Platinum Business Magazine - issue 92 by Platinum Media Group

platinum ISSUE 92 DECEMBER 2021

THE LARGEST CIRCULATION REGIONAL BUSINESS PUBLICATION IN THE UK

INFLUENCERS FORUM The supply chain

SINC launch their Masters programme

GAZUMPING In the recruitment sector?

MOTORING British & Bonkers

TRAVEL Ski Bulgaria

SUSSEX AND SURREY BUSINESS AWARDS All the winners

OWEN PATERSON A VERY SORDID AFFAIR

The Platinum Club is back with a bang and the last event was on November 23rd at the Grand in Brighton. The final event of 2021 will be on December 16th and is already oversubscribed. There are limited memberships available so if you are interested in joining the most effective, most enjoyable and most exclusive Director level networking forum in the region, get in touch: info@platinummediagroup.co.uk

The Platinum

for Leaders and I

+ ❛❛ The most important networking event of the month. Finally, networking as it should be ❜❜ KATIE GIBSON, PIER RECRUITMENT

❛❛ The Platinum Club is unique – high level networking as it should be ❜❜ ALAN HARBER, LLOYDS BANK

+ ❛❛ I try to never miss a Platinum Club event – if you don’t know someone when you arrive, you will by the time you leave expert professional hosting ❜❜ KEITH JACKMAN, MERCEDES-BENZ

Business Club

Innovators in Business

+ ❛❛ I made more high level contacts through the Platinum Club in one month than the entire year at others ❜❜ RICHARD KENDALL-TOBIAS, BLUE DIAMOND SECURITY

THE PLATINUM CLUB

D E C E M B E R 2021

CONT ENT S 10

WINNERS ANNOUNCED

BIG STORY

10 2021 Sussex business awards winners announced

INTERVIEW

44 ECONOMY 22 NatWest’s market analysis FINANCE 24 Shaping your future 34 How to navigate the dividend tax hike 37 Challenges when scaling a business LEGAL 32 Avoiding a Paterson-style car crash in the workplace 42 The late payment of commercial debts 56 Is gazumping the new norm in recruitment? TECHNOLOGY 58 Rationalising your cyber estate

26 OWEN PATERSON Corruption in politics

38 Meet the new Business & IP Centre Sussex Ambassador

INFLUENCERS FORUM

EVENTS 62 The zebras are back – convention celebration! 18 2021 Surrey business awards winners announced

72 TRAVEL

72 Ski Bulgaria

INNOVATION 64 Sussex Innovation launches Innovation Masters programme alongside a new look and a fresh focus on purpose-led businesses CHARITY FOCUS 67 Celebrate Christmas with Chestnut Tree House

PLATINUM

MOTORING

76 British & bonkers – The Caterham 620S

PLATINUM MEDIA GROUP

PET CONTROL 69 Spreading kindness in Surrey and West Sussex TRIED & TESTED 70 Spoil someone this christmas

All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited materials or the return of these materials whilst in transit. Platinum Business Magazine is owned and published by Platinum Media Group.

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It’s finally time to bring that idea to life. Join NatWest’s free online Business Builder course today to start turning your idea into a business tomorrow. Search NatWest Business Builder to sign up

WELCOME Here is the last issue of the UK’s largest circulation business magazine before the Christmas break – and it is a break we all deserve. After lockdown, business across the region has been on fire, fuelled by pent-up demand and the need to get back to normal. In this issue, we look at the Owen Paterson lobbying scandal, DMH Stallard advise on how to avoid such problems within your business, and Loch Associates ask if gazumping is the new normal in the recruitment sector. The ever popular Influencers Forum is back with a range of experts discussing the ever growing problem with supply chains, Mayo Wynne Baxter explain how to get those bad debts paid, and Sussex Innovation Centre launches a new Masters Programme. Awards season is upon us and inside you can see all the winners of the Surrey Business Awards, held on November 18th, and the

32nd year of the Sussex Business Awards held on December 2nd. There are some very happy companies out there right now. We also launch the very exciting Dynamic Awards that will take place in the spring of 2022. Maarten proves he has a death wish when he spent a week with the totally bonkers Caterham 620S and Tess takes a look at skiing in Bulgaria. The Platinum team would like to wish all our readers and friends a very happy Christmas and New Year... and here’s to 2022.

The Platinum Team 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 TR AVEL EDITOR: Tess de Klerk tess@platinummediagroup.co.uk HEAD OF DESIGN: Michelle Shakesby design@platinummediagroup.co.uk PROOFING: Alan Wares alan@platinummediagroup.co.uk

W W W.PL ATINUMME DIAGROUP.CO.UK

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BUST BULB Continuing the crisis in the engery market, Bulb Energy, which has 1.7 million customers, has announced that the firm will be put into special administration. With the ongoing energy crisis and the record high gas prices, many providers are struggling to continue providing their services as it becomes financially unsustainable for them to keep on working. Twenty-two energy companies have already gone bust and many more are expected to follow this path. Although Bulb is considered to be one of the biggest providers in the UK, it has been struggling and has failed to get through the difficult financial situation it has been in for several weeks. The company has been handed about £1,000 per customer from the UK government to enable it to continue supplying energy. The government loan of nearly £1.7bn will mean the administration is managed in a way that the lights stay on for Bulb’s customers.

NEWS BULLETIN ESG DIFFICULTIES Companies in the most polluting sectors that have invested in climate action often find themselves valued below peers that have been slower to do so, highlighting the difficulty of getting shareholders to back sustainability. Investors have poured more than $30 trillion into environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) strategies, data from the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance showed. But the demand for sustainable investment has yet to remove the pressure to put profits first, and pro-climate analysts are concerned the outcome of U.N. climate talks in November 2021 did too little to help.

❛❛ The theatre is so

endlessly fascinating because it’s so accidental. It’s so much like life. Arthur Miller, playright

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GATWICK ROARING AHEAD Businesses within Gatwick Airport’s local region are set to be boosted through the airport’s plans to provide new, targeted business opportunities, should its Northern Runway plans be successful. Local businesses can register their interest in working with Gatwick as a supplier and sign up to future newsletters, via a simple form on the airport’s website. This comes as Gatwick develops a new strategy to ensure the airport’s procurement and supply chain spending targets businesses based in the region – building on the £100 million spent across the region in 2019. Small and medium-sized businesses can register to provide Gatwick and its supply chain with a range of services, including construction, facilities management, IT projects, workwear, utilities, distribution and HR services, among many others, and must be based within RH, BN, CR, KT, TN or GU postcodes.

NEWS RETAIL SWING

EYE SPY Apple is suing Israeli spyware firm NSO Group and its parent company for allegedly targeting iPhone users with a hacking tool. NSO’s Pegasus software can infect both iPhones and Android devices, allowing operators to extract messages, photos and emails, record calls and secretly activate microphones and cameras. NSO Group said its tools were made to target terrorists and criminals. But it has allegedly also been used on activists, politicians and journalists. The US has now placed the company on the trade blacklist.

UK retailers are putting up prices at the fastest rate since 1990 according to industry figures that add to evidence of a cost of living squeeze this winter. A CBI survey also suggested that sales have been boosted by consumers starting their Christmas shopping early because of fears over supply disruption. The figures are the latest sign of households facing bigger spending outlays after surging energy bills and fuel costs drove inflation to its highest level in a decade last month. In the three months to November, the balance of retailers reporting higher selling prices stood at +77%, according to the CBI.

❛❛ There’s nothing wrong

with staying small. You can do big things with a small team ❜❜ Jason Fried, 37signals founder

ROYAL IMPROVEMENTS The initial stage of the Manor Royal Highway Improvement Scheme in Crawley has been successfully completed in time for the seasonal break. Improvements have been made to the busy junction of County Oak Way and London Road, with the upgrading of crossing units, signal heads, lane marking and the provision of a new bus stop. The project will now pause until the New Year. The scheme is part of the Crawley Growth Programme – a £60million package of improvements across the town to support business investment and employment growth, bringing together various partners including the West Sussex County Council, Crawley Borough Council, Manor Royal BID and Coast to Capital.

❛❛ When a man wants

to murder a tiger he calls it sport; when a tiger wants to murder him he calls it ferocity ❜❜ George Bernard Shaw, playwright

CRYPTO BAN The Indian government is preparing to ban private cryptocurrencies and allow the country’s central bank to launch an official digital currency. The proposed legislation follows a crackdown on cryptocurrencies in China, where financial regulators and the central bank have made all digital currency transactions illegal. The Bank of England released a statement saying that all crypto currencies are a threat to mainstream finance.

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2021 SUSSEX BUSINESS AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED The 32nd year of the Sussex Business Awards took place on December 2nd with 500 black tie guests in attendance at the Grand Hotel in Brighton. The business ‘event of the year’ did not disappoint with TV comedian Zoe Lyons hosting a sparkling evening, an Italian chef and a few waiters stormed the stage to sing and there were fifteen very happy companies who won life-changing awards, and sixty finalists who should be rightfully proud of the achievement.

❛❛onCongratulations an absolutely wonderful event! The best ever

❜❜

The Sussex Awards are the longest running in the UK and 2021 broke all records for entries, sponsorship and ticket sales as it sold out in days with 150 people on the wait list for tickets. We will need a bigger venue for 2022. Huge congratulations to all the very worthy winners. INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED IN 2022? GET IN TOUCH! info@platinummediagroup.co.uk

What a fantastic ❛❛night. The singing

chef had me in stitches and the show was so slick and professional.

❜❜

FOLLOW ALL THE LATEST NEWS

PLATINUMBUSIN

PROUDLY SPO

NESSMAGAZINE

ONSORED BY

What a great event and feedback from our guests has been equally praiseworthy – a great evening

❛❛

❜❜

I wanted to congratulate you and the team on a quite brilliant awards event last night. The venue, concept, audio/visual and entertainment were top notch and everything flowed well. You should all feel very proud of a job well done

❛❛

❜❜

SUSSEXBIZAWARDS | #SBA2021

THE 2021 WINNERS

MICRO BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

START-UP OF THE YEAR

sponsored by Mazars

ramsac

Trafalgar Marquees

COMPANY OF THE YEAR sponsored by NatWest

Cloud Business

BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR sponsored by BNI Surrey

Julianne Ponan, Creative Nature

INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED IN 2022? GET IN TOUCH! info@ platinummediagroup.co.uk

ECONOMY

NATWEST'S MARKET ANALYSIS › COM M E N T STUART JOHNSTONE

Managing Director, London & South East, Corporate & Commercial Banking

“October data continued to reveal severe supply-chain and inflationary pressures in the South East with firms very much in the thick of disruption. A record rate of input price inflation was recorded at the start of the fourth quarter, often incorporating higher prices for raw materials, energy, staff, as well as rising fuel costs. Fortunately for firms, improving demand conditions allowed costs to be shared with clients through higher selling prices, with inflation here also hitting a new peak. With such issues expected to continue into 2022, growth rates are likely to be impacted.

The headline NatWest South East PMI® Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – rose sharply from 54.5 in September to 57.2 in October. The improvement was linked to stronger uplifts in new orders, while a sustained period of backlog accumulation encouraged robust increases in payroll numbers.

NEW BUSINES INDE X

sa, >50=growth since previous month 70 60 50

“Nevertheless, domestic demand has supported business activity growth in the region once again, with sales expanding sharply for a large part of the year. In turn, hiring activity benefitted with employment levels rising at historically elevated rates. For now, firms are operating in a favourable demand environment and will hope supply issues, and the subsequent inflationary pressures, will soon subside.”

❛❛ New business growth in the

South East was slightly stronger than the UK average ❜❜

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40 30 20 10 07

08 09

Sources: Natwest, IHS Markit

DEMAND AND OUTLOOK

New business growth quickens to four-month high Private sector companies in the South East reported a further rise in new work intakes during October, with survey participants linking the upturn to improved demand conditions and increased footfall. The latest expansion extended the current run of growth to eight consecutive months, with the latest uptick the strongest since June. New business growth in the South East was slightly stronger than the UK average.

ECONOMY TOP EXPORT MARKETS, SOUTH E AST Rank

Market

Weight

Output Index,

Oct ‘21

1 USA

16.4% 57.6

Germany

12.0%

52.0

Netherlands

6.3%

58.0

France

6.1%

54.7

Ireland

6.0%

62.5

❛❛ The Export Climate Index

rose from 55.0 in September to 55.1 in October, signalling another marked rate of growth ❜❜

Sources: Natwest, IHS Markit

E X P O R T C L I M AT E I N D E X

EXPORT CONDITIONS IMPROVE SHARPLY IN OCTOBER

sa, >50=growth since previous month

The South East Export Climate Index is calculated by weighting together national PMI output data according to their importance to the manufacturing exports of the South East. This produces an indicator for the economic health of the region’s export markets.

70 60 50

The Export Climate Index rose from 55.0 in September to 55.1 in October, signalling another marked rate of growth.

Expansions were seen across all five of the key export markets with Ireland recording the strongest uptick, and for the fourth month running. Netherlands and the US saw rates of expansion in output accelerate, while growth in France slowed, but was still solid overall. Germany meanwhile registered only a modest upturn, which was the softest since February.

10 07

08 09

Sources: Natwest, IHS Markit

UK SECTOR FOCUS: FOOD & DRINK

INPUT PRICES INDE X

sa, >50=growth since previous month

The UK’s Food & Drink manufacturers recorded a sustained strong upturn in new orders in the three months to October, following near-record growth in order books in the second quarter. Key to this was stronger domestic demand, with new export orders falling slightly over the period.

85 80 75 70

However, data pointed to an unprecedented build-up of backlogs across the sector as inflows of new work rose at a far quicker rate than production levels, which were constrained by a combination of staff shortages and supply bottlenecks.

65 60 55 50 45 40 07

08 09

Sources: Natwest, IHS Markit

INPUT PRICE INFLATION ACCELERATES TO RECORD RATE

South East companies continued to report historically elevated rates of input price inflation during October. In fact, the rate of increase accelerated to a fresh series high. Firms mentioned that higher costs stemmed from raw material scarcity, Brexit, supply-chain issues as well as higher fuel, energy, and staff costs. The overall rate of inflation was substantial and well above July’s previous peak. Sector data revealed manufacturers noted a quicker increase in input prices than service providers.

Employment fell slightly in the three months to October owing to difficulties retaining and recruiting staff, while lead times on inputs lengthened to the greatest extent on record. The tightness in supply chains was further reflected in a near-record increase in input costs. In turn, this pushed output price inflation to an all-time high.

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FINANCE

Business optimism is high despite challenging months ahead, finds Andrew Griggs, Senior Partner, Kreston Reeves

SHAPING YOUR FUTURE The business environment has never been so uncertain. The impact of the global pandemic and Brexit is likely to be felt for many years to come, bringing new challenges, opportunities and change. So too will the mitigation of climate change, the continuing impact of technology and changing working patterns. For many businesses, it is difficult to know what tomorrow might hold. That is why we have conducted a nationwide research project where we explore the issues, constraints on growth, priorities and plans for the future of 652 business leaders across the UK. Businesses must continue to look ahead and shape their future. Our research, published in a report called Shaping your future, suggests businesses are incredibly confident for their future but are facing significant challenges over the next two years, with reduced cash reserves, stressed supply chains, and a tough recruitment environment.

The headline findings from our Shaping your future report include: n 36% of businesses surveyed report lower cash reserves now than at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. n 2 0% of businesses that have borrowed from Government-backed loan schemes do not expect to repay that money. n Despite this, businesses are upbeat for their future – 39% expect to see turnover increase by up to 25% in the next 12 months, and 27% expect turnover to increase by between 26% and 50%. n 52% of businesses are experiencing supply chain delays of up to six months, with a third (32%) looking to reduce output and orders as a result. n 6 2% of businesses experiencing supply chain delays expect profitability to fall by up to 10%; 29% expect profitability to fall by 11-25%.

n 23% of businesses are prioritising training and upskilling their workforce and 20% on staff retention to address recruitment challenges. n 27% of businesses offer no incentive programme to their employees at all. n A third of businesses surveyed expect to fund future growth through retained prof its and organic company growth. n Over half (56%) say they are exploring merger and acquisition (M& A) opportunities over the next 12 months. The current economic and business environment is incredibly tough for businesses: in some ways coming out of the pandemic feels harder than it did when COVID first began to bite. The shared common experiences of the first lockdown, where all businesses had to adapt to new working patterns, no longer exist as businesses return to whatever their ‘new normal’ might be.

The shared common experiences of the first ❛❛ lockdown, where all businesses had to adapt to

new working patterns, no longer exist as businesses return to whatever their ‘new normal’ might be ❜❜ 24

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FINANCE

It is encouraging, therefore, to see ❛❛ businesses so confident for their future – 87% of the businesses we spoke to are ‘confident’ or ‘very confident’ about the future of their business. There is much to celebrate ❜❜ FUNDING GROWTH Funding business growth is also likely to be challenging. Our survey suggests that future plans will be funded primarily through retained profit (33%) and via organic growth (30%). Both are sensible approaches to business growth but are uniquely vulnerable to changing trading conditions, can add stress to cash flow, and are likely to lead to much slower growth.

It is encouraging, therefore, to see businesses so confident for their future – 87% of the businesses we spoke to are ‘confident’ or ‘very confident’ about the future of their business. There is much to celebrate.

Debt remains cheaper than equity when looking to fund growth, with most of the world’s fastest-growing businesses achieving that through borrowing. Businesses should explore all funding options before making decisions. M&A activity has also picked up, with over half (56%) suggesting they

will explore growth through mergers or acquisitions over the next two years. Deals put on hold in early 2020 began to move forward again in mid-2020 and in 2021. Some business owners have found the pandemic has caused them to retire earlier than anticipated, and those who have done well out of the pandemic and with cash reserves are looking for strategic acquisitions. It is buoyed by plenty of cash from private equity and Family Offices investors. It is important, now more so than ever, that business leaders take stock, understand those pressures facing their business, identify and plan for future pinch points, and shape the future they want for their business.

This does not hide worrying signs on the horizon. Supply chains are causing serious problems for businesses and are predicted to do so for two or more years. That is, say businesses in our research, hitting bottom line profits. A fifth (20%) of businesses surveyed do not believe they will be able to repay COVID borrowing and then there is the threat of rising inflation having risen to a 10-year high of 4.2%. Finding and retaining staff are also very real issues across many industry sectors and show no signs of abating. A key component of attracting and keeping staff are the incentive programmes offered over and above pay, and over a quarter (27%) of businesses surveyed offer no such programme, leaving them at a disadvantage.

You can download a full copy of the report by visiting www.krestonreeves.com/shapingyourfuture The Kreston Reeves Shaping your future report is being supported by a series of events, roundtables and articles over the next two years. We invite you to join the conversation at #Shapingyourfuture

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BIG STORY

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BIG STORY

CORRUPTION IN POLITICS By Alan Wares

It had, and probably still has, all the familiar hallmarks of the unedifying stench of lazy, corrupt politics that has made the public so sick and cynical of politicians generally and politics specifically. However, even now, there are places we haven’t been before. Insular, inward-looking commentators may sneer at how many other countries, especially those outside western Europe, conduct their politics, but what we have witnessed in the past month has allowed the UK to enter the trough of the truly murky and the corrupt. Owen Paterson MP was, despite his howls of protest, accused, and found guilty of, paid lobbying by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Kathryn Stone. But it’s what happened next that is more concerning. First though, a brief look back 25 years…

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BIG STORY mortgage application by not disclosing he had a six-figure loan from former Labour minister Geoffrey Robinson. Former Home Secretary David Blunkett resigned twice. The first time followed reports that a visa application for his lover’s nanny had been sped up. He resigned again over allegations he had not revealed his financial involvement with a private DNA testing company. It’s interesting that it’s mostly government ministers caught in the spotlight, but then again, what value is there in ‘buying’ an Opposition MP?

Owen Paterson with his wife Rose, who sadly committed suicide on June 24th 2020 HOW HAVE WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE? Given that the Palace of Westminster has, in the words of Tony Blair ‘often been the place of low skulduggery’, it’s probably most pertinent to start with some history of political misbehaviour. The 1990s political scene was one very much beset two competing ideologies; on one side, Conservative Prime Minister John Major attempting to steer his tiny majority through Parliament, while Labour on the other side, firstly under reformist John Smith, and ultimately ultra-reformist Tony Blair saw their chance to take the all-important middle ground while Major struggled with his party. Major, who was not expected to win the General Election in 1992, spent much of his time in office trying to quell the various factions within his Parliamentary Party. The Eurosceptics, as they were known then, were vociferous but who were still the minority, took up a certain amount of time. But the real eye-openers were those indulging in what the tabloids lazily called ‘sleaze’. It wasn’t only the cash-for-questions affair, Tory MPs could be taken to task for having extra-marital affairs – even David Mellor. It may seem twee now, but for a party which sought to promote family values, and still promoted Clause 28 of the Local Government Act (which sought to ban the education of homo-

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sexuality), the whole enterprise was taken down by the worst of all political considerations – hypocrisy. In the end, despite John Major’s best efforts to bring his party and the House of Commons into line – he set up the Committee on Standards in Public Life (of ten referred to as the Nolan Committee) in 1994 – most political commentators point to hypocrisy and the ‘sleaze’ as two strong reasons for the Conservatives’ crushing defeat in the 1997 General Election. The Nolan Committee has by no means only pointed its finger at the blue corner. The Labour government faced ‘cash for access’ accusations when it was alleged the formula 1 magnate Bernie Ecclestone gave a £1m donation to the party in return for the sport being exempted from the ban on tobacco adver tising. The cash was later returned. Fo r m e r Trad e S e c retar y Pete r M an d e lso n resig n e d f ro m th e cabinet over allegations he misled the Britannia Building Society in his

The Palace of Westminster has, in the words of Tony Blair ‘often been the place of low skulduggery’❜❜

❛❛

Today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has taken on a very different approach to dealing with – let’s call it for what it is – corruption within Parliament. Those who listened to Sir John Major’s recent interview on Radio 4’s Today programme would have been left in no doubt as to how the Conservative administration has changed in the 25 years since Major’s exit. And not, in the latter’s opinion, for the better.

BIG STORY to the Department for International Development in relation to paid consultancy work for two Northern Ireland firms amounting to over £100,000 a year. The Commissioner recommended a 30-day suspension from Parliament for Paterson. Implementation of this recommendation is something only fellow MPs can decide upon. THE OWEN PATERSON AFFAIR Owen Paterson was, from 1997 until November 2021, Member of Parliament for North Shropshire. He held two Cabinet posts under David Cameron’s leadership between 2010 and 2014, including Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. In October 2021, Paterson was found by the Independent Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to have breached paid advocacy rules for making three approaches to the Food Standards Agency and four approaches

And this is where events took a dark, sinister, unprecedented turn, in stark contrast to Major’s reaction to misbehaviour in his party during the 1990s. Instead of allowing the Standards Committee to complete its task by allowing MPs to have their vote, backbench Tory MP Dame Andrea Leadsom stepped in with an amendment to allow an entirely new process to take place with a new committee, and a new set of rules. This was seen as merely a delaying tactic, but amazingly the Conservative Party leadership issued a three-line

It’s interesting that it’s mostly government ministers caught in the spotlight, but then again, what value is there in ‘buying’ an Opposition MP? ❜❜

❛❛

whip – and therefore made it government policy – on its own parliamentary members in order to save Owen Paterson. Feeling boisterous, Paterson went to the media insisting Kathryn Stone, Parliamentar y Commissioner for S tandards (who re c ommende d Paterson’s suspension), be removed from her role because, in his view, she had undertaken her job in a biased manner. Other voices joined in. Stone, for her part, re-iterated her own status as an independent commissioner. Boris Johnson and Leader of the Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg really hadn’t read the room, and when some Conservative MPs openly declared their dissatisfaction with the whole matter, and with Labour saying that they had no intention of taking part in the new process, the government undertook a U-turn. Paterson himself was not warned of the U-turn; he was in a supermarket, confidently feeling he had his party leadership on his side over any sense of proper justice. This left him isolated, and with no choice but to resign. Johnson and ReesMogg have themselves since sought to distance themselves from the affair. But in politics, as in many walks of life, mud sticks.

THREE LINE WHIP In British politics, Government whips report to the prime minister on any possible backbench revolts and the general opinion of MPs within the party, and upon support of those MPs, this is then used to motivate and reward loyalty. In the sense of ‘voting instructions’, there are three categories of whip in British politics that are issued on particular business. These whips are issued to MPs in the form of a letter, with a sentence such as “Your attendance is absolutely essential” next to each debate in which there will be a vote, underlined one, two or three times according to the severity of the whip: n A single-line whip is a guide to what the party’s policy would indicate, and notification of when the vote is expected to take place; this is non-binding for attendance or voting. n A two-line whip, sometimes known as a double-line whip, is an instruction to attend and vote; partially binding for voting according to the party’s position, attendance required unless prior permission given by the whip. n A three-line whip is a strict instruction to attend and vote according to the party’s position, breach of which would normally have serious consequences. Breach of a three-line whip can lead to expulsion from the parliamentary political group in extreme circumstances, and even to expulsion from the party.

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BIG STORY

‘SECOND JOBS’ One of the many considerations coming out of the Paterson affair was whether MPs should have ‘second jobs’. This, in itself, raises many questions, while frankly not answering all that many. For a start, how does one define a ‘second job’? In 1995, the Standards Committee said that not having them would “not serve the best interests of democracy”. It argued that Parliament needed “a wide range of current experience which can contribute to its expertise”. So is banning a second job a good idea? There does appear to be an element of throwing the baby out with the bath water. Paterson broke specific Parliamentary rules on lobbying, which was deemed a conflict of interest. It’s not the fact he had a second – and third – job that’s the issue; it’s how he went about undertaking those jobs that did for him. The BBC lists over 30 MPs across all parties with paid second jobs unrelated to their qualifications. The highest number of MPs with ‘second jobs’ work in law. This includes current Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer, who earned

£100,000 for legal work, and writing and making speeches in-between becoming an MP in 2015, and becoming party leader in 2020. GPs and health professionals come in second for MPs’ qualifications. Second jobs have always been allowed, as long as MPs declare them, and they have no conflict of interest with their role as an MP. But the rules have always been open to interpretation.

❛❛ The BBC lists over 30 MPs across all parties with paid second jobs unrelated to their qualifications ❜❜

MPS’ REMUNERATION A MP’s basic annual salary is £81,932. Many MPs (the Prime Minister, ministers, the Speaker, senior opposition leaders, opposition chief whip, etc.) receive a supplementary salary for their specific responsibilities. In addition to this, MPs are entitled to claim up to £179,330 (£190,750 in London) for staffing costs, with another £27,470 (£30,400 in London) available for office expenses, plus a range of other travel, Parliamentary business and home expenses.* * Source: IPSA Handbook 2020/21

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SO WHAT DOES THE ELECTORATE WANT OF ITS PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATIVES? To ban second jobs outright is to miss the point. Of course, the main purpose of being an MP is to represent your constituents in Parliament. This is a full-time job, which makes having a second job gives the impression that any given member isn’t undertaking their Parliamentary role as fully as they could. Pause for an unpopular opinion – the majority of MPs undertake their roles with dedication, professionalism and diligence. The media would have us believe – and they’ve done a good hatchet job on this – that all MPs have their snouts in the trough and are only in it for themselves. This is an unfair critique to offer across the board. Of course there are bad apples in the Commons, and just one is one too many. But if this were really the case, the outrage would be that much greater. For those MPs not under the daily microscope to the same extent, they instead are dismissed as ‘grey’, ‘faceless’, ‘unknown’, ‘boring’, ‘irrelevant’, or, at its most charitable ‘a backbencher’. If that’s what it takes to be an effective MP, representing their constituents in Parliament, then so be it. MPs are often professionals themselves, and for the most part don’t live in a bubble. To offer expertise in their own

BIG STORY

MPS EXPENSES SCANDAL When the Daily Telegraph first published the list of items MPs can claim for as part of their work in 2009, there was national outcry and incredulity. One of the many aspects that the public found so incredible was the diversity of items for which members could claim, and flatly at odds with anything Joe Public could claim for. MPs are entitled to claim on accommodation in or near London if their constituency is far enough away as to not be able to make it home, especially after a late-night Commons debate. But the biggest bone of contention was the MPs near to London who could claim on their homes in London, and constituency homes near London. The aftermath led to a raft of resignations from all sides. There were six Labour Cabinet resignations. 10 Labour and nine Conservative MPs took the decision not to stand at the next General Election.

❛❛ Boris Johnson and Leader of

the Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg really hadn’t read the room ❜❜ time should come with its own rewards. However, if they can demonstrate that they are fulfilling their role as an MP on the full-time basis they are employed to be, then extra-curricular, paid-for work, assuming no conflict of interest, nor rule-breaking ought to be acceptable. On November 17th, MPs voted through Boris Johnson’s largely needless amendment to an opposition-led debate which stated that MPs who do not prioritise their Parliamentary or constituency work will be ‘appropriately punished’. No mention was made of what that punishment would be, and the Standards Committee is due to report back in February 2022 with its own recommendations anyway.

Despite this, MPs’ anger was fuelled by the subsequent Parliamentary inquiry demanded that all over-claims and wrong claims (which had hitherto been signed off) going back five years be re-paid. For their part, main party leaders Gordon Brown and David Cameron accepted the findings, paid back what they had over-claimed, and insisted all members of their respective Parliamentary parties do the same. The Government created the ‘arms-length’ Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) in May 2009, a body which re-wrote and clarified all MPs’ expenses and claims, albeit with a subsequent criticism that the expenses forms were too onerous. There were, in addition, judicial investigations as a result of the Telegraph’s reports. Six Labour MPs and two Conservative peers were successfully prosecuted in 2010 and 2011 and all received prison sentences by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Kier Starmer.

In other words, the current rules are probably robust enough in themselves, though are likely to be tweaked. The Paterson affair merely sought to highlight that there are senior elements within government who don’t like the rules John Major brought in. And that, in itself, is something to be concerned about.

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LEGAL

Avoiding a Paterson-style car crash in the workplace Rebecca Thornley-Gibson, Employment Partner at DMH Stallard, explores the lessons to be learned for employers in the wake of the Owen Paterson controversy Recent controversy over the government’s plans to review MPs’ conduct highlights the importance of a fair and independent system and the dangers of changing process before individual cases are concluded. MPs are not employees and do not have the same employment protections requiring concerns about their conduct to be dealt with fairly. Instead, MPs have substantial investigative safeguards in respect of allegations in the form of independent conduct review by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and the Commons Standards Committee. Together these watchdogs undertake investigations and recommend what, if any, action should be taken when MPs breach their Code of Conduct. The Owen Paterson conduct report follows a detailed inquiry by the Parliamentary Commission alleging Mr Paterson had lobbied for two companies for which he was a paid consultant and had breached lobbying rules set out in the MPs’ Code of Conduct.

All seems relatively straightforward in respect of an independent and thorough investigation being conducted. What happened next has been well publicised, and the way in which the government were seen to move the proverbial goal posts in how Mr Paterson should be dealt with creates an interesting parallel with lessons that can be learned by employers in dealing with fair investigations. If an employer decided midway through a misconduct investigation to carry out a wholesale review of its disciplinary policy with the consequence of halting the progress of the case for an indeterminate period, many would question the fairness and rationale of the timing. Yet this is what the government’s intended action would have created where the Commons Standards Committee had already determined there had been multiple breaches of lobbying rules.

If an employer has concerns about their disciplinary system it is right to carry out a review and make relevant changes❜❜

❛❛

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LEGAL Although the government has now U-turned in its original approach, the controversy raises questions about natural justice and fairness when carrying out investigations in a workplace environment. The right to a fair hearing is a fundamental human right extending to employees being able to put forward representations during a fair, thorough, transparent and objective investigation, as well as any subsequent disciplinary process that is likely to lead to a disciplinary sanction. Paterson had the ability to make representations, but what appears to be lacking from the MP conduct system is the right to appeal the Committee findings prior to any sanction recommendations being made. In the employment arena the right to appeal a disciplinary outcome forms part of a fair and reasonable disciplinary approach, and without it, employers are likely to be unsuccessful in defending allegations of unfair process in unfair dismissal cases, even if the substantive conduct elements themselves are proven. Another fundamental lynchpin of a fair investigation and disciplinary policy is clarity. An employee is entitled to be made aware of how matters will be investigated and what outcomes and

Another fundamental lynchpin of a fair investigation and disciplinary policy is clarity ❜❜

❛❛

sanctions are possible. Informing an employee midway through their disciplinary that the process was being paused whilst a generic review of the process was being conducted would result in deafening cries of unfairness. Any review that causes delay to a disciplinary outcome and the communication of that outcome will not accord with fairness principles. The key principles of a fair process are set out in the Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary procedures. One of those principles is that meetings, decisions or confirmation of decisions

should not be unreasonably delayed. Where an employer is found not to have followed the Acas Code of Practice, this will be taken into account by a tribunal in determining not only the fairness of the process, but also whether any additional compensation should be awarded. If an employer has concerns about their disciplinary system it is right to carry out a review and make relevant changes. However that should not be done part way through an individual case, with the effect that an employee starts off with one process and finishes with a new process in place, as would have happened to Owen Paterson had he not resigned. Owen Paterson’s resignation may have been the culmination of many months of anxiety and uncertainty over the allegations made against him. However, the 24-hour period of government induced chaos over the way in which they announced their review and the admission that they conflated the review, is likely to have been a last straw factor in his resignation. From an employment perspective, had an employer acted in a similar way to the government by using the Paterson case as collateral for the review, the risk of a successful constructive unfair dismissal claim would be high. The impacts of the conduct review row will create political fodder for a few more weeks no doubt, but the credibility of those deciding to deal with the review in the way they have has been undermined. Loss of leadership credibility in a workplace environment by not following fair, transparent, independent and consistent processes will create an employee relations disaster.

Rebecca Thornley-Gibson is a Partner in DMH Stallard’s Employment team. She can be contacted on 020 7822 1582 or by email at rebecca.thornley-gibson@ dmhstallard.com dmhstallard.com

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FINANCE

HOW TO NAVIGATE

THE DIVIDEND TAX HIKE

Investors with large portfolios may want to ensure their finances are ship shape ahead of proposed changes to dividend tax. The government has announced that from April 2022, the rate of dividend tax will increase by 1.25 percentage points. On average, affected higher-rate taxpayers are expected to pay an additional £403 on their dividend income in the 2022/23 tax year, while affected basic-rate taxpayers are expected to pay an extra £150*. There are several ways to reduce the amount of dividend tax you pay on your investments. A professional adviser can help you get started but, in the meantime, here are some of the main considerations. WHAT IS THE NEW RATE OF DIVIDEND TAX? The new rate of dividend tax is due to come into effect on April 6th 2022. As is the case currently, you won’t pay tax on dividend income that falls within your personal allowance – that’s the amount of total income you can earn each year without paying tax. For the 2021/22 tax year, the standard personal allowance is £12,570. In addition, you will only pay tax on dividend income above your annual ‘dividend allowance’ – this is currently £2,000.

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For dividends above the allowance, the rate of tax depends on your marginal income tax rate:

DIVIDEND TAX RATES Income tax band

Dividend tax rate Dividend tax rate 2021/22 2022/23

Basic rate

7.5%

8.75%

Higher rate

32.5%

33.75%

Additional rate

38.1%

39.35% Source: Gov.uk

There are several ways to minimise the impact of the dividend tax hike on your investments: MAXIMISE YOUR ISA ALLOWANCE A ny dividends you re ceive on investments held in an ISA are tax-free, so the simplest way to reduce the amount of dividend tax you pay is to maximise your ISA allowance each year. The maximum amount you can invest in ISAs each tax year is currently £20,000. This is a ‘use it or lose it’ allowance, meaning you can’t carry it forward to future tax years. Investments held inside an ISA are also free from income tax and capital gains tax, making ISAs a tax-efficient way of saving and investing.

FINANCE STRUCTURE YOUR PORTFOLIO Investment income doesn’t have to be generated by dividends alone. Payouts from bond funds, for example, are classed as interest and may fall within your personal savings allowance. Meanwhile, selling investments to realise a capital gain could enable you to take advantage of your annual capital gains tax (CGT ) exemption. A professional adviser can help you structure your portfolio to make best use of all your tax allowances and exemptions. It may be the case that taking a ‘total return’ approach, where you combine dividend income with capital gains, lets you maximise all your tax allowances while enhancing overall returns and reducing volatility. Dividend income isn’t guaranteed and, sometimes, a high dividend yield could indicate the company is in distress. A total return approach constructs a portfolio from a wider range of investments, and selects those that are expected to give the best overall performance in line with your capacity for risk.

MAKE PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS Dividends received by pension funds are also tax-free, so maximising your pension annual allowance each year could be another tax-efficient way of saving for longer-term goals. Pension contributions benefit from tax relief at your marginal rate of income tax, effectively boosting your savings by 20-45%. Bear in mind that when you come to draw income from your pension, withdrawals above the pension commencement lump sum amount (usually 25%) will be taxed as income.

INVEST AS A COUPLE If you’re married or in a civil partnership, you might be able to reduce your dividend tax bill by considering your investments as a couple. For example, if one partner’s income is in a higher tax band, it might make sense to hold income producing investments in the other partner’s name. Investing as a couple will also ensure you’re making use of each partner’s ISA allowance and dividend allowance.

There are other specialised investments that may enable you to reduce dividend tax, but while investing tax efficiently is important, tax shouldn’t dictate your investment decisions. The best course of action is to seek professional advice. A wealth manager can help you build a diversified portfolio of investments that suits your individual needs and goals, while ensuring you’re not paying more tax than necessary. * https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/build-back-better-ourplan-for-health-and-social-care/ build-back-better-our-plan-for-healthand-social-care#our-new-funding-plan

The value of investments, and any income from them, can fall and you may get back less than you invested. Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future. Information is provided only as an example and is not a recommendation to pursue a particular strategy. Information contained in this document is believed to be reliable and accurate, but without further investigation cannot be warranted as to accuracy or completeness. Please note that this document was prepared as a general guide only and does not constitute tax or legal advice. While we believe it to be correct at the time of writing, Brewin Dolphin is not a tax adviser and tax law is subject to frequent change.

Paul Cannons E: paul.cannons@brewin.co.uk www.brewin.co.uk

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FINANCE

By Dan Morgan, Managing Partner, Haines Watts Esher

CHALLENGES WHEN SCALING A BUSINESS with a plan which has the potential to be scaled up or down depending on the actual outcomes in order to protect your working capital.

To become an established and successful enterprise, there comes a point where you have to scale up, and that brings its own unique set of hurdles and challenges. Below I detail the three main hurdles I see businesses come up against when they look to scale their business.

It will be important to keep a close eye on your payment terms. For example, if you allow credit terms of 30 days or more with customers but are on shorter terms with your suppliers, you could place undue pressure on cashflow.

NOT INVESTING IN THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS When a business hits this period of fast growth a common mistake can be to hire people quickly in order to plug the gaps without thinking about how they will fit into your bigger plan. A huge part of scaling your business will mean that you’ll need to step away from the day-to-day decision-making to shift your focus to longer term goals. In order to do this you need to know that your teams are equipped to keep the business ticking along without your continuous input. You’ll need to have a plan in place about how your talent is utilised now but also what this will look like in the longer term. The same goes for your other business relationships, such as suppliers. While they may be able to fulfil your requirements now, what will this relationship look like in two years? You need to make sure you are surrounding yourself with people that can grow with you.

NOT HAVING A CLEAR VIEW OF YOUR FINANCIALS Having high-quality accounting and financial systems in place is critical. You need to record your finances accurately and have data available, so you can forecast for each stage of your scale up plan.

SCALING TOO QUICKLY Fast growth is common with a period of scaling but you need to have a measure on the sustainability of this growth. Suddenly finding yourself unable to meet demand is a common way for a previously stable business to find itself in trouble. Resource planning will be key and working some flexibility into the plan will be useful. This means coming up

Suddenly finding yourself unable to meet ❛❛ demand is a common way for a previously stable business to find itself in trouble ❜❜

Robust and relevant data allows you to measure the current performance of the business as well as the opportunity to forecast for any future risks. Businesses that scale-up without first ensuring their financial information is up to scratch often end up with unexpected gaps in their cashflow which can cause real issues. Setting up the right foundations often makes all the difference between you successfully scaling up your business or ending up in trouble. If you are looking to scale up your business, get in touch.

www.hwca.com/accountants-esher T: 020 8549 5137 E: esher@hwca.com

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INTERVIEW

Supercharging your business: Claire Mason, BIPC Sussex Ambassador reveals the benefits of the new service

Meet the new Business & IP Centre Sussex Ambassador BIPC Sussex is delighted to announce that Claire Mason, Founder and CEO of Brighton-based global thought leadership consultancy, Man Bites Dog, has been appointed as Ambassador for the Centre. As BIPC Ambassador, Claire will help inspire and guide users of the Centre by sharing her own advice and business experiences and will also be advising on how the Centre can develop and expand by raising the profile of its work across Sussex. We took the opportunity to ask Claire about her ambassador role, her thoughts on the BIPC and her own entrepreneurial journey. H ow do you feel about your Ambassador role? I am excited and honoured to help raise the profile of the new Business & IP Centre Sussex and its terrific team. This is an incredible resource for entrepreneurs, start-ups and SMEs in our region which offers information ser vices, business suppor t and opportunities to learn from other entrepreneurs. The BIPC was first established by the British Library in 2006 and has since been expanded across a network of public libraries. I’m delighted that entrepreneurs in Sussex will now have access to this invaluable resource to supercharge their success.

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INTERVIEW

Why is it important for you to support the BIPC? I am passionate about the role of entrepreneurs in creating a more prosperous society. SMEs are the growth engine of our economy – making up 99% of our business base. In Sussex we benefit from so many purpose-led, innovative SMEs that create meaningful work for our local community and develop characterful products and services. I am keen to support the BIPC in its mission to give start-ups the strongest start and help our many SMEs to innovate and grow. A whole new generation of small businesses was created during the pande mic , wi th n ew c o mpany registrations up 40% between 2020 and 2021, and Brighton & Hove boasting the highest number of newly-registered companies in the region. The BIPC can help them set themselves up for success. Indeed the track record of the BIPC network is that start-ups who get BIPC support are twice as likely to succeed beyond three years. In this region we’re great at starting businesses but not enough of those businesses scale. The BIPC also provides vital support in helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses to build stronger and more resilient c o m p a n i e s t h a t c r e a te m o r e employment opportunities. What are the key benefits of the BIPC for local start-ups, SMEs, economy? The BIPC is a hub where entrepreneurs can come together to learn, network and access free and low - cost information and support in protecting and commercialising a business idea. The service includes free access to high-quality UK and global market intelligence, customer insights and c o m pany data c o m bin e d wi th intellectual proper ty advice and guidance, free and low cost one-to-one support, mentoring and training plus topical and inspirational networking e v e n t s , fe a t u r i n g r o l e m o d e l entrepreneurs.

The BIPC is a hub where entrepreneurs can ❛❛ come together to learn, network and access free

and low-cost information and support in protecting and commercialising a business idea ❜❜ Do you think libraries are a great place to have a business centre? The regional centre of BIPC Sussex is based in Jubilee Library in Brighton, right in the heart of our community. It’s a fantastic space to meet, work and network, but what’s really special about the BIPC is its accessibility in the broadest sense of the word. It also has a local centre at Crawley Library and more local centres in select Sussex libraries to come in the near future. Impact assessments show that by delivering business support through our libraries, The British Library’s network of Business & IP Centres is reaching people who are underrepresented in business. On average, over half of those who use a BIPC to set up a business are women, a third are from under-represented ethnic backgrounds and nearly two-fifths had a disability. Democratising entrepreneurship is vital for our community and our economy. As a woman entrepreneur I really care about closing these entrepreneurship gaps. There is enormous untapped potential in diverse communities with just 5.1% of UK SMEs led by ethnic minority entrepreneurs. Men and women with a disability have higher levels of self-employment, and while this is in part necessity entrepreneurship due to the disability employment

gap, this also presents a great opportunity to help these entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Currently just one in three UK entrepreneurs is female: a gender gap equivalent to 1.1 million missing businesses. If women started businesses at the same rate as men, we could add £250bn of additional value to the UK economy every year. Having business centres in libraries means that the BIPC network is highly scalable and offers excellent value for money, capitalising on the existing public librar y infrastructure and knowledge resource, with the potential to bring business and innovation support to every high street to support a strong economic recovery. Why do you think businesses need reliable business information when scaling up? Pulling the big growth levers for your business is high risk – whether it’s investing in new technology or entering new markets. Information helps you mitigate those risks and avoid costly mistakes by doing your research before you take the plunge. The BIPC offers vital information with people to guide you and offer support.

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INTERVIEW

How did you start your business? I think there’s a perception that you need to raise capital to start a business, but in many cases you can just sit at your kitchen table and start, which is what I did. I saw an opportunity in the growing knowledge economy for a marketing communications consultancy that specialised in building intelligent brands for companies in financial and professional services and technology. Today Man Bites Dog works with exciting global business brands to help them lead change on issues from sustainability and global trade to digital transformation and the future of work and we have just collected our 80th global award. What would you do differently now? What have you learnt? One thing we got really right was being born global. Too many businesses start local and then move in stages through regional, national and international, reinventing their business each time. We have always done global work for very large global clients. I think it’s important to start confi dently as you mean to go on. Something I might do differently is consider how we could be more scalable by building more digital technology into our business model. What’s been your proudest moment in business? It used to be when the company I started with a £200 overdraft on my kitchen table won the New Consultancy of the Year award or when the United Nations endorsed our work on the Sustainable Development Goals. Now it’s the day the Man Bites Dog team were reunited in our office after pandemic lockdowns. Through this really difficult period for everyone, our team have shown each other such kindness and support and achieved incredible things.

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How important is Intellectual Property in your business? And for scale-up businesses? Without IP, do you have a business? It’s so important to protect your intellectual property – whether it’s your company name or your products, services and processes. In a knowledge economy, your IP is your value. We have so many innovative businesses in our region, it’s critical they protect their IP and it’s remarkably simple when you have someone on hand to show you how.

What are the key considerations for scaling up? There are a number of major levers for growth – focus your energy on the right growth levers for your business. You can see some example accelerators in Man Bites Dog’s Planning for Growth study for Grant Thornton. These range from investment in new technology to broadening export markets. Culture is everything for a small business and talent will become even more important as the labour market tightens next year, so engaging your team with your purpose and values will be key to your growth journey. What’s your best piece of business advice for scale-ups? You have to have the right operational team, processes and structures to create a firm foundation to support sustainable growth.

Find out more about Claire Mason and Man Bites Dog at www.manbitesdog.com Find out more about the BIPC at www. brighton-hove.gov.uk/bipc or email bipc@brighton-hove.gov.uk

THE AWARDS

Announcing the Dynamic Awards 2022 THE awards for women in business

COMING SOON

LEGAL

THE LATE PAYMENT OF COMMERCIAL DEBTS The late payment of invoices can be costly to a business, and it is important to take steps to recover monies owing. By Paul Rooke, Associate Solicitor, Litigation, Mayo Wynne Baxter

If, after chasing for payment, the debtor has failed to pay invoice(s) owing then a business should take action to seek recovery of the monies owed. It is important to be proactive in chasing any invoices that are due or about to become due. If, however, payment is not forthcoming after chasing there is

If payment is not ❛❛ forthcoming there is

legislation in place to allow a business to be compensated for the late payment ❜❜

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legislation in place to allow a business to be compensated for the late payment. The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1988 (the Act) inserts a term into business-to-business contracts for the supply of goods and services that, in most cases, allows a business to seek interest, a fixed sum and its reasonable costs.

LEGAL

INTEREST The Act provides that, subject to when the contract was entered into, interest at 8% over the Bank of England Base Rate can be added to the invoice after 30 days. It is possible to claim interest on invoices going back over the last six years that have already been paid, provided that the invoices were paid late. COMPENSATION The compensation payable is fixed according to the size of the debt and can be claimed on each overdue invoice Invoice up to £999.99 £40 per invoice £1,000 - £9,999.99 £70 per invoice Over £10,000.00 £100 per invoice It is possible to claim compensation on any invoice paid late even if the invoice was subsequently paid.

❛❛ The Act provides that, subject to when

the contract was entered into, interest at 8% over the Bank of England Base Rate can be added to the invoice after 30 days ❜❜

REASONABLE COSTS If a business incurs costs over and above the amount provided for by the compensation amount, the Act provides that the business can claim the reasonable costs of recovering the debt. For example, a business can seek to recover the costs of instructing a solicitor or debt collection agency. SEEKING RECOVERY If, having chased the debtor, no payment is forthcoming but before issuing court proceedings a letter of claim setting out the basis of your claim should be sent to the debtor. Such a letter should be complaint with the Pre-action Conduct and Protocols.

If no reply is received within 14 days, court proceedings can be issued seeking recovery of the unpaid invoice(s) together with the interest, compensation and reasonable costs owed pursuant to the Act. It is important to note that if any overdue invoices are over six years old then it is highly unlikely that you will be able to recover the monies owed. Accordingly, a business should not wait to seek recovery of any unpaid invoices.

For more information visit: www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk

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INFLUENCERS FORUM Getting the supply chain right is a make or break for companies, especially in the modern world where consumers expect to receive goods quicker than ever before. An efficient, optimised supply chain is incredibly important to the fulfilment of customer orders for any company, but when managed correctly, it can also result in much lower costs and a faster production cycle. Supply chain management, or SCM, is the umbrella term that covers product development, sourcing, production, procurement, logistics, and more when it comes to operations in the supply chain. Without it, companies run the risk of reducing their customer base and losing a competitive edge in their respective industries. Efficient supply chains work with an effective returns process. It has been found that customers are 71% more likely to become repeat customers if they’re happy with the way their return process was handled. To help us understand the issues involved in this cycle, I’m delighted that we have a team of experts in the field of supply chains. We have Julian Shaw, supply chain consultant; Dave Ford, Deputy Regional Director, with HSBC UK; Beverley Flynn, Head of Commercial and Technology team at leading law firm Steven and Bolton; Andrew Tate, Head of the Restructuring and Transformation team at Kreston Reeves; Rupert Moyle Head of the VAT and Duty team at Kreston Reeves; and Julie Kapsalis, Chair of Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership and CEO of the Chichester College Group. Welcome all to the influencers forum.

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INFLUENCERS FORUM

BEVERLEY FLYNN

DAVE FORD

ANDREW TATE

Head of Commercial and Technology Stevens & Bolton

Deputy Regional Director HSBC UK

Head of the Restructuring and Transformation, Kreston Reeves

Beverley leads the commercial and technology team at Stevens & Bolton. She acts for clients in the logistics IT, retail, manufacturing, life sciences and energy sectors drafting and negotiating commercial contracts and advising on logistics, warehousing procurement, fulfilment, IT and ecommerce related matters

Dave Ford leads a team of Trade Directors who specialise in working capital solutions for customers importing and exporting around the globe. His has worked for the group for 34 years, leading businesses in the Retail, Commercial and International segments of HSBC.

Andrew has over 25 years’ experience in restructuring and transformation and has particular sector expertise in technology, financial services, retail and property. He has an interest in pension scheme issues and is a member of the Employer Covenant Working Group. Andrew is a board member of Insol International, a global insolvency body.

dave1ford@hsbc.com www.hsbc.com

beverley.flynn@stevens-bolton.com www.stevens-bolton.com

JULIAN SHAW

andrew.tate@krestonreeves.com www.krestonreeves.com

RUPERT MOYLE

JULIE KAPSALIS

Supply chain consultant

Head of the VAT and Duty, Kreston Reeves

Julian is a highly experienced and financially astute Senior Director/VP Supply Chain with experience in all leading verticals, with a focus on Technology, Supply Chain, Logistics, Customs Clearance, IT, WMS and ERP. Julian is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Logistics and Transport and has over 25 years experience in Supply Chain, Logistics and Customs Brokerage .

Rupert has specialised in VAT for over 30 years and has a broad range of experience, having advised small to medium sized owner-managed businesses, multi-national large corporates, entities involved in international services/goods and those in the property sector. He has considerable experience advising charities and other notfor-profit organisations. Rupert is Chair of Global and Indirect Tax at Kreston Global.

Julie is Chair of Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership and Managing Director at Chichester College Group – supporting over 20,000 learners across five campuses. Julie has worked in economic development for over 20 years with a particular focus on enterprise, skills and social inclusion.

rupert.moyle@krestonreeves.com www.krestonreeves.com

julie.kapsalis@chichester.ac.uk www.chigroup.ac.uk

T: +447591330315 (UK) www.linkedin.com/in/jrsshaw

LESLEY ALCOCK Commercial Director, Platinum Media Group

www.platinummediagroup.co.uk 07767 613707 lesley@platinummediagroup.co.uk

Chair of Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership and CEO of the Chichester College Group

MAARTEN HOFFMANN The Platinum Publisher

Maarten Hoffmann is the facilitator for the Platinum Influencer Forums

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INFLUENCERS FORUM

Andrew, how does the supply chain get disrupted? AT: I think that at the moment we’re seeing some unique factors which are disrupting our supply chain. Supply chains can get disrupted in any event by, for example, the failure of a key supplier, or the inability of a key supplier to be able to supply as they need to. At the moment what we’re seeing is a unique set of circumstances because of the disruption caused by Covid. This has also been exacerbated by Brexit. The two combined has led to an inability to function properly as a supply chain for our needs.

How much is the Covid problem hiding the impact of Brexit? AT: It’s a good question. I think that Covid has certainly had a massive impact on the supply chain and that Brexit has really been the icing on the cake. We would have had some disruption already to our supply chain with Brexit, if Covid didn’t occur, but I would say it’s probably weighted 60/40 Covid to Brexit from what we have seen. JS: I definitely agree. I don’t think supply chains were disrupted by Brexit as much as Covid. Most of our goods are largely imported from Asia, so the business that came through Asia wasn’t affected: Brexit made no difference whatsoever. The European business that’s been coming in has been absolutely decimated by Covid and Brexit in the first part of this year, however. It’s starting to get better now though, with goods moving through the Channel Tunnel and Dover albeit at a slow pace. Instead of day one delivery, for items going to Paris or Brussels, they’re now delivering the following day. They are one day later than they were before because of all the red tape and paperwork they have to do as a result of Brexit. The place Covid really affected people was in manufacturing; supply chains were decimated when production lines had to space people out, responding to social distancing rules. There’s an enormous backlog which everybody is trying to catch up on, but the supply chain is still lagging behind, with containers being in the wrong places and sea freight rates being 4-5 times what they were. It’s a nightmare for importers from Asia at the moment. A lot of people are now looking to bring their supply chains nearer to source. A lot of companies are opening up their distribution operation in the UK, for UK only, and don’t bother to export anymore. They are then opening up a separate Distribution Centre somewhere in Central Europe to service the European market. Very few people are doing the one-stop European door-to-door delivery service that they used to do.

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Dave, within HSBC, are you seeing huge disruption in the supply chain for your clients? DF: Absolutely, it’s unprecedented. Particularly, as Julian was saying, around European or Asian origin of goods. We’re seeing shipping times extending, with queues to get into major UK ports. Some goods are being diverted into European ports and then road transported across, creating a larger congestion than there would have already been. A lot of our imported goods are manufactured in China, there has been huge disruptions because of their own power shortages, four-day working weeks and ports temporarily closing down: there’s no end to disruption for importers at the moment. We are at the point that the costs of shipping sea containers has become hugely impactful. The question for the importer is what do they do with those costs? There is a limited ability to pass that on to the end user. There is a limited ability to be able to negotiate terms again with suppliers, and we’ve seen that a lot of customers are trying to negotiate now managing increased costs.

How does this work with with a finance cycle? AT: I think it is a question of working with the supplier, because ultimately you can take a very harsh view and delay payments to the supplier because they haven’t performed on time, but that isn’t useful because they have also been disrupted by Covid. I think that the relationship between supplier and recipient in the UK has never been more important. Communication is the vital key.

INFLUENCERS FORUM

Is that loss of money for the recipient causing a lot of problems all along the supply chain? AT: Yes. Certainly, when thinking about how you can pass on those costs, it’s causing huge issues for some industries who aren’t able to pass those costs on. It’s a little bit like the energy companies, if your cost of supply goes up, but you can’t pass it on, your margins and cash flow are destroyed.

We see energy companies failing almost every day, is this going to happen to companies within the supply chain? AT: I think it is happening in certain areas. Of course, we do hear that a lot of businesses took advantage of the lending that was available, CBILS for example, so actually they have a bit of a buffer from that point of view.

Beverley, are you finding this is coming up as an issue with your clients? Is there a legal side to this you’re being called in on? BF: Absolutely. The key really is the relationship between the supplier and the customer, but the contract can also help. It depends on how the contract is drafted, whether you are complying with cost of goods, you’ve got fixed price, whether you’re using Incoterms, what your force majeure clause says; the devils is in the detail, I’m afraid. We are dealing with relationships where once in the past there may have been a sharing of the cost, but now some of the mightier buyers are starting to leverage their strength. To clarify, Incoterms are an industry set of terms and conditions. They have various different requirements depending which Incoterm you incorporate into your contract. This will dictate who bears the risk, who’s responsible for import and export duties, who’s responsible for unloading where delivery takes place, etc. So, they’re massively useful.

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INFLUENCERS FORUM

Is there going to be a tsunami of lawsuits? BF: I wouldn’t like to predict such in any respects. I feel that businesses are resilient and customer-supplier relationships are strong. There’s an open door, but ultimately it is the contract that dictates the negotiation position. DF: I think there’s another point, some of these relationships with suppliers span 30 years and that plays a big part around the negotiation. We are seeing businesses that have relatively young relationships with suppliers finding negotiation a little bit more difficult with suppliers now, calling for different terms. However, I do see an absolute ambition between global exporters and European and UK importers to continue to work together to find a solution to this. There are examples where manufacturers are asking for money earlier in the trade cycle, often as a deposit more than before. That means we are having new conversations with clients around how do you protect yourselves against that. How do you make that viable for your business, without the need to part with upwards of a £10,000 deposit and wait for an extended supply chain for those goods to ship, sometimes three to six months later?

With the supply chain being so vital, there’s not a lot of time to do these negotiations is there? Supply must keep on rolling. DF: It does. We are, as borders open up more, expecting and being told by clients that they will return to China to continue negotiations. Traditionally, production teams would get together three or four times a year to look at the next shipments but as they haven’t been able to do that, they’ve had to rely on some of the more modern technologies to do it.

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INFLUENCERS FORUM

Rupert, what are the VAT and duty implications of all of this? RM: You mentioned Incoterms earlier, the issue is that there are lots of different Incoterms, or even hybrid Incoterms. The point is that supplier and customer don’t actually talk and understand all the components of it and agree who’s going to do what. You have got contracts which were agreed before Brexit, which span past Brexit. These might, for example, have delivered duty paid Incoterms which, for a UK exporter, would mean that they have the responsibility to be the importer to the EU, that now gives them some compliance issues. I think the other issue that I’m seeing is the additional cost because of importing goods into the UK from China and then moving them out to the EU,

Is HMRC being a help or hindrance in this issue? RM: I think HMRC have tried to be a help, they’ve issued a lot of notifications trying to train people what to do, but they have been predominately focused on importers into the UK, and not what happens if you’re trying to do business in the EU.

Julie, are you seeing supply chain issues in any of your roles? JK: Yes, I’ve been at the receiving end of what many have said here. I reached out to colleagues in our growth hub that supports businesses and business membership groups within the area to understand their thoughts. What they came back with really echoes what others have said. I had feedback about the eye-watering increase of container costs; one business we work with was asked to pay £26,000 for a 40-foot container from China compared to £2,000 pre-pandemic. That’s wiped out any ability for profit, they are not large enough to have some negotiating weight and they are not in a position to suddenly pivot and do something different. One area we have seen recently is companies looking at setting up warehousing and logistics centres in the UK; businesses are looking ever internally compared to internationally. However, we can develop great warehouses, but if we haven’t got people to drive the heavy goods vehicles around we’re not going to be able to take advantage of those opportunities; we have to look at skills.

I had feedback about the eye-watering increase of container costs; one business we work with was asked to pay £26,000 for a 40-foot container from China compared to £2,000 pre-pandemic ❜❜

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Is that a viable move for the future, to greatly reduce the supply chain and revive our manufacturing capabilities? JS: Currently it’s fantasy because we don’t produce economically and viably many of the things that people want to buy. BF: Not even the fresh produce. I’m involved with a fresh produce business which aims to provide to the large supermarkets, and as a result of Brexit there were some supply chain issues when they were importing from the warmer EU countries.

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INFLUENCERS FORUM

Are these issues not building up in front of us, or is this getting sorted out as we go? AT: I think it is getting sorted. It might get a little bit worse before it gets better because we’ve got all of the stock coming into various countries for Christmas which is going to displace the freight. After that goes through it will be ok. DF: I agree. There’s some anticipation that freight rates may come down a bit towards the middle of 2022. Some suggest that they will never get back to where they were; perhaps that’s right. There’s no one defining moment that put us in this position. We were layered with events – global logistical and political – that lead us right here to this point, and it’s going to take some time to unwind. I do think as a nation of traders, we are resilient, we find our way through. What we’re having to do as an industry is move with changing demand, the consumer today wants to do different things in a different timeframe at a different cost. We have to respond to that and I think we are doing that in a confident way. We talked about the infrastructure going on around the country, then the motor industry and logistical centres. I think we’re doing an incredible job. BF: I also would add that the amount of air freight that came in increased considerably. We’re focusing today on the ports, and years ago you wouldn’t have thought twice about which port you would ship to, but now you might think about which port and whether or not you’re going to grant exclusivity. We saw a massive increase in air freight during the height of the pandemic and when individuals couldn’t fly in planes, they literally took out the seats and used them for air freight. Our resilience and our ability should not be underestimated.

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DF: Absolutely. That solution has worked for us during the pandemic but we need to continue to evaluate its longevity in terms of sustainability and cost as we progress BF: That’s really pertinent because you’ll now get ESG clauses and you’ll get financing linked to ESG and sustainability, it will actually trigger payments or rate changes. That is another way in which we’re seeking to achieve good outcomes but through finance incentives. JC: One of our biggest issues is that we’ve got a quite large construction programme underway at Crawley College and materials are currently a real problem for us. You always put in a good contingency, but we are finding that our contingency plans are struggling with the delays that we are currently facing.

We saw a massive increase in air freight during the height of the pandemic and when individuals couldn’t fly in planes, they literally took out the seats and used them for air freight ❜❜

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Your contingency has been blown and exceeded. Is that cost being borne by the college group? JK: We have to cut our costs accordingly, we might have planned to build X but it has to be something slightly different, that’s been challenging. We have got a bid in to build the Institute of Technology in Crawley, which would be a multimillion pound centre for higher skills. What we could buy for £12 million two years ago might not be the same as what we can buy now, and that’s a real struggle for us. Any organisation or business that is looking at some construction will face real difficulties due to the problems that are currently being experienced with the supply chain. JS: Every part of the supply chain is getting more expensive, even wages. There’s a story in the paper a couple of weeks ago about Waitrose paying their drivers more than a junior solicitor, for example. AT: There has been issues surrounding many parts of our supply chain long before Covid came along. I think the pandemic just brought out those problems. It’s not just Covid or Brexit. I think it’s important to recognise that because those same issues are still going to be there when we come out the other side of the pandemic. Prices aren’t necessarily going to come back to where they were pre-Covid, they might probably stop halfway. DF: On this topic, I think that we need to move to a much more long-term vision of what we want to do with our supply chain, not just in terms of one or two years, but in terms of the next decade.

INFLUENCERS FORUM

Do you think that the shift will also need to be in a mentality around what we can expect from our supply chain? DF: Yes. As a society, we need to think in longer terms. The current challenges in the motor industry is a good example where previously, a consumer would order a car in August and have it delivered by October. Is that realistic now? Or do we need to plan that if you place your order in March, the delivery date will be in January. Part of this, I think, is managing expectations around what our global supply chain can tolerate. I think a really interesting point to consider is whether our demand for just in time services remains achievable. Just as an example, I’m in the process of ordering my new car. It will be an electric vehicle based on HSBC’s commitment to our sustainability goals and when we aspire to be carbon neutral by, but I will need to get used to spending more time refuelling than I do with my current car. It’s all about a mentality change and simply getting used to a new way of doing things. There are many EV drivers who have already gotten used to this, so it’s clear that the consumer can change their expectations. JK: I think that’s similar to how we have had to buy locally during the last 18 months. There were some really inspiring stories where you couldn’t get your hands on an item and there’ll be a Facebook group that emerged with someone selling it. There has been a lot of businesses that have now set up on the back of spotting an opportunity. That’s one of the things that I hope isn’t lost going forward as they’ve also been creating jobs.

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INFLUENCERS FORUM

How do we think our climate goals are going to impact the supply chain? BF: It already does. Contracts are full of policies about sustainability. There are ESG clauses in contracts and financing can now depend on the sustainability of the product. Consumers now vote with their feet. I can assure you my three teenage children buy with ESG strongly in mind, and they’re actually willing to pay more money for those products. AT: I think there’s a really important point; unless there are really good ESG credentials, investment will be tight. The reason for that is because if a business doesn’t become ESG savvy in the coming years, they will be out of contracts within the next decade. We’re looking at a tender at the moment for government contracts, and you have to have a commitment to net zero by 2050. You have to have the plan in place. If you don’t have those, you’re out of the contract already. That’s not necessarily flowing down all the way yet, but it will in five years’ time. There is the consumer side of it, but there’s also the commercial business reality side of sustainability. JK: That is a big issue for SMEs though, how can we make it so they aren’t disadvantaged when they don’t have a director of ESG, or they don’t have all those policies in place so that they can tick the box on the tender? There needs to be some level of support. BF: Absolutely. Anybody who does not engage will be missing the boat. It’s a bit like 20 years ago, people went into shops, now people tend to buy online. That will be the same with sustainability and ethical sourcing, though hopefully sooner than in 20 years. DF: It’s also about making all of this accessible to the consumer in terms of price points. If you look at electric vehicles, at the moment they’re more expensive to produce, the batteries are expensive. As a consequence, the choice of a modern electric vehicle may be restricted based on cost, but perhaps less so with petrol or diesel powered cars. I think that’s a really interesting way that we as an industry will need to look at how we price point our products.

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INFLUENCERS FORUM

Is sustainability and ethically-conscious business something we are able to force through the supply chain? BF: The integrity of the supply chain and how you police that is something that we haven’t really talked about. Modern slavery is a good example of policing the integrity of the supply chain. And it’s where we’ve seen governments actually start to look down the supply chain, impose modern slavery statements, or require corporates to have a modern slavery statement. There are now some quite strong consultants in the area of checking your supply chain, I have to say it’s very thorough from what I have seen; it’s heartening, actually. JK: One of my passions is around supporting womenowned businesses, but less than 1% of global corporate or government spending is on women owned businesses. In America, there’s been some really interesting work where quotas have been set to enable more women owned businesses to get on supplier lists. It is really difficult, particularly with large contracts, government contracts, it’s really difficult to break through and get on those lists to become a new supplier. The power that can be harnessed from getting different companies in the supply chain, and the innovation and enterprise that comes through always amazes me, especially when we broaden that inclusion outside of just women and increase our overall diversity.

Is that positive discrimination viable to implement within the supply chain? JK: I think it is. JS: I think I do as well, I think now that companies are really looking at their supply chain, because it’s failed at the moment, they’re trying to figure out whether it’s going to come back the way it was before? Or should we spread our risk around? So, there are companies at the moment that are looking to invest in East Africa, for example, for manufacturing. A lot of Chinese companies are moving in there with that experience of starting up low tech manufacturing. So, people are going to get employed in the supply chain from other backgrounds in different countries.

Is it viable to try to introduce that positive discrimination when we are in a tight spot already, or is this something that we can only hope to do when things are running smoothly? JK: A lot of it is looking at what are the barriers in the first place? Why are more women-owned businesses, or businesses owned by people from Asian minority ethnic groups, not bidding for these contracts, not looking to scale by seeking larger contracts? I know that Gatwick Airport have done a huge amount of work in looking at their supply chain, and some of it from a diversity perspective. We often hear the word ‘diversity’ and think of something very specific about race or gender, but actually it doesn’t need to be that: I think you have to look at diversity in a very, very broad sense. Larger companies probably can do more than most businesses, but every business has a responsibility. This is also not a case of pure morals or ethics, there’s a lot of research that has been done on it which suggest that diversity increases innovation, it increases profitability; particularly if the product or service they’re selling is aimed at that target group. JS: When things aren’t going well everybody cuts cost, it’s the first thing they do. As a consultant, I’ve felt that several times. If you take that kind of attitude, then you’re never going to grow in the long term. It will take you years to get back to where you should be. You have to have a path and the direction. This includes everything we’re talking about concerning sustainability for the future.

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INFLUENCERS FORUM

As always the conversation has been gripping, but unfortunately we are now drawing to a close. My final question to you all is: what is the future of the supply chain? AT: The future of the supply chain is that it will become more predictable again. I don’t believe it will return to the normality of pre-Covid. I think that businesses will be able to predict with more certainty what their funding requirements are going to be and plan more accordingly. DF: I agree in the way that the supply chain will return to a normality. The cost will go to a less volatile position. I think that the key is early negotiations between suppliers, customers, funders, and the banks, to ensure that we can predict what the actual funding cost will be and what the timelines will be. This is so that we can avoid unwanted surprises when they’re too late to do anything about. JS: I feel that there will again be a level of normality, though with a lot of changes on top of that as well. I believe there will be more E-hubs in the UK, with businesses not exporting nearly as much, with separate hubs in Europe for that market. I also think that there will be an increase in automated manufacturing in the UK, whilst peopleorientated manufacturing will remain in Asia along with a noticeable shift to Africa. JK: My aspiration is that we will buy an ever-increasing amount locally, and from responsible and sustainable businesses. This must also be done in a way that creates skilled jobs for the next generation. RM: I’m not sure it will return to normality in terms of price and cost, I think that everything will be more expensive. That said, I believe businesses will adapt and open up in a range of locations to cope. BF: Businesses are starting to understand their supply chain in greater detail, and I think that this will continue onwards. This is including their contracts, they know what they are now signing and I believe this will have an impact on the way business is done going forward, particularly with the integrity and sustainability of their supply chain: they will be more holistic.

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Pam Loch is an award-winning Employment Law Solicitor and Managing Director of Loch Associates Group. Here, Pam considers the current job market, the rise of gazumping in recruitment and what employers can do

IS GAZUMPING THE NEW NORM IN RECRUITMENT?

‘Gazumping’ is a well-known term in the property market but it is now a growing trend in recruitment too. Candidates will accept one offer but continue their application for other roles hoping to be offered another one with higher pay and/or better working conditions. If they are successful with one of these applications they then will withdraw from the original offer, or even use the second offer to try to negotiate with their original employer for better pay and conditions. Both employers believe they have secured their ideal candidate but are then left disappointed when they withdraw at the last minute.

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This brings a new layer of complexity to the already costly and time-consuming process of recruitment and for businesses still recovering from the pandemic, it is a worrying trend. The concern is that employers will simply find themselves priced out of the job market and ending up with potentially poorer quality candidates as a second or third choice.

So, what steps can prospective employers put in place to protect them from being gazumped?

First of all, are you sure you want to make the offer in the first place? To avoid being the victim of gazumping, it’s important to carry out as much due diligence as you can before making the offer. It may seem obvious but asking the right questions is

Many candidates are unaware of the potential consequences of withdrawing ❜❜

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LEGAL

important. Did you ask why they are leaving their current role and was it a plausible reason? How did they respond when asked what would they do if they were offered the role and their current employer then said they would increase their current package to keep them? What can employers do when an offer is accepted but then the candidate says they have changed their mind? There is a legally binding contract in place as soon as an offer is accepted. Therefore, it is possible to sue for breach of contract, seeking to recover any financial loss arising from the decision to withdraw. In reality, many employers may only suffer minimal financial losses. Taking legal action has a cost attached which may mean that it’s simply not commercially viable to sue them. You could threaten to litigate and they may then change their mind but it’s hardly a healthy footing for a new employment relationship! If you have suffered more than minor losses and you can quantify the loss, you may want to pursue the candidate for that loss. For example, you may have paid for an expensive training course which you cannot get refunded or delay it for another candidate to take their

❛❛ Prevention is always better than the cure❜❜ place. In that scenario you could bring a claim in the Civil Courts if they refuse to pay the costs. Many candidates are unaware of the potential consequences of withdrawing. Therefore, one option you can consider is including what is in effect a health warning in the offer letter, to try to prevent a candidate who’s not committed to joining you, withdrawing later on thinking there are no consequences. Another step you could take to stop gazumping, is to make a payment to try to “handcuff” them when they accept the offer. You would have to ensure though that you had a clawback condition in the offer letter to be able to recover it later, if they changed their mind. An alternative less costly option is to ensure you stay in touch with them and invite them to social events. It will help you to build up a relationship before they join but also enables you to pick up on any vibes that they may be changing their views on joining you. With virtual meet ups it’s more chal-

lenging to pick up on this, so face-to-face coffees or arranging to meet team members for lunch or drinks after work are usually more effective ways to achieve this. Our HR Consultants know how beneficial this can be as they do this for our clients through the recruitment and retention services we offer. What happens if the boot is on the other foot though and the employer changes their mind? Unfortunately, you can’t have your cake and eat it. The candidate could sue a prospective employer for losses too if the offer is withdrawn. This can happen when a reference is received which changes your views on the candidate. To cover that off make sure the offer is a conditional one, subject to e.g. references being satisfactory to the business. By doing this you don’t have a binding contract. Prevention is always better than the cure. So, taking steps to ensure you are recruiting someone who you believe is committed to joining, carrying out the checks to be sure they won’t change their mind and maintaining close contact until they start are the best ways to avoid the painful parting process later.

Loch Associates Group is a one-stopshop for people management services. We can help you with all aspects of the recruitment process, from specialist commercial and employment law advice when things go wrong to expert HR support in finding and keeping the right staff for your business. For more information on Loch Associates Group go to their website at https://lochassociates.co.uk/ or to contact Pam Loch or the team of Solicitors and HR Consultants then email info@lochassociates.co.uk or call 01273 311855.

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TECHNOLOGY

RATIONALISING YOUR CYBER ESTATE Relying on cyber insurance? ISO 27001 certified? You need to read this to avoid accidentally breaching your contract. By Scott Nursten, CEO, ITHQ You are ISO 27001 compliant. You have documented proof. But if your insurers asked you whether the critical controls you have in place were compliant and matched your processes, what would you say? We conduct assessments for businesses all the time that reveal, despite their ISO 27001 status, they are not actually compliant ‘on the ground.’ These same businesses often have a huge cybersecurity tech stack in place, made up of multiple expensive tools doing the same or similar jobs. This is like throwing three trap nets over your business and lining up the holes. You will have three tools protecting you from the same 70% of threats, crucially all missing the same 30%. At worst, these tools can impact each other negatively, giving you less protection for three times the cost. In the event of a serious, expensive breach, non-compliance and poor cyber resilience management can then also nullify your cyber insurance policy. Here’s how you avoid that nightmare scenario.

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WHEN LAYERS OF SECURITY WORK, AND WHEN THEY DON’T

It’s all about having the right tools in the right place. The mistake many businesses make is layering tool upon tool, believing more is better. Let’s take email filtering. It’s a hot topic. I know clients using Exchange Online Protection - the Office 365 email filtering, plus something like Mimecast, plus the mail filtering on their connected device. While this represents more layers of security, the layers are all doing the same job. You’re also facing

potential admin issues and disparate security profiles to deal with. Multiple tools can offer great security if they all do something different. It makes sense to have dedicated tools for antiphishing, anti-spam and outbound email monitoring to check for insider threats. This protects both inbound and outbound data, prevents the spread of viruses both ways and helps stop your staff from inadvertently sharing / leaking critical or sensitive data: covering several critical controls rather than one.

TECHNOLOGY WHY BUSINESSES HAVE MULTIPLE NETS WITH LINED UP HOLES

New security tools often arrive in an organisation as a reaction to a breach, because a new manager joins the organisation with a preferred tool in mind, or because they are tied to an existing long-term contract that prevents them from getting rid of the existing tool. The first two points can be addressed with objective research prior to purchase. Liking a tool does not automatically mean it is the right tool for a specific job. And reactive spending – or Random Acts of Tactical Kindness, as we like to call them – rarely deliver longterm results. These are Band Aids, usually bought in panic. They are not strategic purchases, they are reactive backwards looking impulse buys, rather than a planned defence against future threats. The third reason is easily prevented: don’t sign long-term contracts! Many vendors and IT service providers want to tie you into multi-year contracts but unless there are tangible benefits to you, this is generally a bad idea. Three to four years in technology is a lifetime. Balance any discount benefits very carefully with whether you really believe your partner will offer cutting edge service in exchange for your long-term commitment to their solution.

HOW TO RATIONALISE YOUR CYBER ESTATE

Start with the big picture rather than pulling into detail. People say, ‘what’s the biggest threat today? It’s ransomware. Great. Let’s get an EDR.’ While this solves one problem, it doesn’t consider how to prepare your business for the threats of tomorrow. Take a holistic view of your security landscape. There are 18 controls to cover, and within each of those you must consider the attack lifecycle. This means understanding what you need to stop attacks from happening, ensure you can detect attacks when they’ve happened, remediate and move on.

GETTING THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB

Get an expert in and you’re a week away from answers that could reduce your tech spend, improve your security posture, ensure you are compliant and safeguard your cyber insurance policy. Our assessments for the average-sized UK SME take around a week. Larger, global businesses can take anything up to a few months to properly assess. We start with a team discussion. All controls believed to be in place are listed and we request evidence. Most of the time, the team is very transparent, admit they have no controls in place and the exercise is swiftly concluded. This allows us to move quickly onto solution planning.

❛❛ Get an expert in

and you’re a week away from answers that could reduce your tech spend, improve your security posture, ensure you are compliant and safeguard your cyber insurance policy ❜❜ COMPLIANCE IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

Insurers and the government are pushing businesses to be accountable for ensuring they are cyber secure. Insurers are no longer asking to see proof of ISO 27001; they are asking directly to see proof that the specifi c critical controls are covered. Any businesses seeking new cyber insurance will experience this question up front, with insurers refusing to insure businesses before they take risk mitigation seriously. Time to stop tech that plugs yesterday’s holes and start planning real defence against the threats of tomorrow.

For more information, feel free to get in touch with me at transform@ithq.pro www.ithq.pro

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Contact us to arrange a complimentary consultation Visit www.pmw.co.uk or call 01372 471550. Copyright © 2021 Partridge Muir & Warren Ltd, All rights reserved. The value of your investments can fall as well as rise and you might not get back the full amount invested. Partridge Muir &Warren Ltd. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England. Company number 952508. Registered office: Aissela, 46 High Street, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9QY. Tel: 01372 471550 Telephone calls may be recorded.

That Are Just Right

EVENTS

After the enforced 18-months Covid break, the ACUMEN BUSINESS CONVENTION 2021 held its special ‘Back from Covid’ celebration with almost 300 decision makers from across the region.

THE ZEBRAS ARE BACK

Convention Celebration! After a warm welcome by tribal zebras, delegates sat down for a scrumptious lunch and drinks at the The Grand, Brighton. Zebra dancers came on stage to give a wild and exhilarating dance performance, wowing the audience and getting everyone energised for the afternoon. Delegates also enjoyed the wonderful Marta Scott Dance Company bursting onto the stage in

samba moves, joined by a very special dancer, Julian Caddy, CEO of Brighton Fringe, who looked like a pro with his samba groove! The 18-month delay was certainly worth the wait! A double whammy for this special occasion with top keynote speakers Leon Taylor, an Olympic medalist, who shared his inspiring

Zebra dancers and drummer journey which captivated the audience and Justine Roberts, founder of Mumsnet, who shared her fascinating business story. The big stage also featured the one-and-only Charita ‘Momma Cherri’ Jones, who spoke with so much passion about her learnings and Peter Turley, who was flown in especially from Ireland, who got the audience on their feet with his incredible presentation. To kick off, Penina Shepherd, CEO & Founder of ACUMEN BUSINESS LAW & ACUMEN PEOPLE, motivated everyone with her enthralling talk “Hope often rises like a phoenix from the ashes of shattered dreams” reflecting on the ashes of the last 18 months that we are all coming out of, in one way or another. As well as the thought-provoking speakers on the big stage, the day also showcased the Arena Speakers, featuring local heroes in TEDx style talks. These were all facilitated by esteemed guest speakers, all experts in their field, sharing invaluable knowledge and experiences in their sessions a very useful bonus section of the day.

300 delegates attended the Acumen Business Convention at The Grand Brighton

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Last, but certainly not least, there was the Free Play session with an abundance of quality networking opportunities such

EVENTS

❛❛ Unleashing

positive vibes she made sure everyone made meaningful new connections and had an awe-inspiring fun packed day ❜❜

as speed networking and great interaction in the “Chill Room”. Hosting the day was the incredible MC that is Nimmy March, a professional reporter on major media outlets. She really did get the convention rocking and rolling. Unleashing positive vibes, she

2022 CONVENTION

WITH SUPER EARLY BIRD TICKETS LAUNCHED! Due to the sell-out of the 2021 event, Acumen has launched the 2022 convention early. Deals available for cheaper tickets, but only until Christmas.

L-R: Nimmy March (TV host), Peter Turley (SellSquared), Penina Shepherd (Acumen), Momma Cherri (TV personality) and Leon Taylor (Olympic medalist)

Get yours ASAP on WWW.ACUMENBUSINESS CONVENTION.CO.UK

made sure everyone made meaningful new connections and had an aweinspiring fun packed day.

The event is back to its usual spring slot and will start and finish an hour earlier

The ACUMEN BUSINESS CONVENTION once more delivered its manifesto, which is to educate, inspire, connect and entertain. It certainly did all that sprinkled with surprises and Acumen magic!

was truly magical to see nearly 300 business leaders get together again, all sharing the experience and making new meaningful connections. That’s what makes the convention so special. It’s been an amazing ‘come back from Covid’ celebration and we cannot wait for the next convention in the spring 2022!“

Penina Shepherd said, “After the cancellation of the 2020 convention, it

Thank you to the amazing Convention Partners.

SAVE THE DATE

June 8th 2022 10.30-17.30 Grand Hotel

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INNOVATION

Sussex Innovation launches the Innovation Masters programme alongside a new look and a fresh focus on purpose-led businesses

n£ 530,000 UK Community Renewal Fund project will deliver innovation coaching to hundreds of East Sussex companies ranging from start-up to scale-up nP rogramme set to launch in 2022 with 105 businesses targeted for intensive support nN et Zero and Covid recovery will be central to renewed focus on ‘innovation with impact’ Sussex Innovation has announced its winning bid to the UK Community Renewal Fund, which will provide £530,000 in funding to help the county’s business community unlock its potential for innovation. The Innovation Masters programme will involve a variety of activities purpose-built to respond to the needs of businesses at different stages of their journey:

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n A n Innovation Hit Squad to provide targeted, long-term consultative support for five of East Sussex’s highest potential mid-sized businesses, helping to harness untapped resources, embed innovative practices and develop new ideas. n M aster Sessions with specialist mentoring and group workshops to help 50 fast-growing SMEs improve creativity, productivity and skills throughout their team.

n A digital Lean Innovation training course for more than 600 early-stage and micro businesses to diagnose gaps in their experience and develop their skills, supplemented by one-to-one coaching. n An Investment Bootcamp to support 50 local businesses with developing a business plan and pitching their product with the aim of raising £100,000+ equity funding.

INNOVATION than playing safe with the ideas and community we nurture, we knew that we wanted to use our position and our influence to help enact positive change.

As well as drawing upon Sussex Innovation’s in-house team of expert consultants, participating businesses will also get the unique opportunity to potentially access a rich pool of academics and PhD students from the University’s schools and research groups, including the world-leading Science Policy Research Unit, Digital Futures at Work Research Centre, Data Intensive Science Centre, UK Trade Policy Observatory and University of Sussex Business School. The new programme will be part of the most radical shake-up of Sussex Innovation’s identity in its 25-year history, as the organisation rebrands with a focus on harnessing its track record of insightful research, inspirational coaching and innovative ideas to shape a better future.

“As the UK responds to the twin shocks of the pandemic and our exit from the EU, there have been calls for a ‘green recovery’ to create jobs and stimulate the economy while answering the call to fight back against a looming climate emergency. We’re excited to play our part in supporting that ambition, but we don’t plan to stop there.” “When we began thinking about this relaunch back in 2019, we thought long and hard about the purpose of incubators and accelerators like ours in society,” says Helena Jevons, Head of Sales and Marketing for Sussex Innovation. “Our job is fundamentally different to a VC looking for commercial ROI, and we should be bold enough to bet on smart, radical ideas. Rather

“We’re looking for like-minded scaleups with real purpose to join us on this journey. That purpose might be environmental action, new education systems, protecting physical health and emotional wellbeing, fighting for social equality, or harnessing emerging technologies like AI and big data for good. We want to bring transformative thinking together and work to turn pioneering ideas into commercially sustainable reality.” As part of this drive, core modules on the new coaching and mentoring programme will focus on not-for-profit innovation, increasing social and environmental impact and delivering against the UK’s Net Zero strategy.

Visit www.sinc.co.uk

“We’re in a new era, where enterprise can and must think differently and make our world better,” says Nigel Lambe, Chief Executive of Sussex Innovation. “Backed by the history of our region, and of the University of Sussex as a pioneering force in fighting for social and environmental causes, we are renewing our commitment to help our region’s truly game-changing businesses grow and deliver greater impact.

❛❛ We’re in a new era,

where enterprise can and must think differently and make our world better ❜❜

Nigel Lambe, Chief Executive of Sussex Innovation

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From creating magical memories, to helping families through some of their toughest times, Chestnut Tree House needs you this festive season. We’ve put together some of our favourite festive fundraising ideas below to get you in the festive spirit and support your local children’s hospice

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH CHESTNUT TREE HOUSE n Recycle your Christmas tree for Chestnut Tree This winter, businesses and residents in Sussex can get their Christmas trees collected (between January 8th-11th 2022) in return for a donation to Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice. Visit www.just-helping.org.uk/registertree to sign up now. Registration closes at midnight on Wednesday January 5th 2022. n Host a Christmas quiz Release your inner quiz master by hosting a Christmas quiz and asking colleagues to donate to play.

n Festive volunteering Chestnut Tree House is also seeking individuals and businesses with vans, lorries, and everything in between to give their time to the Christmas Tree recycling scheme. If you’re looking for a team-building opportunity, then this is perfect for you! If you would like to get involved, please email volunteers@stbh.org.uk. n Have a bake off Mince pies, gingerbread or yule log – get everyone to bake their favourite festive treats and crown the winner Star Baker. Dish out your delicacies at the end and ask for a donation.

n Buy your Christmas cards Don’t forget to send your colleagues a Christmas card. You can browse the range of Chestnut Tree House Christmas cards on their website! n Deck your desk Whether you’re at home or in the office, break out the baubles and hold a Deck Your Desk competition. Charge a small entry fee and be sure to vote for your favourite festive makeover. n Donate to the Christmas appeal Will you donate today and help families like Harry’s create magical memories this Christmas time?

MEET HARRY Harry was born prematurely with pulmonary hypertension and a hole in his heart. As well as these life-limiting illnesses, Harry was born with Downs syndrome. He needs constant care – care that requires specialist medical knowledge. When Chestnut Tree House nurse Laura visits, the family get to stop being carers, and focus on just being parents, siblings or grandparents. They get to play with him, like any other families do. You can help families like Harry’s spend time decorating Christmas trees and getting into the festive spirit – instead of fixing feeding tubes and managing care. A Christmas gift of £70 could help pay for a weekend or evening care visit to a child’s home.

CHARITY FOCUS

A MESSAGE FROM BECKI JUPP, DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING AT CHESTNUT TREE HOUSE

n Host a game night Board games are a fabulous way to lift spirits. Get fundraising by getting people involved in games that can be played virtually such as Pictionary and Charades! n Play the lottery Play the Chestnut Tree House Lottery and help change local children’s lives this Christmas. From just £1 a week you could win £1,000 every week, which would mean Christmas presents for everyone! n Donate your last hour’s pay Ask colleagues if they’ll be kind enough to donate their last hour’s pay before Christmas.

WHAT YOUR MONEY MEANS Whatever way you get involved with Chestnut Tree House this Christmas; you can be sure you are making a big difference to your local children’s hospice. It costs over £4 million each year to provide all the care services offered by Chestnut Tree House. Families are never charged for their care and only a small proportion of the hospice’s care costs are funded by central government, so they rely heavily on the generosity, help and support of people like you.

Throughout December, as well as free hospice care and services for hundreds of children with lifeshortening conditions, there will be a whole host of festive activities at Chestnut Tree House and in the community, giving families the chance to create magical memories together. On Christmas Day, whilst you are tucking into your Christmas Dinner and spending time with your loved ones, Chestnut Tree House will remain open, and the Care Team will be on call for crisis care and to support those children for whom sadly it might be their last Christmas. And for those families who have lost a child, the bereavement team will continue to be there to offer support and a listening ear at what can be one of the most difficult times of year. There are so many ways you can raise funds this Christmas time, and we really need your support, now more than ever. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from everyone at Chestnut Tree House.

Find out more about how you can support Chestnut Tree House this Registered Charity Number 256789 © Snowman Enterprises Ltd 2021. THE SNOWMAN™ Snowman Enterprises Ltd.

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Land of Fire Gold Grains Case Study that doing so could be prohibitively expensive, Marbely was advised by the Department for International Trade that she could work around this by applying to an accelerator or training programme first. She took the recommendation to apply to the NatWest Accelerator in Brighton, which she credits with giving her the knowledge needed to scale up her new venture. Turning one’s passion for charity into a social enterprise may sound like a dream for many. Here’s a look at how Marbely Baez did just that, when she left her home country of Nicaragua to set up Land of Fire Gold Grains in the UK. Marbely’s journey started in 2015, when she was volunteering in charity work here in the UK. Through her experience interacting with youth, children and the homeless as part of her work, she saw a growing need to support the community. On return to Nicaragua in 2017, she met a number of local coffee farmers while touring the country and learned that Nicaragua ranked within the top 10 producers of highest-quality coffee in the world. It was here where she saw the opportunity to create a community-focused business offering Nicaragua’s best produce to the world. The first step for Marbely was to establish a presence in the UK. While regulatory minimum investment requirements meant

Eventually, Marbely was able to gain government approval to set up her business in the UK. She tells us that this opened up a world of opportunity – for example, Land of Fire Gold Grains was able to attend the London Coffee Festival recently, and gain exposure to a large number of coffee roasters.

When asked about the greatest challenge faced when running her business, Marbely points out that the coffee production industry is highly competitive. She found herself competing with large corporations with considerably more experience. As a result, it was imperative that Land of Fire Gold Grains was able to establish itself as a well-known brand. To do this, the business needed to not only develop its marketing capabilities, but also

build a strong network of industry connections, and create a brand image based on their unique value proposition. Says Marbely, the unique proposition of Land of Fire Gold Grains is that it is communityfocused, and seeks to donate 70% of its profits to charitable causes. Beneficiaries include charities in Brighton and Nicaragua, an orphanage in Senegal and schools in Peru. Looking to the future, and noting that the coffee industry is seasonal in nature, Marbely seeks to expand Land of Fire Gold Grains to organise markets where organic and sustainable produce are sold. She hopes that this would enable her business to generate a larger, more consistent flow of profits, therefore allowing her to amplify its impact on beneficiaries. After all, the most rewarding part of running Land of Fire Gold Grains, according to Marbely, is seeing the positive impact she is making on all stakeholders involved: from charities to coffee farmers and endconsumers.

PEST CONTROL

Spreading kindness in Surrey and West Sussex Cleankill Pest Control is always looking for ways it can give back to the local community. Recently the company made a pensioner’s dream come true when the bird team visited Valley Court retirement home in Caterham with some Harris hawks. Rita Newman’s wish was granted after Cleankill’s Ruth Swain wrote to Managing Director Paul Bates explaining that her mum Rita had always wanted to take part in a ‘hawking’ experience, to watch them fly and have one sit on her arm. Ruth said: “Mum and Dad went on holiday a few years ago with the specific idea of taking part in such an experience, but when they got there she was turned away because there was to be a long walk across unstable ground and she was persuaded that – at her age - it was not suitable for her. “Dad sadly passed away in July of this year without having to been able to make her dream come true, and Mum moved down from Mold in Wales to Caterham to be nearer me and one of my sisters.

She celebrated her 90th birthday on November 3rd and I asked Paul if we could arrange for our Cleankill birds to visit her as part of her 90th year celebrations. He readily agreed.It could not have gone better, with Mum saying that she had waited all her life for this to happen. “Cleankill’s expert bird handlers Alan and Richard were absolutely amazing – not just with Mum but also with all the other residents in Mum’s retirement home.” Rita said: “Everyone was fascinated not just by the birds themselves but the evidence of meticulous training which

meant they did exactly what was asked of them. “I have wanted this experience for years and years and it exceeded all my expectations – worth waiting 90 years for. Thank you to Cleankill for fulfilling a dream for me.” Cleankill is also supporting St. Catherine’s Hospice Christmas appeal. Commenting on the decision Paul Bates says: “St Catherine’s provides an excellent service for those reaching the end of their lives and their families. I have lost four friends to cancer this year, so I know how important supporting people is. I was also very touched to hear about what St Catherine’s wants to do for people’s last Christmas and Cleankill is delighted to be able to help by sponsoring the Christmas appeal.”

To book a free survey or price comparison go to www.cleankill.co.uk

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TRIED & TESTED FAUNA AUDIO GLASSES We just love the Fauna Audio Glasses! Admittedly, I didn’t expect to. Who needs audio glasses, I thought, only to be converted by their quality, ease of use, comfort level and stylish design. The benefits, I learnt, are open-air listening and situational awareness meaning you can be fully aware of bikes, babies, birds and bees as you bop along to your favourite tune. The sound quality is very good - different to the fullness of earbuds though - more of a feeling of music in the background and pleasantly so. The Fauna glasses connect to your device via Bluetooth and can connect to

your phone’s voice assistant too. Answering calls is a simple double-tap and call quality is similar to holding your phone to your ear. And they look good. With stylish designs and clear or tinted Carl Zeiss lenses that can be replaced by your own prescription lenses if needed. We tried the Fabula Crystal Brown which was comfortable and surprisingly light, weighing just 15g more than my regular sunglasses. https://wearfauna.com

SPOIL SOMEONE THIS CHRISTMAS By Tess De Klerk

LUMIE DESKLAMP Perhaps not the most fun of Christmas gifts but it makes our list because it’s a truly beneficial gift. Let’s face it, winter can be tough; the lack of consistent sunlight affects us and can lead to fatigue, lowered productivity and affect our moods. In comes Lumie, with 30 years of research and innovation in using light therapy to boost overall wellbeing. The company offers a variety of well-thought-out, quality products of which we tested the Lumie Desklamp for bright light therapy over a two-week period. With four tap-control light levels, a removable diffuser and adjustable neck, the lamp is sturdy, easy to use and effectively boosts mood, alertness and concentration. We have found the Lumie Desklamp to be a fantastic tool of resistance against the mid-afternoon slump. I, for one, will be using my Lumie throughout the year. Lumie also offers Wake-up Lights that simulate sunrise to gently rouse you from sleep. Give the gift of light www.lumie.com/collections#sad-lights

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TRIED & TESTED THERAGUN MINI At-home massagers have come a long way in recent years. Looking for a powerful, convenient massage? Try the Theragun Mini – it has a boatload of power! Probably not for the most fragile among us, this massager delivers deep tissue percussion massage that leaves you in no doubt that you’ve been pummeled. The vigorous vibrations created by this drill - like device drastically increase blood flow to the muscles and help to reduce tension , lo osen knots and, crucially, calm inflammation.

It is a game-changer when it comes to avoiding Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) after exercise and we found it equally effective in working through those aches and pains caused by hunching over a computer. It has three-speed settings and at first, I thought I would never go beyond the lowest setting due to its power but before I knew it I found myself on the fastest speed! Weighing less than 1.5lbs, it’s easy to use and manoeuvre and small enough to pop in your gym bag and desk drawer. We also liked how the battery charge seemed to last forever. www.therabody.com/uk/ en-gb/4th-generation-devices

MAKE A DONATION IN SOMEONE’S NAME Most charities offer the option of donating in someone else’s name and, what a terrific gift to give! Find out which causes lie close to their hearts and donate. Many organisations offer cards or souvenir gift packages to go with donations. For instance, the Red Cross sends printed cards or e-cards to people who’ve had donations made in their names. Save the Children provides printed tribute cards that explain how the donation is being spent. If your charity doesn’t provide notification, a mention in their Christmas card will do the job. Keep your receipts since your donation may be tax-deductible.

SENSATE Deceivingly plain and simple in appearance but effective in function. We found that this pebble-shaped wearable induced deep relaxation with its calming vibrations and accompanying audio app. The Sensate is said to stimulate the vagus nerve which runs all the way from the brain to the digestive system and is part of our parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for our ‘rest & digest’ state, i. e. state of calm and relaxation. The device should be placed on the sternum and connected

to the app to listen to one of the provided soundtracks as the Sensate vibrates along with the audio. The vibrations are low frequency but deliver quite a powerful sensory experience and we found the device to be very soothing. I consistently found myself in a meditative state within a few minutes of lying back, putting my headphones on and letting the Sensate do its thing. A bit costly for what it is but we like it and think it will make a good gift for those wanting a touch of zen in their lives. www.getsensate.com

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BUSINESS

SKI BULGARIA By Tess De Klerk

TRAVEL In recent years, Bulgaria has garnered a reputation for cheap alcohol and cheap stag-dos but this ancient land has much more to offer visitors. Bulgaria bridged the east to west trade routes for centuries and its complicated past presents a fascinating history; from UNESCO protected caves to striking Soviet architecture and everything in between but it is her majestic mountains that I’ve appreciated most.

For many people, skiing in Europe means the Alps but Bulgaria, as a ski destination, should certainly not be overlooked. Roughly 30% of Bulgarian land territory is made up of mountain ranges and with its southerly location the winter days extend several hours of sunlight. Skiers are therefore able to enjoy longer hours of skiing compared to more northerly European countries such as Sweden, Norway and Finland. It is also rapidly gaining popularity as a

budget-friendly alternative to winter sports destinations such as France, Switzerland or Austria and although not as polished as its five-star counterparts it does offer plenty of mountain charm. Expect a combination of tradition and modernity with quaint mountain villages, rustic taverns serving hearty food as well as modern skiing facilities and plenty of clubs and bars where apres-ski will cost you around half of what it would in the Alps.

TRAVEL

WHERE TO SKI IN BG? Bulgaria has over 20 ski resorts but only a hand full are geared for tourists. Here we take a look at the top three which are all ideal for beginners and intermediates as they have great value ski schools combined with a selection of easy nursery slopes and exciting improver runs. You’ll be spoilt for choice with accommodation ranging from eco cabins to four-star spa hotels fed by their own mineral springs.

The Bulgarian mountains are breathtaking and it is a destination where you’ll get plenty of bang for your buck ❜❜

❛❛

BOROVETS

Roughly 70km south of the capital Sofia lies Borovets, Bulgaria’s longest-established and liveliest winter sports resort. Set in an expansive pine forest in an area that was once royal hunting grounds reserved for the Bulgarian kings, now forming part of the largely unspoilt Rila National Park. The scenery is breathtaking, easily comparable to the Alps, but be prepared for raucous groups of students as it is the most ‘commercial’ of the resorts and has a cheap and cheerful vibe. SLOPES: 58 km (blue: 24 km red: 29 km black: 5 km) ELEVATION: 1300 m- 2560 m SKI LIFTS: 13 NIGHT SKIING: Yes Snowcats available

AVERAGE CHARGES ACROSS THE RESORTS n Five-day lift pass + equipment hire: Adults - £170. Kids - £100 n Two-day tuition for 2 adults (ski or snowboard): £104 n Seven nights inc breakfast at a three-star hotel: from £229 for a double room. n Seven nights inc breakfast at a 5 star hotel an average cost of £1100 per double room. n A hearty meal plus a glass of wine at the local mexanas cost around £12.

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TRAVEL

PAMPOROVO

Pamporovo is the most laid-back and sunniest of the resorts. It is said to have 120 days of sunshine during the ski season. Gentle weather and soft, curvy slopes nestle in the fairytale-like Rhodope mountain, 70km from Plovdiv airport. The attractive, sheltered forested setting, non-extreme mid-winter temperatures, and child-friendly purpose-built facilities mean that Pamporovo is widely regarded as Bulgaria’s best ski resort for families, improving novices and early intermediates. You’re less likely to find stag dos and the like here and the mexanas (traditional taverns) serve excellent food and homemade wines. SLOPES: 29.6 km (blue:17.6 km red: 6.5 km black: 5.5 km) ELEVATION: 1620 m - 1926 m SKI LIFTS: 13 NIGHT SKIING: No

HOW TO GET THERE Ryanair, EasyJet and Bulgaria Air fly directly from Gatwick, Stansted and Heathrow to Sofia and Plovdiv. Flights take around three hours and start from £35 return during ski season (Jan - April)

SO, SHALL I BOOK? BANSKO

Bansko is a favourite of free riding, off-piste skiers because it has the steepest and most dangerous slopes in Bulgaria. It also offers the most ski terrain (over 75km) of the three resorts and features on the World Ski Circuit. Plenty of great ski schools and beginners and nursery runs to learn on. It is located in the scenic Pirin Mountain, 160km from Sofia, and is the biggest and most up-to-date ski resort in Bulgaria. Bansko is a sizeable town, of around 10,000 inhabitants, which can trace the roots of its community as far back as the 10th century, and the traditional stone-built

dwellings and historic inns huddled at the heart of its old town retain this proud heritage alongside the continuing development of Bansko into a modern, year-round mountain resort. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed old town is a nice cultural diversion from skiing and the town offers a buzzing nightlife with a large selection of bars and restaurants. SLOPES: 48.2 km (blue: 20 km red: 24.5 km black: 3.7 km) SKI ROUTES: 8.1 km ELEVATION: 990 m - 2560 m SKI LIFTS: 14 NIGHT SKIING: Yes

Bulgaria is a great choice for those wanting to learn to ski or snowboard and also for mixed-ability groups looking to ski together but if you’re an expert skier needing ample adrenaline-fuelled black runs then you might be disappointed. The Bulgarian mountains are breathtaking and it is a destination where you’ll get plenty of bang for your buck but if you are a luxury-lover looking for designer shops and Michelin-starred restaurants, then you might be better off sticking to the Alps. https://traventuria.com https://snomads.co.uk https://www.bulgariaski.com

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MOTORING

BRITISH & BONKERS The Caterham 620S By Maarten Hoffmann, Senior Motoring Editor

As the Caterham was named after the town in which they built it and they have now moved to Crawley, there were no happy faces at the factory when l suggested they change the name to the ‘Crawley’. I therefore will not be doing that again. Caterham delivered me the 620S and that is only one small step away from the total bonkers and extreme hardcore model, the 620R. For once, l was pleased they didn’t offer me the fastest model as the S really is quite fast enough even for one such as l who seems to have little fear and has been accused of having a death wish; l don’t, l just like to drive very fast cars as fast as they will go. ‘Drive it like you

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stole it’ goes the mantra and who am l to disobey?

Motorsport legend Colin Chapman, who wanted to allow petrolheads to be able to build their own car and then thrash it round a track, launched the history. His mantra was ‘simplify, and then add lightness’. Years later, Caterham acquired the rights to the eponymous ‘Seven’ from Chapman in 1973. To this day, they still adhere to Chapman’s original philosophy, as all their models are based on that famous early car and can be purchased as a kit

car for home build or sold complete. Caterham models don’t so much shout ‘fun’, as grab you by the lapels and scream in your face.

❛❛ The 620S weighs in at 610kg and is powered by a 2.0-litre, 310bhp supercharged engine which gives the same power-to-weight ratio at the Bugatti Veyron! ❜❜

MOTORING

TECH STUFF

Patrick McGoohan with his Lotus 7 in the cult TV show, The Prisoner

MODEL TESTED: Caterham 620S ENGINE: 2.0-litre supercharged POWER: 310bhp SPEED: 0-62 3.4 secs TOP: 145mph ECONOMY: 24mpg PRICE FROM: £50,390

❛❛ Caterham models

don’t so much shout ‘fun’, as grab you by the lapels and scream in your face ❜❜

PLATINUM

This is an old-fashioned driver’s car. No aids, no high tech gadgets, just the engine, wheels, seat and nullifi ed life insurance. It is an absolute joy to go back to those days although they have added heated seats! Costing £1,000, the new heated carbon fibre buckets may be expensive but they are damn good. So good in fact that Caterham now holds the record for the Hottest Seat Heaters in the World. The 620S weighs in at 610kg and is powered by a 2.0-litre, 310bhp supercharged engine which gives the same power-to-weight ratio at the Bugatti Veyron! The difference is that your bum is inches from the tarmac and you have zero driving aids – it all comes down to how talented a driver you are and how close to death you like to be.

piece of advice – leave it in the garage and take the bus! Once you slither into the bucket seat bear in mind you need to be quite slim. I have a 32in waist and once in, it was so snug that l felt slightly squeezed but perfectly held in place. You can now, however, spec it with a slightly wider body for those that have eaten too many pies. Then there is the faff with the four-point racing harness seats belts that really are a bugger to get on, but once you manage that task, you are locked in place, effectively lying down, and in that supreme position to drive a proper car. Think F1 and you will not be too far away. The sequential gearbox can be heavy and clunky round town but get it onto the B-roads is was designed to attack, and it comes alive, is fluid and perfectly geared to defeat anything you put in front of it. One slight twitch of the hand and you are round a corner - whether you intended to or not, so concentration is the key if you want to drive it as you

should. The acceleration is astounding and feels twice as fast as it is, although with a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds, it is plenty fast enough. The problem here is trying to get the tyres to stick to the tarmac so that you can hit that time as it wheel spins all over the place if you are not careful but with the right pedal balance, it flies up the road like a scolded cat on acid – and at least you have a hot bum! The way to drive the Caterham is stripped down, roof and doors off, heater on. The one thing you will ABSOLUTELY not be able to do is stop laughing and shrieking like a deranged baboon. Honestly, this thing just makes you belly laugh every time you accelerate and is one of the last pure driving experiences left on planet earth. I have form with Caterham as joined Richard Skerritt along with ten others for a track day at Palmer Sport in 2015. Of the eight races, l proudly won the Superlight class in a Caterham.

That said, the drive is exhilarating to say the least and you feel totally in touch with the car. When it steps out of line (and it will) it is incredibly easy to pull it back into line. It is manageable and exciting and will wheel spin in any gear and at any speed. In the rain, l have one

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Platinum Business Magazine - issue 92

Articles inside

British & bonkers The Caterham 620S

Ski Bulgaria

Spreading kindness in Surrey and West Sussex

Celebrate Christmas with Chestnut Tree House

Spoil someone this christmas

The zebras are back convention celebration!

Sussex Innovation launches Innovation Masters programme alongside a new look and a fresh focus on purpose-led businesses

Rationalising your cyber estate

Is gazumping the new norm in recruitment?

Shaping your future

How to navigate the dividend tax hike

Challenges when scaling a business

OWEN PATERSON

The late payment of commercial debts

2021 Sussex business awards winners announced

Meet the new Business IP Centre Sussex Ambassador

Avoiding a Paterson-style car crash in the workplace