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New diversity tool launched
A unique benchmarking tool which will allow organisations to join up all areas of diversity and find out what is really delivering for both them and their peers has been launched.
E-quality, which is the only evaluation package of its kind, was launched last month by the Employers Forum on Age. It is a cross strand management tool which can be easily used to analyse performance on race, gender, age, religion & belief, sexual orientation and disability, delivering a clear overview of how the organisation is performing. It will help to identify gaps and weak areas and enable organisations to build up a picture year on year. Key features of e-quality include: analyses your performance across all areas of diversity; flexibility, enables you to track performance when it is most relevant to you; online and simple to complete: no collating reams of evidence; e-quality start up training and consultancy; and delivery of a comprehensive report to support your company in delivery diversity. For further information call The EFA on 0845 456 2495 or visit www. efa. org. uk / e-quality
Grant to help small companies become environmentally friendly
Small to Medium-sized Enterprises( SMEs) in the East Midlands are being urged to find out if they could be eligible for a £ 10,000 grant to help reduce energy costs and their environmental impact.
The East Midlands Development Agency’ s( emda’ s) resource efficiency campaign was launched last November and has already resulted in 250 companies contacting Business Link to find out how they can save money and improve their environmental credentials.
The grant funding will provide up to 50 % of the cost of changes. If you are a small business and are interested in finding out more, contact Business Link on 0845 058 6644 or email efficiency @ businesslinkem. co. uk
Small businesses matter, says ACCA
The small business sector could be under threat due to changes in the direction of Government policy, says the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants( ACCA). In a letter to Ministers at the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform( DBERR), the global accountancy body underlines the importance of small businesses to the UK economy. The letter also warns Government to not heed those lobbying for policies that focus more on larger established businesses. The ACCA says this may lead Government to“ neglect the real creators of employment, wealth and economic growth in the UK- small businesses.”
Head of small business affairs, Professor Robin
Shifting two hours a week from administrative duties to sales activities and carefully allocating activities between new business developers and account managers can mean a gain of millions in sales for companies, according to a study by Watson Wyatt, a leading global consulting firm. The 2008 Report on
Jarvis. Professor Jarvis, said:“ While many mediumsized businesses may well have the potential to grow, it is worth remembering that in the last five years for every job created by a medium-sized firm the small business sector created nearly 37.”
The Government is currently consulting on a possible enterprise bill to be introduced to Parliament and a 10-year strategy for enterprise. It appears that promoting internationalisation and business growth will be part of this. The ACCA says although there is nothing wrong with it, it says there needs to be a definite small business perspective in this bill.
More sales activity could be worth millions
Sales Effectiveness and Compensation found that just two hours more of sales activity a week could lead to as much as £ 11.5 million in additional revenue for a company with 180 new business developers.
The survey found that a majority of top-performing salespeople responsible for uk | engage ISSUE SIX 2008