Rhys Taylor-Brown

Founded in 1996 from a small office in southwest London, Mercanta The Coffee Hunters has grown into a business that sources a huge variety of outstanding coffees from 20 different producing countries.

Kindred is an advocacy organisation based in Edinburgh which works with families of children with disabilities and other additional support leads. Being an operation that is run entirely by a voluntary board of trustees and a dedicated staff team of volunteers, CEO Sophie Pilgrim is no stranger to the value of providing expertise and services on a pro bono basis.

With environmental considerations very much a priority for the UK, many industries are keen to play their part, and Brown & Tawse, a steel stockholder and distributor based in Dundee and across other sites in Scotland and northern England, is one business that has gotten off to a head start and been reshuffling its operations in recent years with the environment and the future in mind.

The construction sector is a key industry in the UK which does not come without its challenges. A shortage of both skilled and unskilled labour is a longstanding issue within the sector, with a reduction in the amount of new labour coming from the EU already apparent with the impact of Covid-19 combined with the looming full enactment of Brexit at the end of 2020.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a challenging and sensitive time. Worldwide, around 38.6 million people have at some point been infected, with roughly 1.09 million fatalities as of October 15. However, while many countries have been forced to adjust to living under various types of restrictions, there are some positives that have emerged.

Foodservice contractor BonCulina has announced plans to expand its UK operations with the intention of increasing its market share in the £10 billion UK foodservice contractor market.

On demand construction hire specialist Skrap has found that the UK construction industry is beginning to rally as builders claim workflows are steady and revenues are starting to recover.

Letters written to ministers by Horizon Nuclear Power chief Duncan Hawthorne have revealed that plans to construct a nuclear power station at Wylfa Newydd in Anglesey may not be dead in the water, after Japanese firm Hitachi pulled the plug on the scheme in September.

A time where the United Nations is making a concerted effort to tackle misinformation surrounding Covid-19, one business executive has sought to highlight to other leaders the importance of clarity within various aspects of leadership in order to avoid such issues in the workplace.

In August 2020, Hartey Wealth Management was awarded two financial accreditations for the second year running that establishes them in the top tier of firms able to provide financial advice and planning services in the UK.

Vehicle remarketing business Copart is undergoing an ambitious growth programme to increase its vehicle storage capacity and make way for strategic development and expansion in the UK. Elsewhere, European Council president Charles Michel has called on the UK to “put its cards on the table” over a post-Brexit trade deal following discussions with the prime minister, as the deadline to come to an agreement draws closer.

In his leader’s speech to this year’s virtual Conservative Party conference, prime minister Boris Johnson has pledged to beat Covid-19 and build a better UK. Meanwhile, Dan Williams, managing director at award-winning private label cosmetic manufacturing company, Orean Personal Care, discusses the need for today’s leaders to prioritise people and their development.

Birmingham-based accommodation provider Sustain UK has been recognised by being shortlisted as a finalist in the Employer of the Year: Gold 50-249 category at The Investors in People Awards 2020.

The Labour Party has been unable to prevent changes to planning laws in England despite urging Conservative MPs to vote against the government, after being defeated in three Commons votes.

The EU has commenced legal proceedings against the UK after the government refused to halt its plans for the Internal Market Bill to become law, which will give ministers the power to override the Northern Ireland Protocol which forms part of the EU Withdrawal Agreement. Despite these developments, the bloc has not walked away from the negotiating table and a free-trade agreement could still be struck this month. As the row over the legislation goes on, manufacturer Melba Swintex has already been hard at work to protect itself from the complications that could arise from a no-deal scenario.