Gateway

Innovate UK EDGE

– New Year, New Look, New Ambitions

2021 has seen the launch of Innovate UK EDGE, a key part of the UK innovation agency’s investment in the innovative businesses that drive economic growth.

Formerly operating under the banner of Enterprise Europe Network, Innovate UK has brought together the activities of the Enterprise Europe Network, Innovate2Succeed, Innovate UK’s COVID response services, its Scale Up Activities, Pitchfest and the IP Audits Programme all under one unified brand.

Delivered in the South West of England by Business West, Innovate UK EDGE will continue to target scaling innovative businesses and provide expert support to the South West’s most forward thinking, high growth potential companies.

The launch of Innovate UK EDGE comes at a pivotal time for South West businesses as the UK begins its new trading relationship with the EU and the rest of the world, whilst at the same time striving to overcome the challenges that COVID continues to present. 2021 will undoubtedly bring further challenges, but also opportunities, and Innovate UK EDGE will be continuing its role as advisor and mentor to innovative South West businesses, helping them to navigate these uncertain times. EDGE focuses on helping businesses find finance and funding, identify new national and international opportunities and improve internal capacity, skills and capabilities.

The launch of Innovate UK EDGE demonstrates the UK’s faith in the ingenuity and potential of both existing Innovate UK grant beneficiaries and the South West’s innovation community to lead the national recovery. 2020 in numbers During 2020, Innovate UK EDGE (formerly Enterprise Europe Network) focused largely on helping businesses find finance, re-structure, pivot, adapt and survive. This year, EDGE will be converting that work into helping our clients achieve steep growth trajectories, create new jobs and boost international activity, enhancing the UK’s presence in the global economy.

While Innovate UK EDGE South West waits for its final 2020 figures, it can report that from January to September 2020, it helped South West innovators raise over £17m of funding and finance, bring 36 new products to market, identify 40 new international partners and create or maintain more than 500 jobs.

Innovate UK EDGE is looking to build on those numbers substantially during 2021, working with some of the South West’s most progressive businesses. Innovate 2021 Webinars and Workshops As well as delivering 1-2-1 bespoke support, the EDGE team has also been sharing practical strategies for recovery and growth through its webinar series, Innovate 2021.

So far, they’ve covered topics including Intellectual Property, Funding and Finance, Design Thinking, Sales and Marketing, Business Strategy and more. The popular series of seminars and workshops continues this year with new webinars on wooing investors, winning grants and finding the right alternative finance options for you. Outlook for 2021 and beyond The national lockdown remains a heavy burden for South West businesses and indeed the UK as a whole.

But whilst there are dark clouds, not all is gloomy. According to Oxford Economics, an economic bounce-back is projected for the South West over the course of 2021, with an anticipated 7% growth in GVA accompanied by a rise of more than 67,000 jobs.

Although GVA in 2025 is projected to be 1.9% lower than the pre-Coronavirus forecast, there are still positive signs that key sectors will be able to weather the storm and repurpose their businesses to meet changing market requirements. That of course is not true for all sectors, some of which will have been hit very badly over the period.

However, with the focus that Innovate UK EDGE brings including 2021 initiatives like PitchFest, the Global Business Innovation Programme, the Scale Up Programme and Peer to Peer networking opportunities, there is certainly still reason for optimism.

credit: innovate.blog.gov.uk

No Jab, No Job?

Last month, a London plumbing company who employ around 400 people, announced that they were seeking legal advice (not from View HR!) regarding the possibility of re-drafting employment contracts to require employees to have a Covid-19 vaccine if available, which soon became known as a “no jab, no job” policy.

This is not the first time that the company has found itself in the media spotlight due to their employment practices; in August last year, Chief Executive Charlie Mullins criticised employees reluctant to return from furlough leave (although some employees may have very valid reasons, which we will cover in an upcoming blog), and prior to that they faced a longrunning case regarding worker status, which was resolved by the Supreme Court in 2018. Mr Mullins has stated that if the jab became available privately, he would be happy to pay for employees to receive it, and the Pimlico Plumbers website asks: “What is the difference between a vaccination against a virus that can kill and a hard hat on a building site that may prevent death from a heavy object falling on a worker’s head?”

If an employee fails to follow a reasonable management instruction, such as following health and safety procedures, this may be considered to be insubordination and potential gross misconduct (depending on circumstances), and so is the Pimlico Plumbers approach one that more employers should consider? The situation is not so simple. Employers need to take into account that there are some groups for whom the vaccine may not be suitable. These include: • Pregnant employees – gov.uk states that: “The vaccines have not yet been tested in pregnancy, so until more information is available, those who are pregnant should not routinely have this vaccine.” • Employees with certain allergies – the current medical advice is that people who have had an allergic reaction to the first dose of a particular Covid vaccine, or who previously had reactions to any of its components, should not receive it. • In some cases, individuals taking other medications will need to have satisfactory test results to have the Covid vaccine administered. By refusing to offer work to somebody who has not had a jab as the result of one of the above, employers may risk falling foul of the Equality Act 2010, by indirectly discriminating against somebody as a result of pregnancy or a disability. There may also be situations where individuals who refuse the vaccine are protected under the Equality Act on the basis of their religion or philosophical belief, however, this is a complex area and Personnel Today note that:

“Anti-vaxxers subscribing to the myriad of conspiracy theories doing the rounds are unlikely to be protected because they have to show that their beliefs are worthy of respect in a democratic society.” As such, as the vaccine becomes more widely available, it is appropriate for employers to: • Encourage staff to be vaccinated; • Share information from reliable sources to challenge myths and reluctance; • Seek to understand concerns and support employees, e.g. by being flexible to enable them to attend vaccination appointments; • Ensure relevant measures are in place to protect employee health and safety, to include for people who have a valid reason for not being vaccinated; • Carefully consider potential disciplinary action on a case-by-case basis. However, a blanked “no jab, no job” policy may be problematic.

The team here at ViewHR are on hand to answer questions any employers may have about this issue, including any workplace conflicts that may arise between employees with strong and contrasting beliefs! www.viewhr.co.uk

Say ‘I Do’ at The Tank Museum

Couples can now walk down the aisle at The Tank Museum - Dorset’s newest and most unusual wedding venue.

Events Manager Rosanna Dean, “It might seem like a quirky place to get married, but we know there are lots of people looking for something a little different on their wedding day.

“Our unique surroundings have already attracted couples with a special connection to The Tank Museum, who want to celebrate their marriage with us. Some have links to the military, a keen interest in our subject and others have ties to the local area.

“The variety of settings and the expertise we have at the Museum mean we can offer a completely tailored experience for our couples.”

Whether you want a 1940s rustic wedding with an intimate guestlist, or a classic contemporary white wedding design with up to 1000 guests, The Tank Museum’s experienced Events team can help to create a unique day for you. You can even tie the knot in front of your favourite tank!

Guests to a wedding at The Tank Museum will be delighted to have some additional entertainment during the day, as they are given the opportunity to explore the Museum itself. The Tank Museum’s in-house catering team also means that, once you’ve tied the knot, your friends and family won’t have far to go for a sumptuous wedding breakfast.

Finally, a photoshoot amongst the tanks will give you memories to treasure for a lifetime.

If that wasn’t enough, all profits from your wedding with go to support The Tank Museum charity. So, not only will you have started a new life together, your special day will have helped to preserve history for generations to come.

Rosanna added, “We’ve had a number of requests for weddings over the years and we’re pleased to finally be able to offer people the chance to get married at The Tank Museum.”

Tank Museum Weddings are the latest addition to the Museum’s comprehensive Venue Hire offering. Meetings, conferences and large-scale special events are regularly held at the Museum and overseen by the expert Events team. www.tankmuseum.org