Member News

We are delighted to announce our second pop up event of 2017! We are honoured to be supporting the  

Staff who drive for work at greater risk of being involved in a collision. Statistics show that work related road crashes are the biggest cause of work related accidental deaths. Every year up to 600 deaths involve someone driving for work and approximately one in three crashes will involve an at-work driver.* With tough mobile phone legislation having recently been introduced it’s even more important employers consider the implications and potential risks of staff who drive for work. Norfolk County Council is launching a campaign to help businesses get the advice and training they need to keep staff who drive for work safe on the roads. Under current legislation employers are legally responsible for their employees’ safety whilst driving for work – even if employees are in their own cars. With new technology, in car distractions have never been higher so there are lots of opportunities for drivers to take their eyes off the road, even for a split second. Iain Temperton Casualty Reduction Education and Development manager said: “That split second of lost concentration could mean the difference between life and death. Our main priority within the Road Safety team at Norfolk County Council is to help make Norfolk roads safe. By providing bespoke advice and driver training to businesses across the region we can help minimise the risk facing their staff who drive for work. Employers have a corporate responsibility to their staff and we work with businesses from all over the county to help ensure they have a robust driving for work policy in place, and that their staff can drive smarter and safer on the roads.” Cllr Martin Wilby chair of the Environment, Development and Transport Committee said: ” The driving courses offered by Norfolk County Council are an extremely effective way of getting individuals who drive for work to be more aware of the distractions that exist on the road. I would urge any local businesses whose staff drive for work to evaluate their driving for work policy to ensure the risks to their staff are minimised.” HR Advisor Lisa from Brown & Co Business & Property Consultants realises just how important driving for business training is for Brown & Co.: “75% of our staff drive for work and with most of them driving long distance and on rural roads we were keen to ensure their safety by whichever means possible. We’ve now put 130 members of our staff through the training provided by Norfolk County Council. The course is run by professionals and covers the most up to date information as well as the most recent legislation and how that affects us as a business. By putting our staff through this training it has allowed us to feel as though we are actively doing something to protect the health and wellbeing of our staff members.” Lisa goes on to say just how much the staff have enjoyed the half day workshops “We’ve had great feedback from the staff attending the course, they found it interesting, useful and it made them stop and think about their own driving habits. ” “Norfolk County Council offered us a flexible approach to our training, with our staff being trained in groups it was a cost effective way of training staff from several branches at the same time. I would definitely recommend the driving for work training courses. We would much rather invest time up front to help minimise the risk of an accident on the road and I’d like to think it benefits the business by having happy, safe employees who know we go that ‘extra mile’ for them. Norfolk County Council offers hands-on training and driver assessment for employees who drive for work as well as theoretical learning and policy writing for fleet managers and health and safety staff. Courses range from 1.5 hours bitesize sessions to full day workshops and can be run at a company’s premises. For more information contact the road safety team at roadsafety@norfolk.gov.uk or visit www.driveforwork.co.uk -ENDS- Notes for Editors *Department for Transport (DfT) 2015

Staff who drive for work at greater risk of being involved in a collision. Statistics show that work related road crashes are the biggest cause of work related accidental deaths. Every year up to 600 deaths involve someone driving for work and approximately one in three crashes will involve an at-work driver.* With tough mobile phone legislation having recently been introduced it’s even more important employers consider the implications and potential risks of staff who drive for work. Norfolk County Council is launching a campaign to help businesses get the advice and training they need to keep staff who drive for work safe on the roads. Under current legislation employers are legally responsible for their employees’ safety whilst driving for work – even if employees are in their own cars. With new technology, in car distractions have never been higher so there are lots of opportunities for drivers to take their eyes off the road, even for a split second. Iain Temperton Casualty Reduction Education and Development manager said: “That split second of lost concentration could mean the difference between life and death. Our main priority within the Road Safety team at Norfolk County Council is to help make Norfolk roads safe. By providing bespoke advice and driver training to businesses across the region we can help minimise the risk facing their staff who drive for work. Employers have a corporate responsibility to their staff and we work with businesses from all over the county to help ensure they have a robust driving for work policy in place, and that their staff can drive smarter and safer on the roads.” Cllr Martin Wilby chair of the Environment, Development and Transport Committee said: ” The driving courses offered by Norfolk County Council are an extremely effective way of getting individuals who drive for work to be more aware of the distractions that exist on the road. I would urge any local businesses whose staff drive for work to evaluate their driving for work policy to ensure the risks to their staff are minimised.” HR Advisor Lisa from Brown & Co Business & Property Consultants realises just how important driving for business training is for Brown & Co.: “75% of our staff drive for work and with most of them driving long distance and on rural roads we were keen to ensure their safety by whichever means possible. We’ve now put 130 members of our staff through the training provided by Norfolk County Council. The course is run by professionals and covers the most up to date information as well as the most recent legislation and how that affects us as a business. By putting our staff through this training it has allowed us to feel as though we are actively doing something to protect the health and wellbeing of our staff members.” Lisa goes on to say just how much the staff have enjoyed the half day workshops “We’ve had great feedback from the staff attending the course, they found it interesting, useful and it made them stop and think about their own driving habits. ” “Norfolk County Council offered us a flexible approach to our training, with our staff being trained in groups it was a cost effective way of training staff from several branches at the same time. I would definitely recommend the driving for work training courses. We would much rather invest time up front to help minimise the risk of an accident on the road and I’d like to think it benefits the business by having happy, safe employees who know we go that ‘extra mile’ for them. Norfolk County Council offers hands-on training and driver assessment for employees who drive for work as well as theoretical learning and policy writing for fleet managers and health and safety staff. Courses range from 1.5 hours bitesize sessions to full day workshops and can be run at a company’s premises. For more information contact the road safety team at roadsafety@norfolk.gov.uk or visit www.driveforwork.co.uk -ENDS- Notes for Editors *Department for Transport (DfT) 2015

This year, Norwich-based Thurne High Speed Slicing Systems celebrate their 50th anniversary, looking back at fifty years of innovative engineering for the food industry. Founded as a general engineering company in 1967, the early years saw the company design and manufacture a diverse and intriguing range of products that spanned across industries, from industrial carrot toppers and egg peelers to book sawing and binding equipment for the printing industry. Thurne has come a long way since then, focusing on slicing technology and releasing a series of industry leading innovations, from the first slicers to use vision, scanning and microprocessor technologies to automatic high speed slicing and packing lines. Company President Peter Jongen explains: “The ‘Thurne’ name pretty much held ‘Hoover status’ in slicing technology in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The brand was renowned for pushing the boundaries and offering state-of-the-art equipment.” A large percentage of the slicers built are exported around the globe. Part of The Middleby Corporation’s Food Processing Group since 2015, Thurne continues to work closely with customers and suppliers to develop slicers that challenge the status quo. “There is always room for improvement”, knows Jongen, “Our dedication to continuous innovation has enabled us to flourish over the past fifty years, and we are looking to the future. We are investing strongly in developing talent in-house, working with local colleges offering apprenticeships to nurture the innovators of the future.” Innovators of the Future Five apprentices and trainees have joined Thurne over the last twelve months, working towards qualifications in electrical and mechanical engineering as well as CNC programming and operation. The apprentices attend classes at Great Yarmouth College and receive hands on training at Thurne’s Pinetrees Road factory, with experienced members of staff serving as mentors.  The programme has been a great success. “We’re proud that three of our apprentices have been winners in this year’s Great Yarmouth College apprenticeship awards.” Thurne employs 72 engineering, assembly, service support and administration staff at their Pinetrees Road factory. Find out more about Thurne’s History of innovation at www.thurne.com/timeline.html

As part of their 2017 charity initiative supporting Break, a team of staff members from East Anglian recruitment company Cooper Lomaz will be participating in the National Three Peaks Challenge. The incredibly tough challenge, which is popular amongst charity fundraisers, will see the team attempting to climb the three highest mountains – Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike & Snowden – in the British Isles within 24 hours.

The team of 9, which is made up from a mixture of Directors, Recruitment Consultants and Support Staff, will commence the challenge on 30th June 2017 and complete it on the 2nd of July.

Cooper Lomaz is doing the National Three Peaks Challenge in order to raise money for Break, their chosen corporate charity of 2017. Cooper Lomaz chose Break as its charity because of their strong family values which are in line with the great work that Break does, supporting children and families within Norfolk.

Operations Director, Mark Fletcher says “We are excited to be putting ourselves through the paces, doing this incredibly tough challenge in order to raise money for those who need it most. As a father of four young children, I can really empathise with the work that Break is doing for families”

The National Three Peaks Challenge will see the team – Emma O’Brien, Matt Barber, Richard Beastall, Stuart Wilson, Alex Hall, Mark Fletcher, Phillip Watson, Simon Brown & Liam Flegg – walk a total of 27 miles and ascending a whopping 9,800ft.

Commercial Director, Simon Brown says “Teamwork is not just about what happens in the office, but also outside whether it’s social events or work within the community. As tough as it will be, it will also be a fun challenge and we’re incredibly excited to train and achieve this as a team”

This year Cooper Lomaz has set a target of raising £10,000 for Break through their many charity events such as a Firewalk, Dress Down Days and a Bake Sale amongst other events that are to be confirmed.

To help Cooper Lomaz raise money for this great cause, you can visit their Virgin Giving Page: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CLR_Three_Peaks

Have you ever wondered why that despite your best efforts of explaining all of the great things that your product or service does, the prospect doesn’t always show the sort of interest you hoped for and the sales opportunity is lost?

Why not come along on Tuesday 18th April 2017, to a free workshop hosted by Matt Sykes, Sales Trainer at Mindspan, to find out why performance psychology continues to give progressive sales professionals an advantage in the market place.

In this practical and engaging session, Matt will help delegates understand what’s going on inside the prospects mind when we first meet them and how shaping their thinking, will improve the opportunity to progress the sale.

Matt will also explain the benefits of ‘sequence selling’, why customers prefer to buy this way and some of the buying motives that can often be missed.  

There’ll be gifts and prizes and a Q&A session. The workshop is relevant for any member, be that an experienced sales professional who someone looking to learn how to improve the way they sell.         

Integro Languages, based in Norwich, has recently been awarded a supply arrangement covering 8 countries for AIG, the global American insurance giant. Integro’s team have worked with a pilot group at the company’s offices in Croydon for 12 months, implementing a whole new approach to handling claims involving foreign language documentation.

Throughout the pilot, Integro was able to demonstrate huge cost savings, as well as considerable improvements in the speed and efficacy of the claims process. As a result, Integro have now been appointed as supplier to the global network of AIG’s assistance centres – a massive contract solidifying Integro’s position as a serious and formidable provider of language support services to the insurance industry.

“Integro’s services have been an absolute game changer for us here. We’re working faster, handling claims faster and making considerable cost savings as we go. We’re looking forward to a long and fruitful working relationship with Integro”. Complex Claims team, AIG.

Integro has been active in the Health insurance and PMI industry, backing up claims teams and assistance handlers for 10 years.

Integro Languages, based in Norwich, has recently been awarded a supply arrangement covering 8 countries for AIG, the global American insurance giant. Integro’s team have worked with a pilot group at the company’s offices in Croydon for 12 months, implementing a whole new approach to handling claims involving foreign language documentation.

Throughout the pilot, Integro was able to demonstrate huge cost savings, as well as considerable improvements in the speed and efficacy of the claims process. As a result, Integro have now been appointed as supplier to the global network of AIG’s assistance centres – a massive contract solidifying Integro’s position as a serious and formidable provider of language support services to the insurance industry.

“Integro’s services have been an absolute game changer for us here. We’re working faster, handling claims faster and making considerable cost savings as we go. We’re looking forward to a long and fruitful working relationship with Integro”. Complex Claims team, AIG.

Integro has been active in the Health insurance and PMI industry, backing up claims teams and assistance handlers for 10 years.

Integro Languages, based in Norwich, has recently been awarded a supply arrangement covering 8 countries for AIG, the global American insurance giant. Integro’s team have worked with a pilot group at the company’s offices in Croydon for 12 months, implementing a whole new approach to handling claims involving foreign language documentation.

Throughout the pilot, Integro was able to demonstrate huge cost savings, as well as considerable improvements in the speed and efficacy of the claims process. As a result, Integro have now been appointed as supplier to the global network of AIG’s assistance centres – a massive contract solidifying Integro’s position as a serious and formidable provider of language support services to the insurance industry.

“Integro’s services have been an absolute game changer for us here. We’re working faster, handling claims faster and making considerable cost savings as we go. We’re looking forward to a long and fruitful working relationship with Integro”. Complex Claims team, AIG.

Integro has been active in the Health insurance and PMI industry, backing up claims teams and assistance handlers for 10 years.

Sick couriers can be charged £250 if they can’t find cover brings employment status back into the news again with more questions about the employment rights of self-employed couriers.

Recently updated Acas guidance: Employment Status including self-employment

Sickness absence is down to an average of 4.3 days per worker according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS).  This is the lowest recorded rate since records began in 1993!  How can you keep your absence rate this low?

 Acas step by step guide for small firms – Managing Absence

 Managing absence – E-learning Module

Do you need your boss?  Find out what UK employees think with results of a YouGov poll in this IPPR blog with some shocking statistics.  This blog highlights the importance of employee voice in boosting productivity. Acas guidance:  Employee Engagement

Philip Mann, previously Chairman of London-based Pollitt & Partners, Director at BamberForsythFitch and Head of Literature at Wolff Olins, has joined Norwich marketing agency Creative Sponge as Non-Executive Chairman.

Mr Mann’s appointment comes at a time of significant growth for the agency, which has recently taken on a London office and appointed a new Creative Director and Account Executive.

Alex Tosh, Creative Sponge Managing Director:

“The expansion of our London client base over the past two years has been significant so this is a great time for Philip to be joining us. We are confident that his experience will help us as we continue to develop our business both regionally and nationally.”

Philip Mann:

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to help Creative Sponge develop their business over the coming years. The team is dynamic, engaging, driven and great at what it does. We’ve already put in place a new agency management system, leadership team and moved into new offices; I’m looking forward to helping to streamline the business, win new clients and grow the team. ‘”

The agency has recently promoted Michelle Williams to Creative Director. Michelle, who holds a first class degree in Graphic Design, has been with Creative Sponge for ten years. She manages a six-strong creative studio that has helped to win a dozen new clients since the end of last year, most recently US-based Pumpkin Tree Snacks, Premier Education Group, M+A Partners, Jarrold Training and Lakeside Food Group.

Said Michelle: “I’m thrilled to take on the role of Creative Director; I have a lot of love, passion and dedication for the agency and the clients we have. I really enjoy nurturing and mentoring my team and am very proud of the fantastic creative coming out of the studio.”

The client services team has also expanded with the appointment of Abi Murr as an Account Executive.

Creative Sponge has been operating from its offices in the heart of Norwich’s city centre since 2004. The agency set up a London base six months ago and names among its London client roster Warner Bros, The Daily Mail Group and international modelling agency One Represents.

ENDS

For further information please contact Clare Haylett on 07764 270570 or email clare@creativesponge.co.uk

Photo caption: (l to r) Philip Mann (Non Executive Chairman), Alex Tosh (Managing Director) 

Liftshare scooped two awards at the 2017/18 Norfolk & Norwich Eco Awards, taking home both Small/Medium Business of the Year and the Eco Hero titles!

The Awards aim to celebrate projects and schemes with a strong ecological or environmentally-friendly ethos or groups and organisations which can show they adopt a sound eco approach to all their business. A great mix of businesses, community groups and individuals were present, spanning a huge range of disciplines, interests, and approaches.

Now the biggest car sharing community in the UK, the profits from clients enable Liftshare to provide a free, public service that’s open to all, in Liftshare.com. The network continues to save carbon, cut costs, and deliver a social experience for sharers.

Liftshare has over 500,000 active members (that is, those offering or looking for a lift) at present, and a recent member survey showed that 77% of members were interested in joining to help ‘do their bit’ for the environment.

Recognising the continued opportunity to follow their mission and ensure that everyone has someone to share with, Liftshare also offers a personalised travel planning tool which includes sustainable travel options, and from 2017 will include community transport options – a first for travel planning, and a completely unique product! The team also offer their expertise out to others wanting to encourage sustainable travel – running behaviour change workshops and undertaking data scoping to gain workable intelligence on existing transport data.

Members of the Liftshare Team will return to the Norfolk and Norwich Eco Awards next year to pass the baton on to the 2018/19 Eco Hero.

If you’d like more information on introducing a Liftshare scheme for your business, or think personalised travel planning or car sharing could work for your organisation, get in touch with the Liftshare Business Team.