Author: Matchstick Creative

  • Matchstick Creative, Liverpool-based creative agency, is B Corp certified

    Matchstick Creative, Liverpool-based creative agency, is B Corp certified

    We’re thrilled to announce that last week we were officially awarded B Corp™ status. As a purpose-driven creative agency, this recognition of our commitment to doing good solidifies how working with a strong vision and ethics, whilst leading with empathy, can benefit business in many ways.

    So, what is B Corp?

    The global B Corp movement is a group of leaders using business as a force for good. The B Corp community works toward reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, a healthier environment, stronger communities, and the creation of high-quality jobs with dignity and purpose. It focuses on placing stakeholders at the heart of all businesses, harnessing their position to transform the role of business in society. 

    Essentially, the B Corp certification aims to reinvent capitalism to ensure that it works for both people and the planet. Which sounds just like us.

    Becoming B Corp certified requires a rigorous assessment of the whole of the business – not just services and products – to ensure you meet high standards for social and environmental performance. And for good reason, there are only 360 B Corp certified businesses in the UK, so we’re in good company. We’ve long admired other businesses who have achieved this sought-after status, so we wrote a blog celebrating our favourites here. 

    The assessment looks at five key areas across the business:

    • Governance – mission and engagement, ethics and transparency, governance
    • Workers – career development, health, wellness and safety, engagement, human rights, worker owned
    • Environment – Environmental management; air and climate; water; renewable energy; resource conservation; transport distribution & suppliers
    • Community – Diversity, equity and inclusion; supply chain management; civic engagement & giving; local economic development
    • Customers – Customer stewardship; education; access to basic services; economic empowerment

    Assessments are scored on a points basis and to qualify a business has to score over 80. 

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfl9vx6MIsn/?hl=en

    Why B Corp?

    For us, becoming B Corp Certified was a goal from the beginning. We are on track to hit our 100% purpose-driven work target in 2022 and being included in the B Corp community is a massive nod to all the effort we’ve put in on our journey so far. Working at a 100% purpose-driven rate isn’t always easy, but the commitment we have to doing good – and only doing good – as an employer, partner and member of our community is something that is integral and central to our culture. 

    As a company we scored highly in the Governance section – specifically on our mission and engagement levels. Our culture is central to our business planning and all day-to-day decisions – we were recently shortlisted at the UK Company Culture awards for ‘Best Team Culture’. We go above and beyond to engage the whole team with decisions around workload, projects and the direction of their careers. A bi-monthly retrospective formalises this, but we have clear open lines of communication at all times, on all levels of the company. 

    Alongside this, we are committed to keeping wellbeing central to our business practises. We’re always looking for ways to improve our colleagues’ lives, whether that’s through enhanced leave and parental policies, or giving them the opportunity to structure their work hours around personal commitments and projects. Recognising tangible help to support everyday lives of the team has greatly improved our staff wellbeing. We’ve addressed this by becoming a Real Living Wage Employer, providing a home working fund for equipment and laying out our policies in a transparent way. Inspiring confidence in Matchstick Creative as an employer, as well as a brand, helps our business practises whilst simultaneously supporting our staff.

    We prioritise supporting our Matchsticks in their career journeys, which was why career development was also an area we scored highly on. We do this through regular PDP meetings to help our colleagues achieve their goals. Our improved working processes and empathetic culture have resulted in:

    • 3 promotions 
    • 1 career change 
    • 5 Kickstart placements
    • 2 mentorship schemes
    • Enhanced staff retention

    What does the B Corp status mean for Matchstick Creative?

    Although achieving B Corp status was the focus of our agenda for this year, it doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement in both our business and our impact. We will be using our new status to influence business policy and help drive our  mission to be as impactful as possible. We’re also continuing to work towards clear career development plans for all staff, a full staff training programme and refining our business model. 

    We want to say a big thank you to our clients, partners and everyone who has supported us so far. And major ‘snaps’ to our team for being the most talented and empathetic people who make coming to work everyday something to actually look forward to.
    Find out more about our story and our values, or get in touch with our CEO to discuss B Corp certification and what it could mean for your business.

  • What we learned from The Purpose Accelerator-Startup Culture

    What we learned from The Purpose Accelerator-Startup Culture

    Firestarters’ new series ‘The Purpose Accelerator,’ concluded with its third and final event; Startup Culture. For this event, we focused on the challenges faced by founders of startup and scaleup businesses across the Liverpool City Region (LCR) and how we can drive regional innovation and growth through supporting startup culture. The Purpose Accelerator series has been sponsored by Gather, who provide advice and support for digital, creative and tech businesses, helping to form a supportive community encouraging development. 

    What is ‘Firestarters’ and ‘The Purpose Accelerator’?

    Firestarters is a community of change-makers that come together both as individuals and from purpose-driven organisations, to spark positive change and tackle some of the current issues facing the region. Providing a platform that brings together members of the public, private and third sectors, Firestarters works to facilitate discussions and conversations that help towards making a positive impact, through the delivery of live events, both virtual and in-person. 

    Consisting of three events, ‘The Purpose Accelerator’ is our newest series, centered around providing advice and support for socially-driven startup and scaleup businesses within the region to access better opportunities and networks of support. ‘Startup Culture’ is the concluding event in the series, bringing together key stakeholders and value-led organisations to build a positive entrepreneurial culture throughout the region. 

    Why ‘Startup Culture?’ 

    In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement, there has been a shifted narrative surrounding business, representing a new era for entrepreneurship. These developments have fueled a shift in the role of social change within the business world, with many organisations making social impact, diversity and inclusion a key priority in the development of new business models and frameworks. 

    This changing climate has led to a ‘sink or swim’ circumstance for businesses both locally and nationally, seeing many organisations being left behind to the changing mechanism, or adapt to the new era of business. ‘Startup Culture’ brought together a network of industry experts, business leaders and value-led thinkers within the startup and scaleup communities, to highlight the challenges and opportunities available, through shared experience and valuable insight. 

    Why is ‘Startup Culture’ so relevant now? 

    In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, records reveal that across the Liverpool City Region over 4,700 new businesses were founded between March and December 2020. This gave the region the title of 7th most successful ‘hotspot’ lockdown startup businesses. Due to the rapidly changing social climate, a large majority of these businesses were built as purpose-driven organisations, striving to tackle social and cultural issues surrounding governmental approaches to COVID-19 ordinance and a decline in equitable ways of life. 

    The region has responded by developing a range of programmes and resources designed to provide support for the new era of entrepreneurs in the growth of their value-led enterprises. Initiatives such as LCR Founders, brought together by a recent collaboration between Liverpool John Moores University and the Baltic CIC, alongside Startup Grind’s Tech Expansion Programme have been innovative and groundbreaking in its approach to supporting entrepreneurs across the region. Nonetheless, founders of startup and scaleup businesses are still facing many challenges, including obtaining funding and accessing a network of support to fuel growth and innovation. 

    What we discussed at ‘Startup Culture’ 

    The event provided a platform for value-driven entrepreneurs, industry leaders and business leads to deliberate the question “How do we help fuel purpose-driven growth and innovation by supporting startup culture in the Liverpool City Region?” 

    We heard from a panel of four industry experts at the event: 

    In true Firestarters style, the event commenced with a panel Q+A, where we got to hear expert insight from our guest speakers. We came to Jonathon Clark first, who began by discussing his experience of startup culture within the Liverpool City Region and how this differs to other areas. He also shared his insight into opportunities for change and how we make this visible. 

    For its size, we (Liverpool City Region) are good in some metrics. We punch above our weight in social change companies.

    The things we are good at, we’re incredible at.

    Jonathon Clark- GDPR Defender/Startup Grind/Angel Investor

     

    Next, we came to Waf Njonjo-Shaw, an Innovation Coach for LCR founders who works to support young entrepreneurs at university and graduate levels. Waf shared her knowledge of the challenges and obstacles facing young founders in creating and developing their enterprises. 

    One of the main challenges for entrepreneurs is getting your business funded.

    Young people coming out of university may not have a good credit rate or a strong network to tap into.

    Waf Njonjo-Shaw- LCR Founders

    The panel Q+A with our industry experts allowed us to develop key topics of discussion and the frameworks to begin to assess the questions surrounding startup culture and how we demonstrate a positive culture for new entrepreneurs. These discussions were continued with more depth, when the session was split into breakout rooms. Each group was asked to consider the challenges and opportunities across the region, as well as the changes that we need to see in supporting purpose-driven enterprises to expand and evolve. 

    What we’ve learned from ‘Startup Culture’ 

    Our guest speakers provided valuable insights and demonstrated their experience , which were taken into the breakout sessions and built upon. Within these sessions, a collaborative approach to the discussion was taken, by university students, business leaders across a plethora of sectors and industry experts within these fields. Some of the key points of engagement were: 

    • The challenges surrounding startup culture in the Liverpool City Region and how we can work to overcome them 
    • Regional inequalities in opportunities and how networks of support can be accessed 
    • The opportunities available through programmes, initiatives and funding within the region 
    • Ideas around driving collaboration between purpose-driven organisations to help support local startups 
    • The steps required to create a healthy culture for startup and scaleup enterprises 

    We need to rid of this failure mentality, this ‘work to the death’, Silicon Valley-esque culture.

    Set the example you want to see, set the culture you want to see.

    Vimla Appadoo- Honey Badger/Culture-Shift

    What’s next for Firestarters?  

    We will be taking key insights and themes from the event and turning them into a report that produces actionable next steps. We’ve already started so many fires in 2022, and it doesn’t end there. We have some exciting events coming up to continue sparking positive change across the region.

    Are you ready to be a changemaker? Join our community of Firestarters by signing up to our newsletter or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. 
    Want to know more about the fires we’ve started? Read our Spark Change report, to learn more about all of the things we did during the first year of Firestarters.

  • 7 certified B Corps we love and what we’ve learned from them

    7 certified B Corps we love and what we’ve learned from them

    B Corp status is a certification that businesses meeting a high standard of performance, accountability and transparency are able to achieve. The certification takes into account the organisation’s benefits to employees, charitable donations, social and environmental impact and overall commitment to doing more good for people and the planet. 

    Achieving a B Corp Certification is something to be celebrated, and shows that an organisation is committed to doing more than just providing a product or service. We’re always inspired by the businesses that have achieved B Corp status, so much so that we’re working towards our own certification for Matchstick Creative!

    While there are so many B Corp brands that inspire us every day, we wanted to take you through a few that stand out to us. Join us to look at seven certified B Corp organisations that we love, and what we can all learn from them. 

    KeepCup

    KeepCup was established in 2009 as the first-ever barista standard reusable coffee cup in the world. Founded in Melbourne, Australia, KeepCup was designed to help people enjoy better coffee while on the go. The keyword here is “better”. KeepCup isn’t just talking about better quality coffee when they use this term. In actual fact, they’re talking about their environmentally-friendly solution to single-use coffee cups. Through sleek designs made from considered materials, KeepCup is making its impact on the world, one reusable cup at a time. 

    Why we love KeepCup

    There’s a lot to love about KeepCup, starting with the fact that B Corp itself has listed them as one of the best brands in the world for environmental impact in 2018, 2019 and 2021. But, some specific reasons why we love KeepCup are:

    1. They’re always educating their audience

    KeepCup does a brilliant job of showcasing what they’re all about as an organisation across their social media channels. One example is on their Instagram account, where they shared a series of photos with the caption “How can you challenge convenience culture?”. KeepCup understands that often the use of single-use plastics comes down to convenience for the user. Through their social channels, they’re challenging this concept and encouraging their audiences to do the same. 

    1. They show their impact

    KeepCup is very open when it comes to showing its impact as an organisation. In fact, they have a whole section of their website dedicated to it. A standout feature is their ‘Impact Calculator’ which demonstrates how much of an impact you can make by using a KeepCup rather than a single-use coffee cup. This is a brilliant way to bring together the impact they as an organisation are having and how each individual user can make a difference. 

    Ben & Jerry’s

    Ben & Jerry’s is an ice cream brand that specialises in producing a wide range of super-premium ice cream, free from artificial growth hormone rBGH. Since its beginnings in the ‘70s, Ben & Jerry’s has come a long way. What started from a $5 course in ice cream-making and a $12,000 investment has, almost 50 years later, become one of the largest ice cream companies in the world. They are built on a mission to make quality products in a way that is sustainable, replicable and a cause of positive social change. Ben & Jerry’s has continuously delivered ice cream with a difference, here’s why we love them…

    Why we love Ben & Jerry’s

    There’s so much more to Ben & Jerry’s than just delicious ice cream. Of course, that’s a very important aspect of their organisation, but we love their passion for supporting important causes and organisations. Ben & Jerry’s prides itself on supporting human rights, social and economic justice and environmental protection and restoration. They also actively support LGBTQ+ rights, climate justice and refugee rights.  Or, as they put it, they “use ice cream to change the world”.

    Ecologi

    Ecologi is an online platform that works to help individuals, families and businesses positively impact the planet by offsetting their carbon emissions. Through a paid membership scheme, Ecologi uses its funds to support carbon reduction projects that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They also work with a series of partners that responsibly plant trees, in order to offset emissions. 

    Why we love Ecologi

    What’s so brilliant about Ecologi is that it creates a way for you to make a difference without being continuously time-consuming. We’ve been signed up to Ecologi as an organisation for a while, and what we love about it is how simple it is for us to reduce our emissions as a company. By donating every month, the Ecologi team ensures that we’re not leaving a negative impact on the planet by investing in environmental projects and planting trees. It’s a low maintenance way to make a big difference and gives us more time to work with other inspiring people who are doing good! 

    Who Gives a Crap

    Who Gives a Crap is a toilet paper organisation that specialises in providing eco-conscious, 100% recycled toilet paper. The company was founded after the team discovered that there are 2.4 billion people in the world without access to a toilet. As a result, over 289,000 children under the age of five die every year from diseases caused by poor sanitation and water. Who Gives a Crap saw this awful situation as an opportunity to do something positive and made the commitment to donate 50% of all their profits to help build toilets and improve sanitation in the developing world. 

    Why we love Who Gives a Crap

    First of all…the name. Who couldn’t love that? It’s witty, unique, and completely memorable. But, puns aside, there are lots of reasons why we love what Who Gives a Crap does. 

    1. Education and information. 

    Just like KeepCup, Who Gives a Crap is brilliant at educating its audience and using its platforms to promote environmentally friendly methods.  Education to Who Gives a Crap means sharing informative content about the impact that the use of regular toilet paper can have – and encouraging people to make a change for the better.

    Every day, more than 1 million trees are cut down to make traditional toilet paper. We knew it was a lot, but even we were shocked by how staggering this number turned out to be. ⁠

    1. Giving back and making a difference.

    Who Gives a Crap’s commitment to using 50% of all profits to improve sanitation in developed countries is incredibly inspiring. There aren’t many organisations that could say that they have as much of an impact as that. Put simply, they really do give a crap. 

    Oddbox

    Oddbox is a UK-based organisation that’s on a mission to reduce food wastage. A third of the food grown in the world is unused and in the UK over 3 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables are wasted before they even leave the farm. Why? Well, it comes down to the way the food system in the UK works – it prioritises uniformity over taste. This has meant that non-uniform fruits and veggies have been thrown away, despite being completely edible. 

    The team behind Oddbox believed that this significant food wastage had to stop and that all food grown should be eaten. So they took it upon themselves to build an organisation that rescues produce that’s considered to be too ‘wonky’, strange or imperfect and delivers them straight to your door. 

    Why we love Oddbox

    What stands out about Oddbox is that they’re always looking to do more. As if combatting the world’s food wastage issue wasn’t enough, Oddbox also uses its platforms to share innovative ways that its audience can reduce their own food waste. An example of this is the below post about growing veg from scraps. Got a few wonky carrot tops that you’re ready to throw away? Stop right there! Oddbox always has a handy tip to reduce wastage. 

    Divine Chocolate

    Divine Chocolate is the only Fairtrade chocolate company that is co-owned by cocoa farmers. Since being founded in 1998, Divine Chocolate has been on a mission to build a brilliant farmer-owned company that brings together and empowers producers and consumers on a global scale.  Over the last 20-plus years, the brand has been using its platform to invest in farmer-led programmes that specialise in gender justice, sustainable agriculture, improving labour standards, democratic organisations and education…and delicious chocolate too, of course. 

    Why we love Divine Chocolate

    Whilst Divine Chocolate is passionate about sustainability, democracy and improved labour standards, it’s their commitment to empowering women that we love the most. Since its beginnings, Divine Chocolate and its partners have worked closely to support women in cocoa farming to build skills and confidence to grow better products, form a strong community and thrive in their businesses. Now, over a third of the farmers who co-own Divine Chocolate are women! 

    innocent

    innocent is an all-natural drinks brand founded in the UK in 1999. Built on the dream of making it easier for people to be good to themselves, innocent provides the world with delicious drinks that are healthy, responsible and sustainable. In just over 20 years, innocent have become B Corp certified, committed to being carbon neutral by 2025, and have consistently given 10% of all its profits to people and organisations that make farming more sustainable – pretty impressive if you ask us!

    Why we love innocent

    Their commitment to doing more good for the planet is, of course, the number one reason why we love innocent. But, incredibly impressive schemes aside, we also really love their tone of voice as a brand. There truly is no other brand like innocent when it comes to tone of voice. It’s fun, informal and playful, and it always feels like innocent knows exactly how to converse with their audience. 

    What we’ve learned from these B Corp companies

    There’s a lot to learn from these seven B Corp organisations, but if there are two things to take away it’s these: 

    1. Show your specialisms

    Educating your audience is a great way to make the most of your platforms. Organisations like KeepCup and Who Gives a Crap have got education down to a T on their social channels. Their content is educational, informative and inspirational without feeling pushy or preachy.  

    1. Be proud of your impact

    It can be easy to forget the positive impact that you as a person, or organisation, are having on a day to day basis – especially if you’re constantly achieving brilliant things! Dedicating a page of your website to the impact that you have is a great way for you to recognise just how much you’re doing. Be proud of your achievements! 

    Want to find out more about how your organisation can become B Corp certified? Visit the B Corp website. To stay in the loop with Matchstick Creative and our journey to becoming a B Corp agency, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

  • Spark Change! What we learned from the first year of Firestarters

    Spark Change! What we learned from the first year of Firestarters

    Spark Change; the first annual Firestarters impact report

    After launching during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, Firestarters has now hosted its first year of online events – aiming to improve the social impact of businesses in the Liverpool City Region (LCR). The key takeaways from all seven 2021 sessions have now been summarised in their annual Spark Change! Report; gathering all the findings and talking points from the community’s discussions.

    What is Firestarters?

    Firestarters is a community of changemakers putting purpose before profit. Through live events with actionable next steps, we gather together inspiring people from the private, public, and third sectors to discuss how we can make positive action happen in the LCR. 

    What is included in the Spark Change! report?

    The Firestarters events covered a wide range of topics, including Building Back Equal 1, 2 and 3 – which focused on economic recovery post-pandemic – Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace, Establishing an Ethical Framework for Personalised Care, Is This The North? and Zero Carbon Liverpool. 

    Some key partnering companies came on board to deliver the sessions; including:

    We encouraged contributions from attendees and panelists to source opinions, challenges and opportunities across the Liverpool City Region. Some key takeaways from the events were:

    • Black people in LCR are paid £1.10 an hour less than other employees
    • The Liverpool City Region has more economically-inactive people than almost any other part of the country 
    • The increase in home working will lead to local businesses thriving
    • 78% of people wouldn’t trust surveys on Mental Health and Wellbeing in the workplace in case it got back to their employer

    The 2021 Firestarters events

    After realising that in the past too much focus has been placed on profit; with businesses paying little attention to the environment and people around them, Firestarters was launched. A purpose-driven business networking community that truly values diverse voices was what Liverpool City Region was crying out for.  We began as online-only networking events in the depths of the COVID-19 lockdowns. 

    Building Back Equal 1: Inclusive Economic Recovery from Covid-19

    ‘Building Back Equal 1’ was designed to bring ethical business leaders together to explore the recovery of the LCR economy after Covid-19. The lockdowns disproportionately affected marginalised groups; the aim was to discuss how to build up the region whilst prioritising those most affected.  

    Guest speakers at the event included:

    Building Back Equal 2: Destination Tourism and Culture 

    Our second event sought to build on the findings from Building Back Equal part 1, diving deeper into industry-specific topics – bringing together 40 of Liverpool’s most influential tourism and culture organisations.  

    The panel included:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CSPTVdDjTFX/

    Building Back Equal 3: Employment and Skills  

    The pandemic had a big effect on employment and retaining employees, with several demographics – including older, disabled and lower paid workers – seeing the most impact on their livelihoods. For Building Back Equal, part 3, we brought together a panel of local experts to explore the challenges this posed for LCR.

    Guest speakers at the event included:

    • Paul Amann – Principal Officer, Employment & Skills at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority 
    • Amanda Follit – Senior Manager Marketing Operations Services at EPAM
    • Tracy Fishwick OBE – MD at Transform Lives Company
    • Ben Osu – Senior Lead – Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Everton Football Club

      

    The initial three Building Back Equal events saw multiple companies partnering up with the Firestarters to utilise our event structure. Their aim was to draw out solutions and opinions to big questions they had for the future. Firestarters ignited – events hosted by Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority followed.

    Zero Carbon Liverpool 

    Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has a target of carbon neutrality by 2040. We worked with them to address this with a key group of guests, at an event designed to make further strides with their action plan.

    Our Keynote Speaker was Rachel Waggett Principal Environment Officer at LCRCA

    https://twitter.com/heymatchstick/status/1428383029773410307

      

    Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace 

    Partnering with The Growth Platform to host an event to target the topic of wellbeing at work was right up our street. Addressing the impact of the pandemic on mental health, with a focus on how to support employees in the workplace, was the target of the campaign we were helping them to plan. 

    The event panel included:

    Establishing an Ethical Framework for Personalised Care 

    Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership needed to create a first-of-its-kind ethical framework for designing personalised care for its users. 15 people from various socially-driven companies attended. 

    Our keynote speaker was Dave Sweeney, Director of Partnerships at CMHCP.

    Is this the North?

    We partnered with NP11 for a topic close to our hearts – the North and Liverpool. NP11 brings together public and private sectors to improve the lives of Northern people. Key stakeholders were engaged for this event, with the aim to form a proposition for the future. 

    Our keynote speaker was Clare Devaney,  Programme lead for NP11.

    Where can I find the Spark Change! Report?

    Our goal is to bridge the gap between local and global stakeholders and work to help the Liverpool City Region build back better, measure the social impact of our region’s organisations, and become business ready for the green revolution. Find out more about the events and the future of Firestarters by reading The Spark Change! Report here.

    Want to get involved in future Firestarters events?

    We’ve got plenty of exciting events planned for Firestarters this year and would love to have you join us! Sign up for the Firestarters newsletter to be the first to hear about upcoming events, news and opportunities in the Liverpool City Region. 

    To stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, make sure to follow Firestarters on Twitter and Instagram. 

  • What we learned from The Purpose Accelerator – Next Generation Talent

    What we learned from The Purpose Accelerator – Next Generation Talent

    For the second event in our new series, ‘The Purpose Accelerator,’ we explored the challenges surrounding the recruitment and retainment of the next generation of talent across the Liverpool City Region (LCR). Bringing together purpose-driven industry leaders, education and training providers, the event set out to discuss how organisations across the region can work together to reduce the ‘brain drain,’ and provide better opportunities for emerging talent. This event was sponsored by Gather, who work to provide advice and support for organisations and leaders within the digital, creative and tech industries. 

    What is ‘Firestarters’ and ‘The Purpose Accelerator’?

    Firestarters is a community of purpose-led organisations and individuals that strive to spark change and create a positive impact within industries across the region. Working to bring together members of the private, public and third sectors, Firestarters leads a series of live events which aims to formulate discussion and provide communities with the support and advice to take action towards positive change. 

    New for 2022, ‘The Purpose Accelerator’ focuses on supporting value-led start-up and scale-up businesses to grow, develop and provide better opportunities through the formation of more valuable connections across the city region. ‘Next Generation Talent’ is the second event in the series, bridging gaps between various sectors and organisations. 

    Why ‘Next Generation Talent’? 

    During the 2017 ‘Centre for Cities’ think tank, it was discovered that migration patterns across the Liverpool City Region were dominated by the movement of students and graduates. This identified a loss of the talent that Liverpool attracted as a university city, demonstrating a lack of opportunity for graduates to begin and develop their careers within the industry. This highlighted an area of concern and spurred key stakeholders within the city to take action. The loss of such talent from the city correlates with the struggle facing businesses in recruiting and retaining prospective employees with substantial knowledge and potential. 

    ‘Next Generation Talent’ provided a platform for industry leaders to supply ideas, actionable next steps and chances for collaboration, in order to create cross-industry connections and create better recruitment and training opportunities. 

    Why is ‘Next Generation Talent’ so relevant now? 

    Following the COVID-19 pandemic, a record number of job vacancies remain available, despite rates of employment remaining high. There is an emerging need for industry-based roles to be filled, despite a growing disillusionment by unresponsive employers and an apparent lack of opportunities and understanding for new talent to navigate the industry and undertake their desired roles and professions. 

    As a region, there have been a number of steps taken to combat the brain drain and loss of talent. This was through the implementation of various graduate schemes, created by universities as a way to support businesses in recruiting and developing students and graduates within the city. Despite this, the issue still remains, leading us to search for new ways to support emerging talent and what further steps we can take in order to tackle the challenges surrounding recruitment.  

    What we discussed at ‘Next Generation Talent’ 

    The event brought together industry and educational leaders to consider the question,  “How can we bridge the gaps between industry, education, and next-generation talent to fuel purpose-driven business growth in the LCR?” 

    At the event, we heard from a panel of four guest speakers: 

    Kicking off the event was a panel Q+A, which Chelsea Slater began by discussing the changes that she would like to see by businesses and individuals to tackle issues of gender inequality within the tech industry. She also gave us some insight into the work that InnovateHer does to address these issues and fabricate better opportunities for talent. 

    We need to make sure that inclusion is a high priority within businesses. If we can retain diversity it can equate to more profitable and productive organisations.

    Chelsea Slater, InnovateHer

    Next, we heard from Ben Dalton, Programme Manager at Agent Academy who gave us some insight into the best ways to identify young talent and how Agent does this so well. 

    Its all about being open. Understanding what the young person wants, what their skills are and how we can align them with the industry.

    Ben Dalton, Agent Academy

    Hearing from the industry experts of our panel during the Q+A elicited a framework for some key discussions and concepts, which were continued in more detail during breakout rooms, which occupied the remainder of the event. 

    What we’ve learned from ‘Next Generation Talent’ 

    Our panel of industry experts raised some excellent points of discussion and offered some key insights that were later developed during the breakout sessions. These discussions were developed and evolved, through a collaboration of individuals from various organisations across different industry sectors. Some of the primary points raised were: 

    • The challenges surrounding recruitment and development and how we can solve them
    • What opportunities are available within industry and graduate schemes
    • How we can work within our organisations to provide better opportunities and support students and graduates on their transition into industry 
    • Ideas on how to create an accessible platform that bridges the gap between industry leaders, educational institutions and training providers

    If we want that pipeline of talent to stay in the city and we want to be responsible for them, we need to create the next steps that they need. We are not supporting our graduates enough when they leave.

    Fiona Armstrong-Gibbs, Liverpool John Moores University/Baltic Creative CIC

    What’s next for Firestarters?  

    Following the event, we’ll be gathering insights; including key ideas and discussions and turning these into actionable next steps. Firestarters is bigger and better than ever and we have a lot of exciting events coming up to help us to spark positive change across the region!
    Do you want to join our community of changemakers? Sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about all things Firestarters and stay up-to-date by following us on Twitter and Instagram.

  • What we learned at Firestarters x The Good Business Festival

    What we learned at Firestarters x The Good Business Festival

    With 2021 being a year of strictly virtual events, we couldn’t wait to engage with our Firestarters community in the real world in 2022. We recently teamed up with The Good Business Festival to deliver our first ever set of in-person events! 

    Through the Good Business Festival, we brought together local community and socially-driven organisations to help form connections across the Liverpool City Region (LCR), and discover how we can create a more community-driven, ethical and inclusive region. 

    What is Firestarters and The Good Business Festival?

    Firestarters is a community of changemakers putting purpose before profit. Through live events with actionable next steps, we gather together inspiring people from the private, public, and third sectors to discuss how we can make positive action happen in the LCR. 

    The Good Business Festival is a multi-day, multi-venue festival that brings together inspiring creatives from across the LCR. The festival creates the chance to connect with like-minded peers, hear from influential people, and drive important conversations about how we can do business better in our region. 

    Firestarters x The Good Business Festival events

    Our events at The Good Business Festival set out to create a lasting impact on people, place, and business. We aimed to build a support network for the region’s business community to help them become more purpose-driven. The three events we held were: ‘Powering Communities’, ‘Green Revolution’ and ‘Cultural Inclusion’. 

    Firestarters x The Good Business Festival – Powering Communities

    ‘Powering Communities’ was designed to help the LCR continue to develop unique specialisms and become recognised on the international stage as a hub of good business and innovation. It brought together some of our region’s key players to sit down and explore ways that we can collaborate to empower communities. 

    Guest speakers at the event included:

    Firestarters x The Good Business Festival – Green Revolution 

    Our second event, ‘Green Revolution’, aimed to start conversations about how our region can become recognised as a pioneer in sustainable approaches to living, travel and business. 30 of the Liverpool City Region’s organisations came together to discuss and outline opportunities for green development and potential threats to businesses. 

    Guest speakers at the event included:

     

    Firestarters x The Good Business Festival – Cultural Inclusion 

    ‘Cultural Inclusion’, our final event, focused on how we can make LCR’s cultural offer more inclusive. This event connected The Good Business Festival’s global partners with local cultural organisations across our region. The event worked to bridge gaps between cultural organisations and national partners and identify opportunities for collaboration. 

    Guest speakers at the event included:

      

    What are the next steps?

    There were so many great comments, ideas and connections that came from our three events which we want to share with the wider community in our region. To ensure that we make the most of the outcomes that we discovered at the events, we’ll be putting together an impact report that will provide insights into the impact that our events have had. 

    We’ll also be sharing our outcomes across our social media channels and directly with all attendees of the events. 

    Our goal is to bridge the gap between local and global stakeholders and work to help the Liverpool City Region build back better, measure the social impact of our region’s organisations, and become business ready for the green revolution. 

    Want to get involved in future Firestarters events?

    We’ve got plenty of exciting events planned for Firestarters this year and would love to have you join us! Sign up for the Firestarters newsletter to be the first to hear about upcoming events, news and opportunities in the Liverpool City Region. 

    To stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates from our three events in partnership with The Good Business Festival, make sure to follow Firestarters on Twitter and Instagram. 

  • Firestarters X  Gather presents…Next Generation Talent

    Firestarters X  Gather presents…Next Generation Talent

    Firestarters have put together another event in collaboration with Gather to reduce Liverpool City Region’s ‘brain drain’. ‘Next Generation Talent’ will support purpose-driven leaders with their business growth and bridge gaps between different sectors, industries, businesses and suppliers.

    The Liverpool City Region ‘Brain Drain’ 

    In 2017, the ‘Centre for Cities’ think tank found that Liverpool’s migration patterns were dominated by the movement of students and graduates. This raised alarm bells for many of the region’s key stakeholders as it showed that, as a region, we are losing a lot of the incredible talent that we attract through our leading universities, renowned culture and thriving social life. Losing our best and brightest minds breeds stagnation for business growth, as our leading companies struggle to recruit, develop and retain the best talent.

    As a region, we have responded to this challenge in a number of ways. Our universities have responded with employment schemes; these include LCR Interns, Graduate Futures and the LCR Grad Scheme. All these schemes support businesses aiming to recruit and develop talented students and graduates. 

    There has also been a response from the purpose-driven businesses and the third sector with companies and initiatives like InnovateHer, Transform Lives Company (TLC) and Agent Academy all helping to bridge the gap between young talent and industry. 

    But where can we go next as a region and what options are available to both graduates and businesses alike when it comes to future-proofing talent?

    Who is the event for?

    This event is open to everyone but is specifically aimed at purpose-driven entrepreneurs, business leaders and Liverpool City Region’s influencers who are navigating the world of recruiting and retaining talent. Some of the benefits of attending our Gather-sponsored event include: 

    • A chance to hear from industry leaders on the challenges around recruitment
    • Connect with talented young people and industry leaders seeking and offering opportunities
    • Get tips and guidance from universities on how to take advantage of internships and grad schemes
    • A chance to network with fellow socially-driven innovators and thinkers, with a potential for future collaborations
    • Space to think about your recruitment challenges, explore opportunities and how your company may respond to them

    What will this purpose-accelerator event do for the region?

    Firestarters have put together this event in collaboration with Gather to reduce Liverpool City Region’s ‘brain drain’. Next Generation talent will support purpose-driven leaders with their business growth and bridge gaps between different sectors, industries, businesses and suppliers.

    Firestarters has developed a rich, diverse community in the last year, and we will tap into their knowledge to provide valuable insights to our community to help address inequality in opportunity in LCR. By giving new and known start-ups and scale-ups a platform to connect, Firestarters will drive collaboration between purpose-driven organisations who put purpose before profit. 

    How can you get involved in Next Generation Talent?  

    Want to have your say in how the Liverpool City Region can retain as well as attract great minds and talent? Join us at Firestarters X Gather ‘Next Generation Talent’ on Thursday 21st April 2022 by booking your ticket to the event on Eventbrite.
    Keep up with Firestarters by following us on Twitter and Instagram

  • What we learned from The Purpose Accelerator – Ethical Investment

    What we learned from The Purpose Accelerator – Ethical Investment

    For our first Firestarters event in our brand new 2022 series, ‘The Purpose Accelerator’, we explored Ethical Investment and the ways in which our region’s purpose-driven business leaders can ethically raise more for their world-changing ideas. We brought together values-led people and organisations to discuss how we can use ethical investment to fuel growth in the Liverpool City Region (LCR). This exciting event was sponsored by Gather, a community for digital, creative and tech leaders in the Liverpool City Region. 

    What is Firestarters and ‘The Purpose Accelerator’?

    Firestarters is a community of changemakers putting purpose before profit. Through live events with actionable next steps, we gather together inspiring people from the private, public, and third sectors to discuss how we can make positive action happen in the Liverpool City Region. 

    ‘The Purpose Accelerator’ is our brand new event series for 2022, which will focus on helping purpose-driven start-ups and scaleups to grow, develop and provide value to the region. ‘Ethical Investment was the first event in the series, bringing together the regions’ best and brightest innovators and entrepreneurs.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZM7mt4M1nc/

    Why is ‘Ethical Investment’ so relevant now?

    Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen a significant change in local organisations as they adapt to the new normal. As a result, many have had to retreat, whilst others have found success through pivoting their brand, innovating, and finding new ways to work together to provide value. In the LCR, the impact of the new normal created fertile ground for entrepreneurs and innovators, resulting in the opening of thousands of new organisations – many of which were values-led. 

    Ethical Investment set out to connect the best and brightest entrepreneurs and innovators in the LCR and help continue to fuel this rise in purpose-driven organisations. 

    What we discussed at ‘Ethical Investment’

    The event gathered together the region’s innovators, entrepreneurs and ethical business leaders to start conversations around: “How do we make investment in the Liverpool City Region more ethical?”. 

    During the event, we heard from four guest speakers:

    Erika Rushton began by explaining her work at Kindred and detailing her experience with ethical investment. She highlighted how Kindred is using its money to support organisations and people that investment doesn’t usually reach, saying:

    [Kindred is] putting money to people and to places that other money doesn’t reach. We’re investing in entrepreneurialism that other money doesn’t support. 

    Erika Rushton, Kindred. 
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZR65sqMibB/

    After Erika’s opening talk, we heard from Clare, Jonathan and Matt before moving on to a short Q&A with all four guests. Here, we discussed how each of our speakers defines what a socially trading organisation is and the challenges that face these organisations. 

    Often, purpose-led organisations are focused on slightly smaller markets. They’re trying to address people where maybe there’s a market failure or there isn’t as big of a profit market. That can sometimes put off investors.  

    Clare Lewis, FORM.

    Then we broke up into smaller groups to have further discussions in breakout rooms. This created the perfect opportunity to dive deeper into everything that had been discussed so far. 

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZR_P4FFBfX/

    What we’ve learned from ‘Ethical Investment’

    Our fantastic panel helped to start off some brilliant conversations at the event, which were only further developed during our breakout room discussions. Some of the main topics of discussion included: 

    • The challenges that surround ethical investment and how we can tackle them
    • Opportunities that are available to us within ethical investment
    • Tips and best practice for those who are interested in learning more about ethical investment or are considering investing in an ethical way 
    • Suggestions around how we can make ethical investment easier and more accessible to those who are wanting to invest 

    What are the next steps?

    We’ll be feeding back important insights and information from the event to Gather and FORM, who will be working towards actioning the outcomes. Once we’ve created these next steps, we’ll share them across the Matchstick Creative social channels. To keep up-to-date with the latest news from Ethical Investment, as well as what’s coming soon for Firestarters, follow us on Twitter and Instagram and sign up for the Firestarters newsletter. 

  • 7 ways your business can create a positive impact

    7 ways your business can create a positive impact

    We all want to change the world for the better, but sometimes actually doing so can seem impossible. Factor in the need for urgent action on many of the problems we face right now and it can all feel massively overwhelming.

    And yet changing the world for the better doesn’t mean solving all the world’s problems in one fell swoop. We can create meaningful change by ensuring the actions we take as a business have a positive impact on our communities, our workplaces, and even ourselves, no matter how small they may seem.

    Wasn’t it John Lennon who said ‘every little helps’? Okay, maybe that was Tesco, but the point stands: a positive impact can be large or small, sudden or incremental, universal or personal. At Matchstick Creative, we’re always looking to create a positive impact in any and every way we can. Here are seven things we do that your business can start doing right now!

    1. Use Ecologi

    Let’s start by talking about what seems to be the world’s most pressing issue: climate change.

    We all know that climate change is preventable and that reducing our carbon footprint – including that of our business – is essential to saving the planet. Encouraging your team to bike to work or use public transport is an excellent first step to take, but if you want to go even further, you could start using Ecologi.

    There are enough climate solutions that are out there right now, that if we supported them, it’d undo 30 years of carbon damage by avoiding 1,500 billion tonnes of CO2

    Ecologi

    Ecologi is a paid subscription service that allows your business to compensate for its carbon footprint and fund climate projects. It invests in a wide range of projects that all reduce greenhouse gas emissions, from reforestation and setting up wind farms to sustainable composting and hydropower.

    On top of that, Ecologi is Gold Standard-certified and wholly transparent about where your money goes. Using Ecologi or a similar service will help your business become climate secure and carbon-neutral, to the benefit of everyone.

    2. Introduce remote-working and flexitime

    Like biking to work or encouraging your team to use public transport, remote-working is another fantastic way to reduce the effects commuting has on your business’s carbon footprint. Commuting accounts for up to 98% of an employee’s carbon footprint; cutting the commute through remote-working, whether in part or in full, decreases carbon emissions and reduces overall office waste.

    Even better, the time we save not having to commute has huge benefits on our mental health and wellbeing. At Matchstick Creative, we use a hybrid work model, combining remote work and coordinated office work. This gives us more time to balance our work life and home life, leaving us happier, healthier, and more productive.

    Flexible start times have similar mental health benefits to remote-working, and with almost all of us now used to some form of remote-working or flexible hours due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making the switch is simpler than ever.

    3. Offer mental health support

    Mental health support doesn’t end with ensuring your team has a healthy work-life balance. No, creating a positive impact on their mental health is a continuous endeavor. It means fostering a supportive, celebratory workplace culture that goes beyond making your team feel valued to showing them that they are valued.

    One of the ways we do this is with monthly Personal Development Plans or PDPs. Our PDPs encourage honest and open communication between team members by offering them a safe space to discuss personal- or work-related issues that have arisen in the past month. It is more than simply offering each other an ear whenever we need it; it is actively carving out time in the work schedule to talk and listen to one another.

    Active support like this creates trust within our team, encourages self-reflection, and establishes a friendly environment where we can all thrive.

    4. Work with organisations whose mission and values align with your own

    We’ve always worked alongside businesses and organisations we find inspiring – and we can’t tell you how rewarding it is.

    We strive to deliver purpose-driven marketing, and we’re incredibly proud that all of our clients reflect our mission of doing good: profit-for-purpose businesses like The Women’s Organisation, health companies like Liverpool Health Partners, tech-for-good organisations like Syrenis.

    https://twitter.com/LivHPartners/status/1445746938570153994

    Working with clients who share our worldview isn’t only tremendously gratifying, it’s also helped us to better understand ourselves and to reconsider our company values – something we addressed when we rebranded as Matchstick Creative.

    It helps to create a positive impact both internally and externally, improving your own business as you support others.

    5. Elevate others

    Don’t just work with organisations and individuals whose mission and values align with your own – elevate them wherever you can, even if you don’t work together. This could mean shouting about them on social media, promoting them in business newsletters, or championing them at networking events you attend.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CQgpZUjgOZn/

    On our website, we run several blog series dedicated to celebrating the work of our industry peers:

    • Why It Works peels back the cover of our favourite brands to see what makes them tick
    • Under the Spotlight casts a light on individuals we admire so that more people can understand the work that they do
    • Female Founders celebrates female-founded businesses across the UK, sharing stories of the inspirational women killing it every day as leaders and change-makers

    If it’s within your means, you can even share the money around! Two members of our team are trustees for Awesome Liverpool, a bunch of regular folks who pool their money to help fund imaginative projects that make a real difference in the city region.

    Why do we do all this? Because we believe that collaborating with our peers, rather than competing with them, is the best way to help create a more equal and inclusive society. Because we believe that we’re all in this together.

    From a business perspective, when we help raise the profile of others, our profile is raised, too; when we fund an awesome creative project, we improve the city we live in and the lives of everyone living in it. By elevating others, your business help can build a community that benefits everyone.

    6. Strive for change outside of your business

    Your business doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s part of a community, a city, a region, and it’s affected by the issues your community, city, and region face. To create a positive impact you need to strive for change outside of your business.

    Seek out and build relationships with fellow change-makers; enter a dialogue with councils and policy-makers. Let them know you exist, that you’re ready to lend a hand, a voice, or a space to tackle the problems your community faces.

    When we grew disappointed with our local networking scene, we founded Firestarters, a community of change-makers putting purpose before profit and driving good across the city. At our Firestarters live events, we’ve helped address issues affecting our region – from destination tourism and culture to mental health and wellbeing in the workplace – by providing private, public, and third sector organisations with the support and resources they need.

    We’ve also managed to engage with local authorities such as the Liverpool City Region’s Growth Platform and policy-makers like Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, all for the betterment of our city and its people. To truly create a positive impact, you have to be the change you want to see. And that means stepping outside of your business.

    7. Implement SMART Commitments

    Let’s say you implement all of the above. Job done, right?

    Wrong! Once your business starts creating a positive impact, you need to keep track of it. If you want to sustain the impact your business is having then it’s vital to develop an awareness, understanding, and honest analysis of it.

    We do this through SMART Commitments.

    After our first Firestarters event, Building Back Equal, we set ourselves several SMART Commitments – business objectives that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-based.

    Doing this allowed us to hold ourselves accountable for the impact we were having and more easily address any related issues. We found these initial SMART Commitments so successful that we now implement them after every Firestarters event. Because only by measuring our impact can we improve on it.

    Looking at some of the points above, it’s relatively easy to begin creating a positive impact. Maintaining and enhancing that impact, though, is very difficult. If you want to create a sustained impact, SMART Commitments are the way to go.

    Want to learn more about creating a positive impact?

    Read about what else we do at Matchstick Creative over on our blog, or better still, join the Firestarters community!

    Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for all our latest news and updates.

  • What we learned from Firestarters presents… ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace’ | Growth Platform

    What we learned from Firestarters presents… ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace’ | Growth Platform

    Our most recent Firestarters event was delivered in partnership with Growth Platform as part of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s engagement around mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

    Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram – who delivered a keynote speech at the event – is championing a campaign to promote good mental health and wellbeing at work, in support of World Mental Health Day. The campaign launched on Monday 11 October 2021

    What is Firestarters?

    Firestarters is a community of values-driven organisations that’s striving to be a force for good in the LCR. Through live events driven by action, insight, and social impact, Firestarters aims to build meaningful connections between purpose-driven people and achieve real change.

    Why Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace?

    Poor mental health costs the UK economy over £74 million every year – and that’s without factoring in the toll the COVID-19 pandemic has placed upon our mental health and wellbeing. It is one of the most pressing issues facing our region, with the workplace a key area where poor mental health can manifest.

    What we discussed at ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace’

    The event brought together some of the region’s most influential and purpose-driven organisations to discuss: “What does transformative mental health and wellbeing support in the workplace look like post-COVID-19?”

    During the event, we heard from three keynote speakers:

    • Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram of the LCR Combined Authority
    • Elaine Derbyshire of Merseycare
    • Mark Basnett of Growth Platform

    They each discussed various challenges facing the LCR with regards to workplace mental health, and highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these challenges. One of the key points raised in these speeches was the need for attitudes to change with regard to speaking out about our mental health, as well as the need for resources to be made more readily accessible for those who need them.

    Both Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Mark Basnett emphasised the resources made available through the LCR Combined Authority’s ‘Mental Health in the Workplace’ campaign. These include free online mental health awareness training for employers and employees, mental health first aid courses, organisational frameworks to better support employees, and workplace-specific helplines, as well as other initiatives.

    A Q&A with all three keynote speakers followed, where the Firestarters community offered their own valuable experiences and insights, and built upon the points made by our speakers.

    It’s not self evident where the problem is coming from. If you’re in a workplace, there are so many factors that contribute towards your poor mental health in the workplace specifically, it could be yourself, it could be your team, it could be the culture, so that’s not clear.

    After the Q&A, we broke off into three smaller groups for more in-depth discussion about what can be done to improve mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, with discussions led by members of the Matchstick Creative team.

    Each of the three groups discussed two key questions around mental health and wellbeing in the workplace:

    • What resources are needed to help support businesses in the LCR?
    • How are these resources made available most readily?

    What we’ve learned from ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace’

    Our smaller group discussions allowed the Firestarters community to dive deeper into the issues facing the LCR. Some excellent points were raised by our participants, and we identified running themes across all three group discussions:

    • The main challenges around providing mental health support in the workplace revolve around trust and workplace culture
    • The main opportunities for overcoming barriers and creating change lie in education, empowerment, and flexibility and control of working arrangements
    • The approach to improving workplace mental health and wellbeing has to be preventative and holistic for maximum impact

    A lot of organisations have employee assistance programmes. When we work with organisations we do a lot of surveys, and currently 78% of staff say they wouldn’t trust it in case it got back to their employer. I think that is a barrier in itself.

    Where can I learn more about ‘Mental Health in the Workplace’?

    Head to Growth Platform’s website, and the LCR Combined Authority website. You can find a range of helpful resources for individuals and businesses, from organisations including the Zero Suicide Alliance, Mental Health First Aid England, and Mind.

    What’s next for Firestarters?

    Our ‘Building Back Equal’ – Employment and Skills event! If you want to join the conversation around how we can build back employment equality, head on over to eventbrite to book your place.

    Make sure to follow us @heyfirestarters on Twitter and Instagram for all the latest Firestarters news.