InControl by Steve Wright

INCONTROL n SHRED n INTERIORS n RELOCATION n ARCHIVE

INCONTROL n WINTER 2007 n ISSUE 1

Welcome to the first issue of Control In this issue Group’s eNewsletter - inControl Introduction

As part of a commitment to achieving our environmental objectives and to reduce the impact on the planet’s natural resources, we have decided to replace our previous printed newsletter with an ethically and more socially responsible electronic publication. Inside this issue you can find out how our independence and hands-on management approach ensures that we are constantly evolving and providing customers with innovative products and enhanced services. This issue also contains an interview with Maria Harbod our Compliance Director, in which she answers questions relating to matters legal and the impact recycling material has on the environment and why we should shred and recycle paper. Simon Church our Senior Commercial & Sales Manager provides

an insight and overview of the Groups four core divisions - relocation services, archiving, shredding and interior design. Also inside this issue we look at how an effective back-up policy would enable your business to continue trading in the event of a disaster, we consider the advantages of having a Move Manager as part of a relocation process and provide details about how

you can benefit from our 6 months free archive storage offer. STOP PRESS…CG SYSTEM SUPPORT NOW LAUNCHED!!! …see page 5 for more details. For a full list of the articles featured inside this issue of inControl, please see the content listing on the right. To navigate the pages more easily just click on the article headline that you wish to read and you will be taken directly to that page. If you like what you have read, we would appreciate you forwarding this issue on to your colleagues and contacts and we always welcome your feedback.

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Would you liKE TO BE RELEASED FROM YOUR CURRENT archive storage PROVIDER? We even give you a free audit and provide free collection! Most archive storage supplier’s charge a final take out fee, this can often keep you tied to them for long periods of time as the charge to release your data makes it too expensive to change. Our offer of 6 month free storage will enable you to offset this charge and therefore we reduce, if not eliminate, the cost of changing your supplier. From 1 file / box to 1,000,000, If you have or haven’t used archive suppliers before take advantage of this special offer. n Online bar-code based tracking and ordering system n Fire resistant storage n Temperature and humidity controlled environment n Sophisticated intruder and fire detection systems n CRB vetted staff n Nationwide coverage

HS ONT

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EVE E R I F RCH E

A RAG STO

Would you like 6 months 01 free archive storage? We even give you a free audit and provide free collection! News in brief… Control Group implements ISO9001

News in brief… focus on people

News in brief… recycle more

News in brief… cutting our carbon footprint

Control Group (UK)… the ‘one stop shop’ business solution

Disaster recovery… 03 do you have an effective back-up policy that could save your business? Have your say! 04 2008 customer satisfaction questionnaire Case study… we take control of EMAP’s relocation

Is a Move Manager worth their weight in gold? You decide!

Business protection… are you in control of your I.T. requirements?

Control Group Interiors… 06 your questions answered Confidential matters… Maria Harbod, Compliance Director

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News in brief Control Group implements ISO9001 Having looked at how we can improve upon our existing controls, we are implementing ISO 9001 to ensure that we meet this goal. We are on track to attaining an accreditation later this year and more news on our progress will follow in the next issue.

Focus on people Control Group in partnership with PDM Training & Consultancy recently introduced a scheme enabling our staff to undertake training to gain recognised qualifications. This in turn will enable us to better serve our clients and identify further ways that we can help improve their business processes.

Recycle more In response to some of our clients concerns to reduce the amount of waste paper that was being thrown away in their general waste, Control Group have launched a non confidential paper (and cardboard) collection service to sit along side our confidential waste services. If you already use our confidential waste paper services, in most cases we are able to undertake a free collection.

Control Group (UK)

The ‘one stop shop’ business solution Control Group (UK) is a fastgrowing independent facilities service provider. We offer a flexible, responsive and clientfocused approach through our four core solutions. For over 20 years we have been providing clients with a range of complimentary services, building a reputation for high quality client care, reliability and value for money. Our core service offerings now encompass four key areas, these being relocation, interiors, archive and shred. In all of these areas, our independence and hands-on management structure ensures that we are constantly evolving, providing our clients with innovative products and enhanced services. This is made possible by our sound financial position created by the Group’s ongoing investment policy. Simon Church, Senior Commercial & Sales Manager, says: “The four divisions of the Group have all been strategically conceived and built to compliment each other and to fully exploit the company’s infrastructure and resources. This provides Control Group’s clients with solutions to a variety of business problems in a ‘one stop shop’ environment.”

Relocation

Cutting our carbon footprint Reducing emissions from company vehicle fleets is high on the agenda for most companies. Control Group has recently exchanged its entire fleet of cars for the Toyota Prius Hybrid model, which has the lowest CO2 emissions for any car available at the present time. This initiative is just a small part of our approach to being a responsible tenant on our planet.

This is becoming a fast growing area of the business, we provide a complete office moving service. Whether moving a couple of desks internally or moving an entire office between buildings, cities, or even countries, Control Group will organise the entire move from start to finish. At the start of a project we appoint a Move Manager to organise the move schedule, liaise with staff and oversee all aspects of the relocation until completion, with the minimum of disruption to the daily running of the business.

Our experienced staff dismantle and reassemble office furniture, relocate computer systems, personal belongings, libraries, storerooms and all other items that need moving. They then move the entire office to the final destination using the Group’s own fleet of commercial vehicles. An example of a major recent relocation project was one carried out for the media group EMAP, which involved the relocation of a number of offices and departments into a single location. Read more on page 4.

Archive Control Group provides secure storage for all types and formats of data, documents and records management in a variety of controlled environments. Our comprehensive list of services range from standard warehouse storage for general record retention, fire resistant storage and temperature and humidity controlled storage for all types of data and documents that require additional climate control. A web-enabled bar-code management system enables our staff too quickly and efficiently track, trace and retrieve records stored at any of our nationwide warehouses. This centrally located system provides a complete auditable trail at the touch of a button, ensuring valuable data is always to hand.

Shred This service that we provide is a secure, confidential, reliable and environmentally responsible paper document and magnetic media destruction service. Current legislation under the Data Protection Act requires the secure destruction of any data containing personal information. We are able to shred these sensitive documents, rendering them unreadable and take pride in providing a first class document destruction service specifically designed to suit our client’s requirements. Using the latest shredding technology our vetted and uniformed staff shred sensitive items under the strictest of security conditions.

Interiors Our interiors division offers a complete design and construction service for all office, workspace and leisure environments. Our creative team produce designs that range from the classic to the ultra modern, accommodating our client’s most ambitious plans for the redesign and restructuring of a workspace whilst working within the agreed budget. Recent projects include a major refurbishment of Winton Capital’s offices to provide a light, modern workplace environment for this major financial services organisation that we delivered on time and within budget. Read more on page 6.

The four divisions of the Group have all been strategically conceived and built to compliment each other and to fully exploit the company’s infrastructure and resources. This provides Control Group’s clients with solutions to a variety of business problems in a ‘one stop shop’ environment.

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DISASTER RECOVERY

Disaster recovery Do you have an effective back-up policy that could save your business? Justin Spary one of our IT Specialists in CG System Support talks Disaster Recovery. Your building and its contents are insured, but only an effective back-up policy would save your business in the event of a disaster. According to research carried out by secure storage firm Veritas, only 48 per cent of companies surveyed had a business continuity plan covering their critical business activities. Of those, only 52 per cent rehearse their plans and amazingly, in 86 per cent of cases the rehearsals showed that the plans were effectively useless anyway. All businesses, large or small, need to have plans that allow them to cope with incidents both minor and major in order to avoid costly interruptions to business. Data-back up plays a big part in ensuring that your company can carry on business as usual in the event of a disaster but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the only consideration. Your office insurance should provide cover to allow the relocation of your business in the event of a catastrophic failure, like fire or theft. You should make plans to obtain replacement computer systems as soon as possible to continue

to work effectively, so a good relationship with an I.T. firm is critical. Be sure you can recover your data, offsite data storage is a must as it mitigates the risk of losing anything held at your

faulty plumbing or theft. Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) will allow time for work to be saved and systems closed down safely in the event of a power cut, some will even automate

All businesses, large or small, need to have plans that allow them to cope with incidents both minor and major in order to avoid costly interruptions to business. business premises. Automated back-up is by far the best option, but you must regularly test your data recovery process to ensure it works. Many people think major events such as a terrorist attack, flooding or a fire are the types of things to plan against. When in reality it is more likely that the business threats come from more mundane sources such as power cuts,

the saving and closing process in case no-one is at the computer at the time of the power failure. To protect against damage to systems and theft, store your data centrally on a server rather than desktop systems, have the server hidden or better locked away from view. Ensure that the server is protected by a UPS and with surge protected sockets. The data stored on the

server should be backed up remotely for maximum protection. Consider a back-up internet connection. How many businesses find it tricky to continue with work when the internet is inaccessible? This can either be in the form of a redundant broadband connection, with a modem, ISDN or a wireless service. Auto-sensing routers can automate the cutover from one connection to another in the event of a failure. Justin is Control Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s network storage solutions expert specialising in solutions for data-storage, servers and contingency planning.

To discuss your requirements, please call Justin on

01908 334423

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CASE STUDY

Have your say! 2008 customer satisfaction questionnaire

We take control of EMAP’s relocation

Control Group UK launches the 2008 customer satisfaction questionnaire, four months early. Using leading edge technologies, Control Group recently launched an electronic customer satisfaction survey for its relocation division. All customers who used the service during September were sent the questionnaire by email. We chose to interact by email to acquire faster and more highly targeted client feedback and to further improve our overall service offering. As part of a socially responsible approach to ethical issues this was a major consideration for using email to deliver the questionnaire. Early responses have been very encouraging, with over 90 per cent of clients confirming they have been ‘very satisfied’ with the overall service received. We now plan to introduce similar feedback surveys across our other divisions; Interiors, Shredding, Archive and System Support.

To discuss your requirements, please call Peter Moorhead on

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Earlier this year, Control Group, along with a number of competitors, were invited to tender by EMAP publications to undertake their ambitious move programme, “Project Black Cat,” to relocate over one thousand staff from several buildings within the capital, to EMAP’s head office at Greater London House in Euston, London. This was EMAP’s biggest property relocation project ever undertaken and the programme involved moving staff in and out of Greater London House, whilst space was created for an extensive refurbishment programme to this fine “art deco” listed building, and then moving staff back in to their final locations. EMAP selected Control Group for this programme, based on our competitive price, proven experience of undertaking large scale, multi site locations and our reputation for flexibility – important when undertaking such a programme

as changes often are made without notice in order to accommodate unforeseen challenges. During the summer months, Control Group worked in partnership with EMAP’s Facilities team, their partners and other suppliers in order to get the job done, with the result that the project was completed at the end of September, on time, within budget and to the high standards expected. Paula Tsung, Head of Facilities at EMAP Plc recently commended our participation in project Black Cat and said “As you are no doubt very

aware after over five months on the project, we are a constantly evolving organisation where plans can change dramatically at very short notice. In this environment, as a Project Manager it gives a great deal of confidence to know that we have such a professional team working with us, who always go the extra mile to deliver.” We have just been asked to assist EMAP with the completion of their next project, E Endeavour. Watch this space, we’ll update you on the progress in the next issue of inControl.

During the summer months, Control Group worked in partnership with EMAP’s Facilities team, their partners and other suppliers in order to get the job done, with the result that the project was completed at the end of September, on time, within budget and to the high standards expected.

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Is a Move Manager worth their weight in gold? You decide!

Q: Can you outline the duties of a Move Manager during the following stages? n Pre-move n During the move n After the move A: They attend all key planning meetings prior to the move, play an active role in order to establish the move plan. Devise a method statement for the project, highlighting key issues and activities, i.e. IT relocation, sequential packing, engineering works, etc. Determine and schedule all necessary resources and establish the ‘order’ of the move, showing how all activities will be completed within the required timescale. Represented as Project and Resource Schedules.

Are you in control of your I.T. requirements? Control Group is pleased to announce a brand new way of protecting your business I.T. requirements. It’s no longer a painful or costly process to ensure that your systems are kept in great working order, regularly updated, efficiently and conveniently backed up so that your data is always safe.

Q: What is a move manager? A: A move manager is an experienced manager who co-ordinates and monitors all aspects of the move process minimising the associated risks to your business during a relocation. Q: What is the extent and relevance of their experience? A: Our clients benefit from the many years of relocation experience achieved through successfully fulfilling hundreds of moves that were completed on time and within budget. An experienced Move Manager identifies and overcomes the unexpected aspects of the relocation process. Their role is to take away the hassle from a client and to ensure the office move takes place with only the minimum amount of disruption.

Business protection

Establish and confirm all crate allocations, showing delivery and collection details and demonstrating how crate traffic would be managed. Devise a labeling strategy and ensure that labels are delivered and distributed according to plan. Manage all parking arrangements to ensure a smooth removal operation regardless of the inaccessibility of the sites (e.g. suspension of parking bays, authorisation to park in restricted areas, etc.). Decide upon the required level of building protection and implement dedicated teams to lay protection and to ensure the subsequent removal. Brief all removal teams, liaise directly with site supervisors, foremen, team leaders and specialist teams. Provide strategic management of the project including responsibility for progress, resolving any issues that arise and adhere to any performance monitoring indicators that may be in place. Take responsibility for undertaking all Risk Assessments and maintaining Health and Safety requirements.

Provide post move reports, presented to indicate any key issues that may have arisen during the project. This would highlight additional work carried out and any information that could be relevant to provide the Facilities or Office Manager with a full understanding of the project in their absence.

We have developed a unique approach to ensuring that we keep our clients systems up and running by regularly servicing them and advising on upgrades and replacement strategies, but only when they become necessary. If you think this protection for your business I.T. systems sounds expensive, then you would be wrong. From just £50 per month you can benefit from our support plans. Find out today what we can do to protect your business.

Q: Could a successful move take place without a Move Manager? A: Yes, but the cost would typically end-up being considerably greater. The overall relocation experience is not going to be as smooth and as trouble free for the client as it would if the services of a Move Manager were utilised. Their key objective is to ensure that staff are up and running and ready for business quickly to provide the maximum return on investment for our clients.

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To discuss your requirements, please call Paul Davis on

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Control Group

Interiors Your questions answered Q: What client have you recently provided an interior design service for? A: Winton Capital.

The overall effect achieved is calming and inspiring, and reflects their strong position in the financial market arena.

Q: What is the nature of their business? A: Winton Capital is a managed futures and hedge fund manager that were established in 1997. They employ over 100 staff and trade futures and forwards markets worldwide. Their offices are located in Oxford and London.

Q: Did you achieve the commercial budget set by the client? A: Yes, the project came in on budget, even though the client wanted to make a number of changes as the work got under way.

Q: What brief were you given? A: To design and build a modern office environment that encompasses the company’s strong brand identity. To create a functional working space that is light and comfortable to enable the strategists to maximise the work they undertake.

Q: What time frame did the client set for this project? A: Nine weeks.

Q: What design theme did you follow for this project? A: A contemporary design approach was agreed with the client. To achieve this we used silicon glass office fronts and central meeting spaces. A strong intermittent use of colour was also introduced in to the design, which complimented the light veneers and contemporary wall lighting. This combination of styles and textures created a professional and smart environment. The carpet detail included ‘bleeds’ into each office. This takes the eye away from the natural walkways and creates a more open feel to the space.

Q: Did you meet the client completion deadline? A: Yes. Q: Can you give a brief outline of the logistical challenges you faced in the design and execution of this project? A: The geographical location of the project, and the fact that the premises were multi-tenanted, provided numerous challenges. Deliveries were always difficult with a limited use of lifts available, and parking was very restrictive. We overcame these issues by working closely with the tenants of the building, security staff, the building manager and our suppliers. This enabled us to project manage our clients expectations with minimum disruption.

Q: Is this type of project typical of the kind of work fulfilled in terms of size, work challenges and costs? A: This is one of the larger projects we have undertaken this year, but it is typical of what we do. The scale of the project is largely irrelevant if properly planned. We always welcome the opportunity to look at different projects, whether large or small. Q: What was the client’s feedback after the project had been completed? A: The client was extremely happy with the finished project. The design brief was fully adhered to and the additional enhancements provided the finishing touches to the client’s overall vision. Since the project’s completion the client’s staff have provided very positive feed-back. Q: Did you involve other divisions of CGUK in the project and how? A: Yes we did. Our Relocation Division moved some of the staff from their existing London premises, and our furniture technicians were involved in the high quality furniture installation.

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Confidential matters An interview with Maria Harbod…Compliance Director Q: What impact does the recycling of material have on the environment and why should we shred and recycle paper? A: We shred paper for confidentiality and in line with Data Protection legislation. We recycle the shredded paper to help protect the environment. As a socially responsible company Control Group believe strongly in sustainability. Not only do we recycle all paper and cardboard, we also ‘close the loop’ by purchasing recycled items where ever possible. Q: Is there any legislation that either encourages or imposes an obligation on businesses to recycle their waste material and in particular paper? A: New ‘Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment’ (WEEE) regulations encourage the correct disposal and recycling of electronic equipment. I’m not aware of any legislation enforcing the recycling of paper and cardboard, but we are seeing more and more companies adopting corporate social responsibility targets that include materials recycling. I believe legislation should dictate that all products are recycled wherever possible, which will assist in our ever increasing landfill problems.

Q: What is the responsibility taken by CGUK in relation to the ethical issue? A: We must be aware of how our business impacts both ethically and socially on society and how we can provide a positive contribution to this politically sensitive subject. Q: Apart from the obvious environmental reasons, why should a business make the effort and want to incur the additional expense of shredding their waste material? A: All businesses have a legal duty and responsibility to protect their clients and staff. The failure not to destroy confidential data, however insignificant, could leave individuals and companies vulnerable to identity theft and prosecution. Q: How does CGUK meet any daily environmental challenges or requirements? A: CGUK is a member of the Green Business Network (GBN). Our staff frequently attend training courses held by GBN. With the support of GBN we’ve also joined The Resource Efficiency Action Programme (REAP). Our premises

have been audited to assess our waste management policies and processes. We also have an environmental policy and plan to implement ISO14001 in 2008. All PC’s (base units, monitors, peripherals) and printers are completely turned off in the evening, to reduce the use of electricity. This not only benefits the environment but saves CGUK money. All lights in the warehouse are PIR (Passive Infra Red) and company fleet of cars are hybrids. We recycle all vending cups, all paper, all cardboard, printer cartridges, metal and where possible redundant furniture is collected from clients and reused in some way. CGUK have a policy that landfill should only be used as a last possible alternative. If we landfill, we have failed! Q: Can you give assurances that all material that CGUK destroys on behalf of its clients is eventually recycled? A: Yes, this is always our goal to achieve a 100 per cent recycle rate. Q: How do the collection and destruction processes work? A: Clients have the choice to deposit their confidential documentation in sacks, wooden consoles or various sized security

bins. All are securely sealed until the point of destruction. All confidential papers are shredded within 24 hours of a collection, and this is typically achieved in less time than this. Documentation is shredded and baled to “security Din Level 4”. Most Shredder companies today follow the German DIN standard 32757 to determine the maximum dimensions for strip and particle widths for the shredded documents. This Standard consists of levels from 1 to 5. As a rule of thumb for normal office and home usage and to make general documents illegible, security levels 1 and 2 are the right choice and for corporate usage which deal with lots of highly confidential and classified documents, then the levels 3 to 5 are exactly what you need. All of our staff are security screened. The baled paper is then transported to the paper mills for pulping and recycling.

To discuss your requirements, please call John Daly on

0845 2302485

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For more information, call 0845 2302485 Click here to visit our website Click here to send us an email INCONTROL n ISSUE 1