NEWS | Round-up
As the COP26 climate summit draws to a close, our climate change champion Richard Hagan, managing director of Crystal Doors shows you where to find resources that will help you take more sustainable steps
The climate pressure is on every one of us
NO COP-PING OUT NOW.
AFTER FIVE years of build-up, plus another year’s delay, one of the most important summits in history takes place in November. The COP26 climate summit in Glasgow will see nearly 200 nations – along with activists and climate scientists – have their say on the future of the planet. There will be fraught negotiation between warring factions. The leaders vs. the laggards, developing vs. developed, the US vs. China, and so on. Deals will be done; pacts will be made. Then it will all be over, and that’s when the hard work really begins. Once COP26 is written into the history books, policymakers will begin putting what was agreed into practice and every business will have to adapt. Large companies will be targeted first to comply, report and reduce their emissions. But once any of your suppliers and customers begin reporting on their sustainability, they will require your help and data too. I believe 2021 was the year when the cost of not taking action on climate change overtook the costs of doing something about it. Not just in terms of financial costs, but in reputational and brand damage. This cost differential will continue widening every year – the longer you wait, the further behind you will be. The post-COP26 era will be underpinned by long-term planning, short-term quick wins and, most importantly, shared responsibility. Just as world leaders are discussing how to ensure a safer future for everyone, we too can gather our people, and unite our efforts. Crystal Doors has become
The science shows that our collective survival is on a knife edge
a community of
passionate individuals championing change, and we are stronger than ever because we have acted early. The science shows that our collective survival is on a knife edge, but I am still positive about the future and that of our industry. The good news, if you are just starting out, is that there is now a huge repository of resources available to you thanks to the awareness whipped up by COP26. Start by visiting the UK Business Climate Hub website for free guidance, tools and a formal pledge to halve your emissions by 2030 and report annually on your progress. Make use of the ample support available online and through local networks such as your nearest Growth Hub. The term ‘COP’ technically stands for ‘Conference of
the Parties’ but as businesses it’s better we think of it as Close of Play, because that’s the urgency with which we all need to take action. Ask yourself every day: What am I going to do by COP that will help to reduce my environmental impact? It could be putting aside time for research, or it could be planning your next money-saving action to reduce energy. Each small step is a step towards a better future for us all. Visit
businessclimatehub.org/uk
10
Kitchen retailers should lead the way with smart appliances
RETAILERS HAVE a vital role to play in promoting sales of smart appliances by helping consumers choose the right products for their lifestyle.
So said Mark Siddall, MD of MR Kitchen Design in Chalfont St Giles and Darren Taylor, MD of Searle and Taylor in Winchester, speaking on a panel at The Kitchen Bathroom Buying Group (KBBG) annual conference about their customers and smart kitchen appliances. Smart appliances have become less for techies and more for a wide range of people, from expert cooks to busy parents, even making life easier for those with disabilities. Siddall believes that kitchen retailers have a responsibility to lead the smart appliance sector as their designers are more in tune with what consumers really need. He said: “We are seen as kitchen specialists and people come to us for a reason. They want us to tell them what is the best product for their kitchen.” Both Taylor and Siddall have identified two
typical types of customers who want smart appliances like amateur bakers who will use all the oven settings, or those who simply want the appliance to speed up their day-to-day life. Siddall used the example of a parent making multiple meals for their family and how a simple appliance that could hypothetically scan the barcode of a ready meal could simplify the cooking process. Siddall said: “Once we get to that stage, we have sold it, as it takes the aggravation out of cooking.” Taylor described his experience with smart appliances and how he was sceptical when they were first introduced to the market, but now sees them as more useful to a variety of people. He said: “I was naïve to begin with, thinking that this was a young person’s product, but it is amazing how many older people, around 60 or 70, are bringing in their iPads to show me their Pinterest boards. I’m warming to smart appliances. It is something we can’t avoid. It is something that might help make a sale.”
Victorian Plumbing sales soar by 30%
ONLINE BATHROOM retailer Victorian Plumbing has reported revenues up 29% for the year to September 30. In its trading update statement, it said: “The financial year ended positively with revenue growth of around 29%. This reflects strong trading in the first three quarters of the year, more subdued market conditions as lockdown restrictions were eased, before customer demand improved in September.” The Lancashire-based company said it anticipates its adjusted profits (EBITDA) to be ahead of market expectations. In
the six months to the end of March 2021, Victorian Plumbing reported revenue of £140.7 million and adjusted profits (EBITDA) of £20.1m. In Victorian Plumbing Ltd’s published accounts, revenue for 2020 was quoted as £209.9m, up from £151.8m in 2019, with pre-tax profits of £25.9m against 2019’s £10.1m. In its statement, the group said it had been proactive in optimising its stockholding in the face of the supply chain issues that have plagued the supply chain. These will be the group’s first results since it floated on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) sub-market on August 2, with the issue of 635,504 new ordinary shares, with the total number of ordinary shares following admission being 325,062,985 at £0.001 each. The share price started at 330p and stands today at 186p.
Speaking at the time, founder and chief executive Mark Radcliffe (pictured) said: “I’m incredibly proud of all of our employees who have built this unique business and, in the process, have developed an incredibly strong, exciting and trusted brand together with a hard-working and innovative culture.”
· November 2021
Climate
Champion Change
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