Category: Business News

Kiverco, a family-owned business from County Tyrone in Northern Ireland, has secured multi-million-pound contracts to export recycling machinery to Saudi Arabia with the support of UK Export Finance (UKEF). UKEF has provided a £350,000 export insurance package that will help Kiverco to install new plants in Saudi Arabia. Kiverco designs and installs recycling plants that process and recover waste across various sectors, including construction, municipal waste, and dry mixed recyclables.

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics last week show that the UK economy showed no growth in July 2024. This is the second month in a row as there was also no growth in June. However, looking at the three months ending in July, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – a measure used to assess the economy – has grown by 0.5% when compared to the quarter ended in April.

As HMRC intensifies its crackdown on National Minimum Wage (NMW) noncompliance, it’s vital to make sure you don’t fall foul of NMW laws. Compliance can have more complexities to it than many assume, and the risks of getting it wrong are significant.

The Risk Reduction Through Design Awards 2024/25, sponsored by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF), are open for nominations. These awards aim to highlight employers in the UK who have successfully reduced workplace risks, particularly those related to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

Business Finance Week 2024 will run from 24 September to 2 October and includes a variety of national and regional in-person events and webinars. Business Finance Week is hosted by British Business Bank along with their various partners and can help smaller businesses learn about the various finance options that are available to help them.

On Monday, 9th September, the newly formed Labour Market Advisory Board, appointed by Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall MP, had its first meeting. This board is no ordinary group—it’s a collective of experts drawn from business, industrial relations, and academia, all focused on tackling what’s being called the “greatest employment challenge for a generation.”

Businesses providing security services and holding SIA licences need to be aware of changes affecting door supervisor and security guard licences. Starting from 1st April 2025, anyone renewing these licences must complete a mandatory ‘refresher’ qualification. The refresher training will be available from 1st October 2024.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the National Crime Agency (NCA) have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that details how the two organisations will cooperate to improve the UK’s cyber resilience. The aim is that their working more closely together will help organisations and businesses across the country to have better protection from the activity of criminals who steal data and hold it to ransom.

A recent report by the British Chambers of Commerce and Tussell has highlighted the ongoing challenges the public sector faces in meeting its procurement targets for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Despite the UK government’s commitment to increasing the procurement of goods and services from SMEs, the numbers reveal a persistent shortfall.