CHAMBER NEWS
Pippa Blessett
Anjuu Trevedi MBE
Paul Callum
Christopher Mallett Successful businesses embrace change
Social and economic values have never been closer, with issues like diversity and sustainability now integral to every business. This was one of the main
takeaways of a roundtable run by the Chamber that explored the attributes of a successful SME in 2021. A dozen companies took part in
the discussion as part of the Chamber Day of Resilience conference on 12 February, in which speakers from a range of industries offered advice and tools to help businesses adapt to the ongoing disruption. Paul Callum, director of risk
consultancy Resilient World Solutions Limited, highlighted how supporting communities has become more of a “must-have” rather than “nice-to-have” for businesses, while the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has evolved into environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG). “Any successful business has got
to have a view on how they’ll support communities across a huge range of issues,” he said, adding it must be a holistic approach rather than just one-off activities such as
sponsoring charities. Leadership and performance
coach Pippa Blessett, founder of Exceptional Zebra, said this new dynamic was driven by more millennials with strong social values joining the labour market.
‘Even if a member of staff leaves, we see it as a chance to bring someone else in with a different skillset and make it work’
She said: “If you go back 20 years, CSR might be something people in the boardroom would roll their eyes at, whereas now any firm not doing it in this progressive new way is frankly an idiot and isn’t going to survive long. It’s like saying ‘I don’t need a website’. Pippa also believes companies
get too wrapped up in the various meanings behind terms like “diversity”, adding: “What we’re really talking about is having as wide a range of experiences and perspectives as possible.” The importance of managing people, particularly post-Covid as
employees contemplate how they would like to work, was highlighted as another vital consideration, with RSM’s Leicester managing partner Kevin Harris expecting many people to scrutinise how they have been treated by employers more. Meanwhile, Bloc Digital director
Keith Cox emphasised the importance of a strong mindset for business owners to grasp opportunities. He explained how the pandemic
had a negative impact on client work but his company instead used the extra capacity to accelerate a planned shift from being a service- based company to both a service and product-based business in digital visualisation tools. “By the nature of who we are,
myself and our other director are glass half-full people so everything is an opportunity,” he said. “Even if a member of staff leaves, we see it as a chance to bring someone else in with a different skillset and make it work.” Innovation was another
prominent theme in the discussion and Anjuu Trevedi MBE, head of regional business engagement at the University of Leicester, has noted an increase in SMEs
approaching the university for support in using data analytics to drive business growth. “We need to help them get the
infrastructure in place so they can do business online and get an edge,” she said. The growing noise around the
value of data has been music to Kenneth Neilson’s ears. The managing director of Peak Indicators, a data science and analytics consultancy in Chesterfield, said the pandemic has been “boom time” for his business. He added: “Data to make better decisions is key.” Bringing people back down to
Earth, Christopher Mallett, associate director at insurance broker Aston Lark’s Derby office, stressed how innovation in technology and working practices also created new levels of risk that required managing. “The last thing we want is for
businesses across the region to jump on those new opportunities, be innovative and pivot to new ways of working that help them to be more resilient – and then for all that to fall down when an underappreciated risk comes into play,” he added.
Helping young people in the workplace
The Chamber has pledged to support the #AccessYourTruePotential campaign to make the world of work more accessible for young people. The campaign was launched last year by a peer panel of 18 to 30-year-
olds at the Leicester-based social enterprise Access Generation CIC. It aims to highlight young people’s top concerns when applying for
jobs online and has two parts – a petition encouraging other young people and supporters to back the cause, and a pledge encouraging employers to make a commitment to change. Employers are invited to make a pledge to embrace diversity and inclusion, create entry-level roles, state when feedback is available, provide examples of progression, and acknowledge receipt of all applications. Lucy Robinson, director of resources at the Chamber, said: “It is important for businesses across the East Midlands to understand what it takes to make themselves an attractive employer to the next generation to keep their business and the region flourishing. “I would encourage others to learn more about the social enterprise and get involved in their activities.”
34 business networkMarch 2021
Jemma Redden, director at Access Generation, said: “Having a live
brief from an employer will truly give our young people that opportunity. I would welcome other employers to get in touch to be involved.”
To make a pledge to #AccessYourTruePotential, visit
accessgeneration.co.uk/accessyourtruepotential/
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