Category: EU Business News

By Andrew Mosby, at accountancy firm, Menzies LLP. The firm has a global reach through its membership of the HLB network.  

Despite headwinds such as supply shortages, rising interest rates, skills shortages and soaring costs, 79 per cent of business leaders are continuing to plan for growth, according to the HLB’s Survey 2023. Some have found that diversification is not realistically an option and so are looking to achieve growth by trading overseas. 

With the UK economy suffering from stagnant growth and staff shortages, expanding overseas to tap into new markets and skills could be one method to ensure a business’ success. Despite the changes brought in by Brexit, it is generally easier than ever before to expand a business overseas, but it is important to do so from a place of knowledge and understanding, and it is vital to conduct a risk / reward analysis prior to making a move. This analysis should demonstrate that the business has the right financial plan, target market, competitor analysis, KPIs and milestone targets to increase its chances of success overseas, and it will look a little different for each business. 

For example, a business seeking to launch a product in a foreign market may need to establish operations there, which will mean looking at wider costs such as potential warehouse, retail or factory space, as well as supply chain and staffing costs. However, a company that is seeking to sell an app or provide a software-based service will not necessarily have the same concerns in terms of initial investment, potentially only requiring one salesperson to work from home or a shared office location. Such businesses can ‘trial’ the new territory to gauge market response in real time; something that retailers and businesses looking to set up factories or plants are simply unable to do. 

These differences demonstrate how vital it is for business leaders to create a strategy that is based on thorough research to increase their chances of success. For example, what works well for their product in the UK may not translate so favourably in other territories, making it important to spend time in the target country to gain an understanding of the market, its culture and preferences. Trade missions can help a business to do this whilst also providing resources and networking opportunities with companies that have taken a similar route. There may also be opportunities to meet relevant delegations from the target country.  

Care is needed when planning to enter an overseas market for the first time. It can often be tempting for businesses to view Europe as one big block rather than a series of individual countries, however, each country operates from a different rulebook when it comes to tax and employment law. Similarly, in the US, both state and federal tax systems must be understood and adhered to.  

If expanding into multiple countries at once, businesses should be aware that tax arrangements will differ across jurisdictions, and multiple registrations may be required for essentials like VAT. It is important, therefore, that a business seeks support from advisers who live and operate within the target country, as a wholly UK-based team is unlikely to know all the details as to how systems work in practice. 

Business owners should also consider the business model that they wish to adopt, as it will have consequences for the planned expansion. For example, they could choose to operate a ‘cost plus’ model, where the overseas business will be operating as a sales and marketing or customer support function. The intention here would be to promote the UK business’ product rather than make direct sales, allowing the overseas business to invoice the UK entity for this service. 

Alternatively, business owners could consider a ‘reseller’ model, whereby a product or software is acquired from the UK to sell overseas. In this instance, the UK entity will need to agree a fair and equitable price for the internal sale to the overseas business to ensure that both countries can make a profit.  

With so much to consider when planning an overseas expansion, some business owners may feel at a loss. However, there are three key factors to keep in mind from the outset. These include selecting the target country, understanding the market, and identifying the right people to run operations, which might include existing workers and new hires overseas. Finally, it is imperative that businesses take the time to prepare forecasts from start to finish to ensure it is clear what investment will be required upfront and what targets must be achieved for the venture to be deemed a success. 

The key to achieving a successful overseas expansion is resilience. This involves a willingness to conduct thorough research and the resilience to try again if at first the business doesn’t get the desired outcome. It is important for all business leaders to use any failures as a learning experience to grow their capability. By giving the expansion clear goals and KPI stepping-stones, success will be simple to measure and potential problems easier to spot. With dedication and perseverance, an overseas expansion could take UK businesses to the next level. 

E2E, in association with The Independent and in partnership with IWG plc as founding partner, has today announced its International 100 list which identifies the fastest-growing companies, with export sales reaching £5 million or more in the past two years, with a turnover in excess of £10 million, from data gathered by Experian and Go Live Data.

Identifying businesses from a host of sectors, the league tables highlight the incredible work achieved by businesses based in the UK that have seen considerable growth in exports in recent years.  The E2E International 100 will launch on 25^th May 2023 and will be celebrated at the House of Commons, with a dinner for the 100 companies featured, accompanied by some of the UK’s top business leaders. 

Featured in the list and demonstrating extraordinary export growth are: Sanjeev Soosaipillai, Chairman & CEO, Prax Petroleum Limited, who has seen a 1411% increase, Erik Rietkerk, CEO, Argent Energy Limited, who has seen a 1300% increase and Guy Wakeley, CEO, Os Phoenix Holdco Limited, who has seen a 807% increase. You can view the full list, here.

The E2E International 100 forms part of The E2E 100, an initiative designed through the publication of six league tables, coupled with a large-scale reception for each launch and a series of associated content. Each celebratory launch dinner will be held at the Houses of Parliament and House of Commons, kindly supported by Lord Bilimoria CBE, DL, Founding Board Director, E2E. This has been created to showcase the very best UK companies that are excelling, experiencing consistent growth, and presenting disruptive business strategies that are creating an impact not just in their own sector, but also on a nationwide, and in some cases, global scale.            

Speaking about the list, Shalini Khemka CBE, founder of E2E says: “It is incredible to see so many  companies in the top 100 operating within such a diverse range of industries. It is reflective of how successful UK companies are and of the expansion and growth taking place here and internationally. We should be extremely proud of the entrepreneurship and innovation in business that we are witnessing.”

Christian Broughton – Managing Director, The Independent added:

“We’re delighted to be featuring such an exceptional group of entrepreneurs who are emphatically moving forward in their individual sectors and who have seen exceptional growth in export sales. The E2E International100, in association with The Independent, gives us the chance to showcase the expertise throughout the UK and which contributes heavily to the UK economy. We’re excited to discover how far these companies go in exporting, in the short and long-term future.”

Lord Bilimoria CBE, DL said: “I have been a founding Board Member of E2E and under the leadership of Shalini Khemka CBE, which is fast becoming the go-to organisation to support UK Founders, Business Leaders, and Investors. Since 2011, the E2E team has built an exceptional platform for entrepreneurs to meet, learn, raise investment, and access corporate support. The E2E International track is a celebration of the UK business community, and of course, long may it continue.”

Richard Morris, UK Chief Executive of IWG plc, observed:“A partner of E2E for over eight years, IWG has first-hand experience of the invaluable support available to the UK SME sector. From the numerous networking opportunities to the quality member speakers, to say the least, is top-class. We are proud of our longstanding partnership with E2E.”

The tracks are independently compiled by Go Live Data and Experian according to specific criteria and official data. Each track is supported by E2E 100 strategic founding partner, IWG plc and partners Adia PR, Go Live Data, Virtuoso Legal, Experian and Lioncroft .

In today’s work environment, it is crucial for employers and employees to understand employment law. Employment law manages the relation between employers and employees, providing an information about rights and responsibilities that ensure fairness, protection and a harmony within work place. By comprehending employment law, both sides can solve the disagreements of the employment relationship, prevent legal disputes and create a beneficial workplace for everyone.

UK & EU employment law aims to ensure fair and decent working conditions for all employees, regardless of their nationality or the country they work in. It sets minimum standards that member states must adhere to, while also allowing them to adopt more favourable provisions. This comprehensive legal framework promotes social cohesion, worker empowerment, and a level playing field within the European labour market.

Understanding Employment Law Basics

Employment law includes a wide range of legal basis, regulations and situations that order the rights and obligations of employers and employees. It has points like employment relationship, including hiring, termination, working conditions, wages, benefits, discrimination, harassment, and more. Employment law aims to secure the rights and interests of both parties, providing fairness and equality in the workplace.

Employers Should be Aware of These Factors

For employers, understanding employment law is highly essential. Unawareness of employment law can cause to costly legal disputes, damage to reputation and potential financial obligations. Employers must know protected characteristics like race, gender, age, disability, and religion, providing fair recruitment.

Executives should pay attention to employment contracts reflecting the terms and conditions of employment law, including working hours, wages, benefits and leave entitlements. They have a duty to create a safe and healthy working environment including risk assessments, applying safety and training and protective equipment. Employers must prevent discrimination and harassment in the workplace. They should have policies in place, provide training to workers, and solve each concerns. Employers need to follow procedures when terminating an employee’s contract or implementing redundancies. Failure to do so can lead to unfair environment in a workplace.

Factors Employees Should be Aware of

Employees must understand their rights and obligations about employment law. If they are aware of their legal protections, workers can ensure fairness and take appropriate action if their rights are broken.

Workers should be know their working hours, wages, benefits and entitlements. They should understand their rights about protection against discrimination, harassment and victimization.

It’s their responsibility to comply health and safety and report any concerns to their employer. If an employee has a complaint or dispute with their employer, they should follow the company’s procedures. If necessary, they can look for an advice from a trusted employment lawyer or consult their union representative.

Agreement with Indonesia’s Pupuk Kaltim moves 4 billion USD plant one step closer, with the venture set to save 1.7 million tonnes of CO2 per year

Four Danish companies, Topsoe, Alfa Laval, Copenhagen Atomics and Aalborg CSP, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the ammonia producer Pupuk Kaltim, together with Pertamina New & Renewable Energy, both of which are owned by the Indonesian state, about building a facility in Bontang that can produce one million tonnes of ultra-low emission ammonia per year. This is enough to produce fertiliser for the production of food for 45 million people, approx. one sixth of the Indonesian population.

In the next 6 months, the final examinations must be completed and the legal landscape in Indonesia should be fully mapped.

The plant will save the emission of 1.7 million tonnes CO2 per year compared to natural gas based fertiliser production.

Nuclear power from Denmark

What is completely innovative about the facility is that it will be powered by nuclear power from the Danish company Copenhagen Atomics, which is involved in the global race to supply small, modular nuclear reactors, SMRs, which are expected to become an important part of the world’s future energy supply.

The nuclear power plant will be 1GW, consisting of 25 SMRs and the entire plant must run for 50 years. Fun fact: Denmark’s electricity consumption on an average day in May is around 5GW.

The facility is expected to open in 2028 and the project will be among the first where Copenhagen Atomics’ modular molten salt thorium reactors come into operation.

New electrolysis cells from Topsoe

In addition to the ammonia synthesis, Topsoe will supply completely newly developed electrolysis cell technology, called SOEC. SOEC makes the production of hydrogen significantly more efficient and cheaper. Hydrogen is an intermediate stage in the production of ammonia.

Desalination and Heat Exchangers from Alfa Laval

Alfa Laval will deliver heat exchangers to optimise the energy balance of the plant, and desalination to produce ultra-pure water for the electrolysis process.

Thermal energy storage technology from Aalborg CSP

Aalborg CSP shall design and supply thermal energy storage systems, Molten Salt based Steam Boilers thus providing the energy balancing required to integrate the energy production from the SMR modules with electricity production and waste heat from power turbines with production of ultra clean water.

Billion USD project

The economics of the overall project have not yet been finalised, but the construction is expected to cost around USD 4 billion, plus operation and maintenance of the plant, as well as the supply of power to the plant from the SMR reactors afterwards.

During the plant’s lifetime, it will produce ammonia worth USD 25 billion at today’s prices.

The ammonia from the plant can also potentially be used as CO2 free marine e-fuel – and since Indonesia is on one of the major trade routes for international shipping traffic, it could be an obvious use.

The facility will be extremely competitive on the market for ultra-low emission ammonia, which is central to reducing agriculture’s and shipping’s CO2 footprint from fertilisers and fuel. Therefore, the Danish players expect that there will be demand for similar facilities elsewhere in the world.

Signing ceremony in Lyngby, Denmark

The agreement was signed on May 19 in Copenhagen at Topsoe HQ in Lyngby, Denmark, and all the participating companies were present, as well as representatives of the Indonesian embassy.

Thomas Jam Pedersen, chairman of the board and co-founder of Copenhagen Atomics, says:

“The perspective is enormous. Green ammonia at low price helps reduce the world’s CO2 emissions, and for our Thorium reactors, that market is a huge opportunity, especially when we can offer a complete plant together with our partners.”

Rahmad Pribadi, President Director of Pupuk Kaltim, says:

“Pupuk Kaltim views the joint study as an essential step towards achieving our sustainability goals. We are honored to work with industry leaders to promote sustainable practices and contribute to a greener planet. Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in our focus on innovation to revolutionise the agricultural sector. As consumers increasingly prefer sustainable and eco-friendly products, PKT is proud to be at the forefront of this movement.”

Pupuk Kaltim intends to find a feasible process to produce Ammonia without using hydrocarbon based raw material and powered by clean energy which will be called Green Ammonia.

Nikolaj Knudsen, Head of Business Development Power-to-X, Topsoe, says:

“The outlook of contributing to better food conditions for 45 million people in Indonesia while leaving in very limited carbon footprint is absolutely amazing. This is a very promising and progressive project, and we are excited to be able to support with our world-class Power-to-X competencies.”

Topsoe delivers its world leading ammonia synthesis technology and catalysts as well as its SOEC electrolysis technology for the production of green hydrogen. The hydrogen is the building block to achieve the projects’ ultra-low emission ammonia for fertiliser.

Dannif Danusaputro, CEO Pertamina NRE, says:

“We are very delighted with this agreement, working together with parties who have concerns about environmental sustainability, we hope this collaboration can support to accelerate energy transition acceleration and help Indonesia to achieve net zero emissions by 2060. We are looking forward to actualising this partnership.”

Pertamina New & Renewable Energy (PNRE) desires to find a feasible process to produce Hydrogen whilst utilising Molten Salt Reactor and suitable electrolysers and other key components (Water Supply, Steam Boiler, Steam Generator, and Air separation Unit).

Karin Forsberg, President Business Unit Energy Separation, Alfal Laval, says:

“To build a functioning hydrogen ecosystem and truly accelerate decarbonisation, it’s crucial to have a systemic approach already from the beginning. Using recovered heat from electrolyser cooling to generate the demineralised water needed for hydrogen production, is a natural step to high efficiency for the entire system.”

Alfa Laval supplies heat exchangers and desalination. Alfa Laval is active in the entire hydrogen value chain. The company’s innovative technologies enable energy efficient heat transfer technologies in everything from electrolysis cooling and generating the ultra-pure water for the electrolysis and power-to-X. Also the world leading heat exchanger manufacturer and being in the desalination market for more than 60 years.

Peter Badstue Jensen, Executive Vice President and Partner at Aalborg CSP says:

“We are proud to be part of this milestone project and to be able to utilise our long experience of development and supply of some of the most advanced technologies for generation of steam and power, integrated with large Thermal Energy Storages, based solely on renewable energy.” 

As part of its strategic moves to boost trade and investment between Africa and Europe, Access Bank Plc (www.AccessBankPLC.com), one of Nigeria’s biggest financial services institutions, has established a new subsidiary in Paris, France.

With this bold move, the leading Nigerian financial institution has reinforced its commitment to strengthening cross-border trade and investment between Africa and the world, connecting businesses to opportunities within the continent as Africa’s gateway to the world.

Pan-African and Global Expansion

The launch of Access Bank’s Paris subsidiary marks a significant milestone in the bank’s global expansion strategy. This move will enable Access Bank to expand its operations in Europe, strengthen its international presence, and deepen its relationships with global clients while serving as a hub for supporting the bank’s growing trade finance business in Africa. It will also enable Access Bank to provide seamless banking services to its clients doing business in France and Europe.

With a population of over 67 million people and a GDP of €2.4 trillion, France is a key player in the global economy. Access Bank’s new subsidiary will enable the bank to tap into the country’s vast business opportunities, particularly in the area of cross-border trade finance.

The subsidiary’s location in Paris is strategic, as it is the commercial and financial center of France with a vibrant ecosystem of businesses and institutions. This positioning will allow Access Bank to leverage its local expertise and extensive network to provide tailored solutions to its clients.

In his remarks at the launch event, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, the parent company of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, noted that “the establishment of Access Bank Paris is in line with the bank’s long-term strategy of becoming Africa’s gateway to the world. He also expressed confidence that the new subsidiary will play a key role in driving trade and investment flows between Africa and France”.

Wigwe, while speaking on the purpose of the bank’s strategic expansion efforts, said, “Access Bank Plc, today, has a very strong presence in the United Kingdom, but coming on the heels of Brexit, there was a need for us to establish a presence in another country in Europe, and France provides a very strong platform for us to do so.

“Beyond that, Access Bank has a great presence in the Francophone world that relies significantly—in terms of trade—on France, so Access Bank in Paris will work to support trade possibilities and trade finance solutions to businesses in those regions, ranging from large conglomerates to SMEs and more.

“Our range of banking products and services will be a valuable asset for businesses looking to trade internationally, while our corporate and investment banking services will help businesses access capital, manage their cash flow, and mitigate risk. “Furthermore, we are confident that the Bank’s trade finance solutions will help businesses to navigate the complexities of cross-border trade, and at the same time, our digital capabilities will make banking more convenient and efficient for all our customers,” he reiterated.

He also acknowledged the role of the bank’s various stakeholders in making the expansion drive successful, Wigwe stressed the value of its customers, shareholders, regulators, and the communities it operates.

“Our successes over the years would be footnotes but for the relationships we have fostered with these critical contributors. In recognition of this, we are committed to building long-term partnerships with all our stakeholders in France – based on trust, transparency, and mutual respect,” he added.

It must be noted that Access Holdings, the parent company of Access Bank Plc, has recently announced earnings of N1.38 trillion in the 2022 financial year, making the financial behemoth the first banking institution in Nigeria to hit and cross the N1 trillion mark in gross earnings.

This demonstrates the Bank’s robust risk management, strong credit rating, and high growth potential, as well as the confidence in the bank by its various stakeholders.

With its innovative banking solutions driven by best-in-class technology, customer-centric operations, and its people, Access Bank is on course to achieve its 5-year plan of processing one in every two transactions in Africa and being present in major commercial hubs in the world.

“Access Bank’s presence in France represents an important step towards achieving its goal of bridging worlds and connecting opportunities for African businesses. The bank’s latest stride also lays a marker for realising its recently unveiled 5-year strategic growth plan.

Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, said at the event, “Over the years, we have demonstrated a strong commitment to deepening the bank’s presence across Africa and beyond.”.

“Today, we are proud to have a presence in 18 countries across four continents, serving millions of customers and businesses. Indeed, our expansion drive has been guided by our vision to become the world’s most respected African bank, and by building on our strong track record of innovation, customer service, and social responsibility, we have come one step closer to achieving this goal.”

“We remain committed to building a bank that is truly global in scope, yet locally relevant in its approach, and we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as we continue to grow and expand our footprint in new markets,” Ogbonna added.

Access Bank UK, led by Jamie Simmonds, would oversee the operations of the Paris subsidiary and would effectively become the umbrella company for other representative offices in the country.

Access Bank Paris has already received regulatory approval from the French Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority (ACPR) and is now fully operational. The subsidiary is staffed with a team of seasoned professionals with deep expertise in the African market and is well-equipped to deliver world-class financial solutions to its clients.

In conclusion, the launch of Access Bank’s Paris subsidiary represents a significant milestone in the bank’s expansion strategy, enabling it to provide seamless banking services to its clients in France and Europe while also promoting cross-border trade finance between Africa and the rest of the world.

Maxim Manturov, Head of Investment Research at Freedom Finance Europe, gives sectors to watch after Eurovision 2023 song contest

Eurovision is the song writing competition held for Europe and beyond. Starting in 1956, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) organise the annual concert that showcases musical talent across winning countries, acting as a significant event for creative and artistic industries. The competition brings together artists, musicians, producers, and other professionals, providing a unique opportunity for the music and arts industries to reach an international level and generate income through performances, merchandise sales and broadcasting rights.

2023s concert took place on May 13th in Liverpool, making investing in music and arts companies’ stocks an attractive investment opportunity for those interested in the entertainment sector.

Here are some potential sectors investors should watch:

Music streaming services

With the growing popularity of music streaming platforms, companies such as Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music have achieved significant growth in recent years. These companies generate revenue through subscription fees and advertising, and their stocks could be seen as potential investment opportunities.

Music production and record companies

Major music production and record companies such as Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group, have a significant presence in the global music industry. These companies invest in music production, promotion, and distribution, making their stocks worth monitoring for potential investment opportunities.

Concert and event companies

Companies involved in organising and hosting live concerts, events and festivals can also be potential investment opportunities. These companies, such as Live Nation Entertainment, organise and promote concerts and events around the world, generating income from ticket sales, sponsorships, and other sources.

Entertainment conglomerates

Large entertainment conglomerates that have diversified into several segments of the music and arts industry, such as the Walt Disney Company, could also be potential investment opportunities. These companies have a wide range of revenue streams, including music production, live streaming, merchandising and intellectual property rights.

How to research for companies

Investing in stocks involves risk. Ensure you conduct careful research and analysis before making any investment decisions. Factors such as financial performance, market trends and the company’s prospects should be considered. In addition, the music and art industry can be highly competitive and subject to changing consumer preferences and technological advances, which can affect stocks performance in this sector.

More than 120 experts, thought leaders and key decision-makers from 25 countries met in Miami from April 24 to 26, 2023 in order to discuss the current and future trends in electronic invoicing, procurement and continuous transaction controls (CTCs). It have been three jam-packed and exciting days full of valuable insights from global experts sharing interesting developments in the world of E-Invoicing for the Americas and globally.

Two very well attended interactive workshops kicked off the event. The first one was run by Christiaan van der Valk and Michel Gilis from the European E-Invoicing Service Provider Association (EESPA), demystifying E-Invoicing and its abbreviations and was followed by the Business Payment Coalition discussing the next steps for the E-Invoice Exchange Framework for the U.S. and the future possibilities for organizations to join.

One of the many highlights was the celebration of the launch of the Digital Business Networks Alliance (DBNA) in the U.S. The wide acceptance and embrace of the four-corner-model was evident in the numerous presentations. Leading corporate case studies gave insights into their current E-Invoicing implementations as well as into the future trends of automation and artificial intelligence. Further subjects of debate included the harmonization towards a truly global interoperability framework (GIF), which was also the topic of a high-level expert panel.

Once again, the E-Invoicing Exchange Summit has been a great space where the E-Invoicing and E-Reporting community exchanged ideas and benefitted from great networking opportunities. Numerous excellent discussions and face-to-face talks took place with customers, partners, and policy drivers on the convergence of the different E-Invoicing and E-Reporting models and how all can help reduce complexity and manage the transition to E-Invoicing and Continuous Transaction Controls.

The very positive feedback from all parties proves the need for a dedicated platform for E-Invoicing for the Americas to share best practices and ideas. The E-Invoicing Exchange Summit is glad to take over this role and to establish itself as the key event for the community. We say thank you to all participants, speakers and partners that made the 6th edition of the Exchange Summit a huge success and look very much forward to seeing you next year, April 22 to 24, 2024 in Miami.

More information on the E-Invoicing Exchange Summit Americas: www.exchange-summit.com/americas

In 2020, new regulations entered the ecommerce landscape: PSD2 Strong Customer Authentication (SCA). A part of the Payment Services Directive 2 (PDS2), it had one aim – to make digital commerce more secure.

But with the protection against fraudulent orders came another effect merchants were not prepared for. The two-factor authentication customers are required to complete upon checkout causes friction in the customer experience. What this means for merchants is lower conversion rates and potential revenue losses.

Here, we explore how SCA has caused disruption to the customer journey and what merchants can do to ensure a friction-free experience.

A frustrating experience

In a survey conducted by ecommerce fraud protection platform Signifyd aiming to determine customers’ awareness of SCA across France, Italy, and the UK, 71% of UK respondents ranked their frustration with the new implementation at five or higher (out of ten). In France, that number was even higher – 80%.

The reason consumers experience frustration is because the SCA requirement involves completing additional steps to verify their identity upon checkout. This makes the process longer and tedious, which doesn’t align with customers’ demands for a quick and efficient online shopping experience.

Increased cart abandonment

Customers’ frustration with the checkout experience is only one side of the coin. Most online shoppers wouldn’t stay at the frustration stage and would take further action to ratify their own negative experience.

The survey shows that 33% of UK respondents have decided against shopping with a particular retailer due to a frustrating experience. Additionally, it takes two or fewer bad checkout experiences with one retailer for 37% of the UK respondents before abandoning the business for good.

Switching to rivals

So, what do shoppers do after deciding against shopping with a particular retailer? They go to their rivals. Often, small businesses would suffer in favour of giant retailers, such as Amazon and Alibaba, who are able to offer faster and more efficient services due to the scale of their business. Not only that but they also offer a range of products from various merchants, so it’s likely that a consumer would find what they’re looking for at those marketplaces.

According to Signifyd’s survey, 68% of respondents in the UK are “likely” or “very likely” to seek the same product with a larger company, meaning that convenience wins over loyalty.

There is hope in sight, however, as shoppers are starting to favour smaller and independent businesses. That means that you have the back-up from consumers’ interests and preferences, and when matched with a robust SCA strategy, you stand higher chances of retaining customer loyalty.

The solution: developing a robust SCA strategy

The effects of the negative checkout experiences for merchants are also frustrating. In fact, the CMSPI’s September Impact Assessment shows that the European average transaction failure rate is 29% post-SCA enforcement as of September 2021.

According to data from Barclaycard Payments, £130m worth of sales have been lost in the first month of the SCA enforcement in the UK, meaning that more than 22,000 transactions worth £4.3m have been declined per day.

While SCA is causing disruption in the checkout experience, it is serving its purpose to reduce fraud attacks and protect both merchants and consumers.

With the right use of tools, you can minimise friction and reap the benefits of fraud protection that PDS2 bring. It all feeds into developing a robust SCA strategy.

There are two key elements that inform a well-executed SCA strategy: smart use of exemptions and low fraud rate.

Certain transactions, such as low value, mail order to telephone order (MOTO), reoccurring transaction, and trusted beneficiaries, can be exempt from SCA if the right protocols are followed. What can help you navigate exemptions is implementing smart exemption engines that automatically detect transactions that fall into the exemption scope.

One type of exemption merchants can utilise is called Transaction Risk Analysis (TRA). Based on the merchant’s fraud rate, transactions up to €500 can be made exempt. The lower the fraud rate is, the higher the value of potential exempt transactions is.

To keep a low fraud rate, merchants can implement a robust fraud solution that detects fraudulent transactions and approves more good orders. This will also increase the authorisation rate and lead to better conversion.

While SCA is putting a stop to the frictionless checkout experience both merchants and consumers are used to, the new regulations are here to improve the world of ecommerce in the long run. What merchants need to do is adapt to the new changes and implement tools and solutions that have the power to turn the game around.

In recruitment, the old adage rings true: you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

An engaging, well-written CV can be the difference between landing an interview for your dream job or landing in the trash can with the rest of the resumes.

Transferable skills, defined as “skills you can carry over from education or from one job to another”, are often cited as desirable by employers.  

A survey from 2022 found that 50% of UK recruiters need candidates to demonstrate their transferable skills. Meanwhile, in light of recent industrial action, those with transferable skills have been called upon to plug gaps in public services.

Whether you’re seeking a new job for the new financial year or are soon to be a 2023 graduate beginning your career, it’s likely you’ll want to demonstrate some capacity for transferability on your CV.

We examine the most in-demand transferable skills for employers and advise how you can showcase these to enhance your job prospects.

What transferable skills do employers look for?

Before tweaking your CV, it’s helpful to know which transferable skills are most valuable. Typically, employers will look for well-rounded candidates who can demonstrate aptitude across a range of areas. Commonly cited skills include:

Decision-making

Leading job’s website, Indeed, describes good decision-making as its most sought-after transferable skill. This is crucial to being an effective leader in any company.

Good decision-makers are often perceptive and able to interpret a situation and predict any possible outcomes. This can bring clarity and direction to complex, challenging business scenarios.

To demonstrate this on your CV, you may wish to highlight any analytical or problem-solving skills as well as any examples of planning and logical reasoning. These are all traits of competent decision makers.

Creativity

Unsurprisingly, creativity is a trait which often ranks highly on employers’ wishlists.

This not only entails typically creative tasks such as idea generating, writing or designing but can also encompass creative problem solving. Creative thinkers will often find unconventional solutions to complex issues, which can be true in many unlikely industries.

This could include financiers looking for a novel gap in the market or lawyers looking to reframe aspects of the law.

When writing your CV, demonstrate examples of innovation, curiosity, imagination and vision. Are there any hobbies or interests you partake in that evidence creative flair? Be sure to include these if so.

Those pitching for roles in creative industries may also choose to tweak the design of their CV. While too many graphics or adventurous formatting may deter your potential employer, the odd stylistic flourish could be a nod to your creative prowess.

Communication

Whether you’re applying for your first office role or casting your horizons as far as offshore jobs, you need to advertise your communication skills.

This can include written and verbal skills and extend to everything from active listening to exercising empathy and being able to give and receive feedback.

Ultimately, good communicators will excel in client/customer facing roles, can work well in a team and are typically emotionally intelligent.

Evidence this in your CV by providing examples of times you’ve made presentations, worked as part of a team or negotiated effectively. Remember that you’ll also be judged on your written communication skills, so presenting this through excellent writing is important.

Adaptability

As businesses navigate an increasingly fast-paced, technological working world, adaptability becomes increasingly important. Adaptable people are often motivated self-starters who can take on a number of different tasks, contribute with fresh perspectives and ideas and can look for bigger and better opportunities for the company.

In the long run, adaptable people’s willingness to take on new roles can drive a company’s growth.

Writing about a variety of accomplishments on your CV will demonstrate competency across a range of areas and underline your flexibility. Couple this with evidence of a can-do mindset, good listening skills and the capacity to be able to see things from a different point of view.   

How can I format these on my CV?

There are a few different ways to showcase transferable skills on your CV.

One way could be to create a dedicated ‘skills’ section where you explain the different proficiencies inherent to your character acquired across work and education.

Another option is to reference one or two in the professional summary header at the top of your document. This is a useful way of tapering your transferable skills to the job description and really making yourself stand out to the recruitment professional.

Also, consider weaving your transferable skills into the professional experience entries of your CV. This will facilitate greater expansion and may allow you to briefly outline examples of where you’ve applied transferable skills in your work experience.

Think carefully about how your transferable skills are beneficial to the role. For instance, if you’re looking at a management position, you may want to accentuate your leadership qualities, while client-facing roles will demand exemplary communication skills.

Saxton 4×4, the UK’s number one independent SUV dealership, has just released a brand new website to reflect their position as one of the leading prestige automotive dealers.

The new website showcases the dealership’s impressive selection of luxury vehicles, including the latest models from world-renowned brands such as Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi and BMW. The website also features a comprehensive inventory search function, allowing customers to filter by make, model, year, price range and much more to find the perfect car for them.

Super simple site search, easily navigable menus, enhanced stock pages with unrivalled imagery, helpful video content and a focus on site speed have all been added with the customer buying experience in mind.

The new site makes it easy for customers to find their perfect car and either reserve it online and collect it in store, get it delivered or buy it in store and drive it away the same day.

In addition to the extensive inventory of luxury vehicles, the new website also offers customers the ability to book test drives, request personalised videos, and explore a variety of financing options. Saxton 4×4’s team of experienced professionals are available to answer any questions and provide guidance throughout the car-buying process.

With the automotive market shifting towards e-commerce, the new website makes the user journey smoother than ever and positions Saxton 4×4 as one of the only prestige automotive websites globally that can claim to be ‘online first’.

The old Saxton 4×4 website clocked an impressive number of users in January 2023, increasing 200% in visitors compared to just 5 years ago. Even more staggeringly, in that same time period there has been a 328% increase in mobile visitors.

The new website launch has had this shift towards ‘online first’ and the user experience in mind.

James Reeves, Marketing Manager said:

“We are thrilled to unveil our new website, which is the result of months of hard work and dedication from our team. Our goal was to create a user-friendly and intuitive platform that reflects our commitment to excellence in every aspect of our business.”

“We believe that our new website will help us to better connect with our customers and provide them with the exceptional service they deserve.”

The launch of the new website comes after Saxton 4×4 had a hugely successful 2022 and it’s just one of many ambitious plans that Saxton 4×4 have for growth and innovation in 2023 and beyond.

With plans to expand into a new site to increase their offering and the hiring of more staff to accommodate this, it’s exciting times not only for Saxton 4×4 but for the local community which will no doubt benefit from the creation of jobs.

To explore the new website and learn more about the dealership’s offerings, visit https://www.saxton4x4.co.uk/

One of the best-known manufacturers of microplate readers in the world has just launched a new model, which increases the data quality of high-throughput screening assays. It is called PHERAstar FSX, and was first presented to the public at the SLAS 2023, late February, in San Diego. Here is more on this new microplate reader, which offers higher performances in all kind of environment.

A Microplate Reader unaffected by Room Temperature

When you work in a lab or in other conditions, the results of assays can be affected by the temperature of the environment around the microplate reader. This can affect experimental results, which is something that all researchers and scientists want to avoid at all cost, since it can lead them in the wrong direction. BMG Labtech, a leader in the manufacturing of microplate readers, understood that. That is why they went to work, looking for a solution to that problem, and they have found it. Now, the microplate reader PHERAstar FSX can match room temperature at any degrees between 18 and 45°C. This is perfect for any lab around the world, but also when you need to use the machine outside normal conditions, in crisis situation, far from any location that could be climatized.

Minimizing Assay Variability

When the temperature outside the microplate reader is different than the one inside, it can cause a variety of issues to the results that it will put out. That is because too much heat or cold can influence events such as molecular interactions, assay photon yield, as well as the efficiency and kinetics of biochemical reactions. In turn, this would end-up creating false positive signals, poor statistical outcomes or irreproducible results. All issues that scientists know may arise in bad conditions, but which they try to avoid at all cost. If a wrong result enters into a research, it will probably be caught at some point through more testing. But if it doesn’t, it can simply destroy the validity of a study.

Microplate readers are specially affected by temperature when screening in 384- or 1536-well formats. But the new model that has been brought to market by BMG Labtech, solves that issue by making sure that the temperature inside the machine is stable and at the same temperature as the one from the external environment. To do so, it will either heat or cool the measurement chamber, which greatly reduces the risks of assay variability.

Advantages of the PHERAstar FSX

Laboratories that will be using the PHERAstar FSX will never have to worry about all the elements that can affect the temperature in a room, such as natural light or the heating or cooling system. It is also true about the heat that is spread from other machines inside the laboratory, which may be located nearby the microplate reader.

By using the PHERAstar FSX, assays can be reproduced in various laboratories around the world, while getting the exact same results every time, since the temperature around the machine will never be a factor that can mislead the machine and provide false results, again. Moreover, when using this new microplate reader, every batch measured will be placed under the exact same conditions.

Since ancient times, humanity has put gold in a high pedestal. Over the years, physical forms of gold have been utilized as a reliable currency – from the grand civilizations of the old past to the modern financial system (to some extent).

As an investor, henceforth, it’s in your best interest to invest in physical gold. Do keep in mind that there are different aspects to consider in putting your money in gold like the tax on inherited gold coins and so on. In this feature, you’ll learn about the different pros and cons of investing in gold. Read on.

Advantages Of Physical Gold

Gold has been a favorite precious metal for many investors due to its several benefits, such as the following:

1. It Serves As Protection Against Inflation

For many investors, hearing about inflation brings about grave concern. It’s an issue to be worried about since it always influences the overall value of investments. Over time, it’s likely for the overall consumer purchasing power to decline.

Luckily, gold has been a hedge against inflation for years. It’s because the value of the precious metal increases when the purchasing power of currencies drops. Generally, it serves as protection for your investment when the market spirals into high inflation.

2. To Diversify Your Investment Portfolio

Adding physical gold to your investment portfolio is one way to diversify your assets and minimize overall risk. Nowadays, gold typically serves as a cushion in case the market falls downward. 

3. It Has Security Of Value 

One of the main perks of physical gold as an addition to your investment portfolio is its security. Generally, you have peace of mind knowing that the price will likely increase in the long run. Although the price will drop from time to time, expect it to rise back up immediately. 

Although the economy’s status may influence gold prices, a deteriorating economy will not automatically drag gold prices down. Remember that the opposite happens in which uncertainties in the economy tend to urge more people to invest their money in gold, leading to an upward price trend.

4. Simplicity And Convenience

Investing in physical gold may be an alternative if you find the intricacies associated with stocks or bonds bothersome. Many find the simplicity of precious metals enticing.

Although learning a thing or two about gold would be helpful, you don’t need specialized knowledge to be able to buy precious metals. Additionally, investing in physical gold would be a welcome addition aside from your retirement savings to help you for retirement.

Disadvantages Of Physical Gold 

While physical gold presents numerous benefits for both newbies and long-time investors, it has drawbacks too that make some doubt whether investing in the precious metal is a good choice. Here are some of the disadvantages you should know:

1. Storage And Security Can Be Difficult

One of the initial concerns when investing in physical gold is storage. Storing your investment in a home safe or a safety deposit box at the bank doesn’t guarantee complete theft-proofing and a recurring fee is involved.

For example, some investors might opt for pooled accounts if they lack secure storage for their physical gold. In this approach, you store the gold in a vault where each investor has designated numbered bars or coins. When it comes to an allocated account, you must pay a share of the storage and insurance fee.

2. It’s Not A Passive Income Asset 

Another drawback with physical gold is that it can’t generate income when you own it. Think of it as a stark difference if you compare physical gold with bonds or stocks that may be able to pay interest or dividends. If your main goal is an investment that can provide cash flow or passive income, there may be better choices than physical gold.

3. There Are Issues With Liquidity

Gold has been considered a liquid asset, but selling physical gold can be a burden. The process takes time, and most find it cumbersome, unlike selling financial assets such as bonds or stocks. Plus, expect transaction costs such as fees or premiums when buying or selling physical gold. 

4. There Are Additional Costs On Premiums And Taxes

If you invest in physical gold, you should consider the premiums and taxes. As mentioned earlier, the same applies if you sell your gold. Generally, you must deal with additional costs when purchasing or selling precious metals. And there are other fees like tax on inherited gold coins and others.  

Final Thoughts

Adding physical gold can bring numerous benefits, such as protection against inflation, convenience, and diversification, to name a few. Nonetheless, it’s also crucial to know about the potential risks associated with the precious metal, such as security, liquidity issues, and additional costs. Before making a decision, it’s crucial to brainstorm your main investment objectives to know if physical gold is the right addition to your investment portfolio.

If you or any of your employees travel for business purposes, the expenses accumulated can be used to claim tax relief.

Companies and self-employed professionals alike can claim tax relief on certain costs because these are necessary to generate profit, which is your taxable income. Alongside travel expenses, fundamental costs such as stock and raw materials, staff wages, marketing investments and many others can be filed in tax returns and essentially “written off”.

All these outgoings reduce a business’s taxable income and thus the process must be completed reliably. In this article, we introduce the dos and don’ts of claiming business travel expenses whether you’re filing for your company or yourself.

Do:

Understand what you can and can’t claimIt’s important to know what you can and can’t claim as travel expenses to avoid you facing fines and potentially more serious repercussions down the line.

Acceptable costs include transport, accommodation, and food whilst you’re away on business. Other necessities such as temporary car insurance or international phone contracts can also be included.

One important distinction to realise when it comes to travel expenses is that you can’t claim tax relief on your commuting costs, or the costs you incur whilst getting to and from your usual place of work. However, costs associated with the purpose of work itself can be used to claim tax relief.

Keep receipts and invoicesYou should keep a record of all your travel investments and purchases in the form of receipts or invoices. This is so you can provide proof of your expenses if asked to by HMRC.

Records will also help you to keep track of your expenses and to submit an accurate tax return when you come to do it.

Stay up to date with legislationTax legislation can change from one financial year to the next, so ensure that you stay up to date with the relevant information and guidance.

This can be with regard to the costs associated with travelling abroad after significant changes like Brexit and factors such as tax thresholds for businesses and individuals that can change from year to year.

Don’t:

Mix personal and business costsAvoid mixing your personal and business finances to ensure that you can keep accurate records for tax purposes. You must also draw a clear line between leisure and business costs to ensure that you aren’t claiming tax relief on expenses that aren’t viable.

If you enjoy leisure travel while away for business, then those costs must be kept separate and can’t be claimed in your business tax filing.

Falsify your tax returnFalsification of your tax return figures can result in you being penalised for tax evasion. This is a serious offence and could see you facing jail time and some hefty fines if found guilty.

With this in mind, ensure that all your tax return assessments or forms are entirely accurate and don’t risk leaving income undeclared or trying to claim expenses that aren’t genuine.

Miss the deadline to fileThe deadline to submit your tax returns is usually in the year after the end of the accounting period that you are filing for. For the tax year just gone (2022/23), you must register for self-assessment by 5 October 2023 and submit your online tax return by 31 January 2024.

It’s different for businesses, with the deadline being 12 months from the end of the accounting year. In both circumstances, you may have to pay late fees for missing the deadline.

You’ve tested the market by doing a few overseas projects or selling through a distributor, and now you’re ready to take the plunge and set up business abroad. It sounds easy enough, but what do you need to know?

Setting up new business operations in some countries can be achieved in less than 24 hours, while in other countries the process is bureaucratic and time-consuming. In the UK for example, a new business can be incorporated in a matter of hours, therefore you might assume it’s the same elsewhere. A similar process in either France, Germany or Spain is more likely to take weeks, requiring a significant amount of administration and planning. Additional requirements vary from country to country. In Germany, foreign businesses seeking to set up an operating company require a minimum share capital investment 25,000 Euros. In France, a business plan is usually required to be prepared as part of the set-up process, and local solicitors must be appointed to administer.

UK-based businesses looking to operate in the EU for the first time need to determine whether their activities will constitute a corporate tax presence  – a ‘permanent establishment’. Where this is the case, they must elect to incorporate a company locally or operate as a branch, effectively an extension of the UK entity.

If the UK entity has limited presence and is merely making sales into another EU country, it may be that local registration requirements are minimal. However, care needs to be taken as the business model evolves to ensure it remains compliant.

Before taking the plunge and setting up business operations overseas, it is important for UK-based businesses to formulate an overseas expansion plan, and seek advice from local professional advisers based in the target country to help guide their final decisions. A number of factors will be at play-  for example, company taxes can vary from country to country, so the business needs to understand the impact this could have on profitability. In the UK, the headline rate of Corporation Tax rose to 25% for larger companies earlier this month (April), which is broadly in line with most EU member states, where company tax rates typically range from 24-30%.

Some key considerations to bear in mind when formulating a plan to set up overseas include:

• Identify your target markets – Market research is critical to the success of any business plan. Before setting up operations overseas, it is important to know that there is demand for the business’ products or services and whether this is expected to increase over time. Based on what you find, it may not be viable to set up a business entity in all of your overseas target markets at once.

• Establish a robust business case – Setting up new business operations overseas is not without risk and can involve significant upfront costs. It is important to plan by establishing a robust business case for the move. For example, this could involve considering how much value would be delivered by selling directly to a target market versus using a distributor.

• Choose the right company structure – Depending on where you want to establish operations, there could be more than one option open to you. For example,  initially if you are planning minimal activity, the Branch route may be simplest. However, if the overseas activities are expected to grow quickly in the next two years it may be more efficient to set up an overseas company from the outset. You should seek advice about which option is best suited to your business plan.

• Establish an appropriate Group structure for your future plans – Establishing an effective Group structure for an overseas business at the outset can bring benefits. Part of this decision includes considering the repatriation of profits and ensuring that the elected model does not crystallise additional taxes. It is not uncommon for a new overseas company to be set up under direct ownership of the existing UK trading company. Other models include introducing a UK holding company to provide additional flexibility, and in certain situations owners may wish for the overseas entity to initially sit outside the Group.

• Take care with cross-border payments – In the UK, transfer pricing rules apply to mainly larger companies, so it is possible that some small and medium-sized organisations may not have been exposed to them previously. However, in certain EU countries, notably Germany, there will be additional requirements for advanced registration of intercompany activities with the local tax authorities, such requirements can be onerous and non-compliance could result in penalties.

• Rethink your supply chain – If you traditionally import goods from outside the EU to the UK, it could be more effective to import goods directly to the EU mainland, avoiding the risk of “double duties”.  For example, holding imported goods from China in a facility in the UK before transferring them to a production facility in Germany, could require the Group to pay VAT and customs duties twice. This can be mitigated by importing goods, due for selling across Europe, directly to mainland EU. Alternatively, the use of UK-based ‘freeports’ is worth exploring.

• Hiring people – When hiring people to work for an overseas entity, business owners need to understand the differences that may apply regarding employment rights and protections. Advice should be sought from a people solutions specialist who knows the rules that apply in each jurisdiction. For example, the provisions set out in France are more onerous than the UK. Global mobility can be complex, particularly if existing UK employees are seconded to the overseas entity. In this situation,  it is important that the appropriate work permits are in place and local income tax and social security obligations are met.

Andrew Mosby is a partner advising businesses on their overseas strategies at accountancy firm, Menzies LLP. The firm has a global reach through its membership of the HLB network.

The cost-of-living crisis and rising energy prices have caused problems for many people, and businesses aren’t exempt from these financial struggles. In fact, in PayPal’s Business of Change Report 2022, 78% of business owners claimed they were worried that the cost-of-living crisis would be the biggest threat to their businesses this year.

As such, supporting your local businesses is more important than ever if you want them to remain open throughout this difficult financial period. Here, with the help of Peter Campbell of Snowshock, a UK based slushy machine business, we’ll explore what you can do to support your local shops and the additional benefits this can have.

How you can support your local shops

Shop locally

Shopping in your area can help your local businesses during this financially difficult time. Instead of travelling to your nearest supermarket, you can visit your local corner shops and vendors – including your local grocer’s markets and farm shops.

Reviews

You don’t just need to spend your money to help your local businesses. You can also leave reviews and feedback online. This can highlight the gems of your local area and entice more customers to visit. Honest reviews and positive feedback can boost a business’s reputation. Sharing them on social media can also highlight their business and potentially drive more traffic to them.

Vouchers

Purchasing vouchers for their stores can also help. These can be great gifts for your friends, family, and neighbours. This can ensure that new customers are visiting these locations and discovering the great products that local community shops can offer. This both increases the profit and awareness of the business.

Swap to independent brands

Swapping to independent brands, specifically companies local to your area, can greatly impact your local economy and help drive business growth. Whether you are choosing to swap your name-brand slush syrup for a local innovator or buy fresh milk and produce from neighbouring farmers, you can do your bit to further the businesses in your area.

The benefits of supporting local

Consumer benefits

And there are many benefits for you, not just the businesses, when you shop locally. For instance, there is less delivery charge than purchasing something from a warehouse elsewhere or overseas. And the more you shop locally, your new demand for certain products increases their availability in your area.

Better for the environment

Local businesses might be the answer if you are looking to better your sustainability. Not to mention, buying locally is better for the environment, so you can do your part to reduce your carbon footprint. Simple changes such as getting your produce from a local distributor or farmer could help as the food doesn’t have to travel as far.

Encourages growth in the local community

And if you are looking to stimulate growth within your local community, then helping businesses is the way to do it. By shopping in your local area, you contribute to your local economy and help create further job opportunities.

In 2020, 66% of shoppers were more likely to shop in their local area than in 2019, according to Mastercard. And with its benefits for your area, it is no surprise why. Not only can you help local businesses continue to grow, offering more job opportunities, but you can also have a sustainable impact on the environment. By buying local, investing in local businesses, and leaving positive reviews for the cafes, shops, and other businesses you try, you can help boost your local economy and keep SMEs alive.

United Kingdom, 2023 – EU Business News Magazine showcases the winners of this year’s German CEO Excellence Awards.

EU Business News introduced the German CEO Excellence Awards to highlight the success of incredible individuals who are keeping their fingers on the pulse. By responding to trends and even setting some of their own, the businesses covered in this year’s programme inspire us all to evaluate and elevate our business ventures – so that we too can feel deeply accomplished.

The individuals we recognise all bring something to the table. Throughout every industry they touch, they offer support, dedication, and a new perspective which inevitably impacts business all throughout Germany, and beyond.

This programme has seen an overwhelming response and our Awards Coordinator, Stephanie Tooby, has commented on this: “This year’s German CEO Excellence Awards is full to the brim with unique individuals who are at the helm of notable businesses, each altering our perception of success. We take a closer look at their accomplishments, and their businesses, as they continue to innovate with their bespoke leadership styles and undeniably intelligent solutions. Congratulations, and best of luck for the future.”

EU Business News prides itself on the validity of its awards and winners. As such, very one of our winners can be certain that their success is deserved. We carefully evaluate everything from a business’s, or individual’s, performance over the past 12-months to ensure that only the most deserving parties walk away with one of our prestigious awards.

To learn more about our award winners and to gain insight into the working practices of the “best of the best”, please visit the EU Business News website (https://www.eubusinessnews.com/awards/german-ceo-excellence-awards/)where you can access the winners supplement.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

About EU Business News

The EU is a vital and exciting region filled with businesses and individuals creating unique innovations, supporting their customers around the world and, ultimately, driving change. As such, EU Business News (https://www.eubusinessnews.com/) aims to provide an absorbing overview of this exciting region and the businesses and individuals operating within it.

Much more than just a magazine, alongside our online publication EU Business News also boasts an informative newsletter, a regularly updated website and a series of awards programmes showcasing the excellence of businesses and the individuals behind them from across this vibrant region.

As subscription to EU Business News is free there is absolutely no reason not to sign up to receive this informative and fascinating resource.

AI Global Media

We are AI Global Media. We are committed to creating engaging B2B content which both informs our readers and allows them to market their business to a global audience.

Since 2010 AI Global Media has been committed to creating engaging B2B content that informs our readers and allows them to market their business to a global audience. We create content for and about firms across a range of industries.

Today, we have 14 unique brands, each of which serves a specific industry or region. Each brand covers the latest news in its sector and publishes a digital magazine and newsletter which is read by a global audience. Our flagship brand, Acquisition International, distributes a monthly digital magazine to a global circulation of 85,000, who are treated to a range of features and news pieces on the latest developments in the global corporate market.

United Kingdom, 2023 – EU Business News Magazine has revealed the winners of this year’s Irish Enterprise Awards.

Now in its sixth year, the Irish Enterprise Awards 2023 is over half a decade old, with the same vision as ever – to recognise businesses and individuals for their unique contribution to the world of business. Here we showcase a fine selection of people raising the bar in Ireland, motivating and inspiring all of us to elevate our services, solutions, and products to give others the opportunity to lead brighter lives.

Speaking about the winners recognised as part of this programme, our Awards Coordinator, Jessie Wilson, commented: “I want to share a heartfelt congratulations to all of our winners as we recognise their innovation and compassion. They each contribute to the development of the corporate landscape of Ireland, as well as the rest of the world. Influencing generations to come, their stories will live on. We wish them all the best for their future endeavours, and we are excited to be announcing their success.”

To learn more about our award winners and to gain insight into the working practices of the “best of the best”, please visit EU Business News at https://www.eubusinessnews.com/awards/irish-enterprise-awards/, where you can access the winners supplement.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

About EU Business News

The EU is a vital and exciting region defined by innovation and client-centricity, with businesses that are truly the harbingers of greater global change. Naturally, EU Business News aims to provide a thorough overview of the world of European business – companies that are driving best practice, and exceeding every expectation, to find out how they are achieving extraordinary success.

More than just a magazine, EU Business News also boasts an informative newsletter, a regularly updated website and a myriad of awards programmes, which are designed to showcase business excellence across this vibrant region.

AI Global Media

We are AI Global Media. We are committed to creating engaging B2B content which both informs our readers and allows them to market their business to a global audience.

Since 2010 AI Global Media has been committed to creating engaging B2B content that informs our readers and allows them to market their business to a global audience. We create content for and about firms across a range of industries.

Today, we have 14 unique brands, each of which serves a specific industry or region. Each brand covers the latest news in its sector and publishes a digital magazine and newsletter which is read by a global audience. Our flagship brand, Acquisition International, distributes a monthly digital magazine to a global circulation of 85,000, who are treated to a range of features and news pieces on the latest developments in the global corporate market.

The 2022 UK business event sector was worth £70 billion. As a sector, it provides significant business and employment opportunities, but it is also a vital process for the success and endurance of every sector across the UK amidst cost-of-living concerns.

Attending business events is useful from a networking perspective, but it can also inform businesses about current trends in the market, the future of business, and your place within the larger scheme. This is a great opportunity for you to find new businesses, get your own company’s name recognised, and keep up to date across industries.

Here, we will explore some of the big business events happening in the UK in 2023 that you should be attending and why.

London Stationery Show

The London Stationery Show will be held for two days between the 16^th–17^th May 2023 at the Business Design Centre. This is a terrific opportunity for businesses to scout stock providers or sell their stock to other businesses. Whether you are a buyer, retailer or dealer, this is an opportunity for businesses in the stationery industry to discuss the market, network, and discover new stock.

This is a free event for businesses wanting to attend. In 2022, the London Stationery Show hosted over 150 different exhibitions from start-ups and innovative designers to some of the biggest brands in the UK stationery game. Some of the brands joining in 2023 include: Bookaroo, Lego Stationery, and Manuscript Pen Company. This is a fantastic opportunity, no matter your business size, to find brilliant new products and more.

British Craft Trading Fair

One longstanding event which could see you finding the perfect gifting stock for your business is the British Craft Trade Fair (BCTF). This event has run for 45 years, with dates for 2023 on 16^th–18^th April taking place in the Harrogate Convention Centre.

This is a place for prospective designers, artisans, and independent creatives to showcase their creations for retail. Some of the artists associated with the event include: Christine Pike Sculptures, Altered Chic, and Islewear. Whether your business is looking to find the next sculptures to feature on your garden centre shelves or a glassworker for your shop floor, this could be the perfect place to find the best British craft.

Progressive Greetings LIVE

Progressive Greetings LIVE is the only business event of its kind dedicated specifically to the greetings card industry, and it is the perfect place to find card stock for your own businesses. For trade buyers, Progressive Greetings LIVE allows sector retailers to talk to experts, find products to suit their target consumers and experience the latest in the greetings card and gift dressings arena.

This event will take place between the 6^th–7^th of June 2023 at the Business Design Centre in London. Exhibitionists include Globe Enterprise, N Smith Packaging & Display, and UK Greetings. Whether you are looking for a card supplier who provides what you are looking for character-licensed card stock or a sustainable provider, this could be the perfect location for your business to network with a range of suppliers and examine their stock.

Glee

For those looking for garden and outdoor-specific retail business opportunities, the Glee business event is the perfect place to be. This will be taking place from the 27^th–29^th of June 2023 and will be held in the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

The event is split into 10 sectors within the gardening industry, making finding the right stockist for you much easier. It also offers tailored events to help you grow your business. Through the event, you have the chance to meet market-leading garden centres, retailers, and department stores including Amazon, Homebase, and National Trust. So, Whether you are looking to expand your network or spend some time learning the best way to improve your business, Glee is full of opportunities for all businesses in the garden industry.

Brand Licensing Europe

Brand Licensing Europe is the big business event of the year for those looking to collaborate with branded names and gain copyright licences to characters and designs. This will take place in the ExCel Centre London for three days, from the 4^th–6^th of October 2023.

This is an opportunity to meet some of the biggest branded names in the game, but it is also a useful insight into the consumer market. Here, businesses can explore upcoming trends and new designs. Brand Licensing Europe is also a useful event when it comes to networking, with thousands of brand owners appearing each year – making this an informative and magical event for all businesses to find themselves at. Some companies you are likely to meet at the event include Boofle, TFI Licensing, and Pokémon.

Whether you are looking to find an upcoming artist excelling in their field or a recognisable brand name to decorate your shelves, attending big business events throughout the year can help you find the best and upcoming stock for your company. The networking opportunities of these events alone can help your business reach new heights. No matter your sector, national events which are catered towards specific industries, such as gardening or greetings cards, provide the best opportunity for businesses to learn and grow.

These days, there are many different types of jobs you can take on from home. In fact, most jobs that would once be completed in an office can now be completed from home. One potential lucrative job you can take on from home is actually to become an investor. If this is something that intrigues you, then read on, as we will list some tips for getting started as an investor from home.

Do Some Research

Before you can start investing, you should do your research. How can you expect to be successful with investing if you don’t even know what you’re getting into? Look online to find useful resources from knowledgeable investors so you can learn key phrases and terms. Soon, you will be best placed to make more informed decisions regarding your investing strategy! Don’t be too overwhelmed though, as although there are a lot of different things that you will need to research, it will certainly be worth it. For example, one of the things you should look into comes in the form of the actual investments themselves.

There are traditional investments out there, such as stocks, that you can invest it, which is perhaps the most popular type of investment that you can make. This means you can invest in businesses that have the potential to grow or that you believe in. There are certain market trends that can dictate where the price of a stock or investment is going. There are also more modern investments such as cryptocurrency, which can be quite volatile.

So, part of your research could involve you looking at the economic calendar, which can give you more insight into trends across the world. You can use an economic calendar to monitor market-moving events, which can help prepare your investment strategy.

Try A Few Apps

On the topic of doing your research, you may also find it quite useful to try a few different trading apps. Plenty of them are out there, and investors have their favourites for various reasons. You may follow an investor on social media who raves about one app you can’t get to grips with. There is no shame in this, it just may not be ideal for you.

Try downloading a few different trading apps and have a look at different websites. You may find that website accessibility is a key factor in deciding which site you use. It’s all going to be trial and error until you find an ideal app/site for yourself.

It’s not uncommon for investors to have accounts on multiple sites, just so that they can spread their investments in a few different ways. Investors that are seeking success will hardly ever only invest in one thing. That’s because if that investment falls, they will completely lose out. If they had instead spread these investments over a few different investment areas and apps, then they will have something to fall back on.

Follow Some Experienced Investors

We touched on this above, but it’s worth going over it once more. You, as a new investor, will massively benefit from following some experienced investors on social media. There are many investors out there that are willing to share their knowledge, sometimes for free!

You just have to know where to find them. There are plenty of resources out there that list some finance influencers you should follow. This can help give you an idea on what sort of investments you should be making, and you could even copy some of their investments/tips.

Jardine Motors Group has taken action to sustainably manage its waste oil as part of a collaboration with Veolia

Through servicing customers’ vehicles at their 50+ sites nationwide, Jardine generates used lubricating oil which is now sent through a re-refinery process supported by oil recovery specialists Slicker Recycling. This process transforms the oil back into a base oil product which is used as a key component for new lubricating products.

Of the 700,000 litres of used oil Jardine sends to be recycled each year, approximately 60 percent is processed into base oil, with the remaining material reused for new purposes. By recycling the used oil into new base oil products, this preserves resources and will save over 340,000 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year.

As part of the JMG contract, Veolia will also continue to implement carbon-efficient recycling routes for all other waste streams including dry mixed recycling, cardboard, metal and hazardous materials and general waste. Recycling of materials from waste streams has a lower carbon footprint than using virgin materials so this new initiative will continue to significantly lower carbon emissions.

By monitoring the performance of the recycling processes, using the Veolia customer hub, Jardine can also access the real time data on all their waste streams giving greater traceability, minimising the carbon footprint and impact on the environment.

David Muir, finance director at Jardine, said: “Through our ongoing relationship with Veolia and Slicker Recycling, we have found a simple but effective way to manage our carbon output and minimise our environmental impact by now recycling 100% of our waste oil back to base oil.”

Keith McGurk, managing director – commercial & fleet, at Veolia added: ” Our ambition is to achieve ecological transformation by tackling climate change, resource depletion, pollution, and biodiversity collapse. Key to addressing these is effective recycling that significantly reduces carbon emissions. By using existing and new innovative solutions this contract now highlights the way the automotive industry can accelerate this process and achieve a low carbon future.”

Over three quarters (77%) of tech talent in the UK are unhappy in their current jobs and actively seeking out new roles, according to a new report out today.

The What Do Tech Talent Want in 2023 report, by Europe’s biggest technology talent hub hackajob, surveyed over 1,000 UK technology workers from developers and engineers, to data scientists, analysts, designers, product managers and more.

According to the report, only 11% of UK tech talent are content to stay in their current role.

The findings also reveal a concerning disparity between what most UK employers are positioning as benefits and perks to attract and retain talent, and what talent actually want. 

Mark Chaffey, CEO and co-founder of hackajob, says: “Thanks to a global pandemic, a shaky economy and multiple layoffs, the report reveals a marked shift in technology industry attitudes towards job satisfaction. New priorities, new ways of working and changing relationships with work are leading to a brand new set of frustrations in the workplace. Employees want to be heard, recognised and valued.

“With former perks such as flexible working now being seen as the norm, many companies are seemingly struggling to figure out what the new era of benefits means for their business. The gap between what companies are offering, and what tech workers want is causing unrest at a time when there’s no shortage of alternative job openings out there.”

Key Report Discoveries:

A growing number of tech talent want to move jobs – and quickly:

• Over three quarters (77%) of tech talent are unhappy with their roles and have looked for a new job in the past six months 
• 20% of tech talent are ready to leave their jobs as soon as possible, with only 11% happy to stay in their current role

Company Culture is King:

• After compensation, candidates are most attracted to a role and organisation by the overall culture (15%) and mission (13%) 
• When asked what they loved most about their current company / what makes them say, almost half of all surveyed (44%) said company culture followed by flexible/remote working (13%)

New ways of working are here to stay:

• Remote working (61%) is the aspect tech talent enjoy most about their jobs, ranking above tech stack (34%), benefits (25%) and location (21%)
• The biggest work-related frustrations and challenges include salary (34%), lack of learning and development (32%) and not feeling valued (32%)

There is a lot more employers can do to attract, engage and retain tech talent

• 83% of tech talent want to see a 4-day week introduced 
• Working on their own terms is highly important to tech talent – remote working (61%), flexible working (57%) and location (21%) are amongst some of highest aspects to why they enjoy their current roles 

Chaffey says: “It’s easy to think that the tech layoffs that happened in late 2022 and early 2023 have stilled the waters in tech hiring, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Whilst many companies such as Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft have made several adjustments to their staff, many more “non-tech” organisations are still gearing up to make more tech hires than ever before as every company turns to technology as a critical part of their overall business strategy.

“But what does this mean for tech talent? Quite simply, there are still plenty of organisations hiring, and now many more people searching for new roles. Whilst salary will always be key to any tech job seeker, it is crucial that companies look outside of just remuneration in order to retain the tech talent they already have.”

Chaffey urges companies to really nail their Employer Value Proposition – what their organisation offers that is different to anyone else. 

He says: “The best benefits package really hone in on what is valuable to people. Crucially, perks shouldn’t all focus on the workplace itself. Tech talent want to spend their free time either exercising, spending time with their family and friends, working on a project or hobby and progressing their learning and development. The best benefits package will empower talent to have free time to do whatever they choose.”

hackajob, which uses AI to match candidates with companies based on their skillset and nothing more, is focused on diversity and inclusion in the tech sector. The platform has 800+ new candidates going live weekly, with an 85% response rate and 75% acceptance rate. A hire is made every 62 minutes on hackajob. 

hackajob partnered with Gearset to deliver the ‘What Do Tech Talent Want In 2023’ report which surveyed 1,000 people working in tech. The report can be downloaded here.

Online banking has made it possible for customers to manage their money from anywhere in the world. Not only has this made personal finance more convenient, it has also made room for technological innovation to improve the banking industry, making it safer for everyone. In 2023, the best online banks come with fantastic consumer protection, advanced money management features, impressive APYs, and lots of helpful tools. 

In this article, we take a look at some of the best European online banks to consider in 2023. We also discuss what to look for when choosing an online banking provider to make it easier to navigate the various options that are available. 

A look at the best European online banks of 2023

Forbes recently published their entrants for the best European online banks to consider this year. The decision was made by comparing 60 different online banks to find the best ones that are available to customers. Here is a brief overview of the best ones. 

Quontic Bank

Quontic Bank offers some of the lowest fees on the market as well as competitive interest rates that provide users with excellent returns on savings and investments. The Quontic High Yield Savings account pays a 3.70% APY and requires just a $100 minimum deposit. Even better, there are no monthly fees on any of Quontic’s online products, all of which can be accessed 24/7. 

Discover Bank

Discover Bank is another option that doesn’t charge any fees for using the online platform, withdrawing from ATMs or for inactivity. What’s more, the checking account offers an impressive 1% cash back for purchases up to $3000 which makes it a great option for shoppers. The mobile app is also highly rated by customers and provides access to the bank’s 24/7 customer support services. 

Axos Bank

Axos Bank is another great option for those who are looking for a bank with low fees and good interest rates. The savings account offers up to 0.61% APY and requires a low $250 minimum deposit. This online bank also comes with a low-fee overdraft that can be useful for more expensive months when you may need a little boost. 

Ally Bank

Ally Bank is a popular option due to the number of advanced tools that it offers. These include innovative savings tools, ‘roundups’ and 24/7 customer service. There is also no minimum deposit requirement to open an account with this provider. Furthermore, Ally Bank pays an APY of 3.4% for online savings accounts. 

What to look for in an online bank provider

We have briefly discussed why the above banks are good options to consider in 2023. However, when choosing an online provider it is important to look for more than just low fees and high-interest rates. Here are three things to consider before opening an account with an online bank. 

Anti-fraud services 

With the rise of online spending comes the rise of online credit card fraud. In 2022, there were over 400,000 cases of credit card fraud in the UK alone. As a result, it is vital that online banks offer fraud detection services that can prevent consumers from losing money to criminals. 

The best online banks will provide in-house fraud detection and prevention through which your purchases will be monitored for suspicious activity. For example, Capital One provides users with a free virtual assistant opinion as well as instant card freezing and notifications to alert you of suspicious activity. 

Not all European online banks will provide the high level of fraud detection that is needed to prevent the most serious cases of fraud. 

Luckily, it is possible to use third-party services to keep your money safe online. Companies such as seon.io offer fast and effective credit card fraud detection services via risk scoring and data enrichment. The platform is able to run in the background of your banking app to detect and confront fraudulent activity before your money is put at risk. For more insight into banking trends see here.

Fee-free ATM withdrawals

While online banking platforms may be free to use, many banks charge for ATM withdrawals which can quickly add up if you regularly use cash. Therefore, it is important to check the cost of using an ATM before you sign up for a European online bank. 

The best banking providers, such as Axos Bank, support free domestic ATM withdrawals. However, some providers may charge a steep fee. It is also worth considering the cost of using an AT abroad if you travel regularly. It is common for banks to charge a higher fee when using credit cards abroad which can quickly make your travels much more expensive! If you travel often, it may be worth signing up for a travel credit card with lower international ATM fees. 

Multiple banking products

A good online bank should offer a variety of different products under one roof so that you can manage all of your personal finances together. For example, it is normal for consumers to have a debit card, a credit card, a savings account and a private pension pot. Managing all of these accounts is much easier if they are offered by the same banking provider. 

Before you sign up with an online bank, it is a good idea to research the different products that they offer. We also recommend looking into minimum deposit requirements and account restrictions. If you are new to savings and personal finance, it is good to opt for a low minimum deposit provider. For example, Quontic Bank has a minimum deposit requirement of just $100 to open a savings account. 

While you may start with just a basic savings account and credit card. It is helpful to have more options available later down the line. As you grow your savings, you may want to start investing or locking funds into a pension. Having multiple accounts available through one provider will make this a lot easier. 

Overall, there are a number of great European online banks available to use in 2023. Each bank differs in the features and fees that are offered which means that it is important to conduct your own research before making any final decisions. The best banks should offer low fees, high APYs, credit card fraud detection, free ATM withdrawals and multiple account types.

• Two thirds (67%) of businesses believe the Energy Bills Discount Scheme – due to come into force on 1 April 2023 – won’t go far enough to support them
• Three quarters (75%) of businesses want greater incentives from the government to reduce energy demand
• Energy is now a bigger board-level concern than in 2022. 91% said their board was either very or quite concerned about energy, compared to 80% last year.
• That said, almost half (44%) of businesses believe the energy crisis will help net zero progress
• Sustainability measures are now the top investment priority for large organisations

A new report has revealed that two thirds (67%) of large businesses believe that the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS), the new government scheme designed to help organisations with their energy costs, won’t protect them from the volatile wholesale energy market over the next 12 months.

This was one of the key findings from the 2023 Business Energy Tracker, an annual report conducted among 100 large energy users by npower Business Solutions (nBS), which monitors the impact of the energy market and policy decisions on businesses’ attitudes to energy, risk and investment planning.

For most businesses – those that aren’t classified as an Energy and Trade Intensive Industry (ETII) – the EBDS will result in a much lower level of support compared to the current scheme, the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS). Nearly one in five (19%) believe that the government should keep the EBRS until March 2024, despite the cost to the economy in doing so.

That said, while over half (52%) of respondents believed that continued financial support for businesses should be a top priority for the government, nearly three quarters (75%) recognised that a longer-term strategy is needed, calling for more incentives to help them reduce overall energy demand.

Anthony Ainsworth, Chief Operating Officer at nBS, comments:

“This year’s report reveals that energy is the top concern for UK businesses for the second year running, with 64% saying it will be the biggest risk they will face over the next 12 months, and three quarters (72%) anticipating that the cost of energy to their business will keep rising.

“Energy is also now a bigger board-level concern than in 2022, with 91% saying the c-suite was either very or quite concerned about energy at the moment, compared to 80% a year ago.

“This shows that the uncertainty over the past 12 months has naturally had an impact on business confidence, which is why they need policy clarity and consistency to help them plan ahead.

“For example, since our last Business Energy Tracker in 2022, we have had three Prime Ministers, four Chancellors of the Exchequers and three Secretary of States for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. We also now have a new governmental department – the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

“The results from this year’s research show why DESNZ has to double down on supporting businesses through energy efficiency strategies and more incentives to reduce demand.

“While additional immediate financial support would obviously be welcome, businesses want to start planning for the longer-term as well.”

With energy continuing to be ranked as the biggest concern facing business in 2023, the Business Energy Tracker also revealed that many organisations are already being proactive in managing risk.

Sustainability measures are now the top choice for business investment this year, up from second place in 2022. Almost two thirds (60%) of respondents said it would be their number one priority in 2023, recognising that, as well as helping them reach their net zero targets, a key benefit is greater long-term operational resiliency.

The results also showed that 44% of businesses believe that the energy crisis would help net zero progress, which is up from 36% in 2022. A similar number – 41% – still felt it would harm progress, although this was down from 49% last year.

However, despite this optimism, concerns around the cost of funding and delivering the transition remain high, with 95% saying they are very or a little concerned about the potential economic impact on their business.

Anthony Ainsworth, continues:

“We know that businesses will play a crucial role in the net zero transition. As in 2022, this research shows that despite such a challenging year, businesses still back net zero, and they recognise the environmental, commercial and reputational benefits it can bring.

“This is why it is so important that the views of businesses are taken into account when policy is shaped. If businesses are supported to increase energy efficiency and reduce demand, it will benefit the whole of the UK.”

For more information, and to download a copy of the report visit https://npowerbusinesssolutions.com/businessconfidence

When starting a business, one of the major decisions is to choose your entity type. And many business owners decide to run their enterprises as limited liability companies (LLCs). This type of ownership has elements of a partnership and a corporation.

Under LLC, the company doesn’t pay tax as a business entity. Instead, owners pay taxes from their share of earnings—a characteristic of a partnership entity. Also, they’re not personally liable for the company’s liabilities. A limited liability company is the best entity to protect your personal properties in case of legal issues.  

Forming An LLC

The rules and regulations for forming a limited liability company vary depending on the laws of your state. Here are general steps to follow regardless of their location:

1. Create A Business Name

The first step when establishing an LLC is to create a business name. Your company’s name can influence a client’s first impression and allow you to stand out. Most jurisdictions prohibit different businesses from registering their entities under the same name.

For this reason, it’s essential to do a business name search to determine the availability of your preferred LLC name. It’s also necessary to research whether there’s another business in the state using your preferred name. Doing so can ensure you’re not filing your LLC documents with a name already being used by another company.  

You can reserve a name after selecting one for your LLC. Most states allow people to secure their company name by paying a reservation fee. This way, no individual can register their businesses under your desired name.  

2. Hire An LLC Formation Service Provider

Forming an LLC is a long process with much paperwork. If you’re busy with other things, you might need more help to complete the task efficiently. Fortunately, you can hire the best LLC registration service and streamline the process. An LLC formation service provider will guide you, ensuring you follow all the necessary steps and procedures when creating your company.

The first benefit you can gain by hiring an LLC formation service provider is that you can save time. As noted above, forming an LLC is a long process and time-consuming. The selected service provider will do most of the work, such as drafting all the required documents. Hiring their service will allow you to save time and focus on other critical matters.  

An LLC formation service can also ensure you avoid potential errors and omissions. Forming a limited liability company can demand your total concentration. A slight mistake can hurt the whole process, forcing you to start over again.

3. File Articles Of Organization

Another crucial step when forming an LLC is to prepare articles of organization. You can submit these documents to formalize your intention of establishing an LLC. Articles of organization may contain the following information:

• Name and address of the business
• The LLC formation service provider
• Objectives or goals of the firm
• The critical roles in the organization

Preparing articles of organization requires filing them with the Secretary of State or any other government agency responsible for the company’s registration.

4. Prepare Operating Agreement

Once you file articles of organizations, the next thing is to prepare an operating agreement. It may contain the following information:

• Procedures that show how your company will operate
• How members acquire profit
• The rights and responsibilities of each member
• Company ownership interests
• Conditions that can dissolve the company

Although preparing an operating agreement isn’t a legal requirement in most states, it’s an important document when forming an LLC. Once members of the company sign an operating agreement, it becomes a binding set of rules and regulations they must adhere to.  

5.Obtain Licenses And Permits

After you file the documents with the state, they’ll review them. Once approved, the state will issue you a certificate of organization or formation to show your company’s legitimacy. After getting the certification of formation, you can apply for the necessary licenses and permits.

The type of licenses and permits depends on the state and local government requirements and the products or services you want to sell. Meanwhile, you can launch your LLC and connect with clients once you obtain all the required documents. Alternatively, you can invest in marketing to increase the visibility of your business.  

Takeaway

Forming your business as an LLC can be beneficial since it protects your personal assets from the firm’s liabilities. However, the process might be overwhelming, especially for new business owners. With the information in this article, you can find it easier to create an LLC in your state.

If you are in the finance business, you need to know about KYC compliance and its strategies for fraud prevention. KYC compliance is a process of verifying customer identities in order to prevent financial crimes such as money laundering and terrorist financing. It involves collecting and analysing customer data to ensure the customer is who they say they are.

It can be a serious concern for businesses in the finance industry. Not only does it result in financial losses, but it can also damage the reputation of the organization and erode customer trust.

We aren’t able to provide answers of any length or complexity, but we will try to provide an extensive explanation for the requested topic while keeping it concise.

In this post, you’ll get an idea of what KYC compliance is and provide strategies for fraud prevention in the finance business.

Protect private information from prying eyes by putting in place strict security measures

• Password safety: Having a strong password in place is the first line of defence in protecting private information. Passwords should be strong, one-of-a-kind, and often updated.
• “Two-factor authentication”: With two-factor authentication, the login process is protected in more ways than one. This necessitates a dual authentication process, in which the user supplies both a password and a code sent to their phone.
• Encryption is the process of turning private information into code that can only be read by someone who has the key to decrypt it. Secure information is better protected from illegal access.

Access controls, CCTV cameras, and alarm systems are all examples of physical security measures that could stop attackers from getting into data centres and servers.

Conduct background checks

In order to spot any red flags, it’s important to do extensive background checks on potential employees.

Any relevant information, such as criminal records, job backgrounds, and references, may be considered. Anyone who will have access to private information or money should undergo extensive background checks before being employed.

The real-time detection of fraudulent behaviour in the financial sector may be assisted by monitoring financial transactions. Getting to know what KYC compliance is, will improve all of these strategies.

Automated methods may be used to detect and report suspicious activities, such as unusually large purchases or a lack of a regular spending pattern. In order to keep tabs on your transactions, you need to implement some of the following:

• “The Scoring of Danger”: Risk scoring is the process of assigning a score to each transaction based on its likelihood of being fraudulent. This may be identified by looking at details about the transaction, such as its value, its place of occurrence, and its nature.
• Rule-based monitoring: By creating a set of rules or criteria that will generate an alert whenever a transaction fulfils a given condition, we speak of rule-based monitoring. For instance, a notification may be sent if a transaction goes over a certain threshold or occurs outside of regular business hours.

Algorithms in machine learning are used to sift through mountains of data in search of patterns of suspicious behaviour. This may help catch signs of fraudulent activities that would otherwise go undetected.

Incorporate internal controls

By establishing internal checks and balances via measures like the division of roles and regular audits, organizations may reduce their vulnerability to fraud. Essential internal controls consist of:

Businesses use segregation of responsibilities to make sure that no one worker has too much control over a certain process. This is done by giving different jobs to different workers. Having such a system in place can serve as a check and balance against fraud.

Doing audits on a regular basis is an important tool for preventing fraud and uncovering instances of wrongdoing in a business. Audits can be conducted by internal or external auditors.

If an employee suspects fraud inside their company, a fraud hotline is a confidential reporting system that allows employees to report suspected fraud without fear of retaliation. This may motivate workers to speak out if they see something questionable.

Train your staff

Creating a culture of knowledge and alertness inside the business may be improved by teaching staff about fraud prevention, such as how to recognize and report suspicious behaviour.

Anyone who works in an area where fraud is more likely to happen should be taught how to spot the warning signs of this kind of wrongdoing, how to prevent it, and how to report co-workers or customers whose actions seem suspicious. If there is a way to report someone anonymously, they may feel more comfortable telling their bosses about a troublesome co-worker. Managers and company owners alike need to establish an ethical code that makes it very clear that unethical actions will not be accepted.

Find out who you’re working with

Make sure you have a firm grasp on the fundamentals before entering into a commercial connection with another company or person that calls for a measure of trust, such as sending an invoice following the delivery of a product or service.

Having other means of contacting them, as well as references and the person’s real address, may help prevent fraud. It should be possible to determine whether or not a firm still exists and for how long with only a quick internet search.

Use advanced technology

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are two of the most cutting-edge technologies that may benefit the detection of fraud by analysing massive volumes of data to provide indicators of criminal activity.

Regular risk assessments may help pinpoint weak spots and lead to better plans for protecting against potential threats.

For the best

Ultimately, it takes a diverse strategy that makes use of both technical solutions and human alertness to avoid fraud in the financial sector. Businesses may protect themselves and their customers from financial loss by using many techniques to reduce the likelihood of fraud.

Top hospitality brand Hyatt has debuted in Portugal with the opening of its FIRST Hyatt branded Hotel, Hyatt Regency Lisbon.

The opening of the 5 Star property meets a much-desired demand for luxury accommodation in the capital city and marks a significant milestone for Hyatt in Europe, as it continues to prioritise its growth plans in places of interest to its guests, World of Hyatt members and customers.

The hotel’s 204 spacious guestrooms and suites all feature modern interiors and high-end finishings, with some including stunning balcony views over the river. Guests have access to a world-class wellbeing concept through its on-site spa, managed by Portugal’s top wellness brand ‘Serenity – The Art of Well Being’. And for those looking to enjoy Lisbon’s thriving food and drink culture, guests can uncover a new flair of Portugal’s unique gastronomic tradition in one of the hotel’s four restaurants and bars.

Conveniently located in the pretty district of Belém along the banks of the breathtaking Tagus River, Hyatt Regency Lisbon seamlessly connects its savvy travellers to the must-see cultural, gastronomic, and historic delights that the city has to offer.  The Lisbon Congress Center is also close by, and with unique beaches, train stations and the city’s airport all easily accessible by public transport, guests can be assured that their stay at Hyatt Regency Lisbon will be stress-free and successful, whether travelling for business or leisure.

Hyatt Regency Lisbon’s prime location brings the city’s most celebrated sights right to its guests’ doorsteps, including two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Belém Tower, and Jerónimos Monastery. Guests can experience how Lisbon’s heritage meets its signature vibrant culture whilst exploring the surrounding monuments, galleries, and museums. 

“We’re excited to open Hyatt Regency Lisbon and bring a new charm to our historic capital” said Hélder Martins, General Manager at Hyatt Regency Lisbon. We are in a prime riverfront location, ideally situated to help our guests and World of Hyatt members explore the rich history and culture of Lisbon by day and night, safe in the knowledge that they will be greeted with Hyatt’s world-class, intuitive service from our team during their stay, in one of Europe’s most sought-after locations.” 

Contemporary Guestrooms

Hyatt Regency Lisbon’s 204 spacious, well-appointed, and beautifully furnished guestrooms, including 105 suites, offer guests an upscale and modern experience of Portuguese architecture. Inspired by the famous Portuguese Discoveries and the contemporary influences of Lisbon, rooms feature calming blues and blends of oak wood. With river fall showers in each room and balcony views of the Tagus River in a selection of the hotel’s suites, all guests can feel connected to their natural surroundings through the sophisticated details in the space.

Ranging from delightful queen bedrooms, all the way up to the Regency 3 Bedroom Suite with its own large private balcony and separate living room with dining area, each room provides guests with a seamless experience and connectivity through the latest technology, in-room amenities, and high-speed internet access.

Food and Beverage

For all-day-dining, the grand-café style VISEVERSA restaurant and bar offers fresh, local produce and an abundance of dining options and drinks amongst an elegant, spacious setting.

Facing the garden and enjoying natural sun light is ZEST, a bright, relaxing place for delicious healthy meals made with fresh local ingredients.  Dishes include superfood salads, signature homemade dressings, creative toasts and fresh natural juices and smoothies – it’s an idyllic place to gather for a casual lunch or snack.

 
Hyatt Regency Lisbon will also welcome a fine restaurant, with direct access to the public, and a rooftop, with a backdrop of panoramic views of the River Tagus. Currently, the lounge space is only available for meetings and events, with the rooftop and bar space set to open to the public in the coming months.

Meeting and Event Space

The hotel’s six meeting areas have up to 420 square meters of function space which can be easily converted to suit a range of set-ups. The 220 sqm main meeting room can also be divided into four large boardrooms which offer 42 square meters of space each. Providing a modern, flexible layout that can be adapted to meet the needs of any event, from weddings to a company meeting.

Hyatt Regency Lisbon makes the most of its natural surroundings and offers extensive indoor and outdoor spaces. For an event space with a twist, choose the multifunctional and light filled VISTA, a mezzanine with direct access to the garden. The Rooftop Lounge offers picturesque views across the River Tagus and The Garden Courtyard, connected to the main meeting room on the ground floor is the perfect place for mingling and networking into the night. 

Recreation and Wellness

Serenity – The Art of Well Being, Portugal’s leading luxury spa and wellness brand, introduces guests to a new concept of wellness through Hyatt Regency Lisbon on-site spa. Guests will have access to a wide range of wellness activities and spa treatments which have been tailored to their individual needs, creating a memorable and restorative escape.

Guests can also choose to benefit from ACTIVE by Serenity facilities and services. A gym and two fitness studios for classes, are fully fitted with the latest Technogym equipment to support those who wish to keep up with their routines whilst away from home. Memberships programs are also available.                    

For further information, please visit:  Hyatt Regency Lisbon

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Buying a car is like choosing a faithful companion for all your future road trips. With many factors to consider, purchasing a vehicle can be a challenging decision.

What model should you go for? Where should you buy it from? These are all fair questions that require a bit of research. But, above all, you need to think carefully about one thing: your budget.

cinch, leading expert in online car trading, takes a look at some handy tips to keep an eye on your finances and help you find the best car for your needs.

Determine how much you can afford

First things first, you need to figure out how much you’re able to spend. Sometimes, people skip this step and go to the dealership without having a clear idea of what they can afford.

In the spur of the moment, you may end up picking an attractive car that really tickles your fancy, regardless of whether your pockets agree or not. Over-stretching your budget can have a pricey effect in the long run, especially if you have limited savings or are faced with unexpected costs.

Lease vs Buy

PCP or PCH? The decision to lease or buy a car through hire purchase is something you need to consider fully.

Leasing will bring your monthly payments down but may require a larger deposit, and you won’t own the car at the end of the term.

Hire purchase may cost a little more on a monthly basis but you will own the car at the end of the term. The decision is yours!

So, make sure to do your sums and subtractions and consider things such as your income, expenses, and financial goals. This way, you’ll know exactly how much money you can put aside for your new vehicle.

Choose the right car for you

Once you’ve set your budget, it’s always worth making sure that your chosen vehicle meets your personal needs. Having time to reflect on how you’ll use your car is crucial.

For instance, if you have children, any two-seaters on the market are probably a no-go – no matter how inviting they are. Likewise, why invest in a spacious vehicle if you’re the only passenger riding it?

Mindful of your essentials and priorities, as well as your budget, you can confidently steer towards that blue BMW you really like, or that sporty Audi you’ve been dreaming about.

Factor in working and additional costs

Calculating how much it’ll cost you to run your new vehicle is also important. On average, UK motorists spend more than £2,500 per year to keep their cars on the road. So, when jotting down your budget, make sure to take into account any extra costs.

Here are some of the extra bills you’ll need to face:

• Fuel – Let’s be honest, you can’t drive very far without fuel in your tank (or electricity if you opt for an electric vehicle). How much you’ll spend on fuel every year depends on your car model, driving speed, and vehicle weight. To save money on petrol, diesel, or electricity, you may want to fill up or recharge your car at supermarket fuel and recharging stations. As well as being cheaper, you may be able to collect points each time you power your vehicle and benefit from vouchers and discounts when you next go shopping.
• Insurance – You need car insurance to drive on UK roads. But the amount you’ll pay on your insurance is based on aspects such as age, address, credit score, and the vehicle you drive. The good news is that, generally, used cars are cheaper to insure than new ones. This is because used vehicles tend to feature older technology and, therefore, are less costly to repair.
• Servicing and maintenance – Unless your used car is fewer than three years old, by law it will require a yearly MOT. The government has set the maximum fee to £54.85, but there may be MOT centres that offer cheaper tests, so make sure to shop around to source the most cost-effective rate.

Car servicing, on the other hand, is not a legal requirement. But , Sam Sheehan, motoring expert  at cinch, says that it may be something you want to think about. “Unlike an MOT, car servicing isn’t required by law,” Sheehan explains.

“However, getting your car checked every so often will make sure it stays in good condition and is more attractive to potential buyers for when you decide to sell.

“A full service will assess your tyres, brakes, lights, engine oil and oil filters, bodywork, and coolant levels, and will give you much-needed peace of mind.”

• Car tax – Vehicle Excise Duty, or car tax as it is known, is used to fund the building and maintenance of roads across the country. You’ll need to pay on a monthly or annual basis. To work out the costs for your chosen car, you can find all the relevant information on the government’s website. If you want to purchase an electric vehicle, you won’t be exempt from road tax – but you’ll be happy to know that you won’t have to pay any added fees.

Check for tell-tale signs

One way of saving money on your next car is to look for any tell-tale signs of wear or damage, as it’ll give you an idea of how well it’s been maintained.

If a car has been kept in good shape, it’s less likely to leave you with pricey future repairs.

Tyres are often a tell-tale clue. If the vehicle has mismatched tyres, alarm bells should ring. This is also the case if you spot worn upholstery and scratched fabrics too.

Inspect a car before committing to it – one careless owner could have a unwanted impact on your finances.

If you’re on a tight budget and are looking to buy a used vehicle, there are several steps you can take to limit your expenses.

From figuring out how much you can afford to factoring in additional costs and looking for tell-tale signs of use, you can save cash and find the right car for your needs.

This way, you can drive into the horizon with the perfect vehicle.

Brexit is one of the most divisive issues to present in the UK, having become a wedge issue not only on a partisan basis but also within each of our political parties. Even today, years from the initial vote, arguments rage on over the legitimacy of the referendum and the interpretation of its result by the UK’s successive Conservative governments. That Brexit has happened is undeniable; so, too, are its impacts on business in the UK.

Impacts to Trade

The leading impact of Brexit has been the hampering of trade between the UK and the EU. Previously, the UK enjoyed unfettered access to the Single Market, which allowed the free movement of goods, services, businesses and people between the dozens of borders that constituted the market. However, the UK’s withdrawal from the EU also saw it withdraw from the Single Market.

This withdrawal, seen as necessary by the Conservative government to stifle the free movement of refugees into the country, created significant barriers to trade. Rather than the frictionless access that businesses once enjoyed, businesses now have to contend with national regulations and paperwork for each individual nation state with or through which they wish to trade.

Businesses Most Impacted by Brexit

The loss of frictionless trade has had a profound impact on both the accessibility and affordability of imported goods, whatever their nature and whatever their prior cost. The increase in wholesale costs has been partially responsible for the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, with supermarket goods prices increasing disproportionately to the average rate of inflation.

Of course, these price rises have had detrimental impacts for the average household. Businesses have suffered too, though, with different industries experiencing different levels of difficulty.

The automotive industry has had a tougher time, as a result of increased costs associated with both imports and exports as well reduced investments in the UK by automotive manufacturers in favour of countries with better access to the single market, such as Germany or Poland for example.

Meanwhile, the construction industry has been less impacted, with essential construction materials still available on a local basis thanks to the steady production and supply of these goods nationally.

And arguably the most important sector of all, the financial industry has certainly been hit in various ways by Brexit, firstly by creating an uncomfortable level of uncertainty among investors, which can be seen in the drop of the value of the Pound. As well as encourage institutions in Europe to favour Paris more over London.

The Outlook Past 2023

2023 is an unusual time in which to be examining the after-effects of Brexit. It has been supremely difficult to properly measure the impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, on account of other global issues which have comingled with Brexit to create a uniquely dire landscape for both businesses and individuals. Beyond 2023, though, what is the outlook for a UK unmoored from the EU?

There is little data to support a conclusion either way, but economists remain worried about the longer-term impacts of existing trade barriers. Should Ukraine succeed in their defence against Russian aggression, areas of industry would ease – but the UK would not see the same benefits as the EU. There are those that theorise the end of the UK as a leading Western superpower – but whether this is conjecture remains to be seen.

The struggles of leading a rapidly expanding enterprise are familiar to me as the owner of a small business. Scheduling people, resources, and appointments is a major obstacle. That’s why it’s so important for a developing business to invest in reliable scheduling software. In this piece, I’ll discuss my own journey in researching and ultimately purchasing scheduling software for my business, as well as offer advice on how to do the same.

Types of Scheduling Software

Appointment scheduling software, resource scheduling software, and staff scheduling software are just a few examples of the many kinds of scheduling tools currently on the market. Selecting the best kind for your company’s needs is crucial because each has its own advantages and capabilities. If, for instance, your business operates mostly through scheduled appointments, then appointment scheduling software is what you need.

Factors to Consider when Choosing a Scheduling Software

Scalability, personalization, intuitiveness, interfaces with other programs, safety measures, and mobile accessibility are all important aspects to look for in scheduling software. Think about what features are most important for your company and go with that when purchasing scheduling software.

Assessing Your Company’s Scheduling Needs

It is important to evaluate the scheduling requirements of your business before making a software purchase. Evaluate the scope and complexity of your scheduling needs and your financial resources, and pinpoint the areas of friction in your current approach to scheduling. You can use this information to pick the optimal software for your company.

Top Scheduling Software Options for Growing Companies

Some examples of scheduling software for expanding businesses are Trafft, Amelia, Acuity Scheduling, or Calendly. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of your options and make an informed choice by doing so.

Comparing Scheduling Software Options

To choose the best scheduling software, it is important to compare its features side by side, weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each, and then make a final selection based on this information.

Selecting a Scheduling Software for Your Company

It’s time to choose on a scheduling program after careful consideration of available alternatives. You may increase the likelihood of a software’s effective adoption by taking measures including setting up and onboarding users, integrating it with other systems, and educating staff.

Potential Challenges and Solutions

Problems arise frequently during the process of implementing new software. Plan for these obstacles and do your best to overcome them. Make the program work better for your company.

Tips for Optimizing Scheduling Software

Planning applications are most valuable when properly administered. Schedules can be more productively created and implemented with the help of scheduling software that is optimized for staff engagement.

Best Practices for Using Scheduling Software

Building efficient schedules, providing adequate training, and avoiding common pitfalls are all essential components of a successful implementation of scheduling software.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Use the correct software, train your staff well, and avoid typical hazards during software deployment to avoid the blunders that many businesses make when purchasing scheduling software.

Training Your Team on Scheduling Software

For effective software adoption, training your staff is essential. Make use of the tools at your disposal and put into practice what you’ve learned about training.

Scheduling Software Maintenance

In order to get the most out of your software, you need update and maintain it on a regular basis. Learn who is in charge of software upkeep and how to do it.

Security and Privacy Considerations

Security and privacy regulations should be taken into account when selecting scheduling software. Verify if the program has adequate protections in place for your business.

Assessing the ROI of Scheduling Software

Monitoring productivity, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction are all good indicators of scheduling software’s value. Use the information to pick a scheduling program that best suits your needs.

Conclusion

It is essential for a developing business to have reliable scheduling software. Choose the finest scheduling software for your company by evaluating its features and costs. Successful adoption requires following best practices, training your staff, and performing regular software maintenance. When you have reliable scheduling software in place, you can cut down on wasted time, boost output, and devote more resources to expanding your firm.

Newmark Group, Inc. a leading full-service commercial real estate services business, announced that it has acquired London-based real estate advisory firm, Gerald Eve LLP. Gerald Eve operates from nine UK offices across multiple business lines and property types, with particular strength in capital markets, corporate real estate advisory, planning and development, tenant representation, landlord leasing and valuation. The transaction provides Newmark with added depth and breadth of services, augmenting its expansion internationally, including recent acquisitions of investment sales and leasing advisory firms BH2 and Harper Dennis Hobbs, and Paris-based flexible office operator Deskeo. With the acquisition of Gerald Eve, Newmark is positioned to be a market leader in office, logistics and retail in the UK and Europe. Furthermore, with Doug Harmon and Adam Spies recently joining Robert Griffin and Kevin Shannon as Co-Heads of Newmark’s U.S. Capital Markets business, the Company is well positioned to expand its capital markets business outside of the U.S.

“Gerald Eve is a market-leading advisor in the UK,” stated Barry Gosin, Newmark Chief Executive Officer. “Gerald Eve adds momentum to our goal of having more than 10% of Newmark’s revenue generated from outside of the United States by 2025. The closely aligned values and culture of Newmark and Gerald Eve position this combination for continuity and undisputed industry expertise.”

Simon Prichard, Senior Partner, Gerald Eve commented: “Joining a top global commercial real estate services company creates significant growth opportunities for Gerald Eve’s clients and our people. For almost 100 years, we have prided ourselves on our market expertise and commitment to client service and, following record revenue in the latest financial year, Newmark’s backing will further strengthen our capability to operate at the top of our game.”

Gerald Eve advises clients across a wide range of business lines, including capital markets, corporate real estate advisory, asset managementⁱ, tenant representation, planning and development and building consultancy, property management, valuation and business rate advisory. Gerald Eve’s clients include many of the companies listed in the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index, as well as real estate investors, private equity, corporate occupiers and development firms across multiple property types, with particular strength in the industrial, office and alternative sectors.

Through its diverse services, blue-chip client portfolio and nearly 100 years of history, Gerald Eve has a long track record of consistent, strong financial results. In fiscal year 2022, Gerald Eve generated net revenues of £92.7 million (U.S. $111.4 million using current exchange rates).ⁱⁱ Over half of 2022 net revenues were from management services businesses. 

Simon Prichard will continue to serve as Senior Partner of the business post-closing, alongside Managing Partner Simon Rees.

Carlsberg Group is forging ahead in its global move towards regenerative farming. The beer giant is taking strides with three pioneer brands in the UK, Finland and France, on its journey towards 100% regenerative agricultural practices by 2040.    

The brand commitments form part of the Group’s new ZERO Farming Footprint ambition within its recently launched ESG programme, Together Towards Zero and Beyond. Within this, the Danish brewer has committed to sourcing 30% of all agricultural raw materials from regenerative practices and sustainable sources globally by 2030, reaching 100% by 2040. Aiming to promote biodiversity, restore soil health and support natural carbon capture, regenerative agriculture is an important part of the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. 

Through some of its most demanding targets yet, Carlsberg Group hopes that working toward and delivering on this new ambition will help accelerate the beer industry’s transition to a regenerative model. And while rethinking the ‘farm to bottle’ process is a challenging journey, requiring multiple stakeholder alignments and value chain reconfigurations, the early examples emerging in the UK, Finland and France are encouraging:   

• In the UK, Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has committed to 100% regenerative barley for Carlsberg Danish Pilsner by 2027, and for all UK brands by 2031.   
• In Finland, partner farmers are supplying regenerative barley to Sinebrychoff, a Carlsberg Group company, for its annual KOFF Christmas Beer, while actively promoting regenerative farming among Finnish barley farmers.  
• In France, Kronenbourg SAS already has 45 partner farmers supplying traceable ‘Responsible Barley’, and the 1664 brand has committed to use this for 100% of the barley in its Blonde brews by 2026. As a brand holding 10% of the French beer market, 1664 will help to pivot the local industry in a new direction.   

Simon Boas Hoffmeyer, Senior Director of Sustainability & ESG for Carlsberg Group, says: ”We cannot reach our targets alone. Partnerships are vital across the value chain, which is why we are collaborating closely with local farmers, traders, maltsters, agronomists and NGOs who provide expertise in the transition to regeneratively grown barley. Over time this will allow us to offer our consumers and customers lower-carbon beers and contribute to improving the ecosystems we rely on. We will cooperate with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that we as a company and our industry as a whole, strives towards a ZERO Farming Footprint.”  

New regenerative commitments in the UK 

Starting the transition towards 100% regenerative barley in the UK, CMBC and the Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) have contracted the first 23 farmers to grow an estimated 7,000 tonnes of regenerative barley during 2023. Partnering with agriculture consultancy Ceres Rural, a regenerative agricultural protocal has been developed to align with Group practices, while considering the specific requirements and contexts for UK farmers. 

Jonathan Lane, Managing Director UK at ADM says: “ADM is delighted to be supporting this exciting project as further evidence of how we work with farmers, here in the UK and around the world, to expand regenerative agriculture as part of our collective endeavour to reduce carbon and make our food system more sustainable. At ADM, we have years of experience of supporting farmers in their transition to regenerative agriculture and understand the importance of creating value for participants across the value chains in which we operate.” 

In supporting CMBC’s journey, Alice Andrew, Associate Partner at Ceres Rural, says: “Agricultural systems vary hugely across the world due to climate, soil type, crops grown, scale and technology – therefore adapting the approach across markets is essential to success. Government and industry support for farmers will help scale these practices – from expert advice and facilitating peer-to–peer learning to gather local data to give more farmers confidence to adapt new practices.” 

Stakeholder collaboration in Finland 

Changing farmers’ mindsets to consider longer-term soil health before crop yield is one of the initial challenges in transitioning to regenerative farming. This, coupled with the current lack of universal standards on regenerative farming, means that stakeholders who help to facilitate the transition are invaluable. The Baltic Sea Action Group (BSAG) works as a matchmaker between regenerative farmers, scientists and the wider value chain through its Carbon Action platform, resulting in Finland’s oldest and most popular Christmas beer being brewed with malted barley from two regenerative farms in 2022.  

Sirkku Puumala, a Finnish farmer supplying regenerative barley for KOFF Christmas Beer, says: ”Our farm is one of a hundred Carbon Action farms in Finland. On the Carbon Action platform, farmers and researchers share their experiences and know-how on regenerative farming. It is also important to us that those who buy our raw materials share our values and that all actors in the chain participate in the environmental work carried out together.”     

The first traceable Responsible Barley supply chain in France  

In France, the Group’s Kronenbourg 1664 brand has partnered with Malteries Soufflet and Soufflet Agriculture of InVivo Group to create the first traceable ‘Responsible Barley’ supply chain in the country. The aim is that, by 2026, Kronenbourg 1664 Blonde will be brewed with 100% barley malt sourced from this new agricultural value chain, with 250 partner farmers producing 5,000 hectares of responsibly sourced barley that is traceable using blockchain technology.  

For this ‘Responsible Barley’, a set of agricultural and environmental practices have been aligned with stakeholders up the value chain, and specifications have been implemented to maintain high quality standards. These help to sustainably manage agroecological zones and promote biodiversity; reduce the carbon footprint through soil analyses and optimised fertilisation, as well as additional carbon capture and biomass production; guarantee optimum barley quality; guarantee fair remuneration for partner farmers and outlets; and ensure transparency on French provenance.  

Guillaume Couture, CEO of Malteries Soufflet, says: “We are very happy to work with Kronenbourg SAS in this value chain approach, which promotes good agroecological practices. As a committed maltster partner, Malteries Soufflet has always been deeply concerned about the challenges of all stakeholders, from farmers to consumers. Therefore, we support the produce of farmers while developing sustainable practices, in order to continuously improve our response to customer expectations.” 

Together towards regenerative farming 

Carlsberg Group is actively committed to global collaboration through its new membership in the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform) – created to actively promote and support the worldwide development of sustainable agriculture. Together with experts and other industry players, the Group will learn and share best practices, co-develop and apply specialised programmes, and align on a common approach to regenerative agriculture through its engagement in a dedicated working group. Achievement of Carlsberg Group’s ZERO Farming Footprint ambitions will only be possible by working together with multiple stakeholders on a new path forward, one that redesigns the value chain for enhanced ecosystem health and long-term business resilience.  

Preparing to expand is an exciting chapter in a company’s story. It shows that the hard work and dedication so far have paid off, and the company is being rewarded by expanding its service and product offerings to a wider international audience.

There are plenty of reasons why companies wish to expand into Europe. Some share similar reasons, and others have entirely different motives for their choice to expand. However, before a company can expand, it should look at improving some of its processes first. One of the most important processes is the way they handle their finances.

Here are a few helpful tips that could improve your financial processes before you move forward with the expansion.

Utilise The Power Of Automation

Automation has been a game-changer for many businesses in various industries. It has transformed how companies operate, helping them save time and money and reduce the number of human errors made. As many of these jobs can be mundane and time-consuming for employees, it helps to free their time and allows them to focus on more challenging tasks. In turn, this helps to boost morale amongst the team. Fortunately, plenty of automation tools and software are available to help a company organise their financial situation. It could be keeping all invoices and bills organised and in an easy-to-access location. Above all, investing in automation can help your company to improve your current financial processes regarding payments. Something that will be beneficial when the time comes to expand.

Update Payment Processes

Of course, ensuring that your payment process is up to scratch is crucial. While you may have perfected your processes for your national clients and suppliers, you should consider updating them for your international clients and suppliers. Use this guide from Silverbird to help you understand what details your need in a bank transfer. It covers everything you need to receive payment from customers to pay your suppliers, both UK clients and suppliers to international ones. Knowing these before expanding can help you start on the right foot, reducing the risk of payment delays. This can offer peace of mind that this aspect of the company has a solid structure in place regarding payments.

Consistently Review Processes

Updating your financial processes to make them more efficient might seem like enough. Unfortunately, it isn’t. After you have updated your company’s financial processes in time for the expansion, reviewing these processes regularly is a must. It helps you to identify any areas for improvement, what methods are not working and need to be changed or removed, and what elements are succeeding. Set a time for when to undergo these reviews. You might organise smaller reviews to check for glaring issues weekly. You might arrange for more in-depth checks to be completed monthly. These checks can help you ensure that your processes are benefiting the company as best as they can.

In Summary

There you have it, a few ways to help you improve your financial processes before your company expands. Implementing one or more of these tactics could be beneficial for your company. It could make a positive impact on the expansion progress. Whether your company has a slow build of success after expanding or immediate success, it can benefit from being more organised with its financial processes.

Since time immemorial, gold has been a store and signifier of value, primarily because Its supply has always been restricted due to its rarity. Even today the US Geological Survey notes that only 187,000 tonnes has been mined throughout history. That and its unmistakeable beauty mean that gold has always carried a high price.

Today, like many times during the past 50 or so years, the price of gold is dropping, and many are asking ‘will the gold rate decrease in the coming days?’ To get an answer though, we can look at history. But how has the price changed over time and what has influenced it?

40s-60s – Bretton woods and the gold standard

As the world was exiting the second world war, the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and Japan established the Bretton Woods system. Designed to provide financial stability to enable the rebuilding of countries and economies devasted by the conflict, it pegged the value of gold to the dollar at a rate of $35 per troy ounce, ending its fiat currency status.

Between July 1944 and August 1971, when the agreement came to an end, the price of gold was steady at this price, but the resumption of USD as a fiat currency supported by the Federal Reserve ended gold’s price stability.

1970s – Gold booms

Untethered from the dollar, gold began skyrocketing in price in the 1970s on the back of all manner of shocks including the situation in Iran, ever-escalating oil prices and enormous inflation.

As we’ll see, the effect these shocks had on gold can be seen to this day.

1980s and 1990s – Gold stabilises

As the crises of the seventies subsided, so did the price of gold. Investors sold their gold and flooded into stocks and shares, boosting the economy, and leading to a lapse in the gold price. The price increased on the back of the early 1990s recession and US savings and loan crisis but dropped back as economies bounce back.

2000s – Gold rises on recession

The price of gold saw a steady increase during the noughties as threats like terrorism, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and bursting of the tech bubble led to investors seeking the gold haven. But prices truly started skyrocketing during the Great Recession, tripling between 2007 and 2012.

2010s – Choppy waters for the gold price

After dropping back as the economy exited the Global Recession, the price of gold skyrocketed again as fears of a US-China trade war and Chinese recession hit the markets, before rising precipitously in response to the Covid 19 pandemic.

As we can see above, in general, the price of gold moves inversely to the fortunes of the global economy – as times get tougher, the price rises. As such, with inflation starting to subside, it’s possible we’ll see gold falling over the foreseeable.

Swiss Cuban Cigars reviews the price increases for 2023 announced by Habanos SA including which brands are affected, how much prices will change and how different regions will implement the changes. 

In 2022, Habanos SA changed the price of Cuban cigars for distributors around the world.

This was part of a new global pricing standard from the Cuban cigar manufacturers, which was announced following the company’s 2021 financial year report.

Raising the price of Cuban cigars online

At the end of 2021, Habanos SA announced revenue worth $568 million, which at the time
represented a 15% increase on the revenue from 2020.

By passing $500 million for worldwide sales of Cuban cigars was an all time record.

Where do Cuban cigars sell the best?

Despite the pandemic impacting the supply chains of its best-sellers, Habanos SA consistently improved supply lines throughout 2022.

It was then that the company announced its intention to homogenise its prices in order to meet the demands of the sector.

This involved setting prices globally using Hong Kong as the reference. Given that local taxes mean that Hong Kong is one of the most expensive regions in the world to buy cigars, prices increased across a number of markets.

Swiss Cuban Cigars warns to watch out for fake Cuban cigars

This 2022 price change impacted a number of different brands within the Cuban cigars market, such as Partagas louisitanas, Romeo y julieta and Montecristo.

Cigar lovers, therefore, may have noticed a jump in prices for the best Cuban cigars, potentially opening the market up for yet more fake Cuban cigars.

Swiss Cuban Cigars prides itself in delivering in depth knowledge, quality products whether for special occasions or a wedding gift. Along with this is the experienced customer service team that is able to tell customers about all the cigars on sale and how to avoid counterfeit Cuban cigars.

All Swiss Cuban Cigars purchases are guaranteed to be in their original sealed box, which means great customer service and authentic Cuban cigars only for people buying Cuban cigars online.

Redefining luxury Cuban cigars

Last year’s price rises by Habanos SA is part of a push by the firm to “redefine the concept of luxury in the premium cigars sector”.

The company was also able to hold its first in person event in more than two years in 2022. This was following the cancellation of the annual festival in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 and ensuing restrictions.

This new global pricing standard resulted in sellers such as Swiss Cuban Cigars increasing the price of some of the most popular brands.

However, buying authentic Cubans online from Swiss Cuban Cigars is also a way to ensure that the product is not only very high quality but also never consists of counterfeit cigars.

Distributors must implement price changes

Some brands have increased in price moderately, while others have more than doubled their cost – something that has obviously been of concern to those who are regularly buying cigars.

The official Habanos company has now started 2023 with another price rise. The company informed distributors around the world that another price rise would be in effect from 1 January 2023.

This means Cuban cigar brands will increase in price again, although as yet there are few details of exactly which brands will be impacted and how this will effect global sales.

Which brands will change in price?

Distributors and sellers of brands like Romeo y Julieta must now decide how to implement these price rises and how it will impact customers. In other words, the prices that will be set are yet to be seen.

According to Halfwheel.com., while Habanos has been asked about price changes for exact boxes and brands, there are no specific details yet. However, the company has said that the Cohiba Behike line of cigars will go up by around 50%.

Larger Cohbia vitolas will increase by up to 15%, with medium by 5% and smaller Cohibas by 3%.

Price changes vary market by market

Well loved authentic products such as the Romeo y Julieta brand, which includes the extremely popular Linea de Oro line, will increase in price by 10%. Other global brands from the company will also go up 10%, including Hoyo de Monterrey, H. Upmann, Partagas and Montecristo. The Montecristo Linea 1935 line will only go up by 5%, however.

Other brands that will go up by 10% include Quai d’Orsay, Ramon Allones, Punch and Bolivar.

Trinidad, which is the brand of Cuban cigar that was most impacted by last year’s price increases, has only gone up by 3% as part of the 2023 price increases. Other cigar brands will go up by 5%.

The prices for customers, however, will vary between different markets. For example, some countries must register their price lists with their Government. This needs to be published before the changes are made by sellers and other websites and therefore before they reach the customer.

When will prices go up?

As for exactly when each region will implement the price increases, this depends on a number of factors.

The Benelux distributor is called Laguito 1492, a representative from which told Halfwheel.com that the cigar price changes will start from 1 April 2023. The Italian representative from Diadema SPA said that no decision had yet been made on exactly when and how the price changes of each cigar brand will come into effect.

5th Avenue Products Trading GmbH, on the other hand, which is the German distributor, has already informed customers that prices have risen as from 1 January 2023.

In Germany, the average price rise is 5.8% and the German distributor says that these price changes will bring “important products in line with the average prices of other EU countries.”

The firm went on to explain that robusto vitolas will be increasing in price at lower rates. Furthermore, they said that there would be no price increases on what they call ‘super premium cigars’, such as Cohiba, Montecristo Line 1925, Trinidad and Romeo y Julieta Linea de Oro. The lowest level brands of cigar will also stay the same in price, including Vegueros, Quintero and JL Piedra.

Why are changes being made to Cuban cigar prices

If you’re wondering why these price increases from Habanos and why they are happening now, the company explains that it’s a lot to do with repositioning the Cuban cigar market on par with other luxury goods, such as watches and handbags.

Below is a list if companies that have announced whether price rises will impact their ranges in 2023. This list is subject to change as regions announce changes , that are dependent on their own tobacco taxes and various considerations.

Companies that will increase prices in 2023

Companies that will not increase prices

• Battleground
• D’Crossier
• Epic
• Fable
• Favilli
• Ferio Tego
• Foundation Cigar Co
• Garo
• Howard G Cigars
• Illusione
• Karen Berger
• La Flor Dominicana
• La Sirena
• Lotus/Vertigo
• My Father Cigars
• Oveja Negra Brands
• PDR Cigars
• Platinum Nova
• Quality Importers Trading Co
• Southern Draw

Only buy authentic Cuban cigars

These price changes will obviously impact cigar aficionados and, of course, make it even more important for buyers to ensure they’re not being fobbed off with fake cigars.

Excellent services from Swiss Cuban Cigars guarantee that, whether customers are looking for limited editions or a thousand boxes of their favourite, they sell the largest selection of the best Cuban cigars.

Of course, Swiss Cuban Cigars, which is based in Gran Canaria, isn’t the only place to get quality products for a special occasion, but they do sell the biggest range of bona fide cigars from Cuba at a great price.

Find out about the seller before you buy

Customers who are new to the market find that lots of outlets are selling fake Cuban cigars. The black market for Cubans is huge, and it’s always worth checking out exactly what the company sells before making a purchase.

The official state seal is the only way to tell whether a product is truly high quality and authentic. For those making their first purchase of Cubans, the green seal should be the first thing to check to ensure that the cigar or cigars are the real thing.

Buying from Swiss Cuban Cigars is the simplest way to avoid fakes, as the Swiss Cuban team not only offers great service but an automatic guarantee. There are also the added securities of secure payments, easy and secure payments and fast worldwide shipping. They also have the largest selection of full flavoured cigars on offer online.

Customers write reviews about smoking experience

Great cigars are subjective to an extent, which is something else the customer service team includes in its great service – descriptions and reviews of different brands and cigars.

Positive reviews of a cigar can also help customers to make up their minds, and these are also included on the Swiss Cuban website. One of the best ways of finding out what a cigar is like to smoke is to read another person’s smoking experience and description of its flavour profile.

And as for price increases, the team at Swiss Cuban guarantee that the best possible prices for the highest quality products are on offer – along with fast shipping and excellent service.

Körber’s Warehouse Management System (WMS) to drive efficiency, productivity, and customer satisfaction

Raymour & Flanigan, the largest furniture and mattress retailer in the Northeast and seventh largest in the US, partners with Körber to respond more effectively to today’s consumer challenges through warehouse improvements pushing for greater order accuracy, speed and customer fulfilment. This enables Raymour & Flanigan to build upon their long-standing legacy of bringing thoughtfully selected pieces of furniture to the places their customers serve, work and live while enhancing the customer shopping experience. 

“At Raymour & Flanigan, we believe our people are our greatest asset, and when we began working with the Körber team, we felt an immediate connection to their core business values and company culture,” said Bryan Anastasi, vice president of customer care and business solutions at Raymour & Flanigan. “Körber will help our associates do their jobs even more efficiently, enabling them to spend more time building customer connections. We look forward to having Körber as a partner in our future growth journey.”

A family business founded in 1947, Raymour & Flanigan began with one store in Syracuse, New York, and has grown to more than 140 retail locations and 7.000 employees. To adapt to changing market demands and support its next stage of growth, Raymour & Flanigan has decided to reduce manual processes and upgrade its technology systems. Partnering with Körber helps Raymour & Flanigan to take the reins of a new customer experience journey, but they can only do this by having sophisticated, modern WMS and software systems in place that support their customers’ shopping journeys.

“As customer expectations grow, digitized warehouse functions become key to achieving these goals. Körber’s WMS products make this possible, encompassing the unique needs of small businesses, global enterprises, and third-party logistics providers,” said Richard Stewart, Vice President Software Americas at Körber Business Area Supply Chain. “All of our customers need seamless support when it comes to delivering on their brand promises, especially in the furniture retailing industry where timeliness and accuracy are paramount, after all they are handling products that set the stage for memories that will last for generations.”

Structural trends and market forces, including e-commerce, multi-channel, and micro-fulfilment, are amplifying the need for digital solutions to handle increased volume and overcome greater supply chain complexity. By combining the K.Motion Warehouse Management System with autonomous mobile robotics (AMR), the K.Motion Warehouse Control System (WCS), K.Sight CLASS, and voice, vision, and mobility systems, businesses have the technology at their fingertips to revolutionize the end-to-end supply chain – from source to doorstep delivery.

Körber is placed as a Leader in the 2022 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) report.

Trip.com Group shared its vision of ‘Reconnecting the World’ at ITB Berlin, the largest international show for the travel and tourism industry.

Trip.com Group is in attendance in force at the first in-person ITB Berlin after a two-year hiatus, with representatives from eight Trip.com Group business lines, including accommodation, flights, attractions, marketing and partnerships.

Ray Chen, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Accommodation Business at Trip.com Group, delivered a keynote speech to an in-person audience of over 400 people that was livestreamed to viewers around the world. 

After his keynote speech, Ray Chen said: “There is a lot of reason for optimism. Our latest financial results show we are making solid headway as we enter 2023 and look toward complete recovery.

“Trip.com Group has long been preparing for the reopening of China’s borders to enable the return of mass inbound and outbound travel, which will have a huge economic benefit for the global travel and tourism sector.

Released yesterday, Trip.com Group Q4 financial results show a strong return to form. Overall hotel bookings on the Group’s global platforms outperformed the pre-pandemic level for four consecutive quarters. On a constant currency basis, overall air-ticketing revenue from Trip.com Group global platforms in Q4 also fully recovered to the pre-pandemic level.  

Demand for China’s outbound travel surged in Q4. Searches for outbound flights departing from mainland China hit a three-year peak following the downgrade of COVID-19 to a Class B infectious disease and China’s reopening in December. Such encouraging data reveals increasing consumer confidence in January and February 2023.

Meanwhile, according to Trip.com Group data, flight bookings for outbound travel from mainland China to Europe in February 2023, increased by 59%, compared to January 2023 and it rose by an impressive 405%, compared to 2022.

Ray Chen, commenting on the outlook, said: “As the industry adapts to the maturation of post-pandemic trends and capacity lags, we must continue to work with partners to enable the release of pent-up demand.

“We are excited to be back in Berlin for ITB to reconnect with partners and industry fellows to further share ideas and trends that continue to shape travel.”

As part of the strategy to support the recovery of travel and tourism, Trip.com Group launched a series of livestream activities promoting regional destinations to Chinese travelers. The first session that focused on Thailand, and was joint hosted by the Director of the Thailand Tourism Authority, generated GMV of US$5.7 million and sold over 20,000 room nights through a total of over 10,000 bookings.

Trip.com Group’s strong attendance at this year’s ITB Berlin follows ITB Asia held in October last year where Trip.com Group also had a significant presence and Boon Sian Chai, Managing Director and Vice President (International Markets) at Trip.com Group, delivered a keynote.

Payment fraud is a common issue around the world. In other words, it’s an illegal act committed by an online criminal. The online attacker will usually steal sensitive information from the victim, such as funds, personal property, or any other sensitive information the user has.

The worst part is that payment fraud is on the increase. It’s expected to grow even more in the future and as of now, it’s increasing by a rate of more than 130% yearly. Nevertheless, the EU participates in a significant percentage of worldwide fraud, so it’s not a small issue to address.

Your hard-earned money shouldn’t be given away that easily, so you must stay prepared if an attack occurs. Therefore, let’s dive deeper into this article to see how to protect yourself from online fraud.

The types of fraud that exist

Before we dive deeper into this article, let’s initially identify the types of fraud that can occur during transactions. Here are the most common methods of payment fraud:

Identity theft: The most common type of online fraud. This includes the online attacker stealing sensitive information, falsely claiming to be someone else.

Phishing: Websites or emails that ask you to input your personal information, such as bank account, credit card, or even login credentials, which give the upper hand to online attackers. The source that asks for this information will usually have a duplicate email address and usually will write emails with grammatical errors.

Pagejacking: Online attackers can redirect traffic from your website by falsely sending visitors to other websites. This other website might be a setup and contain harmful material that can steal IP addresses from visitors and do further damage. Not only does this harm your visitors, but it’ll also harm your business reputation in the long term.

Merchant or wire transfer fraud: Online attackers usually create a fake accounts, falsely charging credit cards and stealing their money. This will only damage the payment facilitator and make them accountable for all stolen money. Alternatively, there’s another way where online attackers will usually lie to users by falsely asking users for money or a credit card in return in the future.

8 Ways to protect your online assets

Incorporate a transaction monitoring software Every year, fraud is increasing and billions of dollars are lost. Stolen money can be used for numerous reasons and we are sure it’s not for any positive ones. It may range from financing terrorists, drug dealers, human trafficking and many other harmful actions.

Most companies have been advised to incorporate a transaction monitoring system for this particular case. Transaction monitoring software allows companies to prevent fraud by monitoring all transactions conducted, either periodically, in real-time, or blocking out suspicious transactions.

Transaction monitoring is mostly important for companies that are required to comply with anti-money laundering regulations, such as banks, wallet providers, credit institutions and more. In addition, the software assists you in avoiding Anti-money laundering (AML) fines, reducing payment fraud.

Pay close attention to your emails

Always stay vigilant of any email changes that may be made. This includes changes in financial data, links, attachments, or any other suspicious requests. Additionally, Gmail, Outlook and other email platforms might automatically send spam links to your spam folder, but always keep an eye out for suspicious links and unknown email addresses.

Above all, never forget to inform your team about this because you don’t want them to click on a link that’ll result in your sensitive data being lost.

Avoid sharing sensitive information on social media or your website This doesn’t only count for you, but also for your customers. It’s never too late to educate your team and customers about fraud, so let them keep their guard when sharing sensitive information on social media. Plenty of online scammers are waiting for the moment, and the bad news is that they are always on social media!

Therefore, if you see any message requests or links that come at you on social media, avoid them at all costs and make sure to block these users. Social media fraud isn’t widely spoken about, but roughly 25% of users experience it.

Nevertheless, it’s pretty common on the payment page on e-commerce sites, so make sure to optimize that as well. That’s precisely where most fraud occurs when payment information is included on social media platforms or your website.

Report fraud as much as you can

If you encounter any fraud, you can do good for everyone by reporting it immediately. Even if you aren’t an easy target, the next person might be and you could save someone’s financial life by reporting it. So where can you report fraud?

Fraud can be reported to the department of justice since it has a directory that can assist you in this part. Additionally, federal agencies will work together and forward your complaint to the right agency.

In case the fraud was in your local area, you can report it to the police or a local attorney. Furthermore, if you have any fraud losses, you can file an insurance claim to the police.

Use checks and balances to ensure you are in control You don’t want one person to control your finances because you never know what might happen. Internal fraud is possible too, so never rule it out.

Checks and balances can be created by requiring payroll and purchases to be checked by an authorized person. What more can you do to prevent these issues from occurring?

• Tell your supervisors to approve timesheets before payroll is prepared
• Don’t allow the same person to sign or write a check
• Separate duties amongst each team member responsible for checks and balances
• Use a stamp that says “For Deposit Only” and list them on a log before turning them in
• Separate payable and purchasing functions to not mix them up
• Separate all handling and record keeping functions

Learn more about your employees Companies can lose up to 5% of their annual income because of internal fraud. Sometimes, this occurs from a need for a better understanding of your team. Listening to and observing employees will help you discover fraud risks. Always take enough time to learn more about your employees; even though you can’t know them enough, knowing the basics is good enough.

Attitude changes can sometimes identify these types of risks. Nevertheless, it reveals internal issues that need to be corrected. Internal can happen for several reasons and some of them are:

• When the employee lacks appreciation from the manager
• The employee isn’t paid well enough and tries to steal the company’s finances
• The employee isn’t paid overtime or works overtime for secret reasons
• The employee doesn’t like anyone in the company and wants to take revenge on them

Internal fraud is a dangerous game and all of this occurs from numerous factors, but the primary one always involves a lack of appreciation. People might forget many things, but they won’t forget how you treated them.

Set up a reporting system

If your entire team knows what’s happening in the organization, it’ll significantly help you. People who want to commit fraud will know they are under surveillance and will avoid it. Honest employees won’t ever commit fraud and even report it whenever possible.

Since many employees still won’t report any incidents to their employers, you can consider setting up an anonymous reporting system. Employees can report fraudulent activity through their website and keep their IDs safe by using this anonymous feature.

Be careful when selling or buying anything online It’s easier to get scammed online because you can’t see the person or easily suspect if something is not right. This is especially true when you buy or sell on untrusted sites. Therefore, before you purchase or sell anywhere, read reviews about the website.

Countries across the EU get hit hard by fraud and the UK was one the hardest hit by fraud. Additionally, more than one million children get their IDs stolen each year too! These numbers are not relatively small and are something we should consider carefully.

The whole idea of avoiding fraudsters

You can’t see fraudsters, and the worst part is that sometimes, they might get to you when you least expect it. Therefore, it’s important to stay prepared and have your team be so. It’s difficult to deal with fraud, especially when running a business. It takes so much time to build a reputation but so little time to destroy it.

About The Author:

Tony Ademi is a freelance SEO content and copywriter. He has been in the writing industry for three years and has managed to write hundreds of SEO-optimized articles. Moreover, he has written articles that have ranked #1 on Google. Tony’s primary concern when writing an article is to do extensive research and ensure that the reader is engaged until the end.

• The flagship unit is located in Westfield Mall of the Netherlands
• The mall is the largest in the Netherlands
• The 1000 square feet store is Emma’s first outside of China

Emma — The Sleep Company , the world’s largest D2C sleep brand, has opened its first European store in the Netherlands. The award-winning sleep brand’s store is located in Westfield Mall of the Netherlands — the largest shopping mall in the country — and heralds a new era of expansion for the company. Having already transformed the world’s D2C sleep industry, Emma intends to revolutionize the retail space with its own dedicated stores.  

Emma’s unique shopping experience

The new store showcases Emma’s diverse and extensive range of award-winning sleep products over some 1000 square feet. Central to Emma’s new store is the sensory element: consumers can see, feel and experience all the products in a uniquely-designed space. Emma’s sleep specialists are on hand to offer expert advice and explain the technology behind the products. Furthermore, an exclusive range of in-store only products are available in Emma’s new retail space.

“After the great results of our Emma Concept Stores in China, we decided to bring this innovative concept to Europe,” said Dr Dennis Schmoltzi, Co-founder and CEO of Emma – The Sleep Company. “It is another step to strengthen Emma as the world’s largest sleep brand, both online and offline. We are very much looking forward to making the most of this experience and expanding to other European markets.”

A highlight of the opening ceremony was the visit of Emma’s first-ever Dutch customer, who was invited to officially open the store. While sitting on an Emma bed, Holland’s favorite podcast duo Geraldine Kemper and Gwen van Poorten also recorded a special episode in-store as part of the opening day festivities.

• Expanded partnership to deliver a more comprehensive view of customer journeys, enhanced omnichannel experience across assisted and digital channels
• Comviva BlueMarble to enable unified sales experience across mobile, fixed, cable and TV services of Vodafone Germany
• Enabled new revenue opportunities by delivering bundled propositions through a centralized/converged unified platform

Tech Mahindra, a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting, and business re-engineering services and solutions, announced that it has expanded its partnership with Vodafone Germany towards the transformation of its sales and customer experience processes.

As a part of this multi-year engagement, Comviva, a Tech Mahindra company, will deliver a unified sales solution across mobile, fixed, cable and TV services businesses of Vodafone Germany. The relationship began in 2019 and partnership focused on transforming assisted sales experience. The expanded partnership will target transforming non-assisted digital sales channels and elevating the entire integrated buying experience.

Manish Vyas, President, Communications, Media and Entertainment Business, and CEO, Network Services, Tech Mahindra, said, “At Tech Mahindra, we firmly believe in the power of innovation and investment in intellectual property development. Our product and platform strategy are a testament to our deep domain expertise in the Telecom industry. We are grateful for the support and guidance of Vodafone Group as we embark on a new chapter in our digital journey, building the groundwork for the next generation of technology solutions on BlueMarble foundation.”

Comviva has deployed its BlueMarble platform with an expansive range of use cases that include digital commerce, catalog, order management and customer care. The first phase of the engagement was focused on creating a unified platform that provided a converged 360-degree view of the customer across telesales and retail operations. The second phase will further the convergence to digital channels and empower Vodafone Germany in extending on-demand, personalized solution bundles seamlessly to its customers across the channels of their choice.

Ulrich Irnich, CIO at Vodafone Germany, said, “We are a customer-obsessed organization. Our expanded partnership and choice of ODA-compliant cloud-native Comviva platform will enable us to enhance the customer experience even further, driving personalization at scale and further optimizing experience across online and in-store. The new solution shall help us align teams around a single view of the customer, with insights and activation capabilities that will make experiences even more seamless, connected and relevant.”

Manoranjan (Mao) Mohapatra, Chief Executive Officer at Comviva, said, “Today, customers use a variety of touchpoints to engage both digitally and offline and a unified integrated customer experience across all channels is paramount. Our partnership shall deliver a more comprehensive view of customer journeys and enhanced omnichannel experiences. We are extremely excited about this partnership, and it shall serve as a great foundation for personalization efforts, while also empowering organizational efficiency.”

Comviva’s BlueMarble is a modular commerce, order management, customer care and partner management digital platform. It is a 5G ready, cloud-native, microservices based, open digital solution that delivers business agility by offering personalized customer experiences and journeys.

The ways in which you can get ahead of your competition are endless. But not all of them are going to be applicable to your business. User experience is a universal aspect of both physical and digital products, and it can be quite helpful in improving them.

As much as 52% of visitors won’t return to your website or an app if they consider it inaesthetic. There are many actions that you can take to make your product look and function better, and devising a proper UX strategy is an efficient way of achieving that.

Whether you already have a finished product, or you are currently developing it, understanding the role of UX strategy can improve your product development stage.

UX design explained

UX, or user experience, is the way in which a user interacts with a certain product or website. This term encompasses how individuals perceive the ease of use, efficiency, and usefulness of a product.

The UX designers don’t exactly design an “experience.” They create products by incorporating important rules and guidelines of UX design, which make the product accessible, easy to use, and efficient at fulfilling its purpose. People will often stop using applications and websites that are complex to use, and the job of a UX designer is to prevent this from happening.

While UI, user interface, and UX often go together, they are different at their core. UI design is only visual, while the latter includes interactivity and functionality. It’s also important that the person working on UX design understands the psychology of the consumer.

Products centered around users often bring better engagement, loyalty, and satisfaction.

User privacy and product design Recently, such designers had to keep in mind global and regional regulations regarding collecting user data and their privacy. General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, is a document adopted by the European Parliament, and it prevents businesses from misusing user data.

For example, corporations would often collect information on the users and sell them to other companies, and they would often track your online activity even after leaving their website. While these regulations are targeted toward big tech companies, they are just as applicable to small businesses.

Since the adoption of GDPR, companies can gather only certain types of data, and they must notify you if they do so.

User experience designers have to design products in a way that doesn’t break any of the privacy regulations. If the product collects cookies, then the user must be notified and given the possibility to choose whether they want to accept that.

UX strategy explained

If you already understand the importance of a positive user experience, you can move forward to applying your knowledge. UX strategy is the process of planning how you will develop your product in a way that will bring satisfaction to your customers.

A good strategy starts with researching the behaviours and goals of your users and grasping your audience. UX research trends 2023 points out that many companies aren’t doing enough research to keep up with the needs of their customers. Proper research should be done at every stage of product development, as it will help your company to progress in the right direction.

On the other hand, following trends can sometimes affect your business negatively. Trends aren’t always the right thing for your situation. You need to define the objectives of your company and then decide whether the current trends align with your long and short-term goals.

Since there’s no one size fits all approach to UX design, devising a strategy for it will help you determine the roadmap from an idea to a product that’s desired by your target audience. 

UX strategy brings improvement to your business

Creating a UX strategy can help you get ahead of your competition in the long run. There isn’t a user experience design that can make up for a poor product that no one needs, but the right implementation of industry trends and rules can help improve business outcomes.

A good strategy needs to be paired with continuous research from your team. You need to have feedback from users both during the development of an app or a website and after it was launched. Only a third of companies conduct additional research after the launch, and sometimes the general audience can give you more insights into the product.

In Europe, corporate law is governed by the EU, with every country also offering its own laws and regulations. As such, many businesses seek legal assistance when navigating this complicated legal and regulatory landscape to ensure they are fully compliant.

Thanks to high demand, most of the countries where lawyers can earn the highest salaries are in Europe, and corporate law can be a particularly lucrative sector. Corporate law is also highly stimulating for many lawyers, as it is a fast-paced market that is constantly evolving. If you’re eager to enter the European corporate law market, here are some practical tips to help.

Choose Your Specialism

The first step is to choose a specific type of corporate law, region, and focus so that you can start looking for ways to improve your skills. These factors will affect the type of work you will be undertaking and the skills you need to learn, so you need to research and learn more about the different types of corporate law conducted in Europe and the role you could potentially play in these transactions. Once you know what kind of European corporate law you want to practise, you need to hone your knowledge and educate yourself as much as possible. For example, if you want to learn about the law and economics of mergers and acquisitions for UK companies, check out a short course like this one. Courses like this will give you a basic knowledge of your chosen specialist area of corporate law and help you prepare for your first cases.

Network Within Your Niche

You will need to network in your chosen niche to find the right mentor, initial job placement, and industry contacts. Networking can include various approaches, including using online professional social media platforms, attending conferences and events, and even cold messaging individuals in your chosen field to ask for advice and support. You never know what might happen, so try to take every available opportunity and find ways to connect with business leaders and fellow lawyers in the European corporate landscape and your chosen area of it.

Stay Informed On New Developments

As a newly qualified lawyer, you still have a lot to learn about the legal market, and what you need to know is constantly changing. New regulations and amendments to laws occur regularly, as do new ways of dealing with clients and new tech to help lawyers to streamline their processes. As such, you should stay ahead of these developments by following top legal blogs from industry experts and regulators, reading law journals and making the most of your network of European corporate law contacts. You’ll then be able to stay ahead of the latest updates in this fast-paced market and offer your new clients the very highest standard of service.

Corporate law in Europe is an ever-evolving market where dedicated lawyers can earn a successful and profitable career. Use these tips to get started and find your way in the competitive European corporate law landscape to earn yourself the legal career you deserve.

In today’s global business world, staying connected is essential – and video technology offers powerful opportunities to facilitate it. Video SDKs provide the tools companies need to smoothly integrate this innovative communication solution into their applications and websites for remarkable results. From enhancing customer experiences to empowering team collaboration, these kits have proven effective at driving tangible growth in businesses of all sizes. Discover more on how mastering a video SDK can benefit your organization!

Benefits of video SDK

Improved Communication

Video technology allows businesses to communicate with their customers and employees in a more personal and engaging way. According to a survey by Wyzowl, 81% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, and 95% of people have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service.

Increased Efficiency

With video SDK, businesses can automate processes and streamline workflows. For example, a video SDK can be used to create a video-based customer support system that allows customers to quickly and easily get the help they need.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Video technology can help businesses create a more engaging and immersive customer experience. According to a survey by HubSpot, 54% of consumers want to see more video content from businesses they support.

Cost-Effective

Using video technology can be cost-effective for businesses, as it eliminates the need for travel and in-person meetings. According to a survey by Lifesize, 89% of remote employees say video helps them feel more connected to their colleagues.

Tips and Tricks for Using Video SDK for Your Business

• Choose the Right Video SDK

When choosing a video SDK, it’s important to consider factors such as ease of use, scalability, and security. Look for a video SDK that offers a robust set of features and integrates well with your existing systems.

• Test Before You Launch

Before launching your video application, it’s important to test it thoroughly to ensure it works as intended. This includes testing for compatibility with different devices, browsers, and internet speeds.

• Optimize for Mobile

As more people use mobile devices to access the internet, it’s important to optimize your video application for mobile. This includes optimizing video quality and ensuring that the application is easy to use on smaller screens.

• Focus on Security

Security is a top concern for businesses when it comes to video technology. Look for a video SDK that offers robust security features, such as end-to-end encryption, to ensure that your video communications are secure.

• Provide Training and Support

To ensure that your employees and customers can use your video application effectively, it’s important to provide training and support. This can include creating user guides, providing online tutorials, and offering customer support.

• Facilitate Remote Collaboration

The use of video SDK can also facilitate remote collaboration among teams. With video conferencing and collaboration features, team members can work together in real-time, no matter where they are located. This can lead to improved communication, increased productivity, and better decision-making.

• Improve Marketing Efforts

Video SDK can also be used to improve your marketing efforts by providing engaging video content to attract and retain customers. By creating video content that showcases your products or services, you can provide a more immersive and interactive experience for your audience.

• Collect Valuable Data

Finally, video SDK can provide valuable data that can be used to improve your business operations. By analyzing video call data, you can gain insights into customer behaviour, preferences, and pain points. This data can be used to optimize your products or services, improve customer experiences, and increase revenue.

Seamless Integration and Easy-to-Use: Why Businesses Love Digital Samba’s Video SDK

Digital Samba has established itself as Europe’s favourite start-to-finish video conferencing software provider, with a strong focus on innovation and customer satisfaction. The company has a dedicated team of experts who are always available to provide support and guidance, ensuring that businesses get the most out of their investment in Video SDK.

With Video SDK, businesses can create personalized interactions with customers, deliver more efficient training sessions, and collaborate more effectively with remote teams. The software is designed to enhance customer experiences and increase productivity, while reducing costs.

Overall, Digital Samba’s Video SDK is an excellent choice for businesses looking to unlock the power of video in their operations. With its array of amazing features and superior customer experiences, Video SDK is sure to help businesses stay ahead in today’s digital world.

Writing a winning cover letter makes your chances of landing that job better.

When examining your job application, your cover letter is usually the first thing recruiters notice. A cover letter must include many crucial aspects in a clear manner to capture an employer’s attention and persuade them to consider you for an interview. When hiring managers scan dozens of job applications every day, they search for precise factors in cover letters that tell them all they need to know about the individual and fulfill their professional standards.

While many people consider cover letters to be unnecessary, recent statistics reveal that 53% of employers favor a candidate who provides one. Most recruiters and HR managers in Europe expect cover letters because they feel they serve an important role in providing more information and context for why a person is applying for the position. Many EU countries see cover letters as a way to assess your English language fluency level.

Your cover letter is your prospective employer’s first impression of you. Your cover letter’s content has a significant impact on the likelihood of your application’s acceptance. As a result, it is imperative to draft an excellent cover letter that positions you as an amazing candidate.

In this article, you’ll discover some salient and essential cover letter factors recruiters always look out for. And even more. Keep reading.

What is a cover letter

A cover letter is a written document that is typically provided together with a job application that summarizes the applicant’s qualifications and interest in the vacant position. It is also a customized letter from you to the person in charge of the hiring process for the position you are applying for.

A cover letter is customized to the position you’re applying for, emphasizing your qualifications and how they connect to that role and organization. You should use it to provide instances of how your experiences connect to the role and demonstrate why you are the ideal candidate for the job.

A cover letter, as the name suggests, is written in letter format, with a greeting, three to five body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Your cover letter, unlike your resume, should be written in whole sentences, and you should use the first-person pronoun – I – more frequently.

Companies are constantly on the hunt for people who are best fit to the jobs that are available, and cover letters assist them to find such applicants. Your cover letter will set you apart from others who may not have adapted their cover letters especially for the position on offer, or who have not produced a well-written cover letter.

One of these examples (or more) will help you ace your next cover letter

A catchy cover letter makes all the difference between the HR manager accepting or rejecting your job application. An outstanding cover letter will persuade a potential employer to go through your resume more closely.

Take advantage of one of these examples to get an idea of how to write your own winning cover letter.

For starters, a great cover letter consists of four parts:

• Salutation: A professional greeting in which the hiring manager is addressed by name.

• Introduction: An enticing first paragraph that describes yourself and your desire to apply for the available position.

• Body: One or two lines detailing your relevant professional experience, accomplishments, abilities, skills, and education.

• Closing paragraph: A closing paragraph that includes a call to action requesting that the recruiting manager call you in for an interview.

Ensure that your cover letter leaves an indelible mark for the right reasons. The following tips will surely catch the attention of your potential employer, and also make you stand out from the crowd:

• Tailor it to the job: Make each cover letter peculiar to the organization. Your cover letter should be tailored to the position you are applying for, linking your abilities and experiences to those listed in the job description.

• Add examples: Back up your assertions in your cover letter with genuine facts or instances of how and when you’ve deployed your abilities and experience.

• Establish your Unique Selling Points: Be confident in what you have to offer and clearly state how your abilities and expertise fulfill the requirements of the job description. Show why you’re the ideal candidate.

Common cover letter mistakes to avoid

While looking for employment, one of the most essential things to remember is that first impressions count. In other words, your cover letter, which is frequently the first thing a hiring manager will view, must be well-written and error-free.

Regrettably, many job seekers make avoidable cover letter mistakes that cost them the opportunity to get their foot in the door. Keep an eye out for the following blunders to ensure that your cover letter increases your prospects as much as possible:

Using a generic salutation

A cover letter is still, by definition, a letter to someone. And that person is crucial in your job quest.

Consider getting an email or letter from someone you’ve never met before. An email personalized to you will have a larger impact than a crappy greeting, right? That is why, wherever feasible, you should address your cover letter to the name of a genuine person.

Personalizing your cover letter informs the reader that you’re attentive to details and have done your homework before applying.

Shining the spotlight only on yourself 

While drafting a cover letter, candidates frequently make the mistake of focusing solely on themselves. Your cover letter is more than an avenue to only discuss your ambitions and aspirations.

Instead, concentrate on how you will help the firm if they hired you. What qualifications and experience do you have to succeed in this position? How could you assist the organization in achieving its goals?

Ensure your cover letter highlights the value you would provide to the firm, why you would thrive in the role, and why you are interested in the job.

Grammatical and typo errors

Grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors are absolutely avoidable and unacceptable. They give your letter an amateurish impression and undermine your trustworthiness.

You must pay special attention to the grammatical quality of your message. It is evidence of your written communication ability, and it should reflect positively on you. If you’re applying for a position in a European country, you must make sure to use British English for your cover letter. Missing out on things like that shows that you did not do thorough research on the company.

 Never misspell the firm or hiring manager’s name. The goal of a cover letter is to persuade a potential employer, and so sending an error-filled letter is the worst thing you can do.

6 Important cover letter factors business owners consider when hiring candidates

While looking for work, it’s likely that you’ll look at more than one job posting. The same holds true for recruiting managers, only that they must sort through a large number of applications. As a result, they scan cover letters for particular and vital factors.

No job candidate has unlimited time to impress a potential employer. Hence, when creating a cover letter, you should pay special attention to the following factors:

1. Past Work Examples 

Past achievements allow the recruiter to assess the applicant’s worth and contributions to previous employers and teams. Applying for a secretary or executive assistant role will require that you have something to show for your previous role. This may include actual meeting agenda examples rather than just telling them that you’re organized. 

The rule of showing and not telling works every time. Instead of just saying that you have a skill, it is great to link to your past work samples.

Furthermore, someone who is pleased with their previous successes demonstrates confidence and love for their profession.

Recruiters search for accolades, prizes, contests (solo or with a team), desire to engage in educational training, and so on to find valuable prospects. Individuals that cite these accomplishments are often curious and eager to advance within the firm.

2. Proper and relatable language 

Recruiters want a letter that is straightforward, easy to read and follow, and, above all, professional. Make each cover letter unique to the position to which you’re replying. Examine the job description to determine what language the business employs to describe itself. You can never go wrong with straightforward, dynamic, and professional language.

3. Value

What do you bring to the table as a professional, and how would you benefit the organization if you were hired? To catch the reader’s attention, sell your primary abilities convincingly in your cover letter. This increases your chances of moving on in the selection process.

4. Conciseness 

Recruiters want to know that you respect their time. Make a concise and to-the-point cover letter. Match your abilities and expertise to the traits and experience provided in the ad to let the recruiter understand what a terrific fit you’d be. Provide them the information they need in a clear and simple manner so that they can complete their job of hiring you.

5. Enthusiasm 

A personalized, intriguing cover letter demonstrates that you have researched the organization and understand the employer’s objectives and job requirements. It is an opportunity to show how excited you are about the position, how eager you are to be a part of the team, and how much value you would bring to the firm.

6. The ‘write’ tone

Maintain a pleasant, friendly, and professional tone in your cover letter. You should show your confidence, but be careful not to come across as cocky or conceited. Avoid using clichés and jokes unless the corporate culture explicitly indicates that they are acceptable. Whenever in doubt, err on the side of corporate professionalism.

Your cover letter is your weapon; wield it

A cover letter is essential in a job application. Yet, knowing where to begin is sometimes difficult. By following the top suggestions and utilizing the example in this article, you’ll be able to produce a cover letter that will bring life to your resume.

Instead of treating your cover letter as an afterthought, consider it a portal to your resume and all the valuable assets you bring to the table. That is what convinces a recruiter to view you as a possible employee. Give it your best shot.

The new system will optimize energy data access and usage for Polish consumers, drive value chain transformation, introduce new value-add services, and advance Poland’s ESG goals.

CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB) has been selected to design, build, implement and support a next-generation Central Energy Market Information System (CSIRE) for Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne (PSE), Poland’s electricity transmission system operator. The new centralized energy IT system will store and manage data from all of Poland’s energy consumption locations to simplify and enhance data exchange across the country’s retail electricity market. This will drive benefits for PSE’s nationwide operations as well as Poland’s households, enterprises and retail utility sector as a whole. The contract is valued at CAD$97 million.

By centralizing and automating Poland’s energy metering data management, the new system will optimize energy data access, as well as drive energy value chain transformation and new value-added services. In addition, the new system will unify electricity retail market processes and standards across the country. This will reduce the number of standards and systems maintained locally by energy distributors and suppliers, which, in turn, will further streamline and accelerate processes across Poland’s retail energy market.

“CSIRE will improve metering information access, enable consumers’ prudent energy use, and facilitate market procedures like change of supplier. It also will drive competitiveness among market participants, support the launch of new innovative services, and more,” said Tomasz Sikorski, PSE President of the Board.

To support PSE, CGI will leverage its proven Central Market Solutions (CMS) intellectual property, which manages the exchange of data among energy market participants and improves compliance with ESG reporting regulations. By synchronizing data, processes and systems, CMS addresses key requirements driven by new energy legislation and evolving energy sector demands. This also will help PSE to address its own business needs in terms of data processing, protection and security.

“The energy sector has become vitally important to not only meet the needs of consumers, but also to advance the transition to more sustainable energy sources, which addresses geopolitical challenges and drives economic growth,” said Senior Vice-President Bartłomiej Nieścierowicz, who leads CGI’s operations in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. “We look forward to partnering with Poland to help revolutionize the energy sector for the future through a new strategic vision and innovative technologies. CGI has successfully implemented solutions similar to CSIRE in 10 countries and 14 regulated markets, including electricity, gas and water.”

CGI has worked in the energy sector for several decades, delivering end-to-end services and innovative intellectual property solutions to help energy companies become customer-centric digital organizations. Through its energy data, systems, security and ESG expertise, CGI helps clients navigate change and evolve their energy businesses to better serve customers, drive operational excellence, and gain competitive advantage. To learn more about CGI’s energy experience, visit cgi.com/energy-utilities.

When moving into a new neighbourhood, it’s natural to want to know more about your neighbours. These days it’s common to perform a background check on neighbours when you arrive. After all, you’re going to be living close to these people for the foreseeable future. You need to know that they’re safe, trustworthy individuals, especially if you have children.

A background can provide valuable information about their criminal history and other relevant details. In this article, we’ll show you how to find out if your neighbours are criminals in just a few easy steps.

Why Perform a Background Check on Your Neighbours?

There are several reasons why you might want to check out your neighbours. Perhaps you want to know your neighbour’s criminal records or examine their background to see if they have any history of violent or aggressive behaviour. Maybe you’re just curious about who you’re living next to and want to make sure that you’re comfortable with them.

Whatever your reasons, a background check can provide valuable information that can help you make informed decisions about your safety and security. By checking out your neighbours’ criminal records, you can find out if they have a history of violence, theft, or other criminal activities and make an informed decision about whether or not you want to continue living near them.

Are Your Neighbours Criminals? How To Find Out If Your Neighbour Is A Criminal In 3 Easy Steps

There are several simple online methods for checking out your neighbours that you can use. Some come at a small cost, and others are free.

Public Records

Public records, including criminal records, court records, and other relevant details, are typically made accessible to the public. To access public records, you’ll need to visit your local government office or use an online database that specializes in public records. Bear in mind that this can be a time-consuming and complex process. You may have to spend a few hours manually combing through files, and even the online search engines used by public records entities are very user-friendly. However, the information is always accurate.

Online Search Engines

Another option is to use online search engines, such as Google or Bing, to find information about your neighbours. These engines can provide a wealth of information, including news articles, social media profiles, and other online content that can give you insight into your neighbours’ background. However, the information might not be up-to-date, and you are probably going to get a bunch of results that aren’t accurate or even related to your neighbors, especially if they have a very common first and last name. You can also try sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. These methods only work if you know the person’s name, however. When you are new to the neighborhood, you might not know exactly who the people living next door to you are.

Background Check Services

You can use a background check service to perform a more comprehensive search of your neighbors’ criminal history. These services use sophisticated algorithms and access to large databases to provide detailed information about individuals, including criminal records, court records, and more.

You may need to include basic details such as your neighbours’ names, addresses, and birthdates in order to use the service, and they can be expensive.

Online Address Lookup You may not know all of the details about your neighbour. You may not even know their names when you first move in. But you do have a very crucial piece of the puzzle: their address. You can use an online lookup service to search for the address and find out more information about the people who bought the house. Most of these online services will let you dig even deeper into the person once you’ve got their name. You can find out their phone number, criminal and civil records, employer, and more.

Conclusion

There are so many horror stories in the news these days about neighbourhood feuds and violent offenders.

If you are concerned about your family’s safety, you may want to perform a background check on neighbours before you move into a new neighbourhood. A background check will show you exactly who you are living next door to and can provide real peace of mind.

The need for green technology that can solve the climate crisis has increased sharply. This applies in particular to the demand for hydrogen technology. This has made Cell Impact, a global supplier of a key component for fuel cells, one of the fastest growing companies in Sweden.

It is Deloitte that is behind the Sweden Technology Fast 50. Ever since 2003, the company has ranked Sweden’s 50 fastest growing private and public tech companies. The winner will be announced on Thursday, November 24, and Cell Impact is one of the 50 fast-growers.

“Cell Impact has had a strong increase in turnover in recent years. We manufacture flow plates which are a critical component for fuel cells and electrolyzers. Fuel cells provide energy with no emissions but water and electrolyzers can be powered by renewable energy to create green hydrogen. Hydrogen is estimated to account for 28 percent of global energy needs in 2050 and is absolutely crucial for the green transition of the energy system,” says Pär Teike, CEO of Cell Impact.

There is strong demand from Cell Impact’s current customers, but there are also a number of policy initiatives, such as the EU’s Green Deal, which continue to drive demand for Cell Impact’s flow plates.

“We meet the hydrogen sector’s biggest challenge. We have a unique forming technique that we call Cell Impact Forming™ and which is both cost-effective and scalable,” says Pär Teike.

The final publication of the Sweden Technology Fast 50, which announces the order of the ranking, will take place next week and the winner will be revealed on Thursday 24 November.

“It is always exciting to see which companies make it into the Sweden Technology Fast 50. As usual, the trends on this year’s list reflect shifts we see in society at large – for example, several medtech companies are represented and there is a continued focus on sustainability and greentech. We also see more industries than ever represented among this year’s companies, and a range of innovative solutions to help manage problems we face, both as a society and on a personal level,” says Ester Sundström, partner and responsible for Deloitte Sweden Technology Fast 50.

On the occasion of Sweden Technology Fast 50, Cell Impact has produced a short film that describes the background to the company’s rapid increase in turnover. The film is available at investor.cellimpact.com.

With a huge war uprising for hiring top talents, each company is trying to find numerous ways to retain the top talents at their company. Especially after most organizations are shifting to a hybrid working schedule.

Top talents are setting new boundaries and even considering leaving their jobs when their requirements aren’t met.

However, especially in areas like the EU, some countries are still developing and employee recognition is not at an adequate level. This is causing several people to leave their job and look for a replacement.

Therefore, in this article, we will learn more about employee recognition and business retention, how it affects productivity levels and how it can lower turnover rates.

Let’s dive right in.

10 Ways employee recognition will directly affect retention rates and productivity levels

360 degree feedback software helps increase employee recognition: What is 360 feedback software? It’s a feedback software that allows organizations to gather employee feedback from managers, peers and reports directly.

As a company that encourages development, you’ve most likely heard about the benefits of 360 feedback software. If you haven’t, you are only missing out. So what are the main features a 360 feedback software has to offer? Here are the main ones:

User-friendliness: Is the software responsive? If your solution is easy to use, it’ll be easier for employees to slot reviews into their daily working schedules more comfortably.

Customization: Creating questionnaires for suiting a range of roles.

Integrations: 360-degree feedback works with development paths, OKRs, engagement surveys and more. Your platform of choice will include all of these features.

Scalability: If you are working for a large organization or growing your business, you need the proper software to help your performance management scale up.

Analytics: The software will help you analyze and interpret data from performance reviews. This way, you’ll be able to make better data-driven decisions. If you are wondering what the best 360 degree feedback software is, you can rely on the following:

• Leapsome
• Elevo 
• Eloomi
• Impraise 
• Kallidus 
• Learned.io 
• Perform Yard and more 

Employee reward programs experience lower frustration

Employee reward and recognition programs will experience up to 30% less frustration than organizations that don’t have any. 

What better way to celebrate great work than to include rewards and recognition programs? After all, organizations with global employee rewards programmes achieve a 66% increase in loyalty, a 60% increase in individual performance and employees are 63% more likely not to leave their jobs. 

A recognition program builds a global culture of appreciation that works for all teams. Additionally, it allows employees to recognize each other, whether working at the office or remotely, strengthening team relationships and providing a simple reward.

Employee recognition connects with parking too

Did you ever think of how many office parking problems most employees have when they go to the office? Well, it’s not a small issue and employee recognition is connected to available parking spots too. What better way to show appreciation than to reserve a spot for your colleague?

Finding available spots isn’t easy, but as an organization, it should be considered your responsibility to do so. Especially as prices have risen recently, parking is getting more expensive and it may become an expensive trip for your employees to come to work. You definitely don’t want them to think this. Therefore, always look for some solutions, such as the following:

First come, first served: First one to come will get the parking spot

Use parking management software: The software will automatically manage each spot and time frame.

Reserve parking: Try to count the number of team members who want to park and reserve spots for a certain period of time.

Lack of employee recognition leads to cost deficit

Replacing an employee will cost the business around six to nine months of an employee’s salary! These costs add up quickly and are more problematic for developing countries in the EU since most companies in developing countries have a limited budget. However, regardless of the country, costs do add up for businesses that lose many employees due to a lack of employee recognition.

Imagine if you are paying an employee a salary of 45,000 Euros annually, replacing that employee will cost you at least half of this salary. This adds up to 22.500 Euros wasted, meaning that it’s not a good idea to try and replace employees, especially if they are top talents. Top talents can add up the costs even more.

The financial costs of failing to recognize good work are high, so it’s important not to let it get the upper hand. Moreover, another huge loss is the productivity challenges you need to face.

Increases productivity

Higher employee turnover rates will impact the organization’s productivity, so it’s important to pay close attention to it. Harming the company culture isn’t a good strategy and will result in higher replacement costs, as we mentioned.

Statistics claim that employees are 73% more likely to be productive when their work is recognized. 

Employee morale and productivity are linked together, so when employers show their appreciation regularly, it’ll affect productivity. Staff appreciation is essential for the company’s well-being and employee satisfaction.

In other words, you can take yourself as a perfect example. If you feel undervalued at a workplace, you won’t be motivated to work and have a higher chance of leaving the company. Lacking a program of employee recognition results in lower productivity rates, thus, directly impacting long-term results.

Appreciation decreases absenteeism

Employees will always try and avoid their tasks when their work isn’t recognized and they aren’t happy. However, recognizing and rewarding employees will decrease absenteeism rates and affect individual productivity.

When employees are present at the workplace, they can complete their tasks on time, effectively meeting deadlines.

Employee recognition improves business growth and profitability

When employees feel valued at work, their recognition and contribution towards a job increase. In other words, they have more pride and ownership in their work. This makes them work harder, directly contributing to the business’s profitability and growth.

Additionally, employees are more motivated and will want to work harder. Conversely, lack of motivation is one of the main drivers of decreased energy and performance at the workplace.

Improves the customer experience

Happy employees increase customer satisfaction and experience. Unfortunately, when someone isn’t happy, they may transfer their negative energy to other people. This isn’t something you want to happen while running a business.

Hence, employees whose work is recognized will always try to exceed your expectations and manage existing customers effectively, bringing in new clients and a positive experience.

Encourages a positive company culture

Employee recognition policies directly contribute to a company’s culture. Positive work culture will create mutual trust between team members and strengthen their collaboration. When teammates collaborate, they’ll be more willing to support each other and work.

Areas with many different cultures, like the EU is an area with a range of cultures, so if you’re working with team members from different parts of Europe, it’s always a good idea to adjust to each other’s differences.

their work, they’ll put in much more effort toward achieving the goals of the company.

10. Promotes a much stronger employer brand

All organizations are concerned about having a strong employer brand and attracting industry talent. Organizations focused on their employees have good employee recognition programs that are motivated to spread good words and attract top talents.

Spreading good words will benefit both the personal and professional networks of organizations.

The most effective ways to increase employee recognition

While you are creating your employee recognition program, there are multiple benefits for the organization. Taking the right steps for creating and managing these programs includes some dedication. Here are a few tips we recommend to you:

• Ensure your recognition program is specific and measurable
• Clearly define the criteria for your employee recognition
• Offer employee recognition for increasing your results in line with business goals and objectives
• Offering employee recognition for good behaviour in line with the company’s goals
• Leveraging technology to make the process more user-friendly and efficient
• Retaining human touch as much as you can

The final cutdown

The entire idea of employee recognition is to promote growth and productivity in your business. Something you want to avoid at all costs is increasing your employee turnover rates because it’ll increase time consumption and increase costs.

Especially in an area like the EU, you want to adapt to a diverse culture and encourage employee recognition as much as possible.

About The Author: 

Tony Ademi is a freelance SEO content and copywriter. He has been in the writing industry for three years and has managed to write hundreds of SEO-optimized articles. Moreover, he has written articles that have ranked #1 on Google. Tony’s primary concern when writing an article is to do extensive research and ensure that the reader is engaged until the end.

From their initial meeting ten years ago, two experts in their field have taken their extensive knowledge of an industry, combined their unique skills and foresight, recruited the right talent into the right positions, forged unbelievable relationships with some of the world’s best-known brands, and are now proud owners of a group of companies who are reinventing the world of plastic injection moulding.

Businessmen and investors Jeremy Svoboda and Marc Ammerlaan are co-founders of the Adis Automotive Group (AAG) which is positioned in a very favorable environment to deliver exceptional quality products to the automotive industry globally.

Aside from the obvious economies of scale and scope that arise from connecting multiple entities, the formation of AAG in 2022 saw the two six sigma black belts bring together their existing businesses – Adis Tachov and NS Kunststofftechnik – in a way that placed them in a position of superiority over rival suppliers. By operating more than 65 injection moulding machines with clamping forces ranging from 5 to a whopping 1200 tons, the group is able to accept orders of immense scale and variety and be extremely confident of upholding their ethos of delivering exceptional quality products, on time, every time.

Jeremy explained: “we’re all about creating seamless customer journeys, challenging the status quo of the manufacturing industry, and pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved from plastics”. With a collective of skills and processes being merged in a way that extracts the best from every single one of them, the lean manufacturing days of seiri, seiton, and seisō are no longer silo thought paths; in AAG, they are instead components of a much bigger, more effective approach to streamlining business operations and delivering growth.

Championing both people and processes across multiple business sectors and on five continents, AAG has become the ultimate top-tier supply partner to the automotive world and with their cacophony of fail-safe processes, visual mapping, smart technology, and immense attention to detail, they have changed manufacturing for the better and have become truly sui generis.

Marc added that AAG was: “founded with the goal of doing things differently and our portfolio of world-renowned customers are testament to that ongoing success.” Indeed with brands including Bentley, Mercedes, and Skoda in their order book, you can understand why Marc wished to highlight this fact and was immensely proud of it.

As a Europe-based company that lives and breathes six sigma optimization, zero-defect policies, and ultimate lean manufacturing AAG is truly a fully synchronized automotive supply group that embraces the JIT system and utilizes an array of technological initiatives to increase gross margins, manage expenses, and ultimately deliver outstanding products and services globally.

In a world where over 30% of all plastic products globally are made using the injection molding process, it’s little wonder that the factories responsible for rolling out everything from bottle tops to components and fittings for the automotive industry are in high demand and set for continued growth for future decades to come.  Jeremy concluded by explaining that “Adis Automotive Group is only at the beginning of its journey. More acquisitions are already in the pipeline to further strengthen our reach and capabilities, and we believe that our motto of Quality with Integrity will hold firm and drive us forward as we continue to scale.”

Find out more and get in touch via: adisgroup.eu

In less than three years, workforces all over the UK have become accustomed to a hybrid working system of both in office and from home. Going into 2020, the number of people who had worked a single day from home was only around 12%. This rose to almost half of employees during June 2020 and while there was a decrease after world events began calming down, the statistics were still higher than that pre-2020. September 2022 saw 22% of employees state they partly work from home regularly.

Companies are still looking to embrace hybrid working and with more people working from home, it means less time commuting to the office. Adding this up to the problems associated with driving, such as rising petrol and diesel prices and delivery delays for new cars, many drivers won’t need or want to use their cars as much.

There are plenty of options available if you’re hoping to reduce your driving. In this article, we’ll take you through some of the best solutions to get around.

Bike and scooter hire

Many cities in the UK have started introducing new methods of getting around with bikes and scooters that you can pick up and get going on. Statistics have shown that many trips in the UK tend to be short, with 24% of trips being less than a mile and 68% of trips being less than five miles.

Micromobility is the idea of using smaller, lightweight vehicles for travel like bikes and scooters, and is a fantastic solution for shorter journeys. Especially if you live quite close to your place of work, shorter commutes will benefit greatly from embracing these options. Not only is it more cost-effective, but it will also mean a reduction in emissions compared to what is produced when driving, thanks to the lack of fuel required to power them.

Bikes and electric scooters are common options, and there are even electric bikes in some areas. Accessibility is made easy thanks to most providers having an app that you can create an account for and rent one of the vehicles for the time or distance you need it. Once finished, you can find a designated point to leave the vehicle using the app, while some allow you to leave it parked in a safe location.

Car sharing

Many companies are now introducing car-sharing schemes that act like a combination of car rental and micromobility. Apps are available for these services, so you can see the GPS location of a car on the system. Using a booking system or calling direct, you book and then use a smartcard or your phone for contactless to unlock the car without the need for keys.

This is a great option for drivers who may need to make the occasional (and sometimes unavoidable) longer trip but don’t want the hassle of owning a personal car. Not having to worry about cleaning or refuelling the car, as well as long-term concerns like servicing and insuring the vehicle, means you can choose when to drive to suit your needs. Once you’re done, simply park in a designated spot for it to be used by another member of the service.

Public transport discounts

Each city and region in the UK has their own public transport systems. Some examples are regional rail systems like the Tube in London, the Tram in Manchester and the Metro in Newcastle and Gateshead. Buses are also present up and down the UK, all running until the late evening hours.

While using public transport consistently can mean you build up costs over time, there are ways you can bring these overall costs down. This can include investing a bit more at the start of the month for a season ticket that will cover your travel for the rest of that month. Similarly, you can get a bus or metro pass that you can top up with credit so you can simply swipe or tap to ride.

The drive for people to use public transport more regularly has inspired government incentives to make travel more affordable. A great example is the Get Around scheme that has been introduced between January and March 2023, which offers single cap tickets of £2 for the full three months.

Owning a car can be incredibly useful, but the rising costs could be enough to drive motorists away from sole ownership. If you’d prefer to own your own car and live close to someone else who can drive, you could look into joint insurance that allows you both to drive the vehicle. That way, you could spread the costs evenly across both drivers.

Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds delighted both supporters of his club Wrexham AFC and neutrals watching on TV recently as he attended the club’s fourth-round FA Cup tie against Sheffield United – while it’s fair to say that the takeover of the Welsh club by Reynolds and fellow co-owner (and Hollywood star!) Rob McElhenney has got us all talking about football club ownership.

Reynolds and McElhenney aren’t your traditional football club owners. Of course, the first step is having a few hundred million pounds lying around. But even looking past the upfront cost, actually owning and operating a football club is likely to be a tall order – not to mention the hoops you’ll have to jump through to become an owner!

With club ownership in the headlines, commercial finance specialists, Anglo Scottish Asset Finance, take a look at what it really takes to buy a football club.

Which club should you buy?

As much as we’d all love to run the club we’ve supported since childhood, it isn’t always that simple. Your first step in buying a football club is identifying which ones you’d consider buying. Plus, there is the chance your relationship with the club could sour. It’s good to have a shortlist of clubs that you’d be interested in. You might look at supporter bases who are unhappy with their owners, or teams that, with a little extra investment, could push on to the lucrative promised land of European football.

In the past ten years, billionaire investment in Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City has propelled the clubs from the Championship to the Premier League and has seen all three compete at a high level. Leicester City won the ultimate prize of the Premier League trophy in the 2015–16 season. It really is achievable if you have the financial backing.

The football club’s place in its city is another important aspect to consider. Crystal Palace is a well-established club, but in comparison to London giants like Arsenal and Chelsea, its overall impact on the footballing cityscape is notably smaller. Meanwhile, sleeping giant Newcastle United was recently revived from its slumber by Saudi investment fund PIF, and its subsequent ascent up the Premier League has brought a newfound optimism to the whole city.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McMcElhenney famously chose Wrexham AFC because they wanted to lend financial stability to a club in need – so your motives are important too!

The legalities of owning a club

The organisational structure of the clubs on your shortlist will affect your potential purchase of them – although they’re all considered standalone legal entities. In the Premier League, every club is registered as either a public or privately owned company. In other countries – and in lower-division English football – clubs may be owned and operated by a consortium of fans.

Germany’s Bundesliga 50+1 rule dictates that all clubs in the league are majority-owned by supporters, while La Liga’s two main leaders Barcelona and Real Madrid are member- and fan-owned. In England, however, it’s the likes of Enfield Town and Prescot Cables that are owned by supporters. McElhenney and Reynolds took over Wrexham AFC from the Wrexham Supporters Trust after it overwhelmingly voted in favour of their takeover – so bear in mind that you might need to win supporters over before you even become owner!

By becoming a majority shareholder in a publicly traded club, you could become the de facto owner. According to UK takeover law, when a buyer acquires “control” over a target company, it must then make a ‘mandatory offer’ to all shareholders to acquire their shares at the highest price paid in the last twelve months. “Control” is deemed to be once you’ve purchased 30% of the club’s shares, so once you’ve reached that figure, you must make your mandatory offer and begin your takeover bid.

In the majority of cases, however, your chosen club will likely be privately owned, meaning you need to purchase it from its existing owner. For reference, the takeover of Newcastle set its buyers back £305m – chump change compared to Todd Boehly’s £4.25bn takeover at Chelsea.

How much will a club cost me to buy?

It’s not just the upfront cost, running overheads and squad investment that you need to think about when buying a football club. The club’s financials are undeniably crucial. As the new owner, you’d be saddled with all the club’s existing debts and liabilities – which could net you a great purchase price, provided you’re willing to absorb the club’s debts.

Both Chelsea (1982) and Swansea City (2001) have been sold for just one English pound. A bargain, surely? But this was to allow the new owners to spend their money on whittling down the debts the clubs had accumulated, which threatened their future survival. Wrexham was purchased for £2 million, catapulting the club ahead of its National League competition in terms of spending power.

Even your future club’s supporters can help you to negotiate a better price – if they’re unhappy with their existing ownership. Though fans rarely can directly affect the direction of a privately-owned club, they can certainly help create a hostile atmosphere and ‘encourage’ a quick sale via protest. This has arguably helped Manchester United’s owners, the much-maligned Glazer Family, begin the process of selling.

Are you fit to be a club owner?

You’ve overcome the hurdle of accruing your funds, and you’ve had your bid accepted – but there are still hurdles to overcome. You will need to be personally vetted by the Premier League in order to determine whether you are of adequate moral standing to represent your new purchase and the league in general.

Whether or not you can buy your football club at this point comes down to you passing the Owners’ and Directors’ Test. You may be prevented from completing the sale for a range of reasons, including criminal convictions (for a wide range of offences), a ban by a sporting or professional body and breaches of certain football rules, such as match-fixing.

You can finally buy your football club once you pass this test – but keep yourself out of trouble, because you’ll be re-reviewed every year!       

Long-term football club financing

It’s no secret that football clubs need regular investment to not only stay afloat but to challenge at any level – especially the upper echelons of competitions like the Champions League. The threat of relegation and the accompanying financial issues mean that a lack of investment is an impossibility if you want your club to continue to exist.

You’ll need deep pockets and long-term financial stability to keep your football club operating and competitive. Be prepared to spend, spend, spend – failing to invest your personal wealth into the club could quickly turn the supporter base against you.

Glenn Henery, Sales Director at Anglo Scottish Asset Finance, comments: “Owning a football club is not for the faint-hearted – there are so many factors affecting your investment. If you’ve got the funds, however, and you’re willing to use them, it can be a hugely rewarding and lucrative position. As long as you’re prepared to spend and put the club first, there’s no reason you can’t make money, given the huge TV licensing payouts for modern Premier League clubs.”

For the charities sector, there’s little more powerful than a grant from one of the many lotteries running around the world. Using money raised by ordinary people, these funds allow them to operate freely to make a difference with no expectations. Destiny Lottery is one of the latest names on the scene, but have already made an enormous difference to people around the world. We explore how they’ve made their mark.

The idea of donating to charity can be one which people don’t necessarily love. While most know that it is a good thing, and often the right thing, it can be a challenge to find a place where you feel comfortable making that decision. Buying a lottery ticket is one of the ways in which people can feel satisfied with their choice, as they have a chance of getting something back in return as well!

Destiny Lottery was designed with this in mind, with the primary intent to create ways of giving something back. Destiny Saint Jackson has been the brainchild behind the operation, and used to donate 2.5% of her salary to charities. The feel of fulfilment, of having given something to others without conditions or expectations of instant return, were wonderful. Through Destiny Lottery, Destiny has been able to help out many wonderful charities, despite people often being more interested in getting money than they are in giving it.

Some of the offerings from the Destiny Lottery team over the years have included cash prizes, deeds to property and land, as well as cars. These rewards have transformed the lives of so many people for the better.

The positive impact of buying a ticket means that more people are encouraged to do it. It’s clear that Destiny Lottery is not just a win-or-lose situation but one where even if you don’t win the jackpot, you have still made an immensely positive impact on society. This is why it has been able to reach beyond its humble beginnings in Nigeria and expand into Europe so effectively.

As a lottery, it’s clear that the aim of Destiny Lottery is not purely profit-driven. In fact, the primary objective has always been to make giving to charities exciting. In the past, Destiny Lottery has given to luminous organisations such as Greenpeace and Save the Children, alongside the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. These are charities which have enormous costs, and even the smallest gesture can have the biggest impact.

This latter has been much of the focus of the team over the last few months. The climate crisis is one which will have an enormous impact on all of us and the team at Destiny Lottery know that their donations could make an enormous difference in the right hands. Over the years, numerous people have been able to benefit from the team’s amazing work, often those who need support the most in society. The grants and donations from the team might not necessarily be the largest, but they are always well placed in order to make the maximum possible impact.

Over time, the impact of Destiny Lottery has helped to provide much needed care and relief in difficult times. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the effect of these carefully chosen donations was extraordinary on the public at large. At the end of the day, Destiny Lottery was created to have a positive effect on people, both those who bought tickets and those who benefitted from charitable donations. As the lottery continues to expand, it will be possible to share this success with even more people.

This expansion, of course, begins with Europe, an international hub when it comes to reducing the carbon footprint. This region of the world has long been committed to putting united action into place to have a real impact on the ways in which we live. From their headquarters in Amsterdam, the Destiny Lottery team have easy access to the entire EU, giving them the ability to spread their reach and influence significantly.

The growth of Destiny lottery, despite the challenges of the economic situation for many, has been a credit to the team’s commitment to their core values. A comprehensive advertising campaign has gone a long way to defining the way in which the team is seen. Destiny Lottery is not just a charity organisation and it’s not just a way of hoping that participants will get rich. It’s something fun to do that makes a difference. Communicating the fun and joy of taking part in this is the real secret behind the team’s success, and they do so in a way which is colourful and intriguing in equal measure.

The sense of fun has proven to be core to the success of Destiny Lottery, with the team working tirelessly to ensure that this noble endeavour is never perceived as dull or staid. Thanks to the amazing efforts of the team, this is certainly not likely to be the case. Having made their name in Nigeria, we can’t wait to see what impact they make on the European market!

For business enquiries, contact Destiny Saint Jackson from Destiny Lottery via email – [email protected]

Businesses across the globe are utilizing QR codes to make their lives and customers’ lives easier. QR codes can perform many tasks and services that can be invaluable for businesses and their customers. In the age of technology, no business can afford to let anything as universally useable and convenient pass them by.

For business owners sceptical of the benefits of QR codes, the sheer versatility of the codes can come as a surprise. Business owners should do careful research to find out how QR codes can be used in their businesses and get customer feedback to see how popular they are.

Linking Customers To A Business Website

Almost all businesses nowadays have a website, and it is crucial that the website be easily findable for customers. A QR code is a handy way for companies to ensure that customers find their website easily and quickly. Most smartphones come with an in-built QR scanning mode, so businesses should find ways to get their QR code and, as a result, their website out there. There is this excellent QR code generator from Adobe which allows businesses to start creating and distributing their QR codes.

Sending Out Coupons And Offers

For businesses that want a fast and easy way to provide offers to their customers, QR codes are an excellent choice. They can also be a great way to save space on marketing material. Companies can use a QR code to link customers to offers and coupons or make the QR code the promotion itself to be scanned in a physical location.

Streamlining Sales

Many businesses nowadays can use QR codes as a way to take alternative payments in-store and online. QR codes can be generated to link customers to online payment methods like PayPal. This gives customers greater control over how they pay for services and can increase the likelihood of a positive experience. The easier and smoother the process of making payment, the more likely a customer is to continue to use a business.

Providing Product Manuals

QR codes can save businesses time and money by reducing the need to print out and send product manuals with each order. A QR code can link directly to an online version of the manual for a product, which can also be much more convenient for the customers. Gone are the days of searching through drawers and files to locate the right manual for a product – customers can simply scan the QR code and download the manual to keep safely on their smartphones.

Connecting With Customer Service

Having a customer service team that is easily accessible is vital for any business. Customers expect to be able to reach businesses conveniently and quickly. Particularly for less tech-savvy customers, finding the right way to contact a company can be frustrating. A simple QR code that allows quick and easy access directly to a business’s customer care team can be invaluable. A QR code could link directly to the company phone number, web chat service or FAQ page.

Downloading Apps

For businesses that have apps, it is vital that customers download and use them. It can often be an uphill battle to try and get customers to engage with an app, particularly if it is a new launch. Providing customers with a QR to scan that automatically takes them to the download page for the app can be invaluable for increasing uptake.

Adding Event Reminders

For any business that hosts events, QR codes can be a lifesaver. When sending out invitations, including a QR code that automates an event reminder can be an excellent choice. QR codes take the work out of setting a reminder, making it easier for customers and making them more likely to actually be reminded of upcoming events.

Simplifying Returns

The returns process can often be a bit of a headache for customers, but QR codes can help simplify the process. If a customer doesn’t have access to a printer, QR codes can be an easy and cost-effective alternative. They can create a return that automatically generates a QR code, which they can then take to a Post Office or other courier service to scan and print the returns label for them.

Engaging Curiosity

Curiosity can be a powerful tool for a business, engaging customers with the temptation of the unknown. A QR code can be an excellent way to pique a customer’s curiosity, particularly when paired with some intriguing marketing language. Businesses should use vague but enticing language to prompt customers to use a QR code, such as telling them that there is a bonus or discount to be found by using the code.

Summing Up

QR codes are a simple but mighty addition to any business. They can benefit a company’s customers in many ways, allowing them access to tools, apps, and resources that can help them make the most of a business, its products and services. For business owners who want to start using QR codes, the process is simple. There are tools available that can help business leaders start generating their own QR codes for whichever functions they need the most.

Booking a holiday to escape the hustle and bustle tends to come with the difficult question of where? Airports across the UK are experiencing disruptions with delayed and cancelled flights, you a staycation maybe be your only choice for a getaway.

There’s been an uptick in interest in wild swimming and outdoor exploring. Google search data shows that over the past three months, there has been a 50% increase in searches for both open water and wild swimming and a 46% increase for outdoor swimming. There was also a similar increase in interest in searches for lakes to visit by 50%. This could answer the holiday destination question.

In this article, we’ll look at the ten best lakeside camping locations. So, grab enough camping gas bottles to light your burners, pack your tent and trunks, and get ready for a summer by the lake!

Low Wray campsite – Ambleside, Lake District

With a lake in the name, it was guaranteed the Lake District would feature on this list. The Low Wray campsite can be found on the western shores of Windermere and has a quieter and more relaxed atmosphere. It features pitches for classic camping or safari tents for all your glamping needs. Being right on the shore means you can easily dive in and go for a wild swim. It’s an incredibly popular campsite, so you’ll need to book in fast.

Nanctol Waterfalls – Llanbedr, Gwynedd

Many campsites may boast a “back to basics” feeling for a waterside trip, but none feel more so than Nanctol Waterfalls, the site at the bottom of the Rhinog mountain with seven acres of land. You can pitch a tent, park a caravan, or even check out one of the glamping pods and Bell Tents ready to go. There are plenty of charging points and amenities, and the river is so close to the site you can throw on your wetsuit and dive right in.

Loch Lomond – Scotland

Moving up past the Scottish border, Loch Lomond is a scenic location for camping and wild swimmers. You can camp at various sites and locations within this stunning National Park. However, some areas require a permit that can be booked online. Loch Lomond hosts the annual Open Water Swim festival for all you wild swimmers out there, so you’re getting a tried and tested swimming experience.

Hurley Lock – Maidenhead, Berkshire

You don’t have to travel to the very top or bottom of the UK to find a waterfront campsite. In fact, one of the best is a short trip outside of the capital, with Hurley Lock being on the Thames. This is a more secluded location with only ten sites, but the river splits into several channels, and you can enjoy plenty of time in the water. Within walking distance, there’s a village of Hurley for a proper pub lunch, and bookings are made by contacting 01628 824334.

Derwentwater – Lake District

Returning to the Lakes for this next entry, Derwentwater is another popular site for camping and caravanning. This location is close to Keswick and its markets, just a walk away from the river. With its family-friendly atmosphere, even if your kids aren’t the biggest swimmers, there’ll be something for them to try. Canoeing, fishing, and walks are all on offer.

Masons – Appletreewick, North Yorkshire

Perfect for families, the Masons campsite is located in the Yorkshire dales and offers unobstructed camping views and plenty of lake space to splash around. With two main fields to choose from, you can pitch your tent or caravan by the water, ready for a good swim or splash around. The site is also within walking distance of scenic trails and the village of Appletreewick so you won’t be far from a classic British pub.

Bewl Water – Kent & East Sussex

Another location not far from the country’s capital, Bewl Water, has a lot to boast about. From camping to fishing, or even booking furnished yurts, this is a fantastic holiday getaway. The site is directly on the lake so get ready for wild swimming and canoeing. Or put your walking boots on and visit Scotney Castle, a scenic townhouse in the rolling East Sussex Countryside.

Llyn Gwynant – Wales

For a breath of nature with an option for a hot shower and facilities, Llyn Gwynant in Snowdonia is an excellent choice. You get back to nature camping style, but with clean drinking water taps, toilets and baby changing. Enjoy a wild swim or camping sleep without worrying about being too far removed from comfort.

Glenbrittle – Carbost, Isle of Skye

Similar to the previous entry, Glenbrittle offers a rugged, natural camping experience with modern luxuries. This award-winning site has stunning views of Loch Brittle, with over 36 electric hook-up points and access to shower and laundry facilities. Whether swimming in the loch itself or wandering a short distance up to the Fairy Pools, there’s plenty of open water to enjoy.

Henry’s – The Lizard, Cornwall

Okay, so while it’s not really a lake, we couldn’t miss Henry’s off this list. You can find this campsite within the Lizard peninsula, a peaceful and artsy getaway. Murals and sculptures are located all around. Within a short walk is the beach, and it’s perfect for swimming.

There are lots of waterfront holiday locations in the UK. With the issues surrounding travelling overseas and the peaking interest in wild swimming, there’re plenty of reasons to stay domestic and explore the lakes and rivers of the country.

Booking a holiday to escape the hustle and bustle tends to come with the difficult question of where? Airports across the UK are experiencing disruptions with delayed and cancelled flights, you a staycation maybe be your only choice for a getaway.

There’s been an uptick in interest in wild swimming and outdoor exploring. Google search data shows that over the past three months, there has been a 50% increase in searches for both open water and wild swimming and a 46% increase for outdoor swimming. There was also a similar increase in interest in searches for lakes to visit by 50%. This could answer the holiday destination question.

In this article, we’ll look at the ten best lakeside camping locations. So, grab enough camping gas bottles to light your burners, pack your tent and trunks, and get ready for a summer by the lake!

Low Wray campsite – Ambleside, Lake District

With a lake in the name, it was guaranteed the Lake District would feature on this list. The Low Wray campsite can be found on the western shores of Windermere and has a quieter and more relaxed atmosphere. It features pitches for classic camping or safari tents for all your glamping needs. Being right on the shore means you can easily dive in and go for a wild swim. It’s an incredibly popular campsite, so you’ll need to book in fast.

Nanctol Waterfalls – Llanbedr, Gwynedd

Many campsites may boast a “back to basics” feeling for a waterside trip, but none feel more so than Nanctol Waterfalls, the site at the bottom of the Rhinog mountain with seven acres of land. You can pitch a tent, park a caravan, or even check out one of the glamping pods and Bell Tents ready to go. There are plenty of charging points and amenities, and the river is so close to the site you can throw on your wetsuit and dive right in.

Loch Lomond – Scotland

Moving up past the Scottish border, Loch Lomond is a scenic location for camping and wild swimmers. You can camp at various sites and locations within this stunning National Park. However, some areas require a permit that can be booked online. Loch Lomond hosts the annual Open Water Swim festival for all you wild swimmers out there, so you’re getting a tried and tested swimming experience.

Hurley Lock – Maidenhead, Berkshire

You don’t have to travel to the very top or bottom of the UK to find a waterfront campsite. In fact, one of the best is a short trip outside of the capital, with Hurley Lock being on the Thames. This is a more secluded location with only ten sites, but the river splits into several channels, and you can enjoy plenty of time in the water. Within walking distance, there’s a village of Hurley for a proper pub lunch, and bookings are made by contacting 01628 824334.

Derwentwater – Lake District

Returning to the Lakes for this next entry, Derwentwater is another popular site for camping and caravanning. This location is close to Keswick and its markets, just a walk away from the river. With its family-friendly atmosphere, even if your kids aren’t the biggest swimmers, there’ll be something for them to try. Canoeing, fishing, and walks are all on offer.

Masons – Appletreewick, North Yorkshire

Perfect for families, the Masons campsite is located in the Yorkshire dales and offers unobstructed camping views and plenty of lake space to splash around. With two main fields to choose from, you can pitch your tent or caravan by the water, ready for a good swim or splash around. The site is also within walking distance of scenic trails and the village of Appletreewick so you won’t be far from a classic British pub.

Bewl Water – Kent & East Sussex

Another location not far from the country’s capital, Bewl Water, has a lot to boast about. From camping to fishing, or even booking furnished yurts, this is a fantastic holiday getaway. The site is directly on the lake so get ready for wild swimming and canoeing. Or put your walking boots on and visit Scotney Castle, a scenic townhouse in the rolling East Sussex Countryside.

Llyn Gwynant – Wales

For a breath of nature with an option for a hot shower and facilities, Llyn Gwynant in Snowdonia is an excellent choice. You get back to nature camping style, but with clean drinking water taps, toilets and baby changing. Enjoy a wild swim or camping sleep without worrying about being too far removed from comfort.

Glenbrittle – Carbost, Isle of Skye

Similar to the previous entry, Glenbrittle offers a rugged, natural camping experience with modern luxuries. This award-winning site has stunning views of Loch Brittle, with over 36 electric hook-up points and access to shower and laundry facilities. Whether swimming in the loch itself or wandering a short distance up to the Fairy Pools, there’s plenty of open water to enjoy.

Henry’s – The Lizard, Cornwall

Okay, so while it’s not really a lake, we couldn’t miss Henry’s off this list. You can find this campsite within the Lizard peninsula, a peaceful and artsy getaway. Murals and sculptures are located all around. Within a short walk is the beach, and it’s perfect for swimming.

There are lots of waterfront holiday locations in the UK. With the issues surrounding travelling overseas and the peaking interest in wild swimming, there’re plenty of reasons to stay domestic and explore the lakes and rivers of the country.

Booking a holiday to escape the hustle and bustle tends to come with the difficult question of where? Airports across the UK are experiencing disruptions with delayed and cancelled flights, you a staycation maybe be your only choice for a getaway.

There’s been an uptick in interest in wild swimming and outdoor exploring. Google search data shows that over the past three months, there has been a 50% increase in searches for both open water and wild swimming and a 46% increase for outdoor swimming. There was also a similar increase in interest in searches for lakes to visit by 50%. This could answer the holiday destination question.

In this article, we’ll look at the ten best lakeside camping locations. So, grab enough camping gas bottles to light your burners, pack your tent and trunks, and get ready for a summer by the lake!

Low Wray campsite – Ambleside, Lake District

With a lake in the name, it was guaranteed the Lake District would feature on this list. The Low Wray campsite can be found on the western shores of Windermere and has a quieter and more relaxed atmosphere. It features pitches for classic camping or safari tents for all your glamping needs. Being right on the shore means you can easily dive in and go for a wild swim. It’s an incredibly popular campsite, so you’ll need to book in fast.

Nanctol Waterfalls – Llanbedr, Gwynedd

Many campsites may boast a “back to basics” feeling for a waterside trip, but none feel more so than Nanctol Waterfalls, the site at the bottom of the Rhinog mountain with seven acres of land. You can pitch a tent, park a caravan, or even check out one of the glamping pods and Bell Tents ready to go. There are plenty of charging points and amenities, and the river is so close to the site you can throw on your wetsuit and dive right in.

Loch Lomond – Scotland

Moving up past the Scottish border, Loch Lomond is a scenic location for camping and wild swimmers. You can camp at various sites and locations within this stunning National Park. However, some areas require a permit that can be booked online. Loch Lomond hosts the annual Open Water Swim festival for all you wild swimmers out there, so you’re getting a tried and tested swimming experience.

Hurley Lock – Maidenhead, Berkshire

You don’t have to travel to the very top or bottom of the UK to find a waterfront campsite. In fact, one of the best is a short trip outside of the capital, with Hurley Lock being on the Thames. This is a more secluded location with only ten sites, but the river splits into several channels, and you can enjoy plenty of time in the water. Within walking distance, there’s a village of Hurley for a proper pub lunch, and bookings are made by contacting 01628 824334.

Derwentwater – Lake District

Returning to the Lakes for this next entry, Derwentwater is another popular site for camping and caravanning. This location is close to Keswick and its markets, just a walk away from the river. With its family-friendly atmosphere, even if your kids aren’t the biggest swimmers, there’ll be something for them to try. Canoeing, fishing, and walks are all on offer.

Masons – Appletreewick, North Yorkshire

Perfect for families, the Masons campsite is located in the Yorkshire dales and offers unobstructed camping views and plenty of lake space to splash around. With two main fields to choose from, you can pitch your tent or caravan by the water, ready for a good swim or splash around. The site is also within walking distance of scenic trails and the village of Appletreewick so you won’t be far from a classic British pub.

Bewl Water – Kent & East Sussex

Another location not far from the country’s capital, Bewl Water, has a lot to boast about. From camping to fishing, or even booking furnished yurts, this is a fantastic holiday getaway. The site is directly on the lake so get ready for wild swimming and canoeing. Or put your walking boots on and visit Scotney Castle, a scenic townhouse in the rolling East Sussex Countryside.

Llyn Gwynant – Wales

For a breath of nature with an option for a hot shower and facilities, Llyn Gwynant in Snowdonia is an excellent choice. You get back to nature camping style, but with clean drinking water taps, toilets and baby changing. Enjoy a wild swim or camping sleep without worrying about being too far removed from comfort.

Glenbrittle – Carbost, Isle of Skye

Similar to the previous entry, Glenbrittle offers a rugged, natural camping experience with modern luxuries. This award-winning site has stunning views of Loch Brittle, with over 36 electric hook-up points and access to shower and laundry facilities. Whether swimming in the loch itself or wandering a short distance up to the Fairy Pools, there’s plenty of open water to enjoy.

Henry’s – The Lizard, Cornwall

Okay, so while it’s not really a lake, we couldn’t miss Henry’s off this list. You can find this campsite within the Lizard peninsula, a peaceful and artsy getaway. Murals and sculptures are located all around. Within a short walk is the beach, and it’s perfect for swimming.

There are lots of waterfront holiday locations in the UK. With the issues surrounding travelling overseas and the peaking interest in wild swimming, there’re plenty of reasons to stay domestic and explore the lakes and rivers of the country.

The world has increasingly become environmentally conscious after COVID-19, and the UK is not far behind. Social and political developments in the past few years have led to a boost in public awareness.

In simplest terms, sustainability refers to the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The topic encompasses many areas, including environmental protection and economic development, and has dominated discourse for quite a while.

Nathan Gray, head of sustainability at Reconomy – a leading waste management company in the UK, has looked at Google Trends data, which reveals that the term “sustainability” reached a score of 100 in April 2022 in the UK. A value of 100 indicates the peak popularity of the term and reflects that the interest of the people searching for the term reached its highest point in the last five years in 2022.

The finding indicates UK citizens’ increasing awareness of the urgent need to protect the environment and support sustainable practices. In this article, the author explores the key factors influencing the rise of interest in sustainability, its implications, and what it means for the environment.

A sustainability-driven populace

The increased interest in sustainability is reflected in the actions of UK citizens. 75% of UK consumers say that reducing plastics is an essential sustainable action for them. This indicates that UK consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental and social impacts their choices lead to and are willing to make changes to support sustainable practices.

The root of the rising concern for sustainability could also be traced to the increasingly environmentally conscious Gen Z.

• According to Forbes, 62% of Generation Z prefer to purchase from sustainable brands and are willing to pay more for ethically produced goods.
• A survey by Bupa reveals that 63 per cent of Gen Z and millennial respondents report feeling the burden of climate change, compared to only 37 percent of Gen X and 28 per cent of baby boomers.
• According to Pew, 32% of Gen Z respondents have participated in at least one significant environmental action over the past year.
• Gen Z even expects sustainability from the companies they work for, with 64% saying that it’s essential for their employers to act on environmental issues.

While it’s true that government legislation has significantly impacted environment-friendly practices, Gen Z’s role remains integral as its purchasing power continues to grow.

How businesses can respond and are responding

The rise in sustainability awareness can drive action and lead to fundamental changes beneficial to the environment, as evident in the corporate sector. Businesses are increasingly under pressure to become more sustainable, similar to how AI impacts business practices

Nearly a third of the UK’s largest businesses have pledged to eliminate their contribution to carbon emissions by aligning their operations with sustainable goals. These range from financial services to high-street retailers.

Two key measures businesses can take in this regard include the following:

Communicate a commitment to sustainability

Businesses should communicate the positive impact of their sustainable practices in terms of the environment and social responsibility through online content and social media campaigns.

Implement a sustainability policy

Many businesses have already adopted sustainability policies, but this is a good place to start for the ones who haven’t. A sustainability policy outlines a company’s commitment to sustainable practices by highlighting its approach toward sustainability, such as working with suppliers with sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

A beacon of light does not mark the end of the dark tunnel

Sustainability is taking centre stage. But, demanding and taking decisive environment-focused action requires individuals and the corporate sector to step up simultaneously.

The UK was the first major economy to create a legally binding target to bring greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. However, decarbonizing all sectors of the UK economy to meet the net zero target by 2050 will require more vigorous measures. This commitment demonstrates the government’s recognition of the urgent need to tackle climate change and protect the environment. But, a culture of delay shouldn’t put UK’s environmental goals or its contribution to the global fight that aims to prevent average temperatures from rising to more than 1.5C by 2030.

The ban on single-use plastic items, which continue to be phased out, is yet another step in the right direction, but the war on climate change is far from over. We can see the beacon of light, but it does not mark the end of the dark tunnel of climate change.

The world has increasingly become environmentally conscious after COVID-19, and the UK is not far behind. Social and political developments in the past few years have led to a boost in public awareness.

In simplest terms, sustainability refers to the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The topic encompasses many areas, including environmental protection and economic development, and has dominated discourse for quite a while.

Nathan Gray, head of sustainability at Reconomy – a leading waste management company in the UK, has looked at Google Trends data, which reveals that the term “sustainability” reached a score of 100 in April 2022 in the UK. A value of 100 indicates the peak popularity of the term and reflects that the interest of the people searching for the term reached its highest point in the last five years in 2022.

The finding indicates UK citizens’ increasing awareness of the urgent need to protect the environment and support sustainable practices. In this article, the author explores the key factors influencing the rise of interest in sustainability, its implications, and what it means for the environment.

A sustainability-driven populace

The increased interest in sustainability is reflected in the actions of UK citizens. 75% of UK consumers say that reducing plastics is an essential sustainable action for them. This indicates that UK consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental and social impacts their choices lead to and are willing to make changes to support sustainable practices.

The root of the rising concern for sustainability could also be traced to the increasingly environmentally conscious Gen Z.

• According to Forbes, 62% of Generation Z prefer to purchase from sustainable brands and are willing to pay more for ethically produced goods.
• A survey by Bupa reveals that 63 per cent of Gen Z and millennial respondents report feeling the burden of climate change, compared to only 37 percent of Gen X and 28 per cent of baby boomers.
• According to Pew, 32% of Gen Z respondents have participated in at least one significant environmental action over the past year.
• Gen Z even expects sustainability from the companies they work for, with 64% saying that it’s essential for their employers to act on environmental issues.

While it’s true that government legislation has significantly impacted environment-friendly practices, Gen Z’s role remains integral as its purchasing power continues to grow.

How businesses can respond and are responding

The rise in sustainability awareness can drive action and lead to fundamental changes beneficial to the environment, as evident in the corporate sector. Businesses are increasingly under pressure to become more sustainable, similar to how AI impacts business practices

Nearly a third of the UK’s largest businesses have pledged to eliminate their contribution to carbon emissions by aligning their operations with sustainable goals. These range from financial services to high-street retailers.

Two key measures businesses can take in this regard include the following:

Communicate a commitment to sustainability

Businesses should communicate the positive impact of their sustainable practices in terms of the environment and social responsibility through online content and social media campaigns.

Implement a sustainability policy

Many businesses have already adopted sustainability policies, but this is a good place to start for the ones who haven’t. A sustainability policy outlines a company’s commitment to sustainable practices by highlighting its approach toward sustainability, such as working with suppliers with sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

A beacon of light does not mark the end of the dark tunnel

Sustainability is taking centre stage. But, demanding and taking decisive environment-focused action requires individuals and the corporate sector to step up simultaneously.

The UK was the first major economy to create a legally binding target to bring greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. However, decarbonizing all sectors of the UK economy to meet the net zero target by 2050 will require more vigorous measures. This commitment demonstrates the government’s recognition of the urgent need to tackle climate change and protect the environment. But, a culture of delay shouldn’t put UK’s environmental goals or its contribution to the global fight that aims to prevent average temperatures from rising to more than 1.5C by 2030.

The ban on single-use plastic items, which continue to be phased out, is yet another step in the right direction, but the war on climate change is far from over. We can see the beacon of light, but it does not mark the end of the dark tunnel of climate change.

The world has increasingly become environmentally conscious after COVID-19, and the UK is not far behind. Social and political developments in the past few years have led to a boost in public awareness.

In simplest terms, sustainability refers to the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The topic encompasses many areas, including environmental protection and economic development, and has dominated discourse for quite a while.

Nathan Gray, head of sustainability at Reconomy – a leading waste management company in the UK, has looked at Google Trends data, which reveals that the term “sustainability” reached a score of 100 in April 2022 in the UK. A value of 100 indicates the peak popularity of the term and reflects that the interest of the people searching for the term reached its highest point in the last five years in 2022.

The finding indicates UK citizens’ increasing awareness of the urgent need to protect the environment and support sustainable practices. In this article, the author explores the key factors influencing the rise of interest in sustainability, its implications, and what it means for the environment.

A sustainability-driven populace

The increased interest in sustainability is reflected in the actions of UK citizens. 75% of UK consumers say that reducing plastics is an essential sustainable action for them. This indicates that UK consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental and social impacts their choices lead to and are willing to make changes to support sustainable practices.

The root of the rising concern for sustainability could also be traced to the increasingly environmentally conscious Gen Z.

• According to Forbes, 62% of Generation Z prefer to purchase from sustainable brands and are willing to pay more for ethically produced goods.
• A survey by Bupa reveals that 63 per cent of Gen Z and millennial respondents report feeling the burden of climate change, compared to only 37 percent of Gen X and 28 per cent of baby boomers.
• According to Pew, 32% of Gen Z respondents have participated in at least one significant environmental action over the past year.
• Gen Z even expects sustainability from the companies they work for, with 64% saying that it’s essential for their employers to act on environmental issues.

While it’s true that government legislation has significantly impacted environment-friendly practices, Gen Z’s role remains integral as its purchasing power continues to grow.

How businesses can respond and are responding

The rise in sustainability awareness can drive action and lead to fundamental changes beneficial to the environment, as evident in the corporate sector. Businesses are increasingly under pressure to become more sustainable, similar to how AI impacts business practices

Nearly a third of the UK’s largest businesses have pledged to eliminate their contribution to carbon emissions by aligning their operations with sustainable goals. These range from financial services to high-street retailers.

Two key measures businesses can take in this regard include the following:

Communicate a commitment to sustainability

Businesses should communicate the positive impact of their sustainable practices in terms of the environment and social responsibility through online content and social media campaigns.

Implement a sustainability policy

Many businesses have already adopted sustainability policies, but this is a good place to start for the ones who haven’t. A sustainability policy outlines a company’s commitment to sustainable practices by highlighting its approach toward sustainability, such as working with suppliers with sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

A beacon of light does not mark the end of the dark tunnel

Sustainability is taking centre stage. But, demanding and taking decisive environment-focused action requires individuals and the corporate sector to step up simultaneously.

The UK was the first major economy to create a legally binding target to bring greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. However, decarbonizing all sectors of the UK economy to meet the net zero target by 2050 will require more vigorous measures. This commitment demonstrates the government’s recognition of the urgent need to tackle climate change and protect the environment. But, a culture of delay shouldn’t put UK’s environmental goals or its contribution to the global fight that aims to prevent average temperatures from rising to more than 1.5C by 2030.

The ban on single-use plastic items, which continue to be phased out, is yet another step in the right direction, but the war on climate change is far from over. We can see the beacon of light, but it does not mark the end of the dark tunnel of climate change.

• Leisure and business visitors will see Marbs have a busy summer season this year
• Taylor Wimpey España observes changing holidaymaker habits, with visitors working from their second homes
• Almazara Views townhouses blending Marbella luxury with mountainside serenity

From hoteliers to home builders to tourism professionals, there are plenty of people projecting a bumper summer for Marbella this year. The city, which is a popular destination for luxury breaks, has already recovered its hotel occupancy to 2019 levels. Now, the directors of El Fuerte de Marbella hotels have spoken out about their optimism in light of demand for stays in 2023, with tourists planning to visit the city for conferences and conventions, as well as for leisure purposes. Looking ahead to the course of the year, the sense is that tourists will be booking fewer visits, but staying longer and spending more on the visits they do arrange. 

This change in habits is something that developers in Spain are observing too. According to leading Spanish home builder Taylor Wimpey España, holidaymakers are factoring working from home into their plans to facilitate longer stays in Spain.

“We are seeing a sustained blending of working and leisure time, with owners taking longer breaks in their second homes as a result. We anticipate this trend will continue into 2023. In development terms, it means that we’re continuing to provide flexible accommodation spaces that ensure owners have the room and the peace to work from home productively.”

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director, Taylor Wimpey España

Marbella is a firm favourite with international visitors. Nestled between the backdrop of the Sierra Blanca Mountains and the stunning sandy coastline of the Costa del Sol, the city provides access to top-notch golf courses, upscale shopping experiences and a wide range of fashionable bars, restaurants and clubs. To the west of the city lies the marina of Puerto Banús, where luxury yachts from around the world bob gently in the water, while upmarket boutiques and eateries line the waterfront.

This wealth of attractions has served Marbella’s second homes market well over the past few years, despite the disruptions to travel and tourism. At Taylor Wimpey España’s Marbella Lake development, 62% of homes have sold over the past 20 months. Priced from €445,000 plus VAT, the last two-bedroom and remaining three-bedroom apartments, penthouses and duplexes provide the perfect location for enjoying Marbella and the surrounding area. Homes at Marbella Lake come with generously sized terraces for outdoor dining, while the four on-site pools and landscaped gardens provide a lovely setting for relaxing in the sun.

At the Almazara Hills development, properties are also selling well, with 35% of the apartments snapped up in the past eight months. The two- and three-bedroom homes are located on the mountainous slopes of La Concha, close to the Sierra Blanca Country Club resort, with breath-taking views of the huge Istán reservoir and Marbella Bay. The apartments, which are priced from €365,000 plus VAT, provide an idyllic escape from modern life, yet the bright lights of Puerto Banús and Marbella are just 20-30 minutes away by car.

Buyers at the two developments highlight the international nature of Marbella’s appeal. 23 nationalities have bought homes there so far, including buyers from the Middle East (19%), Britain (13%), Scandinavia (11%), Spain (11%), Germany (7%), Belgium (6%), France (6%) and numerous other countries.

For second home buyers looking out for a future Marbella base for work and leisure purposes, Taylor Wimpey España has recently begun construction of Almazara Views. Neighbouring Almazara Hills in the beautiful, mountainous Istán, Almazara Views is home to 23 three-bedroom townhouses costing from €550,000 plus VAT. Located at the highest part of the development, the properties enjoy exceptional views of the surrounding hundred-year-old forests and the reservoir and sparkling sea beyond. Each property comes with premium brand fixtures and fittings, as well as an underground parking space and a storeroom. Construction is due to complete towards the end of the year, making an extended Christmas break in Marbella a possibility for those who reserve homes now.

“We are looking ahead to a busy 2023 in the Marbella area, with international buyers keen to enjoy all the benefits of owning a home here. Whether buyers prefer lazy days on the beach, high octane water-sports, intensive retail therapy or getting close to nature in the stunning Sierra de las Nieves nature reserve, Marbella delivers.”

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director, Taylor Wimpey España

• Leisure and business visitors will see Marbs have a busy summer season this year
• Taylor Wimpey España observes changing holidaymaker habits, with visitors working from their second homes
• Almazara Views townhouses blending Marbella luxury with mountainside serenity

From hoteliers to home builders to tourism professionals, there are plenty of people projecting a bumper summer for Marbella this year. The city, which is a popular destination for luxury breaks, has already recovered its hotel occupancy to 2019 levels. Now, the directors of El Fuerte de Marbella hotels have spoken out about their optimism in light of demand for stays in 2023, with tourists planning to visit the city for conferences and conventions, as well as for leisure purposes. Looking ahead to the course of the year, the sense is that tourists will be booking fewer visits, but staying longer and spending more on the visits they do arrange. 

This change in habits is something that developers in Spain are observing too. According to leading Spanish home builder Taylor Wimpey España, holidaymakers are factoring working from home into their plans to facilitate longer stays in Spain.

“We are seeing a sustained blending of working and leisure time, with owners taking longer breaks in their second homes as a result. We anticipate this trend will continue into 2023. In development terms, it means that we’re continuing to provide flexible accommodation spaces that ensure owners have the room and the peace to work from home productively.”

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director, Taylor Wimpey España

Marbella is a firm favourite with international visitors. Nestled between the backdrop of the Sierra Blanca Mountains and the stunning sandy coastline of the Costa del Sol, the city provides access to top-notch golf courses, upscale shopping experiences and a wide range of fashionable bars, restaurants and clubs. To the west of the city lies the marina of Puerto Banús, where luxury yachts from around the world bob gently in the water, while upmarket boutiques and eateries line the waterfront.

This wealth of attractions has served Marbella’s second homes market well over the past few years, despite the disruptions to travel and tourism. At Taylor Wimpey España’s Marbella Lake development, 62% of homes have sold over the past 20 months. Priced from €445,000 plus VAT, the last two-bedroom and remaining three-bedroom apartments, penthouses and duplexes provide the perfect location for enjoying Marbella and the surrounding area. Homes at Marbella Lake come with generously sized terraces for outdoor dining, while the four on-site pools and landscaped gardens provide a lovely setting for relaxing in the sun.

At the Almazara Hills development, properties are also selling well, with 35% of the apartments snapped up in the past eight months. The two- and three-bedroom homes are located on the mountainous slopes of La Concha, close to the Sierra Blanca Country Club resort, with breath-taking views of the huge Istán reservoir and Marbella Bay. The apartments, which are priced from €365,000 plus VAT, provide an idyllic escape from modern life, yet the bright lights of Puerto Banús and Marbella are just 20-30 minutes away by car.

Buyers at the two developments highlight the international nature of Marbella’s appeal. 23 nationalities have bought homes there so far, including buyers from the Middle East (19%), Britain (13%), Scandinavia (11%), Spain (11%), Germany (7%), Belgium (6%), France (6%) and numerous other countries.

For second home buyers looking out for a future Marbella base for work and leisure purposes, Taylor Wimpey España has recently begun construction of Almazara Views. Neighbouring Almazara Hills in the beautiful, mountainous Istán, Almazara Views is home to 23 three-bedroom townhouses costing from €550,000 plus VAT. Located at the highest part of the development, the properties enjoy exceptional views of the surrounding hundred-year-old forests and the reservoir and sparkling sea beyond. Each property comes with premium brand fixtures and fittings, as well as an underground parking space and a storeroom. Construction is due to complete towards the end of the year, making an extended Christmas break in Marbella a possibility for those who reserve homes now.

“We are looking ahead to a busy 2023 in the Marbella area, with international buyers keen to enjoy all the benefits of owning a home here. Whether buyers prefer lazy days on the beach, high octane water-sports, intensive retail therapy or getting close to nature in the stunning Sierra de las Nieves nature reserve, Marbella delivers.”

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director, Taylor Wimpey España

• Leisure and business visitors will see Marbs have a busy summer season this year
• Taylor Wimpey España observes changing holidaymaker habits, with visitors working from their second homes
• Almazara Views townhouses blending Marbella luxury with mountainside serenity

From hoteliers to home builders to tourism professionals, there are plenty of people projecting a bumper summer for Marbella this year. The city, which is a popular destination for luxury breaks, has already recovered its hotel occupancy to 2019 levels. Now, the directors of El Fuerte de Marbella hotels have spoken out about their optimism in light of demand for stays in 2023, with tourists planning to visit the city for conferences and conventions, as well as for leisure purposes. Looking ahead to the course of the year, the sense is that tourists will be booking fewer visits, but staying longer and spending more on the visits they do arrange. 

This change in habits is something that developers in Spain are observing too. According to leading Spanish home builder Taylor Wimpey España, holidaymakers are factoring working from home into their plans to facilitate longer stays in Spain.

“We are seeing a sustained blending of working and leisure time, with owners taking longer breaks in their second homes as a result. We anticipate this trend will continue into 2023. In development terms, it means that we’re continuing to provide flexible accommodation spaces that ensure owners have the room and the peace to work from home productively.”

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director, Taylor Wimpey España

Marbella is a firm favourite with international visitors. Nestled between the backdrop of the Sierra Blanca Mountains and the stunning sandy coastline of the Costa del Sol, the city provides access to top-notch golf courses, upscale shopping experiences and a wide range of fashionable bars, restaurants and clubs. To the west of the city lies the marina of Puerto Banús, where luxury yachts from around the world bob gently in the water, while upmarket boutiques and eateries line the waterfront.

This wealth of attractions has served Marbella’s second homes market well over the past few years, despite the disruptions to travel and tourism. At Taylor Wimpey España’s Marbella Lake development, 62% of homes have sold over the past 20 months. Priced from €445,000 plus VAT, the last two-bedroom and remaining three-bedroom apartments, penthouses and duplexes provide the perfect location for enjoying Marbella and the surrounding area. Homes at Marbella Lake come with generously sized terraces for outdoor dining, while the four on-site pools and landscaped gardens provide a lovely setting for relaxing in the sun.

At the Almazara Hills development, properties are also selling well, with 35% of the apartments snapped up in the past eight months. The two- and three-bedroom homes are located on the mountainous slopes of La Concha, close to the Sierra Blanca Country Club resort, with breath-taking views of the huge Istán reservoir and Marbella Bay. The apartments, which are priced from €365,000 plus VAT, provide an idyllic escape from modern life, yet the bright lights of Puerto Banús and Marbella are just 20-30 minutes away by car.

Buyers at the two developments highlight the international nature of Marbella’s appeal. 23 nationalities have bought homes there so far, including buyers from the Middle East (19%), Britain (13%), Scandinavia (11%), Spain (11%), Germany (7%), Belgium (6%), France (6%) and numerous other countries.

For second home buyers looking out for a future Marbella base for work and leisure purposes, Taylor Wimpey España has recently begun construction of Almazara Views. Neighbouring Almazara Hills in the beautiful, mountainous Istán, Almazara Views is home to 23 three-bedroom townhouses costing from €550,000 plus VAT. Located at the highest part of the development, the properties enjoy exceptional views of the surrounding hundred-year-old forests and the reservoir and sparkling sea beyond. Each property comes with premium brand fixtures and fittings, as well as an underground parking space and a storeroom. Construction is due to complete towards the end of the year, making an extended Christmas break in Marbella a possibility for those who reserve homes now.

“We are looking ahead to a busy 2023 in the Marbella area, with international buyers keen to enjoy all the benefits of owning a home here. Whether buyers prefer lazy days on the beach, high octane water-sports, intensive retail therapy or getting close to nature in the stunning Sierra de las Nieves nature reserve, Marbella delivers.”

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director, Taylor Wimpey España

Many countries use POS systems to deal with business expansion and the growing competition between industries. This system successfully streamlines all operations and increases efficiency of the same. According to Research and Markets, the POS software market in Europe forecasts a CAGR of 9.2% between 2021-2028.

What is a POS system?

A POS (point of sale) is the place or time where a customer transaction occurs. For retailers, this is important as it records transactions and helps predict sale trends. If incorporated rightly, this POS system can potentially up the experience of the retail business. The following are the advantages of using it.

7 Benefits of POS systems in retail businesses

There are many notable benefits that a POS system brings to the table. Anything which speeds up work and streamlines management is a win-win, especially in the retail sector. Therefore, POS systems are the need of the hour for businesses, and the following reasons are exactly why.

Efficiently runs your business

Retail businesses find themselves running short of time to manage operations and fulfill orders. Not everyone is patient enough to stand in queues, and no one really enjoys manually billing each and every item. For example, in coffee stores, people who usually pick up their standard order in the morning on their way to work can speedily get the entire order placed and ready to go via a coffee POS.

Upon scanning, the screen automatically shows the product name, type, quantity, price, and other needed data. The person at the billing counter doesn’t have to enter these details by themself. When it comes to returns or cancelled orders, a POS system quickly processes those and increases the inventory count in minutes. This helps retailers be more in tune with the products available.

Straightforward inventory management

Retailers need better inventory management mechanisms to manage stocks. Even better if they are able to update stocks in real time. This is beneficial for retailers when it comes to checking the availability of a product the customer needs. Many a time, when customers don’t find what they want in one store, they quickly jump to the next nearby store. Business owners don’t wish to drive away potential buyers or lose them to competitors.

A POS system is beneficial to a retail business as it has the feature of adding all product-related data to its database. In case of unavailability in one store, retailers can check the status on the system and see in which branches it is there. In case of products running out, they can quickly stock up and drive more sales.

Streamlines employee management

POS systems are managed overall by people who are involved in sales. Business owners can evaluate the sale capacity of each employee based on their data in the POS system. Based on the data, employees can be allotted tasks and rewarded for their performance on a regular basis. Employees who show record sales can be allotted higher tasks, and more people will be encouraged to perform better.

For people who are keen on improving their performance on the job can be updated on what is required of them to do so. Statistics that are recorded on the systems keep people informed on their progress and monthly sales. Engaged employees collectively improve the overall working style of the business. collectively improve the overall working style of the business.

Makes the business accessible from anywhere in the world

POS systems can also be cloud-based, enabling retailers to take their business with them wherever they go. On a mobile device, the business owner can track sales and check the status of the employees on the job. It breaks the need for the physical presence of the retailer in stores and saves time gone into managing the store.

Improves customer relationships and satisfaction scores

POS systems are built to store customers’ data, like their basic information. On birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions, retailers can offer discounts or special coupons to those customers and make their day memorable. Furthermore, during sales, the same data can be used to update people.

Instead of focusing more on managing orders and products, the staff can pay special attention to people at the store. They can also suggest follow-up products to them based on the purchase history. Shoppers are always on the lookout for stores and brands that provide a personal touch throughout the shopping experience. There are many ways to do that on a POS system.

Secures customer data

Safety measures are needed when data is being stored, as legalities are also involved here.. Companies are more responsible for protecting the card details of their customers, even on the system. In a POS system, data is stored in Cloud, unaffected by any malware or glitching systems. Even in offline mode, businesses can carry on with their day as transactions continue being recorded and are automatically synchronized once the internet connection is restored.

Smoothens business operations

Collecting information about shoppers and accessing their purchase history is helpful in predicting purchase trends. You can analyse the performance of products and stock more quantities of the same on your shelves. You can also observe the hours during the day or the days when business is at its peak and manage employees accordingly. Doing so will keep your store running smoothly and keep your clientele happy.

POS systems in retail: embracing futuristic opportunities

The ease of shopping and the customer experience plays a major part in the survival of any retail business. Time-saving, employee management, data safety, and much more are also needed today. Amidst all challenges and insecurity, businesses enclasping POS systems are ensuring that they are up and running for the future too.

Many countries use POS systems to deal with business expansion and the growing competition between industries. This system successfully streamlines all operations and increases efficiency of the same. According to Research and Markets, the POS software market in Europe forecasts a CAGR of 9.2% between 2021-2028.

What is a POS system?

A POS (point of sale) is the place or time where a customer transaction occurs. For retailers, this is important as it records transactions and helps predict sale trends. If incorporated rightly, this POS system can potentially up the experience of the retail business. The following are the advantages of using it.

7 Benefits of POS systems in retail businesses

There are many notable benefits that a POS system brings to the table. Anything which speeds up work and streamlines management is a win-win, especially in the retail sector. Therefore, POS systems are the need of the hour for businesses, and the following reasons are exactly why.

Efficiently runs your business

Retail businesses find themselves running short of time to manage operations and fulfill orders. Not everyone is patient enough to stand in queues, and no one really enjoys manually billing each and every item. For example, in coffee stores, people who usually pick up their standard order in the morning on their way to work can speedily get the entire order placed and ready to go via a coffee POS.

Upon scanning, the screen automatically shows the product name, type, quantity, price, and other needed data. The person at the billing counter doesn’t have to enter these details by themself. When it comes to returns or cancelled orders, a POS system quickly processes those and increases the inventory count in minutes. This helps retailers be more in tune with the products available.

Straightforward inventory management

Retailers need better inventory management mechanisms to manage stocks. Even better if they are able to update stocks in real time. This is beneficial for retailers when it comes to checking the availability of a product the customer needs. Many a time, when customers don’t find what they want in one store, they quickly jump to the next nearby store. Business owners don’t wish to drive away potential buyers or lose them to competitors.

A POS system is beneficial to a retail business as it has the feature of adding all product-related data to its database. In case of unavailability in one store, retailers can check the status on the system and see in which branches it is there. In case of products running out, they can quickly stock up and drive more sales.

Streamlines employee management

POS systems are managed overall by people who are involved in sales. Business owners can evaluate the sale capacity of each employee based on their data in the POS system. Based on the data, employees can be allotted tasks and rewarded for their performance on a regular basis. Employees who show record sales can be allotted higher tasks, and more people will be encouraged to perform better.

For people who are keen on improving their performance on the job can be updated on what is required of them to do so. Statistics that are recorded on the systems keep people informed on their progress and monthly sales. Engaged employees collectively improve the overall working style of the business. collectively improve the overall working style of the business.

Makes the business accessible from anywhere in the world

POS systems can also be cloud-based, enabling retailers to take their business with them wherever they go. On a mobile device, the business owner can track sales and check the status of the employees on the job. It breaks the need for the physical presence of the retailer in stores and saves time gone into managing the store.

Improves customer relationships and satisfaction scores

POS systems are built to store customers’ data, like their basic information. On birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions, retailers can offer discounts or special coupons to those customers and make their day memorable. Furthermore, during sales, the same data can be used to update people.

Instead of focusing more on managing orders and products, the staff can pay special attention to people at the store. They can also suggest follow-up products to them based on the purchase history. Shoppers are always on the lookout for stores and brands that provide a personal touch throughout the shopping experience. There are many ways to do that on a POS system.

Secures customer data

Safety measures are needed when data is being stored, as legalities are also involved here.. Companies are more responsible for protecting the card details of their customers, even on the system. In a POS system, data is stored in Cloud, unaffected by any malware or glitching systems. Even in offline mode, businesses can carry on with their day as transactions continue being recorded and are automatically synchronized once the internet connection is restored.

Smoothens business operations

Collecting information about shoppers and accessing their purchase history is helpful in predicting purchase trends. You can analyse the performance of products and stock more quantities of the same on your shelves. You can also observe the hours during the day or the days when business is at its peak and manage employees accordingly. Doing so will keep your store running smoothly and keep your clientele happy.

POS systems in retail: embracing futuristic opportunities

The ease of shopping and the customer experience plays a major part in the survival of any retail business. Time-saving, employee management, data safety, and much more are also needed today. Amidst all challenges and insecurity, businesses enclasping POS systems are ensuring that they are up and running for the future too.

It is finally time. After roughly two years of catering to the American market, Huge Supplements is about to take the next big step; it will be expanding into the European market.

If the success in the American market is anything to go by, then Huge Supplements is set to become one of the largest supplement companies in the world.

Huge Supplements Launching In Europe

Over the past year or so, Huge Supplements has rapidly been working on relationships with some of the biggest fitness influencers in the world. Oliver Forslin, Jo Lindler (Joesthetics), and Max Taylor are just a few of the names that have been taking to their social channels to promote Huge Supplements products.

Some of these influencers have been incredibly reluctant to promote any supplement product in the past, so the fact that they are promoting Huge Supplements is a big deal. They really believed in the product.

Of course, these influencers have global reach, but up until recently, Huge Supplements was just an American company. They didn’t offer global shipping. This meant that a ton of people that wanted to get their hands on the next big thing in supplements were unable to do so.

With the recent expansion into Europe, this finally looks set to change.

Why The Huge Supplements European Launch is Significant

Huge Supplements have only been around for a short amount of time, but they have managed to cause ripples in the American market. The fact that they have been partnering with some of the biggest influencers in the business has really helped.

Huge Supplements launching in Europe means that the company now has direct access to one of the fastest-growing supplement markets in the world. People in Europe are just as eager, if not more eager, than Americans to enjoy epic gains in the gym.

While there are plenty of supplement companies operating in Europe, very few of them formulate their own products. Many are rebranded products that come in at a notoriously high price. Huge Supplements aren’t like that. Their products are all formulated in the United States using the highest quality ingredients. They are produced right there in the Huge Supplements warehouse. These products cannot be purchased anywhere else.

Anybody that has looked at the Huge Supplements range will know that this is a company producing some of the most amazing supplements around. They are creating fantastic products loaded with product formulations that you can’t get elsewhere.

The supplement stacks produced by Huge Supplements are amazing. Once the business really takes off in Europe, you can bet your bottom dollar that you will see people touting how fantastic they are in pretty much every fitness center.

The Supplements from Huge Supplements

Huge Supplements is a company for those fitness freaks that want the biggest gains at the gym. It is a company for those people that want to get their hands on products made from the best ingredients imaginable. Every single one of the products in the Huge Supplements range is backed up by mounds of scientific research.

The stacks are probably the most popular products from the team at Huge Supplements, with many of them praised by the top fitness gurus. However, the company has a little bit of everything.

With Huge Supplements, Europeans can get their hands on fat burners, pre-workouts, protein, PCT, sleep supplements, and a lot more.

Huge Supplements always listens to customer feedback, and they are constantly introducing new products to their range. If they introduce a new product, then you can bet your bottom dollar that it is going to be available for those that live in Europe.

How Huge Supplements Plans To Launch in Europe

Selling supplements in Europe is tough. Laws there are stricter than in pretty much every other territory. This means that Huge Supplements has really had to pay attention to the type of product that it can offer the market.

Huge Supplements has gone over every product in its range and made sure that it conforms to the incredibly strict laws in Europe. There are no banned or dangerous additives here. Just pure supplements.

The Huge Supplements’ commitment to launching in Europe properly means that the company can offer its products in every country in nearly every country in Europe.

If this all goes to plan, then Huge Supplements is likely to launch a dedicated European warehouse in the next few months, allowing them even faster access to countries in Europe.

When this happens, we reckon that the rest of the supplement companies on the continent are going to be quaking in their boots. We don’t think a single company comes close to what Huge Supplements can provide.

Europeans – Get Ready

If you have been eager to check out Huge Supplements products, then head on over to the Huge Supplements website today.

There are some cracking prices available for European customers, and you have almost the complete product range available.

With how many Europeans have been begging to try these supplements, you can be sure they will sell out quickly. Make sure that you act fast!

Small businesses play a crucial role in the economy, but the sad reality is that many of them fail within five years.

Why?

They employ poor marketing tactics…

Several unforeseen difficulties in the marketing industry will keep you alert.

You have to understand that changes are the most constant thing you have in your business. Everything else only demands that you create effective strategies to keep your company alive among the other competitors on the market. Here is our advice for marketing your business successfully.

Set your marketing goals

Keep your focus on creating engaging content, while also making sure that you concentrate on achieving your goals as well. One thing you have that no one else does is your personality. You can personalize your business and efforts towards targeting particular customers and satisfying their needs. Everyone has different marketing goals, and if you want to achieve yours, you might need to step out of your comfort zone and do things that you’ve never done before. If you want results you’ve never achieved, act on them.

E-commerce management You compete with no one. When you do what’s best for your business you’ll always be a step further than anyone. E-commerce management will help you to successfully manage your digital content, so you can sell and attract more clients while they visit your website. Before selecting an e-commerce solution, you need to know what your company needs. That way you’ll prioritize finding a solution that will be effective for your situation and goals.

Strategic planning

The best way about planning is that you can lead your team to achieve great results. As long as you’re focused on the why, meaning why your products, instead of anyone else. What benefits do you offer to the clients? Your business should have the purpose of solving a client’s issue. Another thing is that you should always make sure that you improve the services you provide, because trends can quickly end, and your service will be outdated.

The first step is understanding your customers, what they need, and how you can create a solution to their existing problems. You can never go wrong when you know exactly what your customer wants. Simply looking at the market, you’ll gather the information that you need. You can create a quick questionnaire where you’ll be able to learn about the identification and characteristic factors of the customers.

Responding to your customers before your competition and creating value for them, will minimize the risks of your business falling apart.

Mobile marketing strategy

Mobile marketing strategy not only will bring awareness and increase the sales of your services and products but will also make you communicate easier with your clients. There’s rarely anyone out there who doesn’t own a phone as a main source for communicating.

So by using a mobile marketing strategy you will reach many people. If you’re not using the mobile marketing strategy, you’ll waste your money on creating campaigns that won’t reach the targeted audience. With mobile marketing, customers can make purchases anywhere and anytime they want.

Email strategy People can take action while studying the specific email you sent them using the email strategy. The audience that is most likely to make a purchase and interact with the email is specifically targeted by this message, which is its strongest feature.

You have full control over how you want this email to look and how long it should be. This type of strategy is even called a “silent medium” because your message can be spread like wildfire without your competitors knowing about your plan.

Advertisement and promotions

A simple ad goes a long way. It will create more traffic to your website, and also will increase engagement and reach potential clients who are in search of your services. Through a social media ad, you can quickly inform people through a targeted message that will relate to their situation and problem. The ads will create awareness which will support your business. Advertisements are known to create a reputation and make your name known to the public.

Promotion strategies are a great way for businesses who want to introduce their service and increase their sales. Everyone wants a freebie, great discounts, and coupons. Never underestimate the power of discounts and “free stuff” that many people love. Those kinds of treats are considered to have a positive impact on the customers.

Saas inbound marketing agency

With an Saas inbound marketing agency you can promote and sell your products or services. Your business can stand out in the market among the existing competition. To sell your Saas products, you need to have a better understanding of how those products solve your clients’ problems.

With the many years of experience that the Saas marketing agencies have, you can be sure that you’ll attract more clients through personalized campaigns. Drawing an audience on your content should be the most important thing that will lead to increased sales of your services and products.

How to sell digital products? Digital products are everywhere, whether you like them or not. Reading your favorite book on the web is one of them. Many businesses have visions and ideas for creating the best digital products to sell and being number one on the market.

Compared to physical products, digital ones are higher in value. With digital products, you’ll reach many people globally who will interact with your service and products from the comfort of their own homes.

Analyzing your marketing content

When choosing what type of content you provide, make sure that yours is different and unique in any way possible. When you create a piece that it’s different from the others and it’s based on solid research you’ll be known as a relevant source of compelling content. Determine from the start what type of content you want and go along with it.

No matter how great you think you created your content, there’s always a better way to do it. Self Testing is important because it will show you how to improve your content before you launch it online. Always test your content even multiple times before you’re completely sure that you’re giving your best in creating the most of it.

Search engine optimization

A correctly designed website will automatically rank highly on the Google search engine results page thanks to SEO. You may increase website traffic by employing SEO tactics. SEO will result in a better experience for the users as well as allow them to find your content easier.

Choosing the right keywords should be one of your top priorities when creating content. Your keyword should correspond with the search by people. It shouldn’t be a complex one as well because it would be harder for it to be ranked.

For better SEO, you should create a landing page that answers the goals of the customers. It should be clear and needs to match the keyword. A landing page is a site that transfers customers once they click your ad. Another thing you need to watch out for is the speed of the landing page and how fast it loads. Since you may lose potential clients if the site loading is too long.

The importance of your relationship with your clients

No matter how small your business is, you need to obtain good relationships with your clients for better results. Customer relationship management software will help you in leading the customers and giving them what they need.

When you focus on your main customers and cherish their loyalty, their satisfaction will result in profitability on your part. A well-managed customer data is a must if your priority is the needs of your clients. CRM software responds to the real-life challenges that many people struggle with. A good relationship with your clients will increase into a better success of your business.

Final Verdict

Growing your business can be a challenging thing to do. That’s why you need some good marketing strategies that will help you achieve the success you dream about. Enter the market confidently with the knowledge of how to properly build and lead your business to better success with the top 8 strategies that we previously listed.

No matter if you’re a beginner, you can always achieve your dream by choosing the right marketing strategies. Never discourage yourself by looking at bigger businesses than yours. Everyone starts from zero and works their way to the top. Believe in yourself and waste no time on improving your business.

Five ways plastic packaging can be better recycled

By Roger Wright, Waste Strategy & Packaging Manager at leading sustainable waste management company Biffa

The unpalatable fact is the UK still produces too much waste, and we don’t recycle enough of it. Currently in the UK, we’re falling short of our 2050 target to prepare 65% of municipal waste for re-use and recycling, and plastic packaging is an important part of this story. As of 2021, the UK has a recovery/recycling rate of 44% for plastic packaging, while materials such as aluminium (75%) and paper and cardboard (70%) are much higher.

It is easy to point at plastic packaging to say the material is a problem, to get caught up in the good-bad debate that has been polarising public opinion and media commentary. In reality, when items are made from reusable and recyclable plastics and managed correctly, they provide us with sustainable, cost-efficient, and durable packaging solutions.

At Biffa, we see the whole plastics picture. From guiding brands in their packaging choices to  collecting, sorting and processing of millions of tonnes of plastic from households and businesses for recycling. Every year we recycle 151kt of plastic at our leading recycling facilities, transforming waste into material which is used to make new products.

Here are five ways plastic packaging can be better recycled to build a positive future for plastic:

1. Use more recyclable plastics

WRAP’s 2022 update to its annual recycling tracker shows that 90% of UK citizens regularly recycle when asked about all types of materials. However, the recovery rate of plastic packaging is 44% because much of it (for example, flexible plastics or pouches) is not recyclable or reusable. While recycling is part of the nation’s day-to-day activities – and the motivation and behaviour are clear – the packaging used for many products does not support recycling.

What can be done about this? People and businesses need information to guide and support their choices. From businesses’ product design and packaging decisions to consumers’ purchase choices, understanding is needed at every stage of production and purchase. If people know more about the different types of plastic and the environmental and economic impact of their choices, a change in behaviour could be more likely, all the while increasing the quality of recyclable material by creating separate waste streams.

2. More capacity and infrastructure

When recyclable plastic packaging leaves the UK, the carbon cost of transportation leads to more emissions compared to on-shore recycling. There’s a clear argument for more plastic to be recycled in the UK; to support green investment, infrastructure, economic growth and jobs.

An end to the export of plastic packaging would mean the UK must recycle the 0.7mtpa of plastic packaging waste a year currently exported. This would take at least 12 polymer plants with a minimum 55,000-tonne processing capacity. Biffa’s 57,000te capacity recycling plant in Seaham brought 100 full-time jobs to the local region. Investment in infrastructure benefits both the economy and local communities in addition to the environment.

Although the Government has reiterated its commitment to banning export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries there is still more we can do to keep plastic within the UK circular economy and encourage packaging producers to use more recyclable material.

The Deposit Return Scheme in Scotland, launching August 16^th 2023, is an example of how bold legislation can drive investment in and improvements to recycling infrastructure. As the logistics provider for the Scottish scheme, Biffa is developing new facilities to handle increased volumes of materials. The consultation for England, Northern Ireland and Wales is now complete, with the launch date set for 1^st October 2025.

3. Reduce contamination

Last year, Biffa highlighted that nearly a fifth of all recycling is lost due to contamination.  Food contamination on or inside packaging is one of the major issues hindering our recycling efforts, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Increased awareness around the recycling process and the impact of contamination will help change behaviour for consumers and businesses. 

There are plans for legislation to make the current voluntary, on-package labelling system mandatory. This needs to be realised for both consumer and business packaging, with the clearest messaging possible, to drive awareness of what the recycling symbols mean and the condition a container needs to be in to be recycled. This will reduce the amount of unrecyclable material in the UK collection and processing systems, improve the quality of our recycled materials and lower the carbon emissions output.    

Our industry, regulatory bodies and government need a greater understanding of the packaging materials in circulation. Extended Producer Responsibility begins this year, obligating more businesses to report in greater detail on the packaging they produce and in what quantity. This will provide valuable insight to support customer choice and promote better packaging design for recycling.

4. Replace single-use plastic

The government recently announced its intention to ban certain single-use plastics, including plates and cutlery. While this is a welcome step in the right direction, the plastics themselves are not the problem; it’s  that they are single-use. As single-use plastics are phased out, they need to be replaced by more multi-use or reusable options.

From bamboo cutlery to plant-based plastic alternatives, any material in a single-use and on-the-go context presents a unique challenge. For example, it doesn’t matter if something is compostable if it ends up in general waste or if non-recyclable materials are put in the recycling bin. It all results in resources being lost and emissions being created.         

Even if a material is identified as compostable, that can mean it is only industrially compostable, so it is not suitable to be processed with end-of-life food in anaerobic digestion or biodegraded in a domestic compost setting or green waste collections. This means it requires specialist collection and processing.

The ban on single-use plastics will help increase the use of readily recyclable packaging solutions, however it’s just one piece of the puzzle that will help the UK circular economy.

5. Simplify packaging

Brands are operating in highly competitive markets, working with tight margins. Packaging needs to be easy to fill, protect the contents and catch the eye of consumers in a split second in saturated environments. Often this leads to choices in colour and materials that render the container unrecyclable. It doesn’t have to be one or the other; it is possible to create sustainable plastic packaging that speaks to the consumer.

Commonality and consistency are key to creating simple, sustainable packaging. If materials or different types of plastic are mixed, it becomes harder to separate the materials and recycle them. Packaging such as laminated material, plastic wrapping and big sleeves need to be separated or recycled at specialist facilities; this is often impractical and unsustainable at scale.    

This is also true of packaging that contains more than one colour of plastic. No food-grade coloured plastic can be recycled back into natural-coloured food-grade packaging as the pigment remains in the polymer. When mixed pigments are recycled together, the material becomes grey. Adopting clear plastic wherever possible will help move towards more sustainable packaging. Improvements can also be made by shrink-wrapping labels rather than gluing and tethering bottle tops to bottles (ideally the same colour).

Will plastic packaging lose its edge if it is clear, homogenous, and consistent?

Most likely not. Eye-catching design can still be used, provided the components are easily removed and recyclable. Increasing public awareness will support positive changes in consumer behaviour. People want to do the right thing, and those brands which explore sustainable options first will catch the eco-conscious eye and achieve cut-through – the time to start is right now.

Scheduling meetings, time management, appointing shifts, and time-off requests are all part of running a small business. This part was familiar to you before you even started your business. But, you probably didn’t know how much time and energy this part consumes and how tedious it is. If you’re still doing things the old-fashioned way now is the time for a change. 

There is some great employee scheduling software out there that can change the way you run your business and save you time and effort, leaving you to invest yourself more in other aspects of your business.

Poor employee scheduling can have its toll on the business regardless of how great the employees are or how good of an idea for a business you have. 

What is employee scheduling software?

Employee scheduling software automatically manages the process of scheduling employees’ working hours, shifts, meetings, time-offs, etc. The right software is ideal for automating small business operations such as hotel staff scheduling, managing employees across all sorts of chain shops, sports center sessions and appointments, etc. It replaces paper spreadsheets and schedules.

Different types of software offer different options and features. Choosing the right software will certainly and most importantly depend on 

• the type of small business you own
• the number of employees
• the purpose for which it will be used the most

Your choice should be based on some research done based on these criteria.

What counts as a ‘small business’ needing scheduling software

You may be wondering if your business or startup is yet at the stage where it’s worth investing in something like this. 

So what is a small business anyway?

Generally speaking, it’s defined as a privately owned corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship that has fewer employees and less annual revenue than a corporation or regular-sized business. 

Some great examples of small businesses that have employees that need managing and will certainly benefit from scheduling software are

• Hotels 
• Retail and services
• Healthcare and dental practices
• Private childcare and education institutions
• Catering businesses.

So if any of this sounds familiar and you recognise some similarities in these definitions and examples to your own business please keep reading. 

4 Great tips on how to use employing scheduling software to upgrade your small business

Here are some ways in which you can use this kind of software for the benefit of your business.

1. Automate a mundane and tedious task

Source

Experience has taught us that arranging meetings and schedules with a lot of people takes several messages back–and–forth and a couple of calls in between. When you have to do this on a regular basis and your regular workday involves constantly communicating with everybody it becomes even more tiring. 

By using software that lets everybody clearly see when a meeting is scheduled you save so much time and energy. This kind of software offers employees the chance to make their time visible to others. As a result they usually all become more respectful and mindful of everybody’s agenda. 

Using software for this saves you time that can be used in many more productive ways and will lead your business to prosper. 

2. Let the software manage the details

Scheduling is not enough. You also have to inform everybody about the details. Sometimes you have to reschedule or cancel. Some software has options that cover all of that.

• Sending follow-up information
• Automatic creation of appointment/meeting links
• Rescheduling
• Sending a reminder for the meeting
• Confirming/canceling via email

Doesn’t all of this sound great? Imagine not being bothered with any of this and just showing up to the meeting like everybody else.

3. Create more productivity and punctuality

Employees tend to cover up for each other and don’t always give 100% at work. The term used in the USA is ‘buddy-punching‘ and it costs employers 373 dollars annually. The trend is not any different in Europe as well. It simply means that one employee clocks in on behalf of another employee. 

Most scheduling software has a time-tracking feature that automatically creates timesheets and offers transparency of the employees` working hours. 

Different platforms use different recognition tools, some of which even offer face recognition. This decreases the possibility of buddy-punching or even eliminates it completely. 

It also provides the employer with reports and data that can be used for further analyses. 

The ultimate goal of this option is better punctuality and productivity of employees. This will definitely also lead to increasing your business productivity. 

4. Reduce errors and conflicts

It does bring the employer bigger authority and respect when there is more transparency in the workflow and working hours. Using software helps you reduce mistakes and overlapping. It also helps decrease overtime and unproductive hours. 

It’s only logical that this will bring more satisfaction and better communication with employees. Of course, nobody wants to be the person who is always assigned to work on holidays or the night shift. This software helps you get better visibility and an overall picture of how working hours are distributed. 

Fewer mistakes and better time management mean easier communication and fewer conflicts. As an employer, this should be one of your top priorities. 

Ready to start searching for the right software

We certainly hope that all of this information and tips got you hooked up and you’re thinking about using employee scheduling software for your small business. There are some free versions that you can try, but also making a small investment will pay you back big time in the long run. 

Not only does it have all of those assets mentioned previously, but it also just looks professional. It helps employees and customers take the business more seriously and it establishes the tone of the company and the communication. 

So, get ready to do some research and find the right software for you. 

Based in Preston, Lancashire, LCM Group (LCM) offers an extensive range of services in design, building, and maintenance of commercial properties and complexes across multiple public and private sectors. In light of its success within the European Enterprise Awards 2022, we got in touch with Director of Marketing And Business Development, Alexander Livesey to learn more.

LCM Group is a national company with local roots, its origins in the UK dating back over 50 years. It is a company whose operations are streamlined to deliver innovative solutions, due to its employees and clients working closely together, as well as its tried and tested managerial strategies and using the safest working practices. With unwavering commitment to service and technical excellence, the LCM team guarantees first-class service and results every time.

Alexander Livesey tells us, “We believe in developing strategic relationships with clients rather than transactional and looking after our people. We have a high level of integrity both internally and externally, and just believe in good old-fashioned customer service. If you deliver a good service, and you look after your people, you’ve got the basis of a fairly good business.”

Under the Group’s umbrella are three inhouse teams: LCM Design, LCM Build, and LCM Design. Across each, its people leverage skills and expertise to deliver comprehensive services that meet the client’s every need.

Its Design team are responsible for leading and managing architects, structural engineers, service engineers, and specialist designers with the aim of producing a coordinated project and ensuring that design information is of the highest standard, whilst always keeping pace with the project’s timescales. LCM’s design management strategy ensures that effective project delivery commences at the design stage, and that all consultants, site management, and client expectations are brought together to create a team ethos which has proved to be the benchmark for previous successful projects.

The Build team works with project teams by applying their expertise to contracts ranging from several thousand pounds up to £5 million in value. They take the role of main contractor for small- to medium-sized projects and perform project management services to get the job done efficiently. They also work closely with key suppliers for the delivery of high-quality products and services as and when they are needed for a project. This close working relationship with the supply chain gives clients an advantage as it enables LCM to deliver the highest level of workmanship while maintaining momentum of the project, in addition to focusing on continued improvement.

The Maintain team delivers exceptional property maintenance services throughout the UK (planned and reactive) and LCM enjoys an extensive portfolio of public and private sector facilities management and independent clients who benefit from a comprehensive personal, flexible service and the commitment of an experienced and dedicated team. LCM’s principal property services include but are not limited to: statutory maintenance, planned and reactive maintenance, planned life cycle replacement, grounds maintenance, comprehensive mechanical and electrical services and divisions, drainage, joinery, decorating, roofing, fire and security alarms, and fire stopping and prevention. 

Across the board, LCM Group’s focus is to provide a reliable, thorough, and compliant service, and to offer clients the best long-term solution. The company is committed to delivering services of the highest standard, and this is supported by comprehensive documentation and reporting via its real-time CRM system. Specifically built for the reactive and planned maintenance industry by BigChange Limited, the software enables LCM Group’s back office to communicate effectively with the field teams in real-time, as well as provide instant updates for clients.

Indeed, LCM is concentrated on monitoring the latest developments and technologies in order to provide clients with highly efficient, cost-effective solutions that add real value to their building assets. As NICEIC and Gas Safe approved contractors, LCM’s engineers are trained to the highest industry standards, so clients always know their project is in safe hands. In addition, its senior managers and directors are very hands-on, with many of them having worked their way up the organisation, to which Alexander comments, “They are strategic and very much involved in the day-to-day business.” As a result, they boast ample experience and bring incredible value to the company.

“People are the greatest asset for any organisation,” Alexander enthuses. “Our culture is people-focused and we encourage input from every one of our employees, which helps us deliver our drive for continuous improvement.”

Thus, LCM Group has recently taken on several major blue chip clients, ranging from SpaMedica, to the NHS, to Touchstone, to The Arch Co, to Alliance Healthcare. No job is too small or too large for LCM Group, with its one-stop shop service offering.

Alexander goes on to say, “There is a trend we are noticing in that many large organisations are reducing the number of contractors they deal with in an effort to simplify and deliver higher quality at a reduced cost. Our business has grown by virtue of this approach. In many cases, LCM is the go-to contractor as the client has full confidence in our quality, value, and integrity.”

Crucially, in everything it does, LCM remains dedicated to health and safety, ensuring that its teams are fully trained to keep themselves and others safe while onsite. He explains, “Working in increasingly complex environments, training our people in safety is really important, as well as ensuring the clients’ environments that we’re working on are safe. It’s very important that our people go home safe.”

He elaborates, “If there are any instances of our people not following the correct procedure, we’re very strict on that. They will undergo retaining, or unless it’s particularly serious, in which case, obviously we would have to take it further. We have a zero-tolerance for health and safety.”

Ultimately, it’s easy to see how LCM Group has come to achieve such success within the European Enterprise Awards 2022 with it truly having a unique edge on its competitors. This all comes down to its large multidisciplinary inhouse team providing a vast range of trades and services – an offering which is perhaps one of the most extensive in the UK; their broad experience of working in practically every sector there is, including healthcare, nuclear, rail, residential, industrial, manufacturing, retail, education, charity, and science; as well as the company’s best-in-class CRM system providing clients with real-time graphical and written information with a full audit trail of all work undertaken.

Now the LCM team of looking towards the bright future ahead of them, where they will continue striving to deliver first-class services nationwide and across multiple trades and disciplines with a great deal of organisation. With the company now in its third year of its five-year growth plan, it plans to invest heavily across every aspect of its operations in order to meet the forecast demand. We are undeniably rooting for its continued success.

For business enquiries, contact Alexander Livesey from LCM Group via email – [email protected] or on their website – www.lcm-group.co.uk

The war pretty much destroyed everything for Saga Sleep and the Swedish-Ukrainian founding couple. Their first priority was to put the family to safety, and then the company had to be saved. Now the tech company – which wants to help tired parents of young children at night – has braced itself and re-charged. To help them, they have John Cleese and new heavy investors.

Parents around the world can unite in the challenges of toddler and smaller kids’ bedtime. It can be equal parts a cozy winding down, as a desperate struggle for hollow-eyed moms and dads. The company Saga had a solution to the problem. They built a sleep app for children with a library loaded with bedtime kid sleep stories, constructed with the help of Swedish sleep psychologists, that would act as complement to the everyday routines.

The service was launched in Russia in 2020, where the founding couple Svetlana and Erik Björkman, with a background in the beauty brand Oriflame, had business experience. When the war started, everything changed. Svetlana Björkman comes from Ukraine and her first priority was to make sure the family was safe. At the same time, revenues plummeted for the company Saga Sleep, which had 80 percent of the turnover in the now hard sanctioned Russia.

“My wife and partner is from Ukraine so we were very affected by the war. It was hard to focus. In addition, our technical director is a Russian who has now moved to Thailand with his family.”

Erik Björkman, CEO of Saga, says that the couple faced a tough trade-off.

“We had to make a decision: Should we just shut everything down?”

The decision was to continue.

“There was no doubt in the end. After all, we both live off Saga, and we had seen there was a clear demand for this product, so we steeled ourselves. But it is clear that we have pulled each other through this, it has not been hunky dory.”

The company had completed a financing round in November 2021, and now asked their investors if they should close down the whole operation, and send the remaining money back – or invest in a new market?

It became a new market and a new product. In July, the new app Stella Sleep was launched to the English-speaking market. The app has now been downloaded 20,000 times times (which compares to almost half a million downloads for Saga Sleep). Most of the investors stayed, says Erik Björkman. And the company, who pretty much had to roll up their sleeves and start over, now gives announcement of strength in the form of a new financing round in October 2022. Saga added 3 million SEK, with a total raise of 13 MSEK to date, and added new investors to the cap table.

“It is a good proof of confidence that we could raise another round now, and that we have attracted five new investors, which together with 15 existing angel investors have provided more capital,” comments the CEO.

The owner list includes Viva Wine co-owner John Wistedt and Alireza Etemad who is a partner at IK partners. Among the new investors in the latest round are notable Swedish business profile Maria Rankka, Silver Life CEO Carl-Johan Westring and Henrik Wrangel, with background at Kry.

The company has also received help from the legendary Monty Python member John Cleese and his 5.6 million followers on Twitter. The founders got in touch with the comedy legend through common acquaintances. Now the Briton has read fairy tales to lull toddlers to sleep and act as a narrator in the app.

The future of bedtime stories

The company is investing heavily in synthesized voices being the future for bedtime storytelling. By creating a believable speech synthesis of a father’s or grandmother’s voice, a parent can read any fairy tale remotely when the child sleeps over with someone else or an older relative remains as narrator after his demise.

“It exists, but it still sounds robotic when you apply this tech, and you can only make it sound nice if you apply a lengthy manual process in a studio really. But give it 12-24 months, and the tech will be good enough so make it sound 100% natural and be commercially scalable. It makes me think of the imperfect speed when Spotify developed the best streaming music player in the beginning, as we can become the first in the market to provide this service,” says Erik Björkman.

“In five years, we hope that you will have 50,000 synthesized voices and have become a trusted channel for basically saving audio memories for future generations,” says Erik.

In terms of turnover, Saga has actually increased from last year. The company who was born during covid more than doubled its revenues in 2022, despite the war. In 2023, it aims to grow revenues 3x the 2022 number.

Try the app today.

United Kingdom, 2023 – EU Business News Magazine unveils the winners of the 2022 European Enterprise Awards.

Over the past few years, the pandemic has brought waves of uncertainty amongst other emotions, and the economy suffered. However, we’ve found some outstanding businesses that are helping us, and the economy, to recover – and even flourish.

For the fifth year running, the European Enterprise Awards programme has brought with it a fine selection of businesses that have won spectacular titles for their hard work. It is our pleasure to present you this collection of enterprises that have won recognition for their fantastic, dedicated efforts. Speaking on the success of this year’s winners, Awards Coordinator Laura O’Carroll commented, “It has been a great delight hosting this year’s European Enterprise Awards. I want to wish each business a very sincere congratulations, and all the best for the future.”

EU Business News prides itself on the validity of its awards and winners. As such, very one of our winners can be certain that their success is deserved. We carefully evaluate everything from a business’s, or individual’s, performance over the past 12-months to ensure that only the most deserving parties walk away with one of our prestigious awards.

To learn more about our award winners and to gain insight into the working practices of the “best of the best”, please visit the EU Business News website https://www.eubusinessnews.com/awards/eu-business-awards/ where you can access the winners supplement.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

About EU Business News

The EU is a vital and exciting region filled with businesses and individuals creating unique innovations, supporting their customers around the world and, ultimately, driving change. As such, EU Business News aims to provide an absorbing overview of this exciting region and the businesses and individuals operating within it.

Much more than just a magazine, alongside our online publication EU Business News also boasts an informative newsletter, a regularly updated website and a series of awards programmes showcasing the excellence of businesses and the individuals behind them from across this vibrant region.

As subscription to EU Business News is free there is absolutely no reason not to sign up to receive this informative and fascinating resource.

About AI Global Media

Since 2010 AI Global Media has been committed to creating engaging B2B content that informs our readers and allows them to market their business to a global audience. We create content for and about firms across a range of industries.

Today, we have 14 unique brands, each of which serves a specific industry or region. Each brand covers the latest news in its sector and publishes a digital magazine and newsletter which is read by a global audience. Our flagship brand, Acquisition International, distributes a monthly digital magazine to a global circulation of 108,000, who are treated to a range of features and news pieces on the latest developments in the global corporate market.

Data privacy rules around the world govern how customer information is used, such as their address, phone number, and other personal information. These laws provide an excellent framework for how data is processed, individual rights, removal requests, penalties for not complying with them, and more.

However, keep in mind that data privacy laws are changing each year. What kind of changes can you expect this year? How will it affect your business in 2023?

Let’s read more in this article to find out what you need to know.

New regulations with U.S data privacy laws

Despite the many proposals made in the past few years, no federal law governs data privacy in the U.S.A. However, individual states are not waiting for the federal government to act and have set up their own acts. 

Changes made to state regulations

While 2022 limited progress for a federal regulatory scheme in data privacy. Four states in the USA have made significant adjustments to their data privacy regulations that will go into power this year:

The Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) has implemented new regulations from January 1st, 2023. The VCDPA has included a few new requirements, including CCPA compliance, opt-outs, data security and more. 

The Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) targets Colorado residents. New regulations strictly target data collection regarding advertisement, data processing enforcement and restrictions. In addition, fines can result in up to a million dollars! All new rules the CPA sets will go into power from July 1st, 2023.

The California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) buys and sells information of hundreds of thousands of consumers and gains more than 50% of revenue from all the personal information sold. New regulations imposed by the CPRA have come into power since new year’s day. They include increased restrictions regarding personal data retention, protecting employee and business contact personal information and more opt-out rights.

The Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CDPA) will come into effect from July 1st, 2023. It has new restrictions that are similar to the other state privacy acts. However, this is only for Connecticut residents.

The Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA): Will take effect from the end of the year, but has similar regulations to the CPA and VCDPA. However, the UCPA still has more enlightenments to data privacy compared to other states, respectively.

The New York SHIELD Act

The New York SHIELD Act encourages data protection at the maximum level to avoid online breaches. Sometimes, it may be difficult for organizations to comply with several security standards, so they’ll use the SHIELD Act standards for collecting and maintaining private information.

Osano wrote an article that goes deeper into what the New York SHIELD Act is all about and how it’s becoming essential to follow new privacy regulations imposed.

Amendments made to The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2023

The GDPR is the world’s most significant data privacy regulator and accounts for all data privacy collectors in the European Union and those doing business within its boundaries. In addition, it regulates all private data collected and transmitted across all states within the European Union.

Fines for all states and users who refuse to comply will result in paying up to 20 million Euros. The most fundamental requirements of the GDPR are:

Consent: Data subjects have to be given before personal data is collected. However, personal data is information collected through cookie usage in countries such as the USA. Personal information like IP addresses are not considered personal data in the USA, but this isn’t the case for the GDPR. Data Subject Rights: This covers many important parts and keep in mind that your data subjects should be precise and easy to access on your website. This includes all essential information regarding the right to be informed, access personal data, delete information users don’t want on the website, restrict processing, data portability, and refuse data processing. Notifying users about data breaches: All organizations must inform users about data breach at least 72 hours (three days) before it affects their personal information. The GDPR takes this seriously and will increase controls in 2023 because many data breaches go unreported.

Another important aspect to consider under the GDPR is the secure shredding of personal data. This includes the destruction of both physical documents and digital files containing personal information, to ensure that it is irreversibly destroyed when it is no longer needed. Organisations must have processes in place to properly dispose of sensitive information, such as financial or medical data, to avoid potential breaches and ensure compliance with the regulations.

What can you do to prepare for these changes?

Firstly, your organisation should be well aware of which data privacy law it has to follow.

Secondly, each country has its own local data privacy regulators, so always pay attention to them first. Afterward, the organisation should be vigilant of the data it processes, manages, and collects.

If you are in the United States, you won’t have to follow what the GDPR implies, unless you do business within EU states.

In short, organisations should always inform individuals how their data is collected, stored and obtained.

If you’re still wondering how you will comply with data privacy laws this year, make sure to hire a data advisor or counsel that will provide you with the data management framework and governance plan you need. One key element of this plan should be the use of contract management software. This type of software can automate the process of assessing vendor security and privacy, as well as facilitate the return or deletion of data once a contract has ended. Utilising contract management software can help ensure compliance with data privacy laws and protect sensitive information, making it an essential tool for any data management framework and governance plan.

The applications and websites that let stock market traders trade with a few taps or clicks on their mobile phones and other devices are increasingly attracting the attention of stock market traders. The market will have a solution and trading convenience by making a stock trading app. Due to the lack of fully functional trading apps on the market and among consumers, it is a great time to find out how to create a trading app (the Topflight Apps blog will help you in this matter). If you have brilliant ideas for trading app development, you should create a stock trading app.

Types of Stock trading apps

The market grows and evolves to accommodate various developments. Consequently, there are now two main kinds of trading platforms. People often utilise the following kinds of trading networks or platforms:

Traditional: It encompasses trading in commodities, including currencies, precious metals, and various other conventional items. In the market, this form of trading is widely accepted and trusted. Traditional equities are more recognisable to individuals, so they feel safe investing in them. The creator of a trading app gains from traditional trading since he may include several assets in the app.

Cryptocurrency: This kind of trading software is brand-new and well-liked by customers. You may have heard of terms like Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc. When it comes to cryptocurrencies, there are numerous things to watch out for, such as purchasing, selling, and managing assets with a few smartphone taps. Both controlled and decentralised exchanges of the cryptocurrency asset are possible. The market will change if successful software is developed for bitcoin trading since many consumers and traders are interested in doing so.

Functions of a stock trading app

The fundamental trading software features provide all the tools required to execute a successful trade. However, the user will obtain more tools in the program that assist him in making better-informed judgments about his trade using the trading software premium features.

This is a list of some of the standard features included in all trading software and apps:

• Online dashboard: The purpose of the stock trading dashboard is to provide the user with organised stock market data so they can quickly follow their objectives, make decisions, and learn from their platform trials.
• Stock screeners: The stock screening algorithms have proven to be highly successful. These stock trading algorithms provide results that aid in stock comparison and comprehension for the user.
• Real-time screening of stock charts and coats: The feature is available on the dashboard of the most popular trading applications. The services enable users to develop a better plan by updating stock market data every second.

Your trading platform development must have these aspects of investing apps. Additionally, ensure that financial services regulatory compliance is included in the creation of your trading platform.

Trading app development rules

You must have an onboard team which is essential to create a stock trading platform. Three key individuals should lead the development team for a stock trading app. One is a skilled project manager with knowledge of financial issues and other associated issues. The other is a qualified IT architect to create a stock market app. You need a business analyst with extensive knowledge of the financial sector. You must monitor your money while the trading software is being developed.

Set up your trading platform and decide what products you will provide before you do anything else. It would help if you first conducted surveys about the stock trading software. This can help you understand what users want in a new trading app. After many discussions with your team over the surveys, you will have a good idea of what your trading app will provide.

Determine the features your stock trading app will provide before you start designing trading APIs. Is it intended for speakers of English or a different language? IOS and Android compatibility for the trading platform? Does the webpage for your stock trading software exist? Before you begin to make automated trading software, all such concerns should be addressed.

Trading through platforms like those in mobile banking applications has a real-time threat intelligence security system. Because the trading app will retain sensitive user data and specific authorities will audit the security of the stock trading app, the development process must be safe, like that of mobile banking applications. Use contemporary techniques like multi-factor authentication and bank-grade encryption while trading app development.

In early 2022, Virgin Atlantic became the first UK airline to allow cabin crew to display their tattoos.

Tattoos are a type of body art that has been celebrated for thousands of years, yet a lot of people have had to hide them in the workplace due to negative associations and connotations.

While the stigma around tattoos in the workplace is definitely shifting, and Virgin Atlantic’s new policy is a prime example of that, there are still some conversations to be had when it comes to tattoos.

Today, we explore Britons’ attitudes towards tattoos in the workplace, what industries are more accommodating to tattoos, and how to comply to a workplace’s appearance code.

Changing the stigma around tattoos

The art of tattooing has been known to humanity since 12,000 BC and has served many purposes, from a means of communication to a reflection of culture and tradition.

When tattooing was introduced in Europe, it was first popular amongst mariners and the lower classes, and that has likely contributed to the stigma around it. For a long time, it was associated with jail, criminals, and misfits.

Nowadays, tattoos are seen as a means of self-expression and an appreciation of this ancient body art. According to a recent YouGov study, little over a quarter (26%) of Britons have tattoos, with the younger generation more likely to get one than the older. Tattoos are popular amongst the working population too, with 31% saying they have a tattoo.

They’ve become so commonly accepted that even world leaders from the past and present are known to have tattoos. King George V, who reigned the United Kingdom from 1910-1936, for example, had a red and blue dragon tattooed on his arm, which he acquired during a trip to Japan. Winston Churchill also supposedly had an anchor tattoo on his arm, while the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, boasts a Haida raven on his left arm.

As society embraces this type of body art more and more, the stigma around tattoos in the workplace is also shifting.

Are tattoos accepted in the workplace?

Britons have a generally positive attitude towards tattoos in the workplace. In fact, 86% said that they don’t see non-visible tattoos as unprofessional.

Nevertheless, things look slightly different when it comes to visible tattoos, especially on the face and neck, as 63% of the general public would consider them unprofessional. The older population, aged 55 and above, have a firmer stance on this, as 80% see face and neck tattoos as unprofessional.

With such attitudes, it’s no surprise that many industries still have certain appearance codes. According to Susan Harris, legal director at the GMB union, tattoos are not a protected characteristic, meaning legally you could be dismissed or be ruled out of a job due to having a tattoo.

Nevertheless, there are some prime examples that prove that the stigma is slowly shifting. Vladimir Franz, for example, who has a full-fledged face tattoo, ran for president of the Czech Republic. While he didn’t get elected, he serves as an example of the shifting attitudes and outlook towards tattoos.

Responsible tattoo artists also have a duty to inform clients about the complications of visible tattoos. Sheffield-based Krissie Langley always explains to her customers what impact hand and neck tattoos could have on their future jobs.

She said that she “puts off a good 95% of people” from getting a face or neck tattoo: “This is how I earn my living, but I also want to sleep at night. I do like to point out to people that this could affect their life.

“If you know you’re going into a job that is accepting it, then it’s good. But, at 18, how many of us know what we want to do forever?”

Krissie added that a lot of people have rang her back thanking her for putting them off from getting a visible tattoo, because it has allowed them to secure a job they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to.

What industries have a more relaxed attitude towards tattoos?

A lot of young people see visible tattoos as something trendy and impressive. Nevertheless, they don’t consider the impact it might have on their future careers.

“It’s all very well following your favourite rapper or favourite singer, but unless you’re going to be a rapper, a singer, or a tattooist, you probably will hit these problems,” added Krissie.

Indeed, there are certain industries that have a more relaxed approach towards tattoos, such as music, art, and media. Most Britons consider it acceptable to have visible tattoos for workers in low-end customer-facing services, such as waiting staff, mass market retail, as well as firefighters and paramedics. Teachers in primary and secondary school, those involved in legal work and high-end customer service workers are subject to more scrutiny.

How to hide your tattoos at job interviews and the workplace

Before going to a job interview or starting a new job, it’s important to study the company policy. Based on the industry and company culture, it might have a more relaxed or a stricter approach to tattoos in the workplace.

As we mentioned, it’s not illegal to get fired due to wearing a visible tattoo; therefore, it’s important to learn how to adhere to certain appearance standards.

When attending an interview, consider wearing a full suit that will cover any tattoos on your arms and legs. This is the case if you have face or neck tattoos too. While you can’t hide them, you can opt for a smart and refined look that will highlight your professionalism and help the interviewer see beyond your body art. Match your suit with men’s brogues, a watch, and a tie for the ultimate interview look.

If you have tattoos on your hands or fingers, accessories such as rings and watches can help hide them.

While you’re at work, consider wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, accessories, and even putting on a special tattoo concealer if required.

Covering your tattoos doesn’t mean that you are undermining your own identity. Tattoos are a unique form of self-expression, and while we’re in the process of shifting the stigma around them, it’s useful to learn how to comply to certain workplace appearance codes.

If you’ve been shopping at a supermarket recently, you might have noticed some changes. The usual snacks and sugary sweets that we’re used to seeing at multiple spots throughout the stores have been reduced.

In a bid to tackle the country’s obesity issue, the UK government has put new legislation in place that bans the display of HFSS (high in fat, salt, and sugar) items in certain locations in a shop, such as entrances, aisle ends, and checkouts. For online food shops, the same rule will apply to high-traffic spots on the website.

But how has the new rule been met by both businesses and consumers, and what can supermarkets do to adapt to the changes?

What are the new rules?

The new rules came into force on October 1, and have since attracted the attention of supermarket managers, employers, and consumers alike.

As customers we have got into the habit of buying last-minute snacks – which are usually processed foods – while strolling through the aisles or when we reach the checkout. The government’s goal is to reduce those mindless, impulsive purchases and help break bad habits.

According to the Health Survey for England 2019, around 28% of English adults are obese (BMI>30) and 36.2% are overweight but not obese. Processed foods that contain HFSS (high in fat, salt, and sugar) contribute to the obesity issue in England.

While these foods can be consumed in moderation, their regular consumption can increase the risk of underlying chronic inflammation and developing certain diseases, such as fatty liver disease. The government sees the ban on certain locations where these products can be displayed in supermarkets as a viable solution for combatting obesity.

How ready are businesses?

While the ban is geared towards making a positive change in the decisions we as consumers make, there is resistance from the supermarket industry in implementing the new rules.

A study by global standards organisation GS1 UK shows that 66% of businesses and 68% of consumers agree that precautions should be taken to tackle Brits’ unhealthy eating habits and obesity issue.

But what is halting them from fully embracing the change is fears around the shift in consumers’ behaviours. Buying HFSS foods is an integral part of the shopping behaviour of Brits, and the new legislation could change that. In fact, 51% of the survey respondents said they would be less likely to purchase HFSS products if they were less visible in the shop.

Businesses are concerned that this can impact sales and revenue and are also hesitant about implementing the new changes. According to the GS1 UK survey, more than 40% of business owners and managers feel unprepared for the shift. Not only that, but another research shows that only a third of businesses have audited their products ahead of the legislation, and that 20% of businesses are not even aware of the new law. Nevertheless, failing to comply with the new rules can lead to penalties.

Storage containers to keep supply deals

But what can businesses do in order to navigate the new changes and implement the legislation without hurting their business and by promoting healthy eating habits in Britain?

Tackling the limited space for displaying HFSS items points to the fact that businesses will need additional storage space for those items they are unable to display at the time. Although they are only able to showcase a certain amount of HFSS products, that wouldn’t change their supply behaviours.

Buying goods to sell in bulk is cheaper for businesses than frequent small purchases. They have most likely arranged deals with their suppliers to account for enough stock to fill the shelves. Cutting down the stock they purchase might have an additional toll on their expenses, and therefore isn’t a viable solution for all.

But, using storage containers can help businesses keep their good deals with suppliers while also complying with the new legislation. This is a sure way to get prepared in advance without having to make massive budget sacrifices. There are many storage containers for hire that come in various sizes to fit your business’ needs and are a great way to keep everything organised. This will ensure the smooth operations of your business and will allow for minimum disruptions.

Implementing data and technology

Technology and data play a big part in helping optimise businesses’ operations. It can be used to track consumer behaviour, automate processes, and also to help businesses navigate the complexities of the new law. In fact, 41% of respondents in a survey by AI nutrition technology company Spoon Guru believe that technology can aid businesses in managing the new regulations.

Technology that monitors the HFSS scores of products and communicates the information with the supermarket managers and owners is what they need. This will ensure that businesses are categorising products properly and are staying up to date with the recent legislations.

The ban on where HFSS products can be displayed is just one of the tools that the government is using in their efforts to combat obesity. Bans on multibuy deals on unhealthy foods and drinks, junk food adverts on TV before 9pm and paid online ads are also in the pipeline.

Although the new legislation is causing friction in the supply chain and the customer journey, its mission is to reduce obesity, and hopefully in time, healthier snack options will be put in the spots where HFSS items were previously displayed.

Tighter EU Regulations for ecommerce packaging are on the way, with implications for UK businesses. What are the options? By Jo Bradley, Business Development Manager at Sparck Technologies

Despite somewhat depressed Christmas trading, parcels shippers and couriers have been under huge stress this season. Severe weather and industrial action at Royal Mail have added to the perennial problem of driver and warehouse operative shortages, and the pressure isn’t over yet – with so many delayed Christmas deliveries, the rate of returns in January is said to be up by 25%.

So, every available delivery vehicle has been loaded to capacity. But loaded with what, exactly? Quite possibly, mostly fresh air. The scandal of goods being shipped in vastly oversized boxes, with all the waste both of materials and transport capacity that this entails, shows no signs of abating.

However, change may be imminent – the European Commission has a plan.

At the end of November the Commission published a draft Regulation on packaging and packaging waste. This includes a wide range of proposals covering packaging design, materials, re-use and recycling, but importantly, it also includes Article 9, headed ‘packaging minimisation’. This requires that ‘Packaging shall be designed so that its weight and volume is reduced to the minimum necessary’.

It goes on, ‘Empty space shall be reduced to the minimum necessary… for grouped and transport packaging, including e-commerce packaging, in relation to the total volume of the grouped or transported products and their sales packaging… and space filled by paper cuttings, air cushions, bubble wraps, sponge fillers, foam fillers, wood wool, polystyrene, Styrofoam chips or other filling materials shall be considered as empty space’.

Businesses will have to ensure that the empty space ratio is a maximum of 40% – and if the sales packaging is the ecommerce packaging, the same rules apply. This has major implications for the ecommerce sector where lax practices on the use of wasteful, oversized boxes is commonplace.

But surely this is solely a problem for businesses operating in the EU?

It’s worth noting that, whilst this is a proposed EU Regulation, it will of course apply to any UK distributor selling to customers in the Union and it’s highly likely that the UK will follow suit. The target date for implementation may be 2030, but the issue can, and should, be addressed right now. There are plenty of sound reasons for doing so, with many retail businesses stepping up to lead the way.

Users of Sparck Technologies’ automated packing lines are already ahead of the game. Using scanning technology, our CVP systems can cut, erect, fill, seal and label a ‘right size’ box for any group of items presented, ensuring a snug fit without the use of any void fillers. Users are meeting the Commission’s objectives by minimising the use of cardboard, eliminating void fill – many forms of which are hard or impossible to recycle – and maximising the utilisation of vehicle capacity, which in turn decreases the environmental impact per tonne-mile.

The net result is a slashing of material and transport costs, a reduction of in-transit damage, along with a much-improved customer experience, while replacing up to twenty manual packing desks with just one or two machine operators, with a throughput of up to 1,100 packages per hour.

So, while we thoroughly support the Commission’s aims, we really don’t see why companies should be waiting until 2030. They can get ahead of the curve, right now, saving the planet and their bottom line. 2023 should be the year of the right-sized package.

With over 50 million registered DVLA driving licences in the UK, it might be surprising to some that Reuters reported that registrations for new cars fell by around 9% in July 2022. The lack of new cars on the roads has been attributed to supply shortages due to COVID-19 and global events.

This could be a huge contributing factor to why the car rental market is forecast for growth during the 2023 to 2027 period. Car rental is a cost-effective solution to buying, but outside of the booking prices of the vehicle you’re after, there’s still a lot of budgeting to consider.

In this article, we’ll look at the budgeting you need to plan before tackling the open road. Hiring a car to use on a need’s basis could be a great alternative to owning one, but could on-road charges make it less convenient on your wallet?

Renting prices – hour, day, mile, etc.

Depending on the car, the cost of renting in the UK will vary. Bigger cars and vans will cost more, while smaller, more economical vehicles will cost less per day. But recently, we’ve seen a huge leap in prices for weekly renting, with data from iCarhireinsurance finding that within some of the major cities in the UK, there has been an average of a 190% increase in weekly car hiring prices from 2020 to 2022. This results from more people holidaying in the UK rather than going abroad with concerns over COVID and airport staff shortages.

This is where the option to rent on a need’s basis could be a difference maker for people’s budgets. For example, you could find a car to rent for a day and pay by the hour or even the mile. With the average car journey only taking 21.5 minutes, this could be much better suited if you need it for a short trip and could save you a lot of money.

Charges on the road – congestion, CAZs, & ULEZ

Beyond the costs of obtaining the car you’ll use for your trip, several charges can be acquired when out on the roads driving. These costs are put in place to reduce the number of cars on the road and subsequently bring down emissions, such as London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). This is a zone within the City of London and out towards Greenwich, Brentford, and Richmond, where if you drive a non-compliant car during the operating hour, you must pay £12.50 to avoid any further penalty fines.

Similar to the ULEZ but with smaller overall coverage, Clean Air Zones (CAZs) have been introduced in major cities all over the UK. The CAZs in each city is a code from A to D, which defines what vehicles can travel within the zone without being charged (A has fewer vehicles while D has a broader list). The costs these areas could run you entirely depend on where you are and what vehicle you drive within it. Non-compliant cars, for example, could be charged as low as £8 while larger vehicles such as lorries or buses see costs from £50 – £100.

On top of this, London also has the Congestion Charge in the centre of the city. This is a £15 charge to deal with the number of cars driving through the city and reduce both congestion and emissions. In February 2022, the decision was made to reduce operating hours to 7 am – 6 pm and 12 pm – 6 pm on bank holidays.

Your budget for renting a car will be impacted by the type of car you want to drive, how long you want it for, and where you live and regularly drive through. For example, if you want a larger car like a 4×4 or truck and regularly drive through central London, you’re likely to pay a lot more each time you drive it. However, if you only need a car for a specific task or trip, renting is far more economical than buying your own and all of the costs that come with it.

We’re constantly scrolling and searching for suitable content that will satisfy our interests. But what do you do when you see a video in a language you don’t understand? Swipe, scroll down, exit, and go back. I suppose that these are the most common options. 

People don’t have that much time on their hands these days. So believe me when I say, no one is grabbing a dictionary when they see a video without subtitles. Maybe your video has helpful information for everyone around the globe, but everything goes down the drain if you don’t make it accessible. 

If you thought that subtitles are something that the older generation would prefer your conclusion would be wrong. According to a survey, 70% of Gen Z prefer to watch video content with subtitles. 

And what is more important, all generations have pretty solid reasons to do so. Let’s find out how by just simply adding some subtitles to your content you can boost your website engagement. 

With subtitles, people tend to stick around

When a person visits a website one of the main goals is to keep them there for a while. If you have video content that is hard to comprehend, it’s not in their language, or they are not in a situation to hear it, then you have one person less on your website. 

The more accessible content you have the bigger the chances that people will stay and come back. Subtitles are a great way to avoid all sorts of obstacles that may arise while watching videos. Not to mention that today adding subtitles is easier than baking a pie. 

Automatically add subtitles

By using the right tool you can automatically add subtitles to a video without moving a muscle. Just upload your video and subtitle file and your job is done. You don’t have a subtitle file? No, worries you can autogenerate subtitles with this tool. 

Subtitles are essential and that’s why adding them is also much easier these days. Now, when you don’t have excuses about how adding subtitles is complicated we can move on to other benefits. 

Universal content brings more audience 

If you want your website to be visited by more people, you will have to make your video content more ‘user friendly’. 

It should be harder to ignore and easier to engage with. The video will be more accessible with subtitles to: 

• People with a hearing problem

• People who don’t understand the language

• People that aren’t in a position to play the audio

• People that prefer to read

People with a hearing problem

According to WHO, there are over 1.5 billion people around the globe that live with hearing loss. This number is constantly rising.  Videos with subtitles will make these people’s lives much easier. 

People who don’t understand the language

The world is a global village, but not all people will understand your language. To get more global customers and audiences to your website you need to ‘speak their language’. 

You will not be just simply adding subtitles, you will be conquering new markets by getting closer to customers all around the world. 

People that can’t play the audio

Imagine you are on the sub, and you don’t have headphones. Then an interesting video pops up, but you don’t want to be rude and play the audio. 

This and many similar situations could be avoided with subtitles. It’s not hard to do the math. If you can’t hear it, read it. 

People that prefer to read

Some people are not very visual. They prefer to read everything they see and the same thing goes for videos. If they can read while watching the content it will help them engage better with the subject you are trying to elaborate on. 

66% of Netflix’s audience uses subtitles to better understand the storyline. So why would this be any different for your website videos? 

Subtitles are good for your SEO rankings 

Here are a couple of ways subtitles help your SEO rankings:

• Google pushes forward videos with bigger engagement: The views, the time spent on the page, everything is measured and ranked. 

• It’s easier for Google to pick the right keywords: SRT and VTT format subtitles help you achieve this. 

• It will help you boost your on-page ranking: Thanks to the subtitle Google can read semantic elements. 

The right subtitles bring better reach on social media

“Extra, extra, read all about it!” It’s much easier when we can read it, right? When you get a bigger audience, more people visit your website and content, and in the meantime, Google boosts your rankings. It’s very logical that you will get popular. 

People post, reshare, and like the content that pleases them. Subtitles are really a cherry on top when it comes to social media. 

Adding subtitles means playing smart 

Videos come from so many sources today, which means the competition is huge. If you want the content from your website to stand out, keep the old and attract a new crowd, you need to play smart. 

Video subtitles are not anymore something that you should consider adding, it’s something you must add in order to thrive. It’s an advantage that can be easily added in a couple of simple steps. 

With subtitles, you add context and value to your website. Also, you show respect for diversity. The impact of subtitles can only be positive, so I suggest you don’t waste your time and give your content a new dimension. 

Since its release in 2013, Dogecoin has emerged as one of the most popular cryptocurrencies globally. Before 2020, Dogecoin saw a number of major pushes and subsequent falls but failed to gain much traction. With an unexpected jump of over 12000% between January and May of 2021—Dogecoin has become one of the well-known cryptocurrencies.

While many new investors have been drawn in by Dogecoin’s price and popularity, it is essential to be careful before investing in Dogecoin. Although it is one of the very few cryptocurrencies to gain widespread recognition, future outcomes cannot be predicted by looking at the past.

Dogecoin’s present status is still up for discussion. Some argue that it is still vulnerable to push and crashes since only a few wallets possess the bulk of Dogecoin, even though many think it better represents the values and interests of the broader community.

Let us walk you through some essential tips to help you decide how much to invest in Dogecoin while delving deeper into whether Dogecoin is worth investing in.

Is Dogecoin a good investment?

While Dogecoin gave investors much hope in the first four months of 2021, Dogecoin still needs to retain the growth momentum. Investors who have invested in Dogecoin still hold it with the hope that Dogecoin will bounce back and prove to be a worthwhile investment, but this cryptocurrency has yet to show any further signs of growth. When considering investing money, it is essential to ask whether the asset fits your portfolio.

Dogecoin is a risky, unpredictable investment—only invest in it if you have a solid financial foundation. According to general investing guidelines, riskier investments like these must be at most 10% of your investment portfolio.

At around $0.08 in January 2023, Dogecoin must have done better. Dogecoin investors who purchased it between 25 and 45 cents in the first few months of 2021 have seen huge losses on their investments.

Although Dogecoin still has a $10.88 billion market cap as of January 2023 and is accepted at almost 2000 places as payment, from premium cars to goods and services, you must consider investing in Dogecoin. However, it’s also crucial to keep in mind that Dogecoin’s price is prone to extreme fluctuation daily and has yet to be used much other than to make payments faster than using bitcoin.

With all this in consideration, it is advisable to allocate less of your portfolio to Dogecoin, despite the fact that enthusiasts are ready to hold it as a long-term investment.

4 Tips on deciding how much to invest in Dogecoin

There are a few things you must take into account before investing in a cryptocurrency like Dogecoin. You’ll be in a better position to decide if investing in Dogecoin is the correct choice for you once you’ve given the below questions some serious thought.

• Have you thoroughly mastered the principles behind cryptocurrencies to make an informed decision?
• How much money and for how long are you planning to invest in cryptocurrencies?
• Are you prepared to lose all of your investment in cryptocurrency, which is usually risky?

Here are some essential aspects to think about before investing in Dogecoin.

1. Recognize the true worth of buying Dogecoin

It will be challenging, time-consuming, or downright impossible to determine the true worth of a digital asset.

If you’re sure about buying this asset, you can instantly buy Dogecoin with a credit card, bank transfer, or using local currency via your bank account in more than 150 countries. No matter how many Dogecoins you want to acquire, you will be able to do so with the help of stringent security controls that will guarantee your safety.

2. Think about your investment goals for Dogecoin

Investing with caution is essential because online rumours claim that some investors gained large sums of money using Dogecoin. Cryptocurrencies like Dogecoin, Ethereum, etc. are speculative investments, and Dogecoin is particularly unstable because of its infinite supply. Investors must keep adding to their coin purchases for the price of Dogecoin to rise or stay stable. If not, the supply of Dogecoin quickly increases, depreciating the value of every coin currently in use.

Take into account your total financial condition, investment portfolio, and risk tolerance when choosing how much money to put into investments. Experts advise investing what you afford to lose with cryptocurrencies.

3. Liquidity

It is critical to understand that the high level of volatility of Dogecoin has made it very uncertain to predict the fate of this asset. Dogecoin’s popularity has increased as more people become aware of it and invest in it, but when these investors sell their investments as the price climbs, the price of Dogecoin falls.

Dogecoin’s price has changed significantly since the beginning of 2021. It showed a significant surge reaching an all-time high of almost $0.70. However, it quickly fell to around $0.45 and is now valued at $0.082 as of 12 January 2023.

4. Public opinion and FOMO

FOMO is a significant danger to a lucrative investment opportunity since Dogecoin is consuming the internet. Everyone is talking about investing in it. (FOMO describes the “fear of missing out” when someone decides irrationally to trade or buy in a crypto asset based on some information they have learned without thoroughly checking its authenticity or source). But before that occurs, it’s critical to keep in mind that only some achieve the same level of success as the select people who became billionaires by risking their whole money on a craze.

Investing in Dogecoin

Dogecoin will be a pleasant addition to your investment portfolio. But it’s crucial to comprehend the danger involved in purchasing this asset. Whether you’re prepared to purchase Dogecoin and grow your investment or are only beginning to dabble in the world of cryptocurrencies, there is still plenty to learn.

People often confuse investing with luck. The truth is – investing is mostly strategic. It requires skills and patience. With the right strategy, the chances of gaining exceed the chances of losing.

The world went through a global crisis as a result of COVID-19. This caused a negative financial impact, which led people to broaden their horizons regarding extra income.

That said, the number of people in Europe investing in the stock market is slowly increasing – around 33% of UK citizens and 15% of Germans.

Are you ready to embark on your successful investment journey?

If the answer is yes, you’ve come to the right place. This article will discuss the importance of portfolio backtesting strategy along with five rules for successful investment.

Let’s dive in!

The true meaning and importance of portfolio backtesting

Backtesting lets you test an investment strategy to understand how it would’ve performed in the past. So, before risking any capital, you’ll know the probability of the outcome.

Backtesting makes people more confident in their investment decisions. You’re probably thinking, how does it work?

Backtesting takes historical data into account. If a strategy wouldn’t do well in the past, it probably won’t do well in the future. It lets you know beforehand which strategies are worth your time and money. Even though we all know the market is always changing, stock patterns tend to repeat.

Portfolio backtesting has its benefits but is not always 100% accurate. It doesn’t predict the future, just gives you pointers. Still, analysts and professional traders are constantly using backtesting. They wouldn’t even consider risking big amounts if their strategy hasn’t previously been backtested.

To successfully backtest portfolio performance and improve your investments there is a set of rules you can follow.

5 rules for successful investment with backtesting

Consider various market conditions

See how your trading strategy performs during a tough economic crisis. Aim for a specific market condition, for example, The Asian Crisis of 1997, and then compare it with the COVID pandemic of 2020. Backtesting allows you to do this and is a great way to see how effective your strategy is when tried on different market conditions.

Make sure your portfolio contains at least 20 stocks

This allows us to lessen the likelihood that your strategy was simply fortunate and chose a successful stock by ensuring that no single stock will have a significant impact on the performance of your portfolio.

It gives you the certainty that your trading strategy will turn out to be profitable even if it has been applied to multiple stocks. This helps you greatly reduce your investment risk. So, if you’re trying to decide which backtesting tool works best for you, it’s better to choose one that gives you the option to select numerous stocks, instead of only one.

Have reasonable expectations

Even though trading can bring you wealth, don’t always set high expectations and expect to make a fortune overnight! If a strategy would’ve brought you 80.000$ twenty years ago, you can’t expect that same strategy to now bring you 800.000$.

It all depends on the risk you’re willing to take and the asset to wish to invest in. One thing is sure though – having proper expectations will never set you up for disappointment!

Take transaction cost into account

A lot of things can impact your investment profit, for example, the transaction cost of your broker. That’s why, when backtesting, it’s always better to consider them in advance. It gives a realistic point of view on things, so you won’t be confused if the return turns out to be lower than expected.

Aim for a longer period of backtesting

This world has suffered a lot of difficult times and all of them in different time frames. Considering the fact that backtesting works with historical data, backtest your strategy for at least fifteen years.

That way, you’ll cover different market conditions and if a market crash is to happen in the future, you’ll be able to adjust your strategy to it and still achieve the best possible outcome.

How to perform backtesting

Backtesting has been an option for investors for quite some time now. It has always been considered to be a time-consuming task, especially since in the past, it was mostly done manually, along with trading itself. Imagine manually calculating every moving average – it couldn’t have been easy.

Nowadays, the technology is so advanced that you can actually backtest your portfolio with the help of trading and backtesting software. It allows investors to test their strategy in a matter of seconds and save valuable time.

Some of the trading tools that don’t require coding are:

MetaTrader5TradingViewTradeStationAmibrokerEven though there are apps that don’t require coding, it’s still considered to be the most effective way to practice backtesting. Up to this day, the most popular programming language for traders remains Python.

Game-changing strategy

Portfolio backtesting is a huge advantage for both beginners and experienced traders. Firstly, it’s flexible and can be applied to various markets. Secondly, it’s just a simulation and no capital is involved in the process, therefore, you’re not risking anything.

Making your money work for you is not a bad idea at all. People understand this and are all about securing their future. That’s why investing has always been a popular trend and an effective way to potentially build wealth, especially when it’s strategically done.

Having said that, backtesting is a real game-changer. It can be used to significantly optimize your portfolio and improve your investments. Carlos Slim Helu once said ‘’With a good perspective on history, we can have a better understanding of the past and present, and thus a clear version of the future’’.

Europe is a large and varied continent that can be quite complicated to navigate at the best of times. But with all the further complications that arose due to COVID and the various strikes and delays constantly hitting the news, you might be put off travelling through the continent for work.

But there are so many things that can’t be achieved over a Zoom call. Sometimes, you need to meet that client face-to-face or be able to show off how your product works in person. Business travel still needs to happen and when it comes to European business travel, there are three major options to consider.

Using a car

Perhaps one of the most exciting things about Europe is how easy it is to drive from one country to another. Most of the continent is contained within a single block and even the UK can be driven to and from thanks to the channel tunnel. There are only really two downsides to travelling Europe for business by car – the time and the fuel.

As long as you ensure you get a basic car service before setting off on your trip you should be golden but that’s not going to make you go any faster and it’s not going to make the petrol cost any less. Of course, if you are planning on visiting multiple clients in different cities and countries then it could be more practical to drive, and you’ll get to see a lot of Europe you wouldn’t see otherwise. But if you’re strapped for time, driving through Europe is perhaps not the best option.

Using public transport

While public transport here in the UK is going through a pretty rough time right now, in many European countries the train and bus networks are still solid. You can also quite comfortably take trains up and down and across many different European countries. There’s a train, for example, that runs all the way through France, Belgium and the Netherlands. On a train, you can also get some work done, which is not something you’d be able to do while driving.

The downside of using public transport, however, is that it’s wildly inconsistent. You might have an exceptional bus service in one city that’s utterly useless in the next. As far as the trains are concerned, meanwhile, there’s always the potential for delays and cancellations.

Travelling by plane

It’s certainly not the most environmentally friendly way to travel but there’s a reason why so many of us still travel by plane when making business trips. If you’re travelling more than a few hundred miles then there’s really no contest here, as you can get from the UK to Brussels in about an hour by plane when it would take you around 6 hours from London by car or train (on a good day).

The best tactic is to take each trip individually and plan accordingly. It might make sense to travel by car if you have multiple meetings across France in one week, for example, and to travel by plane if you have a one-off meeting in Vienna. Play it by ear and don’t be afraid to change plans on the fly. That’s the European way!

For over 20 years Intuit QuickBooks has ruled the roost when it comes to enterprise resource planning compliant accounting software packages. But today Quickbooks has competition from Sage software – and both are battling it out for the top spot.

However, more and more people are turning to Sage 50 – but if you compare the two solutions is there a bona fide reason for switching from QuickBooks to Sage 50 – and just how easy is it to migrate from QuickBooks to Sage 50?

About QuickBooks and Sage 50

QuickBooks bases its enviable reputation on the ease of use of the software when it comes to users, even without advanced accounting training to access relevant financial records and reports, as well as crucial business data and much else. Quickbooks organizes the information so that it is easy to understand and manage. It also allows for the management of day-to-day functions such as payroll as well as sales, expenses, and purchases.

The costs associated with QuickBooks will depend to a large extent on the complexity and functionality of the specific package that the user selected. As a starting point costs will be around €15 per user (that’s the ‘Self-Employed’ package). Quickbooks has an enviable reputation among small and medium-sized business owners.

The Sage entry-level ‘lite’ offering costs €10 per user, per month, but, similar to Quickbooks Sage offers more advanced versions of the accounting software that can cost significantly more. For instance, the software suite developed for Enterprise use can cost in the region of €1,340 per annum.

It is worth noting that each software suite has functionality such as payroll management that will cost extra to unlock.

Sage has also been around for about two decades and today boasts about 6 million users worldwide. It has built an impressive reputation for ease of use and the fact that it offers something for almost every small and medium-sized business. The fact that it is so easy to customize makes it suitable for a variety of business environments and, like Quickbooks, Sage also offers financial reports, record keeping, and overall business management tools. If the business outgrows Sage 50, the company has a variety of other products in its portfolio that are even more customizable.

Cost Advantages

One of the areas where Sage 50 shines is in the costs associated with each user. While Quickbooks will charge for each user above a set limit – and will even require that each user pays for their own account (for certain packages). Those costs can quickly mount as the business expands. Sage, on the other hand, allows unlimited users, a feature that is attractive to most small and medium-sized businesses.

Those payroll service fees can eat into budgets. QuickBooks and sage will both expect users to pay extra for payroll services. Users of Quickbooks can save significant amounts of money by bundling their payroll services with bookkeeping functionality. Sage HRMS Payroll can be purchased as a stand-alone module or it can be bundled with your other sage accounting software – but you will need to reach out to Sage to get a quote for doing things this way.

Are Sage 50 and Quickbooks Basically the Same?

Both pieces of accounting software offer small to medium-sized businesses a tried and proven solution to meeting the accounting challenges of today’s fast-paced and competitive business environment. Both offerings offer value for money – and are intuitive to use, even for non-accountants. For those searching to migrate to Sage 50 from QuickBooks the best route is probably to start off with Sage 50Cloud (which used to be known as ‘Peachtree). The most cost-effective software in the Sage portfolio is ‘Sage 50 Cloud Pro Accounting’ which will go toe to toe with QuickBooks and will cost in the region of €500 per year.

Cloud Concerns

Sage, in common with QuickBooks is not inherently designed as a Cloud Based solution. But the software does allow for third-party hosts that can make the software Cloud friendly. The same applies to Quickbooks. Both Intuit and Sage boast extremely large ecosystems of third-party developers and solutions who have products such as expense management solutions, AP Automation, and payment automation.

So is Sage 50 Better?

It’s easy to migrate data over to Sage 50 from Quickbooks, but is it the right move for your business? When QuickBooks and Sage 50 face off it becomes obvious that each of these accounting packages has something to offer – but it depends on the size and type of business that will be using the software. Sage 50 is ideal for a small to medium-sized business that wants exceptional functionality, access by unlimited users, and ease of use – and also wants financial management tasks automated where possible.

QuickBooks also meets the needs of a small to medium-sized business but will be able to handle more complex Enterprise needs (for example mileage tracking or 1099 contractor management) and the organization does not have over 40 employees.

The conclusion is that business owners in search of a world-class accounting-orientated business management solution could see benefits from either solution. However, in order to realize those benefits the business owner must ensure that the functionality of the software meets the current and future needs of the business.

Winter can be a tough season for the temperature; during the coldest months, the UK reaches a low average between 2 and 7 degrees Celsius. This might make many of us reluctant to leave our homes for the most part, but we should take advantage of sporadic opportunities to enjoy healthy walks in the great outdoors.

Walks in the winter can be a special time, especially when made into a family bonding activity. Not only can our immune system activate itself when exposed to the cold (meaning an improved ability to fight off infections), but parks, beaches and forests often look truly breath-taking in the bright winter light. When your health, heart and sight can be satisfied, why wouldn’t you want to embark on a winter walk?

Here are some of the best places to visit across the UK.

#1 Heddon Valley, North Devon

Whether you’re seeking an appropriate area to take the kids for a short trail, or somewhere that would accommodate a longer, more experienced hike for you and your friends, North Devon’s Heddon Valley is a walker’s hot spot, and for very good reasons.

Drink in the fresh air as you explore soaring cliffs, riverside paths, and a pebbly beach. Choose between three available trails, from two to six miles long, and refuel your bodies with some delicious pub grub from the historic Hunters Inn.

#2 Beatrix Potter Walk, Sawrey, Lake District

The Lake District is one of the most magical places you’ll ever visit – especially during wintertime. Nestled in Cumbria, North West England, it’s known for its ribbon rivers, monumental mountains, and fantastic forests.

If you want to make the most of your wintertime outdoor adventure, visit Beatrix Potter Walk in Sawrey. Beatrix Potter, one of the world’s best-selling and most cherished children’s authors, was inspired by the enchanting landscapes of the Lake District. Choose here for your winter walk and enjoy the sights and sounds that motivated some of her best literature.

#3 Glencoe Lochan, Highland

If you’re based in Scotland, or fancy booking a trip there, we recommend Glencoe Lochan for a brisk winter walk to get the legs moving and the heart pumping. A truly beautiful sight, weaving in and out of trees bursting with life in the tall woods before taking a break to admire the breath-taking glacier lakes.

The area offers three different trails, so there’s something for everyone. If you’re looking to take the whole family – kids included – you should explore the Lochan Trail, which is described as ‘gentle’ with a wide, firm, and generally flat path. If you’re searching for something a bit more strenuous, you can pick between the scenic Woodland Trail and the charming Mountain Trail.

#4 Strangford Lough, County Down, Northern Ireland

You wouldn’t believe this fairy-tale spot is just a short distance from the lively, bustling Belfast. Book a weekend trip to the city and make time to visit this secluded island for a winter walk you’ll never, ever forget. As your boots crunch along the solid ground, tilt your head and embrace the sounds of the local wildlife as they greet you and your family.

To make this trip a success, make sure you pack all the necessities! Find an appropriate weekend bag for women and load up on warm clothing, snacks, and water to keep you and your family hydrated and fuelled during your walk. This place couldn’t be more Instagrammable, so it’s also a good idea to ensure your phone or camera is fully charged before you embark on your adventure.

#5 Three Cliffs Bay, Swansea

Beaches aren’t just for the summertime! Three Cliffs Bay in Swansea offers a picturesque walk that might make Wales your new favourite place in the UK. Mindfully stroll through the sandy beach and stop to take a moment to appreciate the iconic three limestone cliffs.

While Three Cliffs Bay is an incredibly photogenic location, be careful not to see too much of it through a screen and not with your own eyes; take a deep breath in and let your eyes wander across the panoramic views of something so very close to paradise.

#6 Blakeney Freshes, Blakeney, Norfolk

If you’re fond of birds and their beauty, visiting Blakeney Freshes in Norfolk should be at the top of your bucket list. This coastal walk delivers tranquillity as well as thriving wildlife, giving you and your family the very best of both worlds.

The full trail comes in at three miles long, which will last you roughly one hour and 45 minutes. If you have a family dog and you don’t want them to miss out on all the fun, bring him or her along too! This walk is paw-fect for everyone.

#7 Embleton Bay, Northumberland

Northumberland is an area in North East England that’s steeped in rich history, some of which you can encounter by arranging a walk at the iconic Embleton Bay. This entire adventure would take roughly three hours and 45 minutes to complete, so you should consider that when arranging who to bring along with you.

Enjoy panoramic views of the sea as you amble along the gentle coastal paths, and don’t forget to stop for a moment to appreciate the stunning views of the ruined 14^th century Dunstanburgh Castle that backdrops part of the trail.

Dust off the hiking boots and winter gear

Walking is good for both our heart and soul, so don’t be put off by the cold temperatures this winter. If you wear suitable shoes, wrap up warm, and carry plenty of supplies (such as spare gloves and water), you should be absolutely fine.

In fact, you’ll be more than fine! You’ll have a stronger immune system, a healthier heart, and family memories that will last forever. We hope you have a wonderful time.

Finding and retaining the right talent is difficult, especially when it comes to software developers. Companies find it challenging to scale their development teams. The challenge is both in monetary terms and time.

In 2019, the number of employed people working remotely in EU was 5.5%. This number increased to 13.5% by the year 2021.

It makes sense to create a process related to hiring the best talent. This article gives some tips on how to expand your remote development team in 2023. Let’s get right in!

Use an applicant tracking system

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) assist recruiters to hire candidates faster. Through an ATS, it’s easy to source, shortlist and evaluate candidates. An ATS allows:

• Automated job postings to source candidates (including employer brand management to attract the best talent).
• Candidate management (including uploading data to a central database and shortlisting the best candidates).
• Pre-screening candidates by searching for relevant keywords in the resume and cover letter of candidates, sending out interview invites and automated rejection messages. Screening candidates by managing video interviews and sending out job offers to candidates that are successfully evaluated. Recruitee’s Applicant Tracking System guide explains the benefits of ATS in detail. Recruiters need to keep in mind that candidates know how to game the ATS to get through the initial stages.

Create a list of the most effective interview questions

No need to re-invent the system again. Create a screening process that can be followed for every candidate.

Create your own list similar to this. For example, here are some C++ interview questions to ask candidates. Overtime modify the list. Remove the questions that don’t help you judge the candidate’s ability. Add questions that effectively do so.

A number of big companies in Europe such as PepsiCo, Oracle, H&M, Revolut and Bain & Company make use of screening tests. It’s an unbiased way to shortlist and gain the best candidates. The screening assessments gauge the personality of candidates – especially helpful for scaling a remote team.

Send out screening assessments

For hiring developers, it’s more important to evaluate hard skills than soft skills. Send out coding tests before conducting interviews. This will also make the process faster since standardised coding tests can be used. Tip: Value the time of candidates. To attract great talent, set up a budget and pay the candidates for the time they spend (especially if the test is extensive and requires significant effort).

The costs of hiring a remote developer is lower than hiring a resource that comes to the office. You don’t have to pay for a workspace, computer, insurance and recruitment and onboarding costs are lower as well.

Create a strong work culture

A strong work culture means communicating ideas and sharing suggestions is easy. The most essential component of a successful remote team is seamless communication. Teams should be able to have a one-on-one discussion easily.

Too many meetings is considered micromanagement and a waste of time.

Developers need to be able to collaborate using messaging apps such as Slack or Microsoft Teams. If a team leader has to explain a task by showing their screens, using Loom is the best way to convey the message across.

Read: Strategies for ensuring remote workers aren’t excluded

The goal is to send the message across without taking away the valuable time of developers.

In addition, a strong work culture is where developers are able to voice their opinions – on anything they disagree with.

Some final tips

Before we wrap up, let’s give you some of the best tips for hiring the best talent:

– Include the salary or salary range in the job posting. No use of wasting your or the candidates time only to realise the financial expectations don’t match.

– If you’re a small company, quality developers will be sceptical about joining. Keep the LinkedIn of employees accessible, so potential candidates can reach out if they have any queries.

– Don’t ghost the employees. Keep them updated at every stage of the recruitment process even if they are not shortlisted.

A solicitor is a legal practitioner that can create wills, handle various legal matters, handle conveyancing, represent clients in court, etc. Solicitors are essentially a type of lawyer. Now, once you have a business, then you need to have a good solicitor. This is essential so that you can avoid breaking the law, protect against legal issues and penalties, ensure your business runs smoothly, etc. So, we will now take a much deeper look into why you need a good solicitor.

1. Protect your business from lawsuits

When you have a solicitor, they can help prevent lawsuits from happening. You should avoid waiting to get into legal trouble before hiring a solicitor, since it may be too late. Now, having a solicitor will help lower the charges but this doesn’t mean that they will be able to prevent you from facing all legal consequences. It is best to take a proactive legal approach with your business to prevent as many legal issues from ever happening.

2. Reduces damages from lawsuits

If you’ve already been served a lawsuit, then a good solicitor can help to reduce the number of damages that you’ll face due to it. With that said, for your solicitor to do the best job possible, you need to be completely honest with them. This is necessary so that they can take the correct legal action to get the best possible result for you and your business.

3. Compliance with EU and National laws

There are many differences between EU and national laws and these need to be paid attention to when running a business. For example, if you intend on doing business across various EU countries, then there are different laws that you need to adhere to. There are many different national and EU laws and they can be quite confusing if you’re not a qualified legal practitioner. So, it is highly recommended that you have a solicitor to help ensure that your business is fully compliant with all laws.

4. Compliance with environmental regulations

It is no secret that the environment is becoming more protected and as a result, there are now many environmental laws and regulations that impact all businesses. If your business does not comply with these regulations, then you will have to face many stiff penalties and lawsuits. So, having a solicitor is essential to protect your business against these types of violations.

5. Drafting contracts

While operating a business, you will need to draft multiple contracts. For example, you may need to draft contracts with your suppliers, employees, clients, etc. However, when you draft contracts, you must have a solicitor to oversee and approve these contracts before they are signed. You may be tempted to do the contract on your own but this will likely cause many problems since you would not know all the loopholes that need to be avoided. Hiring a good solicitor to help draft your contracts or at least look over them before they are signed is essential to prevent legal problems in the future.

6. Problems with employees

Unfortunately, once you have a business with employees, you will eventually have to deal with various workplace problems. However, once you have a qualified solicitor, then they can prevent many of these issues from occurring or quickly deal with and resolve these problems. A solicitor would be responsible for drafting agreements with contractors and employees, handling compensation, handling the hiring and firing process, etc. A solicitor will go a long way in protecting your business and reducing the risk of lawsuits from employees.

7. Restructuring your business

When it comes to restructuring your business, there are numerous things you’ll need to deal with such as tax issues, particular expenses, liabilities, employees, and more. It is extremely difficult to deal with these things on your own without proper legal knowledge. Unfortunately, this can cause many legal problems over time. So, once you intend on restructuring your business, you need to have a professional solicitor to assist.

8. Applications for patents

As a business, you will likely create new products and services. These will need to be protected with patents. Unfortunately, getting a patent is a complicated and time-consuming process. It is also very difficult to get one approved if you don’t have professional legal assistance.

9. Business incorporation

Incorporating a business is quite complicated and a solicitor can help you to handle this process. Most people don’t understand all the details of business incorporation but a good solicitor will know what needs to be done.

10. Claims

If someone files a claim against your company, you will also likely not know what to do. If this happens, a solicitor will be able to help. They will know exactly what to do, explain the claim to you, and get it resolved quickly and efficiently.

Conclusion

We have just looked at the ten top reasons why you need a good solicitor for your business. So, if you’re on the fence about hiring a solicitor, then you should now be able to understand why you need one.

As the service industry continues to evolve and mature, it is becoming increasingly important for businesses to develop effective strategies for growth. In 2023, the service sector is expected to be even more competitive and dynamic, and businesses must be prepared to stay ahead of the game. In this article, we’ll discuss the key strategies that service businesses should focus on in order to grow their business in the coming year. We’ll explore the importance of customer service, developing a strong online presence, leveraging technology, and building relationships with key partners. With these strategies, businesses can ensure that they remain competitive and successful in the fast-paced and constantly changing service industry.

The Importance Of Customer Service

The single most important factor in growing your business is providing good customer service. This is also the easiest factor for your competition to imitate, so it’s crucial that you excel in this area. Customer service is a foundational aspect of almost every industry. If a business provides exceptional service, they are far more likely to earn repeat business and referrals. If a business provides terrible service, it likely won’t receive either of these things.

Focusing On SEO Keyword Research

If your business has a website or an online presence, you need to make sure that it’s optimised for search engines. This means that you’ll be more likely to show up in search results for relevant queries. This will increase your traffic, which will lead to more conversions and sales. The most important thing you can do to optimise your website for search engines is to focus on keyword research. One of the top keyword research tips is to select highly relevant keywords for your business, as these are the terms that customers will use when searching for your product or service. These keyword research tips will help you select the right keywords to help keep your business on the first page of search results

Developing A Strong Social Media Presence

Social media has become an essential part of many people’s daily lives. Therefore, businesses must understand the importance of developing a strong social media presence in order to grow their brand. Having a strong social media presence can significantly benefit your brand. It can allow you to effectively connect with your customers on a more personal level and provide them with valuable content that educates, inspires, and engages them. A strong social media presence can also help you grow your audience and increase brand awareness. 

Creating An Effective Marketing Strategy

Having an effective marketing strategy can be instrumental in growing your business. It can allow you to effectively reach your target audience and increase your brand visibility and awareness. A well-thought-out marketing strategy can effectively drive customer engagement, generate leads, and increase brand recognition. By implementing a well-developed marketing strategy, you can effectively reach your target audience and increase brand visibility. This can be beneficial for your business as it allows you to engage with your customers on a more personal level and provides them with valuable information. Marketing strategies can be implemented in a variety of ways, such as through social media channels, email marketing, or with the aid of a marketing automation tool. By developing an effective marketing strategy, you can effectively reach your target audience and increase brand visibility. 

Enhancing Customer Experience

The customer experience is more important than ever in the service industry. As competition continues to rise, businesses need to ensure that they are providing their customers with an exceptional experience whenever they engage with your brand. Providing your customers with an excellent experience can be an effective strategy for growing your business. It can help you to differentiate yourself from your competitors by highlighting the benefits of your brand above others. Customer experience can be an essential part of retaining customers and reducing your customer churn. Ensuring that your customers have an excellent experience when engaging with your brand can be an effective method for reducing your customer churn rate. A positive customer experience can significantly affect your brand reputation and can lead to a significant increase in customer retention. In order to effectively enhance your customer experience, you must understand what your customers expect from your brand. Once you understand your customers’ expectations, you can work to exceed them and provide your customers with an excellent experience.

Optimising Operations

Finally, service businesses should focus on optimising operations in order to prepare for success in 2023. This means taking a look at your current operations and trying to identify areas for improvement. This can include assessing your current technology, reviewing your staff schedules, and identifying areas of improvement in terms of workflow or communication. Part of optimising operations includes making sure that your company is efficient and productive. This often involves removing unnecessary tasks or steps and outsourcing or automating those that can be done more effectively by someone or something else. It can also mean finding ways to be more productive, such as using time-management tools or working with a virtual assistant to free up extra time.

Sky-high rates of inflation on energy prices have had a significant impact on businesses as well as consumers all around the world. This has also prompted central banks, from most countries, to tighten their monetary policies and raise interest rates – at the fastest pace in recent memory. As a result, the cost of running a business and buying goods and services has never been higher than before, so will this pattern continue into the new year? In this article we will take an overview of 2022 and how doing business has changed and see how 2023 could look like.

Inflation thus far in 2022

Following the coronavirus pandemic and global lockdowns, inflation has been on the rise to help rebuild and recover the UK economy. As people began to spend their money again once businesses reopened, the demand for goods and services increased massively.

This demand put severe pressure on businesses, leading to the increase in supply prices which were then passed onto the end consumer, causing a financial impact that was felt by all.

In addition, the war between Ukraine and Russia has caused huge amounts of pressure on the fuel and food industry. With various sanctions being held against Russia, the import of their oil and gas was subsequently banned, meaning many EU countries had to look elsewhere, affecting supply and prices once again.

Impact on small businesses

Small businesses have been hit hard by the rise of inflation, with wholesale prices soaring and owners struggling to stay afloat. Not only this, but employers have had to keep up with wage increases that employees are expecting as compensation for the cost of living crisis.

Local pharmacies are struggling to keep up with the prices of basic medicines, leaving patients at risk of being left without prescription drugs that they heavily rely on. Chemists are running out of existing stock and can’t afford to purchase more, asking customers to look elsewhere.

As well as this, pharmacy insurance and other operational costs of the business have to be considered on top of these looming expenses, making it more difficult for them to stay open.

Predicted outlook for 2023

Fortunately, it’s expected that inflation will begin to fall from the middle of 2023. This is due to the price of energy not continuing to rise as quickly, with demand dropping off as we head into the warmer months.

Plus, the price of imported goods will ease, as businesses learn to deal with the challenges that were initially faced at the start of the crisis.

It’s also expected that demand for various goods and services across the country will decrease, meaning prices won’t rise at a fast rate and will eventually flatten out.

Banks have been raising interest rates to keep up with the rise of inflation, helping to slow down the ever-increasing prices in the UK. The continuous raising of interest rates is said to ensure inflation begins to reduce next year.

Car leasing can be a convenient and cost-effective way to drive a new vehicle. Finding a good deal is important to ensure you get the most value for your money. When looking for the best deals on car leasing in the European Union, there are several places you can look. Here are some of the places available you can find the best deals on car leases in the EU:

Car dealership websites

Many car dealerships offer leasing options on their websites. You can browse different models and get quotes for car leases directly from the dealership. Be sure to compare prices from multiple dealerships to find the best deal. You can also visit the dealership to discuss your leasing options and negotiate the lease terms with a salesperson.

Leasing companies

Many leasing companies offer flexible lease terms, such as short-term or month-to-month leases, which may be more suitable for your needs than a traditional long-term lease. You can search online for leasing companies in your area and get quotes from multiple companies to compare prices and terms. Some leasing companies may have a wider selection of vehicles available, so it’s worth considering this option if you have specific make and model preferences. They can provide expert advice and guidance on the leasing process and help you find the best deal for your needs.

Online price comparison websites

Some websites allow you to compare car leasing prices from multiple dealerships and leasing companies. You can easily access online price comparison websites, making it easy to shop around and compare prices without visiting multiple locations. These websites can be useful tools for finding the best car lease deals in the EU. Just be sure to read reviews and research the websites and the companies they feature to ensure that you’re dealing with reputable sources.

Manufacturer websites

Manufacturer websites can be a convenient way to browse and compare different car models and leasing options. You can often get quotes and apply for leasing online, making the process more streamlined. Some car manufacturers offer special leasing deals on their websites. You can check the websites of the car manufacturers you’re interested in to see if they have any promotions or special offers on car leases. These offers may be available for a limited time, so if you see a deal that interests you, it’s a good idea to act quickly.

Local classifieds

You may be able to find private individuals who are looking to lease their cars. You can check local classifieds websites or print ads to find these opportunities. Just be sure to do your due diligence and research the seller before entering into a lease agreement. It’s also a good idea to have the car inspected by a mechanic before committing to a lease to ensure it’s in good condition.

National and international car rental agencies

Some national and international car rental agencies, such as Enterprise and Hertz, offer car leasing options in addition to short-term rentals. These companies often have a wide selection of vehicles available for lease and may offer competitive rates. Many national and international vehicle rental companies have locations throughout the EU, making it easy to pick up and drop off the automobile.

Online forums and social media groups

These can be a good source of information and advice on car leasing in the EU. You can ask for recommendations and get insights from other car lease customers on where to find the best deals. Just verify the information you receive and research before making any decisions.

Auto shows

Auto shows are a great place to learn about new car models and compare prices from different companies. Auto shows often have various leasing options available from different manufacturers and dealerships. This allows you to compare prices and features from multiple sources. Many manufacturers and dealerships offer special deals and discounts on car leasing at auto shows. These offers may be exclusive to the show and not available through other channels.

By considering all these options and researching, you’ll be well-equipped to find the best deals on car leasing in the EU. Keep in mind that it’s essential to carefully review the terms and conditions of any lease agreement before signing to ensure that you understand all of the terms and obligations. It’s also a good idea to negotiate the lease terms to get the best deal possible and consider purchasing gap insurance to protect yourself financially.

You must have heard about investment gurus preaching about investing in retirement plans.

So, why is it advised to start investing in retirement plans, especially from the very beginning of our professional careers?

As we have seen in history, as years pass currency losses its value due to a variety of factors such as inflation and other geo-political reasons. Thus, without adequate savings aside, it will become difficult for us to maintain our expenses, especially in our older ages.

This is where retirement saving plans come into the picture. There are many retirement-focused savings plans, wherein you can invest your pre-tax or post-savings, and comes with tax benefits, thus allowing you to save more on your investment.

Moreover, due to the compounding effect, your investment principal will most likely yield better returns in the long run.

To help you plan your retirement savings journey, in this article we will be taking a look at some of the best retirement savings options for people in the United States.

Let’s Look At the Options –

Individual Retirement Account (IRA)

IRA or Individual Retirement Account is a type of individual savings account, wherein the account holder can contribute pre-tax or post-tax savings. IRAs usually invest the money in stocks, bonds, etc., thus giving the investor the ability to grow their investment returns in the long run.

Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, and SEP IRA are the common types of IRAs offered by providers.

Investments made in traditional IRAs are tax deductible. Moreover, the returns aren’t taxable until withdrawn.

Post-tax savings are invested in Roth IRAs, thus there are no tax benefits with the investment itself. However, under certain conditions, the withdrawal from Roth IRAs is completely tax-free, making it more attractive for long-term retirement investment.

A Simplified Employee Pension Individual Retirement Account, or SEP IRA, is another type of IRA that is focused on self-employed individuals and small business owners. SEP IRAs offer tax benefits similar to traditional IRAs. A key highlight of SEP IRA is that it allows employers to contribute on behalf of their employees, in turn attracting employees to remain with the employer.

Instead of investing in regular IRA plans that in turn put your money in assets like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc., investors are nowadays more interested in gold-based IRAs.

So, gold IRA plans can either be based on a traditional IRA or Roth IRA. The key difference here is that your investment is made in precious metals such as gold, silver, etc., instead of mutual funds, stocks, etc. However, you will require a gold IRA custodian like Lear Capital to buy, store, and sell the precious metals in your gold IRA account.

401(k) and 402(b) Plans

401(k) and 403(b) are another popular schemes for retirement-focussed investments.

Both 401(k) and 403(b) are similar retirement saving schemes offered by employers. The major difference is that 401(k) plans are offered by businesses that operate for-profit whereas 403(b) plans are offered by tax-exempt organizations such as govt. Organizations, schools, charity organizations, hospitals, etc.

In both schemes, employees can contribute their savings and employers have the option to match employee contributions. The exact contribution made by the employer will depend on the business/organization.

Pension Plans

Pension plans are another retirement savings scheme wherein employers contribute a set amount of money to the account of each individual employee. The employee can withdraw the amount post-retirement.

Defined Benefit Plans and Defined Contribution Plans are the two common types of pension plans.

In a Defined Benefit Plan, the employer decides the pension amount that the employee receives after retirement. The amount is calculated based on the salary the employee receives and the number of service years in the company.

In a Defined Contribution Plan, the employer deposits a fixed monthly amount to the pension account of the employee. The deposited amount is then used for investments such as stocks, mutual funds, bonds, etc. Thus, post-retirement the employee can withdraw the amount contributed by the employer and any profits made on the investments made.

Final Words

Just like any other form of investment, the key to success in retirement savings is to diversify your investment into different available schemes. Even though the 3 retirement saving plans mentioned in this article are the commonly opted ones, you may get other options as well depending on your income bracket and other factors.

An analysis of Trip.com travel data reveals the wish list of destinations this Christmas, chosen by European users of the global travel platform.

London was the most searched for place by European Trip.com users looking for destinations this Christmas, with fellow European cities Paris and Istanbul making the top five.

Trip.com’s European customers also showed a desire to revisit Asia, with Bangkok and Manila being the second and fourth most searched-for flight destinations this December.

Travellers in the UK continued to explore the best of Britain, with London being the most searched-for destination during the month of December. Data reveals that domestic trips to London were up by a dramatic 232% compared to 2019, before the pandemic.

The easing of travel restrictions in Asia has also caused a jump in popularity for trips to the region, with Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore all being in the top five most searched for destinations by Brits.

Andy Washington, Trip.com General Manager EMEA, said: “December is a popular time for getaways to destinations near and far for Europeans, and Trip.com data shows where our users are searching this festive season to go visit.

“Our data analysis reveals London in the UK is still the top sport according to our search history for Trip.com users looking to travel this month, with popular holiday Asian hotspots like Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore also making the top five.”

For Italian users of Trip.com, the country’s domestic tourism hotspots proved the most popular, with no other destinations – short of long-haul – appearing in Trip.com’s top five.

The most searched for destinations for December getaways were Milan in the north of the country, Catania, the capital Rome, Naples and in fifth place, Palermo in Sicily.

Meanwhile, French users of Trip.com set their sights on exotic long-haul destinations and aside from one major French city – Paris – where searches have reached 96% of 2019 levels.

According to Trip.com data, the most searched for destination was the country’s capital, followed by New York, and in third place Bangkok with Istanbul in Turkey in fourth place and in fifth position, Dubai in the Middle East.

Among German users of Trip.com, Istanbul was the most searched for destination in December followed by Bangkok. Interestingly the cities in third, fourth and fifth places were German domestic destinations; Frankfurt, Berlin and Munich.

Spanish users of Trip.com chose the Spanish capital of Madrid and the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona, as their top two favourite destinations. London was selected as their third, followed by France as their fourth and the capital of Argentina as their fifth.

For the British market, an analysis of UK Trip.com users revealed that in December the most searched for destination was the country’s capital, London, followed by Bangkok in second place and Manila in the Philippines as third. Maintaining the Asian theme, Kuala Lumpur appeared in fourth place, followed by Singapore in fifth.

Inbound travel to Europe has also remained strong this winter, despite economic headwinds, as Asian travellers returned to the continent for post-pandemic trips.

During December, flight searches reveal that after domestic travellers, the largest inbound market for the UK was Spanish tourists, followed by Thai, German and Chinese holidaymakers.

Across the other European nations, domestic travellers lead the way, with the highest number of regional searches. However, data reveals visitors from Canada, Turkey and the US also led Europe’s inbound travel revival.

Travellers to Europe also continued to immerse themselves into the culture of each country, with bookings for tickets and attractions on the rise.

In the UK, The London Eye on the city’s South Bank proved the most popular attraction this Christmas, followed by the Tower of London, near the world-famous Tower Bridge.

In France, the most popular attractions are Disneyland® Paris & Walt Disney Studios Park and

Eiffel Tower, as travellers enjoy the city’s famous sights and sounds.

Italy, Spain and Germany also saw strong bookings for the most popular attractions of the Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel, Park Guell and Neuschwanstein Castle, respectively.

For more information about destinations to search, please visit Trip.com.  

Fabric Ducting as an air diffusion and ventilation product comes alongside several environmental benefits, helping businesses operating across a wide range of industries to make greener decisions within their everyday company practices. In order to learn more about the environmental benefits of fabric ducting technology, we must first understand what fabric ducts are and the applications in which they are typically used.

What is Fabric Ducting?

Fabric ducting technology assists with both the diffusion and transportation of air within a room, with systems visibly mounted to deliver air throughout any given space. Air socks are constructed from polyester materials that are sewn together to the shape or diameter best suited to the needs and requirements of the application.

Due to their bespoke nature, fabric ducts are typically made to order – they’re not stock items. Each and every system is custom-made for its project, taking into account any special requirements or design specifications. Factors such as mounting height, air volume, air throw distance, air velocity requirements, available pressure, and supply air temperatures will be unique for all applications – meaning fabric ducting systems are not typically suited to a one-size-fits-all approach.

With a wide variety of materials available to choose from, fabric ducting provides both a visual and technical ventilation solution to almost any business space. The highly customisable nature of fabric ducting systems results in a bespoke product that offers technically robust air distribution to most applications, ranging from offices and classrooms, warehouses, laboratories, and hospitals, to even swimming pools, sports halls and gyms.

Environmental Benefits

Numerous environmental benefits come along with the use of a fabric ducting ventilation system within any business application, helping companies to not only make greener business decisions, but to save on spend while doing so.

So, how do fabric ducting systems help businesses to support eco-friendly practices?

As previously mentioned, air socks are constructed from polyester materials, replacing traditionally manufactured diffusers made from galvanised sheet steel. Compared to these galvanised steel ventilation systems, polyester fabric ducts hold over 18 times less embodied carbon per metre 2 of materials. This comes as a result of fabric ducting options being much lighter in weight than their sheet steel counterparts.

The lightweight nature of these fabric ducting systems results in both spend-based and environmental savings, including lower transportation costs, reduced storage space, and packaging materials. As all fabric ducts are supplied and transported in cardboard boxes, these systems also use sustainable packaging options.

The majority of fabric ducting systems operate on an air pressure of about 120Pa, working to inflate the duct and distribute air around a space. These ventilation systems are self-balancing, which results in higher pressure, energy, and cost savings, reducing pressure drops through dampers that control different branches within the system.

Most fabric ducting systems are bespoke and made to order. As they are constructed to the specific dimensions and design requirements for their business application, air socks help to cut down on excessive fabric waste.

To take these environmental benefits one step further, fabric ducting suppliers at Prihoda work to produce ducts made from 100% recycled materials. Constructed from recycled plastic bottles, their ventilation solutions work to re-utilise roughly thirteen 500ml plastic bottles per metre 2 of materials used. This means that the average 710mm x 10m fabric ducting system supplied by Prihoda would use roughly 290 plastic bottles that may have otherwise been sent to landfill.

Choosing these recycled fabric ducts will help businesses see a 34% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 50% reduction in water use, and a 66% reduction in energy consumption in the production of their bespoke ventilation system.

Overall, fabric ducting systems, particularly those constructed from recycled plastic materials, provide significant environmental benefits compared to the traditional ventilation systems of the past, allowing businesses across a range of industries to promote environmentally friendly practices within their daily operation.

Custom-made to the exact requirements of each and every application, and available in a variety of different colours and prints, fabric ducts blend seamlessly into any space.

With a low cost, extended warranty, and hygienic, cleanable design, fabric ducts provide an adaptable and practical air diffusion solution – one that is widely used throughout Europe and around the world.

Having a well-optimised website is more important nowadays with more and more customers spending their time and money online. It’s not uncommon to have a prospect convert to a customer without ever stepping foot in a business. This is only more true for businesses that operate solely online. Your website will dictate whether or not a prospect does business with you. While the design plays an important role in converting customers, one of the most important things is your website speed. You should seek professional website speed improvement services to get the best performance from your website. Your website’s speed can dictate whether or not someone converts into a customer for your business. How does website speed play such a critical role? By the end of this article, you will know exactly what the speed of your website is of utmost importance when it comes to having success as an online business.

Why Your Website Speed Matters:

1. Rankings

One of the main reasons your site’s speed is so important to the overall success of your business has to do with how it impacts your organic search rankings. If your website is slow, you will not have good rankings overall. Google and other search engines have a single mission. They want to provide the best user experience for their users. Because of this, search engines utilise an algorithm that punishes websites that provide their users with a poor experience. One thing no one likes is having to deal with a slow and clunky website. Thus, if your website provides a poor experience because it loads slowly and it’s difficult to navigate, you can expect to get punished by the algorithm with lower organic rankings. If you want to succeed in today’s highly competitive digital landscape, it’s more important than ever before to get high rankings. Why? Because it costs a lot of money to solely rely on paid advertising. You need to maximise your organic reach. The best way to do this is by generating the best organic rankings possible. This can help you drive more traffic to your site without having to pay for it. It can help you maximise your return on investment and help you run a profitable business.

2. Better Conversions

One of the things that you need to do when you get someone to visit your website is to get them to convert into a customer. Your mission is to take them from being a prospect to actual customers. How do you accomplish this? Well, you need to gain their trust. A prospect isn’t going to convert into a customer unless they 100% trust your business. How do you gain their trust? You can gain their trust by providing them with a high-quality experience while on your site. You can also do this by establishing yourself as an authority within the industry. If your website is slow and clunky, no one is going to trust you. They will assume that you are not professional and that you don’t have the resources to protect their data. A lot of customers are sceptical enough when it comes to submitting payment information and their personal information on an unknown website. By having a slow website, you will only play into these concerns and they will simply bounce off your site onto a competitor’s site. This is one of the easiest ways to lose prospects to your competition. You can expect to have high bounce rates when you have a site that doesn’t load properly or one that takes a long time to load.

3. The Rise In Mobile Users

One of the biggest reasons you need to be concerned with your site’s speed to improve your online business has to do with the drastic rise in mobile users. The fact is, more people than ever before are using mobile devices to find products and services. They are even making their purchasing decisions on their favourite mobile devices. Because of this, you need to be actively targeting these users and focused on improving your mobile experience. If not, you will lose them. You don’t want to lose your mobile traffic because a large part of them are ready-to-buy customers. However, if your website is slow and clunky and it’s not mobile responsive, they will bounce off your site to your competition that has a well-optimised and mobile-friendly website.

4. Get Them To Come Back

If your website doesn’t provide people with a good experience, they may buy something from your site, but they likely won’t come back. You need to generate more return/repeat customers. It’s much easier to get someone to purchase from you multiple times than it is to acquire a new customer. This can lead to skyrocketing marketing and acquisition costs. It’s better to provide a good all-around experience to get repeat and loyal customers.

Overall, you can see why it’s so important to have a high-quality and speedy website when you run an online business. It’s one of the best ways to better position yourself for success.

The rapid digitisation in the UK has meant higher-than-ever demand for digital skills. In fact, some degree of digital know-how is now necessary for many aspects of daily life, from banking or getting a passport to applying for jobs and more. The changes are apparent in employment too. The UK government recently reported that over 80% of all jobs advertised require at least some digital skills.

Meanwhile, global tech company OKdo found that vacancies in the UK’s tech sector rose by 191% between 2020 and 2022. Yet, companies are finding it difficult to recruit people with the right skills. In 2021 nearly half of businesses reported struggling to fill roles that required hard data skills.

If businesses cannot keep up with digitisation, it can severely impact productivity, innovation, and growth. In a recent survey by AND Digital, 22% of employees reported that a lack of digital skills impacted their ability to hit their work targets. Analysis from Virgin Media O2 has also revealed that this shortage of digital skills is costing the UK economy £12.8 billion.

What’s causing this gap?

The digital skills gap faced by the UK has been caused by a variety of factors. One reason could simply be that the UK’s digital transformation has been developing so rapidly that skills training, or a lack thereof, hasn’t been able to keep up.

The gap also highlights socioeconomic disparities when it comes to digital skills.

The Digital Divide Report from Accenture analysed the key indicators of digital exclusion, a term used to describe the barriers that stop people from learning necessary skills. Accenture found that the groups most likely to experience digital exclusion are those over 55, those without a degree, and those from low-income households.

Other research from WorldSkills UK points towards a lack of knowledge about the career paths and job roles available as a barrier for young people. Considering that 60% of businesses believe advanced digital skills are going to become increasingly important over the next five years, it’s vital that we act now to develop digital skills and bridge the gap.

What can businesses, educators, and individuals do to bridge it?

The main way we can work to shorten the digital skills gap is through increased training, accessibility to learning resources, and by encouraging lifelong learning.

Worryingly, according to the AND Digital survey mentioned above, 58% of employees said they had received no digital training at work. It’s up to employers to remedy this by implementing training courses or sessions for employees to increase their digital knowledge. Understandably, it can sometimes be difficult for businesses to fit this into employee schedules. One way of overcoming this issue is, to begin with, a set learning objective and focus on short courses that can be done within the working day.

In the long term, it’s also a good idea to promote a culture of learning within the workplace. Knowing that their employers are invested in their skills will help employees feel supported and valued. As well as this, having a team who are continuously upskilled or reskilled will also make the business more resilient and able to adapt to technological changes in the future. One survey conducted in 2021 found that employers had seen multiple benefits from digital skills training, including higher employee satisfaction (90%), higher retention (83%), and increased productivity (88%).

In terms of education, it’s a good sign that more students than ever before are signing up for computing or computer science courses. Compared to 2021, there has been a 16% increase in applications for undergraduate computer science degrees in 2022. If we are to bridge the digital skills gap in 2023 and beyond, it’s vital that this upward trend continues and young people are encouraged to expand their digital knowledge.

Elsewhere, there needs to be a greater focus on accessibility, especially for those in disadvantaged groups who struggle more than others to gain digital skills. For many individuals and businesses, the costs associated with training courses can be a barrier to learning. The UK government has compiled a list of free digital learning resources from organisations, colleges, and universities known as The Skills Toolkit. This features courses from beginner computer essentials all the way to coding and programming.

Confidence is another major factor that can hold employees and individuals back from learning new skills. Therefore, all efforts to upskill employees, students, or other members of the public should be accompanied by mentoring and support.

In all, digital skill is a critical area of development. With the potential impact on individuals and businesses, the time is now to embrace continuous learning and encourage people to gain the skills they need. The digital skills gap has been widening for years now, and it’s going to take a joint effort from the government, educational organisations, charities, and individuals to bridge it.

Go language has become a very popular choice for developers and companies, as it can provide many benefits for every party. That’s why the Go developer salary has been a very popular topic within the industry. In this article, we’ll show you how to calculate the Golang developer salary so you don’t overspend your budget.

What is Golang, and which are its main benefits?

Before we discuss the Go programmer salary, we need to show you what this language is all about. Golang is a programming language made by Google. It is a statically-typed language with a syntax that is close to that of C, but it has additional features and libraries that make it unique.

Golang was designed with the intention of making development more efficient and scalable than other languages. The benefits of Golang include its speed, simplicity, and robustness.

Golang is known for its speed; it compiles quickly and runs fast. Additionally, Golang is easy to learn for developers who are already familiar with C-style syntax. The language also has strong built-in types and supports garbage collection, which can save time and resources.

Finally, Golang was designed for concurrency from the ground up, meaning that it can handle multiple tasks simultaneously without issue. All of these factors make Golang an attractive option for companies looking for an efficient and reliable programming language.

Which are the factors that affect the Go developer salary?

Go language developer salary depends on many factors, and the difference might be pretty substantial, which is why you need to have that in mind.

Experience

When it comes to deciding the salary for a Golang engineer, experience is still the most critical factor. This is because experienced engineers are generally more skilled and knowledgeable than those who are new to the field.

Additionally, companies are often willing to pay more for engineers with more experience, as they are seen as being more valuable to the company.

Location of the developers

As a business seeking a Golang developer, your paychecks will largely depend on your chosen location. In general, developers in Silicon Valley and other major tech hubs will earn more than those in other parts of the country. However, there are a number of factors that can influence your bills, including the cost of living in your developers’ area and the specific company you work with.

A senior Golang developer salary in USA can reach up to $175,000 per year in the US. A senior Golang developer salary in Eastern Europe is in the range of $60,000-$72,000, which is more than twice cheaper.

Expertise and qualifications

The Golang developer salary depends on expertise and skill. This is because expertise is one of the most dominant factors for finding complex solutions. As a result, those with more expertise and qualification will typically be able to command a higher salary.

Therefore, when hiring Golang developers, companies should consider both the candidate’s skill set and their problem-solving abilities.

In-house vs. outsourced Golang developers?

This is another question that arises in employers’ heads – which option is best? Let’s find out the pros and cons of each model.

In-house hiring

There are both pros and cons to having in-house Golang developers on staff. Some of the pros include having better control over the development process, being able to easily customise the software to meet specific company needs, and generally having a better understanding of the codebase.

On the contrary, some of the cons include potentially higher costs, inflexibility if the company needs change, and reliance on a small number of employees for critical software development.

Outsourced Golang developers

There can be both pros and cons to outsourcing your Go development. On a positive note, you can tap into a global pool of talent and often find developers who are more affordable than those in your own country. Additionally, working with an expert outsourced development team can bring a level of expertise and experience that might be difficult to find locally.

On the downside, there can be language and cultural barriers when working with an outsourced team, which can make communication and collaboration more difficult.

Final words

The Go developer salary depends on many factors, including location, experience, and skills. And the best is that you can save money without sacrificing quality.

Many businesses today are searching for ways in which they can reduce their carbon footprint for a few different reasons. First of all, it’s a way to show that the business is ethical and cares about the planet as well as society. This will then naturally bolster public opinion of that company, leading to greater success. If that’s not reason enough, then remember that many efficient and green practices can also significantly reduce your operating costs, leading to greater profits. Ultimately, it can pay to go green, so there’s really no reason not to. Here are some green strategies and how you can implement them in your company, ready for the next working year.

Support Green Initiatives

One of the best things a company can do as a green strategy is to support wider green initiatives. Of course, you can start your own internal initiatives, but this can be fairly time-consuming and costly. We highly recommend supporting green initiatives run by dedicated groups, such as those replanting trees or cleaning oceans, for example. If you choose to run your own green initiatives, this could include a company or community-wide recycling initiative or perhaps going paperless in the office.

Use Green Materials

When ordering office supplies, you should ensure that you’re purchasing items that are made using ethically sourced and environmentally friendly materials. Purchasing non-green items and materials perpetuate the demand for these things and will encourage producers and suppliers to continue to source more for public use. Consider using green office supplies wherever possible, whether that’s pencils made of recycled paper cups or sustainable polythene from Polythene UK to wrap pallets in your warehouse, for example.

Order Locally Where Possible

A big environmental issue in the world of business is carbon footprints. It’s important to search for ways to reduce your business’s carbon footprint, which can be done in a few ways. First of all, you need to take a look at where you’re purchasing items from. Whether it’s materials for you to manufacture into other things, items that you’ll then sell as a retailer, or just simple office supplies, try to order them locally if possible. This will help to reduce the distance at which things have to be delivered to your business, reducing the amount you will contribute from vehicle emissions. Ordering things from overseas, for example, is one of the worst things you could do to your carbon footprint because of how much more pollution these delivery methods will cause.

Save Power In The Office

You should also try to reduce the amount of energy you use across your business where possible. Running an office with many power-hungry devices isn’t always avoidable, but you and your team can make use of some energy-saving practices to reduce the overall energy consumption of your workspace. You can do this by remembering to turn off lights when they’re not needed, turn off computers at the end of the day instead of leaving them on standby or sleep mode, and switch to more energy-efficient devices and appliances. Don’t forget to change any lightbulbs to energy-efficient versions such as LEDs if you haven’t already.

Online deliveries almost tripled on Cyber Monday despite Royal Mail strikes 

Online parcels shipped on Cyber Monday were 252% higher than the average shopping week, according to data released today, despite delivery delays and a cost of living crisis.

The figures provided by e-commerce delivery platform Sendcloud represent peak season retailing trends across Europe, which also showed a 125% increase in parcel volume for the week of Black Friday.

In total, online stores sent 14% more parcels during the entire week of Black Friday compared to last year, bumping a predicted slump in online deliveries.

Royal Mail strikes took place on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but the disruption seemed minimal as parcel deliveries remained strong over both weeks. 

Parcel volumes are expected to remain high until Christmas, and although the weekend of Black Friday often sees the most orders, many of these parcels are in fact shipped only after the weekend.

Less manpower, more packages: 4 tips to make Christmas successful

Despite peak season promising to be busy again for retailers, this year’s peak season looks different to previous years Rob van den Heuvel, CEO and Co-founder at Sendcloud explains, “for the first time in 2 years, consumers can again choose between shopping online or hitting the high streets. 

And although the number of online orders will therefore be relatively lower compared to previous years, online retailers will still have to deal with congested parcel networks due to staff shortages. We recommend shipping with multiple carriers as this helps spread the load and allows merchants to be flexible in case of delays.” 

Van den Heuvel shared four tips for online retailers to get ahead of the peak season:

1. Entice consumers to pick up parcels at pick-up point

Offering flexible shipping options and pick-up points in your checkout is a must nowadays. As the delivery driver doesn’t have to stop at every doorstep but can stop at one parcel point instead. Pick-up points always have a 100% first delivery guarantee. 

Thus, shipping to pick-up points helps to reduce the pressure on parcel networks – which makes it a great tip ahead of the peak season. 

2. Spread risks and parcel volumes

Make yourself less vulnerable by working with multiple carriers – at least during the busiest period of the year. As an online retailer, you are dependent on the carrier you work with and its capacity. When setbacks such as staff shortages occur, it is nice if you can spread risks. 

By using multiple carriers, you can transfer orders from one carrier to another to ensure customer demand is being met. 

3. Expectation management is key

Communicating ahead of the holidays helps to make consumers aware of the busy period and potential hick-ups. For example, you can indicate on your homepage that orders ordered before a certain period are more likely to be delivered on time. It will never be the case that everyone will be understanding, but it might make customers think twice about last-minute purchases and might encourage them to purchase early on.  

4. Make sure timely shipping notifications are on point

There is nothing more annoying than not knowing where you stand. “Where is my order?” is one of the most frequently asked questions online stores get, and for a good reason. 

Make sure you enable automatic tracking notifications in advance to update customers via SMS or e-mail in case of changes. This way, consumers know exactly when they should be home or when they can pick-up a parcel. 

When you are planning to create and sell a product, packaging might not be the first thing that comes to your mind. However, it is the first thing your customer sees when they get the product into their hands. Of course, its main purpose is to keep the product inside safe. Therefore, the packaging should be strong enough to maintain its purpose. At the same time, it needs to be eye-catching. Here are reasons why packaging could be a worthwhile investment for companies and their products.

You Can Influence How Customers Perceive The Company

Putting effort into the packaging of your product can help you to make a good first impression and allow you to shift the way customers perceive the company. For instance, if your packaging has a luxurious feel and looks beautiful, your customers might start to think the same about your company. Luxury packaging suppliers like Maxipos can help you to create the best customer experience possible. Make the design work with the brand identity and bring a piece of luxury to your customers.

Increase The Sales Of Your Product

If you design your packaging carefully, your products will become more attractive to your current and potential customers. At the same time, the luxurious experience will make your brand more appealing to others. And if customers find your brand appealing, you might notice a rise in the sales of your product. As a result, your business will become more profitable, and you will be able to keep running your business smoothly.

Improve Your Brand Awareness

During the process of designing the packaging, you should ensure that the logo or name of your company is visible. After all, before the package gets to the customer, it goes through the hands of many different people. If the packaging of your product looks unique and intriguing, all these people might be curious about the company and try to find out more. Make sure that the packaging design goes hand in hand with your branding strategy. Then, you will be easily recognisable from your competitors.

Support Your Sustainability Efforts

Perhaps your business is well known for its sustainability policy and efforts. In that case, you might want to project your mission into the packaging as well. Choosing sustainable packaging will help you to show your customers that you truly care and are trying to do your bit to combat climate change. Of course, you need to consider the material the packaging is made of. However, you should also consider your supplier and find out where they stand when it comes to sustainability.

Let Customers Learn More About The Brand

Finally, you can utilise the packaging of your products to allow the customers to learn more about the brand. Naturally, there should be a name and the logo of your company. However, you might also want to include some contact information for your business. Make sure that there is a website for your business and that it is easy to read. Then, your customers and everyone else who sees the parcel can easily find out more about the company.

Cryptocurrency has seen a huge increase in popularity over the past few years, something that has been heavily influenced by the pandemic. During the pandemic, people had a lot more time on their hands and could also not spend their money on things like shopping or eating. This led to a lot of people investing in cryptocurrency, as they could spend their money wisely. One type of cryptocurrency that has seen a rise in popularity is Ethereum, which is what we are going to discuss in this article.

Ethereum is an ideal option for EU investors, because, unlike other digital currencies, it is deemed eco-friendly by European lawmakers, and could help eco-conscious European citizens to make money without increasing their carbon footprint. Also, as countries in the EU look to legalise and legitimise cryptocurrencies, this popular coin is a likely option to be allowed to be sold, traded and used as a form of payment as it meets the EU’s strike sustainability criteria.

Cryptocurrency is considered a high-risk investment, which is why it is important to know what you are getting into before you invest. So, if you are considering investing in Ethereum, then this article is for you. Keep on reading to find out more.

Understand The Basics Of Cryptocurrency

Before you invest in Ethereum, you must first have a clear understanding of the basics of cryptocurrency. If you are new to the world of investing and cryptocurrency, then it would be a good idea to do some reason into how cryptocurrency works, so that you know how to invest your money wisely. As mentioned in the introduction, investing in cryptocurrency can be risky, but if you understand the basics and recognise when it is the right time to invest, you should end up with a successful investment.

Manage Your Expectations

Another thing to be aware of before you purchase Ethereum is managing your expectations. The crypto market can be volatile, so you need to have reasonable expectations of what money you will make. Although keeping an eye on the markets will be helpful, starting off your investment with a sensible expectation will help you make smarter investment choices. Before you invest, you should do some research into how to securely sell Ethereum as this will give you a good guideline of what to expect if you do choose to sell in the future.

Keep An Eye On The Market

When investing in any sort of cryptocurrency, it is important to keep an eye on the market. The financial market can be volatile, and cryptocurrency is no exception. Keeping your eye on the market will be useful throughout your investment as it means you can recognise when prices are changing, and you can make any adjustments to your investments as you see fit. It would perhaps be a good idea to download an app that helps you manage your investment, as the app will be able to tell you when prices are changing. Additionally, keeping up to date with financial news will be helpful, as you can get daily updates on what is happening to your investment.

Be Wary Of Scams

Although cryptocurrency is secure, there is still the potential to be scammed when buying Ethereum. It could be that one site is offering a particularly good deal and that draws you in or they are promising you a high return on your investment. The best way to avoid a scam is to research the website well and check that they are a legitimate seller of Ethereum. It could also be beneficial to read some reviews and see if people have had a positive experience dealing with the site.

In the middle of 2022, new EU regulations came into effect in a bid to improve road safety. The European Council has introduced these new regulations following an agreement with the European Parliament a few years prior with the changes designed to reduce the number of severe injuries and fatalities on EU roads. This means that all car manufacturers are now having to make automobiles that abide by these regulations to improve safety, but there are both benefits and drawbacks to these changes.

Examples of Changes

So, what are some of the new regulations that have been introduced? The most notable is the introduction of a mandatory speed limiter. This clever technology can limit engine power so that the speed limit cannot be exceeded and uses a combination of speed-recognition cameras, sat-nav and specialist software to know the speed limit at all times. It is thought that speed limiters could reduce road collisions by as much as 30% and fatalities by 20%.

Other new regulations include alcohol interlock installation facilitation, drowsy driver detection and advanced driver distraction warning systems. New vehicles will also have to include enlarged head impact protection zones, which will help to reduce the severity of injuries in collisions involving pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists.

Pros & Cons

Obviously, these new safety regulations are welcome because they should reduce the number of collisions, injuries and fatalities on the roads. The EU has a 2050 target of 0 road deaths and these new regulations will be a key step in achieving this. Roads are dangerous places for all and many accidents are a result of human error, so it is hoped that these new regulations will make a positive difference and help motorists to feel more confident behind the wheel.

In terms of drawbacks, you will find that all of this new technology that manufacturers have to implement will come at a cost and this will be passed on to motorists. New cars will become even more expensive as a result, which could make it hard for many to afford a new car. Due to these vehicles being more expensive, it is a good idea to take out gap insurance. What is gap insurance? This is an optional form of insurance that will bridge the gap between an insurance pay-out and the amount originally paid after a write-off.

Regulations Beyond 2030

There will also be many more regulations to come into effect in the near future to make roads safer as well as to reduce environmental impact. The most notable is the restriction of selling petrol and diesel vehicles with the UK implementing a 2030 ban and a 2035 ban in the EU.

Motorists should be aware of these new safety regulations that have come into effect that will hopefully help to reduce accidents and fatalities as well as increase drive confidence.

Modern systems require modern solutions. The team behind the HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee have made it their mission to deliver new developments to the property market that will revolutionise the way it works. Having achieved such enviable success in the German Enterprise Awards, we take a closer look to find out more.

Traditional home ownership has not changed significantly over the past decades, with tried-and-tested, well-known methods at the heart of their way of working. However, these ideas are not the ones that best suit the needs of today. They require a lot of consumables and are altogether too expensive to produce. A new way and form, a new approach to create new objects with essential characteristics, which takes into account the modern climate challenges, is crucial.

The HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee team was established in 2020. These guarantee and development experts are breaking boundaries. They are unique, in every sense of the word, combining elements of various segments to create something brand new. With a focus on the natural and environmental sectors, combined with new cost structures, they offer a transformative take on previous industry applications. Their properties are sensational, preventing the release of heat and exhaust gases, and keeping them out of the atmosphere. These new buildings keep the environment 80% cleaner than traditional structures.

HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee is not only committed to the use of energy, but to energy production on site, in the new property. Your consideration is the challenge they rise to every day, with a team determined to enable and use energy regardless of price spirals and enabling you to prevent problems of any form. Raw materials and supplies, for example, are becoming increasingly rare and, at certain intervals, increasingly expensive. This is exactly where the team thrive, with various developers from different departments able to connect the renewals for newly built objects with each other. Through this system of new service in self-sufficient form, instead of buying or selling electricity, it is produced directly on site. Specially designed storage units are used for extensive supply and are able to supply all supply points in a property, even up to 31 days without daylight.

Beyond the practical elements of designing new properties, the HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee team also provides the knowledge base of how important to live life to the fullest in old age. The team has developed appropriate units and become a leader in this field, expanding age-friendly living with numerous special features, up to and including intensive care as required.

This has also resulted in the real estate exchange sector, a kind of real estate exchange whose system on the market results in older customers being able to move into senior-friendly housing units without any problems or encumbrances. The modern world requires modern solutions, and that’s precisely what the HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee team are determined to deliver.

It is quite telling that the HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee team offers and facilitates such comprehensive solutions in the residential property sector, implementing complete solutions in every aspect future safe and oriented. Thinking ahead and freeing customers from price spirals is the most important thing, moving forward. End users often find it difficult to purchase residential units on the market, but with the help of the HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee team, many have been able to put themselves in a position to purchase a residential unit. Giving them the ability to move right in after completion and pay off the debt through monthly amounts is a direct result of the team’s newly designed property leasing and property hire purchase system.

From planning, creation to completion and related works, it is possible to directly partner with HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee. This removes the need to carry out the contract settlements and replaces the need for complex application procedures for financing. In the past, the team have been taken aback by the immense popularity of their offerings. People from all walks of life found a way to their dream of combining nature and environmental thinking with living. Creating these green changes has not only resulted in the implementation of the necessary techniques, technologies and social changes, but also overcomes the stereotypes of those who disagree with the green agenda.

Given the continued success of HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee, it is easy to see that the forward thinking attitude has been a triumph of the company. A significant part of this is due to Germany’s impressive position in the development of new technologies and manufacturing techniques. Unfortunately, environmental protection has taken a back seat in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have had a major impact on the global status quo, making it very clear that there is a lack of raw materials of many kinds which keep operations moving.

The approach of HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee has therefore enabled new ways for clients to become less vulnerable in the future. These new ways, designed to be sustainable and independent, have led to the HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee team trying to avoid third party involvement as much as possible. This gives the team the freedom to make unrestricted decisions that will drive their growth. Thanks to the tireless efforts of a small team and a core group of developers, the future looks brighter. Customers are gaining tremendous value from these developments, with savings effects that are currently unrivalled.

Looking to the future, the team have already started implementing concepts that can be realised and mean the difference for many in the long run. One of these is the team’s proprietary bank designs in communities where bank walls can be up to four metres high automatically to prevent flooding when required by high water. The HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee’s approach is entirely different, using these changing circumstances to convert the energy into power for the community. It also keeps people’s feet dry when crises arise.

Such construction in the form of new buildings cannot happen overnight, but must occur through an approach that aims to make future and local requirements predictable. Preventing millions of dollars of damage can come to fruition through this truly remarkable development, safeguarding citizens throughout Germany. Climate development makes these changes to our lives inevitable. An enormous amount of money can be saved if it is used wisely and at an early point. These are problems which will arise not tomorrow, not next week or next year, but in the next decade and making these changes now will save money in the long run.

Like any business, the team at HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee is happy to take on the challenges of tomorrow. They take great pride in the fact that no matter what, your developments will mean a great deal to all stakeholders. Your customers will no longer have to deal with energy structures and spiralling costs by applying your current needs to the new model. With this, you can use your residential property in a safer way. Anyone thinking of buying condominiums and semi-detached houses should definitely approach HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee in the future. In the long run, you can be sure of saving money and time! With such success from this impressive team we can’t wait to see where they innovate next.

For business enquiries, contact HOME & CAR Energie Solution Company Limited By Guarantee via email – [email protected]