Monthly Archives: August 2021

Construction, News

Wavin leads industry charge towards net zero construction

Leading plumbing and drainage manufacturer Wavin has joined the latest cohort of the Construction Leadership Council’s (CLC) net zero carbon programme, which is part of the council’s CO2nstruct Zero initiative. The involvement is part of Wavin being awarded the status of ‘Industry Business Champion’ and brings together industry-leading manufacturers, contractors and consultants who are committed to uniting the sector to meet the government’s ambitious targets. Wavin’s participation follows the introduction of a number of new sustainability initiatives across the business which build on its work to date in this area.

By becoming part of the industry-wide programme, Wavin will work with other companies in the sector as well as share evidence of its net zero carbon initiatives, in accordance with the CO2nstruct Zero reporting process set by the CLC. Wavin has already pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and has also set a clear target to be the industry leader in sustainability by 2025.

Significant investments are being made across the business alongside strategic supply chain improvements. Renewable energy now powers all four main production sites in the UK. Solar panels and LED lighting are about to be installed at the main Chippenham site to further boost the clean energy drive. In terms of transport, the delivery of over 100 fully electric fleet cars is also underway across Wavin, and 40 per cent of its forklift fleet is already using more eco-friendly Bio LPG fuel. The manufacturer is also exploring how to reduce emissions across the full lifecycle of its products – from the way they are made, to how they’re installed. Wavin’s Recycore range is already composed of 50 per cent recycled material, and the Aquacell attenuation tanks are 100 per cent. Wavin is also focusing on minimum standards for product packaging too, with a goal of 30% being sourced from recycled material.

Mike Ward, Managing Director at Wavin UK, said: “We think of sustainability as a journey rather than a destination. We are fully committed to that journey, but recognise that it requires investment combined with action, challenge and change. The recent initiatives launched across our UK business are taking us one step closer to net zero carbon, by cultivating better building and logistical performance and helping us all be more environmentally-minded.”

A key part of Wavin’s sustainability efforts also comes from ensuring its partners are focused in their efforts to be more eco-minded. To ensure its supply chain is as transparent as possible, Wavin will be ensuring all suppliers follow the ‘Wavin Sustainable Suppliers Procedure’ and are REACH compliant.

Mike Ward added: “It’s vital for us to think about sustainability at every turn, so it’s a natural step for us to also make sure our trusted partners are on the same page when it comes to their own carbon footprint. We are truly in this together as a sector, and by ensuring we have an environmentally-focused supply chain, we can achieve industry-wide carbon net zero in-line with the targets.”

To find out more about Wavin’s sustainability initiatives and its product range, visit: https://www.wavin.com/en-gb/about/sustainability

News

Former Chairman and CEO of Fiserv, Inc. Jeff Yabuki appointed to SentinelOne board of directors

Financial technology executive joins board to support sector-focused market penetration and overall corporate strategy

SentinelOne, Inc, (NYSE: S) an autonomous cybersecurity platform company, has announced that Jeff Yabuki, the former chairman and CEO of Fiserv, Inc. was previously appointed to the SentinelOne board of directors.

Mr. Yabuki served as Fiserv, Inc.’s CEO and as a member of its board of directors, from 2005 to 2020, a tenure in which the Fortune 200 company more than tripled its revenue from $3.2 billion to more than $10 billion and delivered a more than 900% shareholder return through the end of 2019. Prior to Fiserv, Mr. Yabuki served as Executive Vice President and COO of H&R Block, and previously, was a senior officer at the American Express Company. He currently serves as chairman of the board for Sportradar and is a board member of the Royal Bank of Canada.

“The financial services industry continues to face aggressive attacks as cyber criminals target banking and financial institutions to monetise ransomware and steal data,” said Tomer Weingarten, Co-Founder and CEO, SentinelOne. “Jeff’s experience as CEO of Fiserv gives him a unique perspective on the security needs of the financial services industry. We’re honoured to welcome him to our board.”

Mr. Yabuki will leverage his extensive executive and board experience to help SentinelOne continue to scale its business. He’ll also be a driving force for the company’s strategy and execution as a public company, notably contributing to SentinelOne’s approach to capital allocation.

“It is an honour to join the board of SentinelOne,” said Mr. Yabuki. “The company’s autonomous approach to security, powered by artificial intelligence, is not only a strategic differentiator from its competitors, but an approach that the financial industry requires to mitigate the growing challenges of cyber risk.”

 

News

BlackBerry delivers first-of-its kind autonomous flood protection innovation to curb impact of climate change and extreme weather events

BlackBerry Launches First-of-its-Kind Flood Risk and Clean Water Monitoring Solution

Based on BlackBerry AtHoc, the autonomous and intelligent solution has helped a municipality save nearly $1 million in operating expenses

BlackBerry Limited today announced a first-of-its-kind flood risk and clean water monitoring solution. Based on BlackBerry® AtHoc®, a critical event management platform, the innovative technology provides autonomous year-round monitoring and an intelligent early warning system, collecting and processing large amounts of sensor data, and generating alerts based on the data insights.

BlackBerry has partnered with the University of Windsor to deploy the solution in Canada, where Indigenous Peoples are disproportionately impacted by these issues. Its proven benefits include its ability to identify seasonal and unseasonal water related risks, and generate significant cost savings for governments, utility companies and local communities.  Using the solution, local municipalities could each save up to $1,000,000 or more annually in operating expenses, in addition to the environmental, safety, health, and other benefits of early warning flood mitigation and clean water

“BlackBerry is pleased to deliver this critical innovation, based on BlackBerry AtHoc, as the climate change crisis escalates.  Climate change is one of the most pressing threats to our everyday lives, and tackling it requires the urgent and combined effort of governments, organisations, and individuals,” said Neelam Sandhu, Senior Vice President & Chief Elite Customer Success Officer.  “BlackBerry is committed to delivering advanced technologies, that turn real-time data into intelligence and leverage our leadership in communications, to enable the safety and security of people around the world.  Furthermore, we are on-track to be carbon neutral this year.”

“Globally, societies must increasingly rely on the autonomous monitoring of air and water to inform our understanding of the environment and to alert us to impending danger.  The BlackBerry solution announced today delivers on this need,” said Mike McKay, Executive Director, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor.  “Autonomous early-warnings and real-time monitoring are critical to provide enough time to address the risks communities around the world are currently facing. We are proud to have partnered with BlackBerry on this important and unique technology.”

Over two billion people globally lack access to clean water, with the lives of children under the age of five most threatened.  Almost one and a half billion of the world’s population faces a flood risk.  Both issues are exacerbated by climate change. To learn about BlackBerry’s commitment to be carbon neutral in 2021 click here.

For more information on BlackBerry AtHoc click here.

About BlackBerry

BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) provides intelligent security software and services to enterprises and governments around the world. The company secures more than 500M endpoints including over 195M vehicles.  Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company leverages AI and machine learning to deliver innovative solutions in the areas of cybersecurity, safety and data privacy solutions, and is a leader in the areas of endpoint security, endpoint management, encryption, and embedded systems. BlackBerry’s vision is clear – to secure a connected future you can trust.

For more information, visit BlackBerry.com and follow @BlackBerry.

Trademarks, including but not limited to BLACKBERRY and EMBLEM Design are the trademarks or registered trademarks of BlackBerry Limited, and the exclusive rights to such trademarks are expressly reserved.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.

 

News

Three quarters of UK startups confident about the next 12 months, Angel Investment Network survey finds

Despite seeing growth significantly impacted during the pandemic, the vast majority of UK startups are now confident about the next 12 months. This was a key finding of a survey of startup opinion, conducted by Angel Investment Network (AIN), the UK’s largest online angel investment platform.

In the largest study it has ever conducted, AIN surveyed the views of 645 UK startups 18 months after the pandemic first hit. Despite 59% seeing growth negatively impacted, nearly three quarters are now optimistic about the next 12 months (72%), with 42% very optimistic  – up from 23% when a similar survey was conducted at the start of the pandemic. Of those who have raised in the past year, 54% reported being negatively impacted with investors pulling out. Meanwhile 68% reported delaying fundraising as a result of COVID.

AIN has seen surging growth on its platform with connections between entrepreneurs and investors up by 23% since the start of the year. Meanwhile revenues have increased by 40% to a new record, indicating the huge pent up demand from startups now seeking funding.

For the startups surveyed, the biggest challenge going forward is raising investment (85%), followed by product development (27%), hiring/recruiting the right talent (25%) and ongoing COVID issues (19%). Consumer confidence was a concern for 15% of respondents and Brexit remains an issue for 8% of respondents.

Strategies to mitigate

There were a variety of strategies to deal with the challenges of stalled investment as a result of COVID. Many have focused on building the pipeline and networking, holding off on marketing and launch plans delaying new hires and choosing to bootstrap instead. Only a quarter had let staff go.

The top strategies have been:

  • Focused more on networking instead (45%)

  • Delayed marketing (35%)

  • Held off making hires (35%)

  • Held off launch plans (29%)

  • Bootstrapped instead (28%)

  • Had to let staff go (24%)

  • Pulled back from R&D (22%)

  • Used furlough scheme (16%)

The research identifies a very different approach in raising investment in the Covid era. For those who have raised, 75% of respondents have only met one out of four investors in person as a result of the restrictions.

According to Mike Lebus, founder of AIN: “Startups by nature have an optimistic mindset but the last 18 months have been enough to challenge anyone. It is therefore very encouraging that our survey reveals a picture of battle-tested startups, having weathered the storm and remaining hugely positive about the next 12 months. After the stalled growth due to the pandemic, there is huge pent up demand for fundraising and we are seeing a record number of connections on our platform. Many have used the time wisely, building up their networks and bootstrapping their businesses as far as they can go to get investment ready.”

Food & Drink, News

Growth plan creates 20 new jobs at Bridge Cheese

One of the region’s fastest growing food companies is set to create up to 20 new jobs as part of a strategic expansion plan at its Telford base.

Bridge Cheese is adding an extra 9,000 sq ft onto its food processing site in Stafford Park as part of a growth plan which will also see it introducing another production line to meet growing customer demand for its cheese and dairy products.

Managing director Michael Harte said the decision to expand in Telford followed a strong year of sales. Bridge Cheese supplies cheese for pizza and take-away products, which rocketed in popularity during the pandemic while restaurants and pubs were closed.

Mr Harte said: “Last year was a year that no-one saw coming but it was a defining moment for the takeaway food industry in particular, and the huge demand for pizza was a big plus for Bridge Cheese, as it’s one of our key markets. But it’s not been the only driver in our success over the past 12 months.

“Our clients in the food manufacturing sector fared very well throughout Covid and as our customers in the food service sector open their doors fully again and we head towards a wider economic recovery, we are expecting things to shift up a gear again.

“With the new line going in and a rapidly expanding team in place, we will continue to stay agile and react quickly to market demands and this will help us to ride the trends, whatever they may be next!

“We’ve also invested in product research and development over the last year, with a new exciting launch planned for early next year, so it’s a really exciting period for us as a company.”

A key part of Bridge Cheese’s growth plan is the creation of up to 20 new roles over the next 12 months, including apprenticeships, production and office-based staff, with applications now open for a number of jobs including line and manufacturing operators plus quality assurance and quality control roles.

“We’re really excited about the expansion here in Telford, but to make the plans flourish, we need good people to come and join the team. As well as general line operators in the processing facility and skilled manufacturing operators, we are looking for quality control and assurance team members to ensure we continue to meet the high expectations of our customers,” added Michael.

“We’ve faced challenges over the last year with Covid, like everyone else, but we have still been able to provide our staff with job stability through a turbulent year and we are now in a position to increase our workforce, and we are very proud of that.”

Bridge Cheese was started in 2018 by Mr Harte and an experienced senior team with more than 80 years of collective experience in the food industry. The company offers a wide range of cheese and dairy products to food manufacturers and food service clients, wholesalers and for export. This includes cheddars, hard cheeses and mozzarella products as well as bespoke cheese and dairy solutions for food production.

News

UK Shoppers Expected To Spend £408.5bn In 2021, A Huge £13.8bn More Than Last Year

UK shoppers are predicted to spend £408bn in 2021, according to a new report.1

  • Consumers predicted to spend £6,150 per head when shopping this year
  • Total UK retail spend expected to grow by an additional £20.4bn in 2022, giving a total spend of £429bn
  • London is set to see the biggest boost in retail spending, with £76.2bn forecast for 2021 and £80 bn in 2022

The VoucherCodes.co.uk Life after Covid: Prospects for retail, hospitality and travel report, carried out by the Centre of Retail Research (CRR), shows the effect of the pandemic on retail in the UK since the first lockdown came into place in March 2020. It also looks ahead to how sales will recover during 2021 and 2022.

Thanks to Covid-19, retail sales took a large dip in 2020 and year on year (YoY) growth between 2019 and 2020 hit an all-time low of 0.3%. However, in good news for the high street, retail sales are predicted to grow by an average of 3.5%, or £13.8bn in 2021, with British consumers expected to spend £6,150 per head this year on average.

A large proportion of this predicted growth is set to come from non-food sales (£238.3bn) with an 8.8% increase on 2020’s spend (£218.9bn). This year, as shoppers are able to visit physical stores that were previously closed for large amounts of time, consumers are set to spend £19.4bn more than in 2020 on non-food items, with fashion, cosmetics and the home and garden sectors set to see the biggest boosts.

Looking ahead to 2022 and hopefully the first full year of trading since 2019, total UK retail sales are predicted to grow by a further 5%. This accounts for an increase of £20.4bn, giving a total expected retail spend of £429.017bn by the end of 2022. This equates to £6,458 being spent per head across the country in 2022.

Much like this year, non-food spend it set for another year of growth in 2022, but at a steadier rate of 6.6% YoY as spending habits plateau as life feels more normal, resulting in a £15.6bn sales boost.

Across all areas of the UK, retail spending is set to see a firm increase in both 2021 and 2022. The capital is set to see the biggest boost in combined online and offline retail spending, with £76.2bn forecast for 2021, or £8,554 per head. Spending is also forecast to remain highest in London in 2022 at £80bn total sales and £8,982 per head on average.

UK retail sales forecasts by region: 2021 and 2022 – online and offline spending combined in £billions

Region 2021 2022
Total spending Spending per head Total spending Spending per head
North East £13.137 £4,942.48 £13.794 £5,189.60
North West £39.001 £5,348.40 £40.951 £5,615.81
Yorkshire & Humberside £28.192 £5,144.60 £29.602 £5,401.82
East Midlands £25.577 £5,324.21 £26.856 £5,590.42
West Midlands £31.339 £5,310.72 £32.905 £5,576.25
East of England £40.123 £6,470.41 £42.129 £6,793.93
London £76.201 £8,554.27 £80.011 £8,981.97
South East £64.720 £7,085.60 £67.956 £7,439.87
South West £34.117 £6,092.31 £35.823 £6,396.92
Wales £15.649 £4,985.30 £16.431 £5,234.56
Scotland £31.012 £5,702.80 £32.562 £5,987.93
Northern Ireland £9.520 £5,058.44 £9.996 £5,311.36
Totals  £408.588 £429.017
Weighted average £6,150.01 £6,457.50
Simple average £5,834.96 £6,126.70

 

Anita Naik, Lifestyle Editor at VoucherCodes.co.uk, commented: “The last year has been difficult for the retail industry with non-essential shops being closed for a large portion of 2020 and early 2021. Despite online retail soaring as a result, the rapid changes in the ways people shopped during the pandemic has posed challenges for much of the retail industry.

“Therefore, it’s encouraging to see such large growth predicted for both this year and next as consumers return to stores and continue to shop online from the comfort of their own homes. With life returning to a semblance of ‘normality’ it’s likely Brits will be spending more with retailers than they have been used to over the last year and it’s inevitable that there will be a shift in the things they are buying as life opens up again.

“After a strange year of on and off lockdowns, it’s inevitable that so many of us are enjoying treating ourselves, but as ever, it’s important to not get carried away and spend unnecessarily.

“When shopping online it’s always a good idea to shop around for the best price. An easy way to make sure you always get the best deal is by installing DealFinder by VoucherCodes. DealFinder is a free online browser extension that automatically hunts down and applies the best deals every time you checkout.”

For more details, the full Life after Covid: Prospects for retail, hospitality and travel report can be found here: https://www.vouchercodes.co.uk/savings-guides/guides-reports/life-after-covid

News

Laserfiche launches package to support post-pandemic Digital Reopening

Laserfiche — the leading SaaS provider of intelligent content management and business process automation — has today announced the introduction of a Digital Reopening package of prebuilt process templates aimed at supporting organisations’ efforts to restore, recover, reimagine, and rebuild work in a post-pandemic world.

The new package is an expansion to an existing collection of over 100 solution templates that allow Laserfiche users to download process diagrams, workflows, template fields and reports, all of which can be configured to fit an organisation’s specific operational requirements for rapid solution deployment.

Linda Ding, senior director of strategic marketing at Laserfiche said: “Laserfiche is committed to supporting organisations across industries in their quick response to recovery from the pandemic. We worked with innovative customers, industry leaders and technology partners to develop this package’s low-code workflow templates that can be deployed quickly, with the goal of increasing accessibility of services and visibility into safety procedures when employees, customers, students and constituents need them most; and reclaiming time for organisational leaders to focus on the well-being of their communities, and the future of their enterprise.”

The package includes three categories of process automation users can utilise for a variety of contexts: short-term emergency response, medium-term workflow modernisation, and long-term digital transformation. The first of these new solutions are available now, with additional releases planned for August and October 2021. The initial release includes the following solutions:

  • Daily employee symptom report enables faster pre-screening for employees and supports continued safety at work. The solution allows employees to submit a daily symptom report online before starting work for the day. A human resources representative is notified by email if an employee has an elevated temperature, reports any symptoms or has come in contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19. These employees are then notified via automated email to stay home and rest or are recommended to work remotely.
  • Work from home experience survey supports employers’ ongoing effort to monitor employee well-being while working remotely. Employers can use this survey solution to assess how well their employees are adjusting to working from home, what works well, and what could be improved. Survey questions can be easily tailored to organisational needs.
  • Inventory tracking and equipment request enables IT teams to track hardware provided to remote employees and manage equipment inventory. To track hardware originally used in-office, employees provide information associated with their hardware, like device ID number, via an electronic form. The form can also be used to request additional equipment. When a request is submitted for additional hardware, an IT representative is automatically designated to assign equipment to the employee.
  • Return to work questionnaire allows employers to collect needed information such as employee symptoms and intended return to work schedule to inform and support organisation’s reopening strategy. Based on employee answers, they can be assigned to a specific cohort or phase that aligns with guidance from local health officials, corresponds to your reopening strategy and enables your organisation to manage in-office capacity.
  • COVID-19 time-off request helps support compliance with the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to provide employees with paid sick leave or expanded medical and family leave for reasons related to COVID-19. An employee can submit a time-off request via an online form; it is then automatically assigned to a human resources representative for review and approval. An automated email notifies the employee whether the request is approved or denied.

In addition to enabling the rapid deployment of automated solutions, the Digital Reopening package gives organisations the tools to track requests and process data, allowing for continuous optimisation. Organisations around the world have leveraged Laserfiche throughout the pandemic, developing robust IT infrastructure and business continuity plans, and transforming the digital experience for employees and customers during major disruptions. To learn more about how organisations have used Laserfiche throughout the pandemic and in planning for the future, visit Laserfiche’s Digital Reopening Resource Page.

News

‘Pleasanteeism’ plagues UK businesses as many mask mental health challenges at work

‘Pleasanteeism’ – the pressure to put on a brave face – is undermining efforts to promote an open dialogue about mental health at work. That’s according to new research released today by Lime Global, the online-only provider of affordable healthcare top ups, which is urging the UK’s businesses to take simple steps to help employees improve their mental health.

A new report – ‘Keeping up Appearances: How ‘Pleasanteeism’ is Eroding Resilience’ – reveals that over half (51%) of UK workers agree* that they feel under pressure to put on a brave face in front of their colleagues. A quarter (25%) of respondents who are returning to the workplace or have been working from home are worried about having to be the best version of themselves when they return to the workplace, while almost one in five (19%) are concerned about their stress being visible to others.

But, behind the scenes, people are struggling. Just over a quarter (26%) of respondents agree**  that they don’t think they’re coping at work, and over a third (34%) feel the same way about everyday life. This is taking a toll on the nation’s resilience levels, leaving four in 10 (40%) feeling less resilient now than they did before the pandemic.

Women and young people are bearing the brunt of these challenges, with 43% of women aged 16-24 and 49% of young men aged 16-24 feeling less resilient now than they did before the pandemic. The sense of pleasanteeism is also more evident in women than men: 56% of women – compared to 45% of men – feel like they must put on a brave face for their colleagues, rising to 61% for young women aged 16-24.

Pleasanteeism is masking a mental health problem that could be catastrophic for businesses, which are already operating in a challenging environment. 44% of UK workers suggest that low personal resilience impacts their ability to do their job effectively, with many admitting that stress and poor mental health has caused them to have an unproductive day (28%), lose concentration or make a mistake at work (17%), forget to do something important (17%), or even call in sick (9%).

Currently, only 16% of respondents feel their mental health is very well supported at work, despite 81% wanting their employers to support their mental wellbeing. 42% of respondents agree** that they expect their employer to do more – and 40% even admit that they would look for a new job if their employer didn’t do so.

Findings from the report suggested that workers would welcome simple initiatives such as employers being more mindful about workload and work/life balance (25%), greater flexibility in working hours (22%), time out to deal with personal commitments (20%), and mental health days off work (20%).

Shaun Williams, CEO & Founder, Lime Global Ltd, commented: “The past 18 months has had a huge impact on people’s lives, including on their mental health and resilience. The long-term repercussions of the pandemic are likely to be felt for years to come, and it’s important we act now to be aware of and prioritise both our own mental health and that of those around us.”

Lime has developed Mind-Matters, a brand new, affordable service that is designed to help people maintain their mental wellbeing and build resilience, through regular check-ins and 24/7 access to online and telephone support. The service provides access to fully qualified counsellors as well as practical support for things that may be impacting people’s mental health such as financial, family, health, and legal concerns.

Shaun Williams continued: “We know that employers have a lot on their plates and each workforce will require unique approaches for tackling mental health challenges. But there are plenty of simple and affordable avenues for doing so. It’s only by drawing attention to and prioritising mental health in the workplace that we can support one another to be as healthy, resilient, happy and productive as possible.”

The report – available here – includes recommendations from Lime and a panel of mental health experts around simple steps businesses can take to better support their staff when it comes to mental health and resilience.

 

News

One World Express partners with Orange Connex to deliver game-changing technology platform

Leading international courier One World Express has partnered with Orange Connex to launch a new technology platform, Ship2world.

Ship2world has been created to enable businesses to develop more efficient shipping strategies. Powered by One World Express and its innovative Smarttrack technology, Ship2world’s platform allows merchants to access hundreds of shipping options and optimise routing.

One World Express has partnered with the global digital supply chain tech company, Orange Connex, to deliver the new global shipping solution.

Orange Connex has a successful track record in providing improved international shipping services to merchants selling internationally on online marketplaces such as eBay.

The new Ship2world platform provides an outbound service for UK merchants to international markets, leveraging the global shipping infrastructure Orange Connex has established over the years.

The partnership will deliver competitive pricing to UK merchants for outbound shipping to four leading eCommerce export markets: the US, Canada, Australia and Germany. It will later expand into other countries.

Ship2world is designed for vendors ranging from sole traders to established SMEs. It quickly sorts through more than 130 leading logistics companies to find the best quote to ship their goods anywhere in the world.

The platform also provides merchants with the flexibility to adjust their courier strategy, and switch carrier providers, should a more efficient option present itself.

Ship2world’s technology also connects to vendors’ online shop, meaning sales automatically generate shipping orders. Combining competitive tariffs with cutting edge logistics tech, the new platform is supporting the UK’s eCommerce SMEs by providing them with the tools to increase sales and in turn profits by accessing cost effective shipping solutions worldwide.

Atul Bhakta, CEO of One World Express, said: “This is a really exciting new partnership. By combining One World Express’ plethora of experience and knowledge within the logistics sector with Orange Connex’s outstanding standardised international shipping services and strong technology capabilities, we can empower merchants to take their products to new international markets.

“The timing couldn’t be better. The pandemic has resulted in a huge eCommerce boom – but it has also raised logistical challenges, which have been compounded by Brexit. Ship2world will help vendors overcome this issue, connecting them to cost-effective, efficient solutions. This tech platform is perfectly positioned to nurture the international ambitions of businesses of any size.”

Andrew Yang, CEO of Orange Connex, added: “Orange Connex is committed to providing superior 4th party logistics and supply chain services to global eCommerce players, empowering cross border trade to reach new heights. Through this partnership, we are delighted to be able to expand to the UK markets. We are eager to help merchants propel their businesses into the future with this exciting new game-changing platform.”

News

Keeping an organisation’s culture, values and sense of joy alive during Covid-19

Written by Sid Madge, Meee

Delivering exceptional service, extraordinary food, and unforgettable experiences takes amazing ideas, passion and talented people. For Fortnum & Mason the goal that can be simply expressed: to make joy.  But, when the global pandemic hit us all, the organisation was forced to make rapid changes.

Many of its employees had to open or close stores with very little notice, others had to take on different responsibilities to support a changing business model, and office-based employees had to adapt to working from home. Facing all this change, how could they continue to perform at their best? How could the organisation’s values, culture and sense of joy be kept alive at a time of immense uncertainty?

 

Being your true self

Alexandra Buxton, Fortnum’s Culture and Talent Director explained that they wanted all their staff to be their best, and above all to be their true selves. By embracing each other’s differences and sharing common values, extraordinary things can be achieved.

They decided to bring in the Meee team. Meee is founded on the idea that everyone is unique and, by using our values and natural strengths, combined with support from others, we can thrive in all aspects of our lives. Sometimes all we need to achieve this is a shift in perspective, a nudge to reset our thoughts and mindset.

So, working closely together Meee tailored a virtual version of the ‘Be The Best You’ programme that enables each employee to understand their unique qualities and how these can help them perform at their best more of the time. Online modules, including Meee Values and Balanced exercises, helped each team member identify their unique talents. Additional content was also created to help employees understand how they can bring Fortnum’s values to life.

Along with these exercises a series of small group virtual workshops allowed the team to share insights and ideas, while also creating an all-important sense of connection. A number of employees were also trained to be programme facilitators and roll out the programme across the retail organisation.

 

Engaging, energising and enabling

With a powerful digital platform underpinning the programme, which gave valuable insights into progress both before and after the virtual workshops, employees could see how they had developed. They also had access to supporting resources, articles and videos. Meanwhile, Fortnum’s Culture and Talent team could use the aggregated and anonymised data to understand how colleagues were performing and quickly identify where more support was needed.

 

Making a positive impact

At a time of huge anxiety, the programme had a tremendously positive impact. Participants have gained new insights about themselves, built stronger connections with colleagues and the organisation, and left the workshops feeling more energised and positive.

 

After completing the programme:

  • 93% felt that they can achieve more together with their colleagues
  • 91% felt closer to Fortnum’s purpose and values
  • 90% felt they had a better understanding of how to help and develop others
  • 88% felt they had a better understanding of how to deliver a wonderful customer experience

 

The ultimate goal

Fortnum’s is now planning to incorporate the values work in other areas like recruitment, onboarding, recognition, learning and development. And that all adds up to more purpose, positivity and ultimately more joy.

The management team wanted all their people, whatever their role, to feel that the business was investing in them and supporting them as best as possible during a very challenging period.

 

About Meee

Sid Madge is founder of Meee (My Education Employment Enterprise) which draws on the best creativity and thinking from the worlds of branding, psychology, neuroscience, education and sociology, to help people achieve extraordinary lives.

To date, Meee has transformed the lives of over 20,000 people, from leaders of PLC’s and SME’s to parents, teachers, students, carers, the unemployed and prison inmates.

Sid Madge is also author of the ‘Meee in Minute’ series of books which each offer 60 ways to change your life, work-, or family-life in 60 seconds.

Web: www.meee.global

Web: www.meeebooks.com