Monthly Archives: October 2021

News, Recruitment News

Small Business Creates Millionaires!

Founded in 2016 with zero external investment, local business Forsyth Barnes has in 5 years hit a record breaking EBIT and a record breaking turnover.

Founders Scott and Roheel started the business in response to the recruitment industry as a whole, and were passionate about changing it. For them it was not about the money, but delivering a great service and building a team of successful people.

Off the back of their success, they have reinvested all of the profits into building and growing their business, and are now looking to give back.

The two partners recently announced to their team that they were giving away one third of the business in equity! A pot estimated to be worth around £20 million, with no buy in.

The equity scheme will see those who work for the business now, and in the next few years, go on to become millionaires when they eventually choose to sell their shares!

This is a first for a business of their size, and an incredible gesture to the people who helped them achieve such success.

News, Storage

Storage experts reveal why we just ‘can’t bear’ to throw some things out 

More than 70% of people admit to filling up space in their home with belongings they no longer need, according to new research.  

The findings, from self-storage experts, Space Station, reveal the items in UK homes people find hardest to part ways with, covering everything from wedding dresses to old Christmas cards.  

According to Space Station’s research, the belongings people find it most difficult to part ways with during a clear out are:  

  1. Family photos – 51.2% 

  2. Books – 37.5% 

  3. Clothes – 36.6% 

  4. Child’s early drawings/school reports/homework – 35.5%  

  5. Holiday mementos – 27.6% 

  6. Greetings cards – 26.4% 

  7. DVDs – 26.3% 

  8. Jewellery – 22.1% 

  9. Tech devices that no longer work – 21.2% 

  10. Old kid’s toys – 19.8% 

Surprisingly, wedding dresses from existing marriages failed to make it into the top 10, as just 19.7% of people said they would find it hard to get rid of theirs, with more people stating they’d find it harder to get rid of old tech and DVDs.  

It seems as though it’s the younger generations amassing various belongings around the home. Those aged 18-24 were found to be most likely to agree that they keep hold of old belongings that they can’t bear to get rid of, while those aged 65+ were least likely.  

Clearing out the clutter

Space Station has partnered with resilience coach and author, Natalie Read, to offer advice to those facing a home clear out but finding it hard to manage.  

1. Is it serving you?  

We can become attached to objects that no longer have any use or purpose, so it can often help to question whether this object offers you any benefit.  


Natalie says: “The attachment can be as a result of habit- doing what you’ve always done and not questioning whether or not this serves you financially, emotionally or energetically. You may even be unaware that you are doing it in the same way that you become used to a dog smell around the house or become familiar with your own untidiness.”  

2. Consciously clear out  

Some belongings hold emotional memories for us, whether happy or sad. Natalie advises that under these attachments may be a fear of letting go, so approach with consciousness: “The more you can make the process conscious, the more you can evaluate whether making changes could bring healthier and happier benefits to your life. Awareness gives you choice. Ask yourself, how does holding onto this object serve you? What does letting go of it bring up for you? What benefits would you have from reducing your clutter? If you made a decision, what would that be helping you to overcome? This will help you to be clearer about what you want from your life and take steps to move towards it.”

3. Think to the future

When approaching any large project around the home, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Add to this any emotional attachments you may have with certain belongings and the task becomes all the more difficult. Natalie advises considering how you’ll feel after creating more space in the home: “If you decide to let go of the object, it can be helpful to focus on how you will feel after getting rid of your clutter rather than staying in the indecision. Remind yourself of all the benefits of feeling more relaxed, spacious and the achievement you will feel in having tackled this. Break down the task into manageable sized actions so you can start taking steps today.” 

Vlatka Lake, Marketing Manager at Space Station, commented: “We all amass various belongings throughout our lives – they tell our stories and offer us a look back into the past in some instances. However, eventually these belongings can become more of a hinderance if we start to need more space around the home. 

“There will always be certain things we can’t bear to part with; a drawing from a child, or our favourite outfit for example. This is often where self-storage can play such an important role. Putting items into storage means you can free up that valuable space around the home, but you know that your belongings are always available to you whenever you want to see them again.  

For more tips and advice, visit: https://www.space-station.co.uk/blog/expert-tips-for-clearing-out-sentimental-clutter/ 

 

Appointments, Law, Midlands News, News, North of England

Promotions announced at top law firm

Leading law firm Aaron and Partners has announced a series of promotions across the firm after a year of continued growth.

The firm, which has offices in Manchester, Chester and Shrewsbury, has announced five promotions with a new Partner, a Senior Associate and three new Associates appointed.

Joseph Fletcher-Hunt has been made a partner in the Real Estate team having joined the firm in 2019. His work has seen him noted in the Legal 500 directory, a leading industry guide to the top professionals working in the UK’s legal market.

Paul Hennity, also a legal 500 listed lawyer, has been promoted to Senior Associate in the firm’s renowned Employment team. Paul is highly experienced in both contentious and non-contentious employment matters.

The Chester office also welcomes two new Associate Solicitors with Joshua Simpson promoted in the firm’s Real Estate department and Paul Caslin, taking on the role in the highly regarded Wills, Trusts and Tax team.

Zoe Lloyd’s development has also been recognised with promotion to Associate in the firm’s Corporate and Commercial team.

Nick Clarke, Senior Partner at Aaron & Partners, said: “I’m delighted that again this year we have been able to recognise the development of our people through these promotions. They have all demonstrated great commitment and excellence in their work for clients and their promotions are well deserved.

“We recognise that our people are the key to continued success and so we aim to create an environment where staff can develop and progress with us. It’s been a challenging year so it’s important that we celebrate achievement when we get the chance and there’s no better example of this than through promotions.

“I’d like to congratulate everyone who has been promoted, and I’m looking forward to seeing the next stages of their development”.

News

Military-assist to alleviate fuel shortage, supply chain crisis

Written by Kunal Sawhney, Kalkine Media

The country-wide shortage of fuel following the unavailability of hauliers and HGV drivers have worsened the supply chain crisis, provoking the authorities to take precautionary measures that can help in overcoming the supply chain hurdles. Starting Monday, 4 October, military tanker drivers have been deployed to resurrect the supply chain difficulties that can transport the desired quantity of petrol and diesel at the refueling stations across the country.

As much as 200 military personnel have been assigned for the aforementioned tasks. About half of them have already started deliveries after receiving the driver training from Hoyer UK, the fuel delivery partner of BP. The temporary support from the military comes at a crucial time when the enterprises are not able to operate on a full scale due to issues pertaining limitedness of stock, transport delays due to unavailability of drivers with the logistics partners.

With the Christmas holiday season round the corner, preceded by the Thanksgiving sales and Black Friday deals, the businesses, acting as the services providers, are exploring multiple ways through which they can operate with their full strength, while the retailers are looking to function with fully-stocked shelves.

The proper functioning of businesses becomes even more important, at a time when consumers are more willing to spend on essential, as well as non-essential goods with the reopening of hospitality venues including the fan-packed stadiums hosting the Premier League games and the group stage fixtures of Champions League.

The government of the United Kingdom has been taking additional measures to stabilize the supply chain hurdles as we approach the year-ender holidays and the Christmas festival cheer. The industry leaders have been working with the government to make the HGV sector more attractive, improving the operative condition for hauliers, as well as HGV drivers.

The government, alongside the oil retailers have somehow managed to stabilize the demand for fuel through the last week and are working to make sure that more fuel is delivered to the refueling stations than is being sold. The malfunctioned supply chain is one of the many unanticipated repercussions of the weeks-long exercise of pings sent through the mobile application of the National Health Service (NHS) to ensure that people in proximity of infected individuals should follow a mandatory self-isolation.

Following the millions of pings by the NHS, it led to a crisis apparently called ‘pingdemic’, subsequent to which, the businesses operating across the country, as well as having a considerable presence in adjacent nations started encountering delays in supplies, unavailability of staff, lack of proper workforce at the hospitality venues, dearth of chefs at the restaurants.

The government has been addressing the concerns of various industries that are deeply affected through the staff shortages as businesses can’t operate at the desired scales without adequate support staff and people designated to specific tasks. The government is taking various measures to ease the supply chain pressures in food haulage industries, alongside reviving the lost control at the refueling stations.

Due to exceptional circumstances, the Home Office has allowed many fuel haulage drivers to work in the UK with immediate effect, a measure that is intended to disengage the supply chain concerns before the commencement of the holiday season. On these lines, the government has introduced a bespoke scheme that will allow up to 300 fuel tanker drivers to work in the UK on a temporary basis.

This seems like a situation where nobody wants to ruin the business during the Christmas season, alongside the difficulties faced by the consumers when there are no pandemic-related restrictions but they are immovable due to unavailability of fuel. The hauliers have been advised to find licensed drivers and submit the applications to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The department will remain responsible for endorsing the applicants with requisite license and a time-bound contract to work as a fuel driver.

All of these are limited-time measures that are planned in a bid to diminish the operative hurdles in the business ecosystem as the nation progresses on the path of economic recovery, bouncing back from the extended downturn led by the widespread aftermath of Covid-19. With the help of these measures, 300 fuel drivers will be able to arrive in the UK immediately, following the necessary immigration checks and BEIS endorsement with the permissible limit to work until March 2022.

As businesses have already begun the preparations for Christmas festivities, as much as 5,500 poultry workers will arrive by the end of this month up until the end of the present calendar year to augment the essential supplies and extra requirements during holidays. On the other hand, nearly 4,700 food haulage drivers will arrive in the second half of this month. These drivers will have the work permit up until 28 February 2022.

All the additional workforce that is being deployed for various tasks across multiple jurisdictions in the UK will remain on a time-limited visa with a primary objective to supplement the ailing supply chain functions. Wholesome reforms are required to manage the sectors that are functionally dependent on the supply chain systems as issuing temporary visas is not a long-term solution.

The government has been working to find viable and long-term solutions for the shortage of HGV drivers, upskilling more people to enter the logistics industry, while making the sector attractive for fresh talents with better perks and remuneration.

News, North of England

Grow It York Brings Vertical Farming to Community Container Park

LettUs Grow, an indoor farming technology provider from Bristol, have teamed up with the University of York, & Spark:York to create “Grow It York”: a vertical, community farm at the heart of a vibrant container park in Piccadilly, York. The container park, called Spark:York, is a Community Interest Company using shipping containers to provide spaces for local restaurants, retailers and entrepreneurs.

The farm forms part of the FixOurFood programme, a leading food systems research collaboration led by the University of York , funded for 5 years through the Transforming UK Food Systems Strategic Priorities Fund. FixOurFood aims to transform Yorkshire food networks and develop regenerative systems that will create a fairer and more sustainable future for food production.

Grow It York is an indoor urban community farm in a shipping container, supplying hyper-local produce to the surrounding businesses and locals. It was built to investigate how vertical farming can play a role in creating positive changes within our food systems, while also benefiting our health, environment and economy.

The project’s mission is to prove that healthy food is about more than nutrition: “Our food must come from a healthy planet supporting biodiversity and vigorous ecosystems. It should enrich the communities where it is grown and eaten, and help local economies to thrive.”

LettUs Grow is supplying the vertical farming technology and their Growing Specialist, Billy Rodgers, is also providing on-site growing training. Billy said, “The Grow It York project has a really interesting range of teams involved. The collaboration between work in technology development, project feasibility research & real-world use of vertically farmed produce is important because food sustainability can’t be addressed by any one thing – you need to look at the whole food supply chain. It’s been really great being able to provide growing training for Grow It York. It’s exciting to see how projects like these can make learning about growing food more accessible to those in cities.”

LettUs Grow’s aeroponic technology is an eco-friendly method of growing crops indoors without soil, with less water and without the need for pesticides. The container farm will grow salad crops such as pea shoots, watercress, microgreens and herbs, which can also be prepared and eaten fresh at the restaurants within Spark:York.

CEO & co-founder of LettUs Grow, Charlie Guy, believes that projects like these are key to maximising the benefits of indoor growing: “It’s exciting to see indoor farming being utilised in this environment because the advantages of growing in such close proximity to consumers are so evidently visible. Whether that’s reducing food miles and food waste, or more holistic benefits such as getting people involved in and excited about growing food locally. Container park communities are a great way to demonstrate the impact of indoor farming on a smaller scale and they really emphasise the potential for this model to be translated across the country at different settings and scales.”

News

Poor Integration Destroying the Benefits of Mobile Technology Finds SOTI’s Global Report

SOTI Global Report finds more than half (57%) of enterprises have invested in mobile technology or mobile security in the last year; but 56% admit their mobile technology is either only partially integrated or not at all

Poor integration is threatening businesses’ potential in a defining year for enterprise mobility, a new global research report from SOTI has found. More than half (57%) of global enterprises have invested in mobile technology or mobile security in the last year, and more than two-thirds (67%) said the mobile technology their organisation had invested in had provided a positive return on investment (ROI).

However, SOTI’s A Defining Year: State of Mobility 2021 Report found that 56% of enterprise leaders admit their technology is either only partially integrated or not at all which is holding their businesses back. The year 2021 has seen a mobility revolution, driving business growth and becoming a necessity to business continuity in the face of lockdowns and social distancing. The GSMA predicts that mobile operators will invest $900 billion USD between 2020 and 2025 worldwide in upgrading their services to meet ballooning demand for mobile connections and technology.

SOTI’s global research has sought to understand the impact of mobile technology over the last year as well as how organisations can position themselves at the forefront of the post-pandemic mobile revolution. 1,400 business leaders were interviewed from enterprises in eight countries across three continents, including the UK.

Mobile Technology Investment in 2021: Seizing Opportunity or Just Surviving?

More than three quarters (79%) of enterprise leaders agree their organisation’s C-Suite realises the importance of mobile tech much more now than before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating that it’s climbed up the boardroom agenda.

But, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. More than half (56%) said that their organisation’s portfolio of mobile devices has grown, but managing the increased number of devices is proving difficult, indicating these businesses might not have the right device management technology in place – or they have nothing at all. In fact, many existing tools don’t adequately help organisations troubleshoot device issues or help to manage the devices. This leads to increased downtime, a loss in productivity and likely a loss in revenue as well.

Meanwhile, 45% say that their organisation is not using mobile technology to help it adjust well to the challenges of the post-pandemic marketplace. The challenge for these companies is to fully integrate mobile technology into their core workflows to capitalise on the technology’s potential to provide flexibility and intelligence across the whole enterprise.

The scope of this challenge is revealed in the answers given about aspirations and goals for the near future. More than two-thirds (68%) agree that their company needs better business intelligence to navigate future unforeseen issues. Two-thirds (67%) also think they need better tools to diagnose issues before they become a problem. Almost half (43%) would like to improve their ability to monitor data analytics.

Planning For a Post-Pandemic Marketplace

The pandemic, lockdown and subsequent changes in consumer behaviour have accelerated the digital transformation of business by up to six years. Businesses are faced with the prospect of a post-pandemic marketplace that is more fluid, more digital, more dynamic and marked by a rise in consumer demands.

The mobility revolution has scaled rapidly across all areas of businesses as they train for, adapt to, rollout and manage enterprise mobility. To prevent growing pains and ensure maximum uptime and productivity, as well as the best user experience, enterprises need to integrate and manage multiple form factors, operating systems and legacy systems. This is echoed in the findings, with enterprise leaders saying their companies need the following post-pandemic:

 
  1. Better data analytics, troubleshooting and issue resolution — 69%
  2. Better business intelligence to help navigate future unforeseen issues — 68%
  3. Better tools to diagnose issues before they become a problem — 67%
  4. Improved security and user authentication across all mobile devices — 67%
  5. Ways to better manage their expanded portfolio of mobile devices — 56%

 

 

Looking Towards the Future

In the immediate future, the recent pace of change looks like it will continue. Over the next 12 months, more than two-thirds (71%) of organisations are considering increasing their expenditure in mobile devices, systems and/or security, while more than half (56%) of organisations are considering increasing their expenditure on technology for better device and system integration and/or replacing legacy systems.

Sarah Edge, Director of Sales, UK and Ireland at SOTI, comments: “Around the world, mobile and Internet connected technologies have become even more integral to the way we live and do business than before the pandemic. For enterprises, this has presented both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is to meet these changing customer expectations and adapt to an increasingly volatile socio-economic climate with the right technologies and the right customer experiences, at the same time as preparing for the future.

“Change and disruption also brings opportunity for those who can see mobility as an enabler, rather than an obstacle,” continues Edge. “These findings indicate that there’s still significant efficiency and cost gains to be made from better integration of these technologies into workflows, employee practices and the customer experience.”

Report Methodology

1,400 interviews were conducted using an online methodology amongst IT decision-makers (Managers, Directors, Senior Management and C-Suite) working in any vertical in companies with 50 or more global employees across eight countries. All respondents are aged 18 and over. Fieldwork was conducted from July 22 to August 4, 2021.

Interviews with respondents were split across eight international markets as follows: USA (300 interviews), Canada (130 interviews), Mexico (150 respondents), UK (300 interviews), Germany (170 interviews), Sweden (100 interviews), France (150 respondents) and Australia (100 interviews).

News

Council seeks views from Denbighshire businesses

To help Denbighshire County Council shape support to businesses across the county, a survey has been launched today (October 4).

The Council is asking businesses how it can improve and enhance its support following the Covid-19 pandemic.

All the information collected will assist the Council in focusing on which support areas we can improve on or adapt to the changing needs of businesses as we move forward out of the pandemic.

The Council is calling on all local businesses to highlight factors including how trade has gone for them in the last 18 months, the impact of the pandemic, how they have adapted to changes brought in, the engagement with public protection and also adapting to the needs of climate change.

Cllr Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of the Council and Lead Member for the Economy and Corporate Governance, said: “We are fully aware that the last 18 months have brought an extremely difficult and challenging time to the Denbighshire business community.

“Many businesses have had to adapt and evolve due to the impact of the pandemic.

“We want to hear your valuable thoughts and views through this survey to help us shape and develop the support we continue to provide to drive forward our economic recovery and growth.”

To take part in the survey click on the link www.denbighshire.gov.uk/business-survey

Businesses taking part in the survey will receive a report collated from all the information received. All individual responses will be kept anonymous.

ESG Investments, News, Pensions

ESG issues to be placed at the forefront of pension investments

LEADING independent pensions and employee benefit advisors Quantum Advisory has addressed the importance of placing environmental, social and government (ESG) considerations at the forefront of decisions to invest assets to ensure a sustainable future.

Investment consultant at Quantum, Stefano Carnevale, spoke during an hour-long webinar with ICAEW South, South West and Wales, focussing on ESG issues and opportunities for trustees of small to medium defined benefit pension schemes.

In light of pressing megatrends such as climate change, inequality, digitalisation and cybersecurity, Stefano said: “When considering sustainability and responsible investing, it’s often the case that most investors focus solely on environmental concerns, yet we must not ignore the social and governance impacts as all three facets of ESG play a role in creating a better future.

“Younger investors are driving trustees and pension providers to incorporate ESG into investment decisions which will generate positive, long-term returns. Luckily, ESG asset options are becoming more accessible through a rise in pooled products and investment vehicles, allowing for both passive and actively managed funds.”

In addition to commitments to align portfolios with metrics such as the Paris Agreement, trustees will also need to demonstrate ESG considerations through stricter reporting procedures.

To date, UK pension schemes are required to update their Statement of Investment Principles (SIP) to reflect the trustee’s policies on financially material considerations (including ESG), non-financial considerations, stewardship and governance requirements.

From this month (October 2021), UK pension schemes are required to produce an annual implementation statement to show how the policies reported in SIPs have been actioned.

Stefano said: “As the regulator becomes more heavily involved, trustees will need to show that they have effective governance to assess and manage ESG risks and opportunities. We would recommend that trustees familiarise themselves with the Taskforce for Climate-Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) and their disclosures for governance, strategy, risk management, metrics and targets in readiness for future reporting practices.”

Quantum Advisory, which has five offices across the UK, including Amersham, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff and London, provides pension and employee benefits services to employers, scheme trustees and members. For more information about Quantum Advisory, please visit https://quantumadvisory.co.uk.

Acquisitions & Partnerships, News

The Restory announces partnership with Nicholas Kirkwood

Luxury aftercare specialist The Restory is joining forces with Nicholas Kirkwood, as their aftercare partner for the eponymous brand in the UK and globally. The partnership extends Nicholas Kirkwood’s testament to sustainability and delivers the promise that luxury can be for life.

Vanessa Jacobs, Founder & CEO of The Restory, comments: “Nicholas Kirkwood is one of the most iconic brands of the last decade and we are thrilled to launch our partnership powering their aftercare. Trusted aftercare is crucial to sustainability and we are grateful to our partners at Farfetch for continuing to help transform aftercare into an integral part of the fashion experience.”

Nicholas Kirkwood comments: “We couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with The Restory to help giving new life to our shoes. As part of our commitment towards sustainability, we aim to continue choosing the best quality, durable materials, with the added goal of finding new natural and compostable alternatives to virgin plastic and its derivates. With the help of The Restory, we hope to bring new life to our client’s most loved shoes.”

From 4th October 2021, Nicholas Kirkwood customers can access a wide range of aftercare services from re-heeling and cleaning through to leather restoration and repair to extend the life of their shoes. The service will be available directly through the Nicholas Kirkwood website, through Farfetch Platform Solutions.

Farfetch’s partnership with The Restory launched in 2021 with the service Farfetch Fix, delivering luxury aftercare services direct to Farfetch’s customers internationally.

Thomas Berry, Global Director of Sustainable Business at Farfetch, comments: “It’s great to see two of our partners working together to develop this fantastic service, and we’re pleased to know we played a part bringing it to market. The Farfetch Group is committed to sustainability and, over time, we’d love to enable access to services like The Restory for other Farfetch Platform Solution clients and partners.”

The Restory is the world’s first aftercare platform and has elevated the market by combining the art of craft with the power of technology. Their proprietary technology, also available independently, is built bespoke for aftercare needs and enables order and service management at scale as well as delivering a customer experience with e-commerce simplicity. For the first time in the fashion industry, The Restory enables access to trusted aftercare at scale which is worth over $200 billion globally. The brand has established itself as the leading aftercare provider within the industry, amongst both clients and partners.

HRTech, News

Putting customers first sees IRIS Software Group make debut on Fosway 2021 9-GridTM for Cloud HR as a Strong Performer

IRIS Software (IRIS), a leading software provider of human capital management (HCM) solutions, is today announcing it has debuted on the Fosway 2021 9-GridTM for Cloud HR as a Strong Performer. This impressive entrance is a result of IRIS’ dedication to place customers at the heart of its software solutions, empowering HR and payroll teams make better decisions, faster.

IRIS’ position a a Strong Performer reflects IRIS’ high level of customer advocacy and the significant presence of its software solutions in the market with IRIS’ focus on ensuring HR leaders can guide their workforce in this period of uncertainty and enable smarter HR key factors contributing to high levels of customer satisfaction.

The Fosway 9-GridTM for Cloud HR provides a unique assessment of the principal Cloud HR supply options available to organisations in EMEA. The analysis is based on extensive independent research and insights from Fosway’s Corporate Research Network of over 250 customer organisations, including BP, HSBC, PwC, RBS, Sanofi, Shell and Vodafone.

IRIS’ strong debut on the Fosway 2021 9-GridTM for Cloud HR is based on its current product offerings. IRIS will look to further strengthen its positioning in the Fosway 9-GridTM for Cloud HR in the future as it executes its ambitious product roadmap, adding additional functionality to both its HR and Payroll offerings.

Ross Tracey, IRIS Software Group’s Managing Director for HCM comments, “We understand that delivering powerful employee engagement is at the heart of what HR teams do and always comes first. To maintain that focus we know our customers need connected information about their employees at their fingertips, especially as HR professionals are at the forefront of the employee experience.

“We’re delighted to make our debut entrance into the Fosway Cloud HR 9-GridTM as a Strong Performer. It highlights our dedication to putting customers first and providing the solutions HR professionals need to focus on what matters, making the best decisions for their people and business. We will look to accelerate our position in the Strong Performer Zone by ensuring our roadmap continues to take the pain out of processes for all HR teams.”

David Wilson, CEO at Fosway says, “IRIS is a welcome addition to the Fosway 2021 9-Grid™ for Cloud HR. Its debut appearance as a Strong Performer reflects the positive impact it has on customers by providing a seamless user experience. Quick and easy access to people analytics helps customers make better and more responsive HR decisions.”

To download the full  Fosway 9-GridTM for Cloud HR report, please click here.