Monthly Archives: March 2022

Business Advice, Events, International Women's Day, News

Inspirational speakers line up at conference to help women elevate and grow their biz

A CONFERENCE to inspire women wanting to break into the wellness sector and follow their entrepreneurial dreams is being held in Chester next week.

The Well-being Warrior Women’s Conference is the idea of Nic Wagstaff, an entrepreneur who runs Inspire-Rewire, and the theme of the event is Elevate and Grow.

In line with International Women’s Day, a collection of inspirational speakers will be hosting short talks on how they have either made the break into wellness full time, or elevated their business to the next level.

Nic is best known for teaching wellness entrepreneurs how to run their own retreats, as well as running her own successful well-being business including running retreats in Chester and around North Wales.

The conference takes place on Thursday, 10 March at Cheshire View, Christleton, near Chester from 9.30am to 3.30pm with the main workshops being held between 10am and 2.30pm.

If you are a woman looking to grow or elevate your well-being business, this is an opportunity to enjoy face to face networking once again and be surrounded by like-minded ladies who are keen to grow or set up their own business, find a collaborator or get advice around PR, Marketing, Branding and Coaching.

The speaker line up is as follows:

Nicola Kemp –  Marketing consultant with independent businesses, who develops their brands, websites and provides marketing support.

Gabi Forrester – Naturopath and health transformation and business mentor for health and wellness practitioners and entrepreneurs.

Claire Marie Quant – PR Expert and Career Clarity Coach for Women 40+ at a crossroads in their lives.

Anne Sheakey – owner of ATTIC Teas and expert in affiliate processes and opportunities.

Nic Wagstaff –  Entrepreneur and Well-being practitioner and creator of Inspire-Rewire.

Speaking about her first Well-being Warrior Conference for Women, Nic Wagstaff said she was inspired to create the event to help and inspire others in the well-being industry and to reinforce her passion to help wellbeing practitioners share their mission and services with ideal clients through her various retreats, events and online groups.

Nic said: “This is just the first conference, and I’ve dedicated this one to women in line with International Women’s Day, but later we will open it up to everyone. As well as bringing together amazing experts in and out of the well-being world, we will understand we are not alone, it’s not for the faint-hearted but that you are truly a warrior, and it’s so worth it.

“Having worked in the well-being business for 7 years after leaving corporate where I worked as Group Head of Learning and Development, I understand how hard it is making that switch to follow your passion, and more than that, I know how it feels to have that sinking feeling after you make that choice of ‘have I done the right thing?’ when times are tough.”

PR Expert and Career Clarity Coach, Claire Marie Quant from Llangollen, North Wales will be hosting one of the workshops with the theme Belief In You. Claire set up her own PR business after quitting corporate life back in 2016. She now combines her two loves of communications with coaching women who find themselves stuck in a rut and at a career crossroads.

Claire said: “I am delighted to be sharing the day with Nic Wagstaff, of Inspire-Rewire and other inspirational speakers and delegates, as it’s so important to empower each other and help others on their personal transformation journey. So often women don’t realise their true potential because they lack confidence, and self-esteem to make a change.

“I show women that it’s never too late to re-invent themselves and live their life on their own terms. Once they have clarity on their amazing skills it’s possible to see a path to a brighter, lighter and more fulfilled life. Having a conference like this in Chester is an amazing opportunity for women to get the confidence, support and networks to follow their dreams.”

 

Tickets for the Well-being Warrior Women’s Conference are £49 per person, including lunch and are available at https://www.inspire-rewire.com/new-events/womens-conferences

 

Background Screening, HR, News

Employment screening: Why the pandemic means we’re way past a DBS check.

How are we meant to get to know our new employees in the post pandemic world of business? The rise in home working and onboarding people remotely makes thorough pre-employment research more crucial than ever. So, what fundamentals should every HR professional be adding, or have already added, to their onboarding checklist in 2022?  Georgina Wilson, Strategy and Planning Director at Vero Screening, outlines the basics.

For nearly two years, HR managers have been faced with exceptional circumstances. Working from home has become the norm for many, whether full-time homeworking, hybrid or ad hoc, and it doesn’t look to be going away any time soon.

According to research, 55% of businesses now offer some capacity for remote working, and international hiring has also become an everyday reality for many. Add to this a gig economy which has doubled in size since 2016 alongside record-highs for starting salaries, and what comes out is a highly competitive candidate marketplace sector wide.

Home working also means that, for many, 2021 meant making hiring decisions without physically meeting candidates. But with a bad mid-management hire estimated to cost a company up to  £130k, how many of us are now reviewing our 2021 hires and their effect on the bottom line in 2022? On the flip side, what’s worked well about onboarding those new hires remotely and which kinds of roles lend themselves to similar models for recruitment in future?

The workforce has also been empowered by ongoing rises in the gig economy, as well as an unprecedented increase in starting salaries due to skills shortages across the board. And if your organisation has expanded into the international market during the pandemic, which so many have, you might be thinking about recruiting outside your home market for the first time too.

Put together, all this means HR professionals need to be moving beyond the standard DBS check required for new employees, if they haven’t already.

Take the gig economy. Uber drivers, Amazon drivers and the like now make up 10% of the UK workforce as short-term roles which need filling at a moment’s notice, and the onus is very much on those doing the hiring to ensure the safety of service users and existing employees in the process.

But how do you gauge the potential fit of a candidate if you’ve never met them in person, and without the usual channels of knowledge available to you? Are the checks you make in 2022 capable of reaching across pre-employment, social media, senior management and international backgrounds, for example?

If you’re hiring internationally more often, or perhaps for the first time, do you know what the regulations and laws are locally, regarding the candidate concerned? Each one will come with their own set of expectations and rights, based on the culture and nationality they’re most closely aligned to. For example, in some countries it’s not permitted for a third-party to conduct a criminal record check. Instead, the check has to be conducted by the individual.

Given the new the trend towards geographically dispersed teams and workplaces, can you be confident you’re in a position to make informed decisions based on reliable results and access to global databases and other resources? Are you able to confirm your candidate has the skills and experience required of the position you’re looking to fill? Can you achieve international consistency when it comes to hiring abroad?

In short, if you don’t currently have screening and other HR functions in place to address these issues, then 2022 is definitely the time to start. We’ve all spent the last two years flexing and adapting to an unprecedented rate of change, and keeping the wheels of our businesses turning. What we need to do now is take those lessons learned and put them to even better use, as we look to emerge from the pandemic. Not least to help reduce the risks associated with a bad hire at a time when, arguably, those risks have never been greater.

News

100+ young women attend event designed to attract more females into engineering and construction

MORE than 100 young women attended an event designed to attract females into construction and engineering.

Coleg Cambria’s Bersham Road site in Wrexham invited all secondary schools in north east Wales to join a day of workshops, seminars, and activities ahead of International Women’s Day this Tuesday (March 8).

Leading names from both sectors were in attendance, such as the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Construction Wales Innovation Centre (CWIC) and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), and companies including Anwyl, Magellan, Redrow, Jones Bros, Wilmot Dixon, Kronospan, Read Construction, DECA, M&P Surveying, Blue Print, and TACP Architects.

Pupils also travelled from Shropshire and Cheshire to be a part of the programme, enjoy a tour of facilities – featuring the £10m engineering complex – and talks from some of the region’s top women in industry.

Karl Jackson, Assistant Principal for the Institute of Technology and Site Lead at Bersham Road, said it was “fantastic” to see such a positive response from the students.

“Engineering and construction are traditionally male-dominated fields but there are so many opportunities out there for women to be successful, the barriers that were once there are disappearing,” he added.

“Of course, the challenge now is to demonstrate what these opportunities are and how working in these arenas is an attractive proposition, which is why we held this event.

“The feedback we’ve received has been brilliant, it’s fantastic to see the interest and hopefully the next generation of engineers and construction workers will see far more of a gender balance.”

The expo also included practical and interactive sessions, career guidance and support, and ‘have a go’ simulation exercises in welding, trades and more.

Gemma Booth, a Member of the CIOB (MCIOB) recently moved from construction into education with Cambria and says the event showcased what they and the organisations in attendance have to offer.

She herself succeeded in what was a traditionally all-male environment but says times have moved on.

“In some careers there is still a stigma about women’s ability to do the job, but at Coleg Cambria we are all about breaking down barriers and giving our learners the best possible chance to progress and flourish on whatever path they take,” said Gemma.

“And we do so in partnership with many of the country’s top engineering and construction companies and trade bodies.”

She added: “Thanks again to everyone who came today, it’s been a very rewarding and insightful event, for us and for those who attended. We hope it has inspired more young women to think about their futures and broaden their horizons when considering the years ahead.”

For more information and the latest news from Coleg Cambria, visit www.cambria.ac.uk

Visit www.internationalwomensday.com for more on International Women’s Day.

Health, International Women's Day, News, Wellbeing at Work

From periods to menopause – Howden shows businesses how to better support women’s health

On International Women’s Day (8th March)[i] Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing (Howden) is shining a light on the need for employers to do more to support the health and wellbeing of female employees.  They are hosting a webinar, “It’s time to talk about women’s health in the workplace” and launching an accompanying guide to help HR teams navigate their way through this changing landscape.

Webinar guest speaker, Francesca Steyn, Clinical Director of Women’s Health at Peppy Health, will join Howden’s experts, Matthew Gregson, Executive Director and Hazel Craig, Senior Wellbeing and Data Analytics Consultant to explore the unique health needs women have and how right benefits and wellbeing design can make a real difference not just for their health, but their careers too.

From traditional coverage within medical insurance and healthcare plans, through to innovations in digital and hybrid support services, the webinar will outline the latest options available to employers in re-designing their benefits, especially in the areas of menopause and fertility.

The webinar is timely as recent research highlights some of the health challenges women face at work, particularly during menopause.

A report from the Social Research Institute at University College London[ii] highlights that women are missing out on promotions and pay rises due to the menopause, with many women having careers disrupted — or cut short — as they reached the peak of their working life because of symptoms such as hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety and heart palpitations.

Women aged between 50 and 55 take an average of two months off work but those who go through an early menopause before 45, take off closer to four months. Also, women who face early menopause lose about £20,000 in wages and pension contributions from missing out on better jobs, while those who go through a more typical menopause face a £10,000 loss.

Hazel Craig says, “On International Women’s Day, we want to help companies better support women’s health and wellbeing to create a more inclusive and equitable work culture with reduced stigma around menopause, endometriosis, and wider women’s health.”

“Taking a proactive and tailored approach to supporting women’s health can have a positive impact on your employees and business performance, including enhancing talent attraction and retention efforts, reducing rates of absence and increasing engagement.”

Howden has also produced a guide, ‘Supporting women’s health in the workplace: from periods to menopause and everything in between’ covering, periods, fertility, perimenopause, menopause and female cancers, with practical advice for employers on how to support women, and the benefits and support services that can help.

For example, with menopause the guide suggests how making small adjustments to the working environment can improve health and help to lessen some of the symptoms, such as offering enhanced flexible working and providing different equipment or facilities that support environmental needs.

Medical assistance can also be key, with Howden outlining how it is possible to include hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in private medical insurance.

Hazel adds, “Women’s health is a broad topic and is unique and personal to each individual. Hence, having a comprehensive range of benefits and support in place is important. This can include awareness and educational campaigns to reduce stigma, training for managers so employees feel comfortable and confident talking to colleagues, through to working practices (e.g. policies, flexible working) and practical support such as access to healthcare services, specialist apps, health checks etc.”

“With a growing focus on diversity, inclusion and wellbeing in the workplace, employers should be considering how they are engaging with these topics and how they can better support their employees.”

The ‘It’s time to talk about women’s health in the workplace’ webinar takes place 10am -11am on Tuesday 8th March 2022. The session will be hosted by Matthew Gregson, Executive Director at Howden and Hazel Craig, Senior Wellbeing and Data Analytics Consultant at Howden. To register to attend click here.

To download the ‘Supporting women’s health in the workplace: from periods to menopause and everything in between’ guide click here.

 

References

[i] https://www.internationalwomensday.com/

[ii] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10431515/Women-miss-thousands-pounds-career-peak-hit-menopause.html

Apprenticeships, Careers, Education, News

New report from the Student<>Employer Network urges businesses to connect young people with the world of work

In National Careers Week[i] (7-12th March) Teach First’s Student<>Employer Network, a partnership led by four Teach First[ii] ambassadors, is urging UK businesses to build connections with young people and boost their employment opportunities, using guidance from its new report, ‘Connecting employers to students: a practical guide for engaging young people with the world of work.’

The report was co-authored by four social enterprise leaders: Mayur Gupta, CEO, Career Accelerator; Christine Kinnear, CEO, With Insight Education; Patricia Mbangui, Centre Leader, IntoUniversity Walworth (formerly at CoachBright) and Laura North, CEO, We Speak, who have a shared aim to create meaningful connections between schools and businesses.

The report comes at a time when businesses are increasingly recognising the value of engaging in outreach programmes to address their skills shortages, build more diverse talent pipelines and tackle growing inequalities in education and employment.

Christine Kinnear, Founder & CEO, With Insight Education says, “Many businesses want to connect with students to give something back and build their future talent pipelines, but they don’t always know where to start. Our organisations have come together to provide practical support. We have pooled our knowledge, learnings and ideas to help businesses recruit more diverse talent and connect young people to the world of work.”

The recommendations for businesses in the report include:

Put Diversity & Inclusion at the heart of programme delivery – Broad-brush diversity initiatives often fail. Organisations that embed diversity and inclusion successfully in their programmes are insight led, have examined their own diversity and inclusion data, acknowledged and addressed existing diversity gaps and ensure D&I is at the heart of their mission – with hard KPIs in place that hold companies accountable.

Invest in soft skills – Employers say soft skills are as important as academic qualifications, but graduates often lack them. Solutions include businesses collaborating with schools, charities or social enterprises to run programmes with students so they can develop soft skills before they start work. Another way is through other initiatives such as reverse mentoring programmes between students and colleagues which can help people develop soft skills.

Assume you will always pay young people – Unpaid work opportunities can exclude young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. To address this, companies could offer paid part-time work for young people to broaden the opportunities open to them. Employers should assume they will pay young people for any work, rather than asking them to volunteer.

 Widen the talent pool – A report from the Social Mobility Commission[iii] highlights that some industries focus on a small number of elite institutions for recruitment and fail to recruit talented young people from less advantaged backgrounds and such barriers needs to be recognised to generate change.

Understand the student voice – To recruit more diverse young talent, businesses should consultant with young people and ask them what they think. It is also important for businesses to give young people a voice in their companies and provide more opportunities to increase their contribution and participation.

Increase workplace encounters with students – Students often do not have enough meaningful encounters with employers. Equally, employers are often unaware of how to connect with students during the school day (usually during curriculum or pillar days). Solutions include companies creating pupil friendly sessions for school curriculum days, offering workplace encounters to all year groups and developing contacts with career leads in local schools.

How to offer meaningful experiences of the workplace – Work experience placements sometimes do not always provide a realistic picture of day to day working life. Consequently, pupils may not have all the information to make an informed decision about which sectors they would like to work in. Each school is different, so any work placement, internship, a day in the office or a workshop delivered in school, must be tailored to the pupils taking part.

How to partner with state schools – It can be challenging to build relationships with busy state schools. Recommendations include leveraging existing school links within the company. Even if companies currently only have private school or grammar school links, contacts at these institutes will have some connections to state schools.

Designing sustainable and impactful school outreach programmes – There are many barriers to designing a sustainable and impactful school outreach programme, including lack of knowledge, other business priorities and employees at a company not reflecting the demographic of students in state schools. Recommendations include being open about the desired outcomes from the start, co-creating the programme with diversity networks and other departments in the business, and adding school outreach into someone’s job or a committee.

Having a holistic organisational approach when running school outreach – If initiatives aren’t connected to a company’s wider business strategy, then it can limit their overall impact. Gaining senior buy-in for school outreach work is important to ensure this type of work gets sufficient support in an organisation, as are stakeholder meetings with different departments and external partners.

Businesses that are leading the way by engaging and employing young students include Accenture, Deloitte and PWC who have Teach First Ambassador Networks composed of Teach First ambassadors who now work at these companies. Through their networks and utilising their teacher expertise, they deliver high-quality outreach offers to schools.

One of these is Cyrus Suntook, Accenture Teach First Community Sponsor & Social Mobility Network Co-Lead who writes a foreword in the report. He says, “The scale of inequality that faces our society has only been exacerbated by COVID-19. For young people and students, this has meant huge disruption to critical, formative years, and – in many cases – major challenges to their hopes and aspirations. Those closest to those challenges, such as teachers and social workers, need and deserve the active support of a broader community to address these. Collaborative, multi-lateral partnerships such as the Student<>Employer Network are a critical part of the solution, offering a holistic approach to improving student outcomes and connecting businesses and young people in meaningful interactions.”

The Student<>Employer Network is running a webinar on Monday 25 April, 11.30am-12.30pm to show businesses how easy it can be to start engaging with students. To book a place, go to: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/building-meaningful-connections-between-schools-and-businesses-tickets-289255489957

To download the new report ‘Connecting employers to students: a practical guide for engaging young people with the world of work’ click here.

There is also a website www.studentemployernetwork.com

Food & Drink, News

Welsh Whisky Distillery, Aber Falls, Kickstarts 2022 with International Expansion

Aber Falls Whisky Distillery is expanding internationally and taking its award-winning Welsh whisky from Abergwyngregyn – a rural village between the foothills of the Snowdonian mountains and the Menai Strait – to countries worldwide.

The distillery, which launched its Inaugural Release in May 2021, has started a phased expansion plan to make its Single Malt Welsh Whisky available through the on and off-trade in more than ten countries globally including Australia, Germany, Denmark, and Canada.

The expansion is a long-term strategy and as part of the roll-out, Aber Falls will also be educating importers and retailers in the new markets about the growing Welsh whisky category, the brand’s history, and its vision for the future.

Welsh and proud, Aber Falls Distillery prides itself on its rich provenance, so much so, that in collaboration with other Welsh distilleries, it is working towards protecting Welsh whisky with a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). In the meantime, one of the significant advantages of producing whisky in Wales is having more scope to experiment with a variety of casks, and the wood strategy at Aber Falls a pivotal contributor to the finished liquid.

Aber Falls Distillery also continues to strive for a sustainable future for the sector and protects the local environment by using only 100% Welsh malted barley and embracing its ethos of field-to-field, whereby it maximises local resources by returning any waste ingredients back to local farms for use as fertiliser or cattle feed.

Talking of the international expansion, James Wright, Managing Director at Aber Falls Whisky Distillery, said: “Aber Falls is the first whisky distillery in North Wales for more than 100 years, and we plan to be here for the next 100 years, too. It’s important to create a strong footprint and take people on Aber Falls’ unique journey and as such, we’ll continue to educate the trade and consumers about the Welsh whisky category and how we form part of it. This will be vital in helping drive brand advocacy and repeat purchase – in the UK and beyond.

“This expansion is a long-term strategy for years to come – not months – to see international growth for our brand, as well as an opportunity to promote brand Wales and all it has to offer to key markets around the world.”

Finance and Banking, News, South East

Thames Valley deals team upbeat after ‘great year’

The Thames Valley region’s credentials as the ideal location for dynamic and ambitious companies to thrive will mean it will continue to attract investor interest in 2022, according to Grant Thornton UK LLP.

Reflecting on an “outstanding” 2021 for deals, Peter Jennings, Corporate Finance Partner at Grant Thornton is confident the high concentration of entrepreneurial and technology-focused businesses in the region – which after London is the UK’s fastest-growing regional economy – will lead to further activity this year.

During 2021 the team advised on 15 deals with a cumulative value of more than £750m. Over half of the deals were cross-border transactions, including the sale of defence consultancy Harmonic to US company KBR Inc, the sale of compliance software company Hamilton Grant to US based FoodChain ID and the investment in BAFTA-winning Surrey-based games developer Supermassive Games by Danish group Nordisk Games.

Peter says: “After an outstanding 2021 we are confident of maintaining our momentum this year.

“Private equity firms continue to be very active in the mid-market and ready to pay good multiples for the right business, particularly those in business support services, TMT, including digital infrastructure and data.

“In 2021 there was also a marked uptick in overseas trade buyers, especially from the US, acquiring UK assets and competing very strongly with Private Equity, and this is something we are continuing to see this year. There are several factors for this including the need to access the UK market post Brexit.”

He adds: “With close proximity to London and its outstanding talent pool and global connectivity, and a cluster of fast-growing and innovative mid-market technology-focused businesses, I am very confident the Thames Valley region will continue to be a deal-making hotspot in 2022.

“With concern over potential changes to capital gains taxes persisting, I believe many business owners will continue to review their options, which will also drive volumes in the near term.”

Nationally, after a record year of activity, Grant Thornton has been ranked the UK’s number one financial adviser by deal volume, in the latest Experian MarketIQ M&A Review.

The firm’s deals and business consulting practice completed 295 transactions overall with a disclosed transaction value of over £10bn.

Fashion

Make Your Fashion Company Stand Out With These 3 Top Tips

The fashion industry is highly competitive, and it can be a difficult challenge to make your brand stand out amongst others. However, it is not impossible. If you want to increase your business’s profitability, it’s time to think outside the box.

This short guide will share three top tips that will help make your business known in the fashion industry. From unique wholesale clothing to social media, we cover it all.

Prioritise Customer Experience

If a customer has a good experience with your brand, they will likely shop with you again. This is one of the many ways your business can retain a loyal customer base, which you can learn more about online. Your company should focus on giving excellent customer service. If your brand is online, think about putting a live chatbot on your site so customers can ask you questions about items they wish to purchase.

If you have a retail space, be attentive to the customer’s needs. If you see them struggling to find an item of clothing, go up to them and offer them different options. Not only are you helping to push a sale, but you are also going above and beyond for the customer. Positive experiences are likely to be shared with others, which can help you attract more customers.

Provide A Wide Variety Of Clothing

A lot of fashion companies end up struggling because they make their brands too niche. For example, their product catalogue is only based on one style like party wear. If you want to make your brand stand out, you need to offer a wide range of clothing. Give your customers a reason why they should shop with you all year round by choosing wholesale clothing that has variety.

Take a look at Stylewise Direct as an example. They offer a wide range of wholesale clothing, from activewear to summer dresses and knitwear. Choosing to purchase your clothes from a wholesaler like this gives your customers choice – Something they will appreciate. After all, some may look at your shop with no idea of what they want to buy. With a wide range of clothing on offer, they are likely to find something they like.

Use Social Media To Your Advantage

Social media platforms can really draw attention to your brand. Therefore, it is crucial that your brand is active on them. Now, social media users are using these platforms to hunt for outfit inspiration and seek out the latest fashion trends. You can redirect customers from your social media posts straight to your products to help make purchases quick and easy for the customer.

You can also use social media platforms to give back to your customers. This is another excellent way to retain customer loyalty. You can host giveaways – conduct some research on this as there are plenty of resources out there that can help. Encourage people to tag three friends in the comments to enter. This will help build your exposure and get your brand in front of audiences who may not have heard of your before.

 

News, Sustainability

Emex hires former KPMG and WSP sustainability veteran as investment in senior team continues

Award-winning sustainable development professional, Daniel Gribbin, joins ESG technology provider, Emex, to help businesses more effectively measure and manage their ongoing sustainability and ESG practices.

7th March 2022, Dubai – Leading ESG technology provider Emex has appointed Daniel Gribbin to its global leadership team as VP Sustainability and ESG.

Emex’s ongoing investment in senior talent is part of its ambitious plans to expand global market presence and offer more innovative solutions to key business decision makers.

Reporting to Chief Executive Officer Richard Wall, Gribbin will lead Emex’s global sustainability team – from Dubai – in a bid to create a more innovative, customer focused and automated sustainability and ESG (environmental, social and governance) reporting system for businesses.

Gribbin’s role is to help businesses across the globe navigate their individual regions and align their practices with their governments’ requirements and increasing shareholder demand for better ESG information. He also aims to provide a more holistic overview about what the impacts mean for a business and how to quantify these impacts into tangible metrics that allow them to make and create meaningful change in the societies and communities in which they operate.

A corporate sustainability stalwart, Daniel Gribbin previously worked in the climate change and sustainability team at KPMG Australia, before later moving on to lead the corporate sustainability advisory team at KPMG and WSP in the Middle East.

He brings 13 years of expertise across the Middle East, Australia, the Netherlands and Chile. In 2021, Daniel was ranked as one of the Top 20 sustainable MENA real estate professionals in the Middle East by City Scape Mena and has been a keynote speaker at several significant global events. This includes the recent world expo held in Dubai, Expo 2020, as part of the World Majlis series.

With a goal to make businesses more socially conscious, Gribbin said: “The chance to do something impactful in the tech-space is a once in a lifetime opportunity and the way that the world is moving with a push for increased transparency in the ESG space cannot be undersold.

“The opportunity to work for Emex, where we enable companies to measure their ESG, HSE and sustainability performance and help them to make tangible change over time was one which I could not pass up.

“The increased number of reporting frameworks and demands from the GRI to the Sustainability Account Standards Board (SASB) through to the TCFN and the TCND and even onto individual stock market disclosure requirements are making this topic seem increasingly daunting when it should be getting easier. That is the problem we at Emex are trying to solve so that customers can focus on what they do best, run their business.

“We help businesses analyse their sustainable impacts to support targeted stakeholder and investor needs, while having a positive impact on the world around us. Being able to measure it, is the first step in being able to appropriately manage it.”

Richard Wall, CEO at Emex, said: “The only way to achieve true change is to ensure we’re measuring the right things and then that we’re measuring them accurately. We have a mission to make ESG and sustainability reporting less fluffy. Using technology in the right ways can help create the winning formula for a net positive impact and enhance customer, stakeholder and investor engagement.

“Daniel’s wealth of experience will help our customers and consulting partners to attain a more robust account of their sustainability performance. By ensuring that the right metrics are measured and the appropriate frameworks are leveraged, the Emex platform is at the forefront of global developments and evolving customer needs in this rapidly changing sustainability landscape.”

Daniel Gribbin’s appointment follows a string of new global hires as part of Emex’s ambitious expansion plans – including VP Engineering Michael Lazor, APAC & MENA CEO Sarah Saha, CRO Rich Waller, and CMO Hugh Allspaugh. Emex plans to grow its global team by more than 150 people by the end 2022.

Acquisitions & Partnerships, Appointments, News

Counterweight appoints Laura Sloman as CEP

Leading UK weight management company Counterweight has promoted current COO Laura Sloman to CEO, effective March 2022. Laura will be taking over from interim CEO Justin Slabbert, who will continue to support the company in a fundraising and advisory capacity, as Executive Chairman.

“We are delighted to be promoting Laura Sloman to the role of Chief Executive Officer, as she has all the strategic and leadership skills to take us through the next stage of the company’s rapid growth,” said Justin. “Her ethics, expertise and motivation to increase access to our programmes will ensure that Counterweight continues to lead the field in delivering type 2 diabetes remission and sustainable weight loss.”

Laura joined Counterweight in 2020, bringing with her a wealth of experience, including seven years at Goldman Sachs, where her last role was Global Chief of Staff for the Regulatory and Control Operations Division. Her experience leading large project teams and organisational strategy implementation, along with the impact she has made since joining Counterweight, meant she was the natural choice for CEO.

In 2018, after learning about the unprecedented results that Counterweight-Plus demonstrated in helping people put diabetes into remission, Justin invested in Counterweight and stepped into the CEO position on an interim basis. With the right candidate now in place to lead Counterweight into the future, he can move into the Executive Chairman role. The transition will enable him to fully engage with potential investors who have expressed interest in supporting the company. His background in private equity and growth finance, as well as management experience within high growth companies, equips him perfectly for this role.

Speaking of the future of Counterweight, Laura said the next phase is about controlled growth, and positioning the company to achieve its mission of becoming the most accessible and effective, evidence-based weight management and wellness programme in the UK and beyond.

“We are growing quickly and will keep listening to our customers so that we can continuously improve our offering,” she said. “We will maintain a strong focus on remission of type 2 diabetes through our key relationships with the NHS, but will also look to further expand our direct-to-consumer offering and position our company in the wellness space. This will include the roll-out of our less intensive weight loss approaches, such as Counterweight-Lite, which complements the well-known Counterweight-Plus.”

In particular, Laura has a strong interest in physical exercise and is looking forward to incorporating this further into the Counterweight offering. The company is also investing heavily in its technology, continuing the success of Counterweight’s App, so that the programme can be accessed around the world.

“I’m excited about being at the helm of this growing company,” Laura said. “It’s an honour to be leading such a talented team who are literally changing lives, and helping people reach their health and weight goals,” she continued.” We are all passionate about building on the tremendous results achieved by Counterweight so far.”