Latest news with #ShirineKhoury-Haq
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Firms urged to back working-class talent as £19billion growth lost annually
Read on to find out how volunteering in further education can boost your job prospects Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DO you believe the only way is up – and that you can land a better job than your parents? Today is Social Mobility Day and a chance to chase that dream. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Joshua Ruddock landed his dream job as a football social media journalist at broadcaster Sky, thanks to help from social-mobility charity Making The Leap Credit: Supplied It highlights the companies and charities helping working-class people to climb the career ladder and build life opportunities. But with a challenging economic climate and AI taking over many entry-level professional roles, times are tough. Last year the Institute for Fiscal Studies said social mobility at work was its worst for 50 years, while a report from think tank Demos and the Co-Op found this is setting back economic growth by £19billion a year — and so reducing tax revenue too. Shirine Khoury-Haq, CEO of the Co-op, said: 'This is an important moment in the UK's productivity debate and puts social mobility at the heart of that discussion. The benefits are too great an economic prospect to ignore.' With many organisations cutting back on diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives, championing talent from less advantaged backgrounds has never been more vital. Consultants McKinsey suggest organisations that are more socio-economically diverse can outperform rivals by as much as 36 per cent — so it makes sound business sense too. Tunde Banjoko OBE, from the charity Making The Leap, which organises Social Mobility Day, is urging firms to 'shift mindsets' and look at the benefits of a more varied workforce. Career fairs He says: 'Social mobility is about investing in a breadth of perspectives and skills, giving firms an edge and empowering individuals from less advantaged backgrounds to overcome imposter syndrome.' Here are Making The Leap's tips to rocket-launch your upwardly mobile career . . . 1. YOUR NETWORK IS YOUR NET WORTH 1. YOUR NETWORK IS YOUR NET WORTH: Start expanding yours. Go to career fairs, your local Jobcentre Plus or skills organisations such as Making The Leap. Everything you need to know about the latest minimum wage changes Also tap into family and friends if they can provide help and advice — or perhaps know who might be able to. 2. IF YOU DON'T HAVE EXPERIENCE, GET IT: Reach out to volunteer organisations, as well as charity shops and volunteer websites. 3. UPSKILL YOURSELF: Practise public-speaking and presenting — even just reading things out to your family can help to build confidence. 4. DON'T WAIT, DO IT: Want to get into marketing or content creation? Set up a TikTok profile. Want to do make-up? Start doing make-up now. 5. THE 'STAR' METHOD: If working on a job application or preparing for an interview, always think: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Also give examples that are not just work-related — and know your CV like the back of your hand. 6. GET RID OF ANY SELF-LIMITING BELIEFS: You are worthy — and deserve to be in the room. HOW AIMING FOR SKY HAS PAID OFF JOSHUA RUDDOCK landed his dream job as a football social media journalist at broadcaster Sky, thanks to help from social-mobility charity Making The Leap. Joshua, 23, from Ealing, West London, said: 'So many people would assume a job at a place like Sky would be inaccessible to them, so they wouldn't even apply. 'I had applied twice before, but taking Making The Leap's ACE training programme, and their first-class support on a daily basis, led me to an apprenticeship at Paramount, which gave me critical experience to reapply to Sky. 'Without Making The Leap, I wouldn't have been at Sky this soon. 'To encourage more social mobility, we need to make sure companies are offering information, work experience and time to people from every background. 'Not only will this help open doors for more people to chase their dreams, it also increases talent levels.' HELPING OUT CAN HELP YOU IT'S National Volunteering Week and an opportunity to champion a good cause while also boosting your career. More than three in five firms offer staff ways to help in the community but last year over 140million hours' worth of placements were unfilled, says the Royal Voluntary Service. 3 Dr Sam Parrett says volunteering in further education can help boost your career chances Credit: Supplied DR SAM PARRETT is founder of a site encouraging volunteering in further-education colleges. Here she tells why volunteering can boost your job prospects . . . 1. IMPROVE YOUR CV: Volunteering shows employers you are proactive and committed. It can give you experience of the workplace and make your CV stand out, especially if you are starting out in employment or wanting to change careers 2. BUILD SKILLS: It develops communication and team-work, valued by all employers. Even just supporting a neighbour or helping at your child's school is valuable. 3. GROW YOUR CONFIDENCE: Trying something new and being part of a team can boost self-esteem. This will help prepare you for interviews and networking in future. 4. MAKE CONNECTIONS: You will meet people of all ages and walks of life, which can open doors to both training and jobs. 5. SHOW WHAT YOU STAND FOR: Employers want people with purpose, and volunteers tick that box. 6. BOOST MENTAL HEALTH: Helping others can leave you feeling less stressed, and happier about life. JOB SPOT PETROL station operator BP RETAIL has jobs on offer nationwide, including for assistant store managers and customer service assistants. See JOBS FOR THE TOTS A NURSERY childcare chain is offering work experience to TODDLERS – after a new report revealed the qualities employers value most such as trustworthiness, adaptability and teamwork, can be learnt from the very early years. The Your Co-op Little Pioneers programme sees little ones help with caring for animals at Hoo Zoo in Telford, Shrops, and with welcoming visitors to Warwick Castle. Bethany Patrick from Your Co-op Little Pioneers says: 'Early-years education is so much more than just childcare. 'Research shows the importance of skills developed during those formative years, including empathy, communication and teamwork, for ensuring the strongest start in life.' JOB SPOT GAMING chain GAME is recruiting for sales assistants, including casual staff, plus buyers. Search at HAPPY GO CLUCKY FRIED chicken is the UK's fastest growing food market, worth £ a year – and KFC is creating 7,000 new jobs, with major new investment in restaurants and suppliers. They are looking for kitchen workers, restaurant managers, and front-of-house staff to improve customer experience. 3 KFC is creating 7,000 new jobs, with major new investment in restaurants and suppliers Credit: Chris Ratcliffe / Parsons Media Picture Agency All new starters will benefit from training and development opportunities to support fast career progression. Rob Swain, head of KFC UK & Ireland, said: 'We've been serving customers in the UK for 60 years but have never seen such strong demand as there is today. 'That's why we're doubling down with major investment.' For more information, and to apply, see
Glasgow Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Co-op to re-stock empty shelves after major hack recovery
The Manchester-based group said it is working closely with suppliers to restock its stores after the hack caused significant disruption across its retail chain and led to bare shelves in many of its shops. It said it is getting its online systems back on track in a 'safe and controlled manner' after being forced to shut down some of its systems to contain the attack. The group said there will be improved availability in its food shops and online from this weekend, with its stock ordering system now fully online again. The mutual added it is also now able to accept all forms of payment, including contactless and chip-and-pin. A spokesperson for Co-op said: 'Following the malicious third-party cyber attack, we took early and decisive action to restrict access to our systems in order to protect our Co-op. 'We are now in the recovery phase and are taking steps to bring our systems gradually back online in a safe and controlled manner.' The mutual is among a number of retailers, including Marks & Spencer and Harrods, to have been hit by hacks in recent weeks. M&S, which has been grappling with the fallout from a highly damaging cyber attack since Easter weekend, revealed on Tuesday that personal customer data had also been stolen by the hackers. M&S has not been able to take any orders through its website or app since April 25 as it tries to resolve the problem, although all stores remain open. The National Crime Agency has said it is investigating the attacks individually but is 'mindful they may be linked'. The Co-op's stock availability has been hit particularly hard by the attack on its systems and shoppers faced empty shelves because of the continued fallout. The group was reportedly prioritising supplies of essential items in some badly affected stores. It had also revealed that hackers stole members' personal data, such as names and contact details. The group was unable to take card payments in some shops, with contactless also affected, although the majority of the retailer's 2300 shops have been able to take usual forms of payment. Co-operative Group chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq last week apologised to customers for the disruption, saying it was a 'highly sophisticated' attack. The firm – which also runs businesses spanning funeral services and insurance – is holding its annual general meeting for members in Manchester on Saturday.
Daily Record
14-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Co-op customers to see big change this weekend following major cyber attack
The Co-op says its shops and website will recover this weekend as it was forced to take action to protect its members following the cyber attack, which caused significant disruption in stores and saw its website taken offline. The Co-op has said availability in its shops and website will start to recover from this weekend as it brings its systems back online following a major cyber attack. The Manchester-based firm, which has hundreds of stores in Scotland, is making headway with its suppliers to replenish stock after the hack wreaked havoc on its retail operations, emptying shelves in various outlets. After locking down some systems as a precaution against the attack, the Co-op says it's restoring its online services cautiously to prevent further issues. Customers can expect to see a wider range of products both in-store and online from this weekend, with the Co-op's inventory system now back up and running. The company added that it's also now able to accept all forms of payment, including contactless and chip-and-pin. A Co-op spokesperson said: "Following the malicious third-party cyber attack, we took early and decisive action to restrict access to our systems in order to protect our Co-op. "We are now in the recovery phase and are taking steps to bring our systems gradually back online in a safe and controlled manner." The Co-op joins other major retailers such as Marks & Spencer and Harrods, which have also experienced security breaches recently. M&S, which has been grappling with the fallout from a highly damaging cyber attack since the Easter weekend, revealed on Tuesday that personal customer data had also been stolen by the hackers. M&S has been unable to accept any orders via its website or app since April 25 due to ongoing technical issues, although all physical stores remain open. The National Crime Agency has said it is investigating the attacks individually but is "mindful they may be linked". Co-op's stock availability has been severely impacted by the attack, resulting in shoppers encountering empty shelves due to the ongoing repercussions, with rural Scotland one of the worst-impacted areas. The group has reportedly prioritised supplies of essential items in some of the worst affected stores. It was also revealed that hackers had stolen members' personal data - including names and contact details. The group experienced difficulties with card payments in certain shops, with contactless transactions also affected. However, the majority of the retailer's 2,300 shops have managed to accept standard forms of payment. Co-operative Group chief executive, Shirine Khoury-Haq, apologised to customers last week for the disruption, describing it as a "highly sophisticated" attack. The firm, which also operates businesses in funeral services and insurance, is set to hold its annual general meeting for members in Manchester on Saturday. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Scotsman
14-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Coop: hacked supermarket to restock stores
Some stores faced bare shelves — but now, recovery is underway 🛒 Sign up to the weekly Cost Of Living newsletter. Saving tips, deals and money hacks. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Co-op was recently hit by a major cyber attack causing widespread disruption Stock levels and online orders are expected to recover from this weekend Payment systems are now fully restored across all 2,300 UK stores Hackers stole personal data from some Co-op members The National Crime Agency is investigating possible links to other recent retail cyber attack A major UK supermarket has said shoppers can expect shelves to begin refilling and online orders to resume from this weekend. The Co-op was among several major British brands – including Marks & Spencer and Harrods – targeted in a wave of recent hacks, and has been gradually recovering from a major cyber attack that forced it to shut down key systems. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The incident caused widespread disruption across the Manchester-based retailer's 2,300 stores, leading to empty shelves, stalled deliveries, and issues processing card payments. The group confirmed that its stock ordering system is now fully restored, allowing it to work closely with suppliers to restock stores It is also once again able to accept all forms of payment, including chip-and-pin and contactless, after technical issues impacted some branches. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A spokesperson said: 'Following the malicious third-party cyber attack, we took early and decisive action to restrict access to our systems in order to protect our Co-op. 'We are now in the recovery phase and are taking steps to bring our systems gradually back online in a safe and controlled manner.' Bare shelves at Ecclesall Road's Co-op due to a cyber-attack. | Nw The group said it is prioritising availability of essential goods in the most heavily affected areas, and warned some localised disruption may persist as systems are fully restored. Hackers also stole personal data belonging to some Co-op members, including names and contact details – echoing similar concerns raised by M&S earlier this week, which revealed that customer data was stolen during its own cyber breach. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad M&S has been unable to process any online orders since April 25, and continues to deal with the fallout from a 'highly damaging' cyber incident over the Easter weekend. The National Crime Agency said it is investigating the attacks separately but is 'mindful they may be linked.' Co-op Group chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq last week apologised to customers, describing the cyber attack as 'highly sophisticated.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The firm – which also operates funeral care and insurance businesses – is due to hold its annual general meeting in Manchester this Saturday (May 17).
South Wales Argus
14-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Co-op to re-stock empty shelves as it recovers from major hack
The Manchester-based group said it is working closely with suppliers to restock its stores after the hack caused significant disruption across its retail chain and led to bare shelves in many of its shops. It said it is getting its online systems back on track in a 'safe and controlled manner' after being forced to shut down some of its systems to contain the attack. The group said there will be improved availability in its food shops and online from this weekend, with its stock ordering system now fully online again. The mutual added it is also now able to accept all forms of payment, including contactless and chip-and-pin. A spokesperson for Co-op said: 'Following the malicious third-party cyber attack, we took early and decisive action to restrict access to our systems in order to protect our Co-op. 'We are now in the recovery phase and are taking steps to bring our systems gradually back online in a safe and controlled manner.' The Co-op's stock availability has been hit particularly hard by the attack (Alamy/PA) The mutual is among a number of retailers, including Marks & Spencer and Harrods, to have been hit by hacks in recent weeks. M&S, which has been grappling with the fallout from a highly damaging cyber attack since Easter weekend, revealed on Tuesday that personal customer data had also been stolen by the hackers. M&S has not been able to take any orders through its website or app since April 25 as it tries to resolve the problem, although all stores remain open. The National Crime Agency has said it is investigating the attacks individually but is 'mindful they may be linked'. The Co-op's stock availability has been hit particularly hard by the attack on its systems and shoppers faced empty shelves because of the continued fallout. The group was reportedly prioritising supplies of essential items in some badly affected stores. It had also revealed that hackers stole members' personal data, such as names and contact details. The group was unable to take card payments in some shops, with contactless also affected, although the majority of the retailer's 2,300 shops have been able to take usual forms of payment. Co-operative Group chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq last week apologised to customers for the disruption, saying it was a 'highly sophisticated' attack. The firm – which also runs businesses spanning funeral services and insurance – is holding its annual general meeting for members in Manchester on Saturday.
