How to ensure ESG integrity across your supply chain
SME Magazine
by Ankita Agrawal
20h ago
By Olivia Sibony, Head of Impact, Angel Investment Network We live in an era where consumers and investors are voting with their wallets for companies who put environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations at the forefront. Indeed according to a recent survey of global investors, conducted by Angel Investment Network, 73% said positive impact was a big driver of investment decisions. Meanwhile a recent report by ESW, a global DTC e-commerce company of 16,000 shoppers revealed that 83% of consumers consider sustainability as a key factor in their buying decisions. However with an in ..read more
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Third of UK employees have experienced a ‘toxic manager’
SME Magazine
by Ankita Agrawal
20h ago
A third of employees (33%) in the UK have experienced a ‘toxic manager’ at work in the past five years, and over four in ten (41%) have left a job due to their dissatisfaction with management. The findings are from Corndel’s Workplace Training Report 2024, based on research conducted with 250 HR decision makers at large organisations and 1,000 UK employees. Toxic manager traits including micromanagement, inflexibility, intimidation, gaslighting colleagues and a deflecting accountability. This is having a significant impact on employees’ experiences at work. Nearly half of the employees (47%) s ..read more
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Cybersecurity warnings for SMEs up 37% since 2023
SME Magazine
by Ankita Agrawal
20h ago
UK SMBs experienced a 37% surge in daily cybersecurity warnings over the last year, according to research from cybersecurity provider, Censornet. The volume of cyber security warnings rose from 597 in 2023 to 815 in 2024, leaving security professionals with just 87 seconds to review each security incident and decide what is a genuine threat. Private sector organisations were hit harder by the tsunami of cyber threats, receiving 18% more alerts than their public sector counterparts. As threat levels rose, IT teams also showed signs of shrinking – the mean size of each security team at the begin ..read more
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The marketing metrics you should use to measure success
SME Magazine
by Ankita Agrawal
20h ago
By Tom Wilson, below, Head of Media,  Climb Online Marketers and businesses have more data at their fingertips than ever before. Nearly every marketing platform, plugin and tool offers unprecedented amounts of information and analytics – but not all data points are created equally. Getting the most out of your data means understanding the metrics that translate into real business and marketing goals, and the ones that simply look good on paper. We explore how to identify the metrics that are worth tracking, and some of the key data points you should consider across your organic, paid and ..read more
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Army veteran transforms unique hotel in Scottish Highlands
SME Magazine
by Ankita Agrawal
3d ago
A hotel complex in the Scottish Highlands, dedicated to members of the British armed forces, veterans and their families, has secured a six-figure funding deal to complete its transformation. Forces Manor,  in the Cairngorms National Park and owned by former army soldier and now veteran Tony Brown, has utilised the facility provided by alternative finance lender Reward Finance Group to fund extensive refurbishment works. Tony spent all of his childhood in a children’s home before joining the Army aged just 15 to escape being in care and to avoid becoming homeless after leaving the ca ..read more
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The rise – and rise – of the digital wallet
SME Magazine
by Ankita Agrawal
3d ago
The UK is entering a golden era of payments driven by the digital wallet boom, according to a survey of activity in 40 countries. A report, which authors insist provides one of the most in-depth analyses of the payments landscape, indicates that by 2027, they are expected to comprise half of all the e-commerce spend in the UK, worth £203.5 billion. Projections also estimate that digital wallet usage will more than double at UK point-of-sale rising from 14 to 29 per cent of transaction value over the next three years, according to Worldpay. Digital wallets emerged in the late 1990s, steadi ..read more
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The key to unlocking business value from data
SME Magazine
by Ankita Agrawal
3d ago
By Andy Baillie, below, VP, UK&I, Semarchy For years, businesses have primarily focused their data efforts on management – handling, governing, and ensuring compliance with regulations. While these are crucial foundational elements, they are simply table stakes in today’s data-driven landscape. To truly drive innovation, maintain a competitive edge, and unlock maximum value from data, organisations need to evolve their mindset and approaches. They need to shift towards data intelligence. Data intelligence goes far beyond just data management. It’s about comprehensively enhancing and optimi ..read more
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Open Finance: A new frontier for SMEs
SME Magazine
by Ankita Agrawal
3d ago
By Mark Horwood-James, below, Managing Director of Personal Finance Technology, Moneyhub For SMEs, staying ahead in financial services technology has become a critical challenge, especially as the landscape shifts towards Open Banking and Open Finance. This evolution signals a new data-sharing and collaboration period across banks, financial services and third-party entities, fundamentally altering digital transformation strategies. For SMEs, this change emphasises the importance of considering outcomes and objectives before deciding on technological developments internally or seeking external ..read more
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Paul’s Cycles: Powering into the future with electric bikes
SME Magazine
by Ankita Agrawal
1w ago
SME catches up with Tom Thornley, Managing Director, Paul’s Cycles and hears about his plans for the company First Tom, can you tell us about Paul’s Cycles. When did you come up with the idea of the business and how did it develop? With a legacy spanning 40 years, Paul’s Cycles has evolved from a clearance seller to a modern, prominent brand in both the online and in-store cycling and e-bike retail space. Despite changes in ownership over the years, the last 4-5 years have seen Paul’s Cycles successfully navigate unprecedented market challenges through the Covid-19 Pandemic and the years that ..read more
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Why E-Commerce is key to small firms unlocking benefits of exporting
SME Magazine
by Ankita Agrawal
1w ago
By Marco Forgione, above, Director General, Institute of Export & International Trade Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy, and getting more of them trading internationally is essential to sparking growth in the UK economy. The scale of the opportunity here is stark. In the UK it is estimated that more than 99% of businesses are SMEs, but that only 9% of these export. This gap signifies a challenge we urgently need to confront. After all, evidence shows that businesses that export are more sustainable, more resilient, employ more people, are more innovative, and are more profi ..read more
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