All posts by Lisa Baker, Editor, UK Business News

Lisa Baker is an experienced journalist, Owner of Need to See IT Publishing and the Editor of Business in the News. Lisa covers Business, Health, HR and Technology.

The Restory announces partnership with Nicholas Kirkwood

Luxury aftercare specialist The Restory is joining forces with Nicholas Kirkwood, as their aftercare partner for the eponymous brand in the UK and globally. The partnership extends Nicholas Kirkwood’s testament to sustainability and delivers the promise that luxury can be for life.

Vanessa Jacobs, Founder & CEO of The Restory, comments: “Nicholas Kirkwood is one of the most iconic brands of the last decade and we are thrilled to launch our partnership powering their aftercare. Trusted aftercare is crucial to sustainability and we are grateful to our partners at Farfetch for continuing to help transform aftercare into an integral part of the fashion experience.”

Nicholas Kirkwood comments: “We couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with The Restory to help giving new life to our shoes. As part of our commitment towards sustainability, we aim to continue choosing the best quality, durable materials, with the added goal of finding new natural and compostable alternatives to virgin plastic and its derivates. With the help of The Restory, we hope to bring new life to our client’s most loved shoes.”

From 4th October 2021, Nicholas Kirkwood customers can access a wide range of aftercare services from re-heeling and cleaning through to leather restoration and repair to extend the life of their shoes. The service will be available directly through the Nicholas Kirkwood website, through Farfetch Platform Solutions.

Farfetch’s partnership with The Restory launched in 2021 with the service Farfetch Fix, delivering luxury aftercare services direct to Farfetch’s customers internationally.

Thomas Berry, Global Director of Sustainable Business at Farfetch, comments: “It’s great to see two of our partners working together to develop this fantastic service, and we’re pleased to know we played a part bringing it to market. The Farfetch Group is committed to sustainability and, over time, we’d love to enable access to services like The Restory for other Farfetch Platform Solution clients and partners.”

The Restory is the world’s first aftercare platform and has elevated the market by combining the art of craft with the power of technology. Their proprietary technology, also available independently, is built bespoke for aftercare needs and enables order and service management at scale as well as delivering a customer experience with e-commerce simplicity. For the first time in the fashion industry, The Restory enables access to trusted aftercare at scale which is worth over $200 billion globally. The brand has established itself as the leading aftercare provider within the industry, amongst both clients and partners.

Putting customers first sees IRIS Software Group make debut on Fosway 2021 9-GridTM for Cloud HR as a Strong Performer

IRIS Software (IRIS), a leading software provider of human capital management (HCM) solutions, is today announcing it has debuted on the Fosway 2021 9-GridTM for Cloud HR as a Strong Performer. This impressive entrance is a result of IRIS’ dedication to place customers at the heart of its software solutions, empowering HR and payroll teams make better decisions, faster.

IRIS’ position a a Strong Performer reflects IRIS’ high level of customer advocacy and the significant presence of its software solutions in the market with IRIS’ focus on ensuring HR leaders can guide their workforce in this period of uncertainty and enable smarter HR key factors contributing to high levels of customer satisfaction.

The Fosway 9-GridTM for Cloud HR provides a unique assessment of the principal Cloud HR supply options available to organisations in EMEA. The analysis is based on extensive independent research and insights from Fosway’s Corporate Research Network of over 250 customer organisations, including BP, HSBC, PwC, RBS, Sanofi, Shell and Vodafone.

IRIS’ strong debut on the Fosway 2021 9-GridTM for Cloud HR is based on its current product offerings. IRIS will look to further strengthen its positioning in the Fosway 9-GridTM for Cloud HR in the future as it executes its ambitious product roadmap, adding additional functionality to both its HR and Payroll offerings.

Ross Tracey, IRIS Software Group’s Managing Director for HCM comments, “We understand that delivering powerful employee engagement is at the heart of what HR teams do and always comes first. To maintain that focus we know our customers need connected information about their employees at their fingertips, especially as HR professionals are at the forefront of the employee experience.

“We’re delighted to make our debut entrance into the Fosway Cloud HR 9-GridTM as a Strong Performer. It highlights our dedication to putting customers first and providing the solutions HR professionals need to focus on what matters, making the best decisions for their people and business. We will look to accelerate our position in the Strong Performer Zone by ensuring our roadmap continues to take the pain out of processes for all HR teams.”

David Wilson, CEO at Fosway says, “IRIS is a welcome addition to the Fosway 2021 9-Grid™ for Cloud HR. Its debut appearance as a Strong Performer reflects the positive impact it has on customers by providing a seamless user experience. Quick and easy access to people analytics helps customers make better and more responsive HR decisions.”

To download the full  Fosway 9-GridTM for Cloud HR report, please click here.

What Is a Relocation Policy and Why Does Your Business Need One?

Many companies relocate their employees for various advantageous reasons. They could want to transfer an employee with the appropriate knowledge to work in a position at another location, the move could be part of a development programme, or it could be as part of a group move. If your company is relocating employees, be it to another city, county, or country, it is crucial that you have a good relocation policy in place.

 

What is a relocation policy?

A relocation policy’s purpose is to set out the procedures and benefits of employee relocation. The employees then have clear details of what is included and what is not included in the relocation program and they can understand their rights. The policy needs to specify how the employer will cover the financial costs incurred by employees. While there are several options available, a lump sum relocation policy is one of the most popular choices because it is simple to implement. The sum would be paid to relocating employees. The exact figure should be calculated based on research and the company’s experience.

 

What should be covered in a relocation policy?

Whether you go with a lump sum policy or an alternative method for funding employees’ relocations, the policy needs to outline precisely what is and is not covered. Typically, relocation packages cover the following:

  • Home sale costs, which would cover a variety of costs to help an employee sell his or her existing property.
  • Moving costs, which includes packing, transporting, and unpacking an employee’s belongings to the new location.
  • Travel costs, which will cover the expense of getting to the new location for the employee and his or her family.
  • Storage costs for an employee’s belongings, in the event of a delay in the employee moving into new permanent housing.
  • Accommodation costs, which could include temporary housing while the employee looks for a new home or the cost of finding new permanent housing on the employee’s behalf, or both. Accommodation costs can also include other expenses, such as property inspections and lease costs. The cost of amenities is sometimes included too.
  • Medical costs, such as vaccination expenses in the event of relocating to another country.
  • Documentation costs, which would cover the expenses of things like work permits and visas.

 

Why does your business need a relocation policy?

Now you know what is included in a relocation policy, it should be obvious why your business needs one if you are going to relocate your employees. In addition to setting out what expenses are provided and what they cover, having a relocation policy ensures you and your employees are legally covered should there be any disputes. Also, without a policy in place, it would be much more difficult to get employees to relocate. Moving is a big upheaval, so your employees need to know what is covered and how your company is assisting them at every stage.

While a relocation policy is just as necessary as an employee contract, you may want to think beyond the necessities of a relocation policy. If your company is eager to retain top talent and you want to maintain the ability to place your top performers in the best positions and locations, you need to make your relocation package very attractive to your top talent. That means including extras above the necessary stuff. You could include a monetary bonus as an incentive for the employee to move as well as things like cultural resources, language classes, and support for the employee’s family.

Code Computerlove develops financial sector ‘first’ for Equity Release Supermarket

“Known as innovators in their field, Equity Release Supermarket has now revolutionised the way consumers can search for equity release plans with the launch of smartER, a comparison platform developed by digital product studio Code Computerlove.”

The first intelligent search engine tool for the equity release sector has been launched by independent equity release advisory service Equity Release Supermarket (ERS).

The new smartER digital platform allows consumers looking for later life lending options to easily compare plans before contacting an adviser.

The platform has been developed by Manchester headquartered digital product and service design studio Code Computerlove using the latest search engine technology and following extensive research into user’s needs. It uses specialist technology via fintech firm Equitec.

The new platform enables users to search current equity release plans from across the market that match their personal circumstances and requirements, then filter, shortlist and compare options. The tool also shows how much they can borrow across the market in real-time and information can be stored if the user chooses to create an account, enabling them to revisit the results and amend if required at their leisure.

As well as giving consumers more information prior to calling an adviser, smartER has been designed to enhance the advice process, so that an adviser already has a detailed understanding of the consumer and what they are looking to achieve financially through equity release.

 

Mark Gregory, Founder & CEO at Equity Release Supermarket said:

“Central to our role at Equity Release Supermarket is to provide consumers with the digital tools they need to understand how equity release and later life lending works and to find options currently available in the UK. We then have a team of advisers on hand to take the advice further.

“We offer the most comprehensive, free to use calculators on the market and enable users to search current plans from across the whole of the market. The launch of smartER is a natural evolution of our online calculators and compare deals functionality that are already available across our websites; now with the new smartER platform, they can bring all this information together in an easier to compare and shortlist way.

“The platform gives consumers not only more control but more in-depth information, a better understanding of the plans out there and greater insight to match their requirements. We’ve really simplified the whole research process for customers through the use of our smart technology.”

 

Jessica Sherratt, Head of User Experience at Code Computerlove, said:

“By taking valuable insights from users of the Equity Release Supermarket site, wider target audiences, lenders, stakeholders, and the adviser process we were able to understand the role of a digital product and design it so that it meets the exacting needs for this sector.

“We found that not only was there an appetite for an easy-to-use comparison tool within the equity release sector, it was essential that we evolved it in a way that would also communicate often complicated information in a clear-to-compare way. While many consumers are familiar with digital solutions that can help them refine and personalise their search for financial products, there is still a lot of scepticism around equity release that our user interface has tackled head-on.

“By working in collaboration with the team at Equity Release Supermarket and Equitec we’ve developed a solution that delivers efficiencies for the industry and that supports consumer demand for a more transparent and informative route into equity release. We will continue to take learnings from the platform as we continue to help Equity Release Supermarket on its digital rollout programme and growth.”

 

New place of worship opens for East London’s Sikh community with HSBC UK funding

Sikh community, Singh Sabha London East, has built a new three-storey Gurdwara in the Borough of Barking and Dagenham, with the support of a £4.75 million loan from HSBC UK.

The new £13.5 million building is fully operational with an official opening planned for later this year. Singh Sabha London East runs two Gurdwaras, in two separate London Boroughs, managed by 25 unpaid trustees and assisted by 50 volunteers from the local community.

Operating alongside Barking Gurdwara, the development will support over 25,000 Sikhs living in the catchment area, offering more space for chaplaincy and Punjabi classes. The new Gurdwara will also benefit the wider community by providing sports facilities, library services and rentable events spaces.

The site includes a dining hall with seating for up to 600 people, three new congregation halls and accommodation for Sikh priests. It includes new classrooms to provide education and activities to local children, with plans for a monthly kid’s camp and an annual sports day in the near future. Punjabi lessons, Gatka and Kirtan music will also be made available.

Balbir Singh, Trustee at Singh Sabha London East, said: “We represent a cross-section of the East London Sikh community who have a strong desire to better support our 25,000 worshippers with more classes for children, along with improved activities and services for all. It is important to us to bring our community together and encourage diversity within our leadership roles.

The new temple, made possible thanks to HSBC UK’s financial support, as well as the consistent support from our Relationship Managers Laks Jakkula and Glen Monteiro, will enable us to achieve our vision through this enhanced offering.”

Jason Mowe, HSBC UK’s Area Director for Business Banking in East London, added: “We’ve been working with Singh Sabha London East for almost 50 years. The new Gurdwara is a major milestone for the organisation, helping them to put down deeper roots within the local community and providing a prestigious place of worship for local Sikhs.”

Throughout the pandemic, Singh Sabha London East have been providing nearly 4,000 meals per week for vulnerable members of the community, as well as NHS staff.

 

Climate Week NYC reaches global audience via Totem virtual and hybrid events platform

Totem, a London-based technology company, is honoured to have provided the virtual and hybrid events platform used to bring Climate Week NYC (20 to 26 September) to a global stage.

Totem helped Climate Week NYC bring speakers including the Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, Al Gore and Bill Gates to a global audience with minimal impact on the environment, by allowing attendees to log in using its virtual events platform.

Following the launch of the IPCC report on climate change in August, this year’s event was a huge focus for the global sustainability movement ahead of COP26 in November, with over 3,000 registrations from senior business and government leaders taking part across the world.

Totem was used over four days of the event and featured 21 sessions including keynotes, roundtables, workshops and a live Q&A on the platform. The event hosted 53 sponsors and partners.

Totem enabled both virtual attendees to attend via Climate Week NYC’s bespoke platform, while physical attendees at the hybrid event used the unique Climate Week NYC Totem App.

Totem was used for Climate Week NYC’s Opening Day (Monday, 20th September), which featured presentations from Alok Sharma, President for COP26, Gina McCarthy, White House National Climate Advisor and Bob Moritz, Global Chairman, PwC

It also enabled people to attend The Hub Live, a series of virtual forums, discussions, and workshops that brought together the expertise and influence of public and private sectors. It focused on five key themes including Energy & Transport, Finance, Built Environment & Industry, Emerging Trends and Food & Health, with speakers including Kristina Kloberdanz, SVP, CSO, Mastercard and Edward Palmieri, Director, Global Sustainability, Facebook.

 

Alex Hughes, Client Services Director and Co-founder, Totem, said:

“It was an incredible privilege to provide the technology and platform that enabled Climate Week NYC to be a hybrid event. Hybrid technology represents the sustainable future of events, in which people from across the world can attend from anywhere and vastly reduce the carbon footprint of the event in doing so.”

 

Mandy Simmons, Head of Events, Climate Group, said: “When we were working towards the launch of this world-leading event focused on climate action, we knew it was essential to give our global attendees the same opportunity to take part, to hear the speakers and to have their own voices heard. That’s why we chose to work with Totem, which enabled Climate Week NYC to deliver a truly seamless hybrid experience.”

 

Totem helps event organisers to engage their audiences while minimising carbon footprint. It blends in-person and virtual event experiences and launched in 2020 with the aim of reimagining the hybrid events landscape in the wake of COVID-19. Totem allows organisations to create their own unique and customisable events, event apps, features and functionality.

Hosted annually by international non-profit the Climate Group in conjunction with the United Nations, and in partnership with the COP26 and the City of New York, Climate Week NYC represented a global opportunity to come together to accelerate climate action and assess progress ahead of COP26.

 

New Medical Director for Ludlow Street Healthcare

Specialist healthcare provider, Ludlow Street Healthcare, has appointed a new Medical Director, Dr Marcin Flirski, to oversee the organisation’s medical teams and join the Board of Directors to progress the organisation’s development and strategic goal setting.

Since arriving in the UK in 2013 Dr Flirski has worked as a consultant psychiatrist in various forensic and locked rehabilitation settings, working with patients with complex and varied needs.

As well as his management and Board member roles, Dr Flirski will also have an active consultant psychiatrist role, working with patients in his capacity as a responsible clinician.

As Ludlow Street Healthcare specialises in providing care for adults over the age of 18 with complex mental health problems, autism, learning disabilities, and neuropsychiatric conditions including dementia and acquired brain injuries, his wealth of expertise will prove invaluable.

Dr Flirski said, “I am excited to be joining Ludlow Street Healthcare and I hope that through my work, patients’ satisfaction with the care they receive in our services will be even better than it already is.

“I am passionate about minimising restrictions in mental healthcare. As well as focusing on clinical treatment, our services should aim to maximise the quality of life of people we support by facilitating a busy therapeutic timetable. People supported by our services should have regular access to the community. I also intend to strongly promote their involvement in the running of our services.”

David Lawrence, Chief Executive of Ludlow Street Healthcare said, “We are delighted to welcome Dr Flirski to the Ludlow Street Healthcare family as he takes over the Medical Director role from Dr Simon Burton who is finally fulfilling a long-held plan to return with his family to their home in Australia.

“With his considerable experience in complex mental health services, we are confident that Dr Flirski will provide strong leadership and oversight. His vigour and fresh perspective will also be invaluable as we continuously strive to improve the level of care we provide to all our service users and as we evolve as an organisation.”

Established in 2005 Ludlow Street Healthcare has supported and cared for over 800 people. For over a decade, it has worked in partnership with the NHS, developing services and investing in the necessary health infrastructure and staff training, to support patients on their journey to recovery and a more independent and fulfilling life, through step-down to community living – improving social integration and inclusion.

More information about Ludlow Street Healthcare is available on their website https://www.lshealthcare.co.uk/

 

International Coffee Day: Consumers say industry lacks innovation

Use of technology and greener coffee could boost spend by £50 million a week

A third (33%) of the UK’s coffee drinkers say the coffee industry is lacking in innovation, according to research from farmer connect®, the global supply chain software provider that enables fair, sustainable and traceable agriculture.

The study, released ahead of International Coffee Day on October 1st 2021, finds that the vast majority (84%) of coffee drinkers would like to see more innovation. The developments they would like to see are: more sustainable packaging (51%), coffee with a lower carbon footprint (47%), new flavours (31%), blockchain to prove ethical supply chains (30%), coffee from new countries (26%), and the use of QR codes to provide more product information (23%).

The research shows that coffee using technological innovations is in high demand. The majority (82%) of consumers are more likely to consider buying coffee that uses technology to prove that it is picked ethically and sustainably. This comes as two thirds (66%) of coffee drinkers admit to being “shocked” to discover that many well-known coffee brands can’t trace their supply chain directly back to the coffee farmers, rising to over 85% among younger demographics (16-24). In addition, 81% of coffee drinkers would be more likely to buy a coffee brand that enabled the consumer to engage directly with the farmers that helped produce the brew.

Consumers are willing to pay extra for exciting new developments. In fact, the research reveals coffee drinkers would spend a combined £50 million extra a week1 for coffee with sustainable and ethical supply chains.

Michael Chrisment, CEO of farmer connect®, commented: “Could our love affair with coffee be turning stale? Coffee drinkers are craving innovation and more sustainable practices from the industry, and they want to see proof of progress. They are willing to pay 10% more for coffee that can prove it has an ethical and sustainable supply chain, especially for the farmers. Marketers at big brands must adapt and look at technological solutions that can meet both needs. In fact, we’ve seen brands generate significant uplift in sales by innovating with technology that proves traceability. It’s simple: companies must now demonstrate that their coffee does good as well as tastes good.”

The farmer connect® software builds and expands on IBM Blockchain Transparent Supply, adapting it to the needs and business models of the supply chain and adding new features, such as ThankMyFarmer™, a consumer mobile site where brands can communicate about their sustainability initiatives and consumers can get involved in supporting farmer communities.

Leading solicitor celebrates 30 years with North Wales law firm

ONE of the most prominent solicitors in North Wales is celebrating 30 years with a long-standing law firm.

David Jones has spent three decades with Rhyl and Colwyn Bay-based Edward Hughes Solicitors, which also marked a major anniversary recently – its 70th year in business.

David, from Denbigh, has seen many changes – including major technological advances since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic – and has represented thousands of people across the region in employment, personal injury, criminal and civil cases.

As he prepares to welcome daughter Ela to the practice as a paralegal, joining brother Ben, now a fully qualified solicitor, the 52 year-old reflected on his own time with the organisation.

“I wanted to be a lawyer from a very early age, it was the opportunity to help people and make a difference that really appealed to me,” said David.

“I did some work experience in Denbigh and just loved it, the people side of the job and the characters you would meet.

“I never would have imagined all these years later how different the role would be, it’s altered beyond recognition, but I am as determined and passionate as ever about the law.”

A former pupil at Ysgol Glan Clwyd in St Asaph, David went on to study at Liverpool University and Chester Law School before joining Edward Hughes Solicitors as a trainee in the early nineties.

“I knew I wasn’t interested in the corporate side of the law, despite it being more lucrative; I wanted to work in litigation and civil and personal injury claims, so I could try and make a difference to people’s lives,” he said.

“I did that, and business steadily grew until before I knew it, by the turn of the century I was asked to become a partner.

“It remains a huge honour and as an organisation we have always tried to do things the right way. Sadly, many legal practices in this area are not around anymore but we’ve managed to stay the course and remain at the forefront.”

He added: “Along the way there have been huge changes, from word processors and typewriters to the present day, when many solicitors are cocooned in their offices, and a lot of cases are held online.

“That has been a necessity because of the pandemic but it is one thing I miss, the interaction with colleagues and clients, the personal touch is vital for me because it is a big responsibility to represent someone – in defence or prosecution – because often a big part of their future is in your hands.

“Technology has brought things on a lot, but that’s not entirely a good thing. There have been a lot of cutbacks that have had a negative effect, especially on more vulnerable people, which is sad to see, and you get to spend less time with clients, but that’s where we are now and has to be accepted – the world has moved on.”

David now looks forward to another 10 years in the legal arena but admits it may then be time for a change.

“I’m looking forward to seeing where life takes me. Who knows what’s next? I have a lot of ideas, there are many things I would like to do and a lot I want to give back, so watch this space,” he said.

“I’ve been fortunate to work on some huge trials, represent hundreds and hundreds of people and work alongside many great staff here at Edward Hughes, it has been an honour.

“This can be an intense and intimidating job, but you have to get on with it. That’s ultimately why we are there and after 30 years my ethos is still the same, to try and help those who need it most.”

For more information and to contact Edward Hughes Solicitors, call 01745 343661 or visit www.qualitysolicitors.com/edwardhughes. You can follow them on social media at @QSEH_Solicitors.

Hutchinson Thomas’ expansion sees move to new SA1 premises

Hutchinson Thomas’ recent merger with Simmonds Hurford Solicitors has necessitated a move by the expanding South Wales law firm to new, state-of-the-art premises in Swansea’s SA1 Waterfront area.

The solicitors, with offices in Swansea and Neath, has moved from its prior location at Langford House in Swansea Marina to a larger, modern and convenient premises at the nearby suite GF8, Ethos Building, Kings Road, SA1 Waterfront.

Overlooking the city and river, the new ground-floor premises is three times larger than the solicitors’ previous location, making room for the increased staff and client numbers brought about by its recent merger.

Improved IT infrastructure at the Ethos Building location has also allowed Hutchinson Thomas to utilise innovative cloud-based technology, including phone and other communication software.

The state-of-the-art technology is designed to improve the ease with which staff can work from the office or at home whilst maintaining the same high standards of professionalism and client service.

The new Waterfront office has parking allocated for clients’ arrival as well as increased office space for private face-to-face client meetings. It also has an independent café on site for client and staff refreshments.

Darren Davies, Partner at Hutchinson Thomas, said:

“We are very pleased with our new SA1 Waterfront premises – a move we required due to our recent growth and merger. This new larger office will ensure we are able to comfortably accommodate all our new staff and clients in an attractive and convenient city centre location.

“Through the move, we have also been able to upgrade our IT infrastructure and communications network, allowing for increased flexibility over where our staff work from. This will ensure uninterrupted client service wherever our staff are based – whether in the new Waterfront office, at home or at our Neath premises.”