Latest news with #JoePhelan
Business News Wales
12 hours ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
Hospitality Sector Ranked Lowest for Hourly Pay, New Data Reveals
Hospitality businesses offer the lowest hourly pay of any UK sector, new research suggests. Business finance experts at business bank accounts said that analysis of ONS data shows that tighter margins mean that hospitality firms are forced to offer staff hardly more than minimum wage. It comes as the UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls has criticised the Uk Government's efforts to boost business growth through its recently announced Industrial Strategy, saying it failed to address the challenges facing the hospitality sector. Industries with the lowest hourly pay: The accommodation and food service activities sector makes up a significant part of the UK's economy, with the hospitality sector's annual economic contribution hitting £93 billion in 2023 and estimated to increase by another £29 billion by 2027. Despite this, this industry's workers have the lowest hourly pay rate. An average working week is around 26 hours long, and the average hourly pay is £12.39 – just 18 pence above the national living wage. Businesses within the industry have faced a lot of financial hardship in recent years, the researchers said, including the Covid pandemic and National Insurance increases. This has made improving workers' pay increasingly difficult while still making a profit, contributing to lower hourly rates in the sector. The sector also ranked in the top 10 for the amount of overtime worked, with employees clocking an average of 2.8 hours of overtime per week. Joe Phelan, business bank accounts expert, said: 'Attracting and retaining high-quality talent doesn't just come down to salary – it's also about meeting evolving expectations around working conditions. Today's employees are more willing to walk away from roles that don't offer a healthy work-life balance or prioritise wellbeing. That means businesses need to offer more than just pay; they must create environments with manageable hours, flexibility, and genuine support. 'When companies get this right, they typically see lower staff turnover, higher engagement, and more consistent productivity, all of which feed into more stable operations and healthier cash flow. And with greater financial predictability comes the ability to plan and grow with confidence.'
Channel Post MEA
3 days ago
- Business
- Channel Post MEA
NTT DATA Joins World Business Council To Advance Sustainability
NTT DATA has announced it has joined the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Through its membership in WBCSD, NTT DATA will contribute to several key initiatives across the organization. In the Climate Action Working Group, the company aims to support the development and implementation of solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and foster climate resilience, while sharing its expertise in AI and data analytics to help other members accelerate their net-zero transitions. In the Nature Action Working Group, NTT DATA will apply its digital engineering capabilities to develop tools that protect natural ecosystems, promote sustainable resource management, and restore biodiversity. Additionally, the company will participate in the Circularity Product and Material Working Group, contributing to frameworks such as the Global Circularity Protocol and championing circular economy principles in product design, material use, and supply chain sustainability. We are pleased to join WBCSD, aligning with our mission to accelerate client success and positively impact society through responsible innovation,' said Yutaka Sasaki, President and CEO, NTT DATA. 'Technology and data play a pivotal role in building a more sustainable and inclusive future. By applying our expertise in IT services and digital innovation, we will pursue quality growth that creates long-term value for clients, society, and the environment. We look forward to collaborating with other leaders to advance sustainability and drive practical solutions that improve transparency and accountability.' With a strong presence in more than 50 countries and a global workforce committed to driving positive societal impact through responsible innovation, NTT DATA's membership underscores its commitment to accelerating sustainability at scale. As a technological leader with over 15 years of experience in sustainability, NTT DATA has delivered more than 1,500 projects across 10 sectors, powered by a team of 400+ sustainability professionals spanning 23 countries. Joe Phelan, Executive Director, Asia Pacific, WBCSD, commented: 'We are delighted to welcome NTT DATA to WBCSD. Their leadership in technology and sustainability aligns with our mission to driver systems transformation for a net-zero, nature-positive and equitable future. We look forward to their contributions across climate, nature and circularity, and to the collaboration ahead as we focus on action, impact and creating business value.'
Web Release
4 days ago
- Business
- Web Release
NTT DATA Joins the World Business Council For Sustainable Development
NTT DATA, a global leader in digital business and technology services, announced that it has joined the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Through its membership in WBCSD, NTT DATA will contribute to several key initiatives across the organization. In the Climate Action Working Group, the company aims to support the development and implementation of solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and foster climate resilience, while sharing its expertise in AI and data analytics to help other members accelerate their net-zero transitions. In the Nature Action Working Group, NTT DATA will apply its digital engineering capabilities to develop tools that protect natural ecosystems, promote sustainable resource management, and restore biodiversity. Additionally, the company will participate in the Circularity Product and Material Working Group, contributing to frameworks such as the Global Circularity Protocol and championing circular economy principles in product design, material use, and supply chain sustainability. We are pleased to join WBCSD, aligning with our mission to accelerate client success and positively impact society through responsible innovation,' said Yutaka Sasaki, President and CEO, NTT DATA. 'Technology and data play a pivotal role in building a more sustainable and inclusive future. By applying our expertise in IT services and digital innovation, we will pursue quality growth that creates long-term value for clients, society, and the environment. We look forward to collaborating with other leaders to advance sustainability and drive practical solutions that improve transparency and accountability.' With a strong presence in more than 50 countries and a global workforce committed to driving positive societal impact through responsible innovation, NTT DATA's membership underscores its commitment to accelerating sustainability at scale. As a technological leader with over 15 years of experience in sustainability, NTT DATA has delivered more than 1,500 projects across 10 sectors, powered by a team of 400+ sustainability professionals spanning 23 countries. Joe Phelan, Executive Director, Asia Pacific, WBCSD, commented: 'We are delighted to welcome NTT DATA to WBCSD. Their leadership in technology and sustainability aligns with our mission to driver systems transformation for a net-zero, nature-positive and equitable future. We look forward to their contributions across climate, nature and circularity, and to the collaboration ahead as we focus on action, impact and creating business value.'
South China Morning Post
29-03-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Animal-assisted therapy comes from alpacas for nursing home residents in Ireland
Flanked by a gaggle of smartphone-wielding onlookers, Irish farmer Joe Phelan ushered two alpacas down the corridor of a nursing home as beaming residents waited their turn to pet them. Advertisement A decade after ditching his office job for farming, 64-year-old 'Alpaca Joe' has found a new job for his herd of 71 woolly South American camelids: animal therapy for the elderly and people with additional needs. 'They get to feel them. They look into their big, huge brown eyes, which, you know, just are so relaxing. And they might hear them humming,' Phelan said. 'We work with local schools with their special-needs classes , and the teachers tell us that the impact on the kids is really positive.' A nurse takes a photo of Joe Phelan with two of his alpacas on a visit to Oakfield Nursing Home in Courtown, Ireland. Photo: Reuters Phelan initially looked into the more traditional types of farming that his family had been involved in for hundreds of years, but said he could not see a way to sustain a living.
Reuters
26-03-2025
- Health
- Reuters
Irish farmer brings alpaca therapy to nursing homes, schools
NEWTOWNMOUNTKENNEDY, Ireland, March 26 (Reuters) - Flanked by a gaggle of smartphone-wielding onlookers, Irish farmer Joe Phelan ushered two alpacas down the corridor of a local nursing home as beaming residents waited their turn to pet them. A decade after ditching his office job for farming, 64-year-old "Alpaca Joe" has found a new job for his herd of 71 woolly South American camelids: animal therapy for the elderly and people with additional needs. "They get to feel them. They look into their big, huge brown eyes, which, you know, just are so relaxing. And they might hear them humming," Phelan said. "We work with local schools with their special-needs classes, and the teachers tell us that the impact on the kids is really positive." Phelan initially looked into the more traditional types of farming that his family had been involved in for hundreds of years, but said he could not see a way to sustain a living. Instead he started researching alternative farming options. He eventually bought seven alpacas and sold his home to buy a farm to graze them. He started off with "alpaca & prosecco" treks and stocked a shop with alpaca wool socks and soft toys. But he soon noticed their potential to ease anxiety among older visitors and those with additional needs. "We noticed that we were having a really positive impact on people with special needs, be it kids with autism, be it adults or adolescents with Down syndrome ... We just found that it lifted everybody's spirits," Phelan said in an interview at the K2Alpacas farm in Newtownmountkennedy, around 30 km (19 miles) south of Dublin. The business now employs 11 people, has 71 alpacas and two much larger llamas, and offers accommodation to visitors. Phelan packed two of his more sociable male alpacas into the back of a van for the trip to Oakfield Nursing Home. "We know that we have certain boys and girls that are suitable for the therapeutic work," he said. He still had to gently scold the selected alpacas when they took a rest beside the patients. The nursing home's activities coordinator, Sineád Meegan, came across the herd on TikTok. She said the residents were thrilled with the visit and she would invite them back again soon, "just to see the smiles on the faces". "I think it triggered a lot of memories for people that would have grown up on farms," she said.
