HomeWORK Magazine #6 Autumn/Winter 2018 by TRUE 212 Ltd

Autumn/Winter 2018

Look me in the eye Can you trust me? Find and share your companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Brand Purpose Interview with ethical designer

Joanna Dai Join the fight against

Food Waste

Joanna Dai We chose Joanna to be our cover star because her ethical fashion brand embodies the themes of this issue: brand trust, transparency and â&#x20AC;&#x153;doing the right thingâ&#x20AC;?. Read more about her mission on page 22 and discover the personality behind the brand in My Workspace on page 66

contributions by

In business we trust Who do you trust? I trust only five people. As it turns out, I’m not alone. We officially live in an era of distrust, according to Edelman’s annual Trust Barometer, which measures public confidence across business, government, media and NGOs. But the good news is that people believe businesses can turn this around by doing the right thing and communicating their values. This issue of homeWORK explores the nuances of trust, transparency and brand purpose – all crucial elements in solidifying consumer confidence. Writer Angela Rumsey interviews Rachel Botsman, author of Who Can You Trust?, on page 16, to understand how this important emotion has evolved in the technology age. Find out how Workspace customers like Under the Doormat and Kleender are bringing transparency to the table, uniting trustworthiness with cutting-edge technology. We may live in an advanced civilisation, but our decision-making is driven by the most primitive part of our brains, what we call our “gut feeling”. Every business needs to understand this basic truth, because it is the key to tapping into consumers’ minds and hearts. Finding Your Why on page 28 explores this concept and how businesses can restore customer trust by figuring out what they stand for.

Our cover star, Joanna Dai, has found her purpose in life and is living and breathing it through her eponymous fashion brand. Read about Dai’s inspiring journey building a sustainable fashion label in Lifting the Veil on page 22, and find out more about her in My Workspace on page 66.

Arthur House

Arthur is a freelance journalist whose writing on arts and culture appears in The Spectator, The Economist’s 1843 magazine and international art publication, Apollo. He previously worked at The Telegraph and The Calvert Journal

Camilla Allen

Even established brands like John Lewis and Waitrose are going back to the drawing board, in a bid to spell out their purpose. The retailer has switched its “Never Knowingly Undersold” tagline, which has been around since 1925, to “For Us, It’s Personal”, in a bid to revive the personalised partnership elements of its business.

Camilla is Editorial Assistant and Junior Writer at TRUE212. She was previously Acting Editorial Assistant at Vogue and interned at Elle, Tatler, Women’s Health and Metro newspaper

Once you have pinpointed your purpose, how do you share this with your audience? Journalist Ed Owen speaks to the marketing experts based at Workspace and shares his top tips on how to keep it authentic in Telling Your Why on page 38.

Angela is a freelance journalist who specialises in business, retail and marketing trends. She has written for WGSN, CMO.com, Drapers and for a range of brand platforms. Find her on Twitter @angelarumsey

As ever, we hope this issue informs and inspires. Let us know what you think of it – we are already gearing up for the next issue!

Rachael Revesz

contribute What would you like to read about in the next issue? Share your ideas and any exciting news by emailing me at homeworkeditor@workspace.co.uk

Angela Rumsey

Rachael is a freelance writer and commissioning editor, focusing on gender equality, finance and business. She covered the US election from New York for The Independent and has written for various national and trade publications

Georgina Wilson-Powell

farah Farah Khalique, Editor @FarahKhalique

Georgina is the Founder of pebble magazine, the UK’s leading title for guilt-free pleasures. She focuses on ethical fashion, food waste and provenance, zero waste and plastic-free alternatives. She has been an editor, publisher and journalist for 17 years (BBC Travel, Lonely Planet Traveller, BBC Good Food, Time Out) We would love to hear what you think of the magazine, so why not tweet us @WorkspaceGroup?

Right: Ethical design studio A Rum Fellow’s rug makers at work

#6 autumn/winter 2018

homeWORK, issue #6, autumn/winter 2018, Editor/Features Writer Farah Khalique; Editorial Assistant/Writer Camilla Allen; Writer Arthur House; Original Photography Dom Salmon; Sub-editor Vanessa Harriss; Publisher/Advertising Dan Reeves, dan@true212.com homeWORK is published by TRUE212; true212.com The magazine is printed by Alban House Print, 105 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3BU. At the time of print every effort was made to ensure the information contained in the magazine was correct. Special thanks to: Rupert Meats, Co-founder at Rude; Satyen Dayal, Senior Director at Edelman; Rachel Botsman, Author of Who Can You Trust? How Technology Brought Us Together and Why It Might Drive Us Apart; Merilee Karr, CEO and Founder at Under the Doormat; Natalia Garcia-Verdugo and Nacho Carretero, Co-founders and CEOs at Kleender; Tash Pennant, Communications Specialist; Jimmy Williams, CEO and Co-founder at Urban Jungle; Orsola de Castro, Founder and Creative Director at Fashion Revolution; Dylan O’Shea and Caroline Lindsell, Co-founders at A Rum Fellow; Joanna Dai, Founder at Joanna Dai Limited; Jane Fellner, Founder at Loopster; David Finlay, Responsible Minerals Manager at The Fairtrade Foundation; Alan Frampton, Director at Cred Jewellery; Vanessa Jacobs, CEO and Founder at The Restory; Tom Schuller, Visiting Professor at Birkbeck (London) and the Institute of Education; Sam Smethers, CEO at Fawcett Society; Irma Wade, Vice President of HR at Pearson UK and core markets; Neil Farrance, Director at Formation Architects; Tab Ahmad, Managing Director at EmployAbility; Simon Sinek, Thought Leader; Ben Renshaw, Author of Purpose; Simon Lee, Founder and CEO at Glance; Adrian Gannon, Head of Engagement at Medair UK; Katie Hill, Executive Director at B Lab UK; Andrew Hunt, Co-founder and Managing Director at Aduna; Stuart Lewin, Founder and Creative Director at BTL Brands; Mike Buonaiuto, Founder and Executive Director at Shape History; Joel Gardner, Director at Theobald Fox; Hugh Stevenson, Managing Partner at Anatomy Brands; Elliot Ross, Co-founder and CEO of Action Rocket; Majid Bahi, CEO of Socially Powerful; Anthony Noguera, Owner of Accelerated Intelligence, Luke Abbott, Social Media Account Director at Red Brick Road; Mary Visaya, Social Media Associate at Bloom & Wild; Sara Gordon, VP of Brand at Bloom & Wild; Andrew Theodore, CEO of Social Vend; Dr Abdullah Albeyatti, CEO at Medicalchain; Jarrod Dicker, CEO at Po.et; Frideric Prandecki, CEO and Co-founder at Bob’s Repair; Anant Joshi, Chief Revenue Officer at Factmata; Cemal Ezel, Founder at Change Please; Danny Witter, CEO at Work for Good; Adam Askew, Director of Philanthropy at Elbi; Jo and James Hands, Co-founders at Giki; Olivia Sibony, Head of Impact Crowdfunding at SeedTribe; Danny Wilson-Dodd, Investment Director at Big Issue Invest; Louisa Ziane, Chief Brand Officer at Toast; Damian Hind, Marketing Manager at Farmdrop; Emilie Vanpoperinghe and Deepak Ravindran, Co-founders at Oddbox; Ben Pugh, Founder at Farmdrop; Hala El-Shafie, Founder at Nutrition Rocks; Luke Hunter, Director at OxygenCube

contents

In Business We Trust We live in an era of distrust. Find out how companies can be the good guys and restore consumer faith

Telling Your Why Your company knows what it stands for. Follow our top tips on how to share that in an authentic way

Diversity Rules Embed diversity into your company’s DNA and watch your business grow

46 Sussing Out Social Media How has the Cambridge Analytica data scandal forced brands to think about their use of social media?

50 Dare to Do Good Meet the social entrepreneurs proving that profit doesn’t have to come before purpose

56 Waste Not Food waste is one of the biggest challenges we face. Find out how you can do your bit to help cut waste

60 Can’t Move, Won’t Move Too busy to leave your desk but want to eat right? homeWORK rounds up the healthiest delivery apps

Lifting the Veil

The fashion industry is in the midst of a supply-chain revolution. Learn how transparency saves lives

the big picture

“We are known for our colourful, graphic typographic messages, which often have a positive message. We’re run like a family business, striving to push the boundaries of creativity through basic methods like pen on paper, paint and print making. Our client list includes Veolia, British Red Cross and, more recently, Amnesty International. “Workspace approached us for a mural at The Chocolate Factory in Wood Green which was bright, colourful, engaging and typographic. We specialise in hand-drawn type and uplifting messages in our work, so jumped at the chance to design this great piece of public art that wraps around three sides on an upper floor, where people can sit. The work brightens the environment and can be seen from the road as you pass through the area.” Rupert Meats, Co-founder at This Is Rude 06

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London’s West End

Go walkabout London Mayor Sadiq Khan wants to get us all on our feet and on the move with the city’s first Walking Plan

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e g o v e r n m e n t h a s a n n o u n c e d £ 7 8 0 m illio n o f e x t r a f u n d in g fo r a s e r ie s o f “ c a t a p u lt c e n tr e s ” a r o u n d th e c o u n tr y , w h ic h a r e d e s ig n e d to h e lp b u s in e s s e s d e v e lo p a n d e x p lo it n e w te c h n o lo g ie s . H e r e i n L o n d o n , w e ’v e g o t t h e C e l l & G e n e Th e r a p y , D i g i t a l a n d F u t u r e C i t i e s c a t a p u l t c e n t r e s , b u t w h e t h e r i t ’s h e l p w i t h a d v a n c e d m a n u fa c t u r in g o r s u p p o r t fo r r e n e w a b le e n e r g y th a t y o u n e e d , c o m p a n ie s fr o m a n y p a r t o f t h e U K c a n ta k e a d v a n ta g e o f t h e n a tio n w id e c e n t r e s . C a t a p u lt c e n t r e s h a v e s u p p o r te d a lm o s t 6 ,0 0 0 S M E s s o fa r . Th e a i m i s t o s u p p o r t s e c t o r s a n d te c h n o lo g ie s t h a t a r e g o in g to b e in h ig h

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Browse c a t a p u l t . o r g . u k to find out if your business can benefit too, and check out upcoming events

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How low can you go? I t ’ s n o t o ft e n t h a t b u s i n e s s e s g e t a g l i m p s e in to a c r y s ta l b a ll, b u t t h o s e c o n s id e r in g t h e ir lo n g - te r m s t r a te g y h a v e n o w b e e n g iv e n a n id e a o f w h a t to e x p e c t – in te r m s o f in te r e s t r a te s , a t le a s t. I n A u g u s t, B a n k o f E n g la n d P o l i c y m a k e r I a n M c C a ff e r t y r e v e a l e d th a t in te re s t r a te s a re s e t to s ta y w e ll b e lo w t h e lo n g - te r m a v e r a g e fo r a t le a s t a n o t h e r 2 0 y e a r s . A lt h o u g h t h e r e m a y b e a c o u p le m o r e s m a ll r is e s o v e r t h e n e x t y e a r o r t w o , h e s a i d , r a t e s w o u ld n ’t h i t t h e i r p r e - fi n a n c i a l c r i s i s l e v e l s i n t h e fo r e s e e a b le f u t u r e . S o w h a t d o e s th is m e a n fo r s m a ll b u s in e s s e s ? I n t h e o r y , it s h o u ld m e a n a lo w c o s t o f b o r r o w in g , w h ic h is g r e a t n e w s f o r a n y fi r m s h o p i n g t o e x p a n d . I t a ls o m e a n s c o n s u m e r s a r e m o r e lik e ly to b o rro w – a n d to sp e n d .

SMEs overseas D e s p ite th e th r e a t o f B r e x it, B r itis h S M E s a r e c o n fi d e n t a b o u t i n t e r n a t i o n a l t r a d e p r o s p e c t s . Th e n u m b e r o f U K S M E s t r a d i n g o v e r s e a s h a s r i s e n f o r t h e fi r s t t i m e in a y e a r, w ith a th ir d o f b u s in e s s e s m a k in g a t le a s t o n e fo r e ig n t r a n s a c t io n a m o n t h in t h e s e c o n d q u a r t e r o f 2 0 1 8 , fi g u r e s f r o m i n t e r n a t i o n a l p a y m e n t s fi r m W o r l d F i r s t h a v e r e v e a le d . M e a n w h ile , r e s e a r c h f r o m W e s le y a n B a n k h a s fo u n d th a t m o r e th a n h a lf o f b u s i n e s s o w n e r s a r e m o r e c o n fi d e n t a b o u t t h e i r c o m p a n y ’s b u s i n e s s p r o s p e c t s t h a n t h e y w e r e a y e a r a g o . O n ly 1 1 % s a y t h a t t h e y

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B y “ lo w r a t e s ” , h e d o e s n ’t m e a n t h e % o r le s s t h a t w e ’v e g r o w n a c c u s t o m e d a t h e r , M c C a ff e r t y i s s u g g e s t i n g t h e y s ta y b e lo w 5 % – w h ic h s t ill le a v e s ty o f r o o m fo r fu tu r e r is e s . M ik e C h e r r y , C h a ir m a n o f th e F e d e r a tio n o f S m a ll B u s in e s s e s , te lls h o m e W O R K t h a t t h is is a d o u b le - e d g e d s w o rd fo r sm a ll b u sin e s s e s . F u r th e r r a te r is e s w ill a d d to th e c o s t o f d e b t, b u t a r e s u l t i n g d r o p i n i n fl a t i o n w i l l h o p e f u l l y a ls o lo w e r in p u t c o s ts . C h e r r y e x p la in s , “ W h a t w e h o p e to se e o v e r th e n e x t 2 0 y e a rs is a b o o m in g e c o n o m y , s p u r r e d b y th e s m a ll fi r m s t h a t m a k e u p 9 9 % o f o u r b u s i n e s s c o m m u n i t y . Th i n g s a r e u n c e r t a i n a t t h e m o m e n t b u t – p r o v id e d th e r ig h t d e c is io n s a re m a d e – w e c a n e m e rg e fro m th e n e x t fe w y e a r s w ith a m o r e r e s ilie n t, p r o d u c tiv e a n d h i g h - s k i l l e d e c o n o m y .” 0 .7 5 to . R w ill p le n

Tower Bridge

a re c o n c e r n e d a b o u t th e im p a c t o f th e U K ’s e x i t f r o m t h e E U . W e s l e y a n B a n k ’s H e a d o f D i r e c t S a l e s , P a u l S la p a , s a y s , “ U n le s s t h e r e is a m a te r ia l im p a c t o n th e ir b u s in e s s to d a y , th e r e is n o r e a s o n w h y S M E s s h o u ld p u t o n h o ld th e ir in v e s tm e n t p la n s to s u s ta in a n d m a x i m i s e g r o w t h .”

Left: The Bank of England

G D P R g o e s o n M o s t b u s in e s s e s h a v e n o w s u c c e s s f u lly n a v ig a t e d t h e in t r o d u c t io n o f t h e G e n e r a l D a t a P r o t e c t io n R e g u la t io n ( G D P R ) , w h ic h c o v e r s t h e w a y in w h ic h o r g a n is a t io n s h a n d le p e r s o n a l d a t a . H o w e v e r, c o m p lia n c e r e q u ir e s o n g o in g w o r k – a n d a n e w s u r v e y f r o m a n a ly t ic s ﬁ r m S A S h a s fo u n d t h a t m o r e t h a n h a lf o f c o n s u m e r s p la n t o a s k fo r a c c e s s t o t h e ir d a t a o r fo r it t o b e d e le t e d .

h a t t o d o w h e n y o u r e c e iv e a d a t a r e q u e s t 1. What data can customers request? They can ask for confirmation that you’re processing their personal data; a copy of the data; and certain other information about how it’s stored and used. They can request this verbally and in writing, even by social media. 2. How long do we have to comply, and can we charge an administrative fee? You have a month – and generally can’t charge or refuse, unless a request is “manifestly unfounded or excessive”. 3. A customer wants to delete their personal data. How much do we have to delete? You have to delete personal data when asked if it’s no longer necessary for the original purpose and there’s no strong, legitimate reason to continue processing it. Other restrictions also apply. 4. What if the customer has already given consent for us to use their data? People have the right to change their minds at any time, so if they withdraw their consent the data must be deleted. 5. Where can I find more information? The Information Commissioner’s Office has the full list of rules, see i c o . o r g . u k

news

Workspace news

The light-filled atrium at Edinburgh House

Mural in the making at The Frames

View from Cocoa Studios at The Biscuit Factory

Fuel Tank cafĂŠ

homeworkmagazine

The Frames entrance

Workspace grand designs S h o r e d i t c h g e n t r i fi c a t i o n c o n t i n u e s a p a c e a s b ig b u s in e s s a n d g r o w in g s ta r t-u p s s till fl o c k t o T e c h C i t y . A m a z o n ’ s E u r o p e a n H Q m o v e d in la s t y e a r ; d ig ita l b a n k M o n z o h a s s e t u p s h o p d o w n t h e r o a d ; a n d t h e s c a le u p s a t R e a c t o r , M i c r o s o ft ’ s n e w a c c e l e r a t o r , a r e n o w n e ig h b o u r s . B e t w e e n O ld S t r e e t a n d L iv e r p o o l S t r e e t t u b e s t a t i o n s , y o u ’ l l fi n d Th e F r a m e s , W o r k s p a c e ’s n e w h u b f o r c r e a t i v e b u s i n e s s e s . Th e s t a t e - o f - t h e - a r t b u i l d i n g h o u s e s 6 8 o ffi c e s a n d s t u d i o s , a c o - w o r k i n g a r e a a n d a c o lo u r f u l t w o - s to r e y m u r a l b y Th e A r t o f M r J a g o ( p i c t u r e d l e ft ) . A n g u s B o a g , W o r k s p a c e D e v e lo p m e n t D ir e c to r, s a y s , “ O v e r th e y e a r s S h o r e d itc h h a s s e e n a r a d i c a l c h a n g e w i t h t h e i n fl u x o f a t e r r i fi c b u s i n e s s c o m m u n i t y h e a v i l y d e p e n d e n t o n te c h n o lo g y . “ Th e f o r m e r b u i l d i n g s i m p l y d i d n ’ t c a te r to th e ir n e e d s , w h ic h is w h y w e d e c id e d to b u ild a n e n t ir e ly n e w b u s in e s s

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c e n t r e c a l l e d Th e F r a m e s – i n c l u d i n g fa n ta s tic b r e a k - o u t a n d m e e tin g s p a c e s , s u p e r - fa s t d ig ita l in fr a s tr u c tu r e , b a s e m e n t b ik e s to r a g e a n d s h o w e r s – w ith a d e s ig n t h a t r e fl e c t s i t s i n d u s t r i a l h e r i t a g e a n d s u r r o u n d i n g a r c h i t e c t u r e .” A c r o s s th e r iv e r, W o r k s p a c e is a ls o la u n c h in g t h e n e w ly r e fu r b is h e d E d in b u r g h H o u s e i n K e n n i n g t o n . Th e s i x - fl o o r b u s i n e s s c e n tr e , w it h a s tu n n in g c e n tr a l a tr iu m t h a t w ill a ls o h o u s e a n e w c a fé , is ju s t 1 0 m in u te s f r o m V a u x h a l l s t a t i o n . Th e c e n t r e w i l l in c lu d e a n e w C lu b W o r k s p a c e , id e a l fo r fr e e la n c e r s a n d e n tr e p r e n e u r s , a n d w ill b e W i r e d C e r t i fi e d G o l d , e n s u r i n g t h e w o r l d c la s s s ta n d a r d s o f d ig ita l in fr a s tr u c tu r e . Th e w h o l e a r e a i s g e t t i n g a r e v a m p . P la n s w e r e r e v e a le d e a r lie r t h is y e a r to r e p la c e V a u x h a ll b u s te r m in a l w ith a £ 6 0 0 m illio n c o m p le x t h a t w ill in c lu d e a h o te l, h o m e s , s h o p s a n d r e s ta u r a n ts . D a m ie n H ir s t h a s o p e n e d N e w p o r t S tr e e t

G a lle r y to h o u s e h is e x te n s iv e p e r s o n a l c o lle c t io n , a n d o t h e r n e ig h b o u r h o o d a r t g a l l e r i e s a r e fl o u r i s h i n g . W o r k s p a c e h a s a fu r th e r p r e s e n c e in th e a r e a w ith C h in a W o r k s , w h ic h h a s b e e n s t y lis h ly r e fu r b is h e d i n t o a m o d e r n b u s i n e s s c e n t r e . Th i s w a s o n c e t h e p r i n c i p a l o ffi c e o f c e r a m i c m a n u fa c t u r in g c o m p a n y R o y a l D o u lto n . S t i l l s o u t h o f t h e r i v e r , Th e B i s c u i t F a c to r y in B e r m o n d se y h a s a d d e d a n e w b lo c k , C o c o a S t u d io s , to t h e fo u r b u ild in g s t h a t m a k e u p t h e i c o n i c f a c t o r y ( i t ’s w h e r e th e B o u r b o n b is c u it w a s in v e n te d ). F u r th e r e a s t in D e p tfo rd , F u e l T a n k is a n o th e r W o rk sp a c e c e n tre th a t h a s b e e n l o v i n g l y t r a n s f o r m e d . I t ’s n o w h o m e t o 6 3 o ffi c e s a n d s t u d i o s , w h e r e t h e h i g h c e i l i n g s l e t t h e n a t u r a l l i g h t fl o o d i n . To find out more about moving to a new Workspace centre, call 020 7369 2389

news

Customer news Royal approval

Entrepreneur Brad Aspess has managed to turn a 100,000-strong vinyl record collection into an award-winning business and land an invite to Buckingham Palace. Rarewaves.com Ltd was awarded The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise for its impressive 120% growth in international sales in the past three years. Not only will the team be invited to a royal reception, but the business will be able to fly The Queen’s Award flag at its main office at The Light Box in Chiswick. Fancy!

Recycling 101 Nearly half of British consumers cannot fathom the meanings behind recycling symbols on product packaging. Workspace’s Recyclopedia booklet helps make the recycling process clearer. The booklet is full of useful tips, like installing a centralised bin rather than individual bins under desks. “Sorting waste in one central area has proven to improve recycling rates,” says Karen Jamison, Workspace’s Energy & Sustainability Manager. Look out for new signage across all centres and recycling roadshows. Get ready for waste-sorting games and a VR experience inside a recycling depot coming to your centre soon. workspace.co.uk/community/ homework/doing-the-right-thing/ workspace-recyclopedia

Club movers

The crisis around plastics means that sustainability is now top of the political and news agenda. Shopping app Giki, which has just moved into Club Workspace at China Works in Vauxhall, promises to make your supermarket shop more environmentally friendly. Read more about Giki on page 50. The only way is up for Urban Jungle, which has moved out of Club Workspace at Kennington Park and into an office space to accommodate its growing business. Set up in late 2016, the fintech start-up recently raised £1 million, in a seed round led by Rob Devey, former CEO of Prudential UK. Urban Jungle promises to help young people plan better for their financial futures. It makes insurance cover easier both to buy and manage for renters.

Finding your heart As ever, Workspace is ahead of the curve. We’ve partnered with the charity Heart of the City to help SMEs start their own responsible business activities. This comes after the government’s summer launch of its Civil Society Strategy. Thanks to the City of London Corporation, City Bridge Trust and Westminster City Council, a number of free places are available to Workspace customers with more than 10 employees, seeking to integrate corporate social responsibility into their strategy. Starting in January 2019, Year One of the programme offers each business their own dedicated account manager, timesaving online resources and the benefit of networking opportunities and workshops delivered by experts from leading FTSE 100 companies.

More than 750 companies have completed the Foundation Programme so far, setting up schemes covering the four pillars of responsible business – community, environment, workplace and marketplace. Among other activities, they have implemented programmes to encourage charitable giving and local volunteering, reduce plastics and improve mental health and wellbeing. Any businesses based at Workspace interested in the scheme should visit the Heart of the City website. The application form is open for businesses until 30th November 2018. To apply for a place, browse theheartofthecity.com/getinvolved/ foundation-programme

Back to uni Workspace businesses will soon be able to benefit from Co-Innovate, innovation support for London SMEs and start-ups, jointly funded by Brunel University London and the European Regional Development Fund. The Co-Innovate team will be holding a series of workshops at Workspace business centres. Come along to meet academic experts and innovation specialists, and find out about the benefits of collaborating with Brunel University London on innovation projects, including access to Brunel academics, students and facilities. Check out brunel.ac.uk/business/ Business-Partnerships/Co-Innovate and look out for dates at workspace.co.uk/ events

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Join our fast-growing network of creative co-working clubs

As part of Club Workspace weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been able to immerse ourselves in an environment of like-minded professionals, which has opened up new ways of thinking and doing. It was really easy to get started. We just rocked up with our laptops â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that was all. Jimmy Williams, Urban Jungle, Club Workspace, Kennington Park

Over 20 locations

Business grade Wi-Fi

Connect with over 4,000 businesses

Bursting events calendar

Bookable meeting rooms

Rolling monthly membership

Find out more at

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Upcoming WBI Events Marketing Week Live

20th November, Edinburgh House, Kennington 31st January, China Works, Vauxhall 26th February, The Frames, Shoreditch

Don’t miss the biggest business events hitting London over the next few months

Workspace brings together industry leaders and top panellists throughout the year to discuss the biggest business trends

Co-Innovate Brunel University

Keep an eye out for our Business Insight events at workspace.co.uk/community/events

Full programme available online An innovation-support programme in partnership with Workspace and Brunel University for London-based SMEs, entrepreneurs and start-ups. Read more in News on page 12

LADBROKE GROVE

PADDINGTON

See the full programme at brunel.ac.uk/business/BusinessPartnerships/Co-Innovate

How to Create and Launch a Brand

NOTTING HILL

5th December at 10am – 4pm, The Guardian Find your brand’s purpose and personality with marketingcommunications expert Barnaby Benson’s masterclass Find out more at theguardian.com/guardian-masterclasses

Pure London: The UK’s Leading Fashion Trade Show

CHISWICK

HAMMERSMITH

EARLS COURT

10th – 12th February at 9.30am – 6pm, Olympia London A three-day fashion extravaganza, showcasing thousands of top retailers, manufacturers and fabric suppliers Apply for a stand at purelondon.com/apply-for-a-stand

Gartner Data & Analytics Summit 4th – 6th March, 1 Waterview Drive, London Discover the latest insights on AI, business intelligence, IoT, blockchain, machine learning and much more Find out more at gartner.com/en/conferences/emea/ data-analytics-uk

Greening Your Business 10th October at 12pm, Barley Mow, Chiswick WANDSWORTH

Marketing Week Live 6th March at 8.30am – 5.30pm, 7th March at 8.30am – 5pm, Olympia London An interactive exhibition floor bringing all the big names from the marketing world under one roof

Give your business a green kickstart! Workspace teams up with The Carbon Trust to host a free lunch and workshop covering everything from energy use, supply chain and resource-management advice More information at workspace.co.uk/community/events

Find out more at marketingweeklive.co.uk

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events WOOD GREEN

THE MAIN EVENTS ISLINGTON

Local Employment and Apprenticeship Breakfast

CAMDEN

SHOREDITCH

3rd October at 8.30am – 10am, The Biscuit Factory, Bermondsey

KING’S CROSS

FARRINGDON

OLD STREET

BETHNAL GREEN

ADDINGTON

WEST END THE CITY

STRATFORD Are you a Workspace customer in Southwark looking to recruit? Spend the morning at The Biscuit Factory learning about local employment opportunities, apprenticeships and how to upskill young people. A free event with Q&A and networking time

Book a seat at workspace.co.uk/community/events

LONDON BRIDGE WATERLOO

CANARY WHARF

VICTORIA

KENNINGTON

BATTERSEA

New Club Members’ Orientation Every month, location varies

WORTH

Every month, we welcome our new Club Workspace members by hosting an orientation evening. It’s the perfect chance to meet the neighbours, learn our tips and tricks and tuck into some tasty treats Find out where the next one will be by taking a look at workspace.co.uk/community/events

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Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s March, Los Angeles, CA ÂŠ Fluid Frame. Courtesy of Edelman PR

IN BUSINESS WE TRUST We live in an era of distrust. Economic and political upheavals, along with recent consumer, technology and third-sector scandals, have shaken our faith in the institutions that shape our societies, but businesses can, and should, play a key role in restoring consumer trust, writes journalist Angela Rumsey

in business we trust

For almost two decades, PR firm Edelman has published an annual Trust Barometer that tracks levels of public confidence across the four institutions of business, government, NGOs and media. For years, trust levels were relatively stagnant, but over time the majority of countries surveyed have moved into so-called “distruster” status

The repercussions of fake news and the Facebook scandal undermined confidence levels like never before. Trust has been deeply shaken as consumers realise technology platforms are not always our friends, and the algorithms they use to serve up news behave differently to journalist-driven media. Even a deep-seated faith in charities has been eroded as the behaviour of NGO leaders causes reputations to falter.

Believe in businesses

Yet among the turbulence, one constant remains. Even though distrust of business persists in around half of markets worldwide, when compared to the institutions of government and media, it fares well as a trusted pillar. “Crucially, what our data has shown year after year is that people believe businesses can lead the way by doing the right thing, by communicating their values and by taking a position on matters of purpose,” says Satyen Dayal, Senior Director at Edelman. In a world where credibility is at an alltime low, brand purpose and transparency in business are therefore paramount and the message for big, corporate brands is striking. On a global basis, two thirds of those surveyed look to company leaders

to speak up directly on the pressing issues facing society and to support topics that matter to communities. CEOs recorded a seven-percentage point gain since 2017, and successful entrepreneurs now register credibility levels of 50% or higher. Not all business sectors are trusted equally, though, according to the barometer. Since 2017, trust has declined in the technology sector and is stagnant in the financial-services sector, whereas energy and education have seen an uptick. Faith in leadership is in doubt, with three quarters of consumers finding employees more believable than CEOs. On top of that is a bigger picture of trust ebbing away from institutions all together and towards individuals, some of whom may well be linked to companies, or just as likely not. So, what does this mean for fledgling businesses? How can businesses get to grips with the issues around trust and what, if any, opportunities stem from a lack of it?

Trust flows

Trust is a complex and personal emotion. “We are no longer living in an age where it is managed from the top or held in the hands of the powerful few,” says Rachel

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“We are no longer living in an age where trust is managed from the top or held in the hands of the powerful few” Botsman, author of Who Can You Trust? How Technology Brought Us Together – and Why It Could Drive Us Apart. Botsman thinks of it as an energy that flows from place to place. Rather than a deficit, it is instead shifting, flowing sideways through platforms and individuals rather than up and down as before. It’s an insight that has driven the rise of platform-based businesses. Trust serves as a fundamental component of companies looking to harness the power of the network effect. Take short-term accommodation platform, Under the Doormat, which is based in Workspace’s The Light Bulb in Wandsworth. It launched four years ago to offer Airbnb rentals in premium homes in London. CEO and Founder Merilee Karr explains, “Homeowners with really nice homes are never going to rent out their homes unless they have a high degree of reassurance it will come back to them in the way they left it. We provide that reassurance for both the homeowner and the guest.” Under the Doormat’s focus is on brand building and personal service, meeting renters when they arrive in London and sharing local knowledge to help them settle in.

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At a much earlier stage of its development – but also relying on mutual goodwill – is newcomer app, Kleender, recently launched in the UK, Spain and France. Based in the Barley Mow Centre in Chiswick, the community-based app connects homeowners with domestic-service providers such as cleaners, nannies and dog walkers. CEO and Founder Nacho Carretero says, “We put people in touch with each other via the platform we provide. They deal directly with their own payments while we promise to deal with any problems.” Reviews and ratings are core elements to building confidence, and the business ensures it is open and accessible 24/7. “Other than that, there’s nothing we can control. We have to wait and prove we are trustworthy,” he adds.

Individual responsibility

Competence, reliability, integrity and benevolence are four traits that make up trustworthiness, according to Botsman. “It is the responsibility of every individual within the organisation to be trustworthy in their decisions and behaviours.” Consumers tend to agree. In Edelman’s 2018 Trust Barometer, four fifths of those

Above: Merilee Karr, Founder and CEO at Under the Doormat

Right: Natalia Garcia-Verdugo and Nacho Carretero, Co-founders and CEOs at Kleender Below: Currency platform TransferWise won the trust of customers through positive recommendations

Find your trust influencers Trust signals are a good starting point for new businesses but they can only take a company so far. For companies looking to scale, a more interesting tactic is to look for influencers, especially those people who are the least likely to use the product or service. Online currency-exchange site TransferWise – a fintech unicorn success story – embraced this approach when starting out. Rachel Botsman explains, “When scaling rapidly, they focused on retired British people living abroad in Spain. When other first-time users heard about pensioners giving TransferWise the thumbs-up, it had enormous influence on shaping their decision to trust the idea.” 77-year old George Thomas from Glasgow is one such enthusiastic pensioner. He started using the service in November 2013 to send his monthly pension from the UK to Spain. He says, “TransferWise was originally recommended to me by a friend who had been using it for some time, and, the fact that Richard Branson had invested in [the company] also gave me confidence.” When enough of TransferWise’s trust influencers were seen to have made the trust leap and survived, millions followed. The company has now clocked up three million customers in 69 countries and transfers £2 billion a month across 47 currencies.

“All it takes is one disaster by a bad host or guest for trust to be lost in the sector” interviewed believe employees should speak up if their companies are doing wrong, and two thirds believe employees should pressure management to weigh in on social issues. “Every employee is a brand ambassador, whether they like it or not,” notes Tash Pennant, a consultant who specialises in employee engagement. It is easier to ensure employees behave responsibly at the start of a company’s journey. “There will be one or two partners who know, like and trust each other but as the business starts to scale, you need to hire in. The ‘know/like/trust’ factor is replaced with a focus on the skills required to drive the business forward and therefore on competence, confidence and cultural fit.”

If employees are to successfully represent the brand as it grows, the employee experience should mirror that of the customer experience so that the company’s values are understood. “People in organisations who know, agree or align with the company’s mission and vision are the best ambassadors for the brand. That’s why effective employee engagement across a multi-generational and diverse workforce is crucial within organisations,” says Pennant.

Disruptors thrive

In sectors where historic incumbents have behaved badly, distrust is creating a space for new businesses to differentiate. Urban Jungle is a start-up selling

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in business we trust

Trust checklist Get the following business-performance areas right and you will be on your way to earning trust among consumers. Based on Edelman Insights. See page 28 for our piece on discovering your purpose.

Integrity

Ethical business practices should be the norm, and companies are expected to take action when facing a crisis. Transparent and open business practices are paramount.

Engagement

“Customer-centricity” is a business buzzword and rightly so. Listening to customer needs and feedback gives consumers confidence in a business and its products or services. Treating employees well also helps, especially as trust is shifting away from institutions and towards individuals.

home-contents insurance based in Club Workspace at Kennington Park. CEO and Co-founder, Jimmy Williams, says the loss of faith in large financial brands has created opportunities for fintech brands and companies to start from scratch. “We can create a clean trust profile where there are no scandals. For example, we weren’t implicated in the 2008 global financial crisis and there are no lawsuits against us for diversity claims, so we can start from a clean slate,” he says. As with platform-based companies, confidence is a vital component if the business is to thrive. “As an insurance business, we’re asking customers to take out a contract with a company so that when you’ve paid a small sum of money, they will pay you a large sum if something goes wrong. That requires a lot of trust,” says Williams.

Send out the right signals

The obvious disadvantage for new businesses is that the brand is unknown. Here’s where trust indicators step in. “Start-ups are always looking for ways to demonstrate they are credible through what I call trust signals,” says Botsman. “These are clues or symbols that we use to decide whether we can trust a company or person, or not.” Typical signals include known names on a start-up advisory board, media logos on a homepage or a partnership with a known brand. Urban Jungle takes what could be termed a typical approach. “We try to build

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Product and services

Consistently offering high-quality products and services is a baseline requirement. Innovation, whether in products, services or simply ideas, show you are an invested business that means business.

Purpose

Societal and environmental issues are now a business matter, too. Companies that acknowledge society’s needs, care about their impact and take steps to address issues are increasingly well regarded.

in as many trust triggers as we can when we’re communicating,” says Williams, from certification prominently displayed on its website to leaning heavily on reviews and highlighting press coverage as a way to borrow the credibility of publications. “Over time we can work these into our brand and go up against bigger brands that have spent a century or more building their reputation.” In her role as Chair of the UK’s ShortTerm Accommodation Association, Under the Doormat’s Karr is steering an industrylevel initiative to reassure hosts and guests through a third-party accreditation scheme. Now in beta, the scheme is a code of conduct for both homeowners and rental guests. “It’s an element that helps to build trust,” she says. “All it takes is one disaster by a bad host or guest for it to be lost in the sector. The accreditation scheme is there to help customers know that the companies which manage short-term rentals do so to the highest standard so a disaster doesn’t happen.” As these start-ups demonstrate, the issue of trust needs to be at the heart of growth plans for any business. Baking confidence into company DNA from the very beginning is a must-have for current and future credibility.

Above: Tash Pennant, Communications Specialist at Tash Pennant Consultancy

You can discover more insights into issues around public trust in business at edelman.com/trust-barometer. How can businesses win over increasingly cautious customers? Share your thoughts by tweeting us @WorkspaceGroup

Right: Fashion Revolution in San Francisco

lifting the veil

“We either have a sustainable fashion future or we risk not having a future at all”

LIFTING THE VEIL In our “see now, buy now” society the pressure on apparel, textile and jewellery brands to deliver goods on demand has never been higher, but what effect is this having on supply chains, good practice and human rights? Camilla Allen speaks to brands who want to see change, as they push for ethical operations and transparency in business. What they reveal can apply to more than just the world of fashion It’s no secret: the fashion industry is in a constant state of flux. The ever-changing nature of fashion means that clothing retailers are locked in combat to meet consumer demand – and this demand is only set to rise. Over the last decade, the industry has grown by 5.5% annually, with an estimated worth of $2.4 trillion, according to the McKinsey Global Fashion Index. A “fashion is disposable” mindset on the part of the consumer means that an estimated

£140 million worth (350,000 tonnes) of used clothing goes to landfill every year in the UK alone. The quick turnaround in supply chain called for by the fast-fashion phenomenon is giving rise to complex, ineffective and, in many cases, exploitative supply chains. The consumer is often kept in the dark. According to Fashion Revolution’s Fashion Transparency Index 2018, 64% of fashion brands have disclosed more policies and commitments to supply chain transparency than they did a year ago, but we are still a long way off complete transparency across the board. Transparency is the first step towards cleaning up the industry. Major brands and retailers – H&M, Zara, Adidas, Patagonia and ASOS, for example – are increasingly stepping into the spotlight to share their take on human rights, the environment and the positive changes they are making to their business models. This signals the first step in a shift towards honest, traceable and sustainable supply chains.

“We either have a sustainable fashion future or we risk not having a future at all,” says Orsola de Castro, Founder and Creative Director at Fashion Revolution. “We need to look at it as something that we can change.” Fashion Revolution was founded in 2013, following the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh in which 1,134 garment workers died because of a lack of health-andsafety procedures at factories. It is a global movement that urges people to ask brands #whomademyclothes. Taking to social media in force, the campaign is making a gargantuan push for greater openness, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry, with more and more brands answering the question. “We know that it’s going to be slow to turn this ship but we know that we can do it,” says Orsola. With 175,000 people actively demanding brands make a change during Fashion Revolution week in April 2018, and a 65% growth in the “I Made Your Clothes” campaign, the movement is gaining significant traction.

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lifting the veil Below: A Rum Fellow’s Caroline Lindsell visits rug-making artisans in India Right: Dylan O’Shea and Caroline Lindsell, Co-founders at A Rum Fellow

Joanna Dai, Founder at Joanna Dai Limited

Think green throughout

“The fashion industry is the second biggest polluter after oil” 24

One brand taking part in the Fashion Revolution and leading positive change in the industry is Joanna Dai Limited, based at Workspace’s E1 Studios in Whitechapel. The high-quality performance-wear brand sets out to empower the professional woman. And unlike a global brand with an extremely complicated supply chain and sourcing trajectory, Joanna Dai Limited has benefited from the flexibility of starting from scratch. “I made every decision from the outset with a goal in mind of preserving the brand’s sustainability, transparency and use of eco-certified materials,” says our cover star, Founder and former banker, Joanna Dai. Starting with the search for raw materials, Dai travelled to the leading Première Vision Paris trade show to hunt for ethical fabrics. “As an individual without a brand and with barely a business card, I found sourcing from the EU a lot more accessible. They allow for smaller quantities,” she says. And after coming across a sustainabilityfocused Italian mill called Eurojersey at the show, she created six out of eight styles from its high-tech fabrics. “It set the bar as our first main supplier, which added a great sustainability element going through,” she says.

The eco-certified environmentally responsible mill meets stringent standards to cut waste and optimise its supply chain. It does this by using a management system that continuously monitors the ratio of “resources in and product out”. Dai also set out with an aim to cut waste during the garment’s post-purchase lifespan – something largely neglected by apparel companies. How much water do we waste by cleaning our clothes? Three quarters of the energy use of a garment actually takes place after purchase. “I really try to educate our consumers about how to clean our products. The amount of water used in the cleaning process is great, so we use the slogan ‘Think green before you clean’,” she says. Thinking green also means extending the life of clothes. With a truckload of clothing wasted every second across the world, the industry’s crippling impact on the planet is clear to see. “It is very clear how polluting fashion is to the environment – the fashion industry is the second biggest polluter after oil,” says Dai. “I didn’t want to create something that added to this. The styles should be impactful season after season and not just bought for one season. It’s all about creating timeless modern designs.”

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“A truckload of clothing is wasted every second across the world” Second-hand children’s and baby clothes company Loopster Ltd, based at Workspace’s The Chocolate Factory in Wood Green, is also fighting to curb waste. It pays parents to donate old clothes and sells them online at a fraction of highstreet prices. “Parents often don’t have time to trawl through eBay and enter in their data. So the whole idea of Loopster is that it’s a concierge version of eBay to save parents time,” says Founder Jane Fellner. A former investigative filmmaker, she witnessed first-hand the cost of fast fashion when she went undercover in Bangladesh to make a film about child labour. “In the UK we tend to dress our kids in disposable fashion more than other markets,” she says. “Not only is this incredibly wasteful, but the demand pushes the supply chain to put extreme pressure on countries like Bangladesh.” Recycling

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clothes helps to alleviate such pressure and create a circular economy.

Building relationships

Aside from making eco-friendly choices, harbouring close relationships with workers on the ground is crucial in building and maintaining a respected supply chain. A Rum Fellow, based at The Chocolate Factory and founded by husband and wife Dylan O’Shea and Caroline Lindsell in 2014, is a London-based design studio doing exactly that. The well-travelled pair scour the globe to bring fresh, hand-woven designs to the UK interior-design market. The business is founded on three core principles: design, quality and integrity. In pursuit of integrity, the business celebrates highly skilled artisans and their traditional crafts. Whether it’s rug weavers in India

or Mayan artisan cooperatives in Guatemala, A Rum Fellow is dedicated to supporting craftspeople and keeping their niche textile trade alive. “We really try and make it a twoway beneficial process between us and the skilled artisans we work with,” says O’Shea. “There’s often a market for tourist items – cheap and knocked-out – but we’re interested in the traditional embroidered weaving which can take a month to make a small meter panel. It’s an artist trade; it’s not just about making a fabric.” Today, A Rum Fellow textiles are being used by leading names in the design industry, such as Farrow & Ball, but its supply chain remains simple. The company works directly with weaving cooperatives in order to maintain a strong connection with the craftspeople. “You need to have it that direct, otherwise you

Join the Revolution Do your reading

Download the How to be a Fashion Revolutionary booklet at fashionrevolution.org and get inspired

Show your label

Take a picture of your clothing label, post it on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram with the #whomademyclothes hashtag, and wait for the response. Don’t forget to tag the brand so it’s alerted

Love your clothes

Extend the life of your loved garments and get mending. Check out shoes and handbag repair service The Restory, the #visiblemending movement on social media and inthefolds.com

Above: Cred Jewellery’s premiums are improving mining communities across South America and Africa

“There’s more traceability on a tomato in Sainsbury’s than there is on a diamond ring worth £10,000”

Donate

Head to Fashion Revolution online to show your support and help the movement grow

lose your control and you can lose the sense of how things are being done,” says O’Shea.

Keeping it fair

However, a positive relationship can only be established if brands are considerate of their workers’ human rights and the workers throughout their supply chain. This means instilling trustworthy accreditation systems at every stage in sourcing and manufacturing. Rigorous assessment of working conditions on a base level is paramount. Relationships risk collapse otherwise. Much like #whomademyclothes, the #Behindthebling campaign was set up to urge jewellery companies to source gold and diamonds responsibly. “Few people know the shocking reality behind how gold is mined,” says Responsible Minerals Manager at The Fairtrade Foundation, David Finlay. The reality is grim. Artisanal small-scale

mining (ASM) alone provides a livelihood for some 25 million people worldwide but is characterised by hazardous working conditions, inefficient mining techniques and a range of social challenges. Indeed, an estimated one million – and possibly many more – children work globally in artisanal and small-scale mining, according to the ASM Inventory. This violation of international human rights laws is prevalent in an industry that often puts profit above people. However, ethical jewellery brand Cred Jewellery, based at Workspace’s Clerkenwell Workshops, is pushing for change. A pioneer of the accountable supply chain for gold, and the first company to bring certified silver to the UK, the brand takes every step to make sure its gold’s journey from mine to consumer is as ethical as possible – and every step in the process is communicated to the consumer. “There’s more traceability

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lifting the veil

Right: Damaged heel before restoration Above: Beautifully restored shoes

Give #visiblemending a go on a tomato in Sainsbury’s than there is on a diamond ring worth £10,000 in any jewellery shop in any town in the country. I think that’s appalling,” says Director Alan Frampton. Fairtrade-accredited, Cred is committed to making sure its jewellery is traceable from start to finish. Fairtrade checks every single ring that is manufactured from beginning to end – from mine to refiner to producer. The mines that supply Cred have to open all their books to Fairtrade; the refinery it uses is also accredited. Once it passes the test, it gets the Fairtrade stamp of approval. “It’s very demanding. If you don’t comply, you get kicked out. Everyone in the system has to be accredited. I used to be a director of a fresh-produce company in Egypt and we had 62 accreditation systems in place,” says Frampton. From fashion to food, construction to agriculture, independent accreditation remains key. The right stamp of approval can embed trust in a company and solidify its reputation – all the more important in today’s era of distrust. Does your business need help sorting out its supply chains? Get some advice from the ethical experts at B Corps (bcorporation.uk), based at Workspace’s Clerkenwell Workshops in Farringdon

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We all have a pair of go-to shoes that are irreplaceable. What can you do when they reach the end of their life, but throwing them away is simply not an option? Editor Farah Khalique tries out The Restory’s shoe-restoration service Founded in 2015, The Restory prides itself on breathing life back into your cherished clothes and accessories.

The Restory to the rescue

I bought my favourite pair of shoes at 18, when I was still in school and before I had even been kissed. Much has changed in my life since, but my Roland Cartier blue strappy sandals have remained in my shoe closet – they never let me down! Sadly, it takes more than love to sustain a pair of well-worn shoes. The heel tips have been replaced countless times, the midnight blue colour is scuffed and the material has been gouged away on the heels (muddy fields and heels don’t mix). Thankfully, The Restory comes to my rescue. Based at Grand Union Studios in West London, its team of experts lovingly restore bags and shoes. Services include special cleaning and custom colour touchups, as well as repairs of tears, rips or punctures and replacement of hardware like zips and studs. Vanessa Jacobs, CEO and Founder at The Restory, says, “We think everyone has something in their wardrobe for restoration and our aim is to make you fall in love with your favourites all over again.” I book a courier online to collect my shoes from my apartment and deliver them to The Restory atelier where they assess the items; three days later a quote for £156 lands in my inbox. Standard cleaning and repair work takes five to seven days; advanced services can take three to five weeks, depending on complexity. It takes a month to bring my shoes back to life, but the wait and cost are worth it. My sandals look brand new. Even when I carefully inspect them, I can’t see the previous damage. The rich blue colour has been beautifully restored, the heels are sturdy and when I wear them, I feel 18 again. Go to the-restory.com to book a collection and get a quote, or drop off your item at Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge. The Restory offers an on-demand service for most of London, and overnight anywhere else in the world. Collection and return are free

Purpose, LID Publishing

find your why

“People would not care if three quarters of brands disappeared tomorrow”

FINDING YOUR WHY Brand purpose is trending in today’s era of distrust as customers search for meaning before handing over their money, but how can a company pinpoint its purpose? The journey to finding your company’s why starts with yourself

What is your purpose in life? It’s a bold question, but one that every individual and business should answer as we move into a more transparent, socially conscious world. The figures back this up. Research carried out in 2017 by communications and marketing agency Havas Media found that people would not care if three quarters of brands disappeared tomorrow. Yet the brands that people do care about reap the benefits – meaningful brands outperform the stock market by more than 200% over a 10-year period. It pays to have purpose, writes Editor Farah Khalique

What is brand purpose and why is it trending?

Your company’s brand purpose tells your customers why you exist. Nike, for example, sells great running shoes to “bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete”. Brand purpose is so crucial to a company’s success that some are putting purpose at the heart of their business; snack giant Mars has created a new role of Global Corporate Brand and Purpose Director. The concept isn’t new, but it has taken centre stage as a reaction to world events. A succession of data breaches has eroded customer trust, and figures show that customers want businesses to restore trust and bring about positive change. The 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer found that more than half of people think that companies that only think about themselves and their profits are bound to fail. Six in 10 agreed that CEOs are driven more by greed than

a desire to make a positive difference in the world. However, 64% believe that a company can take actions that both increase profits and improve economic and social conditions in the community where it operates. The message is clear: customers want to know what companies stand for and how they make life that bit better.

People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it

Thought Leader Simon Sinek put purpose on the map with his now-famous Ted talk, “Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action”. This 18-minute talk, given in 2009, was an overnight success, and his accompanying book flew off the shelves (read our review of his follow-up book, Find Your Why, on page 63). He coined “the golden circle” which consists of three rings: Why, How and What. The inner, most important ring – Why – is your company’s

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purpose. It is flanked by How, which is how the business fulfils its core purpose, and lastly What, which is the actions the company takes to achieve its purpose. Sinek says, “The goal is not just to sell people what you have, it’s to sell to people who believe what you believe.” He roots his popular theory not in marketing or psychology, but in basic biology. A cross-section of the human brain shows that it is split into three: the neocortex and the middle two sections that make up the limbic brain. Our neocortex is responsible for all rational and analytical thought, as well as language. This corresponds with the outer What segment of the golden circle. Our limbic system, on the other hand, is responsible for our feelings, such as trust and loyalty. Unlike the neocortex, it has no capacity for language but is where we make all our decisions. This part of the brain correlates with the inner Why segment of the golden circle, and is key to winning over customers’ minds, hearts and wallets. Sinek says, “When we communicate from the inside out we’re talking directly to the part of the brain that controls behaviour, and

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then we allow people to rationalise it with the tangible things we say and do. This is where gut decisions come from. You can sometimes give people all the facts and figures and they say, ‘I know, but it just doesn’t feel right’. If you don’t know why you do what you do, how will you ever get people to vote for you or buy something from you?”

Finding your why

It was Socrates who said, “People make themselves appear ridiculous when they are trying to know obscure things before they know themselves.” The journey to discover brand purpose starts on an individual level. Find your own why first. Author Ben Renshaw spent years soulsearching to find his why, even backpacking across India in search of spiritual leaders. His years of self-study, followed by work with some of the world’s biggest brands like Sky and Sainsbury’s on leadership-development programmes, inspired him to write his book, Purpose. A how-to guide on finding your purpose, it was published by Workspace customer LID Publishing, based at The Record Hall in Hatton Garden. Purpose is

Top: Thought Leader Simon Sinek delivering his Ted talk on Start With Why Above: Ben Renshaw, Author of Purpose

find your why

Did you know?

Amazon has a “pay-to-quit” scheme, to encourage its employees to think about what they really want and how committed they are to Amazon. Once a year, it offers employees up to $5,000 to quit. The company line is, “We want people working at Amazon who want to be here”

Above: Simon Lee, Founder and CEO at Glance

“Before looking at what a product does and how, look at why it exists in the first place”

“your true north, your big why, why you do what you do,” says Renshaw. “It brings meaning, a sense of direction and a sense of belonging. What I’ve noticed in my work is you have a purpose and it translates itself into all roles in your life.” Renshaw’s advice is to identify when you are at your best – recall the times in your life when you were truly fulfilled and at peace – and understand why. “Growing up I loved sports. That for me was all about passion. Then I loved travel; that was about curiosity and learning, and then I loved writing, which is about creativity. Define the activities and make meaning of them.” By identifying your own purpose in life, you can then carry this over into your business life. Businesses can use this newfound knowledge to win over customers, boost sales and attract the best staff. An advocate of the power of why, Simon Lee is the Founder and CEO at app developer Glance, a Workspace customer based at Cannon Wharf Business Centre in Surrey Quays. His company has worked with big-name brands like Chanel, Universal and The Times, as well as start-ups bringing in disruptive new technology. He uses Simon Sinek’s Start With Why with clients to help them understand why their product matters. He says, “If they are building it just to make loads of money that can work but it is not the best approach. What problem is the product solving, why does it matter? Before looking at what a product does and how, look at why it exists in the first place.” The benefits of finding purpose can trickle down to the bottom line: purposeled companies outperformed the S&P

500 by 10 times between 1996 and 2011, according to stats from author Raj Sisodia’s book, Firms of Endearment.

Finding purpose-driven staff

The trick to being a purpose-led company through and through is to hire employees who are purpose-driven. Typically, a company looking to fill a role will sift through CVs to find people with the right skill set. Glance takes a radically different approach. Lee says, “We look for people with a very strong sense of purpose because we know that they are driven, and look at positions we could put them in. We want to know why they get up every day and go to work. Once we get to the group-stage interview, people tell us what they’re passionate about. We haven’t even looked at CVs at this point.” Every new starter at Glance also gets a copy of Simon Sinek’s Start With Why. How can a business attract purposedriven people? The key is to make the company’s brand purpose clear. Workspace customer Medair, based at Kennington Park, is very clear in its mission as a humanitarian organisation inspired by the Christian faith to relieve human suffering in some of the world’s most remote and devastated places. Each life is worth the extra mile. This is inspired by an expression in the Bible: “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go two miles with them.” This strong sense of purpose to go the extra mile is evident in the charity’s aiddelivery efforts. The process of delivering aid in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew in October 2016 was particularly challenging because the roads across the island had been destroyed, preventing NGOs from driving

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Below: The B Lab team at Clerkenwell Workshops Bottom left: Mike Buonaiuto, CEO, Shape History at The Record Hall Bottom right: Stuart Lewin, Founder, BTL Brands at E1 Studios

to coastal communities on the far side of the island. Medair’s workers went the extra mile; they managed to hitch a lift with aid supplies on a Dutch naval vessel at the main port. The ship sailed around the island, and then Medair’s workers used smaller speed boats to deliver medical aid to those hardto-reach coastal communities, providing enough supplies to treat 4,000 patients. Adrian Gannon, Head of Engagement at Medair UK, explains, “We were able to bring relief to that side of the island at a time when no one else could.” The NGO makes sure it attracts the right people by running a special orientation and evaluation course for all prospective staff called the Relief and Recovery Orientation Course. They experience the challenges of working in the humanitarian sector through practical simulations and learn about Medair’s values, projects, and country programmes. Furthermore, companies that mark themselves out as having integrity can attract employees that also show integrity, says Katie Hill, Executive Director at certification provider, B Lab UK. Certified B corporations balance profit and purpose. A survey of 92 B Corps in February 2018 found that almost half reported that employee candidates were attracted to the company because it was a registered B Corp. “Businesses that are committed to going beyond making profit attract a different sort of employee,” says Hill. The benefits don’t end there. More than two thirds surveyed believed that being a B Corp is likely to contribute to future business growth. The verdict is clear: it pays to have purpose.

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Ask the experts Do you need help finding your purpose? BTL Brands works with start-ups and entrepreneurs to create new brands or bring existing ones to life. Founder Stuart Lewin helps businesses to find their purpose from BTL’s office in E1 Studios, in Whitechapel. Do you want your company to drive positive change? Speak to Mike Buonaiuto at social-change communications agency, Shape History, at The Record Hall in Hatton Garden. Is your company already a force for good? Make sure your customers and suppliers know; get B Corp certified with B Lab. B Corp is to business what Fairtrade certification is to coffee. Find B Lab at Clerkenwell Workshops in Farringdon.

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find your why An Aduna producer cultivating baobab fruit

THE AFRICAN DREAM Andrew Hunt is Co-founder and Managing Director at African-inspired superfood brand Aduna, based at Kennington Park. Here he shares his personal story of how finding his purpose saved his life “I started off my working life in the advertising industry. I was very excited because it’s creative and I did extremely well. I got promotions very early on; I was an Account Director at 23, dealing with CEOs and MDs of some pretty big companies like Pfizer and Heinz. But my problem was that I started to feel anxiety on Sunday evenings before having to go back into work. I felt a lack of alignment in my work, because I was promoting products that in the worst cases I actively disagreed with and disliked, like frozen ready meals. I really started questioning myself, “What am I doing with my life? Is this what it’s really about? Is this really what I was put on this earth to do?” That questioning followed on to an existential crisis. I ended up quitting my job, having a downward spiral and was clinically depressed and unemployed. I was in that hole for six months. I’ve always been someone who was very ambitious and driven, I’ve always had objectives and achieved them and suddenly I had no objectives, no purpose and didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I was sitting in my basement flat feeling suicidal when I got a random phone call

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from a family friend who is a farmer in the UK and South Africa. He told me about this project in the Gambia that needed help with marketing. I wasn’t interested at that point, I had all this stuff in my head about Africa: disease, child soldiers and poverty. Thankfully friends and family had other ideas and put me on the aeroplane. I rocked up in the Gambia, known as the smiling coast of Africa. In London, I had tried everything from yoga, acupuncture and faith healing, to antidepressants and psychotherapy. It made no difference. After three weeks of being in Africa I came back to life. Aduna Co-founder and MD, Andrew Hunt

Instead of staying for six weeks, I stayed for four years. It was a transformational experience. During that time, I got really inspired about Africa and, as a marketer, I felt that Africa has had such a bad press. Usually the brochure is so much better than the destination; in this case, the brochure is terrible but the destination is extraordinary. I was fortunate enough to land a position where I ended up running a small food business. Whereas before I’d been completely turned off by business from working with big multinational corporates, I got inspired by the business I was in. If it did well and we sold a lot of fruit and vegetables, I could see the transformation in the lives of farmers. I started to think about ways of scaling it up, which ultimately led to Aduna. I think what I’ve learned is that you can create any purpose for yourself that you want, as long as you find it inspiring. Mine is to create African baobab fruit as a billion-dollar industry for rural Africa, which is at the heart of Aduna. We want to demonstrate that commercial opportunity and social impact can go hand in hand, and business can be a force for good in the world. We can create a sustainable society.” Since its launch in 2012, Aduna has worked with over 850 women in Ghana. It has won many awards and is stocked in Whole Foods, Holland & Barrett, Ocado and more. Discover aduna.com

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5. workspacegroup.co.uk

TELLING YOUR WHY All businesses want to stand out and make some money on the way. One way to do this is to find the company’s why and stand up for something; indeed, statistics show that purpose-led companies outperform stock markets. Once a company has found its purpose, how does it go about telling it to its customers in an authentic way? Ed Owen pays a visit to top marketing experts at Workspace centres to find out

Telling an ethical story is fast becoming the norm because customers want to know that the businesses they deal with or the products they buy do the right thing. This can mean adopting an ecological or social conscience, and doing something significant to demonstrate it

Nowadays fewer people want to buy coffee produced by slave labour, wear jeans made in sweatshops or use gadgets that needlessly pollute the environment. It’s why a brand like Ecover has quietly produced biodegradable detergents for decades but has only recently talked up its ethical credentials with the #letsliveclean campaign. It’s also why Maltesers chose to tap into equality and disability issues in its advertising, winning awards for doing so, despite having no explicit link to these respective communities or issues. And it’s why Pepsi attempted to tap into social unrest and the Black Lives Matter movement with model Kendall Jenner in 2017 – although in this case the attempt failed miserably. How can some brands so brilliantly capture a movement, a concern or a principle and slot it neatly into their marketing

like the final piece in a jigsaw, yet others can try to do the same and yet end up in the proverbial stocks?

Think incredibly hard about it

Most brands do consider embedding a sense of purpose into their work, but balk when they understand the implications. Stuart Lewin, Founder and Creative Director at BTL Brands based in E1 Studios in Whitechapel specialises in managing new, usually high-end companies like Swedish amplifier manufacturer Engström & Engström and cashmere apparel store Milk. Lewin manages the process of developing the brand, including its purpose. He says there often comes a point when the brand has to decide whether it’s really worth bringing purpose into the running of its business. “We try to explain that there are so

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tell your why

Challenger brand Ecover launches its #letsliveclean campaign

many start-ups that it’s difficult to make a difference. It may well come down to eco footprint and sustainability,” he says. “We have that conversation every time.” Joel Gardner is Director at Theobald Fox, a creative agency representing brands including SpaceNK, Transport for London and the Tate, based at Clerkenwell Workshops in Farringdon. He recommends putting extra thought into what you plan to do, and really look at yourself rather than the customer to get that purpose nailed down. “Many brands worry too much about their audiences and what they want, instead of what their brand can actually offer their audience. But sometimes it’s better to look internally. What can you offer to your potential customers? That more clearly defines a brand. And what that means is staying true to that core offering and being consistent with it.”

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Make your stance clear but don’t put people off

Muddled messaging means consumer confusion. Mike Buonaiuto is Executive Director at social-change communications agency Shape History, which is based at The Record Hall in Hatton Garden. Shape History specialises in working with charities including The Terrence Higgins Trust, The Malala Fund and the UNHCR. “Think of the wider perspective – why? What is the power businesses can hold in making political change? Why are others not doing that?” he says. It’s an excellent question. Those brands that stand for something both stand up and stand out. However, nobody likes to be lectured or made to feel bad about their behaviour. Here lies another lesson for a brand with a purpose. You can overdo it. Hugh Stevenson, Managing Partner at

Anatomy Brands, based at Kennington Park, works in the food, leisure and placemaking sectors for brands including HCA Healthcare UK, cinema chain The Light, and socially conscious finance brand, Horizons. Stevenson says, “It’s possible to be too worthy. Your purpose should be at the heart of your story but if you overdo it you can turn people off. It has to be authentic.” Subtle can be powerful. Taxi-hailing company Lyft recently offered people free rides to the March For Our Lives anti-gun protests across the US, which made a clear, effective stance, and introduced them to a new, younger audience.

Control everything you possibly can

Purpose puts the focus and the onus on your brand to really walk the walk. Stevenson

tell your why

“It’s commonsense stuff, but when you get to a certain size it can be difficult” Right: disabled actress Samantha Renke features in Maltesers’ diversity campaign

says, “You have to have the right policies and training and it has to come from your values, which must be embedded in how you develop your staff appraisals, job descriptions and marketing. It all has to be checked against those values. “It’s commonsense stuff, but when you get to a certain size it can be difficult,” he explains. Executives at major high-street clothing companies like Gap and Primark have awoken to public outcry and negative publicity when their products have been found to be produced by people working in dangerous or sweatshop conditions. Primark now ensures that factories sign up to its code of conduct, based on standards set by the Ethical Trading Initiative, which covers things like pay and health and safety. The company also sends an auditor to a factory before placing a first order. Supermarket chain Tesco now produces a report on modern slavery and food production, which showcases the efforts the company is making to eradicate the fruits of slavery from its shelves.

Pick your moments

Sometimes the notion of “always on” advertising can dilute a brand, says Gardner. He gives the example of jumping on predictable holidays like Christmas, Easter or Valentine’s Day. “It often looks a bit try-hard; scattering the brand too wide.

It’s needless, particularly for brands who want to have relevant conversations and connections with their audience. It can sometimes achieve the opposite effect, as it seems insincere. And you’re better off saying nothing at all than to be perceived as insincere.” He recommends that brands focus on their purpose and really stick to it when reinforcing it, instead of “spread betting their comms”.

Get your staff on board

If your staff can’t get on board then you have a problem. With staff as advocates for what you do, everything becomes easier. Stevenson says, “Having a clear purpose is a good way to attract and retain staff. Millennials care less about material gain and are more interested in making a difference. They understand the career path is broken and they may not be able to buy a house, and the world is in a mess. What’s important? Working with a company that makes a difference,” he says. Elliot Ross is Co-founder and CEO of email marketing specialists Action Rocket, based at Clerkenwell Workshops in Farringdon; his clients include Global Radio and Marks & Spencer. He says a brand’s relationship with its staff can be a powerful one, and if it has purpose then staff can act as ambassadors. This can be seen in outdoor-clothing retailer Patagonia and ice cream company Ben and Jerry’s. “It makes

such brands an attractive company to work for. They get to offer a change of lifestyle and campaigns can really get staff engaged,” he says.

Be careful with overtly political campaigns

Brands have lobbied governments on particular issues to great effect but it’s a risky area as it may necessarily be divisive. Companies should think very hard about overtly political campaigns. Ross says, “When brands align themselves politically it’s a lot more challenging. Something as obvious as taking sides on Trump or Brexit is still very risky. There is not much value in it and it can cause problems.” This is arguably how soap brand Lush made a misstep with its recent “SpyCops” campaign. Lush has always incorporated purposeful campaigns in its marketing. “SpyCops” attacked the policy of undercover police officers infiltrating direct action groups – some were embedded for years and even started families with genuine activists. The Lush campaign seemed a little odd for a company selling bath bombs, and also appeared to directly target the police. Many members of the public and the police were unhappy, and vented their anger via social media. Lush dropped the campaign. This misstep could have finished a less confident brand, but experts say that Lush has such a strong reputation for purpose

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Left: Lush’s controversial “SpyCops” campaign attracted much criticism Below left: Pepsi advert featuring Kendall Jenner was pulled after a backlash

Spotify: I’m With The Banned that although this campaign was executed clumsily, it may actually reinforce its overall purposeful message.

Don’t talk from both sides of your mouth

There are other, more subtle challenges to communicating your purpose. Consider the World Cup in Russia, which happened to coincide with the annual LGBT Pride festival. There is a very good reason why brands should not have sponsored both: Russia’s lamentable track record on LGBT rights. Yet some World Cup sponsors also sponsored Pride, such as beer company Budweiser, and campaigners called them out on this hypocrisy.

Win an award

Awards can be a good way to show your purposeful credentials and to produce more publicity. The annual festival of creativity at Cannes often awards its top prizes to charities and campaigns with purpose. This year was no exception. LadBible website lobbied on plastics in the ocean, developing the notion of a nation made entirely of ocean rubbish that would be recognised by the United Nations, because this would give other nations the responsibility of cleaning it up. It didn’t quite pull it off but the campaign attracted more people to join “Trash Isles” than some real nations,

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including a raft of celebrities, and developed its own “Debris” currency, a flag and a passport. It also won the Grand Prix in Design at Cannes Lions, an international advertising event.

Think like a charity

The charitable sector has a lot to teach businesses, says Buonaiuto. “The clarity of message is often better in brands than charities. But brands need to give back as part of their work, by making this a daily habit and having the morale that charities have." This also attracts more committed workers. Buonaiuto says, “People stay at organisations because it allows them to pursue their own causes,” he says. Lewin says that his transition from working in a large agency to setting up his own creative shop has been instructive. “I gave up a comfortable salary to work on an uncomfortable salary, but creatively I’m happier.” BLT Brand’s purpose is to create new brands, or improve existing ones, and bring them to life in bold and distinctive ways. Was the pay cut worth it, to put that purpose front and centre stage? “Absolutely,” he says. Was this article useful to your business? Share your thoughts by tweeting @WorkspaceGroup and start a conversation about telling your why

Music has always been an effective medium of protest. When Bob Dylan performed Blowin’ in the Wind, people took notice. One of the first things current US President Donald Trump did when he came to office was to impose a travel ban on various, mainly Muslim, countries around the world. This was clearly discriminatory, and the US courts thought so too. Streaming service Spotify quickly responded by launching its “I’m With The Banned” campaign. More than just a clever play on words, it showcased music from those banned countries by pairing six artists, one from each country, with a Western artist to produce six new songs and six documentaries to bring the issue a little closer to listeners. Speaking to the recent Cannes Lions advertising festival, Spotify’s Global Executive Creative Director Alex Bodman explained the campaign was about solidarity. “It was a considered response to the travel ban. There had to be authenticity of purpose and our authentic space is a platform for artists. When borders become closed, culture suffers. As Harry Belafonte says, ‘When the movement is strong the music is strong’.” open.spotify.com/genre/iwtb-page

diversity rules Left: Building inclusivity and diversity into the DNA of your company can empower staff and boost the bottom line

“The more diverse and inclusive an organisation is, the more successful it is as a business”

DIVERSITY RULES

The pay-gap furore has lifted the lid on inequalities in the workplace. Rachael Revesz speaks to the diversity experts and finds out how and why companies should embed diversity into their DNA There is still a long way to go to achieve true equality in the workplace. Despite much political momentum, the government’s Hampton-Alexander review found in June that FTSE 350 boards need to “step up” to hit their 2020 female-representation targets, and that 10 companies have failed to appoint even one woman to the board in the past two years. Overall, only one in 15 people from an ethnic-minority background are in a management position. However, for those companies that get diversity right, the benefits include a happier workforce and higher profits.

Reap the benefits

All the evidence shows that the more diverse and inclusive an organisation is, the more successful it is as a business. Recent data from consultancy firm McKinsey & Co found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity and ethnic diversity are a fifth and a third more likely, respectively, to report above-average profits than those in the bottom quartile. Professor Tom Schuller, the creator of the Paula Principle and an expert on the gender pay gap, says that flexible working should be a priority for men and women employees. “It allows people to combine work with other interests and priorities – and most sensible and interesting people do have interests and priorities other than, or rather additional to, their employment,” he said. “The benefits? Better motivated and more loyal staff, with broader perspectives on life and work.”

Shape the workplace

Sam Smethers, CEO of the Fawcett Society, a gender-equality charity based in Workspace’s China Works in Vauxhall, says everyone at

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a company has a role to play beyond setting targets, although some people have more power and influence than others. Men can be good allies at work, supporting their female colleagues and challenging a sexist culture. She says, “Women need to support other women to enable them to challenge discrimination. They can also help to shape the workplace culture they want it to be.” Figures show that more needs to be done. Last year Equileap, an organisation that promotes gender equality in the workplace, ranked the top 200 companies in Europe on gender equality using criteria including equal pay, maternity/paternity leave and corporate policies to empower women. No company scored more than 22 out of 35 points. The UK came fifth out of 23 countries, behind Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and Finland.

Treating employees well

Despite arguably slow progress, there are some shining examples of how employers are encouraging diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Formation Architects, based at Workspace’s Kennington Park, regularly gives staff the opportunity to bring in home-made dishes to share their heritage, because around half its employees are from outside the UK. It also supports flexible working, with several young mothers and fathers on the team, and gets involved in community projects, quiz nights and Friday drinks. The company is a top 100 firm, according to Architects’ Journal, which gave it a special mention for being at the “vanguard of equality”. Pearson, a publishing and educational company, is another good example. One

A history of equality May 1970 Equal Pay Act ensures equal pay for equal work October 2010 Equality Act strengthens laws on discrimination in the workplace July 2016 Hampton-Alexander review recommends all FTSE 350 boards aim for a third female representation by 2020 March 2017 Companies with more than 250 employees are required to report their median pay gap for equivalent work. BBC vows to eliminate its gap by 2020 May 2018 Legal & General Investment Management launches first investment fund to invest in UK companies that rank highly in terms of gender equality July 2018 Media company ITN released its pay-gap figures. It found a 20.8% median pay gap and 50% bonus gap between BAME and white staff

Right: Formation Architects has an almost 50:50 gender split Bottom right: Tab Ahmad, Managing Director at EmployAbility

Top tips for employers in improving diversity Professor Tom Schuller, creator of the Paula Principle (five factors that contribute to a gender pay gap), shares his tips for employers. Initiate a discussion with staff about what they see as the major obstacles to career equality, and what should be done about it. This means taking into account the particular sector in which they work, and the nature and culture of the organisation. It should include diversity with reference to BAME and disability. Make sure qualifications and experience are properly recognised, within a context of longer working lives. Enable and encourage more men to opt for flexible working, without sacrificing their careers. Make sure that men who do work non-traditional schedules are seen as career-motivated as anyone else – and not only on paternity leave, important though shared parental leave is. Talk about “mosaic careers”, not just a vertical ladder. As people live longer, they might move sideways or into new careers rather than climbing the ladder at one company or in one industry.

“The benefits of flexible working? Better motivated and more loyal staff, with broader perspectives” third of its employees engage in some sort of flexible working, and the company offers a “phased return” maternity scheme, where women can work part-time for the first two months while being paid for full-time hours. “We have made diversity and inclusion a strategic priority – something that is deeply embedded into the DNA of the company,” says Irma Wade, Vice-President of HR at Pearson UK and core markets. Pearson is hiring a new Senior Leader for Diversity and Inclusion, as well as strengthening employee-resource groups for women in learning and leadership, LGBT equality and disability and accessibility.

Staff inclusion

Formation Architect’s Director, Neil Farrance, explains that his company participates in a shared employeeownership scheme, which means that the pot is divided across all staff members according to seniority. This partly explains why the firm boasts almost 50% women. He says, “I’ve been at the firm for 30 years and when I studied, a woman on

a construction site was unheard of. Now it’s routine.” Employers should also think about the physical disabilities and mentalhealth conditions of their staff. Tab Ahmad, Managing Director at EmployAbility, an organisation that places thousands of people with disabilities in jobs, said many health conditions are “invisible” so employers might not realise the scale of the issue. “The key thing for employers to think about is the wording when asking staff or candidates questions about disability or adjustments,” she says. “Often employees don’t want to speak up as they don’t know what that information is being used for or what it might imply about them.” Employers can give candidates extra time to do tests, adjust their work stations and allow more flexible work, such as taking breaks, starting later or leaving earlier. “We often ask employers to start off with small initiatives, pilot schemes,” she said. “They don’t need to change everything overnight.” Small changes can lead to big gains. In the end, diversity rules.

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social media

“People share urban myths all the time, but they’re getting wiser to lies”

SUSSING OUT SOCIAL MEDIA Has the Cambridge Analytica data-harvesting scandal forced brands to think differently about their presence on social media platforms, and how they interact with customers? Arthur House investigates In M a rc h th is y e a r, th e n e w s b r o k e th a t th e p e r s o n a l d a ta o f m illio n s o f F a c e b o o k u s e r s h a d b e e n s t o l e n b y a v o t e r - p r o fi l i n g c o m p a n y c a lle d C a m b r id g e A n a ly t ic a a n d u s e d t o i n fl u e n c e v o t e r s i n t h e 2 0 1 6 U S p r e s id e n t ia l e le c t io n . I n t h e e n s u in g p u b lic o u tc r y , p e o p le b e g a n to q u e s t io n th e d is p r o p o r tio n a te p o w e r o f te c h g ia n ts o v e r t h e ir liv e s . M e a n w h ile , t h e n e fa r io u s a c tiv itie s o f b o ts a n d tr o lls – o n T w itte r e s p e c ia lly – o n ly a d d e d to t h e g r o w in g s e n s e o f d i s t r u s t i n s o c i a l m e d i a . R e c e n t fi g u r e s s u g g e s t th a t u p to 1 5 % o f T w itte r u s e r s m a y b e fa k e o r a u to m a te d , a lo n g w it h 6 0 m illio n illic it F a c e b o o k a c c o u n ts . S in c e th e n , F a c e b o o k h a s p r o m is e d to c le a n u p its a c t , a n d E U le g is la t io n in t h e fo r m o f G e n e r a l D a ta P r o te c tio n R e g u la tio n (G D P R ) h a s g iv e n in d iv id u a ls m o r e c o n tr o l o v e r th e ir p e r s o n a l d a ta . S o n o w th e d u s t h a s c le a r e d , d o p e o p le s t ill d is t r u s t s o c ia l m e d ia ? A n d h o w a r e b r a n d s a d a p tin g to th is n e w la n d s c a p e ?

Assessing the impact

“ Th e s c a n d a l m a d e p e o p l e q u e s t i o n w h e th e r th e y c a n tr u s t te c h c o m p a n ie s ,

b u t e v e r y o n e ’s s t i l l u s i n g t h e s e p l a t f o r m s ,” s a y s M a jid B a h i, C E O o f S o c ia lly P o w e r f u l, a n i n fl u e n c e r m a r k e t i n g a g e n c y b a s e d a t W o r k s p a c e ’ s Th e R e c o r d H a l l i n H a t t o n G a r d e n . “ Th e r e w a s a d e c l i n e i n t r u s t f o r t h e fi r s t f e w m o n t h s b u t t h e n p e o p l e fo r g o t a b o u t it a n d w e n t b a c k to th e ir u s u a l r o u t i n e .” L u k e A b b o tt, S o c ia l M e d ia A c c o u n t D ir e c to r a t a d a g e n c y R e d B r ic k R o a d , a g r e e s . “ Th e r e a r e m o r e s o c i a l u s e r s i n t h e w o r l d t h a n e v e r b e f o r e ,” h e p o i n t s o u t . “ C a m b r id g e A n a ly tic a h a s n o t s to p p e d p e o p le f r o m o p e n in g s o c ia l a c c o u n ts a n d , g iv e n t h e n u m b e r o f p e o p le u s in g s o c ia l m e d i a , i t ’s i m p o r t a n t f o r b r a n d s t o b e t h e r e .” A n th o n y N o g u e r a is th e o w n e r o f A c c e le r a te d I n te llig e n c e , a n a g e n c y th a t d o e s s o c ia l a n d d ig ita l m a r k e tin g fo r s e v e r a l h o u s e h o ld - n a m e b r a n d s in th e e n te r ta in m e n t in d u str y , b a se d a t W o r k s p a c e ’s M e t a l B o x F a c t o r y i n S o u t h w a r k . I n h is v ie w , p e o p le a r e s t ill to o t r u s t in g o f w h a t t h e y c h o o s e to fo llo w o n s o c ia l p la tfo r m s , w ith th e ir te n d e n c y to fo r m “ e c h o c h a m b e r s o f o p in io n ” th a t v a lid a te th e ir e x is tin g v ie w s . “ T o o m a n y

p e o a llo fa ls a lr e

p le a r e h a p p y to b e s p o o n - fe d , a n d t h a t w s s o c ia l [m e d ia ] to p r o p a g a te te r r ib le e h o o d s . S o y o u ’r e o n l y s e e i n g w h a t y o u a d y a g r e e w i t h .” B y c o n t r a s t, A b b o t t t h in k s p e o p le a r e g e ttin g b e tte r a t sp o ttin g u n tr u stw o r th y o r fa k e c o n te n t , e v e n if t h e y s o m e t im e s h e lp to s p r e a d it t h e m s e lv e s . “ P e o p le s h a r e u r b a n m y t h s a l l t h e t i m e , b u t t h e y ’r e g e t t i n g w i s e r t o l i e s .” Th e p r e s e n c e o f u n t r u s t w o r t h y c o n t e n t in o u r fe e d s e x p la in s th e r e c e n t tr e n d fo r b r a n d s g e ttin g b e h in d s o c ia l o r p o litic a l c a u s e s , s a y s A b b o t t . “ Y o u ’r e s e e i n g b r a n d s t r y i n g t o fi l l t h a t t r u s t g a p , ” h e s a y s , c i t i n g B u r g e r K i n g ’s s u p p o r t f o r n e t n e u t r a l i t y a n d L u s h ’s S p y C o p s c a m p a i g n . H o w d o y o u a c h ie v e tr u s t w h e n u l t i m a t e l y y o u ’r e s t i l l t r y i n g t o s e l l s o m e t h i n g ? “ Y o u ’v e g o t t o b e t r u e t o y o u r b r a n d ,” s a y s A b b o t t . “ B r a n d s h a v e t o f o l l o w th o s e c a u s e s w h ic h m a tte r to th e m a n d t h e i r a u d i e n c e .” H a v i n g f o r m e r l y w o r k e d o n P a d d y P o w e r ’s s o c i a l m e d i a a c c o u n t , h e m e n t i o n s t h e b o o k m a k e r ’s r a i n b o w l a c e s L G B T c a m p a i g n , w h e r e h i g h - p r o fi l e a t h l e t e s w o r e r a in b o w - c o lo u r e d la c e s to s u p p o r t

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Brands clamour for attention on popular social media platform, Instagram

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Top athletes don rainbow laces to show LGBT support

“Paddy Power took quite a mature approach which was new and brave but still felt genuine” p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f L G B T p e o p l e i n s p o r t . “ Th e y to o k q u ite a m a tu r e a p p r o a c h w h ic h w a s n e w a n d b r a v e b u t s t i l l f e l t g e n u i n e .” W h e t h e r t h e y a r e i n fl u e n c e d b y t r u s t is s u e s o r n o t, t h e w a y in w h ic h p e o p le a r e u s in g s o c ia l m e d ia is u n d o u b te d ly c h a n g in g . “ Th e r e ’ s b e e n a s h i ft a w a y f r o m F a c e b o o k t o o t h e r p l a t f o r m s ,” s a y s A b b o t t . “ S o m e o f i t ’s d r iv e n b y t r u s t b u t o t h e r s h a v e ju s t g o t t ir e d o f F a c e b o o k ,” h e a d d s , n o t i n g t h e i r o n y i n th e fa c t th a t F a c e b o o k o w n s In sta g ra m a n d W h a tsA p p . M a n y p e o p le a r e le a v in g t h e ir F a c e b o o k p r o fi l e s d o r m a n t a n d m i g r a t i n g t o I n s ta g r a m , w h ic h a c q u ir e d its b illio n th u s e r e a r lie r th is y e a r. “ T e e n s u s e I n s ta g r a m a s t h e i r G o o g l e n o w ,” s a y s A b b o t t . B r a n d s n e e d t o s t a y o n t o p o f t h e s e c h a n g e s . “ Y o u ’v e g o t t o g o w h e r e p e o p l e a r e ,” s a y s A b b o t t .

Make social media personal

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p l y t u r n i n g u p t o t h e p a r t y i s n ’t e n o u g h . ia l m e d ia is s u c h a p o w e r fu l w a y o f a g in g w ith e x is tin g a n d p o te n tia l t o m e r s t h a t b r a n d s m u s t c o m p e t e fi e r c e l y h e a c h o th e r fo r u s e r s ’ a tte n tio n . “ I t ’s i m p o r t a n t t o b e a h e a d o f y o u r o m p e t i t o r s o n s o c i a l [ m e d i a ] ,” s a y s M a r y i s a y a , S o c i a l M e d i a A s s o c i a t e a t fl o w e r e l i v e r y fi r m B l o o m & W i l d , w h i c h i s b a s e d t W o r k s p a c e ’s V o x S t u d i o s i n V a u x h a l l .

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a y a is q u ic k to in te g r a te n e w fe a tu r e s , h a s I n s t a g r a m ’s “ T a p t o s h o p ” a n d “ T a g r fr ie n d ” , in o r d e r to g iv e h e r p o s ts th e e o v e r r iv a ls . A n o th e r b ig c h a n g e h a s b e e n th e r is e f s o - c a lle d d a r k s o c ia l: t h e u s e o f p r iv a te ro u p m e s s a g in g o n a p p s su c h a s W h a tsA p p r T e le g r a m , in s te a d o f p u b lic p o s t in g o n w it te r o r F a c e b o o k . B r a n d s s h o u ld k e e p liv e to t h is d e v e lo p m e n t – a n d t h e m o r e e r s o n a l r e la tio n s h ip it fa c ilita te s w ith h e c u sto m e r. “ W e ’r e e x p e r i m e n t i n g w i t h W h a t s a p p s a c u s t o m e r - s e r v i c e o p t i o n ,” s a y s S a r a o r d o n , V P o f b r a n d a t B lo o m & W ild . I t ’s r e a l l y i n t e r e s t i n g a s y o u g e t t h i s i ff e r e n t l e v e l o f c o n t a c t w i t h p e o p l e . O n e o m a n w a s s e n d in g u s v o ic e a n d v id e o e s s a g e s o n W h a tsA p p a n d w e w e re g e ttin g a c k to h e r w ith v o ic e m e s s a g e s . A s a b r a n d o u h a v e to d e c id e w h a t y o u r to n e s h o u ld

b e in n e w c h a n n e ls , in c lu d in g v o ic e in m o r e c a s u a l o n e s l i k e W h a t s A p p .” A n d r e w Th e o d o r e i s C E O o f S o c i a l V e n d . B a s e d a t W o r k s p a c e ’s Q W e s t i n B r e n t f o r d , h is c o m p a n y p r o v id e s in te r a c tiv e v e n d in g m a c h in e s o n b e h a lf o f b r a n d s fo r e x p e r ie n tia l m a r k e t in g p u r p o s e s . A c o u p le o f y e a r s a g o , t h e m a c h in e s w e r e m a in ly u s e d fo r s o c ia l m e d ia p u r p o s e s , a s th e n a m e s u g g e s ts . T y p ic a lly , m e m b e r s o f t h e p u b lic w e r e a s k e d to s h a r e a T w e e t o r I n s ta g r a m p o s t w ith a b r a n d ’ s s p e c i fi c h a s h t a g i n r e t u r n f o r f r e e s w a g f r o m a v e n d i n g m a c h i n e , b u t Th e o d o r e h a s n o t i c e d a s h i ft i n a t t i t u d e s r e c e n t l y . “ T w o y e a r s a g o e v e r y t h in g w a s s o s o c ia lly d r iv e n . It w a s a l l a b o u t r e a c h a n d f o l l o w s a n d l i k e s .” H o w e v e r, b ra n d s n o w u n d e rsta n d th a t fo r c in g p e o p le to p o s t o n s o c ia l m e d ia is a b it t r a n s p a r e n t . “ P e o p l e ’s I n s t a g r a m p a g e s a r e h e a v i l y c u r a t e d w o r k s o f a r t n o w a d a y s ,” s a y s Th e o d o r e . “ Y o u ’ r e n o t g o i n g t o p o s t a p i c t u r e o f y o u r s e lf g r in n in g n e x t to a p r o d u c t fo r 1 0 p o ff y o u r n e x t p u r c h a s e . A n d i f y o u d i d d o i t , y o u ’ r e d e fi n i t e l y g o i n g t o d e l e t e i t a s s o o n a s y o u c a n .” Th e s e d a y s , i t ’ s m o r e a b o u t e n g a g e m e n t a n d “ c r e a t in g a m e m o r a b le b r a n d e x p e r ie n c e fo r s o m e o n e in th a t m o m e n t”. In s te a d o f s o c ia l m e d ia p o s ts , e m a il a d d r e s s e s a r e th e n e w g o l d d u s t f o r b r a n d s . “ W e ’r e d o i n g a l o t o f v e r y s i m p l e u s e r j o u r n e y s a t t h e m o m e n t ,”

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social media

Left: Instagram influencer, Chiara Ferragni, followed by 15 million on Instagram Above: Andrew Theodore, CEO at Social Vend

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Are influencers on the way out? I f b r a n d s a r e n o lo n g e r p a y in g fo r m e m b e r s o f th e p u b lic to s p r e a d th e w o r d o n s o c ia l m e d ia , is th e s a m e tr u e o f th o s e w h o c o u r t f o l l o w e r s f o r a l i v i n g ? I n fl u e n c e r m a r k e t i n g , w h e r e b r a n d s p a y i n fl u e n c e r s o r c e l e b r i t i e s t o p r o m o te p r o d u c ts to t h e ir fo llo w e r s o n s o c ia l m e d ia , h a s a ls o e x p e r ie n c e d a c r is is o f tr u s t. Th e b o o m i n g b u s i n e s s – w o r t h $ 1 b i l l i o n in 2 0 1 7 – is fu e llin g g r e e d a m o n g c e r ta in i n fl u e n c e r s w h o a r e t e m p t e d t o b u y f o l l o w e r s i n o r d e r t o r a i s e t h e i r p r i c e . Th o s e w i t h m o r e t h a n a m illio n fo llo w e r s c a n r e c e iv e u p to £ 7 5 ,0 0 0 fo r a s in g le p o s t . I n J u n e , U n i l e v e r ’s C h i e f M a r k e t i n g O ffi c e r , K e i t h W e e d , c a l l e d o n t h e a d i n d u s t r y t o c l e a n u p t h e i n fl u e n c e r - m a r k e t i n g s p a c e , a n n o u n c in g t h a t U n ile v e r w o u ld n e v e r b u y fo llo w e r s fo r its b r a n d s o r w o r k w it h i n fl u e n c e r s w i t h f a k e f o l l o w e r s . H o w e v e r , a c c o r d i n g t o B a h i a t S o c i a l l y P o w e r f u l , i t ’s e a s y t o s p o t i n fl u e n c e r s w i t h f a k e f o l l o w e r s i f y o u k n o w w h a t y o u ’r e d o i n g . “ W h e n w e ’r e l o o k i n g a t p o t e n t i a l i n fl u e n c e r s t o w o r k

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w i t h , w e l o o k a t t h e i r a u d i e n c e d a t a ,” h e s a y s . “ Th e r e a r e a f e w p a r a m e t e r s t h a t w e c h e c k u s in g o u r m o d e ls , in c lu d in g e n g a g e m e n t r a te a n d g e o g r a p h y . I f 5 0 % o f a U K i n fl u e n c e r ’ s f o l l o w e r s a r e f r o m t h e P h i l i p p i n e s , t h e y ’r e p r o b a b l y f a k e .” A n o t h e r p e r e n n i a l g r i p e a b o u t i n fl u e n c e r m a r k e t i n g i s t h e d i ffi c u l t y i n m e a s u r i n g r e tu r n o n in v e s tm e n t, b u t th a t a ll d e p e n d s o n w h a t y o u w a n t to a c h ie v e , s a y s B a h i. I n fl u e n c e r m a r k e t i n g h a s m a n y u s e s , a ft e r a ll. “ S o m e b r a n d s s e e it a s a p u r e b r a n d in g e x e r c is e o r a s a w a y o f m e a s u r in g s e n tim e n t b e f o r e a n d a ft e r a c a m p a i g n . ” O t h e r t i m e s it m ig h t b e a “ ta c tic a l in itia tiv e to tr y o u t a n e w p r o d u c t .” W i t h h u g e a m o u n t s c h a n g i n g h a n d s , h o w e v e r , i t ’s e a s y t o w a s t e m o n e y b y d e p lo y in g b u d g e ts in t h e w r o n g w a y . C o n s u m e r s a r e a ls o g e ttin g w is e to i t . Th e y c a n s p o t t h e d i ff e r e n c e b e t w e e n i n fl u e n c e r s w h o c a n t a l k a u t h e n t i c a l l y a b o u t a p r o d u c t a n d th o s e w h o a r e in it fo r a q u ic k b u c k , s a y s A b b o t t . “ I t ’s a t r u s t i s s u e ,” h e s a y s . F o r A n th o n y N o g u e r a , th e ty p e o f p o s t is a s im p o r ta n t a s t h e p e r s o n d o in g it. “ P e o p le h a v e t r a in e d t h e ir b r a in s n o t to lo o k a t a d s o n w e b p a g e s , a n d in a s im ila r w a y , a s in g le p o s t b y a n i n fl u e n c e r s a y i n g ‘ G o a n d s e e t h is m o v ie / b u y t h is r e c o r d ’ b e c o m e s la r g e ly i n v i s i b l e .” I n s t e a d , b r a n d s s h o u l d s t i c k w i t h

th e c o n ta lk o v e i n fl

s a m e i n fl u e n c e r s a n d g e t t h e m t o c r e a t e t e n t i n t h e i r o w n s t y l e a n d v o i c e . “ I f y o u ’r e in g a b o u t a p r o d u c t in a n o r g a n ic w a y r a lo n g t im e , t h a t is fa r m o r e lik e ly to u e n c e y o u r a u d i e n c e ,” s a y s N o g u e r a . B o th A b b o tt a n d N o g u e ra a g re e th a t i n fl u e n c e r m a r k e t i n g i s p a r t i c u l a r l y e ff e c t i v e f o r r e a c h i n g y o u n g e r a u d i e n c e s . Th a t ’ s n o t b e c a u s e t h e y ’r e l e s s s a v v y , t h o u g h – q u i t e t h e o p p o s ite . “ Y o u n g e r a u d ie n c e s a r e c o m p le te ly a u f a i t w i t h t h i s s o r t o f m e s s a g i n g ,” s a y s N o g u e r a . “ Th e y u n d e r s t a n d t h a t t h e y ’ r e s p o n s o r e d , b u t a s l o n g a s t h e b r a n d fi t s a n d d o e s n ’t f e e l s h o e h o r n e d i n , t h e y ’r e q u i t e h a p p y t o l o o k a t i t .” S o is t h is r e a lly a b r a v e n e w w o r ld fo r b r a n d s o n s o c ia l m e d ia ? N o t q u ite . F a c e b o o k , I n s ta g r a m a n d T w itte r a r e s till im p o r ta n t fo r b r a n d s – in fa c t, m o re im p o r ta n t th a n e v e r – b u t i t ’s a w o r l d t h a t ’s c h a n g i n g f a s t . B r a n d s m u s t b e fl e x i b l e i n t h e i r a p p r o a c h a s p l a t f o r m u s a g e c h a n g e s , w h ile r e m a in in g t r u e to t h e ir v a l u e s a n d t o n e o f v o i c e . I n fl u e n c e r s a r e n ’ t g o in g a n y w h e r e , e ith e r – b u t c o m p a n ie s s h o u l d s p e n d t i m e fi n d i n g t h e r i g h t fi t b e f o r e p a r tin g w ith e y e -w a te r in g s u m s . Turn to page 54 to read about the pioneers using technology to rebuild trust into our daily lives

dare to do good

DARE TO DO GOOD Are you killing it at work but secretly yearn to pursue something more meaningful? Get inspired by these entrepreneurs who discovered their purpose and went on to set up successful social enterprises, proving beyond doubt that profit doesn’t have to come before purpose, writes Farah Khalique Cemal Ezel was earning a sixfigure sum in his dream job as a commodities trader in the City when he was struck by a thought: there must be more to a job than this. Despite earning a high salary and living the good life, he found himself constantly wondering, how can we live in this world and do good at the same time? Th

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e a n s w e r d i d n ’t c o a y , b u t a ft e r a s t i n S o u th e a s t A s ia , fo n c h o f a s ile n t te a e l s t r u c k g o ld . A p ts id e P a d d in g to n

m e to h im s tr a ig h t t o f s o u l- s e a r c h in g llo w e d b y a n a b o r te d h o u s e in C la p h a m , a s sin g e n c o u n te r s ta tio n w ith a s

h o m th a t fo r E h o m

e le s s m a n w h o w a s h o ld in g u p a s ig n s a id “ C h a n g e p le a s e ” w a s t h e c a ta ly s t z e l ’ s b u s i n e s s l i ft i n g p e o p l e o u t o f e l e s s n e s s t h r o u g h c o ff e e . T o d a y , C h a n g e P le a s e is a s o c ia l n te r p r is e t h a t t r a in s h o m e le s s p e o p le to e b a r i s t a s a t c o ff e e c a r t s d o t t e d a r o u n d h e c i t y a n d i n o ffi c e s . I t g i v e s w o r k e r s h e L o n d o n L iv in g W a g e , a s w e ll a s c c o m m o d a tio n , a b a n k a c c o u n t a n d h e r a p y s u p p o r t. C h a n g e P le a s e w a n ts o d i s r u p t t r a d i t i o n a l c o ff e e h o u s e s b y ff e r i n g c u s t o m e r s g r e a t - q u a l i t y c o ff e e h a t c a n c h a n g e liv e s . E z e l s a y s , “ I t ’s a m a s s i v e c h a n g e i n e r c e p tio n , g o in g fr o m b e g g in g o n th e tre e t a n d a sk in g s o m e o n e fo r m o n e y , to o m e o n e a s k i n g y o u f o r c o ff e e . ”

The time is now

E z e l is o n e o f a g r o w in g fo r c e o f s o c ia l e n t r e p r e n e u r s . Th e U K h a s a r o u n d 9 9 , 0 0 0 s o c ia l e n te r p r is e s , e m p lo y in g a lm o s t o n e a n d a h a l f m i l l i o n p e o p l e , a fi g u r e t h a t i s r is in g a s a th ir d o f n e w s ta r t-u p s p u r s u e s o c ia l g o o d . Th i s c a n b e e x p l a i n e d b y a g e n e r a t i o n a l s h i ft i n a t t i t u d e s , s a y s D a n n y W i t t e r , C E O a t s o c ia l e n te r p r is e W o r k fo r G o o d . A fo r m e r in v e s tm e n t b a n k e r, W itte r fo u n d h i s t r u e p u r p o s e l a y i n g i v i n g b a c k . A ft e r y e a r s o f ju g g lin g w o r k in t h e C it y a lo n g s id e m e n to r in g a n d w r itin g c h e q u e s , h e c o fo u n d e d W o r k fo r G o o d , w h ic h h e lp s b u s in e s s e s g iv e to w o r th y c a u s e s . W i t t e r e x p l a i n s , “ I t h i n k i t ’s a c u l t u r a l t h in g . M ille n n ia ls a n d G e n e r a t io n Z a r e

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Clockwise from far left: Coffee from Change Please; Russian supermodel, philanthropist and social media advocate Natalia Vodianova and Timon Afinsky, Co-founders at charity app Elbi; a Change Please coffee cart and barista; Danny Witter, CEO at social enterprise Work for Good

“ Do well by doing good. It’s something you do as a matter of commercial common sense” b r th su to

o u g h t u p w ith m o r e s o c ia l c o n s c io u s n e s s a n m y g e n e r a tio n , w h ic h w a s a b o u t b e in g c c e s s fu l, m a k in g m o n e y a n d t h e n d o n a tin g c h a r itie s . “ R i g h t n o w , i t ’s m u c h m o r e a b o u t h o w w e t h in k a b o u t t h is fr o m a n e a r ly a g e a s in d iv id u a ls , a n d h o w th a t p e r m e a te s in to a b u s in e s s c o n te x t. D o w e ll b y d o in g g o o d . I t ’s s o m e t h i n g y o u d o a s a m a t t e r o f c o m m e r c i a l c o m m o n s e n s e .”

Put purpose front and centre O n e s o c ia l e n te r p r is e th a t is tr y in g to ta p in to G e n e r a tio n Z is W o r k s p a c e c u s to m e r E lb i, b a s e d a t C lu b W o r k s p a c e F le e t S t r e e t in B l a c k f r i a r s . I t ’s a n a p p t h a t e n c o u r a g e s g o o d d e e d s ; u s e r s c a n d o n a te to c h a r it y p r o je c ts b y h ittin g a “ L o v e B u tto n ” . I n r e tu r n , th e y a r e

workspacegroup.co.uk

r e w a r d e d w ith L o v e C o in s th a t c a n b e s p e n t i n E l b i ’s L o v e S h o p o n h i g h - e n d b r a n d s l i k e L o u is V u itto n a n d S u p r e m e . C o -fo u n d e d b y r a g s - to -r ic h e s R u s s ia n s u p e r m o d e l N a ta lia “ S u p e r n o v a ” V o d ia n o v a , E lb i is h e r s e c o n d b ig c h a r ita b le v e n t u r e . A t th e te n d e r a g e o f 2 1 , s h e fo u n d h e r s e lf q u e s tio n in g h e r fa m e a n d fo r tu n e a n d c a m e to th e r e a lis a tio n th a t h e r tr u e p u r p o s e in life w a s p h ila n th r o p y . Th e d e a t h s o f 3 1 4 p e o p l e ( o f w h i c h 1 8 6 w e r e c h ild r e n ) in t h e B e s la n s c h o o l te r r o r is t a tta c k in 2 0 0 4 w a s t h e c a ta ly s t fo r V o d ia n o v a t o s e t u p h e r fi r s t c h a r i t a b l e v e n t u r e , N a k e d H e a r t F o u n d a t io n , w h ic h h e lp s c h ild r e n w it h s p e c ia l n e e d s . H o w e v e r, d e s p ite th e s u c c e s s o f h e r fo u n d a tio n a n d h e r e m e r g in g fa m e a s a s o c ia l m e d ia s u p e r s t a r , s h e fe lt m o v e d to

d o m o r e to e n c o u r a g e a lt r u is m a m o n g t h e s o c ia l m e d ia g e n e r a tio n . A d a m A s k e w , D ir e c to r o f P h ila n t h r o p y a t E lb i, s a y s , “ N a ta lia to o k a lo o k a t t h e n u m b e r o f ‘lik e s ’ p e o p le w e r e r e c e iv in g o n p la t fo r m s lik e F a c e b o o k a n d , w it h t h e h e lp o f h e r E lb i C o - f o u n d e r ( T i m o n A fi n s k y ) , t h e y w e r e in s p ir e d to s e e h o w s h e c o u ld t u r n t h e s im p le a c t o f lik in g c o n te n t o n s o c ia l m e d ia in to a q u ic k a n d e a s y w a y to d o n a te to c a u s e s th a t r e a lly m a t t e r , t u r n in g ‘li k e ’ in t o ‘lo v e ’” . R e a c h in g o u t to a d ig ita lly n a tiv e a u d ie n c e w it h t h e E lb i a p p w a s t h e a n s w e r . Th e a p p ’ s L o v e B u t t o n m a k e s i t e a s y t o d o n a te w it h a s im p le ta p u s in g A p p le P a y , a n d t h e E lb iL o o p g iv e s u s e r s v id e o u p d a te s o n t h e i m p a c t o f t h e i r d o n a t i o n s . Th e a p p h a s r a is e d m o r e t h a n £ 5 0 ,0 0 0 in t h e s ix

dare to do good

Above: Power couple Jo and James Hands, Co-founders at sustainable shopping app Giki Right: Elbi users can donate to Walkabout Foundation, which provides wheelchairs and rehab in the developing world

“Consumers want to know where products are coming from” m o n th s s in c e its la u n c h in Ja n u a r y 2 0 1 8 , b u t t h is is ju s t t h e b e g in n in g . P o w e r c o u p le a n d b u s in e s s p a r t n e r s Jo a n d Ja m e s H a n d s h a v e a ls o p u t p u r p o s e a t th e h e a r t o f t h e ir s o c ia l e n te r p r is e , a s u s ta in a b le s h o p p in g a p p c a lle d G ik i. B a s e d a t C lu b W o r k s p a c e C h in a W o r k s in V a u x h a ll, t h e y m a d e s u r e t o g e t G i k i c e r t i fi e d w i t h s u p p o r t n e t w o r k , S o c ia l E n te r p r is e U K , a n d w o u ld a d v is e o th e r s o c ia l e n te r p r is e s to d o th e s a m e . C o -fo u n d e r Jo H a n d s s a y s , “ S o c ia l e n t e r p r i s e d o e s n ’t h a v e a le g a l d e s c r i p t o r i n i t s o w n r i g h t ; i t ’s n o t a l e g a l e n t i t y l i k e a c h a r i t y . Th i s [ c e r t i fi c a t i o n ] m a k e s i t v e r y c l e a r , v e r y q u i c k l y , t h a t w e ’r e a s o c i a l e n t e r p r i s e w i t h o u t r e a d in g t h e c o m p a n y a r t ic le s , a n d a ls o t h a t o u r p u r p o s e is s o c ia l r a th e r th a n c o m m e r c ia l. Th a t c a n b e r e a l l y v a l u a b l e i n b u i l d i n g p a r tn e r s h ip s w it h o t h e r o r g a n is a tio n s lik e O x fa m , w h ic h h a s a r e p r e s e n ta tiv e o n o u r a d v i s o r y b o a r d .”

Show me the money

S o c ia l e n tr e p r e n e u r s c a n ta p in to a g r o w in g b a s e o f s o c i a l - i m p a c t i n v e s t o r s . Th e A n g e l I n v e s t m e n t N e t w o r k , t h e w o r l d ’s la r g e s t n e tw o r k o f a n g e l in v e s to r s a n d e n t r e p r e n e u r s , is t h e la te s t to p u r s u e s o c ia lim p a c t in v e s tin g w ith th e U K la u n c h o f c r o w d fu n d in g p la tfo r m , S e e d tr ib e . O liv ia S ib o n y , H e a d o f I m p a c t C r o w d fu n d in g , to o k

o v e r t h e r e i n s a ft e r s e l l i n g h e r o w n b u s i n e s s , G r u b c lu b , a p o p - u p r e s t a u r a n t s e r v ic e t h a t c o n n e c te d ta le n te d c h e fs w it h u n d e r u s e d s p a c e s . “ It g o t to a s ta g e w h e r e I r e a lis e d [ G r u b c lu b ] w a s n ’t a s i m p a c t f u l a s I w a n t e d it to b e ; to m a k e it p r o p e r ly w o r k y o u n e e d e d to d o m a s s v o lu m e a n d s c a le . I fe lt lik e t h e m o r e w e d id t h a t , t h e le s s o p p o r tu n it y w e h a d to w o r k in d iv id u a lly w i t h p e o p le . I t w a s n ’t g o i n g i n t h e d i r e c t i o n w h e r e m y h e a r t w a s g o i n g .” S e e d t r ib e w a n t s to h e lp c o n n e c t t h e in c r e a s in g n u m b e r o f im p a c t- c o n s c io u s b u s in e s s e s a n d in v e s to r s , c it in g a g lo b a l im p a c t in v e s tm e n t m a r k e t th a t is g r o w in g 1 8 % y e a r-o n -y e a r to b e w o r th a n e stim a te d £ 2 3 6 b illio n in 2 0 2 0 . B ig I s s u e I n v e s t w a s o n e o f t h e fi r s t t o s p o t t h e n a s c e n t t r e n d . Th e U K ’ s fi r s t “ s o c i a l m e r c h a n t b a n k ” , i t h a s fi n a n c e d h u n d r e d s o f s u s t a i n a b l e s o c i a l e n te r p r is e s ; in Ju ly it la u n c h e d a b r a n d n e w £ 5 m illio n le n d in g s c h e m e ta r g e te d a t s o c ia l e n te r p r is e s a n d c h a r itie s in E n g la n d . B i g I s s u e I n v e s t ’s I n v e s t m e n t D i r e c t o r , D a n n y W ils o n -D o d d , s a y s , “ C o n s u m e r s w a n t to k n o w w h e re p ro d u c ts a re c o m in g f r o m . Th a t ’ s w h y s o c i a l e n t e r p r i s e s a r e d o i n g w e l l . Th e y a r e o ff e r i n g s o m e t h i n g t h e m a r k e t w a n t s .” Th e g o v e r n m e n t i s o n b o a r d w i t h t h e id e a to o ; in 2 0 1 6 it s e t u p a n a d v is o r y g r o u p

to m a k e s o c ia lly t h e m e d in v e s t m e n ts m o r e e a s ily a v a ila b le to t h e in d iv id u a l in v e s to r . Its e n s u in g r e p o r t c a lle d o n r e g u la to r s a n d p r o fe s s io n a l b o d ie s to b e tte r r e c o g n is e s o c ia l- im p a c t in v e s t in g a n d p r o m o te p r o f e s s i o n a l q u a l i fi c a t i o n s . N e v e r t h e le s s , d e s p ite g o v e r n m e n t g r a n ts , g e n e r o u s t a x b e n e fi t s a n d V A T e x e m p t i o n s fo r s o c ia l e n te r p r is e s , th e r e is a fu n d in g g a p o n c e b u s in e s s e s t r y to s c a le u p . F o r fo r m a l in v e stm e n t, b u sin e s se s n e e d a tr a c k re c o rd , w h ic h t h e y m ig h t n o t h a v e , a n d a c le a r f u t u r e p l a n . M o r e o v e r , g i v i n g a w a y e q u i t y d o e s n ’t s u it a ll s o c ia l e n tr e p r e n e u r s . A s k e w s a y s , “ Th e r e i s l o t s o f m o n e y a v a ila b le fo r s o c ia l e n te r p r is e s ta r t- u p s – s m a ll m o n e y to g e t y o u g o in g a n d g e t y o u o n th e r o a d – b u t o n c e o n th e r o a d th e r e is a g a p i n t e r m s o f t a k i n g y o u r p r o d u c t t o s c a l e .” S ib o n y a d v is e s s o c ia l e n tr e p r e n e u r s t o p e r s i s t i n fi n d i n g t h e r i g h t i n v e s t o r b y a t te n d in g e v e r y s in g le p o s s ib le n e t w o r k in g e v e n t r e l a t e d t o y o u r fi e l d a n d “ s h a m e l e s s l y ta lk in g to e v e r y b o d y ”. F in d c o m p a n ie s th a t su p p o r t y o u r c a u s e a n d s e e if th e y c a n o ff e r f u n d i n g f o r y o u r i d e a . I n t h e e n d , y o u r p e r s i s t e n c e c a n p a y o ff a n d y o u r d r e a m c a n b e c o m e a r e a lity . Find more inspiring stories on Twitter at #goodisthenewcool

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TRUST IN TECH

Cambridge Analytica, Russian bots, WannaCry virus, corporate data breaches… it’s no wonder that our faith in technology has plummeted in recent times. But thanks to advances in emerging data technologies such as blockchain and machine learning, a more transparent world may be possible. Here are four start-ups from around the world putting truth-seeking at the heart of their purpose to tackle problems from fake news to ad fraud

Dr Abdullah Albeyatti, CEO, Medicalchain (London) Medicalchain is a platform for storing and using electronic health records, fuelled by blockchain technology

I w o r k a s a G P a n d I ’m f r u s t r a t e d a t o u r in a b ilit y to g iv e t h e b e s t le v e l o f c a r e d u e to t h e lim ite d in fo r m a tio n w e h a v e o n p a tie n ts . A ll o f t h e d a t a I r e l y u p o n i s o n t h e G P p r a c t i c e ’s s y s te m . I f o n e o f m y p a tie n ts g o e s to a h o s p ita l a n d h a s a b lo o d te s t o r s c a n , I ’ll h a v e n o id e a w h a t t h e r e s u l t s w i l l b e . Th a t c a n l e a d t o a m is d ia g n o s is o r m is m a n a g e m e n t. Th i s i s a l o n g - s t a n d i n g p r o b l e m , n o t ju s t in t h e N H S b u t w o r ld w id e . E v e r y fa m ily d o c to r o r h o s p ita l h a s its o w n s ilo o f i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t s o m e o n e ’s r e c o r d s a n d r e s u lt s . W e ’v e t r i e d t o r e m o v e t h e s e b a r r i e r s

i n t h e p a s t . Th e g o v e r n m e n t b r o u g h t i n a n e w I T s y s te m to s h a r e p a tie n t r e c o r d s b e tw e e n N H S s e r v ic e s b u t it fa ile d b e c a u s e it w a s s im p ly to o h a r d to g e t e v e r y o n e w o r k in g w it h t h e s a m e te c h n o lo g y . A t M e d i c a l c h a i n , w e ’r e t a k i n g a c o m p l e t e l y d i ff e r e n t a p p r o a c h . Y o u c a n ’ t h a v e a c o n s u lt a t i o n w i t h o u t a p a t i e n t , s o w h y d o n ’t w e tr u s t th e p a tie n t to b r in g th e ir r e c o r d s w ith t h e m ? Y o u ’v e g o t e m a i l, p h o t o s a n d b a n k i n g o n y o u r p h o n e , s o w h y n o t h e a lt h r e c o r d s to o ? P a t ie n t s c a n a c c e s s t h e m v ia a m o b ile , o r w e c a n lo g in o n a w e b b r o w s e r u s in g t h e ir s p e c i fi c k e y s . I f I g i v e t h e m m e d i c a t i o n o r g e t r e s u lt s , t h a t a ll g e t s a d d e d to t h e ir r e c o r d s u s in g b lo c k c h a in te c h n o lo g y . W e ’r e t r y i n g t o p r o m o t e p a t i e n t s h a v i n g a c c e s s to th e ir re c o rd s fo r fre e . I w a n t a n y p a t ie n t to b e a b le to r e q u e s t u s to g e t t h e ir r e c o r d s o ff t h e i r d o c t o r a n d p u t i t i n t o t h e i r

M e d ic a lc h a in h e a lt h p a s s p o r t . W e h a v e o u r o w n c r y p to c u r r e n c y c a lle d M e d T o k e n s . I f a p a t ie n t d e c id e s to h a v e a te le m e d ic in e c o n s u lt a t io n , t h e y w ill b e a b le to p a y t h e d o c to r in M e d T o k e n s , fr o m w h ic h w e ’ll ta k e a s m a ll c u t. L ik e w is e , if a p a tie n t a g r e e s to s h a r e th e ir d a ta w ith th e r e s e a r c h d e p a r tm e n t o f a p h a r m a c e u tic a l c o m p a n y , th e y c a n r e q u e s t p a y m e n t in M e d T o k e n s .

Jarrod Dicker, CEO, Po.et (Nashville, Tennessee) Po.et is a platform that builds the reputation of writers and journalists by helping their work to be discovered, while also protecting their intellectual property

M e d ia is b e in g m o r e w id e ly c o n s u m e d t h a n e v e r , b u t it s b u s in e s s h e a lt h c h e c k is lo o k in g s o m e w h a t g r i m . Th e w o r l d n e e d s t o b e

homeworkmagazine homeworkmagazine

trust in tech Left: Activists rally in Bryant Park in New York prior to marching to the New York Times building in Manhattan, protesting against the US administration’s ‘war on the media’ Right: Jarrod Dicker, CEO at Po.et

“Soon people aren’t going to be able to tell with their own eyes what’s fake” c o n v i n c e d t h a t c o n t e n t is v a lu a b le a g a i n . P o .e t r e c la im s v a lu e fo r c o n te n t c r e a to r s , p u b lis h e r s a n d c o n su m e rs. P o .e t is e a s i ly h o o k e d i n t o c o n t e n tm a n a g e m e n t sy ste m s, so w h e n y o u c re a te s o m e th in g a n d p r e s s p u b lis h , y o u r c o n te n t is s a v e d o n t h e b l o c k c h a i n . I t ’s t i m e s t a m p e d w i t h y o u r b y l i n e a n d c a n ’ t b e d e l e t e d . Th i n k o f i t l i k e th e fu tu r e a r c h iv e . O n c e t h e c o n t e n t is o n P o .e t , it s c r e a t o r h a s t h e r ig h t to s e t a p r ic e o r lic e n s e it, t h a n k s t o s m a r t c o n t r a c t s . F o r a Washington Post o r New York Times t h i s m i g h t b e a c h a n c e to r e t h in k c ir c u la t io n a n d lic e n s in g , w h ile fo r in d e p e n d e n t c r e a to r s , w h ic h is 9 0 % o f u s , it h a n d s t h e m t h e to o ls fo r o w n e r s h ip a s w e ll a s lic e n s i n g . P o .e t is m a i n t a i n e d b y a d e c e n tr a lis e d c o m m u n it y o f u s e r s . T o b u ild y o u r r e p u t a t io n y o u n e e d to s t a k e P o .e t t o k e n s a g a i n s t y o u r w o r k a n d m a k e w h a t w e c a ll “ c la im s ” . Th e r e a r e t h o u s a n d s o f p e o p l e i n c e n t i v i s e d to g o in th e r e a n d fa c t- c h e c k y o u r w o r k . I f y o u ’ r e l y i n g o r p a s s i n g o ff s o m e o n e e l s e ’ s w o rk a s y o u r o w n , y o u a re b o o te d fro m th e m a r k e tp la c e , a n d w h o e v e r b o o ts y o u o u t g e ts y o u r t o k e n s . P o .e t is c u r r e n t ly f o r t e x t c o n t e n t b u t w e ’r e p l a n n i n g f o r a u d i o a n d v i d e o a s w e l l . Th i n k a b o u t w h a t ’ s h a p p e n i n g w i t h D e e p fa k e s [fa c e - s w a p p in g te c h n o lo g y ] . T o d a y w e ta lk a b o u t fa k e n e w s in te r m s o f p e r c e p tio n , b u t s o o n p e o p l e a r e n ’t g o i n g t o b e a b l e t o t e l l w i t h t h e i r o w n e y e s w h a t ’s f a k e . I w a n t t o m a k e s u r e P o .e t is p r e p a r e d t o s o lv e b ig is s u e s i n m e d ia a s th e y h a p p e n .

m a n y le v e ls – b ig c o m p a n ie s , s m a ll c o m p a n ie s a n d in d e p e n d e n t c o n tr a c to r s . W h e n y o u c a ll fo r a r e p a ir y o u g e t a s k e d w h a t z ip c o d e y o u a r e i n – i f y o u ’r e i n a m o r e e x p e n s i v e a r e a , a l l o f a s u d d e n y o u ’ r e p a y i n g m o r e . Th e r e a r e a l s o a lo t o f fa k e r e v ie w s p u b lis h e d o n r e v ie w s ite s th a t a re n e v e r ta k e n d o w n . W it h o u r b lo c k c h a in s o lu t io n y o u c a n p u t e v e r y t h in g o n a n o p e n p u b lic le d g e r s o t h a t e v e r y o n e c a n s e e w h a t ’s r e a l l y g o i n g o n i n t h e h o m e - r e p a i r s s p a c e . A ft e r t h e j o b i s d o n e , th e c lie n t w r ite s d o w n h o w m u c h th e y p a id fo r th e la b o u r, th e p a r ts a n d to ta l c o s ts . Th e y r a t e t h e c o n t r a c t o r a n d i t ’ s a l l s t o r e d o n t h e b lo c k c h a in , w h e r e it c a n n e v e r b e r e m o v e d o r ta m p e r e d w ith . If a c o n su m e r w a n ts to h ire a h a n d y m a n a n d g o e s o n bobsrepair.com, t h e y ’ l l t y p e in th e ir z ip c o d e a n d s e e th o u s a n d s o f c o n tra c to rs. If a n y o f th e se h a v e e v e r o v e r c h a r g e d o r d o n e a b a d j o b , i t ’s g o i n g t o b e t h e r e fo r p e o p le to s e e . S o m e c o n t r a c to r s ’ h i g h e r f e e s m i g h t b e j u s t i fi e d b y t h e i r g o o d r e v i e w s . Th e c o n s u m e r c a n m a k e a n in fo r m e d d e c is io n . W e e n s u r e th e r e v ie w s a r e r e a l b y u s in g a c u s t o m e r - v e r i fi c a t i o n p r o c e s s . B o t h t h e c o n t r a c to r s a n d c o n s u m e r s w ill u p lo a d t h e ir I D s . Th e c o n t r a c t o r c a n l e a v e a r e v i e w o f th e c o n s u m e r a s w e ll. C o n s u m e r s p a y b y c r e d it c a r d a n d th o s e fu n d s a r e tr a n s fe r r e d in to B o b to k e n s [th e p la tfo r m c u r r e n c y ] in a l e n d i n g p o o l . Th e c o n s u m e r s e t s m i l e s t o n e s fo r t h e c o n t r a c to r a n d r e le a s e s t h e f u n d s a s th e y a r e a c h ie v e d .

Frideric Prandecki, CEO and Cofounder, Bob’s Repair (Las Vegas)

Anant Joshi, Chief Revenue Officer, Factmata (London)

Bob’s Repair is on a mission to make home repairs cheaper by bringing price transparency to customers

Factmata is a London-based AI startup that looks for misinformation on the web – fake news, extreme political bias, hate speech and clickbait

H o m e r e p a ir s is a $ 4 0 0 b illio n in d u s tr y in th e U S , a n d y e t n o b o d y k n o w s h o w m u c h th in g s s h o u ld c o s t. P r ic e g o u g in g is h a p p e n in g o n

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e re a re v o c a l g ro u p s o u t th e re w h o m ig h t c a ll fo r a b o y c o tt o f a b r a n d if th e y

s e e it a p p e a r a lo n g s id e in a p p r o p r ia te c o n te n t, w it h b r a n d s p o te n tia lly fa c in g a s o c i a l m e d i a d i s a s t e r . W e ’v e b u i lt m a c h i n e le a r n in g a lg o r it h m s t h a t c a n r e a d a n d u n d e r s t a n d t e x t , r a t h e r t h a n s i m p l y fi n d i n g k e y w o rd s. O n c e w e ’v e s c a n n e d t h e a r t ic le s , w e g iv e th e m a s c o r e . W e c a n th e n s e ll th a t in fo r m a t io n to b r a n d s to h e lp p r e v e n t th e ir a d s fro m a p p e a r in g a g a in st th a t in a p p r o p r ia te c o n te n t. B r a n d s a fe ty is a b ig c o n c e r n c u r r e n t l y w i t h m a r k e t e e r s . Th e b ig s o c ia l n e t w o r k s a r e h e a v ily in v e s tin g in s a f e t y a n d w e ’r e l o o k i n g b e y o n d t h e m , a t t h e in te r n e t in g e n e r a l. W e ’r e a l s o a d d r e s s i n g m e d i a a g e n c i e s a n d th e d ig ita l a d - b u y in g e c o s y s te m . W e w a n t to s ta r t to d e fu n d in a p p r o p r ia te s ite s th a t a r e g e ttin g m o n e y fr o m th e la r g e a d v e r t is e r s . I n a lo t o f c a s e s , a d v e r t is e r s d o n ’t k n o w w h e r e t h e y ’v e b e e n r u n n i n g t h e i r a d s . O n c e o ff e n d i n g d o m a i n s o r U R L s a r e i d e n t i fi e d , w e c a n r e m o v e t h e m f r o m t h e in v e n to r y o f s ite s o n w h ic h a d v e r tis e r s c a n b u y a d s. W e ’r e a l s o b u i l d i n g a p r o d u c t c a l l e d B r ie fr, w h ic h is a im e d a t jo u r n a lis ts . I f y o u ’r e a s p e c i a l i s t i n c l i m a t e s c i e n c e a n d s o m e t h i n g i n a n a r t i c le d o e s n ’t lo o k r ig h t, y o u c a n a n n o ta te th e s e n te n c e , p o s t to B r ie fr a n d s ta r t a d is c u s s io n th r e a d a r o u n d it w it h o t h e r jo u r n a lis ts . O n c e a r t i c l e s h a v e b e e n c l a s s i fi e d a n d t a g g e d , a l l t h a t d a ta w ill t h e n b e fe d in to t h e a lg o r it h m t o h e l p i t l e a r n b e t t e r w h a t ’s t r u s t w o r t h y a n d w h a t i s n ’t . O n c e w e ’v e s c o r e d t h e a r t ic le s , w e le t th e c lie n t d e c id e if th e y w a n t to r e m o v e th a t s p e c i fi c p a g e U R L o r d o m a i n f r o m b u y i n g a d v e r tis in g [s p a c e ] in th e fu tu r e . Want to read more about the businesses putting technology at the heart of their growth plans? Head to workspace.co.uk/ community/homework/technology

Sparkling water from sustainable drinks company Dash

WASTE NOT You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fail to have heard about food waste. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the sleeping giant, the global issue under our noses that is having a huge impact on the environment. Georgina WilsonPowell, Founder of sustainable living magazine pebble, speaks to the pioneers fighting food waste and finds out how we can all do our bit to help #pebblesmakeripples

food waste Top left: Toast’s ale range Bottom left: Convoy of Farmdrop delivery vans in central London

ways to reduce your waste at work Have a sharing table F o o d w a s te h a p p e n s a t e v e r y le v e l o f t h e fo o d - p r o d u c tio n c h a in , fr o m th e c r o p s g r o w n a n d t h e n r e je c te d b y s u p e r m a r k e ts , to t h e o v e r - o r d e r in g a n d d u m p - it c u lt u r e o f t h e h o s p ita lit y a n d r e s ta u r a n t in d u s tr ie s , a n d b y u s , th e in d iv id u a l c o n s u m e r s , w h o s h o p t h o u g h t le s s ly a n d t h r o w o u t fo o d e a s ily . Th e n u m b e r s a r e s t a g g e r i n g . I n t h e U K w e w a s te 7 .3 b illio n to n n e s o f fo o d e a c h y e a r , a c c o r d in g to W a s te & R e s o u r c e s A c tio n P r o g r a m m e ( W R A P ) . G lo b a lly , t h e a m o u n t o f fo o d w e b in e q u a te s to a ro u n d a th ird o f a g r i c u l t u r a l l a n d – t h a t ’s e n o u g h t o f e e d t h r e e m illio n p e o p le – a n d c o n t r ib u te s m o r e g re e n h o u se s g a s th a n e v e r y c o u n tr y a p a rt fr o m th e U S a n d C h in a . I n d u s tr ia l fa r m in g a lo n e c a u s e s 7 0 % o f g lo b a l d e fo r e s ta t io n a n d h u g e b io d iv e r s it y lo s s .

Eat to beat food waste I n th e la s t fe w y b ra n d s h a v e sp r in to ta sty a n d p m a n y o f th e m a A l t h o u g h i t ’s a n s o m e a re ta k in g T o a st, F a rm th r e e c o m p a n ie

e a r s , a g ro w in g n u m b e r o u te d , tu r n in g fo o d w a s r o fi t a b l e o p p o r t u n i t i e s – r e r ig h t h e r e in L o n d o n . o v e r w h e lm in g p r o b le m a p r o a c tiv e a p p r o a c h . d r o p a n d O d d b o x a r e ju s m a k in g s o c ia l p u r p o s e

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th e h e a r t a n d s o u l o f th e ir b r a n d D N A , to t a c k l e f o o d w a s t e i n a v a r i e t y o f d i ff e r e n t w a y s . W o r k in g b a c k w a r d s f r o m t h e s u r p lu s fo o d is T o a s t. W e c h u c k o u t a lm o s t h a lf th e b r e a d w e b u y ; T o a s t t u r n s t h a t l e ft o v e r b r e a d i n t o b e e r a n d c h a n n e l s a l l o f i t s p r o fi t s i n t o F e e d b a c k , a c h a r i t y fi g h t i n g f o o d w a s t e . “ Th e r e ’ s c e r t a i n l y a l a r g e a n d g r o w i n g c o m m u n it y o f L o n d o n - b a s e d b u s in e s s e s d e v e lo p in g p r o d u c ts t h a t u p c y c le a n d r e c y c le s u r p lu s f o o d ,” s a y s L o u i s a Z i a n e , C h i e f B r a n d O ffi c e r a t T o a s t . “ I t h i n k t h e k e y w o r d i s ‘c o m m u n i t y ’ b e c a u s e th e r e is a h u g e a m o u n t o f c o lla b o r a tio n a n d id e a s s h a r in g th a t g o e s o n in L o n d o n . E v e r y n ig h t o f th e w e e k t h e r e i s a n e v e n t a t w h i c h y o u ’ l l fi n d t h e s e c o m p a n ie s ta lk in g a n d s a m p lin g p r o d u c ts – v e r y o ft e n T o a s t i n s o m e c a p a c i t y , ” e x p la in s Z ia n e . T a c k lin g fo o d w a s te fr o m th e o th e r e n d o f th e s y s te m is F a r m d r o p , a n o n lin e su p e rm a rk e t th a t c o n n e c ts c o n su m e rs d ir e c t ly to fa r m e r s a n d p r o d u c e r s . F o r m e r ly b a s e d a t Th e B i s c u i t F a c t o r y i n B e r m o n d s e y , it ta c k le s t h e o v e r - o r d e r in g a n d e n o r m o u s w a s te in t h e s u p e r m a r k e t s u p p ly c h a in b y p a y in g fa r m e r s fa ir ly a n d o n ly o r d e r in g

Designate a space where people can bring and leave food they don’t need, for others to take for free.

Start a lunch club If there are a few of you, take it in turns to batch cook a dish and bring it in to share. It’s not only fun, it’s great for using up stuff you have in the fridge.

Carry a zero-waste kit Whether it’s reusable straws or bamboo cutlery, keep a portable zero-waste kit in your bag to stop yourself from using singleuse plastic.

Get creative with soups, stews and bakes – and your freezer From baking banana bread with overripe bananas to freezing herbs and pickling veg that’s about to go off, making lunch at home is a hugely efficient way to eat.

food waste

Above: London’s first wonky-fruit-and-veg delivery company, Oddbox Right: The Severn Project grower harvesting produce for Farmdrop

“Industrial farming causes 70% of global deforestation and huge biodiversity loss” w h a t e a c h c u s t o m e r n e e d s . I n e ff e c t , y o u o r d e r d ir e c t ly fr o m t h e fa r m s a n d F a r m d r o p d e liv e r s it. H a v in g la u n c h e d in L o n d o n , it h a s e x p a n d e d to B a t h a n d B r is to l, a n d t h e s o u t h e a s t is s e t to fo llo w . “ S e r v ic e s lik e F a r m d r o p r e d u c e fo o d w a s te b e c a u s e e v e r y p ie c e o f fr e s h fo o d th a t p a s s e s t h r o u g h o u r s u p p ly c h a in h a s a lr e a d y b e e n o r d e r e d b y a c u s t o m e r ,” s a y s D a m i a n H in d , M a rk e tin g M a n a g e r a t F a r m d ro p . “A t a s u p e r m a r k e t , i f f o o d i s l e ft u n s o l d t h e n i t w ill b e r e d u c e d b e fo r e b e in g th r o w n a w a y . F a r m d r o p s u p p lie r s a ls o m a n a g e th e ir s to c k a t s o u r c e a n d s o h a v e th e o p p o r tu n it y to s e ll t h e ir p r o d u c e to p e o p le a t a fa r m e r s ’ m a r k e ts o r i n a l o c a l v e g b o x , f o r e x a m p l e .” O d d b o x is a t h ir d e x a m p le (o u t o f m a n y m o r e ), o f a n o n - d e m a n d b r a n d th a t is t a c k l i n g r e j e c t e d f o o d w a s t e a t s o u r c e . Th i s v e g - b o x d e liv e r y s e r v ic e , b a s e d a t P a r k h a ll B u s in e s s C e n t r e in W e s t D u lw ic h , u s e s u p w o n k y f r u i t a n d v e g . Th e y h a v e 1 , 5 0 0

c u sto m e r s in so u th L o n d o n a n d th o u s a n d s m o r e w a itin g fo r th e m to e x p a n d . “ W e w o r k d ir e c t ly w it h a n e t w o r k o f o v e r 2 6 lo c a l fa r m e r s a n d g r o w e r s to t a k e t h e p r o d u c e t h a t ’s t o o b i g , s m a l l , t h e w r o n g c o lo u r b u t ta s te s e x a c t ly t h e s a m e o r b e c o m e s s u r p lu s to d e m a n d s , a n d d e liv e r t h e m d ir e c t to c u s to m e r s a s a w e e k ly w o n k y fr u it- a n d -v e g b o x . W e th e n d o n a te u p to 1 0 % o f o u r p r o d u c e to lo c a l c h a r it ie s e a c h w e e k t o h e l p fi g h t f o o d p o v e r t y , ” e x p l a i n s E m i l i e V a n p o p e r in g h e , O d d b o x C o -fo u n d e r.

Let’s get away from “waste”

N o n e o f t h e s e b r a n d s c o n s i d e r l e ft o v e r o r r e je c te d fo o d “ w a s te ” ; it is a m is le a d in g w o r d . M u c h o f w h a t w e ’r e t a l k i n g a b o u t w h e n w e s a y “ f o o d w a s t e ” i s n ’t r u b b i s h o r w o r t h le s s – fa r fr o m it. “ T h e s e p r o d u c t s a r e n ’t u s i n g f o o d w a s te : t h e y u s e s u r p lu s fo o d c r e a te d d u e to o v e r p r o d u c tio n , o r b y -p r o d u c ts fr o m

p ro d u c in g o th e r fo o d s . W e a re p re v e n tin g w a s t e b y c r e a t i n g t h e s e p r o d u c t s ,” e x p la in s Z ia n e . “A t T o a s t, w e u s e t h e h e e l e n d s o f lo a v e s t h a t w o u ld o t h e r w is e b e d is c a r d e d b e c a u s e th e y a r e n o t u s e d in th e p r o d u c tio n o f s a n d w ic h e s , o r d a y - f r e s h w h o le lo a v e s t h a t a r e u n s o ld in b a k e r ie s . W e a r e c a r e f u l n o t to ta lk a b o u t u s in g w a s te a s a n in g r e d ie n t b e c a u s e it c r e a te s th e w r o n g c o n n o ta tio n s i n p e o p l e ’s m i n d s .” V a n p o p e r in g h e fro m O d d b o x a g re e s . “ I t ’ s a l l a b o u t s h i ft i n g t h a t m i n d s e t o f w h a t i s d e e m e d a n a c c e p ta b le - lo o k in g p r o d u c t a n d r e a l i s i n g t h a t a l t h o u g h i t m a y l o o k d i ff e r e n t , i t s t i l l t a s t e s t h e s a m e , s o w h y s h o u ld n ’t t h e r e b e a c o m m e r c ia l o p p o r tu n it y th e r e ? W e h a d o n e p e r s o n d e s c r ib e t h e s t r a w b e r r ie s w e ’d r e s c u e d a s t h e b e s t t h e y ’ d e v e r t a s t e d .” Tweet your food-waste hacks to @WorkspaceGroup

homeworkmagazine

Left: Jenny Costa, Founder and CEO at condiments brand, Rubies in the Rubble

Recycle with purpose For some companies waging the war against food waste, redistributing existing food is at the heart and soul of their ethos. Working locally is often key to their purpose as well.

Too Good To Go connects hungry diners with local restaurants and cafés that have food leftovers, so they can buy it at a reduced price. Olio helps reduce food waste, peer

to peer. It is an app that connects you with neighbours and local shops so you can pick up food that other people don’t want, or have made too much of. Got leftovers in the fridge and you’re going away? Whack it on Olio and someone hungry will come and pick it up.

Turning trash to tasty treasures SNACT Snact’s handmade snacks, gluten-free fruit jerkies and banana bars are made from surplus fruit. Packed with nutrition, they also help tackle food waste. snact.co.uk RUBIES IN THE RUBBLE Born out of Borough Market, this brand turns over-ordered vegetables into delicious condiments and chutneys. rubiesintherubble.com

FoodCycle keeps things direct – it

cooks nutritious meals from surplus food for people who are hungry and lonely all over the country. Based in Workspace’s China Works in Vauxhall, it has diverted 265 tonnes of food from the bin and into people’s bellies since 2009.

The People’s Fridge in Brixton is London’s first community fridge, where anyone can leave leftover food for someone else to eat.

DASH Dash whizzes rejected fruit and veg into cans of flavoured fizzy water. dash-water.com

workspacegroup.co.uk

CAN’T MOVE, WON’T MOVE

wellbeing Below: Order nutritious food at your desk from these delivery services

Chained to your desk and too busy to stop for food? Here’s a round-up of the best apps for a healthy lunch in London

Best for choice

Best for speed

Best for vegetarians

Best for exotic taste

F o r d a y s w h e n y o u ’r e i n a fa n c y -e a tin g m o o d a n d c r a v in g a s m o k e d s a lm o n , a v o c a d o a n d b r o w n r ic e s a la d d e liv e r e d to y o u r d e s k , P o ta g e is th e a n s w e r. C h o o s e fr o m a v a r ie ty o f f r e s h l y m a d e s a l a d s o r fi l l i n g m ic r o w a v a b le h o t p o ts , s u c h a s h e r b y m e a tb a lls w it h b u lg a r w h e a t. O n a h ig h -p r o te in d ie t? P o ta g e a llo w s y o u to o r d e r e x t r a p o r tio n s o f fr e e - r a n g e c h ic k e n b re a st, se a re d tu n a o r sm o k e d s a lm o n . G r o u p w o r k lu n c h e s a r e a ls o c a te r e d fo r, w ith s h a r in g p la tte r s o f a n tip a s ti, r a w v e g , c h e e s e a n d c h a r c u te r ie . P o ta g e p a n d e rs to c h e a t d a y s to o , b o a stin g a n a r r a y o f te m p tin g p u d d in g s – w h ite c h o c o la te b e rr y c h e e se c a k e , a n y o n e ?

C r a v in g a h e a lt h y lu n c h t a ilo r e d to y o u r n u tr itio n a l n e e d s b u t d o n ’t h a v e t i m e t o p r e p o r s c o u r t h e s tr e e ts ? S im p ly e n te r y o u r h e ig h t, w e ig h t, fo o d p r e fe r e n c e s a n d h e a l t h g o a l s i n t h e N u t r i fi x a p p a n d y o u ’ll b e p r e s e n te d w ith a lis t o f a p p r o p r ia te r e s ta u r a n ts a n d d is h e s . L u c k ily , t h a n k s to a c o lla b o r a tio n w ith D e liv e r o o , y o u r h e a lt h - b o o s t in g m e a l w ill b e d e liv e r e d in le s s t h a n a n h o u r . H a l a E l - S h a fi e , R e g i s t e r e d D ie t it ia n a n d C o n s u lt a n t N u t r i t i o n i s t , t e l l s homeWORK, “ Th e r e ’ s g r e a t v a r i e t y , w h i c h m e a n s y o u c a n p ic k w h a t y o u fa n c y , b u t b e c a u se th e a p p is ta ilo r e d to y o u r n e e d s , it h ig h lig h ts e x a c t ly w h ic h o u t le ts a n d m e n u o p t i o n s w i l l s u i t y o u .”

E n d u r e e a r ly s ta r ts a n d la te n ig h ts? Y o u c a n a r r a n g e a h e a lt h y b r e a k fa s t , lu n c h , d in n e r a n d tw o sn a c k s a d a y in m in u te s fro m y o u r p h o n e o r la p to p . A lt h o u g h n o t a n a p p , t h is o n lin e h e a lt h y - fo o d s e r v ic e e n a b le s y o u to c h o o s e w e e k to m o n t h - lo n g m e a l p la n s , c a te r in g to v a r io u s n u tr itio n a l re q u ire m e n ts . T r y th e G o fo r t h e B u r n p la n to lo s e w e ig h t ; B a l a n c e i f y o u ’r e t r a i n i n g ; o r B u ild to g a in e x t r a m u s c le m a s s . Th e r e ’ s a l s o a V e g e t a r i a n p l a n w ith m a c r o - b a la n c e d , p la n tb a s e d d is h e s s u c h a s g r e e n s a la d w i t h g o a t ’ s c h e e s e a n d Th a i r e d t o f u c u r r y . E l - S h a fi e ’ s v e r d i c t ? “ N u tr it io n a lly b a la n c e d a n d t a s t e s g r e a t .”

F o u n d e d in 2 0 1 4 b y h e a d c h e f B e n n H o d g e s , th is h e a lt h y - fo o d a p p d e liv e r s a v a r ie t y o f ta s t y , fr e s h ly p r e p a r e d m e a ls to y o u r h o m e o r o ffi c e . Th e c o m p a n y ’ s e x o tic T a s te o f A s ia r a n g e h a s a lw a y s b e e n p o p u la r w it h h u n g r y c u s to m e r s a n d it c a n n o w a ls o b e o r d e r e d fr o m th e h o ly g r a il o f o n lin e s h o p p in g , O c a d o . C h o o se fro m ta ste b u d te m p t in g d is h e s , in c lu d in g m is o - g la z e d s a lm o n o r s p ic y fl a t - i r o n s t e a k , w h i c h r e c e n t l y w o n th e G re a t T a ste A w a rd . I t ’s c l e a r t h a t t h e f o o d i s o f fi n e - d i n i n g s t a n d a r d , b u t w e th in k a fe w m o r e o p tio n s w o u ld m a k e t h is a llu r in g fo o d ie a p p e x tr a s p e c ia l.

Rating: 4/5

Rating: 4.6/5

Rating: 4/5

Rating: 3/5

“Really great food and easy delivery! You can pay through cash, PayPal or card. Our food was the perfect size portion and absolutely delicious”

“Love the personal score for each meal and gives you loads of options”

“Soulmate helps me keep my nutrition on point when I’m running around like a mad woman”

“Can’t fault the quality of the meals, and wide choice of delivery slots is great. Only complaint is I’d like to see the menu change up a bit more”

Potage

workspacegroup.co.uk

Nutrifix

Soulmate Eatfirst

Workspace Book Corner We asked the people we interviewed which books inspired them and helped them to find success in business. Here are five top recommendations

Ben Pugh

Founder at Farmdrop “First published in 1973, Small Is Beautiful makes a persuasive case for rehumanising large swathes of the economy. The central argument – to put human relationships, technical craft and the environment at the heart of business – has been hugely influential to me as a founder and entrepreneur. Schumacher questions the assumption that big is always better. I’m sure he would be impressed at the way new technology platforms have undermined traditional economies of scale and are enabling smaller businesses to sell directly to their customers.” H o w d o e s o u r e c o n o m ic s y s te m im p a c t th e w a y w e l i v e ? D o e s i t r e a l l y a ff e c t w h a t w e tr u ly c a r e a b o u t? O x fo r d e c o n o m is t E . F . S c h u m a c h e r p r o v id e s a n e n lig h te n in g s tu d y o f o u r e c o n o m ic s y s te m a n d its p u r p o s e , c h a lle n g in g th e c u r r e n t s ta te o f e x c e s s iv e c o n s u m p t i o n . O ff e r i n g a c r u c i a l m e s s a g e fo r th e m o d e r n w o r ld s tr u g g lin g to b a la n c e e c o n o m ic g r o w th w ith th e h u m a n c o s ts o f g lo b a lis a tio n , S m a ll Is B e a u tifu l p u ts fo r w a r d t h e r e v o lu tio n a r y y e t v ia b le c a s e fo r b u ild in g o u r e c o n o m ie s a r o u n d th e n e e d s o f c o m m u n itie s , n o t c o r p o r a tio n s . The Times h a i l e d i t a s “ o n e o f t h e 1 0 0 m o s t i n fl u e n t i a l b o o k s p u b l i s h e d s i n c e W o r l d W a r I I .”

homeworkmagazine

business books

Luke Abbott

Social Media Account Director at Red Brick Road “The book spells out how people become addicted to tech and all of the techniques used by apps and services like Netflix, Amazon, Instagram etc to keep us hooked. A fascinating and scary read.” T r a c in g a d d ic tio n th r o u g h o u t h i s t o r y , A l t e r s h o w s t h a t w e ’r e o n ly ju s t b e g in n in g to u n d e r s ta n d th e e p id e m ic o f b e h a v io u r a l a d d ic tio n g r ip p in g s o c ie ty . H e ta k e s u s in s id e th e h u m a n b r a in a t th e v e ry m o m e n t w e sc o re p o in ts o n a s m a r tp h o n e g a m e , o r s e e th a t s o m e o n e h a s lik e d a p h o t o w e ’v e p o s t e d o n I n s t a g r a m . B u t m o r e t h a n t h a t, A lte r h e a d s t h e p r o b l e m o ff a t t h e p a s s , le ttin g u s k n o w w h a t w e c a n d o to ste p a w a y fro m th e sc re e n . H e la y s o u t th e o p tio n s w e h a v e to a d d r e s s th is p r o b le m b e fo r e i t t r u l y c o n s u m e s u s . A ft e r a l l , w h o a m o n g u s h a s n ’t s t r u g g l e d to ig n o r e th e d in g o f a n e w e m a il, th e n e x t e p is o d e in a T V s e r ie s , o r th e d e s ir e to p la y a g a m e ju s t o n e m o r e tim e ?

Jane Fellner

“Although 20 years old, Naomi Klein’s No Logo is a great place to start to understand the development of the major brands that dominate our world today. For anyone who wants to understand the globalisation of the supply chain to then challenge it in a more sustainable way, begin here!” B y th e tim e y o u r e a c h 2 1 , y o u w ill h a v e s e e n o r h e a r d a m illio n a d v e r t i s e m e n t s , b u t y o u w o n ’t b e h a p p i e r f o r i t . Th i s i s a b o o k a b o u t th a t m u c h - m a lig n e d , m u c h - m is u n d e r s to o d g e n e r a tio n c o m in g u p b e h in d th e s la c k e r s , w h o a r e b e in g in te llig e n t a n d a c tiv e a b o u t th e w o r ld in w h ic h t h e y fi n d t h e m s e l v e s . I t i s a w o r l d in w h ic h a ll t h a t is “ a lte r n a tiv e ” is s o ld , w h e r e a n y in n o v a tio n o r s u b v e r s io n is im m e d ia te ly a d o p te d b y o ld - fa s h io n e d , fa c e le s s c o r p o r a tio n s . B u t, g r a d u a lly , te n ta tiv e ly , a n e w g e n e r a tio n is b e g i n n i n g t o fi g h t c o n s u m e r i s m w ith its o w n b e s t w e a p o n s , a n d it i s t h e fi r s t s k i r m i s h e s i n t h i s w a r th a t th is a b r a s iv e ly in te llig e n t b o o k d o c u m e n ts b r illia n tly .

“Find Your Why will transform your business” workspacegroup.co.uk

Simon Lee

Founder at Loopster The Chocolate Factory

CEO at Glance Cannon Wharf Business Centre “Simon Sinek’s follow-up book, Find Your Why, is the practical guide that was missing from his hit book, Start With Why. Our whole philosophy, both as a company and with clients, is in finding both our, and our clients’ “why” – and this second book helps go beyond understanding the principles and actually puts it into practice. It covers everything you need, including how to run workshops, who to invite and what to ask to find that (sometimes elusive) why. When combined with the first book, you have an amazing package that will transform your business, your relationships and your own drive to succeed.” Th

is e a s y - to - fo llo w g u id e s ta r ts w ith th e s e a r c h fo r y o u r p e rso n a l w h y, a n d th e n e x p a n d s to h e lp in g y o u r c o lle a g u e s fi n d y o u r o r g a n i s a t i o n ’ s w h y . W ith d e ta ile d in s tr u c tio n s o n e v e r y s ta g e in th e p r o c e s s , th e b o o k a ls o a n s w e r s c o m m o n c o n c e r n s , s u c h a s , w h a t if m y w h y s o u n d s lik e m y c o m p e t i t o r ’s ? C a n y o u h a v e m o r e th a n o n e w h y ? A n d , if m y w o r k d o e s n ’t m a t c h m y w h y , w h a t d o I d o ?

Deepak Ravindran

Co-founder at Oddbox Parkhall Business Centre “It’s a great read for anyone who wants to get an insight into food waste, not just in the UK but globally. Tristram is an expert in the area and uses his personal experience, combined with a deep understanding of on-the-ground issues, to really hammer the point home.” W ith s h o r ta g e s , v o la tile p r ic e s a n d n e a r ly o n e b illio n p e o p le h u n g r y , th e w o r ld h a s a fo o d p r o b le m – o r th in k s it d o e s . F a rm e rs, m a n u fa c tu re rs, su p e rm a rk e ts a n d c o n su m e rs in N o r th A m e r ic a a n d E u r o p e d is c a r d u p to h a lf o f th e ir fo o d – e n o u g h t o f e e d a l l t h e w o r l d ’s h u n g r y a t le a s t th r e e tim e s o v e r. F o re sts a re d e stro y e d a n d n e a r l y o n e t e n t h o f t h e W e s t ’s g r e e n h o u s e - g a s e m is s io n s a r e r e le a s e d in g r o w in g fo o d th a t w ill n e v e r b e e a te n . W h ile a ffl u e n t n a t i o n s t h r o w a w a y fo o d th r o u g h n e g le c t, in th e d e v e lo p in g w o r ld c r o p s r o t b e c a u s e fa r m e r s la c k th e m e a n s to p ro c e ss, sto re a n d tra n sp o rt th e m to m a rk e t, b u t th e re c o u ld b e s u r p r is in g ly p a in le s s r e m e d ie s fo r w h a t h a s b e c o m e o n e o f t h e w o r l d ’s m o s t p r e s s i n g e n v ir o n m e n ta l a n d s o c ia l p r o b l e m s . Waste s h o w s w h a t w e c a n d o t o fi x i t .

the workspace advantage

Fuelling Business What does the Workspace Advantage mean to our customers? This is Luke Hunter, Director at OxygenCube based at the Fuel Tank in Deptford. Mixing motion graphics, 3D printing and animation, 3D production studio OxygenCube is pushing boundaries in the creative world from its studio space. Since joining Workspace earlier this year, the Workspace Advantage has enabled the company to grow its client base, collaborate with neighbours and enjoy watching their business flourish.

#NoLimits

Young and rapidly growing, OxygenCube was looking for a space that adapted to its changing needs. “Workspace has enabled us to get our business up and running without having to commit to a long lease,” says Hunter. “If OxygenCube is successful in the next four months, we can either move into a bigger space here or take our business abroad – we’re not tied down and that’s ideal for us.”

#WiredDifferently

The business-grade Wi-Fi speed at Workspace has allowed Hunter to sculpt 3D models in virtual reality, communicating with people across the globe without a time lag. “The fact that everything syncs in real time is essential,” says Hunter. “The lightning-fast internet connection at the Fuel Tank has enabled our business to function without a hitch.”

#SuperConnected

A hotbed for creative businesses, Deptford has proved the perfect base for OxygenCube. “Our neighbours range from sample CD makers to architecture firms and we’re always stopping and chatting to people in the lobby and café areas,” he says. “There are so many options to work with people around the building and we very much hope to make the most of it!”

Are you part of a growing business looking to make your mark in the capital? Find out more about what Workspace can offer by visiting workspace.co.uk/advantage

“The lightning-fast internet connection at the Fuel Tank has enabled our business to function without a hitch”

my workspace

Joanna Dai Joanna Dai Limited

Joanna Dai is the Founder of Joanna Dai Limited, a design-focused, ethical fashion brand delivering highperformance workwear to the professional woman, based at E1 Studios in Whitechapel. A US expat and former investment banker of eight years, Dai blends tailored fashion with technical textiles to create smart clothing with an elegant twist. We asked our cover star about her work-life balance, best London spot and dream business partner W h e re is h o m e ? I w a s b o r n i n S h a n g h a i b u t I ’m C o u n ty , S o u th e r n C a lifo r n ia .

fro m

O ra n g e

F ir st th in g y o u d o w h e n y o u g e t in to w o r k ? G r a b a c u p o f c o ff e e ! O ffi I ’d lo o o r

ce lo v k in so m

v i e w y o u ’d k i l l t o e th e c o rn e r sp o g o u t o v e r C e n t e w h e r e o v e r lo o

h a v e? t in a b ig h ig h -r is e r a l P a r k . E ith e r th a t, k in g th e o c e a n .

B e st p la c e to c e le b r a te a w o r k M y p a t t e r n c u t t e r ’s h o u s e i n c o u p l e o f G & T s . S h e ’s b e e n o L im ite d jo u r n e y w it h m e r ig s o I a lw a y s c e le b r a te w it h h e

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a l? r r e y w ith a th e Jo a n n a D a i fro m th e sta rt,

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e w a s o n e o f d it ta lk s a b o u t t h i n g . I t ’s a

Read more about Joanna Dai’s ethical fashion brand in Lifting the Veil on page 22. Discover her sustainable statement pieces at daiwear.com

“I studied electrical and computer engineering. There aren’t many of us in the fashion world!” 66

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a d!k "…

… a table that works really hard. So we called ours, ‘Worktable’.

Rawside Furniture is a London-based, designer, builder and lover of the most practical office furniture on planet Earth. www.rawside.co ~ hello@rawside.co ~

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Rawside, The Undercroft, Kennington Park, 1-3 Brixton Road, London, SW9 6DE

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Customers are trying to find brands that align with their valuesâ&#x20AC;? Joanna Dai, Joanna Dai Limited