Archive for February, 2007 Page 2 of 3

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Supplier Matching Service - an opportunity to win business

Published
by
Business Link
on 23 February, 2007
in News & Opportunities
. 0 Comments

From April 2007, in line with Business Link’s Brokerage model of impartial business support, the Supplier Matching Service (SMS) will be Business Link’s only source of information on suppliers.  We will use this web-based database exclusively to search for the appropriate suppliers for our clients.

Business Link would like to invite you to register on to the Supplier Matching Service (SMS) before April 2007 so that your company will not miss out on the opportunity to be considered for delivery of business support to our clients as soon as the Service goes live.

Business Links in other parts of the country are already using the Supplier Matching Service.  It will now be rolled out across all Business Links in the SWRDA (South West of England Regional Development Agency) network - greatly expanding the potential business opportunities for your business*.

For more information on SMS and how to register go to http://www.suppliermatching.co.uk/

Or contact:

Zoe Bartlett - zoe.bartlett@businesswest.co.uk

Peter Weeks - peter.weeks@businesswest.co.uk

* A listing on the SMS database does not guarantee selection of your company for any work brokered out by Business Link.

Ten Ways To…Secure Alternative Sources of Finance

Published
by
Business Link
on 22 February, 2007
in Finance
. 0 Comments

Finance is the life-blood of every business. And access to appropriate funds is often what divides those that succeed from those that don’t.

Banks are an indispensable source of finance for a wide range of purposes, but it’s well worth looking into other options. In some cases, the alternatives can offer you greater flexibility. In others, they may be a lower-cost choice.

As with any financial decision, your main priority should be to think things through carefully and listen to reliable advice you’re offered. Don’t just jump at the first available source of finance. Start the process by setting out exactly what your business needs (ie how much money, for how long, to be repaid when and how).

The clearer you are about your financing needs, the more sense you’ll be able to make of the options open to you.

Read Ten Ways To… Secure alternative sources of finance

A WEEE reminder for producers

Published
by
Business Link
on 14 February, 2007
in Legislation & Regulations
. 0 Comments

Companies who produce electrical and electronic equipment are reminded by the Environment Agency to register in order to comply with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations.

Liz Parkes, Head of Waste at the Environment Agency, said: “From 1 July 2007, producers of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) will be responsible for paying for the treatment and recycling of products at the end of their life.
“Many producers will not have the facilities to do this themselves and so will join a compliance scheme. These schemes will help companies meet the requirements of the WEEE Regulations by collecting and recycling products on their behalf.

“We have now started to approve the compliance schemes that applied to us during January. Producers of EEE in England and Wales have until 15 March 2007 to join an approved scheme. We urge producers including manufacturers, rebranders and importers of EEE, to start exploring potential compliance schemes and join one as soon as possible in order to be ready for 1 July - ‘WEEE Day’.”

As part of the registration process, producers will need to pay a registration fee to the compliance scheme they would like to join and supply data on how much electrical and electronic equipment they placed on the market in 2006. They also need to say whether this equipment was for household or business use.

Each compliance scheme will then have until 31 March to register its members with the Environment Agency, which will issue each producer with a WEEE producer registration number. The producer will need to give this registration number to anyone who distributes or sells their products.

Liz Parkes continued: “As the main regulator for the WEEE regulations in England and Wales, we are working hard to meet the deadlines and to ensure producers fully understand their responsibilities. Used electrical and electronic goods form one of the fastest growing waste streams across the EU, expanding at three times the rate of general waste.

“With most of this type of waste being landfilled and very little being recycled, these regulations aim to minimise the end-of-life impacts of EEE on the environment and make sure it is dealt with in an environmentally responsible manner.”

For further information on approved compliance schemes and the WEEE regulations, visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk/weee or contact the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506.

HR Need to Know - employee training, age discrimination, references

Published
by
Business Link
on 9 February, 2007
in HR & People Development
. 0 Comments

Q: What are my obligations when it comes to employee training?

A: The training you offer your employees, either in-house or by using external suppliers, is a matter for you. You should be aware, though, that this is an issue that’s moving up the political agenda, so change is possible. The Government’s recently appointed Skills Envoy has said UK work skills are falling behind our international competitors and that urgent action is needed. He has threatened new regulation if businesses don’t ensure within the next three years that all their employees can read, write and use a computer comfortably.

Read our short guide to using training effectively

Q: Do my employees have to retire when they reach a certain age?

A: Last year saw the introduction of new rules prohibiting age-related discrimination. However, the Government kept in place a default retirement age of 65, which means employers can retire employees any time after that point without fear of being accused of unfair dismissal. This is not the end of the story, though. The default retirement provision has now been challenged, and a final decision is unlikely to emerge from the courts within the next 18 months. Bear in mind also that looming pensions problems make it likely that over the coming years the Government will wish to start encouraging employees to keep working longer into their old age.

Read our short guide to discrimination

Q: Does it matter what I write in an employee reference?

A: Tread carefully when putting anything in writing about an employee, even when they have left and are looking for a reference when moving to a new employer. Bear in mind that what you write may be covered by a wide range of legislation, from data protection rules that limit the personal information you can divulge, to anti-discrimination regulations. If in doubt, have your reference checked by your legal adviser. Remember that you are not obliged to provide references, but it is an almost universal practice and failing to provide one might unfairly cast a very poor light on your former employee.

Read our short guide to performance appraisals

Environmental issues move up the business agenda

Published
by
Business Link
on 9 February, 2007
in Legislation & Regulations and Strategy & Operations
. 0 Comments

There is no escaping the issue of climate change these days, and businesses are under no doubt that customers, employees and regulators expect them to do more to protect the environment.

A recent report from polling organisation Ipsos Mori highlights the importance employees attach to the environmental credentials of their employers. Almost nine out of ten (86 per cent) say they feel it is important that employers act responsibly towards society and the environment.

Meanwhile, further regulatory action to promote environmental best-practice can be expected. New rules governing the disposal of waste electrical equipment (the so-called ‘WEEE Directive’) are slowly being implemented, and the Government has begun consulting on proposals to strengthen the penalties for businesses that contaminate water or land, or cause damage to biodiversity.

Further information:

Your business and the environment

Using energy efficiently

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