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Chris Plant will be joining Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce full time from 14th March as deputy chief executive.

Chris has been working at the Chambers on a part-time basis since 2014, heading up the membership, marketing and events teams. During this time, Chris has also been divisional director for Cannock Chase and Burton & District at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, a position he has held for the past ten years.

Chris started his career as an apprentice marketing and events coordinator for Southern Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce in 2008, having also previously worked in business support for Lichfield District Council.

After moving to Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce as marketing manager, Chris was approached for a senior role as divisional director for both the Cannock and Burton Chambers, a position he has dedicated himself to for the last 10 years.

Chris said: “I am, and have always been, Chamber through and through. The Chamber has invested in me, and I am privileged to have been offered a position, I just couldn’t refuse, as deputy chief executive at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce.

“The last few years have been the toughest in decades for business. During my time working in the Chamber movement, I have seen businesses face a financial crisis, the division and uncertainty caused by Brexit and the pandemic.

“Business support has never been more crucial, and Chambers play a huge, understated role in bridging the gap between business and the government as well as providing world class services and support.

“It was a career highlight and an honour to be a part of the team at Staffordshire Chambers that was named Chamber of the Year at the British Chambers of Commerce’s annual Chamber Business Awards 2021.

“I am now looking forward to working with Sara Williams and the Staffordshire Chambers team, supporting Staffordshire’s great businesses and strengthening our economy.”

Sara Williams said: “Chris and I were both lucky enough to have worked for a great boss, Peter Ralphs, from whom we both learned a lot.  Peter was the chief executive of both Liverpool and South Staffordshire Chambers.”

“He has been a real asset to the Chambers these past few years and I am delighted he accepted the offer to come to us on a full-time basis. Chris already has the respect of his team and our members and his passion for supporting business will be a great asset.”

Last week, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for a step-by-step move away from the import of Russian fuel. This means that the UK has mirrored the decisions made by the US to phase out the import of Russian oil and oil products by the end of 2022.

As the price of petrol increased by 8p in just one week, now standing at £1.61 per litre, and the price for diesel hit £1.70 a litre, businesses across the nation have expressed their concern at the mounting pressure that increases to energy and fuel has put them under.

Russia is the world’s second-largest crude oil exporter behind only Saudi Arabia, and as many European countries have imposed economic sanctions on the country, there are fears that Vladimir Putin could respond by limiting supplies. Whilst the UK only imports around 5-6% of gas from Russia, rising global gas prices have led to the current UK energy crisis. It is important to note that although our supply of gas is currently unaffected, the price that consumers are paying has led to an increase in their total energy bills.

MP Robert Halfon commented on the situation regarding fuel prices stating that the surge in prices has meant that Hauliers are paying £120 more since February 2021 and white-van men and women are spending an extra £25 every time they fill up.

Sara Williams, CEO of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “With the ongoing crisis in the cost of living and with the inflation expected to reach 8 per cent later this month, it is almost inevitable that the decision to phase out the Russian import of oil will have a knock-on impact on businesses, causing them to struggle to cope.

“Many businesses felt a sense of relief when the remaining Covid restrictions were removed and hoped that this would be the first step in the route to returning to normality. However, the rise in inflation, interest rates and fuel and energy prices has caused some businesses to raise their concerns regarding financial stability over the coming few months.

“Despite these issues being of great concern to both businesses and communities, it is heartwarming to see the way that so many people have united to stand against dictatorship and have supported the people of Ukraine.”

As the government is providing domestic support on energy bills, we now urge them to provide the same support for businesses as well as lowering fuel duty or VAT in order to help both businesses and communities across the nation cope with the increasing financial pressures.

Lowering Carbon Emissions

Chambers across the network are in full support of the government’s plans to cut carbon emissions by 2030. Over half of all commuting trips are made by car in England alone, generating 11 million tonnes of CO2 emissions every day. Businesses and employers have a key part to play in facilitating zero-carbon commuting within their teams, offering alternative options such as the cycle to work scheme, hybrid or remote working and salary sacrifice schemes for electric vehicles.

As much as we are all so relieved to see the end of Covid restrictions, the pandemic has shown that as a society we have the propensity for change, and this is a great time for us to cut down on carbon emissions whilst being economical.

For any business queries or issues regarding the recent surge in fuel costs, get in touch with rhouda.elalfy@staffordshirechambers.co.uk, alternatively, call 01782 202222.

The British Chambers of Commerce has downgraded its expectations for UK GDP in 2022 from 4.8% to 3.6%. With rising raw material costs, the increase in the energy price cap, the reversal of the hospitality VAT cut, and upward pressure on energy and commodity prices from the impact of Russia’s invasion on Ukraine, the CPI inflation is expected to increase to a peak of 8% in Q2 2022.

It’s also expected that UK inflation will remain higher for longer due to the impact of the invasion alongside rising raw material costs. Further to this, UK interest rates have been projected to double over the course of the year from 0.5% to 1%, however, with the current inflationary spike, higher interest rates are expected to do little to curb further increases in inflation.

Sara Williams, CEO of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “The latest BCC forecast has demonstrated a significant deterioration in the UK’s economic outlook. Businesses are juggling rising cost pressures, higher national insurance and corporation tax rates which will continue to weigh down on their investment plans. This also comes at a time when some businesses are still struggling to export goods due to the post-Brexit trade friction.

“Whilst the remainder of Covid restrictions are due to end next month, the impact of Covid restrictions are still affecting businesses, alongside Brexit and the invasion of Ukraine which have all led to the creation of an increasingly unbalanced economy. Such economic imbalances will undoubtedly leave the UK more exposed to economic shocks. The projections announced for the UK economy have highlighted the critical challenges facing businesses, communities and households and it is essential that the Government acts quickly to support both UK businesses and the wider economy.”

With the Chancellors’ Spring Statement due to be announced later this month, Staffordshire Chambers in conjunction with Chambers across the network have urged the Chancellor to delay the National Insurance rise, as well as introduce a temporary energy price cap for smaller firms to protect them from the increase in energy prices. We also urge the government to commit to no further policy measures that will increase costs for businesses for the remainder of this parliament.

It is now critical that the government’s Supply Chain Advisory Group and Industry Taskforce continue to work with firms to deliver practical solutions and ease the supply and labour shortages that have continued to drive the upward pressure on businesses.

If you want to talk to us about any business issues, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or email: rhouda.elalfy@staffordshirechambers.co.uk.

Tuesday 8th March is International Women’s Day, a worldwide event that celebrates women’s achievements – from the political to the economic, and the social. But it is so much more than a celebration, it is a reminder that bias, prejudice and inequality exist, and the burden falls on women. It is an opportunity to reaffirm that we will fight for equality for all.

It is so poignant that the day has its roots in events in New York in 1909 when a Ukraine-born suffragist named Clara Lemlich demanded better pay and conditions and shorter working hours for the female workers at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York. Despite intimidation and physical harassment almost 20,000 garment workers went on strike in February 1909. The following year, The Socialist Party of America announced the first National Women’s Day in honour of these workers and an international movement was born.

A 100 years later it is still needed. How? We have equality legislation, and we have movements that advocate equal rights for many different identities. Women are 52 percent of the population and are still not getting the basics –the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2020 has predicted women and men will have equal pay in 257 years – an increase from the 202 years forecast in 2018.

As an individual, a businessperson and as someone who has always considered myself a feminist, I feel we can do more. Visit internationalwomensday.com for ideas on how you can fight for women’s rights and support your colleagues.

Until I once described some of the experiences I have had as a woman to a friend, I had thought that I was lucky and hadn’t experienced any difference or been affected by my gender. Then I realised that what I saw and felt as normal, was only normal because I was a woman, and a man would never stand for it. And I have always felt lucky. I saw that I was as guilty of not calling out bias, prejudice, and mistreatment, even for myself, and so how much worse is it for women who are not so lucky with their lives. It reinforced my resolve to fight for women’s rights.

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is #BreakTheBias which centres around calling out gender bias, discrimination and stereotyping each time it occurs.

Whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes everything unfair. And bias against women is hardwired into our economy and society. Read Invisible Women | Caroline Criado Perez for a brilliant, life-changing analysis of how the world sees women and how this affects everyone in ways of which you are unaware.

I have tried to support and encourage women in the workplace. We work with women across the globe (Endorse the Women’s Empowerment Principles | UN Global Compact) through the Chambers’ international network and we are working to have equal numbers of men and women at events, on our governance bodies, as speakers and across our programmes. This is a start.

This month we will also be making sure that we are working to deliver support on Un SDG Goal 5 Gender Equality and I am really proud of the free event we are running #BreakTheBias event for International Women’s Day at Vale Park on Tuesday 8th March.

The event will feature influential and informative speakers including the teacher, author and charity founder, Charlie Beswick.

Charlie founded the ‘More Than a Face’ charity that helps raise awareness of facial disfigurement and promotes understanding, acceptance, and inclusion. Charlie’s book, ‘Our Altered Life’, is an account of how she came to terms with a life she never expected and went on to feature on Sky TV, Good Morning Britain and in the national press.

Head of Leadership, Learning and Talent at the Ministry of Defence Lianne Al-Khadi BEM Lianne ensures that over 24,000 military and civilian personnel have access to the tools they need to reach their goals. Lianne was awarded a British Empire Medal for her work during the pandemic, organising the production of 3,500 items of protective equipment for NHS and care workers.

Staffordshire born Barbara Anne Griffiths was made redundant when Dairy Farmers of Britain went into receivership. She used the opportunity to launch Dairy Link – a service to help small dairies and milkmen be part of big tenders for local authority and school milk contracts. Dairy Link now supports hundreds of milkmen across the country. As an active Milk4Life campaigner, she is contributing to working to end to child food poverty.

The event will also highlight our Boosting Women in Business programme available to all women looking to transition into the world of self-employment. Our next Boosting Women in Business cohort is set to launch on 28th April. Find out more.

If you want to talk to us about any business issues, including funding, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Despite the PM stating that 430,000 more people are now in work compared to before the pandemic, the head of the UK Statistics Authority, Sir David Norgrove, said that the number of people in work was estimated to be 660,000 fewer than before the pandemic. He suggested that the Prime Minister had excluded the fall in self-employment numbers when making the claim.

Through the Staffordshire Chambers Employment, Skills and HR Forum, our members have highlighted the difficulty to find good quality staff as well as retaining the current staff that they have. The number of job vacancies from November 2021 to January 2022 rose to a new record of 1,298,400 which is an increase of 513,700 from its pre-coronavirus level (ONS data). Firms are struggling to attract and retain talent and the situation has been made more difficult due to the pandemic, as more workers are keen to be employed by a company that offers flexibility. The pandemic has created a need for new jobs with new demand.

Sara Williams, CEO of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “The skills and staff shortages which are being experienced by firms in different sectors across the nation has been ongoing for the last few years due to Brexit and the pandemic.

“Employers understand how difficult it is to get good quality employees who have a sense and purpose towards the business, and with the job market being so buoyant the fear of losing reliable and skilled workers is increasing.

“Chambers across the network have been urging the government to help people access rapid retraining opportunities for in-demand jobs so that businesses have access to skilled workers at a much faster rate. It is also critical that more support is provided for older workers to pivot to more sustainable jobs in a progressive workforce.”

So why are unemployment rates the highest they have been since the start of the pandemic if there are so many jobs in the market?

In the current job market, employees have the opportunity to be more demanding. Businesses are finding that fewer young people are applying to vacant positions than before. One of the reasons suggested has been due to the fact that places of education encourage younger people to stay in education rather than discuss job opportunities and apprenticeships.

It is important that firms are able to meet the needs of their employees so that they can ensure that their workforce is as productive as it can be. However, some firms, especially those in the manufacturing and construction sectors, fear that despite offering apprenticeships and higher salaries, fewer people are willing to work in sectors that struggle to offer flexibility such as remote and hybrid working or flexible hours.

Staffordshire Chambers is keen to connect businesses with places of education so that young people are aware of the job opportunities available to them and the progression that they can make by working within certain sectors. Key partnerships are crucial at this time as improving the UK workforce will support the country’s productivity and international competitiveness.

On Monday this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the Living with Covid plan, which will end all remaining Covid restrictions.

This includes the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test and will see the end of contact tracing, as well as the need for fully vaccinated close contacts to test for seven days.

And, from 1st April, the testing programme is being significantly scaled back with the end of free lateral flow tests.

The ending of restrictions is broadly welcomed by the Chambers and businesses battered by two years of crisis caused by the pandemic. However, the Government now needs to set out practical steps to help businesses adjust to the lifting of remaining restrictions, which while providing a boost to consumer confidence, leave several helpful questions for businesses unanswered.

Whilst lifting restrictions will likely boost consumer confidence and further revitalise an economy, the Prime Minister was also right to stress the dangers associated with the emergence of new variants and the need for considered pragmatism.

The removal of free mass testing will please Treasury officials in the short term but does little to assure us that any future spread of the virus will be contained without the testing infrastructure in place that’s worked so well over the last two years.

Business also needs clear guidance on employer liabilities and the removal of Covid-19 from risk assessments; otherwise, they could face lengthy and costly legal battles, which could dampen recovery prospects.

Firms are still struggling with huge overheads and price pressures – removing national restrictions won’t suddenly make these issues disappear.

The Government needs to use the upcoming Spring Statement to set out a blueprint on how they will tackle problems such as financial support for those struggling to pay energy bills, maintain lower VAT levels, and consider further reform of the business rates system. Also, the Government must not pass public decisions on to business owners, who are not public health experts.

We will continue to interpret how these changes are likely to impact Staffordshire businesses and press the Government to provide the details required to give businesses the confidence they need to look ahead with a renewed sense of optimism.

If you have any concerns or issues you would like to raise around the ending of Covid restrictions, please email info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk or join the discussion in our Virtual Members’ Lounge at Virtual Members’ Lounge.

The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative

This week we have planted a tree at Commerce House as our contribution to supporting the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) initiative.

The QGC is a unique tree planting initiative that has been created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, inviting people from across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”.

Everyone from individuals to voluntary youth groups, villages, cities, counties, schools and corporates are encouraged to play their part to enhance our environment by planting trees during the official planting season between October 2021 and March 2022. Tree planting will commence again in October 2022, through to the end of the Jubilee year.

With a focus on planting sustainably, the initiative encourages tree planting to create a legacy in honour of The Queen’s leadership of the nation, which will benefit future generations.

As well as inviting the planting of new trees, The Queen’s Green Canopy will dedicate a network of 70 ancient woodlands across the United Kingdom and identify 70 ancient trees to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service. To find out more about the QGC, click here.

Cop 26 last November already seems a distant memory, especially as global events have recently moved on. Still, we must act in our business and home environments as we move towards Net-Zero.

We must continue to develop the green infrastructure to help nurture human wellbeing, nature and biodiversity, which will all, in turn, play their part in improving our air quality.

And a special mention goes to Chamber members DJ Ventures for their help with planting the tree.

To find out more about the QGC, click here.

More information about our Environmentally Conscious Staffordshire Campaign can be found at: Environmentally Conscious Staffordshire – Staffordshire Chambers

If you want to talk to us about any business issues, including funding, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk