Monthly Archives: November 2023

Appointments, FInance, HR, HR News

Vidett expands business with three strategic appointments in Finance and HR

Vidett, a leading UK professional trustee and pension governance firm, is expanding its business with the appointment of three highly skilled professional in its Finance and HR teams.

Adam Taylor (pictured above) joins as Financial Controller and brings a wealth of experience, including eighteen years spent at the Punter Southall Group, firstly as a management accountant, and later as deputy financial controller. Adam’s responsibilities include the smooth running of the finance operations, building the finance team, implementing new systems, overseeing financial reporting, tax compliance, and managing cash flow. He holds qualifications from CIMA and CGMA and earned a BA in Mathematics from the University of Oxford.

 

Joining Adam in the finance team is management accountant Alex Francis. Previously, Alex worked as an associate consolidation accountant for Waterlogic International, after graduating from the University of Reading in 2021. Alex will be supporting Adam and helping to implement Vidett’s new accounting system. At University, Alex worked as a part time finance intern, gaining knowledge and experience in a variety of roles, including accounts revenue, accounts payable, credit control and financial reporting. He is currently studying for his ACCA Chartered Accountant qualification.

 

In HR, Gemma Stevens joins as an HR Associate, a role that will cover various aspects of the employee lifecycle, including support for recruitment, onboarding, and payroll. Gemma’s HR career started in 2021 at Park Holidays UK, where she gained experience in recruitment, employee relations, and employee branding and engagement. She also has a background in marketing and has strong experience in social media and content writing. Gemma has a degree in Music and Technology from Liverpool University, and a HR support at level 3 qualification from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

 

Wayne Phelan, Co-Chief Executive at Vidett, stated: “We’re pleased to welcome Adam, Alex, and Gemma who bring some fantastic experience to our finance and HR teams at a time when we are expanding rapidly.

“Adam will not only provide financial analysis, reporting and strategic planning; he will work with senior management to deliver our business’ growth plans. His in-depth experience and expertise in all areas of financial management will be a real asset.”

“Alex was responsible in his previous role for collating financial information from over 75 subsidiaries worldwide, ensuring group consolidation met key deadlines, whilst working closely with the financial directors and reporting teams. These skills will be invaluable in his new role.”

“Gemma has great relationship building, HR and marketing skills. She also brings creativity and organisational strengths to the team which she used in her previous role to create her employer’s brand, developing a hub portal, and fostering overall employee engagement. We wish Adam, Alex, and Gemma all the very best in their new roles.”

 

Vidett is a privately owned business, independent from any other provider of services to corporate pension and employee benefit schemes. With an unrivalled knowledge bank to support client needs, Vidett currently looks after over 475 clients with total assets in excess of £142bn and over 2.5 million scheme members.

AI, Cybersecurity, HR, HR News, HRDs and Technology

Beyond phishing: The Top Employee Security Risks You’re Probably Not Measuring

Written by Frederick Coulton, Head of Product at CultureAI

While we all know email is a big target for attackers, it’s important to remember that email is not the only risk vector. As companies use more tools and features, the risks grow too. Email is just one piece of the puzzle, which is why it is crucial to consider a wide range of employee security behaviours to get a holistic view of your risks. By doing so, you can focus resources more efficiently.

Human Risk Management (HRM) is a vital part of cyber security. Even if you have technological safeguards in place, HRM plays a substantial role in your overall security stance. Here I highlight some of the employee cyber risks that often get overlooked and how we can better keep an eye on them in real time.

 

Password reuse across SaaS apps

Out of the millions of logins to shadow Software as a Service (SaaS) applications analysed by the CultureAI Platform over the last two months, it found that 38% of employees were logging in using a password they already use on other apps. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft were among the most impacted apps, all of which store highly sensitive data.

When an employee uses the same password across multiple places, it means that if one of those sites experiences a security breach, there is a significant risk of unauthorised access to other applications – an attack known as ‘credential stuffing’. The more the password is reused, the more opportunities there are for that password to be compromised or stolen.

You can address the risk of password reuse with continuous, targeted coaching that helps improve employee password habits. People are human though and will make mistakes or take shortcuts. So new technologies like automated interventions can act as a safety net.

By utilising real-time data from browser extensions, you can get visibility into the SaaS platforms used by your workforce. This enables you to identify risky behaviours in real time, such as re-using credentials or not using multifactor authentication (MFA) or single sign-on (SSO).

 

Shadow SaaS and unapproved software

Keeping your data safe and secure can be a challenge at times, and one of the reasons for that is the presence of shadow SaaS and unapproved software. These unauthorised applications can pose a significant risk to your organisation, leading to data breaches, compliance issues, and increasing vulnerability to cyberattacks. However, effectively identifying and managing such unauthorised usage can be a daunting task.

By monitoring app usage, you can gain visibility and insight into what apps and software are being used, helping to identify instances of unapproved software and understand where action needs to be taken.

Instead of just focusing on restricting shadow IT, I’d suggest a more proactive and understanding approach. If an employee is using a certain app, it’s probably because it serves a specific business need. Instead of reprimanding them, you can guide and coach them towards an authorised software solution when unauthorised usage is detected.

This not only enhances security but also encourages employees to make informed choices and actively contribute to a secure work environment. Such an approach promotes a security-conscious culture and empowers employees to play an active role in creating a safer workplace.

 

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) vulnerabilities

MFA is an essential layer of security that’s commonplace in enterprise deployments. Even if someone’s password is compromised, the extra authentication makes it much harder for unauthorised individuals to gain access. While it’s not a silver bullet, it often acts as the final defence in many cases, so its significance should not be underestimated.

That said, MFA can sometimes lead to security complacency among employees. They may develop a false sense of invincibility, assuming that with MFA enabled, they are completely protected. Attackers are sometimes taking advantage of this using MFA fatigue attacks.

By continuously mimicking legitimate MFA prompts, attackers can trick employees into providing login credentials or approving unsolicited authentication requests. Prominent cases of potential MFA fatigue attacks have involved companies like Uber, Microsoft, and Cisco.

In a recent MFA phishing simulation attack run using CultureAI, it was found that 31% of employees accepted an unsolicited MFA request. One of the main reasons for this is a lack of employee awareness. That’s why it’s crucial to provide targeted coaching and run MFA attack simulations. These simulations help you to proactively identify vulnerabilities and offer specific coaching to improve employee preparedness. This way, the risk of falling victim to real MFA attacks is minimised.

 

What’s Next

Phishing is a major security threat to employees as it exploits their vulnerabilities, using social engineering to deceive individuals into sharing sensitive information or installing malicious software. While it’s important to address phishing, it shouldn’t be at the expense of other risks. Focusing only on one risk can leave your organisation exposed, which is why a strong cyber security strategy requires the implementation effective HRM.

 

By opting for a HRM platform that seamlessly integrates with your tech stack and tracks employee security behaviours across email, instant messaging, SaaS apps, and file collaboration tools, you can get a complete picture of your most prominent human cyber risks. An effective HRM platform will also enable you to improve these behaviours and mitigate risks through targeted coaching, interventions, and nudges that actively promote and reinforce good security practices.

Carbon Reduction, News, Sustainability

40% Of UK Businesses And Organisations Have No Emissions Plan In Place, New Report Reveals

  • 40% of UK businesses and organisations lack a plan to reduce business related carbon emissions, despite the ongoing climate emergency, says new research.
  • The new research report, conducted by ACCA, IFAC and PwC, sheds light on the urgent need for a strategic approach and transition plan to tackle climate change.

40% of UK businesses and organisations have no plan in place to reduce business related carbon emissions despite the climate emergency, as revealed in a new report from leading financial professional bodies.

As world leaders gather for COP28, ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), IFAC (the International Federation of Accountants) and professional services firm PwC (Pricewaterhouse Coopers) have released a new report: The role of the CFO and finance function in the climate transition: Driving value and sustainability.

In the recent survey, research reveals that almost half of UK respondents (40%) have yet to produce a plan for reducing their carbon emissions that result from business activity. Alarmingly, nearly 70% of those respondents without an emissions plan say they currently have no intention of developing one.

 

The survey data indicates that there is a need among businesses to educate and implement when it comes to emissions plans which should form part of a wider sustainability-first approach to business. While finance teams may not always be the ‘owner’ of the sustainability agenda, in many organisations this role is increasingly falling to the CFO. Ensuring they are equipped with the right tools to evaluate and implement effective sustainability strategies for their business is vital to the long-term economic success if businesses are to thrive in a world of climate change.

 

Lloyd Powell, head of ACCA Cymru Wales, said: “The survey data revealed in this report perhaps suggests challenges in awareness of the importance of transition planning, rather than a deliberate choice not to engage with sustainable planning. Finance professionals can play a vital role in supporting sustainability plans through their reporting functions, and in helping make sound decisions for future investment in green business decisions.

“In a week when the Welsh Economy Minister announced just transition and green prosperity as one of the four priorities for the Welsh economy, this report highlights the work to be done in engaging finance professionals in all sectors to understand the role they can play in this process which can make a huge difference in green decisions for the future.”

 

Helen Brand OBE, chief executive of ACCA, said: “The accountancy and finance profession can enable organisations to achieve their net zero ambitions in a fair and inclusive way. They can also support the just transition to a low-carbon economy by helping their organisations to seize the associated business benefits. As COP28 begins, this report is a call to action for professional accountants everywhere to play their part in helping their organisations to reduce their carbon emissions and support the climate transition.”

 

Asmaa Resmouki, president of IFAC, commented: “The expertise of accounting and finance professionals in combatting climate change is absolutely essential if we are to make the progress the planet so desperately needs.

“This report corroborates IFAC’s prior research into corporate disclosures on emissions targets and transition plans for achieving them. Companies need to improve the decision-usefulness of their transition plans and how they communicate them to stakeholders.”

 

David Russell, finance transformation leader, PwC, added: “This report highlights a critical gap where some businesses lack a clear roadmap to meet their emissions targets and the ability to measure and report progress against their goals. It’s imperative for finance leaders not just to drive the change towards sustainability but also to build trust in the reporting of progress towards sustainability goals.

“CFOs can play a pivotal role in integrating environmental considerations into strategy, planning and reporting – ensuring that businesses not only contribute positively to the climate agenda but also adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing economic landscape.”

For CFOs themselves, balancing the short-term operational priorities of the finance team whilst simultaneously upskilling and equipping the team to support the wider organisation’s net zero initiatives must now be a critical imperative. The research recommends that finance teams need to develop the right skills and expertise in this area of green finance and sustainability reporting for clarity and insight into a business’ green transition plans.

 

Visit ACCA’s website for more information.

Finance and Banking

Does investing affect your credit score?

Thinking of investing for the first time? Whether you’ve been reading online guides or you’re looking for advice, there are plenty of misconceptions on the subject of with stocks and shares.

As with any financial decision, you should think carefully before investing. If you’ve got bad credit, you might not be able to secure the funds you need to make a strong start. Likewise, if your credit score is something that you’ve been working on for a long time and you’d like to protect it, you should tread carefully with future investments.

One of the questions that circulates most often, especially amongst beginners, is whether or not investing in stocks affects your credit score. It’s always worth learning the facts before jumping to conclusions.

 

How to buy stocks

The process of buying stocks can be undertaken in several ways.

To get started, you’ll usually need to seek the assistance of a stockbroker first. As a beginner investor, you can’t just approach the stock exchange and ask to buy stocks straight away.

Whether you use an online trading platform or an independent professional, a stockbroker will direct you to the most suitable investment. If you’re not confident about your credit score, it’s important to be honest.

Buying stocks and credit scores: The lowdown

Buying stocks or any other type of investment won’t usually affect your credit score or show up on your credit report.

However, if you apply for a margin account, you might see some changes to your report. This is a specific type of investment account that offers a line of credit to users. If you’re thinking of investing, risk should always be considered first. Never attempt to invest on borrowed money if you don’t know the process inside and out.

Does investing affect my credit score?

If there’s no record of borrowing money, the act of investing will neither help nor hamper your credit score. Margin accounts are the only exception to this rule. Remember that using credit for investments increases the risk significantly.

What else could impact my credit score?

If you’re interested in keeping good ground before your next big financial decision, you can find innovative ways to protect and build your credit score. A few of the most influential financial factors that could affect your credit score include:

  • Your borrowing history

A credit score reflects how well you handle your debt. If you have a history of almost exceeding your credit limits or reaching the upper end of your overdraft, this could affect your score.

  • Your repayment history

If you have a direct debit or standing order, missing a payment will reflect negatively on your credit score. It can take years to recover your score after this type of setback.

  • Moving house

Good credit scores are awarded to those who can demonstrate stability. If you’ve moved house every year, you may struggle to maintain your credit score.

 

Overview

Remember, investing should be something you start for long-term gain.

If you’re looking for short-term solutions or speedy access to funds to help cover expenses, investing won’t be the best strategy. Above all, if you’re struggling to cope with your personal finances, it’s imperative to seek advice on debt and money before you make any important decisions.

Bridgend, Commercial Vehicles, Mental Health, Motor Industry, Motoring, News

Hawkstone Commercials Supports Men’s Mental Health with Vehicle Acquisition

Bridgend based multi award-winning commercial vehicle leasing broker Hawkstone Commercials acquires community use vehicle for a men’s mental health community interest company (CIC).

Lads & Dads Men’s Mental Wellbeing C.I.C has been gifted the use of a community outreach vehicle to continue its fight against the increasing challenges of men’s mental health in our communities. Launched in 2019, Lads & Dads focuses on walking, talking, thinking, and supporting. With over 2,000 members and 12 committee members.

Oliver Lewis, Co-director of Hawkstone Commercials said, “The work that Lads & Dads have done in recent years has been exceptional. They have helped so many individuals combat the struggles which we all face in life and make a real positive impact in our local community. For Lads & Dads to continue providing their support, it is vital they have the right tools available to them. As a business, we have invested heavily in supporting our own staff and their mental health, so it’s fantastic to be able to expand our reach to the wider community and play a very small part in the ongoing cause. I would like to thank the committee at Lads & Dads for allowing us the opportunity to support them on their journey”.

 

Lads and Dads have already reached thousands of people and is recommended to patients by doctors’ surgeries, local crisis teams and other community engagement groups. The group also have their own football team which plays against other mental health awareness teams across South Wales.

Rob Lester (chairman of Lads & Dads) said – “To watch our group grow over the past four years has been nothing short of amazing, however we feel that there is so much more to do. We rely heavily on our sponsors and supporters to keep our group running efficiently and to be able to offer the care our members need. This comes in the form of organised events and even counselling sessions. We are sincerely grateful for the support Hawkstone Commercials have shown us in recent months in the form of sponsorship, but for them to acquire a vehicle for us is just incredible. On behalf of the committee, and our 2000 members I would like to thank the Directors Oliver and Paul as well as their team for this generous donation. We are now able to put this van to work and help more of members and the wider community with the epidemic which is mental health”.

 

Over the last 18 months, Hawkstone Commercials has achieved some truly phenomenal goals. However, this is something that Hawkstone cherishes above all. As an organisation, their goal has been to give back to the community. This gesture will save and changes lives, something that is utterly priceless.

Customer Service, News

The Key To CSAT Is To Practise What You Preach

CSAT is short for ‘customer satisfaction’ and is a key performance indicator that tracks how satisfied customers are with your organisation’s products and/or services.

Often retailers or professional service businesses send through an online form or survey post a customer interaction to gather feedback of the efficiency of service a customer has received, so they can both measure and pinpoint any potential gaps in efficiency of service.

But what should be the internal focus for the best use of CSAT scores? At Lokulus, Technical Support Manager, Anthony Greenhough and his team manage this process for the business. As a tech business who encourage some of the world’s largest retailers professional service companies, they believe to truly understand the process they need to practise what they preach. For this reason they put high standards on themselves when dealing with clients and boast a 98% satisfaction rate on their own CSAT scores.

So what are their tips?

1 – Set your own standards i.e. response rate and stick by them – Any business needs to make sure their customer teams are fully aware of what is expected of them. If you want any email enquiry responded to in 24 hours, make sure there are processes in place that allow this and make sure you’re measuring this and making sure it’s done. There needs to be an internal rule book that guides all team members in black and white of what is expected of them and why it matters commercially. That way, when you communicate this in automated responses, you know that you live by this and you aren’t going to further escalate a complaint by letting down a customer twice.

 

2 – Generate reports and use the detail – Don’t just presume that these standards are being adhered to. Make sure you are going through your performance reports weekly and monthly and noticing any gaps immediately. The minute you take you foot off the gas, is when mistakes are made and timescales slip and in doing so, so do your CSAT scores. Make sure your measurement software allows you to really drill down and see the detail. It may be that your automation responses need a slight change or a certain element needs fine tuning to ensure customer satisfaction, but the closer you are to the detail, the better your CSAT scores will be.

 

3 – Act on the negative and learn from it – Mistakes happen but make sure you’re constantly learning from them and acting upon it. Be transparent with the team and use their on-the-ground knowledge to remedy a situation or process for the better. We have a triage service that supports this and ensures everyone in the team is notified and educated on any potential problems and resolutions so they are less likely to happen again.

 

4 – Link into performance goals – To highlight the importance of CSAT scores and emphasise their importance to the business, think about including CSAT targets to employee performance goals, however they are measured. This will drive a team to really make sure that the systems and processes of customer experience are front of centre of their work load and set the tone for their priorities.

 

5 – Be human and reward – when it comes to dealing with customers and employees, businesses need to remember they are working with humans. No automation or rule is going to cover this 100% effectively so as much as you can, the systems and process will help and support, but be human and reward teams for their efforts. At Lokulus there is a quarterly award scheme that highlights particular team members that have gone above and beyond and this is hugely appreciated. Company wide recognition goes a long way and accelerates motivation and loyalty to both the business and your customers.

 

For more information on how to expedite your customer satisfaction scores, visit lokulus.com

 

Business Tech, Telecoms News

New Research Reveals Brits Prefer Traditional Phone Calls to Emails for Customer Support

  • 69% of Brits will contact a business via phone call first before trying other methods when seeking assistance
  • Direct phone calls are the preferred method of communication for well over a third (38%) of British consumers when seeking support from a business
  • 45% say the customer service they receive over the phone is better than they get with other contact methods

From phone calls and email to web chats and social media, it’s harder for businesses to know which channels to prioritise for customers. Now, new research from the leading technology-based provider of communications services across Europe, Gamma Communications, suggests that voice calls should be a priority for businesses despite the increasing number of digital communication options.

According to the new research, well over a third of Brits (38%) say direct phone calls are their preferred method of communication with businesses over other channels such as emails, web chats, social media and video calls. A further 69% of consumers are likely to contact via phone call first before trying other methods when seeking assistance from a business.

With the vast majority (91%) considering it important to be able to easily call a business customer service line when they need assistance, phone calls evidently have a significant impact on the customer experience. To further underscore this, 80% of consumers say they would continue shopping with an SME that offers superior customer service over the phone, suggesting an impact on customer loyalty as well.

 Chris Wade, Chief Marketing and Product Officer at Gamma Communications commented on the findings: “When customers need support, it’s evident that businesses must understand exactly how their customers want to communicate. Even in today’s increasingly digital world, human connection is vital. Telephone calls have withstood the test of time for being one of the best ways to achieve that interpersonal bond. All businesses can use this to harness the, sometimes underrated, value of telephone calls to offer quality customer service and retain customers. Whether you’re a tradesman or a financial advisor, your voice has the power to yield customer loyalty.”

In the finance industry alone, evidence is clear on just how important customer support accessibility is to British consumers. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reported finance firms had 1.8M open complaints (a 5% increase from 2022) in the first half of 2023 showing that customers will always, and increasingly, need business support. It’s how fast and easy they receive that support that leaves a lasting impression which can make or break a business’s reputation.

The research suggests the value of voice calls can be attributed to human connection. Almost half of Brits (46%) value phone calls because they feel better understood when communicating verbally. The same number (46%) find phone calls quicker and easier to use, while 45% believe that the support and customer service they receive over the phone is of higher quality in comparison to other contact methods.

Similarly, the biggest frustrations Brits face when contacting customer support are automated responses or the inability to speak with a human (49%), being subjected to long hold times (47%) and having no phone number to call or the phone number being hard to find (31%).

Gamma Communication’s research shows the ability to voice call a business is a necessity for customers and this is also seen across the UK regions, upon further breakdown of the data:

  • More than half (52%) of customers in the East of England value phone calls with businesses as they feel better understood when speaking over the phone.
  • Nearly half of Yorkshire customers (48%) value phone calls as they believe they are more likely to get an issue resolved faster over the phone.
  • Nearly half of South Western customers (48%) value phone calls with businesses because it’s more personal than digital or automated messaging.

AI, FInance, Retail

Dynamic Yield by Mastercard Unveils Shopping Muse, The Next Generation Personal Retail Assistant

Dynamic Yield by Mastercard today announced Shopping Muse, an advanced generative AI tool that revolutionises how consumers search for and discover products in a retailer’s digital catalogue.

Shopping Muse re-creates the in-store, human experience by translating consumers’ colloquial language into tailored product recommendations, complete with suggestions for coordinating products and accessories. Consumers can use Shopping Muse to explore modern aesthetics, trending looks, dress codes, and unconventional search terms like ‘cottagecore’ or ‘beach formal’ with ease. Shopping Muse recommendations match an individual consumer’s unique profile, intent, and affinity, and builds on the conversation’s context over time to deliver results that perfectly match even the most eccentric query.  Underpinned by Dynamic Yield’s deep personalisation capabilities, the solution combines contextual and behavioural insights to produce recommendations that are informed by the retailer’s keywords, visual cues, and the consumer’s own affinity.

“Solutions like Shopping Muse are the next natural step in the retail revolution and are core to putting the consumer back at the centre of the journey,” said Raj Seshadri, President of Data & Services at Mastercard. “At Mastercard, we’re putting technology and machine learning to work to deliver better outcomes for both brand and consumer.”

In addition to helping shoppers search by phrase, Shopping Muse can reduce frustration by helping consumers find the perfect item even when they don’t know how to properly describe it in words. Using integrated advanced image recognition tools, retailers can recommend relevant products based on visual similarities to others, even if they lack the right technical tags. The tool also takes into account the shopper’s affinity, based on session browsing history or past purchases, to better estimate future buying intent. With an understanding of the consumer’s affinity and the context of broader collective behaviour, the retailer can ensure the suggested items are complementary, not redundant.

“Personalisation gives people the shopping experiences they want, and AI-driven innovation is the key to unlocking immersive and tailored online shopping,” said Ori Bauer, CEO of Dynamic Yield by Mastercard. “By harnessing the power of generative AI in Shopping Muse, we’re meeting the consumer’s standards and making shopping smarter and more seamless than ever.”

In this era of fast evolving trends and deep learning algorithms, retailers must adapt to changing demands and higher consumer expectations to move beyond short-term trends. Embracing technology is crucial to that agility – more than one in four retailers are currently using generative AI solutions, with another thirteen percent planning to adopt them in the next year.

Mastercard acquired Dynamic Yield—a 6-time Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for personalisation Engines—in 2022 to strengthen its suite of consumer engagement and loyalty services, helping brands deliver more effective and trusted experiences across channels. Mastercard embeds best in class privacy safeguards into all of its products and services in line with a thorough Privacy by Design approach and the application of effective and responsible AI principles and standards.

News

Turkey sales take off at organic farm estate ahead of Christmas event countdown

RHUG ESTATE will serve up lashings of Christmas cheer for visitors over the coming weeks.

The 12,500-acre organic farm estate, based near Corwen in North Wales, is celebrating the yuletide holidays with a series of events and activities for all the family to enjoy.

First up is a two-day food and craft fair, beginning on Saturday December 9, where local producers, crafters and artists will be on hand to share recipes, samples, and showcase their wares.

A selection of Rhug’s award-winning artisan suppliers will also be on hand to speak to, there will be delicious festive treats to enjoy, and a selection of winter warmers including pre-made and bespoke hampers.

On the Sunday (December 10) Santa will be at Rhug – he’s good friends with Lord Newborough and the team! – and ready to welcome children from 10am-4pm. He may even bring one of his reindeer and have a present for you.

And on the following Thursday evening (December 14), you can join the annual Rhug Chapel Service before meeting back at the farm shop and café for carol singing, mulled wine and food, which will be available until 8pm.

December is one of the busiest times of the year at Rhug Estate, and with up to 500 of their award-winning organic Dee Valley Bronze turkeys, meat boxes and geese up for grabs, Lord Newborough urged people to get in touch soon and not miss out.

“The festive events are always a firm favourite as this is such a fabulous place to be at Christmas time, with the amazing atmosphere and the wide range of food we produce in time for the holiday season,” he said.

“We look forward to seeing you all and encourage anyone planning to pre-book one of our organic turkeys or geese to do so quickly as they are already selling fast.”

Lord Newborough added: “Demand is always very high in the weeks before what is for many people the most important meal of the year, and as our turkeys are so very special – they are fed a diet of finest organic oats grown right here at Estate, have plenty of space to roam and exercise and even listen to classical music – customers are always keen to be at the front of the queue.

“We even get orders from as far away as Singapore and Hong Kong, and this year we are offering a wider range of sizes to choose from, so we recommend you order yours soon!”

For more information and to book your place at one of Rhug’s Christmas events, visit www.rhug.co.uk. Follow them on social media at @rhugestate.

To pre-book your turkey or goose in time for Christmas, call 01490 413000, email contact@rhug.co.uk or visit the website: www.rhug.co.uk/product/rhug-estate-organic-dee-valley-bronze-turkey.

HR, L&D, News

Progress HR and Open Road Learning Forge Strategic Partnership to Enhance HR Capabilities

Progress HR, a forerunner in HR excellence led by Managing Director Claire Bond, has announced an exciting partnership with Open Road Learning, a global provider of people development solutions, to deliver highly interactive and effective HR training to organisations across the UK.

With over two decades of unparalleled HR expertise, Progress HR has consistently delivered renowned support to businesses across the UK. Under Claire Bond’s leadership, known for her robust employee relations and trade union experience, Progress HR specialises in offering fractional HR Director support to SMEs and discrete project-based assistance to businesses navigating HR challenges.

The collaboration between Progress HR and Open Road Learning marks the joining together of two industry experts who have shared a professional relationship for over two decades. This alliance is poised to bolster the capabilities of HR teams and line managers responsible for effective people management strategies.

This partnership will reinforce a comprehensive array of HR training, ranging from recruitment, selection, and induction to successfully navigating complex issues like employee conduct, grievances, and attendance management. Not only this, but where clients need more dedicated support, the two companies can provide HR consultancy, ensuring that their partners have the necessary support to navigate the intricacies of modern HR challenges effectively.

Claire Bond expressed her enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating: “We are thrilled to join forces with Open Road Learning. Our combined expertise will enable businesses to harness the full potential of their HR functions, enabling them to navigate the complex landscape of HR management with confidence.”

Ann Pemberton

Open Road Learning, since its inception in 2004 under the visionary leadership of Ann Pemberton, has been committed to providing bespoke people development solutions globally. The partnership with Progress HR aligns with their ethos of empowering organisations through targeted and impactful training initiatives.

Ann Pemberton commented: “This collaboration with Progress HR represents an exciting opportunity to leverage our collective strengths and offer unparalleled HR training solutions. Together, we aim to equip businesses with the tools needed to excel in managing their most valuable asset—their people.”

 

For more information on the dedicated HR training offered through this partnership, visit the Progress HR website.

This partnership marks a pivotal moment in the HR landscape, promising to reform the way businesses approach and manage their human resources.