Business Network July August 22 by Kemps Publishing

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MAKING. MOVING. INNOVATING. THE FUTURE OF THE EAST MIDLANDS ECONOMY INTERVIEW

POLITICS

LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY'S VICE-CHANCELLOR WANTS TO HELP BUSINESSES INNOVATE

COST OF DOING BUSINESS CRISIS: HOW EAST MIDLANDS FIRMS ARE BEING HIT

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THE FIRST WORD

CONTENTS JULY/AUGUST 2022

NEWS UPDATE 4

MEMBER NEWS MTMS on track with contract win

20 APPOINTMENTS Nora to oversee East Midlands Freeport

THE BIG INTERVIEW

t feels like a strange moment to say this, but now is an exciting time for the East Midlands. Yes, there are huge challenges and uncertainties facing households and organisations due to significant inflationary pressures that are creating simultaneous crises in the costs of living and doing business, with the latter evidenced in the Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey, which is analysed on p33. But a range of opportunities are on the near horizon that could have a transformative impact on our region’s future economy. The East Midlands Freeport, which has now appointed former British Chambers of Commerce president Nora Senior CBE as chair (p20), is nearing a full launch. It will have a focus on green innovation and promises to attract inward investment across three sites offering tax breaks and incentives to businesses, with the potential to create 61,000 jobs and generate £8.4bn for the region’s economy. The project nicely complements the ongoing work of the Government-backed East Midlands Development Company, which has identified key strategic sites for economic growth. It also builds on the success of East Midlands Airport, whose role as the UK’s largest express air freight hub came to the fore as it handled record amounts of cargo during the height of Covid-19. The airport is one of our biggest assets, illustrated by a new report that assesses its impact on the regional economy. As our focus feature (p52) explains, it plays a pivotal role in creating an identity for the East Midlands being a centre of national and international trade – a hub for making, moving and innovating. We have work to do in driving more innovation and this involves working more with higher education. Loughborough University’s new vice-chancellor Professor Nick Jennings has made innovation and industry partnerships one of his institutional priorities, as he explains in our big interview (p22). A unified regional voice would be well-served by having the necessary political apparatus in place, which is why the Chamber is supporting a bid by the four upper-tier councils in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to establish an East Midlands Combined Authority. Although Leicestershire is not part of the mix right now, this is a solid starting point for bringing more funding and decision-making powers to the region in key areas affecting businesses, such as transport and infrastructure, business growth, and employment and skills. As Chamber board member David Williams suggests, this string of opportunities could provide a “watershed moment” for the East Midlands.

Dan Robinson, Editor, Business Network

22 Professor Nick Jennings, vice-chancellor and president of Loughborough University 26 STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS Civic university agreement aims to drive economic recovery and regeneration 28 CHAMBER NEWS This year’s East Midlands Top 500 Companies index

SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS 40 New Chamber package offers businesess support on their ESG journey

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 42 How recycling business Ward won Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade

POLITICS 44 How rising costs are impacting the cost of doing business for two local firms

FEATURES 47 SKILLS & TRAINING Disabled workers can be part of the solution to staff recuitment challenges 50 Apprenticeship scheme to be simplified 52 FOCUS FEATURE Why the East Midlands’ reputation as a hub for making and moving is crucial to local businesses and communities 56 REGENERATING THE EAST MIDLANDS Derby Property Summit looks at repurposing of place

TRAINING & EVENTS 58 Finalists revealed for expanded Enterprising Women Awards

Editor Dan Robinson T: 07764 431028 E: dan.robinson@emc-dnl.co.uk Contributor Jasmine Thompson All Submissions E: magazine@emc-dnl.co.uk Chamber Membership E: membership@emc-dnl.co.uk Follow the Chamber W: www.emc-dnl.co.uk Twitter: @EMChamberNews

Publishers Kemps Publishing Ltd Unit 8, The Courtyard, 707 Warwick Road, Solihull, B91 3DA T: 0121 765 4144 w: www.kempspublishing.co.uk Managing Editor Laura Blake T: 0121 765 4144 E: laura.blake@kempspublishing.co.uk

59 How collaboration can benefit manufacturers

DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY 61 Travel firm benefits from Digital Upscaler

BUSINESS SUPPORT 65 LEGAL Employment law changes are coming

Designer Lloyd Hollingworth Advertising T: 0121 765 4144 E: jon.jones@kempspublishing.co.uk Printers Warners (Midlands) plc

66 FINANCE Have ‘Pension Freedom’ laws succeeded? 68 SKILLS SEND pupils learn about the world of work 70 PROPERTY The importance of biodiversity net gain

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BUSINESS NETWORK is produced on behalf of East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) by Kemps Publishing Ltd and is distributed to members without charge. The Chamber and the publisher are committed to achieving the highest quality standards. While every care has been taken to ensure that the information it contains is accurate, neither the Chamber nor the publisher can accept any responsibility for any omission or inaccuracies that might arise. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Chamber. This publication (or any part thereof) must not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format without prior written permission of Kemps Publishing Ltd.

72 MOTORING Nick Jones checks out the Mercedes EQC 73 INFORMATION How to grow values-based business

COMMENT 74 THE LAST WORD Chamber president Lindsay Williams considers the region’s economic pillars July/August 2022 business network

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MEMBER NEWS

Expansion calls for 30 new roles A1 Comms has announced plans to expand its telesales and customer service operations. After continued success and growing sales through its online consumer brands, including Affordable Mobiles, Buymobiles and Phones.co.uk, the Derbyshirebased business has opened recruitment to meet increasing market demand. The expansion will generate more than 30 part-time and full-time roles within the business, including customer support and sales advisor positions, split across A1 Comms’ offices in Darley Abbey and Alfreton. Matt Way (pictured), operations director at A1 Comms, said: “We have been trading in Derbyshire for almost 25 years and are proud that we are able to offer so many exciting new career opportunities in the local area in these uncertain times. “We are looking for fresh faces to join the amazing A1 Comms team in both our Alfreton and Derby offices, with a variety of roles available and look forward to welcoming even more talented local people to be a part of our success and growth.”

Contract win keeps MTMS on track for more success Rail depot maintenance firm MTMS has been handed the task of ensuring some of the country’s most iconic trains remain clean, fast and reliable after it won a major contract. The firm, based in Swadincote, was chosen by Hitachi Rail to provide comprehensive and round-theclock maintenance and servicing support at all its train maintenance centres (TMCs), which are home to the company’s Class 800 intercity express series. The Class 800s comprise several fleets, including 65 trains operating on the East Coast Mainline and 93 trains on the Great Western Mainline. Malcolm Prentice, chairman of MTMS, said: “After three years of building our partnership with Hitachi Rail Europe, the new contract is a big vote of confidence in our people and in the MTMS way of doing things. “It shows we’re now a market leader in providing the kind of depot services that are vital to train fleet owners and operators in ensuring the reliability and attractiveness of services to bring back passengers as the pandemic recedes.”

MTMS, which employs 32 people, will provide equipment and support the maintenance of the depot infrastructure to keep the trains operating reliably. This includes maintaining carriage washing facilities, the servicing spines and fuel arms – all of which are service-critical systems for Hitachi Rail. MTMS will also provide 24/7 call-out support for service-critical equipment as part of an initial threeyear deal. Sean Denington, head of facilities of Hitachi Rail, added: “MTMS is part of the great tradition of rail businesses based in the East Midlands and we’re delighted to be working with the company to help us in delivering excellence through our train fleet to operators, passengers and the communities on the routes we serve.” MTMS currently services and maintains rolling stock and rail depot specialist equipment and carries out routine infrastructure tasks at more than one-third of rail depots across the UK, serving familiar names in mainline rail such as First MTR South-Western Railway, Govia ThamesLink Railway, Arriva and Siemens.

Funds will enable gas firm to grow

Healthcare training centre completed Work on a three-storey training centre for healthcare sector students has been completed at Nottingham Trent University’s (NTU) Clifton Campus. The renovation of existing NTU buildings and the construction of a new block will serve as a base for the Institute of Health and Allied Professions, which offers a range of specialist courses such as adult and mental health nursing and paramedic science. The Clinical Skills Centre is focused on equipping service providers of the future with the knowledge and hands-on skills required for modern healthcare. 4

business network July/August 2022

Independent property, construction, and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard provided architecture, interior design and principal design services from concept to completion, working with main contractor Henry Brothers during the construction period. Devika Parmar, director of architecture at Pick Everard, said: “Working closely with university stakeholders, we meticulously planned the building to meet user requirements and allow for new educational technologies to support the evolving learning demands.”

Credit - Martine Hamilton Knight

The NTU Clinical Skills Centre

Nottingham-based Roadgas has secured funding from Maven Debt Finance, part of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF). The business designs, manufactures, installs and maintains liquefied and compressed renewable gas refuelling stations, and will use investment from the fund, which is managed by Maven Capital Partners, for the installation of dedicated refuelling stations across the UK. Established in 2007, Roadgas works with several fleet operators, including Nottingham City Transport, which owns and operates a fleet of 167 biogas double-decker buses as part of its campaign and commitment to improved air quality. David Rix, managing director of Roadgas, said: “The exciting expansion plans we have for Roadgas require additional financial support and resources beyond anything the company has seen before.”

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MEMBER NEWS

Shared vision is key to our life science industry’s future Developing a shared vision to put the Midlands at the forefront of healthcare innovation was among the main topics discussed at a regional life sciences event. More than 170 delegates attended Medilink Midlands’ Innovation Day in May. In a keynote speech, Midlands Engine chairman Sir John Peace emphasised the importance of a strategic plan in bringing together spheres of academia, business, NHS and Government for regional collaboration to further strengthen the Midlands’ health and life science industry.

‘Economic prosperity and good health must exist in tandem’ He said: “The Midlands Engine recognises that if we are to truly deliver our ambition to level up the economy, economic prosperity and good health must exist in tandem. This is the vision that brought us together for Medilink Midlands Innovation Day – a chance to draw on our region’s wealth of expertise and state-of-the-art facilities. “Together, we can seize opportunities for growth in health and life sciences, and address the health inequalities that persist across our region.” Other speakers included Rhys Donovan, group marketing director of Direct Healthcare Group, who presented on how the UK can lead

The Medilink Midlands senior team

the way in healthcare innovation, and Professor Michael Lewis, joint director for the NIHR i4I and SBRI Healthcare programmes, who discussed topics around grant funding. Medilink Midlands is a membership organisation for the life science industry in the region. It works with key strategic partners, including the Midlands Engine, to

develop a shared strategy focused on connectivity, collaboration to serve its members. Its chair, Professor Martin Levermore MBE, added: “Major events such as this one clearly and tangibly demonstrate our ability to bring the Midlands life sciences sector together, as well as our prominent position within the industry.”

Water recycling expert earns MBE An academic at the University of Nottingham, who is a world-leading expert in water reuse and sustainability, is among those honoured in the 2022 Birthday Honours List to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Rachel Gomes (pictured), professor of water and resource processing, was recognised with an MBE for her services to research and education. She said: “I am delighted to be recognised and very grateful to those who nominated me – this has come as a huge surprise. I am very fortunate to work with colleagues from many disciplines and communities, and together we seek to deliver impact in research and education at the local, national and international scale.” Kevan Liles, chief executive at Chamber member Voluntary Action Leicester, has also been awarded an MBE. He said: “I am deeply humbled to receive this honour. I have spent 30-plus years working with local VCSE groups to promote and support their work in communities – this honour gives recognition to our local community sector and its incredible work ‘on the ground’.”

Doughnut maker expands into ‘hole’ new world Award-winning bakery Project D has teamed up with one of the leading sellers of artisan bakery products to enable them to reach thousands of commuters and shoppers. Project D, which produces elaborately-decorated doughnuts from its headquarters in Derby and delivers nationally, is diversifying by selling cinnamon scrolls through Batch’d stores. The sweet treats will be sold in all 15 of the Batch’d shops across the UK, which include railway stations in Leeds and Manchester, and shopping centres in Hull, Milton Keynes and Sheffield. It also means the Project D delights will be available in some of the biggest shopping centres in the UK – including the Bullring in Birmingham, the Arndale and Trafford centres in Manchester,

Jacob, Matt and Max of Project D

Eldon Square in Newcastle and Merryhill in Dudley. It is the first time it has allowed another retailer to sell its products and marks a new chapter in the rapidly-expanding firm’s journey. Operations manager Max

Poynton said: “We are really excited to be working with Batch’d. It’s a company which is rapidly expanding, just like Project D, and I think the synergy between us will mean we can grow together. “It’s a great endorsement to be

selected by Batch’d as it only works with the very best artisan bakeries and although it’s a national chain,prides itselfon the high standards of its partners.” Project D launched by selling doughnuts at pop-up events and kiosks in shopping centres until the pandemic hit, when it began an online delivery service. The company has yet to return to the high street, although it recently opened a store at Loughborough University’s students union, and hopes the collaboration with Batch’d will pave the way for Project D shops in Manchester and Nottingham. Max added: “We are exploring new routes to market all the time, and wholesale is definitely part of Project D’s future, as well as the creation of our own flagship stores.” July/August 2022 business network

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MEMBER NEWS

Sensor maker’s data will create better workplaces Gigabit Networks has teamed up with Derbyshire County Cricket Club

Cricket fans to get live stream option Derbyshire County Cricket Club supporters will be able to watch matches on a live stream via the club’s website after it signed a three-year sponsorship deal with a local full-fibre internet provider. Gigabit Networks has agreed to provide a dedicated connection for the live stream service, as well as being associate sponsor of the Derbyshire Falcons’ Vitality Blast T20 game against the Leicestershire Foxes, which took place at the Incora County Ground on 9 June. Gigabit Networks, which will become a member of the 1870 Business Club, has arranged for Derbyshire CCC to be connected to Derby’s new full-optic fibre internet network and benefit from speeds of up to 1GB-per second. David Yates, director of Gigabit Networks, said: “Derby is one of just a handful of cities in the UK to have received full-fibre internet, which means the Incora County Ground is now one of the best-connected professional sports venues in the whole of the country.”

Sensor manufacturer Pressac has launched new sensor technology that will give organisations the data they need to create smarter, healthier and more efficient workplaces. The technology, developed at Pressac’s high-tech design and manufacturing facility in Nottingham, enables the monitoring of a range of different parameters in a single device, making the process of creating smart buildings easier and more efficient. It is designed to enhance the company’s existing occupancy and indoor environment sensing portfolio, and introduce new sensing capabilities.

‘In a world where creating the right office environment is more important than ever, more and more companies will be turning to smart sensor technology’ Managing director Pete Burbidge said: “In a world where creating the right office environment is more important than ever, more and more companies will be turning to smart sensor technology to do this. “We’ve listened to our customers and what we’ve developed here is a high-quality platform, giving them the flexibility and scalability they need. “Our aim is to help companies looking to deliver large-scale IoT deployments to get the building, facilities and equipment data they need as effectively and efficiently as possible.” Initially, Pressac has launched two new multisensor products – an indoor air quality sensor and a room conditions sensor – but more products will be added throughout 2022.

Pete Burbidge

Device will offer a helping hand

Sports tech business wins top AI award

A wristband built in Nottingham that delivers electrical pulses to reduce the amount and severity of tics experienced by individuals with Tourette’s syndrome (TS) is being tested in a UK-wide clinical trial. University of Nottingham spinout company Neurotherapeutics has developed the prototype wearable device, which can be used in a home setting. It follows research by scientists from the university’s School of Psychology and School of Medicine that used repetitive trains of electrical stimulation to the median nerve (MNS) at the wrist to entrain rhythmic electrical brain activity – known as brain oscillations – associated with the suppression of movements. They found that rhythmic MNS is sufficient to substantially reduce tic frequency and intensity, as well as removing the urge to tic, in individuals with TS. Professor Stephen Jackson, a University of Nottingham academic and chief scientific officer at

Loughborough University-founded wearable sports tech company INCUS Performance has been named AI Company of the Year at the 2022 British Data Awards. Exploiting cross-cutting sports science, engineering and AI, INCUS has produced the first wearable device and supporting data platform that delivers validated analytics for swimming, running and cycling in a way that’s simple for anyone to understand. Founded in 2017 at Loughborough University’s Science and Enterprise Park by product design engineering graduate Chris Ruddock, the start-up was recognised alongside big brands such as NatWest and Deliveroo. He said: “We’ve delivered new innovations in swimming mechanics and efficiency, so everyday swimmers and coaches now have simple, clear information at their fingertips that was previous impossible to measure accurately, such as body position, angles and stroke economy.”

business network July/August 2022

Neurotherapeutics, said: “Our previous research successfully used pulses of electrical current, delivered at the wrist, to increase the strength of brain oscillations that ordinarily must be reduced in strength to generate a movement. “Now we are taking this further by testing the use of a wearable device in a larger group of individuals, this is a significant step towards realising our goal of having a commercial product available for the TS community within a couple

of years.” The trial will expand on the previous research and involve 135 individuals with TS. The group testing the device, which is worn like a wristwatch, will use it at home at the same time each day for 15 minutes over a month. In June, the university lit up its Trent Building in green to raise awareness of TS and the research taking place to develop new treatments, and address the stigma that exists around the condition.

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MEMBER NEWS

July/August 2022 business network

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MEMBER NEWS

Sporting guests help open tax firm’s new headquarters Paul Hubbard with the Atlantic Plastics management team

Acquisition leads to expansion for AVK Chesterfield company AVK Holding A/S, which trades as AVK Group, has acquired full interest of TALIS Group’s UK operations. This operation will now trade as Atlantic Plastics and continue to be based in Bridgend, South Wales. Atlantic Plastics has a strong portfolio of water industry brands, including ATPLAS below ground meter boxes, EBCO gunmetal valves and fittings, and talbot push-fit fittings. The valve part of the business remains in scope of TALIS Group and the UK market will be served by TALIS’s brands. Atlantic Plastics will remain a standalone business alongside AVK UK, Fusion Group and Glenfield Invicta. AVK UK group chairman Paul Hubbard said: “Atlantic Plastics is an excellent strategic fit, and further strengthens AVK UK’s market position in the UK and Ireland water industry.”

Former England cricketer Matthew Hoggard MBE and British Basketball League winner Mo Walker were the VIP guests at the official opening of the new HQ of The WestBridge Group. The tax specialist company relocated to Dominus Way, at Meridian Business Park in Leicester, earlier this year as part of its growth strategy to create a centrally-based HQ in a location with easy access to all essential transport links.

‘The demand for specialist tax advice and pension administration services is growing’ Having retired from cricket, Matthew appeared in an edition of Celebrity MasterChef in 2013. Since then, he has honed his skills, and established his own cookery school and outside catering business called Hoggys Grill, located at Rutland Water Garden Nurseries. More than 60 guests attended the opening and were served authentic Indian cuisine prepared

Management buyout for security business Foremost Security has been sold to its internal management team. The business, which had been owned by Paul Ritchie since 2010, was transferred in equal shares to managing director Matt Prince and finance director James Vincent. Foremost Security, which has offices in Nottingham and Leicester, is a major provider of security services.

‘I trust that the business will be safe in their capable hands’ These include lock and unlock services, vacant property inspections, mobile patrols, alarm response and keyholding services. Paul, who will remain an ambassador of the business said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to hand the reins of Foremost Security over to Matt and James. They have worked with me for a number of years, and I trust that the business will be safe in their capable hands.” 8

business network July/August 2022

Mo Walker (left) and Tom Moore

by Matthew and his outdoor events team. They were also treated to an informative Q&A session with Matthew and Canadian-born basketball player Mo, who talked about his career and experience playing for Leicester Riders. Founding director Tom Moore said: “It was great to see so many of our clients and other East

Midlands business professionals gathered together to officially open our new HQ. “The demand for specialist tax advice and pension administration services is growing and by holding an official opening we have been able to thank everyone who has supported us so far and continue to raise awareness of our specialist expertise.”

Your IT Department at the Nachural Awards

Top customer service award for IT specialist The owners of Foremost Security

The company recently moved into a new office in Nottingham, and has expanded its staff to 130 in the past year. Matt added: “When I joined Foremost in August 2013, it was a very different place. Yes, we offered the same services as we do now but on a smaller scale. “At the time, we had around 120 customers compared to more than 1,600 that we have now. We had one mobile patrol van compared to the nine we have now, and the area we covered was very much Nottingham-focused.”

Your IT Department won the Excellence in Customer Service Award at the Nachural Entrepreneur Awards. The Nottingham-based company won the accolade at a ceremony held at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium in May. It was recognised for its industry-standard customer satisfaction scores, high customer retention, dedication to staff training, and commitment to measuring and constantly improving its customer experience. Director Lee Hewson said: “Customer service is essentially what we do as a business. While we do need to be technically skilled and proficient, the speed and effectiveness of how we respond to our clients’ issues and requests is paramount. “A large part of how we’ve improved our service over the past two to three years is in recognising that we have different customers within each of our client companies. Business owners and directors have different needs to the individual using the IT in the business, and we’ve been able to develop better strategic support for business leaders while ensuring their staff still get their issues dealt with quickly and skilfully.”

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MEMBER NEWS

July/August 2022 business network

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MEMBER NEWS

business network July/August 2022

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MEMBER NEWS

Lesley Young and Daniel Skermer at the PA Forum launch

Midlands-wide body offers a new network for personal assistants The East Midlands Personal Assistant Network (EMPAN) is joining forces with the West Midlands-based PA Forum. It will create a Midlands-wide body for personal and executive assistants to network, attend events and undergo training, operating under the PA Forum banner. The Chamber’s company secretary and executive support manager Lesley Young, who runs EMPAN, believes it “marks the start of an exciting future for our profession in the East Midlands”. She said: “As business support professionals, we have a unique view across our businesses and organisations, which we should continue to recognise and promote. We need to be the change we want to see, and the support and knowledge we share in our networks can give us the

‘We have a unique view across our businesses and organisations, which we should continue to recognise’ confidence to make this happen. “I’m really looking forward to expanding on the terrific work of the PA Forum and working with EAs and PAs across the East Midlands.” EMPAN was established in 2014 when it brought the Leicester and Leicestershire Personal Assistant Network – set up by Lesley in 2006 – into an expanded network that also included Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. It ran six city-based and one region-wide events per year, but stopped running these in 2019 as

activity was embedded into the Chamber’s events and training programmes. But its activities will now move under the umbrella of the PA Forum, which was founded by Daniel Skermer in November 2016. Despite being a primarily West Midlands-based regional network, it adapted to develop a wealth of content to support the business community virtually during the pandemic, which has opened new channels to connect with audiences across the country. It now offers events including virtual educational seminars during lunchtimes, in-person networking events, a quarterly virtual coffee club, annual learning and development conference and the West Midlands PA Awards. There is also a PA Forum membership portal packed with information and resources, job

opportunities, special offers and a membership directory. Having looked to neighbouring regional networks for support and guidance, Daniel said he was “humbled and overwhelmed” that Lesley reached out to suggest a partnership. “I am so excited to work with her, side by side, continuing to build on the solid foundations supporting all levels of the executive and business support community in the region,” he said. “Together we will also launch the East Midlands PA Awards 2023, and are actively looking for committee members who would like to get involved within the region and support us in creating a fantastic journey of reward and recognition. We can’t wait to get started.” For more information about the PA Forum, visit pa-forum.co.uk

Executive division is driving recruiter’s growth Distinct Recruitment ended 2021 with a 68% year-on-year sales growth due to its thriving executive division. The Distinct Executive arm of the Nottingham-based business attributed its growth to its team’s regional knowledge and market specialisms, which span high-level recruitment for accountancy and finance, human resources, IT and technology, marketing and analytics, and procurement and supply chain. In addition, its business model is focused on delivery of candidates up front, instead of the standard executive recruitment processes, which demands the majority of the search fee is paid first. This change of approach has contributed to the team’s 100% success rate of presenting the right candidates to the large range of SMEs and large corporates seeking

high-level personnel. Division lead Alex Alcock said: “Many businesses have in the past assumed that it’s only headhunter recruitment businesses in large cities that attract the top executive candidates. “However, our passion for the East Midlands, coupled with knowledge of top-level people in the area, are a winning combination. Our team has experts in their recruitment areas, so understand what businesses are looking for. They can use their local knowledge to combine both areas to deliver a selection of candidates that not only meet the brief – but exceed the brief.” Last year, Distinct moved its head office to the Lace Market in Nottingham, and opened new sites in Milton Keynes and London, while expanding internationally with offices in New York and Boston.

Distinct Recruitment’s executive team

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MEMBER NEWS

Examples of the scrubs

Why lifestyle medicine could aid your workforce Dr Ed Rainbow (pictured), a practising GP and lifestyle medicine doctor, explains to Business Network why businesses should adopt lifestyle medicine as a new approach to employee health and wellbeing.

Partnership is set to scrub up well Micro-Fresh has announced a new partnership with fellow Leicester-based company Grahame Gardner. The antimicrobial technology expert has teamed up with the uniform manufacturer to create a scrubs workwear range for the healthcare sector. The addition of Micro-Fresh technology to scrub tops, trousers and surgery caps will ensure the garments protect healthcare professionals, and keep them fresher for longer. Sarah Lowe, operations director at Grahame Gardner, said: “These innovative garments harness leading technology to create scrubs that combine comfort with unique antimicrobial technology that is proven to kill 99.9% bacteria, even after washing. “We know there is the market for them and are confident our customers will appreciate the benefits this garment development brings.” The product is effective beyond 50 washes – killing 99% of bacteria and preventing coronavirus by 99.2% – so there’s no need for intensive cleaning, making it ideal for hospitals, vet practices and dental surgeries. Chris-Mellor-Dolman, head of marketing and business development at Micro-Fresh, said: “It is reassuring to know that Micro-Fresh’d scrubs are making a significant difference, protecting the health and wellbeing of muchvalued medical professionals.”

business network July/August 2022

Lifestyle medicine is an evidencebased approach to treat, reverse and prevent long-term diseases using non-drug approaches. It uses person-centred approaches to improve mental and physical wellbeing by getting to the root causes of problems. It does this by empowering people to eat healthily, have regular movement, adequate sleep, effective stress management, meaningful social connection, and minimising harmful substances and behaviours. Why should businesses be concerned with employees’ health? Your health affects your work quality and quantity. In the UK, there are 130 million work days lost to ill health per year, costing society £100bn. While short-term conditions like colds are the biggest single individual cause of work absence, long-term diseases are the biggest group of absences from work – with one in three employees having at least one long-term condition, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, and a further one in eight with a mental health condition. How is lifestyle medicine different to current health promotion at work? Current health promotion

approaches are quite variable, perhaps focusing on specific areas such as medical cover for a problem, physiotherapy for a musculoskeletal issue or counselling for a mental health problem. They may also focus on prevention, such as apps for meditation or relaxation. Lifestyle medicine tackles the root causes of the issues by understanding the individual’s circumstances and tailoring lifestyle changes. Often, there are multiple lifestyle elements that exist simultaneously and by addressing these effectively, can lead to not just prevention but also reversal of chronic diseases, and thus sustained long-term health improvements. How can businesses adopt a lifestyle medicine approach? There are multiple areas where workplaces are better suited than the NHS to providing sustainable healthcare. Some issues do not easily fall under the NHS banner, such as chronic stress and relaxation, and could easily be addressed in a work environment via educational tools, a healthy work environment and space for relaxation. Advice and support could also be provided to increase the amount of exercise undertaken in the working day.

There are further benefits of adopting a lifestyle medicine approach within a business. Stress reduction, for example, leads to improved employee engagement, safety and productivity. Healthy cultures that prioritise employee wellbeing can financially outperform those which don’t. There are five main areas, which can be tailored to each organisation: • Inspiring leaders, who give consistent messages, structure their organisations to support and themselves participate in lifestyle medicine programmes • Supportive policies, such as default healthy choices, tobaccofree environments and education programmes • Expansive benefits covering health coaching and on-site lifestyle medicine programmes • Conducive environments, such as healthy foods, meditation rooms, on-site exercise rooms and natural light • Engaged peers through regular employee health meetings, offering programmes and using peer support.

Team is Sky-high with new office A recruitment company boasting a “staggering” period of success since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic has opened a new East Midlands office. Sky Recruitment Solutions, which has a head office in Derby and seven other offices across the East Midlands and Yorkshire, has launched its ninth location, in Nottingham. The new branch, based at the Cubo Work serviced offices in King Street, represents another step forward for the rapidly expanding firm. From just three offices and eight staff at the beginning of 2020, Sky Recruitment Solutions now has nine offices and almost 40 staff. Owner and managing director David Torrington said: “I am so

The Sky Recruitment team

passionate about Nottingham and everything in it. “It’s a major personal milestone for me to be finally opening a Sky Recruitment Solutions office in the city that I love and know so well. “Sky’s success in the past two years has been nothing less than staggering. Our ambitious

expansion plans have truly come off for us so far, and we are now well-placed to take on the biggest and best in Nottingham.” Sky also operates from offices in Burton upon Trent, Huddersfield, Castle Donington, Mansfield, Ripley, Derby and Bradford to be opened summer 2022.

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MEMBER NEWS

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MEMBER NEWS

business network July/August 2022

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MEMBER NEWS

Waste disposal firm celebrates best-ever results Total Waste Control celebrated a milestone year by recording its best-ever financial performance. Headed up by sisters Denise and Elaine James, the Derbyshire-based firm marked its 21st birthday with a turnover of almost £1m. The company offers waste management solutions to businesses, both locally and across the UK, providing professional, friendly, efficient and cost-effective waste disposal services tailored to specific requirements. The sisters established the firm in 2001 and, like many other business owners, have had to overcome their fair share of challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, when they had to furlough their staff. Elaine said after a difficult lockdown, “things are starting to get back to normal” for the business. Denise added: “We hope we all pull through this current pandemic crisis stronger and more robust than ever to see us through the coming years, but we can’t be complacent. Our team will continue to keep in touch with all our customers, old and new.”

Emily Winsor-Russell

Education specialist is in a class of its own

Denise and Elaine James of Total Waste Control

The sisters came from humble beginnings, growing up on a council estate in Chesterfield and working for local employers, including Robinsons and NatWest, before forming Total Waste Control. Denise added: “Plenty of opportunities lie ahead. Like all businesses, things ebb and flow, but we’re looking forward to building on the financial success we’ve achieved in the past 12 months and really kicking on after the pandemic.”

Rose Hayes, of Cartwright Communications, with Martin Stone of Tank PR, which also ranked highly

Agency among the best A Nottingham PR and digital agency has been recognised in the industry’s most prestigious league table. Cartwright Communications, based in the city’s Lace Market, was the second highest ranked agency in the East Midlands as part of the PR Week Top 150, a national league table of thousands of PR agencies across the UK. Cartwright – led by former journalist Liz Cartwright alongside directors Rose Hayes and Annie Brafield – was named the 34th B2B agency in the country and 85th on the national consumer list. Rose said: “After two years of an unpredictable market, it’s great to be recognised for our team’s fantastic work and the business’ continued growth. “While the Top 150 recognises financial achievements and growth, our business plan has very much focused on workplace culture. We’re equally proud of recently gaining our Great Place to Work accreditation as well as being a finalist in the upcoming Inspiring Workplace Awards.”

Eden Public Relations has been appointed to lead the PR strategy and delivery for the UK’s only education group with a portfolio of schools that have all achieved either outstanding or excellent Ofsted ratings. The growing agency, which specialises in education sector communications, was selected as the agency of choice by Forfar Education to lead on the PR activity programmes for its expanding network of independent preparatory schools following a detailed proposal, pitch and chemistry meeting. Founded in 2016, Forfar Education owns and manages several of the UK’s leading prep schools. Eden PR director and head of new business Emily Winsor-Russell said: “As many of the Eden team are parents themselves, with personal backgrounds linked closely to the teaching profession, our understanding of the important themes, opportunities and challenges for the school sector is intrinsic. “Getting to know the school leaders has been a real pleasure and we’re thoroughly enjoying working alongside such passionate and inspiring educators.” In the past year, Eden PR has expanded its extensive media relations services alongside a digital and social marketing offer.

Mercia Marina launches sculpture prize competition The UK’s largest inland marina has launched an annual international sculpture prize designed to celebrate the best established and up-and-coming artists of today. This year’s Mercia Marina Sculpture Prize opened in May with the unveiling of a three-metre-high oak carving of Neptune, the latest of several art installations already commissioned by the Derbyshire leisure destination. With the competition limited in its inaugural year to five shortlisted applicants, a prize of £10,000 will be paid to the winning artist – one of the most valuable sculpture prizes available. In addition, the marina’s owners have pledged to purchase the first-placed piece and install it permanently on site. All entries will be displayed at the marina between 10 and 11 September, where a judging panel, including Mark Richards, a fellow of the London-based Royal Society of Sculptors, will choose an outright winner.

The oak carving of Neptune

John Thornton, principal shareholder of Mercia Marina, said: “The main purpose behind this annual prize is to give an outlet to the many artists out there to showcase their incredible talent. “We’ve already commissioned several exceptional pieces, but we’re keen to install more in order to create a destination not only for boating, holiday lodges, shopping and relaxation, but as a champion of the arts.” July/August 2022 business network

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MEMBER NEWS

MEMBER FOCUS: BAYTREE CARS Chris McDermott

Location: Derby Number of employees: 10 Spokesperson: Chris McDermott, founder Tell us a brief overview of your company’s history? Baytree is one of the UK’s leading, independent prestige and performance car dealers. We are a family-run business with an ethos founded on the belief that customer satisfaction creates loyalty. I set up Baytree 15 years ago, trading cars from a room in my house, following a period at Astle BMW as head of business. After turning over £500,000 in the first trading year, I was offered an opportunity to hire a desk at Orchid IT Solutions, and bought and sold cars on AutoTrader from there. Initially, it was just me with a computer, buying and selling, but it quickly expanded to a team of six. A friend was selling his company while I wanted to expand mine, so he decided to invest in Baytree. Our first showroom was on Redgate corner, near Donington Park, and we had 20 cars, from BMWs and Mercedes to Audis and Porsches. However, we needed more accessible premises, and in 2013 we came to our current site in Derby. Just when Baytree was at a crossroads as I was setting up the base in Castle Donington, my beloved son Frazer, who bravely fought a brain tumour for 20 years, sadly passed away. We then moved to our current showroom in Derby. We were living hand to mouth, not knowing whether the company would go on, but Frazer’s strength in adversity gave me a real determination to succeed. The prestige element, which is now a major selling point, began after one contact asked us to sell a Ferrari 458 for £200,000, and the supercar market snowballed. Who are your main customers? We pride ourselves on offering an exceptional customer experience from first contact to vehicle handover and beyond. Our highly loyal customer base consists of business owners, car enthusiasts and TV celebrities. What is your role in the business? As we are a small business, the culture is very much about pulling together to make things happen. Although I am trying to take on more of a figurehead role, I am still hands-on with the day-to-day running and deal with many customers personally. How have you fared during the Covid-19 pandemic? Baytree has seen unprecedented growth during the pandemic due to an

MIRA investment deal is boost for enterprise zone The progress of the £300m development of a Leicestershire enterprise zone has taken another major step forward after agreement was reached over investment in a new £6.25m gateway infrastructure project. Hundreds of new jobs are expected to be created after the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) agreed to invest in new road and security infrastructure at MIRA Technology Park (MTP). Construction of a replacement gateway will begin later this year, subject to planning permission, and will unlock development sites for new buildings scheduled for completion in late 2023. The revamped gateway will further act as a catalyst for opening up the next major phases of land earmarked for future development

under MTP’s £300m North Side masterplan. LLEP interim chair Andy Reed OBE said: “By funding work on the MIRA site, the LLEP is helping to provide infrastructure to open up large areas of new development land. “The investment will further the development of a growing mobility cluster at the cutting edge of technology and will lead to more high-tech jobs.”

uplift in the used car market. Independent dealers like us were able to move quickly to fulfil demand, while main dealers struggled to get hold of new stock. What are the company’s plans for the future? We are increasing investment in refurbishing our showroom, additional storage facilities, and have recently appointed Chris Astle, previously head of business at Stratstone Derby and former owner of Astle BMW, as managing director to take the company to the next level. How long have you been a member of East Midlands Chamber? We joined the Chamber at the end of 2021 to create more network opportunities on a personal basis and to develop a greater awareness of our company over the three counties. It has an important role in supporting members with guidance and direction in the business world, and encouraging business interaction.

NEW MEMBERS In May, the Chamber welcomed 38 new members: • Archaeological Research Services Ltd • ASP Electro-Technology Ltd • Barnby Memorial Hall • Bestwood Park Day Nursery CIC • BP Legal Solicitors • CHinK - Children in Kenya • The Vertas Group • Cosy Club Nottingham • Cusdec Ltd • Derby Days Out • Duane Hedley Hairdressing • Engine Mobile Ltd • Euphoria Beauty • Floral Blossoms • Georgie Designs • G W Clark & Son • Harrison Flexible Maintenance Ltd • Hill Street Garage • Innovation Nottinghamshire • In Situ Site Investigation Ltd • Limited 2 Art

• Magnolia Barbering (pictured) • Mango Support Ltd • Mission Room Limited • Monarch Security Services Ltd • Mountain Recycling • National Justice Museum • North Notts Artisan and Tourist Information Centre CIC • BR Priest House Limited • Chetna Thanki Accountancy Services Protax Plus • Quik Skills Ltd • Sash Beauty Retreat • Scenic Flooring • Stand Innovations Ltd • Sweetbox • UFC Gym Nottingham • Withers Gin • Zebra Studios Ltd

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MEMBER NEWS

emc-dnl.co.uk/EMComingTogether

Invictus is helping Derby charity to communicate

Muslim pupils get a place to pray A Derby secondary school has bought prayer mats and found a special area to allow Muslim pupils to pray in comfort. Pupils at Alvaston Moor Academy practising their Islamic faith can now use the prayer mats in the library at lunch times, where there is a designated area for them. Head teacher Michelle said: “We are an inclusive school and need to recognise every single culture that our children have in this school.”

Invictus Communications has lent its expertise to support Derby-based charity Safe and Sound by installing key infrastructure behind the scenes. The communications company came to the charity’s aid when its telephone system stopped working and calls had diverted to a single mobile phone. Having been alerted to the issue, Invictus quickly set about conducting a site survey and installing a new telephony system complete with 10 handsets. Invictus Communications managing director Jonny McPhee said: “Having learned about the charity’s issues, we were adamant we needed to help. After ensuring it had the right cabling infrastructure in place, we installed the new telephony system to get it back up and running.

Tracy Harrison and Jonny McPhee

“Having learned about the charity’s issues, we were adamant we needed to help’ “The system enables calls to be logged and can enable incoming calls to be diverted to different handsets and mobiles, which is vital with the team busy working out in its local communities. “As part of our ethos to ‘buy local, sell local and support local’, we have also signed up as a sponsor during Safe and Sound’s 20th anniversary year, which includes helping to raise awareness across our business networks of the dangers facing young people in our local communities.” The charity helps young people and families whose lives have been affected by child exploitation including sexual, county lines, trafficking, modern slavery and radicalisation.

Team captains at the golf day

Clubbing together for a good cause A team of 24 golfers representing six East Midlands businesses completed a Three Bunkers Challenge – raising £12,260 for local charity BigC LittleC. Styled like the Three Peaks Challenge mountain climbs, it involved participants playing three golf courses in each of the region’s counties of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire in one day. Companies that took part included Mazars, Anthony James Insurance Brokers, Breeze Corporate Finance, MKM Building Supplies, Fiscal Engineers and co-organiser Simple Marketing Consultancy. Colin Shaw, co-founder of BigC Little C, said: “Each year the amount each team raises gets better and better. I’d like to thank all players for rallying round to encourage donations and to all three golf clubs for allowing us to play their courses in this format.”

business network July/August 2022

TBAT cyclists gear up for viaduct challenge

Four of TBAT Innovation’s team will take on the Iron to Iron Cycling Challenge to raise money for the Brittle Bone Society (BBS) in October. Chris Smith, Richard Hine, Ryan Mouncy, and Dave Schorah will aim to complete the 300-mile route from Meldon Viaduct in Devon to the Bennerley Viaduct in Derbyshire – featuring more than 16,000ft of uphill climbing – in three days. BBS is the team's chosen charity as one of the TBAT team members has a child with osteogenesis imperfecta, making the cause close to their hearts. The TBAT team are accepting donations via a JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tbat-iron2iron-challenge

Agiito fundraisers off to flying start Agiito has raised a quarter of its £10,000 fundraising target for Macmillan Cancer Support in the first two months of activities. In April, the business travel agency kicked off its 2022 charity partnership with a packed agenda of fundraising activities, where colleagues “braved the shave”, held bake sales and sweep stakes, and took part in Tough Mudderstyle challenges. Since then, a Couch to 5k running club has been established and an on-site professional car valeting has also been set up. Kirsty Given, director of corporate responsibility and sustainability at Agiito, said: “This is the first time we have ever set ourselves a fundraising target on this scale, so to raise a quarter of our £10,000 target within the first two months is a fantastic achievement.”

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MEMBER NEWS

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APPOINTMENTS

Kate Bennett (left) and Martyna Paluszkiewicz

Nora lands top role at Freeport Nora Senior CBE will oversee the East Midlands Freeport after being appointed non-executive chairperson of the board for an initial three-year term. Over a 30-year career in industry, Nora has held a number of senior leadership positions, latterly as group executive chair of global communications and government relations consultancy Weber Shandwick, and previously with Saatchi and Saatchi. Nora Senior CBE She has extensive experience at non-exec board level in both public and private sector organisations, having been president of British Chambers of Commerce and presently as a board member of International Chambers of Commerce. Nora is also an external member of the House of Lords Commission and is a previous regional adviser to the London Stock Exchange. She remains an International Trade Emissary for Chambers of Commerce. Nora’s regional links include being vice-chair of council at the University of Nottingham. She said: “I believe the freeport will be a catalyst for showcasing the strengths of the region in terms of technology, manufacturing and innovation, attracting new investment in these areas and driving economic growth and social benefit in the East Midlands. “I look forward to working with the board and wider team to deliver the ambitions of this unique freeport, and increase momentum and visibility around the programmes to attract global trade and investment.” Nora will transition into the role, taking over from Penny Coates, who has been acting interim chairperson of East Midlands Freeport during its founding phase, and who led the board successfully to complete the outline business case submission.

Rebecca awarded LikeMind promotion Digital marketing agency LikeMind Media has promoted Rebecca Shaw to client services manager. Rebecca (pictured) joined the Loughborough-based company in April 2021 as account manager, bringing with her more than 15 years’ experience in management roles for a variety of companies across the East Midlands. The new role will see her responsible for ensuring LikeMind Media’s clients have an excellent experience, that deliverables are achieved, and open lines of communication are maintained. Rebecca said: “I have really enjoyed my work as an account manager for the past year, working with clients and the LikeMind Media creative team. Now, my vision ahead is to work with the team to create content that really cuts through the noise and surpasses the objectives we are dedicated to meeting.” 20

business network July/August 2022

Duo join Blueprint team as expansion continues Workplace consultancy and commercial office fit-out specialist Blueprint Interiors has expanded its team following the appointment of Kate Bennett as a project designer and Martyna Paluszkiewicz as preconstruction manager. Kate joins an all-female design team that collectively has more than 55 years’ experience. In her new role, she will be responsible for discussing and defining design briefs, space planning and specifying materials. Martyna has a background in commercial fit-out and joinery. She will ensure the scope of work is defined accurately and transfers to post contract stage, so it runs smoothly and achieves the highest quality fit-out standards.

She said: “WorkLife Central is an amazing place to work with a friendly atmosphere and great people. From day one, I have felt like part of the team and I am looking forward to making a positive contribution to the company in order to ensure our clients’ offices meet their business objectives and the design brief.” Kate added: “I have worked across most industry sectors and so I have a wide variety of transferrable skills and experience, which I’m almost certain I will be able to bring to my new role. Our ‘people-first’ approach starts within our great office in Ashby-de-laZouch, and I can’t wait to advise other employers how they can benefit from this ethos.”

New hires have jobs with Purpose

Above: Jodie Pringle and Joshua Ware Below: Callum Alton (left) and Thomas Liddle

Full-service digital marketing agency Purpose Media has further expanded its team following the appointment of Jodie Pringle as a content and marketing executive, and Joshua Ware as a digital support technician apprentice. Jodie’s role, who was previously a freelance SEO and content writer, will include creating multimedia content online for social media, website blog articles and other online content to maximise the effectiveness of search engine optimisation and pay-per-click advertising campaigns. She said: “When searching for my next career move, I was looking to work for a forward-thinking company in a supportive environment where I could develop further. Working at Purpose Media will enable me to expand my experience and widen my skills and knowledge of other sectors and business topics.” Joshua joins Purpose Media on a digital marketing apprenticeship provided by EMA Training. His ultimate goal is to support the website development team where he will learn to build new websites and implement ongoing improvements. Thomas Liddle and Callum Alton have also been recruited to the agency, as a videographer and digital account manager respectively. Thomas added: “Being a freelancer has allowed me to experience a variety of different work cultures but I’ve never been able to fully develop as part of a constant wider team. By joining Purpose Media, I will be truly allowed to immerse myself into a consistent collaborative environment where I can really feel like part of the team.”

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APPOINTMENTS

Kevin appointed chair of Chamber board of directors Kevin Harris, Leicester office managing partner at audit, tax and consulting services firm RSM UK, is to become the next chair of the board of directors at the Chamber. He has been appointed chair elect, a transitionary role for him to succeed Ian Morgan OBE as the chamber of commerce’s chair with effect from 1 February 2023. Kevin, a former Chamber president who recently stepped down as chairman of the Leicester and Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership after four years, said: “It has been a fantastic experience working closely with the region’s leading business representation network both in my role as a nonexecutive director and via RSM UK’s strategic partnership with the Chamber, and I am now hugely excited about the opportunity to become more embedded within the organisation. “Ian has done a sterling job during his four years as chair of the board and I hope to build on the solid foundations he has set, including using the financial strength of the Chamber to further invest in supporting businesses and communities across the region.

Kevin Harris (left) and Ian Morgan OBE

“There are some key issues that will shape the regional economy for years to come, such as the devolution and levelling up agendas, and the Chamber will continue to be at the forefront of these discussions when it comes to representing the East Midlands at national and international level.” Ian, who is also the chairman of Derbyshire County Cricket Club and deputy chairman of transport company Wellglade Group, will step down after four years in the role. He was awarded an OBE in 2015 for services to the bus industry and business in the East Midlands, and

Leicestershire Business Voice (LBV) has appointed Sandra Wiggins (pictured) as a new board member. Sandra is managing director of Castle Doningtonbased tensioned fabric displays manufacturer DPI UK and joins nine other members of the LBV board. The LBV board is responsible for offering an independent and collective voice to represent the local business community via engagements with other key local stakeholders, the public sector and regional bodies. She said: “I'm keen to work with LBV to open the eyes to the opportunities of the manufacturing industry and extend this to include diverse, vibrant county businesses.” Robin Pointon, chair of LBV, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Sandra to the board, further strengthening our industry expertise and representation for manufacturing businesses across the county at the board-level.”

Richard Glennan and engines operations manager Kristy Kenney

Alex takes up key university post The University of Derby has strengthened its senior leadership team with the appointment of Professor Alex Molasiotis (pictured) to the role of pro vice-chancellor dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Education. Professor Molasiotis, who features in Stanford University’s database of the world’s top 2% of scientists, will leave his current position as a head of school at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU) and relocate to England to take up this new role in September. He said: “I look forward to working with my colleagues within the college and contributing to the next phase of its development, as well as across the university to meet the challenges of our times with creativity and verve.”

is due to become High Sheriff of Derbyshire in 2024/25. Ian said: “It has been an immense honour and privilege to chair East Midlands Chamber for the past four years. It is the leading business representation organisation with over 4,000 members and some 12,000 businesses affiliated to it in one way or another. “Successfully guiding, advising and supporting the business community through Brexit, Covid19 and the aftermath of both is the hallmark of the Chamber’s work, and I am proud to have played my part.”

Sandra will make her voice heard

Matthew Hutchings (left) and Richard Jones

Changing of the guard at DCC

Recruitment firm adds new engineering division Recruitment agency Encore Personnel is expanding for the second time in six months with the launch of a new engineering division in Derby. Following the news that the 200-strong specialist recruiter aims to push through the £100m turnover mark this year, it has taken on expert engineering consultant Richard Glennan to head up its newest division. The latest opening follows the

launch of a brand-new division for the business in January, which specialises in attracting and retaining exceptional maintenance engineers. Richard said: “Having started my career with an apprenticeship in welding and fabrication, I have a firm understanding of the sector and that foundation has served me well so far in growing teams which find the right people for the right roles, first time.”

Richard Jones has been internally promoted from conference centre manager to general manager at the Derby Conference Centre (DCC). The role will replace the current managing director position, with Matthew Hutchings leaving the business after four successful years. Richard has been with the business three years and has more than 30 years experience in the hospitality industry. He said: “I can’t tell you how excited I am in continuing the journey of the DCC of becoming the number one hospitality venue in Derbyshire and how proud I am to work alongside such a hardworking, loyal, and passionate team.”

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Tapping into the potential of our region From being the UK’s first regius professor of computer science to the Government’s maiden chief scientific adviser for national security, Professor Nick Jennings has carved out a highly distinguished career in research and enterprise. Nine months into his role as vice-chancellor and president of Loughborough University, he sits down with Dan Robinson to outline his vision for the university’s future, how he intends to build better partnerships with business and initial thoughts on the region. orn, raised and reputation built in the south of England, Professor Nick Jennings admits he had little expectation of what to expect when he arrived in the East Midlands. “I’ve lived in places such as Kent, Dorset and Hampshire almost all my life, so it’s a completely new area to me,” he says. “No-one has ever said to me they’re off on holiday to the East Midlands so I had no real knowledge of the area, but I’ve been genuinely delighted with how lovely the countryside is. “We live in a village just outside Loughborough and have been getting to know the area by cycling and walking. It’s really beautiful.” While the natural beauty of the region has been a pleasant surprise since joining Loughborough University as vice-chancellor and

Professor Nick Jennings 22

business network July/August 2022

president in October last year, he believes there is also untapped potential in the thriving industries that have a foothold in the three counties. When conducting his research into the area as part of the interview process for the vicechancellor position, he recognised the aspiration for the East Midlands to be a national and international centre of trade given its strengths in advanced manufacturing and logistics. He says: “It was clear this was a target for the region and since I’ve been here, I’ve certainly observed these strengths.

‘Historically, Loughborough has worked really well with businesses via work placements for students’ “There’s a lot of opportunities on the horizon with initiatives like the East Midlands Freeport. Being located in the centre of the country is such a great advantage, and we can all see the big logistics firms setting up alongside the M1 because of this. “Getting the partnerships, funding and talent in place to deliver on this potential is now the priority for the region. “As a university, there are some key strands within our strategy that focus on increasing innovation, and we want to engage more strongly with the region in this area – both in terms of developing more start-ups that spin out of university research and taking more advantage of Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP), which I think has fantastic untapped opportunities to bring more people together. “Historically, Loughborough has worked really well with businesses via work placements for students, so industry is really baked into what we are as a university. I’m keen to make the most of that.”

AN INTERNATIONALLY-RECOGNISED authority in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous systems, cyber security and agentbased computing, Prof Jennings became the ninth vice-chancellor at Loughborough University when he took up the post. He joined from Imperial College London, where he was vice-provost for research and enterprise for six years, but his esteemed career deserves further inspection. His various achievements include being awarded the UK’s first regius professor of computer science – a post bestowed by the monarch to recognise exceptionally high-quality research – at the University of Southampton in 2014, while he was also the UK Government’s first chief scientific adviser for national security from 2010 to 2016. “It was a really enjoyable experience,” he recalls. “Being a computer scientist was really useful skill as cyber security and data analytics are important topics, but it covered a very broad range of science and engineering – everything from homemade explosives to behavioural science about why people become terrorists. “My team’s job was both to support live investigations and extend the time horizon of the research work to tackle national security threats. “The agencies are brilliant at doing science that needs to be deployed next week for an operation, but weren’t so good at looking two to four years down the line to highlight which tech might be coming their way. So we were always

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

The Hazlerigg Building, on Loughborough University's main campus, houses the vice-chancellor's office

TAKING RESEARCH INTO THE REAL WORLD The Loughborough University Strategy 2030 is a key stepping-stone in bridging the gap between academic research and real-world impact, believes Prof Jennings. Titled Creating Better Futures, Together, its vision is to be “an internationallyengaged, research-intensive university delivering meaningful impact with students at our heart”. To achieve this, there are six aims – which include ambitious research and innovation, as well as meaningful partnerships – which The Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport – cover three themes. These are vibrant and world-leading research and impact at both an elite inclusive communities; climate change and performance and rehabilitative level net zero; and sport, health and wellbeing. More than 1,000 staff, students, alumni and external partners were involved in sessions to shape the strategy’s development. “These are areas where we have distinctive critical mass,” says Prof Jennings. “They cover research, education and the way we want to be as an organisation. “We’re now developing the core action plans to go with it the strategy.” Underpinning the strategy has been structural changes in the leadership team, with two of the three pro vice-chancellors, which report to Prof Jennings, due to have new incumbents by September. One brings together previously separate roles for research and enterprise, while a new post has been created for a pro vice-chancellor of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). Prof Jennings says: “Innovation at enterprise level flows from research for a university, so the way I’ve reorganised our leadership will establish our institutional focus. “EDI is an important consideration for both our staff and students. I’ve found and observed a lot of initiatives but there’s perhaps been a lack of coherence across these, so I wanted some visible leadership.”

looking at new technologies that would disrupt and provide new capabilities to keep the country safe and secure.” The role also took in the 2012 London Olympics, where he contributed to protective security for facilities at the Olympic Park. “There’s a nice symmetry in that Loughborough University has a campus opposite a facility that we spent a lot of time looking at during the Games from a security perspective,” he adds. When he finished his term, he wanted a research and innovation role, which took him to Imperial College, where alongside heading up research and enterprise he was a professor of artificial intelligence. He had been involved in enterprise previously with involvement in a number of start-ups – more on that later – but AI has been at the forefront throughout his three-decade career, a period in which the technology has shifted in popularity. “Sometimes, it’s been quite difficult to get funding and interest, but at other times it’s been a case of fighting away the hype, which is effectively where we are now as it’s probably the biggest period of interest,” says Prof Jennings, who was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the Queen’s New Year Honours List in 2016 for his services to computer science and national security science. “I’m interested in the type of AI where we have multiple AI systems interacting with one another, which I call agents. July/August 2022 business network

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

COMING TOGETHER FOR GREATER GOOD As an outsider arriving into a high office in Leicestershire, Prof Jennings is well-placed to offer an alternative perspective of how the region operates. And it hasn’t taken him long to identify the “complexity” of local governance in a region with three counties of relatively equal size and stature, but without sufficient political apparatus that brings them together into a collective voice. “I’m starting to understand some of the politics in the East Midlands,” he says. “There’s a lot of complexity around it as I observe how all the structures come together and interact with each other. “The broad Government strategy about levelling up is positive, recognising for the good of the country that there are significant disparities that must be addressed. “From the university side, there’s really strong partnerships forming with a willingness to work together. With my colleagues at the University of Leicester and De Montfort University, we’re starting to collaborate a lot more.” Other examples of progress in this regard include Midlands Innovation – a partnership of eight universities in the region, including Loughborough, which unites the power of their collective strengths to drive cuttingedge research, innovation and skills development – and the East Midlands Freeport, which was secured after a successful joint bid across the three counties.

“At a very simple level, they might negotiate booking a meeting between two individuals by analysing their schedules and preferences, then engaging in an interaction to come to an agreement. “Those interactions could be co-operative or competitive, and this is where I’ve built my research career.” THE TIME HAD arrived in his career where Prof Jennings, 55, wanted a wider leadership role and that’s where Loughborough comes in. He succeeded Prof Robert Allison, who stepped down after nine years in the role having moulded it into an institution that can proudly state it sits in the top 10 of every UK university league table. Prof Jennings paid tribute to his predecessor upon his unveiling for building “very strong foundations”, including its research base. Now he adds: “Bob and his team did a fantastic job in moving the dial here, and a lot of that success is built upon our student experience and education offering. “I want to carry on with that, of course, but I want to also place a bit more institutional focus on research and innovation.” A keen sports fan – his office in the Hazlerigg Building overlooks a cricket pitch – Prof Jennings is well aware of Loughborough’s reputation in this field, with Olympic legend and World Athletics president Lord Coe the chancellor. And while sporting excellence and opportunity remains at its core as one of six aims in the strategy, he is keen to broaden its appeal and reputation via a new Loughborough University Strategy 2030, titled Creating Better Futures. Together, launched in May. Billed as a “bold and ambitious” plan to guide the university over the next decade, it sets out the university’s purpose, values and aims, with a greater emphasis on research and innovation. “I’m delighted to be at a university that’s known for something distinctive,” says Prof Jennings, who attended grammar school and was

the first member of his family to go to university. If anyone knows anything about Loughborough they will say ‘sport’ in the next sentence. “But we’re so much more than that too, with some real strengths in other areas, which is why we’ve identified three themes in our Creating Better Futures, Together strategy – vibrant and inclusive communities; climate change and net zero; and sport, health and wellbeing. This will help us to be known beyond sport.” PROF JENNINGS’ RESEARCH spans everything from smart energy technology and sensor networks to defence and telecommunications systems. He has attracted £33m in grant income, published more than 700 articles, and graduated more than 50 PhD students. With 90,000 citations, he is also one of the world’s most cited computer scientists and was recently awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Society.

HIGHLIGHTS OF A GLITTERING CAREER

The National Centre for Combustion and Aerothermal Technology offers pioneering low-emission aero gas turbine combustion technologies

Prof Nick Jennings arrived at Loughborough University with a sparking CV, including a lengthy list of accolades and positions on key strategic bodies. These include: • Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in Queen’s New Year Honours List in 2016 • UK’s first regius professor of computer science • UK Government’s first chief scientific adviser for national security • Member of UK Government’s AI Council • Member of Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council • Chair of Royal Academy of Engineering’s policy committee • Fellow of bodies including the Royal Academy of Engineering, British Computer Society, Institution of Engineering and Technology, Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, and European Artificial Intelligence Association. • Fellow of the Royal Society (awarded post-arrival)

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

Students at Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park

Making ground-breaking discoveries is one thing, but one of his main passions lies in turning research into real-world impact. Since 2000, he has been involved with startups in the AI and cyber security spaces as a scientific adviser, including Crossword Cybersecurity, Contact Engine, Darktrace, Rebellion Defence and Reliance Cyber Systems. His first was Aerogility, which is now billed as the world’s most advanced forecasting and planning software for aviation. It’s a prime example of Prof Jennings’ expertise in AI and demonstrates how it can help businesses improve decision-making. “Aerogility oversees scheduling for when aircraft should go into the workshop for maintenance,” he says.

‘Aerogility oversees scheduling for when aircraft should go into the workshop for maintenance’ “Each airplane is an ‘agent’, in computer science terms, that needs to go in for a particular time and an airline like British Airways will have a whole host of ‘agents’ in its fleet. “The other agent Aerogility’s software interacts with is the workshops, so it’s a maintenance and scheduling optimisation tool that makes decisions by co-operating and negotiating between the multiple stakeholders involved in the process. “Sometimes it can be scheduled in advance and at other times a bird flies into the engine so it needs to reschedule. “Over the past 20 years, I’ve worked with big companies like BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, BT and Hewlett-Packard, as well as small ones spinning out of universities. “I’ve always been interested in doing that mix of academic research that I’ll write papers about, but also which gets used in the real world.” The 2021 Research Excellence Framework, published in May this year, showed that 91% of Loughborough’s research was “world-leading” or “internationally excellent”. This represented an 11% increase in the proportion of research given such a rating compared to the previous audit in 2014. Examples include Previsico – a spinout that has developed geospatial technology in partnership with IBM to make real-time weather

INNOVATION APPLIES TO ALL BUSINESSES The term “artificial intelligence” was first adopted in 1956 by American computer scientist John McCarthy, coining an academic field that has evolved into one of the most expansive. While many non-scientists will now have at least a vague comprehension of its meaning, there remains something of a fear factor among businesses and workers, who may deem it too expensive or a threat to jobs. Prof Jennings, a member of the UK’s AI Council, admits there is some work to be done around the language used so that organisations

predictions to alert customers of insurers such as Zurich about imminent surface water flooding at individual property level – and the low-cost ventilator system ShiVent, which has been used by non-specialised health workers in developing countries to treat Covid-19 patients. Rolls-Royce’s links with Loughborough include its own University Technology Centre, which investigates new and improved technologies for gas turbine engines that will help it meet future economic and environmental targets. The engineering giant is also a lead partner in the National Centre for Combustion and Aerothermal Technology, which is based at Holywell Park and acts as the UK’s primary hub for research and development of future lowemission aero gas turbine technologies. Industrial problem-solvers from sectors such as aerospace, automotive and energy visit and work closely with academic researchers to ensure new technologies are translated from theory to practice as quickly and as efficiently as possible. It is also a training ground for current and future aerospace engineers – a critical skill area for the UK. Prof Jennings says: “There’s a really strong suite of research we’ve developed that is making a difference in the world, which is now shining through clearly. “That’s both student and staff entrepreneurship. Some is around the sport piece that we’ve always excelled in but there’s also strengths in areas such as engineering, computer science, net zero, and health and wellbeing, which can have an impact on the economy in our region and beyond.”

recognise how AI – or indeed innovation on any level – can instead be a cost-effective tool for improving decision-making, ultimately boosting efficiencies and cutting costs. He says: “The word ‘innovation’ can sound big and expensive to a company, but it absolutely need not involve a big army of researchers like big firms may have. “Almost all businesses need to innovate in order to survive and grow. We can help them through that journey, and be a place they can come for some training, guidance and advice, as well as to access our talent.”

WHEN IT COMES to the all-important leap from university laboratories and academic papers to commercial products and services, he believes company size is currently one of the biggest differentiators in determining success. Large firms like BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce, which have collaborated with Loughborough for half a century, “get it” but engaging SMEs is often more challenging. “Rolls-Royce is a classic example as almost all the aircraft engines it has produced over the past 50 years have involved us in some way,” he adds. “It understands university structures and how to enjoy a very fruitful relationship with us by tapping into our expertise and talent. “With SMEs, it’s a lot more ad-hoc and challenging, so I’m keen to make us more accessible and visible to these smaller companies, so that we can be as low friction as possible in building partnerships. “Industrial placements are a great way of opening doors and we have some good examples of students who have gone on to secure jobs this way, and then come back to engage with us around research further down the line. “There’s a lot of students and staff here who are very ambitious about solving problems and making the world a better place, so tapping into this resource can have a big impact when it comes to innovation. “So it’s about having the willingness to engage with businesses, as well as the understanding of how we can add value, which universities can focus on.” July/August 2022 business network

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STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS

Joining forces to boost Derbyshire A civic university agreement has been developed by the University of Derby in partnership with 15 other organisations from across Derbyshire. The agreement, created following extensive consultation, articulates the long-term civic ambitions of the university, and how it intends to work with these 15 signatories – which include the Chamber, local authorities, and health and public services – to drive forward the local economic recovery and community regeneration.

‘The ambitions we have set out need support from others if we are to achieve them’ It also outlines how the partnership can help to channel aspirations, support local communities, share knowledge and enhance the area’s overall offer and vibrancy. The document focuses on five core goals designed to make a positive impact on the people, communities, organisations and

Corrina Hembury

businesses across Derbyshire: 1. Secure our future 2. Drive ambition and positive change 3. Make a positive environmental impact 4. Support health and wellbeing 5. Invest in culture as a driver for change During a launch event in June, each goal was brought to life through a civic showcase highlighting the breadth of projects and initiatives underway. These included presentations on apprenticeships and skills, raising aspirations, green travel, research on long-Covid, and a music jukebox show featuring local performers. Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, vice-chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “The University of Derby has always been civic – educating, innovating, creating, making, and inspiring, but this is the first time we have explicitly set out our civic intentions and articulated the overall impact made by the university and its staff and students. “Through our civic university agreement, we are making a clear statement of intent as to how we will approach our civic role.

UNI’S BUSINESS SCHOOL PLANS APPROVED Plans for a new University of Derby Business School in the city centre have been approved. It will be built on land adjacent to the university’s One Friar Gate Square building after Derby City Council’s planning committee unanimously greenlit the proposal on 26 May. Building work for the development, which will be net zero in construction and operation, is due to start in November, with the business school earmarked to open in September 2024. It will accommodate more than 6,000 students by 2030 and be used as a living lab for research projects from across the university and industry. It is the first element of the university’s city masterplan for how it intends to develop its city centre presence. “However, the ambitions we have set out need support from others if we are to achieve them, and I am overwhelmed by the positive response from the organisations we approached to be signatories and who will be alongside us on this important journey.” Meanwhile, the university has launched a Levelling Up Impact Report in partnership with former Education Secretary Justine Greening. It measures the social impact of the university against a

Training firm pecked to sponsor Magpies Access Training (East Midlands) has been chosen as the home shirt sponsor of Notts County Football Club for the 2022/23 football season. The sponsorship agreement, which has been made possible by the generosity of Cadbury, will allow Access Training – one of the East Midlands’ leading independent training providers – to reach a much wider cohort of the region’s learners and their families. Confectionery maker Cadbury donated the advertising opportunity from its partnership with the world’s oldest professional football club to Access Training, one of many Nottingham-based businesses that have been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The new home shirt is due to be revealed on Friday 1 July. Corrina Hembury, managing director of Access Training, said: “Working with Notts County and

business network July/August 2022

set of levelling up measures designed to focus efforts on driving equality of opportunity at key life stages from early years through to education and employment. Among the areas where the university was commended for leading the way in spreading opportunity was its Invest to Grow programme, which supports businesses to innovate, grow and create jobs. Since 2016, it has invested nearly £30m and created more than 2,000 jobs.

Cadbury in this way is such an exciting opportunity for us. Our region’s young learners and jobseekers have been hit hard by Covid. We offer them a helping hand in improving their skills, building their confidence, offering pastoral care, and improving their employability. “We’re looking forward to working together with the club on an exciting schedule of activities for the year ahead, and giving even more local people access to the futures they deserve.” Jordan Worthington, head of commercial at Notts County, added: “Access Training has touched the lives of thousands of people over its nearly 40-year heritage. Inviting it to become a 2022-23 home front-of-shirt sponsor will allow us to match our supporters – whether they be learners, their family members or local business owners – with appropriate skills training.”

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STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS

Marketing agency ranked among top 20 in the UK

Matt Wheatcroft

Full-service marketing agency Purpose Media has been ranked within the top 20 UK marketing agencies. The South Normanton-based company placed 19th in a listing by The Drum Recommends, one of the most highly regarded and influential rankings as the overall score is determined by feedback from clients returning a customer satisfaction questionnaire to an independent evaluator. Following the completion of their projects, clients are asked to rate their agency on a range of measures including value for money, effectiveness, creative output and client service. Purpose Media achieved an overall score of 9.4 out of 10 and was the highest ranked agency in the East Midlands. Managing director Matt Wheatcroft said: “Our rating is based on the accumulated feedback for everything we have delivered as a full-service agency.

This includes strategic thinking, creative design, website development, digital marketing, SEO, PPC, video, social media, content writing and PR. “It therefore shows the high quality, depth and breadth of the advice, and services, we can offer our clients as part of a one-stop solution.” Founded in 2006, Purpose Media has grown from a small ecommerce website agency into an award-winning, full-service agency. Clients include owner-managed businesses and leading brands in retail, manufacturing, wholesaling and sport, including True Refrigeration and Derby County Football Club. It was also chosen as a delivery partner by the Chamber to deliver the Chesterfield Digital High Street project and Derby City Business Resilience Programme, which have helped high-street retailers rejuvenate their businesses by embracing marketing strategies.

Pharma firm wins top export award Morningside Pharmaceuticals won the export category at Insider Media’s Made in the Midlands Awards 2022. The Loughborough-based company was chosen by judges after pivoting from a manufacturer of other companies’ drugs into one that develops, makes and distributes generic medicines, resulting in major international growth. Insider Media described the award as being for a manufacturer based in the Midlands that was “the most outstanding exporter in terms of international presence, export growth, and exports as a proportion of sales within the qualifying period”. Morningside founder and chairman Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL said: “We’re delighted to have won this award, which has been achieved through the hard work and dedication of our people, who work tirelessly to ensure doctors and their patients globally receive the often lifesaving medicine they require.”

Alex Claydon (left), of Morningside Pharmaceuticals, picks up the award alongside Charlotte Horobin, of Make UK, and presenter Mike Bushell

The awards ceremony at Birmingham’s Macdonald Burlington Hotel was hosted by BBC Sports presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star Mike Bushell.

Confidence hit by fears of recession Middle-market businesses have hit the brakes on people and business investment as inflation pressure, recessionary fears, wage pressures and staff shortages all converge to reduce confidence, according to research by RSM UK. Its latest Middle Market Business Index (MMBI), the first economic index to focus solely on middle-market businesses in the UK, showed that fewer firms (41%) planned to increase recruitment in Q2 2022, down from 52% in Q1. The quarterly index and survey of about 700 senior executives at middle-market companies also showed a ninepoint drop to 54% in the number of businesses planning to recruit more staff over the next six months – showing the first signs the labour market is starting to cool. In addition, the number of businesses planning to increase capital expenditure significantly dropped from 51% to 38% between the quarters – highlighting a potentially worrying U-turn on vital investment at a time when firms need to commit to enhanced productivity. There are currently 1,625 middle-market businesses in the East Midlands, which make a key contribution towards investment in the region. Kevin Harris, RSM’s office managing partner in Leicester, said: “With the perfect storm of headwinds facing middlemarket businesses in the East Midlands and across the UK, it’s not surprising to see them cautiously take the foot off the gas when considering investing in staff and vital capital expenditure. However, now is not the time to be cutting back on investment.”

THE CHAMBER IS HONOURED BY THE SUPPORT OF ITS STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS

July/August 2022 business network

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CHAMBER NEWS

Businesses leading way for region For the third year running, the Chamber has partnered with De Montfort University (DMU) and others to publish the East Midlands Top 500 Companies index. David Rae (pictured), professor of enterprise at DMU’s Leicester Castle Business School, explains how it works and examines some of the key findings. he East Midlands Top 500 Companies index aims to highlight the largest businesses based in the region, and track the changes in the composition and performance of this group of companies. The index shows the range and strength of the leading businesses across the three counties covered by the Chamber – Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. These businesses are at the heart of the East Midlands economy, and high on the list of those most likely to drive growth and create jobs in the future. Their prosperity affects not only the workforces, supply chains and communities around them, but ultimately everyone in the region. The first EM Top 500 was launched in May 2020, and both the 2020 and 2021 reports were published while the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic had a daily impact on all our lives, as well as many of the companies featured. Now the EM Top 500 list for 2022 appears in a changed economic context, following a period in which the region’s businesses continued to show great resilience in responding to the many new challenges and opportunities they face.

HEADLINE FINDINGS These 500 companies had a combined turnover of £90.47bn, compared with £94.37bn in the 2021 list – a 4.23% decrease. They employed a total of 469,512 people, a 3% increase on the 455,657 reported last year. This reflects national and some international employment by these companies beyond the East Midlands. It is interesting that combined turnover has fallen by more than 4%, accompanied by a 3% increase 28

business network July/August 2022

Boots UK came top in the East Midlands again, while Chamber member B M Fashions (below left) and GLW Feeds (below right) also made an impact

in employment. This suggests, at a high level, that regional competitiveness and productivity decreased slightly. There were 78 new entrants in the 2022 list. These are primarily due to companies with increased turnover, which brought them above the threshold, together with changes in corporate structure and registered office moves into the region. This is an increase from 55 new firms in 2021, and the 15.6% turnover of companies indicates a healthy level of “churn” within the index, by introducing new firms. Of these, 43 are in the 401-500 tier of the index, and includes companies to watch in the future for continued growth. This departure of 78 firms reflects companies whose turnover declined or grew less than the index, or who became insolvent, dormant or went into administration; acquisitions or sales; and registered office moves out of the region. Looking at the top 10 businesses in the 2022 table, it is surprising how few changes there are. The top 10 “brand name” firms are little changed in their places. Pendragon, Next and Frasers Group each go up by one place, while

BOOTS RETAINS TOP SPOT – PLUS MOVERS AND SHAKERS For the third year, Boots UK is the number one company in the East Midlands, based on its turnover of £8.71bn. This year, we have grouped together the other companies carrying the brand name Boots in the index that are all owned by the parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance, based in the US. This is in line with our policy of grouping together firms that have common ultimate ownership. The top new entrant was GLW Feeds at 92nd. Founded in 1873 and based in Shepshed, it is one of the largest independent, family-owned livestock and speciality feed manufacturers in the UK. It achieved a turnover of £144.7m in the period to 30 September 2019, with a net profit of more than £1m. Among Chamber members, the highest new entrant was B M Fashions (UK) Ltd, a Leicester-based designer and supplier of licensed merchandise to major retailers, trading as Fashion UK. It placed 218th, with a turnover of £59.62m and employing 125 people. The highest climber in the EM Top 500 was Belcan International Ltd, up 181 places from 329th to 148th. A subsidiary of Belcan Alliances Inc, USA, it provides engineering and recruitment services to the aviation industry worldwide. Chauvet Europe Ltd was the highest climber among Chamber members, up 124 places from 467th to 343rd. The company is a major innovator, developer and manufacturer of professional lighting and control systems. Established in France in 1990, the UK trading firm, based in Pinxton, dates from 2009 and entered the EM Top 500 in 2021.

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CHAMBER NEWS

July/August 2022 business network

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CHAMBER NEWS

Barratts moves down three places to sixth. The top 10 still consists of retail (four), automotive manufacturing and retail (three), housebuilding (two) and manufacturing (one) companies. The companies in the 11-30 grouping reflect a wider range of business activities. Manufacturing businesses are more evident, including the food sector. Major business service and finance organisation retain high positions, as do a range of retailers. The strength of the housebuilding and construction materials sector remains evident.

EAST MIDLANDS TOP 500 COMPANIES: HOW TO FIND FULL INDEX The East Midlands Top 500 Companies index is published online by Reach plc’s Business Live in partnership with DMU, University of Derby, Nottingham Trent University, Bradgate Estates and the Chamber. To read the full list, visit www.business-live.co.uk/all-about/east-midlands There will be a downloadable report of the complete index and analysis available, intended for businesses and policymakers to use, at www.emc-dnl.co.uk A virtual roundtable was also held on 5 July to announce the top 20 businesses, which are listed below.

Ranking (2020 position)

Company

Revenue

Employees

BUSINESS RESILIENCE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

1 (1)

Boots UK Ltd

£8.71bn

43,742

Writing in July 2022, it is hard to predict the future from looking at the past performance of EM Top 500 companies. However, having followed the fortunes of this group of businesses over the past three years, these observations can be made. Firstly, all businesses experienced the impact of the prolonged lockdowns and eventual recovery during the current year. Some businesses were able to benefit but most experienced disruption, additional costs and loss of sales. They have also experienced, and generally adapted to, the lengthy Brexit separation and changes in trading, imports and exports from the EU, and the associated effects on workforce, regulation, market access and so on. Having endured and risen stronger from adapting to these challenges, we now find ourselves confronting massive price rises in all energy costs as well as most raw materials, from foodstuffs to timber, cement, steel and plastics. These costs had started to rise during 2021, but the unexpected war in Ukraine and its effects accelerated these increases to an alarming and, in some cases, unpredictable extent. For these reasons, there has to be caution over the short-term economic outlook for the East Midlands region, in a challenging environment for business growth. The East Midlands is fortunate in having a large and successful group of businesses that are generally very well managed. In many cases, they are world-leading, and demonstrably capable of riding out and recovering from the many challenges thrown at them. They are also very diverse in the range of industry sectors, serving both UK and international markets. International trade continues to be a growth area, enabled by the supply chain and logistics infrastructure the region has attracted. The combined effectiveness of leadership and management, and diversity of the business base, are both enduring strengths.

2 (2)

Sytner Group Ltd

£5.92bn

10,489

3 (4)

Pendragon plc

£4.51bn

9,564

4 (5)

Next plc

£4.27bn

25,491

5 (6)

Frasers Group plc

£3.96bn

30,179

6 (3)

Barratt Developments plc

£3.42bn

6,422

7 (7)

Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd

£2.63bn

2,657

8 (8)

Eco-Bat Technologies Ltd

£1.83bn

3,170

9 (9)

Bloor Investments Ltd

£1.56bn

4,024

10 (10)

Amalgamated Holdings Wilkinson Ltd

£1.47bn

18,351

11 (11)

Greencore Group – UK subsidiaries

£1.39bn

11,164

12 (12)

Aggregate Industries UK Ltd

£1.33bn

3,433

13 (19)

Samworth Brothers (Holdings) Ltd

£1.17bn

9,895

14 (16)

Caterpillar (UK) Ltd

£1.1bn

2,217

15 (15)

Staffline Group plc

£1.08bn

2,798

16 (22)

Bowmer and Kirkland Ltd

£1.07bn

1,539

17 (18)

Dunelm Group plc

£1.06bn

6,519

18 (17)

Rolls-Royce plc

£1.05bn

4,350

19 (20)

Motorpoint Group plc

£1.02bn

762

20 (13)

Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd

£976.86m

3,648

business network July/August 2022

In future issues, Business Network will take a deeper dive into sector and sustainability analysis.

HOW IS THE EM TOP 500 COMPILED? The EM Top 500 index lists private and public limited companies with their registered offices located in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. It does not include large employers with registered offices elsewhere; nor does it include public organisations, mutually owned, co-operatives, and educational and Belcan International was highest health trusts that derive most of their income from Government. climber in the EM Top 500 The 2022 index uses historical data from Companies House accounts filed for the period between July 2019 and June 2020. It ranks companies by their annual turnover and includes the number of employees. This period includes the first three months of the pandemic and lockdown, which means companies that have their reporting year up to June 2020 will include some results from this period. Most companies would not see a big effect from lockdown in this index and the full effects will be seen in the 2023 report. Because the index is based on company accounts, it inevitably lags current company performance by about two years, since companies have up to nine months after their year-end to file their accounts. The gap between the company year-ends and publication of the index means the information is historic rather than current, but it is not “out of date”. The availability of the two previous years means comparisons over three-year timespan from 2020 to 2022 are now possible. The index is increasingly recognised as a valuable baseline for economic recovery and the resurgence of businesses and the wider economy.

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CHAMBER NEWS

July/August 2022 business network

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CHAMBER NEWS

Davies Turner established the Express China Rail service in 2016 in conjunction with our long term partners in China, Air Sea Transport, who already had years of experience in the China rail sector. Initially, predominantly an import service, offering both LCL (groupage) and FCL (full load containers), the service quickly gained momentum as clients took advantage of the fast transits, compared to ocean freight and the much lower costs, compared to air freight. With confidence and demand for China rail freight services soaring, February 2022 seeing the 50,000th China-Europe train embarking on its journey, Davies Turner, keen to fulfill the desire of the UK export market, has established a dedicated weekly LCL rail service from the UK to China. Following successful trials, where transit savings in excess of 20 days compared to ocean freight were achieved, we are sure our export clients will benefit from this third freight option.

T: 01709 529709 W: www.daviesturner.com E: rotherhamsales@daviesturner.co.uk

business network July/August 2022

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CHAMBER NEWS

Confidence dives as uncertainty hampers business The latest results from the Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey for Q2 2022 suggest the uncertainties that clouded decision-making at the start of the year are now being viewed as longer lasting than anticipated. Chris Hobson (pictured), director of policy and external affairs at the Chamber, examines the findings. Issues with supply chains – which have been readjusting since the pandemic impact and surging demand as we emerge into this post-pandemic period – alongside changes in trading conditions resulting from the UK leaving the EU and, more recently, the impact on prices following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have all combined to hit business confidence and activity levels. Only a net 8% of businesses expect profitability to increase over the coming year, down from a net 31% at the start of the year. A net 42% expect turnover to improve, down from a net 62% last quarter. Looking at the specifics that are driving this, overseas sales and orders have weakened considerably since the start of the year, while the UK market has remained flat. The labour force has grown more slowly – partly a result of continued difficulties in finding the right people – and while cashflow has improved overall, there are still 29% of businesses that have seen a deterioration. The big question mark remains over future changes to prices, with 63% expecting to increase their prices over the coming quarter. These are being driven in almost equal measure by four big pressures – utility, labour, raw material and fuel costs. This dent to confidence has

knock-on effects on investment, with intentions to invest in training (down 3% quarter-on-quarter) and equipment (down 6%) both being scaled back, and at a time where 40% of businesses report operating at full capacity – a record for the survey in recent times. The underlying concern here is, for an economy to grow, businesses need to invest. A struggling economy isn't being driven by a lack of demand, but rather a hindered ability to respond to that demand. This in turn puts further pressure on prices, risking a situation that continues to deteriorate as the months progress.

SO WHAT CAN BE DONE? Businesses need an injection of confidence to enhance their investment plans and respond to the challenges they're facing. Given that many of these issues are external, this is easier said than done, but there are levers the Government can pull to support business. On fuel, Government should act to further cut duty and reduce VAT applied to fuel purchases, while the HMRC mileage rate should be increased from 45p per mile to 60p. Small businesses should be offered greater grant support on fuel bills, similar to that received by consumers, and those struggling with repayments linked to

QUARTERLY ECONOMIC SURVEY Q2 2022 RESULTS NET CHANGE OVER QUARTER UK sales = (Q1 +27%; Q2 +27%) UK orders -4% (Q1 +26%; Q2 +22%) Overseas sales -9% (Q1 +11%; Q2 +2%) Overseas orders -11% (Q1 +14%; Q2 +3%) Past employment -11% (Q1 +20%; Q2 +9%) Future employment -3% (Q1 +36%; Q2 +33%) Cashflow +7% (Q1 -3%; Q2 +4%) Future price concerns -4% (Q1 +66%; Q2 62%) Investment intentions in machinery -6% (Q1 +13%; Q2 +7%) Investment intentions in training -3% (Q1 +20%; Q2 +17%) Confidence on turnover -20% (Q1 +62%; Q2 +42%) Confidence on profitability -23% (Q1 +31%; Q2 +8%) To read the full QES, visit bit.ly/QESQ2-2022 coronavirus-associated support schemes should be given more leeway for repayments to be made. Finally, incentives should be given to businesses looking to invest in their people, similar to schemes that already exist for capital investment, which themselves should be extended. These are not usual times, but

the current state of affairs is also not permanent. It is right that Government should act to introduce special measures at a time when the economy needs it, with the knowledge that once there are calmer waters ahead, businesses will continue on their growth trajectories and drive a competitive UK economy.

Summit looks for solutions to skills challenges Businesses, universities and thought leaders will come together once more to identify the practical steps the East Midlands can take to address skills challenges at an upcoming Chamber event. The People and Skills Summit takes place at the University of Nottingham’s Jubilee Conference Centre on Thursday 7 July from 8.30am to 1pm.

A series of keynote presentations, panel discussions and workshops will explore how East Midlands businesses can attract and retain employees, as well as how to create a local skills and employment framework that delivers on behalf of both providers and employers. Speakers include Danny Kalman, former global head of talent at

Panasonic who is CEO of ella Forums, which promotes effective leadership in the voluntary sector, as well as representatives from organisations such as Freeths, Future Life Wealth Management, Access Training (East Midlands) and D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership. Chamber director Chris Hobson will also give an overview of the findings from the Local Skills

Improvement Plan trailblazer pilot that was recently completed in Leicestershire. The People and Skills Summit, held in partnership with the University of Nottingham, Morningside Pharmaceuticals and Loughborough College, is free to attend. To register, visit bit.ly/PeopleandSkillsSummit22 July/August 2022 business network

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CHAMBER NEWS

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CHAMBER NEWS

Partnerships are key to a successful ESG strategy Forming solid, long-term partnerships with charities and community groups holds the key to a sustainable ESG (environmental, social and governance) strategy. That’s the lesson businesses learned at the Chamber’s CSR Summit, held at the University of Derby’s Enterprise Centre last month. In attendance was Jasmine Thompson, who summarises the main discussion points.

CSR Summit speakers, from left: Lindsey Williams, Sarah Loates and Peter Ellse

CSR MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE Moving the conversation from corporate social responsibility (CSR) being “the right thing to do” to “making good business sense” should be the main focus for organisations as they seek to embed activities into a wider ESG strategy. Chamber president Lindsey Williams explained the benefits reaped from her organisation Futures Housing Group’s CSR activities, including employee engagement and retention. “There’s nothing wrong with making ourselves feel good about the activities we do at work,” she said. “It’s particularly important now, where individuals at an organisation are looking for reasons to stay and to join those organisations. “It’s things like the work we do in communities – our social responsibility – that adds flavour and makes us more interesting.”

WHAT DOES ESG LOOK LIKE FOR SMALL AND MICRO BUSINESSES? Sarah Loates, who runs Derbybased Loates HR Consultancy, says for a micro business, her CSR and ESG activities are not so much strategic, but “emergent” in developing with the business. “It is not something we set out to do, but it very much aligns with our purpose and values,” said

‘There’s nothing wrong with making ourselves feel good about the activities we do at work’ Sarah, whose team completed more than 200 hours of pro bono HR and training support in the last financial year. “I was looking at the figures one day and realised we were doing CSR activity, because we were spending our time doing pro bono work – and time is the most precious thing to my business because we’re service-led.” Peter Ellse DL, who founded children’s outdoor equipment supplier Cosy, added: “There’s an awareness we need to bring to ESG. We’re all doing something, so it’s about recognising those efforts and recording them.”

FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNERSHIP Finding the right partnership is an essential building block to the success of their community or charity activity. Automotive giant Toyota’s Burnaston hub partners with YMCA Derbyshire on an employment placement scheme, where a cohort of young people in Derby learn employable skills during a sixmonth programme at the firm. The charity’s board member Tony Walker CBE DL, previously

deputy managing director at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK and managing director of Toyota Motor Europe, said: “Toyota is very good at making cars, but it is difficult to direct social value without an expert. “That’s when we looked for a partner and found YMCA Derbyshire, which was easy to deal with and well-structured. It fit with the business and made the project a success.” Louise Curd, director of lifelong learning at YMCA Derbyshire, added: “Once you’ve got that firm partnership and understand the real needs of the charity, things will strategically build from there and opportunities arise.”

CHARITIES ARE BUSINESSES “People separate business and charity, or business and the community, but business is the community,” said Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL, founder and chair of both Morningside Pharmaceuticals and the Randal Charitable Foundation. “Everything we do is part of the community, which is supported by the third sector. It comes back to finding the right partnerships, where collaboration is so important to make a difference.” From a charity perspective, Louise added: “We’ll get the rewards in the long run, but it takes time, and that commitment sometimes must be made by the charity. We’ve got to take a risk, like any other business, to move forward.”

Scott Knowles

Initial support for ‘devolution deal’ The Government has welcomed an initial bid from council leaders in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to form an East Midlands Mayoral Combined Authority. Neil O’Brien, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Levelling Up, called the proposal by Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire county councils, along with Derby and Nottingham city councils, an “ambitious devolution deal”. Leicester and Leicestershire are not part of the bid and are considering its own county devolution deal. The leaders of the four councils sent initial proposals to negotiate a combined devolution deal in March after being named as pathfinder areas by the Government and invited to apply. If devolution plans are approved, it could mean more funding for services in the regions, more major decisions being made locally and a bigger voice for the two counties. The councils want greater funding and autonomy in areas including transport and infrastructure, business growth, inward investment, strategic regeneration, destination management, employment and skills. The Chamber’s chief executive Scott Knowles said devolution must lead to more public money for the East Midlands, which has typically received the least funding per head of any UK region. “What our businesses now need is the political apparatus that removes any obstacles to national and local decisionmaking, enhances our ability to attract investment and ultimately creates a more business-friendly environment,” he said. “This would help them to take strides forward in productivity and innovation, enabling firms to drive the economic growth that creates jobs and wealth locally.”

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CHAMBER NEWS

Harsh Shah at the Alan Turing Institute data study group

Harsh attends top data study group A member of the Chamber’s policy team rubbed shoulders with some of the brightest data analysts in the UK at a “collaborative hackathon” hosted by the national institute for data science and artificial intelligence. Harsh Shah took part in an Alan Turing Institute data study group (DSG), which brings together industry and multi-disciplinary academic researchers to tackle realworld problems. During the week-long workshop at the University of Birmingham, his DSG group was tasked by Siemens Mobility to create a machine learning model to assess the brake conditions of rolling stock by finding correlations, anomalies and patterns from supplied data. As well as giving him an opportunity to learn from and collaborate with experts from different domains, he gained a confidence boost by winning the Data-Driven Approach Award for his positive attitude and determination to solve problems. Harsh, who learned about the initiative at the Alan Turing Institute’s AI UK conference, said: “My experience in the DSG was something I will cherish both personally and professionally. “From a technical perspective, I learned a number of things in terms of data – storage, confidentiality, preprocessing and new machine learning models. From a personal development point of view, I came across different leadership styles within the team, and realised what does and doesn’t work best for me in a collaborative environment.” Harsh is employed by the Chamber as a knowledge transfer partnership associate in conjunction with De Montfort University, with a remit to create data-driven insights about the East Midlands economy.

business network July/August 2022

BeauJack will perform at the Generation Next Awards

Ceremony event will put award winners in a spin

Street food, craft beer and cocktails will be on the menu at the Chamber’s next big event as the Generation Next Awards is held in person for the first time. Having been broadcast via YouTube for the inaugural edition last year due to Covid-19 regulations, the awards will be held at the Chocolate Factory, part of the Bustler Market in Derby, on Thursday 14 July in association with headline partner the University of Derby. The awards recognise young professionals and business leaders aged under 35 from across the region. Winners will be named across 10 categories designed to celebrate a range of people at all stages of the career ladder – from apprentices and managers to executives and business owners. Finalists, who were announced at an event at Nottingham’s Cosy Club in May, have already stated their

case for recognition after being interviewed by members of the Chamber’s senior management team, Generation Next board and sponsors at a virtual judging day in June. The informal awards ceremony, hosted by Kaylee Golding, will have a strong networking focus, with entertainment throughout the evening including a DJ set from BeauJack. Lucy Robinson, the Chamber’s director of resources and Generation Next lead, said: “The Generation Next Awards are a celebration of the rising stars of business who make outstanding contributions to their communities. “We received some brilliant

Kaylee Golding

applications from a diverse breadth of individuals, and our shortlist of finalists offers a glimpse into the amazing young talent that exists here in the East Midlands.” Tickets are still available for the event, which takes place from 6pm to 11pm. They £65 + VAT for Generation Next members and £75 + VAT for non-members. To register and view the shortlist, visit bit.ly/GenNextAwards

LLEP recruiting for top board roles The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) is advertising for inspiring local figures to join its board of directors, while it is also searching for a new chair. Successful candidates will become part of a team that influences economic development across the area, tackling key issues including skills, infrastructure and the net zero agenda. The LLEP, which works with partners across business, local government, education and the third sector is working towards equal representation on its board by 2023 and is particularly keen to hear from female applicants. Candidates will need to have

Emma Anderson

broad commercial experience, as well as the ability to work with public sector bodies, while demonstrating resilience, diplomacy and influence. Directors attend LLEP board meetings, currently held every two months, and may also represent

the organisation at meetings with stakeholders and other local enterprise partnerships. LLEP board member Emma Anderson, a director at Freeths, said: “We know the LLEP faces a period of change – what these positions represent is the chance to influence that change in a constructive way as we continue serving as independent ambassadors for enterprise across Leicester and Leicestershire.” Applications should be made swiftly, with interviews due to take place in the week commencing 11 July for the chair and 18 July for directors. Visit bit.ly/LLEPdirector or email LlepChair@llep.org.uk

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CHAMBER NEWS

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CHAMBER NEWS

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CHAMBER NEWS

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SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS

www.emc-dnl.co.uk/sustainability

Chamber offers business a helping hand with ESG emh homes colleagues Phil Lobue (left) and Carl Yost (right) accepting the award

emh wins award for cutting energy bills Housing and care provider emh group has scooped a regional award for its work to cut carbon and reduce residents’ fuel bills. Its housing arm emh homes was named the East Midlands’ Regional Housing Association or Landlord of the Year at the annual Energy Efficiency Awards. The not-for-profit, which is based in Coalville and operates across the East Midlands, will now compete against other regional winners at the national final in October. At a time when energy prices are hitting new heights, emh has invested more than £2m in the past financial year to install airsource heat pumps, replacement boilers, insulation and windows across more than 455 properties. This has resulted in an average saving of £270 per household. Phil Lobue, commercial head of planned operations at emh homes, said: “We are delighted to be recognised for our intensive work in this area, and even more delighted that we’ve been able to bring benefit to residents at a time when we all need it more than ever. “Installing new technologies in older buildings is never without its challenges and the team has devised some really innovative solutions, alongside our key partners, to ensure residents and the environment can benefit from them.” The judges also recognised emh’s work to fit renewable technologies, such as air source heat pumps, to more than 1,300 homes to date as part of a target to ensure a further 3,850 new homes achieve a minimum “B” EPC rating by 2028.

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Businesses can take the first steps on their sustainability journey using a new support package offered by the Chamber and RSM UK. The suite of tools, which includes a selfassessment questionnaire, training videos and best practice guidance, helps SMEs and larger firms to determine which elements of the environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda matter most to their organisation and stakeholders. They then have the option of establishing an action plan based on the results by undergoing a one-to-one consultation with an expert at audit, tax and consulting services firm RSM UK – which has entered into a strategic partnership focusing on ESG with the Chamber. The new support offer was unveiled at the Chamber’s CSR Summit, held at the University of Derby Enterprise Centre on 7 June. Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “Many businesses have already started on their ESG journey but perhaps haven’t identified the great work they are doing within a formalised strategy, so we’re delighted to offer them the tools that enable them to create a framework that recognises these activities. “Putting the East Midlands at the forefront of the ESG agenda and tracking our performance can have a far-reaching impact. We know it has a growing emphasis for financial markets and supply chains, so by showcasing how we are a great place to come and do business it will position us well to win potential future funding opportunities and investment – ultimately creating new jobs and wealth locally.” The ESG self-assessment suite, which is free to Chamber members, has been developed to give companies a starting point in developing an ESG action plan. It involves two questionnaires that help to find out which issues under the headings of the environment, social and governance matter to their business, as well as investors, suppliers, customers, business partners and employees.

A scorecard is also applied to understand the level of material risk regarding each of these issues, which could include natural resources, waste, product safety, supply chain labour standards, workplace diversity and inclusion, and GDPR. Participants can view their ESG priorities in a set of results, created using RSM’s risk and compliance management software Insight4GRC, giving them a base from which to take actions if required. They will also have follow-up consultation package options, starting from one hour with a member of RSM’s ESG team, to help build and monitor an action plan.

‘For many companies, this will be the beginning of their ESG journey’ Paul Callum (pictured), associate director in the ESG consultancy team at RSM UK, which has offices in Leicester and Nottingham, said: “The ESG programme is a fantastic free resource for businesses to use in order to understand, prioritise and monitor their ESG risks. “For many companies, this will be the beginning of their ESG journey and we’re looking forward to using our expertise to support them, ranging from a simple self-assessment through to consultancy services and more comprehensive software packages. “The importance of being engaged with this subject is becoming increasingly clear. Showcasing ESG credentials is now a key part of many public sector tenders require, corporates are bearing down on their supply chains and regulation is tightening, while internally it has a growing role in the successes of employee recruitment and retention.” For more information about the ESG selfassessment tool, visit bit.ly/ESGselfassessment

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SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS

How Hillside is making sustainability a priority How does your business model embrace the sustainability agenda? We help clients understand their impact on the planet and find solutions to improve it while meeting their objectives. Our team comprises environmental consultants, project managers, financial executives and engineers who develop bespoke pathways to net zero. At the moment, a lot of our work is focused on environmental audits to understand where clients are environmentally-friendly and where improvements can be made. This is often followed by financial planning, funding applications and energy retrofits to move them to an eco-friendly model. We often help businesses to engage team members and build sustainability into their culture, too. Colleague buy-in is critical to the success of larger projects. What prompted the decision to embrace the sustainability agenda? It’s the reason we exist – to help other businesses combat climate change. Many of our team have backgrounds in property, facilities management, engineering and design. Combining this with personal values, we discovered that aligning nature, technology and finance created the tools to meet client objectives like competitive advantage and improved profits, while also being sustainable. How important is embracing the sustainability agenda for businesses? The planet’s resources are limited and the climate emergency is prevalent, but the change we need is happening on the ground. Many

HILLSIDE ENVIRONMENTAL Description: Supports SMEs and education providers to kickstart carbon reduction plans Location: Newark, Nottinghamshire Headcount: Six people plus two consultants on a project basis Spokesperson: Charlie Davies, project manager

businesses are making sustainability a priority, especially as consumers are expecting green solutions and are willing to switch to ecofriendly alternatives. Businesses need to stay ahead of the curve to compete but also to remain resilient. Natural resources are limited, so now is the time to find renewable alternatives. Of course, barriers still exist, such as funding, but new opportunities like government grants and private finance are available there, too. What are your future plans for making your business more sustainable? We are a carbon-neutral business following the introduction of renewable energy systems like ground-source heat pumps and solar power, as well as investing in biodiversity around our premises by planting 3.2 hectares of woodland. We are also changing our current transport fleet to electric vehicles to remove further greenhouse gas emissions from our operation.

Martha Morgan’s garment, appearing here on a model, can be worn as a dress (left) or a jumper

Student fashions a planet-saving outfit A dress that transforms into a pullover has been created by a Nottingham Trent University fashion design student to save materials and help the environment. Martha Morgan, 21, says making clothes multifunctional and “fun” could reduce materials going to landfill and ensure garments last longer. “Sustainability shouldn’t be about box ticking and making things out of bamboo,” said Martha, whose designs went on display for the university’s art and design student showcase in May. “If clothes are fun and engaging in this way, they become more emotionally durable as people will love them more. This makes people want to keep them for longer and help reduce the number of items going to landfill.” Her prototype can be worn as a maxi dress, midi dress or as a jumper. Made from knit ribbing and sports neoprene, it is designed to be physically durable to withstand increased usage, while it features pockets to further add functionality for dayto-day use. The garment works by having three openings for the wearer to place their head, each with corresponding openings for the arms.

The Hillside Environmental team, including project manager Charlie Davies, second from left

University awarded £2m funding for battery project University of Nottingham research into nextgeneration batteries that have potential use in aerospace is one of 16 “seed” projects awarded £2m funding. As the battery sector seeks to electrify various forms of transport, ranging from boats to planes, the university is developing batteries with improved energy density than the current lithium-ion technology. The Faraday Institution provided funding for this project and 15 others in June to help strengthen the UK’s position in electrochemical energy storage. The University of Nottingham research is led by associate professor Lee Johnson, from the School of Chemistry, in

collaboration with teams at Oxford. His team aims to address a significant barrier to realising lithium-air batteries, which offer a route to very high energy density and are of particular interest to aerospace applications, by investigating different carbons and gas diffusion polymers. The results will inform industry partners, including Lubrizol and Rolls Royce, and define future research challenges. Dr Johnson said: “Using this funding, we will develop gas delivery systems that will allow the battery to breathe oxygen from the atmosphere. “This is a key challenge towards enabling this new technology and thus sustainable electrification of the transport sector.”

Associate professor Lee Johnson at work July/August 2022 business network

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Going global helps recycling firm build business from scrap Exporting is a central focus of Ward, a family-run national recycling business headquartered in Derbyshire. After it was recognised with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, Business Network finds out more about its work in the UK and overseas.

DONALD WARD LIMITED (WARD) Location: Headquartered in Ilkeston with 11 sites nationally Number of employees: 400 Spokesperson: Donald Ward, operations director

What does your company do? We are a fourth-generation, family-run business that collects and processes scrap metal, which is sold to a global market. We also offer a complete waste recycling package to customers on a national basis. Our activities involve processing about one million tonnes of materials annually – recycling products such as metals, plastics, glass, cardboard, wood, textiles, soils and hardcore. This ensures our customers – which include everyone from householders and local authorities to construction and demolition businesses – fulfil environmental regulations and commitments. Our core business, representing about 80% of turnover, is the processing and recycling of metals from a variety of sources, including end-of-life vehicles and demolition projects. What does your international trade operation involve? International growth is key to our business strategy. Almost three-quarters of the metal Ward recycles is exported to global customers. A significant quantity of this is certified as “end-ofwaste”, as our processing techniques produce an end product with a low impurity level – meaning it can be sold as a “product” rather than “waste”. The firm is one of only a small number of UK 42

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businesses to achieve this certification, allowing us to trade with a wider global market. We work closely with steel mills globally, selling scrap for use in blast furnaces producing steel using 80% raw material and 20% scrap, as well as electric arc or induction furnaces producing steel using 100% recycled scrap metal. Exporting is essential, as the UK’s steelworks only consume about 20% of the 10 to 12 million tonnes of scrap produced annually in the UK. Which are your biggest markets? Exporting grants us stability, opportunities throughout the global market and is central to sustainable growth. The largest market in the world for steel is Turkey as it is the world’s

Donald Ward

largest producer of reinforcing steel used in construction, known as rebar. We started exporting scrap metal in 2006 when already limited domestic markets were diminishing due to rising energy and labour costs. At this time, we were early adopters of using shipping containers to export material. We began by exporting to India, home to more steel foundries than any other location and one of the largest consumers for scrap metal in shipping containers. We quickly grew and began operating in multiple markets, including steelworks in Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Spain, Germany, Turkey, Egypt, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore. We opened a dedicated deep-sea dock at Immingham, Lincolnshire, in 2018 to further expand our capabilities for exporting metals via cargo ship as well as containers, increasing tonnages to Turkey and Egypt. How have the events of the past couple of years affected your importing and exporting activity? One of our biggest challenges is maintaining our margin, as the price of scrap fluctuates with the global economy. This is impacted by political, economic, regulatory and technological factors worldwide, and indeed the pandemic has had an impact on pricing. The scrap industry and our key customers were affected by the arrival of Covid-19 – prices halved as borders were closed and whole countries, not just industries, paused operations. These are now steadily returning to normal activity levels as worldwide recovery continues. Export has also helped us to overcome some of the additional challenges raised by Brexit. Because we already had well-established routes to markets outside the EU, our sales were not

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE Your Export Office offers an array of benefits

UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL TRADE TRAINING COURSES DATE: 12 July and 6 September TIME: 9-3.30 Import procedures (£270 + VAT)

Service will give your exports a lift With so many obstacles to untangle for businesses that trade internationally, having an extra layer of support can be a crucial asset. As the Chamber launches a new consultancy service called Your Export Office, international team leader Lucy Granger (pictured) explains the benefits for exporters and importers.

directly impacted by changes in trade arrangements. Brexit, and Covid-19, have also limited the availability of competent drivers so, to mitigate this issue, we are investing in opening rail freight depots, driver recruitment and retention policies. How has the Chamber supported your international trade operation? The Chamber has always been supportive of the Ward business in our growth locally, nationally and overseas. It’s a useful resource where we are able to share knowledge and information with other members, and access help as required. What have you done to secure a Queen’s Award for Enterprise? Over the three years to March 2019, thanks to significant investment in deep sea dock facilities and the ongoing hard work of our dedicated teams, our overseas sales grew by 84% – a growth rate of 36% per annum. We were able to expand our export capabilities to service larger customers in Turkey, Egypt, India and Pakistan. We have been recognised with the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding short-term growth in overseas sales over the past three years. It is a huge accolade for everyone in our business. We hope with the increased recognition that comes from the award, we will be able to continue with our growth aspirations in both domestic and overseas markets for the bulk processing of metal and recycling waste materials, contributing to a sustainable circular economy.

Your Export Office is a unique service covering all aspects of export administration, and is designed to allow businesses to fill any staffing or skills gaps that traders may have within their organisation. It can work for you on a retained basis to cover staff absences or holidays, one-off projects, or to just provide that little bit of support to complete an export document when it is needed. Our award-winning international team can give you peace of mind that your documentation will be delivered speedily, efficiently and right first time. Documents we can raise for you include certificates of origin, EUR1s, commercial invoices and packing lists – all issued accurately and with quick turnaround times by our team of fullyqualified staff. Members receive a 50% discount on documentation processed by Your Export Office. Some international businesses have one-off projects that perhaps need a helping hand. Your Export Office can step in by understanding a company’s needs and matching them with the expertise from one or more or our team. One area we find where businesses need some additional support is with identifying commodity codes. As an importer or exporter, it is your responsibility to identify the correct commodity code before you can start completing an import or export declaration. Whether one or 10,000 commodity codes, Your Export Office can help in establishing which code is correct, double-checking the codes you have used for years, or liaising with HMRC should you need additional support with identifying the correct code. For more information about Your Export Office, contact the Chamber’s international trade team at documentation@emc-dnl.co.uk or call 0333 320 0333. The Chamber can also support with customs declarations via the ChamberCustoms service. Email chambercustoms@emc-dnl.co.uk

Learn about the import process from initial contact with a potential supplier through to completing the import customs clearance and ensuring goods are received in time and within budget

DATE: 13 July and 13 September TIME: 9-4 Export documentation (£270 + VAT) Practical programme equipping delegates with necessary skills and knowledge to prepare and process documents when exporting goods overseas

DATE: 14 July TIME: 9-12.30 CHIEF TO CDS (£150 + VAT or £100 + VAT if taken alongside customs declaration course) With the CHIEF (customs handling of import and export freight) electronic system soon to be replaced with CDS (customs declaration service), find out about the key changes and how to prepare

DATE: 26 July TIME: 9-12 Understanding commodity coding (£150 + VAT) Navigate the complex and difficult international system for coding products for customs purposes

DATE: 1 September TIME: 9-12 Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) (£150 + VAT) Introduction to AEO, the “trusted trader” status and an internationally recognised quality mark for the international supply chain

DATE: 1 September TIME: 1-4.30 Customs special procedures – how to save time and money (£150 + VAT) Introduction to the facilitations offered on customs requirements by HMRC to help speed up the movement of goods

DATE: 7 September TIME: 9-12.30 Incoterms 2020 rules (£184 + VAT) Get a detailed and focused commercial view of the latest Incoterms 2020 standards used for moving goods

DATE: 8 September TIME: 9-12.30 Rules of origin (£150 + VAT) Learn about the certifications required by customs officials around the world to demonstrate the origin of a product, which determines how tariffs are decided *Prices listed are exclusively for East Midlands Chamber members For a full list of courses, visit bit.ly/EMCInternationalTraining

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POLITICS

Raw materials, energy, people... how rising costs are impacting business As the UK nears double-digit inflation amid global and local headwinds, prices for people, energy, raw materials and fuel are surging — leading to a cost of doing business crisis. Dan Robinson assesses the impact on the ground.

he cost of materials for label manufacturer MTM Products had been relatively stable in the years before 2020. Covid-19 lockdowns and the end of the UK-EU transition period mean the past two years have involved plenty of stockpiling, but during the latter 12 months in particular managing director Ian Greenaway has noticed prices have rapidly escalated – anywhere between 20% and 120% for plastics and metals.

‘We think materials will rise further between now and the middle of next year, after which they’ll stabilise’ Ian Greenaway

Stainless steel and aluminium have increased by 50%, while PVC sheets are up by 100% having risen almost every other month. “We source them through UK distributors but there are global shortages coming out of Covid19 that are affecting prices,” says Ian. “Capacity was reduced during lockdowns, all around the world but particularly in the Far East, and a lot of it is still offline so the price rises have just been absolutely mad. “Everyone is facing the same issues. We think materials will rise further between now and the middle of next year, after which they’ll stabilise again once extra capacity comes onstream.” The company is battling on several fronts. Even as a relatively low energy user for manufacturing, its electricity and gas bill has risen by £30,000 a year. Storage container costs have “gone through the roof” and llead times have lengthened, prompting many businesses to look towards onshoring their supply chains. MTM, which employs 43 people at its Chesterfield factory, has also been forced to double annual pay rises from 3% to 6% as the 44

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labour market thins out and inflationary pressures hurt employees. The East Midlands’ unemployment rate remained the second-lowest in Britain at 2.7% in April, even as the number of people in work was less than pre-Covid, with 50 to 64-year-old workers increasingly taking early retirement. “We have material and labour costs going up, energy prices rising, and cashflow being hit by building stocks – it’s just an incessant battering,” says Ian, who hasn’t experienced so much economic uncertainty since the 1970s. All this means MTM – like so many other businesses – must increase its own prices for customers, which he admits will ultimately add to spiralling inflation but is unavoidable. The Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey for Q2 2022 shows 62% of East Midlands firms expect they will be forced to increase their prices due to issues all too similar to those facing Ian’s organisation. Ian adds: “There’s a relative acceptance to material price rises but there’s more resistance

Narinder Nijjar

to pass on energy and labour costs to customers, who expect us to improve productivity to make up for it. “On average, we’re putting up prices between 4% and 10% annually. But it’s a nightmare to keep up because we update a price list and then there’s another load of cost increases that mean we have to change it again, so it’s taking a while to pass on the costs to the customer. “If you tot up all the extra costs we’ve incurred, it would totally wipe out any profit if we hadn’t moved any prices.” Ian admits there’s not a lot that can be done other than ride out the current storms – and, crucially, back businesses to invest – but hopes risks of a recession have been averted by the Chancellor’s intervention to support the poorest households in the cost of living crisis in May. THERE WASN’T MUCH to address an intensifying cost of doing business crisis, though, while the Bank of England’s monetary policy points towards continued rises for interest rates, which have leapt from 0.1% at the back end of

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POLITICS

Trading places: A46 is central to the economic success of East Midlands By Maria Machancoses (pictured), CEO of Midlands Connect

last year to 1.25% in June. For estate agent Fraser Stretton Property Group, this compounds the issue created by escalating fuel costs, which crashed through the £2 per litre barrier last month. The Leicester-based company has just under 100 properties listed for sale and for let across a wide radius stretching up to North Nottinghamshire, and into Warwickshire and the Black Country in the West Midlands. Narinder Nijjar, who owns the company with his wife Jaz Kaur, says: “On any given day, we’ll have up to five staff out on the road doing valuing, lettings negotiating, property viewings and business development. “With five cars, suddenly fuel costs are starting to impact us and we’ve seen our bill go up by £50 every week over the past few months. “That’s £200 a month and £2,500 a year. But if the prices continue on the same trajectory, it could go up by £7,500 a year soon, which might not sound like much but for a small business we have to work out where we’re going to claw that money back.” While the housing market boomed during the pandemic – hitting double-digit growth earlier this year – thanks to record-low interest rates and the ability for workers not placed on furlough to rack up savings, there are signs of growth slowing as the cost of living crisis squeezes budgets and rising mortgage rates make home ownership more expensive. Narinder adds: “We now have a situation where there’s not that many people willing to move house now and for the young generation, they are struggling to save deposits as all their other costs are going up. “With the prospect of fewer houses on the market, where do we find the extra £7,500 in a worst-case scenario? “The better-case scenario, though, is there will be some Government intervention at some point, so businesses are looking for some support.”

It’s no coincidence that the natural resources, geography and trading prowess of a settlement play a great role in its ultimate success or failure. Whether it be the Ancient Egyptians prospering on the fertile banks of the River Nile, the emergence of the Silk Road as a major trading route between China, Central Asia and the West, or the dizzying array of international centres that have coastal ports – London, New York, Shanghai – the importance of accessing goods, trade and trading partners is plain to see. In this new age of international trade, one where e-commerce is booming and the demand for high-quality manufactured goods is growing, the East Midlands stands on the edge of a huge opportunity. This said, we must give our region the infrastructure it needs to succeed. We must give businesses the means to reach international markets, skilled workers and suppliers. We must invest in the A46.

WHY THE A46? When it comes to international trade, the East Midlands sits on an embarrassment of riches. It’s home to the UK’s golden logistics triangle, with millions of square feet of warehousing space and the UK’s biggest dedicated air freight operation at East Midlands Airport. As well as housing large distribution centres for Amazon, DHL and UPS, it’s also home to world-leading manufacturers such as Toyota, Rolls-Royce and Alstom. All these businesses rely on the region’s main east-west trade route, the A46, which links them to the Humber and Bristol ports at each end, and East Midlands Airport at its centre, to trade effectively. The corridor stretches for 155 miles from Gloucestershire to Lincolnshire, is home to 5.5 million people and 2.9 million jobs, with an economic output of £115bn a year – equivalent to 9% of the English economy. Crucially, 22% of goods produced along the corridor are exported, well above the UK average of 15%, with the A46 corridor responsible for more than half of the Midlands’ exports.

IMPROVING KEY ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE Despite supporting businesses across the textiles, manufacturing, retail, automotive and distribution industries, poor reliability and congestion along the route’s length – especially close to urban centres at peak times – are reducing productivity. With plans for significant housing and employment growth along the corridor over the next 20 years, it’s essential we work now to alleviate pinch points, improve junctions

and achieve the journey time reliability businesses need to access markets and receive goods on time. It's estimated that Midlands Connect’s plans for strategic improvements at pinch points along the length of the A46 could boost the economy by £7.1bn and support the creation of 150,000 new jobs. With the demand for slick logistics and next-day deliveries showing no signs of slowing, and East Midlands Airport successfully bidding to become the UK’s first inland freeport last year, it’s essential these interventions are made now. A missed shipment, delayed lorry full of goods or late arrival of components can have a domino effect of delays that disrupt supply chains and prevent businesses from fulfilling orders. Smoothing the route to international gateways will encourage even more organisations to export, and allow the region to better attract the international investment it seeks with the creation of its freeport.

MAXIMISING THE REGION’S POTENTIAL We know that infrastructure, assets and resources are central to a region or settlement’s success. The East Midlands has huge potential, but only by giving businesses the trading routes they need to access workers, markets and suppliers can we hope to exploit the huge opportunity that lies ahead. I It’s essential that we gain Government support to improve the A46, an essential corridor central to the region’s success. We’re keen to work with businesses across the East Midlands to explain to policymakers why reliability and access to international gateways along the route’s length is so important, and ultimately to secure the investment we need to cement the region’s status as an international centre for trade.

July/August 2022 business network

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FEATURE

business network July/August 2022

SKILLS & TRAINING

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SKILLS & TRAINING

FEATURE

People with disabilities: The untapped labour pool By Dr Mark Dale, principal and CEO of Portland Charity ith more job vacancies than unemployed people in the UK for the first time on record, staff recruitment is a real challenge for us all. Employers are having to increase advertising budgets and be more creative in recruitment techniques to attract the right candidates in a highly competitive labour market. Then, having overcome the hurdles to a successful appointment, employers must work even harder to retain staff, who are the backbone of any successful business. But where there is challenge, there is also opportunity.

THE UNTAPPED LABOUR POOL We’ve all heard national media reports that candidates are in short supply, but if this is the case, why is there still a huge untapped and undervalued labour pool (at least one million) of skilled people ready and highly motivated to work? While many candidates are now overwhelmed with options, sadly the same can’t be said for disabled people, who face frequent rejection leading to a huge waste of human potential. To put into context the challenges disabled people face, in 2021 the disability employment gap stood at a staggering 28%. This is the difference between employment rates for people with and without disabilities. On top of this, 31% of people with disabilities are living in poverty and about 51% of people with disabilities of typical working age are classed by the Government as economically inactive. For adults with learning disabilities, those unemployment levels rocket to over 90%. Disability is a broad definition – a label that applies in varying ways to 23% of working age adults. If you can ignore the label for a moment, what really matters is matching the right person to the right job. By supporting disabled people into work, collectively we are reducing poverty and unemployment, while significantly improving people’s physical and mental health, and reducing the reliance on the public purse.

WHY EMPLOY DISABLED PEOPLE? As well as us all having a legal duty to ensure our workplaces promote equality, there are so many benefits

to employing people with disabilities. • You will have access to a wider talent pool of skilled people willing and able to work • You will benefit from higher retention rates and a more motivated workforce • You can mirror the diversity of your customers and enhance your reputation • You will be effecting change against a long-term national challenge • You will directly improve the lives of people with disabilities • Employers hold the key to change

‘While many candidates are now overwhelmed with options, sadly the same can’t be said for disabled people, who face frequent rejection’

Over the years, the Government has launched several lacklustre schemes to reduce unemployment in disabled people, and the disability employment gap has only reduced by 6% since 2013. So, the only way we can drive a step-change for this disadvantaged group is to tackle this challenge ourselves. As employers, we can adapt our own recruitment processes. Leading by example, and showcasing the huge benefits of employing disabled people is the only way we can truly effect change and transform the lives of disabled people.

HOW TO GET STARTED We understand some employers are nervous about getting things wrong and this is often the barrier to diversifying workforces. Employing disabled people doesn’t have to be difficult and we can help you make some simple adjustments to become a more accessible employer. In 2017, Portland Charity launched an innovative programme aimed at supporting people with disabilities into the workplace. Our quadruple-award-winning Portland Pathways service offers a range of free services to help bridge the disability employment gap, and to help employers find the right people for roles. We can also help businesses to apply for the Access to Work fund so you can make your workplace more accessible, and we can support applications to become a Disability Confident employer. July/August 2022 business network

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SKILLS & TRAINING

Is in-house training right for your business? Choosing an effective training course for your managers and employees can be difficult – and one of the first issues is deciding whether to send your employees to an external course, or organising in-house training. Business Network explores some of the benefits of bringing the trainer to you. ACCESS THE BEST To deliver the best training, you need the best trainers. And, while your senior managers will undoubtedly know your business inside out, they might not have the most up-to-date information and training tools to hand in order to deliver the best possible experience. Not only will an external trainer be qualified, they will also have all the latest knowledge at their disposal, as well as the hands-on experience needed to facilitate an engaging and successful training course. Your trainer will bring all the necessary supplies your staff will need to take part, and you won’t have to come up with any ideas, tasks or activities. Your trainer will be able to draw upon their experience working with other companies – content and activities that have proven successful elsewhere can be replicated for you. In order to get the most out of your investment, check testimonials and read reviews. Find out how effective the content and techniques were – after all, you want to make sure the training sticks.

CONVENIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE When it comes to training your employees, few business owners would disagree that an in-house course is the most convenient option for everyone involved. Not only will it minimise the hassle of travel, it will completely eliminate expensive travel costs. Additionally, in-house training is cheaper per head than sending your staff on a training course and reduces the amount of time your staff have to spend away from their usual day-to-day tasks – decreasing the chances of them falling behind with their work. It also allows your staff to learn in a familiar environment, which should put them at ease and more open to absorbing new information.

A TAILORED FIT You’re considering sending your staff off on a training course – but some aspects of the course aren’t relevant to your business, while other aspects don’t go into the level of detail that you require. This can be frustrating, especially when you know exactly what you want your staff to get out of a training session (and considering how much a training course can cost) – but a good in-house trainer will be happy to tailor a course to your business’ unique needs. Before the session, you will have the opportunity to discuss the company’s history, goals and, most importantly, your expectations of the course, and your trainer can make the sessions as relevant and specific as you need them to be. Your staff won’t have to waste time covering things that aren’t relevant and you can get the most out of your investment.

FRESH IDEAS In-house training can breathe a breath of fresh air to your business. An internal trainer might know the company well – but they might also be blinkered by old ideas and the old ways of doing things. An external trainer will shake things up. They might suggest new ideas and techniques that haven’t been explored before, which will encourage your staff to challenge themselves, develop new ways of thinking and discover better ways to tackle tasks. Innovative new ideas can help motivate staff to strive for excellence and be the best they can be. 48

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‘Your trainer will bring all the necessary supplies your staff will need to take part, and you won’t have to come up with any ideas, tasks or activities’ NEW SKILLS IN THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many business owners have identified skills gaps in their workforce. The world of work has rapidly evolved over the past two years – technology has shifted to keep pace with the work from home mandate, and some industries have collapsed entirely. Upskilling could teach staff new skills (or enhance their current ones) in order to adapt to the changes created by the pandemic, while reskilling would equip employees with brand new skills to enable them to work in a different part of the business if, say, their role no longer exists. An in-house trainer would help you identify if your staff need upskilling or reskilling, and best of all, conduct a tailored training session over Zoom.

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FEATURE

July/August 2022 business network

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FEATURE

SKILLS & TRAINING

Apprenticeship system to be made simpler for employers, training providers and apprentices Having reformed the apprenticeships programme over the past five years, the Education and Skills Funding Agency is now planning to make the system more user-friendly, as Business Network reveals. he Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) has unveiled a number of improvements and simplifications to apprenticeships that will come into force from August 2022. The Government agency, which brings together the former responsibilities of the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and Skills Funding Agency (SFA), is sponsored by the Department for Education, and is accountable for funding education and skills for children, young people and adults. A key element of its work has been the redevelopment of the apprenticeships programme in the UK, which has had a significant overhaul in recent times. Over the past five years, apprenticeships have been transformed into a high-quality skills programme for learners and employers, according to the ESFA. Employers have created more than 640 standards to meet their skills needs, training is delivered by registered providers that are regularly inspected, and apprentices complete rigorous end-point assessment, so employers know that they are fully competent in their role. Having reformed the apprenticeships programme, the ESFA is now aiming to make it simpler to use for employers, training providers and apprentices themselves. To this end, apprenticeships will be further improved from August 2022. Alex Burghart (pictured), the Minister for Skills, said: “We have transformed apprenticeships so they offer a high-

business network July/August 2022

quality route into professions as diverse as engineering, healthcare and digital for young people starting their careers, or adults hoping to retrain and upskill. “We now want to focus on making the system as simple and user-friendly as possible, reducing bureaucratic burdens on employers and providers and giving apprentices the best possible experience.” The proposed improvements include: • Making it simpler for individuals to accelerate their apprenticeship by placing a greater focus on provider assessment of prior learning and experience. By improving how providers take account of this at the start of their apprenticeship – and funding them to do a robust upfront assessment – apprentices will be able to cut out training they do not require and complete their apprenticeship more quickly. This means that they can spend more time in the workplace and will become fully competent sooner, boosting employer productivity and their own earnings potential. • Introducing a consistent baseline for off-the-job training, specifying the minimum number of hours that a full-time apprentice must spend in training. This will simplify the reporting for providers and create a level playing field among apprentices who are on the same standard but working different hours. This means that apprentices who work more than 30 hours a week will be able to spend more time on the job delivering for employers, while still getting the vital training they need to complete their apprenticeships.

‘We now want to focus on making the system as simple and user-friendly as possible, reducing bureaucratic burdens on employers and providers’

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• Changing English and maths requirements for those Level 2 apprentices who start with the lowest level of prior attainment in English and maths. People who start a L2 apprenticeship without L1 English and maths will no longer need to automatically attempt L2 English and maths tests to complete their apprenticeship. It will mean that thousands of L2 apprentices can focus on securing a L1 English and maths qualification with only those who are really ready to take the Level 2 tests attempting them. • Providing a more efficient payment service for providers by reducing the data needed to make payments and improving Apprenticeship Service financial reports, helping providers understand what they are being paid for each apprenticeship and why. The ESFA intends to start testing these improvements towards the end of the year. It will also do more to ensure that all employers promptly receive their £1,000 additional support payment if they take on an eligible young apprentice. Having engaged employers and providers on changing payment profiles, the ESFA received a clear message that system simplicity is the priority for them, so it does not intend to make changes to its payment profiles.

‘People who start a L2 apprenticeship without L1 English and maths will no longer need to automatically attempt L2 English and Maths tests’

MORE DETAILS ON FORTHCOMING CHANGES The changes to recognition of prior learning, off-the-job training and English and maths are due to come into effect in August 2022, and are outlined in the draft apprenticeship funding rules for main providers (August 2022 to July 2023), the draft apprenticeship funding rules for employer-providers (August 2022 to July 2023), and the draft apprenticeship funding rules and guidance for employers (August 2022 to July 2023). All three documents are available at www.gov.uk

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EAST MIDLANDS: A CENTRE OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Region’s economy is ready for take off

Home to a thriving manufacturing industry and the UK’s busiest pure freight airport, the East Midlands is building a reputation as a hub for making, moving and innovating. As a new report illustrates the true impact of East Midlands Airport on the region’s economy, Dan Robinson finds out how important this connectivity is to businesses and communities across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

s the world shut down overnight, the otherwise barren roads between junctions 20 and 30 of the M1 were lit up by lorries dispatched from nearby and branded with recognisable crests. Amazon, DHL and UPS were just some of those global titans that kept goods moving while the rest of us were forced to stay put during the various peaks of Covid-19. All three – plus plenty of other giants in the logistics game – have a sizeable, if not their primary in UK terms, presence at East Midlands Airport (EMA), where the pandemic was a double-edged tale. While passenger levels nosedived once borders around the world closed, its air freight operation scaled record heights, with a 13% increase in annual cargo volumes in 2020 owing to an online shopping boom and a move by businesses to use more secure end-to-end supply chains. It now handles more than 448,000 tonnes of goods – everything from car engines through to microchip boards, and Amazon Prime orders in between – per year, second only to Heathrow in terms of total volume but, by some way, the UK’s largest share of the freight-only aircraft market. As a result, there is huge demand for warehouse space along the M1 corridor at sites such as SEGRO East Midlands Gateway Logistics Park, East Midlands Distribution Centre and Magna Park – already employing tens of thousands of people at businesses including Asda, Disney and M&S, with plenty of scope for further growth. “The logistics sector really came to the fore during the pandemic and we were the 10th busiest airport in Europe at its height,” says Clare James MBE, who joined the airport as managing director during the first national lockdown in July 2020. “We are the UK’s largest express air freight hub and Covid-19 really shone a light on how important this was to so many businesses. “Coming out of the pandemic, we want to understand the nature of the demand of air cargo – where it fits into the regional economy and, more broadly, within the logistics sector and UK plc.”

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Clare James MBE, managing director of East Midlands Airport

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EAST MIDLANDS: A CENTRE OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

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WE CAN MAKE IT AND MOVE IT - BUT INNOVATION IS KEY

LAST NOVEMBER, THE airport’s parent company Manchester Airports Group (MAG) commissioned aviation consultancy York Aviation to produce a report that assesses the wider regional economic effects of EMA’s cargo operation. The evidence base that came to light when it was published last month will inform an updated sustainable development plan setting out a 20-year vision for EMA. Its key findings make good news for East Midlands businesses, whose goods accounted for 55,000 tonnes of cargo in 2020, about 28% of the airport’s total export volume. The value of goods exported through the airport is worth £335,000 per tonne – roughly twice both the UK airport average and EMA’s imported goods value – illustrating a regional economy that is adding significant value to UK plc. Meanwhile, there is evidence the region is benefitting by becoming more internationally focused. The growth in cargo volumes at EMA reflects how the East Midlands has outperformed the rest of the UK for exports since 2017. Its services are critical for the global supply chains of companies that are important to the Midlands economy, particularly advanced manufacturers and the aerospace sector. Given that manufacturing attracts about 36% of the region’s foreign direct investment (FDI), about double that across the UK, the York Aviation report suggests there is a clear link between the making and the moving. It points to how the East Midlands fourth for FDI in UK regions in 2021, behind London, Scotland and the South East, in the EY Attractiveness Survey, with transportation and logistics leading FDI projects. York Aviation’s analysis identified that 98 of the top 500 corporates in the East Midlands have “characteristics that suggest they are likely to be users of air cargo express freight services, such as those offered by EMA”. “The majority of these companies are within a relatively short distance of East Midlands Airport and it is, therefore, likely the airport is supporting these companies’ continued presence in the East Midlands region and their contribution to regional GVA,” it adds.

If East Midlands Airport helps to move what the region makes, there is still work to do when it comes to innovating. That’s according to Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL, founder and chair of Morningside Pharmaceuticals, who believes increases in productivity and efficiency will be what ultimately creates economic growth and new jobs during a period of uncertainty. He is keen to get the message out that innovation begins at all levels and is possible for any business, no matter their shape, size or sector. “Manufacturing is part of our heartland but we’re not always recognised for that,” says Dr Kotecha, who has numerous national and regional roles including being a Department of International Trade export champion and chairing the Leicester and Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Innovation Board. “We’re also very strong in the logistics sector and having the UK’s largest pure freight airport on our doorstep is a massive opportunity for us to move goods produced in the East Midlands both nationally and internationally. “But while we’re doing the making and moving part very well, the innovation element is where we need to increase our emphasis as a region. “Innovation is a big theme in central Government at the moment and comes into every pot of funding for businesses because it recognises how this will be a quick and sustainable route to achieving economic growth.

‘When looking for the next formulation of a generic drug, it’s all about innovation so this is something Morningside lives and breathes every day’ “We need to get the message out that it applies to every single organisation, whether you are a microbusiness all the way up to the largest companies.” Morningside, based in Loughborough, manufactures and distributes a wide range of high-quality generic medicines for the UK and global markets. It has distributed to more than 120 countries since inception, with a myriad of products supplied to international aid agencies, charities and NGOs. Dr Kotecha, who founded the business from his home garage in 1991, wants to see more investment and new approaches in skills development. He points to the Digital Skills Hub, in Loughborough, as a good example of what can be done. Backed by the

Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL

Loughborough Town Deal fund, it will work with employers to deliver a greater breadth of work placement opportunities in the digital space for local people. But he also believes innovation must be embedded into an organisational culture, adding: “When looking for the next formulation of a generic drug, it’s all about innovation so this is something my company Morningside lives and breathes every day. “To build innovation into products, services and processes, we really believe it’s the way to grow businesses. “But a lot of people don’t understand innovation. They think it’s the same as invention but it’s anything that a business can do, or already does, that encourages continuous improvement efficiency or productivity – which ultimately drives growth and creates jobs. “Innovation is not only a new drug discovery or space satellite – it can be the simplest changes that take place in our business, at all levels, which allow us to adapt our businesses, become more competitive and succeed.” He gives an example of low-lying innovation at his business from three years ago when an administrator helped to address challenges with high printing costs by suggesting the addition of user accounts and passwords for office printers. By identifying where heavy usage was coming from, it made individuals more careful about using them and resulted in printing costs being cut by 35%. Dr Kotecha adds: “It’s made the company more cost-effective and environmentally-efficient, and it all came from a very simple idea from a very talented junior member of staff. “So this is developing the message that anyone can innovate – we just have to start putting that culture in place.”

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EAST MIDLANDS: A CENTRE OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

David Williams

INITIATIVES AND DEVOLUTION WILL BRING REAL OPPORTUNITY The raft of opportunities awaiting the East Midlands could be a “watershed moment” for the region, believes the chairman of law firm Geldards. David Williams, who is also deputy chairman of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, says initiatives such as the East Midlands Freeport and East Midlands Development Company – coupled with progress being made in the devolution political agenda – will give it a new voice. Being able to call on the York Aviation report as an evidence base of how East Midlands Airport supports the national economy is a powerful weapon in its armoury, he adds. “We’ve known for a long time that the East Midlands needs a voice but for people to hear the voice, we need to be saying something,” says David.

‘If we can continue to develop partnerships between our universities and industry then it feels like this is the East Midlands’ time’ “This new report gives us the evidence base of something we can shout about, and it’s something worth listening to on a national and international scale. “When you then look at the opportunities brought to the party by the freeport and EM Devco, it’s a real watershed moment for the East Midlands. Very clearly, we have a package of economic opportunities for the world to sit up and take notice.” Establishing close engagement between the East Midlands’ six universities and industry has always been one of the biggest hurdles to overcome if innovation is to happen, and he is

business network July/August 2022

encouraged at the progress being made in this space. He says: “The universities each have outstanding capabilities in their fields and are getting ever more adept at generating innovation that is capable of being commercialised. “What the East Midlands has been successful at in the past is in creating and implementing new technologies, going back hundreds of years. “This has created new advanced manufacturing sectors in everything from medtech and nuclear through to the application of hydrogen fuels, with clean growth and net zero a thread that runs throughout these. “If we can continue to develop partnerships between our universities and industry then it feels like this is the East Midlands’ time.” David, who is also a board member of both the Chamber and Nottingham Trent University, admits there have been previous false dawns, including a failed devolution bid in 2015/16 where he believes the messaging to businesses was wrong and lacked detail about the capital investment it could attract. But he senses a different mood this time around, with four upper-tier local authorities in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire applying in June to form an East Midlands Mayoral Combined Authority, which would benefit from greater powers over issues such as transport, regeneration and employment. Leicestershire is not currently part of this bid but may pursue its own county deal. “Devolution is a very exciting opportunity and comes back to having a powerful East Midlands voice,” adds David. “It’s a shame this voice doesn’t currently include Leicestershire but who knows what might happen in the future.”

CLARE BELIEVES THE airport’s location in the “golden triangle”, where it is within a four-hour drive of 90% of England and Wales’ population, and associated road and rail infrastructure helps to “capitalise” on industrial strengths such as manufacturing. Advanced manufacturing, which typically relies on the import and export of time-sensitive commodities and are a source of high-wage jobs that drive significant value for the regional economy, make up the majority of EMA’s air cargo service users, with 54% of non-EU exports by value, followed by aerospace (27%). Other key sectors include healthcare, pharmaceuticals, automotive and fashion. Businesses are connected with 185 cities worldwide within one stop. The list comprises 76% of the world’s largest cities – including New York, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris, Mumbai, Jakarta and Frankfurt – and 51% of second-tier cities, such as Bogota, Tel Aviv, Cape Town, Seattle, Nairobi and Panama City. The “one-stop network” relies on a hub-and-spoke model in which EMA links directly into hub destinations such as Leipzig, Milan and Cincinnati for DHL; Cologne and Philadelphia for UPS; and Liege, Cologne and Paris for FedEx. Clare says the airport continues to work with cargo partners to grow the one-stop network, adding: “As the UK continues to establish new relationships with key economies around the world, the airport will play an increasingly important role in the safe and speedy movement of time-critical and high value goods in and out of the UK. In doing so, it will continue to make a significant contribution to strengthening the East Midlands as a globally connected international economy.” But she is keen to stress the airport has a dual role, with the passenger operation – expected to reach 75% of preCovid levels this summer – continuing to be hugely important for the region. “To sustain and grow the passenger element, we need to build on the public transport connectivity to the airport, which is key to supporting green growth,” she says. “This will also help the logistics element because public transport doesn’t run particularly well at all times for workers’ shifts. “It’s all part of having one vision for the airport, which really looks at everything around the infrastructure to sustain the businesses already here.” MANY TRENDS WITNESSED during lockdown fell by the wayside as life returned to normal – cities are no longer emptying out and central apartment prices are rising again, as one example – but EMA’s air cargo operation remains strong, with £1.3bn worth of goods exported through the airport in March this year alone. Opportunities for further growth will arrive soon in the f orm of the East Midlands Freeport, which will offer tax incentives to businesses located within three dedicated tax

A vision for how Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station could look as a net zero energy hub

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EAST MIDLANDS: A CENTRE OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

East Midlands Intermodal Park is one of three tax sites at the East Midlands Freeport

KEY NUMBERS BEHIND EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT’S REGIONAL IMPACT 448,000 tonnes of goods handled per year at EMA, the UK’s largest share of the freight-only aircraft market £335,000 annual customs value of exports, per tonne, through EMA – 1.9-times higher than the £180,000 average for other UK airports and 168times higher than the average for all UK ports 13% increase in annual cargo volumes in 2020, supercharged by the Covid-19 pandemic

‘Innovation, particularly in areas such as the net zero agenda, is at the heart of what the freeport and EM Devco want to achieve’

£1.3bn of goods exported through the airport in March 2022 alone, proving much of this new business is expected to stay 55,000 tonnes of cargo, about 28% of EMA’s total export volume in 2020, originated in the East Midlands 36% of foreign direct investment in the East Midlands goes to manufacturing, which is about double that across the UK as a whole

FOCUS FEATURE

sites – East Midlands Airport and Gateway Industrial Cluster, Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, and East Midlands Intermodal Park – after setting up operations in the UK for the first time. The airport was a key part of the region’s successful bid for freeport status, which brought together cross-party MPs, local authorities from the three counties and the private sector. A final business case for the freeport proposition has been submitted to Government and a full launch is imminent. Clare says the freeport is an important part of the levelling up agenda and links in well with the aspirations of the East Midlands Development Company (EM Devco). Led by five local authorities and backed by Government, this new organisation’s remit is to seize a “once-in-ageneration opportunity to supercharge the region’s economy and create tens of thousands of new jobs via three landmark developments of national significance”. Two of these – the airport area and power station – are inside the tax sites, while the other is the Toton and Chetwynd East Midlands Hub. “It plays to the aspirations of EM Devco in terms of looking at this holistic East Midlands offering and really coalesces around a single vision for the region built on the success we already have,” adds Clare. “The freeport will capitalise on what the airport has to offer, what the maritime rail sector has to offer, and what our advanced manufacturing and logistics sectors have to offer by encouraging more inward investment and upskilling. “Innovation, particularly in areas such as the net zero agenda, is at the heart of what the freeport and EM Devco want to achieve, so we must think about how to harness the skills we already have in those industries as well as in the talent coming out of our universities. “There’s already interest in the freeport from foreign investors, particularly from the Far East and USA, who see the UK being an important staging post in trading goods. Out of this will come more job opportunities, which bring wealth into the region.”

SEGRO East Midlands Gateway Logistics Park

80% of UK’s population are within a four-hour drive of the “golden triangle” in which EMA is located 185 cities served by EMA’s “one-stop” network, including 76% of the world’s “alpha” cities and 51% of “beta” cities Statistics taken from York Aviation’s report, titled Regional Economic Effects of Air Cargo Operations at East Midlands Airport.

MAJOR LOGISTICS SITES NEAR EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT SEGRO East Midlands Gateway Logistics Park: Located to the north of the EMA runway, the 700-acre development has planning consent for up to six million sq ft of logistics accommodation, and features a 50-acre strategic rail freight interchange and terminal that can handle up to 16 freight trains per day. East Midlands Distribution Centre, Castle Donington: Site to the north of the airport offering more than two million sq ft of logistics and distribution infrastructure, with M&S, Birlea and Interlevin among its tenants. Magna Park, Lutterworth: Britain’s first and Europe’s largest dedicated distribution park, with a 500-acre site home to almost 10,000 employees across 25 businesses, including Argos Distribution, Asda George, Britvic, Disney, TNT, Toyota and Unipart. Mercia Park: Jaguar Land Rover will locate a three million sq ft global parts distribution centre at this site in North West Leicestershire, where transport company DSV will also have a 450,000 sq ft warehouse.

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FEATURE

REGENERATING THE EAST MIDLANDS

‘Repurposing place’ is theme of Derby Property Summit 2022

Region’s largest investment and regeneration insight event marks 10th year he repurposing of place will be the central theme when the Derby Property Summit returns next month. Featuring a top line-up of respected keynote speakers, the event will take place in Derby city centre on Wednesday 13 July. Now held as a hybrid event – with delegates present in person and online – it is set to attract business leaders, key decision-makers and investors from across the region and beyond. Organised by Marketing Derby, the Queen's Award-winning investment promotion agency for Derby and Derbyshire, the Derby Property Summit will once again be hosted by BBC and LBC business journalist Declan Curry. This year’s event will explore the role that inward investment, green growth and foreign direct investment can play in repurposing Derby and the towns of Derbyshire in the post-Covid recovery. It will take place at the QUAD cinema, with the forthcoming Urban Forest installation, in the Market Place, providing the backdrop – epitomising the “repurposing of place” theme. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the world has changed – as has customer expectations of place. Blue and green spaces have become more valued – and this year’s Derby Property Summit will explore how Derby and Derbyshire is reacting to this change. It will showcase £2bn of current and upcoming development and regeneration opportunities in both the city and county – and will look at how many of these schemes have

business network July/August 2022

‘This year will be our most important summit as we look to repurpose our cities and towns’ been designed to support a more sustainable future. This year's keynote speakers will share international, national and local perspectives. The line-up includes Courtney Fingar, editorin-chief of GlobalData’s Investment Monitor, Paul Simpson, chief executive of Derby City Council and Chris Henning, executive director of place at Derbyshire County Council. There will also be "talking-head" contributions from economist Jim O’Neill, Baron O’Neill of Gatley, and businessman Sir Tim Smit, the man behind Cornwall’s Eden Project, who is backing plans by Down to Earth for a nature-based regeneration of Derby. John Forkin (pictured), managing director of Marketing Derby, said: “We feel that this year will be our most important summit as we look to repurpose our cities and towns. “While the challenge is shared, the solutions must be bespoke to each place. “We are hoping the line-up of speakers will provide insights and learning that will help shape our plans going forward.” Now in its 10th year, the Derby Property Summit is the largest investment and regeneration event in the Midlands, bringing together the local and regional property and investment communities in a lively mix of thought leadership and investment pipeline updates.

This year, the summit is being supported by event partners Faithful + Gould and Atkins, Matthew Montague Architects and AJS Structural Design. As well as the speakers, it will feature a number of films and presentations, which will show why Derby and Derbyshire is a great place to live, work, invest and play.

The summit will also demonstrate the confidence that is being shown by investors in the city and county, creating genuine economic momentum. Such confidence is not misplaced, according to the latest Irwin Mitchell UK Powerhouse report, which said that Derby’s economy will be the fastest growing in the East Midlands by the end of 2023. Key schemes driving this growth are listed in the Derby Investment Prospectus and the recently created Derbyshire Investment Prospectus, both of which will be showcased at the Derby Property Summit. For more information or to register for the event, visit www.marketingderby.co.uk/events

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REGENERATING THE EAST MIDLANDS

FEATURE

July/August 2022 business network

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TRAINING & EVENTS

Celebrating region’s female talent

The awards shortlist was unveiled at a summer event at Winstanley House

From rising stars to established leaders, the best of the region’s female business talent is recognised in a special edition of the Chamber’s Enterprising Women Awards this year. Finalists across 11 categories were announced for the 2022 awards, organised in partnership with headline sponsor Futures Housing Group, at a summer networking event held at Winstanley House, in Leicester, on 9 June. Three new categories have been added to the bill for the annual gala dinner, which takes place at Leicester Tigers’ Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium on 30 September, marking the 25th anniversary of the Enterprising Women network. These include a Diversity Champion, Rising Star and Lifetime Achievement Award, the latter of which doesn’t have a shortlist and will instead be given as a surprise to an unsuspecting winner on the night.

‘We wanted to celebrate with an extra-special awards’ A judging panel, comprising members of the Enterprising Women team, Chamber board of directors and category sponsors, will be held on 5 July for the finalists to get their chance to pitch before winners are decided. Enterprising Women co-chair Jean Mountain said: “In a big year for the Enterprising Women network, we wanted to celebrate with an extraspecial awards, and we firmly believe this shortlist delivers this. “It features some truly inspiring women across a wide range of sectors and backgrounds, as well as across different parts of their career journey – from those just starting out in apprenticeship roles to highly successful business leaders representing everything that is great about our region.” Fellow co-chair Eileen Perry MBE DL added: “We were overwhelmed to receive so many fantastic entries that selecting who goes through to the final was a massive challenge, and we can’t wait for the judging panel now to decide our 2022 winners.” The Enterprising Women Awards 2022, hosted by TV presenter Emma Jesson, features a threecourse meal as well as entertainment. Individual tickets are priced at £75 + VAT for Chamber members and tables of 10 cost £700 + VAT. To book a place, visit bit.ly/EWAwards22 58

business network July/August 2022

Enterprising Women Awards 2022 shortlist Business Woman of the Year – Sponsored by Futures Housing Group Olivia Pritchard – Bustler Market @ The Chocolate Factory Samantha Bennett – Hear4u & Healthscreen Emily Smith – Michael Smith Switchgear Monica Huang – Morningside Pharmaceuticals Laura Cook – The Learning Support Centre Female Entrepreneur of the Year – Sponsored by Midlands Engine Investment Fund Olivia Pritchard – Bustler Market @ The Chocolate Factory Jaz Kaur – Fraser Stretton Property Group Dawn Brown – Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care Charlene Brand – The Wellness Brand Sarah Withers – Withers Gin

Outstanding Contribution to Work in STEM – Sponsored by Pick Everard Bam Boom Cloud ChangeXtra De Montfort University Lotus Maternity PERFORMS Assessment

Social Commitment Award – Sponsored by She Inspires Global Gift Wellness Michael Smith Switchgear Morningside Pharmaceuticals Treetops Hospice TTK Confectionery

Apprentice of the Year – Sponsored by EMA Training Rebecca Houlston – Cross Productions Polly Oakes – Express Recruitment Lucy Bamford-Jones – Fidler & Pepper Lawyers Esme Wade – MacMartin Ruby Birks – Purpose Media

Small Business of the Year – Sponsored by Unique Window Systems Access Training East Midlands Cross Productions EMA Training Fraser Stretton Property Group Noble Events Female Employee of the Year – Sponsored by Smallman & Son Victoria Philp – Everards Brewery Katie Stephens – Noble Events Lizzie Peate – Penny Price Aromatherapy Karen Miles – trentbarton Leah Binney – TTK Confectionery Team of the Year – Sponsored by PPL PRS Balls2 Marketing Everards Brewery Loates HR Consultancy TTK Confectionery TwentyTwenty – Love4Life

Rising Star Award – Sponsored by Amanda Daly, The Turnaround CEO Lottie Hardy – EMA Training Emma Baumback – Future Life Wealth Management Grace Golden – Purpose Media Jessica Barnett – Timms Solicitors Santa York – TTK Confectionery Diversity Champion – Sponsored by Breedon Consulting Stephen Gould – Everards Brewery Narinder Nijjar – Fraser Stretton Property Group Maria Hanson – me&dee Gill Heppell – PerCurra Zinthiya Ganeshpanchan – Zinthiya Trust/She Inspires Global Lifetime Achievement Award – Sponsored by Paradigm Wills Finalists not announced for this category – winner announced at the gala dinner

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TRAINING & EVENTS

Why manufacturers’ collaboration matters By Mark Goldby DL (pictured), non-executive director and ambassador for Qinesis – The Business Growth Company

Clockwise from top left: Mary Daunt, Lianne Bush, Evie Smith and Karen Miles

Panellists will address gender stereotypes A professional boxer and award-winning bus driver are among the successful women discussing workplace stereotypes at Enterprising Women’s next event. Titled “An Outsider on the Inside”, a panel representing a wide field of industry and sport will discuss how they have overcome gender stereotypes associated with their roles. The event, which ends with a Q&A for delegates to join an open discussion, takes place at De Vere Jubilee Conference Centre, at the University of Nottingham, on Thursday 28 July from 1pm to 4pm. The panellists are: Lianne Bush: A professional boxer currently ranked first in Great Britain for her weight division, Lianne can talk about how she has trained her way to the top of the sport and dealing with the limelight in a predominantly male environment. Mary Daunt: An extensive career has included senior roles for Mary at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, business network Birmingham Forward and global law firm Squire Patton Boggs LLP. Now a board director at Futures Housing Group and senior independent director of Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby, she is passionate about equal opportunities for all – in particular those with disabilities – whether in sport or everyday life. Evie Smith: Crowned the Apprentice of the Year at last year’s Enterprising Women Awards, Evie a blowmoulding maintenance engineer at multinational consumer goods firm Reckitt Benckiser. When she started at the company, she was the only female shift engineer in an department of 52 employees. Karen Miles: A bus driver at trentbarton, she was named Top National Bus Driver at the UK Bus and Coach Awards 2021. Karen is only the second-ever female winner of the UK bus industry’s premier driving awards in its 26-year history. Tickets cost £20 for members and £35 for nonmembers, and are available from bit.ly/EWstereotypes

According to the Make UK & BDO Regional Outlook Report, the 260,000 manufacturing jobs in the East Midlands present the largest proportion of people employed in the sector compared to any region. Similarly, the regional GVA (Gross Value Added) from manufacturing is, at 15.9%, way above the UK average. The importance of manufacturing to our region’s prosperity is why the Chamber and Qinesis have partnered on the new East Midlands Manufacturing Network. The network presents collaboration at its best – bringing together the reach and resources of the Chamber, expertise of the network’s chair, vice-chairs and Make UK, and the generosity of the region’s universities in offering their facilities for free. Each local network has its own personality, with the agenda led by the membership itself. One of the key topics for discussion in the Derbyshire Dales has been the need to align Peak District National Park planning with the needs of the area’s manufacturing needs. A potential role is now emerging for the network to act as a lobbying vehicle for its members. Risk assessments and policy have featured high on the agenda in North Nottinghamshire, and, in Leicestershire, the shortage of a STEM workforce supply. At the same time, wider regional opportunities and challenges – such as staff recruitment, retention and wellbeing, as well as supply chain issues – are becoming apparent. There is also broad recognition of the wider benefit for manufacturers to engage with peers beyond their local area. In fact, they are actively encouraged to attend meetings in other areas, with several delegates already taking up that opportunity. The target is to have up to 70 member companies for each network, with a steady 25 coming to each meeting. Having developed the Nottinghamshire Manufacturing Network over many years, I knew

getting manufacturing businesses in a room together would allow us to create a supportive peer environment and tackle challenges together. I’ve been blown away with both the attendance and candid discussion in the meetings so far. This is such a positive first step as these groups start to grapple with issues that are a priority to them. Of course, the meetings have already seen lots of debate about the rising costs of energy and doing business. Added to that, however, there’s been real positivity around collaborative efforts to develop and execute opportunities that will surely set the foundations for real and sustainable manufacturing growth across our region. The networks are hosted as follows: • Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Network by the University of Derby at Buxton Dome, and the Derbyshire Network at the Enterprise Centre, Derby. • North Nottinghamshire Network by Nottingham Trent University at the NTU University Centre, Mansfield. • Leicestershire Network by the University of Leicester at the Space Park, Leicester. Upcoming meetings for each region are listed at: www.emc-dnl.co.uk/emmn

Helping senior managers to develop Equipping directors and senior managers with the skills and confidence needed to drive their business forward and achieve objectives is the aim of the Chamber’s Director Development Programme. Delivered in-person at the Chamber’s office at NG2 Business Park in Nottingham, it will be held across five full-day sessions running from Wednesday 8 September to Thursday 3 November, between 9.30am and 4.30pm, under the following topic headings: • Developing vision, values and strategy leadership • Planning, direction and priorities • Finance for non-financial directors

• People management approaches • Driving performance and leading change. Course leader Charles Barnascone is a highly-experienced trainer, sales coach and business development consultant who has worked with a large number of diverse companies delivering training programmes and solutions. The Director Development Programme costs £1,450 plus VAT for members. Visit bit.ly/DDPSept22 or to discuss the programme further, contact Vicki Thompson on 0333 320 0333 (ext 2153) or email vicki.thompson@emc-dnl.co.uk

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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

Travel business is really taking off! The husband-and-wife team behind a specialist travel agent have moved their business into the online sphere after receiving support and funding from the Digital Upscaler project. Jason Daniels and Danielle Nemeth, who acquired Cruise Circle in 2009, approached the Chamberrun programme to help realise their vision of evolving it into an online travel provider for the cruise sector. Having already completed the initial stage of a new website build, the couple received one-to-one advice from Digital Upscaler technology adviser Jason Roper to elevate the platform. It resulted in a radical improvement for their customers’ online experience by implementing new features and automation functionality, which will help them realise wider growth ambitions for Cruise Circle. Managing director Jason Daniels said: “We wanted to transform the digital infrastructure we’d inherited and take our customers' digital journey and experience to a whole new level. We needed expert guidance to achieve this and when seeking out funding and support it became immediately clear that the Digital Upscaler project ticked all the right boxes.” Cruise Circle, which was established in 2005 and is a member of the Cruise Lines International Association, is one of the UK’s top independent travel agents specialising in cruise holidays and employs 14 staff. But it faced challenges in the form of an outdated IT system inherited by Jason and Danielle, which was not advanced enough to support their plans to take the business to new heights. The owners recognised the travel

Jason Daniels and Danielle Nemeth

‘We wanted to transform the digital infrastructure we’d inherited and take our customers' digital journey and experience to a whole new level’ industry was modernising as the way customers accessed and booked holidays changed. “For us to thrive we needed to meet customer expectations, which increasingly centred around elevating our online capabilities,” said Jason. Having heard about the Digital Upscaler project – which propels high-growth businesses by supporting them with technology needs – from another Chamberdelivered service, the D2N2 Growth Hub, in February 2020, Cruise Circle signed up and soon began receiving one-to-one digital advice from Jason Roper.

Agency retains gold level partnership with Microsoft Intelligent Decisioning has renewed its “gold” partnership with Microsoft – a classification used by the software giant for partners that demonstrate “best-in-class capability” within one of its services. The Nottinghamshirebased agency uses specialist knowledge of Microsoft SharePoint, a platform used by organisations for collaboration and sharing files internally, to help businesses grow and evolve. It first qualified as a gold partner in 2008 and managing director

Andy Smith (pictured) said the latest renewal “demonstrates our ongoing commitment to delivering innovative, cost-effective, Microsoft technology-based solutions for our customers”. He added: “Recertifying as a Microsoft gold partner allows us to continue to provide our customers with increased collaboration and communication capability, improve customer and business partner confidence, increase our business resilience and align more closely with customer requirements.”

Drawing from many years of technical experience, he was able to offer extensive functionality insight and demonstrate in detail what was achievable. Having immersed himself in the company’s long-term commercial objectives, he helped it to define an end-to-end digital strategy and map out a detailed scoping brief, which helped the business choose the right development partner. Jason also helped Cruise Circle to prepare a technology grant funding application, which resulted in it being awarded £26,250 to help fund new digital infrastructure. Key outcomes included achieving

digital interconnectivity that standardises cruise data supplied by different providers, enhancing productivity and customer experience, and integrating leading-edge e-commerce capabilities via a booking system that launched in March this year. Two further phases are planned to expand the range of cruises on offer and introduce an innovative cruise customisation functionality. Jason Daniels said Jason Roper helped him to “completely rethink and rebuild our digital position”. He added: “He helped us understand the digital architecture we needed to develop was, in principle, not entirely different to that deployed by other businesses in other sectors. This reassured us that, with the right technical support, our digital functionality goals were perfectly within reach.”

How to access digital business support Are you a high-growth business looking to invest in new technologies to propel your business? Is your business facing barriers to growth due to a lack of understanding of new technologies? If so, then get on board with the Digital Upscaler project. Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber, it aims to provide highgrowth businesses in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire with the knowledge, investment and capacity to scale up through embracing new technologies. Visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/digitalupscaler

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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

Vicky Critchley

International tech award for Vicky Vicky Critchley, CEO of Derby-based global IT firm Bam Boom Cloud, was named the MVP Woman of the Year Award at an international tech awards. She picked up the prize at the Women in Cloud Partner Awards, presented at the Ingram Micro Cloud Summit 2022 in Miami Beach, Florida, in May. It was the first awards of its kind to celebrate the achievements of individuals and businesses within Ingram Micro Cloud’s ecosystem, with the WVP Woman of the Year category honouring an individual female “seen as the most valuable player, and who provides immeasurable inspiration to her team and organisation”. Vicky was recognised for helping Bam Boom Cloud develop a reputation not only for customer excellence but also for an inclusive and progressive workplace, with women now occupying a third of the global team and more than half of senior management positions. She said: “Ingram has always been a fantastic supporter of women in the tech industry and this women in cloud category showcases some of the most brilliant and dynamic female leaders in the world, so to be recognised as one of these is incredible. “I am so proud to be part of an amazing global crew of super women at Bam Boom Cloud, who demonstrate there is so much interest and passion from women to be a part of our industry.”

business network July/August 2022

Don’t get lost in translation when it comes to legalese By Dominika Cichocka Đelmo (pictured), head of legal translation projects at PAB Languages In law, there is no margin for error. Unlike other industries where miscommunication causes a loss of time and profit, here the consequences of inaccurate information can jeopardise entire businesses operations or even lives. As more businesses seize the opportunity of international growth, the presence of legal translation disputes has risen exponentially. Going global can boost your market share, customer base and revenue potential but it will inevitably come with a roll or two of red tape.

WHY DO I NEED LEGAL TRANSLATION FOR MY BUSINESS GROWTH? When approaching expansion, businesses must understand long lists of legal regulations that shift from country to country. However, the complexity of these lists isn’t the only problem – the barrier is in correctly interpreting, adhering and completing legal documentation in a foreign language. It is vital your organisation overcomes this language barrier to meet the legal regulations of each country in which you operate. All legal documentation must be 100% accurate in the target language, whether it’s employment law, tax obligations, or contractual agreements with clients and suppliers.

IS TRANSLATING PRIVACY POLICY, AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS, A MORAL OR LEGAL OBLIGATION? The answer is both. Moral businesses require a clear privacy policy that should inform users of how their data is collected, stored and used. Under GDPR regulations, businesses that attract international audiences yet fail to translate their legal documentation could be liable to prosecution by failing to provide “transparent” or “intelligible” information to users.

resolve issues with misinterpreted contextually dependent factors before it achieves parity with human translators. Google Translate is a saviour when asking for directions abroad but falls very far short for certified legal translation.

PROTECT YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

CONSIDER CULTURAL SENSITIVITIES

If your business creates original innovative ideas or unique new technologies, it is vital your intellectual property (IP) is protected. When expanding to new foreign markets, don’t forget to translate these documents. Failure to adequately translate your IP documentation could lead to competitors copying your ideas. However, if translated effectively, your IP will be protected by law, and you can take legal action against anyone who leverages your product without legitimacy.

The process of legal translation should also involve a careful consideration of cultural interpretation. Most cultures have unique traditions, sensitivities, and nuances, and it is important the documentation coneys a high standard of cultural awareness. It is important your language service provider uses translators that are not only experts within the legal field but also native speakers of your target language.

DON’T RELY ON MACHINE TRANSLATION Machine translation has some great qualities – it is time-efficient, somewhat accurate and constantly improving. However, it needs to

USE A LEGAL TRANSLATION PROVIDER A provider such as PAB Languages can offer the professional support needed to accurately adhere to the legal requirements of different countries, while offering a high level of cultural expertise.

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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

July/August 2022 business network

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BUSINESS NETWORK

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Unlock the

empathy advantage We interviewed Dr Zareen Roohi Ahmed, founder of FemaleFriendlyWorkplaces.com (FFW Ltd) on her innovation for STEM industries. You’ve just been nominated as a finalist in the Enterprising Women Awards. Where does the passion for your work come from? I’ve had a varied career spanning 30 years, across every sector, but have always had a focus on women’s human rights. The biggest influence in my life was my daughter Halimah who tragically passed away 15 years ago. We’d made a pact to work together to create a business for good once she had graduated, so ever since her passing I’ve been working to fulfil that promise. From our school and college in Pakistan for over 1,100 disadvantaged girls, to the Gift Wellness social enterprise and our period poverty work, where over six million products have been donated to women in crisis, it’s all about empowering women. Having already built your award-winning business Gift Wellness, what made you go from manufacturing and selling natural products to establishing a consultancy about women’s reproductive rights at work? The demand for our ‘period poverty’ work, especially during the first Covid-19 lockdown prompted my research into how women managed their reproductive bodily functions within different settings, at home, at school and at work. In particular I explored what needed to change in order to create more female friendly workplaces. I realised that the stigma around women’s reproductive systems would prevent any meaningful discussion between employees within a traditional training environment. A female employee for example was never going to speak openly in front of her male colleagues or boss about how she was having to negotiate her work with her heavy periods caused by endometriosis. I thought if only we could put men in our shoes, so that they could empathise with what we go through. So that’s what we did... Using virtual reality (VR) gaming technology!

How do you incorporate VR gaming technology into your consultancy work? We’ve created VR scenarios based on real life examples of menstrual, pregnancy and menopause events within workplaces. When a delegate puts on the VR headset, they step into the shoes of one of our protagonists and experience what they’re going through during a working day. This creates empathy within the delegate and a first-hand understanding of how their female colleagues navigate their reproductive life cycles, whilst trying to progress their careers, within an environment that’s based on how men’s bodies function. What’s the response to your consultancy within the STEM market so far? A recent example I can give to describe the impact of our approach is from Overbury Construction in London, where a team of senior directors along with male and female managers experienced one of our VR sessions. The moment they took off their VR headsets, it was as if a barrier had been lifted for them to begin conversing openly about menstrual, pregnancy or menopause issues at work, and what needed to change. How do companies apply to work with you? We ask companies to take our simple scorecard so we can assess their needs and suitability for our consultancy service. Alternatively, they can book a free initial consultation with us to go through their specific needs.

Take the FFW Scorecard by scanning the QR code

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business network July/August 2022

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LEGAL

Why businesses should embrace changes to delayed Employment Bill A highly-anticipated Employment Bill, which would have given workers more protection from unfair dismissal and zero-hours contracts as well as a right to request flexible working, was left out of the Queen’s Speech for the second year running. But Katie Ash (pictured), head of employment law at Banner Jones Solicitors, outlines why businesses should consider implementing these changes as soon as possible regardless of the delays. A planned Employment Bill was first announced in December 2019, fuelled by concerns that workers’ rights could be affected by Brexit. In the main, it was intended to tackle issues such as pregnancy discrimination, unfair dismissal and lack of rights relating to flexible working requests. However, while plans to introduce the Bill are still in motion, its progress through Parliament has been hit with numerous delays. This has sparked a backlash from workers, unions, and organisations, which are keen to improve working conditions across the UK for everyone.

WHAT EXACTLY DID THE EMPLOYMENT BILL PROMISE? • Creation of a single enforcement body that will offer greater protection for workers • Guarantee that workers receive tips in full • Right for workers to ask for a more predictable contract after

•

• • •

26 weeks of working on variable hours Extending the redundancy protection period for maternity and pregnancy by six months Parents allowed to take paid extended leave for neonatal care Guaranteeing carers one week’s unpaid leave A proposal for making flexible working the default position unless employers have a valid reason not to allow this.

SUPPORTING EMPLOYEES HAS BUSINESS BENEFITS As TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said, failing to implement the Employment Bill means that “bad bosses” will be “celebrating,” as vital rights risk being ignored and dismissed. However, in my experience as an employment lawyer, many of the rights mentioned fall into best practice anyway, which all businesses – especially those that want to attract and retain good

‘Be mindful that this is legislation which will still come into force sooner rather than later’ staff in an increasingly competitive market – should be considering regardless. One of the key areas of focus for the Bill was to allow workers to request flexible working from day one of their employment contract. Post-pandemic, it’s a hot topic and businesses in different sectors are now considering a hybrid model that works for everybody. Equally, allowing parents extended leave if their baby is in neonatal care will give them the time and space needed to deal with what is undoubtedly a difficult and traumatic situation. In doing so, the employer is putting the employee’s health and wellbeing first, meaning they are likely to be far stronger when they do return. Embracing changes such as this

wholeheartedly not only protects your workers, but improves loyalty and morale, and will no doubt strengthen your reputation in the eyes of both your team, and your customers. Retention and recruitment aside, business owners should also be mindful that this is legislation which will still come into force sooner rather than later. When it does, contracts, company policies and handbooks will need to reflect the changes, and internal training might be required. Starting the process now will help to ensure that businesses are not “caught short” when the new rights do come in to law. Failing to do so could land bosses in hot water for unwittingly breaching workers’ rights, and potentially facing legal action, fines or wider sanctions.

Law firm duo named among city’s rising stars A lawyer and an HR business partner at Browne Jacobson were among the winners in WeAreTheCity’s Rising Stars Awards 2022. Lynette Wieland, a neurodivergent social care advisory and inquest lawyer at the law firm’s Nottingham office, was named one of the top five winners of the “Law (The Lynne Freeman Award)” category, while HR business partner Laura Mahoney, who is based in the same office, was one of the top five winners in the “All Other Industries” category. The awards, which are sponsored by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), celebrate and showcase the UK pipeline of female talent below senior management and director level, and forms a list of 100 leading female role models across various industries and professions.

Lynette Wieland (left) and Laura Mahoney

Caroline Green, senior partner at Browne Jacobson, said: “Both are inspirational role models who have played an important part in supporting the firm’s diversity and inclusion, and social mobility agenda, helping to enhance colleagues’ awareness across the firm on this important agenda and creating the real sense

of community we are building within the business.” Lynette is a social mobility ambassador for The Law Society and also a champion for Neurodiversity In Law, a network that promotes and supports neurodiversity within the legal profession. She regularly gives aspiring students advice on disability disclosure and how to access a career in law, while she co-leads Browne Jacobson’s Disability and Long-Term Conditions community within its diversity and inclusion group. Laura, meanwhile, has helped reshape many of its internal policies around maternity and sick pay during her seven years at the firm, as well as forming an internal menopause community. July/August 2022 business network

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FINANCE

‘Pension Freedom’ seven years on With 2022 heralding the seventh anniversary of what has been dubbed the “Pension Freedom” legislation, Martin Tilley (pictured), director and head of technical and compliance at WestBridge Group, examines whether it’s been a success. We must first understand what the legislation did for those reaching the age from which they could draw benefits under their pension arrangements. Prior to Pension Freedom, after drawing any tax-free entitlement, 90% of people purchased an insured annuity with the balance of their pension funds. An annuity is a contract providing certainty of continued payment of an income to the recipient, for the remainder of their lifetime, and sometimes to their spouse or dependents thereafter.

‘Regulators of pension schemes require all those who offer them to promote good consumer outcomes’ It is a packaged product within which its investment and costs are not explicit. It is also inflexible – once purchased, it can’t be varied, irrespective of the changing circumstances of the annuitant. Should the annuitant outlive expected mortality, an annuity can provide good value for money, but an early death could see the bulk of the capital lost to the insurance company’s coffers. Pension Freedom introduced the concept of flexi–access drawdown

(FAD). As the name implies, the recipient has control over the amount of income they draw each year, varying it as their circumstances require. The payments are made from their pension fund, which remains invested, and on death the funds can be cascaded down to a wide range of potential beneficiaries, which means there is no “loss of capital” to a third-party insurer. Such are the potential advantages, is it now estimated that 90% of those drawing on their pensions elect for the FAD option. Indeed, many people with a defined benefit pension scheme, the “gold-plated” indexed pension arrangements, have been tempted to leave these schemes in favour of the perceived greater flexibility of the new drawdown schemes. With the initial decision to use FAD though, comes several follow up questions. How much should be drawn out? Too much and the capital will be eroded before the individual’s death. Where should the capital be invested? Poor investment choices could lose capital or fail to keep pace with inflation. How long will I live and to whom should I leave the money when I die? TO PROVIDE HELP to those approaching these important and large decisions, the legislation also

introduced Pension Wise, a Government-created body designed to provide guidance before such decisions are made. With this totally free guidance available, it would have been expected that those aged over 50 would take advantage of these free Pension Wise consultations. Regulators of pension schemes require all those who offer them to promote good consumer outcomes and therefore signpost their members to the Pension Wise option. But a study published by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries this year reflected that only 22% of individuals accessing their pension used the service, with 40% of those surveyed taking no guidance or advice at all. Without doubt, Pension Freedom does offer significantly wider scope

for the efficient use of pension savings, both by way of the manner in which they are drawn and to whom they can be passed on death, but without appropriate advice there is the very real danger of poor decisions being made. So much is this a concern for the Government, that pension providers have been required to endorse a “stronger nudge” towards Pension Wise from 1 June this year. Consumers will have to either attend a Pension Wise consultation (online or in person) or positively opt out of doing so before benefits will be released. Pension Wise is the minimum level of guidance that should be sought, with the other personal option being regulated financial advice from a Financial Conduct Authority-registered independent financial adviser.

Accountant helps keep motorsport star on track

From left: James Haywood, Jack Moore and Cameron Bell

business network July/August 2022

Nottingham-based accountancy firm Page Kirk has thrown its backing behind Cameron Bell, who is making waves in motorsport with a car he has built and now testing himself. The 31-year-old automotive design engineer, who lives in the city, competes in the 750 Motor Club Toyota MR2 Championship with his car, which now features the Page Kirk branding after receiving sponsorship from the company. He has already raced at Donington Park and Silverstone, two of the eight circuits that will host 16 rounds in total during the season. Cameron, who turned a 2001 two-seater Toyota MR2 Roadster into a race car with an 1800cc mid-engine over several months working in his home garage, said the sponsorship allows him to continue making approved modifications to the vehicle. James Haywood, partner at Page Kirk, said: “Myself and my fellow partners have a keen interest in motorsport and we saw this as a perfect opportunity to enter the industry, and get the Page Kirk name even better known through a new medium.”

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FINANCE

The rollout of plastic packaging tax The introduction of plastic packaging tax (PPT) in April placed an obligation on manufacturers and importers of plastic packaging to consider whether they are required to register and account for PPT on products they make or import into the UK. Mike Trotman (pictured), senior manager at Centurion VAT Specialists, explains who this affects. There are exemptions from PPT and some products are outside the scope of the tax, but in order to establish whether an entity must contact HMRC regarding PPT, it is prudent to consider all plastic products made and imported in the first instance.

WHAT IS PPT? £200 per tonne of plastic packaging, unless more than 30% of the plastic product comprises recycled plastic.

designed for a use other than packaging, such as teaching white boards.

WHAT ARE THE EXCLUSIONS? These include packaging that is an integral part of the goods, for example teabags; packaging designed for storage like toolboxes; and products primarily designed for re-use to present goods, such as retail shelf displays.

WHAT ATTRACTS PPT? Finished plastic packaging components that are manufactured in the UK or imported into the UK. Are there exemptions from PPT? Exemptions include packaging for medicinal products; transport packaging for exporting and importing goods; and products

WHO NEEDS TO REGISTER FOR PPT? Notification is required if either: • It is expected that more than 10 tonnes of plastic packaging (all types including exempt and excluded packaging) will be manufactured or imported in the

following 30 days • More than 10 tonnes of plastic packaging (all types) has been manufactured or imported in the previous 12 months. In our experience, far more sectors are having to consider their PPT status than early consultations into the tax identified. For peace of mind, we recommend that anyone mildly concerned about a potential PPT exposure should: • Try to identify sources of plastic packaging they use by liaising with manufacturing, logistics and

purchasing teams where possible • Estimate as accurately as possible the weight of plastic material that they may import into the UK from overseas suppliers and manufacturers • Review purchase contracts and terms of delivery from overseas suppliers to consider the potential impact of PPT if it applies • Consider if PPT will have an impact on income values • If PPT is applicable, establish suitable methods of identifying taxable products, PPT values, and PPT return calculation.

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SKILLS

SEND pupils showcase talents at careers event

Andrew Cropley

Funding to aid numeracy skills Employers and adults in Nottinghamshire can benefit from a £4.3m Government funding package that aims to boost job prospects by improving maths skills. The planned three-year programme, called Multiply, will target numeracy skills that are vital to many businesses. Nottinghamshire County Council is now developing plans to best use the funds to set up free new maths courses in the autumn, working with local partners. The council’s leader Ben Bradley MP, who is also a Government ambassador for further education, said: “Being good with numbers is such an essential skill as it can really improve job chances and is often a requirement when applying for training or education courses. “Improving maths skills will not only benefit the individual and their ambitions – having a skilled workforce is good news for employers and our economy too.” Andrew Cropley, principal at Vision West Notts College in Mansfield, has been a longtime advocate for this type of funding. He said: “It is great to see more resources pushed towards improving numeracy skills. Being able to work with numbers is such an empowering thing in our daily lives, including how to make the most of our time and money, so any scheme which enables us to help more people feel more confident in doing this has to be a good thing. “By building up confidence in using numbers can help people secure better employment and earn better wages to drive long-term prosperity.”

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Pupils at a Derby special needs provision learned about the world of work and showed off their entrepreneurial skills at a showcase event in the city. The Let’s Talk About SEND event, which was organised by Derby City Council-backed careers scheme E4E and held at the University of Derby, aims to develop engagement between employers across the county and young people who have special educational needs (SEND). Various schools and organisations – including Stubbin Wood, in Shirebrook, and Brackenfield School, in Long Eaton – had stands and tables where they showed off various projects they have worked on over the past few months, in the hope that local employers would be impressed with their products. A team from Horizons Sixth Form – the post-16 provision for St Martin’s School – took a small selection of the water bottles, mugs, T-shirts and badges they had printed for businesses in the city in the hope that those attending the event would place an order. Arshad Iqbal, manager of E4E, said: “We support St Martin’s School with mock interviews, mentoring and CV workshops and, for this event, we have been helping fine-tune the entrepreneurial skills of those who attend Horizons Sixth Form by assisting with marketing plans and

From left: St Martin’s School assistant head and sixth form lead Rachel Cooper, Horizon’s Sixth Form post-16 teacher and careers lead Joe Johnson and E4E manager Arshad Iqbal

creating order forms. “It was fantastic to see the proud students talking to employers – and possible buyers – about their work. There is a real sense of pride, and the products are great, too.” In the Government’s most recent data on employment and disability, the disability employment rate has increased from 43.6% in 2013 to 52.7% in 2021. One in five of the working-age population are classed as disabled, with the increasing number in people reporting a disability largely driven by a rise in

mental health conditions. The disability employment gap is wider for those who are male, have no qualifications and are of white ethnicity. Disabled people are more likely to be working in retail, health or education than any other industry. Arshad added: “E4E works hard to help young people in Derby to prepare for the world of work. We are run by volunteers and, particularly over the last two years with various lockdowns, the service has been much-needed.”

Students get set for BrightER Futures Chamber patron ER Recruitment joined forces with strategic partner De Montfort University (DMU) to successfully complete another year of the BrightER Futures programme. Developed in 2020, the scheme has now run across two academic years, providing both work experience and learning modules to 40 third-year students. To congratulate the students completing the programme, a celebration event was hosted at DMU with guest speakers Eileen Perry MBE DL, Richard Bowden, Emily Smith, Sanaa Khalif and Scarlett Tinsley, who each discussed the achievements throughout the

project and the importance of student and business collaboration. ER Recruitment owner and Chamber board member Eileen Perry DL said: “ER Recruitment is proud to be able to utilise our business relationships to provide relevant work experience to DMU students within locally-leading firms. “The programme aims to retain talented students within the region, and we are delighted that alongside the businesses involved, we have been able to provide these student with the best possible start as they transition into the world of work.”

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SKILLS

Academy will let apprentices dive into nuclear skills Rolls-Royce’s submarines arm has launched a new skills academy dedicated to nuclear training based in Derby. As part of its drive to boost nuclear capability in the UK and create a pipeline for nurturing talent, Rolls-Royce Submarines has committed to offering 200 new apprenticeships every year for at least the next 10 years. The Nuclear Skills Academy will be supported by industry and education experts, including the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, National College for Nuclear, University of Derby and Derby City Council. This ensures new apprentices will have access to the best courses and mentors throughout their apprenticeship. Steve Carlier, president of submarines at Rolls-Royce, said: “We are proud of our unique nuclear capability and we are fortunate enough to have some of the smartest minds on the planet working for us. But we must maintain this capability if we want to continue to innovate and evolve. “Being born and bred in Derby, I am immensely proud that we are playing our part in further boosting the area’s reputation for engineering excellence. The UK is embarking on a nuclear renaissance and we are determined to make the East Midlands the home of nuclear expertise for decades to come.”

For 60 years, Rolls-Royce has provided the power for all the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines from its base in Raynesway, Derby. This work ensures submariners have the power to protect the UK’s interests at home and further afield.

‘We are fortunate enough to have some of the smartest minds on the planet working for us’ The new apprenticeships will be spread across four courses: nuclear engineering degree apprenticeship, business degree apprenticeship, nuclear engineering technician apprenticeship and advanced engineering apprenticeship. Submarines engineering and technology director Lee Warren added: “Our new academy will not only maintain and develop our nuclear capability for years to come, but it will also provide invaluable STEM qualifications for hundreds of individuals at the very start of their careers. “Generations of submariners have put their faith in our nuclear expertise and our new academy will mean we can keep providing them with cutting-edge technology to keep them, and the UK, safe.”

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PROPERTY

Regeneration plan for ex-factory site An ambition for a major regeneration of the former Corah factory in Leicester city centre (pictured) has taken a step forward after plans were submitted. More than 1,000 homes would be built as part of a vision to transform the Burleys Way site into a “dynamic new community” in the heart of the city. New shops, leisure facilities and public realm improvements also feature in the hybrid planning application by Cityregen Leicester and Galliford Try Investments, which was presented to Leicester City Council in May. Much of the 7.7-acrew site has lain derelict and vandalised since the hosiery and textiles factory – once a significant M&S supplier – closed at the end of the 20th century. A spokesperson for Cityregen Leicester and Galliford Try Investments said: “Our transformative proposals promise to unlock the Corah Site and create a new legacy for this important location in the city. “The plans will bring new life to this area of Leicester, creating a dynamic new community and destination, which will act as a catalyst for further growth and regeneration in the area.” The developers said the Corah site’s industrial heritage will be enhanced, with the principal façade of the Old Textile Building – the oldest building on the site – set to be retained. The Corah Green will provide a new public square, and the two historic chimneys to the rear of the site will act as signposts to the major new destination. The council has identified the site as an opportunity for regeneration as it falls within the St Margaret’s area of Leicester, a designated strategic regeneration area under its adopted Core Strategy.

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How is biodiversity net gain shaping the future of developments? The term biodiversity net gain (BNG) has received much exposure ever since it was included under the Government’s flagship Environment Bill. But how exactly is it shaping the future of construction? Dr Ed Tripp (pictured), consultancy manager at East Midlands Environmental Consultants (EMEC), offers his insight into how developers and conservationists are working together to unite around a common aim. As a 30-year-old business and subsidiary of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, EMEC has seen many changes over the years, but we believe the new Environment Act, including mandatory 10% BNG requirement, has provided a platform for all parties involved in the building process to collaboratively work together. BNG provides a framework that benefits nature conservation in a way that doesn’t impact on the Government’s development target of building 300,000 new homes per year. For those new to the concept, BNG is an approach to terrestrial development and land management that aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state, mitigating any potential ecological damage resulting from a new development. For the principal of net gain to work in practise, it requires many moving parts, frameworks and tools to be in place. Perhaps in the past, ecologists, planners, property developers and builders have been pitted on the opposite side of the argument to new developments being built, but

‘For the principal of net gain to work in practise, it requires many moving parts, frameworks and tools to be in place’ this couldn’t be further from the truth as each begins to gain a better understanding of the benefits of BNG and the best ways to satisfy the ambitions of all parties involved in a proposed development. As outlined within the Environment Act, new developments will need to deliver a minimum 10% BNG and EMEC has found that our ecology and land management specialists have developed a great working relationship with some of the UK’s leading architects, developers, planners and national infrastructure bodies to ensure their projects meet the new legislative targets. Examples of EMEC’s success at delivering positive results for ecology include being commissioned by a leading forestbased holiday provider to assess

the performance of its villages against biodiversity action plan targets and undertaking the treatment of 190 individual invasive species across 66 sites to support a national infrastructure project. These projects demonstrate how through collaborative thinking, and open and honest dialogue, biodiversity criteria can be met. Our role as the consultant ecologist is as much about protecting habitats as it is about offering added value advice to the developer, so the communities they create incorporate diversity. By engaging with ecologists and incorporating biodiversity into a scheme at the early stages of the development, all parties can play a crucial part of creating high quality places for people to live and work. We need to get beyond the place whereby ecologists and developers are pitched on opposite sides of the table to one where the ecologist is working alongside the developer in a constructive and creative dialogue, to identify opportunities and ambitions to not only achieve the 10% BNG legal minimum, but go beyond where possible.

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PROPERTY

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MOTORING

Mercedes EQC is

just electric Mercedes has shown its hand with a first electric vehicle produced without either petrol or diesel assistance, called the EQC. Motoring journalist Nick Jones has taken it out and about, and reports that anyone thinking of making the switch to just electric power needs to take heed that a major manufacturer has decided to go down this route. f you’re in any doubt electric isn’t the future, a quick look at this vehicle from Mercedes should give you the confidence to at least consider switching allegiance. The EQC has twin electric motors, delivering over 400 horsepower and bags of instant power. Sure, there are oodles of other luxury electric vehicles around currently, so it was time to see how this one stacks up against fierce competition. The ride is soft and impressively comfortable – it feels calm and quiet with very little whine from the electric motors. It’s damn quick also, a 0 to 60mph time of just over five seconds confirms this. It also has a good old range on a single charge – 255 miles according to Mercedes. Start to push this around sharp bends and it does feel a bit cumbersome, the front wanting to “washout” a tad with the slight hint of under-steer. For normal driving, motorway and cross-country routes, it’s perfectly tolerant, however. First thing I notice in the EQC internally is how high the seats are mounted, making for a great view of the road ahead.

business network July/August 2022

‘This would make for a great company car purchase, as the benefit-in-kind tax rates for pure electric vehicles is temptingly low’ A rather sweet array of high-quality switchgear and polished metal swathes around the cabin, and it does scream “luxury” in here. The boot is fine for space, albeit a bit shallow all-told, and I love the flick of a switch to make the 40/20/40 split-folding seats fall completely flat. Golfers will love it. Has to be said, this would make for a great company car purchase, as the benefit-in-kind tax rates for pure electric vehicles is temptingly low. Charging-wise, your 7kW home charger should see it at 100% in about 11 hours. Take it to a public CCS charger and it should go from 10 to 85% in as little as 30 to 40 minutes. I’m really warming to these pure electric vehicles – the only stumbling point for me is the infrastructure and longevity of it all. I’m sure there will be a solution as demand increases.

FACTFILE MODEL Mercedes EQC

PRICE OTR from £64,925

PERFORMANCE Top speed: 112mph 0-60 mph: 5.1 seconds

CO2 EMISSIONS N/A

RANGE 250-plus miles

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INFORMATION

Start, Scale, Sell: Sage advice for growing a values-based business In March, Andy Ball (pictured) sold Peak Indicators, the Chesterfield-based business he had started 14 years previously, to TPXimpact. After recently embarking on a new venture called Great2, which combines co-working spaces with flexible business support services to support entrepreneurial success across Derbyshire, he reflects on what he’s learned from growing values-based businesses. Be ready for when opportunity knocks: Have your business plan ready to go – do your research and take advice so when the time is right to fully focus on launching your venture, you aren’t losing weeks or months doing this important activity. Keep the main thing, the main thing: It’s easy to get distracted. It takes discipline to keep focused on the activity you know is going to be most impactful. Outsource what you’re not good at: One of the smartest decisions I made early on was to outsource bookkeeping and reporting so I could focus on growing the business and delivering projects. This also meant I got some downtime at the weekends and allowed me to pace myself.

Celebrating the wins: It’s a chance to check you are on track – a validation of your business plan and great motivation for yourself and your growing team. It’s also an opportunity to share your news with your networks and the media, helping to build your profile. Every hire counts: It’s crucial to bring in the right people whose values align and can not only help the business grow, but also help build the company culture and brand. Think about how to attract the best talent and provide opportunities for them to grow with your business. Be creative about how you grow: Understand your appetite for risk and balance this with the pace you want to grow. For example, I decided to grow through hiring and

training graduates – this meant slower growth but it was more sustainable in the longer term. We’ve since brought over 50 graduates into the business. Partnering for growth: Working with complementary businesses can help access new markets, bigger projects and clients, and de-risk acquisition costs. Strategic alliances and networking are “longer-term plays” but can yield sustainable growth over many years. Investing to support growth: When you get to a certain size and scale (usually between 20 and 30), you’ll need a little more structure and some support systems in place to keep growing at a desired pace while maintaining your company values and culture.

Know when to step back: As a founder, you need to keep looking for the broader opportunities to continue growing your business. To do this, you need to strengthen your leadership team to run the business day-to-day – leaving you to seek out new partnerships, markets and solutions. Think about your exit: Even if you are not looking to sell your business, you may still get approached. How do you decide which conversations to entertain? My advice is to find out who the company is and research its culture, values and how it operates. See if there is potential alignment. If not, move on.

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COMMENT

THE LAST WORD Chamber president and Futures Housing Group chief executive LINDSEY WILLIAMS reflects on the key pillars of the East Midlands economy, as well as the opportunities and challenges ahead. MAKING AT THE HEART OF OUR SUCCESS Every day, we are reminded about the huge role that digital technology plays in our lives. For many of us, the pandemic brought the online world even more to the forefront as we retreated to a virtual working environment in our homes. With all that exciting technology whizzing around us, it would be easy to forget our lives still depend very much on “things” – which all need to be made somewhere. And in many cases, those things are made right here in the East Midlands. Manufacturing may not be as glamorous as the latest handheld, twinkling gadgets but it plays a central role in our economy, generating wealth and providing jobs for so many. According to Make UK’s Regional Manufacturing Outlook 2021, it accounts for 16% of the region’s economy, way above the national average of 10%. This is something we should be very proud of and not take for granted.

TIMES ARE HARD…BUT These are challenging times for businesses and individuals alike. The latest GDP figures show how output has dipped and the Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey drills down to tell us that the impact is being felt across the region. Confidence and growth have suffered, with the financial pressures on business intensifying as energy prices continue to soar alongside rising costs for people and raw materials. We are also seeing the effects that the current economic situation is having on our employees. I’ve been involved in discussions around this with other CEOs and hearing some great examples of how organisations are helping, and not just in cash terms. Many are looking at the whole area of staff support and benefits with some really innovative ideas that include promoting car-pooling and offering “repair cafés” to help people avoid the cost of having to replacing failing appliances. There is more positive news too with the recent approval of the East Midlands Freeport, which has now progressed to the submission of a full business case. This project gives us a unique opportunity to exploit and benefit from what will be the UK’s only inland freeport. 74

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It has the potential to create more than 60,000 new jobs and generate £8.9bn for the economy over the next 30 years. If it comes to fruition this is surely set to do a huge amount to contribute to levelling up for the East Midlands. Against this background, the Chamber and its work is so vital to help unite businesses across the region to tackle the challenges ahead.

CSR IN ACTION Hot on the heels of my column last month, where I put forward my own take on what CSR means, I was delighted to take part in the Chamber’s CSR Summit at the start of June, followed by an evening roundtable at the fantastic Shama Women’s Centre in Leicester. The summit was a great event run in partnership between my own organisation, Futures Housing Group, together with the University of Derby and Nottingham Community Housing Association. We had interesting presentations from RSM, YMCA Derbyshire and the university, which stimulated some great discussions from the platform and the floor. We also had a great balance of delegates representing both the third sector and commercial sector, providing a really good foundation for looking at the issue from both sides of the fence. The YMCA in particular showed us how organisations that might at first glance not seem like natural partners can in fact both benefit when the match is right. In this case, the joint work preparation programme it has developed with Toyota gives young people about six months of training and

support with developing work experience and work-related skills. It’s achieved a fantastic success rate, with about three-quarters of participants moving into employment. While the advantages for the YMCA and its service users may be obvious, Toyota also benefits through more opportunities for its own workforce, as well as a feelgood factor throughout the business. Much like its counterparts in Nottingham, which I mentioned in a previous column, the University of Derby is heavily invested in the local community, describing itself as a “civic organisation”. It has a whole host of collaborations with local and regional organisations designed to deliver benefits far beyond what traditional thinking about a university might suggest. The day wrapped up with an event at the wonderful Shama Women’s Centre, which has supported and empowered local BAME women for 35 years. It was fantastic to meet the team and hear about the work it is doing, and I would encourage you to find out more or about how it can be supported. Looking back on the day, my take-out messages were that some of the best partnerships are founded on creative thinking and truly benefit both partners. There’s also a lot of goodwill but many organisations struggle to know where to direct it or how to find the right partner. There is support available with this, including a new Chamber ESG toolkit in partnership with RSM, as well as organisations such as Leicester Cares and the Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation, which can help to bridge the gaps.

COMING UP SOON

The president’s roundtable at the Shama Women’s Centre in Leicester

Before I wrap up for this issue, I just want to give a “shout out” to Enterprising Women. This year’s finalists have just been announced and they are already all winners in my eyes. We also have an upcoming panel discussion on stereotyping of roles in the workplace with some great panel guests, including Mary Daunt from Futures’ own board, as well as professional female boxer Lianne Bush and successful engineer Evie Smith. Visit the Chamber’s website for more information.

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