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suffolk SPRING 2012 | www.iod-suffolk.co.uk
Sustainable business and the bottom line
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The whole range, from A
to TT.
At Audi, we believe all our cars should combine advanced technology, luxurious features and innovative design. Come to our Centre to experience everything our range has to offer, whether you’re interested in the A1, A4, RS 5, TT or any of our other models.
Bury St Edmunds Audi
Ipswich Audi
Skyliner Way Moreton Hall Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP32 7YB 0844 776 0618 www.burystedmunds.audi.co.uk
2 Bath Street Ipswich Suffolk IP2 8SG 0844 776 0483 www.ipswich.audi.co.uk
Part of Marriott Motor Group Franchise Group
Part of Marriott Motor Group Franchise Group
Official fuel consumption figures for the Audi range in mpg (l/100km) from Urban: 12.7 (22.2) – 64.2 (4.4), Extra Urban 26.4 (10.7) – 85.6 (3.3), Combined 19.0 (14.9) – 74.3 (3.8). CO2 emissions 349 - 99 g/km.
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CONTENTS
suffolk SPRING 2012 | www.iod-suffolk.co.uk
Sustainable business and the bottom line
Welcome. These are exciting times for Suffolk businesses; despite the challenges there are unexpected opportunities to do things differently and to do new things. We’re taking a ‘green’ theme for this issue of the magazine. The ‘Green Economy’ is in the region’s business headlines and Suffolk aspires to be the greenest county. But is a ‘green’ approach good for the bottom line? We take a look at Suffolk companies who make it their business to be ‘green’ and investigate whether taking a more sustainable approach is a luxury or a necessity. In our forthcoming summer issue we are looking at innovation: are Suffolk businesses taking the lead with the high-tech economy? And, in a new development for this publication, we welcome your views and comments for our letters page. Email us at IoD-feedback@tilstonphillips.com or write to us at the address below. Jane Chittenden – Editor
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Published by: Tilston Phillips Magazines Limited 141 Norwich Road Ipswich IP1 2PP enquiries@tilstonphillips.com www.tilstonphillips.com Designed by: Alan Brannan Design www.alanbrannandesign.co.uk
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Printed by: Healeys Print Group www.healeys-printers.co.uk
All rights reserved. Reproduction, in part or in whole, without the prior consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. The content of this magazine is based on the best knowledge and information available at the time of publication. All times, prices and details of events were correct at time of going to press. The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers, proprietors, the Institute of Directors or others associated with this production.
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Contents
1
From the Chair
3
IoD Conference 2012
4
Across the region
9
Corporate News
10
Across the region
11
A word from the accountants
14
IoD news and forthcoming events
16
Protecting the Director
17
Sustainable Business
18
Business Profile – Greene King
22
Working in tandem
24
Sustaining Snape
26
Leisure
31
Charity
32
Business books
35
Member profile – Rick Stevenson
36
© Tilston Phillips Magazines Limited 2012
IoD suffolk | spring 2012 | 1
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Home Entertainment Centre 97 Foxhall Road Ipswich Suffolk IP3 8JY. Telephone: 01473 216121. Email: sales@matthews.ltd.uk www.matthewsltd.com
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WELCOME
New members to Suffolk branch Kate Chandler Greene & Greene Anthony James Brice Haines Watts Tony Dean Harrison Clinical Research Ltd Simon Macdowall HM Revenue & Customs Edward Blackmore Noble Group Ltd Matthew Wilby Norse Commercial Services Ltd Andrew Staff Notcutts Ltd Mark Wootton Notcutts Ltd Robert Martin Thacker Pound Gates Mark Johnston-Wood St Andrews Healthcare Judith Mobbs Suffolk County Council Paul C Overton Trusted Management Limited Oliver Dickinson We Connect Students Ltd
IoD Suffolk membership benefits • • • • • •
IoD Travel Services IoD Car Rental IoD Director’s Liability Insurance IoD Professional Indemnity Insurance IoD Home and Contents Insurance IoD Health Plans For a complete list of the current affinity member benefits, please see www.iod.com/speciallynegotiated To find out more about joining IoD Suffolk branch please contact: Caroline Kearney Suffolk Branch Administrator 07917 699 498 caroline@iod-suffolk.co.uk Institute of Directors Suffolk Branch 25 Wilding Drive, Grange Farm Kesgrave, Ipswich IP5 2AE www.iod-suffolk.co.uk
From the Chair The news that the UK economy had contracted in the final quarter of 2011 came as no surprise to anyone. As the contraction was relatively small and indeed may be revised to a stand-still position in due course, it could almost be counted as good news.
Better news was the fact that the US economy is picking up and this may help offset the slow-down in Europe. By the time you read this article we may at last have a solution to the Greek crisis but I have been saying that for about six months. Closer to home, the news that Suffolk businesses have picked up around £8 million of Olympic contracts is excellent. There were fears that smaller firms would struggle to bid successfully but the very transparent process has certainly proved worthwhile. Maybe this is a lesson for procurement in the public sector more generally. Suffolk Branch has begun its new events year with a highly successful Business Breakfast and plans are well under way for our bigger, better conference in June. Details of this are shown elsewhere in the magazine. I know that the majority of readers of IoD Suffolk Magazine are actually not members of the Institute and to try to persuade you to join we have also set out in the magazine the
many benefits of membership. As always I, or any of our Committee, would be delighted to discuss membership with you. As well as the service available nationally, here in Suffolk we are looking to link with local businesses to offer special deals for our members. More details will be announced in the near future. One initiative we are able to announce is a link with Eastern Enterprise Hub and their E-touchdown facility. E-touchdown will be a great place to work and network, and IoD members receive special rates. And finally, many of you may have wondered about the photo accompanying my column in the last issue. Like many other men, I took part in the ‘Movember’ campaign to raise funds and awareness for men’s cancer charities. Any donations are gratefully accepted.
Paul Winter 27th February 2012
Follow @SuffolkIoD IoD suffolk | spring 2012 | 3
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IOD CONFERENCE
BELIEVE... DEVELOP...
4 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
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Annual Conference
. ACHIEVE Key insights into the skills, knowledge and mindset to lead in business.
Then book now for the IoD Suffolk Annual Conference which will take place in the beautiful surroundings of Woodhall Manor on Wednesday 20th June.
Are you ready to be fired up with the right ideas, techniques and attitudes for your next business challenge?
120 places are available for what promises to be the event for Suffolk’s business community this year. The full day conference (9.30am – 4.30pm) has three high profile speakers as well as time for two syndicate sessions where there’s an array of eight presenters to choose from. Finally, IoD Suffolk would like to thank management consultancy and professional coaching company Williams-Wroe and event management company Eventuoso for helping with sponsorship of this year’s conference alongside our 2012 sponsors Barker Gotelee, Ensors, Quantrills and The Ideas Centre. We look forward to seeing you there!
20 JUNE 2012 9.30am – 4.30pm Woodhall Manor
BOOK NOW The day represents excellent value and offers a wealth of opportunity to learn, network, glean new insights and ideas, all in the company of Suffolk’s IoD members and guests. IoD member tickets are £95.00 (ex VAT) whilst non-member tickets are £142.50 (ex VAT). To book your place please contact Caroline Kearney, IoD Suffolk Branch Administrator. Email: caroline@iod-suffolk.co.uk Tel: 07917 699 498. For the full conference programme and details see www.iod-suffolk.co.uk
Keynote speakers
John McCarthy CBE will tell his incredible survival story and the techniques he learnt for overcoming self-doubt and despair as he endured 1,943 days in squalid captivity at the hands of terrorist kidnappers in the Lebanon. An acclaimed speaker he resonates with business subjects such as motivation, leadership and communication.
Stephen Drew, Senior Vice-Principal of Passmores Academy in Harlow, will give an insight to his steely determination and belief that adults should do everything possible to recognise young people’s potential, a passion which brought him into the limelight in Channel 4’s Educating Essex.
Laura Kuenssberg, Business Editor for ITV News (and former Chief Political Editor for the BBC) won acclaim for her coverage of the 2010 General Election and covered Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign. She’ll give insights into the latest business stories hitting the headlines.
continued overleaf ➤
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IOD CONFERENCE
Syndicate sessions Delegates will be able to choose one syndicate session from each group. KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Brand management through law
Get Linkedin without being a twit or losing face
Led by Jo McKenzie, Litigator and Intellectual Property Lawyer at Barker Gotelee, this session will give an insight into which areas of the law are important in protecting your brand; what to be aware of and how to manage a dispute.
Led by Simon Quantrill, Managing Partner, Quantrills, this master-class will inform you about how to protect your business from social media misuse, answering key questions such as what are the risks; what can go wrong and who is legally liable?
Walking the talk – how to manage change and build a culture of success
Practical tax planning for businesses during difficult times
Kimberley Williams, Managing Director, Williams-Wroe management consultants, will show how change is crucial for growth and innovation in every business; this master class offers guidance on how to design, implement and embed change initiatives which can transform your business.
Robert Leggett, corporate tax partner, Ensors, will use this syndicate session to look at how you can manage your workforce without it costing your business a fortune; what costly tax pitfalls you should avoid and why splitting up your company might help.
MINDSET AND ATTITUDE
The mindset of great achievement
What a feeling – a team in top flight!
Led by Richard Jackson, Partner, Mancroft International, this thought provoking session looks at why at least 80% of our success is the result of our mindset, our attitudes – the way we think.
Jane Bowen, Corporate Training Consultant will look at the motivators and drivers which make a team really work well together and how to get that desire to succeed and achieve more.
The leadership skills for a winning team
Creativity in action!
Stephen Unwin, Senior Business Coach, will present leadership techniques and tools to help you communicate effectively with your team, together with proven principles to ensure that you create the right environment and disciplines to get your team performing at their very best.
Thank you to our Annual Conference sponsors
6 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
Led by David Hall, The Ideas Centre, this highly interactive and energetic session will introduce and use techniques to explore the underlying principles behind creativity. David has a passion for creativity and innovation, and a pursuit of the perfect culture has provided a common thread throughout his career. He won an E-on Award for ‘UK’s Most Energetic Boss’! in 2007 when chief executive of HFL.
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For cost effective creative design, whatever your size or type of business, contact Paul Newman or visit our website to find out how we can help take your business forward.
Andrew Edmonds Bradwell Butchery
We enjoy working with the creative team at Alan Brannan Design.They understand what we’re trying to do – and what’s needed to achieve it.
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Simon Housego Senior Marketing Manager Chartis Insurance UK Limited
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IoD suffolk | spring 2012 | 7
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Creativity, stimulation, provocation, sharing...
Providing a forum for regular practice of creativity techniques and facilitation, the Ideas Centre also provides a range of provocative and energising seminars to motivate and excite your change agents. The change process inevitably drains the energy levels of even the most passionate individuals, so the Ideas Centre provides a resource to re-charge the batteries, to provide new ideas and to provide a source for innovation and transformation. This is not about continuous improvement – but more about discontinuous change, introducing step-function change into a business by challenging conventional thinking. Meetings are held on a monthly basis in a range of locations. Attendees are urged to be selfish – ensuring that sessions deliver benefit for their own organisations. Contact Dr David J Hall d.hall@ideascentregroup.com See www.ideascentre.co.uk for further information.
The Ideas Centre Ltd French’s Hill Pond Hall Road Hadleigh Suffolk IP7 5PQ
8 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
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ACROSS THE REGION
NEW TRAIN OPERATOR’S PLEDGE TO PASSENGERS New East Anglia train operator Greater Anglia has doubled the number of safety and security staff in its customer service team. The company says the additional personnel will provide more help, assistance and information for passengers. It has also increased the number of seats available on services to and from London Liverpool Street.
Greater Anglia car parks, there is the welcome news that we have frozen car parking charges for the rest of 2012.”
As Greater Anglia began running its new franchise in February, managing director Ruud Haket, said: “We want to provide a great rail service and from today will start by ensuring those travelling in the peak see more seats on specific trains. I want customers to have complete peace of mind that they are travelling safely, too.”
He added: “We’ll continue to deliver on the promises we have made to improve customer service through a whole suite of initiatives between now and the end of the franchise. Initially we will work towards delivering the successful Olympic programme but my commitment to existing and new customers is to make it easier to ensure staff are able to deliver customer service to you every day, no matter which part of the network you travel on.”
Mr Haket also pledged to keep down the cost of parking for travellers: “For those already making the journey by train and using
IoD members set for touchdown IoD members in Suffolk and beyond are set to benefit from a new partnership with the Eastern Enterprise Hub – providing free access to a dedicated workstation in the new e-touchdown service. E-touchdown opened its doors for business at the Hub HQ on the Ipswich waterfront in February and aims to offer a more stimulating environment than the cubical approach to hot-desking and business incubation. Instead, the mission is to deliver an innovative and highly creative community for entrepreneurs to come together and do business. Enterprises based in e-touchdown will have access to an expanding peer-to-peer network of entrepreneurs and corporate leaders who can help with business plans and offer specialist advice. E-touchdown will be open for use by all business people and, with no long-lease arrangements, space can be booked for as
little as an hour. There is access to meeting rooms, including the ‘Aquarium’ overlooking Ipswich waterfront. IoD members can take advantage of reduced hire charges for the Aquarium. IoD Suffolk chairman, Paul Winter, said: “This is an IoD member benefit we are very excited to be able to offer in partnership with EE Hub. It’s an inspiring and flexible workspace which any business leader will be delighted to use.” The IoD e-touchdown hot-desk is available free of charge to members on a first-come, first-served basis and is bookable by the day or by the hour. Please call Chris Shutt on 01473 527100 or email chris.shutt@eehub.co.uk
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CORPORATE NEWS
In-deed-y, all-write-y By Andrew Fleming, Partner – Blocks Solicitors
The benefits of signing a written business agreement may appear to be fairly obvious. Setting out the terms of a transaction in writing offers the clarity, certainty and detail required by all parties involved. However, sometimes a distinction needs to be made between something that is merely an ‘agreement’ and something that constitutes a ‘deed’. A deed is an agreement which is ‘executed with the necessary formality’. Unlike an ordinary contract, it is enforceable even if no consideration is given for the obligations contained in it. It is also capable of being enforceable for up to 12 years, as opposed to 6 years for an ordinary contract. Certain agreements, such as transfers of land, mortgages and leases are not enforceable unless they are executed as deeds. It is therefore vital for those involved, especially limited companies and LLPs, to make sure that due formalities are observed.
Historically, a signature to a deed required to be sealed with wax, but now it only needs to be made clear on the face of the document that it is intended to be a deed, usually by a particular form of wording and, in the case of individuals, independently witnessed. In the case of corporate entities, the deed will normally be signed by two ‘authorised signatories’ of the company, being two directors or a director and secretary (or, in the case of LLPs, by two designated members). Since the Company Act 2006, when sole director companies were permitted to be run
without the need for company secretaries, the signature of one director duly witnessed, will be sufficient to constitute a deed. Equivalent provisions were granted for LLPs in 2009. It is often forgotten that a deed only becomes legally binding when it is ‘delivered’, presumed to take place once it has been sent to the other party. If the document is only intended to be enforceable as a deed once a condition has been satisfied or until an appropriate date has been agreed, this should be made clear in the signing clause itself. 01473 230033 arf@blockslegal.co.uk
IMITATION: The sincerest form of flattery, a growing form of theft Apparently, if the number of Elvis impersonators continues to rise at its current rate, a third of the world’s population will be emulating the King by 2019. Your market may or may not be quite that competitive, but either way, protecting your brand or innovation is critical to the future success of your business. Get in touch to find out how our friendly expertise and legal knowledge of trade marks, patents and designs could be the cheapest insurance you ever take out. But don’t leave it too long. “Thank you very much.”
01473 660 600 www.dummett.com 10 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
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ACROSS THE REGION
Women golfers tee up for big summer show Two Suffolk women golfers will be staging the region’s biggest golf show this summer. Susan Moore, who owns the nine-hole Clare Park Lake Golf Course, is joining forces with golf professional Sarah Wilson, who owns the Bramford Golf Centre, to stage the Golf East event at Suffolk Showground, Trinity Park, Ipswich, on July 14 and 15. Susan explained: “We decided late last year that there are no golf shows in the East of England. After a bit of research, we found that support for such a show was unanimously positive. “It will be a day out for the whole family and be an opportunity for the sport to promote itself and for anyone who plays, or is interested in playing, to find everything they need, or need to know about golf in one place over two days.” The show will include a driving range, competitions, displays, club exhibits, teenage interactive zone, trick-shot shows, leading manufactures and a putting area. For details contact Susan Moore on 07802 611376 www.golfeast.co.uk Twitter @GolfEastShow
UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE for chairman Chris Anglia Ruskin University has appointed Chris Parkhouse, managing director of Deyton Bell, as visiting fellow in international business at Lord Ashcroft International Business School. Chris is chairman of IoD East of England, and a former deputy chairman of the Greater Cambridge Partnership. In his new role he will be invited to contribute to the MBA programmes, advise students on business topics and be involved in supporting university research projects. Chris, who holds both US and UK nationality, said: “I am looking forward to sharing the knowledge and experience I have gained in international business over the last 25 years. I am also keen to help the business school build bridges and develop relationships with the wider business community and will do
everything I can to make the most positive contribution to Anglia Ruskin.” Professor Terry Mughan, director of the Centre for Innovation in International Business at Anglia Ruskin, said: “We are delighted to be able to formalise the contribution Chris has been making for some time. “As both an international businessman and influential member of business representative bodies, Chris gives our school great access to current business issues and invaluable experience that is of great interest to our students.”
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Business closure isn’t always the answer. Talking to us about recovery solutions is.
Ensors expert Business Recovery team are committed to helping businesses survive and, where possible, trade out of their difficulties. Contact Mark Upton for a confidential chat and initial free meeting on mark.upton@ensors.co.uk
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ACROSS THE REGION
Top food award for Suffolk pub The British Larder pub-restaurant in Suffolk has been awarded Best Newcomer at the Budweiser Budvar Top 50 Gastropub Awards 2012. It beat off competition from entrants across the UK – despite having opened only 18 months ago, at Bromeswell, near Woodbridge. The British Larder Suffolk was praised for its innovative food concept, involvement in food events and its marketing prowess. It is run by two professional chefs, Madalene Bonvini-Hamel and Ross Pike. Having generated a large following with the recipe blog www.britishlarder.co.uk, they decided to create a physical home for the gastronomic creations that feature on the site, opening in summer 2010.
Among its previous awards The British Larder has been named East Anglia’s Gastropub of the Year 2011, was listed as Inspector’s Favourite in the Michelin Guide 2012, and won Suffolk Tourism’s Taste of England Award. It was also voted as one of MSN’s top 10 places to eat steak in the UK, and has received favourable reviews in national newspapers and magazines. It changes its menu almost every day to reflect what is fresh and in season and offers a ‘bartering’ system whereby customers can bring excess produce from their garden and have it made into dishes.
All in the best possible taste...
ART FESTIVAL TO FOCUS ON EYES AND IDEAS The artistic balance between looking and thinking will be the theme of Aldeburgh ART, a four-day festival being held in June. The legacy of David Hockney (The Eye) and Marcel Duchamp (The Idea) are analysed by art historian Martin Gayford, former Tate curator Simon Wilson, and BBC arts correspondent Razia Iqbal. The festival, which runs from Saturday, June 2, until Tuesday, June 5, will be devoted to visual art and will feature talks, exhibitions, performances, plays, installations, parties and a vibrant fringe with pop-up art events
all around Aldeburgh. Serious art discussion is lightened with informal fish-and- chip art chats.
The English Whisky Company based at Roudham, Norfolk, has launched a new drink, St George’s PX, which it claims to be a one-off. The company uses sherry casks for the maturation of its whisky. The sherry is removed from the casks and further fortified with a little English whisky. The mixture is then placed into different casks that have been used to mature whisky and the combination is left to rest for up to a year.
Special offer to IoD members – £30 festival ticket (normally £60).
The result is a rich, deep drink that has its heritage in sherry, but containing a background hint of whisky.
Contact: caroline@carolinewiseman.com View website: www.carolinewiseman.com/ www.aldeburghart.com or call: 01728 452754.
The company says that although St George’s PX can be drunk at any time it makes a suitable replacement for port or, if chilled, can be used as a dessert wine. IoD suffolk | spring 2012 | 13
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A WORD FROM THE ACCOUNTANTS
Larking Gowen is delighted to announce that Adam Clarke will be joining the partnership with effect from 1 April 2012. Adam is a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner and currently manager of the Business Recovery Department. Adam has been taking formal insolvency appointments on behalf of Larking Gowen since 1 April 2011. Adam’s promotion will further strengthen the Corporate team in Larking Gowen’s Suffolk offices. The UK economic recovery continues to be hampered by slow growth and business conditions remain generally challenging. The continued public sector spending cuts, the attitude of H M Revenue & Customs to deferring tax liabilities and lack of public confidence means that 2012 is likely to remain a difficult year for a number of businesses. The retail sector has seen a number of highprofile failures, most recently La Senza, Blacks Leisure and Peacocks. Locally, we continue to see a number of formal insolvency appointments in the hospitality and services sectors in particular.
“When faced with financial distress, the most crucial advice I could give is to seek help as early as possible,” says Adam. “The earlier you obtain financial advice the more options there are likely to be available to the business. Our primary focus is always to rescue the business and preserve the jobs of employees. However, often our advice is sought too late in the process, resulting in formal insolvency and, in certain cases, Liquidation is inevitable.” Whilst Larking Gowen is positive about the future in Suffolk, a number of businesses will undoubtedly need help in negotiating the future. Anyone who has concerns regarding their business should contact Adam on 01473 833411 for a free consultation.
Larking Gowen is registered to carry out audit work in the UK by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales. Authorised and regulated by the financial services authority.
Larking Gowen, 1 Claydon Business Park Great Blakenham IP6 0NL. www.larking-gowen.co.uk
EMPL EMPLOYMENT OYMENT L LAW AW A AD ADVICE VICE S Selene elene Ho Holden lden h heads eads G Greene reene & G Greene’s reene’s e employment mployment la law w tteam. eam. SSelene elene aadvises dvises e employers mployers HR matters matters ffrom rom o on n al alll eemployment mployment la law w aand nd HR da day-to-day y-to-day iissues ssues ssuch uch aass p performance er formance aand nd abs absence ence m management anagement tto o aadvising dvising o on n la large rge sscale cale rredundancies edundancies aand nd b business usiness tr transfers. ansfers. FFor or fur further ther inf information, ormation, please ccontact ontact SSelene elene on 01284 717436 or seleneholden@gr seleneholden@greene-greene.com eene-greene.com
Baker Tilly, a leading national firm with a local Suffolk presence Baker Tilly based in Bury St Edmunds offers the benefits of a national, Top 10, accounting firm with a local Suffolk presence. Baker Tilly based in Bury St Edmunds is one of Suffolk’s leading professional services firms and possibly Suffolk’s largest firm of Chartered Accountants. We benefit from a national and international network to add to the depth and quality of the advice provided to our clients. If you want the best of both worlds, a local service with a national and international reputation, please contact Stephen Duffety on 01284 763311 or email stephen.duffety@bakertilly.co.uk Baker Tilly, Abbotsgate House, Hollow Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP32 7FA
© 2011 Baker Tilly UK Group LLP, all rights reserved
G reene & G reene S olicitors 80 Guildhall SStreet treet Bur dmunds IP33 1QB Greene Greene Solicitors Buryy SStt EEdmunds T 01284 762211 mail @greene-greene.com w ww.greene -greene.com mail@greene-greene.com www.greene-greene.com
14 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
Baker Tilly UK Audit LLP, Baker Tilly Tax and Advisory Services LLP, Baker Tilly Corporate Finance LLP, Baker Tilly Restructuring and Recovery LLP and Baker Tilly Tax and Accounting Limited are not authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 but we are able in certain circumstances to offer a limited range of investment services because we are members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. We can provide these investment services if they are an incidental part of the professional services we have been engaged to provide. Baker Tilly & Co Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority to conduct a range of investment business activities.
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A specialist Intellectual Property company that moves with the times O Patents O Trademarks O Licensing O Design Rights O Litigation O Portfolio Management O IP Valuation O IP Budgeting
Tel: +44 (0) 1603 457008 Norwich Tel: +44 (0) 2033 271310 London www.ip21.co.uk
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IOD NEWS AND FORTHCOMING EVENTS
IoD Suffolk 2012 events programme sponsors
Know your market says adventure capitalist Over sixty Suffolk IoD members and guests enjoyed the first IoD Suffolk event of the year at Seckford Hall on 12 January when adventure capitalist Conor Woodman gave a colourful, story filled presentation about his travels and trades.
Lining up to launch the 2012 programme of events are Nicola Furmston (Partner, Barker Gotelee), Simon Quantrill (Managing Partner, Quantrills), Malcolm McGready (Partner, Ensors) Paul Winter (Chair, IoD Suffolk and Chief Executive, Ipswich Building Society), and David Hall (Founder, The Ideas Centre).
An economist, author and adventurer, Conor Woodman gave up a high flying career as a City economist to explore whether there’s something universal about making money.
“Being an entrepreneur is as much about things going wrong as things going right. Business people are the same wherever you go. They want to hear your story and build relationships,” he said.
After successfully pitching the idea to Channel 4 he set off on a five month adventure with £25,000 and the aim of doubling his money by trading around the World. Along the way he discovered how ancient trading and different cultures have influenced the way we do business today.
Conor learnt from his experience trying to trade camels in Sudan (“they’re the toughest traders in the world,”) and was “taken to the cleaners” at a horse market in Western China, so his most important lesson to a captivated business audience was to know the importance of research in understanding your market.
Join us for this exciting new addition to the IoD Suffolk events programme and a joint initiative with Archant. The Big Debate is the place to have your say on the hot topics of the day. You get a chance to take part in the debate and then cast your vote on the issues that really matter to you as a business leader in our region.
It promises to be entertaining, informative and interactive with plenty of time for networking and to put the world to rights!
IOD FORTHCOMING EVENTS
The BIG debate! 24 APRIL 2012
6.30pm – 10.00pm The Council Chamber, Endeavour House IoD members £35 (ex VAT) Non-members £52.50 (ex VAT)
The parliamentary style debate takes place in the grand surroundings of the Council Chamber at Suffolk County Council and will be chaired by Paul Hill, Regional Business Editor of Archant.
Breakfast with Chief Economist 22 MAY 2012 7.30am – 9.30am The West Wing, Ickworth Hotel IoD members £27.50 (ex VAT) Non-members £41.25
The breakfast will be followed at 9.30am by the Annual Members’ Meeting for IoD members.
16 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
Guest speaker Graeme Leach, Chief Economist at the Institute of Directors, will give his perspective on the political and economic environment affecting us all. Is Plan B a realistic option? Are public spending cuts harming rather than aiding a recovery and can the Eurozone crisis be solved or is the experiment over? Join us for this fascinating breakfast. To book, contact Caroline Kearney, Suffolk Branch Administrator. Telephone 07917 699498 or email caroline@iod-suffolk.co.uk
The evening starts at 6.30pm with reception drinks and canapés. A buffet dinner and wine will be served between debating sessions. If you have an issue that you would like to see debated, email Caroline Kearney, IoD Suffolk Branch Administrator caroline@iod-suffolk.co.uk
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PROTECTING THE DIRECTOR
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at least in record keeping A director owes fiduciary duties to the Company. Where there is a breach of duty it is for the company to prove the breach. A trite statement of law but one that has received a shake up; a recent decision by Mr Justice Newey in GHLM Trading Limited v Maroo & Others suggests that there is a change in the burden of proof in such cases. Mr and Mrs Marroo ran GHLM Trading Limited, a textile trading company, which had entered into a joint venture with another company and opened shops in Spain. The directors solicited investment from an acquaintance, Mr Binani (a successful business man), in order to further the venture in Spain. Over a three-year period, Mr Binani invested £1,000,000 in shares and lent GHLM £577,500, but the business failed and by August 2007 had no shops in Spain. By 2007, the directors claimed to have loaned GHLM the sum of £1,295,903 and this formed the main battleground between the company and the Maroos. The allegation was that Mr and Mrs Maroo had not introduced anything like the sums credited against their loan accounts.
During the case there was heated discussion about the nature and extent of the burden of proof in respect of the credits applied to the directors’ loan accounts. Mr Justice Newey decided that: “…once it is shown that a company director has received company money, it is for him to show that the payment was proper. It seems to me that where debit entries have correctly been made to a director’s loan account, it must be incumbent on the director to justify credit entries…” The implication is that where a director receives money from the company not only must he be able to fully justify the payments, but, where he claims to have lent money to the company, he must also be able to show that payments were made and were made for proper purposes.
As Mr Justice Newey said: “That conclusion makes more sense when it is remembered that the director (a) will have been (one of those) responsible for the management of the company’s business and (b) will have had responsibility for ensuring that proper accounting records were kept…” In conclusion, proper record keeping is paramount! If a decision is made to loan money to the company the director must record that decision – including details of where the money came from and how it was spent – before it can be credited to a loan account. This decision was made on 23 January 2012 and may be appealed but it is doubtful that the reasoning employed by the Judge will be criticised.
For information on commercial or insolvency law contact Kevin Sullivan or David Gibbs at Birkett Long LLP on 01206 217609 kevin.sullivan@birkettlong.co.uk or david.gibbs@birkettlong.co.uk Kevin Sullivan
David Gibbs IoD suffolk | spring 2012 | 17
IoD Spring 2012 issue aw_Layout 1 28/02/2012 14:30 Page 18
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
Suffolk aspires to be the greenest county – but is ‘green’ business good for the bottom line? And if it is good for the bottom line, what are the barriers that stop others from taking a more sustainable approach? Jane Chittenden takes a look at the Suffolk companies who are making sustainable business their priority… and finds out why others aren’t taking advantage of opportunities to enhance their business.
Is green business good for the bottom line? Hillfarm is everyone’s idea of a ‘green’ business, a third generation farming family in an idyllic rural setting near Halesworth in Suffolk. They are the original producers of premium cold-pressed rapeseed oil, a healthy natural product. Everything is done on-site – growing a sustainable crop and processing it. The residue of the rapeseed pulp goes to local pig farmers – everything is completely recycled. And the business gives much-needed employment to the rural community. There are lots of examples of ‘green’ businesses across the county, especially in the renewable energy sector. Alongside the traditional farming sector, Suffolk’s new ‘green’ economy is developing in centres of cutting-edge innovation such as Orbis Energy at Lowestoft. And for many others such as Anglian Water it’s a necessity to be ‘green’. Clearly, for businesses like these it makes sense to take a ‘green’ approach. But in these difficult economic times, is ‘green’ a luxury for most of us, maybe something that’s a bit green and fluffy? Is it better for hard-pressed companies to stick to ‘business-as-usual’ or should they deliberately aim to be more sustainable?
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“It’s not about finding the nearest tree and hugging it; it’s about good business practice.” IoD Suffolk put the question to PR expert Andrew Cook, MD of Ethicomm, a consultancy specialising in support for sustainable business. “In this economic climate it’s more important than ever to think in a sustainable way, because it’s going to safeguard the long-term future of your business,” he says. “It’s not about going out and finding the nearest tree and hugging it; it’s about looking at what’s good business practice and what’s best business practice, in terms of cost-efficiency, while taking account of the social and environmental aspects at the same time.” It seems that many people don’t understand what the whole picture of ‘sustainability’ means. Certainly the ‘green’ dimension is important (the environment) but there are the social and economic aspects too. The Financial Times defines sustainable business as managing the triple bottom line – financial, social and environmental risks, obligations and opportunities, or ‘profits, people and planet’. There’s also resilience over time – businesses that can survive turbulent conditions because they’re closely connected to healthy economic, social and environmental systems. They create economic value and strong communities at the same time as protecting the environment.
IoD Spring 2012 issue aw_Layout 1 28/02/2012 14:31 Page 19
GREEN ADVICE AND SUPPORT FOR SUFFOLK BUSINESSES The case for a different approach to business The Economist argues that the case for environmentally and socially sustainable business is stronger than ever. Customers demand it; governments demand it; competitors are doing it. It’s not a ‘nice-tohave’ any more; it’s a key strategic issue. Cook agrees: “M&S’s Plan A is a classic example – they aspire to be the world’s most sustainable retailer because that’s what their customers want. Consumers, bluntly, are demanding that organisations and brands behave in a more sustainable and ethical way. Mass media and social media has meant that brands are far closer to consumers than they ever have been; there’s the media interest and social media, the proximity of a brand to a customer and how quickly a customer can provide feedback on a brand to millions of people.” It’s about breeding honesty and trust and being authentic about what you are doing, because otherwise consumers will see straight through it. Cook thinks that it’s almost worse to put some vague policies in place to gain PR points than not to do anything at all. People are already talking about ‘greenwashing’ in instances where companies are parading themselves as sustainable or ethical purely to score points; when you dig a bit deeper you find that they’re not doing anything at all. He thinks there is a lot of scepticism: “This is why if you are putting a corporate responsibility strategy in place you need to be very open and transparent about what you’re doing, because the more you can openly communicate what you’re doing, the less scepticism there will be. Shareholders will look at it too and say: ‘This is obviously central to the business ethos, rather than just an ad hoc reaction’.”
The investor perspective – seeking out ethical investments The investor perspective is an important dimension. There’s a significant rise in ethical investments, specifically in investment funds managed on behalf of high net worth individuals, as opposed to institutional funds. “There’s a London-based investment company that has recently opened an office in Norwich,” he says. “In the last two years they have seen a 60 per cent rise in their investors – all of whom are high net worth individuals – wanting them to invest their funds specifically into an ethical investment portfolio. It’s a huge rise.” It’s increasingly important for the world’s top companies to be seen to be sustainable. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index measures company performance across three dimensions: economic, environmental and social. Each year, the world’s 2,500 largest companies, measured by free-float market capitalization, from the 57 sectors are invited to report on their sustainability performance. The result of the Corporate Sustainability Assessment provides an in-depth analysis of economic, environmental and social criteria, such as corporate governance, water-related risks and stakeholder relations.
“It’s not relevant to our customers…” So, if there’s such a strong business case for being more sustainable, why aren’t more Suffolk companies taking up the opportunity? Is it because smaller companies are so worried about staying in business that the last thing they are thinking about is sustainable approaches? Or is it because they don’t think it’s relevant? Cook thinks that it’s not just the smaller companies. “There are examples in big business that are the same. I had a meeting with a senior director of a global company a few months ago. He told me that he wasn’t sure whether his stakeholders were particularly interested in whether they were sustainable or had a coherent corporate responsibility strategy. Yet they do business with M&S as one of their major clients and much of their UK work comes from government contracts… ” There are companies for whom it is more difficult, whose products are inherently not so clean; the ones who are trying to minimise their impact and mitigate any long-term risk. Cook feels that they should be applauded every bit as much as a company that has a product that’s cleaner-than-clean: “What’s important is that they are making an effort and doing what they can, bearing in mind the market that they operate in.”
Suffolk County Council’s Creating the Greenest County website (www.greensuffolk.org) lists a wide range of advice and support for businesses, including: Climate Adaptation Tool Helping you to plan ahead, to protect your business from the impacts of the changing climate and seize the opportunities it presents. Energywise Run by Suffolk Chamber of Commerce. Information on all topics related to energy management and reduction through a programme of events. Environmental Business Advisor Helping you to assess the energy and resource use at your business premises; giving you practical measures to reduce your costs and resource use. Fresh Ways to Work Free travel planning service in the Ipswich area, to help reduce business transport costs significantly, reduce CO2, increase staff productivity, plus aid staff recruitment and retention. Low Carbon Champions A flexible, time and cost-effective way of greening your business, helping your staff take ownership of good resource management, making your business more efficient and competitive. Resource Efficiency East Offers SMEs free guidance and support on resource efficiency. REV Active Assisting businesses in reducing their carbon emissions. SABRE Free and impartial renewable energy feasibility reviews for Suffolk's SMEs and Social Enterprises. Sustainable Efficiency East Free services and support for small Suffolk businesses. Sustainable Restaurant Association The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) is a national not-for-profit membership association, providing restaurants with advice and support to help them navigate the whole spectrum of sustainability issues. The SRA also offers its Star Rating to evaluate how far down the sustainability path restaurants are. Small Business User Guide: Guidance on how to measure and report your greenhouse gas emissions This guidance explains how organisations can measure and report their greenhouse gas emissions as well as set targets to reduce them. The guidance is aimed at all sizes of business as well as public and third-sector organisations. Farming Advice Service The new Farming Advice Service (FAS) includes and replaces the former Cross Compliance Advice Programme and provides advice on other subjects to help farms improve the economic and environmental performance of their farms and includes advice on climate change mitigation and adaptation. continued overleaf ➤
IoD suffolk | spring 2012 | 19
IoD Spring 2012 issue aw_Layout 1 27/02/2012 17:30 Page 20
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
Changing perceptions about ‘green’ issues There’s been a steady change in perceptions about whether ‘green’ is important. Ian Dunnett, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce’s Low Carbon Development Manager, has been closely involved in Suffolk County Council’s Creating the Greenest County initiative for the last five years. He’s noticed a significant change in the way Suffolk businesses respond to the ‘green’ agenda. “Three or four years ago it would have been a struggle to engage businesses in green issues… But now, with virtually every business, if I talk to them about energy, energy efficiency, energy security, reducing the costs of energy, I hardly even need to mention that there are other issues relating
to that – carbon reduction, climate change, environmental impact etc. It’s good business; it’s good for the triple bottom line. I think most businesses out there realise that now – and if they haven’t, then they are probably not very well run. It doesn’t matter who you are, what sector you’re in, it’s good business trying to drive down your energy costs and improve your efficiency; and ultimately you’re improving your resource management.” Cook agrees that there is a change of mindset. He’s convinced that becoming ‘greener’ is now a core element of being able to stay in business: “If you look at how it can improve the bottom line, you’re looking at operational efficiency gains, you’re looking
at retaining the best talent because you’ve got a motivated workforce that believes in the company they’re working for, so your recruitment costs are down; you’re retaining the best creative and innovative talent in the marketplace, which is going to have a knockon effect of creating the best products or services. You’re also looking at elements such as mitigating any long-term risk, maybe in the supply chain, and what knock-on financial implications that might have. All of this adds up to increased effectiveness and enhanced reputation – the key differentiators in the marketplace.” In these challenging times, what company would not want to be seen as a good business with a good reputation?
Green Economy Pathfinder New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, representing Norfolk and Suffolk, has been asked by government to take the UK lead with the Green Economy Pathfinder.
20 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
It will celebrate business initiatives that contribute a large part of the UK ambition to develop EU and global markets for green goods and services. The government’s ‘Transition to a Green Economy’ paper identifies the UK share of the global lowcarbon market to be more than £116 billion in 2009/10 with great potential to grow.
Energy – incorporating off-grid energy developments, nuclear, and offshore renewable energy Low Carbon Innovation and Finance – incorporating energy and resource efficiency Natural Capital – incorporating landscape, tourism, local food and wildlife.
The duration of the Pathfinder is six months, at the end of which a Pathfinder Manifesto of best-practice case studies will be submitted to the government. This manifesto will profile both existing and planned actions in Norfolk and Suffolk that reflect a leading role in the Green Economy.
The Pathfinder will establish the ‘Green Economy Brand’ as a unique selling point for Norfolk and Suffolk and through collective marketing will undoubtedly bring benefits to businesses and to the wider economy of Norfolk and Suffolk.
The Pathfinder is focusing on three main areas:
For more information visit www.newanglia.co.uk
IoD Spring 2012 issue aw_Layout 1 27/02/2012 17:30 Page 21
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IoD suffolk | spring 2012 | 21
IoD Spring 2012 issue aw_Layout 1 27/02/2012 17:30 Page 22
BUSINESS PROFILE
Putting the green into
GREENE KING Record profits and an enviable track record in corporate responsibility – Greene King shows how to stay in business for more than 200 years. IOD Suffolk finds out the secrets of their success.
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Greene King has been brewing quality cask ales at the Westgate Brewery in Bury St Edmunds since 1799. It also brews fine beers at Belhaven, one of the oldest regional breweries in Scotland. Today the company is much more than a brewery: it runs more than 2,000 managed and tenanted pubs, restaurants and hotels in city centre high streets, towns and villages across England, Wales and Scotland. In a very challenging economic climate of reduced consumer spending and stiff competition from other brands and retail outlets, Greene King has achieved record profits this year, accelerated its retail growth and increased its retail operating margins. How has it managed to do this? The company attributes its longevity to being able to adapt to changing consumer preferences and economic conditions. But what does this mean in practice? Sourcing raw materials from a global supply chain, perhaps, or outsourcing the entire production facility to the Far East? Aiming for high volumes, switching product lines to keep up with changing tastes in beer and competing products from emerging markets? That’s not the Greene King way. There’s no compromise on quality. The company’s reputation is based on excellent quality, service and value; and it aims to ensure that its reputation as a good business is matched by its reputation as a good corporate citizen.
Commitment to top quality UK ingredients
Commitment to supporting local communities
All you need to make beer is barley, hops, yeast and water – but everything depends on the quality. Local malting barley is the best in the world, thanks to the sunny climate and the fertile soils of Suffolk and the nearby East Anglian countryside. Greene King takes full advantage of top quality barley grown on its doorstep, which is malted just two miles from the brewery.
The company believes it’s important to focus on the social aspects of corporate responsibility too. Greene King’s pubs are at the heart of the community they serve and they are committed to being an active and positive contributor to local communities. They also work in partnership with a number of charitable organisations across the UK.
Greene King draws its water from the artesian chalk wells sunk 200 feet deep below the Brew House in Bury St Edmunds. It’s the same supply used for brewing by the monks of the town's Great Abbey over 900 years ago. It uses only the best hops from Kent and Worcestershire, which provide fantastic flavours and aromas; and it uses its own very special yeast cultures that go back generations, descended from those used by the founder in 1799.
And on its home turf in Suffolk, Greene King is proud to sponsor the Suffolk Community Awards, in partnership with the East Anglian Daily Times. The awards are designed to celebrate the success of local people, community groups and organisations that have made a difference in their community and to the lives of those around them.
Greene King is the first brewery to have Red Tractor accreditation for all its beers, an award that demonstrates its commitment to the finest UK ingredients.
Commitment to caring for the environment Caring for the environment is important to Greene King. The company aims to have as little impact on the environment as possible. Measures such as reducing delivery lorries’ speed and light-weighting the glass bottles have all helped to minimize the impact of its activities. The Carbon Trust recently awarded Greene King the ‘Carbon Trust Standard’, the first brewery in the UK to have achieved this standard.
So that’s the Greene King secret: the best way to stay in business for another 200 years is to continue to focus on being a good business and a good corporate citizen.
IoD suffolk | spring 2012 | 23
IoD Spring 2012 issue aw_Layout 1 27/02/2012 17:31 Page 24
WHITE SPACE AND ITINERIS
Working in tandem... A new partnership between two Ipswich-based creative agencies has resulted in five national and international contracts. Full-service agency White Space and digital marketing firm Itineris have evolved from local business rivals to partners collaborating successfully on a range of high profile projects. Here their respective managing directors, Neil Prentice of White Space and Tim Butcher of Itineris, tell us more... How did this creative alliance come about? Neil – We originally found ourselves pitching against one another for a web design and build project and it was actually the client who suggested we team up. We had a chat and the relationship developed from there. Tim – The client loved the user friendly nature of our content management system, but were also impressed with the creative approach and design ideas that White Space came up with. They were torn between us, hence suggesting we work together.
So what projects have you teamed up on so far? Neil – We’ve managed to pull in lots of new work from outside the region, including projects for the international property group Grosvenor, the Nottingham Retail BID, Crest Nicholson, Croxley Green Business Park and property management company Greenhills Asset Management. Our marketing and PR skills coupled with the digital expertise that Itineris bring to the table means our clients are getting the best of both worlds. Tim – We look at each project and decide what would be best for the client in the most transparent way possible. We don’t try to hide the fact that we’re working in partnership with another agency – it’s about playing to your strengths. What are you working on at the moment? Neil – New digital projects are coming in thick and fast, which is really encouraging. Apps are very popular right now, so we’re developing innovative, easy to use products that provide real value to our clients. Tim – There are a lot of myths surrounding apps and quite a few examples of snazzy execution trying to paper over poor functionality. We’re currently going through a thorough R&D phase to make sure we get things right! So it’s all about digital marketing these days?
Members of both teams work closely together on a number of projects
What do you like about working with White Space? Tim – They’re not scared to take us out of our comfort zone. We’re highly proactive when it comes to finding technical solutions, but it’s great to have someone there pushing us in new directions, but at the same time, taking on board our views and respecting our opinion. And what makes Itineris your perfect partner? Neil – They have all the technical know-how you could wish for and manage to communicate it very clearly. Like us, they always put themselves in the end user’s shoes and pride themselves on making complex tasks appear simple. It also helps that our company cultures complement each other, so we have some fun along the way.
24 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
Neil – Digital marketing has seen huge growth, but we’re strong believers in an integrated approach. It’s no good building brilliant websites and clever apps if nobody knows they exist. It’s important to remember that online and digital channels are fed by more traditional marketing techniques. Tim – Done properly e-marketing is cost-effective, highly sophisticated and fully trackable, but Neil’s right, it shouldn’t be viewed in isolation. Client needs are individual. That’s the beauty of our partnership - between the two agencies we’ve got the full mix covered. For more information about White Space and Itineris visit www.white-spacedesign.com and www.itineris.co.uk or follow them via social media.
IoD Spring 2012 issue aw_Layout 1 27/02/2012 17:31 Page 25
WHITE SPACE
“
It’s no good building brilliant websites and clever apps if nobody knows they exist
”
...Rivals turned Partners Neil Prentice (front) and Tim Butcher
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SUFFOLK WOMEN IN BUSINESS – ALESHA GOODERHAM
For nearly 50 years, the Gooderham family have been breathing new life into an old maltings, making it a must-see destination for music lovers, foodies and anyone who appreciates stylish home and garden goods, fun toys, and fine clothing and art, in an exquisite setting. Laura Potts hears from Snape Maltings Executive Director Alesha Gooderham about her passion for showcasing the best of Suffolk.
Sustaining Snape
26 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
IoD Spring 2012 issue aw_Layout 1 28/02/2012 09:36 Page 27
Looming above the vast, golden reed beds that cascade seaward, the red brick Victorian structures of Snape Maltings are at once commanding and infused with rustic charm. From earnest beginnings as a barley maltings to its super-diversified incarnation as a premier visitors’ destination, the story of Snape Maltings is one that mirrors the meandering ebb and flow of the adjacent River Alde. These days, though, it’s on a trajectory that most other businesses must envy, thanks in no small part to Alesha Gooderham, who shares the helm with her husband, Johnny Gooderham. As executive director, Alesha would be the first to brush aside suggestions that the success of Snape Maltings is down to her, instead crediting the foresight of Johnny and her father-in-law George Gooderham, who initially took on and breathed new life into the dilapidated seven-acre site. Likewise, she emphasises the value of teamwork and egalitarianism, saying she is “just as important as the next cog.” Still, it’s readily apparent that in Alesha’s nine years working in the family business, she has been the driving force behind many of the innovations that make Snape Maltings shine, even down to helping to collaborate the distinctive colour scheme and emblem. Certainly the visitors – be they day trippers, holiday cottage letters or concert-goers – like what they see. On a recent visit, a customer browsing the Food Hall was overheard remarking, “I’ve never seen such lovely things.” So how did a dusty old complex of buildings in deepest Suffolk transform into a cluster of culturally and commercially successful endeavours that support and celebrate their local resources? For the first 120 years, much of the area’s barley headed for Snape Maltings, where it was malted for the brewing of beer. When that operation ceased in 1965, George Gooderham, a farmer near Orford, bought the property, and within a few years it was gaining acclaim for its association with the
Aldeburgh Music Festival, founded in part by Benjamin Britten. In addition to its famed concert hall, several of the old buildings have been converted into performance venues and rehearsal spaces, where emerging musicians learn and perform alongside world-class artists. George Gooderham – ahead of many of his fellow farmers – began to diversify the maltings, first converting a former boat shed on the Alde into a craft shop in 1971, to showcase work from local artists. Later his son Johnny stepped into the business, and over the years Snape Maltings has gone from a unique concert venue to include an array of galleries, shops, a pub and cafes, and residential and holiday properties loaded with the kind of character details that only a former granary could offer. It was here, too, that Johnny met Alesha, who was on a weekend visit to Suffolk with friends from London. Eventually, the former Queenslander traded her marketing career at a five-star hotel overlooking Hyde Park for a landscape where one can scan the horizon for miles and not see another face. The couple have four daughters who, like their father, are growing up in the family business; they help with the linen, participate in the monthly farmers’ market and do other odd jobs – though don’t (one presumes) scrabble along the maltings rooftops the way their father did as a child. Alesha attributes many of her ideas – from developing an orienteering path through the reeds to renovating one of the site’s old railway cars – to her children (“They’re great for market research,” she said.) Likewise, she has a genuine interest in helping younger staff flourish in their jobs and at school, and supporting female employees who may have to balance family needs with work. But it’s the overall atmosphere that contributes in a large part to the Gooderhams’ vision for Snape Maltings. Because it isn’t a cookiecutter, new-build development, Alesha set out to make the retail, food and other aspects
as unique and bespoke as the complex itself. Hence local artists and producers feature prominently in the merchandise and food on offer, with an overall commitment to careful environmental stewardship. This means making the most of what Suffolk has to offer, but also aiming to stock Fair Trade and organic as much as possible, and reducing the carbon footprint of Snape Maltings. “With the maltings, we are the custodians, so we’re trying to look long-term at what is the best way forward,” Alesha said. “Our approach is a sympathetic one. We’re in it for the long haul.” On a large scale, that aim is being achieved through an investment in an enormous biomass boiler to provide heating and hot water to the whole complex, using wood chip from a forest within eyesight of the maltings. Chickens scratch above the boiler’s underground bunker, and the only visible waste it produces is a blackened ash that takes about six weeks to fill a householdsized rubbish bin. Nor does that enter the waste system: the Gooderhams spread it on their roses. Snape Maltings has just had the go-ahead to install solar panels, which “won’t cover all our uses, but they will contribute to it,” Johnny said. These efforts and more have won accolades from around the world, most recently with a team from South Korea coming to inspect the boiler. Not content with only bigger-picture sustainability efforts, Alesha is trying to encourage good environmental practice on every level at the maltings, and beyond. “It transcends through your business,” she said, noting a ‘six-month challenge’ for the young teashop employees to find ways of reducing waste. “It turns into them thinking about what they’re doing in their home life and the future, too.” continued overleaf ➤
IoD suffolk | spring 2012 | 27
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SUFFOLK WOMEN IN BUSINESS – ALESHA GOODERHAM
In line with Suffolk County Council’s ambition to be the greenest county in the country, Alesha has made big strides towards raising an awareness and appreciation of the bounty of food produced in Suffolk, in an effort to support other local businesses and reduce food miles. This is most evident in the monthly farmers’ market, on the first Saturday at Snape Maltings, and the hugely popular Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival. For the past few years, Snape Maltings has also hosted a conference featuring expert views on a timely theme, this year’s being Food Security for the Nation and for Suffolk. The festival runs throughout east Suffolk from 23 September – 8 October, with the main weekend event on 29 and 30 September at Snape Maltings.
28 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
Lady Caroline Cranbrook, an active campaigner on food and rural issues, met Alesha through their work together on the food festival and calls her “a force for the good.”
Alesha is quick to diffuse praise, attributing the success of Snape Maltings to her family, 67 employees and a local network of businesses and supporters – as well as to the exceptional ambience of the place.
“She is very imaginative and hard-working but also incredibly considerate and kind. She somehow thinks of everything and nothing is too much trouble,” Lady Caroline said. “We’re very lucky to have her and the Gooderham family, who have developed the maltings very sympathetically. There’s a huge opportunity to convey what the countryside is about, and when you have an opportunity you have a responsibility to make the most of it.”
“I am continually inspired by the energy and talent that is in the area,” Alesha said. “Whether it is for an artist or passionate food producer, the beautiful buildings at the Maltings lend themselves so naturally as a platform to showcase talent and so there really is a dual benefit which ensures that the maltings remains unique.”
IoD Spring 2012 issue aw_Layout 1 27/02/2012 17:31 Page 29
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30 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
DIGITAL STRATEGY SEO & ONLINE MARKETING ECOMMERCE SOLUTIONS WEBSITE DESIGN & BUILD MOBILE
INFOTEX 01394 615622 • web@infotex.co.uk www.infotex.co.uk
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LEISURE
Can playing sport help you in your business? I have to say from the outset that my opinion may be clouded slightly, however, in my experience, I would say that being involved in sport will teach any individual some important lessons that they can take into battle on the business field. This experience may have been gathered from team sports such as rugby, football, cricket or hockey (as well as many others). These may teach the principles of working within a team, sharing responsibilities, enlisting help from others, leadership skills and correct delegation of duties so that all achieve the desired outcome.
Stuart Robertson Head PGA Golf Professional The Doctorgolf Academy & Director of Golf Ufford Park Hotel, Golf & Spa 01394 382836 mail@doctorgolf.co.uk www.doctorgolf.co.uk
There will be others who have gained other life skills from the more individual sports such as cycling, running, shooting or golf (as well as many others). These will have helped teach the principles of; self-discipline, correct goal-setting, consistency of training, working with a coach or mentor, becoming internally motivated, developing mental strength or focusing energy.
If any of these are required within your everyday duties in your working world it would be sensible to find out from any prospective employee whether they participate in any sport and which ones. If you are able to match your workforce with those skill sets to the task in hand there will be more chance of having the task completed on time and on budget with the participants enjoying their time while fulfilling the role. As a business within the service sector with many ‘customer-facing’ individuals, we have actively looked for people with the correct attitude first, and through our ongoing training, have helped them develop their basic abilities into skills that we know our customers demand. This investment in our staff has proved invaluable in helping to improve customer feedback and has allowed us to further develop our business within these difficult times.
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Call 0844 4771832 or visit www.uffordpark.co.uk IoD suffolk | spring 2012 | 31
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CHARITY
Are you up to the challenge of being blindfolded, driven to a secret location and forced to find your way back? Think it sounds easy? Here’s the catch – in your teams of three or four you must complete your mission without using mobile phones, money, maps, navigation equipment and without the help of friends or family.
Xert yourself with the Great Xscape for St Elizabeth Hospice
This will be the challenge for the fourth Great Xscape sponsored event organised by St Elizabeth Hospice which will take place on Saturday 14th April – and it is always popular with corporate teams. New twists have been incorporated to make this year’s event fresh and even more exciting than last year’s, which raised thousands of pounds for the Hospice. As 2012 is the year of the London Olympics, flags of the world will be the event’s theme, which should give you an idea for fancy dress. There will be a fantastic prize for the winning team, as well as a prize for the most creative fancy dress. After teams have made their way to the set destination, there will be a welldeserved buffet and raffle waiting for them. The event will start at the Shipwreck Bar and Restaurant in Shotley Gate. Registration is £20 per person. This year will also see the first Great Xscape in Waveney as St Elizabeth Hospice continues to expand services in that area. This event will start from The Hotel Victoria in Lowestoft on Saturday 21st April. Nicola Owen, event organiser, said: “This year the Great Xscape is set to be bigger and better than the last and we hope many teams will join in and help us to raise thousands of pounds for the Hospice.” St Elizabeth Hospice costs £6.6 million a year to run and relies on the income from events such as the Great Xscape to continue to help improve life for people living with a progressive illness and their families in Suffolk.
32 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
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IoD suffolk | spring 2012 | 33
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Better business advice from our team of experts t Buying and Selling a Business t Commercial Agreements t Commercial Property t Business Start-ups t Debt Recovery t Dispute Resolution t Employment
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34 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
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BUSINESS BOOKS
BOOK REVIEWS Planet Ponzi by Mitch Feierstein Published February 2012 by Bantam Press £20 The world economy is now approaching the final death rattle of the greatest Ponzi scheme in history: a scheme in which politicians stood by as the financial industry and sovereign governments created a vast overhang of debt, a mountain of low-quality assets - and laid the foundations for an economic disaster which will dwarf any other in history. There are four possible outcomes for our future: – economic growth (unlikely) – stagnation (probable) – inflation (bad) – default (disastrous) Which of the four it will be depends on choices that are being made right now, not always wisely, by politicians, technocrats and bankers. Planet Ponzi is a provocative assessment of the state of today’s global economy. Mitch Feierstein reveals the true debts of Britain, the US government and the eurozone – the full picture, not the figures the politicians would have us believe. In Planet Ponzi, Feierstein explains clearly the background to the world's worst financial crisis for seventy years, predicts the next steps in this infinitely dangerous game and offers practical advice on measures which you personally can take to protect yourself and your family.
Screw Business as Usual by Richard Branson Published November 2011 by Virgin Books £12.99 A worthwhile business guide from the entrepreneur, whose autobiography sold over two million copies worldwide. Branson explains how the reader should shift values, from a profit focus to caring for people, communities and the planet. With never before published advice and ideas. Can we bring more meaning to our lives and help change the world at the same time? Richard Branson, at his brilliant and motivating best, reveals how with his exciting new vision for the future. It is time to turn capitalism upside down – to shift our values, to switch from a profit focus to caring for people, communities and the planet. With inspiration for everyone, ‘Screw Business As Usual’ shows how easy it is for both businesses and individuals to embark on a whole new way of doing things, solving major problems and turning our work into something we both love and are proud of.
Who Cares Wins: Why Good Business is Better Business – Financial Times Series by David Jones Published November 2011 by Financial Times/ Prentice Hall £14.99 Fans of The Office will recall that one episode featured a staff training video called Who Cares Wins. Now David Jones, a high-flying adman, has written a book under the same title. But while Gervais was poking fun at HR types and their cheesy catch phrases, Jones’ message is that, in modern business: “Doing well and doing good are no longer mutually exclusive.” He points out that “social media has given people an amazing tool to keep business honest, to share information and above all to support or bring down those businesses, leaders or governments they do or don’t ‘like’.” Jones believes that we are now entering an age where ‘big can be good’, with companies such as Unilever and General Electric taking a scythe to their carbon footprints. The downside is that will also be ‘The Age of Damage’, when companies that fail to change their ways will find themselves under attack. Jones, who was the driving force behind Kofi Annan’s tck tck tck campaign for Climate Justice and co-founder of One Young World, a non-profit organisation that gives a voice to up-and-coming young leaders around the world, makes a convincing case.
28 Business Thinkers Who Changed the World: The Management Gurus and Mavericks Who Changed the Way We Think About Business by Rhymer Rigby Published May 2011 by Kogan Page £14.99 A guide to the people who have fundamentally reshaped their industries and the way we do business today. Some of these game changers are great intellectuals while others are ‘gut instinct’ types; some are motivated by desire to change the world, while others are driven by money and power. Bursting with energy and wit, Rhymer Rigby profiles the top business brains of our time to show you the humans behind the headlines and how they changed the global business landscape. From Oprah to Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Drucker to Steve Jobs, find out how they made it, the risks they took and the legacies they leave behind.
Whole School Open Morning: 10 March 2012 Reception Taster Morning: 20 March 2012 Year 3 Scholarship Assessment Day: 21 and 23 March 2012 Whole School Open Morning: 12 May 2012
A co-educational Independent Day School for 2-18 year olds with boarding facilities. Scholarships and bursaries up to 100 per cent of fees available. A Christian School in the Lasallian Tradition. Belstead Road, Ipswich, England, IP2 9DR Tel: 01473 6980281 registrar@stjos.co.uk www.stjos.co.uk
IoD suffolk | spring 2012 | 35
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MEMBER PROFILE
Rick Stevenson MANAGING DIRECTOR AND OWNER – VANNERS
What's your company background? Vanners designs and manufactures mainly silk fabrics for the men's neckwear, couture and interiors markets. Our customers are designers, premier retailers and luxury brands. The company is based on two sites, the weaving division in Sudbury, Suffolk and the tie making factory in Basildon, Essex. A high proportion of the Vanners production is exported either directly or by our UK customers. Our fabrics and ties are to be found in stores around the world, the US, Europe and the Far East.
When did you join the business?
One of the oldest companies still designing and weaving silk fabrics in England, Vanners has a pedigree which stretches back to the early 1700s.
I joined Vanners in 1995 fresh from University. I studied Technology and Management at the University of Bradford a textile town so it was fitting that I started my career in the industry. I started out as technical trainee, then held a number of production and technical roles until in 2006 I moved into my current position of Managing Director.
Where do you get your inspiration? I have always had a passion for manufacturing in the UK. I know it has been an unfashionable view but I think it’s vitally important for a country to be exporting physical goods and not just knowledge and services. I think that there does seem to be a change in the attitude towards manufacturing particularly with the recent economic situation and I hope that this is sustained.
As a company we are always striving to keep ahead of the competition. The drive to continuously improve the business in a challenging environment always provides a new set of targets. When I look at some of the successful UK manufacturers bucking the global trend this gives me the belief that we can achieve the same at our own level.
What are your biggest challenges today? As an SME keeping on top of the mountain of regulations can be a real struggle. As a company we are constantly looking to balance the cost of non-core specialists and the need to keep up-to-date and compliant.
Do you enjoy/see benefits from your IoD membership? I always find the local events useful, as a sounding board for ideas, an opportunity to hear the views of those outside of my industry and just for networking. I also follow the group on Linkedin, although you have to filter which threads you read this can be a great forum and source of advice.
What part of Suffolk do you love best? I live in Bury St Edmunds and think it’s a great place to live, in fact I can’t think of anywhere better (although just recently I would trade the weather). I also think Suffolk has a fantastic coastline with plenty of places to visit, sometimes you overlook what’s right on your doorstep. www.vanners.com
Are you a member of the IoD? Why not become a member now and enjoy big discounts on all Suffolk events, including our Annual Conference (see pages 4-6), Big Debate and Economic Breakfast (see page 16) We are also developing some specific benefits for members in Suffolk with regional partners.
36 | IoD suffolk | spring 2012
Join us and you’ll discover a unique mix of opportunities to learn and be inspired by interesting speakers; meet other directors, senior managers and professionals and enjoy a variety of social occasions.
meeting space and facilities in Pall Mall, London, which are FREE to use; FREE one-to-one expert advisory sessions and FREE business information queries answered within 24 hours.
Many of our members take advantage of other IoD benefits including the superb
To find out more contact Caroline Kearney 07917 699 498 or caroline@iod-suffolk.co.uk
IoD Spring 2012 issue aw_Layout 1 27/02/2012 17:31 Page 37
We supply an extensive range of ceramic, porcelain, glass and natural stone wall and floor tiles including ranges from Fired Earth and Porcelanosa. Our showroom has a comprehensive display with the majority of products being exclusive in our region. To complement the quality of our tiles we have the wonderful Roca and Laufen sanitaryware on display along with the very stylish Bisque radiators.
visit our showroom 36-38 Woodbridge Road (A1214) Rushmere St Andrew Ipswich IP5 1BH T: 01473 617050 E: info@foxwoodceramics.co.uk
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