Richard Branson is an entrepreneur who is arguably the most recognisable businessman in the country, he is also known for his unusual business style and is well known for having always done things differently.
Virgin Unite is his non profit foundation which is working on global leadership issues, and is based around the concept that modern leaders in the business field must put themselves forward as a vehicle for improving the environment and the lives of ordinary people through their regular business activities, and that profit should not be the only aim of a successful business venture.
This book shares his and others’ exciting vision for a new way of doing business, a vision that turns capitalism on its head, which shifts our values from a solely profit focus to a focus on people, communities and the planet. One that reveals how to Screw Business as Usual.
Featured in this book are the stories of some inspiring people who are changing the way business is done. This book is essential reading for anyone starting a business or involved in business who understands that doing good really can be good for your business.
“Over the last few decades as I’ve started up one exciting business after another, I thought that life and work could not get any better. In writing this book, I’ve realised that we’ve really been on a practice run, getting ready for the greatest challenge and opportunity of our lifetime. We’ve got a shot at really pulling together to turn upside down the way we approach the challenges we are facing in the world and look at them in a brand new entrepreneurial way. Never has there been a more exciting time for all of us to explore this great next frontier where the boundaries between work and purpose are merging into one, where doing good, really is good for business.”
In this thought-provoking book, Branson introduces Capitalism 24902 – his philosophy that every single business person has the responsibility to take care of the people and planet that make up our global village, all 24,902 miles of it. Drawing on case studies from his own business experience as well as from pioneering entrepreneurs and companies across the globe, Screw Business As Usual shows how easy it is to embark on a whole new way of doing things, solving major problems and turning our work into something we both love and are proud of.
“I have written this book for the new wave of emerging entrepreneurs as well as existing business people who are transforming their organisations. For those who, at the same time as wanting to develop a business and make a living, are wanting to do more to help people and the planet. It’s a vibrant and definite sea change from the way business was always done, when financial profit was a driving force. Today, people aren’t afraid to say, Screw Business As Usual – and show they mean it.”
A clarion call to anyone in business, Screw Business As Usual demonstrates how doing good can enable businesses to prosper. With an accompanying “Screw Business As Usual” website encouraging feedback and discussion, this stimulating book is a blueprint to help everyone Screw Business As Usual.
High Speed 2 is the newly proposed railway that will join London with the Midlands and the north of the country. The rail service will be faster than the existing rail links. However nearly 90% of businesses in Oxfordshire and Buckingham have said they probably will not get a benefit from the railway.
This information was found in a survey conducted by the Federation of Small Businesses. It also discovered that if High Speed 2 were to be built 75% of people would not use it. Respondents of the survey said they would rather see the money be spent on the rail system being used to improve transport at the local level.
The chairman of South Buckinghamshire FSB has commented, “There are going to be a great deal of different opinions on the new rail system, but the opinions of small business in the affected regions are clear; they do not need the rail service. Many of the people we have surveyed feel that the business case for building the railway is simply not strong enough. They overwhelmingly feel that the money could be better spent elsewhere.”
Margaret Coles is the chairman in the Oxfordshire region and has made similar comments, “The survey of firms really suggests that they will not find this new rail link useful. At the very least this should encourage the government to conduct some sort of review of the spending. Many of our respondents felt that the money could be better spent elsewhere.”
You don’t drive to work. You take public transport. Usually it’s fine. But then you have to travel for business in the middle of the day, last minute. You don’t want to get a cab because you’ll be ferrying things between a couple of places and the meter will go berserk waiting for you to complete your tasks at each establishment. What if one of your clients stops you for a conversation and it’s really important? Suddenly you realise it’s going to be a half hour talk. You could forgo the pressure and just hire a car for a few hours. There’s so much car hire choice around. Once the car is organised, you only have yourself to deal with. Here are a few ways you can make sure you have all the things you might need for a last minute round-trip of the city installed in your office:
Get some flat-packed cardboard boxes from a stationery store. They won’t take up much space under your desk and you can pull them out at a second’s notice ready to box up whatever it is that needs transporting, from files and paperwork to a change of clothes. The boxes will fit neatly in the boot of an empty hired car.
GPS systems are an invention it’s hard to believe people went without before they came along. Hiring a car is going to make life easier than it would be getting a cab. But it’s unlikely you’ll have memorised the A to Z on top of your daily workload. These days you can get sat navs with photo navigation as well as street maps. Some are even able to give you live traffic information. They also tell you where speed cameras are. A sat nav will easily fit in your desk drawer.
A hands-free set will also fit in your desk drawer. Not wanting to waste precious office hours if you get caught in traffic, a hands-free allows you to make those important business calls. They’ve really moved on too. There are now sets available which not only allow you to make and receive calls but which have Bluetooth technology and hold music. So that saves the space a couple of CDs might have taken up. There are voice activated versions so you don’t even need to touch to answer the phone.
If you aren’t intending to take any unscheduled stops between destinations it’s unlikely you’ll have time to pause for coffee and a snack at your favourite café. So keep a good thermos in your desk. The best keep their contents warm for hours and hours and have space for quite a few cups worth.
Everyone’s worst nightmare when they are out on business is their smartphone running out of battery life. There are a number of in-car chargers on the market for whatever model you carry, which could sit atop your desk. Also worth considering are backup batteries. These plug into the USB socket and will bump your power up by about 50%.
A white paper has been published by the EU outlining their strategies regarding transport up until the year 2050. They have called this publication the ‘Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area’, and the main targets are to develop transport which is cleaner, greener and much more efficient. This White Paper takes a global look at future developments in the transport sector, the challenges there will be and which initiatives will need to be considered.
A roadmap of 40 concrete initiatives for the next decade has been adopted by the European Commission. Amongst these initiatives is to build a transport system to increase mobility, remove the major barriers that currently exist in key areas and also to fuel the growth of employment. Reducing Europe’s dependency on imported oil is also a key point, as in cutting carbon emissions from all transport by 2050.
The key goals to achieve by will include:
· 40% use of sustainable low carbon fuels in aviation; at least 40% cut in shipping emissions
· A 50% shift of medium distance inter-city passenger and freight journeys from road to rail and waterborne transport.
· All gas fuelled vehicles to be banned from European Cities.
· All of which will contribute to a 60% cut in transport emissions by the middle of the century.
Online travel merchant Redpottedhanky.com has decided to toss its booking fee so that it can take over as the cheapest place online to purchase train tickets. As an industry first customers are now welcome to head over to the website to get their tickets at the best price possible with no hidden fees attached.
Rail is currently leading as the favored mode of transportation with more than 6.6 million trips booked every day. Both leisure and business rail riders can use redpottedhanky.com to save as much as 50% off the cost of their rail passes and tickets.
Director for the website, James Bain, stated that due to the fact rail fares have increased in price over the last few months regular train passengers do not want to face higher tickets but now since there are no booking fees, debit card fees, or delivery fees associated with any purchase from the website redpottehanky.com they can actually expect to almost pay less.
Redspottedhanky.com, unlike other online travel retailers, offers its customers a loyalty programme. This innovative scheme – the first and only rewards scheme available for train travel – allows travellers to earn points for redemption against future rail travel.
James Bain, director at redspottedhanky.com, said: “We are experiencing an exciting time in the train travel industry. It is once again becoming the dominant form of transport for business and leisure travel, and customers deserve a booking website that offers value and rewards loyalty.
“At redspottedhanky.com, we know that our customers need to be assured they’ve got the best price for a ticket. That’s why we also provide a ‘price promise’. If customers have bought a train ticket from redspottedhanky.com, but find the same fare at a cheaper price from another website on the same day, the difference in the fares will be refunded as loyalty points.”
Next week will see a rise in flight taxes and British Airways is speaking out about it. The BA Chief Executive has stated that the tax will have a devastating effect on the amount of business that is done in the UK because of the increased costs of travel.
He has also been quick to point out that the hike in flight taxes will impact the average family travelling on holiday more than the rich tourist. Families scrimp and save to put together enough money for their yearly holiday, he says, and now that holiday will cost the average family of four who are travelling to the U.S. an additional £60. In tern, the accommodation industry looks to be negatively affected. Smaller family run businesses will 'feel' it the most, while it might take some time until top boutique hotels are affected. Sources say that flight taxes will rise by up to 55%, mostly on the economy class fairs.
It is more difficult for that working man’s family to scrape up the additional air passenger duty than it is for the wealthy first class flyer, is Willie Walsh’s point. It is a bad time to make travel more expensive to the common man and to increase the cost for people wanting to travel to and from Britain.
Next week will see a rise in flight taxes and British Airways is speaking out about it. The BA Chief Executive has stated that the tax will have a devastating effect on the amount of business that is done in the UK because of the increased costs of travel.