March 2010  Networks First gains highest distinction from Cisco for Customer Satisfaction, achieving 100% customer loyalty rate

Networks First, the independent provider of support services for network infrastructure, has attained Customer Satisfaction Excellence, the highest distinction possible in the Cisco Channel Partner Programme.  Networks First achieved an impressive customer loyalty rate of 100% in the independently audited Cisco Customer Satisfaction Survey

 

As part of the audit process to achieve silver partner status, customers are asked to score the company on the quality of its service delivery. Networks First’s overall score was 4.88 out of 5.

 

Ian Hearn, head of sales, Networks First, comments: “We are very proud of our reputation for the best customer service in the industry and are pleased our high score reflects all the hard work the team here puts into making sure our customers are both happy and loyal."

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February 2010  M-REAL IS ONE OF WORLD’S FIRST COMPANIES TO ADOPT AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY SYSTEM IN ALL ITS PRODUCTION UNITS

 

M-real, Europe’s leading primary fibre paperboard producer and a major paper supplier, has met its target to implement an Energy Efficiency System (EES) in all its production units by the end of 2009.  M-real is among the first companies in the world to adopt such a management system, now integrated into its operating policies and providing a foundation for the company's future activities to improve energy efficiency.  The total amount of energy saved so far in one year as a result of these projects equals the amount of energy consumed by a small town, and M-real’s carbon dioxide emissions have already decreased by almost 20,000 metric tonnes a year.

 

The EES is part of M-real’s climate programme and will enhance its competitiveness, as many measures to slow down climate change also have a positive effect on energy costs.  Its ability to take the climate impacts of production into account received significant recognition when M-real came second in its field in the 2009 Nordic Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI).

 

”The EES not only provides answers to internal obligations, it also proves to our customers that we take measures to cut down our own energy consumption and fulfil our share in combating climate change,” says Mikko Helander, CEO of M-real.  “This system allows us to improve energy efficiency thoroughly throughout the company. Energy efficiency is now a systematic and visible part of M-real’s daily operations.”

 

Full storyhttp://www.m-real.com/press/newslisting/Pages/1378288.aspx

January 2010 Traditional universities losing out in online search figures  - new league tables reveal ‘share of Google search’ for UK universities

 

New league tables compiled and published today by PR consultancy Portfolio Communications reveal the volume of Google search for traditional universities, such as King’s College London, LSE and Warwick, has decreased significantly (21.7%, 19% and 6.6% respectively). Oxford and Cambridge Universities also saw a drop in search to a lesser extent. In contrast to this, newer universities, such as Glyndwr University in Wrexham and Leeds Metropolitan have seen a substantial increase in the amount of people searching for them online (109.5% and 89.2% respectively).

 

The UK universities ‘share of Google search’ tables looked at the amount of searches for each university between August and December 2009 and highlight the overall volume of online search in this period, as well as the change in volume of searches compared to the same period in 2008.

 

Only three traditional universities – Aberystwyth, Loughborough and Brunel – feature in the top 20 universities that have seen an increase in their volume of search, with an overwhelming 14 appearing in the bottom 20, many of whom have seen a decrease.

 

Jonathan Bawden, senior account manager at Portfolio, comments: “It is clear from the tables that the volume of online search for universities across the UK varies considerably. The most interesting findings, however, are revealed when the change in the volume of searches is examined, with traditional universities losing out to their ‘newer’ counterparts. One of the reasons for this difference is almost certainly the level of marketing and PR communications undertaken.

 

Portfolio believes true online visibility is paramount for any organisation, public or private, in order to succeed. Although many universities have invested heavily in impressive websites, this alone is not enough. Monitoring and managing a university’s reputation, both online and offline can help to raise its profile amongst its key stakeholders and ensure it remains front of mind to those searching for a place to study or invest.

 

Bawden concludes: “Gone are the days when an open day alone was enough for universities to attract potential students and investors. With the dramatically increased competition for funding, university marketing departments now need to build fully integrated PR, media relations and social media plans to not only climb the online search ladder, but also address and manage negative comments and publicity.”

 

To see the full league tables or compare universities on the Portfolio Universities Search Dashboard click here. Data for the Search Dashboard has been taken from Google Insights for Search (www.google.com/insights/search).

December 2009 STUDY REVEALS DEPTH OF DAMAGE TO UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA'S ACADEMIC REPUTATION FROM HACKED EMAILS

More than half of academics (52%) from leading UK universities believe the recent 'Climategate' email scandal at the University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit (CRU) has 'severely damaged' the University's academic reputation.  

The study, which included scientists, engineers, statisticians and mathematicians from over 30 UK universities, also revealed that one in three academics (30%) believe the validity of the CRU's research has been thrown into doubt by the content of the emails; and 85% that the United Nations is right to say the issue should be investigated.

 

Commenting on the findings, Sheila Gimson, managing director at Portfolio Communications, says: "The UEA experience shows just how easily and quickly an organisation can lose its reputation.  Despite the fact that hacking the emails was itself a criminal act and the CRU pleading its innocence, mud inevitably sticks.  Rightly or wrongly, fairly or unfairly, UEA has lost its standing as a world-class centre for academic research, literally overnight."

Portfolio's Gimson believes there are three important lessons to be learnt from UEA's experience.  First, that every organisation, public or private, should have a crisis management plan in place that can be implemented at a moment's notice.  Second, that monitoring and analysing traditional, online and social media on a regular basis is essential; and, third, organisations must ensure that anybody exposed to the media has been properly media trained.

 

Gimson continues: "We don't know whether UEA had a crisis management plan in place or not, but if so it seemed to take quite a while to swing into action.  Even the best plans are of little use if people are not aware of them and do not understand their role in the event of a crisis occurring.  At least one academic from UEA spoke to the media, apparently without the University's blessing, which resulted in an unfortunate incident on BBC's Newsnight when he was heard to swear on air.  This might have been amusing for some but it will have done more damage to the University's already tarnished reputation."

 

Portfolio believes universities and other higher education establishments face particular problems when managing their PR because of the breadth and depth of stakeholders to whom they are accountable.  These include not only Government funders, students and staff but also commercial enterprise, which is becoming increasingly important as public money dries up.

Gimson concludes: "Universities and other higher education institutions have to keep many people happy if they are to succeed in what has become a very competitive environment.  This requires a different approach to that adopted by other organisations.  On the one hand, for instance, they have to appeal to a young, frequently outspoken audience while on the other they have to attract and maintain good relationships with traditional, sometimes quite conservative commercial organisations.  Monitoring and analysis can play an important role here by enabling university marketing and PR teams to keep an eye on their reputation across disparate audiences."

 

The study was carried out online by specialist research company, Spectrum, during the week beginning 7th December, 2009.  More details can be found at http://www.spectrum-analysis.com/lab.html.

 

November 2009 FIS & Moneybookers provide instant access to online funds

FIS, the world's largest provider of banking and payments technology, announces a contract with Moneybookers, one of Europe's largest online payments systems, to launch a prepaid card allowing instant access to cash across the globe.  Please see full press release:http://www.fidelityinfoservices.com/FNFIS/NewsRoom/20091124.htm

 

October 2009 Metrica, Portfolio’s sister company, acquired by Durrants

 

Metrica, the award winning, global media analysis and evaluation company, has been acquired by Durrants, the leading provider of media planning, monitoring and analysis services. 

 

Founded in 1993, originally as a subsidiary of Portfolio Communications, Metrica has achieved world leadership in media analysis by delivering exceptional PR measurement products, services and consultancy to organisations across all sectors. 

 

Richard Bagnall, Managing Director of Metrica, says: “This is a significant development for Metrica as we continue to develop our business.  The synergies created by the Durrants’ acquisition provide us with the opportunity to grow our customer base and offer our services to a wider market.”

 

Portfolio Communications Limited is unaffected by the sale and remains an independent company under the control of Sheila Gimson, Tony Martin and Mark Westaby.

 

October 2009 New research reveals only 10% of organisations have a dedicated social media budget

Just over one in three (35%) UK organisations believe that the impact of social media is now just as, or more important than traditional media, according to a study carried out by Portfolio Communications.  Despite this, around 90% of organisations are still working without allocating a budget to a dedicated social media programme, though 31% plan to do so within the next six months. 

 

These findings represent both an opportunity and a threat for the PR industry.  Whereas PR professionals can easily implement emerging tools and technologies to extend their existing communications channels, much of the industry remains so deeply rooted in the ways of traditional media that it is likely to find it difficult to embrace the changes necessary to address social media.
 

Jonathan Bawden, senior account manager at Portfolio, says: “Given the findings it seems extraordinary that only 10% of organisations have an allocated budget for a social media programme in place.  The fact that one in three (31%) plan to do so by early 2010 is encouraging but this remains a low figure. This highlights the problem of how organisations are going to fund social media programmes without ‘stealing’ budget from other areas, such as traditional PR and advertising campaigns.  Already, we have come across organisations that have appointed social media programme managers without any budget to support them. 

 

“Not only does this illustrate weak leadership in the ‘we have to do something to tackle social media, but don’t quite know what’ mould, it also encourages budget-holding PR, advertising and other marketing departments to defend their empires.  Such a position can be hugely damaging, creating ‘silos’ that work against the very integration of expertise and resources that organisations need to generate competitive advantage as they – and the wider economy – fight to come out of recession.”

Another significant finding from the study is that just 29% of organisations currently make use of external blogs, and only 25% make use of Twitter, despite the major benefits these media can deliver at relatively low cost.  

Bawden continues: “While it takes considerable effort and is time-consuming for an organisation to run its own blog, it is possible to make use of this powerful social medium by contributing to relevant ‘external’ blogs, ie blogs run by others.  Indeed, the majority of bloggers welcome such contributions as they can add significant value and credibility.

 

“The same is true for other social media tools. Generating the information to make a corporate Twitter account worth following can be surprisingly time-consuming, even if generating the actual tweets themselves is not. However, it is possible to contribute to social media by pointing to research, market reports, case studies and opinion pieces that can add significant value to a debate while taking remarkably little time to execute.”

 

Last but not least, the research study reveals that many organisations are paying lip-service to the importance of monitoring and analysing social media while doing nothing about it.  Bawden concludes: “Some of this difference can be explained by many organisations recognising the importance of social media monitoring and analysis, but without having the budget to do anything about it.  However, the powerful influence of social media and the speed with which information propagates and grows means that the importance of monitoring and analysing it should never be under-estimated.”

 

October 2009 Portfolio joins LCC international sustainability network

Portfolio Communications has joined the LOHAS Competence Center (LCC), an international network of experts in sustainability, CSR, green ideas, products and services.  Established in Germany in January 2008, the network is now expanding to include other European countries, with Portfolio representing the UK in its capacity as a specialist in environmental communications.  www.lohascompetencecentre.de

 

“It is exciting to be part of the LCC, which acts as resource for international businesses or organisations wishing to develop in a responsible way and with high ethical standards,” says Sheila Gimson, Portfolio director. 

 

Other members of the inaugural communications group within the LCC are messagepool – first German PR agency to specialise in sustainability communications; together with Ethicity, France; and Stampa, the Netherlands.  LOHAS - Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability - is becoming a by-word for the community or market segment of consumers and businesses that give priority to sustainability in their lifestyle and purchasing decisions.

 

October 2009 Survey shows pay and benefits are not the key to performance

An independent survey launched by MidlandHR has identified the contributory factors to employee engagement. Despite many organisations assuming that flexible working hours, good pay and benefits are fundamental to it, the study found these to be the three least important reasons.

 

The study, Investigating Employee Engagement and Predictive Analytics, surveyed the opinions of business leaders in UK public, private and charity sectors.  Of the 19 aspects that could potentially affect employee engagement, the top three most important were found to be: relationship with team/peers (95%), relationship with line manager (94%) and recognition of achievement (93%). In comparison, the bottom three were: flexible working hours (82%), good pay (79%), and flexible benefits (62%).

 

MidlandHR’s research director, Dr Leslie Bowie, says: “This research acts an important reminder to organisations that throwing money at a problem will not necessarily make it better. Contrary to popular belief, employees are not driven by money alone, and therefore to improve relationships, organisations should take more time to look at workforce planning methods such as implementing regular appraisals.  As the survey highlights, these can improve employee engagement and have a significant and sustained impact on retention of top performers and the bottom line.”  

 

October 2009 Indirect cost of training stifles provision in UK organisations

New independent research released today by e-learning and advanced content solutions provider IMC (UK) Learning Ltd reveals that two in five (42%) UK organisations point to the indirect cost of training, such as time off work to attend courses, as the biggest barrier to increasing training provision, with a third highlighting the disruption to work patterns that training causes.

 

In addition to the indirect cost of training, a third of respondents (32%) say that employees in their organisations are too busy working for the survival of the business to undertake organised learning.

 

The survey, ‘Barriers to training and learning provision in UK organisations – and how to overcome them’, sought to establish the obstacles organisations encounter when providing training provision and the ways to overcome them. Respondents were also asked about their attitudes towards, and use of, e-learning tools and new and emerging technologies for training.  For a copy of the report please email jonathan.bawden@portfoliocomms.com or visit www.im-c.co.uk

 

October 2009 Half of UK Teachers Disagree with the Publishing of School League Tables

A teacher poll conducted by Select Education has revealed mixed feelings about the effectiveness of publishing school league tables. From a total of 550 respondents, half (49%) thought that they should not be published, 45% thought they should, while the rest were undecided. This poll comes at a time when it is being suggested that a review of the league tables system is required.

 

The poll gave those surveyed the opportunity to provide written feedback as an explanation for their choice.  Of reasons given for suggesting that league tables should not be published, common themes were: that they provide a false account of how good a school is; intake should be considered such as SEN; and that tests should be for the benefit of children and not the school.

 

Taken from the other perspective, many teachers felt that league tables are useful in helping to provide parents, teachers and children information on which school to choose. They can encourage schools to work on improving in certain areas and help facilitate comparative analysis of a school’s overall performance.

 

October 2009 Organisations in the dark over employee engagement - new research findings

An independent survey by MidlandHR has found almost half (49%) of organisations don’t understand the level of engagement of employees - or how to engage them (42%).  And nearly 38% of organisations don’t even recognise the importance of assessing employee opinion.

 

The study, Investigating Employee Engagement and Predictive Analytics, surveyed over 100 business leaders in UK public, private and charity sectors.  Despite agreeing that employee engagement affects organisational performance, nearly one in four organisations do not conduct employee engagement surveys of any kind.  Of those that do, online surveys are most popular (49%), with the majority of organisations believing employees answer online surveys more honestly if responses are anonymous

 

MidlandHR’s research director, Dr Leslie Bowie, says: “Regular engagement surveys are vital to managing employee performance and should be part of everybody’s performance strategy.  Surveys promote company-wide wellbeing in terms of ensuring job satisfaction, while the organisation gets the best performance from employees.  Yet only 8% of organisations conduct engagement surveys every six months.”

 

September 2009 MidlandHR named IPP Payroll Service Provider of the Year

Leading provider of payroll, HR and talent management solutions, MidlandHR, has been named IPP Payroll Service Provider of the Year 2009 in the category of less than 300 clients.  MidlandHR was recognised for its excellence in provision of leading payroll solutions and services.

 

Lawrence Knowles, managing director of MidlandHR, said: “Given the calibre of the other entries this year, we were delighted to have been short-listed for this award and even more so to have won it.  Weare extremely proud of our team here at MidlandHR, consistently working as a unit to guarantee a high value, professional service, designed specifically to meet customers’ requirements and support organisational strategy.

 

“With experts predicting a significant growth in the outsourcing of back-office services such as payroll and HR over the coming years, it's great to have industry recognition that MidlandHR understands customers' needs and that our technology and people demonstrate compelling business value."

 

September 2009 eCopy PaperWorks launched in the UK

eCopy has released eCopy PaperWorks, its enhanced desktop document imaging software, in the UK.  With eCopy PaperWorks users can convert electronic and paper documents into text-searchable, secure PDF files, and incorporate them directly into business applications and workflows.

 

eCopy’s sales director for UK and Ireland, Simon Hill, explains: “eCopy PaperWorks facilitates numerous functions when dealing with paper and electronic documents.  The intuitive software guides users through the conversion of documents, faxes and desktop application files into secure, editable PDFs quickly and efficiently. eCopy PaperWorks also provides advanced connectivity, which enables users to retrieve documents from and store them directly into document management libraries.”

 

August 2009  Research reveals too much reliance on user manuals

Over half of UK organisations rely on user manuals (62%) or ad hoc training by colleagues (57%) when training employees in new or upgraded software.  These figures are revealed in independent research by e-learning and advanced content solutions provider, IMC (UK Learning) into the use of time-saving, intuitive software such as electronic performance support systems (EPSS).

 

The survey, EPSS – the hidden gem of e-learning, also showed that only a quarter of organisations have a budget of £50 or more for training each employee in new software, and 28% have no budget at all.

 

“When organisations implement new software systems, user acceptance is critical,” says Dr. Dirk Thissen of IMC.  “EPSS software is a means of keeping employees up to date with software upgrades through tailored training and learning, whilst reducing reliance on the limited knowledge of other staff members or user manuals, which date quickly.”

 

July 2009  ABM’s facial verification bureau aids kidnap conviction

Evidence provided by Dr. Leslie Bowie of ABM’s Facial Verification Bureau (FVB), helped secure the conviction of a suspect accused of kidnapping a wealthy businessman, following a trial at Leicester Crown Court on 26 June 2009. 

 

The defence team released an expert facial image comparison report, claiming police had misidentified their client from CCTV footage.  Dr. Bowie’s evidence, however, led to the strong conclusion that the defendant was in fact one of the crime perpetrators, resulting in his guilty plea and eventual sentence to 10 years in prison.

 

ABM, a leading supplier of criminal intelligence IT, provides via its FVB an independent service that turns CCTV images, digital stills and photographs into forensic evidence for court submission, analysing facial and other visual information for identification reports.

 

July 2009 New joint venture will provide clean electricity from coal

Waste2Tricity Ltd and Thornton New Energy Ltd have signed a memorandum of understanding to convert coal into electricity using ultra low carbon emission technology. The joint venture is the UK’s first commercial application to generate clean electricity from coal, combining new generation AFC Energy fuel cells with underground coal gasification (UCG) and other proven technologies. UCG generates a fuel with a low emissions profile, together with the potential for carbon capture and storage (CCS) at low energy and financial costs.

 

Thornton New Energy was in January 2009 awarded the first UK licence to carry out UCG and develop deep, previously un-mineable coal reserves under the Firth of Forth, Scotland. Waste2Tricity has exclusive rights for the application of AFC Energy fuel cells with any gasification technology within the UK, including energy from waste.

 

Alan Borrowman of Thornton New Energysays: “When combined with UCG, hydrogen fuel cells enable a higher efficiency conversion of the energy in coal to electricity.   AFC Energy’s new generation fuel cells will help create the first clean coal electricity model that outperforms conventional coal power stations in terms of net energy generated from coal, a low cost opportunity to eliminate CO₂ emissions, and even the potential to eliminate the need for conventional coal mining activities.”

 

June 2009  Poor work practices lead to increased risk of identity fraud

 New research conducted for eCopy, the market leader in multi-function printer document imaging software, found the vast majority of organisations photocopy documents containing sensitive data, increasing the risk of lost information and identity fraud.

 

The survey, ‘Effective data protection – reality and risks’, found that many respondents make paper copies of documents containing personal and sensitive information, including letters (50%), financial (47%), identification (34%) and legal (30%) documents.  And an alarming 22% recycle documents without shredding, leaving sensitive data freely accessible to fraudsters – while 3% throw paper copies straight into the bin.

 

eCopy’s sales director for UK and Ireland, Simon Hill, says, “The research highlights a need for improved organisational procedures to govern copying of sensitive documentation, its storage and disposal. Document management and document imaging solutions provide secure document capture, storage and disposal practices that help protect against online fraud and ID theft.”

 

May 2009: Academics warm to e-learning but fail to recognise its benefits

Portfolio has launched a new research report by IMC (UK) Learning Ltd, the e-learning and advanced content solutions provider.  IMC found that while nearly eight in ten (79%) academics and university staff agree e-learning increases flexible and repeated access to learning content, they do not see it as a cost-cutting or time-saving tool.

 

The research, ‘Examining e-learning in higher education: perceptions and reality’, surveyed academic and operational staff in universities, business schools and university colleges.  Dr Dirk Thissen, managing director at IMC (UK) Learning said: “With university budgets slashed by £150m next year, it is imperative for higher education to cut costs and improve productivity wherever possible.  E-learning offers universities a cost saving solution without compromising academic quality and substance. This is something everybody in higher education is going to have to grasp very quickly.”

 

Jonathan Bawden, IMC account manager at Portfolio, says: “Media and online response has been excellent and shows the power of serious research in enhancing a client’s reputation.”

 

May 2009: Research shows schools unable to cope with skills gap caused by teacher absence

A poll of teachers, conducted by leading education recruitment specialist Select Education, soon to be Ranstad Education, reveals that teacher absence is causing a growing strain on schools’ existing teaching resources.  The research highlights absence as a greater problem now than five years ago, with the majority (78%) of teachers stating that excessive absence adversely affects student learning.

 

A third of teachers responding (37%) believed that staff absence is a problem likely to grow over the next two years while one in two (46%) said absences have a negative impact on general staff morale.

 

Select Education, a specialist division of Randstad, is the leading UK and global educational staffing specialist, providing quality, individual service to over 10,000 teachers and support staff and to the 15,000 schools.

 

April 2009: Portfolio wins eCopy account

 

Portfolio has been appointed by eCopy, the market leader in multifuntion printer (MFP) document imaging software, following a competitive pitch.

 

eCopy Inc, with headquarters in New Hampshire, USA,  is ‘an innovative provider of open and flexible solutions that transform paperwork into paper that works’.  Its clients include Yahoo!, Nissan, Verizon Wireless, BP, Sprint, General Motors, Siemens, Cisco Systems, SAAB, and Sony Corporation.

 

Tony Martin, managing director of Portfolio, says: “We are delighted to be working closely with eCopy, to increase the quality of both its online and offline presence.   We are taking up the challenge to help eCopy win more new name business.”

 

April 2009: Infohrm appoints Portfolio

Infohrm, the global leader in workforce planning, reporting, and analytics, has appointed Portfolio to handle its UK and European online and media PR campaign.  With over 25 years’ experience and a strong customer base that includes Nokia, National Grid, BAA and Aviva Investors, Infohrm aims to change the way organisations measure the impact of their human capital.

 

“The adoption of workforce planning in Europe is on the rise,” says Alex Moorhouse of Portfolio.  “Infohrm’s research shows that around 50% of respondents see the global economic crisis is strongly influencing the need for workforce planning – both for internal mobility and ‘talent management’ developing and retaining high performers.”

 

March 2009:  Professor Lord Robert Winston discovers what London means to its children

Following an action-packed term of art, sculpture and inspiring creativity across the capital’s schools, Professor Lord Robert Winston presented the awards to the winners of the ‘What London Means to Me’ 2009 competition, organised by Select Education, at the Royal Society of Arts. 

 

The competition was open to primary, secondary and SEN pupils from across the capital, with winners and runners-up attending the awards ceremony where they could see their work displayed in a special exhibition for the afternoon. 

 

Overall winner, Sally Wynter of Henrietta Barnett School in Camden, was recognised for her commitment and creativity in her entry, which included a collage of photographs of London Underground stations and other famous landmarks.

 

“It was a great experience to help organise the awards ceremony and surrounding publicity,” says Jonathan Bawden, Select Education account manager at Portfolio.  “They say never work with children or animals, but we have to make an exception in our campaign for Select.”

 

March 2009: Midland HR scores with Liverpool FC

Liverpool Football Club has selected MidlandHR's iTrent solution to provide HR and payroll services to its 1200 employees.

 

Lawrence Knowles, managing director of MidlandHR comments: “We are as passionate about HR and payroll as the club is about football!  Employee and Manager Self-Service will provide Liverpool greater focus on proactive strategies, reducing administration times and improving accuracy.  We look forward to building on the great relationship we have already established with the club.”

 

Portfolio director, Louisa Constable  says: “We’re delighted that Midland continues its winning streak, with yet another big-name client to help keep it at the top of the HR software premier league.”

 

February 2009: NetBenefit’s research reveals online marketers don’t know what Content Delivery Networks can do for them

Many marketing professionals still do not appreciate how Content Delivery Network (CDN) services can guarantee the performance of their online advertising campaigns, even when faced with the problems of a runaway success, reveals research from managed hosting provider NetBenefit. 

 

Low awareness of the factors that can ruin campaigns, such as surges of web traffic, underlines the need for marketers to work closely with their technology teams and providers to help campaigns reach their potential.

 

CDN services add value by placing content on the server nearest to each website visitor. They can be deployed quickly and scaled up as needed, providing reassurance that the site can be accessed at all times.

 

January 2009: Portfolio launches Waste2tricity

Portfolio has helped launch Waste2Tricity, a new British venture aiming to become the most efficient converter of municipal solid waste (MSW) into electricity.  Waste to electricity is viable – efficient and economical – using Waste2Tricity’s unique combination of new generation alkaline fuel cells with plasma gasification and other existing proven technologies. 

 

“Our system will have significant environmental and cost benefits over other methods of electricity generation,” says Peter Jones of Waste2Tricity.  “It has the potential to play a major role in the reduction of waste going to landfill, and provide local authorities with a revenue stream, as well as being a commercially viable proposition.”

 

Sheila Gimson, managing director at Portfolio, says: “Waste2Tricity has achieved an amazing amount of coverage in the renewable energy and waste media, both online and in print.  The initial aim of the campaign is to attract further investment and enable Waste2Tricity to bring its projects to market.”

 

January 2009: ABM launches software to help identify children and vulnerable adults at risk of domestic violence

Following harrowing reports of abuse and violent domestic incidents – such as the tragic death of Baby P – criminal intelligence IT specialist ABM has launched enhanced computer software that helps identify children and vulnerable adults who are at risk.

 

Called PROtect, the software allows enforcement agencies to record and manage incidents of domestic violence, children at risk, vulnerable adult and hate crime.  Full case management facilities enable instant identification of potential victims and perpetrators, so concerns can be acted on rapidly.

 

“PROtect will play a valuable role in helping to ensure that people at risk are identified before they become victims – and to bring to justice those who are not prevented from committing such offences,” says Anton Roe, Director of Operations at ABM.