Category: News

The latest from ESA Risk and related industries, plus current affairs commentary.

Joint Fraud Taskforce: Accountants to play key role in tackling fraud

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The Home Secretary Priti Patel has announced the relaunch of the Joint Fraud Taskforce against the backdrop of a 24% rise in fraud during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The relaunch recognises the key role accountants can play in identifying fraud and educating themselves and their clients on how to do the same. It also highlights accountants as being potential targets for fraudsters, while admitting that the number of fraud cases that involve an accountant is currently low.

For the same reasons that accountants have been recognised as potentially important in the fight against fraud – i.e. their control of / closeness to companies’ finances and their role as trusted advisors, the taskforce highlights accountants as potential fraudsters, with opportunities to commit fraud that few others have.

New fraud charter for the accountancy profession

As a result, the taskforce’s ‘Accountancy Sector Fraud Charter’ includes actions to “drive greater transparency…across the accountancy sector”, as well as to better equip accountants to spot, deal with and educate others on fraud risks. The charter has, so far, been supported by 12 accountancy sector professional bodies, including the ICAEW.

Developed by the Home Office and the profession in partnership, the charter has 4 main actions intended to be delivered in collaboration with the profession, government, and law enforcement agencies.

  1. The first is to identify areas of vulnerability within the accountancy sector with a view to providing the sector with a clearer understanding of the risk of fraud in the UK.
  2. The second action centres on the training and education to be led by the ICAEW, beginning with reminders to the profession on how to spot red flags for fraud within their clients and to avoid them becoming victims themselves.
  3. The third forms part of the government commitment to reform companies house by improving the accuracy of information held and prevent the misuse of corporate entities by fraudsters. The sector will work to address the misuse of accountancy firms details whereby they falsely use an accountants address as their registered office to gain legitimacy or claim to have had accounts prepared or audited by a firm.
  4. The fourth is to increase fraud awareness among businesses and the public through the National Economic Crime Centre, which the accountancy sector will support.

Other areas covered by the Joint Fraud Taskforce

The other sectors in the relaunch are telecommunications and retail banking, with signatories of the respective charters including all major high street banks and the leading telecommunications companies, such as BT EE, Vodafone and Virgin Media O2.

The taskforce will be chaired by Minister for Security Damian Hinds, who described fraud as “a devastating crime that impacts around 1 in 13 of us each year”.

The claim that “fraud now represents over a third of all UK crime.”

October’s relaunch of the taskforce was part of the Fraud Action Plan Framework agreed at the government’s Economic Crime Strategic Board earlier in 2021. First established in 2016, the Joint Fraud Taskforce spent more than a year in the wilderness after a 2019 restructure before being brought back under Home Office control at the end of 2020.

It remains to be seen how effective the latest iteration of the taskforce will be, although the Home Secretary has conceded that “government alone cannot fix this which is why the Joint Fraud Taskforce will bring together key business leaders to work in partnership to protect the public”.

The Home Office’s press release on the relaunch includes a note “encouraging the public to forward suspicious text messages to 7726 (which is free of charge) and…report fraud to the police through Action Fraud”.

How ESA Risk can help

Fraud prevention and fraud investigations are areas where we possess the expertise and experience to help you and your business. These are topics we’ve written extensively on, with guides including ‘Fraud prevention in 5 steps’ and ‘Charities: What to do if you suspect fraud’ (equally useful for non-charity sector organisations).

For advice on fraud prevention, or for support investigating a suspected fraud, please contact us at advice@esarisk.com, on +44 (0)343 515 8686 or via our contact form.

Hospitality council guiding sector to recovery

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As part of the UK government’s ‘Hospitality Strategy’, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy took the initiative to establish a Hospitality Council.

The newly formed council includes representatives from Nando’s (Chief Executive Colin Hill), Starbucks (UK General Manager Alex Rayner) and Mowgli’s (Nisha Katona). Small Business Minister Paul Scully has commented:

“The hospitality industry has shown incredible creativity and resourcefulness through the pandemic, pivoting to new ways of doing business like al fresco dining and takeaway pints to stay safe, meet changing consumer demands and protect livelihoods.

With the launch of this council, we’re taking the next step in the journey to build back better from the pandemic by unveiling the experts who’ll be driving the reopening, recovery and resilience of the sector.”

Hospitality is the UK’s third largest private sector employer. It accounts for £130bn in economic activity and employs directly 2.9m people, with an estimated further 2.8m people employed indirectly. According to UKHospitality, the sector contributes to the exchequer in the region of £38bn in taxation.

As the above figures suggest, closer attention to the sector’s recent problems by the government is well overdue. In order to reverse the effects of Covid-19, the labour shortages and boost the hospitality sector, industry champions assembled by the Hospitality Council have a tough ask ahead of them.

While the effects of Covid-related lockdowns are being overturned gradually, continued government support will be vital in providing new opportunities, funding expenses and rolling out schemes to combat labour shortages and encourage people to apply for jobs in the sector. As Brexit has also introduced side-effects to the industry, this presents further challenges, which the Hospitality Council will have to answer.

For instance, regarding the amount of EU employees that won’t be able to make up the appropriate workforce for the food and drinks manufacturing and transport/supply chains. The provision of service sectors are not sufficient to service the demand, so the Council has the task of replenishing the sector’s workforce to an appropriate state.

One of the key words here is ‘appropriate’. Common misapprehension about the hospitality industry in some quarters is that anyone could work in hospitality, therefore the workforce should not be a problem, however this is not the case. There are many hospitality vacancies that can be filled by low-skilled labour, but there are many vacancies where there is a lot of training and development required.

The role of the Hospitality Council

Short-term labour shortages are being addressed alongside medium to long-term culture change, with improved training and development within hospitality. The Hospitality Strategy has encouraged al fresco dining, for instance, by making pavement licences permanent and extending takeaway pints until September 2022 to increase sales.

It has also added hospitality and catering qualifications to Free Courses for Jobs, meaning adults can achieve qualifications in professional cookery, food and beverage supervision and more. There is also a Kickstart and Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) designed to fill hospitality vacancies and a ‘Help to Grow: Management’ course that is 90% subsidised by the government.

Beyond this, there is continued Covid recovery and growth support with fairer business rates, taxation, duty system and other issues that the Hospitality Council will have to address. The government wants the UK’s hospitality industry to land back on its feet and is certainly putting in the work behind the scenes to ensure that this is possible.

Advice from ESA Risk

If you require advice on the process of recovery for your hospitality business or would like to know more about ways that you can make improvements, contact Hotel and Leisure Management Consultants Mario Ovsenjak (mario.ovsenjak@esarisk.com) or Nicola Trew (nicola.trew@esarisk.com)  on +44 (0)343 515 8686 or via our contact form.

Finance sector facing cyber attacks

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The 2021 Cybersecurity Census Report shows that, on average, finance companies each suffered approximately 60 cyber attacks over the past year. Cyber criminals typically target the finance sector via cyber attacks due to the vast amount of sensitive data that they hold.

Many of these attacks occur due to weaknesses in cyber security, for example employees reusing an existing password at work, or using login credentials such as ‘password’ that are easy to guess and hack. Others are due to system vulnerabilities or a lack of knowledge in knowing how to spot cyber attacks.

Some of the most common cyber attacks are:

  • Bots – automated programmes that can attack either directly through web requests to manipulate or disrupt a website, or indirectly, for instance through spam emails or by cracking passwords.
  • Ransomware – a type of malware that encrypts files and operating systems and can lock you out of your device. Until a ‘ransom’ is paid, the attacker keeps a hold over the system.
  • Web application attacks – web applications are easily accessible to hackers, who might trick users into clicking malicious links or install redirects.
  • Phishing – when users are targeted by email, telephone or text message and lured into providing sensitive data.

Financial institutions are also commonly being impersonated by cyber criminals who are tricking customers into transferring their funds into fake holding accounts. For instance, Monzo and Santander have received multiple fraud complaints due to criminals using phishing techniques on customers, baiting them with a text message and then holding long phone calls during which they convince victims to transfer all of their money into a ‘safe account’.

Combatting the risk of cyber attacks in the finance sector

In order to combat these cyber security risks, financial institutions must firstly ensure staff are trained to recognise attack attempts and know how to ensure systems are secure. Policies for locations and devices that staff can login from, as well as the level of access, can also minimise the risk of attack.

Investing into software such as anti-phishing web browsing software can also help prevent phishing emails from reaching employees’ inboxes. IT teams can put email and link filtering in place, making use of blacklists to block malicious content.

Conducting cyber security risk assessments is important in identifying threats and technology and software updates. Holding an audit or having an external professional scrutinise the cyber security of the institution can also provide an objective, thorough viewpoint into noticing blind spots and improving systems. Businesses should be thorough in making sure basic cyber security protections are put in place to protect data in the finance sector from cyber attacks.

“One of the main cyber risks for the finance sector is to think that cyber risks don’t exist. The other is to try to treat all potential risks. Fix the basics, protect first what matters for your business whatever sector, and be ready to react properly to pertinent threats. Think data, but also business services integrity, awareness, customer experience, compliance, and reputation.”

Larger financial institutions should go beyond installing basic systems. Antivirus software and secure VPN, systems such as Avast can all provide an extra layer of cyber security. Financial institutions must prioritise building a defence against advanced attacks and cyber security threats to the financial sector, so that these can be identified at an early stage.

Mitigation and prevention, as well as dealing with live attacks, is paramount within the finance sector. If an institution is armed with fraud prevention technologies, cyber criminals are more likely to be deterred from attacking. Therefore, installing security software that enables live detection alongside defensive walls against cyber threats is extremely important in ensuring that the internal and client-based information of the institution is protected.

If you require advice on cyber security systems or would like to know more about cyber threats to the financial sector, contact Cyber Risk & Security Consultant Graeme McGowan at graeme.mcgowan@esarisk.com, +44 (0)343 515 8686 or via our contact form.

ESA Risk consultant is boxing for Cancer Research UK

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Our very own Mario Ovsenjak, Hotel & Leisure Management Consultant, will be putting his body – and face – on the line in December as he enters the ring for his debut 3 rounds of boxing.

Anyone who’s met Mario, General Manager at Manchester’s glitzy, 5-star Hotel Gotham, will know he’s more at home in a 3-piece suit than boxing gloves and, as he puts it, “far more likely to be seen with a glass of sherry than fighting”.

Incredibly, Mario will be stepping into the ring after only 8 weeks of preparation. He’s following a gruelling training and nutrition regime to ensure he’s fighting fit by the time of the event at Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester on 18th December.

All of this is in aid of Cancer Research UK (a charity supported by ESA Risk’s Mike Wright earlier in the year). Cancer research is an ever-important cause – statistically, 1 in 2 people will have cancer in their lifetime. Cancer Research UK works tirelessly on improving our chances of surviving all sorts of cancers.

Find out more, including how to make a donation, on Mario’s Just Giving page.

Liverpool networking event

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Last week, we met for our fortnightly networking event, hosted by ESA Risk’s Mike Wright (Risk Management & Investigations Consultant) and Roger Dugan from our co-host, Asertis.

The evening took place in Liverpool Gin Distillery, a picturesque bar in central Liverpool. We brought together professionals from law firms, insolvency practitioners and more, to network over a few drinks.

Roger Dugan shared that “it was a great evening, to be with old faces and new faces alike”.

The 500 Club series of events takes place fortnightly across the UK in cities including London, Leeds and Manchester. We aim to bring together professionals from various industries to connect in an informal setting. We’ll be at Bunghole Cellars in London at the end of this month. There’s a good chance we’ll be coming to a city near you over the next few months.

If you’d like to be added to our invite list, please contact us.

Charity Fraud Awareness Week 2021

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Charity Fraud Awareness Week 2021 is a joint-initiative from the Fraud Advisory Panel (“the voice of the counter-fraud profession”) and the Charity Commission for England and Wales (“an independent, non-ministerial government department” that “registers and regulates charities”), who launched a related website – Preventing Charity Fraud – which provides resources “on how to prevent, detect and respond to fraud committed against charities and not-for-profits.”

We’ll be publishing content in support of the cause all week on our website and our social media accounts using the campaign’s hashtag: #StopCharityFraud. In tomorrow’s article, ESA Risk’s Cyber Risk & Security Consultant, Graeme McGowan, will be covering cyber fraud and other cyber risks in the charity sector. Later in the week, Ali Twidale, Banking & Financial Fraud Consultant will look at money laundering and financial crime in charities. And Serious Fraud and Economic Crime Consultant, Lloydette Bai-Marrow, will round off the week by discussing what charities should do if they suspect a fraud has been committed.

Fraud prevention and fraud investigations is a topic we publish on regularly. We expect that much of this existing content (while created for a wider audience) will be of use to those in the charity sector looking to fight fraud:

Preventing Charity Fraud

As the Preventing Charity Fraud website states, “charities can be susceptible to fraud.” And it’s easy to see why. In a 2019 survey of more than 3,000 registered charities, the Charity Commission and the Fraud Advisory Panel found that only 9% of charities “have a fraud awareness training programme”, “almost half don’t actually have any good-practice protections in place” and “26% of charities believe they’re vulnerable to fraud because of an over-reliance on goodwill and trust”.

There’s been an increase in the number of cases of fraud in all sectors since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s likely that the situation in the charity sector is no better than it was 2 years ago, which is why initiatives such as this one are needed.

Charity Fraud Awareness Week comprises a number of online and in-person events aimed at those working in the charity sector.

Outside of Charity Fraud Awareness Week, the Preventing Charity Fraud website contains a host of practical information for those working in or with not-for-profits and charities, including downloadable helpsheets on topics such as whistleblowing, financial crime risks, volunteer fundraising fraud and charity retail fraud.

The Charity Commission and Fraud Advisory Panel’s 8 principles of good counter-fraud practice

Also on the website is the “8 principles of good counter-fraud practice” which was published in response to the findings of the 2019 survey of the sector.

The principles in full are:

“1. Fraud will always happen – being a charity is no defence. Even the best-prepared organisations cannot prevent all fraud. Charities are no less likely to be targeted than organisations in the private or public sector. Fraudsters don’t give a free pass to charitable activities.

“2. Fraud threats change constantly. Fraud evolves continually, and faster, thanks to digital technology. Charities need to be alert, agile and able to adapt their defences quickly and appropriately.

“3. Prevention is (far) better than cure. Financial loss and reputational damage can be reduced by effective prevention. It’s far more cost-effective to prevent fraud than to investigate it and remedy the damage done.

“4. Trust is exploited by fraudsters. Charities rely on trust and goodwill, which fraudsters try to exploit. A strong counter-fraud culture should be developed to encourage the robust use of fraud prevention controls and a willingness to challenge unusual activities and behaviour.

“5. Discovering fraud is a good thing. The first step in fighting fraud is to find it. This requires charities to talk openly and honestly about fraud. When charities don’t do this the only people who benefit are the fraudsters themselves.

“6. Report every individual fraud. The timely reporting of fraud to police, regulators and other agencies is fundamental to strengthening the resilience of individual charities and the sector as a whole.

“7. Anti-fraud responses should be proportionate to the charity’s size, activities and fraud risks. The vital first step in fighting fraud is to implement robust financial controls and get everyone in the charity to sign up to them.

“8. Fighting fraud is a job for everyone. Everybody involved – trustees, managers, employees, volunteers, beneficiaries – has a part to play in fighting fraud. Trustees in particular should manage fraud risks actively to satisfy themselves that the necessary counter-fraud arrangements are in place and working properly.”

Fraud-related advice and support from ESA Risk

Whatever sector you’re in, if you need advice or support on fraud prevention, we’re here to help. We’ll work with you to put in place preventative measures as part of your wider risk management strategy, covering areas including cyber security and due diligence.

If you suspect a fraud has been committed against your organisation, our experienced Investigations team – including a former principal investigative lawyer with the UK government’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) – can help you discover the truth.

Contact Mike Wright, Risk Management & Investigations Consultant at mike.wright@esarisk.com, +44 (0)343 515 8686 or via our contact form, to find out more.

Bounce Back Loan fraud

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During the height of the pandemic, specifically from May 2020 to March 2021, the UK government offered businesses loans worth up to £50,000. The loans were capped at 25% turnover, with a 2.5% interest rate, but with the first 12 months interest-free.

More than 1.5 million businesses have made use of the BBLS from claims that operations were at risk as a result of lockdown measures. The government scheme intended to keep companies profitable, as well as saving employee jobs during a difficult pandemic period.

The loans came with a 100% government guarantee; although banks issued the capital, any losses would be repaid by taxpayer money.

The loans being government-backed meant that some people thought their personal risk exposure was low and that there wouldn’t be direct consequences to taking out a fraudulent loan, so many individuals sought to claim money from the scheme under false application.

Although the scheme has rejected thousands of fraudulent claims, banks were not able to always confirm if applicants qualified for the level of loan applied for. Many individuals have improperly obtained funds by carrying out Bounce Back Loan fraud, contributing to an estimate that nearly half of the £46.5 billion borrowed during the pandemic will not be repaid.

A parliamentary report, published by the Public Accounts Committee, commented that the scheme prioritised speed rather than precision, resulting in higher risk of fraud and error.

When making an application, companies had to self-declare their earnings and turnover, making room for dishonesty and fraud. The Ratings (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Bill, if passed, will allow HMRC to chase up on directors who improperly dissolved their companies, leaving debts behind, such as those from Bounce Back Loans.

The potential consequences of Bounce Back Loan Scheme fraud

Directors will be disqualified if they are found to have committed acts of misfeasance or breached their duties as a director, and will be liable to prosecution. In some cases, company employees might have made fraudulent applications on behalf of senior staff, which would require further investigation as the consequences could be prison time. In other cases, individuals set up fake businesses in order to obtain a Bounce Back Loan, with the money then being used to make a high-value purchase unrelated to the business.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has reported numerous arrests for Bounce Back Loan fraud. One instance is in the case of Mafuwer Logistics Ltd. The company received a £50,000 Bounce Back Loan in May 2020, despite their turnover being below the£200,000 necessary to qualify. Their bank statements showed a personal use of funds by the director, so their licence was revoked immediately.

The NCA has also said that it intends to aid the banking sector in detecting fraudulent applications. Individual banks need to tackle the problem so that each individual loan has been monitored and approved, to avoid bad actors receiving the loan.

The 5 types of fraudulent activity are:

  1. When borrowers exaggerate otherwise legitimate claims, for instance by exaggerating their turnover to receive a larger loan.
  2. The impersonation of a legitimate business to receive a loan.
  3. Using ‘money mules’ to take out loans and then file for bankruptcy.
  4. Making multiple applications via various lenders.
  5. Filing under a false company to receive the loan.

To address BBL fraud, investigators may seek warrants to search buildings to aid their investigation. They may also interview suspects that have been linked to the situation. Anyone found guilty of this type of fraud may receive orders including fines, compensation and confiscation orders, director’s disqualification, Serious Crime Prevent Orders (SCPO) or imprisonment.

Fraud investigations by ESA Risk

If you suspect that a fraud has occurred within your business and need advice or support on the next steps, we’re here to help.

Contact Mike Wright, Risk Management & Investigations Consultant, at mike.wright@esarisk.com, on +44 (0)343 515 8686 or via our contact form, to find out more.

New SIA top-up training a welcome addition

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At the start of this month, the Security Industry Authority (SIA) announced that all licensed security guards and door supervisors will need to complete new top-up training (raising performance standards) and to hold a first aid qualification to renew their licence.

The training includes “updated counter-terror training and advice for emergencies and incidents”. As security personnel are very often the first on the scene at major incidents, anything that improves their ability to respond effectively should be viewed as a positive step.

The SIA has outlined 4 key drivers behind the updates to its qualifications, stating that the changes are being made “to make sure that people working in the private security industry can keep the public safe, follow new working practices, understand recent changes to the law and make the best use of new technology”. Practical elements of the qualifications’ assessments will now “include searching, dealing with conflict, report/statement writing and using communication devices”. The new training also includes “refreshed physical intervention training” for door supervisors.

As the SIA’s Acting Chief Executive, Michelle Russell, notes in the announcement: “These changes reflect the extensive feedback and input over the last 3 years from those on the ground involved in working to keep the communities they serve as safe as possible.”

Russell also references the importance of “operatives hav[ing] the knowledge and skills to deal with common risks, especially in safety critical areas.” We welcome any developments that add skills and professionalism to the security industry. We share a common goal with the SIA “to protect the public and raise standards in private security.”

The changes will be rolled out over the next 3 years, as current licensed security guards and door supervisors are only required to complete the top-up training once they come to renew their licence.

Alongside the new training requirements, the SIA announced that Door Supervision licence holders will now have the flexibility to renew to a Security Guarding licence. “Operatives are advised to consider their day-to-day duties and how they are deployed before renewing.”

The changes follow updates to the public space surveillance (CCTV) course earlier this year, and an updated Close Protection qualification is expected to be launched on 1st April 2022.

The SIA is responsible for regulating the private security industry in the UK, reporting to the Home Secretary under the Private Security Industry Act 2001. The organisation’s duties include “the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking designated activities and managing the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme.”

Security services – including licensed security guards – from ESA Risk

ESA Risk’s security services – including professional concierge security and front-of-house services manned by highly trained security officers who are all licensed by the SIA – are provided through our joint venture with Marpol Security, a member of the Approved Contractor Scheme.

If you have a security need, we offer a free, high-quality assessment that can help you identify what services are critical for your sites. Whether it is a one-off service or the provision of long-term security arrangements, we are equipped to respond to your needs with a range of services that will safeguard you and your business.

For more information, contact Liam Doherty, Security Consultant, by email, via our online form or by calling +44 (0)343 515 8686.

More job vacancies foreseen in hospitality

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Businesses claim that a reduced number of applications is putting a strain on recruitment, amidst reasons such as border controls, retirements and fewer EU applicants coming to work in the UK due to Brexit.

Additionally, some EU workers returned to their home countries during the pandemic, either due to businesses making workers redundant or to be with their families, meaning the industry has not only fewer applicants but a reduced workforce, too.

As Covid-19 restrictions ease, hospitality job vacancies increase

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that 30% of hospitality businesses have said vacancies are currently harder to fill now than at the start of 2021.

Between June and August of 2021, there were 1,034,000 job vacancies in the UK across all sectors, with job openings in the hospitality industry increasing by 59.1% to 117,000, according to the ONS. Although the furlough scheme helped protect many jobs, some businesses in the industry accumulated debt which forced them to let staff go.

The number of employees on payroll remains below pre-pandemic levels by 6% in hospitality businesses, meaning many workers have either relocated or started new jobs in other industries that remained open during the nationwide lockdowns.

Furthermore, the fact that EU citizens now need a visa to work in the UK causes further worry that the hospitality industry will struggle with employee numbers.

Although hospitality businesses have been reopening since the easing of Covid-related restrictions in May this year, the uptake of staff has been slow and uneven. Perhaps the uncertainty of the future of hospitality businesses remaining open, due to changing government policy, is what has kept vacancies open.

Artificial wage inflation

In addition, there has been an artificial wage inflation during current staff shortages, as competition for a limited number of employees continues. This trend may well be sustainable in the short term while the demand is high and revenues are strong, with some reductions in VAT on food, accommodation and soft drinks helping EBITDA. However, once demand in the hospitality industry levels off – as people catch up with family events lost during the pandemic and overseas travel increases – this artificially increased level of pay is likely to become unsustainable.

The net result could mean an increase in zero hours contracts or redundancies, which will exacerbate pressures on the Exchequer. For now, a short-term solution for some enterprises is to include a mandatory (or increase an existing) service charge levy on customer bills in food and drinks outlets, with some accommodation providers starting to apply a service charge levy on accommodation, too. The hope is that this would supplement employees’ wages without affecting the bottom line once VAT returns to its normal levels.

Potential solutions to this include:

  • Short-term solution – To introduce minimum entry requirements visa system for EU workers in hospitality (can be rolled out to road haulage, NHS, food production, banking and other sectors of economy where we experience shortages). The requirements to be granted such a visa could be, for example: individuals should have a firm offer of employment and no recourse to public funds (other than primary healthcare and A&E) and have private health insurance. Such visas should be valid for a fixed term of 5 years, with those who stay/contribute for 5 years qualifying for indefinite leave to remain.
  • Medium- to long-term solutions – Spend time and resources on promoting wider benefits of working in hospitality: fast-paced increase in earnings potential as your career progresses, meals and uniforms on duty in most cases, reduced travel offers in some cases and so on.Use the initial 5-year period to increase funding for apprenticeships and all other forms of education and retraining for hospitality (and other sectors as above), allowing for attrition of employees from the EU when the initial 5-year visa term comes to an end.

Hospitality Apprenticeships Week 2021

In response to the staffing shortages, industry leaders have initiated a ‘Hospitality Apprenticeships Week’ to encourage young people to apply for jobs in the sector. The campaign aims to educate and inspire potential recruits about the variety of opportunities within hospitality, with themed days focusing on different roles, including supervisory and managerial positions.

As the furlough scheme has now ended, the apprenticeships initiative is expected to enable hospitality businesses to combat the numbers of vacancies in the industry and to advertise the prospects within it.

Education provider BPP has posted: “To mark National Apprenticeship Week 2021, we’ll be using our platforms to raise the profile of apprenticeships and the benefits they can offer both employers and learners.”

Apprentices from the Stonegate Group, Fuller, Smith and Turner PLC, Marston’s PLC, Mitchells & Butlers, JD Wetherspoon, McDonald’s, Springboard and Diageo have confirmed attendance to the ‘Hospitality Apprentice Showcase’ event, which forms a part of the industry-focused week.

London networking event

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Back to London for our end-of-September networking event, hosted by ESA Risk’s Mike Wright and J-P Pitt from our co-host, Asertis.

The evening was an enjoyable one for the hosts and attendees alike, to get out of the cold and into the delightful venue that is the Bunghole Cellars in Holborn.

The group included professionals from a range of companies who came together for a few drinks and good conversation. Our events are informal, allowing people to chat in a comfortable out-of-office setting.

After the event, Mike shared that the evening was “a very pleasant one: we all got to know each other, the venue was full, business cards were exchanged. All in all it was a good event.”

We aim to bring together professionals from various industries, to network and connect.

The 500 Club series of events takes place fortnightly across the UK in cities including London, Leeds and Manchester. There’s a good chance we’ll be coming to a city near you over the next few months.

If you’d like to be added to our invite list, please contact us.

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