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Almost five decades have passed since equal pay legislation was introduced and yet some women still earn less than men for doing the same work. The current UK gender pay gap stands at just over 18%. 

With a view to eliminating the gender pay gap in a generation, later this year the government will be introducing new regulations requiring large employers, including the public sector, to publish their gender pay gap and gender bonus gap. 

The gender pay gap looks at average pay differences between men and women across an entire organisation, in contrast to equal pay which focuses on the differences between men and women who carry out the same jobs, similar jobs or work of equal value.

It is expected that greater transparency around the gender pay gap will enable employers to identify new opportunities to increase female participation in their workforce, as well as increasing employee confidence in the remuneration process.  The evidence provided by gender pay gap reporting will also be used by the government to look at whether other initiatives are required to narrow the gender pay gap. 

The regulations will apply to all private and voluntary sector employers with at least 250 ‘relevant’ employees.  

Large employers will be required on an annual basis to publicise details of the rates at which they pay female employees compared with male employees including:

• the difference between the mean and median hourly rates of pay between male and female full pay employees;
• the difference between men and women’s mean and median bonus pay over a 12-month period;
• the number of men and women in each of four groups based on the organisation’s overall pay range; and
• the proportion of males and females who have received bonuses.

Organisations will have up to 12 months from April 2017 to publish this information and should be making their payroll aware about these reporting obligations.  

Although only large businesses will be expected to highlight their gender pay gap next year, given the likely increase in media interest and employee awareness following the publication of the first reports, employers of any size could face a surge of challenges by staff regarding perceived pay differences in workplace.  Equal pay claims are often complex and expensive to defend, with substantial amounts at stake. 

All employers should consider taking steps now to identify whether potential gender pay disparity exists within their organisation.  Unfortunately there are no easy solutions for employers if such pay disparity is identified, but simply ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away is unlikely to be an option in the future.

Nicola Butterworth and Graham Irons will be discussing the law surrounding equal pay issues and the reporting requirements, including defences to equal pay claims and handling an equal pay grievance at the next Norfolk Chamber of Commerce HR forum on 22 March 2017.  The session will also look at future legal reforms and recent case law decisions and identify how these developments will impact on local businesses.

 To book a place please visit the event page

Taylor Investigations provides various investigation services as well as genealogy research, led by our genealogist and researcher, Michelle.

Case 1

A gentleman recently contacted us, hoping to solve a lifelong mystery for his father, who, now in his 80s, yearned to know who his own father was. Both father and son had taken DNA tests through Ancestry and had even engaged an expert from the platform. Despite these efforts, the identity of the unknown father remained elusive, though they had uncovered hints of possible cousins.

With access to both of their DNA results, Michelle took on the challenge. She meticulously worked through their DNA matches, building a family tree based on shared connections. The closest match was a second cousin, which allowed her to deduce that the unknown grandfather came from Wales. She eventually narrowed down the possibilities to one of four brothers.

Our next step was to trace the descendants of each brother. Most were grandchildren, though one brother still had a living daughter in her 90s. Out of respect for her age and wellbeing, we decided not to approach her directly, as learning about a potential unknown sibling could be unsettling.

Instead, we reached out to the grandchildren of the remaining three brothers, sending consent letters that explained our search and invited them to take a DNA test through Ancestry. We knew that DNA results would confirm or eliminate each brother based on the amount of shared DNA, which reflects the closeness of a relationship.

The very next day, we received a call from one of the granddaughters. She was open to taking the test, although she was convinced her grandfather couldn’t possibly be the missing link. Nevertheless, she was happy to help us clarify and was even curious to connect with our client, as she hadn’t realised the extent of her grandfather’s family—three brothers and three sisters. She was eager to learn more about her extended family.

The client arranged for a priority DNA test, which was dispatched directly to her. She completed and returned it promptly, and within three weeks, we had the results.

We monitored the DNA matches of our client and his father, eagerly awaiting the appearance of this new potential connection. Then, finally, there it was.The granddaughter matched as a half-cousin to our client and a half-niece to his father. Our search was complete: her grandfather was indeed the unknown father and our client’s biological grandfather. The joy and relief shared by our client and his father were palpable—they finally had the answers they’d sought for so long.

As for the granddaughter, her initial shock gave way to curiosity and, ultimately, delight. She wished her own father had lived to meet the half-brother he’d never known existed.

We wish them all the best as they embark on this new chapter of family connection and discovery.

Case 2

We were recently approached by a client who needed help building a family tree to support his application for a Lithuanian passport. To qualify, he had to prove his lineage and believed he was eligible because of his grandfather, who he understood to be a Jewish man born in Lithuania.

Our client had taken a DNA test and shared his results with us. Reviewing his ethnicity estimate, Michelle was surprised to see that his DNA composition was 80% English/North European, with the remaining 20% being Scottish and Irish—yet there was no trace of Jewish ancestry. Typically, one would inherit around 25% of their DNA from each grandparent, with a margin of 20-30%, so some evidence of Jewish heritage would be expected if his grandfather were indeed Jewish.

Michelle then began working through the client’s DNA matches, identifying a first cousin as the closest relative. This discovery led to a surprising conclusion: our client’s grandfather was not who he had always believed.

Through careful research, Michelle uncovered the identity of his actual grandfather, an English-born man with no Jewish heritage. The delicate task of sharing this revelation with the client was left to Charlotte.

Charlotte made the sensitive call, and the client received the news calmly. He noted that everyone involved in the story had since passed away but realised he’d need to sit down with his son, who had recently joined the Jewish society at University.

Fortunately, our client could still proceed with a passport application, though not for Lithuania. It turned out his grandmother had been born in Ireland, which allowed him to apply for Irish citizenship—a detail he hadn’t known before.

Curious about discovering an unknown ancestor? A DNA test could reveal the answers paired with our genealogy research. Get in touch with us today to find out more!

[email protected] | 01603 904031 | www.taylorinvestigations.co.uk

BBA Digital Media got heart through out January and February, this time for none other than <a s daytime show.

Just another fab example of focussed advertising: have you considered joining our network of digital screens to push a specific element of your business?

BBA Digital Media – let us get the word out!

RenEnergy has started construction of a 1.9MW solar Photo Voltaic (PV) plant at the Briar Chemicals site in Norwich, UK. The PV array will provide low carbon energy into the Briar Chemicals facility. The development will be built on a site adjacent to the plant, utilising otherwise undeveloped land to generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 400 houses, and offset 860 tonnes of CO2 annually.

The solar array will be installed at no capital cost to Briar Chemicals; rather it will be owned and maintained by RenEnergy and its partners, selling the energy produced to the site at a discount to the market rate. Over the 25-year life of the project, the discount will amount to significant operational savings, helping Briar Chemicals remain competitive and sustainable in a global market, whilst complimenting the operation of the existing Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant.

Tim Green, Executive Director and Site Manager said: “This is an exciting project; it will allow us to use power generated from the sun and use it within our manufacturing processes. This will enable us to focus on production of cost-effective high quality chemicals, knowing that we are doing so in an extremely environmentally friendly way.”

Damian Baker, MD of RenEnergy said: “We have been working with Briar for over nine months to deliver this project. The system had to be designed to ensure it met the high standards demanded in this engineering sector and is a real testament to all involved.”

The installation will consist of 6,508 Solar World PV panels connected to 84 Fronius inverters. The ground frame used to mount the panels was designed and manufactured by Hi-Span in Wymondham, part of RenEnergy’s policy to use local suppliers whenever possible.

Designed in order for peak generation to coincide with Briar’s peak energy load, the solar plant will produce approximately 1,800,000 kWh of energy a year, of which over 70% will be consumed on site, with the surplus being exported for use elsewhere on the electricity grid.

In addition to the generation of low carbon energy, the ground array will enhance the biodiversity of the area, providing shelter and habitat to a wide variety of insects, animals and wildflowers, further adding to the green credentials of the project.

Briar Chemicals deliver chemical synthesis, formulation, packing and shipping services to customers across the globe. From their site in Norwich, they service world-leading companies in the crop protection, fine and speciality sectors, utilising a broad asset and technology base, underpinned by quality driven project management and operational excellence.

Businesses, homeowners or communities wishing to know more about the local generation of renewable energy can visit www.renenergy.co.uk to find out more.

SimRush uses next generation access technology and LTE connectivity to deliver superfast broadband to premises with little or no existing capability. It is taking businesses which are in broadband not-spots by storm and transforming the way they can do business.

After its initial research and development phase the product underwent a vigorous testing phase for 12 months ensuring it was ready for general wide-scale UK release in Q4 of 2016.  Norfolk based internet communications provider FreeClix was appointed as Lead Technology Partner in September 2016 and it was fitting that a product researched and developed in Norfolk was given its first public exhibition at a Norfolk event.

The Norfolk Chamber of Commerce MPs Event 2017 was the perfect launchpad given the ‘Revolution in Technology’ and ‘Changing Landscape and Infrastructure’ topics under debate. The product received enthusiastic interest from delegates and MPs who clearly demonstrated they were all keen to ensure Norfolk businesses are not left behind by poor broadband infrastructure.

The FreeClix stand featured this fun video below which explained the benefits of the product to visitors.

SimRush is the perfect product for both Norfolk and UK-wide business (and home) users who are sick of waiting around to be fibre enabled, cannot get wireless as they are obscured by trees, because local fixed access wireless providers do not have enough customers to make installations viable, or they simply don’t want satellite due to its high latency and cost.

SimRush hardware can be used ‘out of the box’ and can be up and running in a matter of minutes. The cloud managed devices are automatically kept up to date can be managed locally by end users via the customer portal. To enable users to meet their specific needs in more complex network environments, the equipment can be configured to meet customers’ bespoke requirements and can be deployed into premises as part of a wider connectivity solution.

Businesses which now have the superfast service they need have found it has not just allowed them to conduct ordinary business, its enabled them to compete and grow. This case study gives a brilliant example of how a rural business has literally transformed the way it’s now doing business thanks to a SimRush install by FreeClix.

SimRush can be purchased across the UK from authorised technical resellers. Pricing is dependent on data requirement please contact us for details of your nearest authorised technical reseller who can provide you with advice and pricing.

www.simrush.com

Connect Plus Services are responsible for the maintenance and operations of the M25 motorway network, including all adjoining trunk and slip roads, and their website reads: “Imagine a world where you were never late; where there were no traffic jams, queues or accidents; where you travelled with ease and were spared thoughts of frustration and annoyance”. 

Aiming to practice what they preach and lead by example, CPS launched a Liftshare scheme for their workforce at the beginning of 2017. With seven main sites of staff, and varying shift patterns, the business needed a flexible sharing policy that would suit all.

Frequently working on large projects outside and in all elements, CPS are no stranger to environmental concerns and corporate social responsibility. With ambitious carbon reduction targets to hit by 2020, CPS need to find new ways to reduce their impact on the environment.

Taking the step to implement priority parking bays for car sharers at three sites, CPS launched their scheme and invited the Liftshare Team on site to meet with staff. Completing floor walks of Dartford and South Mimms and signing people up for the free-to-use initiative at their desks, 25% of the workforce signed up over just two days – an unprecedented amount of engagement!

CPS used their social media, company-wide briefings and email to talk about car sharing and its benefits to their staff, and incentivised with a prize draw for those signing up. This all-round approach has been extremely successful, and the interest received is tantamount to the management buy-in.

Rebecca Gysin, Liftshare Scheme Manager, said: “As a business we take our impact on the environment very seriously, it is one of our six business priorities and goals. Seeing that our work focuses on improving journeys on the M25, we felt it was important to demonstrate our commitment to improving congestion on our roads.  During the process of deciding whether Liftshare was right for our business we identified that over 43% of our staff lived within one mile of a colleague travelling to the same site, this evidence showed us that this would be a worthwhile investment and really give our staff an opportunity to save themselves some money of their fuels bills and maybe also make some new friends along the way. “

If you’d like more information on introducing a Liftshare scheme for your business, or think personalised travel planning or car sharing could work for your organisation, get in touch with the Liftshare Business Team.

Human Capital Department were delighted to be awarded the Kings Lynn Major’s Award for innovation on 3rd March 2017, held at the Corn Exchange.

The judges recognised the company have innovated in providing tailored HR solutions, and in Maketing of the business.

Peter Lawrence from Human Capital Department said:

We are interested in building relationships with Chamber Members and other businesses, and providing HR Support either on a retained basis or for what I call HR Projects. 

To get in touch Phone

01553 609968 

or email

[email protected]

www.humancapitaldept.com

A message from the North East Norfolk Futures Event Team Working in partnership with Beacon East, North Norfolk District Council and Paston Sixth Form College, the North East Norfolk Futures Event is designed to inspire, motivate and help guide students to reach their future career goals.

Over the last few years the event has grown considerably, with over 30 universities and 50+ employers attending last year.

This year, in addition to the provider stalls we have also introduced the ‘Career Guidance Centre’; where students can gain one-to-one career guidance from a variety of independence careers advisors, and also visit a series of guest speaker talks covering a variety of career paths. if you would like to find out more about the event, please contact Paston Sixth Form College via [email protected]

Frank Dale Foods Limited based in Bunwell, South Norfolk passed into liquidation on Tuesday 28 February 2017 bringing to an end over 20 years of trading.  Andrew McTear of Norwich based business rescue and insolvency specialists was appointed liquidator.  In the run up to liquidation McTear Williams & Wood advertised the business and assets for sale as a going concern.   Liquidator Andrew McTear commented “there was keen interest, we sent out 31 sales packs and six interested parties visited site.  One offer stood above the others and I am delighted we were able to conclude a sale of the business and assets on 1 March 2017 to Finedale Foods Limited that should secure future employment for most of the 57 strong work force.   “This will result in a significant dividend to creditors so we see this as a win win outcome.” Edward Miles, owner and CEO of the newly formed Finedale Foods Limited said “I looked to invest and manage the company prior to the liquidation but the depth of the company’s financial crisis made that impossible.  Buying the business and assets out of liquidation made sense and I am delighted to be the successful bidder with support from Angel Investors, the LEP and the local Council who all worked quickly to support the bid”. “It is early days but we have already restarted production and opening new accounts with customers and suppliers. The team on site are working extremely hard to satisfy a backlog of customer orders and we will continue to build the Frank Dale brand.”

Listen to the latest podcast on the Renewable Heating Podcast, homeowners Q & A, where Louise Howlett is talking with industry colleagues about living with a heat pump in a family home.

They cover the key elements of selecting a heat pump, including efficiency, reliability, controls, noise levels and aesthetics of a heat pump.

https://youtu.be/M-WNIOpERes?si=6bT891al4sOqe-Da