Businesses of all shapes and sizes are now being invited to enter the 2009 Northwest Business Environment Awards.

They can nominate themselves, via a simple application entry form, in one or more of the following award categories:

• Best Environmental Practice (products and service)
• Built Environment
• Sustainable Procurement
• Environmental Innovation and Environmental Champions.

The awards are a great way to let customers and staff hear about your hard work. Winning an award can help raise profiles and boost reputations as well as gaining recognition from the high-profile media and marketing campaign.

Previous finalists have all cited the awards as a great opportunity to demonstrate their green credentials.

Entry to the awards is free and easy, and I have taken the liberty of attaching the entries forms. Entry can be made online at the Mersey Basin website.

If you would like to discuss your entry in more detail, please contact the Mersey Basin Campaign direct on 0161 242 8200.

Closing date for entries is February 2nd 2009.

Are you looking for something special as a gift this year?

Then check out the annual selling exhibition from the Mersey Jewellers And Metal Artists Network (MJMAN) - Sparkle 08.

The event takes place over the first and second weekends in December.

It’s a great opportunity to pick up hand-made jewellery, craft and art at reasonable prices. The event is always popular and you are sure to find something as a  gift (or even for yourself).

The exhibition is taking place in the Old Barber’s Shop on School Lane, to the left of the entrance to the Blue Coat Chambers.

Dates:

Thurs 4th Dec 5 til 8pm
Sat 6th Dec 10.30 til 5.30pm
Sun 7th Dec 10.30 til 5.30pm

Thurs 11th Dec 5 til 8pm
Sat 13th Dec 10.30 til 5.30pm
Sun 14th Dec 10.30 til 5.30pm

Get directions with Google maps

During these testing times, it’s almost inevitable that some companies will have to resort to redundancies.

So it’s vital to handle these issues responsibly from the start.

Don’t forget, your Chamber membership gets you free HR support and advice from Chamber HR

No employer should consider this measure before taking professional advice at the outset, indeed it should be before the outset.

In many cases professional advisors can help long before a redundancy situation has to be considered. Remember that in tough times although employees are a major cost burden, good motivated employees are also a positive asset to have on board to help you steer through the changing climate of the economic downturn. A well handled re-evaluation programme can help you focus on the profitable parts of your business, assist you with retaining essential staff and in a final resort look at measures to cut costs which can include restrictions on recruitment, reduced use of agency staff, short time working, lay off and maybe redundancy.

However, redundancy should be one of a range of options considered and usually only considered when all else has failed. Redundancy can lead to loss of skills and abilities within the workplace. It will almost certainly lead to loss of morale and faith and that in turn will lead to even more employees leaving, sometimes your best. So a well handled redundancy situation is not about just shedding jobs but about handling it in a sensible manner dealing with the challenges of keeping the workforce focused, retaining the best and shedding jobs as a last resort.

It is also about ensuring that when it is done it is carried out properly and avoids the high cost in terms of time and money that Tribunal claims can bring upon any employer, large or small.

One of the best ways to ensure that you handle the position properly is to take advantage of a specially prepared Redundancy handling consultancy provision that the advice service can offer. You can receive on site help as well as that all too crucial training for your managers. Training in, not only how to handle a redundancy, but how to avoid it where possible and if it becomes inevitable how to negotiate the shark ridden waters and emerge relatively unscathed at the other end with a sound group of rowers left in the boat with you.

Find out more about Chamber HR here.

Email our membership team if you can’t find you Chamber HR log-in details.