President's Column: Greener future, Covid support and recruitment challenges
At a time for celebration and looking ahead with optimism to the New Year I would like to start this month with an issue I regard as vital for a happy and safe future, writes Jason Wouhra.
Carbon neutrality is probably one of the biggest problems facing mankind today and that is why in my business we have already started making our small but important contribution to saving the planet by being greener.
We were one of the first in the warehousing industry in the West Midlands to install solar panels on the roof. We have also been harvesting rainwater and we are using about 35 per cent extra natural lighting at our depots.
And now we 're looking at going even greener by removing chemicals from our cleaning products.
We are doing this because It is vital that businesses, the government and the public work together to help look after our planet for the sake of future generations.
Many other businesses from all sectors are now working their way to carbon neutrality and recognise the importance of net-zero emissions.
Electric cars are very much part of the future for Tata-owned Jaguar Land Rover in Greater Birmingham and are among the pioneers of this work. I wish them every success.
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OF ALL THE issues facing businesses today, we now have to cope with an increase in interest rates, which came as no surprise with inflation hitting a 10-year high this month.
This will, of course, have significant impact on business and no more so than for those of us in the supply chain.
The motivation for the Bank of England to increase rates for the first time in three years was on the assumption that less money would be spent on in-person activity because of the Plan B restrictions announced to combat the new Covid variant.
Now the emphasis is squarely on the shoulders of the Treasury to loosen fiscal policy and provide businesses with the financial support they need to get through the next few months.
The impact will have been felt immediately in the hospitality sector as we built up to the festive season.
So the government must not be seen to be asleep on the job by ensuring they are reactive and proactive in financial support of businesses being hit by a drop in demand. The £1 billion support for the hospitality sector announced by Chancellor Risih Sunak had a mixed response but was a step in the right direction.
Other measures the Chamber is lobbying hard for is the speeding up of the Business Rates Relief Fund and, of course, a reduction in VAT in the longer term.
Although many firms are hardened to riding out economic storms, these measures are critical if many businesses are going to be saved from collapse.
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AS WE FACE what the Prime Minister called a tsunami of Covid infections, the government must act quickly to support businesses.
And they could make an immediate impact in this direction by reintroducing the free supply of test kits for businesses and a reduction in the cost of PCR tests for travellers.
For those businesses suffering significant financial hardship, more flexibility in the repayment of CBILS (Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme) would also be a sensible move.
But the over-riding need now is for everyone to ensure that they have a booster jab for their own sake and to help businesses retain sufficient staff during this challenging period.
Booster jabs are being offered to everyone over 18 in England and it 's good to see that the government has brought in measures to help the effort, including deployment of the military.
We 'll need to work together to get this variant under control so I urge everyone to get a booster jab, wear your mask and use sanitiser liberally.
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MY BUSINESS, like many others, has been facing recruitment troubles - it 's difficult to find those looking for lower skilled roles.
This is a result of people not looking for work because of things like furlough, immigration rules and people not having the right skills or the right work ethic.
The difficulty of recruiting for warehouse roles is adding to the problems in businesses like mine and the logistics industry is also being severely disrupted by the shortage of lorry drivers.
I agree with the views of other people in my sector that the issue is finding the right people with the right skill set and with the attitude to do a really good job for our business.
The government have said that companies should focus on the UK workforce and make employment more attractive to domestic workers.
A decent level pay above minimum is a pre-requisite in any job but those candidates are also looking for a culture they can feel included in along with job opportunities for growth within the company 's vision.
We are working hard to differentiate ourselves from other employers by offering those training and career opportunities which lead to job security and satisfaction.
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FINALLY, over and above all of the vexing issues facing businesses I have highlighted above, I would like to close by wishing everyone a happy festive season and a prosperous 2022.
Jason Wouhra is president of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce, chair of the West Midlands India Partnership and chief executive of Lioncroft Wholesale Ltd T/A East End Wholesale.