Research has been conducted as part of Remitly and Visa’s The Future of Digital Remittance campaign, which revealed that digital transformation is reshaping the global economy. A Visa survey found that 59% of small businesses are either already employing digital payments or planning to exclusively use such methods. Additionally, over 70% believe that embracing digital payments is crucial to their company’s growth. The number of global merchant outlets accepting card payments is projected to reach 100 million by the end of 2025, growing from 74.5 million in 2019. This rise has been propelled by the surge in contactless payments during the pandemic. The total…
Author: sme-admin
The latest £40 million debt facility will provide funding to support a diverse range of projects, from those at an early stage of development through to those ready to build. Innova develops, builds, and operates a range of innovative, environmentally sustainable, long-term renewable energy solutions. The company holds one of the UK’s largest portfolios of renewable energy generation sites – with over 60 Distribution Network Operators (DNO) and National Grid connected sites under development in the UK that have a combined solar and storage capacity in excess of 24GW. The facility agreed with Triple Point builds on the long-standing partnership between…
SME Today spotlights My Inclusion Hub, the first platform designed specifically for SMEs, which helps organisations successfully integrate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to transform workplace culture and support long term business success. If you’ve come across the concept of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) but find yourself unsure or hesitant about it, you’re not alone. DEI encompasses a set of policies and programs aimed at fostering the representation and participation of diverse groups within the workplace. It strives to create an inclusive environment that welcomes and harnesses the full spectrum of talent. Some dismiss DEI as an unnecessary burden or…
UK can become a “pioneer of responsible AI innovation” but must boost business uptake and confidence, new research reveals Nearly half of SMEs (43%) do not plan to innovate with AI in the next year, largely because of a lack of confidence among business owners in the safeguards in place to protect society — according to new research by the UK’s data and marketing industry trade body. Ahead of the inaugural UK AI Safety Summit, which will run from 1-2 November, the UK Government has been urged by industry to grasp its unique opportunity to become a global pioneer in responsible…
Influential Black leaders including Head of the International Slavery Museum Paul Reid join Edward Enninful in receiving honours at this year’s Powerlist Celebration of Black Excellence Awards Powerlist Awards where hosted at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on Friday 27th October. They celebrated the most influential Black Britons including fashion designer Ozwald Boateng, actors Adjoah Andoh and David Harewood, as well as the head of the International Slavery Museum, Paul Reid. They where all honoured alongside Edward Enninful OBE, Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue and the European editorial director of Condé Nast, who was recognised as this year’s most influential Black person.…
Subscription-based models are emerging as the touchstone of future-ready services. Why, you ask? Let’s take a deeper dive into the changing paradigms and look at how offerings like those of Gaffney Zoppi are setting the gold standard in professional services. A Paradigm Shift to Subscription-Based Professional Services Traditional service models have long been marked by unpredictability, with costs often blowing out and quality varying wildly. Enter the subscription-based model—a game-changer that melds predictability and quality, delivering a spectrum of bespoke services tailored to the client’s every need. Gaffney Zoppi’s Comprehensive Offering Imagine a UK-based small business, possibly operating in the…
Small business confidence regained some ground between the second and the third quarters of the year, but is still in negative territory for the sixth quarter in a row, according to FSB’s latest Small Business Index for Q3, in partnership with Google. The headline confidence reading was -8.0 points in Q3, up from -14.2 points in Q2, but some way below Q1’s measure of -2.8 points. The last time the measure was in positive territory was in Q1 of last year, before rising inflation and the energy crisis took hold. Among the major sectors, hospitality businesses had the lowest level…
Reward Finance Group, which provides SMEs with tailored business finance loans and asset-based solutions of up to £5m, has secured an additional £50m to its credit line from the alternative investment manager, Foresight Group. The opportunity will enhance its lending capabilities, fostering further business growth. This increase reflects Reward’s swift expansion – the lender currently supports over 500 SMEs from six regional offices and has recently surpassed a £200m loan book milestone for the first time. Furthermore, several senior-level appointments have been made to enhance its regional UK presence. Nick Smith, group managing director for Reward Finance Group, said; “This…
A commercial mortgage from Allica Bank has enabled Ashley Care Group to purchase the Church Farm care home in Hemsby, expanding its portfolio of care homes across Norfolk to five. Ashley Care Group is a family-owned business that specialises in 24-hour, round-the-clock residential and dementia care, with a portfolio of sites across the county, including the Old Vicarage in Ludham and Ailwyn Hall in Honingham. The purchase of the 37-room Church Farm care home in the seaside village of Hemsby, secured with Allica’s support, is part of the group’s expansion drive, with plans for future growth in the region. Owner…
TOP 14 allergen free brand Creative Nature has launched a festive fund-raiser for the The Natasha Foundation, which aims to prevent and eradicate allergic disease, creating a world that is safe for everyone. The company, which has its HQ in Surrey, will donate 15p from each Brownie and Banana Bread baking mix sold in a Sainsbury’s store in the run up to Christmas (until December 11). The Natasha Foundation was set up by Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse as a legacy to their teenage daughter Natasha, who died in 2016 as the result of a severe anaphylactic reaction to a sandwich she…