Sustainable Business Magazine 03/21

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SUSTAINABLE ISSUE 03.21 06/19

B U S I N E S S

M A G A Z I N E

MASSY WOOD C&W CHARITABLE

FOUNDATION ACLA ARCHITECTURE

SIRAJ POWER FLOW BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

FLOW ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA THAMES ESTUARY

GROWTH BOARD ALSO FEATURED THIS ISSUE NATIONAL PROPERTIES • NAMIBIA STOCK EXCHANGE PLUS MUCH MORE

S U S TA I N I N G T O M O R R O W. T O D AY

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SUSTAINABLE

B U S I N E S S

M A G A Z I N E

Sustainable Business Magazine is committed to promoting sustainable printing.

This magazine is printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified material and manufactured using environmentally sustainable procedures.

All lithographic printer inks used are vegetable-based.

Welcome to the latest edition of Sustainable Business Magazine.

As we begin Q2 2021, the situation across the globe remains mixed. Fresh outbreaks of COVID-19 have seen cases rise across Europe and South America. Elsewhere, as vaccination programs continue apace in the UK and the US, the first signs of light are beginning to glimmer from the end of the tunnel. Nevertheless, as the world moves cautiously towards a return to normality, attention shifts to how to achieve the social and economic recovery from the pandemic on a truly global scale. As the World Health Organization rolls out its COVAX initiative, it is making strides to ensure a fair distribution of the global vaccine supply, a testament to the sort of international cooperation required not only to stage a full recovery from the pandemic but also to achieve other key development goals for the future, including combating climate change and providing equitable access to healthcare and education.

Here at Sustainable Business Magazine, we have always featured businesses large and small, representing towns, cities, regions and countries from across the Americas, to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. We believe that good, innovative work within the field of sustainability can be achieved at all levels, and in many forms. It is with these values in mind that we have put together our March issue, adding a new set of names to those we’re proud to have featured over our seven-year history.

In these pages, we’re excited to host an interview with Massy Wood Group, discussing their relationship-based approach to business, and the company’s admirable work to support Trinidad’s Mayaro Guayaguayare community. Our interview with the Thames Estuary Growth Board, which explores the exciting work being done to drive forward green growth in a transformed Estuary area in the United Kingdom. Elsewhere, we continue our ongoing partnership with Flow, the Caribbean telecommunications provider, with interviews with Joe Mathieson and Ravindra Maywahlall, Country Managers of Flow’s branches in Antigua and Barbuda and the British Virgin Islands respectively. Accompanying these, a Q&A with Rushi Kaushai and Noelle Smikle of the Cable & Wireless Foundation, celebrates Flow’s essential contributions throughout the ongoing pandemic. We have interviews with an award-winning Trinidadian architectural firm, a Vincentian development company, an Emirati solar energy company, a Surinamese IT services provider, and a Barbadian shopping mall, each one offering a unique contribution towards progress in their local communities.

We hope you find this issue interesting and inspiring.

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Editor:

George Newell

Assistant Editor:

Daniel Baksi

Projects Manager:

Helen Stoneley

Sales Manager:

Jake Curtis

Editorial Executive:

Shaun Peacock

Sales Executive:

Oliver Clegg

Web Administrator: Ashley Hewitt Designer:

Adam Knights

CONTENTS ISSUE 03/21 04

Interview - Massy Wood

14

Q&A - Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation

18 Interview - Flow Antigua

and Barbuda

22 Interview - Flow

British Virgin Islands

26 Interview - ACLA Architecture 32 Interview - National Properties

Limited Saint Vincent

36 Interview - Thames Estuary

Growth Board

40 Interview - Namibia

Stock Exchange

44

Interview - SirajPower

48 Interview - Novoteqnica 52

Interview - Sheraton Mall

58 Advertisers Index FRONT COVER COURTESY OF MASSY WOOD

The Sustainable Business Magazine Team © SBM Media Ltd 2021. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form for any purpose, other than short sections for the purpose of review, without prior consent of the publisher.

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INTERVIEW: MASSY WOOD GROUP LTD.

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SERVICES

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By Daniel Baksi Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Mala Baliraj, CEO at Massy Wood Group Ltd., about technological improvements, investing in relationships and the future of the energy sector.

Massy Wood Group Ltd. (Massy Wood) is a Caribbean energy services company, jointly owned by local conglomerate Massy Holdings Ltd. and Wood PLC, a global leader in engineering and consultancy across energy and the built environment. Massy Wood has offices in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana and offers a range of asset life cycle and technical consulting solutions across the local and regional energy sector. Since Massy Wood was founded in 2003, the company has grown to over 800 employees. “All the work we do is based on the collective talent, expertise and passion of our employees,” explains Mala Baliraj, CEO of Massy Wood.

“Thanks to them, we are positioned to provide strong support and unsurpassed solutions to clients in the upstream, midstream, and downstream energy sectors in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana. We have a strong regional and global presence, with parent companies that have allowed us to grow and develop from their systems and processes,

to become a fully local and competent force.

This has allowed us to grow our business in engineering, project management, construction delivery execution, procurement and warehousing, minor modifications, and fabric maintenance.”

INNOVATING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Within their fabric maintenance services, Massy Wood has made upgrades to their delivery approach, with the aim of improving the company’s environmental footprint. “We provide fabric maintenance services to our upstream clients,” says Ms. Baliraj. “This entails blasting and painting at onshore and offshore sites to maintain the integrity of their assets which can be exposed to natural elements. For one key client, we have been able to shift from silica sandblasting to the use of garnet for sandblasting. This change lends positively to the environment since garnet uses an SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: MASSY WOOD GROUP LTD.

“WE HAVE FOCUSED ON BUILDING LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR CLIENTS, EMPLOYEES, OUR CONTRACTOR COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE OPERATE.”

average of 33% less material, when compared to standard blasting grit, and can be re-used up to five times more than silica.”

Beyond its environmental advantages, this shift also brings benefits to our people who carry out the maintenance work. “Conventional blasting generates a lot of dust,” explains Ms. Baliraj. “With garnet, though not the most economical, it produces less dust which, in turn, means better conditions for our employees. Thinking more long term, garnet is a naturally occurring mineral that does not create the level of toxicity associated with silica. There is therefore less chance of those interacting with the blasting to suffer subsequent health impacts. For us, these are some positive strides. We continue to work in the fossil fuel industry and look for ways to improve our environmental footprint.”

RELATIONSHIP-BASED BUSINESS Throughout the years, ensuring the sustainability of their business relationships has been a core focus for Massy Wood. “When 6 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

operating in a project-based environment with defined start and end dates for every project and contract, it is important to create continuity,” says Ms. Baliraj. “We have focused on building long term relationships with our clients, employees, our contractor community and the communities where we operate. These relationships are always built on strong governance processes and integrity in the way we operate. We have developed with our clients, growing in their space to provide additional solutions and support, even in difficult circumstances.”

Massy Wood has also extended this level of support to its contractors. “Over the years, we have partnered with contractor companies to deliver solutions to our clients,”explains Ms. Balira. “This supports contractor development. We benefit from our network of established global and regional organizations and ensure that we share that knowledge. We host monthly sessions with about 10-15 of our contractors with a focus on safety and quality and use this forum to share learnings and reinforce

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INTERVIEW: MASSY WOOD GROUP LTD.

“WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF ENERGY AND TIME IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS NURTURING OUR COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS.”

right behaviors. This has become commonplace within our contracting community and is a culture that gives us considerable pride.”

HUMAN RESOURCE The support that Massy Wood provides to its employees is another crucial element of the company’s success. “It is difficult to maintain strong employee partnerships in a volatile industry where contracts end periodically,” says Ms. Baliraj. “This has been compounded since the arrival of COVID-19, which has seen an increased number of projects put on hold, leading to facilities being down manned and resources right-sized. To 8 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

support our employees during the pandemic, we have offered about 300 food hampers to those who were not actively engaged in work. Generally, we are focused on the way in which we create win-win relationships with our employees. As an example, we are in the process of upskilling our employees with the knowledge and necessary tools to work in an agile way.”

Community engagement is another big part of Massy Wood’s operations. “We have spent a lot of energy and time in the last couple of years nurturing our community relationships,” says Ms. Baliraj. “In one of the communities where we work, we were

able to identify their needs and priorities and define propositions and solutions to support them. Another initiative, which we have always held in highest regard, is our Boys to Men program which targeted young men between the ages of 14 to 25. The program was designed by a professional consultant and aimed to prepare young men to assume their place as role models and responsible leaders in our society. We have had about 200 young men participate in that scheme over a five-year period, with an approximate 75% graduation rate. Some have gone on to do significant things, with a few more returning to educational or

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INTERVIEW: MASSY WOOD GROUP LTD.

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“NOW WE ARE LOOKING TO ELEVATE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT INTO AN OPERATIONS FRAMEWORK THAT’S BUILT INTO THE VERY CORE OUR BUSINESS.” technical institutions. These are just some of the ways we have managed to go beyond the obvious, to touch and impact the lives of those in our communities.”

A NEW PARADIGM In the future, Massy Wood intends to focus on the energy transition. “We are in the midst of a paradigm shift for the energy business and are excited to be here,” says Ms. Baliraj. “We are exploring new capabilities, such as decarbonization, which we can incorporate to positively benefit the local energy sector. We have recently signed the Energy Efficiency Declaration, which is being promoted by the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago. The declaration comes out of the recognition that companies in Trinidad and Tobago’s energy sector can have a positive impact on the environment. Massy Wood is committed to optimizing whatever finite resources we have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and are excited to see how we can operationalize and truly live this commitment. To achieve this, we are looking to expand beyond Trinidad and Tobago, move away from fossil fuels and invest in renewables. We are already present in Guyana – a country at the forefront of the changes taking place in the oil and gas sector. We are excited to participate in their development and further expand our regional footprint.”

Massy Wood is embracing continuous improvement. “We have always been a quality driven business and have a team that supports quality assurance across all of our projects and clients,” explains Mala.

“Now we are looking to elevate continuous improvement into an operations framework that’s built into the very core our business.

If we can achieve this, we will strengthen our resilience, continue to grow our capabilities, expand our headcount locally and increase our client base. At Massy Wood, we see ourselves as not only surviving, but also thriving in the foreseeable future.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Q&A: CABLE & WIRELESS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Ruchi Kaushal

General Counsel

What is the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation, and why was it created?

Ruchi: We launched the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation (CWCF) in 2017 as part of our commitment to doing business in a responsible and sustainable way.

Today, it’s a powerful platform, helping to enable progress and build more resilient communities across the Caribbean and Latin America region. Since its launch, the Foundation has donated millions of dollars to help local, regional, and international agencies deliver relief and recovery projects across our region.

We created the CWCF due to the crisis we faced as a result of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, as well as the threat of other seasonal hurricanes. As a large telecommunications provider across the Caribbean and Latin America, we have an important community responsibility, and the 14 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Noelle Smikle Director of Foundation

hurricanes made it necessary for us to rethink the way we respond to humanitarian emergencies. We launched the CWCF with initial funding from our Company of US$500K to provide hurricane and eventually other relief.

The Foundation raised funds from partners, customers, and employees to provide support to local, regional, and international agencies as they execute relief and recovery projects across the region. Most recently, we have been providing direct relief to communities in need.

We respond with urgency and sensitivity in times of disaster. While over the medium-term, we help build more resilient communities by providing funding, technology, and upskilling to enable progress and build local economies. The result is that people are better able to cope with future adversity.

• We also donated US$50,000 to the Disaster Committee of the Rotary Club of Grand Bahama to help repair homes across the island and to get supplies to those most in need post Hurricane Dorian.

• We granted US$25,000 to World Central Kitchen to provide hot meals to thousands who were displaced by Hurricane Dorian.

• Most recently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we provided free access to on-line education to students in the Caribbean through a US$83,500 grant to One on One Educational Services.

Above image.

The Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation provided financial assistance to the Morne Prosper school located in Dominica, which was restored after the damage received by Hurricane Maria. On the left is Ruchi Kaushal, VP General Counsel C&W Communications and on the right Dominic Boon, VP, Talent and Organization Development, Liberty Latin America, visiting the school in 2019.

We’re extremely grateful to our partners and grant recipients for facilitating the Foundation’s work since being established in 2017. Here are examples of some of our initiatives:

• Emergency supplies distributed to thousands in the BVI, TCI, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, and Puerto Rico via a US$100,000 donation to Shelterbox.

• We are currently supporting the relief and recovery efforts across Central America in light of the devastating impact of Hurricanes Eta and Iota, including a US$10,000 grant to World Central Kitchen to provide hot meals to those in need in Central America as well as US$30,000 in direct relief to those communities impacted in Panama.

Image Left: The Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation donated US$50,000 to the Disaster Committee of the Rotary Club of Grand Bahama in 2019 to help repair homes across the island and to get supplies to those most in need.

• The people of Dominica are closer to getting their only public library rebuilt as a result of a US$200,000 grant.

These projects are helping communities and nations to not only recover from crises but also to support them in becoming more resilient and enable economic progress.

• Thousands of young people in vulnerable communities are learning new skills via a US$70,000 donation to Puerto Rico (US$25,000 to PR4PR), Curacao (US$25,000 to Curacao Cares), and Jamaica (US$20,000 to the Flow Foundation for the Duhaney Park Primary School).

How do you coordinate your charitable support across Central America and the Caribbean?

Noelle: Cable and Wireless Communications is one of the leading telecommunications and entertainment providers in the Caribbean and Latin America.

We have a large cohort of staff and strong company culture of philanthropy. As a result of this we are often able to provide direct relief, whereby the Foundation purchases supplies, and our local teams spearhead allocation and distribution. Internally, we also host an annual Mission Week which supports staff participation in local charitable activities.

Image far right: Students of Eliza Primary School in Grand Turk having an online learning session, while using the touchscreen Thinkpad laptops donated by the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation in 2019.

• Primary and secondary students in Dominica, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) are learning in stronger, safer facilities due to grants totaling US$650,000.

• We donated US$100,000 to support those affected by floods in Trinidad and educate communities about flood prevention.

• We granted US$100,000 to Walkers Institute for Regenerative Research, Education and Design (WIRRED), a Barbados-based NGO focused on enhancing ecosystems to help communities adapt and be resilient in the face of climate change.

• The Flow Foundation was provided with a US$400,000 grant to fund a pilot program that supports digital education and entrepreneurship across Jamaica.

• We supported the recovery of the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian, by donating US$485,000 in direct relief to get emergency supplies, including food, water and generators to hospitals, doctors and shelters.

• To support the thousands of students displaced by Hurricane Dorian, we gave a grant of US$100,000 to One on One Educational Services to roll out a virtual education program in the Bahamas.

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Q&A: CABLE & WIRELESS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Additionally, we have developed a reliable network of corporate partners and non-profit organizations including Rotary International, the United Way, Virgin Unite, and World Central Kitchen. In keeping with the company’s philosophy of enabling progress and building more resilient communities, the Foundation provides the financial support to empower these organizations to execute initiatives on the ground. Potential grantees apply for funding through a comprehensive grant application process, which ensures that we are compliant with IRS requirements for a US based 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Requests are also assessed based on their alignment with our Corporate Social Responsibility pillars and the needs of the communities we serve. The organization will continue to develop a network of global partners who have a vested interest in the Caribbean and Latin America to ensure progress in the region.

Could you tell us about your support for relief and recovery efforts following the devastating impact of Hurricanes Eta and Iota, including your recent donation to the World Central Kitchen (WCK)?

Ruchi: Last month we allocated US$55,000, through various grants, to provide supplies, food, and other essential items for the communities of Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama which have been recently impacted by the devastating Category 4 Hurricanes Eta and Iota.

As a part of this allocation, the Foundation made a US$10,000 grant to World Central Kitchen (WCK) to assist with the provision of food for the preparation and distribution of 10,000 daily lunches and dinners to families in Central America who have been affected by the devastation caused by the hurricanes. Our relationship with World Central Kitchen was established in 2019, to support relief efforts in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian. Chef Jose Andres and his team are reliable and tactical and are able to mobilize and be on the ground supporting communities immediately.

Our employees had the opportunity to volunteer with them in the Bahamas and seeing them navigate the challenges has played a major role in our decision to continue supporting their amazing efforts.

How is the Foundation working to encourage progress and digital literacy in response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic?

Noelle: Learning and Access are two of the pillars on which our business operates to enable progress in the region. When COVID-19 hit, children across our region had

to rely on virtual education to complete their academic year. Our donation to One on One Educational Services earlier this year provided access to free online education to students across the Caribbean regardless of who their network operator was. Students had access to more than 500 video lessons, digital courses for the K–8 curriculum, a question bank and solutions with over 40,000 exam-style questions and solutions for 35 subjects, past paper solutions for over 17 subjects, a digital encyclopedia with over 9,500 digital animations, and simulations for four subject areas and virtual science labs, with more than 500 digital laboratory simulations for science subjects and skills gap testing for over 30 subjects. The program increased from 11,000 to 37,938 users aged 5-10 since March 2020.

Our donation to the Flow Foundation in Jamaica supported the recent launch of its new National Development Program to drive digital inclusion across the country. The program is focused on supporting Jamaica’s recovery and rebuilding efforts, with an emphasis on digital education and supporting micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) - helping everyday Jamaicans and budding entrepreneurs transition to the digital space. The digital education component is focused on digital literacy, increasing school and community connectivity, and providing certified online training for professionals. This support for MSMEs is focused on a JumpStart program for entrepreneurs, support for micro entrepreneurs and the small cottage industry at the community level, and supporting a virtual entrepreneurship expo.

What role does environmental sustainability play in the Foundation’s work?

Ruchi: Environmental sustainability is another key pillar of our business as this region is more adversely impacted by climate change. In Barbados we partnered with the Walkers Institute for Regenerative Research Education and Design (WIRRED), which is a local non-profit organization that focuses on improving communities and the natural environment by supporting a range of ecosystem services. The Foundation provided WIRRED with a grant to support their goal of planting 285,000 trees in Barbados. The initiative was dubbed ‘One Tree for Every Bajan’, as the goal represented the population on the island. The partnership also allowed WIRRED to leverage our communications assets to help create a sense of urgency around the need to protect and rehabilitate the island’s natural resources.

In Trinidad and Tobago, we have also partnered with United Way to support rebuilding activities after the devastating floods in 2018 that specifically benefit vulnerable groups as well as a longer-term awareness program to mitigate the impact of natural hazards such as floods. Communities and families affected by disasters need our continued support beyond the

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Above image.

Garry Sinclair, VP, North Caribbean, Cable & Wireless Communications, supporting families affected by Hurricane Dorian in Grand Bahama 2019.

immediate crisis stage. Flooding has become devastating and relentless because of the effects of climate change. Flooding is not a one-off event. Residents in these flood-prone regions need to prepare for the months ahead. This partnership with United Way of Trinidad and Tobago allowed us to provide mediumto longer-term recovery and education.

Image far Left: A volunteer from the Cable & Wireless team assisted with preparing meals for distribution in Grand Bahama in 2019

This is also an area that our staff are extremely passionate about and support through local beach cleanups, tree planting and the creation of community gardens during our annual Mission Week activities and throughout the year.

This year Liberty Latin America, our holding company, launched an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) program focused on how our operations impact the environment, how we reduce the need for onetime use materials, and how we otherwise ensure that we meet our commitments and responsibilities to all of our stakeholders. We plan on publishing our first ESG annual report this year, and we have adopted the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) framework to measure progress.

communities with digital access, and those without, and has brought the negative long-term impact into the spotlight. First and foremost, we will focus on raising awareness of the issues and rallying together with our partners to facilitate solutions in order to connect communities and transform lives.

Through the Flow Foundation in Jamaica and our partnerships in that market, we have developed a pilot program which if successful will be used as a framework for serving the Caribbean and Central America. This will prioritize initiatives that focus on digital literacy training across all age-groups, online platforms to support entrepreneurship, and providing connectivity in schools and underserved communities.

Like most charitable organizations, our ability to raise the funds needed to support our mission has been negatively impacted by COVID-19. Our plan is to develop a fundraising model that enables us to continue serving the community through future crises. c To learn more about the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation, visit www.CWC.com

What are the Foundation’s plans for the future?

Noelle: The focus is to continue supporting communities where CWC operates. We have always been in the business of connectivity, but COVID-19 has created challenges which highlight the disparity between SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: FLOW ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

FLOW INNOVATIONS PROVE CRITICAL IN SUSTAINING ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND BEYOND 18 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

By Daniel Baksi Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Joe Mathieson, Country Manager at Flow Antigua and Barbuda, about the launch of their virtual and mobile stores, supporting local students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and committing to new ways of working.

Flow has a rich history in Antigua and Barbuda. The company is deeply embedded into the fabric of communications across the region, providing digital enablement, internet, data on the move, pure mobile, and international calls services. Last year, the COVID-19 global pandemic highlighted just how critical these services are to enabling our daily routines. As lockdowns ensued around the world, and international travel ground to a halt, Flow’s infrastructure emerged in Antigua and Barbuda as an essential tool in the fight against the pandemic, facilitating communication, the exchange of data and information, and allowing the economy and local people to flourish despite adversity.

VIRTUAL SERVICE More than twelve months since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Antigua and Barbuda, Flow can now reflect on their response to the rapidly evolving global pandemic. “From Q1 2020, the world as we knew it, our ways of serving customers, and the ways our nations functioned, were

transformed overnight,” says Joe Mathieson, Country Manager at Flow Antigua and Barbuda. “No one had a playbook for this, no one knew how we should adapt. What we did know was that our customers depended on us for our service. We’re considered an essential service because it’s recognised that our connectivity underpins the major economic drivers of the country. People still needed to stay connected to their families and friends on island and overseas. This meant enabling them to find easy ways to continue to recharge their mobile accounts and maintain their internet and television services. When schools closed, children were added to the mix as parents also needed to find ways to keep them occupied, entertained, and later connected to their schools via remote learning. These are all responsibilities that we took extremely seriously.”

To meet these challenges, Flow took steps to transform large segments of its business and adapted its service culture.

“Almost immediately we launched a virtual store,” says Mr. Mathieson. “Even if you SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: FLOW ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA could not leave your house, that meant you could still communicate with us in real time.

There would be agents on the end of the phone who would be able to support you, answer your queries, and fulfill your needs.

Soon after, we deployed our mobile store.

Rather than customers coming to us, having to use public transport, and having to travel into the capital city from different parts of the island, we went out to them. We were able to cover the whole island, traveling to our communities, and answering their questions.

They could also buy services, or if they had ordered a handset, we could physically fulfil that order. While these were services we had been discussing internally for some time, the onset of COVID accelerated those plans and we had to find a way to make them a reality as quickly as possible. It was the first initiative of its kind in Antigua and Barbuda, and for the most part in the region.

FLOW STUDY The pandemic impacted everyone and everything. “There are many households in which both parents work,” says Mr. Mathieson. “The added pressures of then having to either find at home care for small children and managing the constantly changing timetables of remote learning was a huge challenge many families faced. One of the ways we as a company were able to help was through our educational platform Flow Study. We helped parents and students by making the educational platform free to all students in Antigua and Barbuda. This was a welcome saving to parents as these kinds of tools are often tied to having a subscription, and usually we offer it as one of the many benefits of being a Flow customer.

But this was so important socially and to our communities, we knew it couldn’t be offered only to our customers. It needed to be totally inclusive, and I was really proud that our company was able to offer free access to Flow Study for all students and families in our country. We then enhanced it even further, by providing free access to some additional educational websites, so that students and parents could access them without worrying about using up their data allowances.”

GARDEN GUARDIANS The success of Flow Study is just one of the initiatives that Flow has used to support communities over its long history in Antigua and Barbuda. “Every year we have a program of community initiatives, but this year we asked ourselves what could we do that would be sustainable and 20 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

fit into the environmental concerns about global warming in the Caribbean?” says Mr. Mathieson. “When COVID-19 hit our shores initially, there was a concern about food security, because as an island nation, we import a lot of food. Having sustainability in terms of food was therefore at the forefront of our minds, so we decided to create a garden. Earlier in the year, we’d worked with a soup kitchen in the heart of Saint John’s that was supporting those in need, so we knew there were people who didn’t have access to proper nutritional diets. We recognized that we had a great Head Office site, with suitable land around it for growing food. I am happy to say it’s not just a one-off: we built the garden from scratch and have been maintaining it. We now have something that we are really proud of, and that our own employees have put time and effort into voluntarily and it allows us to continue to give to those who need it most. We’re already onto our third harvest, and it’s producing some great vegetables.

We started with salad leaves and herbs, but we’ve also got root vegetables that are due to be harvested. We then distribute these to charities across the country. We hope that

this project will be one that we continue to upkeep for many years to come.”

The garden project has proved particularly popular amongst Flow’s employees.

“We thought that if we get staff involved, and we’re outside working on it, it gives us healthy, fresh air and the chance to do something active,” says Mr. Mathieson.

“There was a core group of staff who have been able to divert their attention to this, and there’s real pride and sense of community. Even during the height of lockdown, our team was concerned about how the plants were going to be watered all while I am sure they also were dealing with their own personal challenges. The transformation is incredible, from a patch of unused grass to a very, very healthy-looking garden and something we at Flow are all very proud of.”

“WE’RE THE NUMBER ONE OPERATOR IN THE MOBILE SPACE IN ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, AND WE’RE NOT LETTING GO OF THAT.”

CHAMPIONING INVESTMENT Flow has committed to continuing to invest in its core network and services in Antigua and Barbuda in order to retain its place at the forefront of technology products and services. “We’re the number one operator in the mobile space in Antigua and Barbuda, and we’re not letting go of that,” says Mr. Mathieson. “We will continue to upgrade our network and bring the most innovative and best value plans to our customers. We’re also investing in our TV and broadband network, and will continue to deliver great value, reliability, and service to our customers.”

To facilitate this, the company intends to implement new ways of serving their

customers. “One of the lessons we’ve all learnt in the pandemic is how we can make our services accessible in a contact-less way,” says Mr. Mathieson. “Today, many of our customers still come to our stores for customer service, to make bill payments, and for all service activations; but we’ve put many structures in place to ensure that these services can all be accessed quickly and conveniently online, via phone or from our mobile location. We definitely feel our customers are happy to do other things with their time rather than queuing and waiting.

We have created a seamless process, where customers can contact us using several available options and manage their experiences in the way that suits them best. If they need

to speak with one of our customer service agents then we will gladly assist but if not, they can quickly get their business done with us and move on with their day.”

“Telecoms is now digital,” says Mr. Mathieson. “It supports all remote working and interaction. We provide the technology that enables other companies to become more effective and efficient, and we sell these solutions to other customers, so we feel that we also have an obligation and a duty to champion these ourselves. We want to encourage customers and other businesses to say: ‘We see Flow is doing this; how can we do that?’ We want to continue supporting and helping to enable this transformation by leading by example.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: FLOW BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

AN ESSENTIAL ISLAND SERVICE 22 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

RAVINDRA MAYWAHLALL, COUNTRY MANAGER

By Daniel Baksi Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Ravindra Maywahlall, Country Manager at Flow British Virgin Islands, about their posthurricane recovery, partnerships with government and NGOs, and the value of thinking long-term.

First operating under the Cable and Wireless brand, Flow began its operations in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in the spring of 1898, when the first telegraph cable linking Europe and the Americas landed in Tortola. As a testament to the resilience of its network over the years, the BVI would later become a central part of the company’s operations, with Flow feeding the majority of the northeastern Caribbean islands from its Chalwell base.

Today BVI remains a critical part of Flow’s network operations, with the majority of fiber cables linking the Americas to Europe, Central and South America passing through the Territory. In May 2007, the company launched its mobile services, in addition to the fixed voice and broadband services offered to B2C and B2B customers. Prior to

the hurricanes of 2017, Flow launched its digital TV services, and was the first provider to offer customers the most advanced TV viewing experiences, which were already a norm in Europe and North America.

BACK FROM THE BRINK In 2017, the British Virgin Islands were hit by two Category Five hurricanes, Irma and Maria, inflicting severe damage on the telecommunications networks. Since then, Flow has been working to rebuild the network and improve its services across the affected islands.

“Irma and Maria completely destroyed our mobile and fixed infrastructure,” says Ravindra Maywahlall, Country Manager at Flow BVI. “We were able to rebuild our mobile network fairly quickly, so by the first quarter of 2018 we had our mobile network restored, but we’re still in the process of rebuilding our fixed infrastructure. Prior to the storms, we operated a hybrid copper-fiber network and offered speeds of up to 48Mbps to customers. In June 2018 we started deploying fiber directly to the customer premises and expect to complete the network rebuild by December this year. Our aim is to have a similar footprint to that which we had prior to the storms.”

Flow is rebuilding with fibre and is seeking to make the network as resilient as possible, to safeguard against similar events in the future. “When the storms hit, they destroyed a lot of our distribution network, however our SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: FLOW BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

“WE’RE ALSO NOW OFFERING SOLUTIONS SUCH AS CLOUD-BASED PBXS OR MYUCS, AND SDWANS SO THAT CUSTOMERS WITH INTERNET CONNECTIVITY CAN CONNECT AND DO BUSINESSES FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD”

core infrastructure remained intact as they were in cable ducts underground,” explains Mr. Maywahlall. “Thus, as we rebuild, we’re placing as much of the distribution network as possible in the ducts, and aerial connections will be attached to category 5 utility poles, capable of withstanding winds of up to 175 mph, thus enhancing our network resilience.

We are now offering Broadband speeds of up to 1Gbps, with entry level speeds of 100 Mbps to meet the increasing demands and future needs of our customers.”

24 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY For Flow BVI, supporting local communities remains at the forefront. “Over the years, we’ve partnered with various non-profit organizations and the government,” says Mr. Maywahlall. “After the storms of 2017, the second-most populated island in the BVI, Virgin Gorda, saw both its primary and high schools destroyed. So, through the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation, we partnered with a non-profit organization called Unite BVI, funded by philanthropists such as Sir Richard Branson and Larry Page, as well as the Ministry of Education, to rebuild those schools. While we were onsite, the BVI Sister Islands Coordinator brought to our attention that there was an elderly gentleman whose home had sustained significant damage. A couple of weeks later, as part of our annual ‘Mission Week’ volunteer activities, we took our entire team over to Virgin Gorda to start the process of rebuilding the roof of the house. For that, we partnered with a local organization, called VG RoC. Although we didn’t manage to complete the roof that day, we hired some contractors to assist us with completing the project, to provide a safe and weatherproof home for the gentleman to live in.”

In the wake of COVID-19, Flow also supported the Ministry of Education and the government’s pandemic response.

“We understood the importance of having internet connectivity particularly as we were being asked to work and attend school from home. A such, we launched initiatives to get as many citizens connected as fast as possible, to keep them connected to what mattered most,” explains Mr. Maywahlall.

“To ensure that students would not be left behind we provided free access to our Flow Study platform to students from primary school right through to A-levels giving them the opportunity to continue their learning online. We also provided free access to all education sites that were being used by

teachers who needed online materials to deliver classes.

Those measures are still in place, and we’ve agreed to keep them for as long as the pandemic continues.

Flow is also keen to reconfirm its commitment to supporting those in need. “As we learn to live with the pandemic, there will be many vulnerable families, individuals and businesses who will be significantly impacted and we are here to help,” says Mr. Maywahlall. “One of the things we’ve done very well over the years is to partner with the community and with government. Most recently we partnered with a couple of the Rotary Clubs and Lions Club to execute food drives and gave donations to the Family Support Network organization to provide basic necessities to families.”

THINKING LONG-TERM Taking a long-term approach, Flow’s primary aim is to make lasting improvements to the resilience of its network. “With the ever-increasing strength of the storms we’re facing each year, resilience is key,” says Mr. Maywahlall.

“It’s now known that access to telecommunications services is no longer a privilege, it’s an essential service. We need to make sure that service remains intact, no matter what Mother Nature throws at us. So, we also have plans to offer more advanced IP-based services, allowing low start-up costs for anyone looking to operate from the BVI. We’re also now offering solutions such as cloud-based PBXs or Business Voice, and SDWANs (Software Defined Wide Area Networks), so that customers with internet connectivity can connect and do businesses from anywhere in the world.”

This is also our commitment to facilitate the BVI’s two main economic pillars: financial services and tourism. “Connectivity is key to attracting international investment and businesses to the BVI,” explains Mr. Maywahlall. “To facilitate that, we need reliable, fast, and affordable internet connectivity which is why we are deploying fiber and increasing speeds to provide the confidence that international investors are seeking. Reliable connectivity also fosters remote tourism, where individuals may choose to work in the BVI for a period of time. Our products and solutions also make it simple for start-up businesses to easily use advance payment type processes, or WiFi connectivity inside their vehicles to deliver product enhancements to their customers.” c

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RECYCLE. REUSE. REDUCE. At Quality Machine Services, we believe in delivering thoughtful customer satisfaction. In sales, in maintenance or consultation, we recognize that providing you our best service is what will drive the reputation we endeavor to maintain within the British Virgin Islands.

As part of our effort to contribute toward a clean and safe environment we recycle ink and toner cartridges which helps to save our landfill

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INTERVIEW: ACLA ARCHITECTURE

INDIGENOUS

ARCHITECTURE 26 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

By Daniel Baksi Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Laura Narayansingh, Ricardo Newallo, and Gary Turton, Directors at ACLA Architecture, about interactivity in design, sustainable buildings, and the company’s latest rebranding.

ACLA Architecture was founded in 1945

by Anthony Clyde Lewis, a fellow of the Trinidad & Tobago Institute of Architects and the Royal Institute of British Architects, and an MIT graduate. For three-quarters of a century, ACLA has championed Caribbean architecture, using indigenous influences and practices to create a new, modern style.

“We’re probably one of the first indigenous architectural firms in Trinidad, as many of the

early architects were invited from outside of the country,” explains Gary Turton, Director at ACLA Architecture. “Our company has had a fairly successful lifespan designing some of the major civic buildings in the country, including the Financial Complex (“Twin Towers”), which features on all of the country’s currency notes.”

INTERACTIVE IDEAS 2020 marked the 75th year since ACLA’s founding – an occasion that the company had initially planned to commemorate with a special project, paying tribute to their long and successful history. In light of the ongoing pandemic, these plans have had to be re-thought, but ACLA remains intent on delivering a project that responds to the difficulties that local communities are currently facing. “We’ve come up with the concept of a socially responsible and interactive hand-washing station that we’d like to see come to light in different parks SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: ACLA ARCHITECTURE use local materials, and we’re hoping to get local artists involved to bring this project to life, and hopefully launch in 2021. We’re aiming to collaborate with the city corporation, as we need their approval to place it in the park. On top of that, we want to collaborate with other consultants that we work with to get this idea of the ground – M&E engineers, structural engineers. It’s a very simple project, but we still need their input.” throughout the city, and in communities that don’t have easy access to water,” says Laura Narayansingh, Director at ACLA Architecture. “Its main purpose would be to create an opportunity for safe and positive interactions, helping people to feel comfortable in this ‘new normal’ within the public, park environment. Right now, our parks our quite dead, and there are no areas for anyone to sanitize. Although such areas exist within buildings, public outdoor spaces need attention. We’re currently raising awareness of the project in an attempt to gain the funding needed to execute it.”

ACLA is particularly keen to guarantee the sustainability of its hand-washing station.

“The station would be solar powered, using the spare water for irrigation of the park,” explains Mr. Turton. “On top of that, we would

28 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

THINKING GREEN Although sustainable design remains a relatively new concept in Trinidad, ACLA has a long track-record when it comes to creating buildings with the environment in mind. “As a firm, we’re a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Green Building Council, and one of our former directors also was a founding member of that organization,” says Mr. Turton. “As a result, our sustainable approach is integral to the way that we design. It’s not an added feature, or a service that we push upon our clients. We try to educate clients as much as possible and show them ways that we can approach building in a sustainable manner. We use passive design strategies: generally, we start with the correct building orientation, then we look at solar heat gain

around the building and design the fenestration and sun shading. We always try to use local or regionally-sourced materials where possible, and we also try to incorporate natural daylighting, reduce water wastage, and utilize different strategies for managing stormwater on our sites.”

With decades of experience, the company is also well-aware of the challenges to sustainability that remain. “It’s an issue that we’ve struggled with as a country,” explains Ms. Narayansingh. “In Trinidad, it’s really hard to convince clients to go down the sustainable route. Energy costs are heavily subsidized so it’s very affordable and most people don’t see the need to prioritize sustainability. That’s why we focus on passive sustainability because sometimes it’s the easiest way to introduce sustainable measures without having our clients spend more upfront. Despite that, the culture is shifting slowly. We’ve done one or two projects recently in which are clients are switching out all of their lighting to LED lighting and smart systems. But it’s been a long-time coming.

Luckily, however, because of our interest in orientating the building appropriately, providing sun shading systems and proper drainage, our projects do have a good foundation for sustainability.”

“OUR SUSTAINABLE APPROACH IS INTEGRAL TO THE WAY THAT WE DESIGN. IT’S NOT AN ADDED FEATURE, OR A SERVICE THAT WE PUSH UPON OUR CLIENTS. WE TRY TO EDUCATE CLIENTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND SHOW THEM WAYS THAT WE CAN APPROACH BUILDING IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER. “

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INTERVIEW: ACLA ARCHITECTURE

“THAT’S PART OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE SUSTAINABLE: EVALUATING WHAT’S ALREADY THERE AND WORKING OUT HOW YOU CAN ADAPT IT AND REUSE IT.”

30 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

PRIORITIZING PEOPLE Improving people’s lives is another key focus for ACLA. “One of the key points of sustainability is the social aspect, but it’s something that’s not really touched on a lot,” says Ricardo Newallo, Director at ACLA. “Instead, people tend to think about energy requirements and savings. Often, we see building that are just buildings – they don’t really inspire you or make a connection with the landscape or the neighborhood. We really strive to do that and take advantage of the climate, using the spaces around the building and allowing people to interact with nature and the outdoors. We’ve just completed a project in which we used a central atrium space that diffused light deep into the middle of the building, acting as a space for gathering and social interaction.

At first, the clients were quite apprehensive, thinking it would be a waste of space, but actually the office workers and those who use the building actually benefited from the design principles. It turned out to be a pivotal, core component of the design and its success.”

To achieve this, ACLA develop projects that respond closely to their clients’ needs and wants. “The personality of the project is super important from the get-go,” says Ms. Narayansingh. “At ACLA, we take the briefing stage very seriously. We connect with our clients, get to know them, and that largely informs the way that we plan the project. We also introduce our own ideas at that stage, including but not limited to our environmental approach. That client-architect connection is critical for a successful project.”

A NEW ERA ACLA’s 75th year has also offered the company an opportunity to rebrand. “As a practice, over time we’ve been seen as

a fairly elite practice,” explains Mr. Turton.

“We’ve been practicing in the same sort-of way from our first years, but the dynamic of architecture has changed. Architecture isn’t just for the elite, it’s for everyone; and if we’re to make a positive impact in Trinidad & Tobago we need to be more acceptable. Part of our rebranding exercise was to make ourselves more approachable and to improve our appeal to the wider public. For instance, our previous website appealed mainly to designers, other architects, and commercial clients. We love our commercial clients, but it definitely scared away smaller, residential, or interior clients. The culture of Trinidadians is that they want to know they can find a friend in you. We weren’t portraying that. Our new website, first of all, includes the word ‘architecture’, so off-the-bat you know what we’re about. We’ve also taken advantage of the platform offered by social media, posting regularly and communicating with

our followers. It’s more about the clients and less about us.”

To accompany this change, the company is also looking for new avenues to explore, positioning themselves at the forefront of sustainable architecture. “In light of the ‘new normal’, and people needing to reevaluate their real-estate footprint, we’re trying to position ourselves as the thought-leaders for rethinking the existing workplace,” explains Ms. Narayansingh. “Innovative, human-centric spatial planning has always been a welcomed challenge at ACLA, and moving forward, we hope to see a lot more work of that kind. Our cities are so densely developed, as designers we must consider that a new building is not always necessarily the most responsible solution to gaining more space. In order to truly be sustainable we should consider evaluating what’s already there and working out how we can adapt and reuse it.” c

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INTERVIEW: NATIONAL PROPERTIES LIMITED SAINT VINCENT

ISLAND DEVELOPMENTS Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Hans King, General Manager at National Properties Limited Saint Vincent, about developing hospitality projects, driving economic growth for local Vincentians, and the future of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

At the confluence of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean lies the small island nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are some of the most 32 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

densely populated in the Caribbean, with more than 110,000 inhabitants distributed across 142m 2 of territory.’.

Incorporated in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 2001, National Properties

By Daniel Baksi Limited is a state-owned company formed with the intention to harness and optimize the performance of various failed, underperforming, or idle government assets, and to facilitate their commercial privatization. “We’ve been doing this important work ever since we were founded,” says Hans King, General Manager at National

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Properties Limited. “We operate out of our office in Diamond, on the main island of St Vincent. From there, we’ve spearheaded different types of developments right across the country, across residential, commercial, tourism, and more.”

A NATIONWIDE PRESENCE Since its initial founding, National Properties Limited has established large-scale projects across the width and breadth of Saint Vincent. “We manage the industrial estate at Campden Park, where there are a number of factory shells occupied by different tenants involved in manufacturing,” says Mr. King. “We’ve done land development in the Grenadine island of Bequia, where we’re actively involved in residential developments at the moment.

For that, we’ve sub-divided lands, and put in the relevant infrastructure, including roads, cables, electricity, and so on.

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Recently, we signed a franchise agreement for the construction of a 93-room Holiday Inn Express and Suites project. We’ll be managing and building the hotel, but we’ll be carrying the Holiday Inn brand, and we’ll be required to perform to their standards.

For that, we’re looking at a timeline of about two years or so before completion.”

The company has a strong track-record when it comes to leading developments with international partners. “We’re also involved with Marriot, for the construction of a Marriot hotel in an area called Mount Wynn, on the leeward side of Saint Vincent,” says Mr. King.

“That project is scheduled to take a little 34 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

longer: we’re looking at something closer to three years for the construction completion and for the beginning of operations. For both these projects, we’re taking the environment into consideration, integrating energy and water-saving measures in every way possible, and limiting whatever pollution might come out of them. Together, these projects very much fit into the aims and objectives of what National Properties Limited set out to do. The lands that these hotels were built on were already vested in us, and we’re seen as the estate agent to lead that charge, if and when the government is involved in this kind of private-sector business. It’s a natural fit.”

INTERVIEW: NATIONAL PROPERTIES LIMITED SAINT VINCENT

“A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR A MAJOR HOTEL OR BRAND TO TAKE UP. WE’LL ALSO CONTINUE TO DO DEVELOPMENTS ON OUR OWN, AS AND WHEN OPPORTUNITIES COME.”

THINKING LOCAL Each of the National Properties Ltd hotel developments forms part of a long-term strategy to boost employment across Saint Vincent and to strengthen the national economy. “Our hotel projects are actually a very good response to the global situation in the midst of COVID-19,” says Mr. King. “In the absence of tourists, construction is one of the industries that the government is now looking towards in order to drive the economy. As it stands, it’s an industry that people are continuing to work in, albeit with the requirement that they wear masks and observe the recommended guidelines. We know that the construction phase of these hotels is going to create a lot of employment.”

In order to ensure that their work has the greatest benefit, the company has committed to hiring a significant portion of its workforce from within Saint Vincent’s local communities.

“We’ll be almost exclusively hiring local labor, at around 98% of the total,” explains Mr. King. “In Saint Vincent, we have a very good workforce in the construction industry. At the peak, we could see as many as 500 people employed between these two hotel projects.

On top of that, we’ll then be employing another 300-500 at the operational stage, although we will have to bring in one or two consultants from overseas. Once the hotel is up and running, in the case of Marriot, we’ll have a management agreement which will see people coming from abroad at the top

levels, in order to facilitate the management of the hotel. But at the staff level, it will be predominately locals who will be taking up those positions. Of course, two or three years down the line, once the projects have been completed, we also expect to see more employment in tourism. We’ll be looking to the farmers of the country, and to the fisherman, in order to provide the produce, whether it’s fish, meat, or otherwise, in order to supply the hotels with as much as possible once they’re up and running.”

RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT As the importance of construction projects to Saint Vincent’s economy looks to grow in the medium-term, for the short-term National Properties Ltd has had to adapt to some of the less-welcome consequences of COVID-19. “Our way of working has completely changed during the pandemic,” explains Mr. King. “Land sales have definitely slowed down, and there have been changes in terms of how we operate.

We’re having more Zoom meetings and we

don’t do as much face-to-face. We also haven’t been able to travel to do promotions of the lands and developments with which we’re currently involved.”

Despite these challenges, the company continues to press ahead with its developments. “We’re anticipating a boom after the pandemic, especially in tourism,” says Mr. King. “I would think that within the next year, with the vaccine rollout, and people getting immunized, we’ll see more people wanting to travel, and a subsequent knockon increase in land sales. Our Marriot and Holiday Inn developments won’t be ready for that time, but we believe that by the time they are ready, there will have been significant growth in the tourism sector relative to where we are now. Otherwise, we’re hoping to have more developments.

We have some larger parcels of land – for example, on the island of Bequia – that offer a fantastic opportunity for a major hotel or brand to take up. We’ll also continue to do developments on our own, as and when opportunities come.” c

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INTERVIEW: THAMES ESTUARY GROWTH BOARD

THE VOICE OF THE ESTUARY Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Kate Willard OBE, Estuary Envoy and Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board, about delivering on a region’s promise, green growth, and working with a variety of small and large stakeholders.

36 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

potential of the region. In June 2018, the Commission published its report, and based on this report, the Thames Estuary Growth Board was established. The Thames Estuary Growth board is tasked with driving forwards the vision outlined in the report, capitalizing on the Estuary’s unique assets and unparalleled location to achieve green growth for the region and the national economy.

Members of the Growth Board are working with businesses, investors, residents, and communities to make the Estuary a compelling investment proposition, and to build partnerships that transform the area.

The River Thames – the longest river entirely in England – is one of the world’s best-known, stretching over 210 miles from its source in the Cotswolds, through London, before eventually spilling out into the North Sea. This site of this confluence is known as the Thames Estuary, a region covering North Kent, South Essex, East London, and the City of London.

In March 2016, the Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission was established, with the purpose of developing an ambitious vision for growth in the Thames Estuary Region, to unleash the latent economic

DRIVING GROWTH Even before any of the report’s findings have been implemented, the Thames Estuary is a thriving hub for import and export, supplied with excellent transport links, vibrant culture, and areas of natural beauty. “The lesson of the 2018 Growth Report, and from the government’s response the following year, is that we’ve got here a coherent and credible economic geography across the Estuary, one that stacks up in terms of opportunity,” explains Kate Willard OBE, Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board. “The world has heard of the Thames and of London. This is a capital city, and a world-class iconic river; and we’re looking for those post-transition trade links. The Estuary is also full of thriving and dynamic, often green, businesses. We’ve got great green spaces, and it’s got lots of opportunity. We have space for new homes, new communities, for culturally and digitally connected activities. The area is recognized and backed by government and by businesses as a place we need to see great green growth, and it’s the job of

the Thames Estuary Growth Board to make sure that’s delivered over these forthcoming years.”

The Growth Board also recognizes the importance of ‘levelling up’ the Estuary, as Ms. Willard explains. “We want to drive fair and equitable growth across the region by investing in up-skilling opportunities and creating quality jobs, to eliminate uneven pockets of deprivation and ensure no communities are left behind.”

THE GREEN BLUE Last year saw the launch of the Growth Board’s action plan, titled ‘The Green Blue’ in reference to the water of the Thames and to the Board’s ambition to achieve growth in a sustainable way, working with the natural environment. “Across the world, growth zones tend to talk about themselves in similar ways: a great place to do business, with lots of skilled workers, sustainable energy, lots of land – it’s a lot of generic statements,” says Ms. Willard. “There’s nothing wrong with that, but the world is a very competitive place, and distinctiveness is therefore both useful and important. We’ve got an extraordinary distinctiveness: our relationship between the Thames, and land and communities which abut the Thames, including to the west with London and to the east with the rest of the world. It’s a part of the world that also covers two other important groupings: the City of London Corporation, which very much sees us as part of the Estuary, so that’s a financial powerhouse driving us; and the river itself, through the Port of London Authority.”

As part of their action plan, the Growth Board is spearheading the development of a water-based, green-energy-based SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: THAMES ESTUARY GROWTH BOARD

ecosystem across the Estuary. “Our plans are based not only on land, water, or skills, but the irresistible and very distinctive combination of powerful water close to powerfully connected land,” explains Ms. Willard. “The Thames is often described as a barrier to growth in South Essex and North Kent; we completely see it as the reverse: the Thames is the opportunity, and the beating life-blood of the growth opportunity for this area. For instance, we’re looking at shifting freight off roads, and putting it onto the river, and we’re working with the Port of London Authority to see how we can clean the vessels involved. To do so, we’re absolutely sure that hydrogen will have a role to play, because there’s market demand, and an irresistible need for it in light of the zero-carbon, and clean-air agenda. Hydrogen infrastructure is also a really good example of something it would be very difficult to do at a local authority level, or a single business level, or a single location level. Something of that scale needs a strategy covering the Estuary itself, working for all end-users.”

ACTION FIRST As it works towards its goals, the Growth Board is wary of becoming all talk, no action.

“We want to fulfil our aim of being a ‘doing board’,” says Ms. Willard. “In December, we held a hydrogen summit, bringing together experts and stakeholders from across the UK, to set out a roadmap for delivering a hydrogen infrastructure. The aim of the summit was to bring the potential for hydrogen in 38 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

the Thames Estuary to life. And we’re doing just that. In February, we appointed Ikigai, supported by DNV GL, to deliver a hydrogen investment strategy. Ikigai and DNV GL will evaluate and identify the potential for investable hydrogen generation, distribution, storage and usage infrastructure within the Estuary, helping us to meet the commitments made in our ambitious action plan ‘The Green Blue’.”

Another point set out in The Green Blue is delivering a world-class digital infrastructure. The Growth Board is already making headway, hiring strategic advisory firm MediaLink to handle a through-the-line analysis of the region’s digital landscape. Their work will support an explosion of development across the media, production, entertainment, leisure, energy, housing, river crossing, river freight, and education sectors.

COMMUNITY TOUCH The Growth Board looks to increase opportunity within the region while also ensuring plans meet the needs of communities and businesses. “One of the things we work hardest on is managing those relationships at an Estuary level,” says Ms. Willard. “Especially during COVID-19, and in a post-transition economy, our ability to understand what businesses really need, how people move around, and how our towns and smaller communities function is all going to be really important. As for who those communities are, we’d never say this town is in or out, or attempt to draw a political red line on a map.

If there are towns, communities or businesses

that see themselves as part of the Estuary because they have a relationship with the river, then as far as I’m concerned, they are part of the Estuary.”

Representing such a broad coalition of voices has its challenges, but the Growth Board is confident that the time is right to achieve real progress. “There have been previous iterations of a Thames Estuary Growth Board, but the thing that’s always fallen apart is that the Estuary has never pulled together as one. It’s been apparent in concept, but it’s not been apparent in reality; when it comes to discussion, people have retrenched into their local mindset. What we’ve got here, however, is a really extraordinary moment in time during which political partners, private sector partners, government, local authorities, statutory bodies, and others have come together and said: ‘We’re going to fight and champion for the Estuary.’ That recognizes that at times people come from wherever they come from, they represent what they

“VISIONARIES IS ALL ABOUT CHAMPIONING THOSE BRILLIANT BUSINESSES ACROSS THE ESTUARY WHO ARE DOING GREAT, GREEN STUFF,”

represent, and work in whatever sector they work in. But there’s a togetherness, and people are right behind it.”

CHAMPIONING SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES To support and champion good, green growth across the region, the Growth Board is seeking out ‘Estuary Visionaries’, who can showcase the best of sustainable business and kickstart activity across the region.

“Visionaries is all about championing those brilliant businesses across the Estuary who are doing great, green stuff,” explains Ms. Willard. “That could be at all sorts of levels.

It could be small businesses working with recycled materials, it could be huge airports, or big multinationals. We’re going to be talking to all our Visionaries, and as we build this campaign and build more and more of them, we’ll be talking about how we can help them. That might be helping them to talk to government about policy; it might be

about funding; or about sectoral grouping, so that we can have clustering effects across the Estuary for some of this visionary activity.

It’s an opportunity to share best practices, and to help all businesses plug-in to the growth agenda.”

WINNING FREEPORT STATUS In the Chancellor’s March budget, Rishi Sunak announced the Thames Estuary as one of the locations to be granted freeport status. Freeports are zones where normal tax and customs rules are changed to encourage economic activity. They offer wider benefits for businesses such as planning reforms, funding for infrastructure improvements and innovation incentives.

“We are absolutely delighted to have been selected as a freeport location. We believe that the Thames Estuary is the right place to have freeport status, and are so pleased that the government thinks so too,” says Ms. Willard. “We tirelessly lobbied gov-

ernment and campaigned to show our support for the Thames Freeport, as we know just how beneficial it will be to our region, especially to those who need it most.Getting a freeport is an essential part of the Estuary’s recovery and will help it to level-up at this crucial moment in time, post-Brexit and post-Covid. The Thames freeport will unlock £400 million of port investment in deprived areas and create more than 25,000 quality jobs, with significant investment in upskilling opportunities.”

“This is a real triumph for the Thames Estuary, and one which will help us fulfil our action plan, The Green Blue, which sets out our steps to fulfilling the huge, untapped potential of the region,” says Mr. Willard.

“A key part of our action plan is to champion good, green growth – that means sustainable, economic growth that works as one with our environment and natural resources, never against them. The Thames Freeport is vital for this.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: NAMIBIAN STOCK EXCHANGE (NSX)

RAISING NAMIBIA’S CAPITAL

Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Tiaan Bazuin, CEO at the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX), about infrastructure sharing, deepening local markets, and sustainability in the stock exchange.

By Daniel Baksi In 1902, the onset of Namibia’s diamond rush prompted the opening of the country’s first stock exchange, the Lüderitz Stock Exchange, based in the town of the same name. Within the decade, however, the rush had ended, and the exchange was forced to close. Not until 1992 would another stock exchange take its place, two years after Namibia’s independence from the South African occupation.

Following legislative support from the new Namibian government, 36 leading Namibian businesses each donated 10,000 Namibia Dollars towards the creation of the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX). “Since its launch, the NSX has maintained its cash-positive, independent status,” says Tiaan Bazuin, CEO at the NSX. “The Exchange has emerged as the country’s primary platform for capital raising and share-transfers, with 12 local listings and another 34 secondary or dual listings – international companies, perhaps listed in Toronto or Australia, but with local operations in Namibia.”

EFFICIENT INNOVATION Although small in scale, the NSX offers a world-class platform for its brokers and customers, a tribute to the strong working relationships it has established with neighboring exchanges. “We’ve developed a very good partnership with the Johannesburg 40 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Stock Exchange (JSE Limited), in that we use their electronic trading system,” explains Mr. Bazuin. “We regulate the market, oversee surveillance, and do everything for the market, but the IT core itself is outsourced. That’s quite different to other exchanges. The logic is, why would you buy your own bicycle if you’re allowed to drive your neighbor’s Rolls Royce? We pay the JSE a nominal fee, and they create a separate board on their system, into which our brokers plug in and trade. It’s a model that’s worked particularly well for us to keep the cost-base low, and it’s probably a template for how exchanges can work closer together. Not only do we not have to focus as much on IT, but when it comes to sustainability, it helps resolve the problem of duplication of infrastructure, which is a particular issue faced by smaller exchanges.

In working with the JSE, and sharing their technological infrastructure, we’re able to reduce that footprint.”

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INTERVIEW: NAMIBIAN STOCK EXCHANGE (NSX)

“THE CONSTITUTION OF NAMIBIA ACTUALLY MANDATES RESPECT FOR, AND PROTECTION OF, THE ENVIRONMENT, FOR THE BENEFIT OF FUTURE GENERATIONS,”

Such partnerships are one aspect within a continued process of evolution and a sustained focus on the new technologies available to drive NSX’s improvement. “In particular, we’re seeing good developments amongst other exchanges in the up-take of blockchain technology,” says Mr. Bazuin.

“Most likely, blockchain will take the technological costs of the business down even further, creating savings that can potentially be passed on to the end-users. Although its impact on trading is less clear, the technology is likely to have significant benefits for clearing and settlement, offering an enhancing tool that could in theory replace some

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of our existing central securities depository systems. Recently, we’re also seeing mobile phones emerge as the conduit for people to place orders. The Nairobi Stock Exchange, for example, has been quite successful in their mobile platform for trading bonds. At the NSX, we currently still work through a broker-system, but it might be an interesting move to create a front-end at some stage.”

ENCOURAGING INVESTMENT The NSX is also working hard to develop the domestic appetite for listing on the exchange. “In a small market, you have to try and develop and deepen the market much

more than you would necessarily have to do in a larger structure,” says Mr. Bazuin. “Namibia has many medium-sized businesses that, without the necessary expertise or the requisite market skills, wouldn’t necessarily take the step of listing themselves. To resolve that, we’ve been working diligently to expand our offerings, expanding on our capital pool companies (CPCs) and special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). Each of these are proving increasingly popular, especially in the American market, offering an alternative way to list, and helping businesses to raise capital that they might have not been able to do otherwise. Particularly during difficult periods, such as that we’re facing now, these companies function as a developmental tool, guiding businesses through volatility, or positioning them to expand when those difficult periods come to a close. In the case of the pandemic, we believe that the businesses that survive will probably be much stronger and leaner when they get to the other side, so we’re trying to be as flexible as possible, giving people with entrepreneurial spirit the opportunity to actually access capital via the exchange.”

To do so, the NSX is taking active steps to demonstrate the benefits of listing, and to break some of the pre-conceived notions surrounding the complexity of the practice.

“A lot of the time, people over-estimate the cost of compliance,” says Mr. Bazuin.

“People don’t necessarily want to give up single-person or family control. Nevertheless, compliance shouldn’t be seen as a hindrance, or detrimental to the value that it creates, because statistics consistently show that you unlock more value within a listed environment, and usually improve the performance of the business. To that end, we have sessions with various industries, and we host what we call ‘investment days’. Likewise, by speaking to people in the local media, and having articles published, we continue our drive to expel misconceptions. That’s a constant process, and it’s something that’s common to stock exchanges everywhere.”

GOING GREEN In 2018, the NSX saw the listing of the first green bond on its exchange, a symbol of both a national and organization commitment to championing green investing. “The

NSX has been a member of the Sustainable Stock Exchange (SSE) initiative for many years,” says Mr. Bazuin. “But in December 2018, a company called Bank Windhoek Ltd issued the first green bond on our exchange. That green bond stipulates that the proceeds of the bond will only be used for green-initiative lending. In other words, only projects that comply with those criteria are eligible for that specific allocated tranche of funding. It means that investors in that bond can be assured that the money will only be utilized for green-positive funding.”

For the NSX, while such listings encourage a greater focus on issues of the environment, they’re also the product of an increased demand for sustainability within Namibia’s domestic market. “The constitution of Namibia actually mandates respect for, and protection of, the environment, for the benefit of future generations,” says Mr. Bazuin. “It shows that sustainability is very much front-of-mind. Accordingly, we make it a requirement for listing companies that they adhere to the Corporate Governance Code for Namibia, which includes sections on corporate governance and sustainability.

That’s also being used even in the unlisted sections of the market, and has allowed us to push the agenda on sustainability quite a bit. For instance, we’re now seeing more and more property developments done on a sustainable or green basis, with more use of solar energy and other renewable or reusable technologies. The concept is becoming quite established in Namibia, and people are willing to pay a premium for it.”

Looking to the future, the NSX intends to continue expanding its offerings. “We’re in the process of licensing a central securities depository,” says Mr. Bazuin. “That in itself is a goal, but following on from there, we should be well placed to increase liquidity on the bond-trading side, and potentially launch some derivative products. On top of that, we’ll certainly continue to deepen the local market, trying to get more local companies to list. There’s already been confirmation that MTC, Namibia’s state-owned telecommunications provider, has plans to list in the next couple of years. Looking at what similar listings have done in other markets, we believe that could be a catalyst for broader retail market participation.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: SIRAJPOWER

REGIONAL

SOLAR LEADER

SBM speaks to Laurent Longuet, CEO at SirajPower, about accessible solar power, curating a diverse portfolio, and the importance of a flexible approach to solar solutions.

By Daniel Baksi SirajPower is a Dubai-based solar energy company providing development, financing, construction, and operation of solar rooftop installations for commercial and industrial (C&I) users across the region. SirajPower was founded in 2015 by one of the Emirates’ prominent families. “Solar power was gaining popularity in the region for utility-scale projects, but we intuitively predicted that there would be a market uptake for private companies to go solar to reduce both their energy bills and carbon footprint,” says Laurent Longuet, CEO of SirajPower. “That’s why we decided to establish SirajPower, to focus on addressing the C&I market. We started

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in Dubai where we were based, as it was the most mature market at the time. Since then, through our innovative solar leasing model, we’ve established and developed the largest solar asset portfolio totaling 100 MWp, positioning SirajPower as the leader for distributed solar in the UAE.” ACCESSIBLE SOLAR One of the challenges for solar energy adoption to businesses is the upfront investment.

“This often prevents private companies from going solar because they would rather focus on their core business instead of deploying capital to a solar system that they are not familiar with,” explains Mr. Longuet. “From inception, our goal was to address this concern by offering risk free-fully-financed solutions to the C&I market. We offer our customers a solution where they can substantially reduce their energy expenditures without having to pay any upfront investment with the benefit of reduced CO2 emissions. That’s our value proposition.”

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INTERVIEW: SIRAJPOWER

Working predominantly in Dubai so far, SirajPower’s local, on-the-ground presence enables the company to build long-lasting relationships with its clients. “In general, the contracts we have with clients run for approximately 18-20 years,” says Mr. Longuet.

“From our clients’ perspective, it’s not a simple transaction. They’re not looking for the cheapest contractor but rather a reputable and long-term partner. By being a 100% local company, we’re able to bring a lot of comfort to our clients. They know we’re not a foreign company that might disappear or resell its portfolio after a few years. We’re here to stay for the long-run.”

DIVERSE PORTFOLIO An illustration of this long-term approach is the relationship SirajPower has built with Dubai-based logistics firm RSA Global.

“RSA was one of the first movers in the solar market,” says Mr. Longuet. “We started working with them 4 years ago, in 2017, implementing the first solar system 46 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

on one of their rooftops. Afterwards, they returned to us with an increased electrical consumption, and so consequentially, we augmented the size of their solar system.

The same situation happened again last year, so we’re now covering all RSA’s parking with solar systems. As of today, we’ve worked with the client on more than five solar rooftop installations, and an overall solar portfolio of 5.4 MWp. It’s a perfect example of the partnership approach that we look for: We never look for one quick win, but rather focus to establish thriving partnerships, and from there constantly improve, address challenges, and create continuity into new projects.”

SirajPower’s success in promoting the take-up of solar power is reflected in its project portfolio diversity. “Logistics companies are a no-brainer: they have large rooftops, and high electrical consumption,” says Mr. Longuet. “But we’ve also worked with one of Dubai’s major real estate developers, Majid Al Futtaim, which is, of course, a very

well-known name across the region. We offered them a solution for one of their new, high-end real estate developments, for which we had to ensure the solution was equally high-end in its appearance. Recently, we’ve also further diversified our portfolio by making a foray into the education sector. Indeed, we closed a deal with Kent College, located in Dubai, not only providing them with cheap and renewable electricity, but also contributing to their sustainability program. Over the next 20 years, we’ve committed to delivering lectures or workshops to their students every quarter, teaching them about solar, and showing them how it can be practically implemented. Increasing number of local conglomerates have also partnered with SirajPower, and this further strengthens the company’s position as the only locally-owned and long-term preferred solar partner for major UAE group of companies. Today, when I’m asked what our potential clients are, my answer is: literally anybody within the region can benefit from solar.”

FLEXIBLE THINKING A key pillar of SirajPower’s approach is the company’s ability to tailor its solutions to suit individual clients’ needs. This approach has been put to good use in a partnership with DP World, the world’s largest marine ports operator. “Our proposal for DP World began initially with solutions to cover large rooftops”, explains Mr. Longuet. “They came back to us, with additional accommodation buildings, each with small rooftop footprint that they wanted to cover with solar. For that, we had to change our way of thinking. We custom-designed solar rooftop systems that span across 110 mid-rise buildings, making them as standard as possible to make sure we could be competitive, adopting a factory production line’s mindset. From a technical point of view, that’s how we try to be present/accessible – innovating and suggesting new ideas while meeting the same contractual requirements. Our business is not a hypermarket; it’s more of a niche, high-quality shop. Whereas some of our clients want 10-year lease contracts, others want 20 years, while some want the option to exit after 5 years, and so on. It makes the business more challenging, as you can’t have a one-sizefits-all contract. Instead, we have to adapt to each of our client’s requirements, we need to be customer centric to serve them well.”

Moving forward, the company is hoping to take on more projects, further expanding its already diverse portfolio. “Last July, we achieved a significant milestone: we secured the first non-recourse financing in the region for a portfolio of solar projects,” says Mr. Longuet. “Non-recourse financing has been done before on utility-scale projects; some competitors had been able to share or sell part of their capital to some financial institutions, but we’re the first to be able to combine the best of the two worlds: to get a loan on a non-recourse basis, and for a portfolio. It shows that what we’ve done is bankable; it has been audited by banks, by technical auditors; and we now have access to unlimited capital to pursue the company’s further development, in the range of $50 million dollars in the first tranche.

Being the forerunner, we have paved the way, and other players will follow, so it gives us confidence that we have a solid standing for the next two years to fund our local and international development.”

BRIGHT FUTURES As the new era of COVID-19 increases pressure on businesses, SirajPower believes that the demand for solar is only set to increase

“SOLAR IS GREAT: BECAUSE WHEN YOU PRODUCE YOUR OWN ELECTRICITY FROM YOUR OWN ROOF, YOU ARE FAR MORE CAPABLE OF FACING A CRISIS THAN IF YOU SOURCE YOUR ELECTRICITY EXTERNALLY.” significantly. “The vast majority of companies are always looking to save on their operational costs, but today this is even more critical,” explains Mr. Longuet. “It’s now established as a fact that, in this region, the cheapest way to do so is with solar, hence the inevitable growth of the C&I market. Companies now recognize the risk that depends on partners, clients, or suppliers 5000km away when it comes to such a difficult period and are interested in finding solutions that make them more resilient. In that respect, solar is great: because when you produce your own electricity from your own roof, you are far more capable of facing a crisis than if you source your electricity externally, through a power plant that isn’t under your control. This drive towards resilience is already accelerating the development of solar, and in the last few months, we’ve seen a lot of new projects materializing.”

In response to this increased demand, the company hopes to expand in new directions. “Our portfolio in UAE’s on-grid market is now 100 MWp,” says Mr. Longuet.

“SirajPower started to provide its operation and maintenance (O&M) services to all solar

plant owners in the region beyond its owned portfolio to help them increasing the savings they generate from their solar plant. We’re also looking at proposing similar solutions and new technologies, such as solar hybrid systems, to clients for different applications.

That might mean other countries – that’s why we’re setting up in Saudi Arabia, and Oman – but also different applications, in the sense that we’re now proposing solutions for companies not connected to the grid, with facilities in the middle of nowhere running on gensets. We want to extend our reach to these remote customers, allowing them to go solar with a fully-financed scheme. 2020 has been a year in which we did our homework: we’ve set up a strategy, developed the solutions, and we’ve set up the necessary legal entity. 2021 will be the year when the first of these projects become available, when they’ll be built, and put into operation. Five years ago, our objective was to propose solutions to any C&I clients in the region. That’s very much what we still have in mind. We want to change the way the region is powered and become the regional leader for the C&I solar market.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: NOVOTEQNICA

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KEEPING SURINAME ONLINE Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Ryan Abrahams, CEO at Novoteqnica, about the preventative approach to IT, the value of opensource software, and promoting environmentalism through IT solutions

By Daniel Baksi Novoteqnica was founded in 2008, and has been active in the field of IT in Suriname ever since. The company specializes in network support (including implementation, maintenance, and management), providing a range of consultancy services within the IT space, from network set-ups, Wi-Fi connections, and P2P connections, to IT infrastructure upgrades. In addition, Novoteqnica also offers tailor-made solutions in the field of web applications, ERP systems, server and computer leases, and computer repairs, as well as the installation of specialty systems such as IP security camera systems, Wi-Fi systems and POS systems.

Today, Novoteqnica consists of a number of IT specialists with backgrounds in ICT,

computer engineering, and electrical engineering, but the company launched initially as a one-man outfit. “When Novoteqnica started in 2008, it was only me,” explains Ryan Abrahams, CEO of Novoteqnica.

“But in 2011, the computer support center was started, at which time we’d grown to employ about 20 people. In the meantime, a copy center and internet café were also under the umbrella of Novoteqnica, and we also operated an SMS company (novosms) – although that technology has since become outdated, so it’s no longer in operation.

Unfortunately, Suriname then suffered a big economic relapse in 2016, so we took the decision to decrease the size and the operations of the company. But we continue to provide a wide range of IT services.”

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PREVENTATIVE IT Novoteqnica provides a broad range of services, the most popular are Novoteqnica’s managed IT services. “Our slogan is ‘Leave IT to us!” says Mr. Abrahams. “We do everything IT-related for our clients, under a flat-fee contract paid every month, depending on the size of the network and the number of users they have. For that fee, we do everything that’s necessary to keep their network up-to-date and working properly. We distinguish ourselves through our preventative approach, so that even before the client is able to notice a degradation in the quality of their network, we make sure that it already gets picked up.

That means carrying out regular anti-virus scanning, necessary updates and cleaning servers and systems of obsolete files, all of which helps to make sure that the network is able to keep up.”

Novoteqnica’s main goal is to keep client network and server downtime at zero. “To do that, we have to do a number of things, from hardware services, software installation, and maintenance,” says Mr. Abrahams. “We carry out twice-yearly physical cleaning of the hardware, to eradicate dirt-build up within the fans and to ensure that everything keeps running. When physical cleaning is left too late, 50 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

that’s when you start to see down-time, which is not good either for us or for the client.

Unlike other IT service providers, we do well when our clients are not having problems, not when we’re being called about regular IT issues.”

ACCESSIBLE INNOVATION Key for Novoteqnica’s success is the company’s ability to tailor its offerings to the budgets and demands of its clients within Suriname. “We offer ERP systems, doing a lot with open-source software in order to keep the costs for our clients as low as possible,” explains Mr. Abrahams.

“By using open-source software, it means that our clients only pay us for the support.

We also offer back-up services, because Suriname’s upload speeds are very low, with large files taking more than 24 hours to upload, meaning that companies can’t use data centers for their backups.

Especially for large companies, such as engineering firms, that’s quite impractical.

We offer a daily back-up service, and then on a weekly or monthly basis we swipe out those hard-drives according to the customer’s preference. We then check those backups daily, on a remote basis. We also have a unique offering in Suriname, with a

INTERVIEW: NOVOTEQNICA money-back guarantee: if we don’t keep up the terms of the contract, we give back the money for that month.”

In delivering these services, Novoteqnica makes use of specialized software to maximize results. “When carrying out our back-up services, we’re able to use specialized software that makes sure all the backups are completed in an automated fashion,” explains Mr. Abrahams. “From a single dashboard, we can view all of our backups, whether they’ve all been completed, and when it’s time to swipe out the hard drives for an off-premises backup. We’ve written part of those software components ourselves.

We do this also for our clients to measure their op-time, their performance, and the user experience of their network at any time.

We also partner with hardware and software companies with technology in this field, to check out the quality of the network and the server at any time of day. All this is important if we’re to fulfil and exceed the requirements of our contracts.”

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS In delivering these services, Novoteqnica makes use of specialized software to maximize results. “When carrying out our back-up services, we’re able to use specialized software that makes sure all the backups are completed in an automated fashion,” explains Mr. Abrahams. “From a single dashboard, we can view all of our backups, whether they’ve all been completed, and when it’s time to swipe out the hard drives for an off-premises backup. We’ve written part of those software components ourselves. We do this also for our clients to measure their uptime, their performance, and the user experience of their network at any time. We also partner with hardware and software companies with technology in this field, to check out the quality of the network and the server at any time of day. All this is important if we’re to fulfil and exceed the requirements of our contracts.”

Novoteqnica is also actively partnering with clients for whom prioritizing the environment is already seen as crucial to their operations. “We’ve worked with an eco-resort, as part of the Torarica Group of hotel resorts,” say Mr. Abrahams. “In normal times, a lot of people travel to that resort, where they can find unique opportunities to visit Suriname’s nature hotspots, and we’ve taken on the management of their IT services. Due to COVID-19, however, that’s a contract we unfortunately had to cancel during the middle of last year, but they’re

“WE DO EVERYTHING THAT’S NECESSARY TO KEEP THEIR NETWORK UP-TO-DATE AND WORKING PROPERLY.

still our client, and we still offer them IT services on an on-demand basis. As prospects start to improve, we’re currently in talks to get their IPTV program started again, which will include all the Wi-Fi connections to the property management system in the hotel.”

A BLOOMING BRAND In preparation for renewed interest post-COVID-19, Novoteqnica is focusing more efforts towards marketing. “Marketing has even become more important ever since the challenges in the economy,” says Mr. Abrahams. “Many clients were forced to cancel their contracts and move to an off-contract basis. Those trends have continued under the current pandemic. Now, by focusing on marketing, we’re aiming to get

more clients in, even if it’s not on a contract-basis. We’re working on the assumption that once the economy picks up and we start to see things improve, those clients will start to take-up their contracts once again, and will start to take advantage of a higher level of service. At the same time, we’re also working with external companies to make sure our services can become even better. We’re now in partnership with a vendor for hotel software, with the intention of creating an integrated software package for one of our hotelier clients, including IPTV, telephone systems, Wi-Fi, and digital screens. We’ll be bringing all that together, to be connected on a single network and managed and supervised by Novoteqnica.

We’re preparing to get that running as soon as the pandemic is over.” c

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INTERVIEW: SHERATON MALL

SUSTAINABLE

SHOPPING Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Kelly Stoute, General Manager at Sheraton Mall about their recent expansion, green initiatives, and supporting their tenants to endure the COVID-19 pandemic.

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By Daniel Baksi Located on the south coast of Barbados, only a few minutes from St. Lawrence Gap, Sheraton Mall has the distinction of being Barbados’s first mall. Sheraton opened its doors in November 1989 with just over 50 stores, including Solid Gold, SK Fashion, Circuit Electronics, IV Play Deli, and Luk Yeung Restaurant. Throughout its 31 years of business, the mall has expanded to over 120 stores and restaurants, alongside banking facilities, a gym, a pharmacy, a multiplex cinema, and more.. Sheraton remains the largest mall in Barbados, spread across two floors, and also featuring several outside stores that carry accessories and apparel, electronics, health and nutrition, home accessories, and offer several services as well.

look at the concept of the mall – a vision of a more modern mall, with a more international feel.”

As well as helping Sheraton cater to its retailers, the expansion will help the mall maximize their offering for their customers.

“Locals are really our bread and butter, accounting for the majority of our shoppers,” says Ms. Stoute. “We do have international shoppers. However, they tend to be more seasonal, during vacations, or whenever we have higher traffic volumes than normal.

We also offer duty-free shopping within the mall, which benefits international travelers.

It’s a great option that we have here – a feature that you usually find outside of airports, seaports, and in Bridgetown.”

RISING DEMAND “There was a lot of demand from retailers and service providers,” explains Kelly Stoute, General Manager at Sheraton Mall.

“A lot of persons showed interest in space, but we couldn’t facilitate everyone at that time. That’s why we made the addition expansion to 120 stores. The expansion took place on two wings, constructed in different phases. To do that, we had to SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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GREEN PROJECTS Sheraton places a strong emphasis on sustainability initiatives, and the mall plays host to a number of awareness-raising events throughout the year. “We held a ‘No Problem Awareness Fair’ with the aim to assist our patrons and tenants with the transition that came with the plastic ban on July 1st 2019,” says Ms. Stoute. “This event was attended by Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy Mr. Kirk Humphrey, environmental groups and activists and businesses whose focus is sustainable living. Sheraton Mall will continue to use the six Rs of sustainability – refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, regenerate and recycle – as our driving method in its day-to-day and in our corporate social responsibility initiatives to patrons and tenants as we try to reduce our eco-footprint. We also brought people together and installed a display in the mall that showcased environmentally- friendly every day-use products. That was aimed towards people who are still reserved on the idea about sustainability, seeing it as a disadvantage rather than an advantage. We wanted to educate people and to let them know that sustainability is good for the environment and beneficial for us in the long run. We also commissioned

an installation to raise awareness about sea turtles, and their fragile existence. Sheraton has a skylight inside the main mall, in which we featured sculptures of a sea turtle, a starfish, and other creatures, all made from recyclable materials.”

In an effort to further enhance their energy efficiency, the company has also fitted the building with over 1,600 solar photovoltaic panels. “It’s a large project, and that now takes up the majority of our roof

space,” explains Ms. Stoute. “We had to install them over three stages, with the last phase taking place last week. We’re also in the process of changing all fluorescent lights to LEDs – both those outside in the carpark, within the multi-level car park that we have here on-site, and within the mall itself. Likewise, within our individual stores, as people are changing out their fixtures, we’re doing the changing of the bulbs at the same time.”

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INTERVIEW: SHERATON MALL

pandemic, and Sheraton Mall is taking steps to protect those that operate within its premises. “We’re a business ourselves, but we also care about our tenants and their businesses,” says Ms. Stoute. “We work hand-in-hand with all of our tenants, discussing with them about the best steps going forward. We know it’s going to be a hard time for businesses to build back momentum at this time. We’ve reduced our rents to assist businesses. Those discounted rates have been in place from April 2020. For us to offer these kind of cutbacks for our tenants, we’ve had to absorb some of those costs ourselves, and we’re reviewing them as we go along because the situation remains fluid.”

RETAILER SUPPORT One of Sheraton Mall’s selling points is its relaxed, local feel. “Small, local entrepreneurs account for roughly 90% of our tenants,” says Ms. Stoute. “You’ll find international brands throughout the mall, such as Little Caesars Pizza, Burger King, Subway, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Payless, First Caribbean International Bank just to name a few.

Sheraton Mall offers a variety for those who come here. It’s a one-stop shop: we have a pharmacy, convenience stores, electronics, home goods, clothing, shoes, an international Food Court and more, so you don’t have to go anywhere else.

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STAYING FRESH Looking ahead, Sheraton’s efforts are focused on expanding and updating its entrepreneurial base. “There’s no more room for us to expand physically on our existing property,” explains Ms. Stoute. We’ll still make changes, but on a surface-level rather than the actual structure of the mall.

We often have different looks and themes, throughout the year. This year, our Christmas is best on recycling and upcycling, using old Christmas trees. As for the structural aspects of the mall, if we’re going to make a change, it has to be minimal, whether it’s to the stairs, or changing how the entrance looks. Instead, our focus is now on community awareness, building a stronger local entrepreneurial base, and keeping the mall fresh and exciting through a variety of methods and fairs.” c

“WE’RE A BUSINESS, BUT WE ALSO CARE ABOUT ABOUT OUR TENANTS AND THEIR BUSINESSES. WE WORK HAND-IN-HAND WITH ALL OF OUR TENANTS, LISTENING TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY, DISCUSSING WITH THEM ABOUT THE BEST STEPS GOING FORWARD.”

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ADVERTISERS INDEX C Caribbean Alliance Insurance Co. Caribbean Welding Supplies Ltd. Centaur Construction Services

D Disposable Waste Managment Ltd

M Massy Stores Monar Industrial Services (Caribbean) Limited

I IAQ (Mall A/C Unit) IRESS

P Phillips General Contracting Ltd

L Laing Sandblasting & Painting Little Caesars Lumis Photgraphy

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N Notariaat Olff

R R.S. Instruments & Valve Maintenance Services Ltd.

Q Quality Machine Services S Safe Security (ABC) Solife Inc T Trinidad Valve and Fitting

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