Firms back on the road to recovery

Supporting businesses to reach net zero

Achieving the UK’s net zero ambitions and avoiding the full impact of climate change is going to require a lot more innovation in how we use and generate energy.

Businesses are at the heart of this energy revolution and supporting them as they develop new low-carbon technologies and interventions will be key to success.

The University of Birmingham and HSBC have joined forces to deliver a Climate Innovation Platform. Working with the Energy Systems Catapult, the programme will work with businesses in the lowcarbon/cleantech sector to provide development support, access to the University’s research facilities and even the potential to be part of a new business incubator at Tyseley Energy Park (TEP) in East Birmingham.

Tyseley Energy Park has a biomass plant generating 10 MW of green electricity, and a low carbon refuelling station with a 3 MW hydrogen electrolyser installed to refuel hydrogen buses. The park is also home to the Birmingham Energy Innovation Centre, housing the University of Birmingham’s research in energy storage, waste to energy and fuels, recycling of magnets and batteries and also hydrogen and fuel cells.

The unique environment at TEP brings together innovation in the co-management of energy, waste process and lowcarbon transport and provides the ideal launchpad for businesses in this sector.

To find out how the Climate Innovation Platform can support your business, please contact climateinnovation@contacts. bham.ac.uk.

Birmingham firms are back on the road to recovery

By Claudia Congrave

Optimism: Henrietta Brealey

Firms across Greater Birmingham have positivity ‘coursing through their veins’ and are back on an upward trajectory as a result of lockdown restrictions continuing to ease, a new survey reveals.

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) second quarterly business report of 2021, sponsored by Birmingham City University (BCU), has shown that many businesses across the region are now on the road to recovery after struggling to stay afloat amidst the uncertainty of the Covid pandemic.

GBCC chief executive Henrietta Brealey attributed the report’s upward trends to the influence of the Government’s vaccine rollout, as well as the gradual easing of restrictions which have allowed businesses to resume trade.

She said: “Positive sentiment is coursing through the veins of many businesses in Greater Birmingham. The optimism is reflected in the results of our latest survey with domestic demand soaring to a level not seen since the onset of the pandemic, a steady climb in international sales and an upturn in recruitment levels.

“It was also pleasing to see that both turnover and profitability projections continued to rise this quarter. Business investment in training and capital investment also continued to tick upwards.”

In terms of domestic demand, the balance score increased by 21 points this quarter to a figure of 68 – the highest score on record since Q4 2018. Hoping to maintain this upward trajectory, 49 per cent of businesses were confident that this increase would continue.

‘Positive sentiment is coursing through the veins of many businesses in Greater Birmingham’

Scores for export demand emerged from negative territory for the first time since the beginning of 2020, with 32 per cent of firms across manufacturing and service sectors noting an increase in nonUK sales.

Recruitment figures showed that that 22 per cent of businesses had reduced the size of their workforce this quarter. However, this was counterbalanced by the rise in businesses scaling up their headcount (32 per cent) and levelled the score to a figure of 55. Despite the general sentiment of optimism, Ms Brealey noted the Prime Minister’s recent decision to delay lifting the last set of nationwide restrictions and also acknowledged Birmingham’s designation as an area in need of enhanced support as the country bids to return to normality could have an impact on the rate of recovery moving forwards.

As a result of these delays, she recognised the number of firms under pressure to raise their prices due to concerns around inflation, resulting in an alarming price index balance score of 66.

Professor Julian Beer, deputy vicechancellor at BCU, said: “Further recovery in the third quarter can be anticipated given increasing consumer confidence and a further loosening of domestic restrictions. Major downside risks predominantly relate to policy –the withdrawal of fiscal and monetary stimuli needs to be handled with considerable care – and international shortages and price increases.”

• Balance scores above 50 indicate growth, as opposed to below which indicates loss.

Crowdfunding helps India

Birmingham Commonwealth Association has responded to the Covid crisis in India by launching a crowdfunding page to help the country.

Money raised is being used to purchase medical equipment, including PPE, ventilators and oxygen, as well as offering advice and mentoring support to those who need it.

Keith Stokes-Smith, honorary chairman of the Commonwealth Chamber and chairman of the Birmingham Commonwealth Association, said the Covid-19 pandemic was the worst global health crisis most people had ever faced, and India was still one of the worst affected countries.

He said: “The Covid pandemic has hit every country in the world but clearly, for a variety of reasons, some more than others.

“The latter is sadly the case for our top bilateral commonwealth trading nation, India. With nearly 30,000,000 confirmed in June, representing 16 per cent of total global cases and 377,000 deaths, and nearly 10 per cent of the world total, clearly any help we can give them will be appreciated.”

“India is a key Commonwealth partner and seeing the dreadful images on the television as to the countries challenges in dealing with the pandemic spurred me on.

“Hence setting up a ‘Just Giving’ site aiming to raise as much money as possible towards the purchase of medical equipment, including , PPE, ventilators and oxygen, advice and mentoring support. It is open to the public to react as they see fit.

“Clearly any donation, large or small, will make a difference. Every pebble makes a beach.”

To make a donation go to: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/keithstokes-smith

Fight to keep offices open

Around 100 MPs are fighting to prevent the closure of up to 20 overseas offices run by the British Council.

It is believed that the charity – which focuses on international cultural and educational opportunities – is being forced to consider the cuts after their income was hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

A UK national Sunday newspaper reported that around 100 MPs have written to Boris Johnson saying that any closures of overseas offices run by the British Council would make a mockery of his statements about ‘Global Britain’, and could also lead to some other foreign power stepping in to fill the gap.