Business Voice Q2 2022

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Q2 2022

Voice BUSINESS

THE MAGAZINE OF HAMPSHIRE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

TAKING YOUR BUSINESS GLOBAL Advice for launching onto the world stage SEE PAGES 41, 42, 53 & 54

PLUS:

HEALTH & SAFETY AT WORK - information that you cannot afford to ignore

GREEN BUSINESS

How to tackle the impact of your digital marketing on the environment

EVENTS & TRAINING

Networking events and tailored courses to help support your business

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BUSINESS VOICE

CONTENTS Voice BUSINESS

Q2 2022

WELCOME 5

Ross McNally, Executive Chair of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, introduces the Chamber’s new magazine

MEMBER NEWS 6

Partners announced for Business Innovation South Expo 2022

CHAMBER NEWS 22 Sea Angling Classic Roadshow arrives in Portsmouth

CHAMBER POLICY

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26 Community projects secure share of Government funding

GREEN BUSINESS 31 The impact digital marketing may have on the environment

EVENTS & TRAINING 46 A comprehensive list of the latest Chamber events

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47 How training can help you position your business for success

SECTOR FOCUS 48 Corporate Hospitality How the industry is looking to the future post-Covid 50 Engineering & Manufacturing Strong start to the year for the sector 53 International Trade Exchange rate risk management 57 Legal & Finance Business insurance needs in a changing world

FEATURES 36 HEALTH IN THE W0RKPLACE Is your workplace COSHH compliant?

38 First aid at work - What you need to know 41 LOGISTICS, FREIGHT & TRANSPORTATION Will drones take off?

42 Incoterms: The importance of getting them right

58 Skills & Training Businesses urged to ‘innovate and evolve’ with skillslabs 60 Technology Protecting your business from the threat of ransomware

NEW MEMBERS 62 The Chamber welcomes new members Q2 2022 BUSINESS VOICE 3

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BUSINESS VOICE

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BUSINESS VOICE

Voice BUSINESS

THE MAGAZINE OF HAMPSHIRE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Welcome

MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO SEND THEIR EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS TO: PRODUCTION EDITOR Ben Applin E: ben.applin@hampshirechamber.co.uk T: 01329 242426 MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Sophie Taylor E: sophie.taylor@hampshirechamber.co.uk T: 01329 242420 HAMPSHIRE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Fareham College, Bishopsfield Road, Fareham PO14 1NH T: 01329 242420 HAMPSHIRE CHAMBER CONTACTS Chamber membership: Coral Benham E: coral.benham@hampshirechamber.co.uk Chamber events and training: Ben McDonald E: ben.mcdonald@hampshirechamber.co.uk

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

BY ROSS MCNALLY, EXECUTIVE CHAIR OF HAMPSHIRE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE elcome to the first edition of Business Voice, our new, highly informed, and wellconnected magazine addressing all the topics of concern to your business.

We are incredibly excited to be partnering with Kemps Publishing who are working with the Chamber to lead this publication forward as the voice of Hampshire Chamber membership and the wider business community.

Business Voice benefits from a new layout and added features that cover important sectors and industries in Hampshire.

The magazine is launched at the time of great challenge to the business community, but also within a growing economy driven by new enterprising opportunities brought about by the changes over the past few years.

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We are encouraged to see from our recent Quarterly Economic Survey, that 73% of Hampshire Businesses expect their turnover to improve. Coinciding with the new business year, we have the release of the Spring Statement 2022.

Although this mini budget falls short of all the action businesses needed to see, there were clear signs in the Chancellor’s announcement that future tax plans and freedoms would look to support businesses in leading the growth of the economy.

Your Chamber of Commerce network will ensure that Government is reminded of this commitment at every opportunity.

We hope you enjoy the new magazine and our fresh new approach. Supported by a comprehensive marketing and communications plan, this publication is here to help your business grow.

MANAGING EDITOR: Laura Blake DESIGNER: Lloyd Hollingworth ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES T: 0121 765 4144 E: jon.jones@kempspublishing.co.uk

GOLD PLUS PATRONS

PRINTERS Stephens & George Print Group W: www.stephensandgeorge.co.uk ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE Business Voice is a quarterly magazine distributed to around 5,000 members, affiliates and key businesses in the Hampshire region.

SILVER PLUS PATRONS

PRIVACY NOTICE Kemps Publishing Ltd process personal information for certain legitimate interest purposes, which includes the following: To provide postal copies of this publication to Chamber members and Kemps' customers; and to offer marketing and promotional opportunities within this publication to Chamber members and prospects. Whenever we process data for these pur poses, 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.

BRONZE PLUS PATRONS

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MEMBER NEWS

MEMBER NEWS THE LATEST NEWS AND SUCCESS STORIES FROM CHAMBER MEMBERS

Lift-off for Business Innovation South expo

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stellar cast of leading players from the tech sector have come on board as partners for the 2022 Business Innovation South Expo.

The event is the south’s annual flagship showcase of the latest products, services and research powered by science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

Among the business solutions on show will be applications in 5G, IT, communications, sustainability, cyber security and EV fleet.

This year’s expo takes place at a new venue on the Lakeside North Harbour business campus in Portsmouth, on Wednesday 14 September 2022.

Organiser Lara Bull said: “Relocating to Lakeside gives the expo a bigger platform for 84 exhibitor stands, themed zones, workshops, conferencing and networking. We focus on the discovery and access of STEM-related tools and technologies that enable businesses from any sector to streamline systems, achieve costefficiencies, boost productivity, cut carbon footprint and future-proof their operations.

“It’s an ideal opportunity to explore new and emerging solutions and is a true showcase for the next generation of sustainable business technologies and prospects for clean growth.

“Other exhibitors can inform business activities such as how to access grant funding and achieve success in lead generation and sales and market development. To have launched in 2019 with 65 exhibitors and now have many of those exhibitors not only returning, but also sponsoring, tells me that businesses in the southern region are hungry for an expo of this nature.”

Headline sponsor and one of those returning exhibitors is the IT support and communications provider Curatrix Technologies.

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Business Innovation South Expo organiser Lara Bull

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MEMBER NEWS

Helping you to be better connected, promoted, represented and supported.

Lakeside North Harbour business campus will be the new venue for the expo

For updates, announcements and to register for #BIS2022 as an exhibitor or attendee, visit www.businessinnovationsouth.com or connect via Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Director Nicholas DaCosta-Greene said: “Our approach has always been about safeguarding not only our business customers but also the future of youngsters coming through into the tech industry under our corporate and social responsibilities.

“To that end our goals align with the ethos of bringing sustainable and accessible technology to the UK and what better way to showcase that to the business community than through Business Innovation South?”

Among other returning exhibitors is the Southampton-based software development company Netshell.

Tech experts on its team have created a bespoke app for #BIS2022 to enhance the expo user experience for visitors and exhibitors alike.

Operations Director Danielle Stevenson said: “As a business focused on helping organisations apply technology to improve efficiency and how they work, we are all about enabling engagement and functionality in a safe, sustainable way.

“Specifically within the app, people can connect with each other and share the information they want to, before, during and after the event.”

The expo’s sustainable print sponsor is, for the second year running, Basingstoke-based graphic communications specialist Greenhouse Graphics.

Darren Bennett, Managing Director, said: “We will be producing all the printed items for the event once again.

“All will be eco-friendly and sustainable, including every component of our own stand.

“We’ll be helping fellow exhibitors to do the same, proving just how stylish and innovative their presence can be using totally sustainable materials.”

Third-time sponsor and data handling specialist MediaBase Direct will deliver a seamless, contactless registration process for attendees.

Mike Gainey, Head of Sales, said: “Business Innovation South is the ideal forum for us to engage with companies and organisations eager to see how the latest data management technologies can benefit them.”

Also returning as a sponsor is FeverCheckerPro, a Basingstoke-based health management tech specialist.

Its founder Steve Hathaway said: “Business Innovation South is more than just a great line-up of exhibitors. It’s the alchemy of the organisers who sprinkle the chemistry of interaction and success making it a mustattend event.”

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MEMBER NEWS Wightlink’s hybrid energy ferry, ‘Victoria of Wight’

Wightlink’s green efforts praised ightlink has reached the finals of two prestigious awards in recognition of its environmental achievements and ambitions.

The Isle of Wight ferry company is a finalist in both the Beautiful South Tourism Awards (Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism category) and the Maritime UK Awards (Clean Maritime Operator category).

Chief Executive Keith Greenfield said: “As Wightlink sails through some of the UK’s

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most scenic waters, we pledge to protect our environment, reduce carbon emissions and operate as sustainably as possible.

“Our flagship Victoria of Wight, sailing between Portsmouth and Fishbourne, is England’s first large hybrid ferry and her carbon emissions are 20% fewer than comparable ships. We are now planning to build an all-electric ferry for the route, using shore power to charge her batteries.

“We are thrilled that our environmental

commitments have been recognised by the judges of these two competitions and look forward to the finals.”

Looking to the future, Wightlink is investing in renewable power generation, widespread EV charging points and the conversion of the rest of its fleet to all-electric or hybrid power. The aim is to achieve net zero carbon emissions in 10 years.

Visit: www.wightlink.co.uk/zero

Is a PA or a VA the right choice for you?

As a business owner, have you ever thought “shall I employ a Personal Assistant (PA) or hire a Virtual Assistant (VA)” for your admin support? Both are viable options with their pros and cons.

A VA can do the tasks that do not need a physical presence, e.g. email/diary management, arranging meetings/travel, invoicing/on-boarding clients. They’re hired by the hour, flexible for your business needs.

However, they have other clients so may not be available exactly when you need them.

A PA works for you exclusively and differs from a VA as they will also perform tasks that need a physical presence in the office. However, employment costs are more than just a salary, and include tax, NI, holiday and sick pay, just for starters.

If you have consistent work that needs to be office-based, a PA is for you. If the tasks could be done remotely, why not explore the flexibility of a VA. If you have any questions about working with a VA, contact: rosemary@core-pa.co.uk Visit: www.core-pa.co.uk

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Digital twins can help us better understand the impact of climate change

Tackling climate change with Earth’s digital twin The concept of digital twins has been around for years, and many industries use virtual replicas of items or systems to realistically simulate the outcomes of different scenarios.

An example being using the digital twin of a wind turbine to explore its likely performance in different weather conditions.

IT and business consulting services firm CGI is scaling up that principle to create a digital twin of the entire planet, to help better

understand and predict the impacts of changing conditions.

Digital Twin Earths have immense potential when it comes to monitoring and forecasting the effects of human activity on the planet.

Because they can help predict the impact we’re having on the environment, they are a critical sustainability tool.

Visit: www.cgi.com

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MEMBER NEWS

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MEMBER NEWS

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MEMBER NEWS

Women join forces to ‘Break the Bias’ Businesswomen from Hampshire reunited to celebrate International Women’s Day in March.

The women, who run a wide range of successful businesses, were first brought together through networking and have championed each other’s growth and success ever since.

Julie Jackson from Brand Biography organised the event. She said: “International Women’s Day is all about celebrating the achievements of women so what better way to do this than by getting together with a group of supportive likeminded women.

“It was inspiring to spend quality time recognising everybody’s hard work to come out of the pandemic with a thriving business. These women are excellent role models for others in the community and fine examples of how women can succeed and move ahead in the world of business.”

The successful businesswomen in attendance

Julie has plans for more networking opportunities where the emphasis is on making meaningful and supportive connections.

Visit: www.brandbiography.co.uk

The benefits of work experience Hampshire-based training specialist has called for more work experience to be provided to help career starters and career changers have a better chance at new roles.

Christine Baxter, founder of Gold Edge Training, believes this – aligned with independently studying for professional qualifications – would give candidates a head start. She said: “Employers want to see commitment and compliance. Commitment is demonstrated by personally financing your first level of study. Compliance is gaining employment as soon as you are able to be moulded into company requirements.

“If you can complete work experience as you study, commitment and compliance are

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automatically met and the employment world is your oyster.”

Work experience is time spent in a workplace learning about a job role, a company or a career sector, usually unpaid.

Distance-learning expert Christine, based in Whiteley, Fareham, added that financial constraints were often a barrier to career progression.

People could not afford to drop salary to start at the bottom again or were unable to afford the necessary study to make the career change happen – or both.

Christine added: “These barriers are massive and yet are never addressed or seen as obstacles to personal or economic growth.

“Currently, Government-based education incentives offer the dream to improve but ignore the reality of the requirements necessary to grow. Often you will see references such as ‘education will kickstart your employment for a better future’. This is true, but far from straightforward and, for some, impossible because the barriers to change still remain.

“The career formula should read ‘education with work experience enables new employment and a better future’. It’s a winwin formula every time. Adding work experience to education naturally removes financial barriers because it removes the label of ‘qualified without experience’.”

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MEMBER NEWS

Motivation is key to a healthy workplace STEVE JONES (pictured), founder of SKILLS FOR BUSINESS, explains why a motivated workforce is a key component of business success. otivation is a word often used but seldom understood. It remains one of the biggest challenges in business with 82% of managers in the UK citing disengaged employees as their biggest challenge.

In my experience, motivated staff seldom go sick, suffer mental health or long-term absenteeism, nor do they leave their employer.

They do however, drive productivity, innovate and contribute to the success of the business.

To truly create a healthy workforce there is a need for a different relationship between employers and employees that embraces the intrinsic motivations of its employees in the new hybrid working models.

It’s a ‘win-win’. A motivated workforce is a healthy workforce. It addresses the ‘war on talent’ as talent gravitates towards the business, it addresses the ‘productivity gap’, the ‘great

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resignation’ as employees engage with the business and it enhances ‘employee wellbeing’ to provide sustainable growth.

Interestingly, businesses do a 90-day sprints for their KPI’s, yet we don’t do a 90-day sprints for our people.

Imagine if you did? Imagine if there were a way to describing, measuring, monitoring and maximising motivation to release the full potential and capability of your people, and teams, consistently. Creating a healthy workforce that has energy and sustainability at its heart.

This is exactly what I’m doing with my clients right now and I’d happy to talk to anybody who maybe interested in knowing more.

For further information contact Steve Jones on tel: 07971 882628, email: steve@skillsforbusinesstraining.co.uk or visit: www.skillsforbusinesstraining.co.uk

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MEMBER NEWS ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

The Complete Solution esign, manufacture to drawing, fitting, and assembly - Bowyer Engineering Ltd is the engineering company to consider for your one-stop complete solution.

We have a state-of-the-art machine shop with a very knowledgeable and experienced workforce, manufacturing made to print components at development, pre-production, and niche production volumes for many highprofile customers and markets.

In addition, Instrumentation, EDM Micro Notching on crack detection calibration

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One of the experienced workforce

standards, design and manufacture of bespoke dedicated machines, assembly systems and inspection manipulators are some of the specialist divisions within the company enabling the complete solution for the client.

With over 75 years of experience in the engineering market, Bowyer Engineering are renowned for providing solutions to complicated engineering problems.

Bowyer Engineering re-located to Andover in 1964 as part of the London ‘overspill’ agreement. During this period, Bowyer Engineering have built an excellent global relationship with Rolls Royce Aerospace who through research and development remain a key part of the company’s extensive international client portfolio.

As markets and technologies have changed, Bowyer Engineering have moved forward extending the plant list with new 5 and 4 axis machine centres and CNC Mill/Turn lathes. This has enabled the company to engineer low, medium, and high niche volume production work within tight timeframes, allowing the company to diversify and venture into new markets. We are pleased to be servicing clients in the aerospace, automotive (including electric vehicle), medical, marine, motorsport, power

Solar panels being used on a roof

generation, and oil and gas industries.

Bowyer Engineering support environmental initiatives and are always working to reduce their carbon footprint.

During the major refit and upgrade to the facility in 2019, a 99.6 kW photovoltaic array was added to the roof of the factory. During the summer months their 5-Axis CNC machines run almost completely from solar power with excess electricity transferred into the grid.

T: 01264 365921 E: sales@bowyerengineering.co.uk W: www.bowyerengineering.co.uk

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MEMBER NEWS

Adapt, understand and

overcome

- the partnership behind Chamber of Solutions

Truly unparalleled, the pandemic generated the biggest economic shock in 300 years. Never before did governments across the world tell their populations to stay at home, so shutting down huge swathes of trade and commercial activity. In our region, the bedrock of Hampshire Chamber’s response was Chamber of Solutions, an online community of practice launched to support businesses through this most difficult of times. It is an enterprising partnership with learning and development provider MISSION PERFORMANCE whose Founding Director ROB LEWIS (pictured) explains the value it brings.

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MEMBER NEWS

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ike the Chamber itself, Mission Performance is all about bringing a network of businesses together. I founded it 20 years ago with a fellow former Royal Marine, Chris McLeod. Our aim was to design and deliver exciting learning programmes focused on behavioural change. Typically this has involved coaching business owners and senior executive teams in leadership, communications and the de-risking of operational performance. Clients range from large global corporates down to much smaller businesses including micros.

We operate as a partnership of highly experienced leaders from backgrounds as diverse as the military, theatre and performing arts, elite sport, business, exploration and mountaineering.

We’re practitioners who have truly ‘been there’ and have the proverbial T-shirt to prove it.

Our main base, from where we organise operations, logistics and finance, is at Lee-onSolent, near Daedalus. We have satellite activities based in Lancashire, Somerset and Wales and a network of associates including in Canada. We fund them through coaching accreditations, upskilling them in the tools they need as trainers and investing in their future capability.

‘We drew inspiration from how the Royal Marines approach combat situations and other challenges’ Before the pandemic, all our learning was delivered face-to-face. We have provided programmes in every continent of the world, in sectors including banking, insurance, energy, engineering, construction, marketing and professional services.

When the pandemic hit, it was a double whammy. People couldn’t travel and we had no opportunity for face-to-face training delivery. Overnight we faced losing our business. We had 10 full-time staff and like other businesses, we had to make decisions about who to put on furlough. It was stressful and difficult, but we were determined to keep going, at least with our local clients. We drew inspiration from how the Royal Marines approach combat situations and other challenges: the mantra is ‘adapt very quickly, und erstand and overcome’.

Before the pandemic, Ross McNally at the Chamber and I had been talking about getting a network of businesses together. The shock of Covid meant that the Chamber had also lost the opportunity for providing face-to-face services and engagement. We discussed how we could support one another during these tough times.

We both saw the merits of providing training through a virtual format that encompassed online sessions with access to training materials on a self-service platform. Together, we invented Chamber of Solutions as a safe space with clear advice specifically for a peer group keen to come together.

We began running online sessions every two or three weeks on subjects such as how to apply for finance, the ins and outs of furlough, how to maintain resilience, and how to stay close to teams when people are working from home.

Word spread. We very quickly had members and non-members attending, not only from Hampshire but across the south and as far afield as Scotland. People were desperate to find information and many were asking similar questions. It became a community of practice with a light-touch structure.

I think it’s fair to say that Chamber of Solutions has really helped participants.

Everyone has been learning a lot from the experience of hearing from experts. Ross reported at the Chamber AGM last October that our partnership had facilitated 28 different Chamber of Solutions events by then with an overall attendance of just under 2,000. It’s not just about recovering from the pandemic but laying the groundwork for a solid growth plan for the future, the journey to greatness.

Perhaps the only upside of the virus is that with it has come some real innovation. Necessity is the mother of invention. In Mission Performance’s case, it was going digital, securing BCorp accreditation on our social and environmental impact and developing our programmes to meet the post-pandemic needs of participants. We have emerged stronger and we want Chamber of Solutions to continue as a partnership. People already see it as a gateway to Hampshire Chamber’s wider learning and development offer which is a wonderful endorsement.

My reflection on Chamber of Solutions is that our partnership with the Chamber has shown the value of playing the longer game. Don’t look at the fatal flaw. Stay positive, focus on what might work and support each other.

For more information on Mission Performance, call Rob Lewis on: +44 (0) 1329 553037 or email: lewisr@missionperformance.com

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MEMBER NEWS

Air Ambulance welcomes new Chairman ampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance has appointed David Drew (pictured) as its new Chairman, after serving six years as a trustee within the organisation.

David has been acting chairman since August last year and succeeds Sir John Day who stepped down after four years as the charity’s Chairman. In that time, he has served as a Governor at South Central Ambulance Service and now with the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

David, a local Councillor for Test Valley Central, has spent his career in engineering and sales, travelling to the Americas and Europe as well as the Far and Middle East while working for the BBC. He also worked as part of a small team at British Aerospace refurbishing Egyptian Air Force MiG21s.

In the 1980s he served with the Royal Auxiliary Air Force at Northwood, where he was involved with the tasking and operations of the RAF’s fleet of Nimrod Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

During his time as a trustee, the charity has overcome some of its biggest operational changes and challenges, in particular providing support and advice throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

David said: “I have seen first-hand the impact our service has had on the lives of countless people in our region. It is a real privilege to be appointed the chairman of a charity that prides itself on delivering the very

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highest level of pre-hospital emergency care.

And I am incredibly excited to be involved in the next phase of its journey.”

2022 marks a significant year in the charity’s history, where it will be marking 15 years since it took off on its first flight in July 2007.

The service is encouraging people to show their support and ensure it can continue flying and saving lives for the next 15 years and more.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) is a charity established to provide specialist pre-hospital care the most seriously ill and injured people in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight when they need it most. HIOWAA receives no Government funding and relies entirely upon the generosity of individuals and organisations to help save lives. It costs £15,000 a day to maintain the life-saving service, with each mission costing the charity £2,882.

Visit: www.hiowaa.org

Co-op urges switch to reusable bags A regional co-operative, which is removing all single-use carrier bags and plastic bags for life from sale, is urging shoppers to switch to reusable bags to help tackle climate change.

Southern Co-op, which has just over 200 convenience stores across the south of England, is hoping to deter customers from treating bags for life as if they were single-use.

One alternative will be compostable carrier bags available for 10p which are a more environmentally responsible choice and have a secondary use as a food waste caddy liner in the home.

The bags are certified compostable and can be collected as part of Local Authority household food waste collections or are suitable for use in home compost bins.

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Southern Co-op has over 200 stores

Gemma Lacey, Director for Sustainability and Communications at Southern Co-op, said: “For years we have been asking our customers and members to bring bags with them so this is naturally the next step - removing the option of

buying single use plastic bags or using a plastic bag for life as the next cheapest alternative.

"We have a duty to act against climate change and to give our customers a way to be more environmentally responsible. However, as our stores are based on convenience, we understand that people might not be carrying a bag with them, so the compostable bag is a more responsible alternative to plastic."

Plastic bags for life are being replaced by durable fold away bags and large shoppers with a current price of £1 to encourage customers to reuse them instead of treating them as single-use.

To find out more about Southern Co-op’s long term strategy and commitment to climate change, visit www.thesoutherncooperative.co.uk/our-plan

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MEMBER NEWS

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MEMBER NEWS

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MEMBER NEWS

Clever Software team continues to grow with new additions

New Head of My Id Card division ustom Card Services International Ltd, a producer of personalised ID cards, launched their Proof of Age Card “My Id Card“ under the national PASS scheme in 2017.

In 2022 they are pleased to announce the addition of Georgina Clarke as the new Head of the My Id Card division. Georgina brings more than 14 years of customer service and online marketing experience to the company.

In 2022 she is looking forward to expanding the business by increasing awareness of the My Id Card brand and the PASS scheme.

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The PASS card scheme is operated by a Community Interest Company providing accreditation to suppliers of Proof of Age Cards in the UK. Sellers of age restricted products can be confident in accepting cards with a PASS holograms, safe in the knowledge that the scheme is endorsed by the Police, Security Industry Authority and a wide range of trade bodies.

For further information contact Georgina at info@myidcard.co.uk call: 01256 305678 or visit: www.myidcard.co.uk

Bespoke software development company Clever Software Group are delighted to welcome two new senior members of staff to their growing team.

Taking care of new and existing clients will be highly skilled Project Manager Mitch Price, who has worked in the software industry for the past nine years. Mitch will work closely with the development team and guide clients through every aspect of their software projects.

David Lovell has also recently joined to head up the design team as Senior UX Designer. With vast experience in the tech and services industries honing his UX, UI and web design skills, David will be responsible for ensuring each software product has a custom and seamless user experience.

Company Director Andrew Matthews said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Mitch and David to our team. They’re already bringing a great energy to our Ringwood development studio and their combined experience, skill and talent will have a great impact on our bespoke software developments.”

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MEMBER NEWS

How vulnerable is your business? ould your business survive a real-world cyber-attack? SecQuest can help you identify critical vulnerabilities in your defenses and provide key risk insights to stakeholders.

The growing digitalisation of business operations creates numerous entry points for cyber attackers to compromise critical systems and expose assets, data and customer information.

SecQuest’s Penetration Testing Services is an effective way to test the investment in your prevention and detection capabilities, with real world cyber-attack scenarios. They are experienced CREST/CHECK practitioners and work with clients across all industry sectors.

SecQuest can provide vulnerability management and system testing to provide you with a ‘current state assessment’ for your risk management programmes; so, helping you effectively manage your cyber security challenges.

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Visit: www.secquest.co.uk/contact

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MEMBER NEWS

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CHAMBER NEWS

CHAMBER NEWS ADVICE, NEWS AND UPDATES FROM THE CHAMBER

Angling roadshow reels the crowds in Sea Angling Classic Roadshow dates: WEDNESDAY 15 JUNE REGISTRATION: Gunwharf Quays OPENING PARADE: Gunwharf Quays to Guildhall square OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY: Guildhall square Lord Mayor Cllr Frank Jonas

he Sea Angling Classic Roadshow started on Saturday 19 March 2022 at Gunwharf Quays, and everyone was invited to join the excitement.

The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth attended to officially reveal the prestigious Sea Angling Classic Prize Boat.

This event was the first stop of the Sea Angling Classic Roadshow, which will visit 10 locations around the UK and help get the nation excited about the sport of fishing and the upcoming Sea Angling Classic competition. This will take place on 15-19 June 2022 in Portsmouth and use the diverse Solent fishing grounds.

“Portsmouth, Gunwharf Quays and the Harbour is the home of the Sea Angling Classic, so naturally we wanted to begin the Roadshow here and reveal the prestigious Extreme 745 Game King Prize Boat right by the water where the fishing will be taking place,” said Ross Honey, founder of the Sea Angling Classic.

Lord Mayor Cllr Frank Jonas said: “This is an amazing prize and I hope it will tempt plenty of anglers to come to Portsmouth for the competition in June. Portsmouth is a fantastic location for sea fishing with the Solent providing a variety of catches throughout the year and this event can be a great showcase for everything on offer.”

Prior to the event Yvonne Clay, Centre Director at Gunwharf Quays, said: “Our marina is fantastically located at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbour and offers immediate access to the Solent, making it the perfect place to kickstart the Sea Angling Classic

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Continues on page 24...

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THURSDAY 16 JUNE REGISTRATION: Gunwharf Quays BOAT PARADE: Portsmouth

FRIDAY 17 JUNE 1ST DAY OF COMPETITION: The Solent (designated fishing grounds)

SATURDAY 18 JUNE 2ND DAY OF COMPETITION: The Solent (designated fishing grounds)

SUNDAY 19 JUNE PRIZE GIVING: Portsmouth Historic Dockyards

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CHAMBER NEWS

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CHAMBER NEWS ...from page 22

Roadshow. We are looking forward to welcoming The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth to launch this exciting event and to welcoming all guests to explore Gunwharf Quays fantastic shopping and leisure offering.”

Visitors to the Roadshow were able to get hands on with the Sea Angling Classic top prize - the Extreme 745 Game King boat and trailer with a Mercury V8 4.6lt Pro XS 250 engine, fitted out with the Lowrance® Ultimate Fishing System.

There were opportunities to meet expert anglers who shared information the best bait, rods, reels to use, with event partners Penn, Rapala and Okuma, and other partners including insurance experts Pantaenius, and Wetwheels who provide fishing opportunities for disabled people on specially adapted boats.

Fishing electronics specialist Lowrance® was also in attendance with its Technical Support Unit providing advice on the best electronic equipment to use, how to use it, and giving free software updates to owners who already have Lowrance units.

Ross Honey added: “This cracking Roadshow across the country helps inspire young and old anglers alike and attract new ones. We hope the actual Sea Angling Classic event taking place in Portsmouth in June, will inspire children and adults alike to have a go at angling.

“The Roadshow and the showcase of the Prize Boat provided a unique glimpse into the

Getting them hooked: The next generation of anglers can get involved too

world of sea fishing, the boats, engines and equipment, and the fun and camaraderie that the sport entails.”

The Sea Angling Event takes place between 15-19 June 2022 and is based at Portsmouth Harbour and Gunwharf Quays.

For further information visit: www.seaanglingclassic.com

E: helptogrow@port.ac.uk W: www.port.ac.uk/help-to-grow 24 BUSINESS VOICE Q2 2022

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CHAMBER NEWS

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CHAMBER POLICY

CHAMBER POLICY REPRESENTING OUR MEMBERS LOCALLY, REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY

Community projects secure share of funding

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hree Portsmouth economic development projects, that received funding of just under £1.6m from the Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund, are now underway. Portsmouth City Council was the only council in the Solent to successfully bid for this fund.

The City of Portsmouth College (formally Highbury College) was awarded £324,500 for its Decarbonisation skills support scheme aimed at the construction industry. The University of Portsmouth was awarded £616,427 for its Enabling XR Enterprise (eXRe) project to create skills, boost communities and benefit the visitor and cultural economy. YTKO has been awarded £619,496 for its Portsmouth Start and Grow, a business start-up service.

The UK Community Renewal Fund supports local areas to trial imaginative new approaches and prepares them to take full advantage of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund was recently announced by the Government as part of the Levelling Up White Paper.

This will provide large amounts of funding for councils such as Portsmouth City Council to fund economic development projects over the next few years.

Councillor Gerald Vernon Jackson (pictured, inset), Leader of Portsmouth City Council, said: “This is fantastic news for the city. We are delighted that these ground-breaking projects are now underway in Portsmouth. Each project supports our aim to make Portsmouth a great place to invest, learn, live, work and visit and are a catalyst to attract future funding opportunities to boost skills and business.”

Graham Morley, Interim Chief Executive Officer of

University of Portsmouth

City of Portsmouth College, (Portsmouth College and Highbury College) said: “There is a critical need to adopt cleaner technologies to support the national and global decarbonisation targets. As a result of our successful bid, we will be upskilling and retraining individuals in Portsmouth and the wider area to ensure our community is well-equipped to thrive in the ‘clean growth’ landscape. Our training will focus on some key areas, including insulation, solar PV, battery storage, heat pumps and electric vehicles, alongside supporting learners with the essential digital skills required to work efficiently.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Portsmouth City Council for their ongoing support. This scheme is a fantastic example of how a collaborative approach can address skills gaps, whilst also creating employment opportunities and supporting local businesses.”

Pippa Bostock, Business Director Centre for Creative and Immersive XR, University of Portsmouth, said: “UK Community Renewal Funding will enable us to work with over 100 businesses in order to support innovation in a variety of ways - focusing upon the Heritage and

City of Portsmouth College

26 BUSINESS VOICE Q2 2022

‘We are delighted that these groundbreaking projects are now underway in Portsmouth’

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CHAMBER POLICY

Basingstoke College granted University Centre status

Visitor Attraction sectors. This is so important for the University, as we want to enable our local community to benefit from the world-class facilities that we are developing and to support our local economy, which is intrinsically linked to these key sectors. Opening our facilities and expertise to the city will provide a huge boost to businesses and organisations and help to raise aspirations and inspire future generations to engage with technology.”

Lee Hughes, Deputy CEO YTKO, said: “I am absolutely delighted that YTKO has been chosen to continue our start-up and growth support to businesses in Portsmouth through the new UK Community Renewal Fund.

“Our support will be tailored to help entrepreneurs and businesses navigate the barriers and challenges they face and ensure they gain the skills and knowledge they need to boost their productivity and growth potential.

We look forward to delivering more of our awardwinning business support with new grant opportunities throughout the region.”

Portsmouth City Council is the lead authority for the bids which was submitted to the UK Community Renewal Fund in June 2021.

Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT) is proud to be granted University Centre status by the Department for Education. The opening of the new University Centre Basingstoke, in partnership with the University of Portsmouth, will help the college to expand their Higher Education provision to Basingstoke and the surrounding areas.

The college’s higher education offer is designed to be accessible to working professionals who are keen to upskill, diversify and develop in their careers. These courses are offered part-time through a hybrid of remote and onsite classes.

Lois Neale, Head of Higher Education and Adult Learning, said: “Basingstoke College of Technology has a long standing reputation for offering excellent educational opportunities. Through data insight and by working with employers, we have developed a Higher Education offer that reflects the needs of the local and regional economies and the skills needed, now and in the future.

Our course portfolio will continue to adapt and grow in line with emerging needs and skills priorities.”

BCoT’s University Centre provides students with a communal study area, two study pods and plenty of classrooms designed specifically for learners aged over 19. As a leading technology college, digital skills and the latest technology are incorporated into the classroom, enabling students to learn in an active way.

The college’s current higher education portfolio includes courses in Business, Counselling, Engineering, Art and Design, Beauty Therapy, Childcare, Education and Training and Media, some of which already have

partnerships with the University of Portsmouth, as well as the University of Reading. The college is working to develop new courses for a 2022/2023 start date in partnership with the University of Portsmouth and other awarding bodies including CPCAB, ACCA and CIPD. New courses for September 2022 include: • Level 5 CPCAB Diploma in Counselling Children and Young People • Level 7 CIPD Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management • Level 4 CIPS Diploma in Procurement and Supply • Prince2 6th Edition - Project Management Practitioner • Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship • Level 4 Pearson Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science

Apply now Applications for September 2022 are open now for higher education.

Apply online now at bcot.ac.uk/apply, or for more information visit bcot.ac.uk/he

Open events Discover BCoT’s University Centre yourself at their upcoming Higher Education event on Tuesday 14 June 2022 from 16:30 to 19:30. During this event you will be able to view the range of industry-standard facilities and ask experienced tutors any questions.

Register for tickets at: bcot.ac.uk/events

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BUSINESS VOICE

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GREEN BUSINESS

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GREEN BUSINESS

GREEN BUSINESS CELEBRATING HAMPSHIRE FIRMS TAKING THE STEPS TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY

Have you ever considered the impact that your

digital marketing is having on the environment?

THE TYPEFACE GROUP LTD, a Basingstoke-based marketing agency, are committed to balancing the desire for commercial results with conscious marketing for their clients. oday, data centres (that power the internet) account for two per cent of the world’s carbon emissions; this is on a par with emissions created by the airline industry. Yet, few businesses responsible for running a website consider it a source of environmental impact.

Are you wasting literal and figurative energy overengineering your website and creating generic comms at volume? Google updates and changing user behaviour both mean it is possible to get more for less when it comes to content creation, but only if you put work into your strategy first.

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Conserve your marketing energy You will find clues in your data as to whether your web pages and articles are ‘worth the energy’ or if you need a re-think. Look at the bounce rate on your pages; bounce is when a visitor lands on the page and immediately ‘bounces’ off without engaging.

If a page receives thousands of visits a month with a 90% bounce, consider if the content is relevant to who is landing. Do you make the most of the opportunity by directing them clearly to what you want them to do next? Or, as in many cases, are the visits making your big vanity numbers look good with very little commercial value for the environmental impact?

We suggest before you write an article for your website (each average web page visited = 1.74g Co2), ask yourself three questions: 1 Is this deep-rich expert content?

2 Does this answer a question for our specific target audience?

3 Does this align with our commercial goals?

To learn more about The Typeface Group, visit: thetypefacegroup.co.uk Q2 2022 BUSINESS VOICE 31

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GREEN BUSINESS

Printing firm delivers responsible solutions Greenhouse, home of sustainable printing and graphics established in 1993 is an award winning, leading centre for sustainable graphic communications.

Greenhouse are continually evolve its range of integrated services for all marketing and communication requirements with a strong focus on sustainability; from creative design, a comprehensive suite of print services delivering digital, lithographic, large format and signage print, to high quality finishing, delivery and installation.

Council helps firms move towards a zero carbon future

Some recent projects include: • An immersive interpretation experience, providing concept and design services through to production and installation for the Hampshire Countryside Services - using only sustainable materials • Brand development and brand identity for a new wildflower seed product launch for the leading UK Wildflower experts Wildflower Turf • Technical consultation and production for a range of sustainable exhibition materials for The Future Fabrics Expo - the largest dedicated showcase of sustainably and responsibly produced fabrics for the fashion and textiles industry.

The firm’s commitment to the environment has led them to develop their own environmentally focused innovations including GreentexTM - an eco wall covering material that is non PVC which is reusable and recyclable. Greenhouse’s pioneering Carbon Calculator developed over 15 years ago is a straightforward way to manage the print carbon footprint, providing options to reduce and offset with the World Land Trust.

Visit: www.greenhousegraphics.co.uk

TEST VALLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL has a number of schemes in place to support local businesses to save energy, carbon emissions and facilitate the move towards a zero carbon economy.

Reducing CO2 emissions The council is helping to deliver an EU funded scheme to reduce CO2 emissions, in partnership with Greentech South, this provides SMEs access to free energy efficiency audits, and research and innovation grants.

For more information please visit: www.greentechsouth.com/what-we-do Low carbon across the South East The council is also endorsing ‘Low Carbon Across the South and East’ (LoCASE). This programme provides grant funding for SMEs to make their business more green – either through launching new eco products or services, or through reducing the environmental impact of their operations. Grants of up to £10,000 are available, along with environmental training and events.

For more information and to apply please visit: www.locase.co.uk Science Park The council is incredibly fortunate to have the University of Southampton Science Park within the borough. They have supported the expansion of the science park, the development of new business through the catalyst programme and provide assistance to businesses as they grow.

Business incentive grant Through our Business Incentive Grant www.testvalley.gov.uk/BusinessIncentiveGrant the Council supported Absolar Solutions Ltd to invest and offer their state-of-the-art software to businesses to assess the carbon footprint of their buildings and offers practical solutions to minimise their impact on the environment.

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BUSINESS VOICE ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

How can

LoCASE help your

business?

Funding for businesses With COP26 over, the environment bill passed and Government’s legally-binding net zero commitments made, time is running out to curb climate change, so having a green business focus has never been higher up the agenda.

Increasingly consumers and investors are expecting businesses to show their green credentials, with new regulations – such as the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, on natural gas boiler installations from 2025 and tighter packaging regulations – coming in to enforce it.

The Low Carbon Across the South and East or (LoCASE) programme is designed to help businesses across Hampshire, Solent, Greater Essex, Surrey, Sussex, and the Kent area make the transition to a low carbon economy. The programme helps all eligible small and medium enterprises (SMEs) improve their resource efficiency through funding and helps green business grow their products and services with funding and support.

For environmental sector businesses If you help your customers reduce their impact on the environment or you serve an environmentally focused industry, then you can apply for a LoCASE Business Growth and Innovation Grant of up to £10,000.

These grants can be used for a range of business development projects, including equipment and machinery, product development, marketing, IT, consultancy,

LED lighting, insulation, heating or machinery upgrades, second hand EVs or renewable energy systems. Similarly, projects reducing waste materials or water can also be covered.

Both types of grant cover 40% of the project’s expenditure. For example, if your energy efficiency project totals £10,000, the grant will cover £4,000 of your costs – so you end up only paying £6,000 once funds are claimed back. The other 60% is privately matched by the SME. certification and accreditation or resource efficiency.

Businesses that have taken advantage of a LoCASE Business Growth and Innovation Grant include those supplying or manufacturing renewable energy, energy storage and energy efficiency products, green architects, landscapers and builders, recycling and re-use businesses, environmental advisors and consultants, and many more in this growing sector.

For other types of businesses If you’re in an industry that isn’t typically considered a ‘green’ industry, don’t fear. You can still apply for a LoCASE Energy or Resource Efficiency and possibly be eligible for maximum grant between £5,000-£10,000.

Grant requests over £5,000 will need to deliver more significant impacts than lower value projects. These grants are designed for projects that help you reduce your carbon footprint and operating costs. They can cover items such as

Get involved LoCASE is delivered across the Local Enterprise Partnership Areas of EM3, C2C, SOLENT and SELEP. It also runs Steps To Environmental Management workshops, a series of fully funded accreditations designed to benchmark and set sustainability targets for your SME supply chains.

To find out more, visit the website at www.LoCASE.co.uk LoCASE is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

‘If you’re in an industry that isn’t typically considered a ‘green’ industry, don’t fear’ Q2 2022 BUSINESS VOICE 35

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FOCUS FEATURE: HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE

FOCUS FEATURES AN IN-DEPTH LOOK INTO THE KEY BUSINESS SECTORS OF THE REGION

Is your

workplace COSHH compliant?

By TINA STILES (pictured), Marketing Manager at CJS Portsmouth Ltd

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OSHH stands for the control of substances hazardous to health and for anyone using cleaning chemicals within a commercial capacity, COSHH training is both essential and a legal requirement.

COSHH training explains the need to adhere to a strict set of rules to ensure that the user and environment always remains safe. Sadly, in days gone by this wasn’t always the case.

The time before COSHH Back in the 1960s, 70s and early 80s, many accidents occurred because there was no official regulation for companies to adhere to.

There were many cases of unscrupulous or parsimonious employers giving their staff harmful chemicals to use or not providing the correct personal protective equipment to wear. Alarmingly, there was no legislative accountability for this with many cases going unanswered. This was the time of ‘full blame, no shame’.

COSHH today Thankfully, in the late 80s things changed for the better.

The Health & Safety Executive came down very hard on the whole industry and introduced tougher legislation to make manufacturers, distributors, employers, and employees accountable for their actions and in the autumn of 1988, the COSHH regulations came into force.

Nowadays, the regulations fall under the Health & Safety at Work Act of 1974 and tends to form part of a company’s health & safety policy with regular COSHH training being mandatory for anyone using cleaning chemicals in a commercial setting.

However, even today despite the new regulations coming into play, we still unfortunately hear the odd story where chemicals have been misused. In some cases, chemicals are erroneously drunk from unmarked bottles or accessed from unlocked cupboards when they shouldn’t be.

More commonly today, we often see incorrect usage of chemicals either by mixing different chemicals 36 BUSINESS VOICE Q2 2022

together or diluting a chemical to the wrong dosage, both of which can create a great risk to the user and their surroundings.

All chemicals are not created equal So why is it that when we clean our own home, we are not bombarded with messages alerting to the need for COSHH training, safety data sheets or personal protective clothing?

There is a common misunderstanding that the chemicals we use in our homes are the same as those used for the commercial sector, even if they are branded the same. In the main, this is not the case. Chemicals produced for the commercial market tend to be formulated differently to contend with larger surface areas and the frequency and speed at which an area becomes dirty.

Take for example, your own toilet at home. The average person would use their home toilet perhaps sixseven times in a 24-hour period. If you then think of the number of people within a commercial or public sector all frequenting the washroom at the same average rate,

Household cleaning chemicals are not the same as those used in the commercial sector

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FOCUS FEATURE: HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE

‘The need to clean and to keep clean is paramount’ the need for cleaning is intensified. Consequently, stronger or more effective chemicals will be needed in such environments. Putting it simply, the toilet cleaner you use at home is unlikely to be the same toilet cleaner recommended to be used at work.

A brave new world Following the events of the past 18 months or so, it should be very clear to all that cleaning and hygiene is just about as important as it can get in our working world.

The need to clean and to keep clean is paramount. The marketplace has seen an increase in wipes, an abundance of cleaning chemicals and a whole array of accredited PPE in a bid to keep the hidden pathogen enemy at bay.

Cleaning and hygiene are the way forward for a germ free and progressive society and consequently so too is the need for regular COSHH training.

After the past 18 months, hygiene in the workplace is more important than ever

For more information on CleaningSafeguard (our management system to help customers elevate and maintain their cleaning operations) as well as details on our free COSHH training, please email us at marketing@cjsltd.co.uk or visit our website at www.cjsportsmouthltd.co.uk

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First aid at work - What you need to know Employers are responsible for making sure their employees receive immediate and adequate attention if they are injured or fall ill at work. While accidents and illness can happen at any time, first aid can help prevent minor injuries from becoming major ones. BUSINESS VOICE explores what a business can do to help protect its staff.

The basics The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 puts the duty on employers to assess the risks of the workplace and, where necessary, take action to eliminate or control those risks.

Additionally, the Health and Safety (FirstAid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure their employees receive immediate attention if they are injured or take ill at the workplace.

These regulations apply to all workplaces, including those with less than five employees and to the self-employed. The UK Government Health and Safety Executive (HSE) can prosecute employers who fail to provide the appropriate first aid so it’s important to make the right provisions.

Assessing your first aid needs When making your first aid arrangements, it’s best to start with an assessment of your workplace and its needs. Consider the health and safety risks that may already be present and, most importantly, how significant these risks are.

Low-risk workplaces, such as an office, might only need a basic first aid kit and an appointed person to take charge of it, including re-stocking items. This person can also be appointed as designated caller of the emergency services if and when the need should ever arise, but they do not require specific first aid training.

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SIGNIFICANT RISKS INCLUDE: • Active machinery • Areas exposed to harsh weather conditions • Chemicals and hazardous materials and/or waste • Electrical hazards • On-site traffic • Sharp or heavy implements and/or equipment

If your workplace has more significant health and safety risks then you will need to appoint a trained first aider.

What you need As a minimum, you need a suitably stocked first aid kit, and you should provide at least one for each workplace (more than one may be needed on larger sites). All kits should be easily accessible and the contents of each checked and restocked regularly. Useful items include plasters and dressings, antiseptic wipes and disposable gloves.

Larger or more hazardous workplaces will require a designated first aid room. This room should be clearly signposted, easily accessible and a designated person should be given the responsibility for supervising it. It should be large enough to hold a medical couch, with

adequate heating and ventilation, lighting and running water and be available for use at all time during working hours.

It is advised that all workplaces have an accident report book in which all workplace incidents are reported. All employers/workplace managers have a duty under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) to report serious workplace accidents and dangerous occurrences and occupational diseases.

Your first aider If you require a first aider, it is your responsibility as employer to appoint one and pay for the appropriate level of first aid training.

There are a wide range of courses and training providers to choose from, but before selecting a course check what will be taught and how the course is structured, what official qualifications, if any, the trainee will receive and what duties the trainee should be able to undertake as a result of the training. This will help you select the right course for your workplace needs.

It is important to remember that your first aider will need to be trained specifically in first aid for the workplace – a generic or basic first aid course will not be extensive enough.

It is also prudent to send your trained first aiders on annual refresher courses, to help refresh their skills and to keep them up-to-date with any changes to first aid at work protocol.

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BUSINESS VOICE

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FOCUS FEATURE: LOGISTICS, FREIGHT & TRANSPORTATION

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FOCUS FEATURE: LOGISTICS, FREIGHT & TRANSPORTATION

Will

drones take off?

They seem to be everywhere you look – on the news, filming your favourite nature documentary, even whizzing around your neighbour’s garden. But will drones really be dropping off your next online purchase?

Business Voice caught up with JPGL’s Group Marketing Director DAVID MCGRATH (pictured), to find out more.

So what is the current outlook for drones – and will we be seeing them on our doorsteps anytime soon?

Could they save money in the long-term if more deliveries can be automated?

I’m afraid that in the near future, probably not. At the moment, the big players in the field are all eCommerce organisations, notably Amazon in the US and Alibaba and JD in China. They are investing highly in drone development and logistics – with several ‘drone corridors’ being trialled around the world. Amazon has officially launched its drone service Amazon Air – but as far as we know, it has only actually delivered one parcel in the UK.

The tendency is to think that new technology and automation are always better. But with drones, it is not necessarily the case. At the moment, drones are extremely expensive bits of kit while they can only carry small items, weighing about five pounds or less for about 30 minutes – when the weather is good! The average value of the Amazon parcels we deliver is £7. We carry everything from bicycles to toilet rolls. A bike is too big for a drone, and a toilet roll too inexpensive to make it worthwhile.

Taking this all into account, using drones just does not give us the reliability and economies of scale to make it work – our posties are definitely our future!

What are the main obstacles to deploying drones more widely for deliveries?

There happen to be quite a few, unfortunately. Firstly, it could be quite physically dangerous to have a hoard of drones buzzing through the skies. It is shared air space, and drones aren’t currently regulated that specifically. This leads to a whole host of issues, from privacy and data capture to the fallout if they crash and damage property or injure someone.

The control of the air space and regulation of drone use has a lot of catching up to do before companies could think about any widespread use. Amazon is trying to make this a reality; I believe they are the only company to have a permit for drone use in the US, but there is still a lot to do before it will be used at all regularly.

What about in a smaller jurisdiction like Jersey?

Jersey could actually be a really interesting location for drone use in the future. Most drones can only fly for about 30 minutes at the moment, and that could get you across the length of the island! It is also a controlled air space which makes safety and regulation easier. However, as an island we are vulnerable to the weather and wind; rain and fog will affect drones even more greatly than boats and airplanes. So, they are definitely not a reliable option at the moment.

If drones aren't flying into our future just yet, what technology are you investing in?

At the moment we are really looking at investing in people and technology that can help our people work more efficiently in real life. Our focus is on building a fantastic team to help us gather data and build real life models. We can then use these to test-drive solutions as realistically as possible before we roll them out on the ground. This means we can help give our people better solutions to real-world problems they encounter every day – helping everything run more smoothly and happily.

WHO ARE JPGL? Part of the Jersey Post Group, JPGL offers a complete range of international cross-border, eCommerce and postal services to clients worldwide.

By combining the experience of Jersey Post Global Logistics with HICS’ 100 years of customs expertise and pan-global logistics provider, Fraser Freight's global forwarding - the JPGL brand was launched in January 2022. Our team's valuable experience pairs with a comprehensive range of products and services to help organisations capitalise on global eCommerce opportunities.

For more information, visit www.jpgl.com

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FOCUS FEATURE: LOGISTICS, FREIGHT & TRANSPORTATION

Incoterms:

The importance of getting them right

By MIKE BARNES, Director at Despatch Point

S

ince Brexit, trading with the EU has caused many problems to UK exporters and importers, especially to cross channel road movements. Deliveries between the UK and EU, in either direction, are now subject to customs procedures at export and import. This results in costs which may not always have been fully considered in pricing.

In addition to customs declarations, transit procedures may be required if crossing multiple borders by road, where costs are based on the invoice value of the goods.

Before placing or accepting an order it is now more important than ever to ensure the correct Incoterms are agreed. Incoterms, or International Commercial Terms, are a set of 11 commercial terms published by the International Chamber of Commerce, and detail each parties responsibilities in the transaction.

The latest edition is INCOTERMS 2020, and we will look at four of these incoterms which we have seen used most frequently in road movements, either by trailer groupage, full load or dedicated express van, between UK and EU.

EXW (ex works) As the buyer, you are responsible for all charges from your supplier’s premises to delivery. This will include arranging and paying for the export customs formalities, Transit form costs where necessary, collection from seller, import clearance at destination country and final delivery to door.

While the supplier has no obligation to arrange any customs formalities, they should provide the necessary information to allow you or your agent to complete the customs formalities. You will also be responsible for

payment of import customs duty and VAT at current rates in the destination country.

FCA (free carrier) The seller is responsible for delivery to the carrier, which could be at the seller’s premises, and arranging the export customs formalities.

The buyer is then responsible for all other costs as shown under EXW, including payment of import customs duty and VAT. DAP (delivered at place) The seller is responsible for arranging the transport from their premises, all customs formalities at export and delivery to the buyer.

However, the buyer is responsible for arranging import customs procedures and payment of duty and VAT. DDP (delivered duty paid) The seller is responsible for payment of all charges from their premises to the buyer.

Under this Incoterm the seller also undertakes import customs procedures and payment of duty and VAT in the destination country.

Many EU buyers require DDP terms and sellers must ensure they allow for the duty and VAT costs in their pricing. It may be possible for UK sellers to apply for VAT registration in EU countries and thereby reclaim the VAT costs but a fiscal representative in the destination country is required.

The above explanations are just brief outlines of the responsibilities for sellers and buyers and it is recommended to obtain a copy of INCOTERMS

‘Before any road shipment can cross the Channel by ferry or Eurotunnel, both export and import declarations must be made to customs’

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2020 to fully understand them. One important point is that with all of the above terms, none of them include Insurance, so it is up to the buyer to ensure the goods are suitably covered whilst in transit.

Before any road shipment can cross the Channel by ferry or Eurotunnel, both export and import declarations must be made to customs. One essential requirement is for both buyer and seller to have an EORI number.

An Economic Operators Registration and Identification number is an EU identification number for businesses which undertake the import or export of goods into or out of the EU. Applications usually take a few days and can be made on the UK Government website.

Whereas pre-Brexit, there were few restrictions in sending goods across the Channel, it is now important to employ an experienced freight forwarder to attend to the many documentary requirements and ensure compliance with the multitude of customs formalities and regulations.

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FOCUS FEATURE: LOGISTICS, FREIGHT & TRANSPORTATION

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BUSINESS VOICE ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

GetSet Solent - guiding firms on their journey to recovery etSet Solent offers fully funded support to help ambitious businesses achieve their growth potential. It does this through tailored oneto-one business advice and coaching, a calendar of focused workshops, an online learning platform and peer-to-peer networking. Eligible businesses can also apply for Growth Grant Funding, worth up to £25,000*.

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Graham Thompson (pictured above) is a Senior Business Growth Advisor for GetSet Solent, and he tells us more about the support on offer for businesses in the area and how to access it.

The pandemic made it tough for many businesses. How can GetSet Solent help local businesses on their journey to recovery?

Despite the last two years, there’s a lot of optimism out there. Businesses are ready for

growth - they want to get going again, invest and get back on track. Some suffered huge losses and they’re focused on re-organising and building greater resilience. GetSet Solent can help drive your business strategy and provide the bespoke support you need to plan, secure funding, unlock sales revenue and attract profitable customers.

What are the main benefits of joining GetSet Solent?

Running a business can be lonely and you don’t necessarily have all the skills and knowledge you need. GetSet Solent is a great opportunity to re-evaluate and overcome barriers to growth and sense-check your approach to finance, sales, and marketing.

You’ll also meet other business owners on the same journey and be able to support each other. Plus, the programme is fully funded, providing access to amazing resources at no cost.

How do businesses access finance to accelerate recovery and growth?

There are many ways to gain investment including government grants, business loans and crowdfunding. But enabling business growth isn’t just about money and it’s important not to waste the investment. We regularly run finance workshops and have three advisors who guide business owners through the funding streams available and how to apply for it.

Whether you want an equity loan, business grant or bank loan – you’ll need a business plan, cashflow and other evidence as part of your application. The wider team at GetSet Solent help you formulate your strategy to figure out the right investment; do you need to hire people, add new kit, develop products or services or expand premises?

enabling companies to access support for investment with their business growth, through the purchase of equipment or services. This grant is ideal for businesses who want to, for example, acquire new technology to diversify their product or service range or purchase marketing software to enhance their sales pipeline. It’s firstcome-first-served and the GetSet Solent team will guide you through the application process.

How do you help businesses develop a marketing strategy that supports their bottom line?

The number one challenge for most businesses is finding, attracting, and converting leads. Businesses often jump straight into marketing execution before thinking through their strategy. It’s vital to know who the target customer/s is and how best to target them. Our team of experienced marketing professionals will work with you to develop effective marketing and sales strategies to boost your revenue and drive profitable growth.

What’s the best way for businesses to apply for fully funded support from GetSet Solent?

If you’re an ambitious business owner registered in the Solent region and looking to grow, then register by visiting: www.getsetforgrowth.com/solent/ contact or call freephone 0800 917 5411 *Subject to eligibility

What is the Growth Grant Funding available from GetSet Solent?

We’re fortunate to have a capital and revenue grant component up to the value of £25,000*, Q2 2022 BUSINESS VOICE 45

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CHAMBER EVENTS

EVENTS THE LATEST LIST OF CHAMBER EVENTS TO HELP YOU NETWORK AND GROW

An events calendar planned with our members in mind ur events calendar is shaped by the conversations we have with our members and the support that they need.

Over the past few months, since the previous edition of this magazine, we have helped businesses start trading with the USA, launched the Winchester Business Excellence Awards alongside the Winchester BID, discussed Freeports with the Institute of Directors and collaborated for our largest ever online networking event with our neighbouring counties, Surrey, Sussex, Dorset, Isle of Wight and Kent Invicta.

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Business Exhibition Throughout the next few months, we will join forces with Surrey Chambers of Commerce, host our exhibition show at The Holiday Inn, Winchester and welcome the future business leaders of the county to the Clockwise Group in Southampton.

Golf Day returns We will also launch our first Golf Day for many years. We understand that business is often done on the golf course, and mixing this sport, with business, breakfast, lunch, and new contacts, you are sure to make new business connections and raise your own profile.

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April-June 2022 Events CHAMBER OF SOLUTIONS LIVE! – TRANSFORMATION IN MANUFACTURING FOR SUCCESS DATE: 26 April TIME: 09:30 – 11:00

PURE NETWORKING @ BASINGSTOKE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY DATE: 3 May TIME: 14:30 – 16:30

MEET THE CHAMBER & BUSINESS EXHIBITION @ THE HOLIDAY INN WINCHESTER DATE: 21 June TIME: 16:00 – 18:30

HAMPSHIRE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GOLF DAY

CHAMBER OF SOLUTIONS – STAYING CONNECTED WITH YOUR VIRTUAL TEAMS

DATE: 18 May TIME: 08:00 – 14:00

DATE: 28 June TIME: 09:30 – 11:00

HAVE YOUR CAKE & EAT IT @ THE HOG’S BACK HOTEL

FUTURE FACES OF HAMPSHIRE

DATE: 16 June TIME: 14:30 – 16:30

DATE: 30 June TIME: 15:30 – 17:30

If you would like to know more about our events, or how you can get involved, please email events.south@hampshirechamber.co.uk

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CHAMBER TRAINING

TRAINING BOOST YOUR WORKFORCE WITH CHAMBER TRAINING

How training can help you position your business for success and upskill staff dentifying skills gaps within the organisation can be a difficult task for event the most experienced manager or CEO. At Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, we work with our members to offer a diverse catalogue of training courses to help you, get the skills you need within the business.

Over the next few months, we will cover; Letters of Credit, Social Media and Positioning your Business for Success, to name a few.

April-June 2022 Training Courses SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BEGINNERS

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Mental health training For the first time at the Chamber, we are also able to offer Mental Health First Aid through Cognizant Training. This half-day training course will help those in attendance to understand what mental health is, confidence to support others who may be encountering distress and how to combat your own mental health.

A new partnership We are delighted to partner with GEP Environmental who will be delivering to IMEA approved training courses on Environmental Awareness & Carbon Management in the months ahead. This is a first for the Chamber to be able to offer these courses which will aid and assist businesses looking to improve their carbon footprint and improve their own understanding of the environment.

DATE: 1 June TIME: 09:30 – 12:30

UNDERSTANDING EXPORT DATE: 21 April TIME: 09:30 – 12:30

DOCUMENTARY LETTERS OF CREDIT DATE: 5 May TIME: 09:30 – 12:30

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID DATE: 12 May TIME: 09:30 – 13:30

AGENTS & DISTRIBUTORS DATE: 17 May TIME: 09:30 – 12:30

KICKSTART YOUR MARKETING DATE: 7 June TIME: 12:30 – 14:00

CUSTOMS PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTATION DATE: 9 June TIME: 09:30 – 12:30

UNDERSTANDING COMMODITY CODES DATE: 14 June TIME: 09:30 – 12:30

METHODS OF PAYMENT DATE: 23 June TIME: 09:30 – 12:30

HOW TO POSITION YOUR BUSINESS FOR SUCCESS

IMPORT PROCEDURES

DATE: 25 May TIME: 13:00 – 16:00

DATE: 24 June TIME: 09:30 – 12:30

KICKSTART ESSENTIALS – PROGRESS TO SUCCESS

IEMA APPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

DATE: 31 May TIME: 10:00 – 13:00

DATE: 29 June TIME: 09:30 – 17:00

If you would like to know more about our training courses, or how you can get involved by either becoming one of our trainers or attending a course, please email train@hampshirechamber.co.uk

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SECTOR FOCUS: CORPORATE HOSPITALITY

SECTOR FOCUS NEWS AND ADVICE FROM THE SECTORS THAT MATTER TO BUSINESS

Crafting a bright future in hospitality RICHARD BAILEY (pictured) is the Executive Chairman for Daniel Thwaites, Lancashire’s oldest family-owned brewer and hotelier. Here he discusses the plight of the hospitality industry and looking to the future.

ovid-19 has, to a degree, changed the natural order and it will probably be at least five years before we can understand the full impact of this time on people, their perspective on life and how they now choose to live it.

This will have profound implications for the way the hospitality landscape is moulded over the coming years. Solent Hotel and Spa is part of Daniel Thwaites’ portfolio, which includes owns pubs, inns and other award-winning four-star spa hotels across the country.

Our properties have remained invaluable community assets throughout the pandemic, a familiar haven in a sometimes-

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unfriendly world. This is something that has now registered on the Government’s radar, thanks to the role trade bodies and a myriad of landlords, landladies and the great British public played in lobbying Minsters about the plight our industry has faced. Thwaites went into the pandemic in a strong position.

We’re a well-invested business that now needs to get back on track, partly through investing to move the business forward. Like every operator, we are looking at how to make our business more efficient. Costs are rising in every area so our spend is under a microscope.

The Solent Hotel is fully refurbished and once again ready to take on guests, with features including an award-winning spa and an outdoor bar

Energy is a big push and we are looking hard at cellar cooling and induction cooking, where we think there are significant savings to be made. With regards the future, we are watchful for changes and are looking to innovate and course correct in order to satisfy our customers, who now expect much more from us.

Outside space in poor weather provides a great opportunity to grow sales and premiumise. We have and will continue to invest in these spaces to enhance our customer’s leisure time.

For more information on Daniel Thwaites PLC and Solent Hotel and Spa, Fareham, please visit www.houseofdanielthwaites.co.uk

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SECTOR FOCUS: CORPORATE HOSPITALITY

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SECTOR FOCUS: ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING

Strong start to the year for the industry Manufacturers in the South East have seen a strong performance at the start of the year, according to the latest quarterly Manufacturing Outlook survey from MAKE UK and business advisory firm BDO. ccording to the survey, all the indicators in the survey were strong, although they continue the trend of easing from the record levels seen in the first half of last year.

Total orders were at a balance of +34%, which is still high by historic standards. Both UK and export orders are also performing strongly, a reflection of world markets which have rebounded throughout the course of the last twelve months.

This performance is reflected in the jobs outlook, with South East companies hiring significantly to meet demand.

Investment intentions are also above the national average.

As with the national picture, the big challenge for manufacturers, in addition to attracting and retaining talent, remains the escalating inflationary pressures which are forcing companies to raise prices at record levels for the fifth successive quarter.

Make UK has forecast growth for manufacturing in 2022 of +3%.

Jim Davison, Region Director for Make UK in the South East, said: “Manufacturers in the South East have seen a very strong start to the year as the economy has fully re-opened. However, companies are now facing eyewatering increases in costs which are threatening to stop the economy in its tracks. As a result, manufacturers had hoped to see some support measures from the Chancellor in the Spring Statement to help companies through this difficult period.

However, industry was seriously disappointed that no help was forthcoming, with a lack of attention to spiralling energy

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costs especially hard to fathom.”

Matthew Sewell, Head of Manufacturing at BDO in Southampton, said: “While all performance indicators remain strong for manufacturers across the region, we are seeing a worrying widening of the gap between supply and demand UK wide. Costs are rising at a speed that manufacturers cannot

respond to quickly enough, and supply chain disruptions which were already causing problems are now being exacerbated by the invasion of Ukraine.

“Manufacturers were looking for some support from the Chancellor in the Spring Statement, but there were relatively few announcements and nothing in the way of support to

help with soaring energy prices.

“While the publication of a Tax plan showing the direction of travel was welcome – in particular the continuing commitment to R&D tax relief – it is important that the Government acts quickly to provide the right economic environment to support investment in the manufacturing sector.”

‘It is important that the Government acts quickly to provide the right economic environment to support investment in the manufacturing sector.’

Despite a good start to the year, increasing costs are causing concern

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SECTOR FOCUS: ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING

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SECTOR FOCUS: INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Exchange rate risk management

By JOHN SAWYER, Account Manager for the British Chambers of Commerce partnership with FX specialists Moneycorp.

Helping

you

take your business

global TRAINING COURSES APRIL 21

“The only thing that is certain is uncertainty” mporting/Exporting of goods and services means businesses have receipts in, or payments out, of foreign currency.

The buying and selling of that money has always needed planning and given headaches but never more so than in recent years, with Brexit negotiations and now with the serious world factors linked to Covid-19 and the difficulties in Ukraine. These have caused increased uncertainty and extra movement in rates.

For companies trading internationally, fluctuating exchange rates can be so difficult to manage and hard to budget for. If the markets move heavily against you it can erode or even eliminate profits and in a time of tighter margins and increasing raw material costs it is ever more important to protect yourself from exchange rate risk and make savings wherever possible.

Planning is the first step to managing your FX risk. Agreeing on a budgeted exchange rate for the year will guide your transactions. Your budgeted rate should take into account the volume and timing of your expected transactions as well as being a realistic assumption of current and future rates. It can help to define this rate by analysing past trends. Planning ahead will help protect your

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business from foreign exchange risk and even enable you to benefit from any exchange rate movements which are in your favour. This could make a huge difference to your P/L bottom line.

Nobody can pretend to know where rates are going – all the best analysis in the world cannot account for natural disasters, wars, unexpected viruses, the death of a political leader or the sudden turn-around in sentiment that often sparks a market to panic. That can lead to the crash of a currency or a commodity in the market place.

What you can do with careful preparation and some guidance is work to reduce or negate your risk, as and when it becomes apparent.

Having access to a currency dealer to help you monitor the markets can enable you to make more timely decisions on when to buy/sell, with that dealer being there to support you along the way.

Please contact me at Moneycorp, to discuss further on 0203 823 0526 or email John.sawyer@moneycorp.com Alternatively get in touch with us through Hampshire Chamber of Commerce on 01329 242420.

Understanding Export

MAY 5 17

Documentary Letters of Credit Agents & Distributors

JUNE 9 14 23 24

Customs Procedures & Documentation Understanding Commodity Codes Methods of Payment Import Procedures

For further information please visit: www.hampshirechamber.co.uk/training

EVENTS APRIL 12

Recap of 2022 changes for importers

28

How to reduce duties and tax on your imports and exports

JULY 5

How not to pay any import vat when exporting through france

If you would like further information of any of the above webinars, please contact Jackie Highmore via email jacqueline.highmore@hampshirecham ber.co.uk or call her on 01329 242420

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SECTOR FOCUS: INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Anne-Marie Mountifield Chief Executive for the Solent LEP (right) arrives on stage to collect the award

Win for Solent LEP at maritime awards he Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is celebrating after its triumph at this year’s Maritime UK Awards, having scooped a national award for its work to secure a more prosperous and sustainable future for the Solent region.

At the awards ceremony, which took place on 10 March 2022 at the Glasgow Science Centre, the LEP was awarded Clean Maritime Enabler - recognising the investments the Solent LEP has made to support the green innovation in the region's maritime sector, including a cruise terminal, complete with solar generation and ‘shore power’ facilities,

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and an Enzyme Innovation Centre for the breakdown of plastics.

Anne-Marie Mountifield, Chief Executive for the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We’re delighted to have won this award.

The Solent is a hugely important coastal community and as a result we have invested £15.4m in a green innovation programme that has unlocked a further £50.3m of private sector investment to deliver several key projects.

“These include: A shore power facility at the Port of Southampton, making it the first major commercial berth and cruise terminal fitted with this technology in the UK; the

Horizon Cruise Terminal at the Port of Southampton which has solar generation and shore power, providing a world leading zero emissions facility for cruise vessels in port; the Centre for Enzyme Innovation which is developing green recovery solutions for the breakdown of plastics, enabling their re-use, tackling one of the world’s greatest pollution challenges; and a project focusing on removing 3,431kg of nitrate pollution p.a. from the Solent marine ecosystem.

We are thrilled that our work in supporting greater sustainability in the Solent's maritime sector has been recognised on this important national stage.”

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SECTOR FOCUS: LEGAL & FINANCE

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SECTOR FOCUS: LEGAL & FINANCE

Business insurance needs in a changing world he world of business has seen a changing landscape over the last few years dealing with the impact of many external factors; Brexit, Covid-19, price inflation and current the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

For many, this has had a huge impact on businesses and their future planning. At Concorde Insurance, they work closely with firms looking to cover the risks they face. Here are a few of the frequent areas they help advise their clients on:

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Building material costs The construction industry has seen large increases in the cost of building materials. As such, the potential rebuild cost of your premises has spiralled. As a key business asset to you, this cost should be considered and reviewed. Index linking rises on buildings has increased around 10% in recent months.

In the event of a claim, the building must be adequately ‘It is very insured to avoid issues in important to submitting the claim. Concorde Insurance therefore always work with your recommend that a professional accountant and valuation is done every three to five years. broker to analyse

the likely time Business interruption: recovering turnover and and protection specialist lead times Interruptions can of course impact required to cover businesses in different ways. a major business Unfortunately, Covid-19 saw a lot of businesses fail, while others interruption’ survived but experienced unusual trading conditions leading to unexpected peaks and troughs on balance sheets.

Bouncing back has been an understandable focus for many businesses. But general risks must not be forgotten and are important to assess, i.e., business interruption as a result of fire.

It is very important to work with your accountant and broker to analyse the likely time and protection required to cover a major business interruption, developing a disaster recovery plan is essential, especially for those businesses that have specialist equipment which will generally take longer to source.

Cyber insurance The general opinion of small businesses a few years ago was that cyberattacks on them were unlikely, as criminals would be going after larger companies. They didn’t take the ever-increasing dependence on computer systems into consideration. Now, with businesses adopting a more flexible, remote approach, cyber threats are higher than ever.

One thing that is for sure is that criminals are developing more sophisticated ways of compromising your systems for their own gain. It is therefore important to analyse the risks not only within your business premise, but remotely too.

Directors and officers liabilities Corporate manslaughter has developed significantly in recent years, with the duties of the director to execute their role becoming increasingly onerous. Concorde Insurance has seen a definite increase in this type of claim within the last 18 months. Often linked to the aforementioned flexible working practices. As a result, protecting against this risk through Director & Officer insurance is essential.

If you would like to discuss any of the above areas in more detail, or if you’d like to discuss the options available to you, contact the team at Concorde Insurance: 02380 251 404, www.concordeinsurance.co.uk Q2 2022 BUSINESS VOICE 57

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SECTOR FOCUS: SKILLS & TRAINING

Businesses urged to ‘innovate and evolve’ with skillslabs mployers can help shape the development of the essential skills and training they need in their workforces under a groundbreaking new project.

Led by Fareham College and funded by the Department of Education, skillslabs is swiftly rolling out across seven colleges in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight.

Its watchwords are ‘innovate, collaborate and evolve’ and its aim is to bring businesses and education providers together to address skills gaps and improve economic activity for companies including SMEs and micros.

An initial series of ‘business clinics’, attended by more than 160 delegates, has already strengthened links in three key areas identified in the Government’s Skills for Jobs white paper: marine technology, net zero and digital futures.

With a full launch of skillslabs due this spring, Director of Business Centres Beverley Poole discussed the pivotal role of Hampshire Chamber as principal provider of business support.

Beverley, whose career experience encompasses business leadership, tech sector growth and education, is based at the new Fareham College business centre, the first of its kind in the Solent specifically designed to improve employers’ access to future skills training including technical education. A second hub, on the Isle of Wight, is due for completion in May. She said: “Hampshire Chamber is our anchor tenant at the Fareham College centre having relocated its head office to our campus at the start of 2022. The move puts the Chamber at the very heart of the facilities and solutions that will be developed through skillslabs to solve the skills issues facing Hampshire businesses.”

The new business centre is one of 10 projects around the UK being taken forward under the Government’s Skills Accelerator programme. Its key focus, set out in the white paper, is to ‘research

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Fareham College

‘The move puts the Chamber at the very heart of the facilities and solutions that will be developed through skillslab’ skills, education, training and job needs’ in the three target areas.

Employer groups such as Chambers of Commerce are specifically named as strategic partners to help fill local skills gaps.

Beverley added: “Fareham College already has a successful, long-standing partnership with Hampshire Chamber but colocating means we can build even stronger links between the worlds of business and education. From the members’ point of view, the Chamber can take advantage of a new and exciting space to run its activities including the management of its events, membership, trade support and general enquiry services. For skillslabs, it means we have our principal provider of business support right here with us, able to share experience and insight, grow our knowledge networks and support our engagement with business owners and companies of all sizes.”

High on Beverley’s agenda is a concerted drive to put what she describes as ‘real substance’ into skillslabs. That means strengthening the ‘roots and structure’ of how businesses and education providers engage.

Initial capital investment in physical space at Fareham and Isle of Wight College is being followed by a busy to-do list

to make it all happen.

Beverley said: “We’re working closely with the Chamber to identify who needs what support.

A key priority is involving Young Chamber so we can get more young people involved in sustainable projects and innovation. And we want to bring more women into technical education at whatever age they are.”

As well as Fareham and Isle of Wight colleges, the other education providers involved in

Beverley Poole

skillslabs are Eastleigh College, HSDC, Brockenhurst College, Southampton City College and City of Portsmouth College.

Beverley added: “We want to help employers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to address skills gaps in their businesses. It’s not just about the 16-to-19 age group, vital though that is. It’s about a full range of skills development from schools to retirement, helping to structure growth for your company.

“If you are asking, ‘how do I digitise my business for the future’, that is something that involves critical skills. We can help you bring in new skills or upskill the team you already have, or both, so you can grow and develop. Together, we will underpin the economic development of our region by building solid business support systems based on what employers need for the future.”

Visit: www.skillslabs.co.uk

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SECTOR FOCUS: TECHNOLOGY

Making sure you aren’t held to ransom Cyber security has been at the forefront of IT discussions for many years. Today's world of IT is changing. However, the current cyber threat in the UK right now is at an unprecedented level, explains JOHN CLOUGH (pictured), Director of HB Tech, an IT company based in Romsey.

The UK is currently facing a significant increase in cyber security threats, seeing sharp increases in Ransomware, with attacks from China and Russia being the most predominant.

John said: “To put it into perspective, the National Cyber Security Centre handled as many ransomware attacks in the UK in the first few months of 2021 as the whole of 2020. And 2020 saw three times as many attacks as 2019.”

When asked what organisations can do to protect themselves, John said: “The most important thing is to recognise that as a small business or charity, their organisation is a prime target for scammers. Cyber security is an issue that they need to address proactively.

“Their focus should be on reducing vulnerability and the possible effect of an attack.

Organisations need to make sure they have the fundamentals of cyber security in place to protect all systems, devices and networks across their whole organisation.

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“Proactively addressing cyber threats comprises three key objectives; educating staff, implementing processes, and deploying security software and hardware.

“It’s also important to recognise that cyber security is a constantly evolving process.

“It is, therefore, important to partner with a proactive IT company that is continuously reviewing threats and adjusting the strategy to address new risks.”

Discussing the importance of

having a good IT partner, John added: “It’s not only crucial for cyber security. IT has become integral in facilitating the success of a business. IT should form part of your company’s business strategy as few areas are untouched by technology. IT is at the heart of every organisation’s operation; technical knowledge alone is no longer enough. It’s vital to ensure your IT partner has a significant understanding of your organisation's processes and objectives.”

When choosing an IT partner, John recommends: “It is important to make an informed decision. Look at their testimonials and reviews and speak directly to their existing clients. Our research shows that clients typically require three things; predominantly, they just want their IT to work. They want to work with a company that is easy to communicate with. And they want a proactive company, especially where IT security is concerned.

“When I founded HB Tech, my ambition was to have an IT company that every client recommends and one that places the human touch at the heart of the business. I feel proud that our client feedback reflects that we are succeeding in this.”

Asked what he feels HB Tech’s key to success is, John said: “Without doubt, it is the team that makes the difference. They share our vision for the business.”

Visit: www.hbtech.co.uk

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SECTOR FOCUS: TECHNOLOGY

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NEW MEMBERS HAMPSHIRE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ITS NEW MEMBERS

Premier Partners SSI SCHAEFER Limited Andrea Baker 83/84 Livingstone Road, Walworth Business Park, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 5QZ www.ssi-schaefer.com Tel: 01264 386600

HPC247 Sean Whelan Lancaster Court, Fareham, Hampshire, PO15 5TU www.hpc247.co.uk Tel: 07958 150535 HPC247 is the Brainchild of Sean Whelan, formerly of Whelan Pest prevention, which became a national brand in the pest control industry, we offer a complete range of pest control services for residential and commercial premises.

It is the promise we make to our customers that we strive to be the best. It is our job is to be the experts, focused on the core areas of business, so our customers can focus on what they do best.

Our fully qualified technicians are experienced and all live in the SO, PO and GU postcodes. HPC247 provides discreet pest control and prevention services to homes, restaurants, commercial premises, and schools throughout Hampshire.

We pride ourselves on our efficient, confidential service, to guarantee no matter how large or small your problem, we can resolve it with as little disruption as possible.

Our professionally certified pest team covers Portsmouth, Southampton, Eastleigh, Winchester, Basingstoke, and the surrounding areas.

Sean Whelan, HPC247 Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to be operating a business which only operates in Hampshire this means we do what is says on the van: ExcludePrevent-Protect 24 hours seven days a week.”

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In 1937 Fritz Schäfer founded a manufacturing company for sheet metal products, and then in 1953, he developed a revolutionary storage fix box, now known as the semi-open front picking container.

Today, SSI SCHAEFER is still owned by the original Schäfer family, and has established itself as a strong, independent family business. The company’s UK subsidiary was started in November 1960 and was originally based in West London. Now it has main offices in Andover and Towcester as well as many other sites across the UK providing residence maintenance and IT support.

In the UK the company has 300 employees and globally has a presence in over 70 countries, with eight production plants and over 10,500 employees.

One of SSI SCHAEFER’s most famous offering is its shelving ranges. Developed in 1965, the company’s Regal range of shelving has evolved each year with a clipless and boltless construction. it is modular and flexible with options for long span and cantilever shelving, meaning one system can be used for everything. What’s more, the shelving can be further enhanced with an extensive range of accessories and is often paired with SSI SCHAEFER’s tailor made RK plastic drawer containers.

This shelving system can also be used to create multi-level shelving platforms, meaning the height of a building can be utilised without the need for more traditional mezzanine floors.

Walkways are installed between the rows of shelving, or complete platform surfaces can be installed on the shelving system, with multilevel platforms available up to five storeys high, something which is already widely used across the UK. Email: info.uk@ssi-schaefer.com

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Corporate Members South East Cyber Resilience Centre

Visitor Chat Limited

Andrew Richardson 4 Quinton Parade, Cheylesmore, Coventry, CV3 5HW www.secrc.co.uk Tel: 07771 811110

Philip Tissot Site 2f, Building 4000 Lakeside North Harbour, Western Road, Portsmouth, PO6 3FT www.visitor.chat Tel: 02381 680689

Strengthen your business’s cyber-security with The Cyber Resilience Centre for the South East.

The Cyber Resilience Centre for the South East is a police-led, not-for-profit partnership with academia and businesses and is one of nine networked Cyber Resilience Centre’s across the whole of England and Wales set up by the Home Office and Policing.

Our mission is simple, we exist to help businesses of all sizes (although we do focus on SMEs, micro businesses, and sole traders) to better protect themselves in the fight against cybercrime. We do this by developing your knowledge in key areas so that you can implement basic methods of cyber hygiene.

When it comes to cyber criminals, there’s nothing small about small businesses. If you’re open for business online, you could be open to cyber-attacks.

To help you guard your business from cyber-attacks in the same way you would protect your premises against fire and flood, we offer free membership. This gives you access to regular simple, easy to follow guidance, tools, and resources as well as the opportunity to have a jargon free one-to-one conversation to help you understand your current business cyber related risks.

Specialising in both the automotive and real-estate sectors, Visitor Chat’s professional, creative and passionate team is focus-trained in these two industries and other business sectors into which the company is expanding.

The company’s chatters pro-actively engage visitors to websites and social media pages, answer questions and deliver qualified leads to the relevant client sales team following each successful chat interaction taking place on the clients’ digital portals.

We sell our solutions directly to clients or via partners such as web-developers and trade associations with whom we enjoy longlasting preferred supplier and joint promotional relationships.

Visitor Chat solutions work on any device and provide clients with a way to redirect stretched budgets to providing the interactive, state-of-the-art customer interaction that is more relevant to today’s customers.

Learn more and sign up for free at www.secrc.co.uk/membership

Advantage Members Kemps Publishing Limited Lee Markham 8 The Courtyard, 707 Warwick Road, Solihull, B91 3DA www.kempspublishing.co.uk Tel: 0121 765 4144 Kemps Publishing Ltd is a full-service publishing house that delivers print and digital contract publishing for clients across the business sector. Our products range from traditional hard copy magazines to the very latest in online technology.

Kemps has published nationally for Chambers of Commerce for over 60 years and is established as one of the country’s leading contract publishers. Kemps is now the official publisher for Hampshire Chambers very own business news magazine, Business Voice.

O-IM

Walcom Integration Limited

Katie Land Unit 3 Old Generator House, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH12 1DZ www.o-im.co.uk Tel: 01202 129703

Chris Muirhead Unit 9 St Stephens's Court, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6LA www. walcomintegration.com Tel: 08000 487384

O-IM is an investment management firm, founded by two wealth and risk management specialists with over 35 years’ combined experience at JPMorgan.

O-IM offers fully managed portfolios, trading (with or without advice), and consultancy. O-IM’s investment proposition is also provided to financial advisers as a DFM. O-IM serves high net worth and mass affluent clients who would benefit from personalised advice, ease of use, simplicity and unpretentious ‘anytime, anywhere’ service fit for the digital age.

O-IM have launched trailblazing Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) portfolios and provide the most competitively priced AIM portfolio in the UK.

Walcom Integration is an innovative audio visual systems integrator who specialise in supplying smart homes & workplace audio visual technologies that help you, whether working from home or at your business to communicate and collaborate effectively.

From video conferencing and meeting rooms to desktop communications and managing event spaces. Our digital signage, cloud-based, subscription service delivers information to your audience, customers, or staff from one screen to many, locally, nationally, or internationally.Our SMART Home Solutions ensure that life at home is more secure, energy efficient and enjoyable with home automation controls at your fingertips wherever you are.

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Essential Members

Auditel Greg Pilbrow 62 Bartholomew Street, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 7BE www.auditel.co.uk Tel: 01635 744722 Providing cost management assistance to businesses, specifically where these are indirect and overhead costs.

Additionally as a BSI Associate Consultant, I provide carbon footprint assessments, help with carbon reduction projects and document carbon reduction activities.

GSF Sandylight Jerome Solia Unit 3, Tower Industrial Estate, Eastleigh Hampshire, SO50 6NZ www.gsf-uk.com Tel: 0844 854 1588 The permanent mission of the GSF Group is to provide hygiene and cleaning services and associated services to thousands of businesses.

We organise and operate teams in offices, healthcare, transport, education, retail and leisure environments.

Jim Stokes Workshops Limited

Smart Quality Services Limited

Brian Farrow Pipers Wood Industrial Park, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 7XU www.jswl.co.uk Tel: 02392 254488

Sara Duff THIS Workspace, 18 Albert Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 1BZ www.smartquality.co.uk Tel: 01202 246666

Jim Stokes Workshops Group is one of the World’s foremost restorers of historic and classic racing and road cars.

Renowned for pre-war Alfa Romeo expertise, the group also manufactures complete new engines, gearboxes and components, creates stunning coachwork and tests and develops engines in its stateof-the-art dyno, all at its HQ in Waterlooville, Hampshire.

Smart Quality Services is a specialist ISO consultancy which helps companies simply and cost-effectively to implement and maintain ISO standards, and to manage their wider QHSE and legal compliance activity.

The company also provides specialist manufacturing consultancy and cloudbased software.

Payroll Perfection Limited Julie Smith 16 Seymour Road, Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 1SG www.payrollperfection.co.uk Tel: 01425 477737 Payroll Perfection Ltd is an exceptional Payroll Bureau based in Ringwood. We offer an outsourced payroll solution directly to SMEs. We also run a White Label service for accountants. Your branding. Our expertise.

We are highly experienced payroll professionals.

Basic Members First Thought Equine Limited

Mant & Co Accountants Limited

Maggie White Little Duskin Farm, Covet Lane, Kingston, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 6JS Tel: 01227 831614

Stephen Mant 36A Hiltingbury Road, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Hampshire www.mantandco.uk Tel: 02382 000620

Green Team Interiors

Accountancy and taxation services.

Ian Blyth Unit E2, The Brickyards, Steep Marsh, Petersfield, GU32 2BN www.greenteaminteriors.co.uk Tel: 01730 890111

Royal Southern Yacht Club

Design, install and maintain plant displays in workplaces across the southeast.

Labmate Scientific Limited Ahtesham Husain www.labmate.com Tel: 07958 556618 Manufacturer of scientific laboratory equipment.

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David Knight Rope Walk Southampton Hampshire, SO31 4HB www.royal-southern.co.uk Tel: 07305 101172 Yachting accommodation, banqueting rooms, boutique hotel.

JOIN US

The Chamber provides a range of quality services and benefits supporting your business to grow successfully.

Membership is open to businesses of all sizes and from all sectors with packages starting from as little as £2.30 per week.

Just call us on 01329 242420 or 01256 338477, or email membership@hampshirecham ber.co.uk

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