Business Network Sep 24

THE FIRST WORD

Chamber president Stuart Dawkins sums it up better than I could in his Last Word on page 98. He argues that it would be more sensible to invest time and resources in net zero only to discover climate change was not the challenge we were led to believe, than sitting on our hands and later discovering the planet really is going to hell.

It’s an eminently sensible argument and, thankfully, one that companies around our region are making the effort to take heed of.

It will also be front and centre of the Chamber’s 2024 sustainability summit which takes place at the University of Derby on 12 September. The annual summit is our way of encouraging the business community to engage with the drive to decarbonise their operations – and discover the many levels of support there are out there to help them do just that.

With the summit in mind, this edition of Business Network has a sustainability theme.

Our Big Interview is with someone it’s worth listening to – James Cunningham, managing director of solar panel installer Geo Green Power.

His argument that we all have to act now, at every level, and do our bit to slow global warming is a powerful one.

He also points out that despite what many might say, even the world’s biggest polluters such as China and India are starting to clean up their acts – so there’s no reason why Britain shouldn’t also stick to its green agenda.

In this edition we also hear from one of the country’s biggest boiler makers, Vaillant, on the measures it’s taking to make its homes more energy efficient. While the deputy managing director of Rykneld Homes tells us about the lengths it goes to to make their properties more energy efficient and, consequently, bring down its tenant’s bills.

Our interview with Sunil Patel, joint managing director at Unique Window Systems, has a similar theme, while the work going on at our universities – such as Loughborough, which is at the forefront of developing hydrogen as a clean alternative to traditional fuels – highlights the important research going on at a local level.

In these undeniably worrying times, it’s reassuring to see that the region’s businesses and institutions – and East Midlands Chamber – are doing their bit to try and mitigate the effects of the Climate Emergency.

Tom Pegden, Editor, Business Network

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SEPTEMBER 2024

MEMBER NEWS

4 Rolls-Royce reveals improved profit forecast

APPOINTMENTS

26 Snooker star cues up consultancy deal

THE BIG INTERVIEW

29 James Cunningham, managing director of Geo Green Power

STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS

34 Honorary doctorate for football chairman

CHAMBER NEWS

38 Rounding up the East Midlands CSR Summit

CHAMBER NETWORKS

48 This year’s Generation Next award winners

TRAINING & EVENTS

52 Chamber’s Director Development Programme reaches 20-year milestone

SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS

56 Tourism body earns green travel gong

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

58 Uganda offers a wide range of trading opportunities

POLITICS

60 Rail improvements must not be overlooked

FEATURES

62 Charitable Causes, Promotion & Partnership Call for bulk IT donations from businesses

64 Finding your ideal charity partner

66FOCUS

A round-up of some of the region’s most sustainable businesses, and the actions they’re taking to help the environment

73 Corporate Christmas

Social media policy for the holiday season

77 Top tips for your festive event

DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

82 Student invents accessible speaker

BUSINESS SUPPORT

84 LEGAL

Solicitors support key business acquisitions

86FINANCE

Tailoring financial advice to women

89 SKILLS

A personal insight into the work of a 999 emergency call handler

90 PROPERTY

Consultants reveal rising property demand

92 MOTORING

Test driving the Volkswagen Buzz

THE LAST WORD

94 Chamber president Stuart Dawkins on the importance of truly embracing sustainability

Derby-based Rolls-Royce has forecast an underlying operating profit of between £2.1bn and £2.3bn for its current trading year – £300m more than it predicted in February.

The global engineering business, which makes aircraft, ship and submarine engines and is working on green energy systems such as affordable power plants using small modular reactors, said it was also planning to restart its dividends after a four-year gap.

In a trading update it reported underlying operating profits of £1.1bn for the first half of the year which it said was thanks to strategic initiatives, better commercialisation and cost savings.

Chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic said: “Our transformation of RollsRoyce into a high-performing, competitive, resilient, and growing business is proceeding with pace and intensity.

“We are expanding the earnings and cash potential of the business in a challenging supply chain environment, which we are proactively managing. We are on track to deliver our mid-term targets.

“Our strong first half results reflect the continued delivery of our strategic initiatives and a relentless focus on commercial optimisation and cost efficiencies across the group.”

Revised profit forecast has Rolls-Royce flying high

...and Next is looking good too

Sales at high street fashion brand Next were up in the first half of the year, partly thanks to the chain’s acquisition of FatFace and taking a bigger shareholding in Reiss.

The Leicestershire retailer said sales for the six months were up 8% year-on-year, ahead of expectations, as it revised its profit guidance for the year upwards by £20m to £980m. Assuming that comes good, that would be 6.7% higher than last year.

In a trading update the business said the weather last summer had been exceptionally favourable for clothing retailers, so it had planned for full price sales to be down this year – however the figures were actually better.

It added that overseas online sales were much better than expected, up 21.9%, and it now anticipates total company-wide sales for the year of £6.2bn.

The update said: “Total group sales for the full year are expected to be up 6.0% on last year, which is 2.6% higher than our expected growth in Next Trading full price sales of 3.4%.

“The difference is the result of acquisitions completed during last year. We acquired 97% of FatFace in October 2023 and increased our equity share in Reiss from 51% to 72% in September 2023.”

Businesses want an urgent upgrade to the A46 Newark Bypass to unlock the region's economic potential.

Transport lobby group Midlands Connect said improving the route was vital to help local businesses grow and boost the regional economy.

One firm reliant on the junction running smoothly is Vodafone, which has a customer service centre in Newark. A spokesman said without improvements to the junction, there was a chance they would have to reduce their presence in the area or withdraw altogether.

THE SCHEME WILL:

• Improve traffic signals at Farndon roundabout to help at peak hours.

• Provide a dual-carriageway bridge over the A1.

• Enlarge and add signals to Winthorpe roundabout to cut congestion.

• Create a new junction at the Cattle Market roundabout.

Daniel Copper, national marketing lead at Vodafone said: “If the office space is underutilised due to people avoiding coming in as the traffic is so bad, Vodafone is less likely to continue requiring that office.”

Graham Wright, environment manager at British Sugar, which supplies 60% of the UK market and has a factory in Newark, said: “The road network here is almost like a gateway, from the A46 you can access so much of the rest of the country that in investing in this stretch of road you would benefit not only Newark but wider UK connectivity.”

Simon Eccleston, chief executive at Newark

Two Leicestershire College groups have announced plans to join forces.

Loughborough College is in talks with SMB College Group – which takes in Melton College, Stephenson College in Coalville, and Brooksby College, which is in countryside near Melton – are proposing a merger that management say would create more opportunities for students.

The two college groups are currently in consultation, talking to stakeholders to ensure the collaboration would meet the needs of the region.

Corrie Harris, principal and chief executive at Loughborough College, said: "This partnership represents a highly exciting proposition, promising significant

Businesses call for A46 Newark Bypass upgrade Colleges announce merger plans

Showground, said: “Queues can be miles long and so if you’re trying to attend an event here at the showground, clearly that can mean that you’re two hours delayed sometimes.

“Newark Rugby Club bonfire night started over an hour late because we just simply couldn’t get people into the showground on time.

“Improving the A46 would be the best thing possible for business and the best thing possible for Newark as well. The sooner the works can start, the better.”

Last November, Midlands Connect released a report proposing upgrades and finishing the Newark bypass. The £400-£500m scheme was dubbed ‘imperative’ by chairman Sir John Peace.

The plans are now in the pre-examination stage with the Planning Inspectorate and a full examination will begin later this year before a recommendation is made to the Secretary of State for Transport who will make a final decision.

If delivered, Midlands Connect forecast a 30% reduction in journey times for traffic using the improved section.

The National Highways Consultation results showed 53% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the proposed scheme improvements.

benefits and opportunities for students, staff, and employers throughout Leicestershire.

‘This strategic partnership marks an exciting step forward for both our colleges’

“We hope that it will be transformational, by delivering greater economic prosperity and by offering a larger number of students from across our region an outstanding experience.”

Dawn Whitemore, principal and chief executive of SMB College Group, said: “This strategic partnership marks an exciting step forward for both our colleges as we

combine our strengths to enhance educational opportunities for our students and community.

“We are pleased to be working with a partner with the same values and passion as SMB College Group.”

The anticipated merger date is 1 August 2025, and would need approval from the ESFA and DFE.

Management said the merger would strengthen the current growth plans for both colleges –including more than £35m investment in projects such as the East Midlands Institute of Technology (EMIoT) and the Digital Skills Hub at Loughborough College in addition to £20m investment in the new Land-based and Agri-tech centre at SMB College Group’s Brooksby campus.

A46 Newark Bypass

A46 at Newark

Incubator programme gives business a boost

Loughborough University’s business incubator LUinc. has helped with the creation of 43 new businesses since a new programme was set up in March 2021.

The latest cohort of entrepreneurs have completed the fifth cycle of the programme, which launched at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 460 individuals have used the Restocking the Business Base programme to get initial guidance about setting up a business – almost double the 250 queries projected when the programme got underway

Of those emerging startups, 101 went on to receive structured support across five cohorts and a total of 43 new businesses were ultimately founded, creating 48 jobs.

Andy Reed OBE, chair of the Leicester and Leicestershire Business Board, said: “All economies need productive and innovative small businesses and entrepreneurs.

“Programmes such as Restocking the Business Base help to nurture bright new business ideas, which is so important for local employment and growth.”

LUinc. has been supporting graduate startups and research spinouts since 2011 and operates from bases on Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP) and the Careers and Enterprise Hub in Loughborough town centre.

Pete Hitchings, incubator manager, said: “Bringing together businesses from the university and the local

area has grown a diverse community of business owners who are really invested in helping one another to succeed.

“We are now seeing businesses from our earlier cohorts grow and begin hiring new employees themselves.”

The original three-year project was part-funded with £314,000 from a Covid-19 Recovery Fund, created using Enterprise Zone Retained Business Rates.

The extended programme, running until March 2025, is now accepting applications.

Ashfield skills centre gets the go ahead

Plans for a world-class distribution and manufacturing skills centre in Ashfield have been given the green light.

Work complete on new innovation hub

Brackley Property Developments (BPD) has completed construction of the new £16.5m low carbon innovation hub in Leicester, on behalf of Leicester City Council.

The Dock extension project, which has opened this autumn, is made up of three new buildings which deliver around 65,000 sq ft of purpose-built accommodation for hi-tech industries in Leicester’s Science and Innovation Enterprise Zone.

Known as Docks, 3, 4 and 5, the new buildings include two new offices for up to 45 businesses across around 43,000 sq ft of space.

A terrace of nine manufacturing units provides more than 21,500 sq ft for innovative start-ups and established businesses seeking grow-on space.

The new buildings are net carbon zero in operation and require no gas heating. Environmentally sustainable features include low energy LED lighting, roof-mounted photovoltaic panels on the offices, air source heat pumps, and super-thick insulation.

The Automated Distribution and Manufacturing Centre (ADMC) will be the district council’s flagship project from its £62.6m Towns Deal, helping place the area at the heart of innovation and technology within the East Midlands.

It is hoped the Lowmoor Road site in Kirkby will drive productivity and bring high skilled jobs to the area.

The centre will help businesses find out how technology can help them, enable them to test how things could work within their own business and train their staff on automated systems.

Ashfield District Council hope it will help leverage the area’s strong manufacturing heritage and central location to support highly paid and skilled roles in science, technology, engineering and maths.

The broader site will be a £100mplus technology park attracting inward investment and creating further growth opportunities.

Cllr Matthew Relf, executive lead member for growth, regeneration and local planning said: “The ADMC is a hugely exciting project for the Ashfield, the benefits of which will be felt for generations to come.

“Businesses small and large will be able to free up their staff from mundane tasks to focus on the interesting so we can have productive businesses offering well paid jobs.

“The ADMC will also attract further investment into Ashfield due to its size and state-of-the-art facilities, creating a legacy of industry, technology, and innovation.”

The £16.5m Dock extension at Space City Leicester

The Automated Distribution and Manufacturing Centre

East Midlands zero carbon innovation centre at LUSEP

Loughborough University’s business incubator LUinc helps ambitious entrepreneurs to start businesses

Decade of success for measuring firm

Chamber member Devtank Ltd has celebrated its 10th anniversary – a decade which has seen it at the forefront of developing cuttingedge test and measurement tools as well as smart monitoring devices.

Since its launch the business has launched two prominent brands HILTOP and OpenSmartMonitor, while the “A Decade of Data” event saw the team showcase a range of innovations, including solutions for energy monitoring, environmental monitoring, air quality and production testing.

One standout demonstration featured a beer pump equipped with an OpenSense device –providing real-time data on pints poured, pour rate per minute, barrel temperature, barrel fill level and the ambient environment.

Business Awards finalists revealed at celebration

The sun may have hidden behind cloud, but businesses beamed as they were announced as finalists for the East Midlands Chamber Business Awards during the President’s Summer Celebration on 21 August.

Entrants for all three of the Chamber’s Business Awards evenings gathered at Delta Hotels Nottingham Belfry to hear who’d gone through to the ceremonies in Derbyshire (25 October) Nottinghamshire (1 November) and

Leicestershire (8 November).

Chamber president Stuart Dawkins addressed a packed room of business representatives, before chief executive Scott Knowles reeled off the shortlist - the result of a judging process from sponsors of the Awards and senior management at the Chamber.

Any “butterflies” feeling before the names of finalists were announced was easily allayed by an informal setting that was more mingling than meeting, as attendees conversed with canapes and reflected on the year so far.

Abacus Flooring Solutions were announced as finalists in four Leicestershire categories: Entrepreneur of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Excellence in Innovation and the Environmental Impact Award. Nick Megson is its managing director. He said: “I am incredibly humbled to have been shortlisted in four categories. I see this as a measure of our work, investment and commitment during the last four years. Our team of 10 are incredibly committed to the success of the company and take immense pleasure from being an award winning business.”

Tomato Energy were announced as finalists in multiple categories in all three counties: the Excellence in Innovation Award for Derbyshire,

the Environmental Impact Award in Derbyshire and Leicestershire and the Education and Business Partnership Award in Nottinghamshire.

Tomato Energy’s community manager Dhiren Katwa said: “We feel incredibly proud to have been shortlisted in so many categories. We’re a fast-rising company trying to make a difference to the lives and livelihood of people. These awards play a vital and important role. In addition to getting an award, networking is essential, so you can help each other flourish and reach full potential. To win one of the Business Awards would really help us fly the flag, not just for Tomato Energy, but for the East Midlands as well. We’re incredibly proud of the great work that the

Photos courtesy of Matthew Jones Photography

The President’s Summer Celebration at Delta Hotels Nottingham Belfry

Chamber deputy chief executive Diane Beresford and chief executive Scott Knowles

L-R: Apprentice of the Year finalists Sarah Illsley and Amber Whitby with Zoe Cooper from Pentaxia

Chamber president Stuart Dawkins

Chamber, its president and everybody’s doing.”

Leicestershire company Digital Planning were announced as finalists for both the Outstanding Growth Award and Excellence in Innovation. On why the company entered the Outstanding Growth Award, director and co-founder James Ferraby said: “We’ve been working towards a massive innovation which we believe will be game changing in the healthcare sector and many other sectors todo with real time resource allocation, but we really struggled to get funding and had tobuild a business that can fund itself. Our growth story from 2021 is nought to a million. It was a real privilege to hear our name announced as finalists, to be held in the same regard as these amazing businesses.”

Sarah Illsley and Amber Whitby were both announced as Derbyshire Apprentice of the Year finalists for Pentaxia. Amber, who works as production support assistant, said: “I’ve put quite a lot into apprenticeship and been doing a lot of meaningful projects, so it's really exciting to see that hard work leading to a great end result.”

Design agency Creative 62 were revealed as finalists in four categories in Leicestershire:

Excellence in Customer Service, the Community Impact Award, Excellence in Innovation and Small Business of the Year. Managing director Mark Robinson said: “I entered because I want the team to shine. I want them to see the results of what they've done. It’s really important. We’re a small businesses, nine of us. I would encourage more people to enter because they might win.”

Reflecting on hosting the Summer Celebration and announcement of the finalists, Chamber president Stuart Dawkins said: “It’s been wonderful to see so many influential and inspirational people. The East Midlands business community is strong and when I see so many leaders, rising talent, apprentices and innovative people all in one place, I’m reminded why the region is a Centre of Trading Excellence. I’m looking forward to seeing the finalists at the Business Awards. For anyone that hasn’t yet booked to attend, I’d urge them to do so.”

To see the full list of finalists go to tinyurl.com/47rkfbcv. To book a place to attend East Midlands Chamber’s Business Awards go to tinyurl.com/4pj75tw2

Tomato Energy community manager Dhiren Katwa

Pritti Allen, head of communications emh Group

Transplant Games are a huge success

The Westfield Health British Transplant Games took Nottingham by storm as more than 2,500 people – including live donors, donor families, supporters, and 1,000 transplant recipients – gathered for four days of sport and celebrations.

This year’s games was the biggest gathering of transplant recipients since the Games started 46 years ago.

‘The

games raise awareness of the importance of organ donation’

Over the four days of sport, athletes competed in 26 different events in venues across the city

with more than 2,011 medals awarded and a record 2,500 participants joining the annual Donor Run at Wollaton Hall.

Training firm offers workplace safety help

An accredited provider of compliance, technical and safety training has launched a confined space safety campaign for SMEs.

Develop Training is providing the initiative which includes an online toolkit designed to enhance workplace safety and ensure regulatory compliance.

The firm’s clients include big names in the utilities and construction, defence, healthcare, facilities management and telecommunication sectors, and it trains more than 30,000 professionals each year, providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to maintain high standards of safety and compliance.

The new toolkit provides the information and tools needed to navigate the complexities of the Confined Space Regulations 1997, helping businesses understand their legal obligations, identify confined spaces, implement appropriate safety measures and access the right training.

The games raise awareness of the importance of organ donation as well as creating a community for transplant recipients and donors of all ages, encouraging them to stay active.

This year’s overall winner of the adult’s competition was the Birmingham Adults team, with Kings Children crowned overall winners of the children’s competition. The award for outstanding contribution to transplant sport, the Peter Griffin award, was awarded to Martin Searle from Birmingham Adults.

One of the event’s highlights was the football tournament, where former England International Kieron Dyer made a special appearance.

In 2023, Kieron received a liver transplant due to a rare liver disease, so attending the football and sharing experiences meant a lot to him.

Hollie May Simpson, 21, who won gold in the archery and competed in some of the athletics events for the Nottingham Adults team, received a kidney transplant from her father Malcolm at Nottingham City Hospital in 2008.

She said: ”I’m extremely lucky and grateful to be competing and doing something that I love doing.”

Planning is underway for the next games, which will be held in Oxford in 2025.

Milestone for marketeers

A digital marketing agency based in Nottingham is celebrating its 15th birthday.

Ketchup Marketing was founded by managing director Michelle Jones in 2009 and works locally and internationally with clients including Dufrain, Virti and Stamford Stone.

The company has seen 39% growth in the past year, and now makes the equivalent of its first-year turnover in less than seven days.

Michelle said: “Reaching our 15th anniversary is a significant milestone in our journey.

“Our success is thanks to our talented and hardworking team, and our commitment to delivering outstanding work for our clients.”

Ketchup Marketing managing director Michelle Jones

Ketchup offers services including SEO, copywriting, marketing strategy, graphic design and web development, and has a 97% client retention rate. To make room for its growth, the business moved into a new head office in Nottingham city centre’s Creative Quarter last year.

Contract wins prompt growth of surfacing firm

Acivil engineering and surfacing company is seeking new recruits to meet growing demand for its services after seeing revenues jump significantly.

CF Construction, which is based in Stapleford, near Newark, is expanding on the back of winning

private contracts, work on local authority support frameworks and surfacing projects with housing developers.

Over the years the business, which has a 75-strong workforce, has built up a reputation for surfacing work alongside its other established civil services.

– things like road patching, footway repairs and kerb work.

Director Chris Coen said CF was winning more work in its core areas of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire as well as further afield, and needed extra resources to help maintain that growth.

He said: “We’re going through a recruitment drive because we need to increase our staff levels pretty much immediately – not just boots out on site, but non site staff as well.”

He said a lot of the surfacing work they do involves large domestic driveways, as well as farm access roads, housing developments and car parks.

He added: “Local authority work is often reactive highway maintenance

“We’re seeing growth in pretty much everything we do – the local authority work is extremely busy. A lot of that involves supplying plant and skilled labour, often for several months.

“We’ve been doing a lot of work through a new client who we met while showcasing our services at the Lincolnshire Show last year. The work comprises mainly of approach roads at MOD sites in Lincolnshire.”

Chris said the business recently launched a stand-alone brand for its surfacing work, called CF Surfacing, which he hoped would help boost its visibility.

Expansion plan for HR specialists

A human resources specialist who has worked for some of the country’s biggest businesses is growing her boutique HR company across the UK.

Rebecca Bull launched My HR Hub eight years ago, offering clients a chance to outsource their HR requirements while still getting a bespoke, personal service.

Originally from Nottingham, Rebecca now lives in Kegworth and has two consultants working for her in Derby and Manchester –Rachael Moyes and Rachael Tweddle.

Together they offer structured support, helping clients “get ahead of the curve” to stay on top of their HR needs.

She said: “It’s a very personalised service and we become part of the organisations that we work with so that they get to know us.

“That means a lot of our original clients are still with us and have grown with us –they like the fact that we are invested in their companies.”

Rebecca left home at the age of 17 and spent a decade in Switzerland where she learnt to speak German. After studying German, business and HR at Nottingham Trent University she landed a job at Games Workshop, the Nottingham fantasy games maker.

She spent 14 years in its core team while it grew from a £3m turnover to £60m. (Today its global revenues are around £490m).

She said: “I gained a reputation in the games industry and after I decided to leave Games Workshop, Monumental Games offered me a role as their head of HR.

“They were a fast-growth computer games company and I was there for two years helping them grow as a global business.”

From there she worked for a Nottinghamshire wind turbine company, then spent two years as

Rachael Tweddle, Rebecca Bull and Rachael Moyes of My HR Hub

head of HR at Nottingham swimwear brand Speedo – at the same time building her own private HR brand.

She said: “I left Speedo and created a business that was the first of its kind – covering everything from consultancy to recruitment to employment law and coaching.

“The idea was to provide a one-stop-shop for all business and HR needs for start-ups, SMEs, high growths and charities and I launched in May 2016. Two years later I created another new concept to the UK market, called My HR Club, which is a low-cost, remote HR membership club offering support to growing SMEs, connecting the small business community.”

Domestic driveways are a key part of the firm’s work

CF Construction surfacing work in action

Charity calls on business support

Afoundation set up in memory of a little girl who lost her life in 2003 needs businesses to support the life-changing work it does at home and abroad.

Graham and Mary Storrie launched the Rosie May Foundation as a living legacy to their daughter Rosie May Storrie, after she was murdered, aged 10, by a boy that she knew.

Over the past two decades the Leicestershire charity has helped empower thousands of women and children, especially girls, to build positive and more resilient futures.

The family has a particular link to Sri Lanka as they were holidaying on the island a year after Rosie May died when the 2004 Asian Tsunami struck. They were lucky to survive.

‘The Nottinghamshire scheme is aimed at addressing the problem here in the UK of less than 3% of taxi drivers in the industry being women’

The foundation became a Chamber member last year and has already picked up accolades at the Enterprising Women and Nottinghamshire Business Awards.

Charity chief executive Mary Storrie said it needs to raise £250,000 each year to continue its work.

One of its latest initiatives, she said, was a Think Pink Women initiative in partnership with Nottinghamshire taxi firm DG Cars,

to encourage more women to become cabbies.

It launched in 2022 on the back of work done to support a fleet of pink tuk tuks in Sri Lanka and Nepal, run as taxis by women for other women and girls –providing income for the driver and safe travel to work, school and health visits.

Mary said: “The Nottinghamshire scheme is aimed at addressing the problem here in the UK of less than 3% of taxi drivers in the industry being women.

“When we started working with DG Cars they had just one female out of 1,500 drivers – and now we are on more than 75.

“Primarily, it’s to address the gender imbalance in the industry, to create awareness and to give women the opportunity to do a new job.

“Nobody really sees a taxi driver as a woman, so it's also about changing perception.

“It doesn't actually occur to women who are looking for work to train as a taxi driver but there are

benefits such as flexible hours and financial incentives – they can earn £30,000, which most people don't realise.

“We've got women that have come from jobs in the care industry, in the hospitality industry and in the retail industry where they’ve been on minimum wage, zero hour contracts, which is just not sustainable because they have to have a regular income.

“If these are single parents, it can be transformational. And if they have a fleet vehicle, it can also be used by them personally. We basically hand-hold them through the process, which

can be challenging, so we aim to remove those barriers, and continue to support them through the community of women drivers.

“We've got one woman that hadn't worked for 28 years. She came into the taxi industry, and now she's one of the top earners.”

She said they hope to double the number of recruits in the next couple of years and extend it to other parts of the country.

Mary said that as well as the driver training and the pink tuk tuks in Asia – which can offer a lifeline to isolated communities –they had supported a preschool and were supporting other economic empowerment projects for women and girls.

She will be visiting Nepal to see the work in action at the end of October.

She said: “We’re celebrating our 20th anniversary this year.

“We started off on the kitchen table, relying completely on volunteers, and we've grown into an international charity and raised more than £3m.

“Fundraising has changed dramatically post-pandemic and it's still not back to how it was.

“So to be sustainable as a charity we have had to create more commercial revenue streams.”

To find out about the Rosie May Magical Ball and about how you can support the charity visit: www.rosie-may.com

Mary Storrie (second left) with Rosie May Foundation Think Pink drivers

Mary Storrie

Rosie May Storrie

“We

Be prepared for the new Employment Rights Bill

Nicki Robson (pictured), managing director of HR specialists Breedon Consulting in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, explains the potential impact of the new Employment Rights Bill.

The new Labour Government has big plans to change employment legislation, with some of the most significant reforms we’ve seen for many years. Central to this is their proposal to make unfair dismissal a day one right for all employees.

So why does this matter? We’ve all been there... you bring in a new employee who’s full of promise, but sadly you soon realise that the reality doesn’t match that promise. What do you do?

There’s little risk in short service dismissals, so you say your goodbyes and start again, acknowledging that it was all a bit of a waste of time and money but hopefully you’ll have better luck next time.

But it’s all change now. With unfair dismissal rights from day one, it’s likely that new hires will need to be treated the same as long-serving employees, and you’ll need to follow formal procedures, document and evidence everything, and even then, the dismissed

employee will have the right to make a claim against you. They may not win, but it’s still likely to cost you thousands to defend.

So now is the time to make sure you have robust processes in places. Other planned changes include:

BANNING EXPLOITATIVE ZERO HOURS CONTRACTS

There is a move to ensure that all workers have a right to a contract that reflects the number of hours they regularly work and get reasonable notice of any changes in shift with proportionate compensation for any cancelled or reduced shifts.

Employers who have zero hours workers will need to determine the regularity of their work and amend contracts of employment accordingly.

It’s not clear at this point whether genuine zero hours contracts where workers are called in on an ad-hoc basis with little notice, will still be acceptable.

More miles of canals earn Green Flag status

Almost 750 miles of canal and navigable rivers have been awarded Green Flag status by Keep Britain Tidy.

The Canal and River Trust has held on to all of its existing miles of Green Flag waterways in England and Wales, maintaining the standard required for the same international quality mark which covers parks and green spaces.

It comes despite storm and flood damage to the 250-year-old network last winter and includes more than 40 miles of the East Midlands’ canal network.

The Green Flags further demonstrate the important role the 2,000-mile navigable canal network plays for communities, bringing nature into the heart of towns and cities and providing accessible beauty spots across the country.

Some seven stretches received a Green Heritage Site Accreditation for the management of historic features, including the Peak Forest Canal and Bugsworth Basin in the High Peak.

FLEXIBLE WORKING

The plan is to make flexible working the default from day one for all workers, with employers required to accommodate this as far as is reasonable, to reflect the modern workplace.

Flexible working is already a day one right, but we interpret flexible working as a default to mean that employees will no longer have to apply for it, but will automatically be entitled to it.

Employers would therefore be wise to prepare and set parameters relating to what is and isn’t possible given their business set-up and the need to maintain their service levels. Thought should also be given to how their flexible working systems will be managed and monitored.

STRENGTHENING PROTECTION FOR NEW MOTHERS

The bill will see it become unlawful to dismiss a new mother within six months of her return to work, except in specific circumstances. This further strengthening of current protections for pregnant employees and new mothers means that employers would be wise to review their performance management and re-onboarding processes for returning mothers.

STATUTORY SICK PAY

The bill will see SSP become a day one right for all workers. It will further be strengthened by removing the lower earnings limit

as well as the waiting period.

Employers would be wise to review their absence management procedures as well as setting up monitoring systems to ensure absence rates do not increase as a result.

OTHER CHANGES:

Genuine living wage for all adults. This suggests there will be a single rate of minimum wage for anyone aged 18 and over, meaning a hefty pay rise for under 21s.

Ending fire and re-hire. A new statutory code has already been introduced, but this is likely to be short-lived and it looks likely that it will become more difficult to force through changes to terms and conditions of employment.

Parental leave as a day one right. This is unlikely to have a major impact as parental leave has very little take-up currently. If it is extended to all family-friendly leave, it will have a significant impact.

Establishing a new single enforcement body. This is designed to strengthen the enforcement of workplace rights.

Establishing a fair pay agreement in the adult social care sector. This will be followed by a review of whether such agreements could benefit other sectors.

More stretches of the canal network have achieved Green Flag status

A team-building and corporate events business has won the best event management award at the first PA Show Summer Summit Supplier Awards.

Representatives of Eventurous collected the accolade at the inaugural awards in London.

Eventurous, which is based in the west Leicestershire village of Sheepy Magna, was up against big industry names such as Cvent and Amex GBT.

Sales director Kieron Bowen said: “The fact this was a voted for award is a huge testament to our passion and reputation in delivering excellence through unforgettable experiences not to mention our commitment to the values we operate by each day.”

Geldards returns to renovated Pride Park

Ltake up residence as a flagship tenant in the newly-refurbished Cubo office space.

Based at Number One Pride Park since 2002, the Derby-based practice moved out in April to allow bespoke co-working experts Cubo to carry out renovations on the building to create a modern workspace.

Geldards spent three months working from office space at the Museum of Making in Derby city centre.

It is the first tenant to move into the renovated workspace at Cubo Pride Park and the 75-strong

Aviation specialist to help cut aircraft costs

An engine and aircraft asset management specialist has teamed up with two other companies on a collaboration that could help commercial airlines potentially save hundreds of millions of pounds.

TGIS Aviation, based in Ashbourne, is working with global innovation consultancy PA Consulting and advanced planning and scheduling specialists DecisionBrain to come up with ways to cut airlines’ aircraft engine costs, while making them more efficient.

Trials with commercial airlines have already identified through-life savings of £500m, and individual savings of £200m for a single European flag carrier.

The partnership combines PA’s aviation finance expertise, DecisonBrain’s advanced decision intelligence technology, and TGIS’s powerplant management expertise, for the new aircraft engine costoptimisation service, known as Optima.

It helps balance fleet management, contract terms and engine retirement strategies by drawing together billions of maintenance combinations, operational scenarios and contractual constraints to find the best plan for whole life fleet costs.

move into Cubo Standard Court Nottingham at the beginning of this year. Some 90 staff relocated from The Arc in Enterprise Way to Royal Standard Place – a landmark building at the heart of the city’s business quarter overlooking Nottingham Castle, cementing the firm’s presence in Nottingham city centre.

Geldards chairman David Williams said: “We are pleased to retain our prime location with the added advantage of the slick, flexible work setting that Cubo offers.”

Annual event celebrates charity’s success stories

Uplifting stories of addiction recovery were shared with 150 guests at the annual celebration event of The Carpenter’s Arms charity at Leicester’s King Power stadium.

The event was attended by the Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Professor Robert Allison CBE, who spoke about the vital role the charity plays in improving the region’s addiction recovery rates. He was joined by Charnwood mayor Cllr Julie Bradshaw MBE and representatives of East Midlands Chamber along with other supporters including former Leicester City captain Steve Walsh.

‘Our celebration event is the most important date in our calendar’

Professor Allison said: “The services and support that the charity provides are so valuable, helping men across Leicestershire and beyond to overcome addition to alcohol or drugs, allowing them to gain employment, restore their relationships, and achieve independent and healthy living.

“It is right that we take the time

to celebrate the success of those who have completed the programme, as well as those who have supported them on this journey to recovery.”

Carpenter’s Arms chief executive Richard Spence said: “Our celebration event is the most important date in our calendar but the devastating fire at our Six Hills residential centre in March meant it almost didn’t go ahead.

“The generosity of our headline sponsor Ian King Financial Planning and our graduate awards sponsor Teddy’s Raw Pet Foods thankfully made sure that wasn’t the case.”

The team’s easyJet Holidays event Events business wins industry accolade

An engineer works on the Optima aircraft engine service

Pathways support worker Ross Page

David Williams and Graham Banks at Cubo Pride Park

IT support firm is going for growth

An IT support company has more than doubled revenues since coming under new ownership in 2023.

Microtech, which is based in Meridian Business Park, Leicestershire, provides clients across the UK with a range of support. The growing business is a Microsoft partner, which means it can licence Microsoft products to its clients ensuring they receive genuine, up-todate software tailored to their specific needs.

It was founded in 1986, and was acquired last year by Dillan Shikotra and Darshan Nandha following the retirement of its previous owners. The company currently employs a team of six dedicated professionals and also has a Middle East satellite office.

Dillan Shikotra, who has a background in IT and experience across sectors including fast-moving consumer goods, is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Programme and a local councillor for Leicester Forest East and New Lubbesthorpe.

He said in recent months, Microtech had secured major clients including guacamole maker Holy Moly, peanut butter manufacturer Mani-life, and Ombar Chocolate.

Regional clients include a prominent insolvency practice and a rapidly growing uPVC window manufacturer.

Wedding business offers corporate engagements

Abusiness best known for its Tipi weddings has extended its offering into the corporate world.

Wonderland Venues – which operates five of its six venues in the East Midlands – is expanding its hassle-free approach to corporate away days, team building days and product launches.

Events director and co-founder Linzi Burnell said: “Since starting in 2016, we have helped give hundreds of couples their dream wedding, and now we want to offer the same opportunity to the business community for their corporate and team events.

“Each of our venues are truly stunning, set in different locations but all with the backdrop of enchanting views and total privacy.

“Over the years, we have honed a blend of festival charm and luxurious vibes, meaning that we can provide a truly unique event experience for your team function. As an all-in-one venue, we eliminate the stress of coordinating multiple suppliers, meaning you have a streamlined solution that provides exceptional value and convenience – all while taking advantage of a beautiful setting.”

Each Wonderland Venues location has a range of catering partners and a fully serviced bar. There’s also wi-fi and AV options for events requiring a more formal approach, with capacity ranging from 50 to 1,000.

Vacation specialists on course for success

When Mark Twain said “Golf is a good walk spoiled” he clearly hadn’t spent time on the majestic links, heathland and parkland golf courses of the UK and Ireland.

Halcyon Golf Travel joined East Midlands Chamber in March 2023 and is now making a big noise attracting clients from Twain’s homeland across the pond.

The Halcyon team are experts at organising and delivering customised golf vacations to Scotland, Ireland and England.

Accomplished golfer Jack Sallis leads the team, and his knowledge and connections in golfing circles have led to rave reviews from global golfers travelling to the UK from the US, Australia, Far East and Europe.

Such is the calibre of the Halcyon experience, the business has had a recent series of articles published on the US Golf Review site MyGolfSpy, which attracts more than 17 million readers.

The publicity is helping the Nottinghamshire business fly the flag for the best UK golf courses.

Halcyon Golf Travel’s approach to international sales has been well planned – including

exhibiting at the USPGA Show in Orlando in 2023 and 2024 – helping attract a mix of returning and new visitors to the UK each year.

Jack has bought Lee Shepherd into the team, providing greater operational capacity as the business grows, and they have been working with East Midlands Chamber’s Paul Humphreys, head of innovation services.

Paul said: “Being a keen golfer myself, I could see there’s a clear demand for Halcyon’s services, and the business can grow and scale quickly.

“I like their approach to exceptional customer experience on and off the course, their reviews speak volumes.

“I’ve encouraged Jack to seek support from his international trade advisor and submit a King’s Awards for Enterprise application, demonstrating their international strategy and success.”

Lee played in this year’s Chamber charity golf day and Halcyon, in conjunction with Notts Golf Club, donated a four ball which was auctioned on the day and made more than £700.

Jack Sallis (left) and Lee Shepherd at Kingsbarns, St Andrews

Jack Sallis tees off at The Island Golf Club in Dublin

Five of the firm’s six tipi venues are in the East Midlands

NEW MEMBERS

In June and July, 55 new companies joined the Chamber:

• Adelar Facilities Management

• BFG People

• Black Swan Cyber Security Solutions

• Concorde BGW Group

• GMV NSL Limited

• Hastings Direct

• Jenny Lucas Copywriting

• Leicester Racecourse Co

• Listening Shelf Audio

• Losehill House Hotel & Spa

• Magic Moments Events

• Pay iO

• SEMAPH

• St Philip’s Centre

• Stannah

• Synthosys

• Tate Recruitment

• The Digital Maze

• The Inspire and Achieve Foundation

• Van Elle Construction Training

• WAGDSI Limited | wagdsi.com

• Wonderland Venues

• Zero E-Waste

• ActionCOACH Loughborough

• Charles Bentley & Son

• Charterhouse Holdings PLC (Kustomkit, Xpres, Adkins Brand)

• East Midland Apprenticeship Ambassador Network

• Enlighten the Shadows

• E-Volve Solutions

• Experius Consulting

• Food Paper

• Future Analytics

• Gabensar Global

• Headway Derby

• Heart and Soul Events Co

• Institute

• Interactive Data Technology

• Irish Freight Solutions

• Key4Life

• Kudos Solutions

• Macho Bites

• Marktlink

• May Sum Buffet Restaurant

• Melita P.O.S

• Nick Ramsden Services

• Pete Martin Photography

• Quayle Dental Manufacturing (Export)

• Reed

• Royal School for the Deaf

• Silverlock Tenders

• Snowball

• Solid Healthcare

• Tech Tube

• The Air Ambulance Service

• The Palace Hotel

Business schools can make a world of difference

Professor Baback Yazdani (pictured), executive dean of Nottingham Business School at Nottingham Trent University, on why the world’s best business schools are teaching for societal impact.

In the East Midlands we are fortunate to have three business schools which hold ‘triple crown’ status – each achieving the three top international marks of excellence in business education.

Only 1% of business schools in the world have achieved this accolade.

This means that these schools –Nottingham Business School included – have all been rigorously assessed not only on our faculty, facilities and courses but on our ability to create globally responsible citizens who can make a lasting and positive impact on the world.

We are creating graduates who enter working life as potential leaders and, particularly in times of

turbulence, need to understand the changing needs of the regional, national and global communities which they serve.

I say communities, rather than companies, because businesses are playing an increasingly important role in society. It is now expected that they do not just focus on the financial aspect of the organisation, but on their ethics, corporate and social responsibility goals, and sustainability values.

For business schools to teach our students how to operate in these ever-changing and more society-focused constituencies, we must be closely linked to the ‘outside world’.

Not only so we can see these

changes and respond, but so that we can develop with them, and lead and influence transformation.

The business school community is large, with around 17% of UK students studying business and management subjects, and this is growing at pace.

Business schools are also naturally multidisciplinary places, where subjects span areas such as technology and sociology, so our alumni are found in roles across many sectors.

This means we are required to produce knowledge which does not just cover business, but a universal point of view, and makes it all the more important that business graduates should leave their institution knowing that their actions have economic, financial, societal and environmental impact.

The answer to this is to immerse students in experiences of the real world throughout their learning. Many business schools offer experiential learning, but this is something we have pioneered on a large scale at NBS.

Learning should not just happen in the safe environment of the classroom, playing and simulating what might happen in the real world.

If we know who we are trying to serve, we will produce graduates who help our region to thrive.

Agency helps event to get creative

A creative agency has supported the organisers of a village “yarn bomb” by providing graphic design services for the fourth year running, helping to bring the much-loved community event to life.

Creative62 offered its services to the Cosby Yarn Bomb in south Leicestershire, an annual street art festival run by Mel Charnock and Nat Smith at Gather Create Grow.

This three-week event showcased more than 50 handmade textile installations crafted by the local community.

For this year’s event, the awardwinning design agency created a map which was developed from a handmade client prototype.

Nottingham Business School students outside the Newton building

Creative62 graphic designer Kira Knight at the 2024 Cosby Yarn Bomb

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KILWORTH HOTEL NAMES NEW MANAGER

Craig Routledge has joined Kilworth House Hotel & Theatre as its new general manager.

Craig spent the previous nineand-a-half years with Eden Hotel Collection, moving up from house manager at Brockencote Hall, before holding general manager positions at The Kings Hotel, Brockencote Hall and The Greenway Hotel & Spa.

He said: “I am delighted to have joined the fantastic team here at Kilworth in its 21st anniversary year. Kilworth is truly a unique property, boasting not only its acclaimed luxury hotel but also its exciting outdoor theatre set in the woodlands of the estate.

“For me Kilworth is so much more than a luxury hotel – it’s full of vibrant spirit which is exuded by the great team here and those who come to stay. Teamed with its aspirational yet welcoming sense of grandeur, Kilworth makes for a wonderful special occasion venue that also hosts some of the finest events the UK has to offer.”

CONSULTANTS LINK UP WITH SNOOKER STAR ‘MAGICIAN’

English snooker player Shaun Murphy has signed exclusively with Champions (UK) plc.

‘The Magician’ has signed a three-year deal with the growth consultancy firm, after first working with the Leicestershire-based company over 20 years ago.

Shaun, currently placed inside the World Snooker rankings top 10, was the 2005 Snooker World Champion, famously beating Welsh icon Matthew Stevens as a qualifier in the final aged 22, after being a 150-1 outsider pre-tournament.

The 41-year-old has since compiled more than 600 century breaks, 25 event victories and completed the ‘Triple Crown’ – winning the World Snooker Championship, Masters and UK Championship.

Beyond his prowess on the snooker table, he is also a respected commentator and analyst, contributing his insights to various snooker broadcasts.

He said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be signing with Champions.

“Their support will definitely help elevate my career to new heights. Joining forces with such a dynamic team feels like the perfect next step, and I am eager to see what we can achieve together.

“This partnership opens up incredible opportunities for growth and success, and I am excited to embark on this journey with Champions.”

EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL JOINS DERBY IT SPECIALISTS

Simon Hulland has joined Derby-based IT services provider Infuse Technology in a new role as head of sales and procurement as the firm continues to strengthen its team and grow its client base of Midlands and UK-based businesses.

With 30 years’ experience in IT, he started his career at 18 as an IT consultant and engineer at Infuse’s group company PKF Smith Cooper where he worked for over 10 years, before moving into IT sales and procurement.

In the past five years, Simon established a global procurement and logistics department at a UK IT firm, whilst also running its UK sales department.

He will be taking this experience into his new role at Infuse, where he will head up all sales and procurement for their existing and new clients, as well as proactively looking at ways to continually grow their portfolio of services to better serve their clients.

He said: “I am excited to be joining Infuse and applying my expertise from my career so far to my new role here.

“Working with people, building connections and securing new business opportunities are where my passions lie.”

DISABILITY DIRECT CHIEF STEPS DOWN

The chief executive of one of the UK’s most respected disability charities has stepped down.

Dr Amo Raju OBE DL has left the top job at Disability Direct after more than three decades of service, but will continue to contribute to the charity’s mission as an ambassador.

Dr Raju, a disabled person himself, has been a trailblazer in disability services. His tenure as the longest-serving CEO of a disability charity in the UK is marked by significant achievements, including raising £30m to support various initiatives. His leadership has ensured that many vulnerable individuals have a voice and access to essential services.

Under Dr Raju’s stewardship, Disability Direct has completed more than 75 projects, generating substantial income and creating numerous opportunities for disabled people.

His journey from overcoming personal challenges to leading one of the foremost disability charities is nothing short of inspiring.

The charity recently estimated that just two of the projects Amo brought to the city of Derby, a disability benefits and social care support service, to date has raised the spending ability of disabled people and carers by £50m annually.

He said: “Disability Direct and Amo Raju developed in tandem.

“Our stories are so intertwined, and I owe all I have in my life to this symbiotic relationship which took a disabled person with low selfesteem to the heights of success and confidence I enjoy today.

“Today, the charity’s balance sheet is strong and there are opportunities ahead. It is however, time for fresh leadership with ideas to take the organisation forward and once the board appoint my successor, all have my unconditional blessings and support.”

Shaun Murphy and John Hayes

NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR BOOST FOR AVIATION FIRM

The new managing director of an aviation technical service specialists said she was confident the business will continue to expand.

Charlie Whyman was made MD of GIS Aviation, in Ashbourne, earlier this year. The timing of the appointment was particularly significant as TGIS recently received its CAMO (Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation) approval from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

This approval will enable it to further support its clients with their Airworthiness Management and Asset Management services.

Charlie's leadership is expected to play a crucial role working with the CAMO team to increase the value offered to TGIS customers.

Having served as a consultant to the company for the previous year, Charlie has already demonstrated a good understanding of the company's operations and has been instrumental in several key developments.

With a successful 6.5-year track record of running and growing her own business, Charlie Whyman brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to TGIS.

Her expertise in commercial management and business development will be invaluable as she steps into this role driving growth and innovation at TGIS Aviation.

She will work closely with co-owner Trish Gray, who will move to the role of CEO. Trish founded the business in 2002 with Ian Smith.

Charlie said: “I am thrilled to take on the role of managing director at TGIS Aviation. This position allows me to bring my expertise to an organisation I deeply respect.”

GEORGE TO CHAIR LOCAL CHARITY

A member of the East Midlands Chamber board has been appointed chair of Leicester’s Charity Link.

George Oliver, a former Leicester Mercury editor and founder of Loughborough communications consultancy 1284, has taken over the role from retired businessman Clive Smith, who has led the charity’s board of trustees since 2005.

George joined as a trustee of Charity Link in 2019 after hearing about the charity’s vital work in the community when it was named not-for-profit organisation of the year at the Leicester Mercury Business Awards 2018. Charity Link has been working in Leicester since 1876, helping to improve the health, wellbeing and dignity of people in financial hardship by providing essential items.

George said: “I am hugely grateful to Clive, not just for his trust and support during my first five years as a trustee but also for his many years chairing the organisation.”

PROMOTION FOR KEY MEMBER OF PKF TEAM

Selma Delic, an ‘invaluable’ team member who joined PKF Smith Cooper as a graduate, has been promoted to partner, as the Midlands-based accounting and advisory firm celebrates its latest biannual promotions.

Selma started her career at PKF Smith Cooper in 2012 after completing a master's degree in marketing, advertising and communications at Nottingham Business School.

She founded the firm’s marketing team, growing it from one to seven people.

Her role further expanded in 2021 with various new responsibilities and she was then promoted to operations director.

Selma now heads the non-client facing element of PKF Smith Cooper’s business.

FORMER MP JOINS BUSINESS BOARD

A former Labour MP has been appointed to chair a new business board tasked with helping to shape economic strategy in Leicester and Leicestershire.

Andy Reed OBE will help head up the Leicester and Leicestershire Business Board, made up of senior public and private sector leaders brought together to consider matters relating to growth in the city and county.

The Business Board is a key part of the new Leicester and Leicestershire Business and Skills Partnership led by Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council, which will influence bodies including the Business Gateway Growth Hub and the Careers Hub.

The leader of the county council and the city mayor have appointed Andy, the former chair of the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), as the Business Board's first chair.

He brings substantial experience, and his appointment provides continuity in business and stakeholder advice to the city and county councils.

The purpose of the Business Board is to boost skills and growth by building the local business voice into delivery of economic strategy.

Andy said: “It’s so important that the voice of business is available to local authority leaders as they form growth policy in our city and county.

“The Leicester and Leicestershire Business Board will provide input from businesses of all sizes during decision-making, working with our elected leaders to inform broad economic strategy.”

From left: George Oliver, Susan McEniff and Clive Smith of Charity Link

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‘We might be a small country, but our carbon footprint is still vast’

We must act on

the

warnings

of global warming

Business Network editor Tom Pegden spoke to the MD of leading solar panel installer Geo Green Power about everything from hydrogen technology and battery storage to the continuing importance of cutting our carbon footprints.

James Cunningham is passionate about his work in the green energy sector. He knows that without action – from the inter-governmental level right down to individuals at home – the consequences of global warming are dire.

Already this year the world has had the warmest June on record, while in July, Storm Beryl was the earliest category five hurricane ever recorded in an Atlantic hurricane season –claiming lives, flattening homes and leaving millions without power.

On the other side of America, a fierce heatwave recently shattered records, at one point leaving 150 million people under extreme heat alerts. Other parts of the world – including the Mediterranean, Russia, and Canada – have all had powerful heat waves this summer.

James, the managing director of Nottinghamshire clean energy installer Geo Green Power, said we ignore the warnings at our peril.

Geo Green Power managing director James Cunningham

And that those who claim that meeting net zero in the UK is an expensive luxury – while the world’s biggest countries continue to pump out greenhouse gases – have got it wrong.

He told Business Network: “When you hear people saying, “we are such a small country – it’s China and India that need to sort themselves out”, well, those countries are investing significantly into renewable energy and renewable technologies.

“They are installing huge amounts of solar, vast quantities. They are investing hugely in renewable technology. And we might be a small country, but our carbon footprint is still vast.

“I think people have taken their foot off the gas – which is an unfortunate phrase – but they have. We need to start focusing because of the very real impact of climate change across the world – of unpredictable weather patterns that are killing people.

“People in the UK might think it just means slightly warmer summers with a bit more rain, but that’s not the point. There’s going be huge displacements of people around the world, there’s going to be mass migration.

“Tens of millions, hundreds of millions of people are living in places like India and Pakistan which are seeing record-breaking temperatures. It will almost be unbearable for human beings to live there. Those people need to live somewhere. It's incredibly serious and the UN are terrified of the implications.

“This is the time. We're not talking about our great, great, great grandkids. We’re talking about our kids and our grandkids. It’s going to be their lives that are significantly impacted unless we start making some real changes.”

He said the team at Geo Green Power was proud of the work it is doing to try and help.

It operates nationwide from its head office in Bradmore, just outside Nottingham, designing and installing solar PV, heat pumps, battery storage systems, electric vehicle charging points and other renewable energy systems for commercial and domestic customers.

The business was launched 14 years ago by James and his partner – now wife – Kitty

Cunningham, with his dad Andrew Cunningham.

Today the business employs 60 people, with 80-85% of its work dedicated to solar. It had a record turnover of £12.5m in 2023 which is on course to be around £17m this year.

Clients include JCB, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Siemens, Energy, Panasonic, all benefitting from what James describes as its “safe, reliable, efficient systems”.

As an example, Geo Green Power has installed 38 systems across the Inchcape car dealership chain at some of its Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Volkswagen, Toyota branches. In fact, car dealerships are big business for Geo Green Power, with solar PV installed on more than 100 so far.

James said: “Ultimately if you’re a business using a lot of power during the day and you have a bit of roof space or ground space you should absolutely, categorically have solar installed. It is a no-brainer. It’s quite rare for any of our customers to be totally off-grid, and just using solar, because there are times of the year where during the working day it's dark at 4pm, for example.

“But we look at how much the business is using in terms of its energy consumption, how much a solar PV system will generate in total, and how much of that power will they be able to consume. It’s a point that is often missed by some of our competitors. Because if we’ve got a client that comes to us and says they use half a million kWh’s (units) of electricity per year and we could fit, let’s say, a system that generates around 200,000kWh of solar PV power a year –around 400-500 panels – that means we're reducing their use from the grid to 300,000 kWh.

“But it’s not that simple. The solar is not generating the same amount of power all day, every day – it fluctuates. On a good day in summer, spring, or autumn, that system could be operating at its peak of around 180 or 190kW, if not more.

“And the business’s maximum demand at that same time might only be 100kW, so that surplus is exported to the grid.

“At other times in winter that solar PV system is only kicking out 50kW, and at that point you're bringing power in from the grid.

‘People in the UK might think it just means slightly warmer summers with a bit more rain, but that’s not the point. There's going be huge displacements of people around the world, there’s going to be mass migration’

Geo Green Power chairman Andrew Cunningham and operations director Kitty Cunningham

Geo Green Power experts installing solar panels Solar panels should be a ‘no brainer’ for businesses that have a lot of roof space

The Geo Green Power team

The company installs solar panels on business as well as private premises

“However, that power generation can all still be counted towards your carbon savings –because the power that you’re exporting to the grid when you don't need it offsets the power that you're bringing in when the solar panels aren’t generating enough.

“It's carbon-free, emission-free power – so someone else is using your spare power.”

Big batteries, he said, could allow you to store some of that surplus power to use at a later time, but are still quite expensive and might only last 10 years – so the cost saving varies significantly from user to user. (By comparison, solar can last for 30 years, and even after that time output will still be around 80% of the original figure).

He said: “Batteries are brilliant – if they weren’t so expensive and lasted more than 10 years. Better technology is going to improve things massively because it will eventually drive the cost down.

“We install batteries for residential customers more so than commercial, homeowners are more likely to want to store solar power generated when they are out during the day. But we want people to go in with their eyes wide open knowing that this isn't necessarily going to give them the most attractive payback.

‘You can generate your own power through solar, store it in a battery and when you get home run your house from it’

“With solar, on the other hand, the payback is unbelievable – you're reducing your energy costs significantly; you're reducing your carbon footprint; the systems are reliable; and there's barely any servicing or maintenance work required.”

So, for many, battery storage is less about payback and more about self-sufficiency – being able to plug your car in after work, in the knowledge you are using free energy you have saved from the sun.

James said: “People feel like they're contributing – they're helping – and it’s pretty cool that you can do that. You can generate your own power through solar, store it in a battery and when you get home run your house from it.

“Another way of effectively sweating the asset to get a shorter payback is by buying grid power at night, when it’s cheaper than daytime power, to charge your battery, then drain it through the morning, and charge it through the day through your solar power.”

He said a battery supplying 10 or 15 kWh is enough to run a typical home in the evening.

Another option that is growing in momentum is using your car battery – where average capacity is 40 kWh but can be up to 100 kWh –to power your house, for instance by moving cheap electricity from your works’ solar panels and taking it to your front door.

The Nissan Leaf was a pioneer in this type of bidirectional charging, and the Ford F-150 Lightning over in the States is able to do it too.

Last year GM announced that it would expand vehicle-to-home charging across its retail portfolio of vehicles using its Ultium fuel cells by 2026. BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Volvo and Tesla are also either offering or planning similar options.

James loves the idea.

“I think that's a brilliant solution because it will use a fairly small fraction of your battery. If you fully

charge your battery at work, by the time you get home you’ll have discharged maybe 10% running the car. And when you get back in the morning having run your house off it for the last 12 hours or so, it will still only have lost 50 miles of power.”

Geo Green Power itself has invested millions into R&D, working with universities and organisations such as Siemens and Unilever.

One spin-off is a company called GeoPura, a producer of green hydrogen – where instead of storing electricity from wind or solar PV in a battery, you store it in a fuel as hydrogen which can be used to run generators or even EV chargers.

From start to finish the process is clean and carbon free – the only by-product is water.

GeoPura says it could be a big deal for the UK, which is the biggest diesel generator market in Europe, and where a typical diesel generator producing more than twice the amount of greenhouse gases as grid power.

That business has secured tens of millions of pounds of funding so far.

James said: “They’ve raised something like £100m in the last 18 months. It's incredible what they're doing, and was started by our chairman at Geo Green Power.

“We’re shareholders along with others such as General Motors, Siemens Energy and Barclays Bank and they're doing some pretty exciting stuff. It’s already huge and their customers include the BBC, Netflix, Balfour Beatty. It's really amazing and all originated from our R&D.

“They've just won a significant grant to build a big green hydrogen production set-up.”

James said the future for Geo Green Power was looking bright as it strives to meet ambitious targets, while the relationship with GeoPura continued to generate excitement – as he believes there is huge value in producing green hydrogen from renewables such as solar.

He also said he hoped the new Government would build its commitment to hitting targets for net zero.

He said: “We need to see action but there are lots of opportunities. Fuel cell technology in cars, and hydrogen cars is all very exciting.

“People are talking about hydrogen heating systems – and how much better would it be if that hydrogen wasn't grey but was green and made with zero emissions. That's very exciting for us. This is quite ambitious, but as a company we are also investigating module manufacturing in the UK. The majority of solar kit is manufactured in China, which is fine, but how much better would it be if we could build a sustainable manufacturing organisation in the UK?

“People are talking about Chinese manufacturers more than ever at the moment for various reasons, so I think now could be the time. And as a company we're looking to grow and to expand. There is a very real transition to renewable energy and the country has a lot of work to do and we’re excited about contributing to that.”

Solar panels can dramatically cut energy costs

Power generation counts towards carbon savings

Spin-off GeoPura produces green hydrogen

ACADEMIC PROVIDES GLOSSARY OF TERMS

A glossary of words, defined by young LGBTQ+ people in England, has been created by a University of Nottingham academic to help people better understand the language used to describe their lives.

Words We Live By: A Guide to LGBTQ+ Language has been produced by Dr Lucy Jones, a sociolinguist who studies language and society in the School of English, and has been working with LGBTQ+ young people to find out about their experiences in school and at home.

The guide features words – all chosen and defined by the young people – including identity labels such as pansexual and non-binary, along with important concepts such as misgendering and pride.

It has been produced as both an online resource, and in print form as an A2 poster.

Although available as a resource for the public, it has been developed primarily as a tool to help teachers, social workers, clinicians, charities, and other public facing services who interact with young people.

TEAM GETS GRANT FOR A SIRIUS ENDEAVOUR

A team from the University of Leicester is drawing up plans for space missions which could one day study the sun’s influence on the atmosphere and space weather and, ultimately, how inhabitable other planets could be.

Almost £500,000 of funding has been granted by the UK Space Agency to two teams based at Space Park Leicester, the University of Leicester’s £100m science and innovation park.

It will support scientists in developing the proposals for two satellites that would examine in two different ways how activity in a star’s corona, such as the solar wind, impacts nearby planets and the environment in which they orbit.

Those processes can tell a lot about the habitability of a star system’s planets and the evolution of stars and galaxies –but are currently poorly understood.

One of the instruments, called SIRIUS, has received £295,200 funding, while the second, called Elfen, has received £200,000.

While the first would look at the impact of suns, the second could be used to study the earth’s magnetosphere – the region of space around the planet affected by its magnetic field.

Doctorate honour for Foxes chairman Khun

LSrivaddhanaprabha has been recognised by the University of Leicester with an Honorary Doctorate of Laws.

Khun Top, who took over at the club after the death of his father Vichai in a 2018 helicopter crash, has steered it through memorable moments including a first FA Cup success and a first European semifinal – in the UEFA Europa Conference League – a year later.

‘I am truly grateful to receive this honour from the University of Leicester’

This year City returned to the Premier League after being crowned Championship champions for a record eighth time, which was followed by a celebration which saw players lift the trophy in front of 50,000

Khun Top said: “I am truly grateful to receive this honour from the University of Leicester – an institution of our city that shares our commitment to excellence, service to our communities and positive social change.

“Its work with Leicester City on the professorship in child health is a collaboration of which we are extremely proud and demonstrates the power of community stakeholders working together for the benefit of future generations.

The university conferred an honorary degree on the late Leicester City chairman, Khun Vichai, in January 2016.

University’s enterprising move

The University of Derby has appointed Marvin Cooke (pictured), former executive vicepresident for manufacturing at Toyota Motor Europe, as its professor of enterprise.

Professor Cooke will lead on industry engagement – a strategic priority for the university – and drive forward employability, enterprise and business development as the university prepares for the opening of its new city centre-based Derby Business School building in 2025.

Members of the Derby Business School research team are in the World-Ranking top 2% scientist list, created annually by Stanford University, and Professor Cooke will play a key role in supporting academic teams in delivering impactful industry engagement and research.

He said: “I am honoured to join the University of Derby and its high-performing, rapidly expanding business school.

“This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the university’s efforts to foster an entrepreneurial spirit among students.

“The role will not only allow me to contribute to the University’s learning and teaching strategies,

but also to support research teams and foster professional practicebased collaborations with academic, industrial and government entities.”

Professor Cooke’s 40 years’ industry experience – including 33 spent at Toyota – means that he has a deep knowledge and understanding of business leadership at an executive level that can be applied to students.

He said: “My experience in a fastpaced, high-tech global environment across many European countries means that I understand the importance of students acquiring both academic and practical skills to prepare for their future careers.

“My aim is to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application, helping students see how university knowledge translates into realworld scenarios.”

Khun Top receives his honorary doctorate at the University of Leicester

Manchester Airports Group (MAG) – which owns Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports – served 61.3 million passengers in the year to 31 March 2024, beating its pre-Covid 201920 figures for the first time.

The group said it had revenues of £1.2bn for the year and adjusted earnings (before things such as tax, interest and depreciation) of £507m, up almost a quarter yearon-year.

‘Aviation has a critical role to play in the UK’s economic future’

Operating profit stood at £240.1m after accounting for one-offs, up from £28.6m in 2022-23.

This group said the performance has provided the base for a £2bn capital investment programme over the coming five years – including £120m in a range of improvement projects at East Midlands Airport.

Manchester Airports Group has recorded increased passengers

Agency delivering mayor’s message

Chief executive Ken O’Toole said: “As an island trading nation, we know that aviation has a critical role to play in the UK’s economic future.

“Aviation creates high quality jobs and enables global trade, investment and tourism, and we know that the UK’s economic

A Loughborough University-led climate programme can continue its “transformative” work until 2030 after receiving a £57m boost from the UK Government.

The Climate Compatible Growth (CCG) programme, led by the Sustainable Transitions: Energy, Environment and Resilience Centre (STEER), in Loughborough’s School of Social Sciences and Humanities, has been granted a five-year extension to its funding.

The Overseas Development Aid funding is being seen by central government as a way to “accelerate the roll-out of improved, climate resilient infrastructure in developing countries. It will provide countries across sub-Saharan Africa and Asia with UK expertise to help them become more climate resilient.”

Professor Mark Howells, director of CCG, said: “The extension of the Climate Compatible Growth programme to 2030, empowers lower-and middleincome countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the Global South to use their universities to cultivate the skilled

sectors that will drive the most growth in the years ahead rely on global connectivity more than others.”

The figures show East Midlands Airport served four million passengers, up 21% year-on-year and around 11% down on prepandemic levels.

Air passenger numbers return to pre-Covid levels Funding for climate programme

Marketing agency Purpose Media is helping the East Midlands’ newly-elected mayor and her team to communicate with the two million people living in their region.

The South Normanton business was chosen by East Midlands Combined County Authority to create a website showing how it is delivering the region’s strategic priorities.

Claire Ward was elected as East Midlands Mayor in May when the new authority was launched to oversee the devolution of certain powers from Westminster in areas such as transport, skills, regeneration and economic development. It covers Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and controls a £1.14bn investment fund and £1.5bn of transport spending.

We are proud to be part of the East Midlands business community

workforce essential for accelerating sustainable economic growth.

“Together our work not only supports governments in transforming data into impactful infrastructure deals but also helps them to unlock significant market opportunities from within their countries, mobilising billions in finance to accelerate inclusive economic growth out of poverty.”

Tim Lenton, Purpose Media’s digital innovation and strategy director, said the agency was delighted to be entrusted with delivering such an important project within the region where it is based.

He said: “We are proud to be part of the East Midlands business community and to represent many clients who are also based locally, so it is a thrill to be selected to support the new combined county authority in its work attracting investment, encouraging prosperity and creating opportunity within the area.

“We were able to draw on our 15-year experience of building websites for hundreds of clients and working with government bodies.”

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

Loughborough University

CSR Summit demonstrates commitment to providing for society

Businesses, charities and speakers gathered at East Midlands Chamber’s Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) Summit at the University of Derby.

In partnership with the University of Derby, 2024’s East Midlands CSR Summit included workshops, seminars, exhibiting charities and inspirational talks from organisations including Ideagen, Loughborough University and Futures Housing Group.

The summit formed a key pillar of East Midlands Chamber’s #EMComingtogether campaign, an

initiative to strengthen the relationship between commerce and communities in the region.

Research findings conducted by Derby Business School and Loughborough Business School into how East Midlands businesses approach CSR were presented by Dr Barbara Tomasella of the University of Derby and Dr Elaine Conway from Loughborough University.

Speaking afterwards, Dr Elaine Conway said of the research data: “We’re not surprised that people in the East Midlands want to get engaged with CSR but what has

SPEAKERS AT 2024’S EAST MIDLANDS CSR SUMMIT INCLUDED:

• Dr Nicola Lynch – head of the Business School, University of Derby

• Claire Knee – global community and social impact lead, Ideagen

• Hafsa Mitha – philanthropy executive, Community Foundation Leicestershire and Rutland

• Kirsty Yates – housing operations manager, Futures Housing Group

• Sophie Harding – community engagement project delivery manager, Futures Housing Group

• Dr Barbara Tomasella – University of Derby

• Dr Elaine Conway – Loughborough University

• Stuart Dawkins – president, East Midlands Chamber

surprised us is that, in spite of Covid, in spite of the downturns of economy or the cost-of-living crisis, companies are still wanting to engage with CSR.

‘Events like this are a good springboard for thought – what are you doing yourself to assist your community?’

“It’s that commitment, that people want to carry on, in spite of everything around them. That’s a really positive thing.”

Kirsty Yates, housing operations manager and Sophie Harding, community engagement delivery officer at Futures Housing, gave a talk on how to collaborate with partners, businesses and employers to deliver social purpose.

Kirsty said afterwards: “For us, CSR is working in partnership to enhance our communities, make them more sustainable and ensure that our customers and communities can thrive and have the best opportunities available to them.

“We’ve worked successfully with smaller businesses, large businesses and there’s been a mutual benefit to both parties as well as the overall community.”

Stuart Dawkins speaks at the East Midlands CSR summit 2024

Scott Knowles and Stuart Dawkins

Nottingham-based global tech business Ideagen, shared experience of the social impact they have had when it comes to education, volunteering, technology and charity support.

Claire said: “CSR engagement gives us the opportunity to have social impact, which is important to Ideagen.

“Community is one of our three values, so it enables us to live out that value, enables us to be proud of the place that we work and to recognise the good that we do.

“There’s a lot of positivity we get through colleague engagement in volunteering, there’s an absolute sense of pride in a job well done for the community.”

Sophie said: “If we know who our customers are and what’s important to them, what services they need, then we can do better to support them.

“For example, if a charity is working with somebody on a local level, they build a relationship with them for a long period of time.

East Midlands Chamber president Stuart Dawkins, who opened the summit, said: “Getting businesses together with communities and charities to look at the best ways of developing a solid CSR approach can only be a good thing.

“Events like this are a good springboard for thought – what are you doing yourself to assist your community.

“That knowledge can be passed on to us so that we can support the wider community.”

Claire Knee, global community and social impact lead from

“As I opened the summit, I spoke of the risk to businesses that don’t prioritise CSR getting left behind. It was encouraging to see so many East Midlands businesses share great ideas of how to deliver CSR really well.”

Leicester Hospitals Charity

Dr Elaine Conway speaking at East Midlands CSR Summit 2024

Derby fights food poverty

East Midlands Chamber is backing a Derby food poverty which needs to find £100 in monthly donations from 100 businesses within the city.

Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance (DF4T) partners with shops, pantries and foodbased community projects, giving support to people affected by food insecurity. People in need are signposted to services that can help or are supplied with food directly.

Between April and 2023 and March 2024 DF4T helped more than 23,000 adults and 13,000 children in the city.

DF4T wants businesses to sign up to giving £100 a month for 12 months, to help them pay for items such as cereals, UHT milk, tea and coffee, rice, pasta, tinned soup and beans.

East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “Food insecurity affects people from all walks of life and the ongoing work of Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance is crucial in getting food and support to people that need it, while fighting the root issues behind deprivation.

“The 100 Club is a fantastic initiative to ensure that brilliant work can be maintained, and that people in Derby don’t go without food. Pledging support could also take a business further toward meeting their Corporate and Social Responsibility objectives.”

To find out more about the campaign visit derbyfood4thoughtalliance.or g.uk or email info@df4ta.com

Chamber calls for reforms to planning laws

Speeding up planning permission and bringing in the private sector to help council planning departments are among asks set out by East Midlands Chamber as the Government holds an open consultation on national planning.

Government proposals include building 1.5 million new homes across the UK, broadening the definition of brownfield land and support for renewable energy. Respondents have until 24 September to express their views to the national plans via an online portal.

In its policy announcement the Government said: “The new targets will boost housebuilding in areas most in need, to help more people buy their own homes, and help drive growth – making everyone in the country better off.

“As part of our plan, we will update the National Planning Policy Framework to bring back mandatory housing targets and set a higher expectation for how many homes must be built.

“Our new housing targets will make sure local authorities plan for the homes that are proportionate to the size of existing communities, with an uplift in areas where house prices are the most out of step with local incomes.

‘We’ve clearly laid out the planning reform needed for this region in our Manifesto for Growth 2024’

“Our approach also includes making clear our expectation that all authorities have up-to-date Local Plans, meaning they will be required to plan for the number of homes their communities need, so local people can engage in how, not if, homes are built. This plan will set us on a course to reach our target of 1.5 million new homes,

driving growth and creating wealth in local communities.”

East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “The planning system has needed significant reform for years.

“Development takes far too long in the East Midlands, it costs too much and that’s a barrier to businesses unlocking growth, investing, creating new jobs and to the UK’s transition to net zero, as infrastructure projects get delayed.

“Whatever the findings of the Government’s consultation nationally, we’ve clearly laid out the planning reform needed for this region in our Manifesto for Growth 2024.

“Staffing issues at councils can be helped by the private sector stepping in; access to the National Grid needs to be easier for renewable energy production and local plans need to reflect the reality of how people live, work and move.”

To view East Midlands Chamber’s Manifesto for Growth 2024 in full, visit: is.gd/4RWKr4.

To take part in the Government consultation visit:is.gd/3E6YtS

New partners join Generation Next network

Derby College Group and trentbarton are among the latest established East Midlands names to become partners of Generation Next –the network of young professionals in the region, delivered by East Midlands Chamber. Scarlet McCourt, marketing and communications manager at trentbarton, said: “Being involved in Generation Next is great because it does incredible work in highlighting the importance of young professionals, something which I am also extremely passionate about.”

Derby College Group director of employer partnerships Carol Dixon said: “Generation Next excels in equipping young people with the essential skills to become the leaders, creators, and innovators of the future.

“At Derby College we provide excellent education as a catalyst for our students’ potential, instilling the skills needed to excel and preparing them for industry; proactively ensuring our courses remain at the forefront of an ever-changing world. Generation Next inspires, boosts confidence, and empowers our students to succeed.”

Lucy Robinson, Generation Next lead and East Midlands chamber director of resources, said: “Derby College Group and trentbarton are both pillars of our region’s success story and I’m delighted they have partnered with Generation Next, recognising the network’s value as an advocate and inspirational force behind the growth of the most promising young business people in the East Midlands.”

A Generation Next event at BOX in Nottingham

Scott Knowles: Regional development takes too long

Workshop offers advice on carbon

Businesses looking for a deep learning experience to give them the skills and resources needed to reduce carbon use in their business are invited to join the full-day Carbon Management in Business workshop where academics and sustainability experts from NTU's Nottingham Business School are on hand with their practice-based expertise and knowledge.

The workshop will show how to seize opportunities to reduce your carbon emissions; calculate your baseline (the moment in time from which you want to start measuring your carbon usage); identify appropriate data from sources such as your gas and electricity bills and convert them to greenhouse gas stats; create a Decarbonisation Plan and strategy for implementation; and communicate on your carbon management performance and reporting.

You’ll leave the workshop with a handy workbook which will help you consolidate your learning, further supplemented by a 30minute one-to-one session with the workshop trainer.

Recent delegate Dominic Wish, Technical Director at HMX UK Ltd, said: “As a supplier of a product that saves energy, and hence carbon, in heating and cooling systems I joined the workshop to better understand what my customers are facing in terms of a Carbon Reduction Programme.

“The workshop showed me how to create a Carbon baseline and then to work from there on savings. It became clear very quickly that I couldn’t just rely on my customers making carbon management plans and that our business would likely have to produce our own, if only to gain access to customers like the NHS. I was pleasantly surprised how the Carbon Plan can be as detailed and complex, or as simple, as you want to make it.”

The next workshop takes place in Rushcliffe on 27 September.

Help is at hand on your net zero journey

Leicestershire-based cost, procurement and carbon solutions experts Auditel have been commissioned to deliver a series of Accelerator webinars and free consultancy to help Chamber members address their specific sustainability challenges. Here, owner Julie Adams (pictured) outlines legislation that companies need to be aware of and the webinars that can help them navigate their net zero journeys.

There have been significant steps in the EU and the UK to tighten up on statements made by companies on carbon neutrality and net zero commitments. Too many companies have been making ‘green’ claims without full measurement or to a verified international standard, a practice which can be labelled greenwashing.

Indeed, the EU’s amendment to Article 6(2) of Directive 2005/29/EC, voted into law on 17 January, 2024, seeks to protect the public from improper and inaccurate environmental claims about products and services.

Contrary to popular belief, this is not an outright ban on terms like “carbon neutral”. Instead, it sets specific conditions such as making sure commitments are made publicly available, are accompanied by a detailed and realistic implementation plan and are verified by an independent third party with expertise in environmental issues.

This has also been addressed in releases by several agencies including the UK Government, Trading Standards and the Competition and Markets Authority. The latter has published advice to Government on law changes and guidance to companies on ensuring any claims being made of ‘greener products’, ‘carbon neutral and ‘recyclable’ are genuine.

If a company is not measuring its carbon using an international, verifiable standard it could be seriously caught out in any claims it is making in tenders, marketing, or advertising.

What looks good and safe as you embark on a carbon neutral or net zero journey is addressed in our webinar ‘Not all footprints, verifications & offsets are the same!’

Certain industry bodies are also setting out standards required of their members including the Law Society and other professional service organisations. Companies of this type seeking to address the ‘scope 3’ reduction challenges in areas such as business travel, staff commuting and supply chain, can do so in our ‘Scope 3 for Professional Service Sector’ webinar.

In addition to ensuring meaningful measurement of carbon there are also now specific standards laid out for claims to Net Zero pledges. It is no longer acceptable for companies to claim to be on a path to Net Zero without having a plan to meet the near-term and long-term targets.

Being able to have a meaningful carbon footprint is only the first stage of the journey. The real work is to take that data and build a path which articulates the building blocks of reduction. We explore this in our ‘Carbon reduction planning to science-based targets –Enabling the pledge to Net Zero’ webinar.

There feels like a dizzying array of requirements coming out including PAS2080 for the construction and infrastructure companies and supply chain and ISO14064 and ISO14068. Other industries such as manufacturing – especially where steel, aluminium, fertilisers, or concrete are involved – are also now starting to come across new legislation in the export market by way of CBAM in Europe.

The Accelerator project is funded by UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is the EU’s tool to put a fair price on the carbon emitted during the production of carbonintensive goods that are entering the EU, and to encourage cleaner industrial production in non-EU countries. The UK Government is also actively developing a similar scheme for the UK. These wider requirements are addressed in our webinar ‘Decoding the ISO and PAS standards on the Net Zero journey’. Finally, one of the key standards many have been targeting has been PAS2060 on carbon neutrality. This publicly available standard is expected to be replaced with an ISO but this has been many years in the making. In December 2023, it was finally published and announced that ISO14068 underpinned by the ISO14064 suite of standards would replace PAS2060 from the end of 2025. We address what has changed in our ‘PAS2060 is retiring, long live the ISO!’ webinar.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND WEBINARS

• Building a High-Performance Team, Cromford 12 September

• Practical Guide to Paid Digital Advertising, Swadlincote 17 September

• Convert more Website Visitors into Sales & Leads, Dronfield 24 September

• Energy Reduction Workshop with Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK, Derby 24 September

• Modern SEO, Ashfield 25 September

• Essential Guide to Social Media Marketing, Worksop 26 September

• Carbon Management in Business, Rushcliffe 27 September

ONLINE

• How to Safely Update your WordPress Website 17 September

• Introduction to Carbon Footprinting 18 September

• The one-hour Google Ads course 19 September

• PAS2060 is Retiring, Long live the ISO 25 September

Book your place at: bit.ly/AcceleratorEvents

CASE STUDY: GLAMOUR HAIR AND BEAUTY, BEESTON

A business diagnostic with East Midlands Chamber identified that the long-standing hair and beauty salon needed improvements to reduce its carbon footprint, reduce costs and improve energy efficiency.

The first step on this journey was for owner Tracy Wealthall to attend the Broxtowe Energy Grant Reduction Workshop and she later successfully applied for an energy grant of almost £4,000 from Broxtowe Borough Council.

Tracy said: “The installation of a new Mitsubishi air conditioning cooler/heater system gives me confidence that we are using a product from a world-leading manufacturer, which ensures superior energy efficiency and will result in the reduction of negative environmental impact.

“The unit has a series of air filters which remove allergens, bacteria and dust, improving the air quality for customers and staff.

“The double-glazed front window has been a huge benefit to improving heat retention and reducing draughts when compared with the existing single-glazed window we had.

“Also, our new composite back door has improved heat retention and removes the penetration of damp issues caused by the previous door.

“The above not only improved the condition of the business for both staff and customers but reduced the carbon footprint as well.

“This will also reduce utility bills which will enable the business to grow and re-invest further in the future. My monthly bill from Eon has gone down by £150 since I received the grant.”

Tracy is continuing to work with Chamber business adviser Sonny Lakhani on further growth plans including seasonal promotion to boost footfall.

Tracy Wealthall

Interest rate cut welcomed

East Midlands Chamber has given its reaction to the Bank of England’s recent decision to cut interest rates to 5%.

The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee announced on 1 August that the base rate would be cut to 5% from 5.25%.

It is the first rate cut for four-and-a-half years, easing pressure on households and business borrowers.

Rates had risen to the highest level since the 2008 financial crisis to deal with soaring inflation. The UK inflation rate recently fell to the Bank’s 2.2% target.

Chief executive Scott Knowles said: “This longanticipated cut will be welcome news for the East Midlands business community.

“The easing of the cost of borrowing, albeit slightly, from its historic high for many years, will be welcome by businesses and will encourage investment into the creation of new jobs, premises, technology, plant and machinery.

“Of course, the crisis in the cost of doing business remains for many businesses and sectors after inflationary pressures over the last two years. This is simply one step in the right direction.

“While we’ve seen a gradual easing of inflation, GDP has shown growth and six out of ten respondents in our own Quarterly Economic Survey said they anticipate improvements in turnover and profit in the coming months, as well as many having reported positive results in sales and orders.”

View the full Quarterly Economic Survey for Q2, 2024 at is.gd/NvoszM

Euros really scored with hospitality businesses

Hospitality and retail across the East Midlands will all have benefited from UEFA Euro 2024 this summer, East Midlands Chamber has said.

The British Beer & Pub Association estimated that an extra 300 million pints would be sold during the Euros.

Research from UKHospitality suggested the tournament delivered an estimated £800m boost to the UK's hospitality sector.

Chamber director of policy and insight Richard Blackmore said: “Our nation’s favourite sport always packs out the pubs across the East Midlands, increasing spending and for our region’s hospitality sector, having faced the burden of high costs for far too long, that’s something to welcome with open arms.

“The feelgood factor behind backing our national team brings people together, buying merchandise and team shirts, all helping swell the economy.”

Everards of Leicestershire joint managing director

Andy Wilson said: “Major sporting events are a great opportunity for our pub business owners as we all know it’s better to watch the game at your local! There’s nothing like the atmosphere and having great food and drink on tap.”

Castle Rock Brewery managing director Colin Wilde said they even brought back a fan favourite beer, Brian Clough, in honour of “the best manager England never had”.

PR agency plays role in first mayor election

Nottinghamshire PR agency Arch

Communications played a major role in the recent vote for the East Midlands’ first Mayor –with support from East Midlands Chamber.

Alongside their partners at Nottingham-based BakerBaird Communications, Arch was commissioned to devise and deliver a Government-funded campaign to raise awareness about the new elected mayor for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

The role, supported by a new East Midlands Combined County Authority, will have £4bn to spend and attract other investment in transport, housing and other projects.

Under the slogan “Your East Midlands, Your Mayor, Your Voice”, the Arch team produced 11

short films featuring people from across the area and managed the new authority’s social media channels during the run-up to the 2 May mayoral election. Those featured included a farmer, a car mechanic, a retired miner – and Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles.

The films were viewed online almost 30,000 times during the six-week campaign – or once every two minutes.

The agency’s director Matt Youdale said: “Our aim was to create a shared sense of identity and inspire people to take part in the vote.

“The new mayor and authority will give our region more influence nationally and we feel honoured to have had this important work entrusted to us.”

Arch’s Sam Ard interviewing Derbyshire farmer Andrew Critchlow in Edale

Richard Blackmore

UEFA Euro 2024 (Photo credit: FooT Too)

Grant aid for Ashfield businesses

Grants worth up to £30,000 are available to businesses across Ashfield thanks to a new scheme aimed at helping the local economy grow.

Ashfield District Council is offering grants to support the growth of established micro, small and medium-sized businesses based in the district.

The programme is being funded using some of the £3.2m allocated to Ashfield District Council from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

The business grants – which range from £8,000 to £30,000 –can be used to support staff training, IT equipment and machinery, marketing, consultancy services, overseas trade visits including conferences, and other project-related expenses.

To apply businesses need to be engaged on the Ashfield

Make the most of universities

Businesses are benefitting from access to fully funded expert skills, knowledge, resources and facilities thanks to a partnership between East Midlands Chamber and the region’s universities.

Support being offered through Accelerator, a project funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), includes Carbon Management in Business training.

Nottingham Trent University’s full-day Carbon Management in Business workshop shows businesses how to seize opportunities to reduce their carbon emissions, identify appropriate data from sources such as their gas and electricity bills and convert them to greenhouse gas stats. It will also help them create a decarbonisation plan and communicate on their carbon management performance and reporting.

Sustainability experts from the NTU’s Business School are on hand with their practicebased expertise and knowledge. The next workshops are being held on 11 September at Newark Showground.

Bookings can be made via the Carbon Management page of the D2N2 Growth Hub website – www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk

Accelerator Project and have an eligible project cost of at least £16,000. This is a match funded grant scheme, with an intervention rate of 50%.

‘We think

there will be a lot of interest in the new fund and would urge businesses to get in touch now’

The scheme will close on 31 October 2024 and any awarded projects must be completed by 31 January 2025 at the latest to be accepted.

Diane Beresford is deputy chief executive of East Midlands Chamber, which delivers the Ashfield Accelerator Project on behalf of Ashfield District Council.

She said: “We are delighted to

“We think there will be a lot of interest in the new fund and would urge businesses to get in touch now, talk to an Accelerator business adviser and discuss the growth projects they have in mind before all the funds are allocated.”

Cllr Jason Zadrozny, leader of Ashfield District Council, said: “Business investment is crucial as we continue to drive local growth.

“Ashfield is an area where businesses can thrive, knowing they can access support to help them flourish.

be working with Ashfield District Council on this new grant, which will provide a boost to local businesses and the local economy.

PA Forum seeks mentors for the next generation

“This scheme is another fabulous example illustrating our commitment to growing Ashfield’s economy.”

For more information about the scheme, you can request a copy of the guidance document by contacting business.support@ashfield.gov.uk

The East Midlands PA Forum is looking for volunteers to come on board and join it for 2025 and 2026.

The forum is reaching out to the executive and business support community across the East Midlands to ask if members would like to find out more about opportunities available to help shape its future.

‘This could

be your chance

to

feel

part of a community at a stage of your career where you might feel ready to give back’

Over the past two years, PA Forum has launched a number of events across Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire to bring together the region’s executive and business support community, offering in-person social events, venue showcases, educational seminars and a full programme of online and virtual lunch and learns via the PA Forum

membership portal. In 2023, PA Forum launched the East Midlands PA Awards, the first awards ceremony and event of its kind in the region dedicated to championing and celebrating the amazing work and contribution executive and business support professionals add to any organisation.

East Midlands PA Forum co-founder Lesley Young said: “We are also looking for volunteers to come on board to nurture, grow and develop the PA Forum Mentoring Initiative and creating a project team to help us coordinate our PA Forum School Engagement Programme.

“This could be your chance to feel part of a community at a stage of your career where you might feel ready to give back and share your experience with the next generation of business support professionals.”

To request more information, email PA Forum founder Daniel Skermer at daniel@pa-forum.co.uk or cofounder Lesley Young at lesley.young@emc-dnl.co.uk

Diane Beresford

Our sustainability journey is always about community

Rob Barlow (pictured) is founder and managing director of TDP Ltd, which employs 17 people from its base in Wirksworth, Derbyshire.

TDP makes outdoor furniture such as picnic tables, benches and bird tables using recycled plastic. So far, we’ve prevented the equivalent of nearly three billion plastic bottles from entering waterways, oceans and landfill.

We started in 1991 by distributing Plantex, the first non-chemical weed control fabric on the European market, moving on to other environmentally-friendly products like surface grids made from recycled plastic, commonly used in car parks as sustainable urban drainage to alleviate flooding. Then came a change of direction in 2012. Working with the manufacturer of the surface grids we developed a range of profiles made from recycled plastic allowing us to design and create outdoor furniture.

Our customer base is varied. We sell to the public as well as businesses, hospitality venues, and

public sector organisations like the NHS and local councils.

In 2023 we were honoured to win a King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainability, one of only 15 companies in the UK to be crowned in this category. We also won the sustainable category of Insider Media’s Made in the Midlands awards in 2022.

Our Peak District location has been an inspiration in designing and naming our products. Many of our designs, like the Dovedale picnic table, are named after Derbyshire locations. This helps us promote beautiful Derbyshire to a wider audience.

Operating in rural Derbyshire has its challenges. Two big ones are transport and digital infrastructure. Grant funding for rural areas is also challenging. However, a big plus is that we are a local employer and our workforce has stayed with us for a number of years.

Attending Business Peak District events has helped raise our local profile. I’ve been invited to speak at some of them, passing on my expertise on how we won our King’s Award. I hope I’ve encouraged businesses to operate more sustainably so they’re in with a chance of winning sustainability awards themselves and more importantly helping mitigate climate change.

We have met lots of wonderful businesses at BPD events, some of whom are now suppliers or customers.

Hopefully Business Peak District can continue to support us by helping spread the word about what we and other local businesses are doing to try and create a healthier planet, and tell people why sustainability in business is not just a nice-to-have, but an essential requirement for any company.

Business Peak District (BPD) is a free membership organisation for businesses in the area covered by the Peak District National Park, High Peak, Staffordshire Moorlands and Derbyshire Dales. Its principal supporter is East Midlands Chamber, and it works closely with councils, the Peak District National Park Authority, Visit Peak District and Derbyshire and the University of Derby. It has more than 700 members. To find out more e-mail members@businesspeakdistrict.com

What are Chamber networks?

The Chamber’s three key networksGeneration Next, Enterprising Women and East Midlands Manufacturing Networkchampion and support businesses in the region.

Generation Next award winners

Images by Mark Averill of Averill Photography.

The 2024 Generation Next Awards took place at a lively ceremony in Derby’s Bustler Market, showcasing the outstanding achievements of people aged 18-35 across the region.

A total of 12 awards were presented, covering business areas including innovation, creativity and customer service. The prestigious Future Leader Award, sponsored by the University of Derby, went to Emma Sharpe, head of services at disabled children’s charity Menphys.

The judges said of Emma: “Aside from being accomplished and dedicated, Emma also represents what it means to be a great leader.

“Her leadership is embedded in her ethos, and she inspires others by leading through example.”

Emma said teamwork was key to success. She said: “Being someone that really advocates for your team regardless of their position is what makes a good leader – you have to support your team members, care how they are. I’m glad that I’m able to show that. I’m really proud of winning this award.”

Other awards included one for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, sponsored by Futures Housing Group, which went to Laura Till from AMBITION Sports Coaching.

A Rising Star Award, sponsored by Nottingham Trent University, was presented to Scarlet McCourt of bus company trentbarton.

TV presenter and broadcast journalist Kirsty Shelts hosted the event, and speakers

GENERATION NEXT AWARDS 2024 WINNERS

Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Loughborough College

• Emily Barnes – Donaldson Filtration GB

Creators and Makers Award

• Alistair Bullock – Purpose Media

Customer Service Award

• Hayley Cousins – Loughborough College

Entrepreneur of the Year

• Stephen Atkinson – Longbow Venues

Environmental Warrior Award, sponsored by Hydropath Technology

• David Allerton – SE-LF

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity Award, sponsored by Futures Housing Group

• Laura Till – AMBITION Sports Coaching Ltd

Innovation and Technology Award, sponsored by Hardy Signs

• Elizabeth Ashton – Loughborough University

Investing in Young Talent Award

• Longbow Venues

Rising Star Award, sponsored by Nottingham Trent University

• Scarlet McCourt – trentbarton

Start-up Award, sponsored by University of Nottingham

• Danielle & Ben Slater – Stephen Eve Financial Planning Ltd

Volunteering & Charitable Impact Award, sponsored by ITS Technology Group

• Joshua Leach-Aslam – Two Chevrons Group / Two Chevrons CIC

Future Leader Award, sponsored by University of Derby

• Emma Sharpe – Menphys

includedGeneration Next vice chair Scarlett Canavan and High Sheriff of Derbyshire Ian Morgan OBE, who spoke of the importance of future leaders in the region.

The membership network is run by East Midlands Chamber, whose president Stuart Dawkins said: “Generation Next is a community in

which to belong, in which to grow. It’s a valuable asset for the East Midlands.

“I would like to congratulate all the Generation Next Awards winners and the finalists.”

DJ Beau Jack played an upbeat set after the awards were announced, while winners and

guests interacted among street food stalls, bars and arcade games as they celebrated their success.

Generation Next lead and Chamber director of resources Lucy Robinson said: “The level of talent this year among all the winners and entrants was just off the scale.

“It’s tremendous to see the ingenuity of young people across the East Midlands. Generation Next does wonders in boosting confidence, we hear that all the time from our members, and enabling young people’s business skills to develop is something really special.”

Generation Next Awards host Kirsty Shelts, Blu Hardy of Hardy Signs and Innovation and Technology Award winner Elizabeth Ashton

Generation Next Awards host broadcast Journalist Kirsty Shelts, Preethi Kang and Customer Service Award winner Hayley Cousins

Businesswomen take to the races

Pictures by Pete Martin Photography

Businesswomen gathered to celebrate success at East Midlands Chamber’s Enterprising Women network race day at Leicester Racecourse.

Enterprising Women co-chair Eileen Perry said: “This day at the races was a perfect setting to raise a glass for the outstanding achievement of women in the East Midlands. We’ll be raising a glass to those achievements in an even bigger way at the Enterprising Women awards in September.

“Being able to share a room with leaders, entrepreneurs and creatives of this level is always inspiring.”

Co-chair Jean Mountain said: “We had bright sunshine all day, but I like to think the women in business here in the East Midlands shine even brighter, all year round.

“Enterprising Women boosts confidence, belief in ability and with networking and shared experience we can build on that.”

Nelsons Solicitors partner Laura Kearsley said: “I’m a woman in business – I’m also a mother of a daughter and I’m always championing the cause to make sure that we demonstrate that women are a powerful part of our business community and we’ve got so much to give.”

Michael Smith Switchgear finance and operations director Emily Smith said: “I’m in manufacturing and I think there’s still quite a lot of stigma around women working in manufacturing. It’s very much a male dominated industry.

“Events like this really bring women together and make us feel like we’re sharing the same problems.

“I remember coming to my first Enterprising Women event, walking in and breathing a sigh of relief because the women share the exact same challenges that I experience on a daily basis.

“To have that network of people around you that can support you, talk to, boost confidence and share challenges is the best way forward.”

The 2024 Enterprising Women Awards takes place at Winstanley House in Leicestershire on 20 September. Finalists have already been selected and to attend visit is.gd/GXquI0

Loughborough hosts inaugural meeting

The first meeting of the newly formed Leicestershire Manufacturing Network was held at Loughborough University, bringing together industry leaders to share ideas and build collaborations.

The meeting was supported by the university and the team at the InterAct Hub, a Made Smarter Innovation-funded, Economic and Social Research Council-led network, which brings together economic and social scientists, UK manufacturers and digital technology providers to promote new technologies in industry.

More than 30 participants attended the network meeting, from small SME manufacturers to Rolls Royce – supported by the Chamber team, Made Smarter, academic institutions and councils.

Dr Cham Kang is a non-exec member of the East Midlands Chamber board and runs business growth consultancy Qinesis, which helps manage the network.

He said: “When we launched the network the ambition was to have a group in each city and each county in the Chamber area.

“That was at the start of 2022 and launching the last of the six groups is the realisation of that overall plan.

“We try to show members of the network what support is available and make it clear that they can help each other solve problems in terms of new materials, skills, automation or CRP systems.’

Sam Freeman is managing director of Mowbray Foam, based a few miles east of Melton Mowbray, which is a family business that has supplied foam to upholsterers and other manufacturers for more than 20 years. It employs nine people.

He said the network had strong potential to build useful bridges between businesses.

“The idea was always to have the meetings at the local universities so that SMEs can become comfortable with the university environment –we recognise that these are places where SMEs can pick up best practice and benefit from innovation to help them grow.

“Manufacturing now is fairly complex compared to traditional manufacturing when companies bought materials to make things and sell – when you were confined to the four walls of your factory.

“Now it’s much more about things like innovation, design and sustainability and there is a more diverse skills element involved.

“When you need to grow your business it’s much more about collaboration, whether that’s with other companies, institutions or academia.

He said: “It’s great to be able to connect with like-minded individuals. I took over the business just over a year ago when my father wanted to retire. He ran it solo for 22 years and it was shaped by that. To grow it I want to put new systems and processes in place.

“The first meeting of the Leicestershire manufacturing network gave me the chance to meet other businesspeople who are also looking to modernise and grow and there was a chance to hear about funding opportunities.

“We’re now applying for funding because it’s hard to grow without it. We have a five-year plan in place, and want to ramp up production. ”

The first combined meeting of all six networks takes place at the Delta Hotels Nottingham Belfry, from 8.30am to 1.30pm on 2 October. Manufacturers can sign up at is.gd/jHKLaE

Sam Freeman is managing director of Mowbray Foam, based a few miles east of Melton Mowbray

MAIN IMAGE: Emily Perkins, Eileen Perry, Jean Mountain and Trace Voss at the races

INSET LEFT: Elizabeth Hardwick-Smith from Pick Everard was picked as the best dressed woman at the Enterprising Women Race Day (Credit Pete Martin Photography)

INSET RIGHT: Emily Smith

The future will be data driven… ...are you ready?

By Simon Langdown (pictured), Co-founder of Essenkay

In an increasingly competitive landscape, businesses across all industries must ensure their technology systems support growth and efficiency. To help, Simon Langdown, ERP implementation specialist at Essenkay, explains how to get the most out of cloud systems.

Moving from legacy systems to the cloud Legacy systems prevent businesses from being able to accurately aggregate and analyse data from different departments, which can slow progression. Modern cloud solutions, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365, offer a centralised database with customisable data models and access requirements to enhance visibility. With a cloud-based system, businesses can also avoid maintaining expensive on-site legacy systems. In this way, the short-term implementation costs from cloud systems can be offset in the longer term as the responsibility for system upkeep, security, and troubleshooting is shifted to the service provider.

In addition, upgrading legacy systems to cloudbased software can strengthen a business’s cybersecurity policies and maintain data security. Legacy systems are often incapable of supporting

Maximising efficiency in Microsoft Dynamics 365 systems

Microsoft Dynamics 365 systems are designed on a subscription basis, making it simple for businesses to add new features depending on business needs. Users can stay within their budget by carefully assessing the most appropriate tools for their business.

With Dynamics 365, businesses can be flexible on their overall software usage, as services can be scaled up or down on demand. For example, a manufacturing business can test out the inventory management features of Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management and the automated cashflow forecasts from Dynamics 365 Finance before determining which is most beneficial for overall ROI.

present data protection laws, such as GDPR, and could leave businesses vulnerable to data leaks and loss of customer satisfaction. Cloud systems enhance GDPR compliance by providing secure data storage and automated privacy management.

Benefits of cloud-based ERP systems

Cloud-based ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems offer real-time access to business data from anywhere, anytime, enabling stakeholders to stay informed and teams to collaborate more efficiently. This particularly benefits organisations with remote or distributed teams, fostering greater collaboration and productivity.

Businesses can also benefit from enhanced efficiency as decision-makers can quickly access key insights, for example, budget utilisation, resource allocation or project timelines to identify any potential roadblocks ahead of time.

Cloud-based ERP systems can also significantly enhance supply chain management. Potential disruptions can be identified and managed more quickly as ERP systems give businesses greater visibility across inventory levels, shipments and third-party supplier updates. Businesses across the supply chain can then benefit from improved risk management and streamlined operations.

Another way to maximise efficiency is to take advantage of the automation features across the Microsoft Dynamics 365 suite. By using the software to support analysis and process management, businesses can free up employee time to concentrate on high-value, strategic tasks that drive profitability and growth.

Mitigate long-term risk from inaction with Essenkay’s bespoke ERP implementation solutions: essenkay.co.uk

Programme helped my career direction

Amy Orton (pictured), account director at 1284 Communications in Loughborough, recently completed the DDP. Here she explains how it has helped her and the business she works in.

How did you identify the support needed within your business?

The programme was identified following my one-year appraisal. In terms of CPD, my first year was largely spent developing processes, building relationships, and familiarising myself with the landscape. Planning ahead for year two and beyond, we began looking at my ambitions, the growth objectives of the business, and the role I could play in helping us achieve that growth. We began looking for suitable courses to build my leadership experience and found the Director Development Programme.

What support did you receive and how was your experience?

The course was interactive and covered lots of ground. There was plenty of opportunity to apply what I was learning practically. Charles was great at offering examples of both good and bad practice, making everything much more relatable and understandable. It was professionally organised, flexible when it needed to be, and the format of the course – five full inperson days – worked really well for me. It was an investment time-wise but attending the sessions allowed me to take myself out of the business and focus fully on each day.

What made you choose the Chamber over other training providers?

The structure and content of the course made it an attractive option. In addition, splitting the learning days over a number of weeks (rather than it all being in one) made it easier in terms of time management for an SME. Obviously, it was arranged by the Chamber and we had experience of attending Accelerator and some of their other programmes. As such, we expected efficient and effective training with a business rather than theoretical focus. That was what we received – an accessible introduction delivered by a trusted provider with a good reputation.

Two decades of developing talent

East Midlands Chamber’s successful Director Development Programme is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It’s designed to help directors and senior managers develop the skills necessary to grow their business or the department they lead. Charles Barnascone (pictured) is the programme trainer.

Iwas asked the question recently, “so how long have you been delivering the Director Development Programme?”, and realised it’s a question we hadn’t really thought about.

So we started winding back through the years – well it was pre-Covid so that was four years ago… and it was before Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce became East Midlands Chamber… and we finally landed on 2004, making it 20 years that we have been delivering and developing this programme.

right environment for success to happen.

‘Over the last 20 years there are literally hundreds of organisations which have benefitted from the programme’

It has inevitably seen some changes over the years as the circumstances we’ve faced changed our approach for delivery, and we have included new developments and material to keep the programme up-to-date, but interestingly the fundamental principles have stayed the same through the years, as in many respects they have in leadership and business.

While it is a Director Development Programme by name, we have always welcomed senior managers from all walks of life either from the public or private sector, and the origins still are that as managers we need to work ‘on’ the business as much if not more than ‘in’ the business.

There is a strong emphasis on the importance of people and the contribution they can make to the future success of the organisation, after all people follow people, and leaders create the

Over the last 20 years there are literally hundreds of organisations which have benefitted from the programme in a variety of ways. Many of the participants of the DDP have gained from focused and bespoke additional training or support. Often, we have had one or two directors or senior managers attend the DDP, apparently to ‘try it out’ – with the remaining directors and senior managers attending the following DDP so the whole team ends up communicating the same message through the organisation.

Participants have found this enormously beneficial when creating their plans for the future. It’s also testament to the strength of the programme when people join based on recommendations from their colleagues.

Directors and managers from ‘all walks of life’ have attended over the years, which really helps the participants learn from each other since they typically have complementary experiences and varied ideas regarding the subjects we discuss.

The programme’s five modules take the participants on an interesting journey of discovery, perhaps reminding them of ideas they have not yet put into practice, and new perspectives to help them achieve their objectives. What is rewarding is that many leaders have come back to us and confirmed that attending the DDP was instrumental to their success.

The next Director Development Programme starts on 17 September, with each session delivered roughly every two weeks, and costs £1,550 for Chamber members and £1,950 for non-members plus-VAT. The first 2025 programme starts on 21 January.

For details visit: is.gd/dUog55

Cleaner future is focus of Energy Summit

Midlands Energy Summit 2024 – Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Derby, 9am-1:30pm on 28 November.

The event will be held in partnership with the University of Nottingham’s Energy Institute and will explore how businesses, academia and policy-makers can come together to ensure that clean growth underpins our future economic landscape.

Identified in the Chamber’s “Manifesto for Growth 2024” as “The Big Opportunity” as to how we develop the future of energy production, storage and provision in the East Midlands, the summit will explore the strengths of the region and the role of regional businesses in this space.

Exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities are available at this event which is open to all businesses and free to attend

For details visit: is.gd/JKcIL2

Free initiative will boost businesses’ digital skills

Businesses can tap into free support for an agreed number of student Digital Skills Coach hours.

The NTU initiative is designed to boost skills within businesses where there are gaps in digital knowledge such as data management and analysis through Excel, developing email marketing skills, SEO, AI and project management tools.

Businesses can find out more on the Digital Skills Coach page of the D2N2 Growth Hub website at is.gd/t4aoNa.

HELP TO GROW: MANAGEMENT COURSE (HTGM)

The 12-week HtGM executive development leadership and management course is intended to help businesses enhance the ability of their senior staff to lead growth, boost productivity, learn how to innovate, build resilience to future shocks, and produce a growth plan to allow them to fulfil their potential.

A total of 90% of the course cost is funded by Government, with the remaining 10% paid as a one-off, upfront fee by participating businesses. As part of the Accelerator project, the Chamber has been subsidising the £750 upfront cost for eligible businesses joining the course at participating universities and business schools in our region.

Laura O’Beirne, operations manager at Luke Evans Bakery in Alfreton, said participation in the course was a valuable experience for her. She said: “The course not only enhanced my planning abilities but also encouraged me to really look at what our value is to our customers, think creatively and look beyond our current limits.”

East Midlands Chamber deputy chief executive Diane Beresford said: “Small businesses are expected to wear so many hats. By partnering with the universities on the Accelerator project, the Chamber aims to give small businesses that extra helping hand to implement very practical measures that help to take the pressure off.”

Latest international training courses

A number of new courses have been added to the Chamber’s International Training Portfolio covering the movement of dangerous goods. International law requires that all staff involved in the shipping, packing, documentation, handling or carriage of dangerous goods must complete a comprehensive training course approved by the appropriate national authority.

It is crucial that a company demonstrates evidence that its employees have a valid certification on dangerous goods training when dealing with them.

We are offering the following new courses face-to-face in the East Midlands at our Chesterfield Office:

• Lithium Battery Awareness Course by Road & Sea One-day – 18 September is.gd/SNIGwA

• Section II Lithium Battery Course by Air One-day – 3 October is.gd/klbff3

• Dangerous Goods by Road & Sea Three-day – 22, 23, 24 October is.gd/otIx6d

• Dangerous Goods by Air Three-day – 12, 13, 14 November is.gd/Mi0rY0

• The Lithium Battery Course by Air Three-day – 27, 28, 29 November is.gd/BZ3ZKu

Toyota’s manufacturing facility will host the event

Nottingham Trent University students

Business Festival set for milestone event

Excitement is building for the tenth annual Leicester Business Festival (LBF), which will run from 4 to 15 November.

The festival has been a key part of the city and county’s business calendar since it was launched in 2014 by Corin Crane, who at the time was director of the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP).

Corin envisioned a festival to showcase the region’s economic vibrancy and innovation. His

goal was to highlight local business achievements and attract outside investment.

LBF was brought to life by a dedicated team, including Alister de Ternant (then at Curve Theatre), Maxine Aldred (then at the FSB), David Simms (then at the Leicester Mercury), and Sally Stevens (then at the LLEP), who were instrumental in realising Corin’s vision. They have since moved on from their respective roles listed.

The festival launched at Hotel Maiyango and quickly became the region's most anticipated business fortnight.

Since its inception, the LBF has been supported by key partners and businesses such as East Midlands Chamber, De Montfort University and the University of Leicester, among others. The Chamber is pleased to be supporting it again this year.

In 2024, the festival is proud and grateful for the ongoing partnerships from a number of businesses and organisations who help enable the festival to happen.

Over the past decade, the festival has showcased innovations from Heathrow T5’s driverless pods to flying taxis, trade missions, and local business expansions. It has fostered countless connections, collaborations, and deals, positively impacting the regional economy.

In total, LBF has hosted 938 events, captivated

43,000 attendees, and reached a national and international audience through its strategic marketing. The 2023 festival alone raised more than £20,000 for Leicester Hospitals Charity.

Scott Knowles, chief executive of East Midlands Chamber, emphasised the festival’s resilience and growth. He said: “Despite economic fluctuations and the global pandemic, the festival continued to spotlight our business community through online events.

“This endurance highlights the commitment and adaptability of our industrial leaders.

“The Chamber, along with early partners such as the University of Leicester and De Montfort University, is proud to have supported the festival’s evolution. We are excited to back the 2024 fortnight and look forward to our Leicestershire Business Awards on 8 November, a festival highlight.”

Tickets on sale for our annual Awards

Tickets are now on sale for the 2024 East Midlands Chamber Business Awards, which will be held this autumn.

The annual awards – which are held separately in Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire – showcase the achievement and resilience of businesses across the three cities and counties.

The finalists for all 13 categories – ranging from Excellence in Innovation to Outstanding Growth and Business Improvement Through Technology – were revealed at East Midlands Chamber President Stuart Dawkins’ summer celebration at the end of August, followed by a virtual judging process.

A Business of the Year is chosen from the winners in each county and selected firms will go through to the regional and national British Chambers of Commerce Awards.

The dates for the three award ceremonies are: Derbyshire, 25 October; Nottinghamshire, 1 November, Leicestershire, 8 November.

TV presenter Emma Jesson will host the awards.

Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “The Chamber Business Awards recognise the remarkable achievements of the region’s business community, its strength in challenging times and the innovation that the East Midlands is so proud of.”

Award sponsors confirmed so far are: emh group, Cambridge & Counties Bank, De Montfort University, Loughborough College, Blueprint Interiors, ER Recruitment, RSM, Purpose Media, University of Derby, Amazon, Futures Housing Group, Aston Lark (formerly Howden), RollsRoyce and University of Nottingham, DHL, Nottingham Trent University, EMMAN (East Midlands Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network), Concertus, part of Vertas Group, Barclays Eagle Labs and UWS (Unique Window Systems).

Sponsorship opportunities can be discussed by emailing trace.voss@emc-dnl.co.uk. For details and to enter, visit is.gd/d4BVt0

Scott Knowles at a previous Leicester Business festival

Motivational

speaker Sian Lord

Delegates at last year’s event

Rolls-Royce put to the test at NASA

Rolls-Royce and easyJet are building a hydrogen testing facility at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

The Derby engineering giant and the lowcost airline operator have broken ground on an engine test site which will be used to perform outdoor testing on a modified Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 engine powered by hydrogen. It will be the third Rolls-Royce test stand at NASA Stennis, expanding a relationship that goes back decades and which includes joint research on a variety of aerospace technologies.

The latest programme is part of RollsRoyce’s goal to develop technology that meets a growing demand for power while enabling net zero by 2050.

In addition to hydrogen research, RollsRoyce continues to focus on other key elements of its technology strategy –specifically more efficient gas turbine engines; incorporating the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF); and other forms of power including increased electrification.

Deborah Robinson, director of test and experimental engineering for Rolls-Royce, said: “Rolls-Royce is at the forefront of developing technologies that will be needed to reach net zero by 2050.

“We are excited to partner with other global leaders like easyJet and NASA to explore the viability of aviation decarbonisation through the introduction of hydrogen as an alternative fuel."

Easyjet chief operating officer David Morgan said: “We are delighted with the progress our partnership with Rolls-Royce has made and where greater a place to do this next phase of testing than at one of NASA’s facilities.”

Green travel award for regional tourism body

Visit Peak District & Derbyshire won a gold award for promoting responsible and sustainable travel at the Travel Marketing Awards 2024.

The official tourism body was recognised for its ‘Car-free Adventures’ campaign during an awards ceremony held at Hilton London Bankside this summer.

‘Sustainable tourism plays a vital role in growing our visitor economy’

The car-free campaign ran throughout 2023 and encouraged visitors to choose greener transport options when travelling to, and getting around, the region.

It was developed in consultation with partners including the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) team at Derbyshire County Council and bus and rail operators Stagecoach and Northern.

The campaign included leaflets promoting days out by bus, downloadable ‘car-free’ itineraries and social media content including video reels showcasing greener days out.

There was also a focus on attractions offering discounts to visitors arriving by public transport and taking advantage of the current £2 bus fare cap which runs at least until the end of the year.

Jo Dilley, managing director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “Working with our valued partners we are committed to reducing car journeys and supporting and promoting a greener way of getting to and around the Peak District and Derbyshire – protecting our precious landscapes and supporting local communities at the same time.

“Sustainable tourism plays a vital role in growing our visitor economy and ensuring its long-term success, making a real difference to both visitors and residents alike, and we’re thrilled this campaign has not only achieved brilliant results, but also worthy recognition on a national level.”

More electric buses en route

Nottingham City Transport fleet is bringing in 24 new electric buses early next year to cover Clifton, Ruddington, Meadows, Basford, Bulwell, Mapperley, Lambley, Woodborough and West Bridgford.

The announcement comes as the first batch of electric buses operating on Green 11, Pink 30, Blue 39, 40, 41, 42 and Red 50 has reached 250,000 zero emission kilometres in the city –about 155,000 miles – and carried more than 750,000 passengers.

Every single-deck bus in NCT’s fleet will be electric within the next 18 months. 24 of the 62 buses are already in use, with a further 24 due in early 2025 and a further 14 following in 2026.

The Yutong electric single-deck buses achieve a 79% saving in greenhouse gas emissions compared

A Saturn V rocket and F-1 Engine display at NASA Stennis Space Center, Mississippi (Photo courtesy of iStock)

Visit Peak District & Derbyshire won the Marketing Responsible and Sustainable Travel Award at the Travel Marketing Awards 2024 (Image credit AG Studios)

A Nottingham City Transport electric bus

Olympics boost for ATA Carnets service

East Midlands Chamber saw the number of documents it processes to take items to the EU double in the run-up to the Paris 2024 Olympics, compared to the same time in 2023.

In July the Chamber saw a surge in requests for ATA Carnets – a travel document required by border officials when temporarily exporting items like sports equipment – twice as many as July 2024.

Chamber international trade manager Lucy Granger said: “The Olympics seem to have heightened people’s awareness of the documents they need to have when exporting items like sporting equipment to the EU.

‘This summer we’ve had requests for things ranging from canoes to D-Day beacons and even a Porsche 991’

“In the same way an Olympic athlete doesn’t want to be told at the border that their javelin can’t go with them to France, people are realising – as we’ve seen by the doubling of requests we’ve had this July, compared to last – that to temporarily export items like a drum kit to play in a band, they’re going to need this paperwork sorting.

“An ATA Carnet tells those guarding international borders that the drum kit is going, then coming back to the UK.

“This summer we’ve had requests for things ranging from canoes to D-Day beacons and even a Porsche 991.”

The customs document helps streamline the customs process by offering a dedicated declaration form with a predetermined cost.

According to the International Chamber of Commerce, the system’s efficiency was highlighted during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, when more than 118,000 pieces of equipment valued at $94m – around £74m – were imported using ATA Carnets.

East Midlands Chamber has been issuing carnets for well over a decade, with the number processed growing since the UK left the EU – they weren’t needed for travel into and out of Europe when we still held membership. Customers make their application online, which is then assessed to ensure that the goods comply and the country they are going to will accept them.

For details visit: www.emc-dnl.co.uk/ services/international/ata-carnets

Apast member of the East Midlands Chamber board says there are growing opportunities for trade between the UK and Uganda, building on the two country’s historic links.

Jaffer Kapasi OBE said the East African country was ripe with opportunities, lying in one of the world’s fastest growing regions and with regulations that favoured inward investment. Big growth areas include agriculture, engineering and construction.

He has just returned from a trade visit to Uganda along with representatives of a number of Leicester businesses.

The trip was hosted by the Ugandan government inward investment body the Statehouse Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU).

The UK group included Zoheir Damanwala, from Burhani Construction; Abdeali Jamaly, from SMB Trade Centre and Syston Hardware; Dr Murtazabhai Faizi and Dr M. Alhussain, who are Oxford University Lecturers involved in a health centre and medicine manufacturing initiative; real estate specialist Mufaddal Loyeolwala; Willy Mutenza, who is the managing director of multicultural marketing agency The Promota Africa Group; and a representative of Muslim organisation the Dawoodi Bohras Business Group.

Jaffer was one of 27,000 Ugandan Asians who fled their homeland in 1972, under the repressive regime of Idi Amin, many of them moving to

Kampala is the capital and largest city of Uganda

Uganda can offer More delegates earn ITOPS qualifications

The latest delegates to complete East Midlands Chamber’s International Trade Operations and Procedures Qualification (ITOPS) have received their certificates.

The course provides candidates with the skills to operate the administrative procedures needed to thrive in the complex international trading environment.

The successful candidates each also gained the British Chambers of Commerce accredited Foundation Award in International Trade, showing that they are able to avoid costly mistakes while improving their international trade procedures.

‘We

recognise the crucial role that comprehensive education and training play in empowering businesses’

The course is aimed at anyone employed in an international trade environment, from manufacturers and suppliers to freight forwarders. It covers elements such as administration, export documentation, customs and excise, other legal requirements, export payments, dispatch and shipping.

Julie Whiting, the Chamber’s international trade training and services manager, said:

Leicester, where he made his home.

A trained accountant, he previously headed up the Leicester Asian Business Association and remains an ambassador for UK business.

He led the mission in his role as Honorary Consul General of Uganda in the Midlands. The eight-day trip included networking with potential buyers and partners, meetings with government representatives and market briefings.

“Congratulations to all the delegates for completing one of the most practical international trade qualifications.

“It was amazing to work with them and this accolade is a testament to their hard work and dedication to the industry.”

Caz Bullement of Sheffield-based dental laboratory S4S was recognised with an award by sponsor KranLee Logistics for achieving the highest mark.

Trophies were also sponsored by Fidelitas Training and EMC and Alicia Holton from Derby webbing and tape manufacturer Rykneld Tean was also an overall prize winner.

KranLee director Karen Mosley said they were proud to sponsor the qualification which is crucial to helping local businesses navigate the complexities of global commerce.

She said: “We recognise the crucial role that comprehensive education and training play in empowering businesses to expand their reach and competitiveness on an international scale. By supporting this programme, we are investing in the future of the East Midlands' economic landscape, ensuring that local enterprises are well-equipped to thrive in the global market.”

Fidelitas International Training owner Steve Townsley FCIEx said: “Even though over 1,500 delegates have now successfully achieved this qualification, I never cease to share the

genuine trading potential

He said the Ugandan government was increasingly keen to make potential investors feel confident.

Jaffer said: “The economy is progressing at a rate of around 6% GDP a year and continuing to get bigger.

“There are huge opportunities in agriculture because Uganda is so fertile and produces large amounts of fruit and vegetable.

pleasure that delegates have when they receive their certificates at these events –tangible proof that their commitment, hard work and application has been recognised. As always, an excellent event organised by EMC.”

The Chamber’s ITOPS course is run over eight half days in partnership with Fidelitas International Training. The next one starts on 1 October and costs £2,050 for Chamber members and £2,755 for non-members.

For more info on ITOPS, contact Julie Whiting and Theresa Hewitt in the Chamber’s International Trade team or visit the registration page at is.gd/S3StFa

“The UAE is going to build a refinery for oil that will start exporting within a few years, and gold has also been found. There are also opportunities in IT and medicine and hospitals –the population is growing steadily and needs support in terms of health and education.

“Everybody speaks English and a huge part of the population is under 30. Demand for housing is a big issue too, particularly in Kampala.

“Engineering is also important and they are trying to be self-sufficient in terms of electric vehicles and buses and so on.

“The Chinese are already there in big numbers but there is no reason why we shouldn’t be supporting Uganda as it is an ex-British colony. Another thing is tourism and there is a need for good quality hotels to be built – it’s a beautiful country and has been called the Pearl of Africa.”

Ashfield businesses to go global

Business owners in Ashfield thinking about trading abroad – or existing importers and exporters looking to drive international sales –can take advantage of a fully funded service from the Ashfield Accelerator Project.

‘Trading Overseas’ is part of the Project delivered by East Midlands Chamber and funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

It forms part of Ashfield District Council's Accelerator Programme and offers support to local businesses to tap into global markets.

Sole traders, micro and small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) can be supported by a specialist consultant – Andrea Collins of the Global Trade Department – to address import and export challenges such as finding new markets, suppliers, distributors and trade events.

The service will be tailored to the needs of each business and could cover global trade functions, regulatory compliance or sustainability planning.

Home Curtains, a maker and supplier of curtains in Sutton-in-Ashfield, is one business that has benefited. Rachel Binks, its head of finance, said: “We were looking for support to guide us through the exploration of new markets abroad.

“We contacted the Accelerator project and explained what we were looking to investigate, and in turn built a plan to turn our ideas into practice. We were introduced to Andrea who worked tirelessly with us, showing patience and understanding in every question we had.

“The support and guidance paid significant dividends upon the acceptance of a Customs warehouse and continued support through applications for VAT numbers in EU countries and further afield.”

To find out more visit the Ashfield Accelerator pages of the D2N2 Growth Hub website and complete an expression of interest form.

Caz Bullement of S4S Dental with Karen Mosley of course sponsor Kranlee

Colonel Edith Nakalema of SHIPU (left) and Jaffer Kapasi OBE

Rail improvement plans must stay on track says Chamber

Rail improvements for the East Midlands must not be overlooked by the Government, says East Midlands Chamber, following the Chancellor’s announcement that the ‘Restoring Your Railway’ fund was to end.

At the end of August Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the Treasury needed to find £5.5bn of savings in 2024 and a further £8.1bn in 2025. She said scrapping the previous Government’s Restoring Your Railways programme would save £85m.

‘We need full electrification of the Midland Main Line’

A business case for opening the Ivanhoe passenger line on an existing freight line between Burton-upon-Trent and Leicester was submitted before the election, with campaigners hopeful that work could begin imminently.

But the Chancellor said the Ivanhoe Line and other projects where building work had not started were being halted.

The Chamber’s Manifesto for Growth 2024

Council aims to get costs under control

The leadership team at Derby City Council said it has managed to bring down its in-year overspend for the year ending March 2024 while keeping strict spending controls in place.

With predictions of a £6.5m overspend six months into the 2023-2024 financial year, the council said it was able to reduce this to £4.4m by the year end.

Rising costs in social care, compounded by continued high inflation, caused the council to experience more than £20m of in-year unbudgeted pressures.

Measures put in place to mitigate this included only recruiting where staff vacancies were critical to services, and approving spending only for essential items and services.

The council said the mitigations resulted in approximately £7m being offset.

A statement said the picture in Derby compares favourably with nearby councils which saw an overspend in the tens of millions.

contains a series of asks for the Government to significantly upgrade transport infrastructure in the East Midlands:

• Commit to the full electrification of the Midland Main Line

• Reinstate direct rail services between Leicester and Coventry

• Put £18m of funding into improving the Nottingham to Lincoln line

• Prioritise schemes within the Midlands Rail Hub scheme following the HS2 East cancellation

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and insight Richard Blackmore said: “It’s essential that pulling the Restoring Your Railway scheme doesn’t cast any doubt over implementing the asks we’ve clearly outlined in our Manifesto for Growth.

“While the Chancellor has talked of balancing the books, it’s critical that the East Midlands is not a victim of cutbacks.

“We need full electrification of the Midland Main Line, which carries nearly four million passengers. Our region is more densely populated than the West or East Coast main lines, yet they already have full electrification.

Chesterfield community groups awarded funding

More than £170,000 worth of funding has been awarded to community groups and local voluntary organisations in Chesterfield – with a further £140,000 set to be awarded to groups by the end of the year.

Some 50 community groups and voluntary organisations have been awarded funding through Chesterfield Borough Council’s Community Grants Fund, with applications for the next round closing at the end of June.

Funding was successfully secured from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), together with money raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Portion (CIL).

The council grants fund was launched last year to help organisations deliver grassroots projects that will improve life for local people.

The grants are already being used to help local groups deliver projects that support resilient, healthy, and safe neighbourhoods, as well as initiatives which will help to tackle food poverty and social isolation, or support people to get into work. They are also supporting projects that will reduce the borough’s impact on the climate and wider environment by promoting greener choices.

The latest round of funding, tranche three, has seen the following groups awarded funding:

• The Volunteer Centre

• Pathways of Chesterfield

• Duckmanton Miners Welfare

• AshGate Heritage Arts

• Compassionate Voices

• Chesterfield in Bloom Community Committee

• Mindscapes

• ChitChat

• Inspiring Inkersall

• 1st Brimington Brownies

• Inclusive Pedals

• Chesterfield Foodbank

• Community Development Chesterfield

• Chesterfield Cricket Club

• Cycle Chesterfield

• Newbold Community Association

• Ashgate Hospice

Chesterfield

(credit: Alexey Fedoren)

“Improving rail connections in the region needs addressing – we need to reintroduce direct trains running between Leicester and Coventry, where only 3% of trips between the cities are made by rail, despite being so close to each other. £18m of funding is needed to upgrade the Nottingham to Lincoln route too, where only 10% of travel is by rail.

“I hope the government will consult with us on any rail projects they look at, ensuring the East Midlands is front and centre of development plans.”

New chief executive named

Sajeeda Rose (pictured) has been confirmed as Nottingham City Council’s new chief executive.

Sajeeda has served as the council’s corporate director for growth and city development since September 2021, leading on planning, transport, economic development, property, major regeneration and housing for the council.

She was also part of the team that helped establish the East Midlands Combined County Authority.

She has replaced Mel Barrett who has accepted a role as chief executive of Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing.

‘I’m honoured to be selected as the council’s new chief executive’

City council leader Cllr Neghat Khan said: “Sajeeda has a wealth of experience in leading change and transformation at the council as well as in other organisations in the East Midlands.

“She led the transition of the housing management services back into the council and has led on the redevelopment of Broad Marsh which is a major opportunity for the city. As the chief executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, she was influential in successfully securing and delivering investment to support the regional economy and has a strong track record of performance and delivery.

“Our council faces significant challenges, but I

am confident that Sajeeda’s knowledge, expertise and experience will help us to continue to move forward on our improvement journey.”

Sajeeda Rose said: “Nottingham is a great city which I know well from my previous roles so I’m honoured to be selected as the council’s new chief executive.

“Our city has significant opportunities ahead. It is essential for the council to seize this potential and set out a new direction towards the improvements we are ambitious to achieve.”

RECRUITMENT SUPPORT

East Midlands Chamber, in partnership with Standguide, Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and Derby City Council is providing free recruitment & retention support to businesses across Nottinghamshire and Derby City.

The Chamber can help provide businesses with new staff and in-work support, as well as offering you the opportunity to give something back to the community.

The support includes:

• Skilled candidates who choose to work for your business.

• Guidance on supporting your workforce, their wellbeing and specific health conditions, including Information on applying for Access to Work funding to further support employees.

• Ongoing support for your staff from Employment specialists who help them navigate challenges in the workplace, leading to increased job satisfaction and employee retention.

• On-site visits and support phone calls when required.

The services are offered free of charge.

Visit: workingwelleastmidlands.co.uk to express an interest or receive further information on the support available.

LUTTERWORTH DEVELOPMENT

Plans to kickstart a major development and generate thousands of new jobs have been revealed.

Leicestershire County Council secured planning permission two years ago for the 550acre Lutterworth East site – a key part of Harborough District Council’s local plan –creating 2,750 new homes, 36 acres of business space and more than 100 hectares of green space, including protecting Misterton Marshes, schools and supporting around 5,000 new jobs. Now, taking into account rising construction costs and a tough housing market, the council has set out how it will make the scheme a reality:

• Create the business space first

• Develop in phases

• Unlock a prime 30-acre development site on the M1

• Work with Harborough District Council to review the right level of affordable homes in the current market conditions

Timescales are dependent on planning decisions but it’s hoped to find a developer to create the distribution site later this year, with work hoped to start in 2026.

COUNCIL LEADER MOURNED

Tributes have been paid to Derbyshire County Council Alderman and former council chairman Dave Wilcox OBE who has died at the age of 77.

Alderman Wilcox was a Labour county councillor for the Etherow division representing Hadfield, Tintwistle and Gamesley from 1981 to 2017 and became council chairman in 2013. He leaves wife Joan, with whom he would have celebrated 50 years of marriage in December, and daughter Ellie Wilcox, who followed in her father’s footsteps as a Derbyshire County councillor and cabinet member, working alongside him between 2013 and 2017.

Plugging the IT gap

Successful pilot project prompts calls for bulk IT equipment donations

By Emma Simpson (pictured), head of communication & administration, Rural Action Derbyshire

Rural Action Derbyshire (RAD), in partnership with PCrefurb, is delighted to announce the continuation of a successful pilot scheme aimed at refurbishing donated IT devices to help those who are digitally excluded.

They are looking to businesses, big or small, which are updating IT equipment to donate their old devices. Windows 10 will be coming to the end of its supported life in October next year which is likely to mean that businesses are going to start looking at replacing equipment very soon. PCrefurb can install alternative operating systems which means devices that may be redundant in a business can still have years of life left in them for use by a community group or individual.

Laptops, tablets and smartphones are all in demand. All donated devices are logged, the data is securely wiped, the hardware is tested and software is updated or installed. Once this is complete, it is available to go out into the community.

PCrefurb use REDKEYS USB, an ADISA certified data erasure service and all equipment is tracked, every process is logged and even the impact of each device is measured so companies can share this to help support their social responsibility outcomes.

The refurbished devices will be used to support

disadvantaged individuals to give them access to the online world. They will be able to receive online support and information that most people take for granted.

Donations from business changes lives. Digital exclusion affects many people who lack access or the ability to use digital services. With most services now being 'digital by default’, individuals without proper devices or digital skills face significant disadvantage.

Charlotte Winterbottom, policy & partnerships manager at RAD, said: “We know from the pilot earlier this year that demand for devices exceeds the number that are available. We really hope that businesses will want to take up this opportunity by donating IT equipment which will directly help disadvantaged people around the whole county.”

Helen Melhuish, chief officer at PCrefurb, added: "We are very pleased to be continuing to work with RAD and the Digital Support Derbyshire network. By refurbishing and distributing donated IT equipment and providing access to basic digital skills training, we can continue improving digital inclusion for people and voluntary sector organisations throughout Derbyshire."

PCrefurb are based in Glossopbut donations are invited from all over Derbyshire. If businesses are not able to drop the equipment off in Glossop alternative arrangements could be made.

‘We really hope that businesses will want to take up this opportunity by donating IT equipment’

Finding the perfect fit

There are many benefits for businesses that want to adopt a charity. As well as doing good in the community, being seen as a business that takes Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) seriously can increase your reputation and profit margin, boost employee happiness and serve as an excellent recruitment tool. But how do you choose the right charity to work with? Business Network offers its top tips.

WHEN THE STARS ALIGN

A great place to start would be looking for a charity that matches your company’s ethos and values. It’s also a bonus if you can match up your skills and knowledge too – if you work with people, then a charity that supports the disenfranchised and vulnerable would be a natural fit. If you’re an environmental firm, then an environmental charity would welcome your expertise.

Making sure you’re on the same page will lead to a successful working relationship and both you and your chosen charity will be able to reap the rewards.

TRANSPARENCY AND IMPACT

If you’re choosing to fundraise for your chosen charity, then it’s important you know exactly where that money will be going.

You can find a list of registered charities in England and Wales on gov.uk, which includes the charity’s aims, income and financial records – important information to seek out because if you back an untrustworthy charity, then ultimately your customers won’t trust you. It’s also important to look at the charity’s impact.

Find out how it spends donations, what it has accomplished so far and what goals it’s working towards. It goes without saying that helping to fund the charity chair’s lavish lifestyle is not the kind of impact you want to be making.

A MATTER OF OPINION

It’s important that you pick a charity that your employees and customers can get behind – especially if you’re looking to them to get involved with fundraising and volunteering! Include them in the selection process – you can ask your staff and customers to nominate a charity that means something to them, for example. Invite your shortlisted charities into the workplace to present to your staff and key customers/stakeholders and put the final decision down to a vote. If your staff feel like they are part of the decision, they’ll be more motivated to offer their support.

LOOK CLOSER TO HOME

There are a lot of well-known, national charities doing great work up and down the country. There are also a lot of smaller charities right on your doorstep that are playing a part in improving the local community, so you may want to consider lending your support to one of those instead. Opting to work with a local charity has many benefits. Chiefly, your customers will be able to see first-hand the work that you are doing, rather than just taking your word for it! Demonstrating your value in this way can bring a real boost to customer retention and satisfaction. Additionally, you’ll be able to lend visibility to the charity and give them a bigger profile, which will in turn put your name in front of more potential customers. It’s a win-win! Finally, you’ll be helping to support and strengthen the local economy which will benefit everyone.

‘It’s

important that you pick a charity that your employees and customers can get behind –especially if you’re looking to them to get involved with fundraising and volunteering!’

Meeting our net zero heroes

The UK is on a road to net zero and sustainability, and East Midlands Chamber is keen to support that journey, writes Tom Pegden. This month Business Network looks at some of the measures being taken by industry to go green and play their part in making the world a better place for this and future generations. We are also promoting the 2024 East Midlands Sustainability Summit which takes place at the University of Derby Kedleston Road Campus on 12 September.

The summit, organised by the Chamber, is this year being held in partnership with the university and sponsored by Geo Green Power (see our Big Interview on page 29) and Auditel, with thanks due to PwC, Samworth Brothers, MTC (the Manufacturing Technology Centre), Viridis Building Services and Innoscope, with funding from the UK Government.

As the business community continues to make the transition to net zero and to decarbonise operations, this year’s summit will have a focus on how we maintain momentum.

Tackling climate change and nature’s decline remains one of the most pressing issues of our generation, which if left unchecked will bring with it the potential for extensive business disruption –as well as social, political and environmental upheaval – in the not-too-distant future.

Ensuring a just transition for all is essential. How we overcome some of these challenges, how we deal with climate fatigue and engage our customers and employees, is key to making the changes required to enable us to hit our climate goals.

On the day, through a range of speakers, workshops and panel discussions, we will bring together industry specialists, scholars, and the

business community to explore how we overcome some of the main barriers to ensure a timely transition to net zero and to meeting the climate change challenge head on.

Delegates will be welcomed with an introduction from Professor Chris Sansom, professor of concentrated solar power and head of zero carbon theme at the University of Derby.

East Midlands Chamber policy and representation manager Ian Bates is helping organise the event.

He said: “The Chamber understands the importance of how the business community transitions to net zero and we have seen and celebrated numerous exemplar examples of how the East Midlands is at the forefront of this agenda. As we move ever closer to the net zero targets we have set, the more difficult challenges start coming into sharp focus – and how we maintain momentum at this critical stage will be key to our success and will be the main focus of this year’s summit.”

THE AGENDA INCLUDES:

• Green Growth Trends for the East Midlands – Dr Polina Baranova, associate professor of strategy and sustainability, University of Derby on the transition to net zero.

• Driving Change: Carbon Maturity and the Scope 3 Challenge – Julie Adams, carbon, cost and procurement consultant, Auditel.

• Optimising Stakeholder Engagement to Deliver Sustainability Strategic Success –Becky Valentine, sustainability and building health consultant and co-owner of Spenbeck.

• Business Case Study – Andy Wright, responsible business director, Samworth Brothers on the role of data in our decarbonisation journey.

• The Role of Green Skills in Driving Forward the Transition to Net Zero: Green Jobs Barometer - Becky Clayton, partner, PwC.

THERE WILL BE A CHOICE OF WORKSHOPS INCLUDING:

• Is the Sun Still Shining on Solar Panels? - James Cunningham, managing director, Geo Green Power

• Sustainable Manufacturing in SMEs: Masters Students research reflections – Brian Robb, industrial professor, engineering systems at University of Birmingham and Liz Scoffins, senior research engineer at the MTC.

• Viridis Building Services – Lee Marshall, managing director, Viridis will give a practical overview of why the business puts such store in the sustainability agenda.

• Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Derbyshire

There will also be a networking lunch and exhibitors.

To book a place visit: is.gd/b2LHPn For exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities please email policy@emc-dnl.co.uk

TAKING A UNIQUE APPROACH

Unique Window Systems is helping to lead the charge towards net zero. The company, which operates from a 165,000 sq ft site in Leicester, manufactures a range of products that are helping to decarbonise the UK’s housing and wider building stock.

Its portfolio includes windows, patio doors, bifold doors, French doors, sliding doors, rooflights and curtain walling made from either UPVC or aluminium.

And they all share one thing in common –helping to improve the insulation and thermal efficiency of buildings, reducing heating requirements, energy usage and carbon emissions.

As well as offering products that have a positive environmental impact, the business is committed to manufacturing in the most sustainable ways possible, recently announcing that it is successfully offsetting all of its Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions.

‘As a business, we recognise that we have a very real duty of care to minimise our environmental impact’

Scope 1 emissions are those created by sources which Unique directly owns or controls, and include emissions from its fleet of delivery and service vehicles, the machinery in its production facilities and things such as the boilers used to heat its premises.

Scope 2 emissions are those produced by its external energy providers. To offset those emissions, Unique has worked with Switch2Zero, contributing to carbon offsetting projects around the world such as solar and hydro power plants and wind farms.

All of the projects funded by Switch2Zero and its partners are independently certified by organisations such as the United Nations to confirm their environmental integrity and contribution towards sustainable development.

Switch2Zero also helps its partners to

offset their environmental impact through things such as tree planting and plastic waste collection.

Unique has also implemented initiatives to cut waste during production and ensure any that is created is recycled wherever possible.

It also employs eco-friendly delivery strategies, reinvests in more efficient machinery and vehicles, and has a strong focus on sustainable material sourcing.

Joint managing director Sunil Patel said: “At Unique, we pay more than lip service to the notion of sustainability.

“As a business, we recognise that we have a very real duty of care to minimise our environmental impact for the benefit of both society today and future generations.

“To this end, we operate robust environmental management and reporting systems and are wholeheartedly committed to adopting more sustainable working practices and products.

“Successfully offsetting our Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions maintains that commitment. It also represents an important step in our ongoing drive to be a truly carbon neutral business.”

PROVIDING GREENER HOUSING FOR ALL

Rykneld Homes Ltd manages around 7,600 social properties on behalf of North East Derbyshire District Council. It also owns 140 social housing properties, including shared ownership. Niall Clark (pictured), its deputy managing director, tells Business Network about its sustainability initiatives.

We’re seeing an increase in the number of people applying for housing and it’s our job to support them to have a safe and decent home.

Of course, there are lots of considerations when it comes to this – sustainability being up there with the most important.

To set the scene, our fundamental objective over the coming years is to provide more affordable housing – we have set ourselves a target of delivering 400 homes by 2027. It’s ambitious, but we believe it’s achievable.

We’ll build, buy back, and acquire homes –ensuring they meet the safe and high standards required for social housing. When it comes to new homes, we’ve pledged to provide sustainable and environmentally friendly developments, using new technologies wherever possible to continue driving down our carbon footprint.

When we build new, we future proof too.

Properties on all of our latest and planned developments benefit from some or all of the following – air-source heat pumps, electric vehicle charging, solar panels and other low carbon and energy efficient initiatives. But 40% of our stock is non-traditional, which presents its own challenges. So, alongside our work to build new homes, we are consistently improving our existing homes. It’s a huge part of what we do.

Since 2010, we have undertaken structural repairs and installed external wall insulation (EWI) to more than 2,100 non-traditional construction homes with a further 345 planned.

In April 2023 we started work on a two-year programme to deliver EWI and other works to 640 council homes, with the support of £8.2m from the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. Further investment from the council, together with further external funding opportunities, will allow this type of work to continue through to 2027.

This award-winning work has delivered significant carbon reductions, improved the EPC ratings and thermal comfort of homes and reduced the risk of fuel poverty in the district. There’s no quick fix, but through purposeful planning, innovative schemes and strategic partnerships we are working towards ensuring all our homes are sustainable and will continue to do so.

Sunil Patel, joint managing director at Unique Window Systems

Credit: Beth Walsh Photography

LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREENER FUTURE

Henrik Hansen is the managing director of heater engineering business Vaillant Group in the UK & Ireland. Here he tells Tom Pegden about the lengths the business is going to secure a greener future.

Can you tell me about the business?

Vaillant Group UK is part of a wider international, family-owned company where we are proud to have a heritage that dates back to 1874.

Here in the UK, Vaillant Group’s headquarters are in Belper, Derbyshire, with further sites across the region, including a soon-to-be opened manufacturing facility at Pride Park, where we manufacture heating technologies such as boilers and heat pumps, to provide highly efficient heating and hot water systems.

With over 24 million homes in the UK and 18 million of those connected to the gas grid, we have the largest domestic boiler market within the Vaillant Group. However, as with many industries, we are playing our part in the transition to net zero through our commitment to heat pump technology.

To date, Vaillant Group UK has invested more than £50m in heat pumps and their ancillary products, through the creation of new manufacturing facilities, training of staff and apprentices and educating consumers to support the UK’s move toward low carbon home heating systems. In the 2023 financial year, Vaillant Group recorded sales revenue of €3.8bn, an increase of 3% on the previous year.

Can you describe your East Midlands operations?

Being part of the East Midlands community is very important to us, through our brands we have been in Belper and the surrounding areas since 1934, so we continue to support the local area, providing employment opportunities, as we have done for the last 90 years. Today, we employ 600 people across the East Midlands and over 1,000 nationally.

We have invested significantly in the region to support the expansion of our facilities and the growing demand for heat pump technology. We unveiled our heat pump production line at our Belper site in November 2022, which marked the beginning of a £50m investment and meant that we were the first manufacturer to produce both heat pumps and traditional gas boilers in the UK.

We also know that to aid the uptake of heat pumps across the country, installers need to be trained and upskilled to install them. So, we have invested significantly in this area, with six training centres across the UK, the largest of which is based at our headquarters in Belper.

Vaillant Group UK has also started a programme of partnerships with colleges around the UK to further support the training for upskilling new and existing engineers in the low carbon field.

There is a huge skills gap and an ageing workforce in the heating industry, so it is important that we support the future generation of heating installers to ensure that heat pump targets are met, which will be key to the UK achieving net zero. To this end, our latest college partnership

Vaillant Group UK

managing director

Henrik Juhl Hansen

with Derby College supported the inaugural cohort of Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprentices (LCHTA) accredited with the King’s Standard.

‘Efficiency

goes hand in hand with net zero commitments which is at the heart

of all our product development’

We were delighted to receive more than 60 applications for the LCHTA, all from the Derbyshire and East Midlands area. The first successful 10 applicants aged 16-19 are about to complete their first year through their studies at Derby College combined with on-the-job training at Vaillant Group UK.

Our commitment to continually invest in the region is also demonstrated through our latest investment to expand our East Midlands operation, with a second production site at Pride Park in Derby. Once open, the new 12,000 sq m site will support our ongoing commitment to deliver low carbon heating solutions and complementary system components.

How have you adapted your products to meet net zero commitments?

Efficiency goes hand in hand with net zero commitments which is at the heart of all our product development including boilers, heat pumps and ancillary products. In tandem, decarbonisation is key to reach net zero which is why we continue to invest in heat pump technology and expand our manufacturing capabilities in this area.

For example, our aroTHERM plus air source heat pump, uses natural refrigerant R290, which has a very low Global Warming Potential of just three, offering many advantages over other refrigerants traditionally used in heat pumps.

It also has technical features for improved efficiency, has been accredited by Quiet Mark and is a perfect solution for new and existing heating systems.

In terms of traditional boilers, we’re seeing more in the way of smart and WiFi-enabled heating controls.

Our latest offering in this space ensures we are providing end users with efficiency and connectivity.

What exciting new products are you launching?

Increasing the efficiency of our products has always been a core part of our R&D programme, and we have exciting product launches planned for the next two years resulting from this. As Vaillant moves to the future of heating, systems will need to integrate with other technologies and manufacturers of battery storage and solar PV as they become more popular.

While providing a full connected, low carbon system solution for the homeowner, these added components bring an extra layer to heating systems, so manufacturers will need to adapt and take on the extra responsibility to help train the installer workforce so that in turn they will be able to advise the consumer to make educated decisions on their whole house solution.

How are heat pump sales at the moment?

Heat pumps use environmental energy to provide heating and hot water for a property.

growth from consumers switching from a traditional gas boiler to a heat pump so it is likely there will be a reduction in the domestic boiler market. However, we also know there is no single solution when it comes to heating our homes in the UK as the breadth of property type is diverse. Heat pumps are a here-and-now technology that can offer decarbonisation benefits; however, the future is likely to be made up of a mix of heat pump, hybrid, and boiler technologies.

As mentioned previously, home heating will evolve into full connected low carbon whole house solutions, integrating solar PV and battery storage among other technologies. In the future we see our partnerships with these types of businesses and industry as being just as important as the products we manufacture.

What do you think is the future of natural gas as a heating source?

They extract thermal energy (heat) from the air, ground, or local water source and convert it into heating and hot water.

Electricity is used to power the heat pump, but for every 1kW of electricity used by the pump you can get up to 5kW of heat in return. As heat pumps use energy from the environment around them, they can help homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint.

The heat pump market has grown significantly this year, as several sectors seek to decarbonise their heating – such as new-build property developers; particularly as natural gas boilers will be banned from being installed in new homes from 2025 as part of the Future Homes Standard.

What do you see as the big changes in the heating market in the coming years?

Over the next 10 years, in line with the journey to net zero, we anticipate the transition to heat pumps with year-on-year growth. We see this

We anticipate that natural gas will continue to play a diminishing role in the mix of heat sources over the short to medium and long-term, it will more than likely phase out. However, we will likely see the continued use of boilers in home heating with the introduction of new and lower carbon alternatives to natural gas as and when they are available.

What actions have you taken to address families facing heat poverty in the UK?

We’ve played a significant role in the Government’s ECO scheme with hundreds of thousands of products installed to reduce fuel poverty and improve the efficiency of people’s homes. We are also leading the market in providing the most efficient heating systems for social housing. We support social housing providers in ensuring their tenants have warm, comfortable homes while benefitting from reduced energy bills and improved efficiencies provided through heat pumps.

Vaillant’s heat pumps use environmental energy to provide heating and hot water

The heat pumps extract thermal energy from the air, ground or local water source

‘A FORCE FOR GOOD’

Business Network hears from Andy Wright (pictured), responsible business director for Leicestershire-based Samworth Brothers – one of the UK’s biggest sandwich and food-to-go makers and the company behind brands such as Ginsters, Higgidy and Soreen.

Samworth Brothers is committed to being a force for good, delivering on our purpose: ‘We do good things with great food.’

The group has been making large investments into technologies to improve efficiency and sustainability.

We also became a founding member of the Coronation Food Project industry collaboration on food waste, inspired by His Majesty King Charles III, which aims to support the 13 million people in the UK that are experiencing food insecurity. All this alongside our ongoing support for new and existing community support partnerships. Some 2.7 million meals were donated across the group in 2023.

The longstanding loyalty and dedication of our 12,500 people is what drives success at Samworth Brothers.

We continue to make our operations more efficient, with three key priorities to further reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions: process heat (includes improving energy efficiency);

transportation (such as efficient route planning and alternative fuels); and refrigeration e.g. implementing climate-friendly alternatives to hydrofluorocarbons in three bakeries.

We increased our redistribution of surplus food to charities by 38% to 1,161 tonnes last year. Our new Surplus to Purpose project aims to divert food surplus to feed people, rather than being used as animal feed or going to waste.

Food from the production process that is not suitable as a finished product is redistributed through the Company Shop and Fareshare on to charity partners or community kitchens and cafes, who make meals from our donations.

In our food-to-go products, we switched to paper tamper tabs where possible, so the whole pack can be recycled as paper, and our Ginsters brand is using a new brand of film that has saved 26 tonnes of plastic since its launch in summer 2023.

KAKOU TAKES A GREEN APPROACH TO INCLUSIVITY

Ann Fomukong-Boden is managing director of Kakou Technologies

Tell me about your business?

I am co-founder and managing director of Kakou Technologies, founded in 2017 with my husband Mark.

Our name, Kakou, means inclusion in Hawaiian, embodying our mission to create technologies that help people with disabilities access mainstream heritage, culture, and creative arts.

Inspired by our personal experiences and volunteer work, we design inclusive solutions. Based in Chesterfield at the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre, we are an agile core team of three focused on innovation.

Tell me about your clients?

Our diverse client base spans across corporate, public, and non-profit sectors, encompassing a wide array of industries and organisational sizes from large multi-national engineering companies to small charities and community groups, offering product design services –electronic, embedded software, prototyping, IoT solutions and web development.

How important is sustainability to the business?

Sustainability is central to our business, guiding both internal practices and client solutions. We align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and, in 2019, became the first UK engineering company certified as a B Corporation by B Lab. This certification reflects our commitment to high standards of social and environmental performance.

Can you give examples of how you have become more environmentally friendly? The electronics sector is problematic for environmental emissions due to high energy

RECYCLING TO AVOID ELECTRONIC WASTE

Students from Nottingham Business School pitched their idea to tackle electronic waste through recycling and recovering precious metals at a prestigious international entrepreneurship competition.

MSc innovation management & entrepreneurship students Luke Hailstone, Devansh Poddar, Eugene Oigara, Pierre Louis, and Ajinkya Khairnar visited Nairobi, Kenya, to take part in The Hult Prize, which challenges young people to solve the world’s most pressing issues through social entrepreneurship.

Rapid technological advancements coupled with short lifespans of products has led to a growing problem of electronic waste.

According to the World Health Organisation, e-waste is the fastest growing solid waste stream in the world. In 2019, an estimated 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste was produced

worldwide, but only 17.4% was recycled. With the remainder sent to landfill or burned, e-waste can release lead into the environment and have an adverse impact on human health.

The NBS team, who hail from Kenya, India, France, and the UK, presented their Imagination Engineering business concept which uses ‘urban mining’ to addresses the issue.

‘Their pitch included the creation of a state-of-the-art bioleaching facility’

The innovative idea uses naturally occurring microorganisms to break down e-waste and recover precious metals such as gold, silver and copper, providing a sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional

recycling methods. Their pitch included the creation of a state-of-the-art bioleaching facility, equipped with advanced equipment, and managed by a team of experienced microbiologists and waste management experts.

The facility is designed to offer comprehensive e-waste recycling services to businesses, governments, and individuals looking to dispose of their electronic devices responsibly.

To create a prototype, the group conducted research with e-waste recyclers to understand any challenges and receive feedback on usability, efficiency, and effectiveness in recovering valuable materials from e-waste.

The Hult Prize receives thousands of entries each year with only a selection chosen to go through to summit events across the world. The Imagination Engineering team didn’t progress to the final, but the group valued the experience.

The King and Queen supported Samworth Brothers’ Coronation Food Project

consumption, e-waste, chemical usage and short product lifecycles. To mitigate our impact, we:

• Power all servers with 100% renewable energy.

• Run a comprehensive recycling programme for electronic waste, paper, plastics, and repurpose prototypes for STEM outreach.

• Revamped product design to prioritise ecofriendly materials and extensively use CAD for prototyping to eliminate manufacturing risk and reduce waste.

• Use local or sustainable suppliers.

• Operate in an office with an excellent BREEAM rating. Implementing sustainable practices hasn't been tough due to our agility and sustainability-

focused culture. My advice for companies starting their sustainability journey is to take one step at a time, perfect it, then move to the next step. This gradual integration fosters significant environmental responsibility without overwhelming resources or the team.

Are you helping clients be greener? Yes, we are helping our clients become greener. Here are a few examples:

• Energy-efficient product design – we redesigned a client’s consumer electronics product to use modular designs, energyefficient components and optimised software, reducing its energy consumption by 30%.

DEVELOPING HYDROGEN AS THE CLEAN ALTERNATIVE

Loughborough University is at the forefront of developing hydrogen as a clean alternative to traditional fuels.

Its £12.7m EPSRC Engineering Hydrogen Net Zero Centre for Doctoral Training (EnerHy CDT) is helping develop the skilled workforce needed for the hydrogen economy.

Hydrogen offers a route to energy security and net zero, but poses a variety of complex challenges around sustainable production, affordability, supply and waste chain development and scalability, new technologies and social acceptance.

EnerHy CDT – the UK’s only doctoral skills training centre dedicated to engineering net zero hydrogen – is leading pioneering research that addresses these potential barriers.

The centre draws on the expertise of more than 60 academics from the universities of Loughborough, Cranfield and Strathclyde whose capabilities and specialisms span engineering, science, manufacturing and economics.

Alongside their own research, they will supervise 14 PhD researchers. These fully funded studentships – available full- or part-time to accommodate professional and caring commitments – will nurture the skills and knowledge needed to transform the aspiration of the sustainable hydrogen economy into reality.

The centre’s work is supported by more than 60 industry and civic partners – including Caterpillar, Cadent, EDFUK and JLR.

Professor Dan Parsons, Loughborough’s pro vice-chancellor for research and innovation, said:

• IoT solutions for environmental monitoring –we developed IoT devices for a client to monitor air and water quality in real-time, helping them identify and mitigate environmental impacts quickly.

• Digital prototyping – utilising CAD for prototyping clients’ products, eliminating the need for multiple physical prototypes, which saves materials and reduces waste.

Tell me about your work with Destination Chesterfield?

I advocate for environmental awareness by organising workshops, sharing best practices and encouraging businesses to adopt greener practices.

“We welcome applications – to the handful of PhD opportunities still available – from graduates keen to join this exciting sector and develop a roadmap to a sustainable future in which hydrogen plays an important part.”

Visit: www.lboro.ac.uk/research/enerhy-cdt

Ann Fomukong-Boden

A social media policy for the holiday season

The office Christmas party is an opportunity for you to thank your staff for a year’s worth of hard work, and the chance for your staff to let their hair down and have fun. However, if the alcohol is flowing, spirits are up and professional guards are down, judgement may become impaired – and with the ubiquity of social media, missteps can be recorded and remembered long after the party has ended.

Your employees may not realise the damage that could be done when using social media during the workplace Christmas party but inappropriate content could have a negative impact on individuals and the company alike.

So how can you stop your staff from making an illadvised tweet or Facebook post that could put your company’s reputation at stake? A social media policy is an easy and effective way of highlighting the dangers that social media can pose.

DO WE NEED A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY?

You – or your employees – might ask if you really need a social media policy but it’s important to remember that what is said online can have a lasting impact on your business. What an employee considers to be ‘banter’ or a joke towards a colleague may constitute sexual harassment or gross misconduct. A seemingly harmless rant about your workplace could alienate potential customers. Examples of bad social media behaviour can include uploading and/or sharing embarrassing or compromising photographs of colleagues, criticising the company or its clients, harassment or bullying – the latter of which could put you, the employer, in breach of your duty to provide a safe working environment. You may also be liable for any employee who uses social media to make discriminating or defamatory comments about a colleague, client or competitor. There could also be a serious risk of

‘With the ubiquity of social media, missteps can be recorded and remembered long after the party has ended’

damage if an employee shares confidential or sensitive information. Therefore, a social media policy will outline what staff can post on social media – and more importantly, what they can’t.

WHAT SHOULD A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY INCLUDE?

Your first step is to decide how much, if any, personal use of social media is allowed in the workplace or on work equipment. Your policy should then set out the rules relating to appropriate use that will help protect not only your brand and reputation but also confidential or sensitive information. If your staff are required to use social media as part of their regular duties, it may also be prudent to include safeguards that allow you or senior management to check and approve content before it is uploaded. It’s important to focus on personal social media use – if staff harass or complain about a colleague or client, even on a private account, action can still be taken against them if the content they post amounts to bullying or sexual harassment, for example.

The policy should clarify whether the company monitors social media activity and the purpose of such monitoring in order to comply with data protection laws.

As well as highlighting the incorrect use of social media, your policy can also encourage effective use. In today’s

world, social media can be an important tool for promoting your brand; staff should learn the best ways to facilitate it.

Finally, the consequences for breaching the policy should be clearly set out. This can be cross-referenced to your disciplinary policy. The policy should be regularly reviewed and updated as necessary.

A TIMELY REMINDER

As Christmas – and with it the Christmas party –approaches, it’s a good idea to refresh your staff on the key points of the policy. This can be easily done; if you send out printed invites you can include the key points on the reverse or as a separate note, and if you’re sending evites you can include a link to the policy or simply copy and paste the policy into the body of the email.

Key points might include:

• Do not post pictures of colleagues without their permission

• Do not post or share inappropriate pictures of colleagues/clients/customers

• Do not post or share negative comments about the company or its customers

• Do not post or share negative comments about colleagues.

Some elements of your office Christmas party are likely to be remembered more fondly than others, and some colleagues will not want their photos shared or published without giving permission

Top tips for hosting a magical Christmas

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house not a creature was stirring – except for the bustling host preparing for the most festive buffet of the year! If that sounds familiar, Rutland Hall is used to delivering festive get togethers of all sizes and has got some tips and ideas to share to help people channel their inner host.

CHRISTMAS BUFFET: CHOOSE A THEME

When contemplating a Christmas get together, the first thing people need is a plan. The temptation of ordering a freezer full of random items labelled ‘buffet’ or ‘party’ food should be avoided, says Rutland Hall, which suggests that this Christmas, people could change things a little and embrace a theme. They could opt for Indian-fusion, for example, where flavour and spice is injected into nibbles or Spanish-style tapas, where merriment is mixed with a mediterranean twist.

One of the most important aspects of hosting is having control over the event, Rutland Hall says. By choosing a particular theme and sticking to it, people will see the host as cool as a cucumber.

OPT FOR ‘BRING-AND-SHARE’ BOARDS

Hearty dishes such as honey-glazed ham, roasted vegetables and a selection of gourmet sliders are the perfect way to tantalise savoury taste buds. When it comes to a festive buffet, it’s all about balance, says Rutland Hall. Hosts could try to incorporate a healthy mix of proteins,

vegetables and carbs to satisfy every palate.

A great way to cover all bases is to suggest a bring-andshare board buffet with loved ones. Each guest gets given a ‘theme’ which could be a food group, or a colour and has to bring a board laden with goods that fit the bill. It’s a fun take on how to approach Christmas dinner, an option that takes the pressure off the host a little, freeing them up to socialise with guests.

CREATE A ‘WINTER LODGE’ VIBE

If dreaming of a warm and rustic Christmas buffet, the host could try setting the scene with a cosy cabin feel, Rutland Hall suggests, featuring hearty comfort foods such as roasted chestnuts, mulled wine or inviting people to make their own S’mores bar. Hosts could light the fire, turn on the Christmas lights and encourage guests to wear comfy clothes and slippers as the host enjoys the hot chocolates.

This fun and festive winter lodge buffet theme is the perfect way to welcome Christmas before the host waves guests goodbye and snuggles under a blanket to watch their favourite festive film.

‘By choosing a particular theme and sticking to it, people will see the host as cool as a cucumber.’

SET UP A DIY COCKTAIL STATION

No Christmas buffet is complete without a festive tipple, so why shouldn’t a host set up their own DIY cocktail and mocktail station? Rutland Hall suggests the host could pre-make a pitcher or two of their favourite drink or put out a selection of liqueurs and mixers for guests to create theirown concoctions.

A variety of glasses and cocktail must-haves could be provided such as pomegranate slices, mint leaves, peppercorns, sugar, lime – even miniature umbrellas. The host doesn’t need to go all out with expensive drinks or raid the cupboards for liqueurs and spirits to use for cocktails.

OFFER A SELECTION OF SEASONAL SWEET TREATS

A Christmas buffet is nothing without a selection of tasty, sweet treats. Rutland Hall likes the idea of having a ‘main’ dessert – a show-stopping centrepiece – surrounded by miniature, bite-sized delicacies.

Hosts could create a wreath meringue with a real wowfactor, beautifully decorate a traditional Christmas cake or stun guests with a chocolate-laden yule log. They could add smaller plates of homemade stollen, mince pies and Christmas cookies to appeal to those who would ‘just like a taste’ although, once they’ve had one bite, Rutland Hall is sure they’d go back for more!

CHRISTMAS AT RUTLAND HALL HOTEL

If the idea of cooking, hosting and doing the dishes is a little overwhelming to hosts, Rutland Hall can host people and their loved ones at its hotel on the shores of Rutland Water. It’s a special time as the hotel’s 70-acre resort takes on a serene and enchanting Christmas vibe with twinkling lights throughout. The hotel offers plenty of Christmas dining, party and stay over experiences.

Bespoke training - the best option for workplace teams to grow and thrive

By Minakshee Patel, equality, diversity & inclusion specialist, MindSonar® professional and organisational development coach.

When it comes to business training I firmly believe that one size does not fit all. Any training needs to take account of the type of business and the industry, so that staff understand how everything fits together.

AVOID COSTLY RECRUITMENT MISTAKES AND BUILD YOUR BEST TEAM YET

With decades of experience in Equality, Diversion and Inclusion (EDI) and the most accurate psychometric profiling there is, I want to show you that people are never the problem. It’s the way you relate to each other that counts.

I offer one-to-one and group training for directors, managers, individuals or small teams.

First of all, I’ll get together with you to understand exactly what you need before

MISSION STATEMENT:

tailoring your bespoke training session. We’ll then agree on the time, place and approach for delivery that will suit you best.

IT’S THE WAY YOU RELATE TO EACH OTHER THAT COUNTS

Have you ever wondered how to recruit the right person or wished your team could understand and adapt to one another better?

Perhaps you’re feeling that what started out as workplace banter no longer has its place?

I’m passionate about EDI. I’ve helped all kinds of local businesses, councils, the NHS and even the fire service to see that when you get relationships right, teams thrive.

As a young Asian girl growing up in the 60s, I saw that the world wasn’t always fair. Supported by my family, I was encouraged to challenge, but gently. Others have called this “soft but strong”,

By providing collaborative consulting, bespoke solutions and impartial support, Minakshee Patel Consultancy nurtures a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusion, resulting in increased employee engagement, communication and productivity, thereby inspiring a harmonious and efficient workplace.

OUR VALUES:

Authenticity, Fairness, Integrity, Quality, Collaboration, Supportive.

an approach that has helped me to engage others, open conversations and bring people together with incredible effect.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The UK is rich in cultural diversity – and that means our workplaces are too. With the Equality Act 2010 as our guide, I can help you to understand different types of discrimination and put all the practical steps in place to create a fair and respectful workplace with a workforce who are highly motivated to want to work for you.

Working with businesses like yourself, I have created more inclusive and diverse workplaces where everyone feels welcome and valued, regardless of cultural diversity and differences.

I have enabled companies to have a clear policy on EDI, outlining their commitment to these values and setting out the steps they will take to promote them and a training programmehelping employees understand the importance of these values and how to put them into practice.

WORK WITH ME

I offer a variety of services to meet your specific needs. Together we will develop the right systems and solutions for you, your employees, and your business. My goal is that everyone has a voice, is confident to be themselves, listens to others and so are able to reach their full potential.

MY TRAINING IN ACTION

I am currently working with an organisation who wanted to train their staff on the topic of EDI and human rights legislation so that they have an understanding of the legislation and how it relates to the business and their working practices. This session will be run later in the year so keep an eye out for updates in this publication.

On 25 July (pictured above), I presented at a business network meeting, in which I outlined many of the principles and approaches covered in this article.

If you're ready to take the next step in your personal or professional or business development, call me to discuss how I can help your business grow and thrive.

Tel: 07831 634896 Email: minakshee@minaksheepatel.co.uk Visit: www.minaksheepatel.co.uk

Photo Courtesy of Pete Martin Photography

Safeguarding digital assets

Protecting your organisation from cyber threats is crucial and the Cyber Resilience Centre for the East Midlands (EMCRC) can help.

The EMCRC is a not-forprofit, police-led initiative dedicated to enhancing your organisation’s cyber resilience.

It offers free membership to all organisations, providing access to essential resources and expertise to safeguard digital assets. Cyber threats are constantly evolving, and it is vital to stay informed about the latest risks and how to mitigate them.

‘Together, we aim to build a resilient region where organisations can thrive without fear of cyber threats’

By joining the EMCRC, firms receive tailored advice on how to protect their organisation from cyber-attacks, data loss, and theft. Experts will guide them through best practices, offering practical solutions and support to strengthen their cyber defences. From educational workshops to threat intelligence updates, it is committed to empowering businesses with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complexities of cybersecurity.

East Midlands Chamber supports the EMCRC’s mission, recognising the importance of a secure digital environment for businesses and communities alike.

A spokesman said: “Together, we aim to build a resilient region where organisations can thrive without fear of cyber threats.

“Don’t wait for a cyber incident to take action. Join the EMCRC today and become part of a proactive community dedicated to cyber resilience. Protect your organisation, your data, and your future with the support of the EMCRC. Membership is free, but the peace of mind it brings is invaluable.”

Visit www.emcrc.co.uk to learn more and sign up for free membership. Together, we can make the East Midlands a safer place for all.

Accessible speaker is a smart invention for student

Astudent who has been deaf since birth has designed a smart speaker for the deaf and hard of hearing which could also help people who sometimes struggle to be understood – such as those with strong accents.

Sam Russell created ‘Janus’ to support people who encounter difficulties when interacting with voice recognition devices. He said Janus provides a solution for deaf users and can improve the experience for hearing users as well, while also addressing common aesthetic and affordability issues.

The result is a good looking speaker with accessibility features such as a written transcript of the request and answer, and light indicators confirming the request has been received.

A camera system, aided by artificial intelligence, has been incorporated to allow for sign language input, recognition and translation to written transcription.

Sam, who has just completed his studies in BSc product design in the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, said: “It is astounding that a product that is used by millions across the world cannot be used properly by a huge proportion of the population.

“One of the main flaws of smart assistant devices such as Alexa is the speech recognition technology is so limited. Research has shown that accuracy rates drop significantly for ethnic minorities and people with non-standard accents who struggle to make themselves understood.

“Not only that, for people in the deaf and hard of hearing communities, they are unaware if their request has been heard properly, as traditional smart speakers don’t tend to give a visual representation of the request.”

SMEs are slow to embrace AI

Most SMEs are still not using artificial intelligence, despite a growing acceptance by businesses that it could help boost productivity.

Research carried out by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Insights Unit in partnership with specialist recruiter Pertemps Network Group, suggests:

• 43% of firms have no plans to use AI technology

• 25% of businesses are currently using AI

• Customer facing businesses (B2C)

are even less likely to adopt AI, with 50% stating they have no plans to use this technology

• 42% of companies say they believe AI will increase their productivity overall, while 2% expect it to cause a decrease

• 24% plan to use it in future.

The survey showed significant sectoral differences – B2B companies are most likely to be currently using AI (33%), while manufacturers are least likely to be using AI (19%).

The findings are part of the BCC/Pertemps Employment Trends Report 2024, which examines major trends impacting the labour market, including changing skills needs and increasing occupational health requirements. It also found:

• Only 11% of responding businesses feel their current training arrangements are allowing them to meet their future skills needs

• Four in ten (39%) say they have seen an increase in the use of occupational health by employees.

Shevaun Haviland, director general of the BCC, said: “AI technology is fast becoming a key part of the business landscape. It will have a huge impact on employment trends going forward.”

TOP: The Janus speaker

ABOVE: Sam Russell with the speaker

Geldards corporate team partner Paul Feenan

NLS team recognised for pro bono work

A team of solicitors that provides free legal advice to members of the community has been named in the first Pro Bono Recognition List.

Laura Pinkney, Mathew Game, Katie Smith, Charis Wong and Megan Shirley from NLS Legal –Nottingham Law School’s teaching law firm – have each secured a place on the list, which recognises barristers and solicitors who gave 25 hours or more pro bono legal assistance over the last year.

The initiative is endorsed by The Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales and supported by the Law Society, the Bar Council and major

pro bono organisations.

The small team of experienced lawyers at NLS Legal supervises hundreds of Nottingham Law School students, helping with a range of legal matters including employment, family, housing, business, civil litigation, intellectual property, special educational needs and disability, welfare benefits and victims’ rights.

So far, financial awards totalling more than £6m have been secured for clients.

The firm also delivers public legal education sessions each year to raise awareness of legal rights and responsibilities.

Geldards helps EMB expansion

The Geldards corporate team has advised EMB Group on two recent acquisitions, strengthening the company’s foothold in the research industry.

Leicester-based EMB provides research and consulting services to the public sector including programme management, business process outsourcing and grant administration, working for local and national Government as well as Government agencies.

In April it acquired Blue Marble Research, a fast-growing provider of market and social research with a track record of environmental and sustainable projects, working with Government bodies, commercial brands, charities and utility providers.

The second acquisition is Yorkbased Qa Research, a supplier of qualitative, quantitative and data collection services, which works with clients in multiple sectors and

specialises in engaging hard to reach audiences.

Both Blue Marble and Qa join the family of businesses under the EMB umbrella and will continue to operate as stand-alone companies.

EMB Group has a long-standing relationship with Geldards, which previously advised it on the acquisition of research specialist Pye Tait in 2023.

The Geldards corporate team led by partner Paul Feenan advised on all aspects of the two acquisitions, supported by senior associate Manjot Shokar, solicitor Sophie Henwood and trainee solicitor Charlotte Hajduk.

Paul said: “It was a pleasure to advise EMB Group on these latest acquisitions. Geldards has worked closely with Danielle and the team helping to achieve their ambitions of expanding their business reach over the last few years.”

Solicitorsplan for growth

Timms Solicitors has relocated to bigger offices in Burton-uponTrent to pave the way for growth.

The firm, which also has offices in Derby, Swadlincote and Ashby, has moved to refurbished space in Anson Court in Horninglow Street in a deal handled by commercial property consultancy Salloway.

Managing partner Fiona Moffat said: “We have been established in Burton for many years and had outgrown our previous offices in the town centre.

“We were keen to remain on the ‘high street’ in Burton and were particularly drawn to how Anson Court has been sympathetically restored from its industrial heritage.

“This therefore echoes the investment we made in Derby with our move to the restored St Michael’s Church in the Cathedral Quarter.

“Anson Court gives us the contemporary and flexible space to grow our teams and we are particularly grateful to the property owners and to Simon Walker at Salloway for helping us to establish the letting and move on schedule.”

Simon Walker, commercial property surveyor at Salloway, said: “As soon as I knew 3 Anson Court was going to be re-let, I contacted Timms straightaway and set up a viewing as I believed the office space and location would tick a lot of boxes for them.”

Freeths aids sale of restaurants

Freeths has advised Karali QSR, part of the Karali group of companies, on its purchase of 46 Taco Bell restaurants from a single franchisee.

Freeths also advised Karali QSR on securing 46 new international franchise agreements with Taco Bell Europe, part of Yum! brands which also owns KFC and Pizza Hut.

Family-owned Karali Group has preserved more than 650 jobs through the transaction, which will also provide Taco Bell with a robust financial footing in the UK.

It came a few weeks after Freeths advised Karali Snacks on the acquisition of Crosstown Doughnuts as Karali continues to expand its portfolio across the consumer, leisure, retail and real estate sectors.

The Freeths legal team was led by national head of commercial and Franchise Iain Bowler and restructuring and insolvency director Miles Hacking, supported by Su Garner and Lucy Bradban.

Laura Pinkney heads up NLS Legal

Landmark for loan scheme

The British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme has passed the £150m mark in the Midlands, including more than 6,000 loans to East Midlands entrepreneurs.

The British Business Bank programme provides personal loans of up to £25,000 for business purposes, at a 6% fixed interest rate.

It comes after it was revealed last year that Start Up Loans had delivered more than £1bn worth of loans nationwide since 2012.

Start Up Loans provides mentoring, support and funding to aspiring business owners, often helping individuals who might find it hard to secure finance elsewhere.

The East Midlands has received 6,492 loans, worth more than £62m in total. More than 2,600 loans went to female founded businesses, worth more than £23m, and more than 498 loans were to businesses founded by ethnic minority groups, worth more than £6m.

Why we should tailor financial advice to women

Danielle Slater (pictured), director of Stephen Eve Financial Planning, explores how the financial services industry can cater to the growing wealth of women

As women become wealthier, financial advice that caters to their needs becomes paramount.

So does the need for more women choosing wealth management as a career to help others futureproof their money.

We are seeing a growth in female entrepreneurism and income, while Coutts has reported that women control more of the world’s wealth.

Yet, only 34% of women say they’re comfortable making investment decisions and 70% of staff believe that diversity, equality and inclusion are an afterthought in the financial services industry.

On top of that, financial advice firms and asset managers have some of the lowest proportions of women in senior management.

Which all poses the question: could an increase in women in wealth management positions improve the service to other women seeking advice? Quite possibly.

As a small business at Stephen Eve Financial Planning, our reach and impact are not as wide as the

corporates or the national bodies, but every effort counts.

SMEs make up more than 99% of the UK private business sector. Imagine what would happen if we all pulled together, tailored our strategies to suit female clients and encouraged more women into financial careers.

Many financial advisers are following suit and, while there remains room for improvement in the industry, it is promising to see firms work towards a better financial future for women.

Our team offers complimentary initial consultations for those wanting to educate themselves on investing, and we will provide free resources you can use to continue your learning.

For clients wanting to proceed to the paid advice part of our service, our aim is always to align to the values of the individual and make our approach inclusive.

For women looking to step into financial advice as a career, our advice would be to talk to other financial planning firms, including us.

Support for tic treatment

A University of Nottingham spinout has secured £500,000 for a pioneering safe, non-drug treatment to help manage the symptoms of Tourette’s.

Neupulse has secured the equity investment through the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, facilitated by fund manager for the East and South East Midlands, Mercia Ventures.

The business – founded in 2021 by husband and wife team, Professors Stephen and Georgina Jackson, with Dr Barbara Morera at the University of Nottingham – has developed a wristband that stimulates a nerve in the wrist to help control the tics or involuntary movements caused by Tourette’s syndrome.

Clinical trials suggest the device can reduce tic frequency by 25% on initial use, with even better results after four weeks. The funding will enable the company to finalise development and carry out further trials as it seeks to gain regulatory approvals in the UK, Europe and the USA.

From left: Paul Cable and Dr Barbara Morera of Neupulse, Sandy Reid from Mercia Ventures and David Tindall from British Business Bank

Why I chose to answer the call in emergencies

Rob Smith (pictured), part of the call handling team at Derbyshire Constabulary, talks about the pressure and satisfaction of the job,

People ask me ‘how do you do it?’ It can be really intense and very daunting when you first start.

But you have to have a certain persona in dealing with things. You’re never on your own, that’s the good thing – there’s always someone to ask.

I don’t think you can get what the job is like until you do it – how many things happen in the county every day, and you don’t appreciate how big Derbyshire is! Anything can happen anywhere.

‘Sometimes there’s a buzz in the room when we’re supporting a major incident’

When you’re on a 999 call, your brain is listening for information, key words, and what’s going on in the

It’s all about picking up the key signs – noises, sounds – and using your knowledge to get the address and get those officers out.

Those are the jobs which get your adrenaline going.

Sometimes there’s a buzz in the room when we’re supporting a major incident, and we’re able to help the people calling in. It’s the unknown, varied nature of what might happen.

You might think 12 hours is a long time, and it is, but it goes that quick. Once you’re done you walk out the door, you don’t take anything home with you.

I find the weeks go so quickly – I like the shift pattern and the time off afterwards, although it takes some getting used to.

I just go to work and do what I can to help. That’s what we do.

SKILLS Students team with business

Students from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) came together with local businesses to celebrate the latest cohort of the BrightER Futures initiative.

Run in partnership between the university’s Careers Team and Leicester-based ER Recruitment, the programme pairs 20 students and recent graduates with 20 Leicestershire businesses to help them gain experience and boost their CVs.

Chamber patrons and members Pick Everard, Nelsons Solicitors, Furnley House, Cross Productions, Menphys, Michael Smith Switchgear and Mattioli Woods are among the businesses that have hosted students as part of this year’s programme, as well as the Chamber itself.

To congratulate the students on completing the programme, a celebration event was held at DMU with a guest speech from Maz Patel, joint-owner and managing director of Scope Construction.

Accounting and finance graduate Jay Patel, who joined Maz and his team, shared how the scheme had helped him gain more exposure to the world of work.

Scarlett Canavan, business and marketing manager of ER Recruitment said: “If you’ve missed out on different placement schemes or thought a year in industry wasn’t for you, then BrightER Futures is definitely an option for you to gain practical experience.

Funding for SEND project

Leicester and Leicestershire Careers Hub has been awarded £450,000 to build up a project working with teenagers with special educational needs and disabilities.

Three years ago, Leicester and Leicestershire was one of 10 areas nationally to be selected for investment through a £2m fund offering support for disadvantaged young people heading towards work.

The city and county invested its £250,000 on a We Discover pilot project for 14-to-17-year-olds with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) going from school into further education or work.

The success of the pilot means the area is one of five to be awarded further investment, provided by JP Morgan through the Careers and Enterprise Company.

Phase 1 of the project focussed on 90 young people as they prepared for the transition to ‘post-16 destinations’ such as college, apprenticeships, or workbased learning.

Phase 2 will work with 300 young people, helping them overcome barriers such as difficulty accessing information about options, lack of time to explore the options and employers’ misconceptions about young people with special requirements.

The Careers Hub is now looking to speak with local employers about getting involved with Phase 2 of We Discover. Email businessboard@leicester.gov.uk to find out more.

“We now have a bank of businesses who have worked with our students during the programme. This gives us more scope to pair students with a host of skill sets and degrees to secure work experience in an industry relevant for them.”

BrightER Futures, which won a Leicestershire Business Award in 2022, has been running for four years.

Kishan Dahya, graduate success manager at DMU, said: “It’s been a pleasure to see how much our students have developed in confidence during their time working with businesses.

“Their time with BrightER Futures puts them on good footing for securing a permanent job within their chosen industry.”

Photo courtesy of Beth Walsh

Industrial park expansion plan

Plans have been submitted for the second phase of an industrial park on the A617 between Ashfield and Mansfield in Nottinghamshire.

Peveril Securities and Sladen Estates want to add two warehouses – one covering 172,000 sq ft and the other covering 525,000 sq ft –at Summit Park, which is already occupied by Amazon.

Matt Sladen, development director at Sladen Estates, said: “Summit Park was a hugely significant development for the area and we are very pleased to be bringing forward this second phase.

“Between the two units, it will create nearly 700,000 sq ft of additional distribution space following on from the success of the first phase in this key area for the logistics sector.”

The scheme spans two planning authorities, with the smaller unit covered by Ashfield District Council area and the other covered by Mansfield District Council.

Ralph Jones, managing director at Peveril Securities, said: “Following the success of Summit Park – which delivered some 1,750,000 sq ft of distribution space for Amazon – we have now submitted applications for this important second phase of development.”

Chesterfield and north Derbyshire property is in demand

FHP Property Consultants said it has seen strong demand for properties in Chesterfield and the rest of north Derbyshire in the first half of the year.

The company said there had been high levels of interest, particularly between Junctions 29 and 30 of the M1.

Recent successes included leasing 12,000 sq ft of space to Rutland UK and Harmony Fire at Holmewood Business Park, a modern office park 4 miles south-east of Chesterfield.

FHP said there had also been interest in a remaining office building at the same business park, while 6,000 sq ft of space is “under offer” in Barlborough, just off Junction 30.

Director Darran Severn said: “It’s been hard work but pleasing we are seeing some of the deals we agreed earlier in the year completing.

“We are finding that enquiry levels are consistent and in some of these locations it’s a matter of

unearthing the right occupier for the building.

“Quality is key, and many of the businesses we are speaking with are looking for refurbished space that is immediately available for occupation.

“Both capital and rental values remain at existing levels, with typical lease lengths being between five and 10 years with breaks in year three.

“Whilst there is an element of uncertainty in the air due to political and world events, we do require more stock across Derbyshire to satisfy ongoing requirements.”

The industrial agency team has been busy working on several schemes in Clay Cross, including 16 units at Wingfield View Business Park, which is being developed by Roe Developments, and which are all under offer.

Elsewhere in the Chesterfield area, FHP completed the sale of a 12,500 sq ft unit in Whittington to a local occupier and has let a further 3,000 sq ft at Spectrum Business Park, just south of the town centre.

Affordable housing opens in Whetstone

Representatives from emh group, Blaby District Council, Homes England and Lovell helped celebrate the opening of The Villers, an affordable housing development in Whetstone.

The site offers family housing, dementia-friendly bungalows and supported living for people with complex needs. Some 77 homes have been built on a former

industrial site, and are split between social rent and shared ownership.

The homes were delivered by emh group, as part of a partnership agreement with Homes England, and in partnership with Blaby District Council and development partner Lovell. Emh worked closely with Blaby District Council to ensure the development met critical local housing needs and

helped to ease pressure on the local need for temporary housing.

Chan Kataria, group chief executive at emh, said: “I’m delighted that we were able to come together with our partners to celebrate the completion of this fantastic scheme. Through our strong partnership with Blaby District Council, we have delivered homes that meet the needs of local

people, helping them to meet their housing aspirations. I’m proud that we have been able to work with our partners to achieve emh’s ambition of building high-quality homes for thriving communities.”

The Villers is built on the former Whittle Estate, developed by Sir Frank Whittle and later an important centre for the nuclear industry and computer research.

FHP director Darran Severn

The newly-opened Villers housing development in Whetstone

There’s a real Buzz about the new VW campervan

Journalist Nick Jones tests the Volkswagen Buzz – an electrified, and seriously updated, version of the iconic campervan.

I’ve never been one for camping. The thought of putting up a tent in wet weather doesn’t inspire at all – particularly, I would imagine way back in the day looking at another camper turning up in the field in a campervan enjoying the warm and dry comfort.

That aside, I was keen to have a drive of the latest VW incarnation the ID Buzz which, by all accounts, is something rather special. It certainly looks the part. Rather than using the air-cooled petrol engine from the 60s, this Buzz is all electric with a large 77kWh

battery, providing current to an electric motor which drives the rear wheels.

Thanks to the battery being situated ultra-low in the car, there’s little or no roll at all while navigating tight, twisty lanes. The suspension gives a comfortable ride and around town, the tight turning circle means it’s easy to manoeuvre and park.

Like all electric vehicles, there’s no power lag when you set off and it’ll happily potter around all day, potentially covering more than 200 miles before you have to look for a charger.

‘Rather than using the aircooled petrol engine from the 60s, this Buzz is all electric’

A DC quick-charging station will refresh the Buzz from 5% to more than 80% in a shade over half an hour, which is impressive.

It changes gears seamlessly when you select Drive on the steering wheel stalk drive selector…that’s so cool.

On the inside, you’ll find it matches that of the outside paint colour combination and is made up of mainly recycled materials. Beneath the 10-inch touchscreen is a control bar with digital buttons and

touch sliders for most of the functions the Buzz operates with.

The seats are comfy, it has plenty of charging ports and I like the fact it retains the sliding side doors that allow for easy access and give it character.

It creates such a stir wherever you venture out, and with only two versions – Life and Style – its drivers will be in an exclusive club.

Oh, and it will keep you dry although it does cost considerably more than a tent.

THE LAST WORD

Chamber president Stuart Dawkins on the need for climate change action at Government level and the challenges of truly embracing sustainability in business.

In the sustainability-themed issue of Business Network last year, I wrote that Government, at a national and international level, has a key role to play in the transition to a zero-carbon future.

I argued that market-based solutions alone were unlikely to be sufficient to solve the problem before irreversible damage is done to the world.

A year on, and I still believe that to be true. I ended my piece concerned that the UK was moving from being a relative leader in the green transition, into a period when politicians were increasingly using green issues merely for virtuesignalling – as whistles to an imagined tribe rather than as substantive contributions to keeping the planet healthy.

A few days after the magazine was published, I had the honour of welcoming attendees to the Chamber’s annual Sustainability Summit in Derby.

I also had the task of rewriting my speech while driving to the summit that morning as, overnight, Rishi Sunak had ditched a considerable portion of the then-Government’s green pledges in favour of easing the ‘war on motorists’.

All this soon after the unexpected Conservative party success in the Uxbridge byelection, an election which included much discussion about the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ).

The fact that I have barely heard the phrase ‘war on motorists’ since suggests my concern was valid – the policy shift had been virtuesignalling in intent, rather than being anything of long-term substance.

We now have a new Government. A new Government which says it is committed to stability and to clearer and more consistent policy positions.

I am writing this at day 97 of that Government. As I write, it is still unclear whether the Labour Government will aim to re-establish the UK’s encouraging performance on climate change, or whether it will prioritise fiscal targets inherited from its predecessor.

Meanwhile, the world’s climate becomes everless stable and ever-less consistent.

My first full-time job was at HM Treasury, so I understand the desire for national budgets to meet rules. But I look around the many businesses and researchers who are awaiting clarity on this, and I keep coming up in my mind against the following dilemma.

If we, as a society, do not invest in energy transition fast enough, everything changes. Even before we get to the stage of having a nearuninhabitable planet, we (or our near-future generations) will go through decades when things become harder, if not impossible.

Market prices for almost everything will fly out of kilter as some things become abundant (arid desserts, flooded former farmland) and others scarce (uncontaminated water, natural temperatures that happily support human life) –leading to economic as well as social disruption.

‘If we decide not to invest and climate change develops as scientists predict, then our loss is catastrophic – we fry the planet’

Setting a clear direction and clear investment plans can be a signal to businesses and researchers – whether here in the East Midlands or across the world – to intensify their efforts. The necessary scale of this investment might risk some economic turbulence. Currency markets and interest rates might react. Ideally, the focus on investment could be co-ordinated at international level, materially reducing the likelihood of such turbulence. And much of the support needed from Government would be capital, not revenue expenditure, which surely can help with the drive

for economic growth, too?

I keep coming back to Blaise Pascal. Pascal was a mathematician who set the groundwork for much of modern probability theory. He is also remembered for creating Pascal’s Wager. Put simply, this argues that there is a probabilistic reason to believe in God. One of Pascal’s many musings on the matter went roughly like this…

If you believe in God and live your life accordingly and God exists, then you win a big prize: eternal happiness. If you believe in God and live your life accordingly and God does not exist, the loss to you is fairly small.

However, if you do not believe in God and act accordingly and God exists, your loss is catastrophic: eternal damnation or some such. (Author’s note: Pascal was writing in the 17th century. I am not proposing this as theology –merely a useful analogy for my article!)

For our society and for our political leaders who are considering investment to mitigate climate change, the Pascal’s Wager analogy goes something like this…

If we invest and climate change is not the challenge most fear it is, we might run our economy sub-optimally for a few years –probably not too great a price to pay.

If we decide not to invest and climate change develops as scientists predict, then our loss is catastrophic – we fry the planet.

I think phrased like this ‘invest’ is the rational choice, unless you do not believe the science behind climate change in the first place … but that is a whole different conversation and no major political party – in this country at least –seems to think that.

I am not a politician, making choices against a backdrop of a myriad other considerations. I realise my analogy is simplified.

Still, wouldn’t it be uplifting if those of you who choose to join me in Derby at the Chamber’s Sustainability Summit on 12 September this year, were to arrive at that event celebrating the news of an increased focus on sustainability, rather than managing the disappointment of a year ago.

Let’s see, shall we?