A family-run Midlands contractor is reducing its emissions and energy usage with the installation of 292 solar panels at its managed site in Northamptonshire, supported by a £167,000 funding package from Lloyds Bank. Headquartered in Shirley, SSG Contracts provides a range of commercial services, including construction, refurbishment, maintenance, facilities management, warehousing and logistics. The business serves customers across all sectors, including Amazon, Savills, and Jaguar Land Rover, domestically, as well as in Europe, America and the UAE. The contractor purchased the Nene Business Centre in Wellingborough in December 2021 with the support of a £2.6m loan from Lloyds Bank, to provide office and warehousing space to its customers. Now, as part of sustainability focused upgrades to the building, SSG Contracts secured £167,000 of new funding and is installing a system of 292 solar panels on the roof, capable of producing 120 kilowatts of electricity each hour. The panels are the result of a Carbon Insight Report conducted for SSG Contracts by Lloyds Bank, which helped the business calculate its carbon footprint and identify where investment can have the most significant impact on reducing emissions. The new solar panels are expected to save the business 24 tonnes of CO2 per year, and up to £38,500 in energy. The new system will produce enough electricity throughout summer to meet the site’s full energy demand and generate enough surplus to return to the grid. The business eventually hopes to install batteries on-site to store the energy produced for use overnight or in winter, allowing the site to become 100% energy self-sufficient. Other environmental upgrades at the site include replacing all warehouse lighting with energy efficient LEDs, as well as planning to install electric vehicle charging points and introduce electric delivery vehicles in the future. The business is also investigating fitting heat pumps. The solar panels have been funded via Lloyds Bank’s Clean Growth Financing Initiative, which provides customers with access to discounted lending for green purposes. The loan will also fund the planned installation of solar panels at its head office in Solihull. The £21m turnover business currently employs 60 people and aims to double its turnover and headcount in the next two years. John Fitzgerald, director of SSG Contracts, said: “We are focused on the future and driving sustainable growth of the business. The Carbon Insight Report from Lloyds Bank has helped us identify where our investments can have the most impact on cutting our emissions, setting us on a clear path to reducing our environmental impact. “As we work towards net zero, we’re facing increasing demand from customers to demonstrate our sustainability credentials. By investing in carbon reduction initiatives, we hope to be able to demonstrate compliance with BREEAM, a science-based validation and certification system for sustainability in the built environment, to help our customers meet their own carbon reduction targets.” Paul Warrington, relationship director at Lloyds Bank, said: “We’ve been working with SSG Contracts for almost 15 years, supporting them with various projects to help drive their growth, including the acquisition and subsequent sustainability focused refurbishment of Nene Business Centre. “We’re proud to work with local businesses such as SSG Contracts, which prioritise sustainable growth, while supporting others in their sector to do the same. We will be by the side of businesses in the region to help support them on their carbon reduction journey, as they work to help create a more sustainable built environment.”

The East Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre (EMCRC) have produced a back-to-basics guide for SMEs that looks at the most typical types of cyber-crime that you should be aware of.

Today’s workplaces rely almost entirely on technology to function at the level to which we have all become accustomed. As a result, cyber-crime has skyrocketed.

Cyber security means protection in the online space. Therefore, it can refer not just to your place of work, but also to the security settings you use in your personal online world, be that social media, online gaming or the software you use on your home’s devices. Who has a fridge that’s connected to the internet? That falls under what’s called the Internet of Things (IoT), and it could be targeted.

Because technology now rules the world, cyber security should be your top priority. Given that the majority of people have access to internet-connected devices, everyone should have a basic understanding of cyber security and their responsibility to protect those internet-connected devices from cyber-crime.

Look at it this way: would you leave your front door open when you’re elsewhere or doing something else? Unlikely. So why then would you metaphorically leave the door wide open to your online environment?

Let’s look at some of the main types of attacks and risks…

Phishing

Phishing is the most prevalent of threats right now, and targets individuals both at home and at work.

Phishing attacks also employ deception. A cyber-criminal will adopt the identity of another individual, typically one who is in a position of authority from a reputable source, such as a bank or a service.

With fake or fraudulent emails, they use deceit to retrieve private information. The malicious links that serve as the catalyst for the cyber-criminal’s attack are contained within these emails, and they will often use urgency to force the user to make a decision on the spur of the moment rather than carefully weighing up all of their options.

By clicking on the malicious link, the consumer will unintentionally provide access – or potentially even control – to the hackers.

For the complete low-down on phishing, visit our blog entitled: ‘Let’s remind ourselves about phishing…’.

Ransomware

A ransomware attack locks and encrypts files. The cyber-criminals will then demand a ransom in return for the assurance that they will grant access again, following which they will undoubtedly vanish.

Cyber-criminals use urgency to force you to pay the ransom; they give you payment deadlines and threaten to delete the files if you don’t send the money in the allotted time.

Unsurprisingly, this leads to business owners paying the ransom quite frequently. Some people think it’s easier to simply pay a ransom, but you can’t trust a criminal to give you access to your files even when funds are transferred.

Paying a ransom shows cyber thieves that you have the funds available and are prepared to part with them, so they could up the stakes and strike again.

Malware

Malware is made with the intention of causing harm, mayhem, and ultimately data theft. When the purpose is to make money, either by directly spreading the malware or by selling the software to other cybercriminals on the Dark Web, malware assaults are typically carried out by a group of cybercriminals rather than a single person, in contrast to other cyberattacks.

In short, malware (or malicious software) is a software designed to gain access to a computer system without permission. Once malware is on a computer, it can damage files or disrupt personal cyber security. A computer virus is a type of malware.

Someone might use malware to steal personal information, financial details or anything else that could benefit them but harm your family.

To mitigate the risk of malware, install software on your computer to fight it.

Cryptojacking

This is closely related to cryptocurrency and results from clicking on suspicious links or online ads. When this happens, malware gains unauthorised access to your device and uses it to mine cryptocurrency.

Mining cryptocurrency uses a lot of energy and power, so you will notice your device slowing down.

Make sure all installed software is the latest version, don’t ignore updates. Very often updates are seen as a nuisance, but they are important. Also, install ad blockers where possible and consider the dangers of clicking on mysterious links or ads.

Man-in-the-middle (MITM)

During the Covid-19 pandemic, MITM attacks became more frequent because of the use of virtual meeting software. When two parties communicate (i.e, the client and the host), an attacker might take over the session to steal information.

While many virtual meeting platforms increased security to stop these cyber attacks, using vulnerable WiFi connections leaves users open to harm.

To mitigate the threat of MITM attacks, avoid connecting to public WiFi where possible or check that it is reliable and safe.

Password breaches

Whether it’s your Facebook, Amazon, Netflix or business accounts, the explosion in popularity of online apps and services means more and more of us have to remember an increasingly long list of passwords.

Unfortunately, some of us cope with this challenge by resorting to practices that leave our data, devices and money at risk – by using the same password across multiple accounts, or by creating simple passwords that could easily be guessed by hackers.

Bad password practice is more prevalent than you might think – the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre carried out analysis of passwords leaked in data breaches and found that more than 23 million users worldwide used 123456 as a password!

We have blogged about passwords at length. Read some top tips that will make your life easier and your online accounts more secure.

If you’re concerned about cyber-crime – individually or in a business capacity – get in touch with us and we can discuss the options available to you.

We also offer free Community Membership, which offers advice and guidance, and puts us in your mind should you need us.

Report all Fraud and Cybercrime to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or online. Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. Report SMS scams by forwarding the original message to 7726 (spells SPAM on the keypad).

Local MPs and stakeholders are gathering in Westminster this afternoon (Tuesday 16 May) to call for improvements to Junction 28 of the M1 in Derbyshire following a previous Westminster Hall Debate on this issue on 11 January 2023. Politicians will be joined by senior officials from the Department for Transport and National Highways. The event, chaired by Mark Fletcher, MP for Bolsover, will bring together local MPs like Ashfield MP Lee Anderson as well as local businesses and councils with the Department for Transport, National Highways and Midlands Connect. The area is a well-known pinch point and upgrading the junction is a hugely popular idea amongst local residents. Consumer research shows that 82% of respondents supported improvements. More than half of respondents (51%) said the improvements would be ‘very important’ for local businesses. Delays at junction 28 are costing the economy £4.5 million and MPs are hoping to hear from local firms coming down to Westminster about what impacts it is having on them and what potential upgrades could do to boost the local economy. Local leaders are recommending that these improvements should be considered for funding as part of the Government’s upcoming Road Investment Strategies (RIS), covering the period from 2025 to 2040. Mark Fletcher, MP for Bolsover, said: “It is fantastic that we are able to have this roundtable event today on improving junction 28 of the M1. “This junction is so important to my constituents. Many people in the area are stuck in delays daily as they travel to work or to appointments. Congestion is causing misery and pollution for the people of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. “We are calling on the Government to work with Midlands Connect and National Highways to prioritise improvements to this junction, in line with their levelling up targets.” Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect, added: “Junction 28 is a key interchange in our patch. We are working with local politicians and councils to develop the best strategy for reducing delays in the area. “It is great to be able to attend this roundtable today and hear from local leaders and businesses on how important this issue is to them and the people they serve.”

Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, shares the importance of following up on leads. I have a confession, which I was reminded of whilst casually watching The Masters recently. I am seriously considering taking up golf. There, I’ve said it. That feels better now. It probably happens to most people in the end, so why fight it any longer? The thing is…nobody wants my money. Or so it seems. Just before the “P” word, Mrs S and I began golf lessons at a lovely little club up the road from us. We’re both pretty sporty and both a tad competitive so we wanted to learn the game properly with a pro. Then the P word hit and shortly after we moved 40 miles away. We made a note that we should start again locally because we were really starting to get into the swing of things, and the handy thing is that there is another golf club pretty much a 3-wood away from us. Or at least one of the holes is, the clubhouse is about a mile in the distance. I was reminded of our golfing goals during The Masters last month – mainly because I was admiring the landscaping not the golf. However, this then mentally nudged me that I’d dropped a note to my local golf club last year. In fact, I’d CALLED them because dropping a note via social media seemed nigh on impossible. Someone answered and we had a pleasant enough chat, confirming couples’ lessons should be feasible BUT the person who handles these enquiries wasn’t in that day. They had my details though so…well, nothing. Not a text. Not a call. Zero follow up whatsoever…no pitch. This is over a year ago now and I was only reminded of this because the golf was on the telly. They should have been reminding me. The worst bit is they have a WHACKING great sign up on the main road as you drive by welcoming new member enquiries. Judging from my experience to date, that WELCOME will be lukewarm at best. Now, they could simply have failed to take my details down properly or the chap who took my call just lost the scrap of paper he scribbled on for his colleague. The problem is, whilst this appears to be a SALES problem, it is actually a MARKETING problem. I always refer to “Marketing and Sales” rather than the traditional vice-versa phrasing because marketing drives the latter. This sales team (it may well be the same mystery person) needs to have warm leads. Well, you couldn’t have got much warmer than me proactively calling to enquire out of the blue! Their problem is there appears to be no system when receiving enquiries. So it doesn’t matter what they do in terms of marketing outreach and spending a wedge of cash, because the leads will not be captured and/or not followed up on. There’s loads they COULD be doing to improve the inflow of leads like me that doesn’t require rocket-science levels of marketing magic. For instance, when they see a For Sale sign go up locally note it. When it turns to SOLD, why not give it a few months then pop a flyer through the door? If curry houses and removals firms can crack this surely a golf club can? However, please remember, you might have the smartest lead-gen campaign in the world with PR, Digital and Traditional Marketing all working away brilliantly, but if you can’t take an enquiry or follow up on one, you will be the one with bogey all over you. That’s putting it gently. 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. See this column in the May edition of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.