INFORMATION & TECHNOLOGY
Further funding available for low- carbon projects
A project which helps local businesses develop low-carbon solutions has been awarded funding to support SMEs in the region for another three years. Energy for Business will enable
businesses in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to receive support for low-carbon and energy projects until October 2022. The University of Nottingham-led project, launched in 2016, is delivered
‘The new award means close to £3.6m has now been invested in the programme from ERDF’
by the Energy Innovation and Collaboration team and is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), making support free to qualifying businesses. Over 400 businesses in the region have been supported so far, receiving free consultancy and expert advice as well as the chance to attend a number of energy-themed events and lectures. The new award means close to £3.6m has now been invested in the
programme from ERDF. When the matching contribution from the University of Nottingham is included this results in a total project value of £7.2m - enabling support to continue for local businesses in the form of product innovation, expert consultancy, access to world-class expertise and facilities, student placements and funding through a capital grant scheme for low-carbon or energy saving projects. The University of Nottingham is a leading international centre for energy
research, with a reputation for excellence across a broad range of technologies encompassing renewable energy, decarbonised fuels, energy storage, the built environment and smart grids. Colette McHugh Putman, who leads the Energy Innovation and
Collaboration team, said: “We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with businesses which have an innovative project or energy-saving idea. This new funding will really help us drive innovation and by working together we can promote business growth, accelerate new energy initiatives and benefit the local economy.” One company to benefit is Giltbrook Workwear. Chief Executive Chris
Jackson had already worked with the university on energy saving projects and asked for advice on other energy saving measures. He said: “With the help of Energy for Business we have been able to assess the potential of a roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system. As a result, we will be installing a 50kWp system that will save one third of our electricity bill and help reduce our carbon footprint by 23 tonnes a year.”
Colette McHugh Putman, Project Manager, and Tim Saunders, Business Development Officer, of the Energy Innovation and Collaboration team
WEGO couriers also received support through the project. It has a
passion for helping the environment by improving air quality and reducing harmful traffic emissions in city centres. A successful grant application helped it buy a new ultra-low emission vehicle to add to its fleet. Many businesses need support to take the next step to innovate and
grow and can benefit by streamlining processes and working smarter to save energy and cut costs.
Why the world needs more natural leaders By Maria Iliffe-Wood and Ashley Wood, Meridian Iliffe Ltd
We are living in changing times. In a recent leadership research report prepared by Peter Hawkins for Henley Business School, the top challenges for leaders in organisations were identified as:
1. Inceasing and accelerating transformation
2. The technological and digital revolution
3. Disintermediation and ‘Uber-isation’
4. The hollowing out of organisations and the growing complexity of the stakeholder world
5. Globalisation 6. Climate change 7. The need to learn and adapt faster
We live in a VUCA (Volatile,
Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) world, where it is increasingly difficult to predict the future - yet leaders need to plan for that future. Demands are being made on
leaders to do more, with less, to a greater standard and with greater efficiency. It’s easy to see why leading organisations and teams is such a challenge. At the same time, people in
organisations are demanding more of their leaders. People want more meaning and purpose in their work. The good news is that we were
born with the ability to deal with this VUCA world. We are not machines, we are human, which
means we are designed to cope with anything the world throws at us. We’re designed to make sense when things are unpredictable, to handle multiple possible effects from single causes. The answer lies in coming back
to being human and finding our innate and natural wisdom. The answer lies in leaders coming back to their natural leadership. Natural leaders understand and
know how to achieve a healthy state of mind. A healthy state of mind is the invisible variable between average leaders and great leaders - a naturally-occurring phenomenon overlooked by many.
A healthy state of mind is easier to achieve than you might imagine. This is the subject of our From
Quiet Be a Natural Leader online Programme that starts this month. Pay attention to your state of
mind and notice when it feels healthy. That is your best asset as a leader in this VUCA world.
business network October 2019 93
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