< PreviousThis month we spoke to Donald Ward, Commercial Manager at waste management and metal recycling specialist Ward.com, about new legislation expected, banning food waste to land fill. Bill is due its second reading following a DEFRA consultation and is not yet in law. However, with initiatives such as the Vision 2020 Project, DEFRA’s pilot scheme to reduce food waste and campaign groups like the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) all lobbying for a crack-down on food waste it is only a matter of time, so it pays to get a system in place sooner rather than later. What types of food waste can be recycled? A variety of food wastes including category 3 Animal by- products can be diverted from landfill. Solid and liquid food and beverage production wastes, organic liquids and very wet wastes such as compost leachate, alcohols, fats and oils, packaged food such as stock clearances, factory breakdowns, out of date or QC failed products, restaurant and catering wastes, bakery and bread products. Domestic local authority kerbside collected food waste can also be recycled. Where does the food waste go? Food waste is collected and taken to one of our partner’s authorised processing facilities, licensed to accept food waste. The specialist facility uses a Food Waste Anaerobic Digestion system (FWAD) to process the food and turn it into reusable energy. 40 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk WARD Q&A How big is the food waste issue and what’s being done to combat it? Out of the 15 million tonnes of food generated each year in the UK, around 40% ends up in landfill. This organic matter decomposes to produce harmful methane with a global warming potential thought to be 21 times stronger than carbon dioxide. Unsurprisingly, the UK Government and regulatory bodies are aiming to crack down on this pollutant and are pushing to make it illegal to dispose of food waste via landfill beyond 2020, as they have done already in Scotland. This has the two-fold purpose, primarily to increase renewable energy from food waste and to help the UK achieve its obligations under current Landfill Directives. Which businesses need to recycle food waste? In short, everyone. Commercial businesses producing waste need to demonstrate that they have a responsible waste management system in place, which ensures that all recyclable food waste is diverted from land fill and where possible, used for energy. The main types of businesses include food manufacturers, bakeries, caterers, hospitality venues, bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants and canteens. What are the regulations around food waste? Currently in England the food waste Q&A Donald Ward, Commercial Manager at Ward 40-41.qxp_Layout 1 28/08/2019 10:41 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 41 WARD Q&A What happens to the food waste? Collected food waste is converted into renewable energy at the FWAD by recycling it into either biogas or digestate. Biogas is converted into renewable energy via gas engines or upgraded to Biomethane and exported to the National Grid to fuel homes and businesses. Digestate is a nutrient rich fertiliser that can be used on farmland for crops and reduces the used of fossil-fuel derived chemical equivalents. How can businesses avoid food waste going to land fill? Through recycling. By implementing a waste segmentation, storage and collection system for food waste as part of a wider recycling and waste management strategy, it can be really simple to reduce the amount food (or other waste) to landfill, improve your sustainability credentials through increased recycling and save money on landfill taxes. How can you supply your food waste? It can be supplied in a range of bags, wheelie bins or custom containers to suit the type and amount of waste you produce. Suitable waste storage units can be provided to your business as part of your regular business waste management activities. Food waste collections can be arranged at times and frequency to suit your business needs. How much does it cost? The business cost depends on amount of waste, frequency of collection and type of waste to be processed. However, as legislation comes into force and no doubt penalties for non-compliance, it could be more costly not to recycle your food waste and divert it from land fill. For more details visit www.ward.com/food. Ready to find out more about recycling your food waste into energy? Contact Ward’s specialist food waste team on 0345 337 5050 or email enquiries@ward.com. You can also find out more information by visiting www.ward.com. 40-41.qxp_Layout 1 28/08/2019 10:41 Page 242 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk OFFICE SOLUTIONS © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / JACOB The office experience The office experience Today, offices need to be more than just a place to sit and work. Instead they are becoming an environment important in promoting workplace wellbeing. 42-44.qxp_Layout 1 28/08/2019 10:44 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 43 OFFICE SOLUTIONS The design and layout of an office has the potential to hinder or bolster innovation, productivity and creativity. According to a YouGov survey commissioned by Oktra, just 43% of employees think that the design of their workplace encourages creativity and innovation, leaving much to be desired. The survey highlights the power the office has on employees, revealing for instance that 36% workers would be less likely to take sick days if their workplace was inspiring. In addition 83% of workers agreed that visitors and clients make judgments on a business based on the workplace and 79% of staff said if they were looking for a new job, an office that is well designed would make them more likely to want it. Office design is thus invaluable. Today, offices are no longer just functional, with the idea of the ‘workplace experience’ becoming increasingly important when designing, choosing, fitting out and refurbishing an office. In adopting this idea, one can create an office that makes employees happy, productive and feel valued, improving employee retention. Providing an office which actively boosts workplace wellbeing has become an expectation in office design and many employers are happy to invest in altering an office, or choose a new office when moving, to support the their employees’ physical and mental health, especially since research shows people with higher levels of wellbeing are more resistant to illness and for every £1 spent on wellbeing initiatives, the return is £4.17. To support wellbeing, offices are being designed in a way that addresses the high number of musculoskeletal, and other physical disorders, office workers report as a result of repetitive motions and awkward postures, which can lead to lost productivity and working time, impacting the bottom line. Ergonomic work areas have been introduced, with ergonomic furniture such as chairs that, in keeping the sitter upright, decrease stress on the neck, spine and hips and offer adjustable lumbar support, seat adjustment and armrests. In addition adjustable screens are being adopted, and ergonomic keyboards which minimise repetitive reaching and increase typing speeds. To counter the substantial amount of time we sit at work, and support physical wellbeing, sit and stand and adjustable desks are being introduced, office layouts are being rejigged to encourage movement and showers and bike storage are being included to support more active methods of commuting. Supporting movement at work can be highly beneficial for employers with more active staff likely to be more productive. Increasing blood flow to the brain, movement and exercise boost energy, make one more alert, and sharpen concentration. The importance of enhancing natural light in the office is also being emphasised in office design as studies show the major effect a lack of it can have on wellbeing. Recent research emphasises the role of natural light, with the UK Green Building Council highlighting it as the most sought- after feature staff want in the workplace. An element that can brighten mood and influence concentration and creativity, natural light has potential to drastically improve the office. Poor lighting can cause drowsiness, eye strain, headaches and computer vision syndrome, which are all bad for workplace productivity. A study from Cornell University showed that staff in offices with optimised natural light meanwhile reported a 63% decline in headaches, 51% decline in eyestrain and 56% drop in drowsiness. Maximising natural light, then, has become key in office design, but of course there is not always enough natural light to go around, and with nights set to start drawing in this is only to get worse. When working to improve an office’s lighting design, consider adding skylights, removing or moving large items of furniture that block light, work to control glare, ensure lighting is bright and cool to keep office workers alert, and replace fluorescent lights that strain eyes with soft LEDs that provide a better quality of light and save money by being more energy efficient. According a report from Staples, 80% of UK office workers say office lighting in general is important to them, and one in four people are frustrated at dealing with poor lighting, thus one can see it is imperative to perfect lighting in the office. One can even use lighting to further enhance the office, by utilising different types of lighting for different purposes or to zone different areas and reinforce your brand. Oversized pendant lights above large tables can define a meeting space, while spotlights direct people through hallways. Low lighting in nooks and booths suggest privacy and warm light helps create relaxing break spaces. Natural light in office design has been influenced by the key trend of biophilic offices, which have been popular with those seeking to create an office that perpetuates wellbeing. Working off the principle that humans have an innate connection to nature, biophilic design incorporates natural elements into the workplace such as plants and wood and stone surfaces which studies have shown can be a real benefit to workers. For instance research from the Journal of Experimental Psychology revealed that adding one plant per square mile in an office made employees 15% more productive than those without plants. Plants also help improve air quality in the office, improving employee health. Managing noise is also important in office design and workplace wellbeing. The EU says that too much noise costs over £30bn a year in terms of lost working days, decreased productivity and healthcare costs. Prolonged exposure to loud noises can even spike blood pressure and increase heart rates. A study from the British Journal of Psychology indicated that being exposed to just one close by conversation reduces productivity 66%. In noisy offices, workers must actively attempt to block out sounds, which makes them less focused and can lead to more mistakes. With many UK businesses employing open plan offices, noise complaints are unsurprising and without taking steps to reduce noise levels, an open plan office can make clear communication harder, lead to distraction and feelings of frustration - the antithesis of its purpose. To counter noise, one does not have to move to a new office or implement a 44 Á Á 42-44.qxp_Layout 1 28/08/2019 10:44 Page 244 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / WORAWEE MEEPIAN complete redesign, instead new, strategically placed, furniture can help solve the problem by absorbing the noise at the source such as pods and high-backed sofas. Also useful is using screens, fabric, acoustic panels and desk dividers to block travelling noise. White noise machines can also be helpful in squashing harsh sounds as well as vinyl and carpet floors with a soundproofing underlay. Also becoming particularly important in office design, and thought of as central to wellbeing-orientated offices, is providing a range of areas for different working styles or functions such as collaborative working, quiet zones and break out spaces, the latter of which in particular becomes more important as the work life balance line gets more blurred. In doing this, employees are offered choice, which helps combat stagnation and dwindling creativity levels. Further, the variety is useful in pandering to the range of generations now in the office, from Baby Boomers to Generation Z who hold different expectations for the workplace. Staff are empowered, less confined, and the agile method can assist in increasing productivity and wellbeing by offering locations specifically for relaxation, focus, and teamwork. Keep an eye on all your business assets easily from wherever you are with Webeye’s automated alarm platform. Ask about the cost effective 24/7 security solutions from Webeye Call 0115 714 9990 webeyecms.com © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / KELLEHER PHOTOGRAPHY 42-44.qxp_Layout 1 28/08/2019 10:44 Page 3FEATURES IT & Communications Legal Services Warehousing & Distribution Supporting Business Growth Facilities Management REGULARS Commercial Property Corporate Hospitality Motoring Watch out too for the latest news from across the region in every sector Next month in October 2019 - Deadline 20th September Visit us at www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk where you’ll find the latest news as it breaks – and why not subscribe to our newsletters so you can have. the latest news emailed to your inbox 45.qxp_Layout 1 28/08/2019 10:45 Page 146 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk NETWORKING 19 steps to take in order to manifest your goals by Fiona Duncan-Steer, founder of RSViP Business Networking Agency 1. Identify your strengths and work towards developing them… every single day. 2. Recognise your limiting beliefs and work on removing them one by one. 3. Believe in yourself and your abilities – remember you won’t achieve unless you believe. 4. Take control of yourself and your mindset, you are in charge of your outcomes. 5. Stay focused and concentrate on creating patterns that last a lifetime. 6. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and those you can learn from – if you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room. 7. If opportunities present themselves say yes and figure it out later. 8. Take yourself out of your comfort zone on a regular basis – great things never came from comfort zones. 9. Follow your instincts, they are seldom wrong – no one knows you better than you know yourself. 10. Be kind to yourself and others – your subconscious mind hears everything you think and say. 11. Be mindful and in the present as much as possible – life is to be enjoyed, don’t miss a single moment of it. 12. Exercise patience – with yourself and others, a job isn’t worth doing unless it’s done properly. 13. Give yourself credit – recognise when you have achieved something great and don’t be afraid to tell others. If you don’t no one else will. 14. Be humble – modesty and self-preservation are attractive – no one likes a show-off. 15. Be creative – set yourself apart from others and don’t be afraid to be different, you are your USP. 16. Set targets, then work backwards in order to smash them – if you know what the end goal is, it’s just a case of figuring out which path you’re going to take in order to get there. 17. Share your goals with others – this will keep you accountable and focused. 18. Be realistic – don’t set yourself unachievable goals. Know your limitations and avoid putting yourself under too much pressure, break it down and work in stages. Small steps forward are better than no steps at all. 19. Do something that scares you every day – feel the fear and do it anyway! Fiona Duncan-Steer, Founder, RSViP Business Networking Agency, Writer, Business Coach www.fionaduncansteer.co.uk • www.rsvipnetwork.co.uk 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 28/08/2019 10:46 Page 146-47.qxp_Layout 1 28/08/2019 10:46 Page 2East Midlands Business Link's Directors Lunch 48 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk BUSINESS SCENE On 31st July, East Midlands Business Link's Directors Lunch took place at Restaurant Six – the brand new sixth floor restaurant and bar at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground. The sold out event, hosted in conjunction with Catena, presented an opportunity to meet with business leaders from across the region over elegant dining with a view over the famous sports venue and Nottingham. With the lunch selling out in a matter of weeks, highlighting demand, and even having a waiting list, the event is now due to become a regular item in the business calendar. The business lunch offered directors a chance to grow their network while enjoying Six’s modern British food menu involving Six starters, Six mains and Six desserts. Six’s team of chefs – inspired by the Michelin star chef to the stars, Tom Sellers, who has helped craft the menu – gave guests a dining experience not to be forgotten. Drinks at the event were sponsored by NNBC Financial. See the afternoon in the gallery of pictures taken by Steve Edwards of Autoholic Photography. 48-49.qxp_Layout 1 28/08/2019 10:53 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 49 BUSINESS SCENE DINE AT SIX ELEVATED DINING AT TRENT BRIDGE To make a booking call 0115 6717 666 or visit restaurantsix.co.uk 48-49.qxp_Layout 1 28/08/2019 10:53 Page 2Next >