Breaking down the “fear factor” around diversity via education and making adjustments to how new staff are recruited are among the practical changes employers can make to create more inclusive workplaces. These were some of the key findings by East Midlands Chamber and housing association emh group at a roundtable they jointly hosted to gather more intelligence about how to support businesses in establishing an equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy. It follows research published in March that found 48% of East Midlands businesses have a dedicated EDI policy in place, with 68% saying it can contribute to successful business plans and 55% agreeing it was an important part of their leadership strategy. Better workplaces, improved decision-making and increased innovation were among the benefits cited by companies engaged with EDI. The roundtable, held on Tuesday at emh group’s office in Coalville, featured input from organisations including law firm Freeths, ER Recruitment, De Montfort University, manufacturer Hardy Signs and social enterprise Access Rating. Following on from the session, the Chamber and emh group will work with other partners to develop greater support for those wanting to do more to develop an inclusive workplace. East Midlands Chamber director of resources and EDI lead Lucy Robinson said: “It’s become increasingly clear that engagement with EDI is no longer just another bullet point in a company’s benefits package but is now business-critical. “At a time when four in five East Midlands businesses attempting to recruit are struggling to fill roles, we should be doing all we can to widen our labour pool by being more inclusive in our approaches to recruitment – beginning from how we advertise jobs and conduct interviews. “A happy workforce is also one that is more likely to stay in a job. We’ve heard lots about the ‘great resignation’ post-lockdown so creating a more inclusive work environment – where people are given a continuous education that encourages open discussion and breaks down the unconscious biases we all have – will go a long way to helping organisations retain their best people.” Chan Kataria OBE, Chief Executive at emh group, said: “Diversity is a unique selling point for the East Midlands, which has the most diverse communities outside London. “This is something we recognise at emh group, which is why we have engaged in a variety of initiatives in recent years – from supporting more women to take up boardroom positions to deploying the ‘Rooney rule’ to put forward more people from minority backgrounds in interviews for senior positions. “After gathering some very useful data, we now want to go beyond the numbers and understand how we can showcase businesses already succeeding in this area and share best practice so that our region can become a standard-bearer for the EDI discussion.”

Taking place on Monday 14 November 2022, forge new connections at the East Midlands Expo. An established event of over 20 years, for which Business Link is a proud partner, the free to attend expo is well targeted and aimed at the construction, property, business, investment, finance, professional services and related B2B markets. Hosted at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, the day will begin with exhibitor breakfast networking, with the exhibition opening to attendees at 9am, and a seminar taking place between 10:45am and noon. A special networking lunch (for which tickets can be purchased here) will then take place between 12:15pm and 2:15pm, and the exhibition will close at 3:30pm.

For more information on exhibiting at the event click here.

To register to attend the event for free click here.

To secure tickets for the networking lunch click here.

From property agents to developers, architects, contractors, investors, PR firms, and more, see the list of current exhibitors here.

Providing a key opportunity to reinforce your business’s position and reputation in the property and construction industry, enter the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022 before nominations close on Friday 19 August! The annual event, organised by East Midlands Business Link Magazine, is an independent awards and publicity programme recognising development projects and people in commercial and public building across the region – from office, industrial and residential schemes, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools. The prestigious awards attract leaders from across the region and are the perfect way for businesses to promote themselves and those they work with. Indeed winning one of these awards will add considerably to a company’s or individual’s brand and enhance their commercial reach significantly. Award categories include: most active estate agent, commercial development of the year, responsible business of the year, residential development of the year, developer of the year, deal of the year, architects of the year, excellence in design, sustainable development of the year, contractor of the year, and overall winner. Winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 15 September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening that will also present plenty of time to forge new contacts with property and construction professionals from across the region. Henry Brothers, winners of Commercial Development of the Year at the 2021 East Midlands Bricks Awards, reflected on the event: “Henry Brothers was absolutely thrilled to have won the Commercial Development of the Year award at the East Midlands Bricks for the delivery of the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility at Nottingham Trent University’s Clifton Campus. “The Henry Brothers story began in Northern Ireland in the 1970s and the company has grown to become a leading UK construction company. However, this award for Henry Brothers Midlands cements our position as a significant member of the East Midlands construction sector and we are very proud to have been recognised for our contribution. “We enjoyed the informal atmosphere of the East Midlands Bricks Awards ceremony and hope to nominate projects next year, as we’d very much like to be part of the event in 2022.” To submit a business or development for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022, please click on a category link below or visit this page. Thanks to our sponsors:                                      

To be held at:

It is immediately apparent to anyone who has been paying attention that things have been changing pretty quickly in recent months. For about two years it felt like the whole world was standing still, with one notable exception: tech. Now that everyone, and everything, has got back to work and some semblance of normal, we are all playing catch-up with the major leaps and developments. Of course, there are plenty of major forces at work that are less inspiring than innovation. We are seeing rising prices and interest rates amidst the cost-of-living crisis. With so much uncertainty in the marketplace, everyone is worried about the security of their investment. Of all the investments out there, it is those that are intertwined with the advances in tech that seem to be the most exciting and the most secure right now, and fintech is no exception. Fintech has taken some huge leaps and bounds in the last few years, and it is clear that it is in for some exciting times ahead. Here are a few things that you need to know about the future of fintech, and how you can get involved. AI Tech Is A Driving Force You would have to have been paying very little attention at all to have missed the impact that AI has had in all areas of business in recent years. When it comes to fintech, AI in particular is something that will continue to become more essential in making decisions and predicting trends. But it is not just about gathering data. We will see AI making more of an impact when it comes to how companies deal with their customers, allowing more responsive automated interaction. AI will make everything faster and more efficient, and it is not going anywhere. Small Fintech Businesses Are Gathering Speed While there are so many small companies feeling the pinch as a result of the rising cost of living, fintech is going to be experiencing a boom for some time to come. As a result, that means that there are going to be a lot of companies with the potential to make real ground-breaking changes that are going to be looking for financial support. For anyone who is looking to make an investment in new and expanding businesses, this is a sector that should be incredibly appealing. Of course, it can be difficult to know which one to invest in exactly, which is why so many people are investing in EIS schemes. EIS was created by the government to offer tax relief in exchange for investing in new British companies. If you want to learn more about how EIS schemes work, the Oxford Capital Growth EIS could be the answer for you. Visit their website to learn more about what they have to offer. Banks Are Getting Involved The word “fintech” covers a lot of ground, but what you need to remember is if you are thinking about getting involved with fintech it can cover everything from ease of application to data management and customer service. It is precisely for this reason that so many of the world’s major banks are getting involved with developing fintech programmes and companies. For example, blockchain technology has changed the game in so many different areas beyond cryptocurrency, and we are seeing many major banks using it for applications such as smart contracts. One of the main draws of blockchain tech is that it keeps a secure and open record of any transaction, which makes it obviously appealing in this age of heightened security concerns. This brings us to our next point. Security Is Going To Be Paramount One of the main factors that is going to sort the wheat from the chaff with fintech companies is how seriously they take their security. Cybercrime has been rampant over the last couple of years, and it is going to be absolutely crucial that any business dealing in finance have the proper security measures in place to protect their information and their money, as well as those of their clients. This is going to be one of the defining stories of the next couple of years, so if you are thinking of getting involved in fintech, make sure that you are doing your due diligence when it comes to research. Growth, Growth, Growth If you are looking at fintech as a potential investment opportunity, then it makes sense to have a certain degree of caution. Any investment is always going to be a bit of a gamble, but when it comes to fintech it is clear that this is one of the major developments that we are seeing right now. This is an excellent choice for anyone who is looking to invest in a company that is going to continue to grow. As always, it is a good idea to get some expert advice, and to talk to anyone you know who has already invested in this area.