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On Tuesday the 8^th of November Alex Sellers, Director of Operations at Turning Factor delivered a training session for young professionals. The event was based on the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) where the attendees learned their own personality types.

The event, catered for by The Feed, saw attendees discuss their own personalities, including what they like and dislike from others and how they can use their personality to communicate better and understand other personalities.

When asked about the event one attendee said “The event was extremely eye-opening, it explains why I get on more with certain people than others. I now analyse people using the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator when I meet them, it will definitely help with how I approach and talk to new people.”

Another attendee said, “It was a small-ish group, so perfect for discussion without being too overwhelming – the topic was really interesting and very well delivered by Alex, who clearly knew his subject.”

Find out more about our Co.next programme and events here.

Hard to reach premises in Norfolk are to receive between £115m and £195m of funding as part of the Government’s Project Gigabit to provide 1GB per second broadband to up to 119,000 premises. Contracts will be awarded from February 2022.

Rural homes and businesses across Norfolk and Suffolk will get next-generation gigabit broadband brought to them under a £5 billion plan to level up internet access across the UK.

Cllr Tom FitzPatrick, Norfolk Cabinet Member for Innovation, Transformations & Performance said:

“Norfolk County Council is committed to making Norfolk the best-connected rural county in the country and we are striving for 100% availability of fast broadband to all Norfolk properties.  We welcome this latest announcement from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport about further significant investment in Norfolk’s digital infrastructure, and the huge benefits that this will bring. We are delighted with the high priority that Norfolk has been given.  Project Gigabit will help our residents to fully benefit from digital opportunities, help our businesses grow and improve their profitability, and so significantly benefit our rural economy.”

New details published today from Project Gigabit reveal that up to 210,000 rural homes and businesses in the region and surrounding areas are in line to be connected with lightning-fast speeds.

This is in addition to the roll-out of broadband by commercial providers, which is seeing gigabit broadband being deployed rapidly across the country – from one in ten households in the UK in 2019 to more than two in five today. The country is also on track for one of the fastest roll-outs in Europe and for 60 per cent of all households to have access to gigabit speeds by the end of this year.

The Project Gigabit programme targets properties that would otherwise have been left behind in broadband companies’ roll-out plans, prioritising those that currently have the slowest connections.

Their available speeds will rocket to more than 1,000 megabits or one gigabit per second – enough to download a High Definition movie in less than 30 seconds and to lay the foundations for tomorrow’s tech, such as 8K-quality video streaming.

It means families no longer having to battle over bandwidth and will give people in rural areas the freedom to live and work more flexibly, with the speed and reliability needed to start and run businesses.

Project Gigabit has announced that more investment is planned for the East of England, and more details to be shared in due course.

In response to the findings from a recent Chambers Net Zero survey, the British Chambers of Commerce and O2 have launched a free online hub to help businesses find out how to measure their carbon footprint, set targets and develop an overall net zero strategy. The new hub provides a one-stop-shop for businesses to find out everything they need to know about Net Zero. It is packed with information on how to apply for grants, where to seek specialist advice and practical tips from firms that have already taken action.

The launch of the Hub comes after research published by the British Chambers of Commerce in partnership with O2 has found that only one in ten (11%) responding businesses, of more than 1,000 surveyed in the UK, are measuring their carbon footprint.

This falls to 9% for small businesses, and 5% for microbusinesses, with fewer than 10 employees. By contrast 26% of larger firms, with more than 50 employees, are measuring their footprint.

The research follows the Chambers Net Zero survey carried out in July. A total of 1,072 firms responded, with 94% being small and medium sized enterprises. 29% were manufacturers, 32% B2C and 38% B2B. A total of 46% reported they exported and 47% of firms were established more than 20 years ago. 

The research also showed only one in seven (13%) have set targets to reduce their emissions – down from one in five (21%) when firms were surveyed before the pandemic in February 2020.

In addition, almost two thirds (64%) of businesses surveyed say they don’t see net zero targets as a high priority in the wake of the pandemic, although half (49%) admit their customers are worried about the environment. 

The findings also show that one in five businesses (22%) don’t fully understand the term ‘net zero,’ and almost a third have yet to seek advice or information to help them develop a net zero roadmap or improve their environmental sustainability. 

With the impacts of the pandemic and other priorities weighing heavily on small and medium sized businesses, the research found that smaller firms were far more likely to be behind on climate action. When it came to setting carbon reduction targets, 27% of larger firms have done so, compared to just 9% of microbusinesses.

Barriers and required support

The main barriers preventing respondents from making their business more sustainable are high upfront adaptation costs (34%) and a lack of finance (30%).

Getting access to grants (28%), tax allowances (14%) and reducing the costs of making adaptations (14%) were cited as the three steps businesses would most like to see to help them reduce their carbon consumption within the next six months. 

While 13% said they would like access to impartial, bespoke advice with an action plan – and almost a third said they look online for advice on net zero and environmental sustainability.

Taking action on emissions

Despite a lack of awareness on carbon footprints, many firms are still taking a wide variety of positive actions to reduce their emissions and become greener.

Over the next 12 months, 54% of businesses surveyed are planning to reduce their consumption (e.g. of paper, food and plastics), 47% are planning to reduce the energy they use through travel, and 40% are planning to reduce the energy used at their offices and premises. Of those looking to take action, eight in ten (79%) cite concern about the environment as the motivating factor, followed by efficiency gains or cost savings (cited by 59%).

The Net Zero hub forms part of the BCC’s Climate Challenge hub and features exclusive content from O2. It has been designed to operate as a one-stop-shop for businesses to find out everything they need to know about Net Zero. Alongside tools to help firms calculate their carbon footprint and work out the savings they can make from going green, it has a wide range of handy guides, and insights from businesses which are successfully making the transition. It also provides links to upcoming events and webinars which allow firms to keep up to date with the latest developments on reducing emissions. 

Jo Bertram, Managing Director, Business & Wholesale at Virgin Media O2 said: “In May, the Government called on small businesses to lead the charge and pledge to reach net zero by 2050 or sooner, but our research shows that to do this, they need more support. From microbusinesses to larger firms, SMBs have told us they’re concerned about the environment, but in the wake of lockdowns and growing economic pressures, the majority are understandably facing barriers to improving their sustainability.

“That’s why today we’ve launched the Net Zero Hub, to provide businesses of all sizes with the free online resources they need to accelerate their net zero journey. Whether they have just started or are well underway, the hub offers practical guides, real-life insights and useful tools to help small businesses reap the benefits of reaching net zero. Small businesses make up 99% of the UK’s business landscape, and we’re committed to helping them cut their collective carbon footprint and play their part in building a cleaner, greener future for the UK.”

Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said: “This research is a real eye-opener and shows just how big a challenge the UK’s net zero target is. The dual impacts of the pandemic and Brexit have been a huge body-blow to many businesses, so it’s unsurprising that targeting emissions has taken a back seat.

“But change has to come, and our Net Zero Hub makes clear that the earlier firms adapt then the greater the advantages will be – they cannot afford to get left behind.

“The climate challenge is one that affects every single one of us and business has a big part to play in tackling it. But the Government must also recognise that smaller firms will need access to grants, subsidies and other financial support to help them take effective steps on the journey to a greener future.”

In 2020, O2 became the only mobile network operator in the UK to commit to net zero by 2025, whilst working with supply chain partners to reduce emissions by 30% in the next five years. O2 Business is working with organisations of all sizes to help build a lower carbon economy through better connectivity – from smart meters and smarter working through to connected cars and air pollution monitoring. In 2020, O2 Business helped customers save 1.4m tonnes of carbon through B2B products and services (including flexible working, IOT solutions and Cloud-based services).*

To find out more about how the new Net Zero Hub from the BCC and O2 is supporting small and medium businesses on their net zero journey please click here.

*Includes: fleet management, telecommuting fixed line, telecommuting B2B mobile, video-audio conferencing, domestic smart meters, avoided vehicle journeys, and general IOT. Correct as of 31 December 2020

• A third of SME goods exporters are not confident about final costs of shipping 

• Only a quarter of SME exporters say a weaker pound increases export sales margins  

• Half of SME exporters say it has become more difficult trading through UK and international ports 

A British Chambers of Commerce survey, of 486 businesses, for its ChamberCustoms brokerage service has found a third of businesses have little or no confidence on the costs they will pay to export goods.

More than a third (34%) of SME goods exporters are either ‘never confident’ or ‘rarely confident’ about the final cost of shipping goods until they got the bill.  Only 12% are ‘always confident’, and 55% are ‘usually confident’.

Half of SME exporters (47%) say it has become difficult to trade through UK or international ports since the start of 2022, while only 3% say it has become easier. 38% report no change.

Businesses cited constant changes in shipping and transportation prices, unexpected customs charges, exchange rate volatility, delays at borders and fluctuating fuel costs for the uncertainty.

The same research also discovered that SME exporters generally do not regard a weaker pound as beneficial to their business. Half (50%) say a weaker pound generally corresponds to an increase in input costs, while 8% say it corresponds with a decrease.

Only a quarter (26%) say it corresponds with an increase in export sales margins, while 29% in fact say a weaker pound corresponds to a decrease.

Liam Smyth, Managing Director of ChamberCustoms, said: 

“In the face of a recession and a cost-of-living crisis it has never been more important to get Britain exporting.

“But we face an uphill challenge in persuading more firms to trade overseas when so many of them feel there is a lack of transparency around costs.

“It is very hard for businesses to build an operating model for their exports when they can’t establish what their sales margins will be. Some of the blame for this can be laid at the door of global supply chain disruption which has caused big fluctuations in shipping and transport costs.

“But there are also serious issues with the additional time being taken to process paperwork, and then delays at the borders when it is not done right, with four in 10 firms telling us trading through ports has got more difficult.

“That’s why the shift to a digital system of trade is so important, moving on-line can ensure that checks can be carried out beforehand to smooth the export process, removing a big chunk of the uncertainty.

“This is especially important for smaller firms, given the challenges of the current economic climate. With a weaker pound not appearing to offer exporters much of a competitive edge, they will be looking for any means possible to reduce their costs and increase their margins.

“The UK Government also needs to focus on pushing awareness of free trade deals, especially among smaller businesses, and take decisive action on reducing some of the removable EU red tape costs for traders.”

• Only 4% of businesses comprehensively understand the Retained EU Law Bill and its potential impact on them. 71% know no details or are not aware of the Bill at all.
• When asked which regulations they would keep, amend, or remove completely, over half (58%) of businesses said they had no preference.
• Across all business areas, approximately half of firms said deregulation was either a low priority, or not a priority at all.
• BCC calling for deadline on the REUL Bill to be extended until the end of 2026, with full reports needed on the impacts for trade within the UK internal market.

A new survey from the British Chambers of Commerce of 938 businesses, mainly SMEs, has identified low awareness of the Retained EU Law (REUL) Bill among businesses, as well as low levels of priority for deregulation.

When asked how much they knew about the REUL Bill and its impact on them, only 4% of businesses said they comprehensively understood. A quarter (25%) knew some details, while 41% knew no details, and 30% were not aware of the Bill.

Firms were also asked whether deregulation was a priority for them across the business areas of employment, health and safety, environment, planning and product safety regulations.

Across all areas, around half said deregulation was either a low priority, or not a priority at all.

Employment, planning, and environmental regulations had higher levels of prioritisation among respondents. 19% of businesses said deregulation of employment regulations was a top or high priority, with 19% saying the same for planning regulations, and 18% for environmental regulations.

By contrast, only 12% said deregulation was a top or high priority for product safety regulations.

When asked which regulations they would keep, amend, or remove completely, over half (58%) said they had no preference. 14% specified a regulation to remove, 14% specified a regulation to amend, and 14% specified a regulation to keep.

For those stating a regulation to remove, a range of rules were cited, from ‘employment’ regulations generally, to the proposed UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark, IR35, as well as other planning and health requirements.

William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said:

“Businesses did not ask for this Bill, and as our survey highlights, they are not clamouring for a bonfire of regulations for the sake of it.

“They don’t want to see divergence from EU regulations which makes it more difficult, costly or impossible to export their goods and services.

“This Bill could also create divergence within both Great Britain and with Northern Ireland. For example, food and environmental legislation are devolved issues. Welsh and Scottish governments could easily decide to take a different path and bring forward their own legislation around things like the use of pesticides or food labelling.

“In these circumstances, the Office of the Internal Market for trade within the UK would need to be heavily involved.

“While removing barriers to SMEs’ growth would be welcomed, any proposals to amend or repeal thousands of pieces of retained EU law must be carefully examined and should not be rushed. 

“That’s why the deadline on this Bill must be pushed back to the end of 2026, to give everyone more time for the process to be consulted properly. Safeguards for businesses are also required, particularly for exporters and those trading within the UK so that additional barriers to doing business are not unwittingly created.

“More widely, the UK Government must listen to businesses on all elements of the Bill and fully explain its rationale and the implications around which laws are expiring, being amended or repealed.

“Most importantly, businesses and Government need to focus on the pressing issues we are facing right now. With a difficult 12 months ahead, we can’t afford to take away any resources that businesses need to keep afloat over the coming year.”

The team at ChamberCustoms has developed an interactive tool to help businesses who are exporting and importing to improve efficiency and save money.

This free tool will give businesses greater insight into their customs clearance compliance level.

 It only takes 5 minutes and once completed, the business will receive a free and confidential report highlighting areas that may need greater attention.

ChamberCustoms is our customs advisory and declarations service for UK importers and exporters, of all sizes and in every region of the UK. At Norfolk Chambers, we are here to help you and your business keep moving by providing a specialist customs advisory service that puts your business first.

ChamberCustoms