Platinum Business Magazine - issue 111

POWERED BY PLATINUM MEDIA GROUP

BIG STORY

12 Football investment

With the ongoing saga of the sale of Manchester United nowhere near a conclusion, Platinum asks, “Is it worth investing in football?”

NEWS

8 Local and international news

A round of the important business stories in Sussex and around the world

EVENTS

2 Greater Brighton Tech Week 2024

Announcing a major new tech-based conference in the city

18 Central South Business Awards

All the winners and highlights from this year’s prestigious event

38 Sussex Business Awards

Deadline for entries is closing fast. Have you entered?

42 Plumpton Racecourse

A quick look through the 2023 jump season calendar

54 Surrey Business Awards

Tickets are now on sale for Surrey’s premier business awards

LEGAL

22 DMH Stallard

Navigating the current right-to-work regime

40 Loch Associates

The pros and cons of nepotism in the workplace

44 Mayo Wynne Baxter

Registering a trademark before establishing a brand could be costly

66 DMH Stallard

In the first of a new series, Partner

Jonathan Grant demystifies the corporate market, and highlights trends in a non-technical manner

PLATINUM MEDIA GROUP

CONTENTS

EDUCATION

50 Help To Grow:Management

Platinum Business Magazine has an exclusive offer for anyone who wishes to take part in the University of Brighton’s 12-week mini-MBA programme to help you grow your business

FINANCE

24 Kreston Reeves

Unlocking real estate funding

33 Haines Watts

The difference between financial and non-financial KPIs

48 EMC

Selling the business; what are the options?

BUSINESS

26 Gatwick Airport

London’s second airport announces myriad new routes for 2023

34 Education & Skills Partnership

Increase your employability through accessing funded courses

46 Surrey Research Park Projects the Park’s S100 Club has been angel investing in

64 Let’s Do Business

More than 200 businesses have signed up to ‘Our South Downs’ sustainability project

67 Cleankill

The Surrey-based pest control firm has won yet more awards

INNOVATION

30 Sussex Innovation

The most crucial attributes needed when learning to lead your company

OPINION

68 Anger Management

Maarten Hoffmann loses his cool over larcenous parking charges

TRAVEL

70 The Castle Hotel Windsor

Tess de Klerk stays at a hotel just yards away from Windsor Castle itself

MOTORING

72 McLaren Artura

Maarten Hoffmann writes about a concept he never thought he would – a hybrid McLaren

TALKING HEADS

56 CSR

Six of the industry’s leading experts discuss the value and impact of corporate social responsibility on your business and the wider community

WELCOME

Welcome to the July issue of the largest circulation business magazine in the UK. We always offer a vast variety of content, and this month is no different.

It is stuffed with fascinating and inspirational content, such as a look at the Right-to-Work regime, the options for selling your business, how to unlock real estate finance, and the pros and cons of nepotism. Inside is Dynamic Magazine, for women in business, and there you will find news on flexible working, the value of customer care, the motherhood penalty, wellbeing herbs and news of the latest books you should be reading.

The most exciting news of the month is our announcement of the Greater Brighton Tech Week – crafted by Wired Sussex and powered by Platinum Media Group. The tech sector in Sussex alone is worth £1 billion, and it is way past time it was celebrated and recognised. We have two more major announcements coming but l am afraid you will have to wait until the August issue for that news.

Tess went to The Carlton Tower Jumeirah in Knightsbridge, Fiona got the lowdown with a VW and Porsche parts company and Maarten has blown his fuse over parking charges.

The PlatinumTeam

CONTACTS

PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Maarten Hoffmann maarten@platinummediagroup.co.uk

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Lesley Alcock lesley@platinummediagroup.co.uk

EVENTS DIRECTOR: Fiona Graves fiona@platinummediagroup.co.uk

EVENTS MANAGER: Žaneta Bealing zaneta@platinummediagroup.co.uk

TRAVEL EDITOR: Tess de Klerk tess@platinummediagroup.co.uk

PLATINUM MOTORING EDITOR: Maarten Hoffmann maarten@platinummediagroup.co.uk

DYNAMIC MOTORING EDITOR: Fiona Shafer fionas@platinummediagroup.co.uk

HEAD OF DESIGN: Michelle Shakesby design@platinummediagroup.co.uk

SUB EDITOR: Alan Wares alan@platinummediagroup.co.uk

WWW.PLATINUMMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

MARITIME LEADERS MEET TO DISCUSS DECARBONISATION

Greenhouse gas emissions from shipping could be halved by 2030 without damaging trade, new research has found. Emissions from maritime transportation amount to about 3% of global emissions, with few alternatives to the cheap, heavy and dirty diesel oil used.

The sector has been slow to introduce emissions-cutting technologies, and the International Maritime Organisation is running out of patience with the industry. At a meeting that took place in London in June, it was considering a new levy of up to $100 (£78) a tonne of carbon produced by ships, paid for by guilty shipowners.

The biggest stumbling block to any agreement on a levy is –surprise, surprise – the United States, whose Republican-controlled Congress is still in the dark ages on climate change.

NEWS BULLETIN

ENERGY PRICE CAP REDUCED

UK domestic energy regulator Ofgem has announced a reduction in the energy price cap, which took effect from July 1st.

According to the regulator, “The energy price cap will be set at an annual level of £2,074 for a dual fuel household paying by direct debit based on typical consumption, which reflects recent falls in wholesale energy prices.” The new figure indicates a reduction on the previous cap of around 17%.

The period of this price cap runs until September 30th this year, with industry insiders expecting a further, though smaller, reduction in the next period starting October 1st.

FORBIDDEN FRUIT: APPLE WANTS ALL THE APPLES

Giant tech company Apple has been demanding Fruit-Union Suisse – a 111 year-old farming organisation – to change its logo because it wants to gain intellectual property rights over all depictions of apples. “We have a hard time understanding this, because it’s not like they’re trying to protect their bitten apple,” Fruit Union Suisse director Jimmy Mariéthoz said. “Their objective here is really to own the rights to an actual apple.”

According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s records, Apple has made similar requests to IP authorities around the world, and some authorities have acquiesced. Apple’s quest to own the IP rights of something as generic as a fruit is more about a litagationheavy global IP rights industry, more than a given company - albeit a giant one – whose control of an image it doesn’t actually need.

BANK TO MOVE TO SMALLER

CITY HQ

HSBC is to move out of its headquarters in Canary Wharf after more than two decades to much smaller offices in the City of London, as a result of post-pandemic hybrid working arrangements and as a result of a cost-cutting drive.

The bank, which had up to 8,000 staff at the 45-floor tower at Canada Square during peak times before the pandemic, is to move to the former head office of telecoms company BT near St Paul’s cathedral, reducing its office space by 40%.

It has been examining its options since launching a review in September and will relocate before its existing lease expires in early 2027.

GATWICK’S

DIGITAL CAMPAIGN TAKES OFF

London Gatwick Airport launched a digital campaign on June 12th in the run up to submitting its Development Consent Order (DCO) to bring the Northern Runway into routine use. London Gatwick believes by bringing it into routine use, this will further boost opportunities in the local area.

The campaign will run across television, radio and social media targeting the local community as well as those working in and around Westminster with an interest in growth, planning, sustainability, or aviation. It has also connected with local partners to showcase how Gatwick has improved its businesses and lives.

The airport also wants businesses and locals to share the campaign, by re-posting online content.

SUPERMARKET DOUBLE CHECK-OUT

Morrisons has become the latest supermarket to introduce electronic gates at self-checkout, following Sainsbury’s expanded installation of new security gates in stores, forcing customers to scan their receipts in order to leave. The move prompted outrage among some shoppers who were required to scan the barcode on their receipt in order to exit, or ask an assistant to let them out if they didn’t purchase anything.

“Any customers who haven’t made a purchase simply need to ask the Morrisons customer assistant manning the self-service tills to open the gate for them,” a Morrisons spokesperson said. One person on social media retorted, “If they don’t trust people to scan their own shopping, don’t replace your staff with machines.”

❛❛ You only have to do a few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong ❜❜

Warren Buffett

❛❛ Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet to see who they really are ❜❜

Will Ferrell

❛❛ Someone asked me, if I were stranded on a desert island what book would I bring: How to Build a Boat ❜❜

Steven Wright

IKEA EYES CHURCHILL SQUARE

Ikea is nearing a deal to buy Churchill Square shopping centre In Brighton. Talks are ongoing, with the Swedish furniture retail giant tabling a £175m bid for the site. It is unlikely that the company will take over all retail units; instead, it will open a scaledback version over the three-storey unit previously occupied by Debenhams.

Ikea was originally to have opened an out-oftown store on the Monks Farm development in Lancing, but pulled out during lockdown, citing a preference for online sales.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

LOCAL NEWS

BABY LOSS PLATFORM RECEIVES FUNDING INJECTION

A support platform for miscarriage and baby loss, launched by two Brighton mothers during lockdown, has received funding from Virgin StartUp.

‘The Worst Girl Gang Ever’ (TWGGE) was founded by Bex Gunn and Laura Buckingham following their own devastating experiences of baby loss. To ensure that no-one has to go through miscarriage or baby loss alone, they turned to Virgin Start Up for advice and funding, and received a £18,000 Start Up Loan.

Gunn explained, “We were drawn to Virgin StartUp, and its passion

to support businesses that want to have a positive impact. Its mission to ‘change business for good’ resonated with us.”

www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk  www.virginstartup.org

Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion has announced a change in the names of both its stadium and its charitable arm.

From August 1st, the team will be playing at the American Express Stadium, losing the word ‘Community’ from its name. American Express has been the club’s main sponsor since the stadium opened in 2011.

Meanwhile, the club’s charitable arm, Albion In The Community will, from the same date, be known as ‘Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation’. The Foundation will also be moving its staff from the stadium offices into new city premises.

❛❛ Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn ❜❜

Benjamin Franklin

Bex Gun and Laura Buckingham, founders of TWGGE

IKEA could move into the units previously occupied by Debenham

HEADS UP

Sussex-based law firm Mayo Wynne Baxter has announced new heads of its regional office hubs. The office heads will lead plans to grow their local hubs, playing a critical role in shaping a positive culture with the regional business community and in supporting local people. The new heads are James O’Connell – Brighton; Matt Parr – Crawley; Claire Busuttil – Eastbourne; Emma van Bunnens – East Grinstead; Jessica Partridge – Lewes; Sacha Bolourchi – Seaford; Juliet Godfrey –Storrington. Mayo Wynne Baxter chief executive partner Dean Orgill said: “Location means a lot to us and our clients and, unlike other firms that are retreating from local office footprints, we are expanding.”

(Clockwise from top left):

James O’Connell, Matt Parr, Claire Busuttil, Emma van Bunnens, Dean Orgill, Juliet Godfrey, Sacha Bolourchi, Jessica Patridge

FOOD SCARCITY CRISIS HIGHLIGHTED

Food waste charity FareShare Sussex & Surrey is appealing for businesses to provide support as it expands its vital services across both counties during the cost-of-living crisis.

The charity, in its Impact Report for 2023, warned food inflation remained high, while food supply was unpredictable. This is at a time when vulnerable people need its help the most. FareShare said demand for its services was increasing, due to there being a growing waiting list of charities and groups catering for children and adults with mental and physical health issues.

A GREENER WORTHING

Worthing Borough Council has set out its vision to transform Montague Place, the town centre’s main shopping street with a “variety of greenery”.

A council spokesperson said: “Montague Place could once again be a green oasis in the heart of Worthing town centre. We’re planning to transform the street with a variety of greenery - and residents can have their say on our proposed design.” The council said it had been working with local organisations, town centre groups and businesses in order to find out how to transform the area.

NEW MONEY FOR NEWHAVEN

Newhaven businesses are being invited to bid for grants up to £100,000 as part of plans to improve economic growth in the area. Newhaven Enterprise Zone wants businesses to bid for its Transforming Newhaven Fund which will help support businesses to deliver regeneration of the town, create jobs and deliver new or upgraded floorspace.

The main aim of the three-year funding scheme is to help the town’s economy grow and to improve the health, wealth and wellbeing of residents, focusing on projects which are net zero, and create new, high-value green jobs.

WHAT’S IN A COLOUR?

Brighton & Hove Buses has announced its entire fleet of red, cream and black buses will change into “a bright, colourful new teal and aqua livery over the coming months and years.” The company, part of the Go Ahead Group, has run the bus services in the city since 1993.

Teal and aqua are popular and appropriate choices, as the colours can be seen widely across the city, from licensed taxis, beach hut roof colours, Brighton Gin and, most famously, the 19th Century seafront railings.

❛❛ There’s no shortage of remarkable ideas, what’s missing is the will to execute them ❜❜

Seth Godin

Is it worth investing in a football club?

As the tedious circus of the sale of Manchester United rumbles on and on and on, fans of the club have taken to protesting outside Old Trafford after yet more indecision regarding the takeover.

It reveals a battle of wits, ego, stubbornness, arrogance and a certain slice of idiocy. Is it really worth investing in a football club? By

Alan Wares

The controlling – in more ways than one – Glazer family put the club up for sale in November 2022. Since then, progress has managed to stall significantly.

The two front-runners – or at least those not put off by the current incumbents’ procrastination – are Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Sir Jim, a local billionaire who made his fortune mostly in chemicals, was the Platinum cover story in issue 106, back in February this year. Sheikh Jassim is the former heir apparent to the role of Emir of Qatar. He relinquished his right to the throne of his country in 2003, citing a lack of interest in becoming Emir. Neither man has yet to be named as the preferred bidder.

The principal stumbling block, according to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, is that the Glazers wish to retain some kind of control over Manchester United as they believe market valuations of the club are too low. Wise heads reckon on around £3 - 3.5bn, the Glazers are holding out for nearly double that.

They are therefore hustling every kind of angle to extract as much money as possible, without letting go of the reins. For Sheikh Jassim, who actually wants 100% ownership of the club, that would be completely unacceptable. So on we go.

WHY GET INVOLVED?

The saga raises one main question –why does anyone involve themselves in running a football club? Rewind to the 1960s and 70s when an English football club chairman was almost always a local-boy-done-good businessmanmaybe a used car salesman, a local butcher or an estate agent. He’d be bigging himself up in the Directors’ Box with his executive sheepskin coat, outsized Havana cigar and appalling comb-over. Or worse, a wig.

Len Shackleton, who played most of his footballing career for Sunderland and England in the 1940s and 50s before heading into journalism, famously wrote, in his 1956 autobiography ‘The Clown Prince of Soccer,’ a chapter entitled

“The Average Director’s Knowledge of Football”. It was a blank page.

Chairmen were chairmen principally for ego, although their local business may have profited along the way. But since football’s genesis in the mid-19th Century, no-one – certainly not a chairman nor director – has ever got rich from owning or having shares in a professional football club. Not while trading as a going concern.

Today, the chairmen’s fashion may have changed, but the success of the businessman in question will need to be that much higher, prolonged and sustained in order to keep any given club running.

For would-be buyers, there are plenty of non-financial attractions. “Owning a big club gives you a celebrity status which other factors which surround your wealth cannot buy,” says Maguire. For wealthy people from certain countries, owning a major club might also be considered a safe way to store wealth, or perhaps

❛❛ It’s not possible to make a profit all the while you’re a club in the Championship. Not if you have designs on being promoted to the Premier League ❜❜

Avram and Joel Glazer, co-owners of Manchester United whose tenure at Old Trafford has not been universally popular. They saddled the club with debt for the first time in 80 years

an insurance policy against unwanted attention from one’s own government.

For the Middle Eastern investors with links to a nation state, the desire to build soft power to help further their country’s interests may be attractive –notwithstanding accusations of ‘sportswashing’.

PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS NET DEBT 2021/22 (£MILLION)

Chelsea -£58m

Burnley -£2m

West Ham United £36m

Norwich City £42m

Brentford £46m

Everton £47m

Manchester City £75m

Aston Villa £85m

Wolverhampton Wanderers £94m

Southampton £106m

Crystal Palace £109m

Watford £132m

Leeds United £148m

Newcastle United £170m

Liverpool £184m

SOME NUMBERS

For the 2023/24 football season which starts in August, of the 20 Premier Clubs, only four have a British majority shareholding. Seven are American, two are state-owned (Manchester City by the UAE, and Newcastle United by Saudi Arabia, with Manchester United being bid for by a high-ranking Qatari politician), plus an array of international ownership – and very few of them with the good of the game at heart.

It’s once you look at the figures that the mind boggles. Football clubs, in the main, have their financial year-end on June 30th. In the trading year ending June 30th 2022 (the most recent set of figures available), the Premier League clubs posted a collective pre-tax trading

Leicester City £377m

Brighton & Hove Albion £381m

Arsenal £575m

Manchester United £909m

Tottenham Hotspur £952m

750 1,000

Source: The Price of Football / Kieran Maguire

loss of £707m. This is on a collective turnover of £5.45bn. Their collective debt, meanwhile, both internal (to people involved with running the club) and external (everyone else) is around £4.4bn.

The figures quoted in the transfer market are equally crazy. In June 2022, Todd Boehly took control of Chelsea FC, in a forced sale following the censorship of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. In his first year at the helm, Boehly, evidently out of his depth, spent £530m – over half a billion – on new players.

He then sacked the manager, three weeks after the transfer window closed, and paid a world record £23m in compensation for the services of a new manager, whom he subsequently sacked four months later. Another one was sacked six weeks after that. Unsurprisingly, Chelsea had their worst season in over 25 years.

Not that Chelsea were alone in this financial confetti-spraying. During the whole of the 2021/22 season, Premier League clubs spent £2.6bn on player acquisition alone. But it does all point to a rudderless club with no masterplan, and with more money than sense.

Despite spending over £600million on player acquisition since last summer, Chelsea had their worst season in over 25 years

ONE WAY MONEY

The remedy has long been throwing money at the problem, keep everyone onside and hope the situation comes good. This brings us neatly to Manchester City. The club was acquired in September 2008 by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, vice president and deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.

At the time of the acquisition, Manchester City had not long been promoted from the third tier of English football into the second. As it was, they were now a Premier League club, but one that hadn’t won a major trophy for 30 years. Many have marvelled – quite rightly – at Manchester City’s first ever success in the UEFA Champions League this season. The club’s dominance of English football is near total, and its aspirations on Europe are not far behind.

Who knew what could be achieved when you are the world’s richest club, with billions pumped into it over the past 15 years by the Abu Dhabi United Group (Manchester City’s parent company – set up and owned by Sheikh Mansour)?

Sadly – at least for the vast majority of other clubs – English football cannot compete on a level playing field with so much money being ‘passed through’ a small number of clubs. Since 2008, Manchester City’s net spend on players alone – that is, player acquisition minus player release fees – amounts to £1.28 bn.

Football’s trading rules, mostly coming under the largely toothless ‘Financial Fair Play’ (FFP), forbid clubs from spending more than a given percentage of their income, the largest outgoing being player acquisitions (infrastructure costs are exempt from FFP). Currently, UEFA – football’s European governing body – has made allegations against Manchester City of 115 separate breaches of FFP rules.

These allegations will take an age to resolve, and will only offer a large payday to both UEFA’s and Manchester City’s lawyers and accountants as white noise and obfuscation will come to the fore.

A REMEDY?

The nature of football club business, especially at the top end, is not based on a sustainable model. When compared to big companies, football clubs are just a drop in the ocean and there appears to be an imbalance in the way they operate when compared to a generic company.

In a football club, the employees hold all the cards and are the main beneficiaries from any revenue generated. The post-tax profits of the football clubs are minute compared to the money generated as it usually filters through to the players, agents and manager. Any surplus is usually reinvested into the transfer market.

Elite level football relies on outside income which can’t always be guaranteed, with many clubs borrowing against future revenues just to stay afloat. Broadcasting rights now account for around 55% of all income for the Premier League clubs. But such is the size of the gap in operating terms between the Premier League and the

Championship; the division immediately below the top flight, that in the past ten years, five clubs who have been relegated from the gravy train have gone into administration.

The UK government, backed by the Opposition and by most football fans’ representative groups wish for the football industry to have outside regulators. Given the appalling financial behaviour of many clubs, whether deliberate or through ignorant whimsy, the case for a regulator is very strong. Naturally, the Football Association and the Premier League clubs, while acknowledging that their house does need to be put into better order, are pushing back on these proposals.

One problem these proposals will have is that FIFA – the world’s normally useless football governing body – expressly forbids any governmental interference in any given country’s domestic footballing affairs. It’s a line the UK government would need to tread very carefully.

But no matter how professional, strategic or successful the management of a club is, the joy of owning a club should not be forgotten. You don’t go into club ownership expecting to make money. As Paul Barber, CEO of Brighton & Hove Albion – considered one of the better run clubs in England right now – concedes, it’s not possible to make a profit all the while you’re a club in the Championship. Not if you have designs on being promoted to the Premier League, that is.

❛❛ The remedy has long been throwing money at the problem, keep everyone onside and hope the situation comes good ❜❜

Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan

15 years after being taken over by billionaire businessmen, Manchester City won their first UEFA Champions League trophy this year

SO WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM?

There is a belief that the real power of football lies in ancillary benefits it can provide to owners, with political and business relationships forged through networking in directors’ lounges and corporate boxes.

The real benefit of owning a large international football club, whether in England or in any of the other four ‘big leagues’ across Europe (Spain, Italy, Germany, France) is influence. People take notice when the top individual at AC Milan or Paris St Germain or Barcelona invites an influential person into their private, exclusive football lair.

‘There’s something much bigger happening around Premier League clubs,” opines Professor Simon Chadwick, Professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy, SKEMA Business School, Paris, “and the power of football more generally, that high-net-worth individuals understand and are keen to engage with.”

Indeed, at any given Real Madrid match, 15 of Spain’s most powerful people –from royalty to political leaders and heads of the country’s biggest corporates – can be found hobnobbing in the same executive suite.

It goes to show, Professor Chadwick says, that, ”you can do incredible things in business and political networks by owning a football club.” Even some of those who have lost a little money along the way would probably agree: it’s worth it.

To get back to the original question –it’s highly unlikely you will make any money while you’re trading in charge of the club. Your best bet is to invest –

preferably at the elite level which is the only place you can hope to make a profit – execute your grand masterplan which makes your club fully functional. Therefore, in so doing, under your stewardship, the team eventually improves dramatically on the pitch, landing itself with glory, silverware and open-top bus parades.

At which point, you sell up at a vast profit to the next sucker as you sail off into the sunset counting your loot as you go – assuming your ego, the taxman or Old Father Time hasn’t got in the way.

❛❛ In the trading year ending June 30th 2022, the Premier League clubs posted a collective pre-tax trading loss of £707m ❜❜

CENTRAL SOUTH BUSINESS AWARDS 2023

WINNERS ANNOUNCED

The winners of the 2023 Central South Business Awards were announced at a sensational gala event at the Hilton at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. Over 400 businesspeople from across the region attended the celebration, organised by Platinum Media Group and hosted by comedian, Jo Caulfield, on July 5th. The awards ceremony was made up of 15 categories and recognised accomplishments made across all aspects of business, from personal successes to outstanding contributions. A total of 52 finalists across the 15 categories were shortlisted and Southampton Airport was presented with a special commendation award.

Maarten Hoffmann, Managing Director of Platinum Media Group, said: “The awards are an opportunity to celebrate Central South’s vibrant business community, and to recognise the achievements of those who go above and beyond to deliver exceptional service, results and products.

“The Awards, now in their second year, attracted an excellent mix of applications from all business sizes and sectors, with the standard of applications being very high. I’d like to congratulate all the winners and shortlisted finalists of this year’s awards.”

COVERING HAMPSHIRE, DORSET, SURREY AND WEST SUSSEX

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

❛❛ We’re delighted to win this award as our reputation continues to grow across the region. We couldn’t do any of it without such a dedicated team all acting together ❜❜

Phillips Law

❛❛ Our people have put in so much hard work, growing relationships with all our customers all around the world.

Thank you for the recognition, we’re incredibly proud of what our teams have achieved ❜❜

Highfield Professional Risks

THE 2023 WINNERS

CENTRAL SOUTH BUSINESS AWARDS 2023

BUSINESS INNOVATION OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Morgan Sindall Construction POWERQUAD

❛❛ Winning not just one, but two awards was incredible. It was overwhelming and an immensely proud moment ❜❜

The Forest Foodie

START UP OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Business South THE FOREST FOODIE

BUSINESS GROWTH AWARD

Sponsored by Blake Morgan AMIRI GROUP

SME BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Allica Bank TOOB

LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Womble Bond Dickinson LIONEL HITCHEN

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Fairthorn Consultancy MORGAN SINDALL CONSTRUCTION

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Southampton Airport HIGHFIELD PROFESSIONAL SOLUTIONS

WWW.PLATINUMMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Savills Southampton GILLINGS PLANNING

BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD

Sponsored by Hilton At The Ageas Bowl THE FOREST FOODIE

CONTRIBUTION TO THE SKILLS AGENDA

Sponsored by Sandown Mercedes-Benz I-CONSTRUCT

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Havant & South Downs College BOYLE & SUMMERS

FUTURE TALENT OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by InspoHub JESSICA HASKETT Kier Construction

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AWARD

Sponsored by Lee Peck Media PHILLIPS LAW

BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Lester Aldridge HELEN CANNON

founder of ISON Travel

COMPANY OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Azets LIONEL HITCHEN

❛❛

As we celebrate this momentous occasion, we are reminded that success is a collective effort. Together, we have created something truly remarkable, and we are excited for the future as we continue to grow and exceed expectations ❜❜

Lionel Hitchen

Alexei Zuyev is a Senior Associate in the Immigration Team at DMH Stallard offers a brief overview of the current right to work policies

NAVIGATING THE CURRENT RIGHT-TO-WORK REGIME Key considerations for businesses

INTRODUCTION

Immigration law has undergone significant changes over the past decade, driven by the government’s efforts to bring down net migration. While these changes primarily impact businesses that sponsor overseas workers, it is crucial for all UK employers to understand and comply with the law on preventing illegal working.

Failure to adhere to Home Office protocols can expose businesses to civil and criminal penalties, and dealing with an unexpected right to work issue can be extremely disruptive. In this article, we provide a summary of the current right to work regime, focusing on practical aspects that businesses often overlook and important recent changes that could determine whether business risk is adequately managed.

CHALLENGES FOR BUSINESSES

While companies that regularly hire workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) are more likely to be familiar with the ever-changing policies and adapt their HR systems accordingly, businesses that infrequently hire foreign workers often struggle to navigate the complex Home Office requirements. The Home Office policy, which has recently undergone multiple changes, now requires different processes for different types of new hires.

UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT REGIME

Historically, the right to work check involved verifying candidates’ original documents before they started work and retaining copies in the HR file. Many employers continue to follow this process, unaware that it is no longer relevant for certain categories of workers. If an incorrect process is followed and it later transpires that the business has been employing an illegal worker, because the worker presented a forged biometric residence permit, for example, the business will not be able to rely on the ‘manual’ check they conducted

for defence against potential penalty. The defence is only available where the business conducted the right to work check in line with the requirements as they were at the time of the check.

The right to work check must continue to be carried out prior to the commencement of employment, as previously required. However, the key questions under the current regime that will determine what process you have to follow when conducting the check is the nationality of the worker and the type of evidence they are looking to use to demonstrate their right to work.

❛❛ The Home Office policy, which has recently undergone multiple changes, now requires different processes for different types of new hires ❜❜

BRITISH AND IRISH NATIONALS

For British or Irish nationals, the standard practice is to check their original current or expired passport (alternative options exist where they do not have a passport) in their presence and retain a copy of the document, ensuring the date of the check is documented. While the check should ideally be conducted in person, it is acceptable for candidates to be present via a video link if they have sent their original passport to you in advance.

Additionally, since April 6th 2022, employers have the option to rely on certified Identity Service Providers (IDSPs) to complete the digital identity verification component of right to work checks. Employers can obtain an identity verification check document from an IDSP and review it to ensure consistency with the person presenting themselves for work.

FOREIGN WORKERS

For nationals of other countries, their plastic biometric residence permits can no longer serve as proof of the right to work. However, these permits can be

used to generate a “Share Code” that enables employers to verify the right to work through the Home Office’s online service. Employers must run an online check on the Home Office website using the “Share Code” in the presence of the candidate (physically or via a video link). The resulting immigration record will display the candidate’s photograph, right to work information, and expiration date, which should be retained as evidence in the worker’s HR file.

A similar process must be followed for workers from the EEA who hold a digital immigration status and can usually only evidence their right to work via a ‘Share Code’.

If a foreign worker has a valid work visa in their current passport (which is now increasingly rare other than in respect of the short term/temporary vignette stamp given for the purposes of entry clearance to the UK), the right to work check can be conducted by reviewing the original visa in the presence of the candidate and retaining copies of both the visa and the passport until the visa’s expiry date.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

While the above is not intended to be a comprehensive guide, it does cover the vast majority of cases.

There will, of course, be scenarios not covered by the above processes. For instance, candidates whose visas have expired while awaiting an extension decision may still have the right to work, which can be verified through the Home Office’s Employer Checking Service.

CONCLUSION

By conducting right to work checks in line with the Home Office policy, businesses can benefit from a statutory excuse that protects them against liability in the event of employees being found to be working illegally and potentially avoid significant business disruption further down the line. It is essential for businesses, regardless of their frequency of hiring foreign workers, to stay informed about the current right to work regime and implement the appropriate procedures as part of their hiring process to ensure compliance.

Alexei Zuyev is a Senior Associate in the Immigration Team at DMH Stallard. His expertise spans a wide range of immigration matters, including successful sponsor license applications, work visa applications, family-related applications, indefinite leave to remain and citizenship applications. With a proven track record of overturning visa refusals and travel bans, Alexei is well-versed in navigating complex and challenging cases.

Alexei also advises corporate clients on sponsorship compliance obligations and right to work checks, providing guidance on best practices for record-keeping and reporting.

For further advice on sponsorship of overseas workers or any other Immigration issues, please contact a member of the DMH Stallard Immigration team by emailing enquiries@dmhstallard.com

❛❛ Failure to adhere to Home Office protocols can expose businesses to civil and criminal penalties ❜❜

Following a 36-year career as a corporate and commercial banker, latterly leading NatWest’s real estate finance team in London and the South East, responsible for over £2bn of lending into the sector. John Walsham, Business Development Consultant brings his insight and expertise to Kreston Reeves’ clients

UNLOCKING REAL ESTATE FUNDING AND FINANCE

Real estate remains an attractive sector for banks and alternative lenders. Whether a developer, investor or landlord, there will be a funding provider ready to step in and provide the capital needed, says

John Walsham of Kreston Reeves

It is, however, a funding landscape that continues to face challenges. Higher interest rates, reducing loan-to-value ratios and the length of time it takes to bring a scheme forward are factors that need to be considered. It pays to have a ‘banking insider’ on your team – and one that brings a holistic view based on the vision, goals and values of business owners and leaders.

John’s career saw him lead a team of experienced bankers working closely with investors, student housing providers, build-to-rent operators, residential and commercial developers delivering a full range of finance and funding options. Now at Kreston Reeves, he brings those same insights, together with a phenomenal black book of connections, to the firm’s real estate clients.

It is, he says, about providing the right funding solutions for the right client for the right project. It is about understanding which funder is ‘open for business’ – those that, despite saying they are ‘open’, are in fact ‘ closed for new business’, and how

challenger banks and specialist lenders open up new lending opportunities.

Many real estate lenders have found themselves a niche in either development or investment finance despite offering the full suite of real estate financing. They are known for their experience and expertise in that specialist area which can be of huge value to their clients offering quite specialised financing covering, for example, bridging and airspace development.

“Banking is, despite what many will say, a relationship business,” explains John. “It is important that we build and maintain relationships with funders to help our clients access the very best advice and deals on the market.”

It is, he says, not enough to just understand the lending landscape. To truly add value to Kreston Reeves clients, it is important to understand their aspirations, vision and goals –only then can the right funding options be found.

❛❛ Banking is, despite what many will say, a relationship business ❜❜

GREEN FINANCING

The introduction in April this year of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES regulations) requires commercial landlords to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of E or above (A being the most efficient and G being the least efficient) to sell or grant a new lease a building. The regulations will tighten further in 2027, with commercial landlords needing a C EPC rating.

It will leave many landlords facing significant costs to improve the performance of their buildings. Banks and other funders have responded with a variety of funding options, often waiving arrangement fees.

NatWest, for example, has a specific funding scheme that allows landlords to include investment in certain green assets, such as building retrofits to deliver the transition to net zero. It covers greener energy, such as solar panels or biomass boilers, and to support projects that help landlords reduce their emissions.

“Other lenders are following suit,” explains John. “As you would expect, they do come with their terms and conditions, typically open to businesses with a turnover below £25 million and for specific uses.

“It is important to take advice and explore all green funding options open to you to ensure that funding meets your specific requirements.”

KRESTON REEVES FUNDING TEAM

John sits within Kreston Reeves’ specialist Funding Team and works closely with its Corporate Finance practice, bringing clients a completely holistic view of the wide range of funding and financing options.

The team’s reach means its real estate clients can tap into traditional funding

routes, equity funding, investment from high net-worth individuals, and specialist lending such as funding from Homes England.

Kreston Reeves also utilises the Capitalise online lending platform where real estate clients can access the very best deals from a panel of over 100 lenders offering a variety of products with a single application. Capitalise is an award-winning advisor-led funding platform for small and medium-sized businesses that makes it easy to find, compare and select lenders who are most likely to make an offer.

❛❛ It pays to have a ‘banking insider’ on your team ❜❜

Readers of Platinum magazine may have spotted a trend among the updates from Gatwick. New airlines and routes have been in abundance in recent months, with more on the horizon. But what actually goes on behind the scenes when it comes to attracting and securing the likes of Air India, Lufthansa and Saudia?

GOING BACK TO MY ROUTES

Celebrating a new airline or route is the start – or continuation - of a vital connection. Gatwick’s Head of Aviation Development, Stephanie Wear, and her team are at the heart of this work, which involves a vast array of skills from meticulous planning, tailored sales pitches and relentless relationshipbuilding. And competition is rife. It’s the game every airport wants to win.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Stephanie Wear joined Gatwick as global travel awoke from Covid, and got straight to business. As Head of Aviation Development, she builds the airport’s route network and supports the growth of Gatwick’s airlines.

GATWICK TODAY

Jet lag is an occupational hazard for Stephanie and her colleague David Bell. Together they’ve made countless trips around the globe to court both existing and potential airlines.

Stephanie describes an airline signing up as “so gratifying”. Building rapport with airlines – especially high-value carriers – can take years. “Once you’ve convinced them to meet, you sell your pitch. From there you just keep reminding them that we’re here.”

But that’s exactly what other big airports are doing, too. In a world where airports outnumber airlines, Gatwick’s offer must stand out from the crowd.

With all this planning and plate-spinning in mind, it makes the list of new airlines and routes arriving at London Gatwick already this year even more impressive.

NEW GATWICK ROUTES AND AIRLINES 2023

(NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST)

NEW AIRLINES DESTINATIONS

Badr Airlines Khartoum, Sudan February

Air India Goa, Ahmedabad, March Amritsar, Kochi -India

Air China Beijing (now Shanghai), China

Delta New York, USA

Lufthansa Frankfurt, Germany

Sky Express Athens, Greece

Saudia Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Dan Air Brasov, Bucharest - Romania

China Eastern Shanghai, China

Air Mauritius Mauritius

April

April

April

April

June

June

July

October

PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS

When speaking with airlines, Stephanie and her team can’t work in silo. They must first consult Gatwick’s Sales & Ops Planning team to see what’s possible. “We can’t be an airport full of A380s,” Stephanie explains. “Once the airline is here, Operations will manage the impacts on the terminals, baggage, security and airfield. Their continued input and support is critical.”

Her team feeds this intel into a business case. It’s vital Gatwick knows its passengers – and how its products and services can meet their needs.

“Every airline is out to make money,” she

explains, “so we give them confidence they can do that with us. Every conversation is tailored around the specific needs of each airline.”

Low-cost carriers value efficient processes, but luxury carriers want slick service and premium lounges. In either case, Stephanie warns, “You never use the same pitch twice.”

Gatwick’s new vision - to be the airport for everyone, whatever your journeyhelps to make Stephanie’s case. Her team helps airlines to understand Gatwick has what they want.

“We’re serving holidaymakers, business travellers, families and special assistance passengers.” Stephanie says, “We can meet the needs of every airline. That creates a challenge and an opening for us. We need to be the right thing for the right airline – rather than all things to all airlines.”

❛❛ Closed borders during a global pandemic weren’t enough to stop Stephanie and her team ❜❜

THE LONG GAME

Strong relationships need the right people present at the right time. Forming a connection takes 12 to 18 months – and continues once airlines start operating.

David Bell, Gatwick’s Senior Airline Business Development Manager, admits after putting in all this work, rejection is never easy. “Never accept ‘no’ as an answer. We find another way to attract that airline.”

The effort pays off. This tenacious team spent 11 years courting one carrier who finally signed this year.

Understanding the cultural expectations for each airline is another factor. Stephanie’s recent trip to see three airlines in three Chinese cities took several months to plan. “Presentation is everything. We research how to dress, whether we need translators or specialist business cards, and study cultural norms. Even handing over your business card incorrectly can leave a bad impression. We also consider logistics, as getting around isn’t always

like in the UK. Google Maps doesn’t work in China, so you have to plan every detail of your journey.”

CHINA: PLAYING FOR KEEPS

Chinese airlines with big planes fi lled with high-spending passengers are a spectacular prize. It’s a sensible use of a valuable runway slot and improves Gatwick’s credibility on the world stage. But closed borders during a global pandemic weren’t enough to stop Stephanie and her team.

“We spoke with our industry contacts even before the first rumours emerged of China reopening. We wanted to keep Gatwick in their mind. We also asked the regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), what we’d need to secure license agreements and slot arrangements.

“Then we planned where we fi t along those timelines. We managed to be the fi rst UK airport to return to China and speak with them.”

Their efforts paid off, as one airline signed up on their latest tour. China Eastern will fl y to Shanghai from July.

HOME RUN?

“I love working here,” Stephanie says, “because very few airports of this size have our potential. We appeal to a wide variety of airlines from all regions of the world. Plus, we can grow in the next few years as we add more capacity. We have genuine opportunities to make things work for airlines.”

With 46 airlines currently operating at Gatwick and an appetite for more –there’s everything to play for.

www.gatwickairport.com

❛❛ Strong relationships need the right people present at the right time ❜❜

It’s a challenge that almost every small business owner faces: adding leadership skills to their subject expertise as their company grows. Richard Lassiter, Executive Coach and Sales and Marketing Advisor at Sussex Innovation, explains some of the most crucial attributes in the leader’s toolkit

LEARNING TO LEAD

Barely a week seems to go by without a story of another organisation in a leadership crisis, from a sporting body to business lobby group. The causes, it seems, are all too familiar: poor/non-existent culture, leadership failures, a scandal of some sort. Have some sympathy for those outside of the leadership group; it’s their misfortune to be led by people whom they played no role in choosing. It will also likely fall on those same people to explain what took place when interviewing for a future role in another company.

All of this leads me to think – is there any greater responsibility afforded to those in an organisation than the leadership of others? I don’t believe there is. Yet when it comes to giving someone a position of people leadership – a role requiring the management of others, each with their unique hopes and dreams, strengths and weaknesses –too many organisations aren’t giving these decisions the correct amount of due diligence.

These leaders are the very same people who will end up determining the company’s success. Additionally, those whom they lead will determine the leader’s success; future promotions may well rest on a leader’s ability to motivate and inspire.

Of course, the sheer breadth of expectation for a leader has changed. No longer will setting objectives, checking in every now and then and approving holiday requests suffice in the modern company. In a chapter I wrote for a recently published book, Breaking Barriers: Transformational Leadership Stories from Pioneering Women and Men Inspiring Change, I argued the case that for a modern leader to succeed they must not only be a specialist in their area of expertise but also understand and be able to fulfil the roles of coach, mentor, strategist, tactician and therapist, to name a few. That’s a lot for anyone to cover, let alone a founder or small business owner who may be entirely new to being the leader of others. It’s why I created a simple and effective framework, the Dual Layer Leadership Framework, that I offer to our members here at Sussex Innovation. Practical, and taken step by step, the Framework gives leaders a way to navigate the areas that are consistent with the

❛❛ The modern leader must be aware that a happy team, well-supported and cared for, will stay for longer, produce more ❜❜

building of a successful, forwardthinking team. I won’t give it all away here (a book’s got to sell after all!), but the framework consists of two layers: how to lead the team overall, and how to customise the approach to the individual within the team.

For the team layer, I talk through the key areas of values, culture, group performance/accountability, and what I term “team happiness” as being integral to building a high-performing team. For the individual layer, I cover the areas of personal empathy, constructive feedback, tailored career development, and something I term “what makes them tick”. Encircling the framework is ‘constant communication,’ to serve as a reminder that it’s only through the continual practice of communicating with each member of your team that you build the trust required to grow into a high-performing team.

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF WORK

The modern leader must be aware that a happy team, well-supported and cared for, will stay for longer, produce more, and so on. The leader will gain a reputation as the right person to care for high-performing employees; in turn, those employees will recommend that leader to other high performers inside and outside the company. It becomes a virtuous winning circle.

The generation beginning their working career in the early 2020s place as much importance on a company’s approach to health and wellbeing as they do to

the salary/bonus terms. Companies are starting to incorporate wellbeing performance metrics into their systems, albeit these tend to be the larger multinational corporations. Nonetheless, it must start somewhere.

My hope is that, within the next five years, more organisations will give leadership specific KPIs for actively supporting the mental and physical health of those they lead. By making this a performance indicator, a company takes the brave decision to consider it as a factor in appraisals, pay and bonus calculations, and promotion considerations.

I don’t think this is an unrealistic vision. It’s possible to imagine that it could become a reality in the same way that benefits such as unlimited annual leave, drinks/snacks, gym memberships, yoga classes and paid volunteering days have emerged over the past decade. If companies want their staff to believe that they’re taking their wellbeing seriously, it must come from the top down; leaders must walk the walk and talk the talk.

Only a modern leader, as emotionally capable as they are intellectually capable, will be able to rise to the challenge of fulfilling the wishes of those now joining the workforce. Let’s keep raising our expectations of those who lead.

Richard’s chapter and other contributors to ‘Breaking Barriers: Transformational Leadership Stories from Pioneering Women and Men Inspiring Change’ is out now on Amazon.

Get in touch to discuss your coaching needs at sussexinnovation.co.uk

❛❛ Is there any greater responsibility afforded to those in an organisation than the leadership of others? ❜❜

By Daniel Morgan, Managing Partner, Haines Watts Esher

The difference between financial and non-financial KPIs

The most common key performance indicators (KPIs) that businesses track are financial KPIs. These provide numerical metrics, which measure the progress of monetary business goals, often in the form of profi t margins and revenue. Whilst they are important, the existence of non-fi nancial KPIs alongside financial KPIs can help provide crucial context behind them.

WHY ARE NON-FINANCIAL KPIS IMPORTANT?

Non-financial KPIs provide a holistic view of business performance, which can be used to create new targets. For example, if your business experiences a significant decrease in revenue, you can understand why by tracking non-financial KPIs, such as client satisfaction. This may highlight areas that need tweaking in order to improve the overall experience you provide and in turn increase customer spending.

WHICH NON-FINANCIAL KPIS SHOULD BUSINESS OWNERS BE TRACKING?

The non-financial indicators that a business will choose to measure should take into account their relevant business objectives.

Here are examples of the most common:

n Client relationships

Clients determine the success of a business; therefore it is vital that you are able to maintain a strong relationship with them. A key metric to track is customer satisfaction, which can be done via surveys or reviews.

Another measure is customer retention. Low customer retention means you’re relying on new business to increase revenue. If there is an issue with satisfaction however, word of mouth may have created a reputation of poor customer service and in turn leave you with only a handful of customers. It is important to create improvements to ensure that clients are fi nding value in the business.

n Team engagement

Without a motivated and happy team, your business is unable to progress. Keeping track of how embedded people are with your business values is necessary as this will drive productivity, innovation and customer satisfaction. One way to do this is by checking how well you’re able to retain employees over a period of time. A high employee turnover may indicate that employees are not invested, which leads to disengagement and potentially with them quitting.

Your team’s satisfaction can be measured with feedback gathered at performance evaluations. If your employee turnover is high, the data collected can be used to see where you are failing to meet expectations. For example, you may find that there are

fl exibility issues, or that your business goals are not being communicated effectively.

Tracking salary benchmarking is classed as a financial KPI but checking team satisfaction alongside this will determine whether there is a cause for concern. If what you offer is lower than the market value for salaries, employees may feel that their efforts are unappreciated and are likely to go work for competitors. On the other hand, a team satisfaction check may show that a lower salary is not having a negative impact as you may be providing appealing incentives elsewhere.

n Quality control

To keep profi ts high and own a competitive share in the market, a business’s product or service will need to be provided with maximum efficiency. Effi ciency can be examined by way of regular checks throughout every stage. This process will ensure that fewer resources are wasted and mistakes are found so that amendments can be made.

If you want more information, or to discuss your business’s KPIs, get in touch.

www.hwca.com/accountants-esher

T: 020 8549 5137

E: esher@hwca.com

❛❛ Non-financial KPIs provide a holistic view of business performance, which can be used to create new targets ❜❜

Are you considering a change in career? Looking to get back into the job market? Or perhaps you’re looking to learn new skills? Did you know you can access funded courses through The Education and Skills Partnership? As Alison Spratley reports, there’s plenty of support and information available to improve your chances of getting your dream job

INCREASE YOUR EMPLOYABILITY

It’s not easy searching for, and securing, the right job. Often, job searching can feel like a full-time job, and it is an extremely competitive time to be looking for work. But there are ways you can make yourself more attractive to potential employers.

The best way to improve your employability is to improve and learn new transferable skills. Help is available for new graduates, to those looking to retrain and change jobs at any age, and those taking the dive into setting up their own business. If you have the drive to learn, there will always be a way to improve your skills.

WHAT LEVEL 3 COURSES ARE AVAILABLE?

We offer several funded and non-funded Level 3 training courses:

n An Education and Training Award provides an introduction into inclusive teaching and learning. You will also learn how to facilitate learning and development of individuals or groups.

n Specialist Support for teaching and Learning in Schools Level 3 Diploma. This course will enable you to apply for teaching assistant positions within any primary or secondary

school, and work with children between the ages of 5-18 years of age across the UK.

n Professional Competence for IT and Telecoms Professionals Level 3 Diploma is aimed at learners who are working, or want to work, in the IT and telecommunications industry. It could lead to employment as a business analyst, computer games designer or technical support person, computer hardware engineer or service technician, internet professional, telecommunications technician, IT product developer, IT technical sales specialist or IT trainer.

n Principles of Leadership and Management Level 3 Diploma course is designed to help people develop their abilities to lead, motivate and inspire a team. This is done through an understanding of how teams work, effective decision-making, how to effectively motivate, and how to best

communicate with team members. You can also explore the following Level 3 apprenticeships available to people who are already employed, as employers can access apprenticeship levy funding to support their staff onto these courses:

n Business Administrator

n Content Creator

n Customer Service Specialist

n Digital Marketer

n Improvement Technician

n Information Communication Technician

n Learning and Development Practitioner

n Network Cable Installer

n Retail Team Leader

n Supply Chain Practitioner (FMCG)

n Team Leader

After completing a course, people who have Level 3 qualifications can demonstrate a range of knowledge and skills, including detailed knowledge of a particular area of study or industry. With Level 3 qualifications, people can work independently and confidently in their chosen roles in their chosen sector.

LEVEL 3 ISN’T JUST FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS

Level 3 qualifications are most often undertaken by students who wish to bridge the gap between GCSEs and university. However, it’s important to note that they are not exclusively for this age group, although some come with pre-requisites.

You have to be at least 16 to take a Level 3 qualification, although you only receive funding for a course if you are aged 19 or above. The government offers a lot of options and assistance for adult education with the aim of educating and training people who perhaps don’t have qualifications, to give them the tools to advance in their careers.

❛❛ Often, job searching can feel like a full-time job, and it is an extremely competitive time to be looking for work ❜❜

WHAT IF I’M CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED?

If you’re seeking out your local Job Centre, they can provide invaluable support in your job search. There are resources available to help you, like ESP’s partnership that gives you access to our free training courses and programmes that will help you gain the skills you need.

Anyone who is eligible aged 19 or older can access a Level 3 qualification, and some even qualify to have their studies covered for free. Level 3 qualifications are equivalent to an advanced technical certificate or diploma, or A Levels. Acquiring these qualifications allows you to gain the skills that employers value, which can improve your job prospects and even the ability to earn a higher wage.

Eligibility criteria to access fully funded Level 3 courses:

n If you are aged 19 or over and do not already have a Level 3 qualification.

n If you already have a Level 3 qualification, you can qualify if you earn below the National Living Wage annually.

n You are a UK citizen and have been living in the UK for the past three years.

n You already have a Level 3 qualification or higher but are unemployed.

It’s important to check with your designated ESP training mentor as some areas have different eligibility criteria.

❛❛ If you are in the later stage of your career, you might like to focus on coaching, project management or leadership training ❜❜

BOOST YOUR SKILLS IF YOU’RE OVER 50

Over 3.5 million people over the age of 50 are unemployed and unsure how to go about getting back to work. While this set of workers comes with years of experience and knowledge, if you find yourself in this position, the best way to stay relevant and attractive to employers is to hone and improve your transferable skill set.

If you are in the later stage of your career, you might like to focus on coaching, project management or leadership training – or perhaps developing your social media skills so you can keep up with a changing workplace, and compete with the younger generation!

If you’re not sure where to start, that’s where we come in. We facilitate the courses, help with training funding advice, and do all the heavy lifting to make it easy for you to get the training you need. All you need to do is get down to the Job Centre and find out what support is available.

OF COURSES

HOW DO I FIND NEW OPPORTUNITIES?

Depending on what area in the country you live, there are specific programmes to help people out of work get the skills they need and the jobs they deserve.

HOW WE CAN HELP MOVE YOU FORWARD

The Education and Skills Partnership is a multi-award-winning national training and education provider, specialising in apprenticeships and governmentfunded support for a range of sectors.

We have region-specific partners that allow us to help our learners reach their full potential, progress in their chosen industry, and meet their individual career development goals.

We are passionate about developing apprenticeship programmes and qualifications that help businesses and individuals alike. In fact, we’re trusted by some of the largest brands in the UK and have achieved a ‘Good’ rating by Ofsted.

From pre-employment and apprenticeships to short courses and learner recruitment, we are involved in each step of the process, delivering training that is tailored to suit the needs of each learner and employer.

To find out how we can help you on your journey to return to work, get in touch with us today.

enquiries@esp-ac.uk https://esp-ac.uk/contact-us

These courses are, in fact, totally FREE, as they are fully funded by the European Social Fund. Any employed individual can access 25 hours of FREE training in any of the seven different disciplines:

1 Introduction to Coaching – for those looking to consult, learning and development, train sport, teach in education.

2 Introduction to Customer Service – front line receptionists, retail, telemarketing, customer facing roles.

3 Introduction to Social Media – anyone wishing to get a basic understanding of social media platforms to marketing and promote their services and products.

4 Introduction to Teaching – those wishing to move into teaching as a career.

5 Delivering a Project – project management is a skill required at all levels in an organisation, no matter which department or which industry you work in.

6 Managing a Team – another leadership and management skill to add to your list as your advance in your job role.

7 Managing Change – change is inevitable and requires discipline and use of this specialist knowledge to manage effectively in a company.

Currently these introductory courses are only being offered to businesses and their employees in Greater London, and regions in the South of England such as Brighton, Hove, East Surrey, West Sussex, and qualifying postal codes within these areas.

Invest just 25 hours of your time to take on a free online remote training course. After all, there’s always time to invest in you.

THE ‘COAST-TO-CAPITAL’ AND ‘BOUNCE-BACK-LONDON’ RANGE

❛❛ If you’re not sure where to start, that’s where we come in ❜❜

❛❛ Winning was a massive endorsement of how the business is seen by our peers and has energised #TeamPVL to push forward to even greater heights! ❜❜

PVL UK LIMITED Employer of the Year 2022

HOW TO CREATE AN AWARD-WINNING ENTRY

ENTERING AWARDS CAN BOOST YOUR BUSINESS PROFILE. FACT.

So, what makes a great entry and what’s in it for the winners? Below are some hints and tips to ensure you make the best submission possible!

GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME

A judge knows immediately who spent time preparing a thoughtful award submission and who didn’t!

STAY ON POINT

Make sure your answer addresses the question directly and stay on topic.

DON’T SKIP QUESTIONS

Sounds obvious, right?

You’d be surprised how many people skip questions! Every question left unanswered results in a judge marking down your application.

STICK TO THE WORD COUNT

Be concise – you have a limited space to grab the attention of the judges!

QUANTIFY RESULTS

Give facts and figures. Winning entries always show proof of the claims they’re making.

❛❛ Sussex is an incredible hub for business, entrepreneurship and community spirit and we couldn’t be happier to be representing and leading that with our efforts ❜❜

BIRD & BLEND Company of the Year 2022

GET YOUR STAFF AND CO-WORKERS INVOLVED Collect evidence, metrics, examples, testimonials or anything else needed for your application.

INCLUDE THE ICING

Don’t forget to include achievements or activity in areas like community involvement, staff training, health and wellbeing.

PUT THE DEADLINE

SEPTEMBER 20TH IN YOUR DIARY

This may seem obvious, but set reminders and don’t leave it to the last minute!

ENTRY DEADLINE

SEPTEMBER 20TH

Nepotism in the workplace refers to the practice of favouring relatives or close acquaintances when hiring or promoting employees. It is a controversial topic that has sparked debate among employment law experts, HR professionals, and employees.

Pam Loch of Loch Associates examines the pros and cons of nepotism in the workplace, shedding light on the potential benefits and drawbacks from an employment law and HR perspective.

THE PROS AND CONS OF NEPOTISM

PROS OF NEPOTISM IN THE WORKPLACE

n Networking advantage

One of the key advantages of nepotism is that it provides an opportunity for individuals to secure a job based on personal connections rather than solely on qualifications. In many industries, the adage “It’s not what you know, but who you know” holds true. Nepotism can act as a catalyst for individuals to enter the workforce, especially when traditional application processes may be daunting or ineffective.

n Enhanced collaboration

Working with someone you already know, or know their relatives, can foster

better communication and collaboration. Existing relationships can facilitate trust and openness, allowing for effective teamwork and problem-solving. This can lead to increased productivity and efficiency within the workplace.

n Simplified hiring process

When faced with challenges in hiring suitable candidates, nepotism can offer a straightforward solution. Hiring a relative or acquaintance who possesses the necessary skills and qualifications can save time and resources in the recruitment process. This can be particularly beneficial in small businesses or family-owned enterprises, where trust and familiarity are valued.

n Family business success

Nepotism has long been associated with family businesses, where the practice is often regarded as a key ingredient for success. Family members working together can share a common vision, commitment, and loyalty, which can contribute to the longevity and growth of the business. The continuity of knowledge and values from one generation to the next can foster stability and sustainability. When considering start-ups, nepotism can help speed up the creation and operation of a startup business because working with familiar people can promote efficiency.

n Accelerated development

In certain cases, nepotism can expedite the business development process. Relatives who have a deep understanding of the company’s culture and operations may require minimal training or orientation, enabling them to quickly adapt and contribute to the organisation’s growth. This can be particularly valuable in fast-paced industries or during times of expansion.

n Lower costs and reduced turnover

Hiring relatives can often result in lower recruitment costs, as extensive advertising or headhunting may be unnecessary. Additionally, in well-managed organisations, nepotism can lead to decreased absenteeism and turnover rates. Strong family ties may instil a sense of commitment and loyalty, reducing the likelihood of employees seeking opportunities elsewhere.

CONS OF NEPOTISM IN THE WORKPLACE

n Resentment and discontent

Nepotism can create feelings of resentment and dissatisfaction among other employees who perceive unfair treatment. The perception that promotions or job opportunities are based on personal relationships rather than merit can breed a toxic work environment and erode employee morale.

n Risk of unsuitable hires

Hiring individuals solely based on familial connections may overlook their actual qualifications and abilities. This can lead to less qualified individuals occupying critical roles, impacting the overall performance and success of the organisation. Objectivity in the selection process may be compromised, resulting in suboptimal outcomes.

n Sense of entitlement

If someone is given a title and responsibility without earning it, he or she really doesn’t know what it takes to succeed. Without working up through the ranks, you don’t really know the duties you are now supervising. It is not uncommon for family members to assume they will move higher up the ranks more quickly and if that does not happen, resentment can breed very quickly.

n Increased staff attrition

An environment characterised by nepotism may witness a higher rate of staff turnover. Employees who feel undervalued or marginalised due to preferential treatment may seek alternative employment opportunities, leading to a loss of talent and experience. Unfair treatment resulting from nepotism can also expose organisations to potential legal repercussions, such as claims of unfair dismissal or even discrimination in circumstances where less favourable treatment occurs and the individual has a protected characteristic.

n Corruption and favouritism

Nepotism can create an atmosphere where corruption and favouritism thrive. Employees may perceive the workplace as a breeding ground for unethical practices, eroding trust and undermining the organisation’s integrity. Such perceptions can harm the company’s reputation and lead to legal consequences.

n

Impaired leadership effectiveness

Managers who are responsible for overseeing family members may face challenges in maintaining objectivity and fairness. Balancing personal relationships with professional obligations

can hinder effective leadership, leading to conflicts of interest and compromised decision-making.

n Workplace interference

Family dynamics and personal problems can spill over into the workplace, impacting productivity and harmony. Conflicts or tensions among family members can disrupt the overall work environment, affecting relationships among colleagues and impeding organisational goals. This can result in unsavoury grievances being raised and potential issues with confidentiality where family members talk amongst themselves, which can then spread into the workplace.

n Disciplinary and grievance procedures

Nepotism could lead to disciplinary problems for managers who are in a position of authority over an owner’s family member. It would not be an easy process to discipline a member of staff with a direct link to the owners of the organisation, or to conduct a fair investigation into a grievance against them, without a fear of repercussions.

SO IS NEPOTISM A GOOD THING?

Nepotism in the workplace presents advantages and disadvantages from an employment law and HR perspective. While it may provide opportunities for job seekers and streamline the hiring process, it can however breed resentment, hamper merit-based promotions, and undermine organisational integrity.

Striking a balance between personal connections and professional merit is crucial to mitigate the negative effects of nepotism and maintain a fair and inclusive work environment. By implementing transparent and unbiased recruitment and promotion processes, organisations can ensure that talent and qualifications are the primary criteria for success, while still recognising the value of personal connections and family businesses.

Pam Loch, Solicitor and Managing Director of Loch Associates Group www.lochassociates.co.uk

❛❛ Nepotism is a controversial topic that has sparked debate among employment law experts, HR professionals, and employees ❜❜

In last month’s edition, Platinum introduced Plumpton Racecourse’s CEO, Craig Staddon. Now the spotlight is turned to upcoming fixtures in the new jump season

What’s coming in 2023 for Plumpton Racecourse?

Over the summer, our grounds team, led by Clerk of the Course Marcus Waters, is working hard to prepare the course for what’s coming. The team is spending the long 123 working days between our May Season Finale and September

Season Opener ensuring everything is in top order for the new season.

When asked about the upcoming months, Marcus comments, “Even though we have no racing during the

❛❛ Even though we have no racing during the summer, the team will still be busy around the site with many jobs ❜❜

summer, the team will still be busy around the site with many jobs. We will start with track renovations, with scarifying and some drainage works happening on the course.

“We will also fully remove three of the fences and completely rebuild them ready for September. Maintenance and improvements will also take place around the course and buildings, as well as helping with the setup of many events taking place during the summer.”

PLUMPTON FIXTURES 2023

Saddle up for an action-packed lineup of events at Plumpton Racecourse as the 2023 racing season unfolds! From thrilling races to charity fundraisers and festive celebrations, there’s a diverse range of experiences for racing enthusiasts and families alike.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 24TH Family Day

And we’re off for the 2023/24 season! Join us for our Family Raceday to kick start the National Hunt season.

Alongside six brilliant races, we have an action-packed entertainment programme to keep all children as entertained as the grown-ups. Under 18s enter free when accompanied by an adult, so it’s your chance to bring the entire family for a day they won’t forget.

We’d also love you to bring along your dog (in the picnic enclosure only) and enter one of our competition categories. We can’t wait to see your canine friends shine!

MONDAY OCTOBER 23RD Bob Champion Cancer Trust Raceday

Our second fixture combines brilliant racing with key fundraising for the Bob Champion Cancer Trust. Alongside a charity lunch in The Final Fence Restaurant, there will be a silent auction that any race-goer can visit and bid on, as well as a raffle. With Bob’s key ties with Plumpton – and racing as a sport – we hope everyone gives generously, and raise some great totals for a worthy cause.

On the track we have competitive races; at the corresponding fixture last year, we saw some impressive performances from promising horses.

WHY NOT ENHANCE YOUR RACEDAY EXPERIENCE?

Our private boxes each boast their own balcony with beautiful views of the racetrack and winning post, placing you and your guests at the very heart of the action. We have delicious and seasonally inspired menus, offering the best of Sussex produce, and a wine list with great value house wines through to premium offerings. We also cater for the younger VIPs, with a children’s menu also available.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 6TH Jump Season Preview Raceday

National Hunt weather is truly in the air: and if you’re already a racing pro, this is the perfect day for you. To get you fully equipped for the winter jumps season ahead, Colin Brown (who you may know from his 17 wins on Desert Orchid) will be joined by an expert panel in the Chasers Bar for a preview of what’s to come. You can expect tips, horses to follow, and informative pointers from the panel ahead of our first race. There’s even a 100k fixture... it’s bound to be a very exciting day.

With a dedicated member of the team looking after you and our raceday tipster (hopefully!) providing lots of winners, there really is no better way to enjoy a private and social dining experience at the races.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 20TH

November Raceday

To warm you up from the autumn chill before and during racing, we have coffee and bacon rolls available in the Southdown Bar, as well as our usual food concessions serving popular options behind the grandstands.

www.plumpton racecourse.co.uk

MONDAYS DECEMBER 4TH AND DECEMBER 18TH

Christmas & Festive Fun Racedays

Get in the Christmas spirit at Plumpton and enjoy a range of festivities alongside seven races. These fixtures always generate a brilliant atmosphere as we have live music in the Paddock Bar playing all your favourite Christmas songs, and all guests will be treated to a free candy cane to help get them in the spirit before they’ll get to explore our seasonal entertainment.

Why not treat your friends, family or colleagues to a Christmas get together and join us on one of our hospitality packages?

❛❛ Our private boxes each boast their own balcony with beautiful views of the racetrack and winning post ❜❜

James O’Connell, Partner at Mayo Wynne Baxter argues that registering a trademark before establishing brand recognition can be a waste of money

THE COSTLY GAMBLE

In a competitive business landscape, entrepreneurs are often eager to protect their intellectual property, including brand names and logos, by registering trademarks. They are usually egged on by professional advisors who assume it is one of the essential first steps.

Having spent years doing anti-counterfeiting work, I would advise that rushing to secure a trademark before your business has achieved significant brand recognition can prove to be a costly gamble. While trademark registration offers valuable legal protection, it is crucial to weigh the potential benefits against the expenses and potential risks associated with early registration.

A common business objective is to establish a strong brand identity and gain recognition among the target audience. Just getting a trademark won’t do that. Before committing substantial financial resources to trademark registration, it is essential for your company to focus on building the repu -

tation that the trademark will hang off. Put simply, if you have no reputation, your trademark will remain unknown. If you have a dire reputation, then your trademark will act as a big red flag –one saying ‘avoid this product/service.’

In the early days, spend your time, money and energy developing a unique value proposition, delivering exceptional products or services, and engaging with customers effectively. Anything else is nonsense. I spent years battling counterfeiters in Hong Kong and China, and if I learned one thing it was that they only copied successful companies with quality offerings. Companies with mediocre or rubbish offerings were never counterfeited – so the money they spent on trademarks was wasted.

Another issue is that your start-up may undergo various iterations as you explore your market niche and refine your business model. Registering a trademark too early can be problematic

if you decide to pivot your offering, expand into new markets, or rebrand yourself entirely. In such situations, the previously registered trademark may no longer align with your new direction, necessitating costly rebranding efforts and potentially rendering the initial trademark registration obsolete.

Trademark registration involves several expenses, including application fees, lawyers’ fees (hooray!), and registration maintenance fees. For a start-up company with limited financial resources, these costs can burden its cash flow and divert funds from critical business operations. Allocating those resources towards product development, marketing initiatives, or improving customer experience might yield more substantial returns during the early stages of a company’s growth.

❛❛ Rushing to register a trademark before your company achieves significant brand recognition can be a waste of resources ❜❜

Next to consider is the trademark registration process. This provides legal protection against potential infringement. However, without a wellknown brand, the risk of infringement is significantly reduced. Competitors are less likely to target an unknown brand, as the associated legal costs – if their actions are disputed – may well outweigh the potential gains.

Therefore, registering a trademark before establishing brand recognition might provide a false sense of security, leading to unnecessary expenses without significant benefits. Putting it another way, if you are too small and/or too lacking in real life presence then potential objectors to your mark may not bother challenging it, thus luring you into a false sense of security. Their enforcement action will still happen but only after you have sunk a lot of time and energy into a mark you suddenly find that you can no longer use.

In today’s dynamic business environment, agility and adaptability are crucial

for success. Start-ups and emerging companies often need the flexibility to adjust their branding strategy to meet changing market demands. By delaying trademark registration, your businesses would retain the freedom to evolve a brand identity without being bound by the limitations of an existing trademark. This flexibility allows companies to respond more effectively to market feedback and align their branding efforts with their evolving vision.

Instead of investing in immediate trademark registration, businesses can focus on other cost-effective methods to protect their intellectual property. Utilising copyright protection, which provides automatic legal rights to creative works, including logos and

written content, can offer initial protection without the financial burden of trademark registration. Additionally, leveraging nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) and maintaining trade secrets can safeguard proprietary information during the early stages of a business.

In conclusion, while trademark registration is undoubtedly important for long-term brand protection, rushing to register a trademark before your company achieves significant brand recognition can be a waste of resources. Prioritising the establishment of brand identity, cost considerations, and the ability to adapt to market changes are crucial factors to consider.

By evaluating the potential benefits against the risks and expenses, businesses can make informed decisions regarding trademark registration and allocate their resources effectively during the early stages of their journey.

For further information contact James O’Connell, Partner Mayo Wynne Baxter joconnell@mayowynnebaxter.co.uk www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk

❛❛ A common business objective is to establish a strong brand identity and gain recognition among the target audience ❜❜

London-based mental health and wellbeing company

MyMynd has received a substantial pre-seed angel investment from Surrey Research Park’s S100 Club

MyMynd continues expansion journey

There is a growing mental health crisis across the workplace in the UK, which over the past few years, has been amplified by added pressures such as the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change and the cost of living. Many people are suffering in silence, often leading to burnout, and this is having a direct impact on businesses.

MyMynd is on a mission to tackle these challenges. The ambitious start-up recently raised £500,000 in pre-seed funding – £140,000 of which was secured through University of Surrey’s dedicated network of investors known as the S100 Club – to expand its unique workplace mental health and wellbeing platform.

Founded in 2020 by Henry Majed and Leon Rodin, MyMynd sets itself apart from the other mental health and wellbeing tools on the market. The digital platform offers a consistent approach, identifying issues early and creating a clear pathway for targeted support. Proactive, personalised and data-driven, it helps employees take control of their mental health and helps employers to align their wellbeing efforts around the needs of the organisation. As a result, MyMynd is seeing 60%+ engagement –an impressive increase from the 1% to 2% engagement typically received by digital mental health apps.

Majed explains that, before MyMynd, there wasn’t a consistent way to identify people who are struggling with their mental health and give them access to the support they really need. “We created the platform because we think we can come out of this situation stronger than we went in by protecting and enhancing our workforce, enabling employees to

❛❛ Before MyMynd, there wasn’t a consistent way to identify people who are struggling with their mental health ❜❜

adapt and face these challenges so they can thrive. We believe that prevention is better than the cure. Early intervention stops many people from deteriorating and reaching crisis point.”

The process begins with a short assessment – or MOT for the mind, as Majed calls it – which provides a detailed understanding of an individual’s mental health risks, protective factors and resilience. Any priority concerns get flagged to a team of clinical psychologists and responders, who follow up immediately, offering one-to-one human intervention to help the person understand their situation and why it is important. They then guide them to the appropriate interactive tools and resources within the MyMynd Wellness Centre. Taking aggregate data from across the organisation, regular insights are available to help employers align wellbeing efforts to the needs of their organisation.

In the three years since launching, MyMynd has gained the support of various large-scale clients, including

NHS England and Oxford University. The start-up boasts 100% retention with all existing clients, many of which are expanding, and has a strong forward pipeline of global brands. Now, it is looking to scale up to meet demand. Following a successful pitch on March 1st at the S100 Club – an angel investment network showcasing the best innovative high-growth propositions in the UK – MyMynd piqued the interest of three investors, who between them, invested £140,000 in the business.

Currently standing at £3.2bn, the UK employee digital wellbeing market continues to grow, presenting MyMynd with £130m of market share. The investment will help facilitate the firm’s highly scalable growth. MyMynd will be investing in technology and customer success to accelerate sales and ensure that it is delivering a strong experience for both existing and future clients. Within 12 months, the goal is

to reach 50,000 users, across a range of sectors, and in three to four years, 1.5 million users.

“The investment from S100 Club has really set us up to succeed,” says Majed. “Overall, it has been a fantastic experience. We couldn’t have felt more supported throughout the process, and what we have learned has helped us with all of our wider investment discussions. We continue to be engaged and become strong advocates for S100 and are excited to share this journey with investors and the broader community.”

https://surrey-research-park.com

❛❛ The funds will help facilitate the firm’s highly scalable growth ❜❜

Ryan Smith of EMC Corporate Finance suggests a few options you may wish to consider when it is time to sell the business

Selling my business: what are the options?

There comes a time in the life of every business owner when they start to think about their exit and the options that are available to them. This can be a daunting and stressful time for someone who has never been through the process. But like any other big decision, if you plan ahead and seek the right professional advice, you will maximise your chances of a successful outcome.

When considering selling a business, there are several options available and which one you choose will depend on your personal objectives, the nature of your business and the overall market conditions.

We will briefly explore some of the common options that every owner should consider when planning for an exit:

MANAGEMENT BUYOUT (“MBO”)

In an MBO, the management team of the business purchases the company from the existing ownership, often with a combination of personal money and third-party debt/equity to finance the buyout.

MBOs provide continuity of management and may allow for an owner to exit gradually over a period of time whilst retaining some involvement and control.

This option can be attractive if there is a strong capable management team in place that is familiar with the business and has the ambition to take it forward.

However, this option is not without potential drawbacks, as raising external finance can be challenging for a management team and that, together with having a limited buyer pool, can result in a seller not maximising the financial value from a sale.

❛❛ If you plan ahead and seek the right professional advice, you will maximise your chances of a successful outcome ❜❜

SALE TO A TRADE OR STRATEGIC BUYER

This involves selling the business to a competitor in the same industry or a company operating in a related industry. Often referred to as ‘strategic buyers,’ this option can often drive higher valuations for a seller as buyers will be seeking to get access to things such as higher market share, new market development, expansion of product/ service offerings or intellectual property to name a few.

Whilst sales to strategic buyers can result in higher valuations for shareholders, any seller considering this option should carefully evaluate the strategic fit and cultural alignment with potential buyers to ensure a successful integration after the deal closes. It is not unusual for a seller’s value to be tied to an element of deferred consideration or earn-out over one to three years. So make sure you are confident of the right fit and have well-negotiated and structured legal documents.

SALE TO A PRIVATE EQUITY OR FINANCIAL BUYER

Private equity is likely to be a term that you have come across before. Essentially, it is a professional investor or group of investors seeking to generate returns from investing in businesses or assets. There is a broad spectrum of private equity investors in the UK that all have different investment criteria, sector expertise and styles of operating.

Typically, a business will need to be generating profits of £500k+ per year and have both a track record of profitable success and potential for growth before a sale to private equity is a viable option.

If the business does have the right attributes then selling to private equity can provide an attractive exit route that secures the future of the business with an experienced new partner onboard. Private equity investment often comes with growth targets, stricter financial oversight and reporting, and more pressure on business performance. Therefore, a seller must be ready to accept that, and confident it is right for the business and its employees.

EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP TRUST (‘EOT’)

Another option to consider is an EOT, which is a legal structure that allows employees to collectively buy the business from the selling owner. These have grown in popularity over recent years with several high-profile large corporate taking this route, such as high street retailer Richer Sounds.

As part of an EOT, the business is transferred into a trust on behalf of the employees. The trust becomes the legal owner of the business, and the

employees become beneficiaries of the trust. This option can be particularly appealing if an owner has a strong desire to reward and empower employees by offering a stake in its ownership.

There are several potential benefits of an EOT including: employee engagement and retention; business continuity as well as significant potential capital gains tax savings for the seller. However, careful consideration should be given to the financing of the transaction and whether the employees have both the skills and appetite to take an ownership stake in the business with all the risks and stress that go along with it.

SUMMARY

These are the most common exit routes – not an exhaustive list. Selling a business is a significant decision so it is important to take the time to evaluate all the options and seek the right professional advice and guidance. Regardless of the option you choose, making sure the business is prepared for the sale process is crucial.

By planning ahead and taking steps to make sure financial records, contracts and agreements are in good order, a seller can maximise the value from a sale process and ensure a successful transition to new ownership.

A good adviser will support you in understanding the relative potential benefits of each of these options and align your succession planning activities accordingly. Remember it is never too early to start having these conversations and getting your house in order, – you never know who might knock on the door.

❛❛ Regardless of the option you choose, making sure the business is prepared for the sale process is crucial ❜❜

THE HELP TO GROW PROGRAMME EXTENDS TO CRAWLEY

PROGRAMME DETAILS

This mini MBA-style programme is designed for business owners and senior leaders of small and mediumsized businesses, Help to Grow: Management is a 12-week course that helps your business reach its full potential for growth, resilience and succession planning.

Benefits:

n In-depth training

n Invaluable 1:1 business mentoring

n Bespoke Growth Action Plan

n Low cost, high impact

n Peer-to-peer networking

n Time away from your business to work on your business

This course, accredited by the Chartered Association of Business Schools, is being delivered by the

University of Brighton. Working in collaboration with industry experts and experienced entrepreneurs, the course covers strategies for growth and innovation, digital adoption, leading high-performance teams, financial management and responsible business practices. With the support of an experienced mentor, you will also create a bespoke growth plan for your business.

MODULES AND DELIVERY STYLE

To facilitate busy work schedules, the course is a mix of both online and in person workshops.

1 Strategy and Innovation

2 Digital Adoption

3 Internationalisation and winning new markets

THE HELP TO GROW: MANAGEMENT COURSE

You will be supported by an experienced business mentor who will support you in producing a growth plan, and taught by experienced academics and practitioners from the School of Business and Law.

The Help to Grow: Management is delivered by leading business schools across the UK who have been awarded the Small Business Charter (SBC) by the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS).

Help to Grow is a 12-week course designed to be undertaken alongside full-time work. The time commitment is 50 hours over 12 weeks. Learning alongside other business owners, you have the opportunity to learn from your peers and network.

Using a combination of online and face-to-face sessions alongside case study workshops, you will have the opportunity to apply the concepts being taught to real-life situations faced by business leaders.By the end of the course, you will have a tailored Growth Action Plan to help you lead and grow your business.

4 Vision, mission, and values

5 Developing a marketing strategy

6 Building a brand

7 Organisational design

8 Employee management and leading change

9 High performance workplace

10 Efficient operations

11 Finance and financial management

12 Implementing growth plans

YOUR GROWTH PLAN

n Develop your leadership and management skills, enhancing employee wellbeing and engagement

n Identify what drives productivity and growth in your market, and understand what this means for you

The University of Brighton is offering all businesses a series of workshops to help you power your business forward into the future, and beyond

WHY CHOOSE THE UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON?

The University of Brighton has a long history of working with small to medium-sized businesses, and a strong track record of delivering business growth programmes.

The school of Business and Law is home to the Centre for Change, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management (CENTRIM), which works with partners in industry, academia and government producing groundbreaking

concepts to explain, harness and improve innovation, entrepreneurship and change management.

The 2021 Knowledge Exchange Framework results place the University of Brighton in the top 10% for universities for public and community engagement, and in the top 20% for skills, enterprise, and entrepreneurship.

n Learn how to advance responsible business practices, including more inclusive and greener practices

n Understand how to innovate your business model, including adopting and investing in new and digital technologies

n Identify key domestic and export markets for your business and develop strategies for segmentation, positioning and targeting

n Generate strategies to improve operational effi ciency, allowing you to save time and money

NEXT COURSE DATES

Brighton: September 25th 2023

Gatwick/Crawley: September 22nd 2023

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for Help to Grow, the following criteria must be met:

Your business must

n Be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) based in the UK

n Employ between 5 and 249 people

n Have been operational for at least one year

n Not be a charity

You must

n Be a chief executive, owner/founder, senior manager or decision maker

n Have at least one person reporting to you

n Commit to completing all sessions

HERE IS EVEN BETTER NEWS

90% of the programme cost is covered by the Government, and your cost would therefore be a total of £750. While courses at Brighton are sold out, this amazing offer also applies to those who wish to enrol at Crawley.

Anyone who applies using the PLATINUM100 code will receive 50% discount off the cost of the course at Crawley, courtesy of Platinum Business Magazine, and their course will cost £375.

We asked a recent graduate of the Help to Grow programme at the University of Brighton what he thought of the course

CASE STUDY

I was attracted to the course as it provided a structured approach to build on my 24 years’ experience gained from supporting the development of the business as it has grown. As a business grows it presents new challenges, and the course provided a way to see how best to manage these and exploit opportunities.

The biggest take out from the course for me has been that it supports you in taking time, getting away from the day-to-day and allows you to take a fresh look at what you are doing. It’s great to discuss ideas with the course tutors and others in a supportive space. I think the module I got most out of was the one on Vision and Mission, as it allowed us to review our current business position and refine what we stand for.

Focus SB is an award-winning bespoke premium electrical accessories specialist. All of our products are made in the UK which ensures a quality service, meaning we meet your specific needs –no matter how small or large your electrical accessories requirements.

We are catching up with Duncan Ray Head of Strategic Partnerships, Focus SB

❛❛ The course provided a way to see how best to manage these and exploit opportunities ❜❜

Our focus is you

Outstanding legal advice for individuals, families and businesses.

For business

We make it our business to know your business, working with you to add value and to deliver tailored legal services with energy and creativity whether you’re an established market leader or an ambitious start-up.

For you

Your family’s security and wellbeing are your priority. And we have the legal skills and knowledge to support your plans and the challenges life brings.

Our success depends on understanding your needs

Please call or email to discuss how we can help you:

03333 231580

enquiries@dmhstallard.com

CELEBRATING THE INCREDIBLE BUSINESSES, ENTREPRENEURS AND ORGANISATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY

SURREY BUSINESS AWARDS 2023

TUESDAY OCTOBER 17TH 2023

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

❛❛ We were delighted that the award reflected the care and effort that each member of our team delivers to go the extra mile for our customers to make each home truly special. We strongly believe in our team and delight in the successes that they have worked together to achieve as we grow ❜❜

Antler Homes

Large Business of the Year Winner 2022

TICKETS NOW ON SALE

BOOK YOUR TICKETS ONLINE

WWW.PLATINUMMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

£120 EACH OR £1100 FOR A TABLE OF 10 (+ VAT)

Ticket price includes a champagne drinks reception, three course meal with wine as well as entertainment and networking opportunities. Dress code is black tie.

❛❛ It is an incredible achievement and fantastic recognition for all our hard work and passion for a business that means so much to us. We are starting out on our journey and this award will give us the rocket fuel that we need to take our product global ❜❜

Signapse

Start-up of the Year Winner 2022

Presented by actor and comedian, Hal Cruttenden

PAUL NIGHTINGALE Associate Dean of Research, University of Sussex Business School

Paul trained as a mathematician and chemist, and worked in the R&D labs of a major blue-chip firm. He has worked on UK innovation policy and co-wrote NESTA’s “Innovation Gap” report. His current work focuses on finance and financial innovation and the delivery of major transformational projects in the Cabinet Office. p.nightingale@sussex.ac.uk

www.sussex.ac.uk

ALISON ADDY Head of External Engagement and Policy, Gatwick Airport

Alison has worked in a wide variety of roles at London Gatwick over the last 28 years. A common thread throughout her career has been stakeholder engagement and a strong focus on Gatwick’s contribution to the local community and economy, working in partnership to deliver lasting positive impact.

alison.addy@gatwickairport.com www.gatwickairport.com

FIONA SHAFER Managing Director, MD HUB

Fi is Managing Director of MDHUB, which is the premier peer to peer business growth network for Managing Directors and Senior Board Directors in the South of England. It helps solve your problems, lift the pressure and find ways through the blocks to grow your business with the support of likeminded entrepreneurial leaders.

fiona@mdhub.co.uk

www.mdhub.co.uk

TALKING HEADS

Welcome

to this Influencers Forum on the subject of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

CSR is a management concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns into their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders. CSR is generally understood as being the way through which a company achieves a balance of economic, environmental and social imperatives, while at the same time addressing the expectations of shareholders and stakeholders.

In this sense, it’s important to draw a distinction between CSR, which can be a strategic business management concept, and charity sponsorship or philanthropy. Key CSR issues environmental management, co-efficiency, responsible sourcing, stakeholder engagement, labour standards and working conditions, employee and community relations, social equity, gender balance, human rights, good governance and anti corruption measures.

MATT LETLEY

Founder, Impact for Good Impact for Good is a sustainability consulting firm founded by Matt Letley, that delivers business growth and creates longterm value by delivering impactful social and environmental strategies. It aligns purpose with commercial success by providing a rigorous business impact assessment where the results directly correlate with improved financial performance. matthew.letley@impactforgood.co.uk www.impactforgood.co.uk

AMY WHITE Head of Training and Wellbeing, Loch Associates

Amy is an employment law solicitor and who is Head of Training and Wellbeing at Loch Associates Group. She uses her expertise and passion for employee wellbeing and people management in her training and presentations on topics including mental health in the workplace, the menopause, and changes in employment law and HR. amy.white@lochassociates.co.uk www.lochassociates.co.uk

SIMON BELLM Partner, DMH Stallard

Simon leads DMH Stallard’s Gatwickbased employment group. He works with organisations in both the public and private sectors on human resourcing issues. Simon has responsibility for DMH Stallard’s CSR programme. Simon.Bellm@dmhstallard.com www.dmhstallard.com

Matt Letley: CSR tends to be a qualitative measure of an organisation’s commitment as opposed to ESG, which is more quantitative, and more measured and embedded within the organisation. I wouldn’t say it’s replacing it, but I would say ESG feels like the natural progression from something qualitative into something more measurable.

Paul Nightingale: That is quite a good distinction. CSR is a reflection of what the company does, what it says it’s going to do, how the culture of the organisation reaches out to people and how it’s going to behave to the outside world.

We teach CSR, but we also are concerned about the culture that we have as an organisation. We’ve been concerned about environmental impacts, we have a range of research that we work on. It’s probably the greenest business school in Europe.

Amy White: When thinking about the distinction, I consider one to be inward looking (CSR), for the benefit of the internal community, and the other being much more external (ESG) in its focus. It’s important to have that distinction because employees want ownership of the responsibility that their employer is taking.

Fiona Shafer: I was on holiday recently, and got talking to a 26 year-old who works for a very well known High Street retailer in clothing. She didn’t know what CSR was. Their organisation has 600 staff, and she said they have a ‘sustainability’ department. And then I asked her father, who’s 64, and works for a certain government department, and he travels the world. He too wasn’t familiar with CSR.

The point is, they both referred to it as ‘sustainability’. It was just really interesting that CSR is not a phrase that that was recognised. To me that says a lot. Within MDHUB, I represent the SME community. Many companies who are not on board with CSR merely put things under ‘sustainability’.

Alison Addy: That’s the same for us. We haven’t used the term ‘CSR’ for some time. 10-15 years ago, it was a core of business strategy across all of the airports.

ESG is a bigger focus for us now. Since 2010, our focus has been on sustainability, so actually it’s the environmental, social and economic balance that you’re trying to achieve.

I’d agree it’s quite an internally driven framework. While our own sustainability strategy and goals are very much embedded across the organisation, there’s a huge amount of interest and pressure coming from shareholders and employees.

We’ve done some work recently around employee engagement, and there was a real desire for them to not only see the company be active in the social, economic and environmental side, but wanting to get involved as well.

❛❛ The best students have a choice, and they will choose companies that are aligned with their values ❜❜

Maarten Hoffmann: Matt, does that summarise CSR or has ESG supplanted it??

You mention pressure from the shareholders. Would your shareholders be prepared to accept lower profits to achieve ESG or CSR goals?

ML: I’ve run a company that took them on a journey to B Corp Certification. By going on that journey, and looking at ESG and CSR in a different way, you look at your business and see that there were profits you didn’t realise were there.

For instance, we significantly reduced our supply chain costs by speaking to our clients to say, do you actually need the product delivered to your desk next day? ‘Well, actually, no, we don’t.’

Upon reviewing those supply chains, we realised how to consolidate, reduce our environmental impacts, and therefore reduce the cost to the clients. This then led to increased profits. What we needed to do was look at the business through a different lens.

SB: I think there’s a bit of a false premise of the question. I don’t think that the implication of having focus on either CSR or ESG is to reduce profits. Promoting CSR and ESG can mean better staff retention, or even improved customer retention. All of those can have a positive impact on profit.

You do also need to consider your company’s purpose –is it there solely to make a profit, or do you go beyond that? Shareholders do accept that the business is there for more than making a profit, so may well accept reduced terms where necessary.

MH: Alison, do you get pressure for CSR or ESG from the shareholders?

AA: Not pressure as such, but it is a core part of how they want to see the business developing. For example, our most recent sustainability strategy set a goal that we had to be Net Zero by 2040. However, the shareholders decided that wasn’t nearly ambitious enough. So we brought it forward 10 years.

In order to achieve that, they’ve had to commit to £250 million of investment over the next few years. So from an investor point of view, they’re prepared to make the step to drive the change that’s needed.

PN: If an organisation is good at CSR, it’s good at keeping clients. It’s a good indicator of high quality management.

But for the very big firms, their shareholders are institutional shareholders; they’ve got very large portfolios. The costs of not enacting CSR falls on these shareholders much harder than it does for other shareholders. The organisations are therefore under a lot of pressure, and they need to manage this transition towards a greener economy.

Within education, how are you teaching CSR?

PN: We try and embed CSR and ESG into everything we do; courses, instilling it into students’ critical thinking and awareness. This is what they want.

Additionally, when they leave, if you as an organisation wants to employ someone in their 20s, and you are not aligned with important changes in society, you are going to struggle. The best students have a choice, and they will choose companies that are aligned with their values.

And because employers and students want that, we respond to it, and teach it. It’s a much more proactive thing than it was 10 years ago. If you don’t deliver to University of Sussex students, they will hold you to account; it’s a very demanding environment.

MH: Amy, do you find that in your training role?

AW: Absolutely. In terms of attracting the best talent, it’s on the employers’ agenda, especially as people are more mindful when they’re seeking work.

We make sure employers take into account all of these issues, encouraging them to review their policies when they need to.

MH: Fiona, with all the SMEs you represent is it a topic that continually rises to the top?

FS: We held a three month survey of SMEs from December last year. We asked what people wanted in order to develop their leadership skills.

During the pandemic, just getting through it was the primary concern for everyone, but now ESG and CSR are moving up the ladder, because they’re seeing the imperative from their supply chains. Within that, ESG is coming to the fore because of the metrics involved; it’s something very tangible. CSR, for many SMEs, is too nebulous.

ML: When I started my career 25 years ago, CSR was merely an add-on to the operation. Now it has moved on to much more than merely the CEO being seen to plant a tree for a photo op. Demands for compliance are coming in from all corners, and that mounting pressure means companies will always need to do more.

Any tenders that larger companies have to deal with demand some kind of quantitive measure to be considered for that project. It’s becoming more measurable, so your company has to take their compliance seriously.

❛❛ These are clued-up people, so any element of dishonesty about your claims will be quickly spotted. The impact of that is far worse than any benefit you may strive for ❜❜

MH: Alison, you have a logistical and PR challenge of aiming to be Net Zero by a certain date. Of course, you were talking about the airport rather than the aeroplanes being Net Zero. Did you feel the statement was risky at the time?

AA: We knew the context, and we knew we’d have to be really careful about how we communicated this. In hindsight, I should have said that when I made the statement. We are doing all we can to make the airport Net Zero.

However, when it comes to the aircraft fleet, it’s not 100% within our control. It doesn’t mean to say that we’re not also active in that area. But being part of the Sustainable Aviation Coalition means we’re working with the airlines, lobbying governments and looking at future technologies. But we can’t control everything.

There are a few firms who use philanthropy as a cover for CSR. Just donating to charity now and then doesn’t cover it, does it?

SB: A lot of it is driven by employees as well as customers and consumers who, in turn, influence the major stakeholders who, in turn, influence the supply chain. These are clued-up people, so any element of dishonesty about your claims will be quickly spotted. The impact of that is far worse than any benefit you may strive for.

MH: How bad is it if you get found out for not doing this correctly?

ML: The advice I offer is never make outrageous claims that you can’t back up with evidence. It’s easy to make a claim –but one day, it could come back to bite you. Don’t get sucked in with what everyone else is claiming, make the statement as to where you’re at, and be authentic with your claims, and that will be fine. Stick to commenting your own journey.

PN: They’ve very switched on. They’re very aware of the cultures of organisations, and are a more proactive generation than those of 10 years ago.

MH: So it’s your students that are driving us as employees to get our house in order?

PN: It’s societal. For example, we are world leaders in offshore wind. You go to the Sussex coast, and you can witness this infrastructure and transformational shift in operation. There are actually a lot of benefits of moving towards green energy, because it’s cheaper, meaning the cost of energy will go down - substantially. The collapsing cost of solar is just a remarkable shift.

SB: I’m not technically knowledgeable so do you think that’s a silent revolution – is that message from government getting across?

PN: The government isn’t showing off about offshore wind, and they should be. I literally don’t understand why we are not shouting from the rooftops. This is a big global market, and we are world leaders.

ML: While the UK has recently recorded its highest amount of energy being obtained from renewables, there is still the political will to invest in fossil fuels, and that isn’t going away just yet. Meanwhile, as well as we are doing for renewables, the transition to where we want to be is still huge.

PN: Onshore wind is also a political issue. There are many people in the Shires who don’t want wind turbines in their vicinity. But while there’s a UK moratorium on onshore sites, we’ve vastly improved the technology of offshore sites. It’s a bizarre success story.

SB: What do you think is driving that success?

PN: Having the technical skills at hand from working in offshore facilities, being world leaders in aerodynamics, excellent project management skills have all meant we have hit the sweet spot in the development of the industry. The political and financial will has also been vital.

❛❛ Many of our children are being taught this subject in schools, and they’re coming home, educating us ❜❜

❛❛ The government isn’t showing off about offshore wind, and they should be. I literally don’t understand why we are not shouting from the rooftops. This is a big global market, and we are world leaders ❜❜

Paul, I presume the students are very switched on people?

ML: Being CSR compliant is largely self governed. So to a point it’s just doing something within your organisation around CSR, whether that be from the environmental or social side, or looking after employees’ wellbeing.

SB: For me, CSR is about how you engage with the community, and your role within it, whether those are environmental or people-led. None of this is new. Businesses will have had this on their mind for quite a while, albeit with a different consideration around it. Now there’s a different focus, and there’s much more noise about it.

AW: And maybe also consult with those communities. The more driven the action you take is, the more buy-in you will get and the more effective it will be from an environmental, ethical and economic standpoint.

SB: Shoreham Port Authority is very conscious about the impact that it has on the community, whether it’s green energy issues, transport, traffic flow – that is a large component of CSR.

AA: You need to ask yourself ‘how can I tailor my corporate strategy to the real needs of the community?’ Properly listening to those stakeholders to understand their priorities, and the needs of the area is key.

The point about not throwing money at charities is fair enough, so consider a community investment strategy. That means you are setting aside funds that may well go to charities, but in a targeted way, that actually meets the needs of the community. You can meet your CSR goals in that way.

ML: You could go all out for B Corp or Planet Mark or another framework available to organisations, but you do have to back up your claims. CSR or ESG is about the need to step up. If nothing else, external pressure will make you step up. It can be daunting to take those first few steps down that road, but if you don’t take them, you will get left behind.

MH: But anyone with B Corp status shouts it as loud as they can; they’re very proud. It’s not the same for ESG or CSR, is it?

SB: One of the barriers is the benchmarking process itself, and the creeping feeling that’s it’s a box-ticking exercise. It’s more important to understand what you are doing within the community, and supporting that – without the checklist process.

PN: The shift towards external audit means you have to do things asked of you from outside, meaning you end up with an air of cynicism about what appears to be a box-ticking exercise. Organisations need to avoid turning it into that.

Rather than that, what the company does within the community needs to be driven by its internal culture.

MH: There are those who don’t care. I’ve heard it said by MDs that CSR is a luxury,

PN: There’s a long tail of firms that are struggling in all sorts of areas, and CSR is one of them. The risk of those doing badly at CSR is that, just by the nature of them doing things badly, they start to become reactive. So ideally, they need to become proactive, and start thinking about measuring actual metrics.

From there, you can start to analyse and improve your performance. If you’re building capability with an organisation, it’s going to spill over into other areas such as employing people, retaining customers, and being able to communicate that you’re a capable organisation.

❛❛ You need to ask yourself

‘how can I tailor my corporate strategy to the real needs of the community?’ ❜❜

As an SME, what’s the easiest way to ensure that I’m CSR compliant?

A cynic might well point out that, for CSR or ESG, there’s no kitemark or certification; you’re marking your own homework. It’s all a bit vague.

AW: The absence of a benchmark isn’t the issue regarding getting smaller organisations to engage with CSR. If they aren’t engaging with it, the culture of the company will mean they won’t have staff or they won’t get the top talent.

Similarly, they won’t win tenders, so they’ll lose clients or customers. The reality of the situation will perpetuate them in that direction anyway, without a benchmark needing to come into force.

PN: Even without certification, there are benefits to informal benchmarking. Companies do talk to each other and crosspollinate ideas, and they all learn from each other. That kind of benchmarking can be done formally, informally, or even casually, say, over a cup of coffee.

When people move from firm to firm, they bring new ideas with them. That can be across a range of things, and not just CSR.

AW: Do you think that’s one of the real benefits of CSR that actually encourages even competitive businesses to collaborate?

PN: Collaboration can work, especially if you have the same issues - internally or externally. That sharing of knowledge is not just CSR, but CSR is an easy way of opening the door.

AA: CSR or ESG is, by its nature, diverse. Maybe it’s more appropriate to benchmark some of the key parts of that diversity. It’s more meaningful than just saying, ‘we’ve got the CSR badge because we’ve ticked the right boxes’.

We did a benchmarking exercise a few years ago. It was a really good learning curve for us to understand where you can drive most value and social impact. But it takes a lot of resource and time. We’d rather be deploying that resource rather than undertaking an exercise for the sake of getting a badge.

MH: The point about this becoming a tick box exercise, maybe that’s a negative thing but I suspect it will hoover up the stubborn companies who don’t give a damn.

SB: They wouldn’t pick up that checklist in the first place.

MH: True, but it’s driven from inside, the staff will ensure that the boss has no choice.

AA: The perception can easily be broken down if that stubborn company talks to another business to find out what CSR means to them. ‘CSR’ makes it sound as if it’s for big corporates, not for SMEs.

MH: There’s differentiation too. CSR was once about differentiation. But once everyone achieves it, there’s no longer that differential.

ML: There’s always been an element of that; those external factors and pressures are going to continue to drive that. When talking about CSR or ESG, there will be the innovators; others will jump on the bandwagon, others will miss out entirely and drift away. But there will always be organisations doing it for a reason beyond that profit, and that’s what’s going to continually drive the innovation.

ML: There’s a drive towards a regenerative economy. For example, a furniture manufacturer will now make a modular article that can be recycled, repurposed and re-used, rather than just having a 10-year warranty, thereby increasing its life value. The customer is going to be incentivised, the shareholder will be incentivised to sit on the balance sheet for longer. And also it’s going to have a much more impactful benefit to the environment.

❛❛ When people move from firm to firm, they bring new ideas with them. That can be across a range of things, and not just CSR ❜❜

The previous Talking Heads discussion about ESG brought up something really interesting – natural capital accounting, which is that within your balance sheet, you should be reflecting the amount of natural capital you have.

Does it help me to sell my SME if my CSR policies are in place and working?

FS: Absolutely. Prospective investors are looking for that, in order to invest in a company where they want to know, ‘what are you doing about this’ because this is the way forward.

MH: It’s always easy to kick at an open door, but there are those stubborn guys that really don’t care. What does one do about them?

FS: In today’s global market, I don’t think they’re going to have a choice because it’s going to overtake them, and they’re going to be left behind, and it’s not all about profit. Businesses have had the ISO standard and ISO 14,001, environmental standard, well before ESG. And so they have been working with this.

In my previous career, we got six waste companies together to minimise waste, saving them £600,000. That was due to a collaborative approach. But when it comes to environmental waste, why aren’t the government or local authorities presenting one clear message? Collaboration is made harder because there is still a lot of confusion out there.

The other thing was MDHUB sponsored the Dynamic Awards last year and we chose the CSR Award. The category was was so tough to decide because every entry had its own CSR interpretation, possibly exaggerated by the lack of a benchmark.

This year, we’ve sponsored Employer of the Year, and the winner’s approach was very much from the employee perspective. They asked their employees what their expectations are. They built a lot of their policies, community work, and buying practices around what the employees were saying to them. There’s a cultural change in the mindsets of business owners. From a CSR viewpoint, it’s very encouraging.

SB: Time I think is an important issue, because you look at other behavioural issues - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) for example. It’s a journey which takes a long time. We had equal pay claims in the 1960s, and we’re still not there. We could be talking similar timescales here to get that last stubborn group.

PN: There always will be a part of that stubborn group where they’ll still pour battery acid down the drain; they won’t care. They’ll treat their employees how they see fit which, incidentally, only ever generates work for lawyers.

But they are in a world that has changed around them, leaving them behind. Their customers have placed new demands on them that they can’t fulfil. Meanwhile, the rest of the local economy is moving in a positive direction.

FS: I suggest educate those who aren’t engaged in CSR or sustainability into realising that what they could be doing is exciting and innovative, not dull and a burden. Many of our children are being taught this subject in schools, and they’re coming home, educating us.

AA: It is saying to those entrepreneurs that it’s about unlocking additional value, not about constraining you. The opportunities there are endless.

AW: You could go down the route of telling them all the horror stories that could happen if they don’t engage; the tribunal claims they’ll face or the business they’ll lose. But does that negativity actually create proactivity? Probably not.

PN: A lot of research has been done about ‘good things, badly implemented’, and having bad outcomes. If you go into an organisation, and you insult the manager, those people aren’t happy with that, and can backfire. It must be done carefully. Else you could end up creating barriers.

❛❛ However, the shareholders decided that wasn’t nearly ambitious enough. So we brought it forward 10 years ❜❜

One of the most important things is to show ‘that stubborn group’ that this doesn’t cost you money. Is that something that you’re readily able to tell your client?

ML: I find it does open up hidden levers that you wouldn’t have otherwise seen. It does identify areas that actually generates profit.

There are opportunities to embed strategies that will improve the environmental impact, meaning they are going to be better engaged within the community and society. And it will identify those areas to actually drive and improve profits.

On another note, I am seeing a lot more collaboration between companies, even tech firms or digital firms that are sat in the same room whilst they’re competing for the same work. They are generous with their time and advice, and are very transparent because they want to use their business for a purpose beyond just making that profit.

You see that collaboration in many different industries; the wine industry in England has a great amount of collaboration. They’re all coming together to increase and improve their sustainability for the greater good.

Just to finish, give me a statement about CSR, either on why companies should be paying attention if they’re not, or why CSR should or should not be replacing ESG.

ML: It’s good for employees; you’re going to attract talent, you’re going to be reducing your impact on the environment, and all of that good stuff that you’re doing from an organisation you can recognise within the framework. It will give you a purpose, a structure and a direction to improve your ambitions within that area. From my own experience, it will drive profits as well.

PN: CSR is about better management which, in one area will affect other areas. You will be able to recruit people, you will have better relationships with your customers, deliver on time, reduce your risk, reduce your exposure to external shocks. It’s part of an essential bit of the managerial toolkit of firms operating in this area, they need to do it. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be costly.

AW: I would say doing good can help you do well.

SB: Focusing on CSR helps you to exercise key skills of innovation and collaboration.

FS: Very short - you can’t afford not to.

AA: You can’t stand still. Just because you’ve put together a lovely framework of how you’re going to operate and add value, you’ve actually got to be constantly innovating and collaborating to make sure you keep focus. Similarly, the external pressures aren’t standing still. So you’ve got to challenge yourself and bring the outside in to understand how you can continue to evolve.

MH: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, I think we could have done this for hours, but thank you nonetheless.

❛❛ We try and embed CSR and ESG into everything we do; courses, instilling it into students’ critical thinking and awareness. This is what they want ❜❜

Moving on, creating shared value – CSV. The model was based on the idea that social welfare and corporate success are inextricably linked, and it’s probably similar to what we’ve been talking about.

An exciting new initiative has been launched to recognise the business community’s efforts to go green and be more sustainable

INTRODUCING GREEN SOUTH DOWNS A new sustainability awards programme for businesses

Businesses of all sizes across the region are being invited to apply for Green South Downs – a new programme that rewards enterprises for taking steps towards helping the environment and local community.

It comes after a successful pilot scheme which saw 19 businesses win gold, silver or bronze certificates for taking simple measures to help the planet, such as reducing carbon consumption, reducing water usage, volunteering and creating space for wildlife. Businesses that have so far received awards include a brewery, farm shop, museums, and holiday firms. The scheme has been launched by the South Downs National Park Authority in partnership with Green Tourism.

Businesses that sign up to Green South Downs will receive a step-by-step bespoke package to help them on their journey and will receive training on sustainability and carbon literacy, as well as strategic support around waste management, climate action, nature, and energy.

The certification is based on Green Tourism’s industry-leading assessment framework, which provides a holistic review of a business’ sustainability performance, based on three areas: people, place, and planet.

Taking part in the pilot scheme and achieving a bronze award, the team at Tottington Manor, Henfield – a hotel, restaurant, and event venue – has been taking huge steps to reduce its environmental impact. It has been thrilled to share how joining ‘Our South Downs’ sustainable business network and completing the ‘Green South Downs’ programme is helping the team achieve its environmental goals.

Director Steve Pomery comments, “We were quite new to the area, so ‘Our South

Downs’ seemed like an excellent way to be able to work more closely with other businesses in the South Downs National Park, and find out more about what was happening here. Being a network focused on sustainability also provided the opportunity to pick up ideas on other ways we could improve our processes.

“We took part in the ‘Green South Downs’ scheme as it seemed like the right thing to do for our business to help us justify that the steps we had already taken were the right ones for us, – and they were!

“We got to spend time with businesses facing similar challenges to us, and to talk them through together. The decisions we have made up until now, and that we will make going forward, aren’t always going to be easy. They will require investment, but making these changes to the way we operate is the right thing to do morally and will result in return later down the line.”

The Green South Down’s programme is only available to members of the free-tojoin ‘Our South Downs’ business network.

Since May 2022, over 200 sustainably-minded businesses have come together to form the ‘Our South Downs’

business network. Run by the South Downs National Park Authority, the network aims to shorten rural supply chains and to promote business sustainability towards a net zero future, through support, advice and collaboration.

Nick Heasman leader of the ‘Our South Downs’ enterprise team at the National Park says, “The Green South Downs Certification is a superb way to work towards sustainability goals, while also demonstrating your environmental credentials to your stakeholders. So many businesses are beginning, or thinking about, their journey to net zero and we want to give them a helping hand.”

‘OUR SOUTH DOWNS’ MEMBERSHIP

Being a member of

‘Our South Downs’ includes a number of benefits:

n Joining a members directory, including mapping and product/ service listings to consumers and other businesses.

n A monthly newsletter with advice and support around maximising energy efficiency and creating stronger supply chains.

n A regularly updated online portal with information for businesses to help with planning, as well as search for and connect with other like-minded businesses.

n Access to tourism and landbased schemes such as Dark Skies Welcome, and Cyclists and Walkers Welcome

n The opportunity to join an internationally recognised ‘Green South Downs’ certification scheme that offers pragmatic sustainability support through online workshops and an awards programme to recognise sustainable businesses across the South Downs region.

n Free business mentoring session from the Association of Business Mentors.

n A free downloadable toolkit of business resources provided by Sussex Innovation Centre.

n Information on new funding opportunities.

n Discounted use of South Downs National Park venues and partner discount schemes.

For more information visit https://oursouthdowns.co.uk

❛❛ Since 2022, over 200 sustainably-minded businesses have come together to form the ‘Our South Downs’ business network ❜❜

Totttington Manor

CURRENT TRENDS IN THE M&A MARKET

Despite negative economic news, the M&A/deals market remains surprisingly resilient.

Buyers with existing facilities in place, or cash funding, dominate over debt financing. This may change as the cost of borrowing drops, but currently asset finance is being used to close pricing expectations of buyers and sellers (invoice discounting/asset security).

Trade buyers have been more active than private equity, investing for scale and operational synergies; some private equity backed trade operators are in the market for multiple deals (particularly insurance broking and wealth management).

Over the last two years, M&A deals over £10m have been active, with fewer deals sub £10m. This year, we are seeing that change; the larger deals are continuing, but trade buyers are also looking at smaller deals.

For some businesses, however, sale is not appealing; they prefer to de-risk take capital value now), by selling all or part of the business to their management teams. Typically, this takes the form of a management buyout (MBO), or an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).

Having faced a difficult few years, more business owners are wanting to explore these options (sale/MBO/EOT), and to better understand the differences, it is sensible to talk the differences through with experienced advisors, to avoid costly mistakes.

formulating the offer. Some wiser and more aware clients have achieved much better deals on returning to the market, with a carefully thought through plan.

Buyer/investor caution remains clear to see. There is a greater focus on diligence (investigating the target business from a legal and financial perspective), to avoid embarrassing mistakes.

Sellers need to be resilient, because we have seen a number of sales fail on the first attempt. However, if these issues can be resolved, strong businesses and resilient owners have successfully completed deals, with the same or different buyers.

Some business owners have been drawn into an initial negotiation, with an unexpectedly attractive offer, only to find that the buyer had made some incorrect assumptions when

Over the last three months, we have seen a number of deals heavily “frontloading” financial diligence. Traditionally, legal and financial diligence run pretty much in tandem. Now the legal diligence is being held back until the financial risk/model is satisfied. While this is prudent, this can extend the deal process, or require the legal team to deliver in a far shorter timeframe.

The sector remains important, but not critical. Professional services, technology, data/cabling, digital marketing/training, and insurance, have all been active, as have SaaS, and data security.  But… sector analysis is imperfect as a tool, and we continue to see successful businesses close deals in a variety of sectors.

If you would like to discuss any of these themes further, please get in touch:

M: 07912 087173

Jonathan.Grant@dmhstallard.com

❛❛ Over the last two years, M&A deals over £10m have been active, with fewer deals sub £10m ❜❜

Welcome to this monthly series for business owners, where I aim to demystify the corporate market and highlight trends in a non-technical manner

Jonathan Grant Partner and Head of Corporate

Cleankill Pest Control has been named the winner in the sustainability category at this year’s British Pest Control Association (BPCA) Members Awards. The award was announced on World Pest Day (June 6th)

Cleankill Pest Control wins sustainability award

The BPCA Sustainability Award rewards companies that go above and beyond in their protection of the environment through the championing of sustainable solutions and projects that reduce the pest control industry’s impact on the planet. It was open to all BPCA members.

Sustainability is integral to the way Cleankill works. The company is constantly looking at every aspect of its business operations to see where improvements can be made, while still delivering effective pest control to its customers.

Improvements include:

n Going paperless by replacing field staff pads with iPads to enable instant reports for customers

n Better targeting of bait stations by more accurately identifying where pests are by using motion sensor cameras and ultra-violet powder

n Using non-chemical alternatives whenever possible such as electric bird repellent systems, traditional traps and LED fly killer units.

n Using natural methods wherever possible such as Harris’ hawks to deter birds, pheromone traps for moths and heat treatments for bed bugs.

n Moving to hybrid vehicles and employing two ‘foot technicians’

When Cleankill was founded in 1995, its ethos was effective pest control that looked after our communities and the environment. Being named winner of the Sustainability Award at the 2023 BPCA Member Awards shows this commitment is still going strong.

Cleankill Managing Director Paul Bates said: “Winning this award on World Pest Day is a real achievement for Cleankill. Being sustainable isn’t about

words, it’s about actions and what we have noticed is through lots of small improvements we have been able to make a big difference.

“Reducing our reliance on paper, using alternative forms of transport and simply working more sustainably has meant we’ve been able to reduce our consumption of water by an estimated 1,888,208 litres and our carbon footprint by 74.7 tonnes.”

Cleankill has won numerous awards over the years, including Best Green Business at the South London Business Awards in 2013, Best Green Business at the Croydon Business Awards in 2016 and Responsible Business of the Year (2018) and Green Business of the Year (2020) at the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards. In 2017, Cleankill was named Provider of the Year at the ARMA Ace Awards and, in 2019, Company of the Year at the British Pest Management Awards. As well as being award-winning,

Cleankill was the first pest control company in England to achieve a Gold Investors in People accreditation.

Now employing 57 staff, Cleankill Pest Control offers eradication and preventative services for all public health pests, including: mice; rats; cockroaches; wasps; fleas; squirrels and pest birds. As a registered waste carrier, Cleankill can also remove pigeon debris and other waste.

With offices in Surrey, East Sussex, Bristol and Buckinghamshire, Cleankill has many customers throughout London, Surrey, Sussex, the Home Counties, Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset. www.cleankill.co.uk

A note first that this is not a party political feature. In politics, we need the best people for the job, regardless of party.

By Maarten Hoffmann

DISCLAIMER:

All views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this publication

LIONS LED BY DONKEYS

I think we have all finally reached the end of our tether with being fleeced day after day with ludicrous parking charges, for which we receive absolutely nothing in return but for a piece of concrete, monitored by a uniformed Stasi with the educational level of a house brick.

The problem is country wide but in Brighton, one of the biggest offenders of using the citizens as a cash cow, and the only city outside of London to appear on the top ten list of most income raised by parking charges, the council in its infinite wisdom has just announced a 300% increase in parking charges. Yes, you read that right, a 300% increase - or as they termed it, because we are all stupid and think 1p makes a difference, 299.9%.

This means that people attending the Royal Sussex County Hospital, including the doctors and nurses, will see the charge jump from £1.40 an hour to £5.60 an hour. Of course, in one regard the council is not stupid as with the massive delays within the NHS at the moment, over 50% of those parkers will receive a penalty notice for overstaying and there’s another £35 each time in the council coffers.

After an outcry by residents, it is now being reviewed but that just means they

will come back with ‘only’ a 250% increase for which we should all be grateful for their kindness.

The problem here, apart for the rip off, is that none of that money will go back into maintaining the roads and if they tell you it does, they are telling porkies. It goes into the general coffers due to their

incompetence at budgeting and what better way to fill the coffers than ripping off motorists as their cost for doing so is zero. No investment needed, just hike the charges for the same slab of tarmac, fine everyone for overstaying and watch the cash roll in. If any of us had that business model, we would be millionaires within the year - or in jail.

❛❛

In 2021/22, the council made £31 million in profit from parking so you can see the temptation for an easy fix ❜❜

On the same day as that announcement, quelle surprise, the council leader Bella Sankey announced that Brighton & Hove Council has a £3 million black hole in its accounts, as if it is nothing to do with them, and needs to start work on filling it and there you have it.

In any normal business, it would not be a surprise that you have overspent or been totally incompetent with your budgeting, as we all have competent accountants, Financial Directors and bookkeepers but then we ‘earn’ our money we don’t have the luxury of pickpocketing our clients every time we stuff up the budget.

Then they slide in a note that electric car charging prices will rise by between 56% and 80% in three days time! This is the council that cares so much about the environment that they think it is perfectly OK to rip of people who have paid an arm and a leg for an EV.

These people have no shame.

If they spent it on the appalling roads in the city it would be one thing but using it to balance the books is incompetent, underhand and should be illegal.

Figures from 2019, you can bet it has risen considerably since then, show that the Chief Executive received £188,369 (higher than the PM) with the highest earners snaffling an average £130,000 pa. As if a sick joke, the Director Finance gets £137,622! In any ‘normal’ business he would not be paid, he would be fired.

In 2021/22, the council made £31 million in profit from parking so you can see the temptation for an easy fix. An easy fix from the incompetent rather than finding savings or surrendering some salary. Their expenses alone were over £1 million.

You can hear the excuses coming - ‘it’s not our fault, we have just taken over from the Greens’ but the same shit was going on when they ran the council from 1996 - 2003.

There are enough issues here to fill the entire magazine but who can resist looking at the ‘investment’ in the i360. £40 million is now owed with the venue close to bankruptcy almost since the day it was opened. Acting like highly experienced business leaders, the council did a ‘deal’ to loan a private company £36 million to build it and, like any successful business leader, didn’t seem terribly surprised that they have only ever received back £960,000. When a FOI request went in, they spent another £40,000 with lawyers fi ghting publication - why? Because it made them look stupid that they fell for the pitch.

What a cracking deal. No doubt they will raise some charge in the city to make that money back with zero personal responsibility because of course, they see us as nothing more than ignorant cash cows.

❛❛ These people have no shame ❜❜

Situated in the heart of the historic town of Windsor, The Castle Hotel offers an unrivalled location that immerses guests in the rich tapestry of Windsor’s history.

By Tess de Klerk

THE CASTLE HOTEL WINDSOR

With its proximity to the iconic Windsor Castle and the charming attractions of the town, this hotel serves as an ideal base for exploring the cultural heritage and natural beauty of the area.

The Castle Hotel Windsor boasts a prime location just steps away from the renowned Windsor Castle. This proximity allows guests to easily explore the magnificent grounds and experience the grandeur of one of the oldest and largest inhabited castles in the world.

Whether it’s witnessing the Changing of the Guard or delving into the captivating history of the State Apartments, the convenience of being within walking distance adds value to a stay at The Castle Hotel.

The façade is somewhat grand – there has been a hotel on this spot since 1525, and certain sections of the main building have been recognised and protected as Grade II listed. Consequently, the interior design of the hotel emphasises and celebrates its rich historical background. Enjoy the lovely common areas and admire the extensive collection of oil paintings, vintage maps, and majestic artworks that contribute to its impressive heritage.

❛❛ The façade is somewhat grand –there has been a hotel on this spot since 1525 ❜❜

ROOMS

Find a range of accommodations that provide a satisfactory stay. Rooms are well-appointed and provide the necessary amenities for a pleasant visit. Our Classic Room’s decor and furnishings were adequate while our bed was very comfy. We had a lovely rain shower and complimentary British-made organic toiletries from 100 Acres are standard. I would strongly suggest booking a room with a view.

WINE & DINE

Leaf, the hotel’s restaurant is very pretty, and the service was impeccable. I thoroughly enjoyed my pan-seared sea trout with curly kale and spinach, pickled beetroot, micro pea shoots and bearnaise sauce while my partner decided to test how they deal with a

classic; he had battered fish and chips, and said it was fantastic. The kitchen focuses on quality ingredients produced by suppliers based locally to Royal Windsor and Berkshire. Leaf had something for most dietary requirements and I really appreciated the very clearly defined gluten-free options.

Another highlight is the availability of an outdoor seating area during the day, allowing guests to bask in the sun, cocktail in hand. They have a great cocktail menu but I asked for something off-menu and it was perfect – compliments to the barman as well as all the staff at Leaf.

Quintessential afternoon tea is also available.

BEST BITS

Location, location, location – and Castle Hotel Windsor’s fantastic staff.

GOOD TO KNOW

Accessibility: Dedicated accessible rooms for wheelchair users as well as a number of hearing accessibility features including deaf guard.

Family-friendly?: Absolutely

Pet-Friendly: Up to two well-trained dogs in either an Executive Queen Room or Junior Suite, for a cost of £30 per dog per night.

From £150 pn in July

www.castlehotelwindsor.com

❛❛ The Castle Hotel Windsor boasts a prime location just steps away from the renowned Windsor Castle ❜❜

McLaren Artura

There’s an all-new McLaren – not just a new model but a bold step into the future; a hybrid McLaren. It’s quite odd to type those two words together but as the firm from Woking rarely gets anything wrong, l think l might have a treat in store.

By Maarten Hoffmann

The Artura shares nothing with any previous model. There is new electrical architecture, new multi-link rear suspension and – for the very first time – an electrically controlled locking differential. We also have a new carbon fibre monocoque and a new electrical system that uses Ethernet cabling rather than the usual wiring loom. This is an industry first.

The grunt comes from a new M630 3-litre twin-turbo V6 engine and –another first – a direct-injection engine featuring a 120º angle and twin turbos. As we all know, weight is the enemy of performance and, at 1,498kg, it is 50kg lighter than the V8, and 190mm shorter. It produces 577bhp at 7,500rpm and is an absolute gem of a power plant.

Then they added the 7.4kWh electric motor, cleverly packaged within the bell-housing of the gearbox, which takes the figures up to 671bhp and 530lb ft., offering a top of 205mph, 0-62 in three seconds (two-tenths faster than the McLaren F1) and 124mph in 8.3 seconds. That’s the time it takes your average car to get to 60, if you are still awake. We have an eight-speed box rather than sevenspeed, and the space for the extra gear was found by the absence of a reverse gear as that is handled by the electric motor alone.

The styling is supreme. It’s a handsome car that looks like it’s doing 100mph whilst it just sits on my drive. Some might say that it is ‘too McLaren’ in that this all-new car might have needed to look a little more different from its siblings to communicate the vast engineering steps taken but as l love the styling of all McLarens,

❛❛ The styling is supreme. It’s a handsome car that looks like it’s doing 100mph whilst it just sits on my drive ❜❜

l will not complain – and nor should others.

I have reviewed just about every model but this one took a bit of getting used to; not least, just starting it. It has to be flicked into e-mode to start and this gives you some 20 miles of silent power. Flick the switch into Sport or Track mode, and the mighty engine growls into life and dares you to push the accelerator.

It leaps out of the trap and pins you back in the seat with a sure-footedness that defi es logic. And it just wants to keep going, and going. The expected turbo lag is overcome by the instant power of the electric motor, giving you linear, explosive power. There is wonderful feedback through the wheel; it turns into corners as if it’s clairvoyant, whipping out the other side as if warp speed has been engaged, as the roadside trees blur into one long smudge of green.

TECH STUFF

MODEL TESTED:

McLaren Artura hybrid

POWER: 617bhp

SPEED: 0-62 in 3 seconds

TOP: 205mph

ECONOMY: 61.5mpg

PRICE: £189,200

As tested; £209,600

The ride is remarkable for a supercar and, if you select Comfort mode, it is superbly fluid. The steering feel cannot be rivalled by anything on sale today and, as it is hydraulically-assisted rather than electric, l really prefer that. The gearbox is seamless and clicks through gears with such panache that you feel, occasionally, that it intuitively knows what you are about to do. There seemed almost no corner l could not take at any speed, so sure-footed is this car. On the road, there is power galore – and that will never run out.

The interior is typically McLaren, with lightweight seats that snuggle you, buttons for the gear selection and a wonderful steering wheel not cluttered with button controls. The screen is now mounted to the drivers left, in easy reach. Controls for chassis and powertrain – still separate – are now on rockers either side of the dashboard, while the centre console only has fi ve buttons, gears, start and hazard lights.

CONCLUSION

The e-motor element of the car, with the exception of covering the turbo lag, is a tad pointless to me but nothing takes away from the fact that this is a superb, very special car. My favourite model has always been the 720S, soon to be replaced by the 750S. l now battle with myself as to whether this takes the crown. l guess the ultimate answer will be when Woking sends me the 750S –then all will be revealed.

❛❛ There is wonderful feedback through the wheel, it turns into corners as if it’s clairvoyant ❜❜

PLATINUM

Sandown, a friend of the family.

With over 40 years of experience in selling and servicing Mercedes-Benz vehicles, we pride ourselves on being experts in this iconic brand. Our simple goal is to continue to deliver award-winning service from each of our retailers throughout Surrey.

Our customers are our main priority, which is why we aim to deliver the most pleasant purchase experience possible. This promise extends right through to our aftersales scheme, making your service as flexible and convenient as possible. We also have a number of schemes designed to benefit our range of customers, including our ‘Sandown Platinum Programmes’, which offers significant service and MOT discounts for owners of ‘mature’ Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Whatever your Mercedes-Benz needs, Sandown is a friend of the family.

For more information please contact the team at Sandown Mercedes-Benz on 0330 178 1801.

MELANIE SYKES

CONTENTS

FEATURE

Help To Grow: Management

In

The Motherhood Penalty

Workplaces across the country aren’t providing working mothers with the support packages, pay-rises and promotions they need – according to a survey of 6,000 UK professionals.

The number of days women in the UK work ‘for free’ due to the 14.9% gender pay gap across all ages and types of work

PLATINUM MEDIA GROUP

We’re going to be compensated fairly for our jobs, we’re going to be given the opportunity to make choices about our bodies and we’re going to be safe Lena Dunham

REGULARS

News

6 Upfront: The top international news stories involving women in business

22 In The Right Direction: Good news stories from around the world

Flexible working

14 Highlights of the recent FlexForward forum in Brighton

17 Juliet Turnbull of 2to3days on employers taking a flexible approach to flexible working, if they wish to attract experienced female staff

Spotlight

24 Highlighting two female business leaders who ought to get more recognition that they currently receive

Wellbeing

30 Tanya Borowski highlights the life-affirming benefits herbs available to you on your windowsill can have

Further reading

32 A new book on how global companies take on digital disruption

Art Scene

34 The work of Carolyn Bew, whose work has been compared to that of Beryl Cook

Travel

36 Tess de Klerk relaxes at the sumptuous Carlton Tower Jumeirah in central London

What’s On

38 A brief snapshot of art and culture cross Sussex and Surrey

Girl Torque

40 Motoring Editor, Fiona Shafer, MD of MDHUB interviews Barney Dines, CEO of Heritage Parts Centre in Shoreham-by-Sea

8

BIG STORY

Melanie Sykes

The former and TV presenter has written a book opening up on many issues including neurodivergence

FEATURE

28

Looking after customers

Alison Jones of Kreston Reeves discusses the benefits of what great customer care is to your business

CONTACTS

PUBLISHER: Maarten Hoffmann maarten@platinummediagroup.co.uk

EDITOR: Tess de Klerk tess@platinummediagroup.co.uk

MOTORING EDITOR: Fiona Shafer fionas@platinummediagroup.co.uk

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Lesley Alcock lesley@platinummediagroup.co.uk

EVENTS DIRECTOR: Fiona Graves fiona@platinummediagroup.co.uk

EVENTS MANAGER: Žaneta Bealing zaneta@platinummediagroup.co.uk

HEAD OF DESIGN: Michelle Shakesby design@platinummediagroup.co.uk

SUB EDITOR: Alan Wares alan@platinummediagroup.co.uk

WWW.PLATINUMMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

❛

❛

I just love bossy women. I could be around them all day. To me, bossy is not a pejorative term at all. It means somebody’s passionate and engaged and ambitious and doesn’t mind learning.”

Amy Poehler

Financial advice, built around you.

• Personal finance advice

• Retirement planning

• Business support

• Generational planning

• Tax year-end advice

I’m proud to represent both male and female clients. And, while it goes without saying that both can experience the same stressors, there’s no avoiding the fact that women face several unique challenges.

My 20 years’ experience has shown that women can therefore greatly benefit from highly personalised financial advice, which takes these challenges into account. This is why I’m so passionate about empowering women with the confidence and tools to help them achieve their long-term financial goals.

So, whatever your financial journey so far, let me give you the guidance, support, and stability to help you plan a happy and financially secure life.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Welcome to July’s edition of Dynamic.

Since our inception, we’ve regularly received feedback from working mothers, and mothers who would like to be in work but who find the juggle impossible or not financially viable. Women who have passion, skills and expertise but who find themselves either sidelined or overwhelmed in jobs not offering the flexibility that they need; women experiencing the ‘Motherhood Penalty’.

Th is month we look closely at a survey putting the Motherhood Penalty in numbers and statistics, while we hear from Juliet Turnbull from 2to3 days and Rhiannon Williams from Zen Communications about why true flexibility for parents in the workplace is key to resolving the overwhelming UK job vacancies.

For our July Big Story we champion Melanie Sykes who is on a mission to bring knowledge of autism to more people, which is a cause close to our hearts here at Dynamic.

We, of course, also have our fantastic regular features such as Art and Further Reading for you too, while you can read all about The Carlton Tower Jumeirah in London in our Travel section.

I hope you enjoy what we’ve curated for you this month and, as always, do get in touch to let me know if there are topics that you would like to see covered in Dynamic.

Editor, Dynamic Magazine

NEW STANDARD LAUNCHED TO SUPPORT EMPLOYEES

The British Standards Institute (BSI) has published new guidance to help organisations retain experienced and talented staff after a consultation with experts and the public.

The Menstruation, menstrual health and menopause in the workplace standard (BS 30416) sets out practical recommendations for workplace adjustments as well as strategies that can help employers meet the needs of those experiencing menopause or menstruation.

It comes after research from the Fawcett Society suggested about 10% of those experiencing menopause have left the workplace due to symptoms such as hot flushes, dizziness, insomnia, and muscle and joint stiffness. This figure rises to 25% for those with more severe symptoms.

UPFRONT

ALL THE LATEST BULLETINS FROM THE WORLD OF BUSINESS

MALE PENSIONS ALMOST DOUBLE FEMALE PENSIONS

Research has revealed the UK gender pension gap show that the average male pension equated to £8,466 while the average female’s equated to £4,285; a 49% difference, according to the latest review of the Gender Pension Report by the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD).A 46% difference was also seen between actively contributing males and females in legacy accrued final salary benefits, and a 35% difference between male and female actively contributing members post-2014 accrued career average benefits. The difference also highlights how females taking career breaks or working part-time significantly impacts upon pay and pensions; a balance that needs addressing.

KRESTON REEVES’ ENHANCED MATERNITY LEAVE POLICY

Kreston Reeves has introduced an industry leading maternity and adoption leave policy that will see new parents receive full pay for 21 weeks. The policy, which took effect from June 1st, offers all qualifying staff an enhanced maternity and adoption leave way above the statutory minimum (currently £172.48 a week). The policy also allows shared parental and adoption leave alongside paternity leave. It follows the firm achieving B Corp status, recognising the need to balance profits with purpose. Sharn Manku (right), HR Director at Kreston Reeves, said, “Kreston Reeves has an ever-growing female workforce. We look to support our staff in every way we can, including the development of tomorrow’s leadership teams.”

❛ ❛Women belong in all places where decisions are being made… It shouldn’t be that women are the exception

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

REQUESTS FOR MENOPAUSAL LEAVE MASSIVELY INCREASE

New research reveals trending employee demands of 2023 around the world. The study, conducted by job hunting experts at Lensa, analysed the number of annual searches surrounding workplace demands.

Menopause leave is the most increased request globally. The past year has seen a huge increase of 336%, in contrast to the number of companies actually offering menopausal leave around the world.

Mental health support, a topic covered many times in Dynamic, shows the second most increased request. According to the World Health Organisation, the Covid pandemic resulted in a 25% increase in the prevalence of mental illnesses such as depression.

GLOBALLY TRENDING EMPLOYEE DEMANDS

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & TECH EXPO

Karren Brady’s Women in Business & Tech Expo takes place on October 18th and 19th at ExCel in London

Many of the UK’s leading employers will be exhibiting, all looking to scoop up the country’s best female tech talent. It is also an opportunity for those companies to promote their diversity and inclusion agenda to thousands of mid-senior level female professionals. Karren Brady and Steven Bartlett headline on each of the two days, while the sponsored roundtable sessions are close to selling out.

Potential exhibitors should contact emma@hubexhibitions.co.uk for more information, stand availability and pricing.

WOMEN’S GATEWAY OPENED

The Gateway Women’s Centre in Portslade, which provides a safe space for women going through a time of crisis or emotional difficulty, has received support from Off The Fence, a charity which supports vulnerable children and women as well as the homeless. A Capital Appeal ultimately raised over £540,000, meaning the doors to the new premises opened on December 1st 2022.

If you would like to donate or volunteer goods or services to Off The Fence, call 01273 417597, or email gen.fox@off thefence.org.uk

n Meanwhile, The Board of Trustees at Off The Fence has appointed Reverend Julio Abraham, as its new CEO. Abraham was most recently the CEO of Derby City Mission.

“Julio is a leader and entrepreneur with an extensive experience in charity leadership, social enterprise and business,” said a spokesperson for the charity.

Women are always saying, ‘We can do anything that men can do.’ But men should be saying, ‘We can do anything that women can do.’

Gloria Steinem

After (above) Before (right)

Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another

Toni Morrison

❛

❛

Women that ask for certain boundaries can be misconstrued as difficult.

Many men ask for what they want, which is great, but we should be allowed the same courtesy.

It is our right to equality

Melanie Sykes

MELANIE SYKES illuminating AUTISM

For many years, Melanie Sykes was a regular face on TV, in shows such as ‘Today with Des and Mel’, ‘The Big Breakfast’ and ‘ The Great Pottery Throw Down’, and even the face of Boddingtons TV commercials.

But hers is a story, perhaps not uncommon among women in the celebrity spotlight. In November 2021, she was diagnosed as autistic, something she feels has released her and opened her up. She has now published her autobiography highlighting the many issues which caused her to fight with alcohol, mental health issues and coercive relationships.

Melanie Sykes was born in Ashton-under-Lyme, (then Lancashire, now Greater Manchester) on August 7th 1970 to an English father and an Anglo-Indian mother. She grew up locally, and played in the Ashtonian Brass Band on the baritone horn.

She fi rst came to public prominence in the mid-1990s as the popular face advertising local brew Boddingtons Bitter on television.

Sykes’ TV presenting career started as a host on Sky One. She moved on to be a reporter for four years from 1997 until 2001 on Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast. Her other credits include presenting stints on ‘I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!’ In 1999, Sykes presented ‘Melanie Sykes’ Southall Stories’, a documentary for BBC Two on Asian culture in Great Britain. She has also hosted a variety of awards ceremonies, including Miss World, the BAFTA Awards and the Q Awards. Despite her 25-plus years as a recognised and wellrespected TV presenter, she regards the industry as a ‘horror story’.

As a result, in 2016, Sykes launched her own online women’s lifestyle magazine ‘Frank’ - “The magazine for open-minded women of all ages across the world.” What Sykes offers in her magazine is an opportunity for women to tell their stories in the way they see fit – to be ‘frank’. While the magazine publishes articles and opinions from a variety of writers on myriad topics, it has also proved an essential vehicle for her to open up on her mental health and neurodivergent issues.

In October 2021, at the age of 51, Sykes wrote to the readers of Frank magazine to say that she had been diagnosed as autistic. She opened up about the ‘life-changing’ diagnosis, and her relief that things in her life had fi nally started to “make sense”. Rather than be bogged down by any societal prejudices, Sykes stated that the diagnosis was

‘life-affi rming’, and she would be ‘celebrating’. She felt it offered her a deeper understanding of herself and her working and home environments.

One such example Sykes offered was that she had always struggled with earpieces while live on air. The director in the gantry would say something, and, “I have often accidentally responded to the director in my ear, live on air, as I cannot juggle the person I am interviewing and the person in my ear at the same time.”

Her neurodivergence would previously manifest itself in a manner Sykes herself didn’t understand. “There’s a sense of relief about it and a sense of mourning. Not because I don’t want to be who I am, it’s that I wish I’d known sooner so I could have understood exactly why things were rolling the way they were rolling.

“I’ve been vulnerable to abusive people, I’ve been vulnerable to people that lie because I only see and take on board what people tell me. I’ve always been a bit funny with jokes, if somebody tells me something with a deadpan delivery I believe them.”

Sykes had also had a public battle with alcohol. She declared herself sober in 2017, but despite this, her life in the spotlight affected her mental health and, after she was diagnosed autistic during research for Frank magazine, she had a breakdown. She recovered from it through therapy and exercise – and decided to speak out.

From this, Sykes has written her autobiography, in which she states that she has fi nished with mainstream television and all of the unpleasantness she encountered as a woman in the industry.

‘Illuminated: Autism & All The Th ings I’ve Left Unsaid’ written by Sykes herself recounts many of these horror incidents including how collecting a Royal Television

In November 2021, she was diagnosed as autistic, something she feels has released her and opened her up

Presenting with Des O’Connor

The Boddington’s advert

The Big Breakfast with Chris Evans

+ FRANK MAGAZINE

Frank magazine, launched by Sykes in 2016, differs from Dynamic inasmuch as this publication focuses far more on women in business, and all of the surrounding issues of women in work, in commerce and in leadership; Frank is more at the lifestyle end, but with personal stories and issues to the fore.

Society award was “tainted” as she “kept being touched up by a TV personality, who would not leave me alone. He was grabbing my breasts and being a complete pest. I felt sick.”

The book chronicles Sykes’s experiences of sexism, abusive relationships and racism, while providing an insight into the often toxic culture that she claims pervaded the fashion and showbusiness industries during her career.

Those stories of sexual coercion come thick and fast in her book, including one colleague - get this - laying on the floor just to look up her skirt. She threw a drink on him, and it was all captured on camera, which was bad enough, though the show was edited to take out the oddball intrusion – making Sykes, “look like I was crazy.”

She alleges that she was also quite often “thrown under the bus.” As an example, Sykes recalls the time she and game show co-host Mark Wright fi lmed a pilot, only to have it cancelled as it fell foul of TV gambling rules. However, the press release issued about it cited, “Mark and Melanie had ‘failed to understand the concept of the game’.” Sykes fumes at re-telling this story.

She fi nally decided to leave television presenting after co-hosting Celebrity MasterChef in 2021 with Gregg Wallace. He told her, despite not having had as long a TV career as Sykes, that the show would “do a lot for you.” That was the fi nal insult, and made her “decide to end my television career once and for all. I was done.”

She felt she had been “tap-dancing for corporations who couldn’t give two hoots about my wellbeing”. As a result, presenting on television now no longer interests her.

She hopes her book and the two fi lms currently in production would shine a revealing and positive light on autism, especially as her son was diagnosed autistic as an infant; and issues affecting vulnerable women, such as coercive control.

Sykes told The Guardian, “Women that ask for certain boundaries can be misconstrued as difficult. Many men ask for what they want, which is great, but we should be allowed the same courtesy. It is our right to equality. But if you challenge their status quo, you are considered a problem.

“Men do not talk to other men the way they speak to women because they would be in deep danger of getting punched on the nose if they did. Not all men, but quite a few, save up all their anger and anxiety and unleash it on women.

“For too long women who don’t fit a notion of normal have been deemed ‘mad’ or ‘crazy’”.

Sykes said she only wanted to use her profi le now to help people, including by highlighting campaigns against domestic abuse and harassment. Writing her story had helped her, while hoping that it would help women recognise if they are in coercive relationships.

‘Illuminated: Autism & All the Th ings I’ve Left Unsaid’ by Melanie Sykes is published by HarperCollins, 2023

Sykes said she only wanted to use her profi le now to help people

On Masterchef

RHIANNON WILLIAMS, Managing Director of strategic PR and Communications agency Zen Communications, explains how there is an untapped demographic desperate to get back into work, but who are unable to because they need more flexibility than the standard nine-to-five model allows

Flexibility for parents is key to resolving UK job vacancies

Traditional nine-to-five working is archaic at best. Covid-19 highlighted this like never before with around a million workers leaving their employment and re-evaluating their work-life balance. As a result, the UK is experiencing a record high in job vacancies that employers just cannot fill. And many, including senior politicians, are campaigning for the over 50s - dubbed the ‘Covid retirees’ - to return to work and help our economy recover, citing enhanced flexibility as a way to entice them.

However, there exists an even greater core demographic within our communities which is being massively overlooked, and which possesses a wealth of experience, energy and expertise that could be invaluable to our economic viability and growth. There are thousands of mums, dads, and carers out there desperate to get back into work, but who are unable to simply because they need more flexibility.

It’s 2023, yet parents are still having to choose between a career and children, because the constraints of traditional employment hours simply don’t work for their families.

A new national report into the childcare crisis by charity Pregnant Then Screwed revealed a staggering 76% of mothers who pay for childcare - let that sink in for a momentthat’s three in four mothers - say it no longer makes financial sense for them to work, with one in four saying the cost is now over 75% of their take-home pay.

Putting this further into perspective, the Childcare Survey 2023, conducted by charity Coram Family and Childcare, found the average annual cost of a full-time nursery place for a child under three in Great Britain is now almost £15,000. For one child. Yet parents have to pay, because they need this childcare to be able to work the traditional nine-to-five hours most employers require.

At Zen, we’re staunch opponents of this hugely antiquated way of working. Why can’t individuals choose to drive forward successful careers, not lose all their hard-earned income to childcare, still be fabulous parents, and even take time out for their own self-care or hobbies?

We’re continually looking for ways to evolve and encourage a better life/work balance (in that order), and when Covid-19 hit, we saw a unique opportunity to really push the boundaries. So, on June 1st 2020 we officially abolished the working week.

We now adopt a totally flexible approach, whereby our team is actively encouraged to work its hours to suit their individual lifestyles, with the autonomy to make decisions on when and where they work. And this wasn’t just a ‘right thing to do’ decision - we based it on the latest science around performance which points to natural energy and focus cycles that we all run throughout the day.

We’re proud to have completely re-written the rulebook and revolutionised the way we do business. By adopting a genuine flexible working policy we have truly empowered our team to stay well, be happy, and work even more productively. The majority of our team are parents to young children, and our approach ensures they don’t miss out on those all-important events and milestones. Aside from us as parents having the opportunity to always be present at sports days, parents’ evenings, and nativity plays - we’re all individuals with duties, interests, and desires outside of our careers.

So many incredibly knowledgeable and experienced people are overlooked simply for requesting flexibility in their hours. They have the potential to bring outstanding talent

to the table, yet they’re not being given the opportunity to return to careers they love. Instead, they’re forced to either accept unemployment or carry out menial jobs that don’t match their skillsets because they just can’t make it work.

There is a vast pool of highly-trained, experienced and resourceful individuals out there - ready, willing, and eager to work - if true flexible working was an option to allow them to continue their careers and nurture a family. Who doesn’t love a Win:Win? By flipping the traditional working approach on its head, we’ve been able to attract (and retain) exceptionally skilled individuals - meaning our team isn’t just happier than ever - but stronger, more productive, and more loyal too.

Isn’t it high time organisations re-thought their approaches in order to attract this core demographic of exceptional talent and bring real, tangible benefits to all - their teams, their clients, and their business?”

www.zen-communications.co.uk

It’s 2023, yet parents are still having to choose between a career and children

FlexForward was a true Brighton homecoming after four years of London, Surrey and online events – and what a triumph it was

Forward with Brighton’s flexibility

There were great keynote speeches from David Blackburn, Chief People Officer at the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, and Dr Charlotte Rae, Psychology Lecturer at Sussex University and specialist in the four-day week. Dr Rae set the scene for how flexible working needs to be more inclusive, focused on trust, employee wellbeing, communication and a constant dialogue between employers and employees.

As ever, it is a solution to the challenges in a tight labour market and should be used as a tool for great management and as a pillar of business culture.

Modelled by SMT and managed by middle management who, at present, seem to be most in need of support.

There were so many great topics which we will explore in the blog and white paper which resulted in a fabulous day of sharing and action. Thank you to all our peer mentors, sponsors and partners.

www.flexibilitymatters.co.uk

We’re People’s Partnership, providers of The People’s Pension

Meet a different financial services business.

At People’s Partnership we’re proud to have built straightforward, accessible and trusted products that help people build financial foundations for life for more than 80 years.

We like to do things a bit differently. People’s Partnership doesn’t have shareholders, which allows us to reinvest our profits into our services and members.

Our flagship product, The People’s Pension, puts simplicity at its core. The People’s Pension is trusted by more than 100,000 employers in the UK, with more than 6 million members trusting us to invest £20 billion of their savings.

We’ve always been the people’s partner and always will be. peoplespartnership.co.uk

Juliet Turnbull, founder and CEO of 2to3days, recommends employers take a flexible approach to flexible working, especially if they wish to attract experienced female staff

Fear of flexible working

Each week I speak to companies telling me that they want to fi nd experienced female talent to join their organisations. I also speak to experienced female talent who want to fi nd organisations that they want to work for.

The main connection piece, or more accurately the disconnection piece, boils down to the ability to work flexibly. 76% of people want to work flexibly. So, what’s stopping flexible working being the norm for all?

SENIOR LEADERSHIP

Most are Baby Boomers and Gen X who have spent their careers working in a full-time office culture (predominantly male workplaces). The main fears around flexible working are that:

• Productivity will drop.

• Clients won’t be serviced properly.

• It’s hard to manage a workforce working different hours, from different locations.

The evidence says otherwise. Flexible working improves productivity, increases staff loyalty, promotes innovation and inclusivity. What needs to happen is a shift in mindset, and the will to pilot new ideas.

Leaders need to ask themselves some searching questions.

• Are you aware of your beliefs around flexible working? Are you an advocate of integrating work into your life?

• When you see behaviour that doesn’t support people to integrate work into their lives, do you ‘call it out’ or ignore it?

• What’s your set up at home? Do you share domestic as well as working responsibilities equally?

LINE MANAGERS –THE HEROES OR THE FALL GUYS?

The implementation of flexible working often comes unglued here because they aren’t given sufficient training to support a flexible workforce. They get blamed for adopting a blanket approach to managing staff by having them in the office five days a week rather than accommodating and managing individual flexible working requirements. It’s easy to depict them as the fall guys. The onus should be on the senior leadership team to upskill and train their managers as they are often the heroes of the day.

REFRAMING THE FOCUS

There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to flexible working – and this is a good thing. It is forcing leaders to be better communicators, to listen harder, to understand the needs of each individual to be able to perform their job to the best of their ability.

Advocates for change and flexible working tell me this is precisely what they’re doing. With an open mind and a willingness to experiment, organisations can transform their working practices; the prize for those who do will be to attract and retain the experienced female talent they’re so desperate to find.

Otherwise, companies become a ‘fl ight risk’. It’s time to buckle up. Keep your belt on whilst you work your way through some turbulence of changing work patterns but enjoy the fl ight as the destination – for all is sweet.

Juliet Turnbull, Founder & CEO 2to3days www.2to3days.com E: juliet@2to3days.com

76% of people want to work flexibly.

So, what’s stopping flexible working being the norm for all?

Dynamic has a very special offer for all women who run their own business or are in a senior management role within any SME as we are determined to level the playing field.

The Help to Grow: Management programme as detailed here is normally 90% subsidised by the government and the participant pays only £750. Dynamic Magazine is sponsoring a number of places on the course therefore it will be totally free of charge to Dynamic readers!

This is a unique offer 100% sponsored by Dynamic Magazine

Helping women to grow

PROGRAMME DETAILS

This mini MBA-style programme is designed for business owners and senior leaders of small and medium-sized businesses, Help to Grow: Management is a 12-week course that helps your business reach its full potential for growth, resilience and succession planning.

Benefits:

n In-depth training

n Invaluable 1:1 business mentoring

n Bespoke Growth Action Plan

n Low cost, high impact

n Peer-to-peer networking

n Time away from your business to work on your business

This course, accredited by the Chartered Association of Business Schools, is

being delivered by the University of Brighton. Working in collaboration with industry experts and experienced entrepreneurs, the course covers strategies for growth and innovation, digital adoption, leading highperformance teams, financial management and responsible business practices.

With the support of an experienced mentor, you will also create a bespoke growth plan for your business.

MODULES AND DELIVERY STYLE

To facilitate busy work schedules, the course is a mix of both online and in person workshops.

1 Strategy and Innovation

2 Digital Adoption

THE HELP TO GROW: MANAGEMENT COURSE

You will be supported by an experienced business mentor who will support you in producing a growth plan, and taught by experienced academics and practitioners from the School of Business and Law.

The Help to Grow: Management is delivered by leading business schools across the UK who have been awarded the Small Business Charter (SBC) by the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS).

Help to Grow is a 12-week course designed to be undertaken alongside full-time work. The time commitment is 50 hours over 12 weeks. Learning alongside other business owners, you have the opportunity to learn from your peers and network.

Using a combination of online and face-to-face sessions alongside case study workshops, you will have the opportunity to apply the concepts being taught to real-life situations faced by business leaders. By the end of the course, you will have a tailored Growth Action Plan to help you lead and grow your business.

3 Internationalisation and winning new markets

4 Vision, mission, and values

5 Developing a marketing strategy

6 Building a brand

7 Organisational design

8 Employee management and leading change

9 High performance workplace

10 Efficient operations

11 Finance and financial management

12 Implementing growth plans

YOUR GROWTH PLAN

n Develop your leadership and management skills, enhancing employee wellbeing and engagement

WHY CHOOSE THE UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON?

The University of Brighton has a long history of working with small to medium-sized businesses, and a strong track record of delivering business growth programmes.

The school of Business and Law is home to the Centre for Change, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management (CENTRIM), which works with partners in industry, academia and government producing

groundbreaking concepts to explain, harness and improve innovation, entrepreneurship and change management.

The 2021 Knowledge Exchange Framework results place the University of Brighton in the top 10% for universities for public and community engagement, and in the top 20% for skills, enterprise, and entrepreneurship.

n Identify what drives productivity and growth in your market, and understand what this means for you

n Learn how to advance responsible business practices, including more inclusive and greener practices

n Understand how to innovate your business model, including adopting and investing in new and digital technologies

n Identify key domestic and export markets for your business and develop strategies for segmentation, positioning and targeting

n Generate strategies to improve operational efficiency, allowing you to save time and money

NEXT COURSE DATES

Gatwick/Crawley: September 22nd 2023

Brighton: September 25th 2023

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for Help to Grow, the following criteria must be met.

Your business must

n Be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) based in the UK

n Employ between 5 and 249 people

n Have been operational for at least one year

n Not be a charity

You must

n Be a chief executive, owner/founder or senior manager

n Have at least one person reporting to you

n Commit to completing all sessions

90% of the programme cost is covered by the Government, and your cost would therefore be a total of £750.

However... men who apply using the PLATINUM100 code will receive 50% discount, courtesy of Platunim Business Magazine, and their course will cost £375.

Meanwhile, women using the same code with receive 100% discount, courtesy of Dynamic Magazine, meaning their course is FREE.

This month, we catch up with a female business leader who has recently completed the Help to Grow Management course to hear her views and how it may benefit her organisation and her personal development

Help to Grow programme: CASE STUDY

EMER GILLESPIE Owner and Chief Executive Officer Spark & Bell

❛❛ The course has helped me realise that I am not alone, that the issues and problems I face leading an SME are similar to those faced by others. It has made me appreciate that I know more than I thought, but there is still more to learn as I want to be the most effective leader I can be.

I particularly enjoyed the finance module; this helped me get my head around an area that I was not as familiar with. The face-to-face workshop has made me much more confident around figures and the financial planning tools. I cannot wait to get stuck in.

I’ve already told someone I know they really must sign up as they would really benefit from the course. What I would say is that Help to Grow Management is a great course to give

SPECIAL OFFER

you a helicopter view of all that is involved in running a small business, it helps identify areas to work on and it’s a great opportunity to network with other like-minded people.

Here at Spark & Bell, we are passionate about lighting. Our handmade products ensure that you have a unique lighting experience that reflects you and your needs. ❜❜

GILLESPIE OWNER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Spark & Bell

90% of the programme cost is covered by the Government therefore a total cost of £750. The good news is that for Dynamic readers there are a number of FREE places for women on the Gatwick programme when you quote PLATINUM100 when signing up. MORE INFORMATION

WWW.BRIGHTON.AC.UK/HELP-TO-GROW

EMER

GAME-CHANGING BLOOD TEST

As we know, early detection of cancer is crucial. The University of Oxford and the NHS have been trialing a new blood test with very positive outcomes. The Galleri test appears capable of detecting 50 types of early-stage cancers, often before symptoms show, by flagging up fragments of tumour DNA, even pinpointing where in the body they originated.

Trials involved 5,500 people with suspected cancer and the blood test correctly identified two-thirds of positive cases. In the vast majority of diagnoses – 85% – it also revealed the site of the cancer.

IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

SUCCESSFUL MISSION OF THE FIRST FEMALE ARAB ASTRONAUT

Saudi Arabian biomedical researcher, Rayyanah Barnawi (pictured), returned to earth after a 10-day mission on board the International Space Station. Barnawi’s field of expertise is stem cell and breast cancer research. She tweeted regular updates while carrying out experiments on human immune cells in microgravity.

Bidding an emotional farewell from the space station, she tweeted: “Every story comes to an end, and this is only the beginning of a new era for our country and our region. Thanks to everyone who has helped us.”

The mission was privately funded on a ship supplied by Elon Musk’s Space X

AWARD-WINNING ‘POLYSTYRENE’ ALTERNATIVE

S.Lab, a Ukranian start-up company, which produces a biodegradable alternative to polystyrene, has won an award of £25 000 to help scale up its product. The as-yet unnamed product, which is made from mushrooms and hemp, has been around since 2016 and has now completed a successful pilot for cosmetics maker L’Oréal, where it could be used to cushion shampoo and conditioner packs. Companies such as Samsung and Sony, meanwhile, have been exploring whether it might be suitable for packaging fragile television sets.

HOPE FOR HOT FLUSHES

Many menopausal women are unable to take HRT for the relief of menopausal symptoms. In fact, hundreds of thousands of women in the UK alone cannot take it. Now the drug fezolinetant brings hope as it was found to reduce the frequency of hot flushes by up to 73% in clinical trials.

The drug has been approved by US regulators and could be given the green light in the UK by the end of the year.

CRIME IS DECREASING ACROSS THE DEVELOPED WORLD

The world is getting safer, according to the World Bank’s latest homicide figures and crime survey data from England and Wales, as offered by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS estimates that total crime in the UK was down 12% in 2022 compared with the year leading up to the pandemic.

Murders decreased by 11% across England and Wales, following a global trend illustrated by the World Bank’s figures, which show homicide rates falling everywhere except in the US and Latin America. Overall the news among the OECD’s 38 members is encouraging: 20 countries now have murder rates below one per 100,000, compared with just five countries three decades ago.

However, police recorded sexual offences across England and Wales rose by 19%.

3D PRINTING CREATING SCHOOLS IN MADAGASCAR

Entrepreneur Maggie Grout is using 3D printers to create cheap school campuses in rural Madagascar. The ‘Thinking Huts’ take just 18 hours to build and cost around $40,000. Their modular construction allows for easy expansion of campuses.

“From that first project, I really learned how to streamline the logistics,” said Grout. “I learned how to put together the supply chain when there is not a lot of locally available materials. And then I learned how to work together with the local people.”

From the onset, Grout said she wanted to rely on the locals as much as possible. During the first project, she learned how to best manage a team of cross-cultural partners. She used local people to install traditional windows and doors, and worked with the Madagascar Ministry of Education to bring in teachers.

Her long-term goal is to establish the ‘Thinking Huts’ in many countries.

I encourage women to step up. Don’t wait for somebody to ask you

Reese Witherspoon

Women are the real architects of society

In our exclusive Spotlight feature, we highlight women who are doing good things in their community. They’re not always seen but we think they should be.

SP OTLIGH T

Jarmila Yu

Jarmila is the Founder, Consulting Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Director of YUnique Marketing. Here she tells us of her journey...

Like many, I left university with a degree, but no idea about which career I wanted to pursue. I started work as the sole sales and marketing employee of a small software start-up company, and was responsible for rapid growth in both sales and team size. I then moved on through progressively larger companies – predominantly in the tech sector – until I ended up in senior marketing leadership roles in large multi-nationals like IBM.

However, I never felt completely fulfi lled working for a massive enterprise, no matter how senior the role. So, with some trepidation and minimal funding, I founded YUnique Marketing Ltd in March 2016. I wanted to make the knowledge, experience and mentorship of a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) accessible to smaller businesses and make a real impact to the SMEs that form the backbone of UK PLC.

I realised that what they needed was a flexible, on-demand consulting CMO service and that’s the niche I aimed to fi ll. As the business grew, I offered a potentially challenging proposal to my husband. I asked David to join me as a partner when the marketing franchise he was contracted to came up for renewal. I can’t guarantee that working with your life partner is the right choice for every couple, but for us it has worked out well – thankfully!

2019 was a tough year business-wise as many companies held off on investing in marketing due to uncertainty over Brexit. Then we both got COVID pretty badly in March 2020 and were bed-ridden with very high fevers for two solid weeks, followed by a further couple of months of recuperation. It was a very worrying time for both of us and our two teenage daughters who had to look after themselves.

When we recovered, I took time to strengthen my probono engagement with the various education and business institutions I was involved with, and volunteered for more mentoring and coaching.

As businesses re-emerged from lockdown, my raised profi le (Chair of Institute of Directors Surrey; Chair of the Business Women in Surrey group etc.) and our flexible, accessible and cost-effective offering have thankfully led to a significant upturn for our company. The past 12 months have been our most successful so far.

I am a passionate believer in the power of good businesses to make the world a better place and I am dedicated to empowering those who embrace profit and purpose through marketing excellence.

www.yuniquemarketing.com

I never felt completely fulfi lled working for a massive enterprise, no matter how senior the role

Kristina Pereckaite

Kristina founded the Sussex-based angel investor network, South East Angels, to respond to the gap for early-stage investment in the region. Here is her story…

From starting with five members in November 2020, South East Angels has grown to become the most active angel investor group in Brighton, with members having invested £1m in innovative startups to date.

Investor members are local high net-worth individuals who have either previously built and sold a company themselves or have invested in a number of startups already. Kristina appreciates having a varied skillset and different backgrounds in their group, meaning members bring different perspectives to all the opportunities they look at.

In a male-dominated industry and a complex ecosystem, Kristina has built one of the few female-led angel groups in the country, and created a go-to hub for local founders to raise early-stage funding and a valuable community for angel investors where they can connect, learn, and grow.

Over the past ten years, female angel investors have been involved in deals worth £2.34 billion, backing over a thousand female-founded businesses and helping to create more than 10,000 jobs, according to a recent study published by Beauhurst and the UK Business Angels Association.

But out of the 36,800 angel investors in the UK, only 14% of them are women.

Gender diversity is not the only challenge. Just 1% of angel investors are black, and there is a general lack of diversity of thought and experience to appropriately represent the need for capital and innovation. Kristina is on a mission to change this with the ‘Future Angels’ initiative, which aims to encourage more women into angel investing through education and networks.

In order to act on rectifying the findings of The Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship report published in 2019, the Investing in Women Code is a government initiative, supported by the UK Business Angels Association, for organisations who provide finance to entrepreneurs to commit to supporting equality in all their interactions with entrepreneurs.

South East Angels has signed the code as a commitment to supporting diversity in access to finance. All companies who sign the code commit to providing data on application and investment activity, disaggregated by gender, and will be collated in an annual report by the Department of Business and Trade.

It is also a commitment to adopting internal practices that aim to improve the potential for female entrepreneurs to successfully access the tools, resources, investment and finance they need to build and grow their businesses.

South East Angels was recently awarded Dynamic’s Best New Business Award.

www.southeastangels.co.uk

Out of the 36,800 angel investors in the UK, only 14% of them are women

Workplaces across the country aren’t providing working mothers with the support packages, pay-rises and promotions they need –according to an extensive new survey of 6,000 UK professionals.

The survey from specialist recruitment firm Robert Walters found that the odds are truly stacked against working mothers – both those living with their partners and those living alone/without a partner

THE MOTHERHOOD PENALTY

Strides have been made but sadly not far or fast enough, with almost two-thirds of working mothers (56%) saying that they are yet to be given a promotion from their current employer, despite the fact they felt they’d earned it – a 14% difference compared to working fathers who have said the same.

In fact, over a quarter of working mothers (27%) stated that they aren’t even aware of the route to a promotion10% more than their male counterparts answering the same question. A fi fth of working mothers (18%) surveyed stated that they wanted more support from management to understand how to get a promotion.

PAY FALLING SHORT

When it comes to pay, we see a similar story – just under a quarter of working mothers in white-collar roles earn £42,000 compared to 53% of working fathers who earn this or above; an unacceptable statistic.

The difference is even more pronounced when you move further up the pay bracket – with just 6% of working mothers earning £75,000 or above as opposed to 21% of working fathers who take home this level of pay.

COST OF LIVING INEQUALITY

The difficulties continue at home with just 10% of single* mothers saying that they are able to ‘live comfortably’ on their salary – with almost a quarter (22%) relying on additional income streams such as credit cards, pay day loans, or side hustles. Th is figure is twice as much as single fathers, and three times as much as cohabiting parents.

Meanwhile, fathers who cohabit with their partner reported feeling the least impacted by cost of living– 35% stated they live comfortably with a disposable income (vs 28% of single fathers and 23% of cohabiting mothers who said the same).

Coral Bamgboye, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Robert Walters commented, “The data highlights how working mothers are not only losing out on guidance and support for promotions, but they are also finding it significantly harder to reach the higher echelons of pay, which still seem to be dominated by men.

“Th is is having knock-on effects to how comfortably they can live day-to-day – hitting single mothers especially hard, with almost a quarter having to rely on credit cards and payday loans to get by.”

Three times the number of fathers in professional roles earn over £75,000 compared to mothers

INADEQUATE SUPPORT FROM EMPLOYERS

The survey also drew a stark line under the lack of support that working mothers receive from their employers, with 36% stating that balancing work with personal commitments is a key roadblock to work. As well as a lack of support, one in five single mothers report experiencing active discrimination against their personal circumstance in the office, almost double the number that was reported by single fathers.

CONFIDENCE DWINDLING

All of these factors contribute to an overall lack of confidence. 27% of working mothers claim they lack the confidence to highlight their own wins. Th is lack of confidence in women at work appears to have a direct correlation with the success rate of negotiating pay, with 19% of single working mothers reporting that they haven’t received a pay rise after negotiation, compared to just 5% of single fathers who said the same.

Coral adds, “In some parts, we have managed to shift the dial on the experiences for women in the workplace and progress has and continues to be made. However, what is concerning is this small cohort within this group – the working mother – whose experiences are largely going unrecognised. Working mothers feel they are stuck when it comes to progression, pay and support from employers –and more needs to be done to address this, particularly in this cost-of-living crisis.

To help address these inequalities companies can:

• Organise more inclusive conversations from senior figures around career progression and pay-rise opportunities

• Offer adaptable flexible working options such as late starts or early finishes to coincide with school times

• Childcare support options to allow working parents more time to focus on important projects.

www.robertwalters.co.uk/content/ dam/robert-walters/country/united-kingdom/ fi les/whitepapers/D-and-I-report-gender.pdf

Twice as many fathers in professional roles earn £42,000 and above compared to women

By ALISON JONES, Partner at Kreston Reeves

The value of great customer care for your business

Providing great customer care – including asking for honest feedback – is good for your business. The feedback you get from your customers is important as it helps you to improve your services, shape products and services and ultimately improve and grow. It also helps build relationships with customers to nurture them for the longer term.

It can be difficult to put a financial value on providing great customer care due to the unique relationships that all businesses have with their customers, along with the different products and services they offer. Businesses, however, count the cost financially when things go wrong, and they don’t provide the products or level of service expected. They can certainly expect a lot of feedback then, but it is important to learn from this, whatever the size of the business.

With so many different channels to communicate through, it is important for business owners to be leading the way, understanding what their customers and clients really think of their products and services, and identifying and tackling issues as soon as possible. Many great brands and businesses have been built with a focus on providing excellent customer care in sectors where others were failing to deliver.

That said, it is difficult for many business owners at the moment, especially in certain sectors where the wider economy is lagging. Many have been struggling with inflation and rising costs and have had to pass those costs onto customers. Some might be struggling with recruitment and retention which can affect service levels. Ultimately, there might be so many factors that are outside of the direct control of a business owner that have an impact on the feedback it gets.

And consumers have changed. We have high expectations; we want everything yesterday and we are more willing to complain when something doesn’t go right.

Th is is one of the reasons it is important for businesses to communicate with their customers, to listen and to learn and to talk to them about what is going on. It builds trust, demonstrates integrity, and shows customers that you care.

Business owners who manage the expectations of customers will ultimately provide better customer care and have a better relationship with them. ‘Under-promising and over-delivering’ is one way of approaching this, but businesses spend a considerable amount of time and effort building organisations and brands that can fall short on fairly simple measures.

It can be difficult to put a fi nancial value on providing great customer care

For example:

• Make sure someone answers the phone and can direct the customer to the right person. People get fed up with getting lost in endless phone screening options or cut off. Consider having a chat option online, one of the many ways AI could help your business, but also have ‘real’ people who can step in and talk to customers.

• Deal with an email as quickly as possible – even if it is an automatic reply to say it has been received and which sets out the response the customer can expect. Th is will help you manage your customers’ expectations.

• Make sure customer details are correct – name spelling, titles, pronouns really matter to people.

• Ask customers how they want to be communicated with and what works best for them.

• Make sure that what you are offering is within your experience and technical capabilities so you can deliver what the customer wants.

• Thanking customers for their business and asking if they will recommend you can help convert new sales, improve your public image, create loyalty, and increase profitability.

It is important that your customers understand that their feedback matters to you, and that you will use the results to better service your customers. All feedback – both positive and negative – helps you shape your business future.

By working in partnership and to a timeline, the whole team (both you and your customers) knows what is expected of it and what is important to your customer.

Why not take the time to review (honestly) how you and your team are doing and if you are providing the customer care expected and deserved? I am always happy to discuss your approach with you if you would appreciate some independent feedback.

Business owners who manage the expectations of customers will ultimately provide better customer care

Consider looking at your windowsill or in your garden rather than immediately turning to the medicine cabinet when feeling the bothersome symptoms of many an ailment, suggests health specialist TANYA

BOROWSKI

HERBS FOR HEALING

Herbs have been used since the beginning of humanity, and for good reason as they have multiple, proven healing properties. A healing herb – otherwise knows a medicinal plant – is either collected from the wild or intentionally grown for its medicinal, or curative, value. A plant’s leaves, bark, roots, seeds, and/or flowers can be used to create your very own herbal remedies. Here are five of my favourites...

BASIL

Basil is rich in the phytonutrient eugenol – again helping with many digestive issues, such as bloating, excessive gas and digestive spasms. Basil as an essential oil acts as a natural adaptogen – a herb that can act on the adrenals and balance stress levels and reduce anxiety.

OREGANO

The health benefits of oregano come from a super charged blend of plant compounds: carvacrol, thymol, eugenol and beta-caryophyllene. Carvacrol and thymol are powerful antioxidants, which means they help to prevent free radicals from causing oxidative damage to our cells, which is linked to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and dementia. It’s also a fantastic antimicrobial - often used as an anti-fungal, antibacterial and an antiviral .

THYME

Thyme is rich in plant phenols such as thymol and carvacrol which are powerfully anti-spasmodic, making them potent cough suppressants and an effective remedy for sore throats. Thyme also benefits the digestive system; thymol stimulates the wave like motions – peristalsis – so that food is not held in the stomach for prolonged periods of time. It also has antispasmodic action and can help to relieve cramping and reduce bloating. Finally, thyme is also a carminative, helping to prevent the formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract which helps to combat flatulence and wind.

A plant’s leaves, bark, roots, seeds, and/or flowers can be used to create your very own herbal remedies

MINT

Peppermint is often used to relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, including indigestion, dyspepsia, and gut muscle spasms. The healing properties of peppermint are related to its smooth muscle relaxing ability. Once the smooth muscles surrounding the intestine are relaxed, there is less chance of spasm and the indigestion that can accompany it.

Spearmint is another wonderful herb that has an anti-androgenic effect; that is, it can reduce testosterone levels in women that are associated with acne. Hormonal acne is often caused by a type of hormones in your body called androgens. The most well-known androgen is testosterone.

Androgens cause increased sebum production which is produced by sebaceous glands located in hair follicles. Increased sebum leads to a higher chance of blockages, which lead to breakouts. In two clinical trials, women with hirsutism (male-patternhair growth) drank spearmint tea twice a day for either five days (2007 study) and for 30 days (2009 study). The hormone levels in their blood were then measured. In both trials, testosterone levels decreased by about one-third.

SAGE

Deriving its name from the Latin word “salvere”, meaning “to be saved”, it has many uses. Traditionally, sage was used as a remedy for inflammation of the mouth and throat, as it helps to strengthen and tone the gums, acting as a great preventive against gingivitis and gum disease.

Sage also has the power to enhance memory. It inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase which breaks down one of the brain’s ‘chemical messengers’, acetylcholine.

Finally, one of the most common symptoms of menopause is uncontrolled and unexpected sweating and hot flushes. Sage has been traditionally used to treat these symptoms. In a small open multi-centre human study with 71 menopausal women, sage was found to be effective in reducing hot flushes after eight weeks. Worth a try, ladies?

So next time you are doing your weekly shop, pick up a new plant pot to pop on your windowsill and start trying some of mother nature’s healing herbs. Bon appetit!

In health, Tanya.

www.tanyaborowski.com

Herbs have been used since the beginning of humanity, and for good reason as they have multiple, proven healing properties

FURTHER READING…

Alexandra Jankovich and Tom Voskes are the co-founders of leading digital strategy consultancy firm SparkOptimus. Together with Adrian Hornsby, they are co-authors of the book ‘Disruption in Action: 7 inside stories of how global companies take on digital disruption’.

Disruption in Action reveals how to take on digital and win. It tells seven company stories, covering the high-level strategy through to the operational nitty-gritty, all based on the authors’ inside experiences as Europe’s leading digital transformation experts. They take a unique fictionalised approach to dig deep into not just the tech, but also the people side of change, which is always where the real complexity lies.

WHAT NOT TO DO IN TIMES OF DIGITAL DISRUPTION, FROM THE EXPERTS WHO CLEAN UP THE MISTAKES

Digital disruption presents leaders of traditional companies with a cluster of challenges. Firstly, it often implies big changes to the business model, meaning big risks. Secondly, it requires big investments in projects that may not be profitable for years – something that is well-accepted in digital startup-land, but much less so among corporate

DATA AND ANALYTICS

STRATEGY FOR BUSINESS: UNLOCK DATA ASSETS AND INCREASE INNOVATION WITH A RESULTS-DRIVEN DATA STRATEGY

By Simon Asplen-Taylor

Published by KoganPage (2022)

Data and Analytics Strategy for Business outlines how to build consistent, high-quality sources of data which will create business value. It explores how automation, AI and machine learning can improve performance and decision making. Filled with real-world examples and case studies, this book is a stage-by-stage guide to designing and implementing a results-driven data strategy.

Data and Analytics Strategy is a stageby-stage guide to designing and implementing a results-driven data strategy

shareholders. And thirdly, in new digital markets, there are no reliable predictors of success. Th is is one thing if you’re a startup; another if you’re a large company used to industry gold standards and established KPIs.

These challenges are less about technology than human mindsets and expectations, which in many ways are much harder to change. It would be simpler if you could just buy something to fi x the problem or pass it to someone else – which is indeed what many companies try to do.

One option is to buy some IT, but large-scale software overhauls developed outside the business tend to be a poor fit for the company’s needs and fail upon launch.

Another is to make some digital acquisitions, but large corporates often pay over the odds for startups that fail to grow, get bogged down by corporate rules and don’t change the core business.

Another is to launch an innovation lab, but it’s estimated that up to 90% of these fail to deliver. Set up outside the business with a lack of clear goals, these often descend into “innovation theatre” for C-suite leaders.

Another is to appoint a new CDO-come-DigitalMessiah from a big tech company, but they don’t know the business and, lacking internal allies, struggle to get much done.

So what does work? Th is is what is explored in ‘Disruption in Action,’ and to sketch out an example here, we can look at a fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company. As is typical, they had bought a number of digital acquisitions, but next found one was getting attacked by a new startup that was buying all their online traffic.

The FMCG leaders were inspired to fight back, but knowing they couldn’t win a straight buying war, they looked to leverage their advantages as a large corporate: they had superior industry knowledge and a large existing customer base. They used these to help the acquisition turbo-charge growth, but more significantly, through the increased collaboration, they started to see ways to improve their core business, especially around the use of data.

There are two keys to this success: fi rstly, a meaningful engagement from leaders with digital (as opposed to just a handing-off of the problem); and secondly, a tangible business case where solutions were being found for real customers. Together these open the door to changing mindsets, at which point, the technology aspect just becomes a means to an end.

IMPROMPTU

By Reid Ho man

Published by Dallalpedia LLC (2023)

Impromptu is a speculative, in-depth conversation involving GPT-4 – a Large Language Model Artificial Intelligence. By discussing real-life stories and potential applications, it paints a future in which Artificial Intelligence is a tool that can push the limits of education, creativity, business, and more. Join the conversation, and prepare for an exciting future that will unlock the true potential of humankind.

THE METAVERSE HANDBOOK

By

QuHarrison & Terry Keeney

Published by John Wiley and Sons Inc (2023)

The Metaverse Handbook provides insight into a new technology platform that offers huge commercial potential to digital professionals, creatives, and business leaders. It explains what the Metaverse is, how it works, and ways to integrate it into business strategies to capitalise on its offerings.

They take a unique fictionalised approach to dig deep into not just the tech, but also the people side of change

By KELLIE MILLER

ART SCENE

Good companions the works of Carolyn Bew

Carolyn Bew is a British artist working as a painter and printmaker. Her prints use the traditional etching and aquatint process that goes back to the 15th Century. She is indebted to mark-making and gesture, always returning to an expressionistic handling of materials.

One can’t help smiling when you see Carolyn’s art; it oscillates between dark and light, like the moon and sun. Her work depicts people and animals – often in absurd or unsettling situations. The animus is concerned with the dynamic and emotionally charged landscape of childhood, the complexity of relationships and the sense of self.

Her works focus on three areas, drawing, painting and print. Her drawings are approached by digging deep psychologically to birth her paintings and prints. Carolyn says her drawings are a physical manifestation of thought. In contrast, her paintings are observational sketches of an idealised world that she cannot separate from her original conceptual source.

Carolyn employs symbolism and metaphor as a way of storytelling. When viewing her works, celebration, friendship and community, either in relationship with animals or one another, spring to mind.

Her paintings are reminiscent of the late Beryl Cook’s humorous paintings depicting people in pubs, abluting or sunbathing. Like Beryl’s paintings, they are amusing, with elements of light heartiness. Yet, Carolyn’s brush strokes are freer, adding drama, and there is always theatre in her pieces, revealing different aspects of our characters. Although playful energy often emanates from her paintings, there can be a deeper conversation and message to be had, revealing an undercurrent of moodiness or unease.

Th is discomfort is evidently seen in her prints which often feel rebellious and can confront us with power struggles and inequalities. She visually references the works of feminist philosopher Julia Kristeva. Julia’s Intertextuality Theory proposes that everything we read passes through a series of coded fi lters rather than via a presumed direct route from the writer’s intention to the reader. Like the visual arts, what you see is not always what the artist meant.

Carolyn’s work has been shown in group and solo shows across the UK and is held in private collections worldwide. Her artworks can be seen and enjoyed at Kellie Miller Arts Brighton.

Kellie Miller is an artist, curator, critic and gallery owner. www.kelliemillerarts.com

Her paintings are reminiscent of the late Beryl Cook’s humorous paintings

Step into a world of opulence and impeccable service at The Carlton Tower Jumeirah, a haven nestled in the heart of London.

By TESS DE KLERK

THE CARLTON TOWER JUMEIRAH No detail over-looked

Jumeirah invested a staggering £100 million to revitalise the original 1961 Carlton Tower, undertaking a comprehensive renovation project that reached into every corner of the hotel. Completed in 2021, this endeavour went beyond a mere refurbishment of the decades-old building. Instead, the Dubai-based hotel group aimed to completely redefine the hotel’s identity, desiring to position it as one of the most opulent establishments in London.

LOCATION

The hotel’s location is truly enviable. Situated on the doorstep of Cadogan Place Gardens, an oasis accessible only to local residents and Carlton Tower overnight guests, you’re privy to the lush green lawns and exclusive tennis courts that epitomise the quintessential London lifestyle. And if that’s not enough, you’ll find yourself just a stone’s throw away from the high-end boutiques of Sloane Street, a shopper’s paradise where fashion dreams come true. Moreover, the world-renowned Harrods and Harvey Nichols are mere minutes away, inviting you to explore their treasure troves of luxury and style.

SLUMBER

Our Junior Suite felt fresh and tranquil, thanks to its tasteful decor, muted colour palette, and abundance of natural light. The spacious layout created a lovely airy atmosphere and the luxurious little touches such as monogrammed slippers and edible scrabble pieces welcoming us just went above and beyond.

The cloud-like bed was heaven, the pillows were perfect. But if they weren’t I could’ve ordered others from

Our Junior Suite felt fresh and tranquil , thanks to its tasteful decor, muted colour palette, and abundance of natural light

+ GOOD TO KNOW

ACCESSIBILITY: A number of rooms have been adapted for wheelchair users

FAMILY-FRIENDLY: Yes, interconnected rooms and kids’ menus are available

PET-FRIENDLY: No

From £1,148 PN for a Superior Room in July

the pillow menu. Likewise, the beautiful marbled bathroom had everything you might need including a deep-soaking bathtub, bath salts and products from the fantastic Grown Alchemy brand.

Did I mention the welcome fruit bowl? Not your average apples and pears fare. No, we had dragon fruit, mango, lychee and mangosteen. Funny what can make a girl’s heart flutter.

WINE & DINE

Dinner at Al Mare was delicious and the wine pairings were even more so! Al Mare focuses on Italian cuisine while The Chinoiserie restaurant, with its ornate decor, offers all-day dining as well as Afternoon Tea by world-renowned Pastry Chef Jessica Prealpato. Unfortunately, we did not have the time to indulge but Chef Jessica’s creative English garden-inspired Tea is by all accounts rather special.

FACILITIES

The hotel boasts exceptional facilities, with a standout feature being the second-floor pool, which sets itself apart from typical basement setups. Encased by a glass roof, this 20-metre pool is arguably the finest among London’s hotel offerings. Adjacent to the pool are separate changing facilities for both men and women, complete with steam rooms and saunas, providing a complete wellness experience.

Talise Spa offers a range of luxurious treatments, and I indulged in a relaxing massage that left me feeling completely renewed and invigorated. The tranquil ambiance of the spa, coupled with the expertise of the therapists, created a haven of serenity within the bustling city.

At the uppermost level of the hotel, guests can find The Peak Fitness Club, a truly outstanding facility. Manned by expert trainers and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, it caters to all fitness needs. The club also offers a multitude of complimentary classes, taught with expertise and precision. What makes this fitness club even more exceptional is its panoramic views of London, which are unobstructed and far-reaching.

What truly sets Carlton Tower Jumeirah apart is the unparalleled level of service that permeates every aspect of the guest experience. Plus the location... and the magnificent views from the upper floors... and the fantastic pool, to name a few. I, for one, will happily visit again.

+ BOOK THROUGH SPABREAKS.COM

The multi-award winning spa booking platform works with over 600 spas in the UK and Ireland, arranging spa days and breaks for up to 6,000 people a week. As Europe’s number 1 spa specialist, the talented team works closely with spas to create packages that showcase the best each destination has to offer. Customer service is central to everything they do, with their UK-based team of spa experts ready to help individuals find the right experience for them.

www.spabreaks.com/venues/the-peak-fitness-cluband-spa-at-the-carlton-tower-jumeirah

FABULOSO

BRIGHTON & HOVE PRIDE 2023

Brighton Fabuloso is the UK’s biggest LGBTQ Pride festival and the Brighton & Hove Pride official fundraiser for the Brighton Rainbow Fund.

Described by The Guardian as “the country’s most popular LGBT event,” the Brighton & Hove Pride Festival is a vibrant celebration of all that is wonderful about our city’s diverse community, with visitors from across the globe enjoying its spectacular celebrations.

Preston Park, Brighton August 4th-7th www.wearefabuloso.org

WHAT’S ON...

A brief snapshot of art and culture in Sussex and Surrey

CHILDREN’S EVENT BODIAM’S MEDIEVAL FAIR

Bodiam

Throughout the summer holidays visit Bodiam Castle’s Medieval Fair for family fun. Follow the Castle and the King Built trail to discover masons, minstrels and kings. Join in with medieval games and activities over the summer holidays. Weave your way around a mini jousting challenge, create your own mini-castle in the sandpit or see if you can hit the target in soft play archery.

Bodiam Castle, near Robertsbridge

All summer

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/ bodiam-castle

BATES GREEN GARDEN

Arlington

An RHS Partner Garden, being a naturalist garden in a rural setting provides a peaceful space to relax and appreciate the selection of unusual plants including mature trees and shrubs. The garden is divided into three areas offering a sensory experience with plants providing colour, scent and texture in all seasons.

Bates Green Garden, Arlington nr Hailsham

Every Wednesday

www.batesgreengarden.co.uk

ROCK FOLLIES

Chichester

Before the Spice Girls, Sugababes and The Saturdays…

It’s the 1970s and feminism is on the rise. Fed up with the male-dominated entertainment industry, Anna, Dee and Q take the future into their own hands and form a rock band. Can principles and ambition co-exist? And can their friendship survive in the dog-eat-dog world of rock?

Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester

July 24th - August 16th

www.cft.org.uk/events/rock-follies

JO WHILEY’S 90s ANTHEMS

Bexhill

After selling out the De La Warr in 2022, Jo Whiley returns with some special guests to bring you more of the best tracks from the greatest decade for music. Think Blur vs Oasis, Fatboy Slim, Primal Scream, The Verve, The Chemical Brothers, Faithless, The Prodigy – and a whole lot more.

De La Warr Pavilion

July 15th

www.dlwp.com/event/jo-whiley

OPEN AIR OPERA LA BOHÈME

Borde Hill

Opera Brava presents La Bohème by Puccini, performed with a chamber ensemble against the magical backdrop of the Elizabethan Mansion House. Set in Paris in the 1830s among a group of impoverished Bohemians, the opera centres around the tragic love affair between the seamstress Mimi and Rodolfo, a poet. The international cast are sensational and bring out the heart of Puccini’s magnificent score.

Borde Hill Gardens, nr Haywards Heath

July 21st

https://bordehill.co.uk/events/la-boheme

THE MADNESS OF GEORGE III

Brighton

Alan Bennett’s play is both touching and superbly funny. Bring your picnic and marvel at the machinations of politicians, the pretensions of The Prince Regent, the ridiculous prescriptions of the doctors, and the remarkable intervention of the formidable Dr Willis. And raise a glass to the devoted love of Mr and Mrs King!

Brighton Open Air Theatre

July 12th-15th

www.brightonopenairtheatre.co.uk/ event/the-madness-of-george-iii

PETWORTH SUMMER FESTIVAL

Petworth

Immerse yourself in culture at the prestigious Petworth Festival which hosts first-class artists from around the world every July.

Performers include Tenebrae, Jess Gillam, Clive Anderson, The Manfreds, Shakatak, The Jive Aces and Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash with Jennifer Pike plus family theatre, live talks and much more.

Market Square House, Petworth

July 11th-29th

www.petworthfestival.org.uk

Clive Anderson

Shakatak

Dynamic’s Motoring Editor, FIONA SHAFER, MD of MDHUB interviews long-term MDHUB member Barney Dines, CEO of Heritage Parts Centre in Shoreham-by-Sea

A CEO OF SOME HERITAGE

Who knew that one of the biggest spare parts specialists for classic VW and Porsche cars in the world is based in pretty cool and sunny Shoreham-by-Sea?

Established in 1986 as VW Heritage by David Ward, the business has rebranded in recent years as Heritage Parts Centre. This exciting business is now led by CEO Barney Dines alongside co-directors Paul Howard and Mark Rikard, and currently employs 80 people in the UK and Germany.

It sells and manufactures spare parts and accessories globally for classic VW and Porsche – both wholesale and retail – and has highly ambitious plans to grow the business from a turnover of £12million currently to £40 million in the next five years.

A lifelong car enthusiast, Barney joined the company 22 years ago, working his way up to Sales Director until he took over as CEO in 2017.

Was it your intention when you set out on your career path Barney to run a company or be a business leader?

No. Originally, I was driven to be a lawyer – motivated by watching TV programmes like Legal Eagles in the 1980s. But that plan didn’t work out.

I got into cars at 15 when my grandmother gave me some money to buy a car. I didn’t want to buy a normal car like a Fiesta, so instead bought a VW Beetle after watching a TV show about a car show called Bugjam.

I fixed it up with fellow car enthusiast Paul (co-director Paul Howard, whom Barney met when

he was 11 at junior school). We were so busy doing up cars that neither of us did very well in our A-Levels, and did not get the grades to go to University. Instead, we both got a job in the local VW place called Big Boys Toys (BBT) in Thurrock, Essex where we were both very regular customers.

We basically took over running the place and eventually the owner wanted to sell, and split Paul and me up to run two sides of business with a view to us buying it. It didn’t work out at the time, so we exited and bought a share of Heritage from David instead and we went onto acquire BBT a few years down the line.

Paul has always worked on purchasing, with me on sales. I often refer to us as a pantomime horse; I am the front end with the sales and marketing, and he is the back end with purchasing and product. And he won’t mind me saying that!

Continued over >

I didn’t want to buy a normal car like a Fiesta, so instead bought a VW Beetle

Continued from previous >

You and your leadership team have very ambitious growth plans. What challenges do you need to overcome to achieve this growth?

It can be very lonely at the top at times when I used to feel like I was running the business on my own with my co-directors. That is why I decided to build both a senior leadership team and a broader leadership team around me to help achieve our ambitions.

We are all working to our own version of EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System ) and Rockefeller Habits, which is proving very effective.

Our key challenges that we need to overcome as a team to achieve this growth are :

1. Speeding up the development on our website

2. Competition is stiff – and purse and wallets strings are stretched with the cost of living crisis

3. We only supply classic cars which are people’s passion and not used on a daily basis.

4. Net Zero 2030 is a potential risk for us too.

In three words, how would you describe yourself as a leader? Driven, fair and ambitious.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I work very hard to be a facilitator and coach rather than telling people what to do. Having worked my way up through all levels of the business, this is not easy. I find it quite hard not to revert to diving in and resolving problems. I try really hard not to but it doesn’t always happen! I have always done quite well, quite easily but I have learned from the assistance of a coach to adapt my ‘intuitive’ leadership style to adapting my leadership style to match the different situations that arise on a day-to-day basis.

If you could improve one thing about yourself as a leader, what would it be? Stop myself from reverting to giving advice, and to be more disciplined on really focusing on things, and not leaving them to the last minute. I can be easily distracted to the next new shiny thing...

Given your appetite for learning, what is your best business book? I have always enjoyed learning and aim to listen to at least two business books a month when I drive from my home in London down to the factory in Shoreham. I listened to ‘Senzu Art of War’ by Sun Tzu whilst in the gym yesterday as it is only an hour long, and am currently halfway through ‘Good to Great’ by Jim Collins. My favourite book is definitely ‘Scaling Up’ by Verne Harnish, although ‘Good to Great’ is coming in a very close second.

What well-known entrepreneur would you like to have dinner with (or invite on a site visit of Heritage parts), and why?

It’s got to be Elon Musk. I think it is incredible what he has done with Tesla and what he is doing with Space X.

I often refer to us as a pantomime horse; I am the front end, and Paul is the back end

What is your proudest professional moment and why?

Becoming CEO of Heritage. I had always had it in my sights and wanted to be at the top of the tree – it was nice to be recognised by former owner David Ward to take over as MD. Fortunately, Paul had no designs on being MD, and was happy for me to be the front end of the ‘panto horse.’

But ‘reaching the top of tree’ and ‘ambition achieved’ can be a double edged sword as you get all the good and the bad bits of the role. Nobody ever really wants my job. I have said to Paul, “Do you want my job?” and he always says, “No way!”

Whilst I used to love my Sales Director role, I now equally love the challenge of running a business and motivating the team. It also fits in better with my family life. No two days are the same, which keeps it interesting.

What is your proudest personal moment?

This has to be when my daughter Margot was born three years ago. I have just had a really lovely six days with on my own her whilst her Mum was away on holiday, which is the longest time I have spent with her on my own and we had just the best time. I read child psychology books as well as business books as there is often some crossover. If a child plays up, they might need a bit of mum and dad time, similar to a Sales Director needing more MD time!

If you were to lead a ‘dream company’, what would it be? Space X !

What would irritate me most about you if I sat next to you on a long-haul flight?

Very loud snoring and random twitching – so I am told. In order to maximise the value of travelling Business Class, I would probably drink too much red wine and end up talking the hind leg off a donkey.

What would be your superpower? It has to be a teleportation device. But then again, if I did have one, I would not have time to listen to my audio books, and I would probably end up doing lots of silly little tasks again!

How do you relax?

I like to spend time with my daughter, eat and drink, watch Sci Fi, go to the gym, run, swim and travel.

Knowing what you do now about running a business, what are the top three pieces of advice you would give to someone who is either setting up a business or thinking of taking over a business?

1. Make sure you are passionate about the business and what it does.

2 .It pays you what you need to earn

3. Listen to people – you don’t need to know all of the answers, which is probably the best thing I have ever learnt.

I have said to Paul, Do you want my job? and he always says, No way!