< Previous East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk WATER AND WASTE MANAGEMENT concentrations of animals, pests and insects in ways that can upset natural habitats. One doesn’t have to look far to see timely and topical examples of water treatment done wrong, as the Government was recently highlighted for decisions that allowed treatment works to pump raw sewage into the UK’s rivers which, a new report has found, was known to be happening by the Environment Agency ten years ago. The report found that in 2012, it was known that United Utilities were dumping raw sewage into rivers in north-west regions and were failing to treat the required amount of sewage as agreed by their permits. The fact it has only come to light now has led many to anger and will place more attention on water treatment and wastewater disposal going forward as the Government, and concerned groups, try to limit the damage. Since then, Anglian Water have been fined over £800,000 for breaches and pollution incidents in Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire, which has led for calls for their other sites to be investigated as well. One incident was said to have caused the deaths of every invertebrate in the river for 1.5 kilometres, which will have disastrous knock-on effects for all animals for which they were a part of the food chain. Even right now, water companies are facing complete outrage from the public over excessive dumping and contamination of lakes and rivers in the UK, while continuing to pay themselves bonuses. United Utilities have been found to have been illegally dumping waste water in Lake Windemere between 2021 and 2023 without notifying the authorities, leading to algal bloom and contamination. Is accurate and adequate water treatment just about complying with environmental demands and avoiding criticism, however? No. It is important that good water treatment in any business be viable as well as environmentally sound, and thankfully water treatment can help to reduce energy costs if it is implemented correctly. The process itself is very energy intensive, which is why it stands that greater savings can be made. A 10% increase in energy efficiency, for instance, will have a much greater financial saving on an energy-intensive process as opposed to an energy-light process. The amount of savings that can be made will depend on factors such as the size and age of existing water treatment facilities, how outdated they might be and the sewage inflow and effluent quantity. In the case of Anglian Water, it was stated that old technology and poor maintenance practices played a part in their failure. The lessons to be learned from this are that water treatment and disposal is a story of two halves – the first is that the water be treated and made safe as efficiently and affordable as possible, but the other half is that efforts must be taken to have a conscious awareness of what impact the release of such waste will have on the local environment and ecological system. This may not be as immediately profit-oriented as the former, but the hefty fines faced by companies who failed this, and the reputational damage, will have long- lasting implications on their brands, and may well lead to many job losses among high ranking individuals who were found to have allowed this to happen. As the population in the country continues to grow, water will become increasingly precious. We have already begun to see droughts in developed countries such as America, and there are many of the attitude that this could not possibly happen in the UK. The reality is less certain however, which is why continued investment and development in water treatment facilities is so important. www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link WATER AND WASTE MANAGEMENT © stock.adobe.com/doidam10 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk MOVEMBER M en don’t talk about their health and wellbeing with others. Toxic masculinity means they’re reluctant to bother anyone else with their issues, don’t want to feel demasculinised, or seem weak in other people’s eyes. Instead, they put up with pain, discomfort, and poor mental health, opting to stay silent. But it’s no exaggeration to say that this silence and inaction leads to death. How many suicides could have been prevented if that person had help? How many deaths could have been averted if men came forward as soon as they noticed a strange lump? How many men would still be here if they sought help as soon as they felt unwell? We need a cultural shift, one in which men don’t have to worry about losing their masculinity for seeking help, where men aren’t teased for having “man flu” when they’re ill, where we all support one another. Fortunately, Movember is leading the charge, changing perceptions and attitudes around masculinity whilst also helping to safeguard men’s health. The charity is nothing short of ambitious. By 2030, it aims to reduce the number of men dying prematurely from suicide, testicular cancer, and prostate cancer by twenty-five per cent. But, in order to achieve this, your support and donations are indispensable. It’s a sad fact of life that not every man can grow a moustache. For those who can, it’s a time to literally let their hair down – whether that’s with a carefully groomed tache, or a full-on beard. Don’t feel you can’t get involved if you’re moustache has never made it past bumfluff, though, as there’s a myriad of other ways to raise funds. ‘Move for Movember’ sees participants running or walking sixty miles over the course of the month – a figure symbolic of the sixty men we lose to suicide each hour, every hour around the world. ‘MoRunning’, which this year celebrates its tenth anniversary, is a series of 1.5k, 5k and 10k runs taking place across the country during November (you can find your nearest one here: www.mo-running.com/locations). You can also ‘Mo Your Own Way’ and choose an epic adventure challenge, whether that’s physical endurance or your own wildcard ideas, it’s a great way to use your physical strength, stamina, and good health to help others (and offer an encouraging example of positive masculinity in the process). For something a little less intensive, you can host a ‘Mo-ment’. Here you can put your own spin on things by organising an event, virtual or otherwise. This option is Promoting Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men’s physical and mental health, but they can’t do it alone. If you’d like to make a donation direct to Movember, visit uk.movember.com/donate 54 Áwww.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link MOVEMBER © stock.adobe.com/Lia Aramburu East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk MOVEMBER particularly suited to corporate environments to get the whole team involved (not just the ones growing moustaches). Whether it’s a simple get- together, a coffee morning, or even a teambuilding weekend, there’s a plethora of ways to host a shindig to raise money. Of course, you can just donate direct to the charity, be that a one-off or an ongoing monthly basis. With the money raised, the charity funds ground-breaking projects across mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. Since 2003, it has raised £598 million and funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world. Last year, to help address some of the long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, it announced funding for thirty-four projects supporting the mental health and wellbeing of men and boys. A mass media behaviour change campaign aimed at encouraging millions of young men to talk about their mental health was also successfully launched. Despite the emphasis on men’s health, Movember is all about inclusivity. In 2016, for example, it partnered with Australia’s National Breast Cancer Foundation to fund research to transform the lives of both men and women. And women, dubbed ‘Mo Sisters’, are invited to take part in fundraising activities to support the charity and, by extension, their male relatives and men all around the world. However, it’s important not to forget trans men in all of this. They may not biologically possess prostates or testes but deserve mental health support as much as any other man. They therefore have every right to participate in every kind of fundraising, especially growing a moustache for those taking testosterone who are able. From humble beginnings in Australia when two mates met up for a beer in 2003 and came up with the idea for the movement, to becoming the foremost men’s health charity in the world, Movember is an important institution, one with major industry and media backing, but one which needs your help. How are you going to help? How to help someone who’s struggling Helping a friend is easy when you know how. Follow these four steps from Movember to let the conversation flow. When in doubt just remember: ALEC. Ask Start by mentioning anything different you’ve noticed. Maybe he’s spending more time at the bar, coming into work late, or missing social events. Trust your instinct. Remember, we often say “I’m fine” when we’re not. So, if you think something’s wrong, don’t be afraid to ask twice. Listen Try to give him your full attention, without interruptions. Don’t feel you have to diagnose problems, offer solutions, or give advice. Just let him know you’re all ears, judgement-free. Follow-up questions are good too, they help let him know you’re listening. Encourage action Help him focus on simple things that might improve his wellbeing: is he getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating properly? Maybe there’s something that’s helped before. Suggest he tells other people he trusts how he’s feeling. This will make things easier for both of you. And if he’s felt low for more than two weeks, suggest he sees his doctor. Check-in Suggest you catch up soon – in person if you can. If you can’t manage a meet-up, make time for a call, or drop him a message. This will show you care. If you’re worried that someone’s life is in immediate danger, go directly to emergency services. © stock.adobe.com/Jo Panuwat Dwww.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link BUSINESS SERVICES Business services have focused on cutting costs and increasing efficiency for the longest time, but the introduction of AI is leading some to suggest a new direction is upon is. It’s not one without risk, however. B usiness services have traditionally focused on cutting costs and making companies leaner. This is understandable given the aim for every business is growth, but that growth is not always linear or even possible. Economic conditions and stagnant recruitment markets sometimes mean growth isn’t feasible even if the money is there, and that companies can only increase profits by instead focusing on cutting their costs and streamlining business operations. As a result, business services adapted to fill that niche and prioritise growth via internal changes in businesses. This may have been in making existing staff more efficient, reducing overheads, or overhauling a business to make more use of the resources it already has. However, the advent of generative AI is leading many across the world to explore its potential for expanding businesses via outward methods using said technology. The rise of generative AI 56 Á © stock.adobe.com/Summit Art Creations East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk BUSINESS SERVICES It’s not one that is without its risks or controversy, however. When it comes to AI, some of the industries to adapt it the most are – sadly – the criminal ones. Scammers and phishers have been making use of AI in ever more clever ways to trick people and businesses out of their money, or to harvest and sell data on the dark web. In a sense, this does prove the value of generative AI as a way to increase operations – even if those operations are ones no one wants to see improving. The same lessons can be learned from such activities however, as their effectiveness can’t be ignored. While AI is troubled and can sometimes lead to errors, it also has the potential to output more than any single worker could. In our own field of journalism, for instance, it is especially polarising as it can create utterly fake and bogus articles that are so worthless as to be dangerous to the companies who run them, but it can also create said pieces in a fraction of the time it would take a journalist. However, while it’s too dangerous to use such articles in journalism, there are some industries where its usage can be less dangerous. For instance, there are already numerous companies investigating the usage of AI for sales and cold calling, in what is sure to be a very frustrating future reality we face where AI will be calling us to try and sell products. While this is obviously worrying for the future, it does come at a time when recruitment of sales staff is a problem most companies in the world are facing. It’s also the number one limiter on growth for a lot of businesses, as they simply cannot hire enough sales staff to justify expansion plans. An area where AI is being used in a similar manner is in help desks and online support centres, where you’re just as likely nowadays to be screened first by an AI than you are by an actual person. While talking to an AI may not be particularly exciting, few would argue it isn’t better than being kept on hold for forty minutes, and if the AI can screen out callers with simple problems then it will shorten the wait times of those with more serious ones. In web design and coding, generative AI shows incredible promise – and while giving an AI the ability to alter code sounds like something out of a sci-fi horror movie, it’s possible to have an AI generate coding for simple tasks like www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link BUSINESS SERVICES Can a SSAS unleash more potential for your business? SSAS pensions (Small Self-Administered Schemes) were introduced over 50 years ago. They are used by SME owners to keep more control over the investments and decision making of their pension – often one of their largest assets. They are not the same as SIPPs (Self-Invested Personal Pensions), and enjoy a unique place in the pension world. Clients find a SSAS amazingly easy to understand. Shareholders and directors become members and trustees of the SSAS and run their scheme in accordance with HMRC regulations. There is no third-party provider to delay decisions. Partnering the Business and the ‘Family’ Many SSASs acquire commercial property. On its own that is not a special feature. It is the wider concepts of pooling of contributions and existing pensions (of directors), the unique benefit of using the SSAS to lend back funds to the business and simpler property transactions through the trust structure, that make them attractive. Often been called a family pension – a scheme can outlive the initial members and the company whilst the seamless cascading of wealth through generations is a transformative benefit. SSASs are hugely tax efficient for the members, the company and the fund. There are of course key criteria that need to be met and this is why the majority of schemes are assisted by a professional trustee. Driver or Passenger? It’s been said that in a SSAS the member is the driver and with a SIPP they are a passenger. Whether that is a fair analogy is for the reader to decide, but SSASs continue to offer an alternative and often advantageous route for owner- managed businesses. Peter Collier, Director of Marketing & Distribution WBR Group For further information call 0333 320 9230 or visit wbrgroup.co.uk website design and maintenance, freeing up resources in IT departments. Naturally, all of this carries with it some small risk in the sense that, if the AI goes wrong or breaks, the responsibility will fall back on human operators – but that’s where a lot of generative AI work admits its need for human handlers. AI content is not perfect, and it may never be perfect, which means there will always be a need for humans to step in, either to fix what isn’t correct or to handle problems the AI hasn’t been trained for. Still, with its ability to generate images from prompts it’s easy to see that AI could be of use in businesses from architects generating images of builds and room design to clients, to businesses using it to create training material for new staff, all the way through to replacing receptionists with AI to screen calls and direct people to the right people. As controversial as it may be, the use of generative AI is allowing business services to look at the potential of helping companies grow once more, and not just having to focus on cutting costs or streamlining what is already there. © stock.adobe.com/Shuo East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk PUBLIC RELATIONS Picture yourself in the audience at the Bricks Awards next year or at any awards for that matter. The mystery celeb (or if you’re unlucky, ME) has the envelope clutched tightly. A chance beckons for glory, a whole heap of marketing opportunities, and the kind of positioning and brand boost that only awards can provide. But you haven’t entered. You’re there because it’s a great event full of energy, some networking opportunities and great stories and well, you know some of the finalists, so you’ve popped along to show your support. Well done you! One question remains…why HAVEN’T you entered? You know what winning an award could do for your business. Don’t you? * The immediate photo opportunity with the celeb or the judges. As I draft this for Tess and the East Midlands Business Link team, I have 3 awards in the final phases of writing for clients. None of these are the Bricks as they just finished but one is a regional award for a niche finance provider, one is a national industry award, and another is for an MBE - that is pretty involved and is a whole other positioning opportunity! So plenty of people do enter awards, me included because they see the opportunity, but sadly, many others do not. For many, this is a mental block. They just are not very comfortable in the spotlight. They don’t like to “brag” or show off. They worry what people will say if they win or even if they don’t! For others it is a time and resource issue. They find writing a challenge and it is just one more thing that they need to get around to. Greg Simpson, founder of Press For Attention PR, shares why businesses should be entering awards. * A chance to share your story with the audience. * Then the thousands of readers of the associated media partner who will get to know who you are and your offering. * The social media campaign kickstarted with a blaze of glory. * The e-newsletter you can put out again because “I finally have something to say.” * The newspaper front page mock-up you send to your prospects. * The blog series that shares how you got to where you are today. * The interviews you set up with fellow winners that elevate the opportunity for all of you. * The chance to come back NEXT year perhaps to present the award to the winner and do it all again. I could go on. If you need me to, just book a call, I’ve got tonnes of these ideas! www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link PUBLIC RELATIONS On the “bragging” issue, please, don’t feel this way. The best awards submissions are based on the transformation that has been achieved, either for the customer, the employee, or the wider impact that the business has created. The human element is in there and indeed the most compelling entries will play this strongly, but there’s a whole heap of difference between showing off vs inspiring others by sharing your journey. On the time issue, well, you can outsource (hi there!) or you can do what I do which is to do a little bit at a time. Begin just by taking notes. Don’t try and answer the questions on the form immediately. Go take a walk and have the questions on a scrap of paper. Bring your phone and just start to record your thoughts. You will recall a lot of things you had totally forgotten. Then go and get them transcribed and you now have loads of raw material to shape your masterpiece from. Now start answering the questions but please note what they are asking. Many awards forms are pretty specific and need proof. Give it to them. Find it. Show it. I actually leave the introduction until last. That is because by then I have a theme and I can set the scene better. Think of it as a trailer for a film. The judges need to be intrigued as they read your entry. Make them want to watch the whole film by whetting their appetite early on with more to be revealed. My key piece of advice - tell a story. Judges don’t need your entire CV, potted history of the business and your inside leg measurement. They want content. They want a great awards night, and they want some people to come back again next year having told their mates. Give them that fuel and reap the rewards in the process. A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008. He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective. Next >