east midlands chamber

Positive outlook for East Midlands businesses as new research shows boost in sales and orders

27th June 2024

Increased sales and orders, a growing confidence in future profitability, and reduced pressure to increase prices are among a series of findings from a new East Midlands survey of over 300 businesses.

Six in 10 respondents to East Midlands Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey (Q2, 2024) said they anticipated their turnover to improve this year, with half expecting gains in profitability to follow. An increasing number of businesses were planning to boost their investment in new equipment and training and there was a drop in those reporting difficulties with cashflow.

East Midlands Chamber Head of Special Projects Richard Blackmore said: “It’s fantastic to see so many measures in our Quarterly Economic Survey pointing to growth for East Midlands businesses, with the data suggesting this will continue over the remainder of the year. What everyone in business wants to see is their turnover and profit going up and price pressures falling and that’s exactly the picture being painted by this data.

“For fewer respondents than in the last quarter to say they feel a compulsion to raise prices and for that data to coincide with a drop in inflation this week to 2% is a good combination. Orders are up, both in the UK and overseas, and businesses are increasingly talking up their intentions to invest, especially in plant and machinery. These are all signs that businesses are moving away from the drawn-out days of just ‘getting by’ in the face of tough times and are now looking to push ahead.

“It’s worthy of note that just as many East Midlands businesses are saying ‘competition’ is up there with inflation in their list of growing concerns. A healthy economy requires healthy competition between businesses, so this finding again suggests brighter times lie ahead for the rest of 2024.”

Highlights from East Midlands Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey Q2, 2024:

• Six out of ten respondents expected turnover to increase

• Nearly half of respondents expected profitability to increase

• One third of respondents expected to raise prices (down from Q4 2023 when the figure was two out of five)

• Three out of ten respondents reported an increase in overseas sales over the last three months (up from two out ten in Q3, 2023)

• Just under a quarter of respondents expected overseas orders to increase over the next three months

In Chesterfield, businesses in the town’s network of Chesterfield Champions have noticed a positive trend.

David Beckford, Managing Director of Pronto Paints commented: “Regarding the general business environment, I’d agree things are looking more positive in 2024. People are starting to make decisions again and move forward with plans. Pronto has seen an increase in volume over the last quarter and signs are it will continue in the coming months, across many of the sectors we work with.”

Peter Botham, Managing Director at Shed Grounds Maintenance said: “We have had an exceptional start to the new financial year, having secured nearly as many new contracts in the first 3 months as we did in the entirety of last year. This remarkable achievement is, however, tempered by the challenge of managing our margins with escalating costs, particularly in labour and fuel. Additionally, we are facing a shortage of skilled personnel to support our growth, making recruitment a significant challenge. Despite these hurdles, we remain optimistic about the future and our ability to continue our successful trajectory.”

Mark Niblett, Managing Director at MTM Products added: “Our sector continues to see increases in the cost of materials, and we are optimistic that the economy will improve over the coming year.

Guy Wall, Head of Marketing at GCL Products said: “At GCL Products, we’ve experienced firsthand the positive momentum reflected in the East Midlands Chamber’s latest survey. A sustained upturn in sales has given us the confidence to grow our staff numbers by 40% since the start of 2024, as well as pursuing futher development of our product range and improvement of production and dispatch processes. This growth reinforces our positive outlook for the future and we’re excited to continue investing in our people and infrastructure to maintain this upward trajectory.”

View the full Economic Survey for Q2, 2024 here.

Find out more about locating your business in Chesterfield, where you will benefit from the town’s superb central location and access to a skilled talent pool: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/

Educators and employers address regional skills challenges

21st June 2024

Challenges in recruitment and skills across our region’s businesses have been recently highlighted at East Midlands Chamber’s annual People and Skills summit.

The event brought together 200 delegates from the business community and education sector, and hosted a series of talks, keynote speakers and workshops.

The summit was centred around the Chamber’s Manifesto for Growth 2024 – which outlines a set of policy asks for the next government to consider.

Speakers at the summit included: Professor Baback Yazdani, Executive Dean of Nottingham Business School; Kate Lee, Talent & Resourcing Manager, Samworth Brothers; Emma Kwiatkowski, Director, Hays; Craig Brothers, Vice President, East Midlands Chamber; Laura Shepherd, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Loughborough College and Dr Gareth Thomas, Managing Director, Skills and Employment Support Ltd.

East Midlands Chamber Head of Special Projects Richard Blackmore said: “Reforming skills is an essential ingredient to economic growth and all the research we conduct with businesses in the East Midlands – like our latest Quarterly Economic Survey where 66% of respondents in the region reported difficulties recruiting staff – has underlined the need to address the issue. The East Midlands People and Skills summit is one of the ways the Chamber can get right into the heart of the issues faced by businesses, breaking them down and finding solutions to overcome each hurdle.

“Candidate needs are evolving, while factors like technology advance just as quickly. Businesses need to ready themselves for emerging technology like AI and what that might mean for the skills candidates might need in the future. Workplaces need to be attractive to new recruits and be open minded to finding ways to match their needs with those of prospective employees. That can mean consideration of things like having a strong Corporate and Social Responsibility policy, offering employees the opportunity to engage with communities and charities, for example.

“If we can pinpoint the sticking blocks in skills, recruitment and retention, we can fix them and that’s why it’s so important that businesses and educators engage with each other, to solve staffing issues both now and in the future.”

Chesterfield businesses are encouraged to find out more about upskilling their workforce by contacting Chesterfield Borough Council’s Skills Brokerage Service.

More information about the service can be found at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/business-support/skills/

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Development, Home, Made in Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in Chesterfield business nes, chesterfield business news, chesterfield news, east midlands chamber, Love Chesterfield

More than 1,100 businesses engaged so far with Accelerator business support

28th May 2024

A growing number of businesses in the East Midlands are benefitting from tailored business support, thanks to the Accelerator project.

Evaluation of the project’s performance at its halfway point has identified over 1,100 businesses that have been engaged and are working with a business adviser to boost their growth.

The project, which is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), was established in the autumn and is being delivered by East Midlands Chamber in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicester.
Alongside one-to-one support from a business adviser, the project has so far also delivered the following:

• 102 growth vouchers up to the value of £2,000 to help businesses access tailored, 1-2-1 consultancy support to introduce digital technology and green measures.
• 300 workshops and webinars successfully attracting over 7,000 delegates.
• 50 energy saving and improvement audit approvals to help businesses create an action plan to save money.

Businesses signing up to the project have also been introduced to the wealth of additional support available from other regional and national sources. For innovative SMEs, this includes growth and scale-up support from Innovate UK Business Growth. Manufacturing micro and small businesses can also benefit from Made Smarter support on how to switch to advanced and automated technologies.

East Midlands Chamber Deputy Chief Executive Diane Beresford said:

“From our launch events onwards, we’ve listened to what businesses want in terms of what, where, when and how they would like to access Accelerator support.

“Chamber and D2N2 Growth Hub support is undoubtedly at its best when businesses are given a helping hand to apply for support from other sources, including grant funding and pitching for investor support.

“The Accelerator project has some challenging targets including the creation and safeguarding of jobs, creating new enterprises, accessing new technologies or processes and engagement in knowledge transfer activity. We’re certainly on the right trajectory to achieve that and for any business yet to sign up, I would urge them to seize the opportunity before the project ends in March of next year.”

Learn more about the Chesterfield accelerator scheme and other initiatives available to support businesses in the town: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/business-support/

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home, Love Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in Chesterfield Accelerator, chesterfield business news, chesterfield business support, chesterfield news, east midlands chamber

Chamber reacts to general election announcement

23rd May 2024

East Midlands Chamber has reacted to the news that a general election will be held on 4th July 2024, reflecting on what it means for our region.

Yesterday, Prime Minister announced the news that Britain will be going to the polls this summer.

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive of East Midlands Chamber commented: “Confirmation that the General Election will be held on 4th July is something we welcome as a politically uncertain environment can hinder planning and decision-making for businesses. Regardless of who is in power, we’re clear in the East Midlands of the policy reform that we need to see to enable business growth.

“For too long our region has been overlooked when it comes to investment, despite the fantastic businesses we have here and our status as a Centre of Trading Excellence – making, moving and innovating the goods and services that make our country tick. Earlier this year we went to Westminster to present our asks directly to the government in our Manifesto for Growth 2024.

“The Manifesto is the direct result of what businesses have been telling us they need from the next UK Government and provides a clear blueprint for the things that would support our growth and success. The document details specific policy asks across four key areas – People and Skills, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Planning, Taxation and Regulation.

“We look forward to continuing our conversations with all of those standing to represent communities in the East Midlands over the coming weeks and ensuring they understand the ways that, if successful, they can support our local businesses to deliver the growth and success that the whole country wants to see.”

East Midlands Chamber is currently working alongside Chesterfield Borough Council to deliver support for organisations in Chesterfield through the Chesterfield Accelerator programme. Find out more about the support available at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/business-support/

East Midlands Chamber supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Man wearing suit speaking on a stage at a lectern

Scott Knowles, East Midlands Chamber

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in chesterfield business news, chesterfield news, east midlands business news, east midlands chamber, General Election, Love Chesterfield

Chesterfield structural engineering company shortlisted for prestigious start-up award

26th April 2024

The Managing Director of a Chesterfield-based structural engineering consultancy business has been shortlisted for a prestigious regional award.

Laura Holland, of Ecotech Engineers is amongst the nominees for the Start-up Award at the 2024 Generation Next Awards.

The Generation Next Awards are one of the biggest events in the annual calendar for the network of young professionals run by East Midlands Chamber in conjunction with headline partner the University of Derby.

12 categories will shine the spotlight on the outstanding achievements of people under the age of 35 in awards ranging from the Innovation and Technology Award to Generation Next Future Leader Award. New to 2024 is the Investing in Young Talent Award aimed at businesses with a forward-thinking approach that provides mentorship, training and growth opportunities for young professionals.

Following a virtual judging process on 14^th and 15^th May Bustler Market in Derby will once again host the awards, this year taking place on 4^th July. In previous years the unconventional ceremony has featured a DJ, arcade games and street food.

Laura commented: “The Ecotech team are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Start Up Award! Building strong client relationships and a growing East Midlands construction sector have been instrumental to our success and ability to grow in recent years.”

East Midlands Chamber Director of Resources and Generation Next Lead Lucy Robinson said:

“Once again, the standard of applications received for the Generation Next awards has far exceeded expectation. Taking a look at the calibre in this year’s list of finalists gives an idea how challenging the task of shortlisting was for the judging panel. It’s wonderful to see the achievement of such talented young people getting the recognition they deserve. With this array of young talent now unveiled, the stage is set for a fantastic ceremony at Bustler Market on 4^th July.”

Generation Next Awards 2024 finalists

Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Loughborough College

Alice Taylor – Your IT Department
Ben Taylor – Preci-Spark
Cerys Goodson – E.ON
Emily Barnes – Donaldson Filtration GB
Evie Culligan – The Fidelity Group
George Archer – OceanLED
Hannah Pritchard – Turner & Townsend
Rav Jackson – Stephen Eve Financial Planning
Rosie Summers – Caterpillar UK Ltd
William Murphy – Electrician

Creators and Makers Award

Olivia Waldron – MHA
Katie Michaels – Moti Me
Ollie Henderson – Purpose Media
Max Palfrey – Comfa
Alistair Bullock – Purpose Media
Ewan Johnson – Botso Limited
Morgan Jones – Hardy Signs
Jamie Quince Starkey – Down to Earth Derby

Customer Service Award

Benjamin Wileman – Select Car Leasing East Midlands
Elliot Pipes – Sort Legal
Daniel Burke – Delta 74 Private Investigations Ltd
Hayley Cousins – Loughborough College
Jack Marshall – Select Car Leasing East Midlands
Jenny White – Rosie May Foundation / Think Pink
Jessica Kelleher – Halborns Limited
Matthew Robinson – RBC Brewin Dolphin
Nicole Perkins – Futures Housing Group
Loredana Budhan – Rosie May Foundation / Think Pink
Stephen Atkinson – Longbow Venues
Rebecca Cliff – Nottingham Trent University
Thomas Shaw – Shaw Spark Electrical and Property Services

Entrepreneur of the Year

Joshua Leach-Aslam – Two Chevrons Group / Two Chevrons CIC
Oliver Smith – Miroproducts
Luke Beastall – Musclecoach U.K LTD
Katie Michaels – Moti Me
Ewan Johnson – Botso Limited
David Allerton – SE-LF
Emma Morris – Headway Derby
Jiten Anand – Inspirate
Stephen Atkinson – Longbow Venues
Jamie Quince Starkey – Down to Earth Derby

Environmental Warrior Award sponsored by Hydropath Technology

Ewan Johnson – Botso Limited
George Pritchard – Scenariio Ltd
David Allerton – SE-LF
Jamie Quince Starkey – Down to Earth Derby

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity Award, sponsored by Futures Housing Group

Emma Sharpe – Menphys
Katie Michaels – Moti Me
Max Palfrey – Comfa
Brogan Lees-Collier – Forsyth Barnes
Laura Till – AMBITION Sports Coaching Ltd
Fraser Annis – Anniseeds Ltd
Michaela Castillo-Williams – Epic Partners
Jiten Anand – Inspirate

Innovation and Technology Award, sponsored by Hardy Signs

Jake Ridgway – Design Only Gardens Ltd
Josh Donnell – Purpose Media
Finn Riggott – Cosy Direct
Max Palfrey – Comfa
Elizabeth Ashton – Loughborough University

Investing in Young Talent Award

Futures Housing Group
MHA
Your IT Department
Base 51
Purpose Media
De Montfort University Careers Team
Innovation Nottinghamshire
Longbow Venues

Rising Star Award, sponsored by Nottingham Trent University

Adhinav Jain – Enactus Derby
Amy Curtis – Loughborough College
Evie Culligan – The Fidelity Group
Fern Ritchie – Your IT Department
Jemima Prater – The Maynard (Part of Longbow Venues)
Lucy Hilton – Cosy Direct
Lydia McDonald – Treat Kitchen
Nicole Perkins – Futures Housing Group
Sarif Sarker – Growthack Digital
Scarlet McCourt – trentbarton

Start-up Award, sponsored by Nottingham University Business School

Alex Taylor – Endeavours Adventures
Danielle & Ben Slater – Stephen Eve Financial Planning Ltd
Jamie Quince Starkey – Down to Earth Derby
Katie Michaels – Moti Me
Laura Holland – Ecotech Engineers Ltd
Max Palfrey – Comfa

Volunteering & Charitable Impact Award, sponsored by ITS Technology Group

Joshua Leach-Aslam – Two Chevrons Group / Two Chevrons CIC
Bradley Hall – Turner & Townsend
Emma Sharpe – Menphys
Alicia Anderson – Reuseabox
Katie Michaels – Moti Me
Jenny White – Rosie May Foundation / Think Pink
Loredana Budhan – Rosie May Foundation / Think Pink
David Allerton – SE-LF
Michaela Castillo-Williams – Epic Partners

Future Leader Award, sponsored by University of Derby

Chris Allcoat – Turner & Townsend
Samantha O’Neill – The Derby Conference Centre Ltd
Jamie Quince Starkey – Down to Earth Derby
Katie Michaels – Moti Me
Jack Brewin – Hays Specialist Recruitment
Emma Sharpe – Menphys
Nicole Perkins – Futures Housing Group
Ruby Birks – Purpose Media
Taylor Wayne Gee – Design Only Gardens Ltd

Tickets for the Generation Next Awards 2024 ceremony can be purchased here

Ecotech Engineers and East Midlands Chamber support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in Chesterfield, Chesterfield awards, Chesterfield business awards, chesterfield business news, chesterfield news, east midlands chamber, EcoTech Engineers, Generation Next Awards, Love Chesterfield

Chesterfield businesses encouraged to showcase their achievements at annual Chamber awards

22nd April 2024

Entries are now open for the East Midlands Chamber Derbyshire Business Awards 2024 which will showcase the achievement and resilience of businesses across the area.

Following a challenging trading environment over the last year, organisations and individuals are invited to put themselves forward for recognition of their achievements.

East Midlands Chamber hosts ceremonies over the three counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

In each county, businesses are celebrated across 13 categories, including Excellence in Innovation, Outstanding Growth and Business Improvement Through Technology.

Finalists will be revealed in an announcement at the President’s Summer Celebration event on 21st August, followed by a virtual judging process. TV presenter Emma Jesson will be hosting the awards which take place later in the year.

Entries for the awards need to be submitted by 19th July.

A Business of the Year is chosen from the winners in each county and selected firms will go through to the regional and national British Chambers of Commerce Awards.

East Midlands Chamber Chief Executive Scott Knowles said: “The business community across the East Midlands has had to grapple with several years of high costs, a slowly recovering economy and a climate of political uncertainty, yet the region’s resilience, creativity and innovation continually shines through. The Chamber Business Awards recognise the remarkable achievements of the region’s business community, its strength in challenging times and the innovation that the East Midlands is so proud of. I’d like to extend my thanks to Emma Jesson for hosting this year and to all the sponsors that help make the Business Awards such an outstanding event each year.”

The Derbyshire Business Awards ceremony will be held on Friday, 25th October.

Award sponsors confirmed so far are: emh group, Business 2 Business, Cambridge & Counties Bank, De Montfort University, Loughborough College, Bradgate Estates, Blueprint Interiors, ER Recruitment, SMB Group, RSM, Purpose Media, University of Derby, Amazon, Futures Housing Group, Toyota Manufacturing UK, Aston Lark (formerly Howden), University of Derby, Rolls-Royce and ITS Technology, Food & Drink Forum, Eversheds Sutherland, University of Nottingham, DHL, Nottingham Trent University and Geldards.

For more information and to enter the East Midlands Chamber Business Awards 2024 click here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in Business awards, Chamber business awards, Chesterfield business awards, chesterfield business news, chesterfield news, Derbyshire business awards, east midlands chamber, Love Chesterfield

Chamber welcomes new government support for apprenticeships

27th March 2024

Small businesses (SMEs) in Chesterfield and the East Midlands region could get a surge in under 21s taking up apprenticeships, thanks to new government funding announced recently.

The Prime Minister has outlined plans to enable up to 20,000 more apprenticeships with a number of reforms. The government says it will pay the full cost of apprenticeships for people aged 21 or under at small firms from 1 April, and is pledging £60m of new investment for next year.

The government says this will reduce costs and burdens for businesses and deliver more opportunities for young people to kick start their careers. It also says the reforms will remove the need for small employers to meet some of the cost of training, whilst saving time and costs for providers like further education colleges who currently need to source funding separately from the government and businesses.

East Midlands Chamber Head of Employment Services Paul Needham said: “We know the value apprenticeships have on young people, in giving them real skills from a busy workplace and experiencing the challenges a business faces in a real world situation each day. For too long cost has been a barrier for many would-be apprentices and SMEs.

“For opportunities to be opened in this way is something I very much welcome. We work with a number of apprenticeship providers and see success after success when people achieve their goals; often they gain skills they had never envisaged. Businesses really see the benefit too as the enthusiasm to learn translates to good work so they’re a win-win. The more we can help young people get into work and develop the skills SMEs need will have a positive effect on the wider economy in the East Midlands.”

Is your business looking to upskill or recruit? Find out more about the benefits of taking on an apprentice and inspiring the next generation at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/apprenticeships/hiring-an-apprentice/

Want to receive regular skills updates? Sign up for our skills and employability newsletter to be informed of the latest news, events, initiatives and showcases taking place in the local community: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/business-support/skills/skills-and-employability-newsletter-signup/.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Home, Made in Chesterfield, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in apprentice town, apprenticeships, business support, chesterfield apprenticeships, chesterfield business news, chesterfield news, Chesterfield Skills, east midlands chamber

Chamber warns new government railway funding needs to do more to respond to East Midlands’ needs

4th March 2024

Long-anticipated government funds of £123 million allocated to Midlands Rail Hub – a project to improve connectivity between train stations across the midlands – is to be welcomed, however, does little to meet the needs of those in the East Midlands, say East Midlands Chamber.

The initiative uses cash freed up by abandoned HS2 funds to upgrade stations and improve infrastructure across the overall midlands area.

East Midlands Chamber Director of Policy and Insight Chris Hobson said:

“While any investment in midlands railway infrastructure is to be welcomed, we’re concerned that once again the primary focus is on towns and cities outside of the East Midlands. Our Manifesto for Growth 2024, which we’re taking to Westminster on 11th March, asks our policy makers to ensure we deliver fair funding for infrastructure in the East Midlands.

“This isn’t about receiving investment at the expense of our neighbours to the west, it’s about Government doing more to rectify the fact that we are the most under-funded region in the country when it comes to rail travel.

“We have desperately inadequate service between stations within the East Midlands and this hampers the tremendous growth potential of businesses. It’s all very well that a Birmingham-bound passenger might be able to jump on an extra train here and there at Nottingham but what we’re stating loud and clear in our manifesto is the huge need for transformational improvement within the East Midlands.

“We look forward to taking our manifesto to Westminster on 11th March and insisting politicians listen to what our businesses need to succeed.”

In Chesterfield, ambitious plans are set to transform the area between the town centre and Chesterfield Railway Station – creating a vibrant gateway to North Derbyshire and providing improved public transport access.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in chesterfield business news, chesterfield news, east midlands chamber, East Midlands Rail Infrastructure, Love Chesterfield, Midlands Rail Hub

East Midlands Chamber launches Generation Next Awards 2024 to celebrate region’s young talent

15th January 2024

Young business talent across the East Midlands will be showcased through the Generation Next Awards as the programme launches its 2024 season.

The awards are the showpiece programme of Generation Next – a network for young professionals and entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 35, which is run by East Midlands Chamber in conjunction with headline partner the University of Derby.

It features 12 categories, ranging from a Start-up Award and Customer Service Award through to Innovation and Technology Award and the Generation Next Future Leader.

The programme includes a new addition, the “Investing in Young Talent Award”, that recognises forward-thinking businesses which provide mentorship, training and growth opportunities for young professionals.

The application process of each category award is streamlined to a “one form fits all” method involving a reduced number of questions.

Lucy Robinson, East Midlands Chamber’s director of resources and Generation Next lead, said: “The Generation Next Awards are a celebration of the amazing young talent within the East Midlands, and our diverse programme recognises the next generation of business who make outstanding contributions to their communities.

“We want to encourage young professionals from across the region to tell their story and celebrate their successes.”

This year’s ceremony will be held on 4 July, and the venue will be confirmed in the coming months.

Entries are open for the 2024 awards until Monday 11 March. They can be submitted either by individuals within the 18 to 35 age bracket or on their behalf by a colleague or line manager.

Applications can be downloaded at www.generationnextemc.co.uk/awards and should be emailed to the Generation Next team at gennext@emc-dnl.co.uk upon completion.

Generation Next Awards 2024 categories

Future Leader Award (sponsored by the University of Derby)
Apprentice of the Year Award (sponsored by Loughborough College)
Creators and Makers Award (available for sponsorship)
Customer Service Award (sponsored by Express Recruitment)
Entrepreneur of the Year Award (available for sponsorship)
Environmental Warrior Award (sponsored by Hydropath Technology Group)
Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Award (sponsored by Futures Housing Group)
Innovation and Technology Award (sponsored by Hardy Signs)
Rising Star Award (sponsored by Nottingham Trent University)
Start-up Award (sponsored by University of Nottingham)
Volunteering and Charitable Impact Award (sponsored by ITS Technology)
New for 2024 – Investing in Young Talent Award (available for sponsorship)

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home, UncategorisedTagged in chesterfield business news, chesterfield news, east midlands chamber, Generation Next, Love Chesterfield

Chamber lands global accreditation for workplace wellbeing

11th January 2024

East Midlands Chamber is helping to set the bar for workplace wellbeing after landing a global accreditation – with the help of the region’s top expert in the field.

The region’s largest business representation group has achieved the WELL Health-Safety Rating at its offices in Chesterfield and Nottingham, following consultancy support from workplace consultants and office fit-out specialists Blueprint Interiors, based in Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

Administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the rating is an evidence-based, third-party verified rating for buildings that focuses on operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement and emergency plans to address a post-Covid environment now and into the future.

WELL certification helps large and small businesses to take the necessary steps in order to prioritise the health and safety of their staff, visitors and stakeholders by reviewing environmental aspects such as air and water quality, nourishment, light, noise and comfort.

The WELL Health-Safety Rating focuses on stakeholder engagement, health resources, emergency preparedness and cleaning procedures. East Midlands Chamber director of resources Lucy Robinson said: “The pandemic shone a new light on how we manage workspaces in order to instil confidence among employees and visitors who use our buildings, whether it is everyday or on a hybrid working basis.

“We therefore felt it was important to adopt a recognised standard to ensure our buildings support the wellbeing of our people when they are working from the office in order to support collaboration with colleagues.

“Working closely with our patron Blueprint Interiors, we focused on areas including air and water quality management, cleaning and sanitation, emergency preparedness, health service resources, and stakeholder engagement and communication.

“As a result of these efforts, we are delighted to have received the WELL Health-Safety Rating, which we believe will enhance our offer as an employer of choice in the region while also acting as an exemplar for our 4,000-plus members.”

Workplace design consultancy and interior fit-out specialist Blueprint Interiors became the first company in the East Midlands to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating in 2021, and now supports other businesses to meet the requirements for accreditation.

Rebecca Beadle is a WELL-accredited professional, and lead project designer and well-being specialist at Blueprint Interiors.

She said: “We are continuously innovating in order to bring workplace consultancy, practical processes, sustainable building techniques, psychological theory, data insights and accreditations such as the WELL Building Standard together to ensure workplaces meet the needs of the people that use them. East Midlands Chamber has fully embraced all these principles and we are pleased to have been able to support it to achieve this prestigious rating.”

East Midlands Chamber supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in business support, chesterfield business news, chesterfield news, east midlands business news, east midlands chamber, WELL Standard, Wellbeing in the workplace

General Election must not get in way of businesses, says Chamber

19th December 2023

The uncertainty surrounding when a General Election takes place must not get in the way of businesses’ ability to drive forward the growth that will bring down inflation and boost wages.

This was the view of business leaders speaking at East Midlands Chamber’s Annual State of the Economy Conference.

On the day the Bank of England kept the base rate at 5.25%, the highest point in 15 years, and 24 hours after the latest economic data showed the UK’s GDP shrank more than expected by 0.3% in October, speakers made the case for cross-party consensus on key economic issues such as skills, productivity, and research and development – which they said are crucial to raising business investment from its current low bar.

Among the business leaders and economists were Institute of Directors director-general Jonathan Geldart, Barclays global head of transactional FX sales Sat Khuntia, PwC East Midlands partner Alex Hudson, Freeths Leicester managing partner Lisa Gilligan, Future Life Wealth Management founder and divisional director Jillian Thomas, and Mukesh Bulsara, partner at business advisory services firm Coadax and vice-chair of Leicestershire Business Voice.

Data from the Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey, run in partnership with the University of Leicester School of Business, was presented to give a snapshot of the past year. It showed how after a general improvement in activity and sentiment throughout the first half of 2023 there has been an overall slowdown towards the end of this year.

Historical trends show activity often slows ahead of a General Election

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and insight Chris Hobson said: “Our Quarterly Economic Survey results for 2023 can be viewed as a game of two halves, with the recent slowdown underpinned by a decrease in advanced orders – both at home and overseas – along with a weakening labour market, flat investment intentions and a decline in cashflow performance.

“Driving this has been, firstly, fiscal pressures from 14 consecutive increases in the base rate by the Bank of England. It may be the lag time between rate hikes and subdued consumer demand has now passed and we are experiencing the full impact of that prolonged, proverbial belt-tightening.

“Away from this, we’re also experiencing an unpredictable political environment, with multiple ‘resets’ as the country gears up for a General Election. This has meant an increase in policy announcements, arguably with more of an eye on positioning as opposed to meaningful growth strategies for UK plc.

“Looking at historical trends via our State of the Economy Index, it’s not unusual to see things slow down ahead of an election, but the concern is that continued uncertainty about when this might take place could act to lengthen the duration of this for businesses.

“Sentiment is an incredibly powerful – and often underestimated – factor in economic activity. As businesses seek surety over the environment into which they’ll be investing over the coming 12 months, it’s incumbent on all parties to ensure we don’t allow the nature of our political cycles to mean we are found wanting.

“But one note of confidence – this time 12 months ago, many were predicting a recession in 2023 that never materialised. And when talking to individual businesses, the big picture trends we see are hiding many, many positive stories of growth and success.”