Meet Caja Thinking Social Value
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SPRING 2019 WeMeet talk to Caja Caroline Brown about all things CAJA staffordshirechambers.co.uk WhatThinking is it and why social does it matter value for business? Plus Staffordshire Business Awards 2019 Export team has bumper year Latest member news Next stop for HS2 BELONG. CONNECT. SUCCEED. WE HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY BUSY OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, LAUNCHING OUR NEW BRAND IDENTITY, NEW WEBSITE AND INTRODUCING NEW MEMBERS TO THE TEAM, ALL ALONGSIDE SUPPORTING OUR MEMBERS AND LOCAL STAFFORDSHIRE BUSINESSES. WE ARE VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED - IT HAS BEEN A REAL TEAM EFFORT AND SHOWCASES SOME WELCOME OF OUR CORE CHAMBER VALUES - BEING ACCESSIBLE, RELEVANT AND BOLD. WITH OUR NEW LOOK, WE’RE NOW ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT IN MUCH GREATER DETAIL ALL THAT’S GREAT ABOUT BUSINESS IN STAFFORDSHIRE. PAUL FARMER OBE, PRESIDENT STAFFORDSHIRE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE SPRING 19. 6. 12. 18. 22. OUR PATRONS 36. 52. We are extremely grateful to the following companies for their continued support of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce CONTENTS Meet Caja Big boost for Staffordshire 6. 32. women Winning work through doing 8. good The physical attraction of 34. workplace wellbeing Patron Profile - Karen Dobson 12. Next stop for HS2 Capital allowances - exploding 36. 16. the myths Finest, Future Finest and events 42. for your diary Exporting - Successes and 18. Training Members News - Talent 46. Staffordshire Business Member News - Growth and 22. Awards 2019 48. Success JCB's World leading factory Members News - Making a 24. project forges ahead 52. Difference Question time with Extramile Welcome to New Members 30. Communications 56. Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce is proud to hold the ISO 9001 Quality Management and ISO 14001 Environmental Management standards. MEET CAJA Caja is an innovative business transformation “Staffordshire has such a diverse range of organisation, based on Keele University Science businesses and talent. We want to tap into that & Innovation Park. Our key areas of expertise and build, lasting sustainable relationships with lies in integrated organisational improvement, companies here. Staffordshire Chambers will optimisation and transformation - Process, be a real vehicle to help us do that and we’re Technology and People, partnering with our clients really looking forward to working with them and not only to deliver successful outcomes, but to see getting to know all the fantastic businesses on our that change is embedded and sustainable, across doorstep.” the whole organisation and wider connected communities. "We work on a huge range Founded in 2015, our heritage at Caja is collaborating with organisations to solve of projects with clients complex business and organisation problems and across the country " deliver large transformational change, including Our unique operating model enables us to bring significant expertise in global shared services together a community of experienced subject and outsourcing - its in our DNA. Our clients matter experts, who have a breadth and depth of are in both the private and public sectors, from knowledge and skills, together with a number of FTSE 250 organisations to Local and Central partner organisations, who support us, particularly Government, NHS and other Social and Health Care with specialist technology enablement and digital organisations in solutions, that include Robotic Process Automation England and Scotland, Higher Education and (RPA), machine learning, digital infrastructure and Further Education. channel shift, as well as behavioural scientists. This powerful combination enables us to develop Caroline tells us why they’ve become a new patron: leading edge innovative solutions for clients She said: “The business has been running for four and then work alongside client organisations to years now, originally operating from Knutsford and support delivery of the programmes and projects, now from offices on the Keele University Science embed change and transfer knowledge and Park where we moved two years ago. skills to the organisation to develop sustainable capability. “We work on a huge range of projects with clients across the country and although we have some Caroline sits on a working party with Crown customers in Staffordshire, we’d really like to make Commercial Services that aims to improve available our skills experience and expertise to the relationship for SME’s working with the organisations throughout the county. Government. CAROLINE BROWN MANAGING DIRECTOR - CAJA 01782 443020 6. MEET CAJA cajagroup.com What is social value and social impact? Just corporate busswords or something more? Actually, they mean much the same, and there is an important point behind them. There is a growing WINNING awareness that we all need to be more aware of the difference we make and how we account for WORK it. It highlights what contribution to society do businesses, communities and investments make? THROUGH Businesses of all sizes need to recognise the importance of social value to their organisation DOING GOOD and that the appeal in measuring it is that economic valuation techniques can be used and therefore hard answers can be given. Social Value and Stoke-on-Trent City Council "BUSINESSES So, what is social value? Social Value UK states that The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 came social value is, ‘the quantification of the relative into force on January 31st 2013, but six years on importance that people place on the changes what does it mean for local businesses seeking to REALLY NEED they experience in their lives’. In its simplest work with, and for, Stoke-on-Trent City Council. form, social value is therefore a measure of what matters to everyone who is affected by the actions Essentially the Act states that it requires ‘public of your business. authorities to have regard to economic, social and TO THINK environmental well-being in connection with public Thinking about matters beyond the balance sheet services, contracts and for connected purposes.’ is becoming increasingly important as government ABOUT SOCIAL relies more and more on businesses taking on the Councillor Janine Bridges, Stoke-on-Trent City mantel of implementing social policy. Businesses Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and also need to respond to changing consumer habits, Economy states that social value is an ‘enormous VALUE, AND a growing ‘millennial’ workforce and a wider need consideration’ for them, when they are looking to to be responsible for their products and services award contracts. and the impact on society and the environment. Councillor Bridges said: “Social value is vitally WHAT THEY In 2013 the Public Services (Social Value) Act came important.” into force, requiring people who commission “In simple terms we interpret it as being about public services to think about how they can also what a supplier is giving back to the community or ARE DOING secure wider social, economic and environmental is providing the community with as part of their benefits. Before they start the procurement service delivery. When we’re looking to award process, commissioners are encouraged to think contracts – there is a 60% weighting for cost and a ABOUT IT" about whether the services they are going to buy, 40% weighting on social value.” or the way they are going to buy them, could have an impact, intended or otherwise, on the area and “Businesses really need to think about social value, all stakeholders. and what they are doing about it as part of their service, or product offer, especially if they are In March this year the Government has launched a looking to supply to the City Council, it can mean consultation to look at how it should take account the difference between getting the job or not and of social value in the commissioning of central of course, it’s really important that they want to government contacts. With the Social Value Act give something back.” increasingly embedded into local government procurement practices it is interesting to see how Additional information on the City Council’s central government is following suit and the issues procurement process can be seen at they are seeking to influence. stoke.gov.uk/procurement WINNING WORK THROUGH DOING GOOD 9. CAROLINE BROWN MANAGING DIRECTOR - CAJA Social Value the business view As local and central government has embedded social value into their procurement practices it is essential for businesses looking to win those contracts to be able to demonstrate their social value. "The world Caroline Brown is the Managing Director of Keele based Caja and the newest Patron of is starting Staffordshire Chambers. Caroline sits on a working party with Crown to think Commercial Services that aims to improve the relationship for SME’s working with the in a more Government. Part of this work is looking at what businesses wanting to work for and supply to Government departments and what those socially businesses need to do win those contracts. sustainable She says that social value has a real part to play in this, “Often businesses are already doing things inherently that could come under the heading of way." social value.” If you’re tendering for big pieces of work with Julie Mirowski, Director of Newcastle-under- public sector organisations, it needs to be Lyme based Rydale Roofing Ltd firmly believes demonstrated on paper. in the importance of embedding social value in her business, she says, “Businesses really need to “It can be as simple as having an apprenticeship understand how measuring their social impact as a scheme or putting on training courses for staff to business can lead to winning more tenders.” really develop skills in the workplace. “With competition on tenders, especially within How can the Chambers support my business? “It can be helping local charities, choosing a charity the construction sectors, being tight, having a of the year to support with various fundraising strong positive impact from your business can Staffordshire Chambers was the first Chamber The Chambers’ experience of our members activities or at Christmas donating food to the often mean the difference between winning or of Commerce to join Social Value UK and Social attitude to doing business is that they care deeply local foodbank.