Hertfordshire Inspire November 2015 by Benham Publishing Limited

INSPIRE.12

The business magazine of Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce November 2015

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What is IiYP? - page 9 Imagination Technologies - Big Interview with Sir Hossein Yassaie CEO - page 12 Spotlight on Croxley Green - page 18

Welcome

Contents Up Front Events Cover feature Big Interview Patron Focus Spotlight on... Development Young Chamber HR Academy Member News International Trade Chamber Services New Members Chamber Events Property & Construction Work Place 24 Hours Last Word Patrons

4-7 8 9-11 12-13 14-15 18-21 23 24-25 26-27 28-29 30-31 32-33 34-35 36-38 40-41 42-44 45 50 50

•••• Editorial and General Enquiries Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce MacLaurin Building, 4 Bishops Square, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9NE Tel: 01707 398400 Fax: 01707 398430 Email: enquiries@hertschamber.com Web: www.hertschamber.com Chief Executive: Yolanda Rugg Publisher Ian Fletcher Benham Publishing 3tc House, 16 Crosby Road North, Crosby, Liverpool L22 0NY Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com Published November 2015 © Benham Publishing and Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce Advertising and Features Karen Hall Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: karen@benhampublishing.com Production Manager Mark Etherington Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: mark@benhampublishing.com Media No. 1436 •••• Disclaimer Inspire is published for Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members. All correspondence should be addressed to Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce. Views expressed in Inspire are not necessarily those of Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission. © 2015. Please note that submitting an article does not guarantee publication. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content. Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

From the Chief Executive Where has this year gone? I can’t believe we are now finalising plans for our Christmas Lunch on Wednesday 2 December where we will be showcasing some of Hertfordshire’s Ambassador Apprentices! I’d like to thank so many of our members who actively supported our various meetings and industry forums this year. We are now planning some big events for 2016 and hope many of you will come along to engage with other members, discover new business opportunities and grow local resilience in your supply chain.

Skills in the County Continuing our work supporting the development and awareness of skills in the County, we’ll be rolling out four large careers fairs with the aim of connecting members, looking to expand their team, with young people looking for careers within local businesses and organisations If your business operates in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) arena, and you are currently trying to attract more female recruits, we have opportunities for local businesses to take part in a revolutionary programme called “People Like Me” which we are running in partnership with WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) together with local engineer, TV presenter and STEM Ambassador Kate Bellingham. Please get in touch for more information.

Second UK chamber to achieve IiYP accreditation The Hertfordshire Chamber has achieved IiYP (Investment in Young People) accreditation

becoming the second BCC (British Chambers of Commerce) chamber to receive this award in 2015. Congratulations too to Premier EDA Solutions in Stanstead Abbotts on their IiYP accreditation, see page 11 for more information.

EU referendum. In or out? Those of you who managed to attend our August breakfast at Hanbury Manor will remember the interesting debate we had about the future EU referendum. The discussions enabled attendees to voice their thoughts on topics such as: What changes would you like to see to support economic growth in the County? How could EU membership make it easier to do business and improve our global competitiveness?

new Patron – Porsche Centre Hatfield – in May 2016. For more information contact laurashoobridge @hertschamber.com. Finally, congratulations to two members who are now regional finalists in the BCC’s national Chamber Awards: Foxholes Farm Shop, Hertford - Small Business of the Year Award and Hitchin’s Software for People - Best Use of Technology Award. We wish them all the best at the BCC awards later this month in London.

Best wishes Yolanda

Doing business in Europe? Your opinions would be most welcome on how EU membership could deliver more to businesses in Hertfordshire; please send your comments to marketing@hertschamber.com for us to share with the BCC.

It’s time to “think awards” There are still some sponsorship opportunities for our 2016 Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards which will be launched at Hanbury Manor on Wednesday 16 December; we look forward to seeing a record number of entries at this prestigious Hertfordshire business evening which will be hosted, as an exclusive black tie dinner, at the showrooms of our

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UpFront

Inspiring Hertfordshire 2016 Awards Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce that the 5th annual Inspiring Herts Awards will take place on Thursday 19 May at Porsche Centre Hatfield.

Headline Sponsor Imagination Technologies.

Achievement in International Business Sponsored by UK Export Finance.

Excellence in Customer Service Sponsored by Porsche Centre Hatfield.

Excellence in People Development Sponsored by Longmores Solicitors.

Innovation through Technology Sponsored by ServerChoice.

Most Promising New Business Sponsored by Ambition Broxbourne.

The Environmental Award Sponsored by Veolia.

Business of the Year: Medium to Large Sponsored by SA Law.

Investment in Young People This year we welcome our new award which recognises work invested in helping young people gain employability skills and prepare them for future employment.

Sponsored by MBDA

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What is Investment in Young People (IiYP)? IiYP is a National Award run by Young Chamber UK that recognises the important work that small to medium businesses carry out in assisting young people aged 5 to 25 gain employability skills and who assist them with the transition from education into the world of work. The Award is granted for a two year period.

"The IiYP Award has been established to recognise and celebrate the important work that your company has invested to help young people gain employability skills and prepare them for future employment.â&#x20AC;?

There continues to be significant publicity surrounding the issue of young people effectively being prepared for the world of work when they leave education. Whilst many would agree that more can be done to improve this, there is considerable existing effort provided by local employers to help assist young people into employment which, by and large, is not fully recognised.

The IiYP Award has been established to recognise and celebrate the important work that your company has invested to help young people gain employability skills and prepare them for future employment. IiYP is supported by a wide range of local delivery partners who include Chambers of Commerce and other Education Business Partner Organisations (EBPOs) from across the country.

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What do I get when IiYP has been achieved?

Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce is the 2nd Chamber in the UK BCC network to be accredited to IiYP. Why you should sign up for IiYP? Being recognised as an Investment in Young People company shows your commitment in supporting the development of a young persons 'employability skills' and their understanding of work and support for their future careers and employment. The Investment in Young People mark can only be used by companies that have been successful in meeting the required standard. Companies who achieve the IiYP award will be registered on the IiYP website where an up to date list of IiYP accredited companies is available to view. A link from your website careers page will also be added to the Young Chamber's 5th Matrix jobs and careers portal which can be accessed by over 3,000 schools. Successfully recognised IiYP companies will be able to use the company IiYP mark on letterheads and their company marketing materials. Benefits of IiYP to your company will demonstrate to customers and the wider community your company's

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commitment to investing in and supporting young people into employment.

What do I need to do to obtain IiYP? Work with your local school or college by engaging in a range of activities that help students gain a better understanding of enterprise and the world of work as well as assisting to gain a range of employability skills. Examples of such activities could be: • Providing structured support for Apprenticeship(s) • Providing structured work experience • Supporting school/college led enterprise activities • Attending and supporting local careers events • Supporting local Young Chamber activity • Supporting Young Enterprise or a similar activity • Supporting school/college led enterprise activities

The above is not an exhaustive list and employers are free to provide their own examples of how they have engaged with their local school, college or educational establishment. You will also need to complete the online application form.

Upon achievement of the Investment in Young People Award each employer will benefit from: • Entry onto the IiYP Awards Register which is available to publically view on the youngchamber.com/IiYP website • A link from your careers website will be added to the Young Chamber's 5th Matrix jobs and careers portal which can be accessed by over 3,000 schools • An Investment in Young People Certificate • An electronic copy of the Investment in Young People Award logo for use on company letterheads, websites, publicity and marketing materials • Becoming a part of a national network of like-minded businesses who can demonstrate their support for the next generation of employers and employees.

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Premier EDA Premier EDA Solutions is a small but growing company with 16 staff which is an ardent believer of bringing new talent into the UK electronics industry. Their Youth Development Programme helps to create a talent pipeline for the industry, working with young people, universities, FE colleges and local schools as well as the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, SEMTA and electronics industry bodies.

What is the cost of IiYP? There is a small administration fee for the award. The fee is charged for the administration of the scheme and covers each employer for a two year period. Reassessment will be required at the end of this two year period to maintain the standard. The maximum fee charged for a small business will be £375 + VAT, for a medium sized business £750 + VAT and for a large organisation £2,500 + VAT. Size of business is based on turnover as follows: • Small (up to £5m) • Medium (£5m +) • Large (£50m +) • Public Sector

Neville Reyner CBE, Chairman Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Young Chamber (Investment in Young People) said:“This award has been developed to recognise all the voluntary work that an incredibly wide range of businesses across the country provide to help young people develop the skills that employers are looking for. Investment in Young People has come out of the work that we have done through the Young Chamber initiative where we recognised that there was

a lot of support from local business but no formal recognition for business. The Investment in Young People mark has been developed over a number of years to acknowledge this important contribution from business and to encourage them to stay involved”.

"Companies who achieve the IiYP award will be registered on the IiYP website where an up to date list of IiYP accredited companies is available to view. A link from your website careers page will also be added to the Young Chamber's 5th Matrix jobs and careers portal which can be accessed by over 3,000 schools.”

Within the company itself each year it offers support for work experience students from local schools and has sponsored an undergraduate; plus EDA trained and then employed a commercial apprentice. More information about EDA can be found at: www.eda.co.uk •••

Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce Over a number of years the Chamber has played an important part in supporting the development of “employability skills” within the county’s young people. More recently this has seen the Chamber develop a new tranche of Young Chambers in 11 schools giving young people the opportunity to engage with their local business community. For the Chamber itself it has actively support work experience programmes and uses the recruitment of apprentices as a way to help the Chamber develop new areas of activity and its own internal skills base. More information on Young Chamber in Hertfordshire at: www.hertschamber.com /young-chamber

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BigInterview

Ambition the key to growing It’s six years since Sir Hossein Yassaie made headlines when he suggested in a newspaper interview that Britain suffers from a ‘poverty of ambition’ when it comes to developing big technology companies.

Sir Hossein Yassaie CEO Imagination Technologies

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The chief executive officer of Kings Langley-based Imagination Technologies said that he believed Britain risked falling behind other countries unless it takes action to improve its attitude to innovation. Six years later, he believes that there are signs that things are changing but argues that much still needs to be done, right from home, through schools and universities and the working environment itself, in creating environments that nurture innovation, value entrepreneurship and success and, very importantly, encourage young talent to enter the industry. Lack of ambition is not something of which his company can be accused. Imagination has grown rapidly to be a global technology leader whose licensed products can be found in many millions of gadgets throughout the world. The company’s range of silicon IP (intellectual property) includes the multimedia, communications and general purpose processors needed to create the SoCs (Systems on Chips) that power mobile, consumer, automotive, enterprise, infrastructure, IoT and embedded electronics. Sir Hossein, who has for seventeen years run what is now the second largest IP developer in the UK, has always exhibited a desire to push the boundaries of what is technically possible. However, in the newspaper interview, he acknowledged that, although Britain, is at the forefront of invention it fails to reap the rewards as the majority of the profits are collected

by foreign brands. He also questioned why the UK does not have major global companies like Google and Apple. Now, he senses progress in the air. He said: “I think things are beginning to change in the UK. Certainly the intent is there and we are seeing excitement surrounding technology, supported by clusters of businesses like the one close to us in London and Cambridge. “However, if you compare the UK with the US, you can see how far we have to go. In the US, they have a dynamic and self-propelling technology business environment with many large companies and the halo effect they create and of course a lot of investment that supports the whole ecosystem. “China is another example, where the Government is the key driver for society’s development through setting and supporting the industrial and technological strategies and plans and their execution. “I think that what the UK needs is a combination of these two things, a mixture of an environment and culture that values technology entrepreneurship and business success alongside a Government that understands the positive impact that technology and technologists can have on economy and our mega societal needs and actively supports the process through policies. I think that we are starting to see that.” His views have been shaped by four decades in the business and right from his early days in the industry, he has valued innovation.

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the technology sector After attaining his PhD, Hossein was a research fellow at the University of Birmingham then joined STMicroelectronics/Inmos, where he spent eight years, ultimately becoming responsible for the system divisions, including research and development, manufacturing and marketing. Joining Imagination Technologies in 1992, Hossein became its CEO in June 1998 and refocused the business on advanced technology development, creating Imagination’s successful silicon IP business model. This is complemented by its unique software and cloud IP systems which enable its licensees and partners to get products to market quickly. Licensees include many of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers and network operators who produce some of the world’s most iconic products. As part of reshaping the Group, Sir Hossein also created the highly successful digital radio brand Pure and in 2013 was awarded a knighthood by the Queen in Her Majesty’s New Year Honours in

recognition of his services to technology and innovation. Today, the Group has a workforce of more than 1,700, of which more than 80 per cent are design engineers. Its Technology Division produces PowerVR for graphics, video and vision, MIPS for CPU processors; Ensigma for connectivity and communications and FlowCloud for cloud device applications. The Pure Division creates award-winning consumer products for digital radio and multi-room wireless audio. While proud of what the business has achieved, Sir Hossein acknowledges that it still needs to show more ambition. He said: “I think that companies such as ours, and others like it, have done a fantastic job in the UK but there is much still to do. “We want to be a FTSE 100 company, that is a very real aspiration for us, but it could take us several years to achieve and we will have to grow three or four fold to do it. “We may employ 1,700 people and be a global player but when you compare us with

some of the big names like Google, Apple or Samsung, we are not a large company. To grow bigger we need that environment that encourages technology to grow. “As a country, we often see companies which become one or two billion pound businesses but whose owners then sell them and retire. What we need is for them to go on to become ten or twenty billion pound businesses and truly global brands. “In that interview six years ago, I used the phrase ‘poverty of ambition’ and we have to address the things that constrain the UK when it comes to achieving success. We have to change the culture.” For Sir Hossein, recruitment of new talent is a crucial consideration. He said: “One of the challenges for technology companies like ours is recruiting young people with the right skills. It is hard to find them so we do a lot of work with schools and universities. “You have to catch them early and help them realise that working in technology is exciting and cool and that they can achieve big things.

“We need them to think that they can go on to become CEOs or CTOs and we run apprenticeships and engage with universities.” However, he says that there is a shortage of good quality graduates entering the UK technology sector. The man who came to the UK from his native Iran as a student aged eighteen and stayed to help develop its technology sector, said: “One of the issues facing the UK is that our universities train students from abroad then they go back to their own countries, taking their skills with them. “We have to create the right environment that persuades them to stay in this country.” Despite some concerns, he is confident that the technology sector in the UK is going in the right direction. Sir Hossein said: “The world has just come out of a deep recession and some countries are still experiencing the tail end of it but I do feel that we are in a better position than we were three or four years ago and I am optimistic for the future.”

“One of the issues facing the UK is that our universities train students from abroad then they go back to their own countries, taking their skills with them. We have to create the right environment that persuades them to stay in this country.”

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PatronFocus

Sweet success at Chairman’s Dinner Sopwell House in St Albans provided the perfect setting on 1 October to celebrate the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Chairman’s Dinner.

“I firmly believe that the BCC accredited Chambers of Commerce like Hertfordshire are well established locally, within Europe and internationally to deliver what our members need.”

Neville Reyner CBE, Chairman of the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce Neville Reyner CBE “After an absence of a number of years we reintroduced this year the annual Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s dinner held, as we did before, at Sopwell House, St Albans. These dinners, popular throughout the British Chambers of Commerce network, are well attended and of value to the chamber membership attendees. I recall when I was President of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) attending the St Helens Chamber of Commerce President’s dinner with guest speaker Alistair Campbell who talked about his involvement at the top level in politics.

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Although it's nice to have a dinner and to network we also believe there should be a major focus or theme to the dinner and this year we majored on entrepreneurship. We were fortunate to have as our guest speaker Angus Thirlwell Co-founder of Hotel Chocolat whose headquarters is in Royston, Hertfordshire. He talked with passion about chocolate, the industry, the Company's start along with his co- founder Peter Harris and their initiative to purchase a cocoa plantation in St Lucia. I was also impressed that Hotel Chocolat uses its staff, including Angus, and independent people to test the taste and quality of possible new introductions to their range. I was equally impressed that Hotel Chocolat

is conscious of the issues today regarding sugar and that this is significantly reduced in their chocolates. After his speech Angus took time to answer questions and the feedback we have received about his speech, and to the event generally, has been excellent indeed. Although I couldn't attend the Casino after the dinner I understand this was well received and I believe in one case, if real money had been involved it would have been a very rewarding evening. In this regard I would like to hear views on what focus you might like to see supported next year such as, for example, the Circular Economy. I firmly believe that the BCC accredited

Chambers of Commerce, like Hertfordshire, are well established locally, within Europe and internationally to deliver what our members need. Recently there have been a number of initiatives and events by certain bodies using taxpayers’ money to emulate what membership organisations like the Chamber of Commerce do. In the case of the Chambers of Commerce we have a major reach out in Europe and globally where Chamber's Commerce are the key interface for business. We will be spending more time prioritising this benefit to our members along with majoring on key focus areas for Hertfordshirein the future.”

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Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce welcoming new members Software for People Limited.

The Chamber Awards 2015 Takes place at the Brewery, London Thursday 26th November 2015. Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce the following members as National finalists.

â&#x20AC;˘ Small Business of the Year - Foxholes Farm Shop â&#x20AC;˘ Best use of Technology to Improve Business Performance - Software for People Limited Good luck!

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TheLangley

The Langley Banqueting & Conference Suites Looking for a space away from the office for a conference, seminar, exhibition, product launch, trade show or simply a venue for a corporate party for your staff or suppliers?

The Langley is the ideal venue. We are situated in the heart of Watford Town Centre and surrounded with ample public car parks, hotels and close links to the M1 and M25.

We offer a tailor made service to ensure every aspect of your event is perfectly planned and prepared. No event is too small and up to 1000 people can be accommodated for.

We appreciate that corporate clients require personal touches to their events and we can provide the complete setting and offer the following facilities & services: • Refreshments & catering • Wireless internet connection • Flipcharts • PA system • • Projector & Screen • 42” Plasma Screens • Fully Air Conditioned • Tables & Chairs • • Intelligent Lighting System • Stage/Dance Floor • We are proud to list some of the companies amongst our corporate clients: • Corona Energy • John Lewis • KPMG • • Nandos • Sigma Pharmaceuticals • • TJX Europe • Peace Hospice • • Transline • Wickes • Affinity Water •

The Friday Curry Club Looking for somewhere to treat the staff or entertain your client’s... ? Why not bring them along to our Friday Curry Club and dine for just £14.99 per person? Choose from a huge selection of vegetarian & non vegetarian dishes - including live cooking stations, street food stalls, a selection of appetisers, main courses and desserts.

Christmas Parties If you are looking to host your Xmas party this year we can arrange exclusive venue hire or join us at one of the 4 Friday Curry Clubs and enjoy the experience with other companies and groups.

For further information please contact us at: Gade House, 38-42 The Parade, High Street, Watford, WD17 1AZ Tel: 01923 218 553 Website: www.langleybanqueting.co.uk Email:info@langleybanqueting.co.uk

The perfect venue for corporate and social events of all types & sizes INSPIRE

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Croxley Green Business Park Set amongst 75 acres of picturesque parkland, interspersed with impressive water features, Croxley Green Business Park offers the perfect balance between work and leisure.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Covering over 445,000 sq ft of offices across nine buildings, and 190,000 sq ft of Hi-Tech Business space, the park offers occupiers a range of office space to suit their needs, paired with an exceptional business location.â&#x20AC;?

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A hub for successful business For businesses seeking a location that will boost productivity, happiness and wellbeing of their staff, they should look no further than here. Located on Hatters Lane, just two miles outside of the bustling town of Watford, the location

ensures a tranquil yet accessible situation for business, with excellent transport connections into central London, across the UK and to international portals. With an impressive portfolio of over 60 occupiers hosting 2,500 employees on site, the Croxley Green Business Park offers a stimulating work environment for businesses

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“The most celebrated feature of the Park is the businesses and people that work there. A crime free environment, with a fantastic management team who are constantly collaborating with occupiers and evolving services, it is the ideal safe and successful place to grow and nurture a company.”

spanning from local SMEs to Blue Chip companies, with the likes of GE Money, Tusker and Nuffield Health located on the park. Covering over 445,000 sq ft of offices across nine buildings, and 190,000 sq ft of Hi-Tech Business space, the park offers occupiers a range of office space to suit their needs, paired with an exceptional business location. Since it’s refurbishment in 2007 the park provides high quality accommodation with on-site facilities to tenants and potential occupiers, where all refurbished buildings are grade A +

specification and have a Grade B Energy Performance Certification (EPC) Rating. Boasting a cohesive and vibrant community, Croxley Green is perfect for businesses to thrive, with luscious green surroundings coupled with a wealth of benefits for employees and employers alike. An extensive array of on-site facilities, amenities and events are available for both businesses and the local community. Business occupiers are able to enjoy the luxury of a range of facilities on offer including, an on-site gym, outdoor sports

fields, dedicated restaurant and a salon, to name just a few, with everything underpinned by the Park’s ‘green philosophy’. The Park has a strong track record of occupier retention and is an unrivalled site for attracting the best talent in the area. The most celebrated feature of the Park is the businesses and people that work there. A crime free environment, with a fantastic management team who are constantly collaborating with occupiers and evolving services, it is the ideal safe and successful place to grow and nurture a company.

The world at your doorstep Conveniently located just outside of Watford, on the fringes of London and within the M25 belt, Croxley Green is easily accessible with excellent transport links by road and rail as well as being in close vicinity to the country’s busiest airport, London Heathrow. Access to the park will be further improved with the arrival of a new tube station as part of the Croxley

Green Rail Link, an extension of the Metropolitan Line with work starting this autumn. The extension will bring eight trains an hour to a new station just outside the business park. It will reduce the journey time to Watford Junction to a super-fast 7 minutes and with an evergreen electric-powered shuttle set to run directly from the new station to various stops around the park, employees will have an even smoother journey to work. Ideal for workers travelling from local locations or further afield, Croxley Green Business Park is connected by a regular shuttle service to Watford Rail Station, where frequent trains run into London Euston.

A place that caters for everyone With a range of facilities and amenities on site, Croxley Green offers everything that its employees might need. Whether it is exercise or childcare, beauty treatments or simply rest and relaxation over the lunch break, this business park has it all. Cont. on next page

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productivity in the workplace by providing a project for workers to undertake away from their desk. Croxley Green Business Park has been at the forefront of environmental thinking, engaging with clean-tech specialists the greenhouse to ensure they are at the cutting edge of environmental technology, reporting and communication.

A beacon for the community Ensuring the needs of the whole community are met, a networking, learning and events program actively encourages businesses and the local community on the Park to meet neighbours, learn new things and boost their work and life skills.

Exemplary on-site facilities promote an effective and productive work-life balance, and there are plenty of spots for relaxation. Facilities are not only designed for enjoyment, but to make the stressful work-life balance easier. The on-site crèche ensures working parents needn’t worry about expensive or inconvenient childcare, with a boys and girls OFTSED registered nursery offering space for 72 children, from 3 months to 5 years old. The Waterside Café, perfectly situated on the lake and run by Eurest, is an ideal place to spend a lunch hour or perhaps hold an informal business meeting, as well as acting as a social hub and networking location for the Park. With sport well-known as a stress-buster, the Park has onsite exercise available to suit everyone. The fully-equipped gym includes classes such as spinning and Zumba as well as a personal training service and dedicated bootcamps.

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In addition, yoga and pilates classes take place on-site each week. Team sports are encouraged through the presence of sports fields, golf nets and a softball pitch. The Park even has its very own five-a-side football team. The Park has also introduced 100 bikes that are at the disposal of employees, offering some gentle lunchtime activity exploring the beautiful landscaped gardens. For employees looking to run a few lunchtime errands, the site is close to a large supermarket and has a salon on-site.

Putting the ‘Green’ into Croxley Green Business Park Croxley Green prides itself on being an eco-friendly site, reducing its impact on the environment, and has a number of green initiatives in place, allowing all companies on site to reduce their carbon footprint and enhance their CSR activity. Since 2012, the site has had zero waste to landfill and

recycles 100% of its waste as well as always using 100% renewable energy. In addition, food composting, cardboard bailing, rainwater harvesting and beekeeping all take place on-site. Fitting nicely with Croxley Green’s green campaign, free allotment plots are dotted throughout the business park for employees to take advantage of. In addition to helping the environment, these plots add a social aspect to the park whilst at the same time, increasing the

The local community matters to Croxley Green and there are a number of events throughout the year which are open to everyone to get involved with, including seasonal events such as the Honey Harvest Festival, Christmas Party, as well as business networking opportunities through the Business Networking Events series, which are open to all. In the spirit of Croxley Green, the management team is always open to new ideas and will try and accommodate any suggestions from park employees.

“Croxley Green prides itself on being an eco-friendly site, reducing its impact on the environment, and has a number of green initiatives in place, allowing all companies on site to reduce their carbon footprint and enhance their CSR activity.”

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Collaboration across businesses within the park and local community is something which Croxley Green strives hard to achieve and the communal facilities provide ample opportunity for interaction with other companies on the site.

“Overall the whole ‘Croxley Green experience’ is managed excellently by the team and their partners and I would whole heartedly recommend companies of any shape or size consider the options that are on offer here at the Park.”

A park for the future

Rob Flavelle, Director at Threadneedle, owners and asset managers of Croxley Green Business Park, commented:

Croxley Green Business Park really is the future of business and in the last year has secured a record number of new leases, with more businesses moving to or expanding their space than anywhere else in the town. The provision of a permanent tube connection on the Park’s doorstep that will link to the London Underground network and the national rail station at Watford Junction elevates its pre-eminence as a business location. With the trend of businesses actively seeking out space at this out-of-town office haven, bringing the reassurance of longevity and reliability to businesses, along with a wide variety of amenities available on the doorstep, Croxley Green Business Park has created its own established community.

“Croxley Green Business Park is a truly unique offering to businesses, encompassing the highest quality office space, connectivity, work environment and Park culture. We are always striving to be one step ahead with where we can add value to those who work or live near the Park and pride ourselves on the quality of services we provide and the values we stand for. “Watford is fast becoming the prime business hub for West Hertfordshire, apparent by the increasing demand for office space in and around town.

“The future of the Park is bright. Providing modern, well-connected office space in beautiful surroundings, located close to the highly skilled West Hertfordshire workforce, Croxley Green Business Park really is the place to build a business. ”

The Park is establishing itself as the main business hub for this growth and has attracted new companies and retained key employers over the years. “We are now entering an exciting period of growth for

the Park with many new opportunities on the horizon. It is the businesses and local community that make Croxley Green Business Park the success it is today and will remain so into the future.”

The future of the Park is bright. Providing modern, wellconnected office space in beautiful surroundings, located close to the highly skilled West Hertfordshire workforce, Croxley Green Business Park really is the place to build a business. John Whitby, Chief People Officer at Succeed Consultancy Group, an occupier at Croxley Green Business Park, commented: “My experience of Croxley Green Business Park couldn’t be better. I can honestly say, right from the beginning I felt that both we as a business and me as an individual are playing an active part of a thriving business community, which has been both enjoyable and stress free.

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ProfessionalDevelopment

Professional Development skills - what do tomorrow's leaders need? Develop management capability for 25% less with the University of Hertfordshire

“Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce have negotiated a 25% reduction in the cost of any of the UH Courses on the following website for a limited period, visit www.herts.ac.uk/courses”

Improve competitive advantage • Maintain an efficient delivery process and win new business • Save time, cost and energy • Identify and establish new markets • Keep your customers happy • International Business • Operations Management • Project Management • Project Management Practice (NCPM) • Supply Chain Management • Strategic Business and Information Systems • Management • Marketing

“Choosing the University of Hertfordshire to study Project Management was definitely the right thing. Having been out of academia for some time I was nervous about going back to study, however the lectures and staff are great, and they helped me at every stage. The study group sizes are small and allow for a great working dynamic, this allows me to effectively balance my study with my job.” Rhys Little, Mitsubishi Electric Project Management PGCert Hertfordshire Business School

If you would like to book a place or require any further information please contact Laura Shoobridge laurashoobridge@hertschamber.com or phone 01707 398400 4 Bishops Square, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9NE Tel: 01707 398000 Fax: 01707 398430 www.hertschamber.com

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YoungChamber

People Like Me "We are delighted to be collaborating with the WISE Campaign on the 'People Like Me' programme, teaching resources which offer a revolutionary approach to attracting girls into STEM subjects and careers.” Yolanda Rugg, CEO, Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce

People Like Me allows girls to associate their attributes and skills with different types of career such as scientist, engineer or other key roles highlighting

the skills needed from problem solving, creativity, leadership and is a revolutionary approach to opening up STEM careers to girls.

The work has emerged from the revealing 'Not for people like me' research by WISE which uncovers a completely different approach and how it can change attitudes.

Objectives

Benefits to business

• Enabling teachers, STEM Ambassadors and girls to learn that girls can be happy and successful in a range of STEM roles • Engaging with the whole ecosystem of business (Senior leaders and STEM Ambassadors), schools (headteachers and teachers), parents and girls to influence attitudes towards girls studying and working in STEM • Inspire more girls (particularly harder to reach girls) to take up Science and Maths post-16 for A-level or as part of an apprenticeship

• Practical way to address current and future skills shortage, demographic time bomb, lack of representation in STEM • Be part of a scalable project • Collaborate with a range of businesses and other stakeholders for a common goal • Lead the field of gender diversity for the County • Gain profile for the commitment

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Benefits to girls • Understand more about themselves and their strengths • Understand about career roles • Know they can be happy and successful in a range of roles

Would you like to grow more females into your workforce? How can this program help you?

• Understand the relevance of Science and Maths • Motivation to pursue Science and Maths.

Benefits to schools • Teachers learn a new approach to deliver a session in their PSHE/Science or Maths classes • Teachers embed this approach in their language and discussion with girls around careers • Improved relationships with business • Meet equality and diversity measures from an Ofsted perspective • Opportunity to lead in the field of gender diversity

HRAcademy

Flexible Pathways at the University of Hertfordshire Business School With government support for widening participation in higher education very much on the agenda, we decided to investigate what our County’s university has to offer in this area. Ravi Ganendran from Hertsfordshire Chamber met with Marion Storm who organises postgraduate flexible learning provision at Hertfordshire Business School and heard about recent developments.

“At the Business School, we can tailor employer programmes to take into account prior individual learning and corporate training.” Lynne Stevens, Corporate Development Manager, Hertfordshire Business School

Corporate Training and Professional Development Ravi : I have heard that you are doing some innovative work with corporate clients. Could you tell me something about this and how it can benefit local business? Marion : We have been working with companies to design tailored and flexible professional development training programmes for their staff. These can be delivered inhouse by your own staff or by external professional training companies. Where we add value is in the accreditation process. This is based on the transferal of the learning to the workplace, and through this process, both the

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employer and the employee see immediate benefit in terms of improved performance and better productivity. The icing on the cake is that on successful completion of the training, the employee can receive a university qualification. Ravi : What kind of professional development programmes have you delivered to date? Marion : The programmes range from Leadership Development to Project Management skills but can be tailored to the requirements of the employer. We have an ongoing contract with a large local employer whose employees are working towards Certificates of

Professional Development based around Leadership. Another client built a bespoke program for a group of junior managers based on Chartered Institute of Management Accountant (CIMA) and Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Awards. With a work based project, we were able to dual accredit with both Professional and University awards. After only 18 months, the group obtained a full Masters degree. Ravi : Apart from the obvious attraction of an academic award, what do these programmes offer that is different from traditional corporate development programmes?

Marion : For some time now, Hertfordshire has put frameworks in place to recognise experience in the workplace. We are uniquely placed to combine work-based projects with current theories and practitioner expertise into something of immediate value. The marriage of theory with practice has proved to be transformative and when delegates receive supervision from us on a work based project, they seem much better equipped to try different approaches. The reflection on the whole experience required for accreditation further consolidates the learning.

HRAcademy

From small awards to Masters degrees Ravi : I’m interested in how an individual can gain a Masters degree on the basis of their work experience. Is this some kind of distance learning programme? Marion : It is a personalised, distance learning in the sense that there is no attendance requirement. Candidates work in their own time and at their own pace with a dedicated supervisor. However, where it is different is that there is no pre-set syllabus to be followed and no exams to sit. Under guidance, candi-dates produce a portfolio of their work experience which is submitted

for assessment. It is an ideal way of obtaining a qualification for people who do not want to take time off work to attend classes. Ravi : Is there anything else involved? Marion The experiential portfolio can account for up to 75% of the Masters degree. The rest can be achieved by choosing from a work based project, or by writing a dissertation, or by taking classroom based or distance learning modules. It is a completely flexible approach because the degree is achieved by building up credit. If the candidate has previous qualifications from a recognised professional

or industry body, then those can be included too. The University has a wealth of learning resources and the candidate is given full access to those throughout. Ravi : How long does the process take? Marion : Typically two years although we recognise that people have busy working lives. It may be possible for some individuals to complete the degree in one year. Ravi : And what about the cost? Marion : Although, it is a personalised programme, it is currently the same cost as for our standard taught Masters programmes.

“All of the accountants are now making more active contributions and being increasingly proactive in the business. There has been a marked change in their decision making too - they have become more directly involved. Because they had their own knowledge expanded and tested as part of the programme, they now feel more able to have an influence at a higher level, as well as increasingly taking responsibility for the ownership of strategic projects.” Ann Garvey Leadership Development Partner, TNT

For more information contact the Corporate and Professional Development Unit on 01707 285407 or email cpdu@herts.ac.uk

Individual adult learners Hertfordshire Business School can offer Postgraduate Certificates, Diplomas or full Masters degrees in Business and Management Studies as well as smaller Certificate of Professional Development awards to both individuals or corporate cohorts. These awards can be made solely on the basis of the candidate’s work experience. There are no classes to attend and no exams to sit. Instead the adult learner works with a dedicated supervisor throughout the programme. “I grew immensely as an individual during my course, and I felt supported throughout. I would recommend this route to a Masters degree to anyone, especially if they have busy lives and busy jobs. You feel part of the family very quickly, and someone is always at the end of the email or phone. I am already considering the DBA+ route with Hertfordshire University. Thank you to the whole team.” Joanne Humphreys, Programme Director for a large UK University working in Saudi Arabia +DBA is a UH Doctoral Degree aimed at working professionals.

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MembersNews

The Generation Game came to Watford! On 30th September, the Chamber hosted an event in Watford that discussed and reviewed the different generations in the workplace.

HR professionals must play a strategic role Onyx Recruitment director Michelle Theuma hosted a thought-provoking seminar recently for HR professionals. The theme was Challenges facing HR professionals; - Can HR be a strategic partner to the business as well as performing their necessary administrative duties? The ratio of HR staff to total employees in organisations has reduced, raising the question “If each HR person has a greater number of staff to look after, can they also perform a meaningful strategic role?” The conclusion from those present was that HR most definitely have an important strategic role to play in ensuring the survival and growth of their businesses. In fact the view was that this is becoming ever truer as organisations are having to change their working environments to attract and retain the best “Generation Y” talent. Michelle said: “The workplace is having to evolve and become more flexible and HR will play an increasingly important role in managing this transition between how things were done and creating an attractive environment for the future workforce. “However, in order to have the time to contribute strategically, HR needs to relinquish a degree of control and entrust line managers to manage people better. This means managers must accept a new level of accountability, within a framework defined by HR, but they will need training to enable them to meet those challenges.” If you would like to be invited to future HR Seminars, please contact Michelle at Onyx Recruitment. T: 01908 488694 E: michelle@onyxrecruitment.co.uk

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We were lucky to have Russell Beck, the Head of consulting for Impellam Group, delivering the session who gave an enjoyable and thought provoking insight into the generations. As he said: “There are already four generations in the workplace, and soon to be five. 'They' say that Gen Y are flighty and will have 18 jobs in their lifetime. ‘They’ say that the older generations can’t cope with technology and are less productive. But, both are your future workforce and your customers; if you do not understand them and effectively manage them then the very viability of your business is at stake.” In the 45 minutes session, Russell covered who are the generations, what are their differences, how do they view work, what do they each value in work? Pulling on the latest

research and background information, he considered the different behavioural traits of each, together with the political, cultural and technological factors that impacted each, showed where their strengths lie, the respective value propositions to drive motivation and the potential areas of intergenerational conflict. Feedback from attendees to the event included: • I thoroughly enjoyed the seminar and found Russell to be motivational and engaging. This is going to help me in my work life enormously as I manage a large team ranging from 18-65+. • Really good presentation, explained well about the different types of generations that exist and the impact this has on

organisations, how to stimulate these different groups within the workplace and encourage them to work together. • The seminar itself with Russell Beck as speaker was first class and extremely informative and also allowed me an opportunity to share experience with other participants. Due to the success of this event the Chamber are planning to rerun the session at Hitchin Priory on 27 April 2016; if you would to attend then please contact Sophie Watts, bookings@hertschamber.com 01707 398404 Alternatively Russell can be contacted directly on 07710 898904 or at: Russell.Beck@impellam.com

MembersNews

Company supports improved performance Gillian Ormston and Julie Bean pictured from Double Trouble Development have shown their skills, knowledge and creative approach to training and development can support the development of executives and teams in differing situations. “When working with executives, we aren’t looking to prove we know more or teach them to ‘suck eggs’” says Julie ‘Our approach is about adding value through invoking new thinking, challenging them to be creative and renew their outlook on situations”. Double Trouble Development’s methods centre on reflection, thought generation, accountability, having ‘brave’ conversations and remembering to have FUN. Successful executives and businesses need support, challenge and debate to keep

ahead of the game and ensure they are delivering the very best leadership and service they can to their organisations, their teams and clients. The outcomes for each organisation are often different and the subject matter and starting point can be miles apart but, Gillian says “we believe learning should be delivered in a way that respects and supports those we work with, with the aim to make organisations better informed and skilled for delivering the business goals for the future.” hello@troublex2.com

Specialising in providing Accountancy and Tax services to SMEs

Chartered Accountants and Chartered Tax Advisors

Small. friendly & professional practice helping small businesses with all their accountancy and tax needs • Accounting • Book Keeping • Company Secretarial • Taxation • Business Planning • Payroll

01582 834850

www.lamburnandturner.co.uk Riverside House, 1 Place Farm, Wheathampstead, Herts. AL4 8SB

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InternationalTrade

Tate’s export guide within Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce's Global Membership Package

Background Over the last 20 years the export industry has lost essential skills and knowledge in international trade procedures. This is due to outsourcing operations to freight forwarders and logistics providers who offer apparently lower cost export services. However, freight forwarders are not directly accountable to customs, they only act on the exporter behalf. The responsibility for export/import compliance and paperwork still resides with the buyer or seller. More recently it is unlikely that organisations will have a dedicated export department. Instead, we find that companies

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organise export fulfilment tasks across several departments accounts, customer service, purchasing, warehouse and sales. This means that export or import forms part of a wider role and the operator needs more support to make the right decisions.

What does the guide do? Consider receiving an enquiry from a new potential customer from a new and unfamiliar overseas market. The exporter needs to be able to respond to that enquiry promptly or they may lose to a competitor. Their responses should be professional and they must know all the costs and potential hurdles to overcome.

Through the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, Tate’s Export Guide provides an updated reference so that exporters unfamiliar with a particular destination are knowledgeable about the rules and can be in a position to make an informed response. There are five key questions answered within each of the 200 country articles: 1) What are the costs? • What paperwork do I need, where do I get it and what will it cost to procure? • Will I need to procure insurance, freight (and to what point) – who will pay?

• Do I need to have my goods inspected before they leave the country? • Will I need to use secure payment methods to ensure I get paid? 2) How should I complete the paperwork? • Do I require document stamps? Do the documents need to be legalised and from whom? • What language(s) should the invoice and the labels be in? • Do I need to add any declarations that state, for instance, the origin or manufacturer of the goods?

InternationalTrade

“We find that companies organise export fulfilment tasks across several departments - accounts, customer service, purchasing, warehouse and sales. This means that export or import forms part of a wider role and the operator needs more support to make the right decisions.‘’ 3) Are there any trade restrictions? • Prohibited goods - some Arab countries ban imports of goods of Israeli origin • Restricted goods - Pork and Alcohol to Muslim countries • If my customer needs an import licence, should I issue a pro-forma invoice so they can obtain that licence prior to sending the goods out? • What packing materials should I use? 4) Risk • How will I get paid? Which payment method should I use? • Lack of foreign exchange • Fraudulent orders

5) Foreign customs procedures • Is pre-shipment inspection required? Which agency has the contract? • Is VAT payable on imports? • Is there a preference agreement in place? How should an application be made? • Which tariff system applies, how does the customs authority calculate duties? Each customs authority has its own system. Tate’s Export Guide answers these questions for over 200 countries. Busy exporters do not have time to search around for unreliable information, they need to be properly informed because

mistakes can be costly and result in penalties for not having the correct paperwork. Tate’s Export Guide is regularly updated by an in-house team of international trade experts.

Updates are sent out by email so that exporters are alerted to the changes. The service is available 365 days a year and can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

HCoC are delighted to launch a new Global Membership offer which incorporates an annual subscription to Tate's export trade guide. For further information please visit our website www.hertschamber.com or call Frances Harris on 01707 398409

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ChamberServices

Stress in the Workplace Given that stress-related illnesses accumulated 12.8 million lost working days last year alone, stress in the workplace is fast becoming one of the biggest issues for employers.

Each person suffering from stress-related conditions took an average of 23 days off work last year, which amounted to a cost of around £103 per day in salaries alone. Stress is currently accounting for over 1/3 of absences in the UK. On record, one of the most costly cases to date is that of Green v Deutsche Bank, when the high court awarded a former Deutsche bank worker £828,000 in damages following what the judge described as a relentless campaign of mean and spiteful behaviour by colleagues. Helen Green, a high flyer at the bank, was admitted to hospital suffering a major depressive illness as a result of a 3-year campaign of bullying. Green had raised the problem with her manager and HR department, but her complaints were essentially ignored. In judgement, Mr Justice Owen described the behaviour as ‘oppressive and unreasonable’

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adding that, the ‘line managers knew, or ought to have known, what was going on. They collectively closed their eyes to what was happening, no doubt in the hope that the problem would go away’. He identified that ‘there were obvious steps that could have been taken. It ought to have been made clear that such behaviour was simply unacceptable, and those involved warned that if they persisted disciplinary action would follow. By whatever means the bullying could and should have been stopped’. The size of the damages awarded reflected the court’s view that Green would never again work in a job that paid as well as she had been at the bank. We often find clients are confused about what ‘stress’ actually is; there is commonly confusion between the definitions of ‘pressure’ and ‘stress’.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines stress as the ‘adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them’. ACAS states ‘pressure is part and parcel of work and helps to keep us motivated, but excessive pressure can lead to stress, which undermines performance, and is costly to employers and can make people ill’.

What are the causes of stress? Manthan: Some of the main causes of stress are the demands of the job role, control over the job and how it’s done, the support available and received, relationships in the workplace and the role within the organisation. Another major cause is change within the organisation and how this is communicated and implemented in a business.

What are the symptoms of stress? David: You can sometimes identify stress in an employee’s work performance, so looking out for things like inconsistency, uncharacteristic errors, loss of motivation, lapse in memory, loss of control, indecision, less communicative, extreme withdrawal to name a few. So employers often struggle to manage stress and often miss things that could ultimately open them up to risk. What can employers do to tackle such a problematic widespread issue? Manthan: Some CIPD guidelines identify that there are three categories of interventions designed specifically to manage stress. Primary Interventions, designed to prevent stress, including activities such as stress risk assessments.

ChamberServices

Secondary Interventions, which help respond to stressful situations in order to enable coping and reduce harm, including exercises such as stress management training. And Tertiary Interventions, which deal with the impact of stress to help with recovery and rehabilitation, including activities such as occupational health support, return-to-work processes and counselling. Andy: HSE states what must be covered in policies. They say a policy should define what stress is, it should recommend how to deal with the effects and how to raise the alarm, what the company do to manage stress and what the employer responsibilities are. Employers need to ensure their employees are in a position where they feel comfortable saying so, if they feel like they cannot cope. Hema: It’s also important to remember that people’s pressure points are different though. What may be okay for one isn’t going to be the same for another? We have to get managers buying into the policies, because all too often a manager’s approach could be, “Oh, well we’re all

stressed”, but stress needs to be managed from that operational management level. Toni: Unfortunately, sometimes stress is seen as a weakness by managers. So the training of policy to managers is a key stage of stress management. It is important that managers are able to realise the elements of true stress and how to prevent and manage the situation. David: There are also schemes such as Employee Assistance Programs (often run alongside a pension scheme or cashplan scheme) where employers have telephone access to a counsellor. These have been proven to be a useful addition to overall employee benefits package. Ruth: Encouragement to exercise and maintain a healthy diet also assist in preventing stress; with many employers now looking at offering gym membership as part of a flexible benefits package.

Ultimately, employers may have put all the good practices in place, but they still need to manage the absence, so what are the risks here?

Ruth: There’s an issue with the Equality Act, in relation to Disability Discrimination. With the definition of a disability being physical or mental impairment which has a substantial adverse effect on the person’s ability to carry out their normal day to day activities which has lasted, or is likely to last, for a year, stress would fall into this bracket of discrimination. Toni: Whilst previous advice has been to address absence after four to eight weeks, more recent advice is to look at getting medical opinions within the first one to three weeks in order to improve the chances of returning to work sooner. David: Key areas for an employer to consider before going to dismiss, would be the performance of the employee, history of attendance, nature of absence, likelihood of returning to work, what the person has got to say, what medical advice has said, any other tests or steps that could be taken such as any alternative roles in business. It’s so important for an employer to consider this situation on a case by case basis. When it comes to it,

a Tribunal will consider the whole role of an employee not just the interim steps that have been put in place. Toni: What employers have to remember is that although there are risks, employers have the right to manage their staff and often the fear associated to a potential claim prevents effective management. As long as professional advice is taken (and followed) throughout there is no reason that employers should fear stress in the workplace.

What are the benefits of managing stress? Ruth: A happier, more productive and motivated workforce. But this will be as a result of solid policies, trained managers and a correctly managed workforce. It is extremely important for all situations governed by stress-related issues to be handled on a case by case basis, and ensure the correct policies and practices are fed entirely throughout a business, from the managers to the employees. sales@qdosconsulting.com 01455852028 www.qdosconsulting.com

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NewMembers

Welcome to new members The Grove

Netrix Ltd

Elstree Film Design Limited

Five Star luxury hotel, spa, golf course and events estate Chandlers Cross Rickmansworth Hertfordshire WD3 4TG 01923 807807 www.thegrove.co.uk

Web development and design agency based in Elstree, Herts. Also build mobile applications. Catalyst House, 720 Centennial Court Centennial Park Elstree Hertfordshire WD6 3SY 020 8736 4088 www.netrixinternet.co.uk

Video, animation and interactive production company Elstree Studios Shenly Road Borehamwood WD6 1JG 020 8819 2652 www.elstreefilmdesign.co.uk

Luton Hoo Hotel Golf and Spa

Digital Marketing Agency 36 Harrisons Birchanger Bishops Stortford CM23 5QT 01279 647003 www.tumarketing.co.uk

The Manufacturing Co-operative Working with SME's and OEM's to develop supply chain relationships Cranfield University Cranfield Bedfordshire MK43 0AL 01234 754058 www.manufacturing.coop

Kanga Marketing Business Marketing Barley House Cuffley Gate Sopers Road Cuffley Hertfordshire EN6 4RY 01707 870183 www.kangamarketing.co.uk

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Hotel, Conference and Banqueting, Golf, Health and Country Club, Spa The Mansion House Luton Hoo Luton Bedfordshire LU1 3TQ 01582 734437 www.lutonhoo.com

Partners in Export UK Export Consultancy and Exporter 31 Granby Road Luton Bedfordshire LU4 9SZ 01582 591206 www.partnersin-export.co.uk

TU Marketing

iThinkMedia Search Marketing Specialists The Old Barn 2 Cole Green Hertford Hertfordshire SG14 2NN 01438 900888 www.ithinkmedia.co.uk

NewMembers

OneDegree Development Ltd

First Rung

Coaching, Mentoring, Training and Consultancy 19 Mount Keen Stevenage Hertfordshire SG1 6BP 07711395437 www.onedegreedevelopment.com

Charity working with young people Monmouth House 87 The Parade Watford Hertfordshire WD17 1LN 01923 803508 www.firstrung.org.uk

Arriva the Shires

Design, Deliver, Maintain and Support for IT Gilbertsons Mill Tamworth Road Hertford Hertfordshire SG13 7DD 03333440980 www.itbuilder.com

Transport Marchwood House 934-974 St Albans Road Watford Hertfordshire WD25 9NN 07876 001888 www.arrivabus.co.uk/etc/southeast

Double Trouble Development Training Provider Ridgmont Station Rigdmont MK43 OXP 07889997773 www.troublex2.com

IT Builder

Your Town Ltd Cafe Hub offering a place to meet with friends and work colleagues and share ideas 12 Fawkon Walk Hoddesdon Hertfordshire EN11 8TJ 07702359021 www.yourtownuk.co.uk

Quanta Consultancy Services Ltd Technical Recruitment Redwood House Rectory Lane Berkhamsted Herts HP4 2DH 01442 870700 www.quanta-cs.com

Fibre Ride Ltd Company providing high quality, low maintenance fibre to suit all equestrian needs Buttermilk Hall Farm Buntingford Herts S69 9RH 01763281538 www.fibreride.co.uk

A+ Insurance Services Insurance Company to sell all personal and commercial lines 45-47 High Street Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire HP1 3AF 01442347800 www.aplusinsurance.co.uk

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ChamberEvents

Inspiring Hertfordshire 2016 Launch Evening Date: Time: Venue:

Cost:

16 December 6.00pm - 8.00pm Marriott Hanbury Manor Hotel & Country Club, Ware FREE members £10.00 non-members

In 2016 we will host the 5th annual Inspiring Hertfordshire awards! Join us to celebrate some of the achievements of Hertfordshire businesses in the past year. Sponsorship opportunities still available!

Digital Marketing Trends for 2016 Seminar Date: Time: Venue: Cost:

20 January 7.30am - 9.30am Hertford Theatre, The Wash, Hertford £20.00 members £25.00 non-members

Join Saija Mahon to learn more about what will be the key digital marketing trends and opportunities in 2016, come and learn, share your existing knowledge and network!

Your Future Careers Fair Date: Time: Venue: Cost:

29 January 10.00am - 5.00pm Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre, Lytton Way, Stevenage FREE

Join us as an exhibitor at our second careers fair, which will be a great opportunity to promote your organisation and engage with young people eager to learn more about your career opportunities.

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ChamberEvents

All I want for Christmas is... an Apprentice! Date: Wednesday 2 December Time: 12.00 - 14.00 Venue: Knebworth Barns Conference Centre, Knebworth, Herts, SG3 6PY Cost: £30.00 members £36.00 non-members

“A recent BIS (Department for Business Innovation & Skills) survey demonstrated that hiring apprentices has also often brought additional benefits, such as improved staff morale, staff retention and organisational performance.‘’

Are you looking for eager, motivated staff to grow your business? Over 130,000 businesses across the UK offer apprenticeship places because they recognise their effectiveness at increasing productivity, improving business performance and ensuring a committed and competent workforce. A recent BIS (Department for Business Innovation & Skills) survey demonstrated that hiring apprentices has also often brought additional benefits, such as improved staff morale and staff retention.

Join us for our Christmas Lunch along with local employers, schools and apprentices all sharing their experiences. “I believe that apprenticeships are a primary means by which the lifeblood of capability and, perhaps more importantly, knowledge of our complex business can be sustained. Apprentice development guarantees continuity of service, high quality skills and technical knowledge in the company. Apprentices bring new innovation and cost savings ideas which enable us to maintain our competitive edge while demonstrating long-term

commitment to customer support and service. Apprentices demonstrate infectious enthusiasm and commitment alongside a willingness to learn. They strive for constant development and this helps to motivate and reinvigorate the employees that support them it also develops people management, leadership skills and the personal satisfaction of those responsible for their development-coaching.” Gareth Humphreys MBE, HR Adviser Education, MBDA. “I believe the apprenticeship route was the best option for myself as this enables me to

widen my skills through attending college, interacting with my training provider and learning from my employer” Sophie Watts, Higher Business Administration Apprentice, Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce. “Many businesses are well aware of the benefits of apprenticeships - improved skill levels, service, morale and productivity, to name but a few. But employing apprentices can also bring about a great sense of pride among businesses.” Sue Husband, Director of the National Apprenticeship Service.

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ChamberEvents

Dates for your Diary International Seminar: Doing Business in China 09:30 - 11:30 Wednesday 3 February Business & Technology Centre, Stevenage £20 members £25 non members Speaker: Nick Farr, Tax Partner at PwC with expertise in China and emerging markets •••

Business Leaders Lunch 12:00 - 14:30 Friday 12 February Luton Hoo Hotel, Luton £35 members £40 non members Guest speaker: Professor Rajkumar Roy, Head of Manufacturing at Cranfield University •••

Your Futures Careers Fair 09:00 - 17:00 Wednesday 2 March The John Warner School, Hoddesdon FREE •••

Chamber Manufacturing Forum - Site tour and lunch 11:45 - 14:45 Tuesday 8 March Altro Limited, Letchworth Garden City Including presentation from CEO Richard Kahn £18 members only

Tourism Summit 08:30 - 12:30 Thursday 10 March Cheshunt Marriott Hotel, Broxbourne £25 members £35 non members •••

Property and Construction Forum 16:15 - 19:00 Wednesday 16 March Venue TBC £18 members £30 non members •••

Women in Leadership Lunch 12:00 - 14:00 Wednesday 23 March Venue TBC £28 members £35 non members •••

Matchday Networking 18:30 – 22:00 Tuesday 19 April Stevenage Football Club £35 members £40 non members •••

Networking Breakfast: Managing People: The Generation Game 07:30 - 09:30 Wednesday 27 April Hitchin Priory £24 members £30 non members Spnsored by Tate

Chamber Networking & Tour of Newsprinters 10:30 - 13:00 Wednesday 11May Newsprinters, Broxbourne £12.50 members £15 non members •••

Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards Dinner 18:45 - 00:00 Thursday 19 May Porsche Centre, Hatfield Register your interest •••

Annual HCoC Environmental, Sustainability and Innovation Conference "The Shared Economy" 08:00 - 13:00 Thursday 16 June BRE, Watford Register your interest •••

Chamber Brunch: Network on the Wild Side 09:30 - 11:30 Wednesday 29 June Paradise Wildlife Park, Broxbourne £20.40 members £24 non members •••

Chamber Clay Pigeon Shooting 12:30 - 16:30 Thursday 18 August Atkin Grant & Lang Shooting Ground £72 members £78 non members

Farewell to Jodie After serving the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce for almost a decade Jodie Reid Event Manager has moved on to pastures new. Jodie has been a familiar face of the chamber for members old and new. Her work within the events program has been highly regarded, particularly the Inspiring Herts Awards. We wish Jodie every success in her new role. Going forward, our events team will be managed by Laura Shoobridge and Sophie Watts. For future sponsorship or speaker opportunities please contact sophiewatts@ hertschamber.com, 01707 398404.

If you would like to register for an event or would like further information or would like to book on to an event please contact Sophie Watts on 01707 398404 or email sophiewatts@hertschamber.com Alternatively visit our website www.hertschamber.com 38

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Only one thing is on people’s minds at this time of year… Christmas! It`s no different for one of Hertfordshire`s rural farms as we enter one of the most exciting and busiest times of the farming year. As a family run business Foxholes Farm has a legacy and history to uphold and an ethos which most never get to see behind those closed doors, responsible for the farms retail side of the business is Catherine Smith whose family have been farming in Hertfordshire for over 100 years. Catherine runs her business on good values and sticking to family morals, strengthening her business by bringing warmth to the farm and the local community, whilst educating the public on how today’s British farmers contribute to this wonderful land. Working seven days a week running her busy farm shop, tea room and selling at numerous farmers markets whilst also being a mother to two very energetic teenage girls, its no wonder this business lady never stops.

The Farm shop and tea room is managed by Catherine which she calls (and quite rightly so) “her baby” together with a team of dedicated staff, plus this year has been made super special by winning multiple awards. Catherine`s dedication and ethos certainly has started to pay off, from selling meat at her farmhouse only eight years ago to becoming one of Hertfordshire`s prestigious multi award winners for best farm shop, farmers markets stall and customer service, just to name but a few! Catherine is driven and motivated by success so winning these awards has been great for placing her farm on the Hertfordshire map and allowing expansion of the business for the future. With Open Farm Sunday being a huge success back in June this year and the farms popular summer

“Foodie Farmer” workshops, Catherine wants to introduce new seasonal events to the farm and is keen to educate the public on food and farming traditions of a modern working farm, whilst helping to make her business more profitable. This season Foxholes Farm is hosting a Christmas Tasting Extravaganza weekend, (Sat 28th & Sun 29th November 11am3pm). Show-casing products from her farm shop with some of the best local and regional ingredients Hertfordshire has to offer, including the farms very own home grown and cured meats. This is one of Catherine`s favourite weekends of the year not only does she get to meet some of her loyal, regular and new customers it`s also time to say a big “thank you” to her people for making Foxholes Farm such a huge success. Catherine and her team are

working hard this time of year to ensure the farms festive Christmas feast runs as smoothly as possible. Customers can pre-order delicious festive delights from succulent turkeys to Christmas puddings, fine British cheeses to cured hams, gammons and joints of meat from the butchery counter. Gourmet hampers will also be available to purchase on the weekend making great gifts. Another first on the Foxholes events calendar is the farms Christmas Wreath making and Butchery workshops. The Christmas Wreath making workshops will run on Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th of December from 10.00am to 12.30pm and the butchery courses will run from January 2016.

Tickets are now on sale for these courses and are available at the farm shop or online on our events pages www.foxholesfarm.com or e-mail shop@foxholesfarm.com Tel: 01992 552900.

Foxholes Farm has everything you could want for a wonderful experience making Foxholes Farm one of Hertfordshire`s great destinations for all the family. Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Property&Construction

Constructing Excellence with Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce

Left to right: Graham Mills Vice Chairman, Marion Clapp H&B CE club secretary, Peter Hansford, Mary Sykes Herts Chamber, Dr Peter Bonfield OBE, Don Ward, Adrian Dixon Chairman

The first forum held on 23 September at the Hanger Hotel, Hatfield focused on the Government Construction Strategy. Panel members included: • Don Ward, Chief Executive of Constructing Excellence, • Peter Hansford, Civil Engineer and Government Chief Construction Adviser • Dr Peter Bonfield OBE, Chief Executive of BRE Group “As the new Chair of the Herts & Beds Constructing Excellence Club I’m extremely proud and excited about our new collaboration with the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce.” Adrian Dixon.

better built environment by improving industry performance. The Herts & Beds Club is the local affiliate representing members based in this region. The Hertfordshire Chamber is the preeminent business support organisation in the county.

Constructing Excellence is a national organisation charged with driving the change agenda in construction, to produce a

By joining forces we will be able to offer many more advantages to the Construction sector than we could do apart.

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Herts is the Heart of Construction And what a Construction sector we have in the area. This region is packed full of the nation’s top firms and talent, many are even leading players on the International stage. And we are all supported by the highest calibre education and research. That’s why I consider Herts &

Beds is the Heart of Construction in the UK. This was borne out by the industry leaders we attracted to our Question Time panel at our last meeting including the Chief Executive of the BRE Group, the Government’s Chief Construction Adviser and the national Constructing Excellence Chief Executive.

“To really make this joint venture the success it deserves to be we will need your support. Come along to the events, promote them to your colleagues, partners and clients. Let us know if you have any projects worthy of special attention and of course let us know what topics are of greatest concern to you. Just get involved!”

Opportunities These riches give us an amazing foundation and present fantastic opportunities to further enhance the sector. By working together, sharing learning and best practice to develop new solutions, let’s deliver a better built environment! This collaboration with the Chamber itself is a great example of putting the founding principle of Constructing Excellence, collaboration, directly into practice. Let’s hope more of you choose the same path.

Risks If Construction is a top performer in the area I’m sure some of you are asking why the focus on Construction

when the industry appears to be in good health?

for firms in the area through collaboration and innovation.

Certainly the dark days of the recession are behind us and many firms are benefiting from near-full order books. But there are challenges. We’re not building enough houses, resources are incredibly scarce and too many firms are happy doing what they’ve always done.

One of our primary aims is to build a ‘Network of Knowledge’ that will give you access to the experts as and when you need them for specific projects and, more generally, to develop ‘best practice’.

For many margins remain wafer thin too and many firms will be myopically focused on delivery at the expense of managing growth, which, as we all know, can lead to spectacular failure.

Our plan

We have put together a programme of events featuring pre-eminent keynote speakers on relevant issues facing the built environment such as Innovation, Managing Growth and Lessons in Leadership.

Together the Herts & Beds CE club and the Herts Chamber can play a vital role in addressing these issues and maximising the opportunities

CE members can be issued with CPD certificates and all will benefit from meeting leading firms and individuals in the area to promote best practice.

Benefits for you

We are also actively engaged with leading educational institutions to hekp shape the courses they provide. To really make this collaboration the success it deserves to be we will need your support. Come along to the events, promote them to your colleagues, partners and clients. Let us know if you have any projects worthy of special attention and of course let us know what topics are of greatest concern to you. Just get involved! Book onto our next event on 16 March 2016. We look forward to building a better future together! For further information contact marysykes@hertschamber.com

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WorkPlace

Divorce and business interests The process of a divorce can be deeply emotional and stressful for all involved. claims that can be made for the benefit of any children of the relationship.

through the use of Trusts and Wills. This might help to limit the exposure on divorce.

• Get a pre-nup

• Other shareholders

If you decide to tie the knot, and have built up a valuable, or potentially valuable business then have a pre-nuptial agreement (‘pre-nups’). Pre-nups are contracts before marriage stipulating how a couple’s assets should be divided on divorce. They can significantly influence a financial settlement awarded on divorce.

If there are other shareholders involved in the business then the court will be more cautious when looking at how to fund a settlement through the business. The reason for this is that the settlement could affect their interests which would not be fair.

• Build your business before you marry

If one party has an interest in a business then a divorce can have a big impact on it, not just as a result of the stress experienced by those involved, but also due to the cost of a financial settlement. In the event of a divorce, essentially the starting point is a 50:50 split of the assets, unless there is a good reason to depart from equality. The court has a wide discretion to achieve a fair award. In doing so it will take into account all assets; including the value of any business interests. The courts routinely require business interests to be valued as part of establishing what the assets are worth. However, some businesses are merely income streams. If this is the case, then the business does not need to be valued. Instead, the focus will be on the income it generates and how it needs to be shared to meet the other spouse’s reasonable income requirements.

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If it is possible, the courts will try to leave the business owner with the business and award the other spouse with a bigger share of the other assets and/or maintenance. So, what steps can be taken to try and protect your business?

• Don’t get married As harsh as it sounds, the reality is that unmarried couples do not acquire the same or similar rights to married couples. There is no right to be maintained by your partner and you have no automatic right to any of their assets. However, there are limited financial

The court may treat assets built up or acquired before the marriage differently to those created during the marriage. However, if there are limited assets, then the court will focus on what each party needs rather than who brought what into the marriage.

• Get a post-nup If you have already married, then get a post-nup. A post-nup is the same as a pre-nup, save that it is entered into by the parties after they have married.

• Is your business going to be passed through generations? If interests in businesses are to be passed down the generations then think about how this is to be achieved and put proper structures in place, such as

About Tracey Dargan Tracey Dargan qualified as a solicitor in 1999 with a local firm. For the past 10 years, she has worked in Central London, initially for a West End Practice and most recently for a Top 20 UK firm based in the City. Tracey has over 20 years of experience as a family lawyer. She helps people to unravel the legal, financial and practical ties when a relationship breaks down.

• Financing the settlement Think about how a settlement can be funded to avoid the court making this decision for you. Your proposal might be far more resourceful and commercially focused than a court imposed settlement. If a settlement cannot be funded then this may result in your spouse retaining an interest in the business. Consideration will need to be given to issues such as voting rights; pre-emption rights and tax. Consider the possibility of raising sufficient funds to buy out your spouse’s maintenance claims so that you can sever ties completely. If your spouse is awarded ongoing maintenance then he/she will potentially continue to benefit from the success of your business in the future. However, if there is a downturn in your business then as the payor you can apply to reduce the maintenance.

This often involves dealing with complex financial matters. Tracey also helps parents to settle the caring arrangements for their children, as well as other issues that may arise in respect of their children’s upbringing. In addition, she helps people to regularise the financial aspects of their relationship, through cohabitation agreements and pre/post nuptial agreements. Tracey is a member of Resolution.

WorkPlace

Trust: is your brand delivering its promise? by Justine Perry

Trust is a hot topic at the moment. Consumer confidence is reeling after the revelations that VW admitted cheating USA emissions tests.

“It is very important to utilise all available channels to promote your business both online and offline. Positive news stories are a great tool for promoting your business and building brand awareness.‘’

VW had spent decades establishing a reputation for producing expertlymanufactured, quality vehicles and now its whole brand has been damaged. But how does this breach of trust relate to online services and products? Because whether it’s a company lying to consumers, a product that doesn’t live up to its claims or a service that doesn’t deliver its promises the whole point of a successful brand is that it has to be able to prove its trustworthiness.

it as a shop window open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and a reference point for consumers. It is therefore incredibly important you don’t let your marketing run wild; yes, present your goods and services in their best possible light but don’t make outlandish claims or promises that you can’t deliver.

2) Reviews

1) Website

Encourage third party reviews through trusted sources such as LinkedIn, Google Plus and Trip Advisor. Hopefully these will affirm your business claims and credentials and potential clients are far more likely to believe them if they are from an impartial source on a trusted external site.

Your website should provide a comprehensive showcase of your products and services. Think of

There should be a consistent tone of voice and personality

So, how exactly does a brand prove its trustworthiness online?

3) Social media

displayed in your social media profiles. If your brand values are professionalism and transparency then clearly your social media should not have photos of staff members down the pub on a Friday night.

Stories should ideally be placed on online media sources and in the traditional press to reach the widest audience possible.

4) PR

Promoting your professional accreditations and memberships is a great wait to garner trust. If people do not know much about your products or services then an industry certification will immediately give them confidence in your company.

It is very important to utilise all available channels to promote your business both online and offline. Positive news stories are a great tool for promoting your business and building brand awareness.

5) Industry certifications and memberships

Justine Perry is Managing Director of Hertford-based Cariad Marketing. The award-winning digital marketing agency provides online marketing services including SEO (search engine optimisation), social media and digital marketing campaigns. To find out more contact 01992 582824 or visit www.cariadmarketing.com

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WorkPlace

Longmores Host latest Herts Chamber HR Forum We at Longmores were delighted to see so many local businesses join us for the latest HR Forum on 14 October. We welcomed a broad cross-section of employers and HR professionals (and even ACAS!) who all participated in a lively debate on our topic for this session, managing sickness absence in the workplace. sharing of experience and best practice.

The Health at Work Study carried out in 2011 by Dame Carol Black and David Frost showed that sickness absence is costing employers £9 billion per year. Managing employee absence is a perennial problem for employers, who can often find it difficult to handle. It can involve difficult conversations, and can be time consuming, so it is not uncommon for employee absence to drag on as employers put off dealing with it. Our specialist employment team, Richard Gvero, Catrin Mills and Jennifer Mansoor gave presentations on how to deal with both short-term and longterm absence, which led to some interesting debate and the

In particular, we discussed the realities of how sickness absence is affecting employers in practice. We looked at how to manage intermittent or shortterm absence in the workplace, and how to deal with sickness absence which doesn’t appear to be genuine. Looking at case studies based on real life examples, we discussed how to deal with employees taking “sickies” and “duvet days”.

to be caused by work. It could be caused by management issues or even bullying or harassment in the workplace, all of which cause different legal issues and need to be addressed.

The Fit For Work Service

We then went on to discuss longterm absence and how to avoid disability discrimination. The two main causes of longterm absence are stress and musculoskeletal problems (which include back pain). It was interesting to hear the experiences of employers dealing with these issues currently.

We discussed an important development, the new Fit For Work Service which was rolled out to all employers on 8 September. The Service offers free advice and occupational health support to SMEs, and employers can now refer employees to the service if they have been off sick for four weeks or more. Provided the employee consents, the Service can offer an occupational health assessment and provide a return to work plan. Further details of the service can be found at www.fitforwork.org.

Stress is often a complex problem, particularly if it is said

By the end of the forum there was a general consensus that

“Our specialist employment team, Richard Gvero, Catrin Mills and Jennifer Mansoor gave presentations on how to deal with both short-term and long-term absence, which led to some interesting debate and the sharing of experience and best practice.‘’

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two of the most important elements in managing sickness absence successfully are communicating openly with employees and dealing with matters promptly. It was also interesting to hear feedback as to how there appears to be a link in practice between sickness absence and levels of employee engagement – an interesting topic, perhaps, for future forums. If, as a business, you struggle with monitoring short-term or long-term sickness absence and/or want to ensure you have updated policies in place so that you are best prepared to tackle such issues at the outset, please contact our employment team on 01992 300333

24Hours

24.Hours For Vince Castronovo, his appointment as Deputy General Manager at the Sopwell House hotel near St Albans continues a strong connection with Hertfordshire. Born in nearby Enfield, much of Vince’s training and working life has been spent in Herfordshire and he is relishing the opportunity to help manage the historic Georgian country house, which is a luxury 128-bedroom hotel, country club and spa. Vince, who took on the new job in November, can trace his Herfordshire connection back to his time attaining degrees from the Hertford Regional College in Broxbourne and the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield. He then worked in hotels in Essex and, most recently, in a high profile London establishment before coming to work at Sopwell House. Vince said: “My working day begins at 7am when I come in and go round the hotel, meeting the staff informally, checking that everything went OK the previous night.

Vince Castronovo Deputy General Manager Sopwell House Hotel

Hertfordshire link is strong for hotelier Vince

“I will meet everyone from the reception team to those who look after food and beverages, just making sure that everything is OK. Then I’ll pop into breakfast and see the housekeeping team as well. ‘This is a people business and I think it is important to meet the staff and make sure they’re ok.

the General Manager’s office at 9am to set up the day ahead, discussing what needs to be done and making sure that we are on top of things. “After that, I have meetings with some of the other teams but we make sure that our meetings are short and effective. “When the meetings have finished, it is a case of being around, walking round the hotel, being there for people and seeing the hotel through the visitors’ eyes. It’s the proverbial finger across the dado rail checking for dust! “They can be long working days of up 12 to 16 hours, dictated by what is happening in the hotel, but I love working here.” Part of the attraction is working in a building that is steeped in history. Indeed, the earliest reference is to be found in a deed of 1603, which makes reference to the newly-built 'New Barnes' Home to Richard Sadlier. Sopwell House was used as a family residence until the end of the Second World War when it became a home for the aged before its conversion in 1969 to a hotel. The present owner, Abraham Bejerano, purchased the property in 1986 and has sensitively developed and updated the facilities taking immense care to retain the character and charm of the original Georgian house.

“One of the great things about Sopwell House is that it is on a fairly small site so you can get round everyone pretty easily.

Vince is enjoying every minute of his new challenge. He said: “I have always worked in hotels and I come from a long line of hoteliers so it is a world in which I love being involved.

“After meeting people, I’ll then check my emails and look at the financial returns from the previous night, after which we always have a meeting in

“When I do get time off, I like to relax. I play a lot of sport, watch my beloved Chelsea playing and take the dogs for a walk.”

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Christmas Cheer

The festive season has never been better thanks to The Galleria, Hatfield This year, make your Christmas sparkle with a little help from The Galleria, Hatfield. Boasting leisure and retail brands, at outlet prices, The Galleria has everything you need to make your Christmas a merry one. The Little Things

Send it With Love

Before you start thinking about putting your Christmas decorations up, try to get your home in order. Organise the main living spaces and bring down last year’s adornments from the attic. Look through them to decide which ones you’ll use, and what you’d like to buy. Tip: When decorating your home for Christmas, don’t forget to buy a scented candle! Gorgeous scented candles from The Gift Company will help your home smell delicious over the festive season. The Gift Company offers fragrances such as burnt orange and cinnamon.

Each year we receive a multitude of cards in the post, so make sure they don’t go to waste. Christmas cards can be an excellent, low-cost way to decorate the home. Attach them to ribbons and hang or dot them across the house. Tip: We love the Christmas card range from icandy!

ddd dd

Christmas is your time to shine and your favourite retailers at The Galleria have a range of dresses and accessories at outlet prices. Whether it’s an outfit from GAP, Gant, French Connection, Jaeger or M&S, you’re sure to find that perfect choice to make your Christmas sparkle. Tip: Whether it’s a small statement accessory dd dd d or a head to toe shine, Light up Christmas is the perfect time to go bold. Lights are not just for the tree; French Connection offers they create a feeling of warmth dresses perfect for every and atmosphere. Decorating both Christmas party, and inside and out will transform all at outlet prices. your home into a winter wonderland that is sure to ddd dd impress. Tip: Choose a ‘warm’ coloured glow to avoid that frosty feeling inside on cold winter nights. The Works offer a range of Christmas lights perfect for every home. dd dd d

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Christmas style

Treat After you’ve finished shopping for your Christmas essentials, why not treat the kids to a session at The Galleria’s enormous jungle-themed adventure play area, Get Wild!, with its eclectic assortment of slides, tunnels, rope walks and climbing frames right in the heart of the shopping centre, it’s the perfect place for children between the ages of 1-12 years to play and explore. Couple this with a trip to Odeon cinema to see the latest release and you’re sure to make your littles ones day over the festive period!

Tip: Feet aching from all of the Christmas shopping? While the kids are enjoying Get Wild! why not enjoy a delicious cuppa and cake from Costa Coffee? ddd dd

Come dine With a wide range of eateries, cafes and grab-and-go restaurants all under one roof, The Galleria is the perfect destination to eat and relax over Christmas. The centre’s larger restaurants such as Bella Italia, Frankie & Benny’s and Prezzo are perfect options for parties, offering delicious winter menus, while the smaller, more intimate eateries, such as Costa Coffee are great for a quick catch-up. Tip: Book quickly to avoid disappointment. Reservations for large groups or work Christmas parties are in high demand and venues often require bookings to be made weeks in advance. There’s plenty of extra fun events and promotions taking place throughout November and December to celebrate the festive season so be sure to check the centres website www.thegalleria.co.uk and Facebook and Twitter pages, @galleriahatfield, for details of the latest news and events.

Dacorum

Hemel Hempstead Ambassadors - telling the story of Hemel Hempstead’s future When Hemel Hempstead was abruptly put on the map by the explosion at Buncefield Oil Terminal in 2005, Dacorum Borough Council and the town’s business community resolved to rise from the ashes, to turn crisis into opportunity and grasp the chance to grow a better, more prosperous place to do business. Ten years on, the town’s businesses continue to lead the way in shaping the future of Hemel Hempstead’s success story. The Hemel Hempstead story is being launched on 11 December, introducing an Ambassadors scheme which gives businesses the chance to champion local industry and promote the area’s many benefits and opportunities. A decade of collaboration between the Council and the business community has seen the town rebuilt and regenerated. Left devastated by the Buncefield explosion, Maylands Business Park has

been transformed into a dynamic hub of industry which attracts big business through benefits including high speed broadband, excellent transport links, forward thinking green initiatives and on site business support at a central hub. Coupled with a £30m town centre regeneration programme and world class leisure facilities and attractions – there is much for the Ambassadors to recommend to potential investors. Hemel Hempstead Ambassadors is a scheme which gives the best of local businesses an opportunity to come together

and combine their knowledge, networks and influence to shape the place and boost the economy for everyone’s benefit. As an Ambassador you will be a member of a powerful group of advocates for Hemel Hempstead. In return for your skills and leadership you will benefit from inclusion in PR campaigns which raise your profile along with the town’s, access to high quality business events with top industry speakers, exclusive online member resources and local knowledge. You will have the opportunity to shape the place you do business - to influence

how we build on our successful economy for the benefit of everyone, putting Hemel Hempstead on the map for all the right reasons. Andy Cook Managing Director FFEI, and Chair of the Maylands Partnership, said: "Every business can benefit from this scheme, as attracting new investment will bring with it new prosperity for the area. I would encourage local businesses to get involved in Hemel Hempstead Ambassadors and help promote Hemel Hempstead to new and existing investors and businesses."

To register your interest in the business event on 11 December, or for more information on the Ambassadors scheme and business support in Hemel Hempstead and Dacorum, contact business@dacorum.gov.uk or call 01442 867808, and see www.dacorumlooknofurther.co.uk.

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LastWord

Welcome to Su Allen HR Name: Company: Job title:

Su Allen Su Allen HR Founder

when it comes to spending money. the fact that we can advertise in the wall Having said that, we are seeing increased planner and in the magazine as well as spending on training, which is good, posting blogs on the website. We also take but overall I think many people are still advantage of some of the other benefits, cautious when it comes to things like all of which allows us to reach prospective investment and pay rises. clients across what is a large county. I think pensions auto-enrolment is another Q How has it helped your business challenge. I have been saying to our network? clients for years that they need to consider Being part of the chamber has definitely the worst case financial scenario, of Q What do you do? helped us raise our profile in the nobody opting out of the scheme, so that Hertfordshire business community. I own and run Su Allen HR. We are a they plan for and can meet the increased team of qualified and experienced Q What advice would you give someone pension contributions, not just in year one Human Resources Consultants and starting out? but in the years that follow. provide outsourced HR services to Depending on their business sector, I think the new Compulsory Living Wage is businesses of all sizes in Bedfordshire, I would tell them to do as much another challenge facing business, partly Hertfordshire and across the UK, including networking as possible and consider as because it will come into effect at about providing advice on employment law. many types of development activities as the same time that auto-enrolment kicks I oversee every aspect of the business they can. After thirteen years running a in for many small businesses, adding to which includes business development business, I would say donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just focus on the costs of running a business. It is a work which has enabled us to grow. one activity; do networking, advertising, double whammy. I am also very client-facing so I advise use social media, go onto LinkedIn, use companies on their HR issues. Q What support do you want from a variety of ways to get your name and Government? Q Why did you join the chamber? brand known. Also, make sure you get I accept that auto-enrolment has to I looked at four chambers in the area your cash flow right from the start. happen but I do wish that the Government and eventually decided that Hertfordshire When I started the business, I opted for a would reconsider the Living Wage, was the best option for us. I like its 15-day payment period which my advisors particularly its timing. The way it will geographical spread, which allows us said would not work - but it has. Getting increase the costs for many businesses to reach companies all over the county your cash flow right is so important. at the same time as they are feeling the and the opportunities that it offers us Q What do you think is the biggest effects of auto-enrolment could shatter to get our name known. For us, it was challenge affecting running and what is already a fragile confidence. the best choice. growing a business? Q What do you get from it? Q How confident are you your business I think that, post-recession, business will grow in 2015/16? It is a very active chamber and I attend confidence has still not fully returned a lot of the networking events. I also like I am very confident that we will grow. and some businesses are still cautious

Patrons

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