Newsletter Issue 22 – January 2023
Welcome to the January issue of the Fast Forward Newsletter.
In this month’s issue:
Fast Forward news
- SEP Supplier Training – new 2023 dates released (Supplier only event)
- 2023 Webinar: ‘Beyond Compliance’ Developing to Performing to Leading – BOOK NOW
- Dashboards now available for SEPs, Brands and Auditors! – Have you logged in?
- Self-paced modules for Core Standards – NOW IN VIDEO FORMAT
Industry and legislative news highlighted last month:
- High Court held the EU Settlement Scheme to be unlawful
- Millions of Britons to be able to request flexible working on day one of employment
- Single labour market enforcement body update
- Fashion brands paid Bangladesh factories less than cost – report
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
(SEP) Supplier Training
We are pleased to announce our next three months of supplier training sessions are now available to book on our website. The first session of 2023 will take place on 24th January.
This new 2.5 hour format is a Supplier only event and covers:
- Navigating your way around the newly launched Fast Forward SEP Dashboard
- Review of the newly launched self-paced Core Standard online training modules
- The step-by-step Audit Process and critical Management Systems approach
- The seven Core Standards and latest legislative updates
- Click here to find out more on what is covered!
All SEP subscribers are entitled to 1 free training place every 12 months.
If you have already attended training but wish to attend again as a refresher or would like for other colleagues from your business to attend, you may purchase additional tickets at the discounted rate of £95.00 + VAT.
2023 Webinar 1 – ‘Beyond Compliance’
28th February 11-12am
Suppliers (SEP), Brands and Auditors are all welcome to join Fast Forward on Tuesday 28th February at 11am for our first supplier webinar of 2023! Book your place and block your diary…you won’t want to miss this one!
In this session we will cover:
- ‘Beyond Compliance’ and share insights into how suppliers can progress from Developing to Performing to Leading
- Control Points anticipated to be introduced from August 1st 2023
If you would like to provide contributions or to apply to be a speaker get in contact.
Fast Forward website dashboards!
If you didn’t get a chance to review your new dashboard last month, here is your reminder! Log-in and watch the short video tour available to help navigate to all of your resources and benefits.
Self-paced Core Standards
NOW IN VIDEO FORMAT!
SEP Subscribers and Brand Members 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 the new video format.
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
High Court held the EU Settlement Scheme to be unlawful
On 21 December 2022 the High Court held the EU Settlement Scheme to be unlawful in respect of the requirement for a person with pre-settled status to become unlawfully present in the UK if they failed to apply for further immigration permission before the expiry of their pre-settled status. Read more here.
Millions of Britons to be able to request
flexible working on day one of employment
The Government has announced its plans to make flexible working the default. It said the raft of new measures will give employees greater access to flexibility over where, when, and how they work, leading to happier, more productive staff. Noted inclusions:
- Day one right to request flexible working to give workers a greater say over when, where, and how they work
- Businesses expected to benefit from higher productivity and staff retention as a result
- Around 1.5 million low paid workers will be given even more flexibility, with a new law coming into force to remove exclusivity clause restrictions, allowing them to work for multiple employers if they wish
Single labour market enforcement body update
In a BEIS Strategy Committee meeting in December, Business Secretary Grant Shapps MP appeared to suggest that the Government plans to introduce a Single Labour Market Enforcement Body (SLMEB) had effectively been shelved. When asked directly whether the SLMEB will happen, he said the Government are ‘more interested in ensuring that the bodies that are already in place are operating effectively.’ Mr Shapps also confirmed there are no plans for an Employment Bill.
Fashion brands paid Bangladesh factories
less than cost – report
The BBC reports on research from Aberdeen University’s Business School and charity Transform Trade which concluded that 90% of larger high street brands buying from four or more factories were reported as engaging in unfair purchasing practices.
These practices included cancellations, failure to pay, delays in payment and discount demands, with knock-on effects including forced overtime and harassment.
A survey of 1,000 factories found many were paid the same prices as before the pandemic two years ago – despite soaring costs of materials. One in five said they struggled to pay Bangladesh’s £2.30 a day minimum wage.
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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