With climate high on the agenda at the G7 summit in Cornwall, the government has launched a plan to get small and medium-sized businesses in on the journey to net zero. The ‘Together for our Planet’ campaign calls for SMEs to pledge their commitment to net zero by 2050 or sooner. And with changes in work commuting patterns brought on by the pandemic, investing in a cycle to work scheme might just be one of the tickets to reaching net zero. Electric Bike Access has released a new study on what switching to a cycle to work scheme could mean…
Author: sme-admin
For the first time, a collective of pioneers in climate change solutions have come together to help make Bristol’s transport cleaner and greener – sooner rather than later. Spearheaded by digital hub Action Net Zero CIC and its founder Pamela Barbato, key partners are revealed today. These partners will be working together to help Bristolians make greener choices when it comes to moving around the city, region and the UK. The partners are: Good Energy – 100% renewable energy providers who also support clean technology, including helping to get more electric vehicles (EVs) on the road. Co Charger – enabling…
Mobilize Power Solutions UK, the recently launched provider of turnkey electric vehicle charging infrastructures and services, has appointed two experienced electric vehicle professionals, Ben Grocott and Alistair Decent, to help grow the business. As a new division in Renault Group, Mobilize Power Solutions was officially launched in June 2021 and is headed up by Managing Director, Mark Dickens. The appointments are part of the business’s expansion plans as it gears up to deliver comprehensive charging infrastructures in the progressive electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle market. Ben Grocott has been recruited as the UK E-Mobility Manager. He will be working closely with corporate…
The Northern Affinity has launched a campaign to encourage businesses across the north to celebrate Christmas 2020 in August as it strives to help the hospitality industry and independent businesses bounce back. Declaring 16th to 22nd August ‘Northern Christmas Week’, the firm is inviting businesses and individuals across the north to show their support by hosting a virtual or safe face-to-face Christmas event. Businesses in the north will also be able to register their services on a special Christmas directory which those getting involved and hosting events will be able to use to find suppliers, entertainment, and venues. Michael Edwards, founder of…
Yesterday, the Government’s 100% business rate relief reduced to 66%, yet new polling indicates that almost half (46%) of UK small business owners say they can’t afford to contribute anything towards business rates after this period. Just 4 in 10 (39%) SMEs have experienced any increase in their revenues since the easing of some lockdown restrictions in mid-May. In fact, nearly one in five (18%) SMEs have actually seen a drop in their revenues since that time according to the research, which was commissioned by Metro Bank and conducted by Research Without Barriers. Nearly a third of SMEs (32%) in…
New research has uncovered a significant gap in understanding and awareness of modern slavery among the UK’s SMEs. Over half are not covered by the Modern Slavery Act 2015, falling under the reporting threshold, and therefore threatening large enterprises through their supply chain and leaving SMEs exposed to the risk of having Modern Slavery in their business. One in five (20%) of UK SMEs are unaware of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 according to insight from Alcumus, the UK’s market-leading business for providing technology-led risk management solutions for small and large businesses world-wide. Large enterprises appear to be actively engaging…
Food entrepreneur Luke Craven launched his first Cajun cricket spice under his new brand Bijimini earlier this week, a nutritious and eco-friendly spice blend that promises to enrich the taste of food while helping to sustain the planet. Made from a blend of Cajun spices and a powder made from crickets, the product is the first offering from BiJimini Spices, a company Luke founded in January 2021 as he began the process of marketing testing. The first product went on sale this week. The versatile spice can be added when cooking a favourite meal, baking a pie, creating a stir…
Nationwide insolvency practitioner SFP has successfully completed the sale of West-Sussex-based high precision machining, fabrication, welding, and engineering services business BH Precision Limited, after the company was placed into administration. All 14 employees’ positions will be safeguarded as a result. BH Precision was incorporated in July 2016 after the acquisition of plant and machinery, stock and client contracts from a predecessor. Its Burgess Hill premises houses production facilities and office space to enable the manufacture and delivery of high-quality components and CNC Milling to the oil and gas, drilling, sub-aqua telecommunications, automotive, construction and audio industries. Its extensive experience covers…
Data from online jobs board Zoek has shown that the world of work is changing post-pandemic, and it’s the hospitality sector which is suffering the most and the tech sector the least. One of the industries hit the hardest by COVID19 and the government-enforced restrictions is hospitality and catering. Hotels, restaurants, pubs and cafes were all forced to close for the majority of the last fifteen months. A report by consultants CGA and AlixPartners recently said there have been almost 6,000 permanent site closures in 2020 in the sector, a 175% increase since 2019. Approximately 600,000 jobs have been lost in that…
The upcoming switch off of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), paired with the daunting degree of disruption spurred on by the pandemic, is forcing businesses to consider what the future of their communication system will look like. Why should businesses consider a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solution, and what benefits can this system bring? Here, Kristian Torode, Director and Co-Founder of business communications services provider Crystaline, explores the reasons why VoIP is the best choice for businesses looking to future proof. There’s four years until previous voice communication options become obsolescent. The PSTN has formed a large part…