Business Info - i142

magazine 09 Environment SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THE PLANET TreeSisters is calling on businesses to help restore the tropical forest belt between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn by making monthly, one-time and partnership donations to its Grow Your Own Forest campaign. The UK-based, women-led charity has already funded the planting of more than 6.5 million trees through projects in Kenya, Cameroon, Brazil, Mozambique, Madagascar, India and Nepal, and aims to plant one million trees every month by the end of 2020. TreeSisters converts donations into numbers of trees planted, so donors can visualise and monitor the impact of their contributions. Find out more at www.treesisters.org . Automation AI PUTS PREMIUM ON EI The emergence of new technologies like AI and machine learning is placing a premium on employees with emotional intelligence (EI), reveals a new study by the Capgemini Research Institute. More than four out of five executives surveyed by the research company (83%) believe that EI skills, such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management, will become a must-have in the years to come; 76% believe employees will need to take on tasks involving empathy, influence and teamwork that can’t be automated. www.capgemini.com/researchinstitute/ Mobile comms 5G? YES PLEASE Two thirds of SMEs plan to upgrade to 5G within six months of it becoming available to them, reveals a new survey from Onecom. Three quarters (72%) of SMEs believe 5G will make them more efficient and successful, by enabling a better customer experience (cited by 38%), improved productivity (36%), easier flexible and remote working (36%), cost savings (30%) and the ability to launch new services (22%). Just one in 10 (11%) believes 5G will bring no benefits. https://onecom.co.uk/5g/ BULLETIN Work Life THE EARLY BIRD SENDS AN EMAIL What’s the first thing you do when you get up? Here are the Top 10 tasks Britons like to do first thing in the day, according to a survey by CV-Library. 1 Catch up on email (42.5%) 2 Read the latest news (32.1%) 3 Schedule the day ahead (31.1%) 4 Spend time with loved ones (23%) 5 Check social media (21.5%) 6 Walk the dog (12%) 7 Work out (11.2%) 8 Network over coffee (10.8%) 9 Text their partner (7.9%) 10 Meditate (6.6%) www.cv-library.co.uk Lighting CUTTING CARBONWITH CLOUD-BASED LIGHTING Automotive glass supplier Pilkington Automotive, part of the NSG Group, is using a wirelessly connected, cloud-based lighting system from Signify to reduce energy consumption, establish a safer working environment and gain insight into space utilisation at its new warehouse facility in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Marking lighting company Signify’s entry into the Industrial IoT space, the Interact Industry lighting system for warehouses and manufacturing facilities features embedded smart sensors that collect data on space utilisation and data analysis software that enables Pilkington Automotive continually to improve warehouse and process layout. Marcel Devereaux, Category Manager Energy Projects, NSG Group, claims the system has enabled Pilkington Automotive to reduce the site’s carbon footprint by 290 tonnes of CO2 each year. He said: “Compared to sites where conventional lighting is used, the new system achieves up to 50% energy savings by adapting the lighting to demand, using daylight harvesting and presence sensors. This is on top of the significant savings already achieved by changing to LED lighting.” Benefits of the connected, centrally controlled lighting system include: n Increased safety and productivity – Interact Industry ensures a safe working environment and continuous operation through preventative rather than reactive maintenance. By providing insight into current faults and flagging potential defects before they occur, the system can limit downtime and reduce costs; n Optimal use of space – motion sensors show how space is used at different times, allowing managers to verify ABC stocking strategies and to take appropriate action to improve operations and reduce inefficiencies in order-picking; and n Reduced energy consumption – operators can monitor energy consumption across the facility and optimise light settings based on presence, daylight levels and the activity being carried out. www.signify.com 01732 759725 Wellness SAY GOODBYE TO CVS In light of reports showing that the average adult spends 3 hours 23 minutes each day, or 50 days a year, looking at their smartphone screen ( Code Computerlove Report , March 2019), Essilor .co.uk is highlighting the risks of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) caused by looking at pixelated computer and smartphone screens for long periods. Because screen pixels constantly refresh, eyes are always having to refocus, which causes eye muscles to become tired. In addition, people blink less frequently when staring at a screen, so eyes dry out and vision can become blurred. Other symptoms of CVS include headaches and neck and shoulder pain. To combat the effects of CVS, Essilor advises screen users to: n follow the 20:20:20 rule – every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds; n take a screen break, go outside and look at objects in different distances and in natural light; n practise ‘eye yoga’ – look to the left, hold the position, then repeat looking right; look up, hold the position, then repeat looking down. Do these exercises four times, closing your eyes and relaxing in between; n have regular eye tests; and n use specialist computer lenses, like Eyezen lenses with DualOptim technology, which are designed to prevent or reduce visual fatigue and can be specified with Eye Protect System to filter blue-violet light. www.essilor.co.uk