Overseas buyers pay a premium for ‘Made in Britain’ products

According to research commissioned by Barclays Corporate Banking, exported goods with a ‘Made in Britain’ label attract a higher premium than goods with no label of origin. The research also revealed that 31% of consumers in new and expanding markets have knowingly paid a premium for ‘Made in Britain’ products, compared to just 14% of consumers in developed markets. Rebecca McNeil, Head of Business Lending at Barclays Corporate Banking, stated: “While British businesses are currently reliant on the EU and the USA for the majority of their exports, they are well placed to expand into new and emerging markets. The report shows that the biggest premiums for British branded goods will be paid in these markets, not the developed markets.”
For more information about the research, go to:
http://www.newsroom.barclays.com/Press-releases/New-research-shows-huge-export
-value-of-Brand-Britain-to-British-business-bc4.aspx

Businesses should check software licensing agreements

_________________________________________________________________________

Businesses that permit staff to use personal devices for work purposes should check whether the use of software purchased by the company is allowed on these devices, according to guidance developed by the National Technical Authority for Information Assurance and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure. The guidance also reminds companies that they, rather than their staff, are responsible for ensuring data is protected, and supports the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recommendation that every company should have a ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) policy that explains exactly when staff are permitted to share data from their personal devices.
The guidance is available in full at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bring-your-own-device-guidance

Food labelling system under investigation by EU

_________________________________________________________________________

The European Union (EU) has instructed authorities in the UK to address complaints about the British ‘traffic light’ food classification system. The ‘traffic light’ system, which is optional for producers of  food, labels products with red, yellow or green symbols to indicate fat, salt and sugar content to consumers. However, complaints have been  received from countries including France, Spain and Italy about the system being too simplistic, and failing to distinguish between junk food and traditional Mediterranean products with naturally high levels of fat. The European Commission (EC) began an infringement procedure in February 2014, to determine whether the system complies with EU regulations on free movement of goods. Miguel Sagredo, an EC spokesman on industry and entrepreneurship, stated: “The concern that we have is that the system is likely to make the marketing of some products more difficult and therefore hinder or impede trade between EU countries.”
For more details about the investigation, go to:
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/food-agriculture.y1l

E-commerce workshop at Maylands Business Centre

Failure to prevent financial crime may be criminalised

Companies that fail to prevent financial crime, including fraud and money laundering, could be prosecuted in the future, according to Attorney General Jeremy Wright. Describing the proposed new violation at a Cambridge symposium, Mr Wright advised the audience that it would be based on the Bribery Act 2010 offence of failing to prevent bribery. A company would be liable for failures of employees, agents, subsidiaries and business partners, although it would be a defence to show that the company had sufficient procedures in place to prevent the crime occurring.
Read more about the proposed offence at:
http://www.cipd.co.uk/pm/peoplemanagement/b/weblog/archive/2014/
10/02/possible-new-offence-of-failure-to-prevent-financial-crime.aspx

Small firms lack awareness of their credit scores

Experian’s SME Reputation Index has disclosed that the majority of decision-makers in smaller companies are unaware of what factors can influence the credit rating of their business. The survey of more than 500 financial decision-makers in small and medium-sized companies suggested that only 13% are aware of all the key factors that affect credit scores. It also revealed that only 41% have ever examined their business credit score, with 44% of those doing so more than six months ago. Two main factors that have a negative effect on credit scores are a history of bankruptcy and numerous applications for credit accounts over a short period of time. However, only 46% of small business owners were aware of the impact of these factors on their business credit rating. The survey also suggested that smaller companies in the UK were not aware of factors that can have a positive effect on the credit rating of a business, such as paying suppliers promptly.
For more information about the survey results, go to:
http://press.experian.com/United-Kingdom/Press-Release/over-19-
million-sme-have-limited-awareness-of-how-to-safeguard.aspx

Unannounced HSE construction site visits under way

HSE Construction Inspectors are conducting unannounced visits to construction sites between 22nd September and 17th October 2014. The reason for the visits, which are part of the HSE Construction Initiative, is to improve industry standards, demonstrate that HSE will exercise its enforcement powers to reduce  immediate risks, and extend awareness of the HSE’s expectations of the industry. HSE inspectors will be looking for competent management of health risks encompassing exposure to noise and manual handling, the correct installation of equipment, and  the organisation of construction sites for a safer environment.
For more information about the initiative, go to:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/Construction/campaigns/safersites/index.htm

New social impact tool available

A new online tool has been introduced to help businesses  evaluate their impact on society. The tool was devised by the Social Return on Investment (SROI) Network, in collaboration with consultancy firm Hall Aitken. Using the tool requires answering a simple seven stage questionnaire about how companies follow best practice principles, such as keeping stakeholders involved and providing transparent and accurate information. Users get a score which indicates  whether they are ready to apply for accreditation with SROI, or whether they need to make improvements. The tool also gives advice and support for business owners who are new to measuring social value. Commenting on the new tool, CEO of the SROI Network Jeremy Nicholls stated: “This tool is invaluable for anyone wanting to look at how fair and transparent their evaluation, measurement and accounting practices are.”
For more details about the new tool, go to:
http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/news/the-sroi-network-launches-assessment-tool-for-social-value

E-commerce workshop at Maylands Business Centre

Workshop at Maylands Business Centre on Wednesday 15th October £45.00

E-Commerce – Is it right for your business? – Course Outline

Duration: 3.5 Hours

Course Description: Are you thinking of taking your business online? Are you looking for support and guidance to see if you are ready and what is involved?.

This fast paced interactive session will be an overview of the practical, technical, personal and marketing aspects of taking your business online. We’ll look at the process from establishing if your business is right for e-commerce to getting yourself set up for it and sustaining growth.

Who should attend?
Business owners, managers, team leaders or other staff who are thinking of moving to or adding an additional online ecombusiness.

What will it cover?

Will my business model support ecommerce?
Building an ecom website, what you’ll need and considerations, to make your site build as effective as possible
The practicalities of running an ecom business
Promoting your business
What’s going to make you different from the competition
Building your ecom reputation for success in the future

Contact Christine 01442 531002 or email christine.cowlard@dacorum.gov.uk for more details

Funding for cyber security competition announced

A competition for small companies to develop their ideas for cyber security is to be granted £4 million of funding, Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced. The Government’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) will run the competition, which will begin in March 2015.  Funding will be provided to the companies with the best ideas for countering cyber security threats. The competition is open to small companies specifically, and the objective is  to assist small business owners to overcome the challenges of cyber security implementation, partner with industry experts and potentially expand their business. The competition is part of an overall government plan to achieve £2 billion worth of UK cyber security exports by 2016.
For more details about the competition, go to:
http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240230657/Vince-Cable-announces-4m-funding-for-cyber-security-SMEs