Newsletter Issue 21 – December 2022
Welcome to the December issue of the Fast Forward Newsletter. We’ve seen a huge amount of development in the programme this year and we thank you for your support and commitment to collaborative change.
Have a wonderful festive season and we look forward to continuing to collaborate in the New Year!
Please note the Fast Forward office will be closed from Thursday 22nd of December, returning on Tuesday 3rd January, 2022. Fast Forward wishes you wonderful festivities and we look forward to growing with you all next year.
In this month’s issue:
Fast Forward news and launches!
- 2022 highlights and achievements
- Website dashboards launch for SEPs, Brands and Auditors!
- Self-paced modules for Core Standards and Beyond Compliance launched!
- FF Webinar 4 – Managing your Margin in 2023 -8th December – Recording now available
- SEP Supplier Forum – 8th December (Suppliers only) Minutes now available
Industry and legislative news highlighted last month:
- UK 2023 Minimum Wage Rates announced
- National Insurance: 1.25% increase reversed
- Briefing: Creating a safe and fair UK immigration policy for workers
If you would like to request any inclusions or have comments on this publication, or any other part of the programme, please do get in touch.
The Fast Forward Team
FAST FORWARD NEWS
2022 highlights and achievements!
We’ve taken the opportunity to reflect on some key achievements from the past year and want to thank all of you for your support in realising them.
Memberships and subscriptions
- We welcomed Barbour and ASDA into the programme
- The Supplier Engagement Programme grew by 80 new subscribers between January – November 2022 totalling 158 subscriptions since launch in August 2021
- Four audit bodies and 13 auditors are approved to deliver Fast Forward audits
Training, news and events
- 180+ people received Fast Forward Supplier Training
- Delivered four Supplier webinars – all recorded and available to watch again on our website
- Hosted two Supplier forums
- Published 12 Newsletters – keeping all stakeholders up-to-date on the latest news
Developed and implemented
- Dedicated Brand, Auditor and Supplier Dashboards on the FF website
- Digital General Regulations
- Ethical Maturity Framework for Brand Members
- Lead/Shared Brand list on the website
- Core Standards self-paced learning modules developed, recorded and launched
- Guidance and resources on a range of topics in response to suppliers’ FAQs
- Just Good Work business cards for auditors
- Brand support programme developed – launching in 2023
Website dashboards have now launched!
We’re pleased to launch a new dashboard for all users of the Fast Forward website, for easy navigation to all of your resources and benefits. Simply log-in and watch the short video for a tour.
Self-paced Core Standards and
Beyond Compliance learning modules launched!
SEP subscribers and Member Brands now have access to the new self-paced learning modules on the Fast Forward Core Standards, to support businesses to access guidance at convenient times, and Beyond Compliance guidelines to support businesses on their improvement journey from Developing to Performing to Leading status. Log-in to the new Dashboard and head to the tab ‘Core Standards’ to explore.
Webinar 4 – Managing your Margin in 2023
8th December 10-11am
If you didn’t get a chance to attend the webinar on Thursday 8th December you have a second chance here. Watch the recording through your Dashboard – Log-in. You can hear key updates on confirmed UK National Minimum Wage rates for 2023 and an update of what this means for direct labour costings to start planning now for conversations between suppliers and buyers.
Supplier Engagement Programme (SEP) Forum
Minutes now available!
Thank you to those who attended the final SEP Supplier Forum of the year on the 8th December, in which we discussed latest developments in the programme, and suppliers shared challenges and examples of good practice so we can provide a supportive and continually improving programme. If you were unable able to attend, the minutes are now available when logged into the website. We look forward to working with and supporting you in 2023.
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
UK 2023 Minimum Wage Rates announced
On the 17th of November the UK Government announced the National Living Wage (NLW) will rise to £10.42 from 1 April 2023, an increase of 92 pence or 9.7 per cent. Watch the above webinar to learn more.
National Insurance increase reversed – GOV.UK
From the 6th of November, the additional 1.25% in both employee and employer National Insurance (NI) rates which were introduced back in April, have been reversed.
Some businesses have made the choice to pass on the savings in employer NI contributions to their employees to support with cost of living rises.
Briefing: Creating a safe and fair
UK immigration policy for workers
This briefing from Focus on Labour Exploitation explores how immigration policy can result in the creation of an environment that fosters labour exploitation and modern slavery and prevents people facing or at risk of exploitation from seeking assistance from the authorities. It outlines the key risks linked to recent immigration policy decisions in the UK and the actions that should be taken to address them in order to ensure that workers are protected and treated fairly.
Just Good Work
Just Good Work is a free, interactive mobile app giving jobseekers and workers from the UK or abroad critical information and advice on recruitment and employment. The Fast Forward audit requires businesses to display the Just Good Work poster.
Posters are available to download for free in nine languages from the Fast Forward website: Albanian, Bulgarian, English, Croatian, Gujarati, Polish, Romanian, Serbian and Ukrainian.
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1 Portesbery Road
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