The 2016 Business Growth Awards in South Wales build on a successful pilot awards programme in 2015 that saw successful organisations recognised for their outstanding efforts to grow, improve and engage. The winners have, we are delighted to say, gone on from strength to strength.
The 2015 awards selected Jodie Read, managing director of Penarth Management, to receive an award for innovation. Her company, which helps organisations become more efficient, greener and safer, was recognised for innovation. Penarth Management itself redesigned its own internal processes and moved from a single central office, to a more decentralised working approach. Moving to cloud-based IT meant there was no longer a requirement for team members to visit the office, with a wide range of activities now carried out online. The use of project management systems created the potential to distribute work remotely, and collect reports efficiently from the field. It also allowed team members to spend more time working directly with customers.
[quote]The new systems also increase our business resilience, as we are no longer so reliant upon physical office premises. The systems we have implemented allow all members of the team to work from anywhere, provided they have an internet connection. – Jodie[/quote]
There was another benefit from working at a more virtual scale:
[quote]The changes have also helped to reduce our business mileage tremendously, which links in well with our ISO14001 Environmental Management System.[/quote]
Neil Lloyd of Zokit and a member of the judging panel praised Jodie’s “role development innovations that inspire team members and designing practices and processes that simultaneously increase productivity and reduce environmental impact.”
Also recognised in the 2015 awards were Jane Hafren of Fresh Air Fridays and SpeakEasy (pictured); Peter Rowlands of P&M Photography; Julia James of Gwent Wildlife Trust; and Tom Waller of Cardiff Bay Chiropractic. Jane won the Inspiring Leader award as her leadership and presentation coaching has extended into regular coaching walks, which combine a heady dose of fresh air and fitness with her work to help unlock the power of the mind. Jane also has coached two prominent international TED speakers.