Gebrüder Weiss offers its customers a particularly eco-friendly transport solution: the logistics company uses an e-cargo bike to deliver consignments to private households and companies in Lauterach, Wolfurt, Hard, Kennelbach, Schwarzach, Dornbirn and Bregenz. The vehicle, which, like an e-bike, moves supported by an electric motor, can transport consignments with a total weight of up to 200 kilograms and cover 80 kilometers per day on one battery charge. There are plans to expand the service to other locations. “E-cargo bikes are emission-free, maneuverable, largely independent of traffic density, and can ride right up to the recipients’ front door – even in the pedestrian zone,” explains Stefan Oberhauser, Branch Manager Vorarlberg Land & Logistics at Gebrüder Weiss. Oberhauser expects around 900 consignments a month to be delivered by the Wolfurt-based cargo bike. The cargo bike is used by employees of Integra Vorarlberg, a social organization and work initiative for the long-term unemployed. For Irena Lang, Managing Director of the social integration company, this cooperation is a success in several respects: “In this way, we offer our clients new perspectives and opportunities for development after a prolonged period of job hunting. This is one of our central concerns. And we can contribute to the conservation of natural resources, which is also very important to us.” Delivery by e-cargo bike is another measure taken by Gebrüder Weiss to make transport more sustainable. The logistics expert is already using various alternative drive technologies in trucks and is currently testing an e-truck in everyday logistics operations in Vorarlberg.

A UK-based fulfilment company headquartered in Scunthorpe’s Foxhill Industrial Estate is celebrating a record year of growth after shipping over £10m of products in 2022. The fast-growing shipping and fulfilment firm achieved an uplift in turnover and expanded its warehouse operations in the UK and overseas. Systemise Fulfilment now has four locations in the UK, two in the USA and one in Europe. This increase in customers, profits and outputs drove co-directors Kevin Blackburn and Kylie Thomas to make significant investments in their people and operations. The duo expanded their senior leadership team to support business growth, hiring a Head of Business Development, Head of Global Human Resources and Head of Quality Assurance, along with several other internal promotions. Systemise Fulfilment provides a one-stop solution for prep and order fulfilment needs – handling the receipt, inspection, preparation, quality control, storage, shipping, and order process for Amazon FBA and eCommerce businesses and brands. They have shipped over 4 million units for partners and customers worldwide, with an estimated sales total of over £50 million for their eCommerce partners. Kevin Blackburn, director of Systemise Fulfilment, explains: “We’ve worked hard to get the business where it is now – constantly reinvesting into our people, processes, and systems. We are lucky to have some fantastic employees, partners and supplies and could not have gotten to this point without their help. There were some challenges in 2022 – with rising costs and inflation, to name a few. But, we focused our energy on the things we could control and grew stronger as a team” “We look back with gratitude, appreciation and pride that we have had the pleasure to be involved in so many amazing stories for our partners, customers, clients, and community members.” Now the business has a team of senior expert leaders in place; Systemise Fulfilment will focus on giving eCommerce businesses and brands the ability to expand globally while also expanding its service offerings with the vast number of different platforms available such as Shopify, eBay, and even Walmart. Systemise Fulfilment will continue to help eCommerce business and brand owners with coaching, education, and tools to drive business growth through automation and strategy. In addition, they’ll seek to offer more support to worthy causes after working with The Baby Rainbow Memorial Garden and The Forge Project in 2022.

As part of a commitment to help the next generation understand the importance of agriculture, Perdue Farms has awarded a $5,000 grant to Agriculture in the Classroom in Virginia through the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation. The donation from Perdue’s charitable giving arm is part of the company’s Delivering Hope to Our Neighbors® outreach to improve quality of life and build strong communities. “Agriculture in the Classroom’s latest project, Ag 24/7, seeks to educate students and the nonfarming public about the many ways their lives are touched each day by agricultural products and by-products,” said Tammy Maxey, executive director for the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. “Through this project, children will not only understand that most of life’s necessities can be traced back to the farm but will also gain knowledge on the modern farming practices that make it possible to feed the world.” Maxey said the grant would be used to design a poster and produce a video that show the impact of Virginia’s poultry industry and facts about poultry farming. “One of AITC’s goals is to emphasize the impact on the communities where Perdue’s employees work and live on Virginia’s Eastern Shore and in Rockingham County,” she explained. “In our 2020-2021 fiscal year, AITC reached more 1 million children in Virginia with our educational resources. This fiscal year, AITC has committed to connecting 100 percent of Virginia’s children to agriculture.” Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation, said Agriculture in the Classroom provides important information. “As part of our ongoing commitment to education, Perdue is thrilled to continue to help Virginia schools reach students through the Ag in the Classroom curriculum,” said Nechay. “It brings a unique opportunity to expose students to the importance of agriculture, including understanding about where much of our food comes from and the industry’s impact in the region.”

Rising inflation, increased geopolitical risks and talent shortages all form part of the perfect storm facing business over the next 12 months. Business leaders must maintain a dual focus on short-term priorities to survive, and longer-term priorities to thrive, according to HLB’s annual Survey of Business Leaders 2023. This year’s research explored how businesses across the world are grappling with a series of ‘low-probability, high-impact’ events. KEY FINDINGS: 82% see inflation as the top risk to business with 35% naming talent acquisition as the primary weakness they need to improve this year. Almost half (48%) of business leaders are focusing on operational efficiencies while at the same time investing to innovate and grow. Flexibility is seen as the top leadership behaviour in times of crisis, followed by integrity and accountability. 51% are rethinking their ESG responsibilities but there is still a way to go for business leaders to embrace the opportunities of effective ESG. 52% plan to accelerate new technology adoption to improve workforce productivity. Respondents identified AI (50%), cloud (47%), and renewable energy technologies (40%) as the most important for businesses over the next 5 years. Marco Donzelli, HLB Global CEO said: “The pandemic coupled with the knock-on effects of the War in Ukraine has challenged the resilience and agility of companies, with many having to swiftly adapt their strategy, business model and ways of working. What is clear from the research is that stakeholders demand that a company guides the way forward with a flexible mindset based on a clearly defined purpose and a strong emphasis on ESG matters.” Through almost 600 responses from over 60 countries, HLB looked at some of the critical leadership behaviours needed during a crisis, the type of actions CEOs should prioritise for 2023, and the benefits of longer-term thinking for future success. Corporate Agility The findings show that flexibility is the top leadership trait needed in times of crisis and must be seen in areas such as talent acquisition, digital capabilities, and supply chain management. 47% are focusing on short-term and longer-term priorities simultaneously. Almost half of business leaders are juggling operational efficiencies for today with investing to innovate and grow for tomorrow. Fostering Credibility And Trust Integrity is the second highest rated leadership behaviour selected by respondents in our survey. Leaders must be credible to foster trust among their stakeholders. 69% agree that they have clearly defined, communicated purpose and 43% are making progress on their journey to become carbon neutral over the next five years. Sustainable Thinking Accountability is the third highest-ranking essential behaviour for successful leadership in times of crisis. Leaders surveyed are well along the maturity curve towards a more purpose-led business strategy and are looking to redefine ESG goals. Among our survey respondents, 15% claim to be entirely purpose-led and 37% try to meet wider stakeholder expectations in their ESG goals. Yet, our data also suggests that not all leaders are as committed. 40% of respondents only do what is required by regulators. 8% disregard ESG entirely, rather than use it as an opportunity to innovate and grow. Check out the full research findings here:

Cargill today announced it has been named a winner in the 2023 BIG Innovation Awards presented by the Business Intelligence Group. Cargill Wins 2022 BIG Innovation Award Cargill is uniquely positioned to lead the transformation of our food and agriculture system to help address many of the world’s most pressing needs – from supply chain continuity to climate action and food security. “Challenges are getting bigger and the time to solve them shorter,” said Florian Schattenmann, Cargill’s chief technology officer and vice president of Research & Development and Innovation. “That’s why our team is constantly focused on innovative solutions and we’re thrilled to receive this recognition.” The company leverages more than a century of experience to innovate solutions to big, global challenges including: In 2021, Cargill launched Cargill RegenConnect, a marketplace that pays farmers for improved soil health, positive environmental outcomes and for each metric ton of carbon sequestered. Cargill created a mobile, artificial intelligence-based platform, Digital Saathi, designed to improve farm management practices for farmers in India where farm productivity is as low as 35%-50% compared to global benchmarks. Cargill has created a portfolio of Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions to help farmers raise healthier chickens, including GalleonTM Broiler Microbiome Intelligence, which uses statistical analysis and AI to help farmers decode the gut microbiome of their flock, translating into better health outcomes. In spring 2022, Cargill launched Chekt, a new, innovative food locker system piloted inside PPG Arena in Pittsburgh. Developed in partnership with Aramark, the system enables fans to use their phones to place an order and select their pickup location inside the stadium while signalling to concession personnel to prepare the order. “Innovation is ‘business critical’ in today’s society,” said Maria Jimenez, chief operating officer of the Business Intelligence Group. “We are thrilled to be honouring Cargill as they are leading by example and improving the lives of so many.” Organizations from across the globe submitted their recent innovations for consideration in the BIG Innovation Awards. Nominations were then judged by a select group of business leaders and executives who volunteer their time and expertise to score submissions.

It didn’t matter whether you were a business or a consumer, everything from the UK energy crisis to cost of living made 2022 an incredibly tough year for many. Unfortunately, with a poll of 101 economists for the Financial Times claiming the UK is facing the “worst and longest recession” out of the G7 nations, 2023 has not started any better. If a silver lining is to be found, however, it’s worth remembering that in periods of great difficulty, such as this, the innovative attitude of savvy entrepreneurs can help them thrive! Here, Sarah Kauter – managing director of the digital PR and marketing agency, VerriBerri – has provided her top 5 tips to ensure your business succeeds in 2023. 1. Don’t Face It Alone A lot of entrepreneurs hold the very proud notion that they have the ability to handle every aspect of their business by themselves. Whilst their technical understanding and methodical approach to it all may well be phenomenal, this attitude is just not practical or sustainable. Furthermore, every successful entrepreneur must prove their ability to successfully delegate. For an employee to give you their all, they need to be challenged with the authority to solve problems for themselves. Aside from your business’ needs, however, make sure to consider your needs, too! By opting to tackle everything alone, loneliness is inevitable. Building a trustworthy team will not only help you to improve your business, but may also provide many mental health benefits. 2. Hire The Right People As an entrepreneur, letting go of complete control can be difficult but having a solid team around you to delegate to can ease this anxiety. The right hiring strategy will need to be in place in order to make this possible. Many employers will focus their interview questions solely around the task, without much of an attempt to learn about the person. This certainly isn’t a foolproof way of securing a great hire. Speaking to someone on a personal level will help you make a clear judgement. All the traditional aspects of the interview process are, of course, important and shouldn’t be forgotten, but it’s also a good idea for the candidate to meet the team before they’re offered the job (and before they accept it!). Give them the opportunity to speak with the team; for questions to be shared back and forth. You’ve interviewed them, now give them the opportunity to interview you. This will ensure you’re hiring someone that isn’t just capable, but passionate about the work. 3. Understand Your Audience It goes without saying that the way you present yourself to customers and clients is very important. One mistake a lot of entrepreneurs make right off the bat is assuming everyone is their client; everyone is their customer. It’s easy to see why this enthusiastic mindset could be viewed as a positive, but it’s ultimately a hindrance, as you will be unable to effectively pinpoint your actual target audience and deliver the value they expect and deserve. Pleasing everybody is an impossibility. Success in 2023 will require many businesses to adopt a more customer-focused approach. As many people have less money to spend, they will inevitably put a greater focus on purchases that have real value. Listen to what your prospective clients and customers not only want, but need. This will help you maximise the value you provide. 4. Self-Reflect It’s easy, and largely correct, to state that such things as the cost of living crisis and the recession are holding our businesses back. No one can dispute that. Something often dismissed, however, as it’s not particularly pleasant to consider or address, is that in many cases, we are the ones who hold ourselves back. Self-reflection will lead to a greater awareness of how your relationship with work may be preventing you from meeting your own personal needs. Dismissing this can lead to negative emotions which, in turn, will result in negative work outcomes. Consider what decisions you can make that will leave you feeling calmer and more content in yourself and in the way your business operates. Perhaps you don’t see yourself as particularly creative, but your business requires a certain degree of creativity. Don’t just suffer with your perceived inadequacy, as this mindset will only hold your business back. Work out what you can do to address these weaknesses and grow your business. 5. Learn From Your Mistakes The previous four tips have been suggested in the effort to prevent mistakes, but it’s also very important to know how best to deal with the mistakes and issues that will inevitably arise. Mistakes are bound to happen, and embracing them as ‘feedback’, rather than ‘failure’, is one of the most productive things you can do. Always strive for excellence over perfection. If something is perfect, it never wasn’t perfect, which is entirely unrealistic. If something is excellent, however, it exhibits hard work, resilience and dedication. Success can’t exist without mistakes!

In late 2022, GreenGas completed installation of equipment at Perdue’s operations in Lewiston, North Carolina to capture the methane from the operation’s onsite wastewater treatment facility and convert it to renewable natural gas (RNG). Through GreenGas’ partnership with large food producers, industrial, and manufacturing companies all across the United States, the pipeline-grade RNG is transported from Perdue’s Lewiston operation to a GreenGas RNG pipeline interconnection hub, where it is injected into existing pipelines and made available to their customers. A leading provider of renewable energy solutions, GreenGas helps farmers, food processors, and industrial manufacturers capture greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from their operations. Through wastewater optimization and anaerobic digestion, the company converts waste streams into RNG, which is used by their customers as a zero- and negative-carbon fuel source to offset and reduce fossil fuel consumption. In the first two months of this project with Perdue, over 10,500 metric tons of CO2e were captured and converted to RNG. This is the GHG equivalent of eliminating 1,181,500 gallons of gasoline being consumed. “The Lewiston project has been a huge success for RNG development in the agriculture and food processing space, and a wonderful partnership with Perdue. We are excited to help accelerate Perdue’s sustainability journey by reducing emissions of methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases, and condition it to a valuable renewable fuel for end-users. The people, integrity, and collaboration at Perdue made this project the success that we are celebrating today,” said CEO and Founder of GreenGasUSA, Marc Fetten. A family-owned, vertically integrated food and agriculture company, Perdue Farms partners with more than 2,600 farmers in North Carolina growing poultry and grain, contributing significantly to the state’s agribusiness industry. “Through this high-impact initiative in North Carolina, we’ve initially reduced Perdue’s companywide carbon emissions by 17 percent, and expect that number to grow considerably over time,” said Drew Getty, Perdue Farms vice president of environmental sustainability and government relations. “Working with like-minded partners like GreenGas, we’re able to accelerate our environmental efforts and continue reducing the impact of our operations.”

Latest research shows that there are still significant barriers to growth for all businesses, including family firms as a result of the pandemic. KEY FINDINGS: 59% of workers believe the pandemic has had a negative long-term impact on the operations of the business they work for A third of workers think their business is less efficient since COVID-19 37% believe their employee experience has got worse 84% would like to see policies that were dropped as a result of the pandemic brought back Face-to-face training found to be the activity most employees want to return According to new research, 59% of workers in ‘deskless’ industries, including manufacturing, care, construction, and retail, believe the ongoing effect of the pandemic is having a negative impact on the operations of the business they work for. This is a challenge which, left unaddressed, could have disastrous consequences for UK industry. On top of this, almost a third of workers (30%) think that the business they work for is less efficient now as a result of its response to COVID-19. The study found that employee satisfaction is also continuing to suffer in the aftermath of the pandemic. Over a third (37%) of workers state that their employee experience is worse now than pre-2020. The most common reasons for this included staff shortages (51%), less in-person training (37%), worse communication (36%), less training across the board (32%), and fewer opportunities for development (26%). This is having devastating consequences for the UK’s deskless workforce. 53% feel less motivated, 32% are unhappy at work, and 31% are less productive. One in five are even considering leaving their company in the next 12 months, whilst 17% suggest they might leave the industry they work in altogether, posing a significant risk for those industries already facing skills shortages. The research, which was conducted by Cloud Assess , also analysed the specific policy changes that are driving these ongoing challenges. It found that 85% of businesses adopted new policies for their deskless workers as a result of the pandemic, 80% of which are continuing some of these practices today. The new policies which are most likely to have continued include calls hosted on Zoom, online training, fewer meetings, and fewer site visits from management. Some of these changes are supported by workers. For example, 76% support the move towards video calls, rather than phone calls, whilst 61% believe having fewer meetings is having a positive impact on the business they work for. However, as well as taking up new policies, almost two-thirds (64%) of businesses stopped some activities entirely because of the pandemic and have not resumed them since, leading to dissatisfaction and concern amongst employees. The activities that are most likely to have been dropped include team parties, in-person meetings, and in-person training. The research found that 84% of workers would like to see at least some of these activities return, suggesting a strong demand amongst employees for vital face-to-face contact with team members to resume. Interestingly, in-person training was found to be the activity that most workers would like to see resumed. This is no surprise, given the huge impact the pandemic had on training provisions in businesses across the UK. In fact, almost three quarters (73%) of the employees researched claim that the training they are offered by their employer has been affected by the pandemic. 26% state they are being offered fewer training opportunities, whilst over one in 10 (11%) claim that their employer has stopped providing training and development opportunities altogether. Many employers are also opting to move toward online training, or e-learning. 28% state that more of their training is delivered online, with 11% stating that 100% of their training is now delivered online. This shift in training provisions has not proven popular. 85% of workers whose employees have moved towards online training believe it has had some negative impact on them. The most common complaint is that training sessions are now boring (39%). This is followed by a feeling that training is now being viewed as a tick box exercise by employers (34%). More concerning still, 28% feel like they retain the information for less time when learning online, whilst 21% feel as though they are learning less. Just 20% believe that the online training provided to them is benefiting their long-term career, whilst even fewer (18%) think it’s making them better at their job. Over one in 10 even stated that they feel less valued by their employer as a result of the move towards online training. Rob Bright, CEO and Founder of Cloud Assess, comments: “Whilst the pandemic did lead to positive changes for some businesses, our research shows the extent to which deskless industries, in particular, are being held back by lockdown hangovers. Clearly, UK industry is facing a major challenge when it comes to staff engagement and satisfaction, with many craving in-person interactions which employers have failed to resume since the pandemic.” “This is understandable. Skills shortages mean resources are tighter than ever before, making it tempting for businesses to cut corners when it comes to activities like employee engagement and training. However, our study demonstrates that these ‘time saving’ policies could be hampering long-term success and growth." "For example, whilst e-learning might be saving time for employers in the short-term, it’s failing to truly upskill workers in the long run, leading to poor ROI and growing disillusionment amongst the workforce. When coupled with ongoing operational and efficiency challenges, these post-pandemic legacies are set to pose a significant threat to firms across Britain if not addressed quickly.”

Perdue Farms is supporting Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County in Mount Vernon, Wash., with a $10,000 grant funded through the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation to promote healthy lifestyles. The donation from Perdue’s charitable giving arm is part of the company’s Delivering Hope to Our Neighbors® initiative focused on improving quality of life and building strong communities. Mount Vernon is home to Draper Valley Farms and its portfolio of local chicken brands ROXY®, RANGER®, and DRAPER VALLEY FARMS®. Perdue Farms is the parent company of Draper Valley Farms. The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs is to help young people, “especially those who need us most, reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens,” said Ian Faley, chief development officer and executive vice president, noting the organization operates nine clubs that serve more than 5,000 youths in Skagit County. “We’re grateful to Perdue Farms for their continued support of our programming.” Boys & Girls Clubs will use the Perdue Foundation grant for its Healthy Lifestyles & Healthy Habits program, which “engages our youth in constructive activities that stress the importance of healthy eating, maintaining a balanced diet and practicing self-control when making choices and decisions,” Faley said. Healthy Lifestyles focuses on practical cooking skills and understanding the role of agriculture locally and nationally, he said. The program will outline the benefits of exercise and practicing good eating habits. Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation, applauded the work of Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County. “Boys & Girls Clubs does a fabulous job mentoring young people in Skagit County,” she said. “Our foundation is happy to provide this grant for its Healthy Habits & Healthy Lifestyles program.”

Chavalit Frederick Tsao, chairman of IMC Pan Asia Alliance Group, outlines his plans for the family business since taking over the helm 20 years ago.

Easa Al Gurg, group CEO of the UAE's Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, which was founded by his late grandfather, speaks to CNBC's Dan Murphy about taking leadership of the conglomerate and the inner workings of one of the Middle East's most prominent family businesses.

Rising fuel and energy prices puts over half of UK small businesses at risk of collapse according to the latest report from Simply Business. KEY FINDINGS: Over half (54%) of SME owners say rising fuel and energy costs are one of their greatest threats to survival A third (36%) say that tax and national insurance hikes are the greatest concern As a result, three in five (59%) small business owners are calling on the government to review or reduce the energy price cap and a fifth (21%) state the VAT cut needs to be reviewed or extended. A survey of over 1,000 UK small businesses has revealed that rising fuel and energy costs is now believed to be one of the greatest threats to SME survival in 2022. The SME Insights Report, published by small business insurance provider Simply Business, also found that one third (36%) stated tax and national insurance hikes are their greatest concern. The report found that 70% of SME owners say that rising costs across the board are their biggest challenge this year. Half (49%) said that they are set to increase their prices in an attempt to offset increased expenditure. One in five (21%) intend to raise prices by 6-10%, and for almost one in 10 owners (7%), these increases could be as much as 20%. As a result, three in five (59%) small business owners are calling on the government to review or reduce the energy price cap. One fifth (21%) state that the VAT cut needs to be reviewed or extended, and over one in 10 (12%) feel that the government should review or reduce national insurance. While the energy price caps do not apply to businesses directly, millions of small business owners are still experiencing increased energy bills at a time when costs are rising in most operational areas. At the same time, with a substantial number of households affected by rising energy bills, consumer purchasing power is going down as people cut back on non-essential spending. SMEs in food and drink, hospitality and retail are most at risk, decreasing revenue and income for small business owners still in the vital post-pandemic recovery period. Wider Threats To SME Survival Looking at wider challenges, the report also found that a fifth (22%) of SMEs state a lack of funds or access to credit could lead to closure this year. Greatest threats to SME survival: Rising fuel and energy costs – 54% Tax and national insurance hikes – 36% Lack of funds or access to credit – 22% Marketing and the ability to find customers – 26% Recovering from pandemic related losses – 18% 87% of small business owners lost an average of £20,981 each over the last two years, with many still suffering financially. The total cost of Covid-19 now sits at £109.6 billion – with one in six (16%) believing they will never recover financially from the pandemic. Green Shoots Of Confidence Three in five (62%) owners believe that the economy is set to worsen over the next six months. Despite this, many SME owners remain confident in their business’ ability to weather the storm. This level of confidence is a stark contrast to levels reported during the pandemic, when in September 2020, one in five (17%) predicted that their business wouldn’t survive another lockdown. Almost two years on, a third (34%) now say they’re more confident about their business’ prospects than 6-12 months ago, with 71% very confident about their business prospects in 2022. Analysing the report, Jonathan Portes, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at King’s College London, said: “Apart from raising prices, the main response to these adverse pressures from businesses is likely to be to simply hunker down, reduce costs where possible, and get on with it: that is, to pause expansion plans and, for those with employees, to cut back on hiring, hoping that conditions will improve over the coming year. The crucial factor here is likely to be consumer confidence and consumer demand. This has clearly taken a severe hit in recent months, but may recover if inflation reduces and real incomes return to growth.” “What can the government do to help? Fuel and energy prices are by far the largest concern, and here the key drivers are global. However, UK conditions have been aggravated by both Brexit and the recent fall in the pound, which further pushes up energy prices, as well as by the operation of the energy market and the price cap. Nor does the disconnect between the Prime Minister’s call for a ‘high wage, high productivity’ economy and the insistence that workers have to accept large cuts in real wages help to improve consumer and business confidence. While UK businesses remain resilient in the face of further economic turmoil, they need and deserve a more coherent longer-term strategy for the UK economy.” Alan Thomas, UK CEO at Simply Business, said: “Many small business owners are at breaking point – feeling the crippling pressure of rising costs, energy and fuel prices, alongside their ongoing recovery from the economic impact of the pandemic.” “Our SME Insights Report is a clear indication that small business owners want and need government support, with three in five calling for a review or reduction of the energy price cap.” “In the meantime, whilst the energy price caps do not apply to businesses, owners are seeing their energy bills increase overall. The surging cost of fuel and energy, alongside the overall rising cost of living, will understandably see households cut back on non-essential spending. There is a domino effect in place. The impact to consumer purchasing behaviour will trickle through to the books of small business owners, at a time when SMEs need our support the most.” “The latest rate rise also came with a clear recession warning, and poses a serious risk to many small businesses. Sole traders and microbusinesses will feel the pressure more than most. This all comes at a time when many are still in recovery mode. One in six believe they will never financially recover from the pandemic. As a result, two in five owners are calling for long-lasting financial support from the government to help them get back on their feet after Covid-19.” “Accounting for over 99% of all UK businesses and contributing trillions of pounds in turnover every year, small businesses sit at the heart of our communities and are vital to our economy. And while it’s encouraging that the majority remain optimistic about their businesses chances, it’s clear that owners need support to weather the pressure of rising costs.”