 9 November; and facilitation skills on 23 November.
College and EMA Training.
“The children are not only making lifelong memories but improving their confidence and social skills – and enjoying being children,” said Kerry.
Derby Kids’ Camp, which celebrates its 50th birthday next year, provides free holidays for some of the most deserving children across the county who are nominated by their school. Many live in poverty or have suffered bereavement, or they may be finding social interaction difficult after the past couple of years and subsequent lockdowns.
Peter Ellse DL, founder of Cosy
and a patron of Derby Kids’ Camp, said: “Volunteers are crucial to Derby Kids Camp, which is entirely self-funded. This year, we were short of around 50 volunteers, which means that 100 children that needed a break didn’t get one.
“That is why we have invited Derbyshire businesses to camp, in the hope they will support us in 2023 by providing volunteers. It’s great for leadership, team development and purpose.”
To express an interest in becoming a Derby Kids’ Camp volunteer, visit www.derbykidscamp.co.uk/ keep-updated
The Rotary Club and Teams4U are launching a “love in a box” Christmas shoebox appeal to send gifts to children living in poverty across Eastern Europe.
The boxes will be sent to children in Ukraine, Romania, Bosnia, Moldova and Georgia. Members of the public can support the appeal by filling a shoebox or by preparing boxes for transport in the warehouse in Dunstall Park Road, Derby.
Skills and learning coordinator Kate Burns said: “Now we’re widening the scope of people that can attend, I’m excited for more people to get involved and develop their knowledge and skills.”
To find out more or to book your place, visit bit.ly/CommunityChesterfieldEventbrite
The organisations will host a warehouse open day on 3 November for people to find out more about the shoebox preparation process.
Those interested in attending can text 07729 327066.
Kate Burns
Catherine Miles
Business representatives visit Derby Kids’ Camp
Falcon Support Services has revealed the impact it has made supporting homeless and young people across Leicestershire in its latest report.
Its 2022 Impact Report revealed the charity has supported 173 individuals in Leicestershire with emergency accommodation, resulting in a 74% success rate out of homelessness.
Its supported accommodation service for young people has also recorded an increase of use, with 33% more under-25s referred compared to pre-pandemic levels. However, Falcon’s work has led to 71% of service users saying their mental and physical health has improved as a result.
The charity opened a new location in the past year – a new community hub at the George Smith Hub, in Coalville – which complements existing drop-in centres in Loughborough, Syston, Blaby, Hinckley, Market Harborough, Wigston and Melton.
But there is still work to be done, with Falcon reporting an increase in demand across all its services, with just 34% of those referred to the charity gaining accommodation.
Deputy CEO Rachel Hall said: “Sustaining support has been a major barrier in maintaining our homeless services, so the support we have received over the past year has been incredible.
“We have worked hard to ensure that any organisation can get involved in supporting Falcon and that it has a net benefit for the organisation.”
Over the past year, the charity has seen practical offers of support from the business community, as well as regular donations.
Loughborough-based CR Civil Engineering partnered with the Falcon team in August 2021. It volunteered to store a large amount of furniture and other equipment that had been donated to the charity from a local student accommodation supplier.
Staff at Falcon were invited to use the meeting rooms at CR Civil Engineering’s head office, while also being commissioned to train the company’s staff in first aid, mental health first aid and safeguarding.
Fuzzy Brands supplied a large quantity of its best-selling bottle crates to Ravensdale Junior School in Derby.
The company, which is based in the Brian Clough Business Centre and supplies school tables and accessories, provided 28 crates for each classroom after they proved a success with the pupils for water bottle storage.
Melanie Albutt, school business manager, said: “The crates are lightweight enough for the children to carry to the playground, but sturdy enough to keep the bottles safe. Delivery was speedy and I would happily recommend Fuzzy Brands’ bottle crates to other schools looking for robust storage and transport for their bottles.”
A new report commissioned by network operator CityFibre has estimated the rollout of full-fibre internet connectivity infrastructure in Nottingham will give the city an economic boost of more than £1bn.
The study by consultancy Hatch says that, over a 15-year period, the impact of CityFibre’s £117m investment in Nottingham will include £660m in productivity and innovation gains, £145m from a widened workforce, £22m in local authority efficiency savings and £432m in increased housing value.
the beginning, and the report demonstrates just how powerful and essential full fibre is as a catalyst for growth and innovation in the city for years to come.
“We’re extremely proud of our rollout in Nottingham, the £117m investment we are making here, and we look forward to seeing how it will benefit residents and businesses over the decades to come.”
The continuing transition to home and flexible working, supported by full-fibre broadband at home and in the office, is also unlocking access to a larger pool of labour for employers. In Nottingham, working productivity uplifts are estimated to exceed £25m.
Technological benefits are also a major focus of the report, which demonstrates that CityFibre’s network will help unlock £2bn in gross added value from 5G services, £537m from the internet of things and £278m from smart city initiatives like intelligent traffic management systems and street lighting.
Dominika Walker, area manager for Nottingham at CityFibre, said: “Over the past year, we’ve seen first-hand the benefits and opportunities that full fibre is bringing to Nottingham. This is only
The direct impact of network construction is identified as a major contributor of Nottingham’s economic growth, creating network construction jobs within CityFibre’s build partners and supply
Cllr David Mellen, leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “Fibre broadband is important to establishing Nottingham as a centre for digital businesses, but it has become important for everybody to have high quality broadband in our ever more connected world.”
CityFibre is also set to invest £10m in a new town-wide network in Newark that will bring fast and reliable full fibre-enabled internet services within reach of almost every home and business.
CityFibre has laid more than 420 miles of full-fibre internet cables beneath the streets of Derby as part of its £50m plan to future-proof the city’s digital connectivity.
This landmark achievement means there is enough full-fibre cabling connecting the city’s homes to cover the length of the River Derwent eight times over. Installation of the new Derby network started in March 2020. Build partner McCann Ltd is working in various locations across the city, with network construction currently ongoing in the Alvaston, Boulton, Chellaston, Littleover and Normanton areas. The rollout has been completed across large sections of the city including Allestree, Mackworth, Mickleover, Darley, Abbey, Alvaston and Boulton, with more to follow shortly.
Dominika Walker, CityFibre’s area manager for Derby, said: “The fact that we have now laid enough fibre in Derby to reach more than 33,000 premises really hits home how much progress we have made. We’re well on our way to making the city world-class in terms of its digital infrastructure, and the people of Derby will reap the benefits for decades to come.”
Focus will continue its work within the heritage and culture sector following a recent appointment as project manager and contract administrator for “Nature + Love” –a project at Horniman Museum and Gardens in London.
The Nottingham and Leicesterbased built environment consultancy will project manage the whole scheme from procuring the design team through to completion, as well as supporting the museum on its National Lottery Heritage Fund application.
Working alongside a wider team, including Fielden Fowles, the project’s lead architect, it will manage the development of the project to make the Horniman more inclusive and accessible, while placing environmental sustainability and a commitment to fighting the climate emergency at its heart.
The “Nature + Love” project looks to modernise the museum’s natural
history and living collections, make new connections between the outdoor space and interior collections, plus strengthen the economic, social and ecological recovery of both the museum and its local community.
As a result of the project, visitors will be encouraged to explore parts of the gardens that are currently under-used while learning more about sustainability.
Focus partner Ellie Clarke said: “We are delighted to be appointed on such a major project, which will see the museum build on its long history of environmental action to realise its ambitions, bringing climate issues to a wider audience and cementing its role within the community and beyond.
“Focus has extensive experience of working on museums and buildings of historic importance, as well as advising on sustainability issues.”
‘The report demonstrates just how powerful and essential full fibre is as a catalyst for growth and innovation’Dominika Walker, area manager at CityFibre, in Nottingham’s Old Market Square Horniman Clocktower
Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL (pictured) arrived in the UK from Uganda as a child refugee with his family in 1972 after dictator Idi Amin ordered the expulsion of the Ugandan Asian community. Fifty years on, the war in Ukraine and recent conflicts in the Middle East and East Africa have once again led to millions of people becoming displaced. Recalling his own experiences, the chair of Morningside Pharmaceuticals and Randal Charitable Foundation explains why it is crucial to support refugees entering the UK for shared economic and cultural prosperity.
One hopes the mistakes of the past are learned from and our history’s darkest moments are never repeated again.
Sadly, the war in Ukraine and recent conflicts in the Middle East and East Africa have once more led to millions of people becoming displaced and refugees, through no fault of their own.
As a child refugee myself during the 1972 reign of terror of thendictator of Uganda, Idi Amin, I can still vividly remember the panic in my parents’ eyes as the country’s Asian minority were given just 90 days to flee, or suffer the most terrible of consequences.
As we mark the 50th anniversary of the expulsion of the Ugandan Asians, I can’t help but see parallels with the dreadful scenes of Ukrainian families clutching but a handful of belongings as they escape their homeland.
Despite my sadness at the wretched scenes coming out of Ukraine, there still is hope. During my family’s struggles, we were bowled over by the kindness of the British people and the UK Government that re-housed us in Leicester, which would become home to more than 40,000 displaced East African Asians by the late 1970s.
We were also immensely grateful for the help we received from the International Red Cross and other aid organisations, which played a pivotal role in ensuring our family was able to stay together during the chaos of August 1972.
Throughout my childhood, my parents forged a living where they could and although our lives were very humble, we felt immense gratitude for the safety and services, such as good schools and education, provided by the state.
Looking back, it’s very much the case that the new arrivals have helped delive r economic and cultural prosperity to Leicester, and other towns and cities where they settled.
and were central to the founding mission for my company
Morningside Pharmaceuticals, which aims to create quality healthcare at an affordable and accessible reality throughout the world.
FIVE DECADES ON and Leicester is seen as the archetype for how places can flourish by nurturing and celebrating diversity, ethnicity and inclusivity. This is vividly illustrated every year when the annual Diwali celebrations are now heralded as the largest outside India.
They take place along the socalled Golden Mile, which ironically was the epicentre of the former slum districts of Leicester, where many Ugandan Asian families would settle.
The Ugandan Asians were a harmonious mixture of faiths and came to the UK already aware of English customs. They also came here highly educated and skilled, with good community connections, which would give rise to a new generation of successful entrepreneurs.
The lessons I learned as a young child have stayed with me always
More recently, my charitable foundation, the Randal Charitable Foundation, has been able to directly save and significantly improve hundreds of thousands of lives through its work in the UK and globally, many of which have been people who find themselves in severe life-threatening hardship through no fault of their own.
DESPITE THE PARALLELS with the 1972 Ugandan Refugee Crisis and the current war in Ukraine, there have also been many heartwarming moments.
The humanitarian response from global governments and the more than 150,000 UK households that expressed an interest in hosting a Ukrainian family, being just two that stand out.
My hope is now that the more than eight million Ukrainian refugees, and estimated 25 million who have been displaced, continue to receive the same support that enabled the Ugandan Asians to thrive and give so much back, against all odds.
My head tells me this won’t be the last refugee crisis, and my heart tells me the UK and its people will stand ready to help if and when they’re needed.
‘During my family’s struggles, we were bowled over by the kindness of the British people and the UK Government’
Sixteen more business founders have completed the LUinc startup accelerator for emerging enterprises in Leicestershire.
It brings the total number of businesses that have been through the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park accelerator – which launched last year to test and develop the ideas of new businesses in Charnwood and beyond – to 34.
‘It was fantastic to be able to use the hub for the purpose for which it was intended’
In the second wave, 23 emerging businesses started the free sixmonth programme. Of those, five pitched to a panel of three experts and a live audience during a demo day at the Careers and Enterprise Hub in Loughborough town centre in June.
Those included Sam Bham, founder of Naked Indian; Jayden Cooke, founder of Jayden Cooke Virtual Assistant+; Charlie Fitzroy, founder of Vendr Delivery; Spyros Iatropoulos, founder of Runner Coach; and Idi Karon, founder of Bold Analytics.
LUinc manager Pete Hitchings said: “It was fantastic to be able to use the hub for the purpose for which it was intended – helping local people test ideas and launch businesses.”
The Business Startup Accelerator Programme provides entrepreneurs and early-stage companies with free training, resources and connections to help them establish, grow and succeed.
The project is supported by Charnwood Borough Council, and Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, to help develop a new generation of businesses rooted in Loughborough to be more resilient to future challenges.
Belvoir Castle will open its £350,000 children’s adventure playground in time for the school’s Halloween half-term break, as part of a programme of special events and ghostly goings on.
The much-awaited themed playground has been built in parkland at the foot of the Grade Ilisted castle by specialist contractor CAP Co. The design of the playground – which was overseen by Lady Alice Manners, daughter of the castle’s present custodian David Manners, the 11th Duke of Rutland – is inspired by Belvoir Castle itself and the stories of its inhabitants.
Opening to the public on Saturday 15 October, Belvoir Castle’s adventure playground will be part of a host of Halloween events at the castle and retail village The Engine Yard.
Lady Alice said: “We wanted to create a place for families to come to together, to enjoy together and to be in nature together.
“We have worked around the natural topography of the woodland to create a non-invasive structure, which we hope will feed everyone’s imaginations and my hope is that many happy memories are made.”
Tell us what your company does?
BusinessWise Accountancy and Tax is a small, growing accountancy firm in Chesterfield.
I formed the company in 2020 when I saw the huge impact the pandemic was having on families, individuals and businesses in the local area. It became apparent there was a growing need for a business strategy-focused accountancy firm that would provide straightforward, no-nonsense advice to help business owners and individuals work through the challenges they were facing.
We provide accountancy and tax services, business strategy and financial management –predominantly for engineering, property and manufacturing clients in the East Midlands area, though we do help clients of varying sizes in different sectors and at different stages, whether just starting out, or working towards an exit plan.
Unlike other small accountancy practices, we have years of business strategy and experience behind us, including setting up and running a multi-million-pound business with more than 100 staff.
We get to the core of our clients’ businesses, find out their personal goals, aspirations and dreams, exit strategies and plans for growth. We have the technical knowledge of accounting and tax to ensure these are achieved.
What does your day-to-day role involve?
As the founder and director, I still work closely with clients, particularly those with more complex accounting needs. I support and guide the team, identify and implement strategies to grow the business, and drive the marketing and overall engagement of both staff and clients.
What challenges have you faced in recent times?
From a business perspective, the challenges have been relatively few, although setting up a new business in the pandemic naturally brought its own difficulties.
Former members of The Minerals Engineering Society (MES) came together with University of Derby staff and students for the inaugural Centre for Mineral Products Student Awards and Presentation.
The university’s head of mineral products Mark Osbaldeston hosted the event, which was created to recognise the achievements of students, while connecting them with employers and stakeholders the minerals and associated industries.
employed and those made redundant, which in turn generated interest and new clients as “normal” life resumed.
What are the company’s plans for the future?
The future of the business is reliant on always maintaining the highest levels of quality, investing in training and professional development for our staff, and leading by example in how we conduct ourselves as a business.
People are our greatest asset, and we encourage study for additional qualifications and training to broaden their knowledge of business, accountancy and customer service. Our continuation of this will ensure we can grow sustainably and offer long-term career opportunities.
We are results-focused and give business owners the best advice needed to grow their companies.
How have you engaged with the Chamber’s membership benefits to support your business activity?
I have been a member of Chamber since 2017 and have used the services quite a lot, including networking opportunities either online or inperson, and the Chamber HR platform can be useful for templated documents.
Location: Chesterfield
Numberof employees: Three
I have had great support from Chamber adviser Diane Nicholls, who is a fountain of knowledge and extremely helpful as well as a great connector, putting me in touch with some great contacts who are members.
Inevitably, we had clients struggling with cashflow during the pandemic so we set up lower payments, extended agreements and, for some, gave our services for free – confident that if they remained with us, we could work with them to bring a positive cashflow position.
We offered free advice on our social platforms, particularly supporting the self-
During the pandemic, the Chamber was one of the few rocks in my business life, pushing knowledge and information to help me and my businesses survive and eventually thrive. Diane and chief executive Scott Knowles were excellent and devoted to helping the members with great communication and customer service. That wonderful support and service will not be forgotten. As long as I have a business, I will be a Chamber member.
In August, the Chamber welcomed 13 new members:
• Andrews of Tideswell Ltd
• Delphi Care Solutions
• EuroFashion
• Meesh Consulting Ltd
• Metis Aerospace Ltd
• More Than Loft Ladders
• New Art Exchange Ltd
• Offitness Ltd
In addition to the awards, which were held at the university’s Enterprise Centre, guests were treated to student presentations and a panel discussion on topics including mental health in the minerals sector.
Mark said: “We are delighted to
receive this generous legacy from the MES, which will enable us to recognise the outstanding achievement of our students within the Centre for Mineral Products, as well as create a student fund to provide further financial support where necessary.”
• Sales Geek East Midlands Ltd
• Six Degrees Associates
• Steps Together Rehab Ltd
• THS+ LTD
• Whistler Technology Ltd
Spokesperson: Graham Nash (pictured), owner and directorThe “past and the future” was the theme of the 2022 Niche Business Awards – with delegates greeted at Athena by the DeLorean from timetravelling movie franchise Back to the Future, as businesses across Leicestershire were celebrated.
Organised by marketing agency and publishing house Cross Productions, this year's theme symbolised the reflections small businesses have taken to combat the confusing challenges and hardships they've faced to get to where they are today.
The annual event is well known for its uniquely-themed ceremonies that inject fun and light-heartedness into the local corporate network, giving business owners a night to relax and celebrate success.
Guests ventured back to the 1980s, with hints of the 1950s throughout, with an “Enchantment Under the Sea” prom.
Headline partner was Leicester Castle Business School, which has strengthened links with local businesses via its Help to Grow management programme that educates businesspeople to lead their teams into the future.
Jenny Cross, CEO of Cross Productions, said: “We had the absolute honour of hosting an evening where the whole place was filled with the most driven and ambitious people within our community – I cannot begin to tell you how proud that makes me.”
‘The whole place was filled with the most driven and ambitious people within our community’
Attendees at the awards event enjoy a 3D game of past or future
Best New Business: The Gresham Aparthotel
Best Family Business: Three Point Design
Business Growth: Food Attraction
Best Small Business: Clarke and Roskrow Styling Opticians
Digital Business of the Year: LoyalFree
Community Impact: Leicester Drama Society
Rising Star: Pete Talbot, Next Level Rugby
Employer of the Year: The Superbia Group
Leicestershire Charity of the Year: The Zinthiya Trust
Best Customer Service: Clarke and Roskrow Styling Opticians
Entrepreneur of the Year: Narinder Nijjar, Fraser Stretton Property Group
Eco Excellence: Michael Smith Switchgear
Professional Services: Isin
Businessman of the Year: Gurdev Mattu, Fashion UK
Businesswoman of the Year: Emily Smith, Michael Smith Switchgear
Community Champion: Ian Stringer
Breedon Consulting was among several firms to take part in Leicester's Ballroom Glitz charity night, with its managing director Nicki Robson winning first place.
The event welcomed professionals from across the Midlands, including sponsors Mattioli Woods, Cambridge and Counties Bank, and Quilter Cheviot, raising £60,000 for local charities Hope Against Cancer and LOROS Hospice.
Nicki was given seven weeks to practise and train for the competition, and was paired with partner Tom Moore, founding director at WestBridge Group, who took the crown with their waltz.
Nicki said: “This was too good an opportunity to pass up and I am thrilled to have taken part to help raise money for two fantastic charities. I look forward to, hopefully, putting my dancing shoes back on next year or maybe one of my colleagues will take to the floor.”
The event was organised by Gateley Legal, after being delayed for two years, with the Strictly
Nigel Rose, CEO of Hope Against Cancer, said: “The work we have done for the past 20 years is lifechanging and life-saving, but we rely on people organising and participating in events like this to generate the funding that we need.”
Come Dancing-inspired evening taking place at Athena in Leicester. Nikki RobsonThompson Tree Services (Midlands) has expanded its senior leadership team with the recruitment of operations manager Alex Lewis.
This follows a period of continued growth for the company, having just expanded its arborist team with two new team members.
Alex will help the Matlockbased company to deliver its vision to be an industry leader for quality, compliance, innovation and culture, as well as on building strong, longlasting relationships with its clients.
Operations director Dave Robinson said: “It is testament to the hard work of the team that we are in a strong position to take on Alex as operations manager. We are looking forward to the next chapter in the development of Thompson Tree Services.”
Alex has a strong career in the arboricultural industry, starting from the ground up as an operative. His latest role was within senior management for a national consultancy company.
He added: “It is great to join such a reputable company within the industry and I look forward to building on the strong foundations that have made Thompson Tree Services a forward-thinking company in the sector.”
Jon is the latest in a string of new additions at the Leicester-based law firm alongside Ian Thompson, Gita Duggal, Dippalli Naik, Ajmer Kang, Shivam Sachdev and Emily Powrie.
Harpreet Kasbh and Madeleine Ingall have also been promoted to director and executive assistant respectively.
Director Roney Thankey said: “Having known Jon for a number of years, the timing of this appointment is perfect in this phase of Parity’s development. The wide skillset Jon possesses will be key in the growth of our firm.
“Parity Legal has some exciting plans in the next couple of years and Jon will be instrumental in delivering on those projects and widening Parity’s reach on a local and national basis.”
Jon added: “My priority is optimising development, growth, efficiency and service quality through our effective collaborative approach and further adding more first-class people and processes.
“I will be proactively driving forward our legal expertise, growth and expansion via the Parity Legal solicitors consultancy programme – and of course you can expect continuous innovation and new developments moving forwards.”
Alice Palmer and Sam Geldard
Nottingham-based East Midlands Environmental Consultants (EMEC) has appointed two new ecologists.
Joining the ecology, land management, arboriculture specialist is Alice Palmer and Sam Geldard. The appointments follow a rise in demand from landowners, developers and house builders wanting to progress planning approvals and meet new biodiversity net-gain legislation.
Alice joins as a senior ecologist and holds a MSc in biodiversity and conservation and Level 1 class licences for bats and great crested newts.
Sam joins as assistant ecologist and is currently completing a biology and environmental management BSc at the Open University. He also has a Level 3 business administration NVQ and Level 3 tree climbing and aerial rescue.
He said: “Having worked as a seasonal ecologist for EMEC over the past six months, I found the team full of helpful and interesting people who are great to work with.”
EMEC is a subsidiary of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, and all its profits are donated to the trust through gift aid to support nature conservation. Over the past 30 years, EMEC has raised more than £1m for the trust.
Alice added: “The association with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust is great, as EMEC’s profits are donated to the Trust to fund habitat conservation work across nature reserves under its management, and other wildlife conservation activities and campaigns.”
Geldards’ corporate dispute resolution team has strengthened its offering with the appointment of new partner Lloyd Smith (pictured), who joins the firm’s Nottingham offices.
Lloyd brings more than 14 years’ litigation experience and joins from Knights plc, where he specialised in commercial litigation, with particular expertise in complex cases spanning multiple jurisdictions.
Recognised by Legal 500 as a commercial litigation “rising star”, Lloyd is experienced in resolving business owner disputes as well as helping clients with technology disputes, financial regulatory issues and franchising disputes.
Partner and head of dispute resolution Nino Simone said: “We are pleased to be bolstering the already excellent skills of the team with the appointment of Lloyd and are delighted to welcome him aboard. He brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge which complements the team wonderfully.”
Lloyd added: “Geldards’ dispute resolution team has an outstanding reputation and I am thrilled to be joining the firm. I look forward to the challenges ahead.”
Alex Lewis Jon Woodcock
Workplace consultancy and commercial office interior fitout specialist Blueprint Interiors has appointed Paul Brown as a contracts manager.
Paul, who lives in Ripley, Derbyshire, has 23 years’ experience in the shopfitting industry and has managed a wide range of high-profile projects for various blue-chip clients. He also holds a Construction Skills Certification Scheme licence and National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health general, construction and fire safety certificates.
In his new role, Paul will be responsible for organising the construction phase of all commercial office fit-out projects. Blueprint Interiors has won a number of highvalue projects this year from companies wishing to embrace hybrid working and adapt their workplaces according to the needs of the people using them.
Paul said: “This is a slight change of industry sector and an exciting new challenge. I am looking forward to gaining the sense of achievement I get from successfully completing the fantastic-looking and peopleorientated bespoke commercial office fit-outs for which Blueprint Interiors is renown.”
Creative and commercial director Chloe Sproston added: “Our workplace consultancy process has always preceded our design recommendations. We are finding this advice is now more important than ever as office managers seek ways to transform their largest overhead – their office space –into a place which attracts the very best talent. With Paul’s skills we will be able to ensure the construction phases continue to meet the highest standards.”
The Chartered Institute of Taxation’s (CIOT) new president Susan Ball has welcomed Andrew Hubbard as the CIOT East Midlands branch honorary president.
The role was originally granted to Andrew in March 2020, and was officially announced by Susan, who is a tax partner at RSM UK, at a rescheduled in-person event in June.
As honorary president, Andrew will act as a figurehead for the branch and carry out key roles including chairing future tax conferences, attending key events, presenting awards to prize winners in the East Midlands, and promoting good relations between the branch and the wider tax community.
Andrew previously served on the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) council for 13 years and was on the CIOT council for 15 years. He is also one of only four people to have held both roles as ATT president from 2002 to 2004 and CIOT president from 2009 to 2010.
He has more than 37 years’ tax experience and is currently editorin-chief of Taxation Magazine
Andrew is a former partner at RSM UK, where he spent 21 years in the tax team, and was a regular contributor of tax industry news.
Susan said: “We are delighted to have welcomed Andrew as the East Midlands branch honorary president. Andrew has made an enormous contribution to the tax profession for many years as both ATT and CIOT, and is a wellrespected figure within the tax
community. Therefore, this is awarded in recognition of his outstanding service during his career.”
Andrew added: “It’s a huge honour to be awarded this title, particularly as the first recipient. The East Midlands branch has achieved remarkable things over the years, so I’m looking forward to seeing its success continue in the future.”
Freeths has further expanded its national employment team with a number of strategic appointments.
The team is bolstered by director Lee Ashwood joining the Manchester office, managing associate Melanie Morton joining the Nottingham office, and associates Jesse Tataobuzogwu and Rajvir Malhi joining the Leicester and Milton Keynes offices, respectively.
Melanie said: “I am very excited to have joined Freeths, a firm with an excellent reputation both for the quality of work undertaken and its own workplace culture. The employment team at Freeths is very well regarded nationally and I am looking forward to working within a Legal 500 top-tier department that is clearly committed to working in partnership with clients to provide a prompt and valuable service.”
Rena Magdani, national head of employment,
pensions and immigration, added: “I’m delighted to welcome Lee, Melanie, Jesse and Rajvir to the team. These four new hires reflect the continued growth and success of our employment practice, which is nationally recognised for providing highly responsive, commercial and pragmatic advice to our valued clients.
“We have seen a significant increase in demand for our services since the pandemic and in light of the challenging economic conditions that employers are facing. We are actively looking to recruit and develop further high calibre lawyers across our offices nationally.”
• Melanie Morton explains how employers are grappling with people shortages in the focus feature –see p60
Paul Brown CIOT East Midlands Branch Day conference Freeths’ employment law team
As a partner in RSM UK’s accounting and business advisory team, Kevin Harris witnesses first-hand the impact of the cost-ofdoing-business crisis on SMEs. Meanwhile, in his boardroom roles in the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership and East Midlands Chamber – where he is due to become the new chair – he brings big-picture thinking to the region’s economic agenda. He discusses where he believes the priorities lie with Dan Robinson.
KevinHarris has experienced Black Wednesday and the Great Recession of 2008/09 during an accountancy career spanning more than three decades, but he’s never seen anything quite like the economic crisis right now.
“The past two-and-a-half years have been the most challenging period I’ve ever seen and I’m certain the most experienced business owners would agree,” he says.
“Businesses have faced a real test in terms of the multitude and combination of issues that have been thrown at them.
“We had been bracing ourselves for the uncertainties Brexit would bring but no-one would have predicted what was coming our way.”
The word “unprecedented” has done more than a few rounds since March 2020 and Kevin says the current economic situation feels a lot different to the usual boom and bust cycle of the 1980s and 1990s.
The 2008/09 global financial crash is the nearest in terms of scale, he believes, but the current economic climate is more concerning given the “layering” of issues. Inflation is at a 40year high, the largest increases in 27 years have been made to interest rates, energy bills are at eye-watering levels and vacancies have hit record levels as the availability of labour has tightened.
“The world fell off a cliff in 2008/09 and it was a real test to a lot of people, me included,” says Kevin. “We’d had some good growth, significant improvements in house prices and standards of living, and low interest rates and inflation.
“It was pretty good and deep down, people probably realised we can’t carry on like this and there would be some kind of readjustment. But this is far and away above what we saw back then.
“We have no blueprint for this, nothing to draw back on. We have to deal with this on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis – almost making it up as we go along.
“Now we’re being confronted with further pressures, it’s made a lot of business owners stop to think about what their company is all about and take stock of their life more generally. It could be argued this isn’t a bad thing as it’s often difficult to get business owners to take time out and think about the future.”
BORN IN BIRMINGHAM, the majority of Kevin’s three-decade accountancy career has been spent in Leicester, where he has built a
reputation for supporting SMEs with pragmatic and commercial solutions.
A chartered accountant and MBA graduate, he spent 22 years at Cooper Parry, joining as a manager in 1995 before being made partner in 2000 and an equity partner a year later.
One of the key shareholders, he set up the Leicester office from scratch but after the company condensed its East Midlands branches into a single Castle Donington headquarters, he moved to RSM UK in 2017.
As Leicester office managing partner, Kevin works closely with his Nottingham counterpart Richard King in overseeing 150 staff split between the two East Midlands offices.
He also heads up the accounting business advisory team across the central region’s six offices and its biggest task right now is guiding clients through a “cocktail of pressures” that have fed into the cost-of-doing-business crisis –effectively two sides of the same coin alongside the cost-of-living crisis.
While some businesses have managed to pass on increased costs to their customers, with everyone feeling the squeeze amid high inflation it has been difficult for many to do so.
Kevin says: “To maintain profit margins and cashflow headroom, many businesses are having to reduce their controllable expenditure, and delay or downsize their investment decisions, all of which will impact the wider economy.
“Financial reforecasting and an increased emphasis on cashflow analysis are some of the activities we are seeing businesses undertake more in recent months. This is likely to continue as inflationary pressures continue to grow.”
RSM’s Middle Market Business Index, a quarterly survey of 700 senior executives at companies defined as the “growth engine of the British economy”,
As the net zero agenda accelerates up the priority list for consumers, employees and regulators, Kevin believes it’s never been more important for businesses to understand their own carbon footprint.
As a partner at RSM UK, he has helped to broker a strategic partnership with the Chamber with a focus on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda.
Earlier this year, RSM designed a new ESG self-assessment toolkit for Chamber members, enabling them to identify gaps in their ESG strategy and which areas matter most to their business so they can begin establishing an action plan.
Kevin says: “A few years ago, ESG was one of those things business owners would recognise they needed to factor in but ultimately everything they do comes back to remaining viable.
“Now it’s expected and demanded from all stakeholders in business – from a procurement perspective, it’s a key aspect of decision-making, which is great because it needed something like that to propel it up the agenda. Our partnership with the Chamber is about making sure all businesses, particularly SMEs that perhaps don’t have the skills and resources in-house, have a toolkit to start their ESG journey. Making the first step is always the hardest, but once you’ve taken it and you have the support around you, it’s easier to engage fully.”
The online ESG self-assessment tool, which has already been used by more than 20 businesses since launching this summer, takes a data-led approach to providing an organisation with a baseline understanding of its ESG risks and opportunities. Other technologies deployed by RSM include the risk management portal Insight4GRC and Tracker, which equips users with a clear understanding of another company’s financial health before entering a business relationship.
Kevin adds: “It is impossible to imagine these days an organisation working without using technological solutions. There are vast amounts of data needing to be analysed, business intelligence understood and disseminated, and key messaging communicated – not only internally but along supply chains and with key stakeholders. Ultimately, software solutions and technology cannot take away the crucial role of a key decision maker, but they can generate effective ways to work smarter, better allocate resources, and more effectively measure and monitor performance.”
Kevin will become chair of the Chamber’s board of directors in February
Devolution provides a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for the East Midlands to attract new investment and recognition, believes Kevin.
He wants to ensure the business voice is heard loud and clear after the four uppertier authorities in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire agreed a deal with Government to create an East Midlands Mayor Combined County Authority (MCCA).
Kevin says: “The current focus on devolution and levelling up provides a real opportunity for the East Midlands to redress some of the inequalities that have been evident for far too long.
“It is vital now that the many component parts of the East Midlands collaborate to present the strongest case to Government to improve spending levels and investment into our region.
“The East Midlands is key to helping deliver future growth for the UK economy, and with exciting developments such as the East Midlands Freeport and the East Midlands Development Company on the horizon, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ensure the region gets the recognition and investment it deserves.
“The Chamber, along with other business representation organisations and key stakeholders, must join together to showcase our potential and to achieve the best arrangements to suit our specific needs. Government has a responsibility to help find the optimum solution for our whole region and it is in everyone’s best interests that this be achieved.”
‘Our partnership with the Chamber is about making sure all businesses, particularly SMEs that perhaps don’t have the skills and resources inhouse, have a toolkit to start their ESG journey’
illustrates a drop in business investment that Kevin says is a “worrying trend casting long shadows over capital expenditure”.
“Given the chance, many entrepreneurial businesses will want to invest in their business to grow, but many are handcuffed because of current economic challenges,” he adds.
HAVING BEEN PRIVY to the ups and downs affecting Leicester and the East Midlands’ business community over such a long period means Kevin is well-placed to be a high-level representative.
Until April this year, he spent eight years serving as vice-chair and then chair of the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), a strategic body led by a public-private partnership that exists to drive forward regeneration and economic growth locally.
He learned a lot in these roles, particularly in terms of managing stakeholders and collaborating with strategic partners within government, education and business.
Kevin says: “Being chair of a local enterprise partnership brings you into contact with so many key aspects of the local economy, and allows you to develop a broad knowledge and understanding of the key dynamics at play. In addition, you get to play a leading role in many of the ground-breaking and transformative projects that will change our region for future generations.”
The formation of two enterprise zones –Loughborough University Science and Innovation Enterprise Zone, which comprises three sites including Leicester’s Pioneer Park space technology hub, and MIRA Technology Park, the automotive engineering and artificial intelligence R&D facility near Hinckley – are examples of how the LLEP has helped to “change the landscape for the better”, he believes.
Supporting SMEs should be a priority for new Prime Minister Liz Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, says Kevin.
He wants to see Government provide certainty to businesses to help bring back confidence, which has nosedived in recent months.
Kevin says: “If there is one thing we all know business owners dislike it is increased uncertainty. The pandemic, war in Ukraine and current inflationary landscape all serve to increase the level of uncertainty.
“Where possible, Government should look to reduce or remove uncertainties to enable firms to better plan ahead for growth.
“In the UK, SMEs are the drivers of wealth creation and jobs, so any initiatives from the Chancellor that will help support this will be welcomed.”
He reiterated how important it is not to leave businesses behind after the direct support during Covid-19 lockdown ended, citing how tax incentives can be used to encourage investment, which will help the economy to recover and grow.
“Drilling down and creating a business growth agenda with initiatives like favourable business rates reliefs, lower corporation tax and reductions in national insurance certainly helps,” he adds.
“The levelling up agenda is also key for regional economic growth. It is important the East Midlands gets the support it needs to flourish and attract investment, all of which will help boost jobs and growth across the region.”
Also serving as president in 2018/19, he admits to being excited at the prospect of leading the Chamber board through the next stage of its development as new opportunities abound within local government reorganisation, new funding streams and a renewed focus on putting employers at the heart of skills delivery.
“The Chamber is in a very strong position on many fronts and has established itself as the voice of business in our region,” he says. “It is highly regarded both locally and nationally, and has a major role to play in shaping and supporting the economic landscape and development of our region.
“We also have a great team and a strong board of directors, and I am looking forward to working with them all moving forward.”
“My brain tends to have a mid to long-term strategic focus,” says Kevin. “That’s why I loved the LLEP role because it’s geared around projects that will have a long-term impact.”
Earlier this summer, it was announced Kevin, who has also served as a Midlands Engine board member, will become chair of the board of directors at the Chamber with effect from 1 February 2023, succeeding Ian Morgan OBE, who has spent four years in the role.
The board of directors includes 16 experienced, respected and successful individuals who specialise in various fields and business sectors. Its role is to assist the senior leadership team in driving the Chamber forward strategically and ensure it represents the interests of its members, as well as more broadly businesses and communities across the East Midlands.
Kevin chaired the board of the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce in the early 2000s and led the merger with Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce to form East Midlands Chamber in 2013.
Having the critical mass of about 12,000 businesses it works with annually is a strong weapon in its armoury, and Kevin is a strong advocate of the Chamber’s job in “rattling cages”.
‘In the past few years, we haven’t been scared of putting forthright views across to Government’
“Business owners are passionate about their companies, so we should be reflecting that sentiment by being vocal and passionate in a sensible way,” he adds.
“In the past few years, we haven’t been scared of putting forthright views across to Government. That’s become more prominent now with the devolution agenda as more businesses begin to understand what it means for them.”
DEALING WITH INFLATIONARY pressures and the energy crisis is likely to be front and centre of most business owners’ minds over the coming months.
But it remains equally important for them to think further ahead when planning for the future, believes Kevin, and he’s reassured by the number of conversations with clients in recent times that have involved a broad reassessment of where things lie.
At policy level, he doesn’t believe the same big-picture thinking is taking place as a culture of constant firefighting has dominated the agenda over the past few decades.
“In this country, we appear to lack any credible form of long-term planning,” he says. “Our political cycle doesn’t really reward long-term thinking and is instead mainly driven by having a rosy picture to present at the next general election.
“By being locked into short-termism attitudes, we can’t do much in the economy that has a lasting impact beyond a couple of years’ time.
“Business owners want something to plan their strategies around and invest in over the long term – they don’t want a massive shake-up in approach every few years.
“It’s particularly the case in areas like tax, which is a really important lever the Government has in the economy. If you’re looking to support investment, the tax strategy must be aligned with this policy and it’s a request from any business owner to have more clarity around this.”
Once the cost-of-living and cost-of-doing business crises are dealt with, Kevin wants to see perennial hurdles like skills gaps and low productivity come into sharp focus.
“We’ve been having the conversation around why the UK is a low growth, low productivity and low wage economy for many, many years,” he adds. “We have to get to the root of what’s causing those issues.
“Government must set out where it truly sees the economy over the next 10, 20 and 30 years, and how it’s going to address the fundamental problems we have.
“Obviously, we’re always going to be trying to forecast in a vacuum and there will be things we can’t predict, but that’s not an excuse for not doing long-term planning because otherwise we’re always dealing with crisis management.
“So for me, it’s about getting the right mix of where time, effort and money is spent between here and now, and in the future. As a Chamber, we want to be involved in how we address those big issues and take the East Midlands economy to the next level.”
Mutual trust between employers and employees is integral to accommodating a hybrid working policy, says Kevin.
Like many businesses, RSM has faced new challenges in finding the right balance between home and office working for its circa 4,000 employees nationally, who are located across 32 UK offices supporting the firm’s business model to have a local presence for clients.
Increasing numbers of its workforce have been returning to the office in recent months as they have missed the social dynamic, as well as learning and development opportunities, provided by the workplace.
But Kevin recognises people’s views on work have changed since the beginning of the pandemic, adding: “While our broader business model has not fundamentally changed, it has been necessary to adapt in order to meet the changes people have made, and want to make in their lives, where work is concerned.”
He believes hybrid working, if accommodated appropriately, can improve employee wellbeing and productivity but must also meet clients’ needs.
“To work at its best, trust is an essential ingredient for hybrid working,” he says. “In the past, there has been a reluctance, in some organisations, to adopt hybrid working where the trust needed simply wasn’t there.
“With many people working almost entirely from home during lockdown, many organisations simply had to place trust in their workforce and, from speaking with many business owners, it can be seen that this has created a new and improved relationship in many cases.”
‘Business owners want something to plan their strategies around and invest in over the long term – they don’t want a massive shake-up in approach every few years’As LLEP chair, Kevin played a key role in forming two enterprise zones
Purpose Media has been appointed by Royal Crown Derby to help the company expand globally and develop its digital marketing and online presence.
The company, which has been manufacturing porcelain in Derby since 1750, has grown to become an international brand, exporting fine bone china tableware and home accessories to more than 50 countries worldwide.
Building upon its reputation for supplying every UK monarch since King George III, the exquisite designs for which Royal Crown Derby is renowned are now part of the exclusive dining experience enjoyed by the clientele of Michelin star restaurants, used by the world’s top hotels, on board luxury yachts and privately-owned jets,
and within the personal residences of high-net-worth individuals.
The appointment of full-service marketing agency Purpose Media, based in South Normanton, kickstarts a project to launch a new website and initiate a digital marketing campaign using tools such as search engine optimisation, email marketing and social media to attract trade and retail sales globally.
Purpose Media account director Matt Bonser said: “Royal Crown Derby already has a strong brand
identity with a rich heritage. Our aim is to ensure its proposition is fully understood by all its global audiences so that the company can expand geographically and increase its sales on a worldwide basis.”
Royal Crown Derby has been a family-owned business since Kevin Oakes acquired the company in 2016. It is the last “prestige” tableware brand to make all products exclusively in the UK.
Bringing Purpose Media on board forms part of an ambition to ensure its exceptional tableware and latest creations are readily available to discerning buyers across the world.
Royal Crown Derby marketing manager Melissa Oakes added: “Our main objective for appointing Purpose Media was to partner with an agency we could trust to build upon our long-term objectives.”
A fast-growing new sport enjoyed by some of the world’s top athletes is being promoted by Purpose Media as it launches in the UK.
Padel is a mix between tennis and squash in which the aim is to play the ball over the net – but, unlike in tennis, players can use walls surrounding the court to return the ball to their opponents.
Although created in Spain during the late 1960s and officially recognised as a sport in 1991, it has only just arrived in the UK.
A former Powerleague centre in Pride Park, Derby, hosted the 16th European Championship qualifier event between 30 September and 2 October. Purpose Media was appointed to create the digital marketing strategy to grow audience participation and profile of the accompanying “We Are Padel” brand.
Client service director Grace Golden said: “Padel is one of the fastest growing sports in the world enjoyed by David Beckham, Andy Murray and Lionel Messi, but there's a chance many will not yet have heard of it.
“Our aim is to change this by implementing co-ordinated social media, PR, and email marketing strategies.”
Rosco Muller, country manager from We are Padel, added: “We are looking for more suitable venues across the UK and expect interest to grow very quickly with the support from the team at Purpose Media and other partners that are helping us to increase the profile of this exciting new sport.”
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is expanding into London with the creation of a new campus dedicated to delivering pioneering creative education aligned to the entertainment industries.
The campus, due to open next year, will form an expansion of NTU’s Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies and will be located in Whitechapel, London’s centre for the creative industries.
Students looking to forge a
future in entertainment will be able to study hands-on courses in performance, production and business for the music industry, event management, and emerging technologies such as esports, virtual production, and content creation.
Courses will be open to both UK and international students, with undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications available.
Students in Nottingham and London will be able to collaborate
on live projects, access work experience across the UK and spend parts of their study across both campuses.
NTU vice-chancellor Professor Edward Peck CBE said: “Confetti London supports NTU’s vision of generating new innovations in teaching and new partnerships for practice that build on our sector leading, industry-based approach. It will offer easy access for students in London and the South- East to
the opportunities to transform their futures that have been available to those in the East Midlands for 25 years.”
Meanwhile, NTU was named The Times and Sunday Times Modern University of the Year in recognition of its continuous improvement in teaching quality, student experience and graduate prospects. It followed a 28-place rise to 42nd in the Good University Guide.
‘An agency we could trust to build upon our long-term objectives’Purpose Media account director Matt Bonser with Royal Crown Derby managing director Chris Oakes and marketing manager Melissa Oakes
customer service to the airport’s loyal passengers and supporting local communities.
Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which owns and operates both airports, has appointed Steve Griffiths into the position as part of a management restructuring.
He will take on an expanding MD role that is responsible for all financial, commercial and operational performance at the airport, including overseeing the next phase of EMA’s cargo development strategy. He will also take the lead on MAG’s overall operational transformation across its three airports.
As MD at Stansted since July 2020, Steve led the business through the Covid-19 pandemic and drove it to become the UK’s fastest-recovering UK airport.
Steve, whose CV also includes roles at Rolls-Royce, Virgin Atlantic and Transport for London, said: “East Midlands Airport is one of the most important airports in the whole country, forming the
Steve Griffithsbackbone of express freight that powers the growth of advanced manufacturing and other highvalue industries.
“It is the hub that connects much of the UK to the world’s most important markets. I am looking forward to working with the fantastic team at East Midlands to further strengthen that critical national role and realise the huge potential of the Freeport, while continuing to deliver excellent
“Alongside my leadership of East Midlands Airport, delivering our operational transformation programme will be fundamental to MAG’s growth across the group.”
MAG CEO Charlie Cornish added: “Steve’s track record speaks for itself, having navigated Stansted successfully through the pandemic and overseen an impressive recovery. He will bring this considerable experience to East Midlands, as we look to maximise the contribution it makes both for passengers from across the Midlands and to driving global trade.”
He thanked Clare for the “excellent job” she had done since joining at the beginning of the pandemic, adding: “Clare has led the airport as it handled record levels of cargo and managed the recovery of the passenger operation, all while improving customer service and leading key activity in the region to become the only airport Freeport in the UK.”
National law firm Freeths enjoyed a record financial performance in 2021/22, with turnover up by 9.3% to £112m.
As one of the fastest growing UK firms, it has delivered compound organic annual growth of about 10% since 2015. Freeths said its continuing success is driven by the dedication and talent of its people, with a workforce of 1,000 employees based across 12 offices, including in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham.
The Legal 500 this year ranked it a “top tier” firm in 23 categories and “recommended” in 83 practice areas, with 10 individuals ranked in the hall of fame.
Freeths’ national managing partner Karl Jansen said: “It is testament to our longstanding relationship with our growing list of clients across all sectors that we’ve consistently delivered on our growth strategy. While still mindful of economic pressures, we’re confident of a resilient future for the firm.”
As tens of thousands of visitors arrived in Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games, they were greeted by large signs that were erected with support from a Chamber patron.
By deploying its machines and people, Hardy Signs worked with the Games’ official signage provider CSM Live and Sandwell Council to ensure signs were fitted to exact requirements and within deadlines.
The multi-award-winning manufacturer also worked closely with other event partners to supply:
• Graphics with anti-graffiti
lamination for all hoarding at Chamberlain Square
• More than 300 double-sided banner arms and banners across Sandwell borough
• Mesh PVC banners to dress bridges
• Full-colour vinyl to wrap parts of TV trucks in Sutton Park and Cannock Chase
• Panels in Centenary Way Hardy Signs managing director
Nik Hardy said: ‘’We are really pleased to have been entrusted with this high-profile project, a very proud moment for Hardy Signs.’’
THE CHAMBER IS HONOURED BY THE SUPPORT OF ITS STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS The boss of London Stansted Airport will replace Clare James MBE as the managing director of East Midlands Airport. Hardy Signs’ Commonwealth Games signage in Victoria Square, Birmingham
Liz Truss’ energy plan will offer reassurance to businesses – but a long-term solution needs to be found quickly, says the Chamber.
The new Prime Minister announced a wholesale energy price cap for both households and businesses in an Energy Bill Relief Scheme.
It will be frozen from 1 October at £2,500 for households, which will also receive a previouslyannounced £400 rebate, while the cap for businesses and public sector organisations will last for an “initial six-month period”.
Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “We have been calling for the Government to introduce an energy cap for businesses for some time now, so this intervention marks a significant step in the right direction in helping our firms with some of the cost pressures that have been piling up on their doorstep.
“It will allow many companies that were facing an extremely challenging autumn and winter period as a result of eye-watering energy bills to keep going.
“This is also an important support package for consumers as it prevents some of these escalating costs from being passed down to end customers, which
ultimately continues to drive inflation. Almost six in 10 (58%) East Midlands businesses had indicated in our latest Quarterly Economic Survey they would be forced to raise their own prices due to the increased costs they are facing.”
Scott emphasised the exact level of support will vary greatly from business to business depending on the detail of its contract, so “some will inevitably do better than others”.
He added: “Getting this saving passed on to business as quickly as possible should also be a priority as every day puts some firms closer to the edge.
“The most obvious limitation to the Energy Bill Relief Scheme is that it only offers six months’ support, unlike the equivalent package for households that caps bills for two years.
“Businesses, above all else, require certainty about the future and the lack of it has already given a massive knock to confidence in recent times. We have recorded a 17% drop in confidence regarding turnover prospects and 21% for optimism of increased profitability between the second and third quarters of this year.”
Scott also urged the Government
The Chamber’s chief executive has paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II following her death, aged 96.
Scott Knowles said: “We are deeply saddened to learn of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s passing.
“The Queen has been the epitome of stability and patriotism throughout her seven decades of unwavering public service, an icon who has symbolised British patriotism across the world.
“As patron of the British Chambers of Commerce, she was a true friend to the business community and as the figurehead of the Commonwealth, she was the tie between nations that have become important trading partners.
“It is with great sorrow that we must now come to terms with a Great Britain without our Queen, but she has already demonstrated to us on so many occasions the strength we will need to move forward.”
New Prime Minister Liz Truss
it “must not take its eye off the ball in the race to net zero”, as many businesses have already begun to respond to challenges by improving their operational efficiency and investing in technology to reduce energy usage. So what we also
need is a long-term plan to support firms to continue this journey by investing in growth that is sustainable for both their business and the environment, which ultimately helps with national energy security,” he added.
Scott Knowles congratulated Liz Truss on winning the Conservative Party leadership vote to be appointed Prime Minister, saying “we wish her all the best in the role as she seeks to take our country forward”.
Alongside a warning to support businesses – not just with energy bills but also in addressing acute skills gaps – he called for a “genuine commitment to levelling up by investing in regions like the East Midlands”.
He added: “There is fantastic untapped potential in our region and we would be only too happy to welcome the Prime Minister to show her what we can offer our country.”
The Business Gateway Growth Hub supported more than 1,500 businesses – with a combined turnover topping £2bn – between April 2021 and March 2022, it has revealed in a report to Government.
The one-stop-shop for businesses in Leicestershire, partfunded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and delivered by a consortium including the Chamber, provides free business support including access to grants an d funding, one-to-one business advice, events and signposting to other providers.
Of the businesses it supported, 522 of these – employing 4,148 people and with a £1.15bn combined turnover – received “medium density” support in areas such as ecommerce, digital marketing, PR, branding and social media.
Another 1,013 companies, with a combined turnover of £1.12bn and 11,412 employees, received “high density” support including via peer
network and advanced manufacturing programmes, as well as start-up business support.
A further 1,144 businesses received “light touch” support, including signposting, webinars and in-person events covering key business topics, after making contact with Business Gateway advisers.
Some 344 individuals were also helped to start a business via a range of grants and programmes.
The report, which has been submitted to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), contains information which enables Government to assess progress and identify best practice and local innovation.
Sonia Baigent (pictured), LLEP board member and chair of the Business Gateway board, said: “Despite the upheaval of the pandemic period, our advisers have helped businesses get more innovative, productive and sustainable.”
The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) will be jointly chaired as it continues to work with partners on proposed devolution while simultaneously managing internal process and governance.
Andy Reed OBE, who has been serving as interim chair since Kevin Harris stepped down in April, will continue to focus on shaping the future of the LLEP.
He has met with a host of partners across local and national government in recent months against the backdrop of a proposed county deal or other devolution arrangement.
He will continue to lead on external strategy, supported by new cochair Anil Majithia, who has served on the LLEP Board for four years. He will focus on day-to-day business activities and internal governance.
Andy, who served as Loughborough MP from 1997 to 2010, said: “It’s good that Anil will be joining me as co-chair to support our board and leadership team on our business-as-usual activities, as I focus on engaging with local political leaders as they work to find the best devolution solution for Leicester and Leicestershire.”
Andy Reed OBE (left) and Anil Majithia
One of the region’s most prominent business leaders is helping to bridge the gap between employers and prisoners after being appointed to a key position.
The Chamber’s chief executive Scott Knowles is now chair of the employment advisory board at HMP Sudbury Prison, in Derbyshire.
The 12-person board, which was established this summer, helps to develop work and training opportunities for prisoners, establish partnerships with local businesses, and invest in projects that will support their progression into long-term employment once they return to the community.
The Chamber’s director of resources Lucy Robinson is vicechair of the board, which also includes business leaders from organisations including Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, Blueprint Interiors, Cosy Direct, DPI UK, New Futures Network, PPL PRS, Qinesis and The Alternative Board.
Scott said: “It’s a great privilege to be asked to lead the new employment advisory board, which has a crucial role to play both for society and businesses.
“We want to ensure prison leavers are given the tools they need to re-enter the community and make a meaningful contribution via a long-term job.
“At the same time, businesses are grappling with a skills shortage that is severely hampering their growth prospects, with four in 10 East Midlands businesses that attempt to recruit struggling to fill vacant roles.
“With the region’s unemployment rate at a record low of 2.4% amid a rising number of people leaving the workforce, businesses now need to widen their
Scott Knowleslabour pool via inclusive recruitment strategies that tap into people from all backgrounds, including prison leavers.
“Some of our members have already started to do this and are hugely enthusiastic about the contributions they make because these individuals are very keen to make a new start, and will show great loyalty to the organisation that gives them a chance.”
HMP Sudbury, a Category D men’s prison based near Ashbourne, had on average 576 prisoners at any one time between January and December 2021.
About 160 of its current population is in regular, full-time paid work at 35 local, national and international businesses, which advertise roles via an employment hub within the prison that also supports with application forms
and facilitating interviews. Companies include GXO, Scott Group, W H Ratcliffe, Clipper Logistics, The Bennie Group, RMF Construction.
Many of these employers offer additional training, such as forklift licences or construction tickets, and all offer jobs on release. There are often opportunities for progression within organisations to supervisor and management roles.
To join the outwork scheme, prisoners must meet a number of criteria, such as completing relevant education and risk assessment courses, and having good work attendance during an internal placement in the prison.
Craig Smith, governor at HMP Sudbury, said: “In my experience, there are three golden threads that enable any individual leaving prison to remain out of prison – a place to live, contact with family and friends, and employment.
“Employment offers a wage, dignity, purpose and hope to succeed within the community. I firmly believe that by offering these golden threads, we will succeed in rehabilitating and ensuring we start to reduce our prison population.
“The employment advisory board is vital in offering HMP Sudbury the chance to provide these goals.
“Scott is ideal to lead this with his knowledge, experience and connections via East Midland Chamber. I appreciate his honesty, directness and innovative thinking, and I am delighted he is the chair of the board.”
Any businesses interested in creating employment partnerships with HMP Sudbury should contact Louise Duke on louise.duke@justice.gov.uk
Receiving support from the Chamber’s employment services team helped to propel Ashley Gorman into a successful career – and now he is helping young people to also get ahead.
Ash took part in a Chamber programme that supported people into work about five years ago, completing a level one qualification in English, maths and care. He also updated his CV, developed interview techniques and learned coping strategies to address his stutter with the help of an employment coach.
With his newfound skills and confidence, Ash applied to volunteer at The Pythian Club, which provides diversionary activities and constructive pathways for young people in deprived areas within Nottingham.
Following a stint shadowing CEO Benjamin Rosser, he took up a paid job as a sports coach, before finding his niche as a sports outreach lead and mentor.
Ash said: “With the support provided by East Midlands Chamber and Ben, I have gone from strength to strength developing my skills and knowledge in terms of engaging with young people, either through mentoring them via sport or during outreach sessions, where I feel confident to approach and provide support for any young person I see who may be in distress.
“The Pythian Club also provide me with opportunities to continue learning new skills in a professional capacity to better serve the young people in our community. I have found the perfect job role for me.”
Benjamin added: “Ash has been with The Pythian Club for the last two years and it has been an absolute delight to see his self-belief and confidence grow through his time here.”
Ashley Gorman‘We want to ensure prison leavers are given the tools they need to re-enter the community’
The Chamber and emh group will once again join forces to promote Black History Month in a social media campaign throughout October.
The organisations will aim to foster discussion around this year’s theme, “Time for Change: Actions not Words”, and engage businesses and communities across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.
Businesses and communities that have already made positive changes in the EDI agenda will be celebrated in the campaign, with best practice shared to support other organisations beginning on their journeys.
Key thought leaders in EDI will also explore opportunities for further change in the workplace and communities.
Jill Bamford, group people director at emh group, the Chamber’s director of resources Lucy Robinson, and University of Derby talent programme coordinator Fred Gough will be guest speakers at a special Generation Next event that discusses the value of a diverse and inclusive workforce.
The event, free to Generation Next and Chamber members, takes place at the University of Derby’s students union on Thursday 13 October from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.
To keep up to date with the Black History Month campaign, follow East Midlands Chamber and emh group on LinkedIn, as well as on Twitter (@EMChamberNews and @emhgroup).
Breaking down the “fear factor” around diversity via education and making adjustments to how new staff are recruited are among the practical changes employers can make to create more inclusive workplaces.
These were some of the key findings by the Chamber and housing association emh group at a roundtable they jointly hosted to gather more intelligence about how to support businesses in establishing an equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy.
It follows research published in March that found 48% of East Midlands businesses have a dedicated EDI policy in place, with 68% saying it can contribute to successful business plans and 55% agreeing it was an important part of their leadership strategy.
“At a time when four in five East Midlands businesses attempting to recruit are struggling to fill roles, we should be doing all we can to widen our labour pool by being more inclusive in our approaches to recruitment – beginning from how we advertise jobs and conduct interviews.
Better workplaces, improved decision-making and increased innovation were among the benefits cited by companies engaged with EDI.
The July roundtable at emh group’s office in Coalville featured input from organisations including law firm Freeths, ER Recruitment, De Montfort University, manufacturer Hardy Signs and social enterprise Access Rating.
Following on from the session, the Chamber and emh group will work with other partners to develop greater support for those wanting to do more to develop an inclusive workplace.
The Chamber’s director of resources and EDI lead Lucy Robinson said: “It’s become increasingly clear that engagement with EDI is no longer just another bullet point in a company’s benefits package but is now business-critical.
“A happy workforce is also one that is more likely to stay in a job. We’ve heard lots about the ‘great resignation’ post-lockdown so creating a more inclusive work environment – where people are given a continuous education that encourages open discussion and breaks down the unconscious biases we all have –will go a long way to helping organisations retain their best people.”
Chan Kataria OBE, chief executive at emh group, added: “Diversity is a unique selling point for the East Midlands, which has the most diverse communities outside London.
“This is something we recognise at emh group, which is why we have engaged in a variety of initiatives in recent years – from supporting more women to take up boardroom positions to deploying the ‘Rooney rule’ to put forward more people from minority backgrounds in interviews for senior positions.”
The Chamber is among a group of key organisations and businesses to get behind Nottingham City Council’s £20m funding bid to help kickstart the transformation of the Broad Marsh to life.
It joins the likes of Experian, Boots, Capital One and D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership in supporting the proposal to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
The independent Greater Broad Marsh Advisory Group, which was established by the council, led a bold new vision for the site, which was informed by an extensive public engagement and brought to life by worldrenowned urban designer Thomas Heatherwick.
If successful, the £20m Broad Marsh bid would prepare the centrepiece of the vision –
the frame of the half-demolished former shopping centre – to be retained and reimagined into a unique space to bring people together in the city for play, performance and food, providing the necessary catalyst and confidence for private sector partners to invest.
The council says this would unlock other key elements of the vision, including 6,000 jobs, 750 homes and more than 400,000 sq ft of commercial and business space, as well as a wildlife-rich green space in the heart of the city.
The Chamber’s chief executive Scott Knowles said the Broad Marsh and nearby Island Quarter development “represent a unique opportunity to reimagine a key part of the city centre and make it fit for 21st century use”.
‘We should be doing all we can to widen our labour pool by being more inclusive’Chan Kataria OBE and Lucy Robinson Delegates at the roundtable session
More than 340 businesses across the region have so far been supported in the development of their sustainability plans as a result of the net zero strand of the East Midlands Accelerator project.
The Chamber, together with a project consortium of the region’s universities and business support agencies, is delivering the Net Zero Accelerator project, which helps organisations with changes such as reducing their carbon footprint, switching to electric vehicles and creating sustainability action plans.
The project, which is part-funded by the Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund and led by the local authority in each region, has supported businesses in the eligible areas of Derbyshire Dales, High Peak, Mansfield, Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood, Nottingham city and Leicester city.
The Chamber’s deputy chief executive Diane Beresford said: “Businesses recognise that greener practices make business sense –not just because of the long-term efficiency gains, but because presenting a clear sustainability strategy is becoming increasingly important when it comes to winning
new contracts and customers.”
Net Zero Accelerator support includes:
•Support on making the switch to electric vehicles through the University of Derby’s Cenex Electric Fleet Transformation scheme
•Support on carbon reduction and environmental management and consultancy from the region’s universities
•Net zero student placements and sustainability audits in partnership with the three Leicestershire universities, giving businesses firm plans on where they might take action
•Support from the Zellar sustainability platform, with the Chamber investing in 400 annual software licences to give SMEs the opportunity to track, measure and promote their sustainability activities.
•Specialist sector support from the Food and Drink Forum and Marketing Peak District and Derbyshire on decarbonisation and sustainability.
For more information, visit bit.ly/EMCNetZeroAccelerator
GREEN TOMATO, LEICESTER
Leicester’s first emission-free, mobile greengrocery draws in customers with its nostalgic 1970s milk float.
Granting residents access to high-quality fruit and vegetables at the kerbside and through online orders is helping the city’s households reduce their supermarket trips and carbon footprint.
The business has benefited from a 12-week University of Leicester net zero student placement and sustainability audit, and attended carbon literacy training delivered by De Montfort University and the University of Leicester. The audit recognised what the business had known for some time – that it is officially carbon positive.
Owner Nisha Ravat said it had made a “massive difference” as a relatively new microbusiness.
Cave Escape is the world’s only permanent escape room venue located in a subterranean cave system.
A capital grant helped the business invest in technology, and taking up the Chamber’s offer of free, one-year access to the Zellar sustainability platform means it can put its green commitments on proud display –whether it’s small steps like adding smart plugs to all devices, or appointing a sustainability champion.
Creative director Jennifer Gilbert-Scott said: “The support has not only allowed us to stay ahead of the curve in terms of technology, but also in our commitments as a sustainable business.”
Treak Cliff Cavern is a popular visitor attraction, which also mines its own blue john and produces jewellery at its on-site workshop.
The cavern’s remote location means it has no mains water, gas or vehicular access. Support from East Midlands Accelerator provided grant funding for the purchase of a solar voltaic system that will not only harvest light for the caves but provide the electricity needed to power the jewellery workshop.
University of Derby support on carbon literacy and environmental management and accreditation means the business is now firmly on its way to achieving IIE bronze accreditation.
“We’ve always been careful custodians of the resources we have here in this glorious part of High Peak, but support from the East Midlands Accelerator project means we can continue at pace with our conservation ambitions,” said owner administrator Vicky Turner.
Thousands of visitor attractions, businesses and suppliers in Nottinghamshire are being urged to have their say on the future of the county’s visitor economy.
An online consultation led by Nottinghamshire County Council to refresh its visitor economy strategy starts runs until Friday 14 October.
The visitor economy includes traditional tourism but also encompasses everything in the supply chain that attracts visitors to
Nottinghamshire – including construction, farming and sport – and the infrastructure that supports it.
The purpose of creating a refreshed visitor economy strategy is to help re-launch the sector post-Covid, and reflect on how the pandemic and the current cost of living have changed how people spend their leisure time.
To take part in the consultation, visit bit.ly/Notts-visitor-economy
Treak Cliff Cavern Nisha Ravat of Green TomatoMoving from a position where the net zero agenda is an aspiration to it being embedded in every strand of a business will be crucial to taking meaningful strides forward in green growth.
This was the consensus among speakers at the Chamber’s Sustainability Summit on 22 September, which also heard how the cost-ofdoing-business crisis offers an opportunity to make environmentally-friendly efficiencies that reduce overheads for organisations.
The event, held at headline partner the University of Derby’s Enterprise Centre, featured keynote speakers from universities, businesses, banking, not-for-profits and Government.
Chris Hobson, director of policy and external affairs at the Chamber, said: “Despite firms facing lots of external challenges and a crisis in the cost of doing business, they remain highly committed to the net zero agenda by making efficiencies in their operations and buildings to reduce not only their carbon emissions, but costs too.
“So as we search for solutions to the mountain of problems, it’s vital we don’t take our eye off the ball in supporting businesses to adopt green growth strategies.
“It’s clear we still have much work to do in this respect, with many companies telling us there must be a more joined-up approach between organisations and a more consistent message across these bodies.”
Unique research carried out by the Chamber and University of Derby illustrated how adoption of green growth is accelerating in business strategies but 35% of firms still aren’t engaged with net zero.
Chris said there were still gaps in information, skills and access to finance, while he called for policymakers to get on with environmental legislation in order to remove uncertainty for businesses and enable them to plan for the future.
He added: “The language we use when discussing the net zero needs to evolve as the landscape does – when we talk about green jobs, let’s start thinking less about the inputs of roles and more about their impact in order to broaden what is currently a very narrow definition.
“And for businesses, we want to move towards green growth being embedded in everything we do – from business plans for growth and making efficiencies, to the products we make and skills we look for. Only once it is part of mainstream thinking can we really begin to make the required progress in cutting emissions and costs.”
For more information about business support related to net zero adoption and green growth, visit the Chamber’s Sustainable East Midlands page at www.emc-dnl.co.uk/sustainability.
• A special report on the Sustainability Summit will feature in the November edition of Business Network.
‘We want to move towards green growth being embedded in everything we do’Chris Hobson speaking at the Sustainability Summit
A Leicester businesswoman and author who made her name developing exercise and health programmes has been recognised for her 50 years’ contribution to the region’s business community at East Midlands Chamber’s Enterprising Women Awards.
Rosemary Conley CBE DL was presented with the Lifetime Achievement award at the gala dinner, held on 30 September at Leicester Tigers’ Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium in partnership with Futures Housing Group.
Designed to honour a businesswoman who has contributed to the region and their sector for at least a decade, the category was introduced to mark the Enterprising Women network’s 25th anniversary, which was also celebrated at the event.
Rosemary is best known for authoring low-fat diet and exercise programme The Hip and Thigh Diet in 1988, which sold more than two million copies. She is now a trustee at Steps Conductive Education Centre, which supports children with motor and developmental disorders.
She was among 11 winners, featuring rising stars, entrepreneurs and diversity champions. The Business Woman of the Year title presented to Emily Smith, HR, health and safety director at Michael Smith Switchgear as well as managing director at sister company AVW Fabrications.
Since joining the firm in 2013, Emily has driven investment in new
machinery, improved efficiency and streamlined its processes, all with stakeholders and CSR policies at the forefront of her decision-making.
Enterprising Women co-chairs Jean Mountain and Eileen Perry MBE DL also presented special recognition awards to three finalists, including Monic Huang, of Morningside Pharmaceuticals; Emma Baumback, of Future Life Wealth Management; and Tracey Mosley, of EMA Training.
Eileen said: “It was fantastic having the opportunity to honour someone of Rosemary’s stature with the Lifetime Achievement award as she is a fantastic ambassador both for enterprising women and our region more generally. Each winner is so deserving and I’m proud to be able to celebrate their achievements through the network.”
Jean, who set up the network in 1997, added: “Recognising the achievements of women in business is an important part of Enterprising Women, giving them the confidence to succeed further and thrive in their careers.”
ITV weather presenter Emma Jesson returned to host the blacktie event, where entertainment included singer-songwriter Esmee Esho, comedian Patrick Monahan and Leicester band The Jamlocks.
Other supporters included design sponsor Cross Productions, media sponsor Purpose Media, AV sponsor Conference Works and print sponsor Soar Valley Press.
Business Woman of the Year –Sponsored by Futures Housing Group Emily Smith (pictured) - Michael Smith Switchgear
Female Entrepreneur of the Year –Sponsored by Midlands Engine Investment Fund
Dawn Brown – Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care
Social Commitment Award – Sponsored by She Inspires Global Gift Wellness
Small Business of the Year – Sponsored by Unique Window Systems Fraser Stretton Property Group
Female Employee of the Year – Sponsored by Smallman & Son Karen Miles – trentbarton
Team of the Year – Sponsored by PPL PRS TwentyTwenty – Love4Life
Outstanding Contribution to Work in STEM – Sponsored by Pick Everard De Montfort University
Apprentice of the Year – Sponsored by EMA Training Ruby Birks – Purpose Media
Rising Star Award – Sponsored by Amanda Daly, The Turnaround CEO Jessica Barnett – Timms Solicitors
Diversity Champion – Sponsored by Breedon Consulting Stephen Gould – Everards Brewery
Lifetime Achievement Award – Sponsored by Paradigm Wills and Sales Solutions Rosemary Conley CBE DL (pictured)
A picture gallery of the Enterprising Women Awards 2022 will feature in the November edition of Business Network.
The latest raft of free events announced as part of Leicester Business Festival will seek to help firms with the energy crisis.
Energy procurement specialist Assured Energy will host an event titled, “Helping SMEs with rising energy costs” on Thursday 10 November from 8.30am to 10am.
Its parent company Consultus International Group will also host a workshop titled, “Navigating net zero: How to overcome the
challenges facing businesses” on Thursday 17 November from 8.30am to 10am.
Hiren Kanabar, general manager of Assured Energy, said: “Every day, we support businesses with their energy problems and provide strategic solutions.
“We know businesses need reassurance and real insights into navigating their way through the energy crisis. These are uncertain times, but we have expertise that can help and
support environmental targets too.”
Leicester Business Festival, which runs from 7 to 18 November and is supported by partners including the Chamber, features free business events hosted by local companies with the aim of helping, informing and educating other organisations.
For the latest list of events, visit www.leicesterbusinessfestival.com
Enterprising Women co-chairs Eileen Perry MBE DL and Jean Mountain
Sandra Wiggins, co-founder of soft signage manufacturer DPI UK, is the latest business leader to join the Generation Next mentoring scheme.
Bringing more than 30 years of leadership experience, she is also the founder and CEO of Authentically Balanced Leadership, which supports manufacturing leaders to create cultural transformation by engaging their team through psychological and behavioural safety.
Generation Next launched the mentoring scheme in January to give members the opportunity to learn from seasoned business leaders from across the East Midlands.
Generation Next lead Lucy Robinson said: “We’re delighted to welcome Sandra to the Generation Next mentoring scheme.
“Her range of expertise in manufacturing, leadership and business will be valuable to our members, who are all looking to progress in their respective careers.”
12 October, 10am
Inclusion in the new workplace
13 October, 4.30pm
The value of a diverse and inclusive workforce with the University of Derby
27 October, 4.30pm
Cocktail masterclass at Revolución de Cuba
Nottingham
15 November, 9.30am
Autumn ‘netwalk’ at Wollaton Park
23 November, 10am
The art of public speaking
For more information and to book a place, visit
https://generationnextemc.co .uk/event/
Generation Next, the Chamber’s network for young professionals aged 18 to 35, features a mentoring scheme that connects members with senior business leaders.
Jasmine Thompson speaks to one of the mentors, Theo Kirk (pictured), director of people and operations at Express Recruitment, about her background and why she got involved.
What has your career involved to date?
My career started just over a decade ago when I left school at 17.
I quickly climbed the hospitality ladder at a village pub and restaurant, from waitress to supervisor and then assistant manager. I picked up a vast array of leadership, customer service, resilience and managerial skills along the way.
I joined Express Recruitment in 2014 as I decided I was getting a little tired of the 70-hour working weeks. I was offered the role of recruitment consultant to take charge of the temporary division. I was quickly promoted to division manager a year later, then operations manager in 2017, before becoming a director last year aged just 27. I have undertaken almost every role in the business and now run the company alongside two other incredibly talented leaders –together we trebled business turnover in just under four years.
As a director focusing on both people and operations, I have picked up some key industry qualifications along the way, in areas such as HR, mentoring, and sales. I have a wealth of knowledge and experience in training, coaching, people management and wider organisational development.
I have been instrumental in the professional growth of employees
at all levels, whether they be school leavers with no experience, graduates wanting to fast-track up the commercial ladder, or new managers juggling the transition from colleague to leader.
Why did you sign up to the Generation Next mentoring scheme?
As a young business leader, I have always championed young talent, worked hard to facilitate success in others, and pushed to make a positive difference every day.
My “bread and butter” is customer service. I am passionate about value for money, and believe it is possible to deliver industryleading customer service, irrespective of company size or sector, provided you have the right people, in the right role, with the right support.
I signed up to the Generation Next mentoring scheme as I wanted to give the future generation of business leaders in my local area the confidence to participate and collaborate in their own respective businesses without fear of age discrimination, prejudice, or preconceived barriers.
Since joining Generation Next, I have participated in a peer-to-peer network to share my own experiences with other young professionals in our region, to be used as a positive tool to achieve
mutual personal growth and professional development.
Why is mentoring an important part of career and personal development?
As my professional career has evolved, I have naturally mentored and developed our people to take over the day-to-day operations within our business, and this journey has provided great job satisfaction. I have found that hiring new, sometimes inexperienced, employees – like I was – has brought a new level of reward at this stage in my career.
I want to work with other young professionals and future leaders to not only learn from me, but more importantly, to share new and innovative ideas and perspectives. Like most business leaders, I have experienced unwelcome bouts of imposter syndrome, and I have found that having regular one-toone time with colleagues, peers and friends has given me the reassurance and direction I have sometimes needed to tackle the commercial world.
My biggest goal is to continue being successful, continue building my credibility in the professional world, and continue feeling pride. I don’t want to just feel proud of myself, I want to mentor and develop others to feel proud of all they have achieved too.
Sandra Wiggins
The 2022 edition of the East Midlands Top 500 Companies index, published in the summer, once again provided a snapshot into the region’s economic strengths. Alexandra Charles (pictured, inset), head of executive education and enterprise development within the University of Derby’s College of Business, Law and Social Sciences, analyses what the report illustrates about the manufacturing industry.
Here in the East Midlands, we see first-hand the considerable contribution made by our manufacturing companies – which account for 158 of the Top 500 East Midlands Companies, employ 115,263 people and generate more than £20bn in revenue.
Manufacturing in 2022 was the largest of the six sectors in the region, contributing 22% of the total revenue. With this presence comes significant responsibility. But manufacturing businesses are facing complex multiple challenges.
These include recovery from Covid-19, soaring energy prices, fluctuations in raw materials, need for daily risk management, uplift in national insurance, lack of skilled staff, and the effects of Brexit on trading relationships.
However, the sector is responding energetically in four interconnected ways
The sector is adopting a collaborative approach via the launch of the expanded East Midlands Manufacturing Network
supported by the Chamber. Collaboration is also in abundance at the 155-acre SmartParc SEGRO Derby food manufacturing, distribution and incubation hub.
We can identify diversification in driving low-carbon hydrogen technologies, and delivering new and advanced nuclear power as part of the green industrial revolution. The Midlands Engine Hydrogen Technologies Strategy shows the way to develop lowcarbon hydrogen production capacity and accompanying employment.
Rolls-Royce is developing a new Nuclear Engineering Academy alongside its plans for small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).
This is supporting both sustainability and enhanced productivity, as we have seen in the announcement of £13m funding for the East Midlands Institute of Technology (IoT).
Academic partners will join forces to develop the highly advanced workforce needed to lead the UK’s green and digital revolution, to support postpandemic recovery, and its journey to net zero by 2050.
The Chamber’s Digital Transformation Accelerator project will also create and enhance skills to fill the digital skills gap, switch from manual to digital processes, and increase long-term productivity and efficiency.
The East Midlands has the highest per capita CO2 emissions in England, a legacy from the high proportion of regional extractive and manufacturing companies.
However, regional businesses are increasingly adopting proenvironmental practices. Turnover generated from low-carbon and environmental goods and services (LCEGS) has grown from 16% in 2015 to 45% in 2022, according to research by the Chamber and University of Derby.
This is a result of new market entrants and existing companies shifting product lines towards lowcarbon options, rather than a rise in specialist LCEGS suppliers.
Sustainable business strategies and practices deliver positive returns on sustainability investment – improving efficiency, increasing resilience and reducing risks. Most importantly, they lower costs, drive sales and increase profits for the manufacturing companies in our region.
These four responses evidence the pride in our regional manufacturing companies and the enormous contribution they make locally, nationally and globally.
Confronted by society’s biggest challenges, these companies continue to strengthen the UK’s industrial base, deliver sustained stable growth, transition to a netzero economy, and build resilient workplaces and workforces for the future.
The full East Midlands Top 500 Companies list is available on www.business-live.co.uk
Poor east-west connectivity and HGV delays are costing operators £1 per minute, according to a new report by Midlands Connect.
This figure is released as part of Midlands Connect’s Freight Routemap for the Midlands, which outlines priorities and plans for the region.
The report found 156,000 people were employed in the transportation and storage sectors in the East Midlands in September 2020 and 180,000 in the West Midlands.
It says improving freight in the region can benefit the following policy areas:
•Economy: By facilitating efficient
movement of goods to, from and around the region
•Environment: By supporting the industry to meet its carbon targets and ambitions
•People: By providing the goods and materials we all need, as well as improving air quality, reducing noise and improving local road safety.
The plan will ensure that freight and logistics continue to serve the needs of the people and businesses of the region and the UK, supporting and growing the regional and UK economy.
It highlights the importance of improving road and rail links between East Midlands Airport, one
of the busiest freight airports in Europe, and other key ports and gateways.
Midlands Connect chief executive Maria Machancoses said: “To keep freight working and delivering for our region, we need to pay real attention to the road and rail networks which support it, especially if freight is to continue to grow in line with expected forecasts.
“Key road and rail routes go through the Midlands providing through routes for goods arriving from ports in the south. We sometimes say ‘fix the middle to fix the nation’ exactly because the journeys for so many goods begin, end or go through the Midlands.”
Maria Machancoses
A new £40m research facility that will pave the way towards a new generation of green electric transport, power and propulsion technologies has been unveiled at the University of Nottingham.
The Power Electronics and Machines Centre (PEMC), based at the university’s Jubilee Campus, was officially opened by vice-chancellor Professor Shearer West in late June.
It offers purpose-built laboratories for the Power Electronics, Machines and Control research group, the largest such collection of researchers in the world.
The building sits at the heart of the university’s commitment to establishing Nottingham and the East Midlands as a hub for the translation of net zero technologies from research benches to real-world solutions.
It is home to the Government-funded Driving the Electric Revolution Industrialisation Centre – Midlands, which is developing innovative technology and manufacturing processes for advanced electrical machines and drives. It also houses the 20-megawatt UK Electrification of Aerospace Propulsion Facility, which offers industry testing at a scale unrivalled by any other research centre in the world.
Professor Sam Kingman, pro-vicechancellor for the Faculty of Engineering, said PEMC is “truly game-changing” for transportation electrification, particularly in the aviation and automotive sectors.
“We’re using our test beds to look 10 years or more into the future, trying to solve the problems industry doesn’t yet know it’s got yet, while also working closely with it to understand and help solve needs for today,” he added.
Loughborough University and Caterpillar have agreed to continue a strategic collaboration launched more than 25 years ago to accelerate innovative technologies within the off-highway powertrain sector.
The collaboration began in the late 1990s and led to the establishment of the Innovation and Research Centre (IRC) on the university campus, featuring world-class facilities and expertise in the field of engines, engine subsystems and hybrid pow ertrain systems development.
The IRC was the first long-term partnership between Caterpillar – a £45bn turnover global leader in manufacturing machinery and equipment for sectors including construction and mining – and a university in Europe.
It delivers research that addresses fundamental questions, discovering and developing new engineering processes and components applied worldwide by Caterpillar and its global supply chain.
Adrian Spencer, professor in thermo-fluid mechanics at Loughborough University and Director of the Innovation and Research Centre, said: “Loughborough and Caterpillar are committed to accelerating solutions for a more sustainable future and enabling an inclusive and diverse workforce.
“Through the IRC, we look forward to another
five years of pushing the boundaries in research and innovation to keep pace with the rapidly changing heavy-duty vehicles sector.”
Over the years the IRC’s many projects spanning control, thermal management, aftertreatment and more recently hybridisation, materials, data analytics and digitisation have earned international academic respect, delivering commercial value as well as farreaching economic and societal impact.
Caterpillar’s collaboration with Loughborough is having a profound impact on the provision of industrial skills, providing invaluable professional development to all levels of engineers in the company through bespoke courses, as well as recruiting more UK-based graduates from Loughborough than any other university.
David Goldspink, Caterpillar vice-president and general manager, added: “It is rare that we are able to step back and appreciate the excellent work that the Loughborough and Caterpillar teams have achieved.
“We look forward to working together to ensure the synergy between great technical research and future talent continues long into the future.”
A pioneering community energy scheme in Nottingham, which enables residents to generate, store and use solar electricity, has been recognised for its innovation and ecofriendly credentials with a national award.
The Trent Basin green energy initiative, led by experts in the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering, was named among the winners of the British Renewable Energy Awards 2022.
The scheme, which is being delivered by developer Blueprint, involves 76 low-carbon homes being built on the banks of the River Trent as part of the redevelopment of a 250-acre brownfield site on the edge of the city centre. A
further 100 homes and a school will soon join the site. Trent Basin scooped this year’s community category, celebrating community groups that have been active in delivering a renewable energy project or programme of installations in their local area.
Mark Gillott, professor of sustainable building design, said: “A key part of the scheme is the innovative ways of managing the energy assets, both financially and technically. Our pioneering business models and control systems are helping to advance the integration of renewable energy into communities, making UK net zero carbon targets more viable.”
‘Accelerating solutions for a more sustainable future’Centre left and right: David Goldspink, vice president and general manager at Caterpillar, and Professor Nick Jennings, vice-chancellor at Loughborough University, with members of Caterpillar and the Innovation and Research Centre The University of Nottingham’s Power Electronics and Machines Centre
A Leicester company that has helped some of the UK’s biggest institutions to communicate more effectively with audiences is now turning its attention to reducing carbon emissions emanating from organisations’ digital media assets.
Shrinker Digital, which counts the BBC, ITV and NHS among previous clients, has developed a commercial service that allows it to audit any website for its carbon emissions.
In a unique pilot scheme, it has audited the websites of 28 small businesses in Leicestershire to ascertain their combined carbon footprint and to propose recommendations aimed at reducing the energy they consume – and by extension, their CO2 emissions. If all the 28 websites were to implement Shrinker Digital’s proposed changes, it could lead to a 30% reduction in their emissions, worth up to 22 tonnes of CO2.
Director Jal Kang said: “Any organisation that has not factored in the environmental impact of their digital operations into their sustainability plan will struggle to hit their CO2 targets.
“Our long-term aim is to force a policy change so that organisations are obliged to include these CO2 emissions in their scope three greenhouse gas emissions reporting.
“We also want to highlight the benefits of sustainable web development practices and force a ‘sea change’ across the entire industry –from developers to the public and governments around the world.”
One of the companies that has implemented these changes is Oadby-based marketing agency Cross Productions, whose website carbon
footprint was equivalent to travelling 752 miles in a car and boiling 1,927 kettles.
After Shrinker Digital audited its website, the company reduced energy consumption by 67 kilowatts per hour, or 591 kettles. Cross has also signed up to the carbon reduction programme Zellar as part of the Chamber’s Net Zero Accelerator, which is funded by the Government’s UK Community Renewal Fund.
CEO Jenny Cross added: “We’re very happy to have been able to do even more by reducing our CO2 emissions from our website – a key resource for our company – and push even further towards net zero.”
Jal Kang will present on “How to reduce your digital carbon footprint” at a Chamber webinar, held on 10 November from 3-4pm. Register for free at bit.ly/EMCDigitalFootprint
Cross Productions’ team leaders
CEO Jenny Cross
DATE: 13 October
TIME: 9-2
COST: £280 + VAT
Learn how to accurately produce a customs declaration or check one being produced by a customs agent for your company
DATE: 20 October
TIME: 9-12
COST: £150 + VAT
Introduction to methods of obtaining inward and outward processing relief from customs duty and VAT on international transactions
DATE: 25 October
TIME: 9-12.30
COST: £150 + VAT or £100 + VAT if taken alongside customs declaration course
With the CHIEF (customs handling of import and export freight) electronic system being replaced with CDS (customs declaration service), find out about the key changes
DATE: 1 November
TIME: 9-4
COST: £270 + VAT
Practical programme equipping delegates with necessary skills and knowledge to prepare and process documents when exporting goods overseas
DATE: 3 November
TIME: 9-12
COST: £150 + VAT
Navigate the complex and difficult international system for coding products for customs purposes
DATE: 10 November
TIME: 9-4
COST: £270 + VAT
Get an overall picture of how the many elements of international trade fit together, including hands-on experience of the administration involved with getting an export consignment ready
*Prices listed are exclusively for East Midlands Chamber members
For a full list of courses, visit bit.ly/EMCInternationalTraining
Established in 1990 and declared independent from Serbia in 2008, the Republic of Kosovo is now an upwardly mobile state in South-East Europe. The British-Kosovar Chambers of Commerce is one of the newest members of the British Chambers of Commerce international network and is now forging new trading relationships. Ilir Kapiti (pictured), ambassador at the Republic of Kosovo to the UK, explains how it can offer trading opportunities for businesses in the East Midlands.
Located in the heart of the Balkans, the Republic of Kosovo offers easy access via air, road and rail. There are also three sea ports in short distance – Durres in Albania is 163 miles away; Trivet in Montenegro is 186 miles; and Thessaloniki in Greece is 205 miles.
In 2021, the Republic of Kosovo achieved remarkable economic growth of 10.53%, with an 83.6% increase in exports, 21% increase in foreign direct investment and 30% increase in tax revenues without changing fiscal policies. These impressive achievements were followed by a 31% rise in customs and an additional 25,000 jobs for theeconomy.
Kosovo’s government runs a stable and forward-looking policy. It is one of the few countries outside the EU that has introduced the euro as its official currency. By eliminating the exchange rate risk, transaction costs have been reduced – thus, facilitating the promotion of trade and investment.
However, we are aware Kosovo needs to work harder on its economic development and we would like to use this opportunity after Brexit to increase economic co-operation with the UK for the benefit of both countries.
Some major infrastructure projects will take place soon and UK companies are welcome to apply. Critically, production in Kosovo is improving and our products can be competitive with those made anywhere else in the world.
These include wood processing and wood furniture-making, which we currently export to the USA, Germany and Switzerland. We are sure some of these products can easily find their place in the UK market soon.
The food and beverages sector is making considerable progress and is expanding in the local market, as well as penetrating the EU market.
Since ancient times, Kosovo has had concentrations of viticulture and winemaking. These have been distinguished for high-quality production of grapes, wines and brandy.
This outstanding achievement is made possible thanks to the geographical extent, continental Mediterranean climate, nutrient-rich soils, low sloping valleys and hilly lands that extend continuously to the Albanian lands.
This is the perfect physical landscape for
grape production, meeting the highest international standards for the production of table grapes and alcoholic beverages or refreshments.
The IT sector is booming, offering high-quality services and the latest technologies to consumers – used by both local and foreign companies that want to outsource their software development, as well as call and support centres.
Other relevant industries are mining and metal processing, green energy development, and textile and leather processing.
One of the main priorities in my job is economic diplomacy. I hope we will manage to penetrate into the UK market, with high-quality products, but also in other cultural aspects such as film production, photography and various forms of art, which we will all present to the UK. I hope the UK will also increase its economic and cultural presence in Kosovo.
The business environment in Kosovo has become one of the most competitive in the region.
Advantages such as an excellent tax system, abundant natural resources, quick and easy business registration, and transparent laws on foreign investment make Kosovo an attractive and friendly environment for foreign investors.
For companies looking to invest in a low-cost location with easy access to the EU, central European and Balkan markets, Kosovo represents one of the most attractive options. It only takes two days to register a company in Kosovo – free of charge with zero charted capital for limited liability companies.
Some of the advantages of investment in Kosovo are low labour costs, 10% corporation tax, progressive personal income tax ranging from zero to 10%, no dividend or transfer tax, and unrestricted use of income.
The British-Kosovar Chambers of Commerce (BKCC) is a not-for-profit membership organisation with the objective to foster strong business links between the UK and Republic of Kosovo.
It is supported by the UK’s Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy for the Balkans, the Embassy of the Republic of Kosovo in the UK, and the British Embassy in Kosovo.
For more information about trading opportunities in the Republic of Kosovo, visit www.bkcc.co.uk or email info@bkcc.co.uk
A liberal trade regime contributes further to doing business in Kosovo. A free trade agreement with 27 EU countries was signed in 2015. This gave access to a market of more than 500 million people, while the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) was simultaneously signed. This includes six western Balkans countries and is gaining further access to nearby countries. Additionally, a free trade agreement with Turkey has also been signed.
Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe. It is both skilled and multilingual, with English being only just short of an official language.
Internet penetration is 76.6%, based on users, and 84.8% based on households. This is the highest rate in the region and is comparable to most developed countries in Europe.
Loughborough University has appointed two special envoys for India as it seeks to forge new links between the East Midlands and South Asia.
Following an internal recruitment process earlier this year, the institution has selected Dr Kirti Ruikar and Professor Bala Vaidhyanathan to undertake the new leadership roles.
Reporting to the International Strategy Management Group (ISMG), the special envoys will be responsible for leading the university’s regional strategy for India, and will work closely with vice-chancellor Professor Nick Jennings to develop relationships with major stakeholders and partners in the region.
The appointments play a key role in delivering the international engagement and impact core plan, which forms a part of the university’s strategy Creating Better Futures. Together and aims to meet its aspirations to be a leading global university.
The university, which welcomes hundreds of Indian students each year to its campuses in Leicestershire and London, already collaborates with many Indian universities, including IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IIT Madras.
It also works in close partnership with high-profile Indian businesses such as Bajaj Auto, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of motorcycles and threewheeled vehicles.
Dr Ruikar, who is also programme leader for the architectural engineering and design management undergraduate degree, said: “Over the years, I have led research, teaching and enterprise partnerships with leading institutions in India and now I will be able to grow these relationships beyond our school to include the wider university.
“This ambassadorial role provides me with a platform to be a role model to future applicants, especially women. As a female from an Indian background, in a STEM area that is largely male-dominated, I understand the challenges that women face.”
Prof Vaidhyanathan, an expert in advanced materials and processing who coordinates the Loughborough-Asia Materials Partnership promoting teaching and research links with India, said it was “a great visionary initiative from the university to strengthen academic and industrial ties between the UK and India”.
Prof Bala Vaidhyanathan and Dr Kirti Ruikar
Pristina, the capital of Kosovo
As Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire took a big step towards a devolution agreement that would create a new overriding political structure bringing the counties closer together along with new central Government funding, the Chamber’s director of policy and external affairs Chris Hobson explains what has happened so far, the benefits of devolved decision-making and where Leicestershire stands in all this.
Coming at the end of August and a week before the new Prime Minister was announced, you would be forgiven for missing what in future years could be looked back upon as being a major step towards the shaping of how the East Midlands functions as a region.
On 30 August, a signing ceremony took place with then-Secretary of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Greg Clark and the leaders of Nottinghamshire, Nottingham, Derbyshire and Derby councils.
The document signed was the East Midlands Devolution Deal, an agreement to devolve £1.14bn of funding over 30 years – or about £516 per head each year – and enhanced powers across a range of areas, including housing and land, transport planning, economic affairs, adult education and others.
Looking at where deals exist elsewhere in the country, the potential benefit arguably goes beyond the direct cash and powers, but the ability this gives local areas to leverage in further public and private sector funding, with the West Midlands Combined Authority’s recent successes being a strong example of this.
In exchange for this funding and powers, a new mayoral combined county authority (MCCA) will be established across the participating area, with an elected mayor in place to create a direct line to and from Government.
On the surface a straightforward enough quid pro quo, but behind the scenes a number of discussions and deals remain to be done, with one particular elephant in the room, which we’ll come on to later.
But firstly, the role of the districts and borough authorities in the deal is something that has been carefully negotiated. Under the new deal, these authorities would retain existing powers and would also have up to four spaces on the governance body, along with the two cities, two counties and mayor.
There had been disquiet among some about what the deal would mean for their future and so to get everyone to a point where they were happy to sign up was no small feat of politicking from all involved.
Which brings us onto the bigger point. The deal has very purposefully been called the East Midlands Deal. However, it won’t have escaped notice that at present it only includes Derbyshire
Chris Hobsonand Nottinghamshire. So where does this leave Leicestershire and other parts of the region?
Well, in short, it leaves them with a decision to make. Like Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire was invited by Government back in February to propose a deal.
However, with the complexity of a city mayor in Leicester, the proposal as it stands is for a socalled “tier two” deal – restricted funding and powers, but less structural change locally and no need to elect a new mayoral position.
The concern among many is not so much the direct impact of lower funding, although an impact there will be, but good old-fashioned “FOMO” – the potential opportunity cost of future developments and the danger of being outcompeted by devolved entities to the north and west.
The difficulty is that it’s nigh on impossible to quantify this cost and crystal balls are hard to come by.
The best proxy measure is to look at recent developments elsewhere and the success that places like the West Midlands and North West have had in attracting favourable decisions – an increasing number of funding pots are being designed and targeted with devolved authorities in mind.
The potential downside of greater devolution would be a perceived lack of local democracy, with decisions being taken that impact the future of an area further away from where communities are based, although the retained district and borough powers hopefully assuage some of that concern.
So where is everything left now? First, on timescales: nothing happens immediately. A public consultation will be held from November to January on the deal, in which people will have the opportunity to share their views on what’s been announced.
After this, and no minor point, the legislation that enables all of this to happen – the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill – still needs to pass through Parliament in 2023, although at present its passage appears to have decent support across the House. If all that goes to plan, then an elected mayor for the East Midlands MCCA will likely be in place from May 2024.
This timescale does leave space for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland – not to mention Lincolnshire – to have a renewed focus on what it wants to achieve from this agenda.
Conversations with partners in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire suggest the door to wider involvement in a deal is not yet closed, although
the politics behind those discussions would undoubtedly be delicate for a range of reasons, not least the role of a city mayor in any new structures.
The Leicestershire area may decide it wants to pursue an enhanced deal just for itself, although this wouldn’t remove the issue of how that would interact with current structures, and some argue wouldn’t give the scale for some of the funding and powers to have meaningful impact.
Whatever happens next, it is clear a more informed, grown-up discussion is required by political leaders. They need to not only better engage with the business community – and the business community has a role to play in being ready to engage – but also with one another as cross-border discussions appear to have been few and far between.
These conversations will require people to make unusual bedfellows and will certainly involve compromise. But that’s what is now needed, what politicians are elected to do and what businesses do day in, day out.
There’s a lot going on in the world right now, so people will be forgiven for thinking there are more immediate issues to address.
But the discussions and decisions taken over the coming months will shape the long-term prosperity of the region we live and work in. It’s important we find the headspace to engage in this now.
The new Chancellor’s mini-budget marked a “bold” change in direction that features some clear benefits to businesses but also raises plenty of questions, says Chris Hobson.
Kwasi Kwarteng’s Growth Plan promised to ignite economic growth by lowering taxes and cutting regulation, featuring more than 30 measures to tackle high energy bills, drive down inflation and cut taxes.
Chris said: “This was a bold fiscal statement from the Chancellor that appears to unpick much of the rhetoric of previous administrations and signals an ideological shift to managing theeconomy at a macro level.
“We’ve been crying out for the economic pressure valve to be released, and businesses will welcome many of the policies featured in the Growth Plan, including a reversal in national insurance contributions, cancellation of the planned corporation tax rise, a wholesale energy price cap for firms and making the annual investment allowance permanent.
“These are measures that will give businesses more headroom at a time when spiralling costs for energy, people, fuel and raw materials have forced many to tighten their belts and restrict investment plans, which are vital to kickstarting our economy.”
The Chancellor made some “big statements”, Chris said, that businesses can cling to, including in streamlining planning rules for commercial development and promising to accelerate infrastructure projects in road, rail and digital.
But he warned previous policy promises haven’t always been delivered, with the East Midlands – which has the lowest public investment per head in areas like transport – “eagerly awaiting progress” in HS2 East and Midland Main Line electrification.
The Government is in discussions with Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire county councils about creating investment zones – which will offer time-limited tax benefits, accelerated development and wider support for local growth – but more details are needed before firms can begin to think about funnelling investment through these zones, Chris said.
He also wanted to see more measures to incentivise firms to tackle the “monumental skills shortage” by investing in training new employees.
“At a time when businesses desperately need some certainty about what lies ahead in order to revive ailing confidence, this minibudget felt somewhat like a roll of the dice and throws up lots of questions,” Chris added.
“While the Chancellor’s focus on growth and speeding up new infrastructure development is enthusiastically welcomed by businesses, they will want to hear very soon about how these policies will be enacted and the wider implications of their costs before they truly feel comfortable about investing in our national economy.”
‘The potential benefit arguably goes beyond the direct cash and powers, but the ability this gives local areas to leverage in further public and private sector funding’
While the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent recovery represents an unprecedented challenge to the health and wellbeing of employees, companies can continue to thrive by adopting a positive and holistic approach to staff wellbeing. Richard Kotulecki (pictured), chief executive of Lamp (Leicestershire Action for Mental Health Project), explains how.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated longstanding corporate challenges to employee health and wellbeing, and in particular, mental health. Those of us who were already experiencing mental health issues may have found they worsened through this period, as an over-stretched NHS struggled with the number of additional people who needed support.
Most businesses have seen an increase in employee burnout and mental fatigue, with one software company reporting a 30% increase compared to pre-pandemic figures.
Looking after the mental health of employees is good ethics and good business. Research by the University of York, published in The Lancet, found that if the organisation you work for actively promotes good mental health – and provides support to those who need it – it is more likely to benefit financially.
However, doing so is not just about salary, the perks and various add-ons –instead, it is about a positive, empowering culture, clarity of purpose and autonomy. So how can organisations take a more holistic approach to improving employee mental health and wellbeing?
If you have one, review and refresh it and if you do not, now is a good time to develop one. Think about every part of your employees’ health including physical, mental and financial aspects, and adopt strategies to help with all of them.
This should not incur additional costs and can include providing access to occupational health or online mental health support services.
CONSIDER ‘POST-PANDEMIC’ REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR TEAMS Throughout the pandemic, were you office-based? How has the transition to home fared?
Ask your staff how they are and what support they require. You can run a stress survey to determine the areas that need to be addressed or ask people for their ideas and recommendations.
When it comes to mental health, this is the one area that all people agree on – the need to talk. Give your teams the ability to talk to someone. Normalise it. Provide training on how to approach it, which can be done internally or with external experts.
Tell them it is normal to find this time stressful. Dispel the fear that if they admit to something, it will make them look weak or put their job at risk.
Check to see if absence rates are increasing. Are there intermittent absences? Are you receiving “fit to work” notes identifying stress, exhaustion, depression and anxiety?
If you are, look at providing extra support and workshops. Talk to a professional if you need guidance on what to say or how to best support and manage your team members. Ensure you do proper “back to work” interviews so you can monitor statistics.
Even with the best “injury prevention” plans, however, some will still struggle. Poor mental health is disempowering. Thus, it is vital to have support services that can empower individuals to rebuild their lives to achieve “full fitness”, such as those our Lamp advocacy team deals with and that are an integral part of the community.
Lamp is a community mental health charity that provides independent mental health advocacy to help individuals and families affected by mental illness to build better lives.
We also work with organisations to support their staff by strengthening resilience and adaptability in their teams, along with providing mental health first aid training, developing mental health champions and setting up peer listening programmes. This is done through our business club, a platform where best practices can be discussed with teams that are keen to improve mental health support in the workplace.
There is much to learn from how other organisations and sectors implement their practices and how they leverage good mental health to gain better business outcomes.
With employees now more likely to take a greater interest in their benefits, employers have a great opportunity to engage with them on all matters related to workplace wellbeing.
Rebecca Field (pictured, inset), a consultant with professional management consultancy QSS Group, highlights six issues to consider when considering mental health.
You need to take a holistic view of an individual to truly understand their mental health and wellbeing. Things such as their lifestyle, family circumstances or health issues can have a significant impact on a person’s wellbeing, but this may not be known about within the workplace. Supporting the individual in all areas of their life can improve their mental health.
It may be your organisation has trained mental health first aiders or offers the support of an employee assistance programme. People may informally prefer the support of a colleague, or a friend from outside of the workplace. It can be helpful for people to identify those they can turn to prior to needing support as this can help prevent feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Some people may thrive off routine and structure and find change daunting. Some may feel anxious about making phone calls and communicate best via emails. Others may find noisy environments distracting and prefer working in silence. Our working preferences aren’t just about when we work, but also how we work, the environment we are in, and how we best communicate with each other. Understanding this about ourselves and our colleagues may prevent friction and misunderstandings in the workplace.
If you can spot the signs your mental health, or that of a colleague, is declining then you can help prevent it. This may be increasing awareness of behavioural changes that often occur with poor wellbeing, such as lateness, missing deadlines or irritability. It also involves being aware of how others in the business may respond to changes and demands put on them, and being able to identify if they may be struggling.
It is important that people are not judgemental about others issues, and are able to offer empathetic, and confidential support. We’re much more open about our own struggles. We know that if we are ever struggling, there is support to be found within the office (and a good cup of tea).
We have introduced personal wellness plans for all our employees. These capture the areas above to help them to create action plans in any areas of their lives that they feel may be impacting their mental health, and to signpost them to further resources where needed. We are now in a position to create bespoke wellness plans and toolkits for our associates and customers to help start the discussion about mental health within their business.
The cost-of-living crisis has been one of the biggest stories this year as households feel the squeeze of the highest inflation in 40 years. Behind this is another crisis in the cost of doing business driven by escalating costs for energy, people, raw materials and fuel. Dan Robinson speaks to experts in the professional services industry about how firms are responding.
Frombeing forced to close and shut down revenue streams to being hit left, right and centre by rapidly-rising costs, businesses have been through an awful lot since we ushered in the 2020s.
But amid the various challenges piling up in finance and managing directors’ in-trays, a newfound sense of resilience to shocks has formed.
“Over the past two to three years, businesses across the East Midlands haven’t just pulled through the challenges they’ve faced, but enjoyed some very strong trading performances in sectors ranging from e-commerce to manufacturing,” says Amit Sonpal, head of mid-corporate for the East Midlands at Barclays Corporate Banking.
“Businesses have shown a lot of resilience in their ability to adapt and diversify. A lot of companies looked inwards at their management and financial position, end-to-end supply chain and overall strategy to understand where they are as a business and where they’re heading.
“We know businesses must, first and foremost, serve their clients day to day, but this resilient attitude has provided them with confidence to come out of the current cost-of-doing-business crisis stronger, rather than just survive.”
Barclays will soon bring its Eagle Labs incubator concept to Leicester in partnership with De Montfort University.
Alongside providing a co-working space, it supports entrepreneurs to innovate and grow by connecting them with other businesses, investors, mentors and banking experts.
It also offers educational workshops and helps corporates to better understand new and emerging technologies to get behind. Launched in 2015, there are labs in cities and towns across the UK.
To combat the highest levels of inflation in four decades –driven by rocketing prices resulting from increased demand for gas when Covid-19 restrictions eased and disrupted supplies from Russia as it waged war on Ukraine – the Bank of England has sought to tighten monetary policy.
There have been seven consecutive rises in interest rates since December last year, with the increase from 1.25% to
Amit says: “It’s the first one we’ve opened in the East Midlands and we’re very excited about it. We know collaboration helps businesses and entrepreneurs to innovate and grow, so it’s a fantastic opportunity for those either starting or scaling up.”
1.75% in August the biggest single hike in 27 years. It was followed by another rise to 2.25% in September and is forecast to continue upwards for some time to come.
Amit says: “If you are a depositor, it starts to increase the rates for investments in the UK, whereas a business that’s borrowing will find the payments go up.
“As a result, you have to look at your profitability versus the cost of your repayments and debt servicing.”
Leicester-based Amit works with SMEs with a turnover between £6.5m and £50m, and says owners of those businesses will feel a “significant impact” if they are seeking to borrow in order to diversify revenue streams or create new products as a means of tackling escalating costs.
At the same time, however, a higher base rate perhaps forces businesses to be more strategic in assessing the market today and forward plan.
“Within businesses, we need to look at internal and external headwinds because those that do this on a regular basis are better prepared and can be more agile,” says Amit.
“So while they have gone through challenging times, many have made changes by reviewing their business models and structures of their margins. They know where they should be in three years’ time and beyond.
“At the same time, businesses are facing challenges with rates going up, prices going up and the cost of living, which affects their employees. They still need to continue growing throughout these turbulent times and will need support to trade effectively.”
‘Within businesses, we need to look at internal and external headwinds because those that do this on a regular basis are better prepared and can be more agile’Amit Sonpal, of Barclays Corporate Banking
INFLATIONARY PRESSURES ARE also having a significant impact on people costs at the same time as there is a dearth in talent for businesses to tap into – the Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey shows that while twothirds of East Midlands businesses are attempting to recruit, 82% of this cohort struggle to fill roles.
Staff expect pay rises and, in a jobseeker’s market, know their demands can be satisfied elsewhere if necessary.
The mass exodus of staff post-lockdown has been dubbed the “Great Resignation”, although it’s not just financially-driven with workplace culture, the availability of flexible working and the social purpose of an organisation also coming into consideration.
Melanie Morton, managing associate in Freeths’ employment law team who is based in Nottingham, cites a McKinsey and Co report in July that estimated 40% of workers across the globe are considering quitting their jobs within the next six months.
“Covid and Brexit have together given the UK the most severe shortage of labour ever, so it’s a candidate’s market,” she says.
“There are massive bidding wars, with some employers having to work really hard after what’s already been a very tough period. A lot of SMEs don’t have specific HR teams but want the best people for their business as much as anyone else. So they need to think about what they can do to recruit and retain staff.”
An obvious starting point is offering higher salaries and Melanie has witnessed some businesses offering up to 30% above their usual pay rates to entice new recruits because of the huge competition.
Giving a food manufacturer the headroom to head off supply chain disruption by bulk buying is an example of how Barclays has supported businesses grappling with ongoing challenges.
Amit explains how conversations with the company indicated that supply chain gridlocks were among the biggest issues it faced.
The firm would usually order supplies four weeks in advance but by providing a finance package, it could buy bigger batches to give it eight weeks’ lead time.
“By ordering more stock, it was in a better position for dealing with future delays,” says Amit. “It made sure the company was at the front end of making sure it had enough food stock levels and packaging materials to provide to the end consumer.
“Through each stage of the supply chain, pricing was going up so it also offered more certainty in costs.”
Flexible working offers benefits to employers as well as employees, and is becoming key to staff recruitment
“This can be a good solution in the short term but in the long term, it can cause disenchantment among existing staff and there’s a potential legal risk in some cases of a business being landed with equal pay claims from employees,” she says.
Instead, she believes employers can be smarter about how they find and keep the best talent.
Those with the highest retention rates have already begun to voluntarily implement principles of the Employment Bill, which was first announced in December 2019 but has yet to progress through Parliament.
In some of the most significant changes to employment law in a long time, it offers more rights to employees in connection with flexible working, and enhanced leave for carers and new parents.
The data suggests this is what people want, with 84% of workers telling the Office for National Statistics they want to continue splitting their time between the home and office even after the pandemic.
Melanie says: “For companies where it’s not possible to just offer more money, these are the types of things that can make a big difference. We’re dominated by discussions about flexible working, whether it’s working from home or doing unusual sets of hours that really suit some people.
“There are pros and cons of flexible working – reduced overheads and better productivity in some cases, but less collaboration and the loss of culture are being reported on the other hand.
“The reality is if your business isn’t willing to offer this and another employer is, then that’s where the employee
‘We’re dominated by discussions about flexible working, whether it’s working from home or doing unusual sets of hours that really suit some people’Melanie Morton, of Freeths
If the experiences of the past two-and-a-half years has taught us anything, it’s that futureproofing is essential, says Michael Wright.
As group managing director of wealth management firm Mattioli Woods, he has seen an eagerness among clients to engage with long-term planning since the dawn of the pandemic.
“The way people adapted during the pandemic has been evident again, as we reentered an inflationary economic environment for the first time in a generation,” says Michael, who heads up the advisory team.
“We’ve seen people taking a greater interest in their finances due to the different dynamics of the world. The core aspect of this is to ensure they’re balancing the books, but also with a huge focus on making sure their money is working for them to combat the inflationary pressures we’re all feeling.
“We’re reviewing every element of our clients’ financial planning and in some ways we’re doing it in reverse order, because if Covid taught us anything, it’s to get our affairs in order.”
Michael says many people don’t have wills, lasting powers of attorney or life cover – “the most emotive part of financial planning” – but believes the past couple of years have stressed the importance of getting housekeeping right, and continually reviewing “to ensure it is right for our clients now and for the next generation”.
THE 180-STRONG advisory team is a major component of Mattioli Woods, which employs 850 people across the UK, including its flagship Leicester office.
An “advice-led business”, it helps more than 11,000 clients across services including retirement planning, financial and asset management, investments, estate planning and planning children’s futures. Businesses are supported with planning and protection, as well as employee wellbeing, engagement, savings and financial security.
In early 2020, advice was delivered purely face-to-face but like with many industries, the firm adapted to “screen-to-screen” overnight during lockdown in what Michael calls one of the “proudest moments” in its 31-year history.
In the first three months of lockdown, 90% of clients were met this way and even though the world has largely returned to normality, it has opened up new opportunities for client engagement.
Michael says: “What we’ve learned during this period is the format of the contact is less important than the frequency and empathy we show.
“As a business that would have up to two meetings with clients across the country per year, all face to face and with lots of travelling, we now find we might meet three or four times a year but they will be screen to screen and every 12 to 18 months we will meet face to face. This means we see our clients more often and balances our advisory team’s family lives, their average age is 39 and many have young children. Interestingly, this compares to a national average age of adviser of around 58 years.
“This has flowed down to all aspects of what we do and during the economic crisis we’re currently facing.
OVER THE PAST decade, investment decisions have been delegated to portfolio managers in an increasingly popular discretionary fund management model that can react quicker to fast-moving markets.
As global stock markets have taken a significant hit and inflation reaches double digits, Mattioli Woods’ ongoing contact with clients has been essential in striking a balancing act when devising concise strategic plans.
“The pandemic was a crisis around our health, now there needs to be a total focus around our wealth,” says Michael. “People want to know if they are still on course for what they want to achieve for themselves and their families, and whether they are broadly in the right place regardless of what the future holds.
“The great balancing act with clients right now is to straddle this situation where, if you’re in retirement and looking to support your standard of living from your investments, you should ideally have an appropriate level of cash available.
“Investment markets have been, and are going to be, volatile for the foreseeable future. There’s an argument that some of the downside has already been priced in, but, as we have seen with recent events such as the mini-budget, investment and currency markets remain sensitive and can be easily spooked, putting further pressure on investment markets.
“In terms of balance, if we move everything to cash, the impact of inflation will reduce its purchasing power but equally, if you are fully invested all the time, you risk crystallising losses to support your lifestyle. There is a delicate balance between making savings and investments work for you, and having cash around to support you.”
“In terms of our clients’ demographics, we have a wide range of ages averaging out at around 60 who have easily adapted to this new way of doing business. Many of these clients have been with us for over 15 years – some more than 25 years – so seeing this easy adaption of working practices has helped us all. Our aim is simple in terms of the service we provide and that’s to look after our clients and their families’ finances whatever the world throws at us.
will go. People enjoyed having more time at home to incorporate exercise into their day, pick up their children from school and cook a proper meal, rather than spending that time on a commute during lockdown, so it’s important for employers to also demonstrate to staff they support a proper work-life balance and employee wellbeing.”
MELANIE HAS ALSO seen more onus placed on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda among candidates and employees. She believes it’s critical that
“Investment diversification is essential, especially in difficult environments. Holding a pool of cash that could assist with six to nine months’ worth of expenses is crucial. For those whose investments are used to fund income needs, if investments are struggling at any point, we can use a bit of the cash float, while investments hopefully recover.”
businesses ensure they aren’t in the firing line when it comes to their stances on issues such as equal pay, menopause, modern slavery, whistleblowing and environmental regulation.
ESG is a topic that increasingly crops up in client conversations for Barclays, with Amit believing it to be one of the biggest for the private sector right now and a good starting point when addressing rising costs.
“It’s very easy to go into the environmental piece because we’re talking to clients about fuel and
‘Our aim is simple in terms of the service we provide and that’s to look after our clients and their families’ finances whatever the world throws at us’Michael Wright, of Mattioli Woods
energy costs rising,” says Amit. “We can help businesses to understand their carbon footprint and come up with solutions that cut both their emissions and costs, such as having electric vehicle fleets and installing solar panels on premises.”
He admits more work needs to be done in expanding the social and governance strands, which are less well understood, but a good starting point is in having an equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policy.
“This is particularly important in a region like the East Midlands,” he says. “We’re so multiculturally diverse and have a really good opportunity to leverage this to our advantage.
“I believe when we have a multicultural boardroom, we learn from each other’s various perspectives to drive the business forward. Inclusive environments are something we should embrace.”
One of the biggest blockers to greater ESG adoption among SMEs is access to finance, with a third of East Midlands businesses saying they did not feel well-informed about the support available for green growth in the Chamber and University of Derby’s Green Growth Trends in the East Midlands 2022 study.
To this end, Amit’s team helps companies to understand where ESG fits into the broader business strategy before coming up with the right finance solutions.
East Midlands Freeport has been a regional success story
“One of the things we’re looking to do is help businesses in and around the freeport to take advantage of the possibilities this could create.”
It’s also not lost upon Amit what impact sporting success can have on the region, with increased interest in Nottingham Forest following their promotion to the Premier League, while Leicester Tigers enjoy a renaissance and Trent Bridge continues to be at the centre of national cricket.
“These are to be welcomed because it brings more leisure visitors into our cities and helps industries like hospitality and retail to thrive,” he adds.
“When I look at what happened when Leicester City won the Premier League and Richard III’s remains were found, it had such a transformative effect on the city.
“We’ve seen the investment that’s gone into Fosse Park, the new bus station and hotels being built, which are all part of the city becoming more attractive to outsiders.
These include green loans starting at £25,000, green trade loans from £250,000 and green deposits, which are earmarked against “green bonds”. The various options can be used to fund projects such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, green transport, waste management, sustainable food production and greenhouse gas emission reduction.
Barclays also collaborates with digital aggregator SaveMoneyCutCarbon to create a marketplace of products and specialist advice across energy, water and carbon reduction programmes.
Amit adds: “A lot of businesses were so busy dealing with Brexit and the pandemic that this is really coming to life now, so we’re expanding what we do to helping those businesses with today and tomorrow’s priorities.
“Businesses’ needs are so diverse that we’re looking at all angles in terms of green finance.”
WHILE THE CHALLENGES of the here and now are daunting, Amit retains a huge amount of optimism for the region’s long-term prospects.
He adds: “When I look at the East Midlands, there’s some really good outcomes we should be really proud about.
“We have so much going for us here. Being located in the middle of the UK, we have a thriving logistics industry and the country’s busiest pure cargo airport, while the East Midlands Freeport offers a fantastic opportunity for increased trade and new jobs.
“So yes, we look at inflation, interest rates and the external headwinds all having a negative impact right now, but I’m very positive about this region and all the characteristics we have to offer.
“Our businesses are innovative and when we take a step back to look at the resilience we’ve shown in the face of Brexit, Covid-19 and the Ukraine war, it’s a very encouraging sign of what we can achieve.”
SMEs can still apply for funding support via the Government-backed Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) after it was extended for two years this summer.
It was initially launched in April 2021 to help businesses recovering from the Covid19 pandemic and has supported almost 19,000 firms with an average of £202,000 in support, totalling £4.5bn.
In July, the Government, which guarantees 70% of the finance to lenders, announced it would extend the scheme as businesses face increased pressures.
British Chambers of Commerce director general Shevaun Haviland called the extension a “lifeline for many businesses facing a rising tide of costs”.
Loans are available via a network of accredited lenders listed on the British Business Bank’s website.
The RLS offers loans or overdrafts of between £25,001 and £2m per business group with a turnover below £45m. Alternatively, it provides invoice or asset finance facilities of between £1,000 and £2m.
For more information, visit www.british-business-bank.co.uk
‘When I look at the East Midlands, there’s some really good outcomes we should be really proud about’
The inaugural Leicester Giving Day takes place on 18 November. It’s a day when Leicester and Leicestershire can celebrate the role of businesses and charities that work together to make our community a better place to live.
Leicester Giving Day will spotlight some of the amazing projects and initiatives happening in the city and the county, and will create a platform to connect businesses to charities to foster new partnerships and collaborations.
The Day will be jam packed and will include four Community Hubs involving charities, social enterprises and businesses offering support across a range of key issues impacting the local area. These include mental health and wellbeing, financial poverty, arts and culture and STEM and career advancement. Each hub will run sessions that members of the public can get involved with as well offering advice and guidance on their respective subject areas.
Critically, Leicester Giving Day is encouraging businesses to reach out to local charities and community organisations and to work alongside them with the offer of treasure, talent and time.
To get involved businesses can:
•Raise money on the day in support of their chosen charity
•Team up with an existing charity partner, or work with a new one, to plan an event
•Visit the Community Hubs or attend one of the associated events.
The Day will also see the first winners of the Leicester Social Responsibility Awards, open now
for nominations for businesses that can demonstrate their support for local groups; and the Community Impact Programme, available for local charities and community organisations who can bid for support to help them raise a maximum of £25K to deliver a community initiative.
Leicester Giving Day has already drawn widespread support including University of Leicester, LLEP, City Council, Chamber of Commerce, Highcross Shopping Centre and Fosse Park.
Leicester has a great reputation as a philanthropic city and Leicester Giving Day will surely help build our reputation. Good luck to all involved.”
Leicester Giving Day is about celebrating what Leicester already does well, and encouraging more people to get involved in giving. It will shine a light on the people that go out their way every day to help others.
To find out more visit:
W: www.leicestergiving.uk
T: @LeicsGivingDay
Mike Kapur, OBE, His Majesty's Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire has given his backing:
“Leicester Giving Day is a fantastic idea to help raise funds for local charities and local communities and to showcase the essential work which they do. I hope businesses in the city of Leicester and in Leicestershire will embrace it and take part, which I am sure they will.
F: facebook.com/Leicestergivingday
In: linkedin.com/showcase/leicester-giving-day/
Leicester Giving Day is sponsored by the University of Leicester and AKN Build Ltd. It is supported by Leicester City Council, Cross Productions Ltd, Voluntary Action Leicestershire and Cymer Marketing Ltd.
Chris Shaw and Stacey Wragg of Embark CSRMany workplaces are looking to innovate in order to stay competitive in a rapidly changing word. But innovation is impossible without creativity – so how can you foster a culture of creativity and encourage your employees to think outside the box? Business Network explores.
Start your journey to creating a more creative workforce by simply letting your employees know that you value their ideas. While teamwork is important, you don’t want your employees to feel as though they are blending into the woodwork or are just another cog in the machine – you want their ideas and their individuality to have an opportunity to shine.
Do your employees feel like they can come to you when they have an idea on how to improve the workplace or your products and services? A suggestion box is one way to encourage your staff to bring their ideas. They can even leave suggestions anonymously, which will help if anyone feels too anxious to speak their mind freely.
Employees will respond well if they know that their employer values them as a unique individual, not simply another worker.
It’s not enough to simply listen to good ideas, you have to act on them –or at the very least, provide valuable feedback. If suggestions are ignored, your employees may stop providing them altogether.
If you act on someone’s idea, make
sure they get the recognition they deserve and involve them in the process. If they had an idea on how to improve a product, for example, bring them into the discussions with the manufacturer.
Behind every innovative company is a dynamic and diverse team. Diversity in the workplace greatly contributes to creativity – if your workforce has too many similarities in background, education and experience, then it’s likely their ideas will sound similar too.
Fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce will also create new opportunities for growth and help you stand out among your competitors.
Your office space can go a long way in helping to promote creativity across these areas:
Light: Natural light is ideal but if that’s not possible, consider lighting that best simulates daylight.
Colour: It goes without saying, but beige walls aren’t exactly inspiring. Use colour wisely – pastel tones, which lend themselves better to more relaxing areas, are perfect for
breakout rooms, while vibrant tones are better for spaces where creative thinking takes place, such as conference rooms. Live plants can provide splashes of colour around the workplace as well as promoting feelings of happiness and calm.
Noise and layout: While quiet areas are good for focus, research shows that ambient background noise can encourage creativity. It’s a fine balance though, as constant interruptions will obviously hinder good work. Consider offering a balance of private workspaces, collaborative table setups and comfortable places where your employees can work without interruption.
Your employees might find it hard to think outside the box when they’re working in a rigid environment, but a change in scenery has been proven to help boost creativity.
Options include allowing employees to work from home a few days a week and offering flexible hours, as opposed to the standard nine-to-five.
A more flexible work policy can help increase work productivity too, as it can cut down on commute time and allow for a healthier work-life balance.
‘Behind every innovative company is a dynamic and diverse team. Diversity in the workplace greatly contributes to creativity’
A coherent innovation strategy can define your company’s growth and success for years to come, giving you a clear view of where you want to be in the future and helping to take your enterprise to new heights. From enhanced productivity to better brand recognition, Charlotte Williams, marketing and PR manager at Shredall SDS Group, sets out the benefits of innovation for your business.
Innovation starts with understanding. Conduct research both inside and outside your business to develop a better understanding of its strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and threats that face it.
From here, you can build on these insights with innovative strategic plans, which could include:
•Evolving and enhancing a product or service
•Using new technologies to add value
•Expanding your business in different ways (e.g. by targeting new customer segments or expanding into new markets entirely)
•Streamlining fundamental processes (e.g. HR)
But what are the benefits of these forms of innovation – and why should you invest time and money into evolving your business?
1. Improved productivity and problem solving
Some innovation plans boost productivity. For example, a new technology such as a task management system can streamline processes for employees.
If enhanced productivity is your aim, set defined goals to give your employees the opportunity to demonstrate the value of the improvements.
Having productive workers also allows for problems to be solved positively and efficiently. Innovations such as an expanded workspace, or improved training schemes, can give employees the freedom to think and solve problems more creatively and collaboratively.
2. Reduced costs and waste Innovation can certainly increase the efficiency of
‘Start now by assessing your situation, gathering the best minds in your business, and working on a clearly defined innovation strategy’
your business, but it can also cut costs and waste too. You could evolve a product to use less components –going paperless with a new digital information management system, or simply introducing a recycling initiative as part of your ESG efforts. All businesses want to reduce costs and waste, but innovation can be the essential catalyst needed to see these benefits.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a B2B or B2C business, having streamlined processes and technologies will improve the relationships you have with your customers and clients.
For example, investing in a modern, easy-to-use website enables customers to buy products or enlist your services more swiftly. This type of innovation also makes it easier for prospects to interact with and get to know your brand, meaning you’ll see more repeat customers, and better brand awareness via word of mouth.
Innovative and creative growth will set you apart from the crowd. In a world where brands must fight for attention, being unique and forward thinking can help you become a market leader. Whether it’s an
entirely new product – or simply a new way of doing things – your innovative idea could be what differentiates your business from its competitors and gives you the edge.
Many of today’s most recognisable brands put innovation at the heart of what they do. In industries where competition is fierce, the shortest path to establishing a name for your business is often to think disruptively. From Netflix to Uber, many of the biggest brands in recent years have earned their reputation by doing things differently.
An innovative approach can benefit your business both internally and externally. Not only can creative new strategies help to improve productivity and reduce costs, but they will also enable you to carve out a position for your firm in its market.
The only roadblock to achieving these goals is inaction. Start now by assessing your situation, gathering the best minds in your business, and working on a clearly defined innovation strategy. Whatever you set your sights on, be precise about where you want to be, how you plan to get there, and when you plan to achieve it.
Charlotte Williams
The Government-backed Help to Grow management programmes give business leaders the chance to learn how to take their organisation to the next level by learning from mentors and peers. Andy Darke (pictured), event and operations manager at Bustler Market, in Derby, shares his experience of completing a course with the University of Derby.
Why did you enrol on the Help to Grow management programme?
We have always been a small team at Bustler Market and have worked in a way that felt natural to us, but as we’ve started to grow and get more employees, we felt we needed look at our processes and try to structure them better. Coming from a hospitality background, I’ve not done a lot of business education before so I was also curious to see what I might learn.
How have you applied what you learned?
Halfway through the programme, Bustler Market acquired a new site in a new city. This was the very definition of growth – I had a real-life case study ready to go that I could apply all my learning to. It made sense to use the processes and tools I was learning on the programme to help us establish this new market.
I found the business model canvas particularly useful. This is a one-page strategic management tool that helps you clearly define a business concept, including its cost structure, revenue streams, value proposition, customer segments and more.
How did it make you reflect on your business?
It shone a light on our strengths and weaknesses. I found out we were doing a lot of stuff right but we weren’t necessarily doing it consciously. Now we recognise that, we are putting in place a proper framework so that it’s repeatable. Identifying your weaknesses is obviously important but recognising your strengths too gives you confidence.
The Chamber works with universities across the region to deliver the Help to Grow programme.
It is an executive development leadership and management course designed to help delegates grow their business. Businesses receive a fully-funded, 12-week executive development leadership and management course designed to accelerate growth.
Help to Grow management training courses help businesses:
• Enhance the ability of senior staff to lead growth
• Boost productivity
• Learn how to innovate
• Build resilience to future shocks
• Produce a growth plan to allow a business to fulfil its potential.
The project is part-funded by the UK Government, with the remaining 10% paid by participating businesses as a one-off upfront fee of £750. In order to help businesses most affected by the pandemic, the Chamber is subsidising the £750 training fee for 100 eligible businesses.
Upcoming dates include 17 October with Nottingham University Business School and 3 November with each of the University of Leicester School of Business and Derby Business School.
For more information, visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk
Which parts of the programme did you find most useful?
The very nature of being in a room with people makes you more inclined to have discussions and be more engaged. Hearing from other businesses was great. Even though I wasn’t in a group with other people from hospitality, I found I had a surprising amount in common with others — for example, with businesses in the care sector.
The hours I had with my mentor Anita Dinnes were really valuable. She was really good — straight-talking, full of ideas and we had some great, open discussions. I will definitely continue to keep in touch with her.
What are the next steps for your business?
The next six months are going to be challenging for our team as we launch another Bustler in a new city, in a market that we don’t know, and with a slightly different offering. We’ll be running two large-scale hospitality sites at once. But because of Help to Grow, it feels like we have the tools and the confidence to do it now.
Bespoke training packages are available to businesses that are looking to address particular skills needs.
Each year, the Chamber supports more than 100 companies to upskill their staff in aspects such as leadership, management, personal development and customer care.
Its team of trainers work with organisations to design and develop tailored face-to-face or online sessions, which are delivered to either individuals on a one-to-one basis or to larger groups.
A dedicated staff member liaises with the business lead throughout the programme –selecting a training specialist most suited to its needs, ensuring all its requirements are met when designing the course content, and
completing a quality check following the course delivery. The Chamber can also provide specialist coaching and consultancy.
Business training manager Vicki Thompson said: “We are very proud of our reputation as a leading provider of commercial training across the East Midlands area and beyond.
“Not only do we run a comprehensive range of open courses and development programmes to support individual companies, we also provide dedicated bespoke options for businesses to access. We are pleased to be the provider of choice for many local businesses.”
For more information on bespoke training, email vicki.thompson@emc-dnl.co.uk or call 0333 3200333 (ext 2153).
Energy security and future prosperity for the region is the theme of the Chamber’s Midlands Energy Summit, which takes place on Thursday 1 December.
Held in partnership with the University of Nottingham’s energy innovation and collaboration team, the event explores how Government, businesses and academia come together to ensure that clean growth can underpin our future economy.
Keynote speakers include the university’s vice-chancellor Professor Shearer West, East Midlands Freeport chair Nora Senior CBE and Renewable Energy Association chief executive Dr Nina Skorupska CBE.
Chris Hobson, director of policy and external affairs at the Chamber, said: “At a time where energy prices and security are key factors to enable sustainable economic growth, the summit will explore how the current international, national and regional landscape impacts on the future of energy creation, supply and storage.
“We will explore internal and external drivers that will shape end-user energy costs and the ability to meet climate change objectives.
“The summit will bring together business, academia and policymakers to explore how we can accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies and a move towards cleaner new energy industries.”
Through a series of key notes, panel discussions and workshops, the summit aims to:
• Understand the future of energy supply, demand, cost and security, and the implications for businesses
• Understand the pace and scale of transition required to tackle climate change and to achieve net zero targets on a local, regional, national and international basis
• Explore and highlight regional opportunities and threats
• Hear about the development of new technologies to ensure business demands are met in the near future and beyond
• Be part of the discussion on what the regional energy strategy should look like
• Discuss the regional picture on innovation, energy creation, storage and distribution.
Businesses leaders from across the region will come together at a breakfast event to hear the findings of the Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES).
The Q3 survey results will be discussed by a panel featuring senior leaders from academia and business at an Economic Performance and Prospects Review, held at the University of Leicester School of Business on Thursday 13 October from 8.30am to 10.45am.
Following analysis of the QES data, this is one of the first public opportunities to listen to the observations and concerns of respondents from across the region, helping the Chamber to identify aspects that require lobbying key decision-makers on topical issues that support jobs, growth and the regional economy.
The East Midlands survey contributes to a wider QES run by the British Chambers of Commerce, and is used by the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee as a key benchmark when setting interest rates.
The event will also mark the official launch of a strategic partnership between the Chamber and University of Leicester focused on economic thought leadership via research, skills data visualisation, business support and an annual State of the Economy Conference.
The Chamber’s annual Christmas Lunch has long been the traditional start of the festive calendar for businesses – and it returns after three years’ absence.
The Midlands Energy Summit will be held on Thursday 1 December from 8.30am to 1.30pm at the Hilton East Midlands Airport hotel, off Junction 24 of the M1. Book a free place at https://bit.ly/EMCEnergySummit22
and Nottinghamshire Business Awards on 18 November at the Nottingham Belfry.
Taking place at Athena, Leicester, on Friday 2 December, the “festive and fabulous” themed event gives Chamber members the chance to don their Christmas jumpers as they network, connect and celebrate.
The last event was held back in 2019 and attracted more than 350 attendees from organisations across the three counties.
Business Awards season is almost upon us – and there’s still time to book a place at the three gala dinners.
The Leicestershire Business Awards takes place on Friday 4 November at King Power Stadium followed by the Derbyshire Business Awards on 11 November at Reach, Pride Park,
Each event offers a chance to network, and get to know other finalists and sponsors. Alongside the presentation of the awards, there will be a three-course meal followed by entertainment to round off the evening.
Tickets cost £90 + VAT for members and tables of 10 cost £850 + VAT for members. For more information about shortlists, sponsors and booking a place, visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/businessawards
A festive drinks reception with a choir will be followed by a three-course lunch, performance by Britain’s Got Talent first magician winner Lance Corporal Richard Jones – nicknamed The Military Illusionist –and Christmas raffle. Proceeds go to the Chamber’s Charitable Fund, which supports the president’s three chosen charities –Treetops Hospice Care, Focus and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
Tickets cost £75 + VAT for Chamber members and £650 + VAT for a table of 10.
Charity member tickets cost £60 + VAT and charity member tables cost £600 + VAT.
The Digital Upscaler project supports high-growth businesses looking to invest in new technologies or facing barriers to growth due to a lack of understanding of the digital landscape. One of the Chamber’s digital business advisers Prashant Gandabhai explains his role and offers advice to businesses.
My role involves offering digital strategic consultancy support to business seeking specific technology advice and grants support for their digital project investments.
EVOLVED IN RECENT YEARS?
Technology investment, be it on a small or large scale, needs careful planning, and an understanding of business operations and the impact it will have to their business.
Since technology enhancement is ever changing, my support to businesses has allowed them to ensure they understand the short and long-term impacts, business and customers’ demands, operational efficiencies, their digital presence and how they can channel their growth as we work towards an agile work-life balance.
The Digital Upscaler provides an impartial yet some constructive support to organisations that want to reach the next level while embracing technology. We have a breadth of advisers with specialised support areas and they can benefit with funding opportunities to aid with any technology-related investments.
As customer demands increase, so will business operations, leading to businesses reaching their operational capacities in a very short time.
Therefore, any company wanting to meet customers’ demands and ensure operational efficiency needs
to invest in some form of technology enhancements, such as IT equipment, application platforms, e-commerce, robotics or even social media channels.
My main experience is within the ecommerce sector, which is a fastgrowing trading channel. Most companies will need to trade online sooner or later. Having some form of a digital presence is going to be one of the key elements a business needs to ensure it invests in.
As more and more businesses seek to trade online, this channel has exponentially grown within a relatively short period of time and continues to do so.
One of the main challenges companies face with online trading is it isn’t a case of simply having an online store, but for it to understand fully the various elements factored into ecommerce. This includes constantly updating product information, stock inventory, payment merchants, logistics, order processes flow to name just a few.
A business first needs to understand its operational needs from a technology point of view. It should look at all manual interventions and repetition of workload, as well as where capacity constraints are.
By understanding these measures, it can write a plan of what is required, how it intends to use technology, and what impact this would have. This will allow the business to build a strategic digital roadmap for its digital
transformational journey.
One of the most common challenges businesses face is preplanning and contingency plans. Often a detailed project plan is often missed and an organisation relies on its vendors to have covered this, which is often not that case and it then experiences additional costs or delays in delivering digital projects.
The Digital Upscaler team can help by providing impartial advice and support with their digital projects ensuring they have a digital strategical roadmap plan in place to meet their business needs.
In the world we live in, technology is major part of our daily lives. For businesses, benefits include enhanced data collection, datadriven customer insights, better customer service, improved team collaboration across digital platforms, increased profits, higher
productivity and efficiencies, more transparency, an agile work framework and, above all, enhanced decision-making resources for management teams.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A BUSINESS THAT WANTS TO GROW USING TECHNOLOGY?
Each business has a different set of digital investment requirements, so I would tend to advise a business to look at what the core elements of its functions are, what impacts it anticipates the digital investments making, and how it would benefit operations from a short and longterm perspective.
I would also advise it to look at what competitors are doing in both local and global markets, and how to best harness this to grow its own business.
In the first instance, speak to a digital business adviser about what support and guidance is available, whether it’s advice or grants that can aid digital investments.
Are you a high-growth business looking to invest in new technologies to propel your business? Is your business facing barriers to growth due to a lack of understanding of new technologies? If so, then get on board with the Digital Upscaler project.
Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber, it aims to provide highgrowth businesses in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire with the knowledge, investment and capacity to scale up through embracing new technologies.
Visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/digitalupscaler
Prashant Gandabhai (left) with the Digital Upscaler team
By Paul Ince (pictured), CEO of LikeMind Media
Senior manufacturing leaders are busy. There's an increasing demand to fill current gaps in the supply chain with products made in the UK, and instability in world affairs create uncertainty.
Manufacturing businesses need to use all tools available to promote the great work they do in front of the businesses they sell to. Here are seven things to do to maximise the results for your business from a realistic amount of effort.
The key players in manufacturing are now using LinkedIn to connect with each other and share ideas about the industry. Engaging with people of influence in your sector gives you the opportunity to share their insights and build yours, and your company's, reputation as one. LinkedIn recently introduced newsletters and manufacturing thought leaders are using these share their views, so it may be a good idea to subscribe.
Your team does great work, so talk about them when you post. As a
leader, it’s great to show the breadth of knowledge your team holds and the results they generate for your customers. Celebrate their achievements, their progress, anything that is positive.
Exhibiting, or simply attending, an event takes time away from being in the business. Thus, you need to increase the return on that investment. Seek out the key events taking place in the manufacturing world and post about your presence to make sure you are part of the conversation.
Your website probably does an excellent job of showing the products you make. While LinkedIn doesn't replace a website, it's possibl e to demonstrate their value and innovation. Use videos to walk users through how your product works and customer outcomes. Tackle frequently asked questions and remove barriers to purchase.
A quick way for a manufacturing leader to create their own posts is sharing company content. Your marketing team can send notifications to employees of important posts to share from the page.
Your career should mean you have many connections from over the years and a great portfolio of work.
It's time to use this to your advantage and get some
testimonials. Any of your first connections can give you a recommendation. Consider giving a recommendation to someone you'd like to receive one from.
If your business is growing and you need to fill vacancies, the Jobs functionality within LinkedIn is a great way of using the career history data of potential candidates without having to go headhunting.
Companies can post one vacancy free of charge and pay for additional vacancies at a reasonable cost.
Roythornes Solicitors has played a major part in helping housebuilder Allison Group secure a ground-breaking £120m refinancing deal, spearheading the real estate aspects of the transition.
The funding consists of a £20m five-year loan from HSBC and a five-year £100m revolving credit facility with HSBC and NatWest.
This is the second deal Roythornes – a top 150 national law firm with five offices, including Nottingham – has helped the group secure, following the acquisition of Larkfleet Homes.
In this latest secured deal, the £120m in funds will be used by Allison Group to implement its strategic growth plans to build 2,000 homes annually within the next five years across regions including the East Midlands, East Anglia and South West.
Bhavesh Amlani, national head of real estate at Roythornes, said: “We are delighted to have assisted the Allison Group with this important refinancing deal, which will see it move to the next phase of its development plan.”
John Anderson, CEO of Allison Group, added: “This deal will put the company in a stronger position to reach our projected targets and we want to thank Bhavesh and his team, which has been a great support during the process and helped us to complete the deal within our set timeframe.”
Over the past couple of years, changes in the economic landscape have led many business owners to re-evaluate their circumstances, and the number of transactions involving the sale to an employee ownership trust (EOT) in the UK has increased dramatically.
According to the Employee Ownership Association (EOA), there are currently more than 1,000 employee-owned businesses in the UK, with over 118 businesses going over to an employee ownership model between January and June alone this year.
It’s no surprise EOTs are going mainstream – they remain a hugely attractive proposition as a taxefficient way of transferring ownership of a company that encourages a more “collegiate” ownership model.
EOTs enable business owners to pass on their companies outside of a normal “trade sale” to a competitor or a management buyout, protecting business legacy and the ethos of the company. Add to that a simplified sale process as the business is being sold to a trust on a “friendly basis” avoiding extensive paperwork, and it’s an enticing prospect.
While the benefits are clear, it would be foolhardy not to consider
the practical issues that can arise when a business decides to move to this model.
The increase in popularity of EOTs may make business owners and legal advisers think the transaction is just like a normal sale without the aggravation of hotlycontested sale documentation and lengthy disclosure of information about the company.
However, this is a misconception as a sale to an EOT raises a host of other issues requiring a different skillset and, dare we say it, mindset for corporate lawyers. Some potential pitfalls include:
• Little or no employee engagement: The employees may not even know the sale has taken place or what it means for them. This is a huge opportunity missed – the sale to an EOT should be seen as a “good thing” for the employees in terms of job preservation and the opportunity for increased rewards in the future.
• The founder not stepping back and allowing an element of control to pass to the management team: Everything continues as before other than the founder has taken a large amount of money from the company on a tax-free basis.
• The trust (via the trustees) not being allowed to exercise its right as the shareholder to exercise an oversight role in relation to the business: Linked to the founder not giving up control.
• The sale documentation is
prepared heavily in favour of the selling shareholders: The trust (or the trustees) have no real idea of what they have signed up to or their responsibilities and obligations. In one case, we came across an interest rate of almost 11% APR on the deferred consideration with no repayment for five years – effectively creating an additional payment approaching £500,000 which would have been subject to income tax in the hands of the selling shareholder.
• The company valuation being prepared for the selling shareholders with no independent valuation for the trustees: The result being the trustees can’t be sure they have not agreed to overpay for the shares.
A sale to an EOT can seem very straightforward and very tax beneficial for the selling shareholders. However, in our experience, a successful sale to an EOT requires much more than a good corporate lawyer.
Bhavesh Amlani
R&D tax reliefs are one of the most generous tax breaks currently available to UK companies, both large and small. The relief is generally worth about 25% of qualifying spend on R&D for SMEs. There is also an incentive available to larger companies, R&D expenditure credit (RDEC).
The scale of the relief available to innovative businesses means lots of businesses submit claims to reduce their exposure to corporation tax or cash in losses for R&D tax credits.
Businesses will sometimes have to respond to an HMRC R&D tax relief enquiry. Here’s everything they will need to know about if this happens.
An HMRC enquiry is a check of the R&D claim submission made by a company that HMRC has a query about in order to ensure the scheme is not abused. The only way it can ask questions is to open an enquiry.
These questions can result from benign or easy-to-rectify errors, a lack of information or in more serious cases, they may be in response to suspected fraud.
HMRC will attempt to gather additional information from the claimant, determining whether errors have been made, the nature of these errors, and whether additional monies are owed.
HMRC deploys a process of riskbased selection for R&D enquiries, although there are also some random enquiries, meaning a perfectly robust and error-free claim may still be subject to an enquiry.
Processing times have been extended to allow it to review more claims and software-based claims in particular are being targeted along with smaller-sized claims that may have “slipped under the radar” previously.
There are some triggers that will raise eyebrows at HMRC if detected. These include:
• Inconsistencies in a claim or submission of data that does not match HMRC’s own financial records about the business
•There are signs a company is claiming for projects which do not meet the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s (BEIS) definition of R&D
•There may also be expenditure that falls outside the qualifying categories. Even if a project itself qualifies, not all costs associated with the project necessarily will
•A change in circumstances of a business, such as a sudden or unexplained increase in spend on R&D activities.
If your business is submitting an R&D tax relief claim – whether independently or with the help of an accountant, R&D boutique or other third party – there are several common errors that may trigger a response from HMRC following an enquiry.
•Projects that do not meet the BEIS guidelines – if the project does not qualify, then neither will any of the costs
•Submitted claims offer inadequate or incomplete information about how the
project expenditure qualifies for the relief, including costbreakdowns
•There are two separate schemes, one for SMEs and one for larger businesses (RDEC). The SME scheme is more generous, and companies claiming under this when they do not qualify are likely to be penalised
•The company makes claims for overheads that do not qualify as consumables
•Directors have used their own “connected” company to perform sub-contracted R&D
• The claim includes staffing costs for those who are not contracted employees
•A company receiving any form of notified state aid for a project can’t claim SME relief at any time for that same project, but they can make use of RDEC
•Companies can claim for certain costs paid to sub-contractors, but this is not the case for all sub-contract costs, and a reduced rate of relief is available.
If errors are ultimately found in an R&D claim, HMRC will seek to recover any underpaid tax and consider if a penalty is due. Penalties are based on behaviours and whether “reasonable care” was taken
by the company making the claim.
Claiming “ignorance” of the rules or even using a specialist R&D provider is not deemed to have taken “reasonable care”, so it can be difficult to avoid a penalty once HMRC has identified errors in the claim. These can range between 30% to 70% of the tax claim value.
If HMRC suspects the errors identified were deliberate attempts to abuse the scheme, it may also refer the case to the criminal investigation team.
Due to the fact HMRC has the right to enquire into any claim, it is impossible to guarantee your claim will not be selected for a closer look. Instead, your focus should be on ensuring claims are sufficiently robust to pass any inspections that may take place.
This means making sure claims are fully optimised within the legislative rules set out by HMRC. It is important to ensure your claim value is maximised, but it is even more important not to cut corners or push boundaries beyond what is eligible.
We strongly recommend ensuring your claims are prepared by fully qualified, experienced specialists who have vigorous quality assurance processes to ensure compliance.
‘The scale of the relief available to innovative businesses means lots of businesses submit claims’
Jobs, homes and business space will be created as £10m is made available for loans that accelerate the creation of new infrastructure across Leicestershire.
The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) is inviting expressions of interest in loans made available through the Growing Places Fund (GPF).
Previous GPF loans have been used to help deliver schemes including The Gresham, in Leicester city centre, and the £20m Leicester Waterside regeneration project.
GPF is a UK-wide loan scheme aimed at providing capital for major infrastructure projects.
Loans are made through a £730m Government-backed national investment fund, with expressions of interest invited from developers, local authorities and other applicants.
Andy Reed OBE, interim chair of the LLEP board and chair of the investment panel, said: “The fund will accelerate delivery of sustainable infrastructure projects that boost our local economy and create jobs.
“Our officers are ready to speak with partners who are interested in applying for loans, from £500,000 upwards, which will help to deliver
growth in Leicester and Leicestershire.”
Applicants must demonstrate how their loan would contribute towards achieving objectives set out in the LLEP’s Economic Growth Strategy across four core pillars of innovation, productivity, inclusivity
and sustainability.
Growing Places funding is used for the building of homes, office and commercial developments. It could contribute to site access, clearance, broadband and transport infrastructure, utilities and refurbishment of buildings.
A total of £17.5m of GPF has already been loaned for Leicestershire projects, helping to create 1,786 jobs, 371 homes and more than two million sq ft of new or refurbished floorspace.
Developed sites have so far attracted 46 businesses, while new cycleways and roads have also been created. Successful loans have included:
•£4m to support the transformation of the Grade IIlisted former Fenwick’s department store in Leicester into The Gresham aparthotel, commercial units and almost 12,000 sq ft of new co-working space
•£1.2m towards the £20m Leicester Waterside regeneration project, transforming a 150-acre former industrial site into a thriving neighbourhood with hundreds of new homes and commercial workspaces –creating an expected 455 jobs.
•£4.4m over three investments at Optimus Point, in Glenfield, between 2014 and 2017. Funds were used to fund on and offsite infrastructure. The site has the potential to create up to 2,000 jobs.
The Gresham in Leicester‘The fund will accelerate delivery of sustainable infrastructure projects that boost our local economy and create jobs’
The LLEP Careers Hub has been praised by careers leaders in a report setting out its impact – with value placed on its practical approach to supporting local schools and colleges.
The Careers Hub, which is part of the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), was established in 2018 with 20 trailblazer schools and colleges. It now works with all the 91 secondary schools and colleges across the county.
‘The Careers Hub is spearheading a joined-up approach’
The LLEP commissioned an independent report from Little Lions Research to coincide with the hub’s third anniversary and analyse progress made in careers provision at the original group of 20 schools.
It has now concluded the service is valued by partners and stakeholders for its joined-up approach, providing strategic direction to schools and colleges, and providing help with funding and peer networks.
Careers leaders were also positive about insights provided by the Hub into the local labour market, as it enabled them to design programmes relevant to the local economy.
Data shows the LLEP Careers Hub was ahead of national averages in five of eight
performance benchmarks when research was conducted at the start of the year.
There have been particular gains made in publishing careers programmes on school websites, involving governors in careers, and giving pupils meaningful encounters with furth education colleges.
But the report notes that challenges remain, with four in five careers leaders reporting they continued to face at least one barrier to further progress.
The three biggest challenges cited were lack of staff time, lack of funds and difficulties in tracking activities.
Andy Reed OBE, interim chair of the LLEP board, said: “The report is really encouraging and shows the positive impact that strategic planning of careers resources is having in schools and colleges across our region.
“We know there is more to be done and the disruption of the pandemic forced changes. However, it’s great to read about the value our careers leaders are placing on the Careers Hub’s offer.
“The Careers Hub is spearheading a joined-up approach, offering support with funding, and providing young people and careers leaders with genuinely useful information about the local labour market.
Read the report in full at bit.ly/CareersHubReport
Work is ongoing to double the number of apprenticeship ambassadors working with Leicestershire schools as the new academic year begins.
Ten ambassadors have been recruited and are completing their training with the East Midlands Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) and the LLEP Careers Hub.
Work has continued over the summer to extend the network further as the LLEP looks to have 20 ambassadors available to visit classrooms to help other young people better understand the local labour market and available career options.
By introducing them as relatable peer group members within communities, schools and employers are helping to change perceptions about apprenticeships in the region.
Students who subsequently express an interest in vocational training are introduced to the apprenticeship skills and knowledge team and the Careers Hub network.
Existing apprentice ambassadors represent businesses including E.ON, Jaguar Land Rover and CE Civil Engineering.
To learn more about becoming an apprentice ambassador, visit bit.ly/LLEPApprenticeAmbassadors
Loughborough College has claimed the top award at a national celebration of learners and educators.
It beat competition from across the UK to be named Centre of the Year at the Aspiration Awards, with judges particularly impressed with the caring services department for supporting learners through highquality teaching and placement opportunities.
Created by the educational charity NCFE, the Aspiration Awards are now in their fifth year.
Jo Maher, principal and CEO at Loughborough College, said: “I’m so proud that Loughborough College has been recognised for the outstanding provision and
opportunities offered to our amazing health and caring service learners. This award reflects both the incredible talent, endeavour and attitude of our students, as well as the hard work, passion, and commitment of our staff.”
The caring services department offers a wide range of programmes and qualifications within early years, health and social care. A key focus of the centre is providing a curriculum that meets the needs of local and national employers.
This year, Loughborough College also started delivering workfocused T level qualifications in education and childcare, as well as health and science. A new T Level building opened last month.
Loughborough College staff with the award LLEP co-chair Andy Reed
Australia’s largest online retailer has moved into an industrial unit in Bulwell, Nottingham.
Cotton On Group, which is known for its fashion and stationery house of brands, has more than 1,500 stores in 18 countries.
The company has leased an 81,000 sq ft unit on the Blenheim Industrial Estate in a deal overseen by FHP Property Consultants and joint agent M1 Agency, working on behalf of Urban Logistics Reit plc. It is one of four units built speculatively on the estate.
A prominent site in Thurmaston, Leicestershire, has been sold to affordable housing developer Modus Partnerships.
The 1.6-acre site was formerly the premises of an industrial business that has ceased to operate.
The land has been privately owned by a family for more than 70 years and although surrounded by existing housing, it presented several planning challenges due to ground conditions and its brownfield site status.
Leicester-based Modus worked with specialist land development and property consultancy Mather Jamie to broker the acquisition and secure planning permission for 18 affordable houses. Once built, the development will be operated by Midland Heart Housing Association.
Simon Preston, director at Modus Partnerships, said: “We are always actively seeking land acquisition and development opportunities, including brownfield sites like this that are suitable for redevelopment. We are delighted this deal has been completed and we can begin to build much-needed affordable
housing for the area.”
The development will comprise five different styles of two and three-bedroom houses, all constructed to a high-quality specification which, when completed in Autumn 2023 will be made available as affordable rent and shared ownership housing.
Demand for modern warehouse space continues to remain strong, says a commercial property agent after letting another distribution space in Alfreton.
FHP Property Consultants director Tim Gilbertson (pictured) acted on behalf of a private pension fund trustee in completing a deal to lease a 23,000 sq ft unit located off Keys Road, near the A38 and Junction 38 of the M1 motorway.
Planning & Design Practice has secured planning permission to change the use of The Mile pub in Derby city centre into student accommodation.
Situated within the Friar Gate conservation area in one of the main routes into city centre, the former pub had been popular over the years as part of the “Derby Mile” pub crawl, which stretched from Markeaton Island to the centre via Ashbourne Road and Friar Gate.
The pub was previously owned by Marston’s Brewery until it was bought privately. It has had a few different names above its door since the 1970s, including The Thirsty Scholar, The Wheel Inn, The Old Wheel Inn and The Garrick.
Over the years, with increased competition plus changing tastes and social attitudes, the pub struggled to bring in the same level of custom and the owners looked to find another use for the building.
Tina Humphreys, part II architectural assistantat Planning & Design Practice, based in Derby, said: “As the upper floors of the pub had already been converted into residential accommodation, it seemed the preferred option was to convert the ground floor into residential too, given the area comprises a mix of commercial, student living and shops, and being in such close proximity to the city centre.
“Having worked with the client previously on another residential scheme, they returned to us to help them visualise a scheme and layout design that would preserve the character and history of the pub as well as the street scene, and for us to help them get the best chance of an approval in planning terms.”
The final scheme includes a two-storey rear extension, a courtyard to the rear for an amenity space for residents and a cycle store.
Tim said there was good demand across the region for both leasehold and freehold space.
“Despite the obvious economic pressures we are all encountering at present and indeed some supply chain issues occupiers are having to deal with as a result of Brexit, the market does seem to still be moving strongly,” he added.
“Traditionally, September and October are very strong months of the year so now is an ideal time to put forward thoughts for those parties looking to dispose of premises.”
‘Much-needed affordable housing for the area’The unit at Blenheim Industrial Estate The Mile pub in Derby
The Cupra Born is the first of the brand’s EV future, with many more planned as seems to be the “norm” of late.
It’s a five-door, five-seater hatchback and has a choice of three different battery sizes. It’s similar in fact to the Volkswagen ID.3 and, with several enhancements, provides a sportier, lower appearance.
It drives exceptionally well and has a surge of power, especially with the e-boost option that comes with the larger battery packs.
‘It drives exceptionally well and has a surge of power, especially with the e-boost option’
Sitting inside, everything fires into place without the need unusually for a stop-start button, with everything centrally-controlled from a dominant 12-inch touch screen. And it’s very sensitive per se.
One has to caress and be delicate with the screen functions, rather than simply “touching” the icons and functions.
It certainly makes the whole dashboard fuss-free and uncluttered. But on the move, trying to both drive and make changes could be fraught with potential misshits.
That aside, it is a lovely machine to drive – very smooth, which makes the most of its electric credentials.
Performance is damn good. The fit and finish, plus the ride, is well above average – as Cupra would wish,
with it being a few notches above many of its rivals.
One can expect just over 250 miles on a full charge (depending on conditions) and the battery can be replenished fairly quickly using one of the rapid chargers.
I like the way it looks also, with distinctive coppercoloured accents that give it a real feel of both quality and sporty at the same time.
For a first attempt at an EV, Cupra has done a splendid job. For all the shortcomings and the “late to the party” apparel, Cupra has produced something nice here, and it’s not silly money either.
If you can buy into the Cupra brand then you’ll not be disappointed – but hey, be careful with the touchscreen and don’t be heavy-handed, otherwise instead of turning the heater down, you could end up listening to Radio 2.
electric vehicle from Cupra, the sportier arm of Spanish brand Seat.Bakewell-based The Little Survey Company is helping a secondary school pave the way for long-term success after delivering a bespoke staff engagement programme.
It developed an anonymous survey to gather valuable insights into what is working well, where improvements are needed and what matters most to its staff at the Wolverhampton school.
All responses were anonymous and the survey included openended questions to ensure feedback was candid and honest.
Amanda Bye, client relationship manager at The Little Survey Company, said: “Colton Hills Community School is challenging educational and social disadvantages, while also enhancing existing good practice and building a culture of excellence where every child receives the highest quality learning experience.
“The leadership team was conscious of the wellbeing implications of a fast-paced change programme and wanted to hear views from across the school about how the new core values are working in practice.”
The survey highlighted many positive areas – including excellent
pastoral care and student support, strong working relationships, teamwork and line management –as well as areas for further focus.
As a result, the school’s senior leadership team implemented changes that delivered an almost immediate, visible impact.
Amanda said: “Listening to this feedback had the dual benefit of advancing the journey towards the
school's mission while boosting staff engagement. For instance, even though diversity was identified as a significant strength, it was found there is a desire to deliver a more inclusive calendar of celebrations and events, with enhanced forward-planning and broader staff involvement.
“Similarly, while some staff describe personal development as
‘comprehensive’, others would prefer to adopt a more individualised approach.”
In addition to identifying quick, actionable changes, the survey helped to identify broader opportunities, which will be implemented within the next stages of the school’s improvement programme.
Amanda said: “Many comments raised the need for greater communication from the leadership team to achieve the desired culture of excellence and ensure every child receives the highest quality learning experience.
“Within the next stages of the improvement programme, there is huge potential to build staff engagement with the new values and strategy by strengthening communication and listening.
“These results and subsequent action plans show admirable commitment by the staff of Colton Hills. We are inspired by their drive to challenge educational and social disadvantages so everyone thrives.
“Tapping into the wealth of knowledge and experience from within the organisation, they are able to make even further progress and improvement.”
‘We are inspired by their drive to challenge educational and social disadvantages so everyone thrives’Amanda Bye
You don’t need me to tell you that these are challenging times. The signs of people and businesses in trouble or anxious are all around us. And as things currently look, the cost-ofliving crisis is likely to get worse before it gets better.
For those of us in the position of leading organisations, you could argue we face twice the stress. We have to consider how everything that is going on in the world affects us personally. On top of that, we also have responsibility for our businesses and the many people – whether it’s employees, customers or those in our supply chain – that the success or struggles of our organisations have an impact on.
I think a good way of looking at this is to is to recognise our positions mean we have the influence to do things that others in our organisation may not be able to do. I believe our ability to make things change can (and should) contribute for the better. And believe me, there will be many counting on us to do that.
Most of us in senior roles didn’t find ourselves here overnight. Whatever our career path, there will have been experiences and learnings along the way that empower us to make a difference when it counts.
This isn’t the first time our country has faced some of the issues now facing us. Many commentators are now drawing parallels with the 1970s. Inflation was soaring, and the country had a three-day working week with power cuts and strikes to contend with.
I recently saw ex-Prime Minister Ted Heath’s speech to Parliament in the 1970s and heard from another former leader saying it was helpful when the Queen, with her sage advice, telling how she had spoken to other Prime Ministers over the years about similar experiences.
The message here is whatever your
organisation’s team members are facing, there will have undoubtedly been others who have been there before, and can provide advice and support.
Whether you realise it or not, your experiences will have equipped you to play your part in not just riding the storm but helping others to do so too. And history has also taught us that very often, out of adversity comes innovation.
Most organisations have contingency and crisis planning in place, although they may not have considered the specific combination of difficulties facing us now.
Even if you don’t have a plan, there are obvious things you can do to help steer your path through the coming months.
Mapping your risks and putting contingencies in place is an obvious need. So is getting a tight grip on your budget, reviewing your costs and resource planning.
Examine and understand the data you have available to see where you stand and what the numbers are telling you may lie ahead.
And while there is no silver bullet or off-theshelf solution for every situation, this process should equip you for making the right contingency plans you need to come out the other side, hopefully in good organisational health but if not then still standing and ready to fight another day.
This is also a time to call in the experts if needed – which I know is something this issue is focusing on.
In my career, I’ve been fortunate to build some fantastic relationships in the professional services sector. Investing in these partnerships has not only provided us with specialist advice at times of need but has also given us added value.
In one case, our ongoing work with a recruitment consultancy led to the formation of a new voluntary partnership to support newcomers into non-executive senior roles.
That’s now come full circle and we have a trainee board position at Futures Housing Group.
So don’t be afraid to ask for help or support –the benefits may be bigger than you expect.
You know your own businesses and I’m sure this will be front of mind for you. But I’d urge you not to lose sight of how individuals are being affected too – whether it’s your own teams, customers or their communities.
I’ve worked in housing for decades – I sometimes think I’ve seen it all. But recently, one of our teams presented to the board on how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting our customers. This included case studies showing just how hard financial problems were hitting people.
The extent of hardship put before us was truly shocking. People are already unable to balance their budgets and things are set to get much, much worse despite the promise of Government interventions.
I’d urge you to take some time to connect with your people and understand how they are feeling and managing. Any interventions or support you can offer will, I’m sure, not only make a big difference but will reward you with loyalty in the years ahead.
The East Midlands is a fantastic region. Together, we deliver so much for not just the area but the nation, and I’m certain we will continue to do so. At times like these, networks such as the Chamber become even more invaluable. Now really is a time to engage, to share and to seek support.
Chamber president and Futures Housing Group CEO Lindsey Williams reflects on what current economic challenges mean for organisations, business leaders and their people
Initially, predominantly an import service, offering both LCL (groupage) and FCL (full load containers), the service quickly gained momentum as clients took advantage of the fast transits, compared to ocean freight and the much lower costs, compared to air freight.
With confidence and demand for China rail freight services soaring, February 2022 seeing the 50,000th China-Europe train embarking on its journey, Davies Turner, keen to fulfill the desire of the UK export market, has established a dedicated weekly LCL rail service from the UK to China.
Following successful trials, where transit savings in excess of 20 days compared to ocean freight were achieved, we are sure our export clients will benefit from this third freight option.
Davies Turner established the Express China Rail service in 2016 in conjunction with our long term partners in China, Air Sea Transport, who already had years of experience in the China rail sector.