Do you know any entrepreneurs who would be interested in an opportunity to meet with other entrepreneurs from G20 countries? If so, read on!
Your national Global Entrepreneurship Week host, Youth Business International, also co-represents the UK in the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance, alongside Young Brits.
The G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance (G20 YEA) is a global network of young entrepreneurs and the organisations that support them. It was established to convene each year in advance of the G20 Summit, with the aim of championing the importance of young entrepreneurs to the G20 member nations and to share best practices. More information can be found here.
To join the UK delegation to attend this year’s G20YEA Summit among your young entrepreneur networks, delegates should be active entrepreneurs aged 40 or below. The programme and application form is here.
Creative Sponge has appointed a new Creative Director and Client Services Director in a reorganisation of its leadership team.
Agency founder Alex Tosh will again lead the agency on a day-to-day basis backed by Patrick Hennings and Martin Betts.
Patrick will take responsibility for Sponge’s Studio team and its output as Creative Director, while Martin will take overall responsibility of client relationships and oversee their projects as Client Services Director.
Joining the agency in 2017 as Art Director, Patrick has a wealth of experience working on branding and digital projects across multiple industry verticals.
He graduated from Colchester School of Art and has previously worked for one of the country’s leading property marketing agencies, undertaking projects for major residential housing developers.
Martin joined Sponge in September 2018 as Senior Account Manager before becoming the agency’s New Business Manager.
He spent 20 years working in journalism, publishing, and communications, before moving into agency-side marketing roles.
Alex, who launched Creative Sponge in 2004, said: “I’m excited to appoint Patrick and Martin as Creative Director and Client Services Director and help give the agency a fresh perspective and approach.
“They and I share a vision that will see us concentrate on the agency’s great pedigree and strength for developing powerful branding, exciting advertising campaigns, and engaging digital projects.
“We’ve seen a noticeable recent upturn in interest from existing and new clients regarding new projects, so making these key appointments, as well as adding another designer to our Studio team in the coming weeks, means we can look forward to the future in confidence.”
We are specialists in business and individual wellbeing. We provide onsite consultancy, training and development, counselling and employee assistance.
Courses in mental health and wellbeing are available throughout the year.
Our training is delivered by qualified trainers and experts in mental health.
All courses take place at Sale Road in Norwich, and include refreshments and lunch.
All our courses are one-day courses, run from 09.30 until 15.30 and include a certificate for each attendee. Our one-day courses cost £115 per candidate.
For full descriptions of training course content and information about who should attend, see our website www.norwichmind.org.uk
If you want us to run a group training session at our site or at yours, get in touch for preferential rates.
Celebrating ten years of success, the Chamber Awards are considered one of the UK’s most hotly contested and prestigious business awards.
There are lots of highly successful businesses throughout Norfolk and this is their opportunity to showcase the best of Norfolk at a national level. The Awards recognise and reward business success across the UK, with a range of specialist categories to meet the needs of any organisation. Each year hundreds of businesses compete for the coveted National Chamber Awards along with the £25,000 cash prize on offer.
The following categories are now open for entry:
Online Business of the Year
Most Promising New Business
Exporter of the Year
Excellence in Innovation
Commitment to People Development
Marketing Campaign of the Year
Outstanding Personal Achievement
The Sustainability Award
Entry to the Chamber Awards is free for Norfolk Chamber members – so take the first step towards winning and enter your business today.
The closing date for entries is 28 June and the regional winners will be announced on 30th September. The winners will go through to compete in the National Final, where they will be judged by a panel of business leaders and entrepreneurs. The Chamber Awards programme will conclude with the prestigious gala awards dinner on 28th November in central London, where one business will be awarded the £25,000 prize courtesy of the RBS Group. To enter online click here.
Simon Francis (ESE Direct) said regarding the awards:“I don’t think anyone can assume they are the best, only that they are doing their best with the skills and resources they have available.
As a past winner of Chamber awards and current finalist in two National Industry awards I would recommend entering as it can help raise awareness of your business to new markets and potential customers.
Small businesses stand as much chance as big ones, we have won 10 out of 15 awards we have entered in the last five years and we are only a small bussiness.
You have nothing to lose apart from a few hours of your time to prepare your entry, and if you have a business plan and regularly measure yourself against the targets and results you are aiming for it should be relatively easy.
Aims to provide delegates with the required level of training, skills and knowledge in First Aid, and comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.
Suitable For
Successful delegates will be awarded a certificate of competence accredited by Qualsafe Awards who are recognised by Ofqual. It is valid for three years.
Course Venue
Open courses are held regularly at our training venues in Norwich, Norfolk and Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. Alternatively, courses can be arranged at your own site anywhere in the UK (subject to suitability).
Syllabus
Introduction to first aid
Incident management and safety
The unconscious patient
Major illness: diabetes, heart attack, stroke
Fractures and dislocations
Head Injuries
Eye Injuries
Simple record keeping & first aid equipment
The legal framework for first and in the workplace
Basic life support
Use of AED
Control of bleeding and shock
Major Illness: epilepsy, allergic reactions
Burns and scolds
Poisons and harmful substances
Basic casualty handling
Knowledge and skills assessments
“Good course with refreshing content. Great value for money.”
“The use of video clips really helped. The course was a good pace and the content was made interesting. It’s the most enjoyable First Aid course I have attended in 20 years.”
In today’s hyper-connected world, supply chains are the lifeblood of global commerce. Many businesses rely on an extended network of suppliers to deliver products, systems, and services to enable them to deliver their product to their customers. The intricate nature of these networks creates a vast attack surface for cybercriminals to exploit however, and the consequences can be devastating. Imagine a domino effect, where a security breach at one supplier ripples through your entire network disrupting operations, exposing sensitive data, and eroding customer trust. The potential impact this could have on your organisation is immense.
What is supply chain management?
Supply chain management involves overseeing the entire production process from start to finish, including the delivery of the final product to the consumer. From a cybersecurity perspective, supply chain management focuses on ensuring the safety of the interconnected network of organisations, processes, and technologies involved in bringing a product from conception to delivery.
In recent years there has been a significant increase in the number of cyber-attacks as a result of vulnerabilities within the supply chain. These attacks have targeted third party software providers, website builders, third party data stores, and hardware providers. The 2023 Cybersecurity Breaches Survey found that only 13% of businesses review the risks posed by their immediate suppliers.
Securing the supply chain
It is vital to understand the cybersecurity threats within your supply chain before implementing security measures.
Why might someone attack your supply chain? (Financial gain, disruption, espionage)
Who are the likely attackers? (Cybercriminals, competitors, state actors)
Where are the exploitable weak points in your supply chain?
What would happen if these vulnerabilities were exploited? (Financial loss, reputational damage, operational disruption)
Once you have identified the critical aspects of your organisation that require the most protection, establish a repeatable and measurable approach for assessing the cybersecurity of your suppliers.
Pinpoint the data, systems, and processes most crucial to your business.
Create tiered security profiles for supplier based on the potential impact they could have on your assets, defining increasing security requirements for each tier.
Decide how to assess your suppliers using a combination of techniques including surveys, interviews, site visits and independent audits.
Develop strategies for managing non-compliant suppliers, including continued assessments and remediation plans.
Implement standardised contract clauses addressing cybersecurity expectations and potential scenarios.
It is important to note that a single assessment will not be enough to guarantee your cyber security standards are being met. Regular monitoring of your supplier’s cyber resilience will help you identify any gaps and work with your suppliers to address them before they are exploited and become an issue.
Continuous Improvement
Evaluate your framework and its components on a regular basis and adjust the process accordingly so that it provides the correct level of risk/reward for your organisation. Once the initial assurance of your supply chain is complete , it is important to understand that the risks to your business are constantly evolving. Stay informed about new threats and use the knowledge gained to update your supply chain’s cybersecurity measures.
Securing the supply chain is a crucial task that requires a collective effort from everyone involved. Collaborate with your vendors, share threat intelligence, and participate in industry forums to stay ahead of the curve. Adhering to established industry standards like ISO 27001 can provide you with invaluable guidance and demonstrate your commitment to security.
Cybersecurity is not a destination but an ongoing journey. It is crucial to continually evaluate your practices, adapt to evolving threats, and invest in ongoing training and awareness programs. By prioritising supply chain security, you can build your resilience and safeguard your business against any potential cybersecurity threats.
Would you like to know how to use Twitter effectively for your business and gain ideas for content?
Make sure you and your business is up to speed by attending our nextinteractive, half-day Twitter workshop onThursday 24th Septemberand discover how Twitter canboostyour profile in 2015.
Designed for a maximum of five people, the morning will bepacked full of usefultipsfor increasing your audience andcreatingengaging content.
With the training tailoredfor the businesses attending, there will be lots ofopportunitiesto shareideasand test out Twitter for yourself – leaving you ready and raring to go!
What will our workshop cover?
Getting started: How to use Twitter – practical tips and the ‘lingo!’
Creating your brand personality.
Join in with the conversation. But with who?
What do I post? Lots of handy content suggestions.
How your competitors are using Twitter.
Top tips to get the most from this tool.
Five ways to build your following.
Twitter etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts.
And of course we will supply mandatory tea, coffee and biscuits!
We’vehad some great feedback from past delegates.
“The interaction around the table is relaxed and it’s a friendly environment,”Barnham Broom.
“Really enjoyed feedback on current practice and research into competitors,”R A Brown.
“Friendly. Learnt lots,”The Cottage Hair and Beauty Salon.
Our next half-day workshop is being held onThursday September 24th 2015.
Arrive:09:15am for training to take place between 09:30am – 12:30pm.
Where: Suite 3, The Old Church, St Matthews Road, Norwich, NR1 1SP.
BCC’s EU Business Barometer of more than 4,000 businesses shows support for renegotiation with Europe
John Longworth: “Companies believe that re-negotiation, rather than further integration or outright withdrawal, is most likely to deliver business and economic benefit to the UK.”
The first major survey of British business following the Prime Minister’s policy speech on Europe in January 2013 has revealed broad support for the re-negotiation of Britain’s relationship with the European Union.
The British Chambers of Commerce’s new “EU Business Barometer”, which gathered responses from nearly 4,400 businesses of all sizes and sectors across the UK, tested five scenarios for Britain’s future relationship with the EU. Respondents were asked to give their view on the potential impact of each scenario on Britain’s business and economic prospects.
The results showed that:
‘Remain in the European Union, but with specific powers transferred back from Brussels to Westminster’ received the highest positive impact rating, with 64%. This scenario also received the lowest negative impact rating, with 11%.
‘Full withdrawal from the European Union’ received the highest negative impact rating, with 60%.
Remain in the European Union with no change to current relationship’ received the lowest positive impact rating, with 15%.
The survey also reveals that British business’s “top three” priorities for any re-negotiation of the balance of competences between Brussels and Westminster are 1) employment law (54%), 2) health and safety law (46%), and 3) regional development policies (33%). Other areas where significant numbers of businesses wanted to see change included justice and home affairs policies and public-sector procurement rules.
Commenting on the results, Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce , said:
“These results say a lot about the UK business community’s attitudes towards Britain’s relationship with the European Union. Companies believe that re-negotiation, rather than further integration or outright withdrawal, is most likely to deliver business and economic benefit to the UK.
“There are some striking features in the BCC survey of business opinion which included Norfolk businesses. 42%, a plurality, now believe that maintaining the status quo in Britain’s relationship with the EU could have a negative impact on our economic interests – nearly three times as many as the 15% who view the status quo positively. These findings suggest that UK businesses increasingly feel that some sort of change to Britain’s relationship with the EU is needed to boost our trading prospects.
“We now have confirmation of what we’ve suspected for some time: namely, that employment and health and safety are the areas where companies would like to see legislative competence return to Westminster from Brussels. From a business perspective, any re-negotiation of Britain’s relationship with the European Union must therefore focus on these areas which are not integral to the functioning of the Single Market in goods and services.”
Location: Carrowbreck House, 7 Carrowbreck Road, Norwich, NR6 5FA. Are you struggling with Linkedin? Not quite sure what the fuss is about? Wondering whether you should spend even more time on yet another networking platform? It’s ok, you’re one of many, you may even be one of the many who set up an account but then didn’t go back to it. Linkedin is a business tool which helps you to do even more business. Having just hit 200million users, 1 million groups, 40 million visits a week and a total of 5.3billion searches during 2012, you can’t ignore it. Did you know that half of the users on Linkedin are the main decision makers? Did you know that Linkedin drives the most customers for B2B organisations – even more than Blogs? Tapping properly into Linkedin will enable you to drive valuable customers to your website. Tapping properly into Linkedin will position yourself as a leader in your niche and gain you new clients. Stop missing out on opportunities now! This course is for you if you are a SME, Business Development Manager, Sales manager, Marketing Manager, whichever industry you’re in, and you are keen to utilise LinkedIn for your business to drive traffic and get results. Duration: Half-day course (9.30am – 12.30pm) Equipment: No equipment is necessary for you to bring to the course. Pens and note paper will be available. Lunch provided: Light refreshments will be provided. Lunch only provided on full-day courses. Course Content: How to achieve maximum exposure and connect with main decision makers The power of groups and company pages How LinkedIn works with or without a budget How LinkedIn is the perfect marketing tool & discover the ways to use it in your business Course price: From £38.50 – £49.50 For more details or any enquiries, please do contact us on 01603 788950, or email carrowbreck@broadland.gov.uk
Manufacturing output in February 2013: up 0.8% on the month, down 1.4% on the year
UK trade deficit in goods and services was £3.6bn in February 2013, compared with a deficit of £2.5bn in January
Value of UK exports fell by 1.1% between January and February 2013, while the value of imports rose by 1.7% in the same period
Commenting on the February 2013 UK trade figures, published today by the ONS, Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said:
“It is disappointing to see that the UK trade deficit worsened substantially in February, driven largely by falling goods exports and rising goods imports.
“However, our latest forward-looking economic survey shows near record growth in service sector export orders. This demonstrates that many of Britain’s companies are growing and expanding into new markets across the globe. What’s more, remittances from these service-sector orders may not come through into the statistics for some time.
“The Norfolk businesses that I see are ambitious and hard working, and want to take their products and services overseas – but the UK’s overall export performance is still not where it could or should be. The latest trade deficit numbers highlight the need for international trade and commerce to be at the heart of both business and government thinking. If we are to win the ‘global race’ that the Prime Minister has described on numerous occasions, we need both a more enterprise-friendly environment and a large-scale increase in the resources and attention dedicated to supporting international trade.
“This is one of the topics we will be talking through with Lord Green Minister of State for Trade & Investment when he visits Norfolk to speak at our networking lunch on 11 July”
Commenting on the UK trade and manufacturing output figures, David Kern, Chief Economist at the BCC, added:
“These economic figures send conflicting messages. The increase in manufacturing and total production output was stronger than expected, but the deterioration in the trade balance was larger than most analysts predicted. On the positive side, the output figures reinforce hopes that GDP will grow in the first quarter. But it is worrying that exports fell in February, while imports rose, and that there was a large fall in exports to non-EU countries.
“Despondency over the economy is unjustified. Although we are facing difficult circumstances, our short-term economic performance remains stronger than that of the eurozone. At the same time, the government should be more forceful in boosting exports, and do more to support companies seeking to break into new markets.”
We are delighted to announce that Norse has become a Patron the Norfolk Chamber. One of the UK’s most dynamic and fast-growing Facilities Management services providers, Norse has the financial strength so vital in times of economic pressure.
With a strong balance sheet, industry-leading business retention and staff turnover, and 96% customer satisfaction, Norse delivers first-class services that its customers value and trust. Geoff Tucker, Sales Director of Norse said, “As a major contractor of local businesses, and an employer of a wide range of staff skills, Norse is fully committed to supporting the local economy. As part of this support, in the past the company has regularly sponsored and taken part in events and publicity organised by the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce.
We firmly believe that by becoming a Patron of the Norfolk Chamber, Norse will be in an even better position to help encourage and facilitate use of the Chamber’s valuable services to enterprises across the county. We are looking forward to playing an increasingly active role with the Chamber in working with Norfolk’s business community.”
This half day course is for all employees in the Food and Hospitality sector and is aimed at any current holders of the Level 2 Award in Food Safety to refresh & update their knowledge on the subject.
*Take personal responsibility for food safety procedures *Keep themselves clean and hygienic *Receive and store food safely * Prepare, cook and hold food safely *Assessing and evaluating the learning
The subjects covered are:
1. Food safety hazards; what can harm the consumer? 2. Safe food storage; food handling & cross contamination 3. Temperature control; refrigeration and chilling 4. Cooking, hot holding and reheating 5. Cleaning and disinfection 6. Pest control 7. Food premises and equipment 8. Legislation
Prerequisites: None-just enthusiasm (but basic spoken English/ literacy does help)
Duration: Half day training programme (09:00-13:00)
Cost: £55 +VAT includes examination fees.
Course Tutor: Course Tutors: Sarah Daniels & Richard Mills are both Chartered Environmental Health Practitioners, having spent over 25 years each in the profession.
The RedCat Partnership has been providing food safety training & consultancy in Norfolk, East Anglia & nationally for over 20 years.