One in three UK SMEs (33%) believe that research and development (R&D) is essential for continued innovation and sustainable growth, according to new research by Growth Lending, an alternative finance provider for high-growth SMEs. The findings highlight how UK SMEs are increasingly investing in technology and innovation to secure a competitive edge and drive growth, despite ongoing economic challenges. The findings, published in the company’s Geared for Growth 2025 report, reveal the steps SMEs are taking to position themselves for long-term success, with 40% of businesses anticipating revenue growth of 5-10% over the next 12 months. Strategic investment in R&D, technology, and talent…
Author: sme-admin
Sustainable waste management company Biffa has today released a guide advising manufacturers on how to unlock value from waste to achieve their sustainability and commercial goals amid pressures like rising costs and legislation such as EPR. In its commitment to helping the sector reduce its carbon footprint, Biffa’s guide – ‘What ‘iff’ you could unlock value from manufacturing waste?’ – examines the lifecycle of manufacturing waste, from design to disposal. It identifies opportunities to keep the vast range of waste materials generated by a complex production process in the circular economy as far as possible (via recycling, reuse or resale). Biffa’s experts have extensive experience optimising processes for…
Over four-fifths (83%) of businesses lack confidence in the audit-readiness of their ESG data for compliance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). This is according to a new survey of 1,000 senior IT and data leaders across the UK and France by Semarchy, a leader in master data management (MDM) and data integration. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is a European Union directive that significantly expands sustainability reporting requirements for companies operating in the EU. It replaces the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) and aims to improve the quality, consistency, and comparability of corporate sustainability disclosures. While 65% of eligible organisations…
So far in 2025, 120 branches of major banks have closed, or announced their upcoming closure, removing the opportunity for face to face banking. As millions of UK households rush to close and switch banks, the risk of being targeted by scams such as phishing, impersonation, and advance fee fraud grows. In response to this, the experts at AI prompt management tool AIPRM have provided their expert tips on how to detect an AI impersonation scam, and how to stay safe. They also analysed global search volumes to assess the growing concern and interest surrounding these scams. Most Searched AI Scam Terms Over The Past 12…
Meltwater, a global leader in media, social and consumer intelligence, today announces a new integration with Snap Inc., becoming the first social listening platform to provide Snapchat-specific insights for brands and agencies to inform their advertising and content strategies on the platform. As brands increasingly recognize the importance of Snapchat, which is home to a community of 443 million daily active users1, in their marketing efforts, the new partnership allows Meltwater to provide customers with tools to optimize their presence on the platform. Through the integration, Meltwater customers can surface and analyze content coming from public Snapchat profiles, including Stories,…
NORTH EAST headquartered eQuality Solutions Group (eQS) is celebrating the success of its immersive apprenticeship programme, which ensures apprentices don’t just learn – they thrive, with the aim of becoming integral members of the company. As National Apprenticeship Week highlights the crucial role apprenticeships play in shaping future workforces, eQS is reinforcing its commitment to growing talent from within. With ten apprentices currently developing their careers at eQS, including two who have already transitioned into full-time roles, the focus on building confidence and skills is proving successful. Employing 30 people at its Hebburn head office and an additional 60 across the UK, eQS showcases the exceptional growth…
The upcoming rise in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) is set to cost UK businesses an additional £28bn this year, based on conservative estimates, with the actual tax burden potentially being much higher. New data from Novuna, one of the UK’s leading financial services companies, highlights the steep cost increases businesses face due to rising NICs. The basic rate band, comprising over three-quarters of the UK workforce, will rise by 12% equating to £566 per employee, costing businesses an additional £16.7 billion alone. For the two million employees earning the National Living or Minimum Wage in the UK, employers will see contributions rise…
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) recently called on the government to support the creation of 500,000 new small businesses by 2028 following research into the growing number of self-employed individuals helping driving economic growth in the UK . The organisation has subsequently drawn up a list of recommendations to assist those wanting to start their own business, and identified the barriers to entry for new entrepreneurs. These included: Reform of Universal Credit Better Access to Maternity Allowance – significantly lower than Statutory Maternity Pay Claiming tax relief for training Doubling the trading allowance from £1000 to £2000 The research also identified…
65% of professionals admit to using AI platforms for work-related tasks. AI has evolved immensely over the last few years, helping with efficiency and decision-making, however, there are major concerns regarding AI tools in professional environments. The application security SaaS company, Indusface has therefore uncovered the most common data that professionals are sharing with AI and the implications this can have on individuals and businesses. 1. Work-related files and documents: One of the most common categories of information shared with AI is work-related files and documents. Over 80% of professionals in Fortune 500 enterprises use AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to assist with tasks such as analysing numbers,…
A new study by Markel Direct, the specialist insurer of tradespeople, has highlighted the loss of earnings construction workers experience due to injuries sustained whilst at work. The survey, which asked over 300 tradespeople, who had experienced workplace injury, about the impact of workplace injuries and illness revealed that half of respondents had lost income or a contract as a result of their injury. Of those asked, 35% miss 1-2 weeks of work a year due to work-related sickness or accidents. Based on the average day rate of £238, those that have had to take up to two weeks off work would be losing over…