Monthly Archives: February 2022

Hyperconvergence, News

Nutanix Survey Highlights the Culture Shifts and Technology Innovation Needed for New Digital Norm

Nutanix has announced the findings of the recently commissioned IDC CXO Survey, outlining that while companies are building better digital habits and systems, a shift is needed from digital culture to value realisation. Surveying leaders across EMEA, the IDC InfoBrief, sponsored by Nutanix, From Digital Culture to Value Realisation showed that 84% of IT leads in EMEA are under pressure to deliver on digital transformation (DX) strategies, and 90% of organisations in EMEA recognise that having a digital-first approach is now a must-have.

“With the pandemic accelerating the rate at which companies have invested in and deployed digital solutions, IDC predicts that in 2022 more than half of the global economy will be based on or influenced by digital solutions,” said Sammy Zoghlami, SVP EMEA at Nutanix. “Digital-first not only requires a system rethink, but it also requires a corporate mindset where all C-suite executives see their digital technologies as the catalyst for business growth. The survey clearly states that organisations must consider potential challenges and costs when running multiple cloud instances, highlighting the ongoing need for better multi-cloud management and streamlined deployment to avoid cloud sprawl.”

The survey shows that translating digital investments into new revenue streams is a top priority for EMEA organisations, as is data and innovation. Yet respondents believe the onus can no longer rest solely on the shoulders of the IT department and need to be embraced by the C-suite as globally we come to terms with what a digital culture, digital infrastructure and digital-first means to an organisation.

Key findings from the survey revealed:

Turning investments into revenue – Over 64% of EMEA organisations say they have a digital strategy in place. Still, only 3% say they have an enterprise-wide digital strategy that has led to new revenue streams. There is, however, a disconnect between business, of which 32% state they are in a proof-of-concept pilot stage for their digital projects and IT, of whom only 5% say their companies are developing digital strategies to support new revenue streams.

From IT to C-suite – Respondents are clear that for a digital strategy to have an impact, it is essential to bid farewell to hierarchical structures and move to more fluid and orchestrated approaches between IT and leadership teams. Out of the respondents questioned, at least 47% say that the sign-off belongs to a CXO different from a tech lead for their DX initiatives.

Shaping digital culture – When asked what measures DX leaders are considering to transform the organisation’s culture effectively, the following three were ranked the highest: promoting change in management awareness, redefining the missions and evaluations of existing businesses and new businesses, and promoting behavioural change in individuals by renewing the company’s purpose and action guidelines.

Key pillars for shaping digital culture – According to the survey, three key pillars stand out in how C-suites must cooperate to create the digital culture, using the cloud as the enabler for all three digital culture streams. These are value economics, data-driven innovation and the future workplace. The numbers to support this show that 50% of EMEA organisations think that additional investments in managed infrastructure will help deliver better digital value, and 30% say they are co-creating new products with customers and partners. In terms of the workplace, 35% of organisations think that ensuring equal access to information and digital tools to all staff regardless of location will challenge the future workplace.

Managing cloud sprawl remains a crucial challenge for businesses starting their digital journey. As a result, finance departments are stepping up to put measures in place to curb expenditure and manage cloud usage. In support of this, 77% have redesigned purchasing processes to enable pay-as-you-use and consumption models, 58% have rationalised business and developer expenditure in external cloud resources, and over 55% have actively reduced costs on legacy on-premises systems.

“Customers no longer just want infrastructure solutions that help them reduce costs today. They want solutions that offer them the flexibility to traverse multiple hybrid cloud environments while cutting operating costs in the long term. As much as embracing digital-first systems requires a culture shift, it still requires a technology makeover so that a business can innovate, partner and explore new revenue streams,” commented Andrea Siviero, Associate Research Director, IDC. “Looking ahead, those that invest in people, innovate on data and automate processes, will have built the business resilience needed by the modern enterprise.”

Employee Benefits, News

UK employers seeing significant changes in what employees expect at work: Aon Benefits and Trends Survey 2022

  • 93 percent of employers believe their employees’ expectations at work are changing
  • The number of employers that think their employees expect better handling of mental health has risen by 44 percentage points in a year
  • ESG a “board-level issue” as employers recognise changing expectations around environmental issues
  • Higher expectations around employer approach to DEI

 

Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, has released research revealing that 93 percent of UK employers think employees’ expectations around their work experiences are changing. The largest shifts focus on employer purpose as well as employee mental health, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

According to Aon’s UK Benefits and Trends Survey 2022, there has been a 44 percentage point increase in the number of employers that recognise their employees expect better awareness and handling of mental health – rising from 38 percent to 82 percent in the last year.

There are also higher expectations around employer actions when it comes to ESG and DEI issues. Seventy-seven percent of employers think employees expect better approaches to DEI, up from 70 percent last year. Six in 10 employers (60 percent) think employees expect more emphasis on environmental and sustainability policies or benefits, up from 51 percent in 2021.

Colin Barnes, head of advisory and specialities, Aon, said:

“The results of this year’s survey show the rapid rise in the importance of wellbeing, inclusivity and sustainability. What an employer stands for – the purpose and brand – is incredibly important, particularly in this labour market where people are choosing their roles carefully. Employees and candidates are generally seeking an employer that provides purpose, offers diversity, equity and inclusion and shows genuine care for its impact on the planet, the community in which it operates and the people that it employs.

“Over the past two years, employers have been reminded about the importance of looking after their people. Initially, this was a reactive response to safeguard their employees’ wellbeing, but quickly evolved into a realisation that a healthy and resilient workforce is more engaged and more productive.

“In addition, organisations increasingly need to demonstrate to a range of stakeholders how they make a positive impact through ESG factors and sustainability. It’s increasingly a board-level issue.”

Employers believe the two top employee expectations are flexible working hours and agile working, at 95 percent and 94 percent, respectively. These are largely unchanged from last year (93 percent and 95 percent, respectively). There has, however, been a significant increase in the expectation of casual dress, up to 55 percent from 41 percent last year.

The Aon UK Benefits and Trends Survey 2022 also shows better alignment in what employees expect and how organisations are responding. Half of companies (50 percent) now have an agile working policy in place, up from 43 percent last year. Seventy percent of employers are planning to introduce more benefits to support ESG issues and nearly a quarter (23 percent) have already done so. In addition, 72 percent stated that they plan to introduce more benefits to support DEI and 23 percent have already taken action in this space.

There is an awareness from UK employers, however, that they are not meeting the needs of all generations in the workplace; 42 percent state this is the case, while 81 percent recognise that meeting the needs of future generations will mean evolving their benefits offering further.

Barnes summarised: “Employers are responding to employee expectations by taking a hard look at their external and internal brand because employees can be, and are being, more selective about their employer. Employers know that to recruit, retain and engage the right talent, they must continually redefine their Employer Value Propositions (EVP) and benefits strategies to align with their broader purpose, their values and the significantly different needs of today’s – and tomorrow’s – employees.”

More information about how Aon helps businesses build resilient workforces is available here. To access Aon’s UK Benefits and Trends Survey 2022, click here.

News

Top Tax-Free Investments to Consider

Having a diverse portfolio of investments will help secure assets and potentially bolster them greatly. The average UK household only holds £5,500 in savings, and typically, these savings are held in traditional saving accounts.

Whilst traditional banking is considered ‘safe’, it does mean people aren’t taking advantage of the numerous tax-free investment opportunities there are to grow their wealth almost exponentially.

Why is diversifying a portfolio important

Diversifying your investment portfolio means that because you’re spreading capital across more than one investment category, you’re better able to protect your assets should one of the sectors you’ve invested in crash.

Not only does a diverse portfolio help protect your assets, but it can also help increase your profit potential too – especially when you choose a tax-free investment method.

Top tax-free investment methods

Knowing how to increase your wealth in a tax-efficient way is a cornerstone to investing and it can have a huge impact on your overall wealth.

Here are some of our top tax-free investments you should consider to help grow your wealth and ultimately, give you the freedom to live your life.

Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs)

Perhaps the most widely recognised form of investment, Individual Savings Accounts, more commonly known as ISAs, are a great starting block for investors. Created by the government in 1999, ISAs are designed to encourage saving and investing thanks to their generous tax breaks.

If you’re serious about investing and want to grow your wealth, then a great starting point is the Innovative Finance ISA, the IFISA. An IFISA allows you to use your tax-free ISA allowance to invest in peer-to-peer lending. P2P lending allows you to lend money to borrowers and businesses, who then pay back the amount borrowed, plus interest.

Spread betting

If you’ve heard of forex trading, then you may have heard of spread betting. Spread betting enables you to place a bet on the potential future of a market. Because of its speculative nature, spread betting in the UK is exempt from both Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and Stamp Duty.

Just like betting on a horse doesn’t mean you own a share in a horse when you spread bet, you’re not buying a share of the company, you’re merely betting on how well it will perform in the future.

Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)

EIS offers investors the chance to invest in unlisted businesses, which is great considering the entrepreneurial boom we’re seeing post-pandemic. Because of the inherent risks associated with investing in a new/unknown business, tax relief is used to help offset this uncertainty.

The primary form of tax relief is 30% on the value of your investment, plus the ability to defer capital gains.

 

Careers, Climate, News

A green future for Wales: Over 60,000 jobs could be created in the green economy by 2022

A report published by Careers Wales, the national careers advice service in Wales, reveals more than 60,000 new green jobs could be created by 2022 within the Welsh economy.

Careers Wales’ recent ‘Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the labour market in Wales’ report shows how the transformation towards a greener economy will lead to a growing eco-industry and, ultimately, to greater employment opportunities in Wales.

Green jobs are increasing as businesses work to comply with environmental impact policies. A ‘green job’ encompasses roles that deliver goods and services which are likely to help the UK generate lower emissions of greenhouse gases, the ‘greening’ of existing jobs, and the development of green skills.

Careers Wales report analysing Wales’ green economy during 2020-21 identifies the increase in demand for green jobs from online job postings across 366 job titles for the sector.  A 72% increase in the number of ‘green jobs’ over the last five years is a good indicator of increased job opportunities.

Wales TUC estimate over 60,000 indirect and 45,500 direct jobs could be created as part of the green recovery over a 2-year period with government investment in key projects.

Having the right skills and training in place will be crucial for ensuring a green future for Wales in delivering good quality livelihoods whilst supporting rapid decarbonisation and improving biodiversity.

The most in-demand green jobs by unique employer postings over the last year in Wales include:

  • Recycling Managers with 244 postings
  • Environmental Health officers with 89 postings
  • Environmental health and safety specialists with 89 posting.

While there has been a strong increase in demand for specific green jobs, these roles are only a small share of the rising green demand. Wider green skills across jobs in other sectors are increasing at an even more rapid pace, with around 70,000 more green skills career opportunities available in the UK from 2018 to 2021.

As well as being its own specialist sector, the ‘greening’ of existing roles means green skills and jobs are in demand in other industries such as construction, manufacturing, engineering and science, as businesses transition to comply with various statutory obligations relating to social impact, reducing waste and omissions and the race to achieve net zero globally.

There is high demand for green jobs in skilled technical trades such as energy efficiency, environmental services, and renewable energy, as well as job prospects at the lower end of the skills spectrum including process and machine operatives in environmental services.

When looking at the advertised salaries for all jobs against green jobs over the last 5 years in Wales, Careers Wales’ report shows how, on average, green job postings paid £1,504 more than others, with green jobs averaging a salary of £26,644 per annum.

Nikki Lawrence, Chief Executive at Careers Wales, said: “It’s great to see the demand for talent with green jobs and skills increase as businesses develop their commitments and actions to achieve climate and sustainability goals.

“The environmental transformation will expose skills gaps, offering wider job opportunities to the young people of Wales, as well as for those looking to change their career or upskill and grow in their current role within businesses adjusting to a greener economy.”

Sophie Howe, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, said: “The national political agenda towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions is accelerating the demand for specialists and new ‘green’ jobs are emerging across all sectors.

“Reports highlight the substantial growth of the green economy, especially in the last two years, and this is set to progress with the level of job creation being significant compared to existing numbers.

“The growing industry presents a great opportunity for young people in Wales to enter a new world of work, with the potential to provide long-term employment and create greener communities for us all.”

Careers Wales provides inclusive and impartial careers guidance and coaching service to the people of Wales. From helping you to plan your career and preparing to get a job, to finding and applying for the right apprenticeships, courses and training, Careers Wales experts are available to provide you with personalised careers support tailored to you.

Is there a particular green job that interests you? Search ‘Careers Wales Job Information’ to find out what the job involves, what the pay is like, and how to get in. You can also browse through a number of green industries such as Energy and Utilities and Environmental and Conservation to explore other green careers you could enter.

For more information search Careers Wales, call free on 0800 028 4844, speak via the webchat, or email post@careerswales.gov.wales.

 

Data & Analytics, News, Tech Thought Leadership

The ‘promise’ of analytics to change our lives

Written by Paul Scholey, Vice President International Sales at Sisense

Data and analytics hold a kind of ‘power’ – and we can use that power to build online security, prevent financial crime and even fend off cybercriminals. But there are still so many other ways we can improve the world through analytics. It can make business more personal, help us save lives in mission-critical situations, and ultimately empower people to invent brand new products we can’t dream of.

I truly believe that insights from data can change the world and people’s lives from the ground up, and we are beginning to see just how analytics can help people go from envisioning the future, to actually building it.

Despite this, as business people, we often actually undersell the true potential and ‘promise’ of data and analytics. We often mistakenly consider them as simply boring, table-stakes necessities that help us track financial metrics, optimise business processes and make data-driven decisions. Although these are all real benefits, analytics can be so much more important, not just to our businesses, but to everybody across the entire world.

 

Empowering people in the age of analytics

In many ways, analytics is actually very personal. This is more evident than ever due to the Covid-19 pandemic, where everyone continues to endure immense disruption to their daily lives, both personal and professional.

The restaurant industry is one of the obvious examples. Many of them, especially smaller restaurants, had to become digital businesses overnight. They learned to take online orders, organise pickups and deliveries, optimise menu items and create loyalty programs. This is hard work, and for many of us, digital transformation has taken more than a decade. Restaurants did not have this type of time.

Thankfully, we’ve seen companies like Personica step in, providing critical analytics technology to their restaurant customers. Their work has made it possible for many restaurants to adapt and stay in business as if they were online businesses all along. It also means that many of us still have our favorite restaurants to enjoy during these times.

 

Championing analytics to save lives

When we do the hard work of making insights from data available to people, we do more than just optimise numbers or use AI to do ‘fancy tricks’. The decisions we make every day can affect real people. Analytics is what gives us the power to make smarter, faster decisions, and often mission-critical ones that save lives and livelihoods.

This is most evident in the healthcare field, which has also had to reinvent itself in a remote-first world despite striving to provide extremely personal care. Just like the restaurant industry, many health care providers moved its operations online while still retaining a human feel. Analytics helped make this possible by helping healthcare providers optimise appointments, wait times, and even providing customised experiences based on a patient’s prior medical history.

Today, medical tech company Ava uses AI and IoT to help women become pregnant without intrusive techniques or other treatments. Thanks to their work in personalising medical care specifically for women, more than 30,000 babies were born. We are literally seeing new life right in front of us, due to creative uses of analytics.

Meanwhile addressing mental health issues, which are increasingly surfacing since  the pandemic began, are also being addressed with data. Today, there are companies providing 1-800 hotlines for those who need emotional support or are struggling with suicidal thoughts. Some of these hotlines are actually backed by analytics that pair the right mental health professionals with the right caller based on his or her needs.

Sometimes, analytics even helps these professionals choose the right answers. This work is an important reminder of the power of analytics, and that behind the scenes, analytics often can often mean the difference when helping somebody in need.

 

Analytics, AI and the promise of a better future

It’s understandable that when first we hear about cutting-edge technology, especially in analytics, that it seems a little ‘cold and robotic’. We often think data turns us into ]optimisation robots that act however the data tells us to act’, but this is a myth and was never the purpose of analytics.

The truth is, it goes the other way around. Analytics helps us solve very human problems and change the world for the better. In fact, when we make people the focus of analytics and put its power into their hands, we see people invent and innovate, creating brand new products and services in health care, education, entertainment, and much more.

If we want to drive more innovation at scale, we need to make the power of analytics accessible to everybody. This has been the goal of business intelligence from the very beginning. We must continue to make insights from data available to all people so that we can better connect with others, build stronger and more diverse teams, and build products previous generations couldn’t dream of.

I believe this is the promise of analytics—the power to help us take ideas and use modern data and analytics to transform our lives and enhance our future for the better.

 

About the Author:

As Vice President of International Sales, Paul Scholey is responsible for growing the Sisense business in EMEA and APAC. He brings over 25 years’ of experience in the software industry, having previously worked in and led teams in consulting, pre-sales, and sales. Paul has a track record of growing early stage and midsize software companies, with specialization in building sales teams focused on accountability and value-based selling. Most recently, he was SVP of International at BlueJeans by Verizon. Prior to that, Paul held a variety of leadership positions at Oracle, Teradata, Pentaho and Business Objects.

 

About Sisense:

Sisense goes beyond traditional business intelligence by providing organisations with the ability to infuse analytics everywhere, embedded in both customer and employee applications and workflows. Sisense customers are breaking through the barriers of analytics adoption by going beyond the dashboard with Sisense Fusion – the highly customisable, AI-driven analytics cloud platform, that infuses intelligence at the right place and the right time, every time. More than 2,000 global companies rely on Sisense to innovate, disrupt markets and drive meaningful change in the world. Ranked as the No. 1 Business Intelligence company in terms of customer success, Sisense has also been named one of the Forbes’ Cloud 100, The World’s Best Cloud Companies, six years in a row. Visit us at www.sisense.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

Climate, Logistics, News

Another Year Passes and The Climate Change Deadline Looms Ever Closer

Written by Mark Perera, CEO, Vizibl

As 2022 gets underway, we are reminded once again that the 2030 climate change deadline looms ever nearer. The key goal is to keep global warming to 1.5˚C – a task which, despite the efforts of global leaders at the UN’s Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November last year, remains a herculean undertaking.

The ‘what, why, when, and how’ we should tackle this pressing issue were key topics for discussion and debate at our recent Decade of our Lives event. I therefore thought it worth sharing a recap of the key discussion points, from our expert cast of practitioner speakers who shared their insights around climate, carbon, and the Scope 3 challenge.

 

Actions beats inaction, every time

The Decade of our Lives: Climate, Carbon and the Scope 3 Challenge event highlighted not only the scale of the task facing businesses and the world at large, but also the ticking clock that’s becoming ever-present in our lives. In his keynote, “Action beats inaction, every time”, Jim Massey, Chief Sustainability Officer of Zai Lab, and former VP ESG of AstraZeneca, outlined just how urgent the challenge has become. He commented: “As a former high school athlete, it has always been exciting to watch the countdown of the clock, the end of the game,” he says. “This, however, is a very different feeling for me. This is literally life and death. This isn’t walking off the court a winner or a loser.”

Jim put forward a compelling case for not only action, but the importance of immediacy. He reminded us all that for every five weeks that pass, another 1% of the decade slips away too. The urgency of this call to action is ever-present in my mind as I write this article.

One unsettling takeaway from our event was that as temperature rises continue to march on at an unforgiving pace, the planet has already warmed by 1.1˚C, further emphasising the enormity of the challenge that lies ahead if we are to limit warming to 1.5˚C. Given the power in procurement’s hands to contribute significantly to the climate change challenge before us, Jim is intent on ensuring this isn’t just seen as a daunting task, but as an opportunity to drive change.

 

Being an early adopter is not easy

However, not every decision will be easy. He reminded us that “It’s a challenge to be an early adopter,” recounting his own experiences in an electric car during a period when chargers were few and far between. He added: “One charger was broken, and we had to wait 30 minutes while another vehicle was charging. It’s tough to be an early adopter when the infrastructure isn’t fully there. It’s about how you bring others along and how you maintain your patience. The actions you’re going to take in the next five weeks might feel uncomfortable – but if you don’t do that action, then who will?”

There were those who said that the pandemic would derail the UK’s sustainability drive and that the desire to fight climate change would instead be replaced by something more fundamental – a scramble for businesses to survive. But, if anything, the disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic has merely served to emphasise just how critical tackling global warming is. In fact, I would go as far as to say that it has gained pace during COVID-19.

 

Collaboration is key

Cesare Guarini, the Director of Sustainability Procurement of Philip Morris International, emphasised the importance of collaboration during the event. Using a powerful quote from British explorer Robert Swann – the first person to walk to both the North and South Poles – he reminded us that “the greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” This statement, he argued, illustrates that this isn’t a crisis that can be solved by individuals working alone: we are all accountable, and this, at its basis, is a collective issue.

This is a fact that Emir Sassi, Global Head of Procurement Sustainability at Novartis, knows only too well.

Novartis is a company that has committed to carbon neutrality by 2030, and during the conference Sassi admitted, to some extent, that this very public commitment represents a giant step into the unknown, saying: “We didn’t necessarily know what needed to be done – we just knew that we needed to get there.”

It’s that kind of bold, can-do attitude which now typifies the approach companies are taking to the environment, and it’s refreshing and impressive in equal measure. Novartis has spent 2021 segmenting its supply base and identifying which suppliers are necessary to work with in order to achieve its sustainability ambitions, a clear demonstration that alignment and collaboration within supply chains is at the core of this fight.

 

Powerful developments in sustainability

And finally, Deborah Dull, an expert and thought leader on circular supply chains, spoke about the exciting developments taking place in the sustainability space, highlighting the fact that technology is moving rapidly in areas like carbon capture, avenues of regeneration that would have seemed impossible just a short time ago and are now within reach.

“We only have 0.4˚C left [until the 1.5˚C target is exceeded], so I would argue that we don’t have ten years, we have eight months,” she says. “Therefore, we really have to get our act together at this point. The regeneration piece becomes critical for us. We need to start imagining a different type of supply chain, a different type of operating model and business model and certainly different materials.”

Regeneration, collective responsibility, collaboration, and cautious positivity were four key takeaways from an event which not only illustrated the collective desire for action in procurement, supply chain, and sustainability functions, but also reminded everyone collectively that the future starts now.

The next five weeks signify 1% of the most important decade of our lives. And now is the time, as you start to put in place plans for 2022, to look at what you can do immediately to get closer to this target. This is the single most important decade for climate action, and change must happen now. Millions of lives will depend on it.

 

Carbon Reduction, Climate, News

Chamber event reveals benefits of net zero for SMEs

Wales, as a nation, has set out to achieve net zero by 2050, in line with many countries around the world.

However, the Welsh Government has also set a target for the public sector to reach this commitment by 2030 and many large corporations have set similar targets.

Although SMEs are not necessarily obligated to meet these interim targets, the impact will be felt within the supply chain and procurement with businesses potentially losing out on contracts if they cannot demonstrate their own net zero commitments.

Taking part in a Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid facilitated event on February 17, industry experts joined together to inspire and support SMEs on their net zero journeys, discussing the benefits for business and how SMEs can play a role towards national and global goals.

Hosted by Professor Paul Harrison, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Innovation and Engagement at the University of South Wales, the event featured contributions from panellists Rob Allison, Director at Auditel; Randall Edwards, Director of Corporate Finance at Aspen Waite; Howard Gray, Director of Business Consulting, Sustainability and Climate Change at CGI; and Catherine Westoby, Net Zero Engagement Lead for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

In a Chamber survey in the latter half of 2021, only 14% of businesses in Wales had already implemented a strategy to help their company reach net zero and over half of respondents had not yet created a strategy, citing uncertainty of how to proceed as a barrier.

During the event, the panel sought to increase understanding of net zero terminology and point SMEs towards useful resources.

Catherine Westoby said: “It can be terribly confusing; there is so much information and so many resources out there. It makes it tricky for small businesses to know where to begin.

“As part of the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign, we [the UK Government] created the UK Business Climate Hub. It’s a one stop shop for advice with cheap, quick and simple actions that SMEs can take to measure and manage their emissions.”

Rob Allison said: “Trying to be environmentally conscious when running your business just 15 years ago was cost prohibitive but now it is beginning to be commercially sensible. For those starting out carbon neutrality can be a stepping stone towards net zero which delivers year-on-year gains, but this must not be an isolated strategy and action must be taken to make a greater difference in the long term.”

Opportunities for innovation, corporate and social responsibility, and competitive advantages were also explored.

Randall Edwards said: “The relationship between transitioning to a green economy and shareholder value is inextricably linked. If you are part of a larger supply chain or rely on procurement to attain business, you cannot afford not to be transitioning. From a shareholder value perspective, you can achieve a massive premium by being the first in your sector or micro sector to transition.”

Howard Gray said: “The opportunities for SMEs to become more responsible and sustainable businesses will give them a value to shareholders and stakeholders but, more broadly, organisations that think of their impact from a sustainability perspective tend to grow quicker and be more innovative.”

Telecoms

Passenger hand signalling at end of line as Telent installs new request to stop technology

Warwick, U.K., February 28, 2022 – Passengers at remote rail stations on the Far North Line in Scotland will soon wave goodbye to years of hand-signalling train drivers if they wish to board the train.

A new ‘request to stop’ system is being deployed by critical infrastructure firm Telent at Altnabreac, Culrain, Dunrobin Castle, Invershin, Kinbrace, Kildonan, Rogart, and Scotscalder stations. Trains on the line currently operate on a request to stop basis – meaning passengers must hand signal approaching trains to stop.

Telent is currently installing the new technology – part of a contract for a £5m Network Rail improvement package – using the existing RETB radio signalling system. With the new system, the driver will be notified on approaching the station if there are passengers waiting to board. Trains will be able to maintain line speed if no passengers are alighting or boarding the train, whereas currently they need to slow down every time they pass a station.

Ken Kyle, Business Development Manager at Telent, said “We are delighted to be working with Network Rail Scotland to deliver an improved passenger experience on the Far North Line. Many people depend on transport links like the Far North Line on a daily basis, so we’re really proud to be part of making needed upgrades to make people’s lives easier and help encourage positive impacts on the local economies.”

The new equipment is scheduled to go live across all eight stations on the line from late Summer 2022. Installations are underway across the stations and Scotscalder has been selected for initial trials and functional testing of the enhanced system prior to it being rolled-out.

Partnership Manager at HITRAN the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership Frank Roach, who lives on the line, said: “Allowing trains to pass through at linespeed if there is no requirement to call at the station means an environmental gain as brakes and fuel are saved and provides a performance buffer. The request to stop kiosks will be of great benefit to local residents and visitors alike, additionally providing real-time running information for the first time.”

As well as the request to stop deployment, Telent has been contracted by Network Rail to enhance the radio coverage across the route through deployment of additional network infrastructure at Muir of Ord, Kildonan, Wick and Invergordon.

This will improve the reliability and resilience of the communications network across the route which will improve the overall passenger experience for those travelling on the line.

For more information about Telent, please visit: https://telent.com/

News

IGEL & LG distributor, Getech, makes strategic shift to AVD capitalizing on IGEL OS-powered LG thin client desktops

UK, Reading. February 28, 2022 – IGEL, provider of the next gen edge OS for cloud workspaces, announces today that Getech has selected its endpoint software running on LG Cloud Device thin client devices as part of a company-wide strategic shift to cloud desktop virtualisation and update of ageing desktop hardware.

This is a notable customer win for IGEL and LG. Getech is a leading thin client distributor in the UK based on revenue, market knowledge and sales expertise. Over and above all the other well-known brands it supplies, Getech selected IGEL OS and LG for its own corporate solution.

Guy Watts, Getech’s managing director, explains, “We’ve been selling IGEL’s technology for the past six years. IGEL OS was chosen because it’s hardware agnostic – it runs on any x86-64 device – as well as providing a variety of cost, management and security benefits. It means we can truly say to our customers that IGEL OS works, backed up by detailed technical advice based on our own experiences.”

Founded in 1989 and privately owned, Getech is a hybrid distribution and reseller business with its headquarters in Ipswich along with a 4,000 sq m storage facility. The site is home to the firm’s configuration and engineering centres, logistics, sales and administrative functions. Turnover for the year ending December 2021 was £72m, with the thin client business making up £12m of this.

Capitalising on its familiarity using Microsoft Windows server platforms and applications, Getech has migrated to Azure Virtual Desktops (AVD) – utilizing six Windows 10 multi session hosts – whilst installing CL600 thin client running IGEL OS. This has an AVD client built in enabling easy connectivity. Two LG 24-inch monitors for each of its 85 staff have been purchased as well.

The roll out was simple: 10 minutes per desktop managed by Getech itself department by department, with IGEL Universal Management Suite (UMS) then used to manage the whole desktop estate.

The investment in AVD has also allowed Getech staff to work from home effectively and easily during the Coronavirus pandemic given the new platform is accessed via a standard browser and optimised for Microsoft Teams so that video telephony and workplace collaboration is reliably delivered.

The business previously used Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server 2012 R2 and it was impossible with this legacy platform to provide this kind of functionality for the whole company.

Michael Peck, Getech’s IT manager, says, “The use of Windows Server 2012 R2 caused various issues. Systems admin was difficult, newer apps like Teams aren’t supported, updates will end soon, R2 has the ‘look and feel’ of outdated Windows 8 technology so the user experience isn’t great, and staff struggled to login every morning as the system was slow. This could literally take minutes. In a nutshell, Windows Server 2012 R2 was creaking at the seams and didn’t meet today’s requirements hence the change.”

In addition, from a desktop perspective, Getech’s existing LINUX-based thin client endpoints were already eight years old – long in the tooth from a performance and security perspective – and did not support AVD. Watts adds, “The replacement upgrade was on our radar long before the pandemic hit. Covid and the requirement to offer remote working for staff with video conferencing tools brought this investment programme forward.”

Various benefits of a combined AVD, IGEL OS and LG desktop solution have been realised:

  1. Lower cost. AVD has meant Getech has moved away from on-premise Windows Server 2012 R2 – thereby solving its operational issues – as well as reducing the number of [physical] servers within the business. That’s meant a reduction from 25 to 6 with more to come. More money is being saved as the company’s disaster recovery facility has also been closed as it now has a solution in AVD that’s a proven alternative to a physical DR suite.

Furthermore, compared to other competitive products, the LG Cloud Device CL600 thin clients were attractively priced as they came as a blank chassis with no OS on them. IGEL OS was then loaded straight away. In addition, LG Cloud Device thin clients have a compact fanless design. This means they’re quieter, take less space and use less power which lowers operational costs.

Eleanor McBryde, LG Electronics’ general manager, IT solutions, says, “In the spring of 2022, IGEL OS will also be available pre-installed on select LG All-in-One Thin Clients. The collaboration between IGEL and LG Business Solutions is a result of validation of devices through the IGEL Ready Program as IGEL continues to expand its partner ecosystem.”

  1. Improved performance. In addition to the speed of the new LG endpoint devices – which each come with powerful Intel Celeron Quad Core processors and 4GB / 8GB options of DDR4 memory – the login process to AVD now takes seconds rather than up to two minutes at peak times as with Windows Server 2012 R2. Staff then access Office 365 and a bespoke in-house developed ERP system called G-Sys which combines CRM, sales and finance modules.
  2. Happy users and better team collaboration. AVD also supports Microsoft Teams for dependable desktop video telephony and workgroup collaboration. All users are better-off with larger LG 24-inch monitors which are ergonomically and attractively designed and perform well. Watts adds, “Unmatched by competitors, LG has a superb range of cloud devices including desktop, mobile thin clients with screens, and all-in-one units with monitors of varying sizes: 24, 27 and 34 inches.”
  3. Enhanced reliability and superior platform flexibility. With the old Windows Server 2012 R2 platform, the IT team spent a lot of time solving and fixing problems which often meant taking the system down out of hours. The reliability of AVD means that the focus now is on using time for productive development to enhance the overall environment. Peck says, “Different users work on different virtual machines. With AVD, these are now all in a pool so it doesn’t matter if I now take one offline and update it, staff can use the others. Before, each department had their own server and when updates were required, the respective system couldn’t then be used.”
  4. Easier management. The UMS central management console makes it is straightforward to power on new IGEL OS-powered LG endpoints, set them up in the correct workgroup and then configure each based on the individual needs of the user.
  5. Greener IT. Watts says, “Another reason for moving to AVD and using LG Cloud Device thin clients is that our environmental working group has been looking at our on-prem power consumption. Shifting to the cloud helps with our ISO 140001 certification and delivering on our net zero carbon footprint strategy.”

Watts concludes, “Our confidence in selling a LG-IGEL OS solution has increased since we have deployed it ourselves. I am delighted to say this has resulted in more sales and a bigger pipeline building in 2022.”

Simon Townsend, IGEL’s chief marketing officer, says, “It was a simple process for Getech to adopt AVD for its VDI solution whilst installing LG thin clients running IGEL OS. The timeframe from deciding to do something after lockdown to deployment was impressively short. The best thing is that Getech is a true IGEL evangelist; they practice what they preach. They’re selling our solution which they happily use themselves.”

To watch or link to a film about the Getech project, see link. https://youtu.be/fJJwX19LqzA

News, Tech Thought Leadership

Why senior management needs to make cloud backup a priority

Written by Justin Augat, Vice President of Marketing at iland and 11:11 Systems

At work and at home, backup is critical. From making photocopies of significant documents to digitising old family photos, relying on hard drives to replicating servers, we all know that it’s important to have multiple copies of the information that matters to our families and our businesses. Knowing we should do something, however, isn’t the same as doing it consistently and well – which is why backup often fails.

Many organisations still rely on outdated backup strategies that put the company at risk from cybercrime, human error, physical disasters and more. But because the business “already has a backup plan,” or because backup isn’t a shiny new object, it can be difficult to convince senior management to make it a priority.

Why is backup so important?

Data is the modern business’s most valuable asset – and there is more and more of it every day.

It enables businesses to make smarter, more informed, and more effective decisions. It helps organisations understand and connect to their customers, improve and innovate upon their products and services, outsmart and out-market the competition, offer dynamic pricing models, and optimise everything from manufacturing to IT. It powers technologies like analytics, AI, and machine learning that are already ushering in dramatic changes to business processes and potential. In many cases, data becomes a product in and of itself, opening new revenue streams and paving the way for growth in a rapidly changing economy.

But data can also be a liability. Organisations must ensure that they protect user/consumer data to comply with local, national, and international regulations. As the amount of data generated by every business grows, so does the burden and the imperative to manage it. Companies need data backup they can trust, because losing data can bring grievous repercussions.

The threats just keep coming

Unfortunately, protecting that valuable data becomes harder every year. A combination of external and internal threats puts most organisations’ data under nearly constant attack.

External cybersecurity threats continue to grow dramatically. Viruses, hackers, ransomware, malware, phishing attacks and everything in between can steal or corrupt your organisation’s data.

Internal threats have kept pace with their external counterparts. Forrester predicts that internal incidents will increase 8% and be responsible for 33% of breaches in 2021, driven largely by the pandemic-inspired shift to remote work. These events may stem from accidental data misuse or malicious employee intent and add to the list of ways that data can be lost or corrupted at your organisation.

Physical disasters are also a threat to your organisation’s data. From mechanical malfunctions to extreme weather, physical disasters like fires, floods, earthquakes and hurricanes can damage or destroy the storage and equipment that houses your most critical data. Even if data is backed up to a different media type or storage location than the original, if it is in the same premises, it remains at risk.

How does data loss impact the business?

If the volume and variety of ways that an organisation can lose data is daunting, the impact of that data loss is even more concerning. Senior management needs to understand that backup is a smart investment due to the repercussions, outlined below, which can occur if data is lost.

  • Financial: A data loss incurs financial impact in numerous direct and indirect ways. During the event itself, businesses lose productivity and operations grind to a halt.

The time and effort related to dealing with the breach divert resources from revenue-generating opportunities and inhibit customer service and satisfaction, causing further damage down the line. Businesses impacted by a data breach suffer from increased customer turnover and the cost of acquiring new business due to reputational loss. The lost data itself also comes at a cost. Intellectual property data, as an example, can be worth millions or billions, and if lost or destroyed, may never be able to be recouped.

  • Reputational: For many organisations, much of the long-term financial impact of a data breach stems from reputational damage. Put simply, customers don’t trust companies that lose their data. That lack of trust translates to diminished brand equity and reduced revenue.
  • Individual: Customers abandon businesses that compromise their data with good reason: it can have serious personal ramifications. A data breach that results in the loss of personal sensitive data can lead to identity theft, fraud, and medical setbacks, among others. The negative sentiment generated by these events, of course, rolls back up to the reputational and ultimately financial impact of data loss.
  • Legal: Many companies that experience a data loss event end up with legal and/or regulatory challenges. These range from government fines to the costs of litigation, eDiscovery, private and/or class action lawsuits, and more.

In light of these serious impacts, senior management teams must get to grips with the basics and best practices of backups.

The basics of backup

In today’s business environment, “backup” refers to the process of creating and storing digital copies of data so that the copies can be used if the original data is lost or corrupted. Organisations may back up data from servers, databases, desktops, laptops, mobile devices and more; no matter where valuable data lives, it’s important to back it up.

Traditionally, companies stored backup data using physical media and devices. These range from floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs to flash drives, hard drives, and tape. Today, many businesses are choosing to back up their data on the cloud instead. No matter what type of backup storage you choose, the backup data should be stored on a separate medium than the original data and ideally in a different location. This can be seen in backup best practice with the ‘3-2-1 rule’ where organisations should have at least three copies of their data, stored on at least two types of media, one of which should be offsite and/or in the cloud.

While backing up data sounds like an obvious item on any IT team’s must-do list, a surprising number of organisations struggle to execute backups effectively. For instance, a recent survey found that 85% of organisations don’t back up their data multiple times per day. 26% back up once daily, 28% back up weekly, 20% back up monthly, and 10% don’t back up at all. Further, just 20% of IT professionals follow backup best practices and back up their data on both local media and the cloud.

Even companies that do prioritise backup face some challenges. Backup systems can fail for a number of reasons, including human error, hardware failure and software failure. It’s clear that backup isn’t as simple as it sounds. With so many opportunities for failure, it’s essential to have more than one copy of your data in more than one place.

Selecting the best backup option for your organisation

Data loss is devastating to organisations and can happen to any company, at any time. As a result, backup is an imperative part of any business continuity strategy. But what’s the best backup option for your business?

Many teams, and their leaders, rely on whatever has worked so far. This may be one or a combination of local storage, data center storage, and cloud solutions. Unfortunately, the stakes have risen and the status quo no longer cuts it. As the sophistication, velocity, and volume of internal and external attacks increase, organisations must ensure that their backup system can keep up. For companies today, cloud backup offers the security, resiliency, flexibility, and affordability required to keep pace with the speed of modern business. The advantages of cloud backup include cloud backup offsite; being always accessible, requiring zero maintenance and being more secure, cost-effective and reliable.

As outlined above, the need for an effective backup strategy is more important than ever for organisations. The ever-increasing risk of cyber-attacks and the need for backup systems to cope with this effectively highlights the need for senior management to make cloud backup a priority for their organisation.  Hence, if senior management doesn’t take action, the repercussions after suffering a data loss without an effective backup system in place will be detrimental to the business.