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How can businesses go green?

Written by Haze Carver on 19 March 2021.

The debate on what and how businesses are becoming more environmentally sustainable should not begin and end on the annual Earth Day. Norfolk Chambers members have been making ‘going green’ part of the fabric of their company’s strategy so that this becomes integrated in everything they do.

Climate change and how businesses can reduce their impact on the world around us is not a new concept. Businesses have been saying for years that they are making changes – using sustainable materials, upping their recycling, sourcing locally to reduce their carbon footprint…

Back in January this year climate change and going green was one of the discussions at Norfolk Chambers of Commerce’s The Big Debate. We were joined (virtually) by Jonathan Denby Head of Corporate Affairs for Greater Anglia, Richard Buckingham Climate Change and Carbon Manager for Anglian Water, Dr Catrin Ellis Jones Stakeholder Engagement Manager – Offshore Wind for Vattenfall, and Duncan Baker MP for North Norfolk discuss how businesses can improve their carbon footprint and become more environmentally sustainable.

Highlights of the session included all saying that they are committed to a more sustainable future. Greater Anglia has made great strides in ensuring its future is green with the introduction of the fleet of new trains that are greener and cleaner for the environment.

As part of the debate, Jonathan Denby from Greater Anglia said: “Business should have a real commitment to reducing their carbon footprint. What can you do with recycling and energy saving? Build green issues into your decision making.”

Dr Catrin Ellis Jones from Vattenfall agreed: “We represent the sector that is having a big impact on lowering carbon emissions. It is our business strategy not just our sustainable strategy to lower carbon footprint.”

Anglian Water have also made good progress with reducing their carbon emissions. Richard Buckingham from Anglian Water said: “We have committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and we have a target of using 44% renewables by 2025.”

For Earth Day 2021 we asked our members and wider Norfolk business community ‘if they could write a letter to Earth telling it what it is doing to secure its future what would you say?’

We had quite a few responses many talked about the little things they have changed in lockdown such as recycling more and walking instead of driving, which they plan to keep doing as we gradually get back to ‘business as usual’. For others, it is about doing more creative practices in order to evoke positive change. The Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor tweeted that businesses in the tech corridor are ‘using brewing waste to power homes, using seaweed to replace plastic and turning coffee back into coffee cups’.

Talking about the quick wins a company can do right now, Director of the History of Advertising Trust Richard Powell said: “The easy stuff is what a company can see on the bottom line: use LED light bulbs, turn off the lights (8/10 times we don’t need them on we have just got used to them being on), water savings, recycling, looking at travel… how much have you saved in lockdown? Do you need all those journeys now? If so, can you do them on an office cycle in the summer months? Does your office have a couple of electric bikes? Also ask your employees for their suggestions.”

So how can we make sure that environmental sustainability is more than just hot air? How can we ensure businesses implement this seriously into their business strategies in order to make positive change?

Thoughts from The Big Debate earlier in the year pointed towards a few key strategies:

• Business incentives to make change happen. Meeting key targets with incentives to implement certain things could help businesses go green.

• The incentives in building new eco-friendly homes should also be in place for retrofitting old houses, besides the green homes grant. We also need to look at what materials we build houses from – bricks, steel and cement are not environmentally friendly options.

• Small steps can make a big difference. Businesses can switch to a greener energy supplier, make sure that when they look to invest in a new vehicle go electric.

• Supply chains can also be looked at in terms of sourcing products and supplies locally, or at least from the UK.

Finally, we need to start shouting about what Norfolk businesses are already doing and are planning to do so that others follow. Just take a look at the great work Vattenfall is doing with offshore wind, or Norwich Research Park and UEA with their research and development into more sustainable food sources. Make sure you let us know what your business is doing so that we can share your stories far and wide!

Charity reserves and sustainability

Written by Haze Carver on 18 March 2021.

Lovewell Blake

This month a report into the state of charity finances has raised serious concerns about the financial health of charities as lockdown restrictions start to be lifted.

The report, issued by NCVO in conjunction with Nottingham Trent and Sheffield Hallam Universities, confirms an obvious problem – demand for charity services is up while overall income is down and costs have also risen due to organisations having to change the way they do things in the COVID-19 environment. While 31% of 590 charities surveyed have seen an increase in their income, 47% have seen a decrease, and 46% of charities have had to use cash reserves to get through the last year, which in many cases are beginning to run out.

Organisations that rely heavily on public donations and earned income have been hardest hit. Many of these organisations had made a conscious decision to move towards these more self-sustaining sources of income to avoid the impact of government/Local Authority cutbacks. With emergency funding beginning to deplete combined with reduction to the CJRS funding later this year, and some organisations worried that their previous income streams may not recover, it is an anxious time for many charities.

Going concern is an important assessment for trustees to make on an ongoing basis and in particular in relation to the year end accounts. The charity’s annual Audit or Independent Examination will also need to consider going concern which will involve assessing the charity’s budgets and financial forecast for the foreseeable future; typically this is at least 12 months following the date the trustees approve and sign the accounts.

The Charity Commission has highlighted how important it is in the current situation for trustees to have an understanding on the use of charity reserves and to consider making changes to their financial planning if necessary to allow essential spending to continue. They have reminded trustees of their guidance on financial resilience (link below) which may help trustees to focus on what is important in a challenging economic climate.

For more information, visit the GOV.UK website.

You can view this original Lovewell Blake article and others here

If you have any specific questions or would like to speak to a member of the Lovewell Blake team, get in touch via email info@lovewell-blake.co.uk

Environmental, social and governance – the bigger picture for life sciences

Written by Haze Carver on 18 March 2021.

Mills & Reeve

Business leaders know that environmental, social and governance issues are increasingly important – to their customers, their people and their investors. This is no longer a “nice to have”, but a key part of doing business in the modern world. At Mills & Reeve, we are bringing an ever-increasing focus to our own business practices, and, more importantly, to how we can support our clients in achieving their own ESG goals. Here we consider what this means for the life sciences sector and what steps we are seeing organisations take to make a real difference.

A responsible approach to doing business has long been a priority for the life sciences sector. In this highly regulated industry, the risk of harm is intrinsically high. This means that compliance with not just the letter of the law, but also the underlying principles, is at the forefront of minds from the top to the bottom of a well-run organisation. Dealing with products and services that affect the health of many individuals, and with ethically complex issues like genetic modification, means that organisations regularly encounter the need to make difficult choices, and to be accountable for the decisions they make.

What are the E, S and G?

ESG brings in a wide range of topics and concerns, and while there are some universal touchpoints, the main issues will vary from sector to sector. The ESG metric helps organisations to think through all of the issues – including those that they might not previously have identified for attention. Delving more deeply into the acronym:

Environmental is all about reducing our impact on the planet and addressing the climate crisis.
Social looks at the impact that an organisation has on the people that work within it, and within its business partners, and the communities that it serves.
Finally, Governance focuses on ensuring that an organisation has a strong decision-making structure that is fit for purpose and ensures that the likely end-points are taken into account in any decision taken.

Attracting investors

Investors are increasingly focusing on the ESG perspective when making decisions as to where to allocate capital. Likewise retail investment funds are under pressure from the market to provide ethical options. Public market regulators set standards to be met by larger companies. Falling short in these areas is increasingly seen as a risk factor for investors, exposing a business to the possibility of problems like regulatory sanctions and product recalls. Such is the pressure to move towards sustainability, that some investors find it difficult to identify sufficient opportunities that match their criteria.

Analysis by index-provider MSCI relies on a break-down weighting factors by sector. The MSCI ESG Industry Materiality Map identifies the following areas as particularly important for its assessment of life sciences businesses:

E: carbon emissions, and toxic emissions and waste
S: human capital development, product safety and quality, and access to health care
G: ownership and control, board, pay, accounting, business ethics, and tax transparency

New ways to do business

Major pharmaceutical companies have been active for many years in building responsible supply chains. As part of a global industry, they have faced the need to address problems around ethical and responsible business earlier than most. Collaborative projects like the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative help businesses to collaborate in promoting responsible supply chain management and better business conditions across the industry.

For smaller and younger organisations developing and embedding best practice can be a challenge.

There are relatively straightforward changes that can be introduced into day-to-day practices. Tightening up auditing and reporting provisions in contracts with commercial partners can, where appropriate, drive better behaviours in your supply chain. It can also help to demonstrate that you are taking action in your regular business activities.

Some activities can be updated more extensively, but without necessarily having a detrimental effect on workflow. During the past 18 months, for example, we have seen a much greater use of remote working in clinical trials, with patients able to attend appointments digitally rather than visiting a hospital. Introducing this kind of practice on a long-term basis would see a major reduction in travel requirements for trial subjects. Likewise, the use of digital technologies in everyday clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that remote appointments and use of health technology can enable greater efficiency and reduced need for travel.

Premises and property

While life sciences organisations may not be among the top contributors to the environmental impact of construction, they often have complex and sophisticated premises requirements. Purpose-built R&D and manufacturing facilities may have intensive energy needs. As an organisation grows and evolves, it is likely to need a different size and combination of facilities, moving from research towards manufacturing scale-up, for example. This will often mean a change of location.

Organisations can make a positive impact in their selection of new premises. While there are many factors for an organisation to consider when finding a location for expansion or relocation, adding the environmental impact of a building to the list can be a straightforward way to make a substantial, long-term change. Science park specialists We are Pioneer Group, for example, have specific environmental objectives for their sites – such as the Nottingham BioCity Garden. Read more about the environmental agenda for real estate here, and access our report on Building towards net zero.

A diverse talent pool

We find that businesses that take a lead on ESG are more likely to be seen by prospective job candidates as good places to work and so these efforts support both recruitment and retention.

Hiring and developing people from across the community can be a challenge for life sciences. The level of education and specialist skills required may limit the pool of talent available. But considered and well-developed policies for staff can make it possible for organisations to attract and retain diverse individuals who might not otherwise have been able to fulfil their potential. Beyond that, many business leaders are looking far into the future, with mentoring programmes enabling those still in education to build towards a career in life sciences.

Biotechnology as a driver of sustainability

Life science innovation is an important driver of change. Take one example. Agriculture and food production are widely recognised as a major contributor to carbon emissions and environmental degradation, with agriculture and land use change thought to be responsible of 23% of manmade greenhouse gas emissions. Pressures to increase production while reducing environmental impact mean that progress is slow. OECD data on the period 2005-07 to 2015-17 showed an increase of 3% in greenhouse gas emissions to 1.47 Gt of CO2eq. About half of this total was in the form of methane, mainly from livestock sources and rice production, with a similar amount in the form of nitrous oxides originating mainly from the application of organic and inorganic fertilisers. Alternative approaches to agriculture – new crop cultivars developed through breeding or biotechnology, novel microbial animal feeds derived from waste, and methane reduction strategies are identified by the IPCC as potential contributors to both mitigation and adaptation. Likewise, replacement foods such as laboratory-produced meat are gaining in recognition and commercial viability.

Where next?

So we can see that ESG is hugely important to the life sciences sector. Embedding ESG within your business can make the business both financially and environmentally sustainable in the longer term, making the business more attractive to funders, employees and customers alike. And the industry also has a huge part to play in helping solve some of the biggest problems faced by the planet.

These are just some of the themes that we are seeing as the sector embraces the ESG agenda. We will be exploring these, and others, through a process of engagement with our clients, and will share these perspectives in the months ahead. We would welcome your contributions.

There are immense challenges before us but now, as never before, business is reaching out to meet them, and to find solutions.

At Mills & Reeve, we have recently appointed Neil Pearson as head of ESG and social value. Neil, previously a partner in our corporate tax team specialising in impact and social investment, will be heading up our own ESG initiatives and strategies, to put ESG and social value at the centre of how we run our own business. Neil explains:

“ESG is no longer a “nice to have”. All organisations, large or small, and whether public or private sector, need to look at how they could embed ESG into every aspect of their operations. However, whilst this is a real challenge for all of us, the benefits of getting this right are huge, both for us as organisations and businesses, and for society as a whole.”

Learn more about our life sciences team here.

Underrated Easy Side-Hustle Ideas to Turn You from Employee to Entrepreneur

Written by Haze Carver on 24 February 2021.

LittlePiggy

Are you fed up with your day job but struggling to find a route out of it? I know how frustrating it can be to have that dissatisfaction and not know how to solve it. So think about taking that first step of turning your passion into a lucrative side-hustle.

Many people have found success with the following low-risk, easy side hustle ideas. The great thing is they’re tried-and-tested, and you can start them alongside your nine-to-five.

DOWNLOAD MY FREE GUIDE: 13 STEPS FROM EMPLOYEE TO ENTREPRENEUR

Freelancer / Contractor

If you’re craving more flexibility and freedom, think about going freelance or working as a contractor.

It’s one of the easiest businesses to start as you’re using your existing skill-set and qualifications with no start-up costs. It could be incredibly lucrative with a niche area of expertise with knowledgeable coaches and mentors in great demand!

Working as a freelancer will allow you to keep your day job and balance your responsibilities while building up your client base and getting your name out there.

Tutoring or Teaching English Online

Starting a tutoring business from home is as easy as 1-2-3!

If you already work in the education system, tutoring is a great way to bring in more cash.

You could be making more money within minutes by signing up to online platforms such as MyTutor and Tutorful. The demand for tutors has never been higher, given the pandemic’s toll on the education system.

Same with teaching English. You could soon be helping eager learners brush up on their English language skills online through Education First or Italki.

A particularly great option if you like meeting new people all over the world.

The best thing is you don’t even have to leave your house – all it requires is a good internet connection and an engaging approach!

Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Services

People will always need sitters and walkers for their pets, so you’ll never be short of clients.

This is an incredibly easy side-hustle idea.

Becoming a pet sitter or dog walker requires little start-up cost and low risk.

Because of this, you can use these side hustles to test the waters of entrepreneurship and see if you’re ready to make the jump and become self-employed.

You’ll have complete control over when you work, so they’re great side hustles to pair with a full-time job. Remote working also means the possibility of working while also being paid to pet sit.

Think Locally and Reach Out to People in Your Community

Remember to think locally and consider collaborating and offering up your services in your community.

Whether you’re a savvy freelance marketer, offer pet sitting or tutoring services, an easy way to find clients is to reach out to friends and neighbours where you live.

You never know what people are after, so do not underestimate the power of word of mouth! If you let people know of your services, you could have a diary full of clients before you know it.

Need more guidance? Download my free guide: 13 Steps from Employee to Entrepreneur

Tips to keep yourself safe online

Written by Haze Carver on 7 January 2021.

Charles Stanley Wealth Managers

At Charles Stanley Wealth Managers we help clients secure their financial future. In today’s world though just having the right investments and tax wrappers is not enough. As everything moves increasingly online this presents new challenges.

John Harrison ACSI, head of information and cyber security at Charles Stanley, outlines some important security measures we can all adopt to help prevent and prepare for cyber-attacks.

Email

An email account is an attractive target. Hacking it allows criminals to reset other online account passwords, impersonate you, amend emails and phish your contacts. Use ‘Two Factor Authentication’ for your email accounts and change each account password to something unique, long, and strong. Never reuse an email or cloud password; criminals have tools that automatically try one compromised password with other popular online accounts.

Insecure email and secure portals

The global internet is a public network. Standard email sent across the internet is insecure: it can be read or intercepted. Email accounts belonging to individuals are increasingly being hacked. Charles Stanley’s ‘MyCS’ service is a secure website (known as a ‘secure portal’) that offers a safe messaging service for our clients and Investment Managers. As the messages stay inside Charles Stanley’s network, and are not sent across the public internet, the risk of a message being intercepted or tampered with is greatly reduced.

Password hygiene

Starting with your email account, make the password long (over 15 characters) and strong (containing numbers, letters and symbols). You can try using three random words that you can remember easily but mean nothing to anyone else. Then replace some of the letters with numbers and symbols.

Push payment fraud

This is when cyber criminals trick you into sending a payment to their bank account. Try to use a secure payment service like PayPal, or pay by credit card, instead of sending a bank transfer.

Two Factor Authentication (2FA)

2FA uses two pieces of information to prove your identity. Your password, ‘something you know’ is the first factor. The second factor will typically be ‘something you have’, like your mobile phone. After entering your username and password, a code is required before the account can be accessed. This might be sent as a text message or within an app on your mobile phone. An unexpected 2FA code also indicates a cybercriminal has your password, so you can immediately change it.

Zero trust

Protect yourself by adopting a zero-trust mindset, when emails, text messages or phone calls are not believed until proven genuine. Independently verify the sender by contacting them using details obtained from a search engine or official web site.

For more tips on staying safe online, contact a member of our Norwich team for your free guide to cyber security.

01603 856 932

norwichbranch@charles-stanley.co.uk

Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns. The value of investments, and any income derived from them, can fall as well as rise. Investors may get back less than originally invested. Charles Stanley & Co. Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Ask the expert: budgeting and forecasting

Written by Haze Carver on 26 April 0202.

NatWest Business Builder: Understanding your finances

Carl Reader provides insight into how SMEs should go about forecasting, including mistakes to avoid, as well as robust financial planning and budgeting.

Predicting performance and formulating forecasts can be a headache for small businesses, particularly when they don’t have the right in-house knowledge or access to financial support.

Carl Reader is a director of d&t, a multimillion-turnover award-winning accountancy firm. He has helped to build it from a small local practice to a national firm. He’s also a highly regarded business expert and author of The Startup Coach: Teach Yourself.

Many small businesses struggle when it comes to forecasting. What’s one of the main things they might be getting wrong?

“From my experience, company owners will often base their forecasts on last year’s figures and then add an arbitrary percentage, but this isn’t the most effective approach. Instead, they should be shaping their forecasts on how the business should and could perform, rather than how it has performed historically. Businesses should always start with a blank canvas.”

Can focusing too much on the numbers get in the way of actually achieving targets set out, then?

“Yes, simply adding an arbitrary percentage isn’t realistic. In order to understand how a business can perform better, company owners need to be thinking about how they will achieve any increase in turnover and how they will cut costs.”

How can companies go about doing this?

“It’s important that they always bring the numbers back to business activities and processes. For example, if they want to achieve a 10% increase in revenue then it might mean £100,000 more in sales, which is 100 more customers at £1,000 each, but this might mean at least 200 new customer appointments. The key question they’ll need to be asking is: how will I get these extra appointments?”

What else should business owners be doing?

“They need to make sure they use their forecast. Many business owners will formulate one and then simply file it away. But forecasting shouldn’t be seen as something that should be done just because they’ve been told to do so by their accountant or because the bank needs it [to approve a loan, for example].”

A survey conducted by finance software provider Exact last year found that 34% of SMEs questioned didn’t have a business plan, including a financial forecast. It also revealed that of those that did have one in place, 70% reported being more profitable, compared with 52% of those that didn’t.

“Things change over the course of a year, so business owners need to keep their forecasts relevant and constantly review and adjust their budgets accordingly”

Carl Reader, director, d&t

“A forecast should be a working document in their business,” adds Reader – one that they can always go back to, refer to and use to remind themselves of their sales targets and growth plans.

So is it important that they continually refer back to a forecast?

“It’s a good idea to try to keep forecasts ‘live’. Sometimes things change over the course of a year, so business owners need to keep their forecasts relevant and they also need to make sure that they’re constantly reviewing and adjusting their budgets accordingly.”

This allows them to compare their projected performance and actual performance against a realistic budget, Reader adds.

How will this impact the business if it neglects to do this?

“By not keeping forecasts, company owners run the risk of having cash-flow problems, which can be a killer for many small businesses.”

Research carried out by Dun & Bradstreet, a firm that provides businesses with commercial data, analytics and insights, revealed that the average SME in the UK is owed £63,881 in late payments. A survey of more than 500 managers at companies ranging from two to 250 employees, showed that a delay in receiving funds is leading to cash-flow difficulties for 35%, consequently, payments to other supplies are being delayed for 29%, and 24% are recording a reduced profit performance as a result.

What’s one thing every business should do to boost its cash flow?

“It’s quite simple. They need to make sure that they have a system for chasing debts, because relying on customers to pay is the worst way of managing debtor ledgers.

“As well as setting out clear payment terms and invoicing promptly, then following up as soon as a payment becomes overdue, it’s worth considering automating chasers, so that there’s no human involvement. Better still, it might be worth looking into whether collection by Direct Debit is an option, as this could remove the risk altogether.”

By being efficient, businesses can forecast more accurately and ensure that they too are able to pay creditors on time and without any problem, Reader says.

Join the Business Builder Facebook Community here

‘Want to learn more? Register for NatWest Business Builder to view all of their business development tools. Click HERE’

Norfolk Officially the best place in UK to learn as an adult

Written by Paul Vincent on 5 April 2022.

Norfolk County Council

We are delighted to have been named the UK’s leading adult education provider taking home the Adult and Community Learning Provider of the Year award at the Tes (Times Educational Supplement) Further Education awards, often referred to as the ‘Oscars of education’.

Denise Saadvandi, Head of Service said, “I have never felt so proud of this fantastic service, the total commitment and dedication of our staff and tutors to our service and learners has led us to achieve great things for our community in Norfolk.”

The award recognises providers ‘whose imagination and passion’ have shown ‘excellence in providing a high-quality curriculum with excellent student outcomes’.

On the evening, the judges said about the service that: “Norfolk County Council has an amazing ability to do what’s right for its community. In life before Covid, 98% of provision was delivered in 200 venues across the region, but by April 2020 everything had changed and all provision moved online. As a result, learners remained connected with education and, crucially, with each other.”

We want to say a massive thank you to all of our staff, tutors and learners for their amazing achievements over the year. We couldn’t have done it without you!

If you’d like to watch the awards, the stream of the event can be found on the Tes YouTube channel. The Adult and Community Learning Provider of the Year Award is announced 32 minutes into the stream.

www.norfolk.gov.uk/adultlearning

Keeping ahead, investing across the business

Written by Haze Carver on 1 October 2021.

Cyber Scale

Whether you’re new to running a business, new to your role, or you’ve been in business for a while and you’re starting to focus on cyber security for the first time, you may have already discovered your first challenge – where to start?

You’ve no doubt heard of common types of cyber threats such as Phishing or Ransomware. These types of threats and the sometimes devastating results feature regularly in the mainstream media when larger organisations we’ve often heard of suffer attacks. But what about your business, your customers, your data? Are you at risk?

Businesses today are facing more frequent, more sophisticated, and more targeted attacks than ever before.

The Government Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport released the latest Cyber Security Breaches Survey (link) in March 2021. According to the survey, around 40% of all UK businesses have identified an attack or breach in the past 12 months. This is based on the number of identified attacks or breaches, it becomes more alarming still when we think about the attacks or breaches that were not picked up or identified.

If you’re thinking these figures are inflated by the ‘big target’ enterprises, you may want to take a closer look. Yes, the proportion of larger businesses reporting attacks and breaches is higher- up to 65%. In reality, the types of threat faced and the frequency of attack Is likely to be roughly the same whether you are a large or small business.

‘Phishing’ is becoming the most common form of attack by far with 83% of attacks being identified as such and typically- specific targeted attacks aside- these are sent out by the attacker far and wide, in a ‘scattergun’ approach that does not discriminate based on the size of your business.

So the bad news is that if you use email, you are just at risk as a micro-business as you are an Enterprise. The good news is however, that to defend against the vast majority of phishing attacks you don’t need a huge budget, or dedicated security teams or expensive technology- the most effective form of defence against phishing is awareness and education. According to the survey nearly two-thirds of identified attacks were picked up after members of staff raising the alarm. Making your staff aware of threats, what to look for and what to do (or not to do, which is possibly more important!) if they receive anything suspicious, costs your business relatively little but could save a lot- potentially even the business itself.

Thankfully, UK Businesses are getting better at preparing for and recovering faster from attacks.

The majority of businesses affected by a breach or an attack are able to recover much quicker now than when the survey first measured this time in 2017. 90% say they were able to fully recover from a significant breach within 24 hours, but more impressive than this is that now 72% of businesses were able to recover almost instantly- up from just 57% in 2017.

Preparation is key- knowing your risks, backing up your data, implementing well-versed procedures can all aid fast recovery. Even for small businesses and start-ups where security may not be at the forefront of your thinking, or where you may not have the expertise required in-house to effectively analyse and mitigate your risks, don’t ignore it- there are organisations and government entities like NCSC that exist entirely to help businesses like yours plan for and defend against Cyber threats.

As most data nowadays is captured, processed, stored and exchanged electronically, the issues affecting UK businesses are most often the direct result of some kind of security incident and represent what is commonly referred to as a “data breach”. A data breach can be broadly described as a compromise of either the Confidentiality, Integrity or Availability of data. This can come about in a number of ways such as Ransomware.

Ransomware is still on the rise. Not only that, but concerningly success rates seem to be up. This is not only in terms of the abilities of the Ransomware groups to infiltrate the networks of large, successful and (you might think) well protected companies, but also in terms of increasing likelihood that the victim company will actually pay the ransom.

There are many things an organisation can do in terms of systems, IT infrastructure and software solutions to mitigate the chances of becoming infected by Ransomware, however we would always encourage the covering of basics such as maintaining regular backups of your most important files and data right across your business. Alongside this, one of the most prudent approaches is to defend your business and data in as much depth as possible, making it harder for what does infiltrate your systems to access what is being targeted.

It’s a fact that each business is unique in terms of the cyber risks they face, so preparation is ever more important. Ensuring that your investment is not only in new capabilities, but also in your people will give you some of the best chances of limiting the impact of these two prolific cyber threats.

Our training courses covering Staff Awareness and Training for Business Owners & Leaders could be a great starting point, and for those of you further on in your Cyber Security Maturity we have a range of more focused courses.

With a combination of public courses where attendees will be from a range of organisations, and bespoke solutions for your business, we are experienced in ensuring that what we deliver suits the needs of your business.

We are focused on providing cyber security training that also brings personal benefits to individual attendees in their broader lives and not just in the workplace. We do not deliver a standard CBT session or something general, which might feel like a tick box exercise for the business and attendee, we ensure that we are linking the training with your specific process and policies

CyberScale are a Cyber Security Consultancy based in Norwich. If you would like to talk to us about your security position and requirements then please do contact us at info@cyberscale.co.uk or call us on 01603 339550.

https://www.cyberscale.co.uk/

Microsite vs Multisite – which one is which?

Written by FM Team on 5 April 2022.

Scream Blue Murder

What are they, and when do I use them?

A microsite is a small, branded site of limited scope, with only a few pages. It will sit outside of your businesses’ main website, with its own domain. They are particularly useful when companies want to share very specific content with a particular audience. Everything featured on the microsite, such as brand colours, imagery and text, will be focused on that customer.

This way, the brand can actively target its audience in one place, capture their attention and engage with them. Conversely, if they were directed to their usual website, messages would become diluted, engagement would drop and they would leave the site.

Examples of when to use a Microsite

Launching a new brand or rebranding
Promoting a new event
Introducing a new service
Providing specific information on a subject
Giving users a particular interactive experience

Following the catastrophic Vale’s Corrego do Feijão mine disaster in Brazil in 2019, Scream Blue Murder was asked to develop a microsite for Global Tailings Review. The findings from this independent review were published on this site alongside safety and best practice recommendations and downloadable resources.

Microsite vs Multisite: What is a Multisite?

According to wpbeginner, a multisite is a type of WordPress site that allows you to create and manage a network of multiple websites from a single WordPress dashboard, letting you easily make changes and keep all your websites updated from one place.

Examples of when to use a Multisite

When you need to create a network of sites from a single hosting account that shares the same page design, functionality and plugins
If you need to edit or upload similar content to several sites at once
When you need to scale a large project at once, very quickly

Scream Blue Murder developed a series of multisites for the International Council on Mining and Metals to articulate global company messages which could be managed and replicated in house. Eight sites were created containing bite-sized chunks of content translated into French, Portuguese, and Spanish.

On a more local level, growing business, Styne Group asked Scream Blue Murder to design, build and copywrite a suite of multisites for the Group and its associated companies – Styne Refrigeration, Styne Engineering and Styne Electrical, showcasing their specialist services and synergies between their companies. Easy to use navigation provided customers with a ‘one-stop-shop’. In addition, employees found it easy to upload new content and keep the site updated.

You can view this original Scream Blue Murder blog here

Microsite case study on our website

Microsite live example

Multisite case study on our website

Come and have a chat with us about your next project

Shop Window Design: Key Retailer Considerations

Written by Paul Vincent on 2 November 2021.

BDH Tulford

Shop window displays have never been so vital for long-range visibility and drawing customers into stores. With internet shopping and the oft-reported death of the high street, it’s essential to entice new customers over the threshold while encouraging previous customers to return. An attractive shop window design is key to achieving those goals so we’ve put together some pointers to help you get it right first time.

Shop Window Design: The Essentials

The first things to consider for a shop window design are its objectives and the message you want to convey.

Are you trying to attract attention generally or to draw people to a specific event, such as a sale or new product launch? With that in mind, consider what could draw attention. What would stand out on your street?

For a sale consider using banners, bunting or self-adhesive window stickers to quickly update your windows. Use colours that passersby will associate with a sale, such as eye-catching red lettering or price tag detailing to reinforce the message. For a new product, consider making it the hero item at the centre of your window

Above all, remember that your message must be cohesive. Tell people what you want them to know and keep it on brand. The concept should include brand colours, typography and messaging so that it’s consistent with your in-store experience.

Spatial Awareness

Planning the space available is essential to the success of your display. You don’t have to put everything in the window just because you have a large space!

Window displays that are busy and interesting can be good, but it’s important to avoid clutter because the eye won’t be drawn to any particular element. Experiment with minimalist designs that highlight a few key pieces, props and printed materials. This can look both attractive and be attention-grabbing.

Alternatively, consider implementing a theme, colour palette or category (kitchenware, books or clothes) to keep everything cohesive and inspire your customers.

Don’t just think of the width of the space either; work with the depth, too. Posters or printed fabric or logos don’t have to go at the back but can stick on windows or plinths, or even be suspended mid-display to create a layered scene.

The same goes for height. The use of lighting, suspension and different display products can be really effective. Just remember that any key products should be the focal point of the window display – ideally at eye level.

Don’t forget that shop windows make great canvases, too. Printed vinyl and decals can be used to form themed borders and incorporate logos or branding. They can even be part of the narrative with stickers of graphics, animals or landscapes to set the scene.

Seasonal Window Displays

Retailers of any size can really go to town for seasonal events such as Easter, Christmas and Halloween. They don’t call it window dressing for nothing!

Small or indie shops can use bespoke design solutions and decorations to engage the public and steer their attention to their own products.

Larger outlets, on the other hand, can be more conceptual and tell a story with their window displays. Think Hamleys, Liberty or Fortnum & Mason. Using a selection of the varied products sold within the store and carefully chosen props and printed material or signs, you can design a one-off and quirky shop window that tells a story. Displays can be targeted, themed and stop potential customers in their tracks. 

Types Of Window Display

There are several common types of window display to consider, including:

Open-Backed Shop Window Displays

These have become popular in recent years. The window is fronted by the usual glass but there’s no solid wall at the back of the display. This allows passersby to see through the shop window design and right into the shop, giving a modern and inclusive feel.

Closed-Back Shop Window Displays

These are fully shut off with a wall or screen at the back of the display. They can be useful where the window is in front of an unattractive space or when a backdrop is required.

Semi-Closed Shop Window Displays

These, obviously sit between the two above, giving passing traffic a glimpse inside the store, enticing them to enter and find out more.

Elevated Window Displays

With these displays, items are positioned above ground level. They can be open, semi-closed or fully closed. Different elevations can help you play with the space and incorporate eye-catching elements.

Of course, you can combine open-backed with elevated, or even opt for semi-closed back.

Shop Window Display Materials

Well-placed props and furniture can really make for a great shop window and drive footfall. Many generic items can be sourced online but we can produce bespoke items for your brand!

Not sure where to start? Here are few suggestions:

Mannequins: Display clothing, accessories and create a tableau
Window decals: Printed text, graphics or QR codes that can be attached to the windows
Posters and artwork: Draw the eye, share a message or inspire viewers
Furniture: Display stands, shelving, platforms and plinths allow you to showcase key items
Tech: TVs, screens and neon signs can be used to add movement
Banners, bunting and signs: Make use of the space and add a splash of colour
Lighting: Add to the atmosphere and enhance the display after dark
Printed fabric: Add texture, colour and designs to your display
3D-printed giant props: Use 3D printing to create giant products and eye-catching items

Shop Window Sustainability

There are no hard and fast rules about how often to change shop window designs. It can depend on the time of year, the size of the shop or budget you have available. It could be every few weeks, twice a year or seasonally. It really depends on your needs or objectives.

In fact, signs with writing or imagery, say for Christmas, Easter or Halloween, can be reused, repurposed or recycled every year or every few years. Just ensure they’re stored somewhere safe and dry.

And remember, we can also source sustainable and recyclable materials to produce your window displays, so you can be sure your displays have minimal impact on the environment.

Get in touch

Not only can our graphic designers help you to create show-stopping shop windows, but we can manufacture bespoke items and deliver to your door. To find out more about our expertise and experience, give us a call on 01603 620780.

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About Us

The Importance of Workplace Wellness

Written by Paul Vincent on 30 August 2021.

Laryd

In this article, we explore the concept of workplace wellness, the benefits for business and some of the practical steps you can take to support your team’s wellbeing.

Before we delve into why workplace wellness is important, we should start by explaining what it is. A good place to start is the International Labour Organization definition. It says:

“Workplace Wellbeing relates to all aspects of working life, from the quality and safety of the physical environment, to how workers feel about their work, their working environment, the climate at work and work organization.”

Put simply, ‘workplace wellness’ refers to the impact that a place of work has on individuals’ mental and physical health.

In recent years you may have noticed growing interest in the topic from both businesses and their employees. Why? Because there are big benefits for both parties. In fact, according to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), 28.2m working days were lost in 2018/19 due to work-related illness; 12.8m of these were due to stress, depression and anxiety. That’s a lot of lost time for a business of any size.

Workplace wellness has also been linked to increased productivity, employee loyalty and retention rates. And given that it costs an average of £3,000 to hire someone in the UK, it’s clearly in a business’s interests to support their employees’ wellbeing.

And the benefits of workplace wellness for employees is clear too: individuals are healthier, happier and more inclined to enjoy their jobs.

So if you’re convinced of the benefits, what are the key steps you can take to improve wellbeing in your workplace?

Health initiatives

Encourage your employees to engage in healthy activities. From on-site yoga and fitness sessions, to giving away free fruit and healthy snacks, businesses can support healthy behaviours.

In fact, the benefits of exercise go beyond the physical. The endorphins and hormones released during exercise can help with mental health. Plus, team activities help employees to bond and feel like they belong.

And while open-plan offices get a bad rep, there are actually health benefits. Recent research published in the British Medical Journal shows that employees in open-plan offices are 31.8% more active than those in cubicles and private offices.

Ergonomic Environments

While it should come as no surprise, it’s worth a mention: furniture has a big impact on health and wellbeing.

The HSE states that 2.8m working days were lost due to back disorders in 2018/19. This could be eased or avoided by providing the right equipment, such as desks and workstations set at the correct height.

If your employees work remotely, consider investing in equipment for home working, reducing their risk of injury.

Biophilic Design

Biophilic design is a big trend right now, and for good reason. Biophilic design incorporates elements of the natural world into interior spaces to promote wellbeing.

From increasing the number of natural surfaces to promoting natural light and airflow, there are multiple different aspects to the trend. Want to incorporate biophilic elements in your workplace? Research shows that the presence of plants in a building can increase feelings of wellbeing by as much as 40%.

Flexible & Agile Working

While similar, these two practices are slightly different. Flexible working allows employees to shift their working hours and places of work to fit in with their lives, while agile working is more focused on the most efficient means of completing a task, which may include flexible working.

Either way, it can have significant benefits for individuals and businesses. Multiple studies demonstrate that increases job satisfaction and results in greater productivity.

Coronavirus Considerations

Of course, it would be remiss of us to not mention the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The virus has prompted businesses around the world to focus on workplace wellbeing like never before. Employers have made widespread changes to working practices to ensure the health and safety of their teams.

As a result, even the most traditional of businesses have introduced flexible and remote working. Office layouts have changed to introduce social distancing measures, while outdoor meetings have resulted in increased exposure to nature.

And it’s not likely to stop there. The impact of the pandemic will continue to affect our understanding of workplace wellbeing long into the future. We, like you, will have our eyes focused on the new trends as they develop.

Find out more

At Layrd Design, we’re committed to workplace wellness. Founder William Mayes is training to become a qualified WELL practitioner, formalising his skills and experience in this area, creating healthy, productive workplaces that encourage employees and businesses to thrive. If you’d like to promote workplace wellbeing in your business, get in touch.

Disclaimer:

Thank you for visiting our bog! This blog is a resource guide for inspirational and informational purposes. All the information found on my blog should be used at your own risk. All photos that are not taken by Layrd Design are linked to their sources and are widely available to download on the internet by the general public.

All the written content is copyrighted, copying of our written texts are prohibited.

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Norfolk County Council commissioned Community Catalysts are delighted work in partnership with House Angels Decluttering Specialist

Written by Paul Vincent on 18 August 2021.

Community Catalysts

Norfolk County Council commissioned Community Catalysts are delighted work in partnership with House Angels Decluttering Specialist.

House Angels provide hands on, highly practical support for Norfolk people who are struggling with clutter or disorganisation around their homes. Many of their clients have had falls due to clutter becoming a trip hazard or other issues relating to their physical or mental health.

House Angels can make living conditions safer, improve the quality of people’s lives, enable a cleaning team to go in, prevent a person from being evicted from their home or clear space for maintenance work to be carried out. They aim to look beyond the clutter to the person behind to find out more about them and understand the changes that are needed.

The idea for House Angels was formed out of experiences within their own family. Initially intended as a service to help people who were living in cluttered and disorganised conditions, as their father had been before he was admitted to hospital. As the idea evolved, they also thought about how their grandmother’s house had needed reorganisation and adaptions before she could return from hospital because her mobility had deteriorated. They had support around them to help make the changes that were needed but knew not everyone was so lucky.

They enrolled on a business start-up course and gradually House Angels was born; finally launching in 2019. There were mistakes along the way and it’s been hard work, especially during the pandemic when they couldn’t see a way through. But, as is often said, they learned as much from mistakes as success! The pandemic has definitely taught them to be flexible, have confidence in what they do and not to give up.

A real positive for them has been joining the Community Catalysts project in Norfolk. It opened up many doors, put them in touch with social care and other small enterprises in the area and helped them to focus on where they want the business to go and adapt the services that they offer today.

It’s been a long journey but they now feel they have a business that they can be really proud of and they’re getting lovely feedback from their clients and their families. One client’s reaction really summed this up. They had completed a 3 hour declutter and clean-up of his kitchen and bathroom. When he came to inspect their handiwork, he welled up and said “You have made me feel human again”. Another client, that they had worked with over many weeks, decluttering and clearing his late mother’s possessions commented “Every visit brings light into the house, lifting my spirits too!” Decluttering may seem to some like a luxury service but for House Angels client’s it can be life changing. They give their clients back a tidy house but also a home they can enjoy living in again.

https://www.facebook.com/House-Angels-Decluttering-Specialist-586974898463500

For more information about the Community Catalysts project in Norwich please contact Debra Morris

☎ 07384 835722 ????debra.morris@communitycatalysts.co.uk