Manchester-based cladding specialist Vivalda Group has been identified as one of London Stock Exchange Group’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ 2019. Despite the current economic uncertainly and the impact of the Grenfell Tower tragedy on the building industry, Vivalda has continued to push for greater transparency and leadership within the cladding sector by maintaining its policy of supplying only non-combustible facades to high rise buildings.

The £34m turnover company was founded in 1999 and has a strong track record of investment in both people and equipment. Working closely with building contractors and architects across the UK and Ireland, Vivalda has campaigned for a more robust, evidence-based test regime for cladding systems.

A celebration of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses (SMEs), the Stock Exchange award further confirms Vivalda’s enviable reputation as the UK’s largest independent supplier of high-performance cladding to buildings across the UK, Scotland and Ireland. With offices in nine locations, the business has pioneered the use of off-site fabrication within the construction supply chain – providing modular housing manufacturers with complete cladding solutions.

Peter Johnson, chairman of Vivalda, said: “Our policy of supplying only certified, non-combustible claddings to high rise buildings has given our customers peace of mind by simplifying what was previously a complicated specification process. This has given us credibility, positioning us in the market to provide non-combustible cladding to the 400 high rise buildings that still require remediation work.”

“Industry experts estimate that the total repair bill will be as high as £2bn as landlords strip off inferior cladding and replace with fully tested materials, providing long-overdue peace of mind to their anxious residents,” concluded Johnson.

The business currently boasts an annual turnover of £34m and continues to outgrow construction industry norms, based on its uncompromising focus on product safety combined with added value services to both architects & contractors.

Group chairman, Peter Johnson, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have had our efforts noticed by the LSE for a third year running. This recognition is a real feather in our cap and is a reflection of the hard work, dedication and passion demonstrated by Vivalda’s people up and down the country. We pride ourselves on going that extra mile for customers, supplying cut-to-size, fully prepared cladding that is both safe and aesthetically pleasing.

“All of our fabrication facilities are equipped with the latest CNC cutting machines, dust extraction systems and our new delivery fleet conforms to the latest emissions standards – we believe that sustained profits only follow planned and long-term investment in people, skills and equipment.”

Manchester has become the first city outside London to see the launch of IQOS Heated Tobacco technology. Two new IQOS stores have opened in St Ann’s Square and Princess Street, with heated tobacco sticks (called ‘HEETS’) now available in 50+ retailers across the city. A specialist local team has been recruited to help Greater Manchester’s 360,000 smokers understand how best to switch from cigarettes to less harmful alternatives.

Expansion in Manchester follows the successful launch of IQOS in London with device sales reaching a total of 100,000 over the past two years.

IOQS heated tobacco is a new technology that allows smokers to heat rather than burn tobacco. This removes on average 95% of the harmful toxins found in traditional cigarette smoke. IQOS is the result of £4bn research and development investment by Philip Morris International over the past decade. There are now over 10 million IQOS consumers globally.

Recent research by Frontier Economics estimates that Greater Manchester will not go completely smoke free until 2034. Other parts of England, such as Bristol and York, are due to go smoke free a decade earlier.

Peter Nixon, Managing Director of Philip Morris Limited, believes expanding IQOS will help the 1 in 6 people who smoke in Manchester switch from cigarettes to smoke-free alternatives at a much faster rate.

He said: “I am confident that IQOS will be a game changer for smokers in Manchester with heated tobacco technology offering a better alternative to cigarettes. This new product has been developed following £4bn of investment and a decade of research. I believe the impact of IQOS could accelerate Manchester into becoming a smoke-free city.”

Representatives from Greater Manchester’s business community took a very Mancunian message to London as part of the recent Geatahead festival.

Hosted on June 14th at the Omeara live music venue near London Bridge, Getahead is a fast-growing not-for-profit mental health event with a 25-year plan to positively impact a billion people.

Getahead 2019 featured a wide range of expert speakers, practical productivity workshops and interactive activities which linked together mindfulness, workplace wellbeing and better financial health.

A special discussion panel, entitled Profit, Planet, People – how Greater Manchester is embracing inclusive growth to transform its communities and empower its people, was also part of this year’s programme.

Taking part were Richard Jeffrey, Director of Business Growth at the Growth Company, Elizabeth Vega, Group CEO of Altrincham-based Informed Solutions, Patricia Keating, Executive Director of Tech Manchester, and Neil Robinson, Group CSR & Future Airspace Director for Manchester Airport Group (MAG).

The aim of the session was to showcase the rapid progress Greater Manchester is making on the adoption of inclusive growth as a guiding, strategic principle.

Inclusive growth is based on the idea that economic growth driven by business can also greatly benefit local communities, and the wider conurbation as a whole, without compromising commercial success.

Some of the key drivers to achieving this include investing in employees, buying locally whenever possible, reducing a company’s environmental impact, offering local employment and training opportunities, and being a good corporate citizen.

Greater Manchester is considered to be leading the UK in terms of how it is embedding the principles of inclusive growth into the way it does business, and how it is now permeating every aspect of public policy and public investment.

The Profit, Planet, People panel gave the Greater Manchester-based participants the chance to explain what they were doing within their respective organisations with regards to inclusive growth, and how it was benefitting their business and their local communities.

To set the scene Richard Jeffery explained how Greater Manchester’s commitment to inclusive growth had come about through discussions with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

He also outlined how the Growth Company was now cascading the inclusive growth message though its own operating companies, and the thousands of business customers they in turn support.

Richard Jeffery also gave details of the evolving GM Good Employment Charter which sets out to help local companies drive growth and generate more ‘good jobs’ through responsible business practices.

‘Good jobs’ are those that are considered sustainable, fairly paid, secure and that help to generate prosperity in the wider community.

The different panellists then described the range of projects they have developed which look to encourage their own staff to be positive employees and productive citizens.

They also talked about programmes and initiatives they support or run which engage positively with their respective local communities.

Richard Jeffrey said of the event: “We called the session Profit, Planet, People because they are the fundamental building blocks of any thriving, successful and just society.

“Research has further shown that companies which recognise the importance of these elements, which also underpin the principles of inclusive growth, can maintain a profitable, growing business while also making a positive social impact.

“It was therefore fantastic that Greater Manchester was given a prestigious platform at the Getahead festival to explain what we are doing, how we are doing it, and why it matters, to a national audience.

“I would also like to thank all of the participants who brilliantly articulated the different steps they themselves are taking to help make Greater Manchester a stronger, fairer and more resilient place  commercially, culturally and socially.

“As a result of this event I hope that some of our insights have inspired others to consider how an inclusive growth strategy could benefit them.”

Key Travel, the international travel management company dedicated to the travel needs of not-for-profit organisations, has moved its Manchester headquarters to St James’ Building on Oxford Street  after strong business growth led to the expansion of the team.

The company, which works with clients in the humanitarian, faith and education sectors, has taken the entire ninth floor at St James’ which means that the operations and administration departments now share one 20,000 sq ft office – as opposed to being spread across four offices at its previous location in Lowry House.

Commercial property specialists Matthews & Goodman advised Key Travel in the search to find new space and advised on lease negotiations with Bruntwood, the landlord at St James’ Building.

The new office is designed to reflect Key Travel’s values of Impact, Simplicity and Compassion. The office has four zones named after the four continents where Key Travel does most business – Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. There are also business lounges, meeting rooms and collaborative working areas named after some of the landmarks it sends groups to such as Everest, Mount Fuji and Lake Victoria. The theme of each zone also features displays of curiosities and object d’art sourced from local charities.

Meanwhile, the employees’ rest and kitchen area is named the Beehive, in recognition of the office’s Manchester location and all the furniture is either recycled from its previous office, or ethically sourced to be 100% renewable. Staff will also have access to an outside terrace.

Megan Cameron, Key Travel’s Property and Facilities Manager, who led the relocation project said: “Our success and subsequent growth in the last 12 months meant we had outgrown our previous offices. The space at St James’ gave us a blank canvas, albeit with challenges set by a building dating back to 1912 featuring low ceilings and no raised floors.

“Our new office co-locates our UK team in one space in an inspiring environment. This enables them to identify better with the travel needs of our unique customers and to demonstrate their compassion more effectively. Co-location also promotes better collaboration and simplifies work-flows, improving our efficiency in supporting clients who are making a positive impact on communities across the world.”

Matthews & Goodman Partner David Laws, who led the team’s search for the new office, as well as the lease negotiations, added: “The Key Travel team were very clear about the operational requirements for their new offices, as well as its need to reflect their brand and corporate values. I believe their new offices tick all those boxes.”

The interior design, build and delivery of the workspace was carried out by ADT Workplace.  Stacey Charlesworth, Design Director at ADT Workplace, commented: “By working closely with the team at Key Travel, we were able to design an inspiring and unique environment which is tailored to the organisation’s needs and aspirations with nods to travel throughout, for example a distinctive Tuk Tuk and luggage tables, as well as reflecting the company’s strong brand personality.”

Slater and Gordon, which has an office in Manchester, has become one of the world’s first companies to deploy Microsoft Managed Desktop, a new service that modernises workplace computing with Microsoft-backed security.

The agreement is part of a wider investment by Slater and Gordon in new technology intended to transform how it provides consumer legal services. Last year, the company announced plans to spend £30 million broadening and digitising its work.

With Microsoft Managed Desktop, colleagues at Slater and Gordon can now bring consumer-focused legal services directly to customers and immediately access key information on Surface laptops that Microsoft manages, updates and protects.

Many organisations struggle to stay up to date with Microsoft security and feature updates to Windows and Office, leaving their systems exposed to wilful or accidental data breaches through known vulnerabilities.

Microsoft Managed Desktop solves this problem by updating the desktop management environment and giving user devices the latest versions of Microsoft 365, a suite of industry-leading security, productivity and collaboration tools. Microsoft manages and protects the devices directly over the internet, while streamlining the device user experience for reliability, security, and performance.

For Slater and Gordon, the system leverages Microsoft’s global security infrastructure, artificial intelligence and automation tools to maintain and proactively protect the desktop environment. As a result, customers have the most convenient access to legal services, as well as confidence in the privacy and security of their information, backed by Microsoft.

Chris Gibbons, Slater and Gordon’s Head of Architecture and Security, said: “Data security has rightly become a top priority for all companies – particularly those in the legal sector. We take it incredibly seriously here at Slater and Gordon. Microsoft Managed Desktop gives us industry-leading security, plus an adaptable and flexible platform that suits our agile working culture.”

The new service is also enabling Slater and Gordon to push ahead with efforts to introduce agile ways of working for staff. The company recently relocated its London office to 90 High Holborn – a modern and flexible workspace, designed to cater for agile and collaborative working.

David Whitmore, Slater and Gordon’s Chief Executive, said: “If legal service providers are to meet the demands of consumers in the years to come, we have to continually look for ways of being more flexible and innovative. That way of thinking also applies to how we as organisations work. That’s why we are looking to harness new technology, such as Microsoft Managed Desktop, to enable us to work smarter and more efficiently for our customers.

“This new technology allows us to produce services that better suit our clients’ needs and, importantly, also create the best working environment our colleagues want in a modern company.”

Bill Karagounis, General Manager, Microsoft Managed Desktop, said: “Slater and Gordon have a clear vision about how getting modern will drive their core business, and that’s exactly what we’re looking for among early adopters of Microsoft Managed Desktop. We have transformed desktop maintenance into a commodity function that frees up overburdened IT teams so they can better innovate and help users stay productive.”

A MediaCityUK-based company has been selected by the Home Office Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) directorate to support the delivery of a new Strategic Operating Model (SOM).

Mason Advisory, a leading provider of IT Consultancy and Advisory Services, has been tasked with supporting and enabling DDaT to deliver flexibly against changing priorities using a coherent and informed governance approach, and build on existing capabilities developing a strong brand and reputation for efficient and effective delivery.

Mason Advisory, recently listed in the London Stock Exchange’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report, was selected from more than 50 applicants as the preferred partner to deliver the £3.7m contract across a two-year period.

“The ability to combine all of the workstreams that form a successful transformation rests heavily on understanding the human side of business change”, said Duncan Swan, Managing Director – Public Sector at Mason Advisory.  “And that really does play to our core strengths at Mason Advisory.  Of course, we’re delighted to have been given this opportunity to help the Home Office transform its delivery capabilities – more than that, we’re already enjoying our initial interactions with the Home Office team and share a common goal of ensuring the Strategic Operating Model for DDaT is delivered successfully.  It really matters; it is core to achieving the value for money outcomes we all expect Government”.

The engagement will see Mason Advisory working with DDaT programme team to commission, assure and support a programme of change across the merged Home Office Digital and Home Office Technology functions. The implementation of the SOM aims to improve value for money, ensure effective delivery of customer needs and improve organisational effectiveness. The engagement will require Mason Advisory to coordinate across the initiatives and engage with senior DDaT stakeholders including the Chief DDaT Officer and her senior management team.

Mason Advisory was selected from 51 applicants based on its extensive experience in supporting the delivery of multi-workstream programmes for complex organisations, such as central government departments, its proficiency in implementing organisation design, its excellent business change and communication skills, as well as its understanding of complex stakeholder environments and its familiarity in working closely with senior leaders.

Now in its fifth year of operation, Mason Advisory has customers from well-known brands across multiple sectors, including finance, life sciences, retail, FMCG, emergency services, health, energy, water, education, government and transport. Last month, the company was featured in the London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2019 and earlier this year was recognised by the Financial Times as one of the fastest growing companies in Europe and one of the leading management consultancies in the UK. It was awarded the Queen’s award for Enterprise in the international trade category and was also recognised by Great Place to Work as a centre of Excellence in Wellbeing.

“Over the last five years the Mason Advisory brand has become synonymous with the delivery of high-quality consultancy in challenging environments. The skill and expertise of our specialist consultants means that we are able to provide intelligent solutions to complex business challenges time and time again,” added Duncan. “This latest Government contract comes on the back of a successful year for the company delivering projects for high-profile clients and receiving industry recognition. We hope to continue this success over the coming months and take the company from strength to strength.”