Monthly Archives: December 2022

HR, HR News, L & D

Why You Need To Invest In Continuous Professional Development

The business world is constantly changing, and with that, professional roles are also evolving. Hence, continuous professional development has become a hot topic in the labor industry to accommodate the shifting demand for skills. 

For example, the arrival of the pandemic has forced workers to adapt to a new work environment, learning the necessary skills to thrive in a virtual workplace. That said, even under non-pandemic circumstances, most professionals can still benefit from continually learning and upgrading their skill sets. 

This article shares the numerous benefits of developing yourself professionally. You can also read this professional development guide to understand more about upgrading your working self. 

But, before anything else, let’s take a closer look at the basics. 

Understanding Continuous Professional Development

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) refers to developing professional knowledge and skills through independent, participation-based, or interactive learning. Education doesn’t need to stop when you leave school or a university. CPD allows you to expand and develop your professional capabilities through self-guided or certified learning methods. 

It involves having structured objectives for long- and short-term progression. Also, professionals engaging in CPD often keep records of new skills and knowledge attained to showcase skills to potential employers or reflect on their learning journey. 

The Different Types Of Continuous Professional Development

While there are numerous types of CPD activities you can choose, they often fall into two categories:

  • Formal Continuous Professional Development

Formal CPD follows a structured format of learning. It has set curriculums often approved by professional bodies to ensure they are well-structured and effective. With this type of learning, a professional engages in interactive, participation-based learning provided by a third-party trainer other than the company they work for. 

Formal CPD learning involves several professionals with various skill sets for the benefit of group activities and idea sharing. You can also find formal training with one-on-one sessions. 

Most formal CPD often includes activities such as:

  • Offline and online training courses
  • Group events
  • Learning-oriented meetings and conferences
  • Offline and online lectures and seminars
  • Workshops
  • Any CPD-certified events

Most formal CPD activities require professionals to take career-oriented assessments and exams, which is valuable for measuring your progress. 

  • Informal Continuous Professional Development

On the other hand, an informal CPD refers to independent or self-directed professional learning. With this type of CPD, professionals learn by finding their own activities and information sources without following a set curriculum. 

An informal type of CPD typically involves:

  • Reading case studies and articles
  • Studying offline and online publications written by industry experts
  • Following industry-specific social news feeds 
  • Additional studying for professional examinations
  • Listening and watching industry-related podcasts, YouTube videos, and webinars

If you’re going to do unstructured, self-directed CPD, writing a personal development plan that covers what you expect to learn and achieve is critical. 

It’s best to engage in both types of continuous professional development, allowing you to achieve both benefits. Regardless of your choice, you want to reflect on your CPD learning, allowing you to determine where your current skills are and how you can improve and plan for your future CPD activities. 

6 Benefits Of Investing In Your Continuous Professional Development

Taking extra training to develop professional skills can have numerous benefits for your career, even if you’re not expected to take CPD for your role. If you still haven’t considered doing CPD, here are a few reasons to convince you to start learning again. 

1. It Brings New Opportunities

Whether you’re currently employed or looking for a new job, investing in your professional development can open new opportunities. 

For instance, if you’ve just graduated, competing with other potential candidates is quite challenging. After all, there is a massive pool of degreed professionals. When applying for a job, you have several competitors with the same degree. So, how can you stand out from the crowd?

By having a few extra relevant training experiences and certifications. Even if it’s just a 2-week program you’ve completed online, having that extra line on your resume shows potential employers that you have something more to offer and gain a competitive edge among peers. It can make all the difference in landing new job opportunities. 

Even if you’re currently employed, continuous professional development can still help improve your opportunities. Long gone are the days of getting a promotion solely based on work tenure. Worse, today’s system is rigged in that you may become redundant despite your loyalty to the company, and someone with higher entry-level skills with lesser pay may be hired to do your job. 

Without continuous learning and development, you may be putting yourself at risk of unemployment sooner or later. By investing in your own development, you can upgrade your skills, making you more professionally desirable for your company and increasing your chances of getting that promotion you’ve wanted for a long time. 

Regardless of where you are in your career journey, investing in continuing development can help attract new opportunities to your professional life. 

2. It Supports Innovation

Learning skills outside your zone introduces you to different concepts and fresh ideas for innovation. By getting a broader understanding of a new subject, you can brainstorm more creative ways to handle related challenges and tasks. 

After all, the best innovation seldom comes from someone who is always thinking outside the box. Getting a broader perspective and training can help enhance your critical thinking and improving productivity. It can also help you stand out from your peers or even branch out to create something revolutionary.

3. It Shows Dedication To Self-Development

Taking the time and effort to learn something new and upgrading your skill set is a testament to how you value growth and self-improvement–both professional and personal. 

It also demonstrates your ambition, which is an important trait every professional must develop. While simply wanting to make your Curriculum Vitae (CV) more attractive should by no means serve as your primary motivation for undertaking CPD, it does exhibit your commitment to your profession. And any professional in it for the long haul will constantly look for new ways to learn and improve in their chosen craft.

4. It Improves Performance

When you make an extra effort to learn something new or advance your skills, it’s natural that overall performance and experience will also improve since you get to apply what you’ve learned in the real business world setting. 

Most formal professional development programs help aim to teach concepts and theories to individuals while providing activities that help them apply these learnings in reality. In addition, these programs can do more than just help you develop technical skills–they help improve your soft skills, too. 

Just think about it, when you’re balancing work and professional learning, you’ll learn better time management skills. When you’re given an assignment, you hone your creative skills. Programs can also set up group projects that help foster teamwork and resolve conflicts. It’s also a good way to practice your leadership and communication skills. 

With continuous development, you’ll soon realize that you’ve become more efficient and productive doing your job while allowing you to take on more complex tasks.

5. It Helps You Stay Relevant And Updated

The world of work is constantly shifting. As the business world advances, staying updated with the latest trends in your industry has never been more important. This is particularly true for those in the technology sector, where everything seems to evolve at an alarming pace. 

Staying up-to-date with the changing trends not only helps build a competitive advantage on your resume but also helps in improving your performance and results through a better understanding of your niche. Failing to keep your skills and knowledge relevant and up to date can quickly lead to your current learning and abilities becoming obsolete. 

6. It Boosts Confidence

It’s a no-brainer that the more skills and experience you have in your professional toolkit, the more confident you become in leading, delivering, making decisions, and thriving in your current profession. Continuous development can give you ownership over all aspects of your professional career. 

Acquiring new skills, and honing them, can also give you a sense of accomplishment, ultimately boosting your self-esteem. As a result, you become less nervous about taking on new duties and even more confident in grabbing new opportunities or tasks.

Takeaway

As you can see, continuous professional development is essential for most professions. Your career progress depends greatly on how often you engage in CPD. Without this, you may lag behind in the ever-changing world of work. Worse, you’ll become obsolete and will be replaced by those with the necessary skills to meet the demand of the modern workplace. 

Regardless of what stage you are in your professional career—whether a newly-graduate worker or an experienced professional—continuous professional development is a proven route towards greater success. 

 

Accountancy & Accounts, Awards, Bristol, Finance and Banking, News

University of Bristol Duo Awarded Quantum Advisory Prize for Excellence in Mathematics

Two Accounting and Finance graduates at the University of Bristol have secured the Quantum Advisory Prize for stand out achievements in their courses. Along with the notable accolade, Anna Wolstenholme and James (Jim) Robb will also split the prize to help further their careers in the fields of accounting and finance.

The Quantum Advisory Prize was established in 2018 at the University of Bristol and is awarded to the highest achieving accounting and finance students each year. Normally awarded by independent financial services consultancy Quantum Advisory at the end of each academic year, delays caused by the Covid pandemic mean James and Anna have now taken up roles within their chosen field and begun their careers.

 

Anna, from London, secured the Quantum Advisory Prize for the Best Overall Performance on the University of Bristol undergraduate accounting degrees at intermediate level. Enrolled on BSc Accounting and Finance, Anna was completing her second year when she received the prize and has recently graduated with first-class honours. She is now working within an audit team and completing her ACA exams. Anna said: “I feel very honoured to receive this prize which has provided the chance to explore career options in financial services which are very interesting.”

 

The Quantum Advisory Prize for Exceptional Degree Performance was won by Jim, from Cheltenham, who is currently completing his ACA exams while working as an insurance auditor. Jim graduated in 2021 with a first-class honours in BSc Accounting and Finance and was in his final year when he received the prize.

Jim said: “I feel incredibly grateful to receive an award to recognise my hard work and dedication during my time at Bristol. It marks a great achievement to be so highly regarded alongside my undergraduate degree.

“I hope to qualify as a chartered accountant in 2024 and explore my options into the various branches of corporate finance, with the long term aim to hopefully become a valuations specialist. Having the potential opportunity to link up with Quantum Advisory at some point in the future and explore potential career opportunities with them is very exciting.”

 

Partner at Quantum Advisory, Stuart Price, said: “While it was disappointing not to be able to hold a ceremony and meet Jim and Anna in person, it was a pleasure to once again to award the Quantum Prize and hear about all the inspiring work being done by the students at the University of Bristol.

“Jim and Anna are two exemplary individuals that stood out among their peers during their time at university. The work they put in, particularly throughout the disruption caused by the pandemic, has not gone unnoticed and I’ve no doubt their academic success will pave the way for a very prosperous career. We look forward to seeing their progression and will stay in touch and support them along the way.”

 

Mark Clatworthy, Professor of Accounting at University of Bristol Business School, said: “The aim of the Quantum Advisory Prize is to recognise high performing students’ achievements and this year was no exception in terms of the calibre of work we had to consider. We at the University of Bristol Business School are very proud of our students’ success and we are extremely grateful to Quantum Advisory for their generous sponsorship of these prizes.”

 

Quantum Advisory has offices in Cardiff, Amersham, Birmingham and London and provides pension and employee benefits services to employers, scheme trustees and members.

For more information about Quantum Advisory, please visit: https://quantumadvisory.co.uk.

 

 

News

A Guide to VAT Registration for Your Business

Value Added Tax, or ‘VAT’, is a tax based on the value of goods or services. As a ‘self-assessed’ tax, it is the responsibility of the taxpayer – the business owner – to ensure they are accounting for VAT correctly on all relevant transactions. A transaction is within the scope of UK VAT if it concerns a supply of goods or services made in the course or furtherance of business that takes place in the UK and is made by a taxable person (an individual or company who is registered for VAT).

Below, the experts in business tax at The VAT People outline what VAT is, the registration threshold, when you should register your business and how, the advantages to registering before hitting the threshold, the records you need to keep and how to submit them, as well as expert advice on tailoring your VAT compliancy to your clientele.

Managing your business’s VAT registration correctly

VAT is an important consideration for all businesses; mistakes can cost time and money to correct, so ensuring you are acting in accordance with your obligations from the outset is crucial. In the event errors are made, these may be subject to a VAT penalty regime which runs from 0% to 100% depending on the nature of the error, although showing that reasonable care has been taken to get VAT right reduces potential penalties.
When should I register my business for VAT?

Should the value of a business’s taxable supplies exceed the value of £85,000 in a rolling 12-month period, or in the next 30 days alone, the business will be required to register and account for VAT on taxable supplies. Registration can be sought via an online application, or by submitting a VAT1 form.

What are the VAT rates I should know?

There are currently 3 VAT rates in effect in the UK;

The standard rate of VAT (20%)
The reduced rate (5%)
The zero-rate (0%)

Supplies can also be classified as exempt from VAT – the value of exempt goods/services are excluded when calculating whether a business has exceeded the VAT registration threshold. If a supply cannot be defined as being liable to the reduced or zero rate, or being exempt, it is by default a standard-rated supply. Zero-rated supplies are still considered a taxable supply and should the value of zero-rated supplies made exceed the relevant threshold, VAT registration will be required.

A VAT 1 form can be found on the gov.uk website; VAT1 Application for registration. VAT registration can also be applied for online – for example, we at The VAT People are able to apply on behalf of clients via our agent’s government gateway, or a client can apply online themselves by creating a government gateway account – more information regarding this can again be found on the gov.uk website, at How to register for VAT.

The VAT liability of supplies is outlined in three schedules of the VAT Act 1994, which are:

Schedule 9 – exempt supplies Value Added Tax Act 1994
Schedule 8 – zero-rated supplies Value Added Tax Act 1994
Schedule 7A – reduced-rated supplies Value Added Tax Act 1994

There is no list of standard-rated supplies as this is by exception. As such, if a supply of goods or services is not shown within the above schedules it will likely be subject to the standard rate.

The VAT due on a business’s supply of goods or services is known as its output tax. Conversely, VAT incurred on purchases is classified as input tax and is recoverable to the extent that it is incurred in the course of making onward taxable supplies. As such, input tax relating to the provision of exempt supplies is irrecoverable (as this is not considered a taxable supply for VAT purposes).

How do I submit my business’s VAT returns?

VAT-registered businesses are required to submit quarterly VAT returns (although these can be submitted monthly in certain circumstances) to report the output VAT (VAT on sales) charged during the relevant period. This is offset against input tax (VAT on purchases) incurred within the same period and in instances where input tax exceeds output tax (for example where sales made are primarily zero-rated), the difference is paid to the taxpayer by HMRC. Where a VAT return is submitted late or payment of VAT is made late, the trader may be liable to a default surcharge.

Should I voluntarily register my business for VAT?

A business trading below the VAT registration threshold may voluntarily register. The main benefit to doing so would be to recover input tax incurred, although output tax must be accounted for in the normal way. Therefore, consideration should be given to the commercial implications of doing this, particularly where customers and not VAT registered (i.e., consumers), and this additional VAT element will represent an irrecoverable cost.

In terms of record keeping, a registered person must provide their customer with a VAT invoice within 30 days of the tax point of the supply (this is the date a supply is made for VAT purposes) and should contain the following information;

Invoice number;
Date of supply;
Date invoice issued;
Supplier’s name, address and registration number;
Recipient’s name and address;
Description and quantity of goods/services;
Amount being charged;
Rate of VAT applicable;
Total amount being charged;
Rate of discount, if offered
Copies of sales invoices issued by the business should be held within their records.

Furthermore, purchase invoices (showing the above information) should be retained, particularly where a claim for input tax is being made via a VAT return. If the business does not hold a corresponding purchase invoice, it is unable to claim input tax incurred.

My clients are based outside of the UK; does this matter?

The sale of goods/services to customers located outside the UK is subject to a different VAT treatment depending on the location of the customer, the type of supply and its value. This can be a complex area to navigate and therefore, should supplies be made outside the UK, please seek further advice to ensure VAT is accounted for correctly.

The VAT People is a VAT consultancy firm that works with a wide range of businesses in providing comprehensive advice on thorny VAT issues across all sectors and we are well-known and highly regarded by the profession. We have helped countless businesses of all sizes, in all industries, remain VAT compliant and strategise ways to optimise their VAT processes.

News

Family ethos continues to underpin growth of award-winning independent travel company

An award-winning travel company is targeting significant growth over the next few years – but the family ethos will still underpin everything it does.

Solmar Villa Holidays is looking to increase turnover by 25 per cent next year as it aims to establish itself as the first choice for those looking for villa holidays.

The strategy involves beefing up the senior team, with four new directors already on board and another to come.

Chief executive Julie Blake said: “Our plan is to be that go-to brand, to be a household recognised name so when people think of villa holidays, whether they be in the trade, in the public or press, Solmar is that brand that they think of, and in a positive way.

“We looked at the organisational structure and put the directors in place so we have leadership in each department. Until then, it was just me and I was becoming the bottleneck within the business.

“It has been really exciting to have the directors come in, with the experience they have, and it feels like the pressure is off my shoulders because we have like-minded people in place. Next step is to review the business below that level and put structures in place to make sure the business is future-proofed.”

Julie believes that in-resort reps, personal service and a focus on quality and customer experience help Solmar to stand out from a crowded field, and she intends to continue and develop that ethos.

She said: “We’re making sure we don’t allow quality to drop in pursuit of growth. While we will be getting on for £40 million [turnover] next year, we are still very family-friendly, both as an employer and as a company to speak to, and I think our clients like that. They like the personal touch, and we understand each client and what they are after.

“We are a family-run business, we’re not answering to shareholders, it’s not investment driven – this is about a family wanting to earn a living and be proud of what we do.

“We are pushing forward with what you would call an old-fashioned opinion really, which is looking after the customer.”

Growth plans include moving into long-haul destinations, offering full package holidays including flights, transfers and add-ons, and a 24-hour UK based helpline for customers to supplement the in-resort representative service.

The aim is to increase the number of villas on the books from 1,500 to about 2,500 and to increase staffing both in the UK and in resorts.

Julie said Solmar was also working closely with villa owners to help them maintain and improve their properties, which in turn would improve the holiday experience for customers.

She said: “It’s about trying to help the suppliers improve what they’re doing. Things like hot tubs, EV charging points, solar panels, which we’re doing already. We can part-fund their solar panels on the rooves – they pay, say, €2,000, we pay €2,000, and it means the villa is more sustainable, it means their costs are lower and we have committed to them so they want to continue working with Solmar.

“We are working with suppliers as much as customers to make them see Solmar as a positive company that wants to look after them and their property. What we’re actually doing is making sure that when the clients go there, they have a great time, and aren’t worrying about damaging the environment by putting the air conditioning on.”

Plumbed in water filters so holidaymakers don’t need to buy bottled water and an affordable purchasing scheme so villa owners can buy quality Solmar-branded mattresses to assure visitors of a comfortable sleep are among many innovations and add-ons Julie is keen to introduce to make sure both holidaymakers and suppliers see Solmar as a go-to brand.

She added: “We have to put customer experience and supplier experience to the front, so they have a good experience and want to come back.

“Post-covid, the big difference between what we’re doing and what our competitors seem to be doing, is they all seem to have pulled away from the traditional tour operator business model. Some are no longer doing in-person health and safety checks, they’re not having staff on the ground because it’s expensive.

“That’s all great, and it cuts costs and puts profit on the bottom line, but what’s the experience for the customer, what’s the retention?”

While the cost of living crisis is pushing up costs and squeezing profit margins, Julie is confident that UK holidaymakers will still head abroad in numbers in 2023.

She said: “Market research suggests that while cost of living is an issue, people might change what they do and how they budget, but there’s no way they’re giving up their holidays.

“If we hadn’t had the pandemic I think we would have been a little bit worried about how many people were going to stay in the UK, but UK holidays are so much more expensive than they used to be.

Even when you’re there, you’re not guaranteed the weather and food is much more expensive here as well.

“We’ve been through two recessions in my time here and through both of them Solmar has grown quite substantially. We don’t say “Oh no, there’s a recession, we’d better make redundancies and reduce numbers”. What we do instead is look at the opportunities.

“Holidays are the one thing people will not give up, because they work hard and are very stressed, and the only thing they have to look forward to sometimes is that week or two-week holiday.”

Solmar was created by Julie’s parents John and Maria in the 1980s after they bought their own villa and started to rent it out. The company is based in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, and now has 1,500 villas on its books across Europe and the Mediterranean.

With a new logo and rebrand also complete, Julie said the focus was now on investing for growth. A £600,000 bespoke reservation system and website is up and running and staff are in the process of moving to bigger offices which will double the company’s operating space.

News

Edinburgh Neurodiversity Conference Announces Bursary Scheme For 2023 Event

Funded places to ensure inclusivity and support for a society where all forms of neurodiversity are embraced, and no mind is left behind.

The organisers of It Takes All Kinds Of Minds – ITAKOM, the global conference advancing insights into neurodiversity, have announced a special bursary scheme aimed at making the event accessible to all those who wish to attend, regardless of financial constraints

Salvesen Mindroom Centre, the Edinburgh charity behind the conference, is offering up to 65 places, either fully or partially funded, for the international event set to take place in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre at the heart of the Scottish capital (13-14 March 2023).

Alan Thornburrow, Chief Executive Officer of Salvesen Mindroom Centre said: “Inclusion is hard-wired into how we think, act and convene. And in these difficult times, we’re acutely aware of the impact of the cost of living crisis and we’re determined to do everything that we can to make sure that this spirit of inclusion, which we hold so dear, applies to our global conference.

“We’re delighted to launch a bursary fund to make attendance affordable to potential delegates who would otherwise not be able to attend ITAKOM – and we’d encourage anyone interested to apply.”

The two-day event will bring together different perspectives, enabling us to better understand neurodiversity and work together towards our vision of a society where all forms of neurodiversity are embraced, and no mind is left behind.

The conference will draw together HR workplace professionals, practitioners, academics, the care sector—and of course, parents, siblings and families and will present the latest knowledge and visions for the future of embracing neurodiversity.

More than 50 speakers from around the world, including experts on neurodiversity in the workplace, neuroscientists, clinicians, educators and comedians, among them Edinburgh’s satirical impressionist Rory Bremner, a neurodiversity advocate after being diagnosed with ADHD – will address delegates.

The It Takes All Kinds Of Minds conference will be held both in-person and virtually and assistance is available as a bursary for complimentary registration or as discounted registration at a reduced rate. Awards will be made on an individual’s circumstances and availability within the fund.

To apply email ITAKOM@integrity-events.com stating the reasons for the application. Group discounts are also available with one free delegate place offered for every five conference passes purchased. To apply for a group discount email ITAKOM@integrity-events.com.

For more information on ITAKOM visit www.itakom.org

News

Halfords welcomes the unique Eskuta SX-250 e-bike into its Cycle2Work Salary Sacrifice Scheme for 2023

The distinctively designed SX-250, manufactured by Nuneaton based electric mobility company, Eskuta will now be available through the Halfords for Business’ Cycle2Work salary sacrifice scheme.

The scheme itself forms part of a wider government initiative that aims to encourage more people to commute by bike, enabling them to make healthier choices and reduce the UK’s carbon footprint. This is achieved via salary sacrifice which allows employees to make savings of up 37% on the cost of a new bike with payments spread across 12 to 18 months.

Cycle2Work prides itself on having a bike to suit every type of rider and so the Eskuta SX-250, which mixes the robust building components of a motorcycle within the parameters of being a road legal e-bike is a much welcome addition to the scheme’s portfolio.

Chris Oakley, Head of Commercial and Business Development for Halfords, commented: “We’re excited to offer the Eskuta SX-250 e-bike through Cycle2work. When launching a cycle to work scheme, choice is important to both the employer and employee.

Through Halfords, Tredz and hundreds of independent Bike Shops, Cycle2work caters for riders at all levels. Adding the unique Eskuta SX-250 e-bike into the mix builds on our commitment to offer something for everyone.”

With a range of 40-50 miles (60-80 km) on a full six-hour charge, the SX-250 has been innovatively designed by Eskuta to offer an alternative to the more traditionally styled electric bikes currently on offer in the UK. The bike can be ridden anywhere a regular pedal cycle is permitted without the need for any tax, licence, or registration.

Enhanced features include, rear view mirrors, indicators, motorcycle grade adjustable suspension, a motorcycle grade braking system, handlebar controls, LED lighting, alarm, immobiliser, keyless-go and alloy wheels with tubeless tyres – successfully filling the gap for those wanting a more substantial feeling e-bike that is both, environmentally friendly, cost effective and thanks to the pedal assist feature requires minimal effort to cycle.

Managing Director of Eskuta, Ian O’Connor commented, “We are absolutely thrilled that our SX-250 is now being included in the Halford’s Cycle2Work scheme. Halfords is a well-established and trusted voice within the cycling industry and so we are delighted to be part of that.

The way we travel, and commute is changing, and electric micro-mobility is becoming an increasingly popular solution for many, not only do these forms of transport reduce carbon emissions but they also help to alleviate congestion in our towns and cities and cut commuting times.”

For more information on purchasing an Eskuta SX-250 through the Halfords Cycle2Work scheme please visit: https://www.eskuta.com/pages/cycle-to-work-scheme

News

Despite the cost of living crisis $15.3bn worth of gift cards are left unspent each year

Consumers are looking to spend more on gift cards this holiday season. Analysis from Folio reveals a 46% uplift in gift cards added by users to their digital wallet during Thanksgiving week. Amazon, Starbucks, AppStore and Walmart have become some of the most popular gift cards of choice, as consumer attitudes shift towards convenient gifting methods. Yet, $15.3BN worth of gift cards are recorded to have been left unspent in 2021, according to data by BankRate¹.

With growing concern of rising cost of living and amid the high price of goods, there is unused money in gift cards people are overlooking. A welcoming news to consumer wallets. Amongst those surveyed, Gen Z (85%) and Millennials (82%) are amongst the worst culprits for holding onto gift cards. Due to expiry dates, companies going out of business and value of unused sums dropping due to rising inflation, holding onto gift cards can be an unfavourable matter. Of those surveyed, only 24% said they regifted a gift card, voucher or store credit if unused.

However, gift card purchases are here to stay. As 83% of consumers wanted to send gift cards over physical gifts. Surveyed shoppers plan to buy on average 15 gift cards per person. This has been driven by consumers who are increasingly worried about shipping delays. Gift cards provide consumers the gift of choice by alleviating the need to return and exchange items².

The same younger generation are reported to be driving the growth in retail and ecommerce. With 59% of consumers revealing to have increased their use of digital wallets. Folio has seen a 54% uplift in new digital wallet users this year.

Nik Maguire, Chief Marketing Officer of Folio said “With the festive season in full swing, people are really looking forward to gifting and shopping. We wanted to introduce our wallet to keep friends and family organised amongst the holiday chaos and avoid unspent gift cards. We created a solution where users can simply scan their gift cards onto their mobile device for use on the go.”

Folio, the independent digital wallet app on IOS and Android

Folio is the digital wallet for all your essentials in one app. From passports, gift cards, loyalty cards, custom documents and more. Folio is the perfect solution for secure storage and easy access. Scan your loyalty cards and collect points, save your gift cards, validate your identity or membership status, whenever one needs.

Folio’s wallet technology enables users to simply take a photo of their cards to retrieve readable barcodes for use in stores. A hassle free card number copy and paste function for a fast and easy checkout online. Introduces a new way to connect with friends and family to share gift cards, membership cards, documents and more!

News

Is Cloud Native Security Good Enough?

By Deryck Mitchelson, Field CISO EMEA, Check Point Software Technologies

Global organisations are digitally transforming via cloud native applications and services. Use of cloud native can drive innovation, accelerate speed to market, and can bring about cost savings that fuel new growth. Cloud native technologies enable organisations to tap into the agility required to keep up in the current competitive landscape and to create new business models. But achieving efficient, flexible, distributed and resilient cloud native security is tough.

All major public cloud providers -Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud- of course offer security features and services, which are designed to address significant threats to cloud-based data. However, in spite of this, public cloud providers’ security tools commonly fail to meet operational needs, and their limitations should prompt organisations to consider or reconsider how they are protecting public cloud environments.

Cloud providers’ efforts to ensure security are barely adequate. In the following section, I go into why that’s the case and how it could impact your organization:

1. Limited visibility: One of the major challenges associated with cloud-native is that, in contrast with on-prem deployment, owners cannot be sure of the security elements related to the cloud environment that the application is hosted on. As a result, it becomes the role of the IT team to track every resource and to add it to the application. Monitoring needs to proceed throughout application lifecycles. Lack of adequate visibility can needlessly compromise security.

2. Cloud native exposure to threats: The cloud is accessible to anyone with an internet connection, which means that threat actors are continually searching for ways to undermine systems’ security. As cyber attackers advance their strategies, cyber security prevention and defense methodologies also need to evolve. For example, enterprises need cloud security that can fend off brute-force attacks, phishing and SQL injections.

3. Policy centralisation: At present, the average cloud native environment includes a number of tools from an assortment of developers and service providers. In a multi-cloud infrastructure, information technology managers may face fragmented security access controls, and due to implementation in separate provider environments, an impossible-to-keep-up-with set of monitoring tools. Policy centralisation can make security management more uniform and more successful.

4. Slow security processes: Key reasons as to why enterprises are moving to the cloud include speed, agility and flexibility. But security can easily get left in the dust, so to speak. Given the speed of the continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) pipeline, security can lag. Enterprises can solve for this issue by shifting security as far left as possible. You can create a Shift Left environment through a third-party security platform.

Ensuring Cloud – Native Protection
Here are three key improvements to drive your organisation’s cloud-native security to ensure protection against upcoming sophisticated cyberattacks:

1. Improve Your Visualisation and Regular Reporting: To understand the current state of their security posture, enterprises must have access to up-to-date reports and visualisations (e.g., dashboards) that account for their entire application infrastructure to overcome information overload and lack of clarity, to quickly and effectively assess their overall security posture to improve upon, where needed.

2. The Automation Game: Compliance rule sets and customised policies must be built into the development stages as well as carried over to runtime, which will require automation to ensure the deployment is compliant with internal and external rules.

3. Keeping up with Changes: Security professionals must keep pace with frequent changes to not only the resources within an expanding cloud sprawl, but security best practices and compliance regulations, which are being enacted at a rapid pace to keep up with the expanding cyberattacks taking place. Efforts should also be made to keep up with the speed and scale of the organisation with new security protection measures implemented accordingly.

For organisations who are facing such cybersecurity challenges, making every effort to reduce their enterprise risks and limiting their exposure to threats, will require prevention-first security instead of just leaving it at detection.

By 2023, more than 500 million digital applications and services will be developed and hosted through cloud native means. The findings and suggestions shared above, combined with the recent sharp increase in cyberattacks should lead organisations to consider whether or not they are making adequate effort to secure public cloud environments.

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UKCM Transforms Redundant Assets to Create Cost-Effective Bespoke Solution

Container repair and refurbishment specialist UK Container Maintenance (UKCM), has enabled waste and resource management company FCC Environment to achieve significant cost-savings and bolster health and safety for its local authority partner.

UKCM refurbished a trio of otherwise redundant metal waste containers, creating a bespoke solution for dry mixed recycling disposal in recycling centres across Wigan Borough. Designed with health, safety and convenience in mind, two previously open-top containers have now been converted into enclosed skips. The large metal containers have disposal slots specifically designed to ensure that they are only big enough to fit mixed household recycling, and specialist rubber flaps have been utilised to keep users’ hands protected during use.

The newly renovated containers have also been carefully designed to mirror the local authority’s kerbside service. Members of the public have the opportunity to recycle at their convenience at the recycling centres; If a bin collection is missed or a household has more recycling than their bin allows for, they can take the mixed box to the recycle hub and dispose of it together, rather than separating into glass, metals, cardboard etc.

Emma Elston MBE, UKCM’s CEO commented: “We are exceptionally proud to have converted redundant containers for FCC Environment, transforming them into dry mixed recycling containers for use in the Wigan Borough’s recycling centres. In the current economic climate, it is now more important than ever that we continue to support waste management companies and local authorities to protect their investments and maximise their budgets, enabling them to reuse old resources for new material streams.

“At UKCM we are incredibly passionate about helping our customers to make the most of these valuable assets, ensuring that they are maintained to the highest of standards so that they are not only fully operational and effective for use, but they are safe too. Through container repair and refurbishment, we can also fulfil an ever-increasing obligation to reuse and recycle, therefore benefitting the circular economy.”

Barry Elder of FCC Environment added: “We are very pleased with the bespoke solution for mixed household recycling created by UKCM, making great use of previously unused metal waste containers. In addition to making both savings and safety improvements, we are able to capitalise on these assets and contribute to our mission to minimise the amount of waste that ends up in landfill.”

Established in 1998, UKCM, the UK’s largest family-owned container repair and refurbishment company is dedicated to the refurbishment of all types of waste and recycling containers. UKCM works across the country offering waste companies and local authorities’ mobile repairs, as well as factory-based services at its head office located in Winsford, Cheshire.

The process brings old, and often unwanted, waste containers back to life instead of them going to scrap. The business model – refurbishment over replacement – is simple and for a third of the price of replacing a container, UKCM can restore the unit to full working order.

For more information on UKCM, visit www.ukcontainers.co.uk

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Joint launches social campaign “Things that make me, me” with DFS, starring Rylan Clark

Independent creative agency Joint, in partnership with PR agency Teneo, has worked with DFS to launch a digital and social media campaign showcasing how to match your sofa to your personality

December 2022, London: Joint, an independent creative agency based in London, worked with PR agency Teneo to develop and produce a social media and digital campaign for the UK’s leading furniture retailer, DFS. The agencies worked with top influencer Rylan Clark on the “Things that make me, me” campaign, to show how to bring your personality to life through your home interiors.

Joint and Teneo produced social and digital assets consisting of a series of videos that will run across Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. The campaign brings together DFS and Rylan to help inspire the nation to find the perfect sofa to reflect their personality and sense of style within their home. The theme, “The Things that make me, me”, is showcased by Rylan, as he chooses three things in his home that say the most about him, telling us all about them from the comfort of his chosen DFS sofa – one that’s smart and chic, with a touch of regal glamour, just like Rylan himself.
The digital and social assets will run through December and into January and there will be five executions of the campaign. The main edits are an extension of the overall brand campaign “What’s your thing” with Rylan highlighting key things in his house that have been influenced by his personality, including: a “Royal Rylan” painting, his King Rylan box, and his mermaid tail. The final “Hints and Tips” edit engages with the audience by showing them first-hand how they can bring their own personality and sense of style to their interiors and find the perfect sofa to match at DFS.

Jack Brough, Creative Director and Partner at Joint said: “This is a brief that is really in our sweet spot and we are excited to have been able to produce a fun and heart-warming social media campaign for one of the nation’s biggest furniture brands. We are thrilled to continue our collaborations with DFS.”

Claire Rushton, Head of Public Relations at DFS “At DFS, we know that everyone has a ‘thing’ – it could be a colour, or a style, or an era, but it’s unique and it’s what makes you, you. Our ‘What’s your thing’ campaign is all about empowering people to bring their personality into their interiors to create a home that really reflects them. This campaign with Joint helped us showcase how our homes are an important reflection of each of us in a fun and engaging way, as well as providing helpful hints and tips on how people can bring their own personality to life in their home decor with DFS. Both Joint and Teneo PR have been amazing at conveying this message as a part of the ongoing “What’s your thing?” campaign”.