Chamber Patrons Chamber Patrons Greater Birmingham Chambers’ leading supporters


Arup’s Wellbeing Week to return


Arup is holding another Wellbeing Week this month to coincide with World Mental Health Day on 10 October. Each day will be themed


around one of ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ – Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keeping Learning and Give. The week of activities is


part of Arup’s commitment to ensuring its employees feel strong in body and mind to tackle the challenges in the workplace and their personal lives. The engineering and design specialist offers a wellbeing calendar of activities throughout the year, which includes information sessions and initiatives to promote physical activity. Fellow patron Curium Solutions has also been encouraging a number of measures to support wellbeing. These include walking meetings, with research suggesting walking and talking can reduce stress. Curium has also been raising


awareness of neurodiversity – a concept of diversity which considers neurological conditions such as autism and dyslexia, as well as physical characteristics such as gender, ethnic origin and disabilities.


Aston University is on course deliver its new corporate strategy after securing a £40m boost from HSBC UK. The university says the funding


will aid its commitment to providing high-quality facilities that respond to the needs of students, businesses and the wider region. As well as the multi-million


pound finance package from HSBC, Aston has benefitted from a wider package of support from the bank including a programme of networking events and workshops for staff and students, the development of a cybersecurity degree and the delivery of a student Hackathon event. HSBC has also been providing


Aston with an ongoing financial wellbeing programme for its students, which helps them plan and manage their finances as part of a growing commitment to the health and wellbeing of those studying at the institution. Alison Davies, director of finance


from Aston University, said: “We’re committed to delivering outstanding education for our students, fostering engagement with local industry, business and the public sector and strengthening ties with the West Midlands region.


Contact: Henrietta Brealey T: 0121 274 3266


HSBC ploughs £40m into new university facilities


Funding boost: The £40m package will benefit students and staff at Aston’s campus


‘HSBC UK has a fantastic reputation in the higher education sector’


“HSBC UK has a fantastic


reputation in the higher education sector and it was clear from the tendering process that the team could offer a competitive all-round package, including strong links to the global marketplace. “Our longstanding relationship


with the bank will help underpin our academic success by making


Aston University an attractive proposition to students and partners, both at home and abroad.” Suzy Verma, head of Public


Sector and Education at HSBC UK, added: “We are delighted to put a funding package in place which will allow the university to attract and retain talent in the region.”


Technology reduces food waste at venue


Cutting-edge technology is being used to cut food waste within two of the NEC Group’s key operations. The International Convention


Centre (ICC) in Birmingham and its in-house caterer, Amadeus, are utilising AI technology to reduce food waste at the venue by a third. Working with Winnow Solutions,


the ICC and Amadeus have installed software that monitors both the type and amount of food being disposed of. Data is validated by the user selecting the item that’s being disposed of from a catalogue on an iPad. The iPad is connected to Winnow


which then weighs it, allowing for accurate daily and weekly reporting on wastage levels.


40 CHAMBERLINK October 2019


Food for thought: Aaron Johnson-Waters, executive chef at Amadeus, prepares food


Results from a four-week pilot


revealed that the reduction in waste would lead to an annual saving of more than 16.3 tonnes of food - the


equivalent of 40,800 meals. Simon Hellier, executive chef at


the ICC, said: “We are a venue with a conscience, and one that’s always


seeking new ways of reducing our impact on the environment without comprising on quality. “Changing our habits using AI


helps the environment and saves us resource, time and labour.” Winnow is running alongside


several other eco-friendly initiatives, including the usage of new LED lighting, roof-top ‘bee hotels’ and a CHP Generator. Marc Frankl, Amadeus food and


beverage director, said: “The results of the Winnow pilot are looking extremely promising, with the system already working wonders to reduce excessive waste.” Amadeus is now hoping to install


the system in 10 additional Amadeus kitchens.


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