FM Conway leads construction sector support for The Big Goal

FM Conway has become the headline construction sector sponsor of The Big Goal, a national funding drive supporting homeless and vulnerable young people through football.

Led by the Street Soccer Foundation, The Big Goal brings businesses together to help young people facing significant disadvantage build confidence, develop skills and move towards employment, education and independent living. 

FM Conway has supported the charity since 2016, when it became its first corporate sponsor and founding commercial partner.

At the centre of the programme are Street Soccer Academies. Football helps engage participants, while mentoring, education, employability and wellbeing support gives them tools to take their next steps. The impact can extend well beyond the pitch, helping young people build relationships, learn new skills and imagine a different future. 

Academies combine football with personal development, employability, education and wellbeing support, alongside clubs and community organisations.

During the 2025–26 season, FM Conway sponsored 10 Academy groups across London, West London, South East London and Kent. 

The partnership supported 82 young people and delivered around 480 hours of education and mentoring. More than 80% of participants who completed the programme progressed into employment, education or further training.

For the 2026/27 season, FM Conway will sponsor up to 12 Academies, alongside its new headline construction sector role with The Big Goal. The expanded partnership aims to turn individual business support into collective action, bringing employers, supply chains and industry partners together to widen opportunities.

Construction can offer meaningful routes into work, skills development and long-term careers, yet many young people may not know about the opportunities available. The Big Goal aims to connect them with those pathways, while helping them develop the confidence and support networks to thrive.

Street Soccer Foundation founder and chief executive Keith Mabbutt said FM Conway’s long-term backing had helped the charity grow from a Kent pilot into a national programme. He added that football was a powerful way to engage young people, while the wider support helped them build confidence, learn skills and see new possibilities.

Matt Smith, managing director at FM Conway, said the company had seen the difference the Foundation could make. He said construction had an important role in creating opportunities and opening pathways into employment, adding that collaboration could help young people build the skills and confidence to take their next steps.

Businesses across the sector are invited to find out more and join The Big Goal at www.TheBigGoal.co.uk.

Jewish Employees’ Concerns Highlight Gaps in Workplace Inclusion

More than seven in ten Jewish employees surveyed have avoided raising concerns about antisemitism because they were unsure how those concerns would be received, according to new research from business psychology consultancy Pearn Kandola.

For employers, the findings raise an uncomfortable question: does a public commitment to inclusion translate into support when employees need it?

The survey of 1,002 Jewish employees found 87% agreed their organisation expressed a clear commitment to tackling racism and discrimination. 

However, 75.5% said its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) approach was inconsistent in responding to antisemitism.

Meanwhile, 70.8% had avoided raising antisemitism concerns because of uncertainty about the reception they would receive. Just 15.9% said they felt able to raise such concerns.

These findings suggest that visible equality initiatives do not necessarily give every employee confidence that their experiences will be understood.

Interviews conducted as part of the research identified responses including denying discrimination, explaining away behaviour, treating incidents as misunderstandings and acknowledging prejudice without taking meaningful action.

Particularly concerning, the consultancy says, was that some dismissive responses came from DEI functions themselves.

Professor Binna Kandola OBE, Pearn Kandola’s co-founder and senior partner, told That's Business: “No employee should have to repeatedly prove that their experience matters before it is taken seriously.”

The research follows the consultancy’s earlier work examining antisemitism and Islamophobia at work. It also follows its Antisemitism at Work Week webinars in May 2026, during which Jewish attendees described difficulties obtaining responsive support from DEI teams.

For business leaders, the practical message is clear: reporting procedures need to be backed by knowledgeable people who can listen carefully, recognise prejudice and respond appropriately.

Pearn Kandola recommends six areas for improvement: independently reviewing DEI practice; developing specific expertise in antisemitism; distinguishing representation from inclusion; clarifying Employee Resource Groups’ responsibilities; strengthening organisational listening; and encouraging DEI teams to examine their own assumptions.

The consultancy also warns against assuming that perceptions of Jewish wealth, influence or success remove vulnerability to discrimination.

Crucially, Pearn Kandola presents its findings as an opportunity to strengthen DEI. Any function responsible for challenging bias must also be willing to recognise shortcomings in its own understanding.

For employers of every size, inclusion must mean more than policies, statements or awareness campaigns. Employees need confidence that raising a concern will lead to a fair hearing and an appropriate response.

The full report, “Yes but…”: Antisemitism and the Limits of Workplace Inclusion, is available from Pearn Kandola’s website, https://pearnkandola.com

Why Are Businesses Still Flushing Money Down the Toilet? Clever Ways to Save Water and Money

Combined basin/cistern really saves water

Discover how combined toilet cistern washbasins, waterless urinals and simple plumbing improvements can help UK businesses save water and cut costs.

From the smallest village pub to the headquarters of a multinational corporation, businesses could be wasting thousands of litres of water every year. 

Yet some remarkably simple innovations could help put an end to this unnecessary expense.

Take a look at the photograph accompanying this article.

At first glance, it appears to show a rather unusual, compact handwashing basin with a soap dispenser mounted above it.

But look more closely.

This isn't an ordinary washbasin. It's actually part of an ingenious water-saving toilet system that uses the same water twice!

Wash Your Hands, Then Flush the Toilet!

The principle is beautifully simple.

Instead of having a separate washbasin connected directly to the drainage system, this arrangement incorporates a small basin into the top of the toilet cistern.

When the toilet is flushed, fresh water flows through the basin's tap, allowing users to wash their hands.

Rather than disappearing down the drain, the handwashing water flows into the toilet cistern, ready to be used for the next flush.

The result? Water that would ordinarily be discarded after handwashing gets a second, perfectly practical use.

It's important to emphasise that users wash their hands with fresh, clean water. Only afterwards is that water collected for flushing.

For pubs, restaurants, offices, shops and other commercial premises, particularly those with frequently used toilets, this could represent a worthwhile reduction in water consumption.

The compact design can also be useful where washroom space is limited.

Waterless Urinals: Another Clever Solution

Another innovation deserving serious consideration is the waterless urinal.

Traditional urinals can consume considerable quantities of water, particularly older systems that flush automatically at regular intervals day and night, even when the building isn't used.

Waterless urinals eliminate flushing water altogether.

Instead, specially designed traps or cartridges allow urine to drain away while preventing unpleasant sewer gases from entering the washroom.

Some systems use replaceable cartridges, while others employ different sealing technologies.

For businesses with busy male washrooms, the potential water savings can be substantial.

However, proper installation, regular cleaning and appropriate maintenance are essential to prevent odours and drainage problems.

Think About the Bigger Picture

Water-saving toilets and urinals are only part of the solution.

Businesses should also consider:

Installing tap aerators and flow restrictors.

Repairing dripping taps and leaking toilets promptly.

Introducing dual-flush toilets where appropriate.

Using water-efficient commercial dishwashers.

Monitoring water meters to identify unusual consumption.

Training employees to recognise and report water wastage.

Larger organisations could benefit from comprehensive water audits to identify opportunities for improvement.

Saving Water Makes Good Business Sense

With commercial water and wastewater charges representing an ongoing operating expense, reducing consumption can deliver financial as well as environmental benefits.

Of course, any new plumbing installations must comply with relevant water regulations and hygiene requirements.

Businesses should also consider installation costs, maintenance requirements and likely usage before investing.

Nevertheless, innovations such as the combined handwashing basin and toilet cistern pictured here demonstrate that sustainability doesn't always require complicated technology.

Sometimes the cleverest solutions are also the simplest.

So, whether you're running a village pub with two toilets or managing a corporate headquarters with dozens of washrooms, perhaps it's time to ask a very important question:

Is your business quite literally flushing money down the toilet?

That's Business – Helping Businesses Work Smarter.

That's Christmas 365: Book Your Christmas Meals Now. Before It's Too Late!

That's Christmas 365: Book Your Christmas Meals Now. Before It's Too Late!: Christmas might still seem a little way off, but if you're planning a festive meal with family, friends or work colleagues, there's ...

"Don't Shop Here! Go Online and Buy It!” Why Retailers Could Be Driving Customers Straight Into the Arms of Their Competitors

There is a worrying trend developing in Britain's high streets. Customers enter shops intending to spend their money, only to be told by retail staff: “We haven't got that in stock. You'll have to go online.”

At first glance, this might seem perfectly reasonable advice. After all, online shopping has become an integral part of modern retailing. 

But there's a fundamental flaw in this approach, and it's one that could be costing retailers thousands, potentially millions, of pounds in lost sales.

Once you tell a customer to go online, you've lost control of where they spend their money.

Consider the situation. A customer visits a shop looking for a particular product. They have already demonstrated their willingness to buy from that retailer by making the effort to visit the premises.

However, rather than securing the sale, the assistant suggests buying online, instead.

What happens next?

The customer takes out their smartphone, searches for the product and discovers that Amazon, eBay or a competing retailer offers the same item, possibly at a lower price and with next-day delivery.

Suddenly, the original retailer has lost the sale, despite having done the hard work of attracting the customer into the shop.

Worse still, the customer might discover an alternative retailer they prefer and never return.

The Customer Is Already There. Why Let Them Escape?

Retailers spend enormous sums on advertising, marketing, attractive window displays and maintaining physical premises, all designed to encourage customers through their doors.

Yet some businesses seem remarkably willing to let those potential sales walk straight back out again.

Surely a better approach would be to empower shop assistants to complete online orders on behalf of customers?

Imagine the difference if, instead of saying “You'll have to go online,” the assistant responded: “We don't have that particular item here today, but I can order it for you now and arrange delivery to your home or collection from this shop.”

That simple change transforms a potential lost sale into a completed transaction.

It also demonstrates genuine customer service.

Not Everyone Wants to Shop Online

Another consideration is that some customers deliberately choose physical shops because they prefer personal interaction, want advice or simply don't enjoy navigating websites.

Others may have accessibility difficulties, limited internet access or concerns about online payments.

Telling these customers to go online effectively communicates that their business is less welcome unless they are prepared to do the retailer's work themselves.

That is hardly a recipe for building customer loyalty.

Retail Staff Need the Right Tools

This isn't necessarily the fault of shop assistants. Many are working within systems and policies established by head offices.

If staff cannot access online stock, arrange deliveries or process orders for unavailable products, they have few alternatives.

Retail management should therefore consider equipping employees with systems that connect physical shops with online inventory.

Such arrangements can also help preserve the importance of the high street while allowing retailers to benefit from their wider distribution networks.

There is another advantage: a customer who receives helpful service is considerably more likely to remember the experience positively.

The Amazon Factor

Amazon has built much of its success around convenience, availability and straightforward purchasing.

Why would any high street retailer voluntarily encourage customers to enter an environment where Amazon is only a click away?

Once shoppers begin comparing prices online, the original retailer loses one of its greatest competitive advantages: the personal relationship established during the shop visit.

The customer may even find a better deal without having to leave home again.

Every Customer Through the Door Represents an Opportunity

Successful retailing isn't simply about displaying products on shelves. It's about recognising opportunities, solving customers' problems and making purchases as straightforward as possible.

Of course, there will always be occasions when a product cannot be supplied. But that should be the exception rather than an automatic invitation to search the internet.

Retailers need to remember that the customer standing in front of their assistant has already made a choice about where they would like to spend their money.

The challenge is to make sure they complete that purchase before somebody else gets the opportunity.

Because in today's fiercely competitive retail environment, telling someone to “go online” might be the most expensive piece of customer service advice a business can give.

And the ultimate beneficiary could be Amazon, rather than the shop that attracted the customer in the first place.

What Can Ancient Chinese Poetry Teach Today’s Business Leaders?

Budgets, artificial intelligence, customer reviews and staff retention: the modern business leader’s working day rarely lacks urgent questions. 

What it often lacks is time to stop, think and consider whether a different perspective might produce a better answer.

A book from LID Publishing invites managers to find that perspective in an unexpected place: classical Chinese poetry.

Verses of Wisdom, by Dr Catherine Hua Xiang and Zhining Xu, connects 25 centuries of literary wisdom with the challenges facing contemporary business leaders. Its central proposition is that reflections on human nature can offer valuable guidance for those responsible for people, decisions and organisational direction.

Drawing particularly on poetry from the Tang Dynasty, which lasted from 618 to 907 CE, and the Song Dynasty, from 960 to 1279 CE, the authors explore themes that remain recognisable across centuries and cultures.

Self-improvement, resilience, difficult choices and the search for meaning are hardly historical curiosities. They are everyday concerns for anyone trying to build a business, support colleagues or lead through uncertainty.

The book encourages readers to approach leadership with curiosity, considering how achievement and purpose, commercial results and human relationships can work together.

Crucially, readers do not need to speak Chinese or have studied Eastern philosophy to engage with its ideas. The invitation is to consider what another culture’s literary heritage might reveal about familiar professional challenges.

For managers accustomed to dashboards and performance indicators, that could provide a useful opportunity for reflection. Figures can identify a problem, but understanding the people behind those figures often requires patience, empathy and judgement.

Advance endorsements suggest the approach has struck a chord with experienced business figures. Sir Tom Troubridge praises its introduction of Chinese poetry to Western business leaders, while Brompton Bicycle chief executive Will Butler-Adams welcomes its combination of ancient verse and stories from successful contemporary businesses.

Verses of Wisdom is the third title in LID Publishing’s Navigating China series, which aims to deepen readers’ understanding of China and its relevance to leadership and business practice.

For That’s Business readers, its appeal lies in the opportunity to broaden the sources from which leadership lessons are drawn. Useful insights can emerge from literature and cultural traditions as readily as from the latest management discussion.

At a time when every working minute seems accounted for, making room for thoughtful reading may feel difficult. This book offers leaders a reason to put reflection back into the diary—and see what follows.

https://lidpublishing.com

Nigel Barnett Buys Back TalkTalk’s Stake in TAL Group

Nigel Barnett, (PICTURED) chief executive of West Sussex-based Telecom Acquisitions Ltd (TAL Group), has repurchased the 51% shareholding held by TalkTalk Group for the past four years.

The buyback was planned over 18 months, with both companies working together to reach an agreed outcome. 

During TalkTalk’s involvement, TAL Group doubled in size and now serves more than 80,000 customers every month.

Barnett said the opportunity was different from what he had expected four years ago, but one he could not miss. He also praised his daughter, Sasha Barnett, who has taken the reins of the residential business.

“I’m incredibly proud of my daughter, Sasha Barnett, who shows the same passion for the residential business that I’ve always had,” he said. Barnett added that, after working in the business-to-business sector with Global 4, he had found the residential market “refreshing and fast-moving”. He thanked TalkTalk for its support over the past four years.

Home services for people moving house

Home Telecom, one of TAL Group’s leading brands, receives more than 30,000 introductions each month from people moving home across the UK. With energy and Sky TV added to its offering, the brand aims to provide movers with a wider package of home services.

The group’s growth has come through both organic expansion and acquisitions. Before and during TalkTalk’s involvement, TAL Group acquired 17 residential broadband customer bases. It says further deals are in the pipeline, with several hoped to be completed before Christmas.

A round-the-clock service

TAL Group moved to new premises in Horsham, West Sussex, in September 2025. It now employs more than 100 people, working both from its office and from home across the UK.

The company says it is among the few residential broadband suppliers to provide a 24-hour service, 365 days a year. Its service has received more than 20,000 reviews on Trustpilot, where it has a 4.7 rating.

TAL Group also offers a postcode checker covering the major broadband networks and larger alternative network operators. This enables homeowners to compare services available at their address in one search.

The group comprises Home Telecom, Fleur Telecom, Eclipse Broadband and EZE Talk Residential. It also serves customers from a number of other providers, including Bulldog Broadband, Cuckoo, Gigabit Networks, Link Broadband and Origin, under its trading brands.

Barnett’s repurchase returns the majority shareholding to TAL Group’s leadership as the company continues to pursue growth in the UK residential broadband market.

https://www.telecomacquisitions.co.uk