Initiative seeks to combat economic inactivity in Northern Ireland

The Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law (FBL), Prof Mark Durkin, is one of the co-investigators for a new £4.8 million research and policy action group. EPIC Futures NI aims to address economic inactivity in Northern Ireland and revolutionise approaches to employment by identifying and supporting the hidden unemployed.

EPIC Futures NI stands for Economic and Social Partnering for Inclusive Innovation and Collaboration. It marks a significant milestone as the first cross-departmental, Northern Ireland-wide project of its kind, involving collaboration among the Departments for Communities, Economy, and Finance, alongside universities, industry partners, and community organisations.

Mark (pictured, far left, at the launch event in Belfast) said about the three-year project: “EPIC Futures couldn’t be more important in Northern Ireland as we see the return of the Stormont ministries. Our focus on the ‘hidden employed’ and how we can co-create value through new innovative partnering models is important to understand. The three-year multi-faceted research programme will meaningfully shape how people think and act around new opportunities across Northern Ireland.”

New report offers employers guidance on governance

Academics and alumni from both the Business and Law Schools contributed to a new report that highlights the need for employers to re-examine governance within their organisations and offers step-by-step guidance on how to take action.

It follows up last year’s report into environmental, social and governance (ESG), which found that skills were a major blocker to the development and implementation of ethical business practices.

Taking a progressive approach to governance, this new report reviews today’s most critical ESG challenges and translates them into five digestible levers on how to deploy good governance to enable ESG success.

Prof Siv Vangen, Head of the Business School, said: “In an era where corporate responsibility and ethical practices are paramount to business success, and yet are continually evolving, it can be difficult to know how to move forward with your organisation’s priorities. I am pleased that the OU community is working to contribute their knowledge and expertise to support businesses with these goals.”

Chocolate Scorecard highlights urgent need for industry change

Dr Cristiana Bernardi, Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Financial Management, is again part of the Chocolate Scorecard which grades chocolate companies on their sustainability and ethics. The annual initiative, now in its fifth year, is co-ordinated by Be Slavery Free, in collaboration with an international team of non-profit organisations and academics.

Published just in time for Easter, the independent report grades chocolate companies on key sustainability issues and highlights the disconnect between these companies and the cocoa farmers who grow the essential ingredients. It evaluates 63 global chocolate traders, manufacturers, brands and retailers against six key markers – Traceability and Transparency; Living Income; Child and Forced Labour; Climate Chance and Deforestation; Agroforestry; and Agro-Chemical Use.

Competition encourages charity and business collaboration

The OU is inviting UK charities and Milton Keynes-based businesses to find the most exciting research ideas tackling real-world problems. The Challenge Us! competition aims to bridge the gap between OU researchers and local businesses and charities to collaborate on society’s most pressing issues.

Please propose a challenge which the OU can address through research – the research ideas will need to fit into one of the three themes of Sustainability; Living Well; and Tackling Inequalities.

The competition opened this month and runs until Wednesday 15 May.

Empowering a new generation of Black leaders

The Business School has developed a new Black Leadership Empowerment Programme (BLEP) to produce and support the Black business and community leaders of the future. This emerged in response to racial inequalities exposed by the pandemic and highlighted in the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests’ call for racial equity.

A two-year pilot will see an initial learning hub based in Manchester, followed by other ones around the country. There is already backing from the likes of The Prince’s Trust, AutoTrader, Manchester Airport Group (MAG) and Inclusive Companies with more expected to support the initiative.

A virtual launch event on Thursday 2 May is being hosted by Dr Fidèle Mutwarasibo, Director of the Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL). Fidèle (pictured) discusses the programme in this short video.

Part of the offering on the OpenLearn platform is ‘Advancing Black Leadership’, a badged open course (BOC) which was co-authored by Fidele and two former OU colleagues in Prof Owain Smolovic Jones and Dr Tom Morton. This followed the earlier launch of ‘Introducing Black leadership’, another BOC co-authored by Fidele and Owain.

Tackling the effects of menopause in the workplace

Jo Brewis, Professor of People and Organisations, offers practical approaches which can be implemented in workplaces to support women and others transitioning through menopause in her new book, ‘Menopause Transitions and the Workplace’.

Despite the fact that the symptoms of menopause transitions can have profound implications for work and are, in turn, affected by work, this is still a topic that is rarely discussed in management and organisation studies.

She said: “Opening up conversations about experiences of menopause in the workplace not only helps to dispel the stigma around it but it also encourages employers to offer support that can actually benefit the wider workforce.

“Flexible working options, breathable uniforms, better sanitary provision, decaffeinated drinks, rest areas, showers, lighting, and more considered use of shared spaces (particularly where temperature is an issue) – all of these options can also benefit staff more widely and employers are able to offer these support packages without staff having to disclose menopausal symptoms.”

Evidence provided for new Pet Abduction Bill

A Senior Lecturer in Policing Organisation and Practice (POP) helped shape the Pet Abduction Bill which is currently going through Parliament.

Dr Helen Selby-Fell, along with Keele University colleague Dr Daniel Allen, developed the evidence base for the ‘Pet Theft Taskforce policy paper’. Published by the Home Office in September 2021, this made a number of recommendations designed to tackle the theft of dogs including the development of legislative options for a new ’pet abduction’ offence (to acknowledge the welfare of sentient animals).

Now the Pet Abduction Bill has recently passed the committee stage in the House of Commons, before moving through to report stage and then its third reading.

SHORT COURSE SPOTLIGHT: Design thinking in the digital world

Design thinking was originally for designers to understand people’s needs and create a solution for products and services. However, this method can be extended into organisational needs and reflected in a viable business strategy, which could convert into customer value and market opportunity.

Design thinking balances business problems with creative techniques. It applies and embraces both structure and chaos and utilises intuition and logic. The adoption of design thinking in business organisations recognises the value of design's capability to enhance innovation within organisations and is helping designers and managers improve collaboration.

Engaging plans for the Business School’s Alumni Council

The OUBS Alumni Council met in late February to discuss new plans for engagement with our valued alumni.

The Alumni Council comprises 12 members who meet regularly with the senior management team to advise on the development and delivery of strategic alumni engagement activity. Members give their time, commitment and expertise for the enhancement of the School and the alumni community.

The Council is currently chaired by MBA alumnus Martin Wardhaugh who previously worked as Group Chief Executive for Arran Isle Limited before retiring from full-time employment in 2022.

Martin (pictured) said: “The Alumni Council is proud to support the development of OUBS’ global reputation. Our objective is to strengthen our alumni network across the UK, and with a renewed focus internationally. We want to build a global alumni network which delivers valued benefits to its members and enhances the reputation of the School.”

Financial capability of young people from the Black ethnic group

Tuesday 16 April, 11:00 - 12:30

This webinar will explore issues related to financial capability of those aged 15 to 24, with a particular focus on people from the Black ethnic group.

The first part will discuss the findings of a qualitative survey conducted by our Centre for Public Understanding of Finance (PUFin). Then the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) will explore what we know about the financial wellbeing of young people from the Black ethnic group in comparison to those from other ethnic groups.

Leadership essentials for an unknown future

Tuesday 23 April, 13:00 - 14:00

This interactive session explores the skills and capabilities required for effective leadership in a rapidly changing and highly dynamic world. Prof Steve Wyatt (a professor, consultant, speaker and author) welcomes your questions and comments throughout the session, generating lively debate around this business-critical topic.

Early pregnancy endings and the workplace knowledge exchange

Monday 13 May, 11:00 – 12:30

This knowledge exchange event will summarise key findings from the Early Pregnancy Endings and the Workplace research project, and best practice principles for organisational support for staff who are affected by early pregnancy endings.

Attendees will be able to ask the research team questions and will also be given the opportunity to read and comment on the research report before it is finalised.

This project is part of the OU’s Open Societal Challenges (OSC) programme which aims to tackle some of society’s most important challenges through impact-driven research, focusing on three themes - Tackling Inequalities; Living Well; and Sustainability.

The future of social media and marketing – be ahead of the curve

Tuesday 21 May, 13:00 - 14:00

This webinar takes a look at how the best strategies must evolve to meet tech and consumer demands. What will the future bring and how can you be ahead of the curve? Grant Leboff (an international speaker, expert, consultant and author) shares global insight on the future of social media and marketing.