Monthly Archives: May 2024

News

Guests at luxury palace retreat can now stay in lodges designed by stars of hit TV show

VISITORS to a luxury holiday retreat in the grounds of a world heritage site can stay in exclusive accommodation remodelled by stars of a popular TV show.

The grand finale of BBC’s Interior Design Masters series – watched by up to 2.8m viewers – saw contestants Roisin Quinn and Matt Smith-Wood revamp two high-quality cabins at Darwin Escapes’ picturesque Blenheim Palace Lodge Retreat in Woodstock, Oxfordshire.

The park has been a huge hit with families across the UK since opening last summer, and now looks set to attract even more customers, including fans of the hit programme fronted by comedian Alan Carr and judge Michelle Ogundehin.

Featuring a selection of one, two and three-bedroom self-catering lodges, the retreat is nestled within more than 2,000 acres of countryside and gardens, just a stone’s throw from the 320-year Palace, home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.

Resort Manager Simon Oliver says the impact of Interior Design Masters will reinforce a strong first year at the picturesque landmark.

“We have had a great start to life at Blenheim Palace, the feedback has been brilliant and visitor numbers look set to rise further, especially given the success of the TV series,” he said.

“That coupled with the increase in bookings we receive when events are held here, and the growing name of Darwin Escapes in this region, point to a successful summer and beyond.”

Simon added: “The two lodges redesigned by Matt and Roisin look incredible, they are very different and bespoke to varying tastes, from the furniture to the interior, decoration, and layout.

“Given their prominence in the final I’m sure fans of the series will be keen to book them, so that’s an added USP for this site.”

The final was won by Roisin, from Wirral, who was praised by judges – including renowned US potter Jonathan Adler – for creating a “joyous, memorable and delightful” lodge, a “fresh and very optimistic space”.

Her design included leafy wallpaper, glass pendants, mid-century dining furniture, sunshine yellow décor, bold soft furnishings, and an outdoor dining area to create what she herself described as “a colourful, cosy cabin in the woods”, a “magical space, a wonderland”.

Runner-up Matt, from Cheltenham, took a more contemporary approach with “nods to Blenheim Palace”, and his ideas featured traditional-style panelling, a gold leaf and mono kitchen, a plush rug, gold velvet sofa, modern chandeliers, and an external lounge area.

Both were tasked with “designing holiday lodges fit for royalty” and managed to achieve their goals in just two days with a budget of £6,000.

Following years of development and significant investment, Blenheim Palace Lodge Retreat opened last August and now employs eight people from the local area.

The lodges were built with sustainability a priority, they are fitted with electric vehicle charging points and a quarter are pet friendly.

“There’s so much to do in this part of the world and of course the Palace is busy all year-round, so this is the perfect place to visit when exploring Oxfordshire,” said Simon.

“As viewers of the TV show witnessed, it’s a very special place, and I’m sure more and more people will come to see that for themselves in the months and years ahead.”

Heather Carter, Managing Director at Blenheim Palace, added: “It was a great pleasure and a lot of fun to have Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr film with us at Blenheim Palace in September last year. They were here for five days filming both at the Palace and the lodges, and we managed to keep it secret until the big reveal on BBC1.

“We have a lot of filming here at the Palace and it gives us great reach into new audiences, we know that being featured on such a popular programme as Interior Design Masters will entice more people to visit the Palace and book one of the lodges.”

For more information and to book, visit Luxury retreat holiday lodges Oxford | Blenheim Palace (darwinescapes.co.uk) and follow them on social media at @darwinescapes.

To win a free midweek break for up to four people at one of the lodges designed by Matt or Roisin, and tickets to Blenheim Palace, visit the website: Enter here | Interior Design Masters | Blenheim Palace Lodge Retreat (darwinescapes.co.uk).  

Appointments, Business

Paul Butterworth appointed Vice Chair of Regional Learning and Skills Partnership

Paul Butterworth, the CEO of Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid, has been appointed as the new Vice Chair of the Regional Learning and Skills Partnership (RLSP) for south-west Wales.

Covering Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Swansea, the RLSP is dedicated to bridging the gap between education, skills, and regeneration. It aims to ensure that the skills provision is aligned with the economic priorities and opportunities of the region, as well as tackling the new skills landscape that is happening within the energy, construction, manufacturing and digital sectors.

As CEO of Chambers Wales, Paul brings a wealth of experience and a passion for the economic and skills development of Welsh businesses with him to the board.

As the voice of the business community with policymakers, Paul will advocate for enhanced skills training, infrastructure improvements and the creation of skilled jobs, all aimed at creating local economic growth.

Upon his appointment, Paul said: “I am determined to create a better and fairer business landscape for West Wales to ensure that the local economy has the best available skills development for future project development and the transition into the green economy and energy sector to ensure West Wales thrives.”

Jane Lewis, Regional Partnerships Manager at RLSP, said: “We are delighted to have Paul on the board. He will be instrumental in achieving our goals and look forward to the positive impact his appointment will have on the region.”

Global Mobility, News, Remote Working

Best “Workcation” cities in the world for Brits: Tbilisi, Chiang Mai and Bucharest top the list

Since the end of the pandemic there has been a shift in the mentality for many desk workers in the UK. A study found that 43% of Brits said they would NOT apply for an advertised job if the description didn’t explicitly state that it was flexible and 37% of Brits asked said they would like a hybrid role so that they could work while they travel for a portion of the year.

The idea that the office can be any place along with the practice of working from anywhere has grown in popularity, with UK Google searches for “digital nomad visa” increasing by 130% over the past 12 months.

But where are the best cities around the world in which to work remotely as a Brit? A recent study by computing and tech retailer Currys analysed 268 cities around the world and ranked them on their monthly rent, basic utility price per month, broadband speed, safety index, and the length of stay allowed for UK citizens. These were each scored out of 10 to give a total score out of 50, with the highest scoring city being the best location for digital nomads from the UK.

When it comes to the best city for a ‘workcation’ gothic haven Tbilisi in Georgia takes the top spot. The biggest benefit of Georgia is that with a digital nomad visa, British nationals can spend up to a year in the city working remotely, and there are no taxes for six months. For the first 183 days you don’t pay any taxes. After that period you become a tax resident and pay 20% of taxes. Aside from the legalities, it is also a reasonably priced place to live and safe too, meaning it’s even an option for solo travellers looking for a change of work scenery. Tbilisi features a picturesque Old Town, eclectic architecture and superb eating and drinking opportunities, giving it the reputation of South Caucasus region’s most cosmopolitan city, scoring 37.68 out of 50.

One downside however is that the city scored low for broadband speed with an average of just 26.9MPBS. A good broadband speed starts from 11Mbps for a standard broadband connection, although faster speeds range between 11-50Mbps. These are usually Superfast Broadband packages- so while it may be speedy enough for work related tasks, it might not be fast enough if you’re a gaming streamer.

Chiang Mai in Thailand comes a close second. Visitors are met with a wonderful metropolis full of exceptional food, hip live music venues and a deeply Buddhist population. The city scored high for reasonable living costs, with rent coming in at £179.84 on average for a one-bed outside the city centre and average utilities around £44.31 per month. Not only that but the broadband is fast, and it scores highly in the safety department too, earning a score of 37.45 out of 50.

In third place is Bucharest in Romania, scoring 36.16 out of 50. Bucharest is known for its vibrant cultural scene, with numerous theatres, museums, galleries, and performance venues. In the study it scored highly for cheap rent, fast broadband and a decent safety index score.

The top 20 cities in the world for a workcation*

Rank City Country Score out of 50
1 Tbilisi Georgia 37.68
2 Chiang Mai Thailand 37.45
3 Bucharest Romania 36.16
4 Quebec City Canada 36.07
5 Taipei Taiwan 35.79
6 Madrid Spain 34.53
7 Tokyo Japan 34.45
8 Penang Malaysia 34.31
9 Merida Mexico 34.29
10 Galway Ireland 33.13
11 Yerevan Armenia 33.08
12 Reykjavik Iceland 33.07
13 Budapest Hungary 33.02
14 Jeddah (Jiddah) Saudi Arabia 32.94
15 Christchurch New Zealand 32.78
16 Kathmandu Nepal 32.67
17 Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates 32.50
18 The Hague (Den Haag) Netherlands 31.86
19 Bursa Turkey 31.70
20 Seoul South Korea 31.53

*Only featuring one city from each country.

It is important to remember that in many places it is not permitted to work on a tourist visa, so it is vital that digital nomads check the restrictions in the countries they plan on visiting and obtain a work or digital nomad visa.

News

Medallia named as a Leader in SPARK Matrix™ Digital Marketing Analytics Report Q4 2023

Independent research firm names Medallia top performer due to its ‘distinctive capability’ to power ‘personalised interactions’

Medallia, the global leader in customer and employee experience, today announced it has been recognised as a Technology Leader in the Q4 2023 Spark Matrix for Digital Marketing Analytics, published by leading market research firm Quadrant Knowledge Solutions. As one of the top performers in the report, analysts state that Medallia “provide[s] a sophisticated and comprehensive technology platform to address various use cases, such as delivering real-time personalisation to customers.”

This report evaluated 15 service providers based on 12 criteria, including competitive differentiation strategy, vision & roadmap, product performance, ease of deployment & use, and customer service excellence.

“We are honoured to be recognised as a leader in the SPARK Matrix report for digital marketing analytics,” said Alex Glanz, EVP of Strategy at Medallia. “Medallia’s unique ability to understand experiences across channels empowers digital marketers and customer experience leaders to know their online customers with a new depth. By activating these omnichannel insights, brands using Medallia – whether for customer experience or specific digital marketing initiatives – are able to personalise every experience and deliver more return on investment to their organisations.”

Quadrant Knowledge Solutions analysts state that “Medallia’s distinctive capability lies in its capacity to enable organisations to gain comprehensive insights into the changing preferences and demands of individual customers, leading to personalised interactions.”

According to Richa Choubey, Analyst at Quadrant Knowledge Solutions:

“Medallia empowers its users to perform personalised orchestration of customer journeys, visualise customer interactions on websites and apps, and efficient journey management through its offerings, Medallia Experience Orchestration & Digital Experience Analytics. Medallia’s Digital Marketing Analytics (DMA) offerings stand out owing to their ability to generate real-time interaction-based insights, develop and maintain customer profiles, and evaluate and score user experience on multiple parameters. Medallia’s ability to provide comprehensive DMA technology offerings, efficient discovery of customer interest and context with scarcely available customer data, and its ability to cater to a wide range of use cases has resulted in Medallia achieving the Leader position in the SPARK Matrix: Digital Marketing Analytics, 2023.”

Quadrant Knowledge Solutions analysts highlight key differentiators in the Medallia platform, such as its ability to ‘facilitate real-time, highly personalised interactions based on insights that are delivered through centralised orchestration,’ as well as its ‘Digital Experience Score (DXS) that evaluates the quality of online user experience across various parameters.’

News

New research reveals business leaders are wholly misaligned with their workforces when it comes to understanding and decision making

A poll by business consultancy, GAIN LINE, has revealed a major disconnect between organisational leaders, and their employees. When asked whether employees have an input into critical decisions that affect them, three-quarters of ‘owners’ and 90% of ‘directors’ said ‘yes’. However, when asked the same question, over half of ‘junior’ staff (56%) responded ‘no’, they do not feel they have an input into critical business decisions.

This suggests the more senior a person is within a business, the more likely they are to believe employees have valid input into the decisions that affect their daily worklife. While the more junior they are, the least likely they are to feel they have a say in company decision making.

Tom Mercer, Commercial Director, at GAIN LINE, said: “For a workforce to be engaged and productive, it’s vital they feel listened to and empowered to do their best work. At a time when companies are competing for strong talent, this survey suggests that many are falling short when it comes to supporting their teams, with a complete disconnect between what junior and senior employees feel when it comes to important decision making.

“Not only does this put staff satisfaction and retention at risk, it also jeopardises the outcomes of the decision making process.”

The survey also showed the majority of junior staff believe management are unaware of the challenges they face on a daily basis, which is at complete odds to the owners and directors, who overwhelmingly believe they are. When responding to the question ‘do you feel like the management team is fully aware of the challenges that people face in your business?’, 53% of junior staff answered ‘no’, while 100% of owners and 95% of directors replied ‘yes’.

“Our data suggests that leaders making critical business decisions are unlikely to be aware of the challenges they’re actually trying to solve, which raises serious questions about the effectiveness and robustness of those decisions,” explained Tom Mercer.

“Organisations that are run top down, without considering the input and views from the people that actually see these challenges every day, risk basing their decisions on inaccurate or unrepresentative data and insights. The result could be wrongly prioritising budget allocations, making unnecessary changes or adapting processes that actually hinder rather than help their team and the operational aspects of delivery.”

News

Dryad Enters XPRIZE Wildfire Competition to Tackle the Global Wildfire Crisis

New solution will leverage ultra-early detection sensors and autonomous drones equipped with extinguishment cannons to suppress fires in minutes

Dryad Networks, a leader in ultra-early wildfire detection, has announced that it will participate in XPRIZE Wildfire, a new 4-year global competition that calls on teams from around the world to develop new solutions that more effectively detect and suppress potentially destructive wildfires. Dryad’s team will compete in the Autonomous Wildfire Response track, where teams will have 10 minutes to autonomously detect and suppress a high-risk fire in a 1000 km2 environmentally challenging area while leaving any decoy fires untouched.

Dryad’s team, which includes acoustic wave fire suppression solutions developer Sonic Fire Tech and renowned drone researchers and academics, aims to develop a revolutionary autonomous solution in which ultra-early detection sensors pinpoint the exact location of a fire and direct drones to extinguish the fire in minutes. The drones will autonomously navigate environmentally challenging areas, locate the fire using a combination of infrared and bio-inspired event cameras, extinguish the fire with novel acoustic wave cannons, and return safely to a ground station.

“The need for faster and more advanced wildfire detection and suppression methods has never been more clear, and radical new approaches are necessary to combat this global crisis,” said Carsten Brinkschulte, CEO and Co-founder of Dryad. “XPRIZE is the perfect environment for climate solution innovators to collaborate and dream up solutions that could have significant impact in the very near future, and we’re thrilled to participate in this important challenge.”

Geoff Bruder, Interim CEO and Co-founder of Sonic Fire Tech, said: “We have utilized our experience designing thermoacoustic engines for NASA to produce the first practical acoustic wave fire suppression system. Other suppression technologies that can be carried by small drones utilize a fixed payload, which limits the operational capabilities substantially. With Sonic Fire Tech’s zero carbon footprint acoustic suppression method, Dryad’s drones will be able to stay on site, actively employing fire suppression as long as the mission requires.”

Dryad envisions a future where innovative technologies, including but not limited to ultra-early detection solutions, play a critical role in the wildfire suppression ecosystem. Each year, the length of the fire season extends and more regions are impacted, resulting in the unfortunate loss of life, billions of dollars in economic damage, and catastrophic contributions to a global CO2 emissions crisis.

“The acceleration of climate change is making wildfires worse,” added Brinkschulte. “Year in and year out, we hear of megafires increasing in strength, frequency and destruction. New technologies can make this crisis a thing of the past, but we simply need to act now.”

The XPRIZE Wildfire competition is officially open and teams will compete for more than $11 million in cash prizes. Stay tuned for updates from the Dryad team as the research and development advances. For more information on the competition, please visit https://www.xprize.org/prizes/wildfire.

About Dryad Networks

Dryad provides ultra-early detection of wildfires as well as health & growth-monitoring of forests through the Silvanet solution – solar-powered gas sensors deployed in a large-scale IoT sensor network. Dryad aims to reduce unwanted wildfires, which cause up to 20% of global CO2 emissions and have a devastating impact on biodiversity. By 2030, Dryad aims to prevent 3.9m hectares of forest from burning, preventing 1.7bn tonnes of CO2 emissions. To learn more about Dryad, please visit dryad.net.

About Sonic Fire Tech

Sonic Fire Tech has developed the world’s first practical acoustic wave fire suppression system that is portable, scalable, and powerful enough to tackle real world fire scenarios. Sonic Fire Tech will provide devices to prevent structure fires in high-risk areas, suppress wildfires before they have a chance to spread, and provide an alternative fire solution for commercial and residential applications. For more information please visit SonicFireTech.com.

Business & Property News, Finance and Banking, News

Tyl by NatWest announces new payments partnership with FSB

NatWest Group has today announced a new partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). This official payments partnership, builds on the support the NatWest Group has given to FSB over the years as the UK’s biggest bank for businesses.*

In 2020, NatWest Group established the SME Taskforce with FSB to help SMEs to respond to and navigate the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, working together with stakeholders from across the small business landscape, the two organisations worked closely together to support customers.

Just last year NatWest announced a £1million partnership with FSB to provide NatWest business customers with access to independent support and education to help with the cost-of-living crisis via webinars, and 1-2-1 phone support and webchat.

FSB members will see cost savings and other benefits by signing up with Tyl, subject to eligibility criteria as part of the partnership. Insight from Tyl by NatWest found that 8 out of 10 businesses could save on fees when switching from an existing card payment provider to Tyl by NatWest.†

For the smallest businesses, Tyl offers a simple fee structure based on one low rate for personal card transactions (where the card is issued in the UK or Europe) and one for all other transactions. For bigger businesses, Tyl has a range of different fees to fit the needs of the business.

In addition to the possible business savings, Tyl by NatWest could help FSB members with the day to day running of their business through features including:

  • Choice of card machines or a phone app for in-person sales
  • Take payments online or over the phone
  • Payment links and QR codes to send out so you get paid quickly
  • Simple bills and next business day settlement
  • Tyl Portal for access to constantly updated sales data
  • 7 day a week UK-based service and support line
  • Tyl is part of NatWest which brings trust, security and experience to ensure safe payments

Available now, FSB members could be up and running with Tyl in just 48 hours.

James Holian, Head of Business Banking at NatWest comments:

“FSB and NatWest share an ambition to provide strong support for the growth of entrepreneurship and small businesses in the UK, and we are excited and proud to partner with FSB in payments services for its members.”

Mike Elliff, CEO, Tyl by NatWest said:

“Small businesses are critical for our economy and our communities. At a time where the cost of trading is rising for small business owners, Tyl by NatWest is delighted to be able to partner with FSB to provide its members with a full range of cost-effective and reliable payment solutions, backed by great service.” 

Caroline Lavelle, Chief Commercial Officer, FSB, said:

“I’m delighted to form this partnership with Tyl by NatWest. We have a long-standing history of working with NatWest on various business initiatives and look forward to this next step in our relationship.

“As many of our members, and the wider UK small business community, continue to navigate the increasing cost of trading, an opportunity to make savings on payments, which is core to every business, will be well-received.”

Appointments, Finance and Banking, News

Unity Trust Bank appoints specialist Relationship Manager

 Unity Trust Bank has created a specialist Relationship Manager role to oversee its expanding portfolio of customers in the local government sector.

With more than 2,200 town, parish and community councils choosing to bank with Unity, Sarah Johnson will provide additional expertise to help direct the activity of the account servicing team.

Sarah will apply her extensive knowledge and experience to help continuously improve Unity’s understanding of how to create a product and service proposition tailored to customers in this sector, ensuring that their unique requirements are met now and in the future.

The change represents the next phase in a series of investments that Unity has been making to become increasingly focused on its customer’s needs.

Commenting on her new position, Sarah, who has over a decade of experience in commercial banking, said: “We work with a range of organisations that address social, economic, or environmental needs in the UK and we know that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to banking requirements.

“Local councils provide some of the essential services every person relies on across the UK to live well. They need a bank like Unity that understands their goals and their needs. There are complexities within local councils that need tailored solutions and understanding the best fit for these organisations will be a key part of my role.

“Forging even closer working relationships with local councils will help shape our proposition to councils to ensure we provide quality service so they can deliver for their communities.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to know our council customers better and helping them to grow and deliver impact.”

Unity was founded by the trade union movement in 1984 and its mission is to help create a better society for all through socially-responsible banking.

Celebrating its 40th birthday this week, the bank reported a record level of lending in 2023 – exceeding £1 billion for the first time and growing 21% from the previous year. More than 45% of its financing went into areas of high deprivation.

Alexandra Rice, Chief Commercial Officer at Unity Trust Bank, said: “We have a strong and experienced team of relationship managers across the country who have a wealth of knowledge and experience in a range of sectors and strive to deliver outstanding service to our expanding customer base.

“Investing in specialist roles like Sarah’s will further improve our overall customer experience and ensure that the needs of organisations requiring assistance with specific banking issues are fulfilled.

“With additional support from our dedicated UK-based Customer Connect team, this new role will ensure that the increasing number of local councils that choose to bank with Unity will receive the best support possible.”

News

One in three UK freelancers don’t feel confident about their long-term future due to IR35 and economic uncertainties

  • Only 53% of UK freelancers aren’t considering a full-time job, with 35% thinking about it;
  • 51% of UK freelancers have an impression of business opportunities’ slowdown;
  • Yet only half of full-time UK freelancers (48%) could raise their daily rates to align with the inflation.

London, UK, 1 May 2024: Freelancing in the UK took a hit due to IR35 changes and economic instability, as 35% of UK freelancers don’t feel confident about their long-term future, according to Europe’s largest talent marketplace, Malt.

In its latest ‘Freelancing in Europe 2024’ report,  the number of UK freelancers who are confident is lower than the overall European average (69%), especially compared to countries like Germany (86%) and France (75%).

As a result, only half (53%) of freelancers are not looking for a full-time job, with 12% actively searching for it and 35% thinking about it. This is a big contrast to other countries such as Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, where freelancers are much more confident in their career choices, with 72%, 71%, and 70%, respectively, not looking for full-time employment.

The UK is also one of the most impacted countries when it comes to business opportunities – more than half (51%) of UK freelancers have an impression of a slowdown due to the economic environment. Compared to other European countries, freelancers feel that they have more or the same business opportunities, with only 32% in France, 32% in Germany and 39% in Spain feeling a slowdown.

The situation is exacerbated with the rollout of IR35 – some companies, especially in financial services, have banned freelancers entirely, while others try to avoid UK freelancers and prefer to work with European ones to avoid adhering to IR35 rules.

Quentin Debavelaere, General Manager for UK, Benelux and Middle East at Malt, said: “Economic uncertainties and especially legislations like IR35 are the main pressure points for freelancers in the UK. Many organisations have slowed down their investments by reducing marketing spend and focusing on core business activities. This resulted in a big slump in the demand for advertising and consulting services, in stark contrast with 2021 and 2022. For freelancers, this means lower opportunities for the creative class and management consultants.

“Yet, it’s not all doom and gloom for the UK freelancers. Some organisations see an independent workforce as a formidable lever of flexibility. Several companies will definitely aim for having 15-20% of a flexible workforce in the future to cope with increased volatility.”

To combat high inflation rates, nearly half of full-time UK freelancers (48%) raised their daily rates to align with inflation. The proportion of part-time UK freelancers who raised their fees is even lower – 43% – probably due to fear of jeopardising a valuable supplemental income source. This is a stark contrast to Spanish freelancers – 75% increased their rates dramatically due to inflation.

Despite the current economic uncertainties, UK part-time freelancers are faring much better – 53% want to do more independent work, and 35% want to continue to do independent consulting part-time. This might be partially due to the fact that many UK part-time freelancers are waiting for the economic turbulence to settle before leaping into full-time freelancing opportunities.

Zooming in on UK freelancers in specific industries, confidence in freelancing as a long-term future is high across industries such as Business Consulting (77%), Tech and data (77%), and Art and design (71%).

“Freelancers offer a competitive advantage in the marketplace primarily due to their ability to deliver services with lower overhead costs and greater flexibility compared to traditional outsourcing companies. This efficiency enables them to provide high-quality services at exceptional value, making them an attractive option for clients, especially during periods when many companies are reducing their budgets.

“While the economic turbulence and IR35 might be mudding the waters, freelancing will continue to thrive across Europe. It’s not considered a side hustle anymore but rather a conscious lifestyle choice, especially for younger generations who value flexibility above all else. Moreover, large organisations like L’Oreal, Schneider Electric, BT and WPP are finally seeing independent talent as valuable members of their ‘superteams’, bringing enormous value to their operations.

“We at Malt are very proud to not only be the conduit of independent talent for companies but also the cornerstone of the fantastic freelancing community, and we look forward to growing our support in 2024”, concluded Debavelaere.

To find out more about the current freelancing environment across Europe and see how the UK fares against its European counterparts, download the report here.

News

GXO helps Virgin Media O2 cut single use plastic

GXO’s partnership with Virgin Media O2 has helped remove 48 tonnes of single use plastic since 2021

GXO has driven a 94% reduction in single use plastics across its logistics operation

LONDON, U.K., 26th April, 2024 — GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: GXO), the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider, announced today that its industry-leading solutions have helped its long-term partner, Virgin Media O2, to significantly reduce plastic waste in its logistics operations. GXO has worked with the telecomms company to cut its consumption of single use plastics (SUP) from products sent to cable customers by almost 48 tonnes since 2021, further advancing both companies’ ESG achievements.

“GXO and Virgin Media O2 are working together to create a supply chain that is as environmentally responsible as it is efficient and reliable.” said Meagan Fitzsimmons, GXO’s Chief Compliance and ESG Officer. “Companies have to reduce single use plastics from their supply chain to meet regulatory requirements and environmental goals. These results show what’s possible with a best in class partnership. Through great collaboration, open thinking, and innovation, we can help to significantly reduce and remove single use plastics from the supply chain. We’re really proud of our partnership with Virgin Media 02 and the work we have done to continuously remove plastic waste from our operation.”

Plastic from packaging is one of the largest contributors to plastic waste, with government figures revealing the UK produced over 2.5 million tonnes of such waste in 2021.[1] As part of its sustainability strategy, Virgin Media O2 is committing to achieve zero waste operations and products by the end of 2025, while ne of GXO’s ESG goals includes an 80% global landfill diversion rate by 2025.

GXO enabled Virgin Media O2 to reduce SUP consumption by 94%, from 50.7 tonnes p/a in 2021 to 2.9 tonnes p/a in 2023 through collaboration and implementing various initiatives, including:

  • Designing a plastic-free packaging solution for Virgin Media O2 cable customers returning equipment, resulting in a reduction of 22 tonnes of SUP p/a.
  • Implementing a closed-loop process with the company’s repair operation, shipping returned products using pallet lids rather than pallet wraps.
  • Introducing reusable pallet collars to replace shrink wrap to enable safe transportation.
  • Replacing packaging materials with sustainable alternatives, such as substituting bubbled envelopes with reusable Jiffy Green bags and replacing parcel tape with a gummed paper solution.
  • The removal of all SUP associated with TV and broadband products before they reach customers to eliminate general waste in customer homes. All removed SUP is recycled, reused or repurposed.

Dana Haidan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Virgin Media O2, said:

“As a leading UK business, we’re committed to minimising our impact on the planet.

“Through our partnership with GXO, we are removing waste and single use plastic from products that are sent to customers and are using materials which can be easily recycled.

“It forms part of our sustainability strategy, the Better Connections Plan, where we’re working to become a zero-waste business by the end of 2025.”

With a partnership spanning over two decades, GXO began managing Virgin Media O2’s end-to-end logistics operation in the U.K. and Ireland in 2009. GXO supports the company’s B2B operations, distributing equipment for Virgin Media O2’s engineers and technicians to a network of more than 50 regional distribution centres. In addition, GXO manages the company’s B2C operations, dispatching TV and broadband equipment, as well as handling reverse logistics, including returns and recycling.

For more information on GXO’s commitment to ESG, please visit the company’s latest ESG report.

###

About GXO Logistics

GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: GXO) is the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider and is benefiting from the rapid growth of ecommerce, automation and outsourcing. GXO is committed to providing a diverse, world-class workplace for more than 130,000 team members across more than 970 facilities totaling approximately 200 million square feet. The company partners with the world’s leading blue-chip companies to solve complex logistics challenges with technologically advanced supply chain and ecommerce solutions, at scale and with speed. GXO corporate headquarters is in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA. Visit GXO.com for more information.

 About Virgin Media O2

Virgin Media O2 launched on 1 June 2021, combining the UK’s largest and most reliable mobile network with a fully gigabit broadband network where customers benefit from average speeds 5x faster than the national average.

The company has more than 46 million UK connections across its award-winning broadband, mobile, TV and home phone services. Its fixed network covers more than half of the country (17m homes serviceable) alongside a mobile network that covers 99% of the nation’s population. The company is on track to bring 5G to all populated areas by end 2030, and offers more than 50% population 5G coverage today.

The company is committed to using the power of connectivity to make its better for people and the planet, taking action to close the digital divide and building an inclusive, resilient, and low carbon economy. The business has set an ambitious commitment to achieve net zero carbon across its operations, products and supply chain by the end of 2040.

Virgin Media O2 is a 50:50 joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica SA, and one of the UK’s largest businesses. Virgin Media O2 is registered in England and Wales. Registration number: 12580944.  Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road, London, United Kingdom, W6 8BS.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-waste-data/uk-statistics-on-waste