Chamberlink Awards Special

Shelforce triumphant

President’s Award Page 7

Howard Trotter, Shelforce Business Manager Business of the Year see pages 4-5 Picture: Marc Kirsten

BIRMINGHAM

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PRESIDENT’S WELCOME I am delighted to welcome you to this special edition of Chamberlink magazine, celebrating the amazing winners of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) 2021 awards.

This year’s awards again took place online because of Covid-19 restrictions but that in no way diminished our pride in recognising some of the outstanding businesses in our region. Across all 12 categories they reflect the deep diversity and success of a myriad of business sizes and types.

We attracted record entries this year and I want to recognise all of those companies who entered but were unlucky. The judges genuinely had the most difficult task and I thank them for their attention to detail in all of the entries and their dedication to what was an arduous task.

The awards ceremony was held against a much more encouraging backdrop to what we faced last year. With the successful roll-out of the NHS vaccination programme and restrictions lifted, there was a feeling of optimism in the air.

This feeling was reflected in our latest Quarterly Business Report for Q2 2021 which showed domestic demand soaring to a level not seen since the start of the pandemic, a steady climb in international sales and an upturn in recruitment activity.

The awards, I believe, mirror that feeling of opportunity and renewal in the air after the difficult times the country has endured over the past months. I hope that this came through loud and clear in our awards programme.

The nominees for the awards ably demonstrated organisations who have seized the opportunities that our region has to offer and have been successful in making their mark against the very difficult economic conditions of the past year.

The record number of entries this year meant that the judges had an even more difficult task and I thank them for all their hard work.

Special thanks also go to our headline sponsors and partners, Birmingham City University, Inspired Energy and Birmingham City Council as well as all of those who supported each category.

I hope you enjoy reading the special celebration of our winners as we look forward to returning to the International Convention Centre next year to celebrate the 2022 awards in the usual style.

Steve Allen President, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce

President’s Words | 3

HISTORIC MANUFACTURERS

Shelforce Sponsored By:

Taking home this year’s prestigious Business of the Year award are Erdington-based PVCu manufacturers, Shelforce.

Shelforce was established in 1839 as a manufacturer of items such as brushes, baskets and mats. Fast forward over 150 years and the company have relocated to Erdington Industrial Park, offering a different service with a similar social vision.

Shelforce specialises in providing high quality PVCu and aluminium products to local authority building projects, including those for Birmingham City Council.

The company have provided energy efficient windows and doors for installation across a range of projects, including Birmingham’s first modular homes, high rise tower blocks and in the annual refurbishment of the city’s council properties, and have built longstanding relationships with key construction giants, such as Wates Living Space, Engie and Fortem.

At the heart of Shelforce’s services is a genuine commitment to inclusivity and

4 | Award winner

supporting disabled people in their entry to employment.

Originally set up as a workplace for the visually impaired as part of the Royal School for the Blind, Shelforce have carried forward their mission to change the perception of disability within the workplace. As of today, the company currently employ 75 per cent of their workforce with a disability and intend to build on partnerships with educational institutions such as Oscott Manor School, a community school catering to children with autism, in order to educate the city’s youth into becoming valued employees.

In April of this year, Shelforce claimed the spotlight and received national recognition upon featuring in ITV’s popular show ‘Made in Britain’. The show highlighted the company’s services to sustainability as well as their investment in the development of their staff.

CROWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Producers encompassed the culture of Shelforce by saying: “Shelforce provides a truly inspirational story to tell… because it’s got everything – great product, great factory, and great people.”

and the wider issue of diversity and inclusion.

Shelforce are an outstanding example of what it means to do good business and we are glad to recognise them as such after a year of such adversity.”

Remarkably, Shelforce achieved record employee retention levels during what was one of the hardest years for businesses and their staff. In the last six years no staff have left the business, a testament to Shelforce’s employment model and the team’s collective investment in the success of the business.

Katrina Cooke, chief commercial officer for the GBCC and chair of the judging panel, said: “It has been an honour to chair the judging for this year’s awards and to hear of the incredible work that Shelforce have been doing to help the local community. We are proud to present them with this year’s Business of the Year award and look forward to following their progress.”

Steve Allen, president of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), said: “I am delighted to announce Shelforce as this year’s Business of the Year and the overall winner of the GBCC awards. Shelforce have shown excellence in many of this year’s categories, not only in their service to manufacturing and sustainability but also through their investment in staff development

In recognition of their outstanding commitment to their employees, Shelforce have also received this year’s award for Excellence in People Development. (see page 13)

Front page picture: Howard Trotter, Shelforce Business Manager and pictured here with some of his employees

Award winner | 5

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PRESIDENT’S AWARD

Heroic medic hailed by Chamber president A leading medic, whose heroic efforts throughout the Covid-19 pandemic earned widespread praise, is the recipient of this year’s Chamber President’s Award.

Dr Sarb Clare MBE, the deputy medical director at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, has earned numerous accolades for her work – including an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to the NHS during the pandemic.

Now her efforts have been recognised by Steve Allen, who has presented her with his President’s Award.

As well as looking after hundreds of sick Covid-19 patients, Dr Clare rewrote rotas overnight, created clinical pathways and delivered educational resources to redeploy staff, as well as supporting the wellbeing of her colleagues.

Mr Allen said: “This year I wanted to honour an individual who represents the very best qualities in the fight against coronavirus but someone who also had at the heart of their work innovation which is the theme of my term as president.

Dr Sarb Clare is a frontline doctor who has treated hundreds of coronavirus patients at West Midlands NHS Trust and who was responsible for setting up the acute medicine department at City Hospital.

In addition to all of this, Dr Clare was pivotal in introducing an award-winning wellbeing initiative bringing in energy pods for staff during the pandemic which led to a significant improvement in the

psychological, physical health, as well as the ability to manage stress for doctors working round the clock in the most adverse of conditions.”

Dr Clare said: “I am honoured to accept this prestigious award on behalf of our NHS and social care workers who day in and day out wake up every day and do what they are trained to do - providing care and compassion for the sick.

My nursing team are my true inspiration. I would also like to dedicate this award to those who sadly lost their lives selflessly in the fight of this dreadful illness.

The fight unfortunately is not over, and we will keep going. We have not forgotten the support that was provided by local businesses who rallied and sourced us PPE, especially in those first few months when PPE was scarce.

“This ultimately saved lives, our lives and patients’ lives.

You are all in fact the unsung heroes, and we are indebted to you all forever for what you did for us.”

Award winner | 7

EXCELLENCE IN CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY

Gro-Organic Sponsored By:

Community is at the heart of not-for-profit social enterprise Gro-Organic.

The organisation, which works with socially and economically disadvantaged communities across the Midlands, has witnessed demand for their services spike during the pandemic.

The number of service users being referred to GroOrganic tripled as a direct result of the health crisis, and in just six months the charity has supported more than 250 families experiencing complex issues.

Gro-Organic has worked diligently to provide safe, socially-distanced practical and emotional support, community activities, mentoring and sign-posting to other services and voluntary services.

The social enterprise delivers mentoring services to disadvantaged young people, and aims to help them re-engage with education, training, and employment.

Mentoring support has been delivered by Gro-Organic to more than 3,000 young people and vulnerable adults in the past three years.

8 | Award winner

During lockdown, Gro-Organic was commissioned to provide Zoom-based gardening activity sessions to young care leavers. The charity also organised regular ‘wellness Wednesday’ sessions for Birmingham and Solihull residents and worked with a community organisation providing recreational outdoor activities over the Easter and summer holidays.

Gro Organic’s Dig-It Crew, a group of supported volunteers, living with mental health conditions, physical disabilities or chronic ill health issues, have continued to work on a variety of community projects while simultaneously enhancing their own lives, physical and mental wellbeing, forming friendships, taking part in a range of positive outdoor activities and horticultural therapy.

Gro-Organic’s innovative approach to providing volunteering opportunities to residents that have been in long-term unemployment, has enabled service users to access job opportunities and college placements.

EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

Unique Venues Birmingham Since launching in 2017, Unique Venues Birmingham (UVB), which offers conferencing and hospitality services within the Library of Birmingham and Birmingham Repertory Theatre, has hosted more than 2,300 multicultural, national, and local events in the two iconic buildings.

Sponsored By:

Despite the impact of the pandemic putting severe limits on the events sector, UVB has still been able to work with specific sectors to deliver initiatives through the crisis, including providing Birmingham Ormiston Academy with additional teaching space.

To help organisers receive a flavour of what to expect from UVB, the business has developed a virtual 360-degree tour of its facilities and uses Dinggly, a digital ‘room service’ which can be used by customers who prefer to reduce contact delegates have with UVB staff while attending events.

UVB has also been used as one of several Nightingale Courts, which were set up to work through the backlog of legal cases held up by the pandemic by the Ministry of Justice to hear non-custodial legal cases.

UVB are aiming to upscale the business from the autumn, reinforce UVB as a brand leader in the events sector and refresh its branding, digital marketing and website.

In its service offering, UVB says that it prides itself on offering the unusual and defying expectations for customers – from accommodating a 550-piece orchestra to assisting human flamingos on stilts.

Evolving its service offering to meet post-pandemic demands, UVB has developed hybrid conference packages which offer organisers the use of UVB facilities to host large-scale events which can be live streamed.

Award winner | 9

EXCELLENCE IN HOSPITALITY AND RETAIL

Millennium Point Agile and forward-thinking are the most apt words to describe Millennium Point.

The venue has been at the forefront of the vaccine effort, as it was one of the first to open as a mass vaccination centre in the UK. But Millennium Point was investing and serving its local community long before the pandemic.

Located in the Eastside of Birmingham, profits from Millennium Point’s commercial assets, including events, conferencing and rents from tenants, are invested by its namesake charitable trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths.

Millennium Point Charitable Trust has to date invested more than £25 million.

In the wake of the Covid crisis, Millennium Point quickly sprung into action to help keep visitors and staff attending the venue safely, by developing a Client Protection Plan, outlining key areas where the venue has invested to minimise risks imposed by the virus.

As well as bolstering its safety measures, Millennium Point has invested more than £350,000 in upgrading its auditorium, formerly the first IMAX in Birmingham.

10 | Award winner

Sponsored By:

Simply The auditorium now features a larger stage, more sophisticated AV equipment, improved lighting and rigging.

Reception areas and a projection room have also been transformed to accommodate live streamed performances and events, diversifying the venue’s offering for the virtual and hybrid events sector.

In further preparation for a virtual events future, Millennium Point launched its first hybrid event Talking Point: The Future of Events, a two-hour conference attended by delegates in person and online in May, resulting in a huge influx of inquiries for virtual and hybrid packages.

EXCELLENCE IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Y International Exporter Y International, which ships British products across the Middle East and Asia, has has been expanding at a fast pace since it moved its operations to a new advanced warehouse, increasing its production capacity and enabling the firm to accommodate a frozen food storage facility.

Growth at Y International has been attributed to the export of fresh produce, such as apples, berries and potatoes, introduction of new British brands in the health and beauty sector and increased exports of frozen products.

Y International even exports one of the UK’s most renowned delicacies, Scottish salmon, to Middle Eastern countries.

During the pandemic, Y International supported its parent retailer LuLu in sourcing and exporting products not typically available in the Middle East.

Overall, the business has introduced 300 food and nonfood British brands to Arabian Gulf countries since its inception.

Sponsored By:

The business shows no signs of slowing. Y International hopes to grow by 10 to 15 per cent year on year, and has started trading with India, Egypt and Malaysia in the last year alone.

Despite its huge international exporting success, Y International is committed to supporting its home community in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

The business regularly makes food donations to local charities, recruits staff through Job Centre Plus and works with Birmingham Metropolitan College to recruit apprentices working in all areas of its business.

Y International’s employees have access to a range of in-house training opportunities and flexible hours where possible.

Award winner | 11

EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING

Deakin & Francis Sponsored By:

Deakin & Francis, based in the heart of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, are the UK’s oldest family jewellers, with a history spanning 230 years.

Having perfected the process of making luxury, bespoke jewellery and accessories over seven generations, Deakin & Francis have an authentic and individualised approach to manufacturing their products.

Using traditional techniques such as vitreous enamelling and seal engraving, Deakin & Francis are focused on keeping their manufacturing traditions alive and steering clear of mass-produced methods.

While it may mean taking a little more time to perfect their signature designs, the company maintain a sense of pride in their roots and continue to produce a level of unmatched quality. As managing director Henry Deakin once said: “Anyone can make jewellery cheaper, but they cannot make it better.”

12 | Award winner

Deakin & Francis have taken a collaborative approach in recent years, partnering with the likes of Fabergé, as well as Abbey Horn and Dartington Crystal in celebration of the best of British manufacturing.

Recognising the increasing importance of ethical practice and sustainability, the jewellers made the decision last year to use only single mine origin gold.

As one of the first businesses of their kind to do so, Deakin & Francis have now positioned themselves as a manufacturer for the ethically and sustainably conscious-customer.

While Deakin & Francis embrace a modern business method and outlook, tradition will always remain at the heart of what they do.

EXCELLENCE IN PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT

Shelforce As a result of their continued commitment to innovation in the workplace, PVCu window and door manufacturers, Shelforce, won the Excellence in People Development award as well as being named overall Business of the Year.

Shelforce’s inclusive employment model has created an environment where all employees, including those individuals with a diverse range of disabilities, feel that they are a valued part of the company’s social vision.

Giving ownership of the company’s business plan to all of their employees, Shelforce instils a strong understanding of the collective responsibility behind the company’s success.

Sponsored By:

development can be seen in the 30 per cent of staff moving on to senior positions and the 85 per cent who have progressed in diversifying their roles.

Looking to the future, Shelforce plans to open a training facility at their Erdington-based factory and continue establishing partnerships with local schools and colleges to equip disabled people with the skills and confidence necessary of employment.

Through creating an environment in which employees are able to lead, innovate and utilise their skills to drive the business forward, staff are able to hold a sense of pride when wearing the Shelforce shirt.

Tailoring their approach to training and development, Shelforce has committed to enabling staff with a variety of skills to succeed and grow within their roles.

Proof of the company’s dedication to staff

Award winner | 13

EXCELLENCE IN RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

Wesleyan Sponsored By:

Wesleyan has worked for 180 years as a financial service mutual providing financial security for their members in the medical and teaching professions. Moving with the times, Wesleyan are transforming the company in a bid to be more customer centric, digitally present, datadriven and more cost-efficient by the end of 2022.

Proactively adapting to the Covid-19 pandemic, Wesleyan launched their Here for You campaign as a way of providing practical support to their customers.

This included the provision of a 24/7 service for health and wellbeing advice, guidance via their Covid-19 Hub and increasing flexibility regarding payments and administration fees for their members.

The work of the Wesleyan Foundation throughout 2020 accelerated Wesleyan’s contribution to the wider community, and saw the donation of £1 million to charities and organisations supporting mental health services for key workers. The charity also kick-started the Titan Partnership’s Computers for Children campaign with a contribution back in March 2020 and have continued to support young people’s access to learning.

14 | Award winner

As an extension of the company’s commitment, each non-executive director pledged to donate 10 per cent of their salary to the charity for six months, alongside Wesleyan CEO Mario Mazzocchi, who donated 20 per cent of his salary to the cause.

Understanding the sustainable responsibility they hold, Wesleyan are making strides towards being operationally carbon neutral by the end of 2023 and intend to integrate sustainability within all decisions made within the company going forward.

EXCELLENCE IN SALES AND MARKETING

HDY Agency Marketing business HDY Agency is based at Birmingham’s Custard Factory, in the Digbeth area.

The company was launched three years ago by co-founders Ed James, the Heart FM presenter, and marketing expert Angel Gaskell.

Since 2018, the business has grown and now has 28 employees and has achieved an impressive growth in turnover.

This is despite the coronavirus crisis during which it lost one of its key clients, a global travel company, which provided a third of its turnover.

However, this loss has been offset by a raft of new con, which has resulted in the recruitment of eight more employees.

Sponsored By:

construction of the HS2 high-speed rail connection to London, which it believes will lead to more business.

HDY is projecting that its turnover will once again leap dramatically and hopes to establish offices in various overseas countries, including the US, Germany and Australia.

Plans are also well advanced to move to new offices in Birmingham, which will coincide with the launch of a new employee engagement programme, part of a bid to attract new marketing talent.

Among HDY’s clients are coffee machine maker Evoca and events company Sodexo. The company is hoping to capitalise on the Commonwealth Games and the

Award winner | 15

EXCELLENCE IN SUSTAINABILITY

Enzen As experts in delivering lasting, sustainable energy and water improvements to businesses across the world, Enzen are worthy winners of the award for Excellence in Sustainability.

Enzen have been innovators in sustainable development since their beginnings in 2006. Since then, the company estimates that they have mitigated over 58 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in the UK through decarbonisation and made 1,529 Gwh of clean energy available across the globe.

Working on the delivery of four major projects within the last year, Enzen have demonstrated a genuine commitment to building a more sustainable world. One of these projects includes the provision of a greener infrastructure alternative for the Birmingham-based Blythe Valley Business Park, providing owner IM Properties with a street light solution to improve the park’s overall efficiency.

Through the installation of 67 new street luminaires the park’s energy waste and light pollution were

16 | Award winner

Sponsored By:

significantly reduced, recording a potential yearly reduction of 46 per cent in energy usage upon completion.

Enzen’s overall contribution towards greener outcomes will have broader outcomes for the country’s drive towards green industrial recovery post-Covid pandemic.

In the next three years, Enzen’s vision is to continue leading the transformation of the energy and water industries by forging more strategic partnerships and enable more customers to maintain a competitive advantage in the midst of advancing technologies.

EXCELLENCE IN TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Innovating Minds Sponsored By:

There can’t be many businesses that can say they took a great leap forward during the pandemic – but Innovating Minds has done just that.

The Kings Norton-based business provides specialist psychological support for children and young people, and its main motivation is to ensure that this group receives access to help as early as possible.

The business – run by clinical psychologist Dr Asha Patel - said that children were being forced to wait for help from the NHS until their mental health symptoms had worsened.

Having launched in 2016, the business grew and by 2018 was employing 13 people.

At that point, Dr Patel thought that demand for its services had grown to the point where Innovating Minds should consider undergoing a digital transformation, by taking its offering online and therefore reaching a greater audience.

This was unfortunate timing, as EduPod is aimed at schools, which shut one month later due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, Innovating Minds got round this by offering free webinars as a way of demonstrating EduPod – and in just four months demonstrated the product to some 2,000 schools.

As a result, 120 EduPod licenses were sold last year – quite a jump on the original target of 75 licenses in three years.

For Dr Patel, embracing technology has been a leap of faith – and one which has paid off handsomely.

Without much experience of the digital world, the company set out on this path, and was ready to launch its EduPod mental health support service in February 2020.

Award winner | 17

EXCELLENCE IN THE THIRD SECTOR

The Haven Wolverhampton In Partnership With:

The Haven in Wolverhampton is a charity that, quite literally, lives up to its name.

Based on Waterloo Street, it is a refuge for vulnerable women and children at risk from domestic abuse and homelessness.

The charity has a big job on its hands – its own figures reveal the scale of the problem it has been tackling since its formation in 1973.

During 2019/20, the agency supported more than 700 women and children who had fled domestic violence – and almost 1,000 more who were suffering abuse but were able to stay in their homes.

During the same period, the charity’s various refuges had an occupation rate of 93 per cent – and that is with two thirds of the occupants being moved on to other locations within three months.

To achieve its aims, the charity has employed a workforce of around 50 to 70 people in the past three years, supported by up to 240 volunteers.

18 | Award winner

&

The charity says that 90 per cent of its income is spent on frontline services, which includes operating a 24-hour helpline, manned on every day of the year.

The helpline has fielded more than 10,000 calls in the past year from desperate women.

Despite these numbers, the charity says its work in tackling domestic abuse is proving successful – for example, 72 per cent of women it is helping said that they felt safer in their homes because of the support they were receiving from The Haven.

The charity says that its future plans are to further develop its support services, which include counselling and the provision of legal services.

EXCELLENCE IN TRAINING AND EDUCATION

Services For Education There is no doubt that Services For Education is one of the city’s most tuneful businesses – and that’s because it teaches music to more than 38,000 local school children.

The company – based at Birmingham Science Park – was founded a decade ago, and works with 570 schools bringing music to life through education and training.

The company has a massive 28,000 musical instruments out on loan, and says the ongoing coronavirus crisis has done nothing to dampen its enthusiasm – or ability – to help young people find their musical voice.

Services For Education has 224 staff, most of whom work with young people to build their technical and performance skills, both with musical instruments and also in the area of singing.

Sponsored By:

The company has also introduced community music teaching, which has included the establishment of a number of community choirs.

It also stages concerts, and during the pandemic has moved these online, so that its young performers can continue to show off their newly acquired skills to an even wider audience.

There’s nothing stuffy about the kind of music they deal with either – the business embraces world music, in order to encourage diversification.

Although the business works in schools and early years settings, it promotes a love of music among all ages, and this includes the elderly.

The mantra with the latter is that music promotes wellbeing and positive mental health.

Services For Education is eager to bring the world of music to the most disadvantaged, which includes those with special educational needs.

Award winner | 19

JUDGES Katrina Cooke (Chair) Chief Commercial Officer, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce

Inez Brown President, Birmingham Law Society

Jodh Dhesi CEO, The Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham

20 | Judges

Kelly Haslehurst Marketing Director, Conventions & Exhibitions, NEC Group

Ian Reid CEO, Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

Stuart Thomas Head of BBC Midlands

Judges | 21

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