A sustainable business model is geared towards achieving long-term profitability while highlighting social responsibility. The concern goes beyond financial stability. It provides economic, social, and environmental value. In this article, we’ll talk about some of the most important things that will help in building a sustainable business. Education Sustainability isn’t a new concept, but a lot are unaware of how to do it successfully. One thing that can help is to educate key players, including executives and managers. For instance, by enrolling in online short courses, it is possible to learn about the latest sustainability trends that a business can implement. It builds knowledge and skills to determine the best strategies to pursue. Executive Support Leadership buy-in is an important ingredient in introducing sustainability in business. It all starts at the top, executive involvement is necessary. Without the support of the leaders, there will be no resources to pursue the strategies, especially financial capital. Employee Participation It is not enough to have executive support when building a sustainable business. Employee involvement is equally crucial. Their actions will have a ripple effect. This will influence the success or failure of the sustainability initiatives in an organization. Supply Chain Management To become a sustainable business, it is also crucial to think of everyone else in the supply chain. This requires partnering with green vendors. See to it that you are working with businesses that are one with your sustainability goals. By involving the entire logistics network in your sustainability initiatives, you are amplifying the potential benefits of your actions. Giving Back Giving back is one of the must-haves in a sustainable business model. Businesses should give as much as they take. This is based on the borrow-use-return principle. It means that businesses borrow resources and intend to replenish them. This is a concept of responsible consumption. As a part of giving back, businesses should also demonstrate community involvement, which is possible by partnering with charitable organizations and supporting worthy causes.  Customer Satisfaction In anything that a business does, emphasis should be on customer satisfaction. With this, think of the customers when implementing sustainability initiatives. Especially when radical changes are involved, think about how customers will react. Find a way to balance sustainability and customer needs. If they are not happy, the business’ profitability can bet compromised Financial Resources Pursuing sustainability in business requires financial resources. This is one of the factors that hinder many people from introducing a sustainable approach in their business. Do not view it as an unnecessary expense. Instead, think of it as a long-term investment. In the future, your sustainability strategies can yield maximum returns. Building a sustainable business does not happen overnight. It is a long-term goal that requires a proactive strategy. Whether you are an entrepreneur or a manager, consider taking online short coursesto learn how to embed sustainability in your business.

PAGABO has announced the awards for its £47 billion, five and a half-year developer-led framework, which goes live today (Tuesday 15 December). Acting on behalf of Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, national framework provider Pagabo has established a framework of 29 development companies capable of providing developer-led schemes within the UK for the UK public sector. The framework features nine lots covering three contract structures: Property Development via Joint Venture and Special Purpose Vehicle, Long Income Lease and Lease Back, and Property Development Single Site by Development Agreement. These lots cover a huge variety of development sectors, covering single and multi-occupancy residential and student accommodation, commercial buildings, transport infrastructure and car parks, prisons and high security buildings, education, healthcare, care homes and extra care buildings, and mixed-use schemes. Each contract structure is separated into three value bands as well as on a sector and regional basis to make sure the relevant developers are available to clients for the right size of project. The value bands are split into three increments and cover developments of up to and above £100 million. In order to provide greater choice for clients, Pagabo allowed up to six core companies for each development sector under each lot in every geographical region. In addition to these core companies, three reserve companies have been named to supplement the procurement process in each segment.   The 29 development companies that have been awarded a place on the new framework (in alphabetical order) are: Argon Property Development Solutions Ltd Bruntwood Capital and Centric Community Development Partnerships EDAROTH ENGIE Regeneration Equitix Geoffrey Osborne Godwin Developments Goldbeck HBD Heron Bros Ion Developments GRAHAM Cityheart Kajima Genr8 Kier Property Developments Lindum Group LinkCity McGoff Construction Morgan Sindall Consortium Prime Queensberry Real Estate Seddon Sir Robert McAlpine Capital Ventures Summerhill VINCI UK Developments Vistry Partnerships Willmott Dixon Yondr Group Jason Stapley, managing director at Pagabo, said: “We have been blown away by the phenomenal interest to this new framework from the industry, which speaks to its uniqueness and potential. It will not only save time and effort when procuring a developer but will also save developers a lot of money on opportunity bidding as well – which for some larger development schemes can be more than £1 million. “It’s been clear from recent months that government sees the construction industry as really important to our ‘return to normal’ recovery – particularly when it comes to complex development projects. This new framework will allow developers the ability to procure works through a compliant and simple to use framework, and to support the public sector with vital expansion plans, and to create a more robust sector all round.” The framework, which launches today, will run for four years with the option to extend for a further 16 months, and is Pagabo’s first framework dedicated to developers. It is available to all public sector bodies including schools, universities, local authorities, police and emergency services, NHS organisations, health and social care providers, and housing associations, as well as central government departments and the Ministry of Defence. Jonathan Parker, framework manager at Pagabo, said: “We are incredibly pleased to be bringing this new developer-led framework to market, which will give Pagabo a unique procurement route for clients to the development market. As with all of our frameworks, the developer-led procurement option is rooted in compliance, giving our clients complete peace of mind and security, as well as the simplicity of process, speed and support we are known for. “A unique element of this framework is the implementation of legal documents. All too often in the development market, ensuring the compliance and accuracy of documentation can significantly complicate process and make things take longer, so we have worked closely with a leading legal practice to create standard documents for clients to use as a basis to help further speed up the process. “A great deal of our procurement success is down to our client-focussed approach. With all our frameworks we aim to simplify the whole process, ensure flexibility and provide greater choice for clients, all packaged up with OJEU compliance – and this new framework is no different in that respect. It will form another crucial part of our Pagabo’s overall portfolio, and it’s clear from the highly competitive process that our collaborative approach and market engagement has resonated with developers. This is an excellent way to round out the year, and we very much look forward to progressing the first projects via the framework over the coming months.” In order to be considered for the framework, providers were required to go through a rigorous OJEU compliant tender process, prove financial suitability and relevant experience. As well as this, providers on Pagabo frameworks are required to share the company’s passion for social value and technology. This framework launch rounds off a successful 2020 for Pagabo, with the framework provider recently surpassing £3 billion in social value enabled via its suite of frameworks, and the launch of the second iterations of its highly successful Major Works and Professional Services frameworks earlier in the year. For more information, please visit https://www.pagabo.co.uk/

The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, the global professional body for supply chain management has launched the new Construction Procurement Competence Tool after the development of a national suite of procurement competence standards following the Grenfell enquiry. In response to Dame Judith Hackitt’s Building a Safer Future report, it was recognised that poor procurement practices can lead to decisions that compromise all aspects of building and life safety, and across the sector there was a desire to improve the competence of people involved in procurement activities so that better decisions are taken at all levels of the construction supply chain. The free tool allows users to benchmark themselves and other individuals against the recommended competency framework to understand the level of competency or additional training and skills required to meet these more rigorous standards. Users select their job role, such as building safety manager, principle contractor, or procurement leader followed by job competencies set against RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) stages 0-7 with the required level indicated against each stage. The stages cover definition, capabilities and knowledge which are matched to levels in the CIPS global framework highlighting skills and capabilities required in various job roles. The user then receives a summary of skills and competencies and where there are gaps for improvement. The tool is designed for use by individual contractors and construction professionals, companies and project managers. CIPS chaired Working Group 11, one of the 13 groups appointed as part of the Competency Steering Group (CSG) following the Hackitt report. The CSG was tasked with the development of a national suite of procurement competence standards required not just amongst builders but associated professions such as architects and surveyors when working on higher risk buildings. Organisations can map what procurement competency levels are required at each stage of a build, identifying key roles and levels of understanding to support enhanced safety aims. Whole teams can go through the process of assessment. Duncan Brock CIPS Group Director and chair of the procurement working group, said, “The free tool is a result of a collaborative project to help support the construction sector to combat its common challenges and reach a balanced approach as the pressures of price, margin and safety remain. We hope it will give the sector more confidence and knowledge about procurement and build a better future for residents of higher risk buildings. “The Grenfell tragedy will stick in our minds for many years to come and CIPS is proud to have been part of the work to improve standards to increase competence and ultimately ensure the safety of citizens in their homes.” More information about the tool.

Productivity at work is always going to be a hot topic because there are continually so many emerging techniques that are supposed to help employees and employers get the most out of every working day. Often, these techniques are ones that are centred around an individual and while that is a fundamental starting point, people usually forget to assess the environment they’re working in – the office itself. There are many simple ways to organise your office to help improve productivity and we’ve listed some below. Office equipment It sounds obvious, but it’s important that you have the right equipment in order to work effectively. If you are doing lots of tasks on a computer then a second screen can really improve productivity and efficiencies. If you are using a second screen or laptop screen then these need to be at eye level to reduce eye strain and back and neck injury. Screen levels can be adjusted with risers if needs be. As well as any technical requirements, making sure you have adequate desk space and a comfortable chair in good working order are essential. If these items are old and broken then they can also lead to counterproductivity. You can buy replacements for fittings such as castors online so you often won’t have to replace whole units if they need fixing. 2. Office lighting Artificial lighting can strain your eyes and lead to headaches and tiredness which will hinder productivity. If you can, use natural light from outside to brighten your office and provide natural views to help keep you stimulated. There are LED office lights that can emulate natural light so if it isn’t possible to get it from outside, consider how these can be used to help. 3. Colour Colours stimulate different emotions and can improve productivity. If you work in an office that needs to be creative, then yellow is a colour that can help boost this alongside optimism and confidence. If you’re in an office that needs a lot of focus and concentration, then blue is an ideal colour. You can always use colours to break up different areas of the office to create different moods and feelings so that you can be productive however you need to. 4. Clutter and cleanliness By being surrounded by clutter in an unclean environment, you can easily get distracted and lose focus. It’s easy to let clutter build-up, especially if you have lots of important documents and files to sort through. Try to make it a weekly habit of cleaning up your desk area. A good day to do this is on a Friday because it means that when you come back on Monday, you’re ready to start the working week in a productive environment. By following these steps and making changes to the space around you, it will be much easier to improve your productivity in the office.

When you’re trying to create and manage a marketing campaign for your business, it can be a lot to keep track of. A marketing campaign is something that your business will rely upon for likely months, and potentially years at a time for growth—with some necessary audits and updates of course. Creating a marketing campaign is a big job in and of itself, and one that takes up much of your time as a marketing manager or business owner. It’s an important aspect of the business and something that will play a vital role in the success and life of the company.  Considering how important a marketing campaign is, one can only deduce that the actual implementation of said marketing efforts is as well. A plan is no good without the action that follows, and neither is a marketing plan without proper implementation and management of it. Just as marketing itself is a big task and a whole division of a business on its own, so is managing and keeping up with those efforts too. A marketing strategy, especially one that spans the long-term, is something that’ll require much time and effort on part of those in charge of it.  Because of this, and the importance of it, it’s crucial that you find ways to better manage your marketing efforts that can help contribute not only to growth, but sustainability and efficiency as well throughout the life of your business. There are a number of different tools and tactics you can implement to start this process, with a few listed below.  Options To Better Manage Your Marketing Efforts For Your Business In 2020, the market for marketing and automation tools presented to business owners is ripe like never before. The sheer number of different and similar software available to business owners and marketing managers alike is overwhelming, and it’s crucial to be able to apply your situation in picking the right options for your business.  Some are more useful than others, boasting a wide range of capabilities that can be applied across multiple aspects of a business to cover various needs, but there are also specialty products and tactics you can implement as well to help better manage your marketing efforts. Both are equally useful, and both undoubtedly have their place.  Make Use Of Phone And Text Software There’s perhaps no more useful software a business can start using than something that can automate their dialing and text message marketing process. Client communications is an absolutely critical aspect of the success and marketing of any business, and something that can, of course, never be overlooked. This can be time consuming though, especially if you find your marketing campaigns to be rather successful, and your employees are trying to onboard and communicate with multiple new clients a day. Calling each appointment individually can be a rather inefficient process, even more so when you take into account the fact that many won’t be available to talk the first time.  Because of these exact situations, software like Call Cowboy and others was created to help with this. Services such as these can be put into place to do a range of functions for your business, ranging from telemarketing with predictive dialers all the way to text message marketing. All of these tools contribute to making managing your marketing efforts that much simpler. Auto Dialers One of the most common features of this software is the auto dialer, which is something businesses can use for several different things. It can be used to follow up on clients and see how their experience with your product or service is going, remind them of appointments, call back missed calls, leave a voicemail, and many other features.  Predictive Dialers You can make use of predictive dialers to automate your marketing process to an extent, only further increasing your efficiency and the ease with which you can manage your marketing efforts. A predictive dialer will typically automatically make calls from a list of numbers you feed it from whatever source you may choose, and it’ll keep going until it makes a connection. It will then refer that connection to a live agent for further conversation. You can even get a free 800 number for this if you don’t wish to use your present one to reach out.  Text Message Marketing Text message marketing is a classic in the marketing world, and something that will likely continue to be useful for years to come. Text messaging is a great way to contact your clients in a way that they’re almost sure to see, and in a subtle way that doesn’t interrupt their day either.  Not all customers will be checking their emails or able to answer the phone at any given time, and this is why using text message marketing to send out reminders and other forms of communication like sales and promotions can be a great method for both you and the customer.  Text message marketing can make managing your marketing efforts easier because of automation as well, alleviating some of the repetitive manual aspects that have been traditionally associated with this type of marketing.  2.Don’t Overlook Implementing A CRM If you’ve been in business or entrepreneurship for any length of time, it’s unlikely you’ve made it this far without being shown an advertisement or two about a CRM that your business could use. Whether you’ve given into the hype or not though, the value presented by this incredibly flexible software is not something to be overlooked.  A CRM stands for customer relationship management, which may sound vague for some. A CRM allows you to manage multiple streams of information in one place, with each software having several different extensions and plugins that handle different aspects of your overall marketing efforts and communications as a whole. The uses of CRMs can range from customer support, social media, marketing campaign data analysis, contact management, and a lot more in some cases. Using CRMs For Data Analysis With the