In a major move to tackle the ongoing blood shortage in England, leading commercial organisations, ranging from The Co-operative Bank, ITV (office-based colleagues), Hargreaves Lansdown, Gatenby Sanderson through to Basketball England, Millwall FC and Alton Towers Resort, have pledged to give employees ‘Donate Breaks’ – dedicated time off to donate blood during their working day. With a critical need to boost blood stocks, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is urging more companies to do the same and help save more lives this winter. The new Donate Breaks initiative will be formally launched with an event at Alton Towers on Friday…
Author: sme-admin
Humour can play a pivotal role in sales and marketing because it allows the salesperson to connect with their potential customer, making it an effective tool for closing deals. According to a global industry report, more than three-quarters (77%) of people are more likely to buy from a salesperson that’s funny. Despite this, only one in six business leaders (16%) use humour to sell. Fears about incorporating humour in prospecting could be due to outdated beliefs about how businesses need to communicate with customers. The report – which includes insights from more than 12,000 consumers and business leaders across 14 countries – also revealed…
The winners of the Sheffield Business Awards 2024 were revealed at a glitzy event at the Octagon Centre last week, attended by over 440 guests. The prestigious event, which took place on Thursday 17 October, honoured the brightest organisations, individuals, collaborators, and not-for-profits making an impact in Sheffield right now. Building on the success of last year’s event, which saw the dress code return to black-tie, the introduction of several new awards and an ambitious overhaul of the judging system, this year’s event was bigger and better still. Organised by Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and supported by Chamber Patron and…
The number of registered company insolvencies across the UK has reached 1,973, reflecting an increase of 2% compared to August 2024. Oliver Collinge, Director at restructuring and insolvency firm PKF Littlejohn Advisory Ltd, believes the surge in insolvencies this quarter indicates that more businesses are running out of options. “Many business owners remain concerned about soft customer demand, continuing cost pressures in some sectors, and the wider state of the economy. High interest rates also continue to be a problem, affecting the cost of existing borrowing, as well as access to funding. The budget will be a significant moment:…
The UK tech sector is growing increasingly nervous about the upcoming UK budget bringing a rise in Capital Gains Tax (CGT), say leading audit, tax and business advisory firm, Blick Rothenberg. Simon Gleeson, a Partner at the firm, said: “It has been a roller-coaster of a week for the UK tech sector. The mixed messaging from Keir Starmer playing down the tax rises Rachel Reeves could enact in the Budget at the inaugural International Investment Summit 2024 in London this week has only created more anxiety.” He added: “There is increasing fear that changes in CGT in the Budget will…
From an early age, Derek Bell was captivated by the game of football, playing on the fields and in the backyards of the West End of Newcastle. Growing up in an area marked by deprivation and social poverty presented challenges for many of his peers. However, Derek was fortunate; both his parents held full-time jobs, ensuring that he never had to worry about getting a new pair of football boots or a Newcastle home kit. Derek’s father was a professional footballer with Partick Thistle in the late 1940s, winning the Scottish Cup final against the mighty Celtic in 1945. After…
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up a whopping 99.9% of the UK’s business population. However, despite their significant presence in our economy, many are feeling the pressure to keep up with the digital advancements of larger corporations. There is a constant demand for digital upskilling and a deep knowledge base required for implementation, particularly within SMEs. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) revealed that 38% of SMEs in the IT sector are finding it tough to grow due to a shortage of appropriately skilled staff. A focus on digital training is crucial in allowing businesses of all sizes to…
Insurance comparison experts from Quotezone.co.uk have highlighted six ways businesses may have unknowingly invalidated their business insurance. Business insurance protects against financial loss if something goes wrong while undertaking business related activities. From small business start-ups with a couple of employees, to large-scale corporations with a team of hundreds, insurance protection is key and it’s not uncommon for providers to deny claims, if the agreed terms have not been met. The main types of business insurance can range from commercial property insurance to public and employer liability and professional indemnity insurance – protecting the property, staff, the public and even their reputation. Employers’ liability cover is…
Microplastics are seen today as the main problem with plastics. They are tiny pieces of plastic, which are being found on land, in the sea, and now even in the air we breathe and the water we drink. Some of the microplastics are coming from tyres and man-made fibres, and recycling can also be a source of microplastics, but most of the microplastics found in the environment are caused by the fragmentation of ordinary plastic and there is a solution to this available today. Michael Laurier, CEO of Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc, said “We knew that our d2w oxo-biodegradable technology could prevent…
Creative Nature, a leading advocate for allergy-friendly foods, is launching its new social media campaign, ‘May Contain’– to try to push for truly ‘free from’ supermarket aisles. The campaign aims to tackle the smoke and mirrors around food labelling which allows products to be called ‘free from’ when they are not. According to a report by barcode specialist GS1 earlier this year 56 per cent of those questioned with food allergies had had an allergic reaction from mis-labelled or unclear food packaging. Food allergies are on the rise with around two million people in the UK believed to be affected…