International Creativity and Innovation Day: Why Bold Ideas Drive Business Success

Every successful business started with a simple idea. 

Whether it was a new product, a better service, or a smarter way of doing things, innovation sits at the heart of progress. 

That’s exactly what International Creativity and Innovation Day, celebrated each year on 21 April, is all about.

Recognised by the United Nations, the day encourages individuals, organisations, and governments to think differently and embrace fresh ideas that can improve lives, communities, and industries.

For businesses of all sizes, it’s a timely reminder that creativity isn’t just for artists or designers. It’s a core skill that fuels growth, solves problems, and helps companies stay competitive.

Creativity Is a Business Advantage

In an increasingly crowded marketplace, originality matters. Businesses that encourage creative thinking are more likely to:

Develop innovative products and services

Improve efficiency through smarter processes

Respond quickly to changing markets

Stand out from competitors

From small independent retailers to global tech companies, innovation often comes from asking one simple question: Is there a better way to do this?

Innovation Starts With Workplace Culture

Creativity rarely thrives in rigid environments. Companies that want innovative ideas must create a culture where people feel comfortable experimenting and sharing suggestions.

That might include:

Encouraging brainstorming sessions

Allowing time for side projects or experimentation

Rewarding creative problem-solving

Listening to ideas from staff at every level

Many breakthrough ideas come from unexpected places, including junior employees who see problems from a fresh perspective.

Small Businesses Can Innovate Too

Innovation isn’t limited to major corporations with massive research budgets. Small businesses often lead the way because they can move quickly and adapt without layers of bureaucracy.

Examples of everyday business innovation include:

Streamlining customer service with new digital tools

Introducing sustainable packaging or greener processes

Offering new ways for customers to interact online

Creating unique experiences that competitors cannot easily copy

Even minor improvements can make a significant difference over time.

Celebrate Creativity in Your Business

International Creativity and Innovation Day is a great opportunity to spark new thinking within your team. Consider:

Hosting a workplace “ideas day”

Running a staff innovation challenge

Reviewing processes to identify improvements

Encouraging employees to share new product or service ideas

Sometimes the next big breakthrough begins with a simple conversation.

The Future Belongs to Creative Businesses

In a world shaped by rapid technological change, businesses that embrace creativity will be better equipped to adapt and thrive. Innovation isn’t just about invention, it’s about continuously improving, questioning assumptions, and exploring new possibilities.

International Creativity and Innovation Day is a reminder that the best ideas often come from those willing to think differently.

And in business, thinking differently can make all the difference.

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CIBSE delegation strengthens international collaboration on visit to Australia

CIBSE recently concluded a successful visit to Australia, engaging with industry leaders, academic partners and early-career engineers across Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. 

The trip focused on knowledge sharing, professional development and promoting sustainable, high-performing buildings.

During their time in Sydney, CIBSE CEO Ruth Carter, 2025/26 President Vince Arnold and Director of Membership Richard Goldsbrough met with the CIBSE New South Wales Committee, Engineers Australia, Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), International Code Council (ICC) and NABERS representatives.

Discussions centred on professional mobility, mutual recognition, sustainability initiatives, embodied carbon verification and opportunities for international collaboration to advance building performance globally.

The delegation also hosted a Heads of Industry Breakfast attended by over 50 leaders and participated in the CIBSE ANZ Young Engineers Network (YEN) “Aspirational Engineer” event, inspiring early and mid-career professionals.

In Melbourne, meetings with RMIT University (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology), AIRAH (Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating) and the University of Melbourne focused on supporting students and graduates, expanding professional development opportunities and strengthening links between academia and industry. 

A successful Heads of Industry Breakfast provided a platform for discussion on emerging trends, competence and mentoring the next generation of engineers.

The delegation concluded the visit in Adelaide, hosting a Heads of Industry Breakfast with over 40 local leaders and engaging with the Institute of Healthcare Engineering Australia (IHEA) to discuss global professional connections and collaboration in healthcare engineering.

The visit highlights CIBSE’s ongoing commitment to fostering professional standards, sustainable building practices, and the development of engineering talent worldwide.

https://www.cibse.org

Digital TradeTech Is Cutting Costs and Paperwork for UK Exporters

Two newly released TradeTech reports from PUBLIC, produced in partnership with the UK Government, reveal structured digital trade workflows are already delivering real-world improvements for businesses trading with Australia and New Zealand.

The research forms part of the UK–APAC TradeTech programme, which has been testing digital trade solutions in live SME export transactions. The takeaway is striking: tariffs are no longer the biggest barrier to smooth international trade, outdated processes are.

Across the programme, fragmented paperwork, repeated data entry and manual document handling were identified as major sources of delay and cost. By replacing these processes with structured digital workflows, businesses could significantly streamline operations.

The Results Speak for Themselves

Across real trade corridors, including transactions powered by Boex, the programme recorded measurable gains:

55% reduction in physical document handling

60% faster document preparation

83% faster processing per shipment

£40,535 annual savings for one SME exporter

The case studies behind these results appear in both reports, examining trade flows between the UK and partners in Australia and New Zealand.

From Email Chaos to Digital Trade Records

One standout example involved Boex supporting live trade between UK firm Jointine and partners across the Asia-Pacific region.

Rather than changing regulations or compliance requirements, the improvements came from reorganising how trade data is created, shared and verified.

By replacing email attachments and PDFs with a single shared digital trade record, the platform eliminated repeated data entry, reduced version-control problems and created a clear, auditable record for every party involved in the shipment.

The lesson is simple: efficiency gains come from better structured data, not cutting corners on compliance.

TradeTech Moves from Pilot to Reality

The programme also shows TradeTech has moved beyond experimental trials into genuine commercial use.

Alongside Boex, platforms including Phlo Systems, Trade Harmonizer and Spot Ship were tested across multiple trade corridors.

The consistent outcome:

faster trade execution

fewer administrative headaches for SMEs

more accurate data across supply chains

lower operating costs.

What Happens Next?

As adoption grows, the focus is shifting from legislation to implementation. The reports highlight the need for interoperable digital standards, stronger collaboration between governments and logistics providers, and continued investment in scalable trade infrastructure.

If those pieces fall into place, the UK–APAC corridor could become a blueprint for the future of global trade, one where paperwork no longer slows business down.

https://boex.biz

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UK employers can now get five AI qualifications for their staff through a single apprenticeship at no cost

A growing number of UK employers are discovering they can upskill their entire workforce in AI and automation without spending a penny, thanks to a Level 4 apprenticeship that bundles up to five industry qualifications into a single programme, all fully funded through the Apprenticeship Levy.

TESS Group, an Ofsted Good training provider working with employers including the Financial Times, EDF Energy, Transport for London, DPD, and NHS England, has built its AI & Automation Practitioner programme around a simple idea: AI skills shouldn't be limited to IT departments, and employers shouldn't have to pay extra for professional certifications.

The 15 to 18 month programme is designed for employees at every level, from front-line staff to senior leaders. There's no coding required. Learners work with tools like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Power Automate to build practical AI and automation skills they can apply to their day job from month one. 

It's equally suited to a team leader looking to make better use of AI across their department as it is to someone in an operational or support role. For organisations that run on Google Workspace rather than Microsoft, the programme can be tailored to Google's AI tools instead.

What makes it unusual is what's included. Where most training providers deliver only the apprenticeship standard, TESS Group embeds up to five additional qualifications at no extra cost: Microsoft AI Business Professional (AB-730), NCFE Level 3 certificates in Cyber Security and Data, NCFE AI Prompt Engineering, and BCS certification. Employers don't pay for any of it. 

The full programme is funded at £18,000 through the Apprenticeship Levy for levy-paying employers, with 95% government funding available for smaller businesses.

"Most employers have no idea they can get this many qualifications wrapped into one apprenticeship," Rod Doyle, Director and Founder of TESS Group told That's Business.

"They're already paying the levy. This is money they've already spent sitting in a pot that expires after 24 months if they don't use it. 

"We're helping them turn that into real capability across their teams, not just in IT, but in HR, finance, operations, marketing, every department. And it works just as well for leaders as it does for the people they manage."

The business case is straightforward. Learners typically reclaim over 10 hours a week by automating repetitive workflows, and because they're applying what they learn directly to their role throughout the programme, the return on investment starts immediately rather than after graduation.

All sessions are delivered live online via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, with new cohorts starting every month. Employers can enrol a single learner or run a private cohort tailored to their sector and challenges. For organisations wanting dedicated AI leadership development, TESS Group also offers specialist pathways for people leaders, operations managers, and coaching professionals, each with CMI management qualifications built in.

TESS Group currently delivers to over 100 employers across England and has trained over 10,000 learners, with a 59% distinction rate against a national average of around 20%. The provider holds a 97% employer satisfaction rate and a 4.9 out of 5 rating from over 680 verified reviews on Google and Trustpilot.

Employers interested in using their Apprenticeship Levy for AI training can book a free 15-minute discovery call at www.thetessgroup.com or contact info@thetessgroup.com.

LearnPro Group Acquires RiVR to Enhance its Immersive Learning Offer

LearnPro Group, backed by Apiary Capital, today announced the acquisition of key immersive training products and technologies from RiVR (Reality in Virtual Reality Ltd.), marking a major expansion of the Group’s virtual reality learning capabilities across emergency services, healthcare, defence, industrial and wider safety‑critical sectors.

The deal includes the innovative “Classroom in a Box” video-based RiVR Link training solution, as well as RiVR Fire Investigate and RiVR Crime Scene Investigate, which rely on advanced photorealistic capture and simulation technologies.

A team of nine specialists responsible for developing and operating these products, led by Bradley Woodward, has now joined LearnPro Group and will continue to work from their existing site in Southam, Warwickshire, as an integrated part of LearnPro Group’s global business operations.

With this acquisition, LearnPro Group significantly strengthens its ability to deliver immersive, scenario‑based learning experiences, adding the complementary RiVR platform to its market‑leading XVR simulation suite.

The deal was supported by Elucid Partners’ Paul Turner and James Barraclough, who acted as sell-side corporate finance advisers to RiVR.

LearnPro Group CEO Costi Karayannis told That's Business: “RiVR has earned a reputation for producing exciting immersive training tools and content to support a range of use cases across emergency, health, public and other high-risk settings. 

"By bringing these innovations into LearnPro Group, we’re accelerating our mission to provide the most advanced, flexible, and impactful learning ecosystem available today.”

RiVR’s Bradley Friend Woodward told us: “Joining LearnPro Group allows us to take the technologies we’ve built to the next level. This partnership gives our team the resources, reach, and strategic alignment we need to accelerate innovation and deliver even greater value to customers. It’s an exciting next step.”

RiVR’s technologies are used across the UK, North America, Asia and Australasia. They combine high-quality video and VR and AR environments, built from real‑world burns, crime scenes, and high‑risk scenarios, enable learners to safely practice complex decision‑making, evidence gathering, and operational procedures with unprecedented realism. 

In particular, the Classroom in a Box solution, RiVR Link, allows users to build impactful video-based learning in an agile, effective way.

RiVR’s immersive solutions naturally complement LearnPro Group’s XVR VR simulation platform. Together, these solutions provide a more comprehensive range of products and training experiences that connect theory, simulation, assessment, and real‑world scenario practice.

https://learnprogroup.com