Supply Chain Engagement Will Make Your Business Stronger
Simon King
Don't Fear Scope 3, Embrace It
Momentum is vital if you want to deliver an effective and on-time sustainability strategy. But it’s often a challenge for organisations to create. As time ticks on, your teams face a mountain that gets steeper and steeper. This inevitably causes a ‘rabbit in the headlights’ effect, intensified by business resource shortages and diary backlogs. The longer you leave it, the steeper that curve gets.
First, you must quantify the size of the task ahead: where have you set the boundaries and what is the 'Scope' you have signed up to? Every strategy is different, as no industry is the same. No matter what sector your company sits in and no matter how well you think you know your business, capturing the right data in a timely and effective manner, and harnessing ‘momentum’, brings many challenges.
That said, there are ways to make this process focussed and more efficient. We will explain more below, but first let’s start with a definition of the three Scopes and your responsibilities as a business.
What are the Three Scopes?
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol divides emissions in three categories:
Scope 1: Emissions released directly from a business
Scope 2: Indirect emissions released from the energy purchased by an organisation
Scope 3: Indirect emissions, accounting for upstream and downstream emissions from a product or service and emissions across your supply chain
As a business, Scope 1 and Scope 2 are pretty much in your control: you own the data and to a certain extent have control of the people and processes. Scope 3 can put fear into even the most experienced sustainability professional.
Why the Fear?
It's big: At least 90% of your overall footprint and in some instances even more, depending on the industry
It's hard to organise: It can be a bit like 'herding sheep'. You have multiple suppliers from potentially different sectors, different attitudes to sustainability, and different stages of 'carbon maturity'.
It's complicated: Some will have data, some will not. It might be very manual at the start. Your suppliers might be in different countries, speak different languages and have different legislation. How do you summarise your findings to give them value?
Ultimately, this is the right thing to do. A net zero strategy which covers Scope 3 communicates clear intent to make a difference to the way you operate. Tackling Scope 3 will embed sustainability into your overall culture and BAU operations sooner rather than later; before the mountain becomes too steep.
A Three-Step Approach
If your organisation doesn’t cover Scope 3 in your targets don't immediately worry; but do start planning to extend your horizons. If you do have it embedded in your targets but haven’t engaged with your supply chain, once again don't panic.
Below are a few simple thoughts on how to achieve your goals and thrive in the process.
Step One: Be Organised
As with most things we deal with in the world of energy and sustainability, if you don't know the start position, how will you know what you've achieved? Scope 3 is an enormous element of your overall carbon footprint, so you need to understand the problem in detail.
This can be done through realistic assumptions and estimates to start with, but ultimately going straight to the source and asking 'simple' and straightforward questions is going to be the most effective way of building clear data sets. We would like to emphasise the word 'simple'. You don't want to turn suppliers off before you've even started. Build 'data confidence' over time.
Start with a simple survey, which takes no more than 10 minutes to complete. Then build from this starting point. Once you have a base line of information, you can progressively expand the questions over time.
Step Two: Be Engaged
Using data requests in a new procurement process is an effective way of gaining the data quickly. However, engaging with an already established supplier is a slightly different process. Demanding that legacy suppliers give you 100 separate pieces of data by next week might work, but it is likely to damage a relationship rather than enhance it.
We are finding that organisations who outline their own intention for net zero and why they are asking for this information will get better long-term results from their supply base. This moves it from a purely transactional relationship to one which is a true embedded partnership.
If you can articulate what you need and why, it's amazing what suppliers will do. If you can’t do this then, you don’t have a well-considered plan.
Step Three: Be Consistent
Have a plan and let your suppliers know about it. Tell them what you are doing and what has worked in the past and what hasn't. Achieving net zero is a multi-layered process and one which will have many twists and turns along the way. Your customers will demand change and your supply chain needs to be aware of it. This will take time and needs continuous focus. Don't expect it to happen overnight.
Bring structure to your plan. Examples of how this can be done are:
- Creating a simple and easy data capture process (preferably an online platform rather than spreadsheets)
- Create sustainability forums with suppliers included
- Build a communication hub outlining key achievements and announcements
- Ring fence green 'funds' to subsidies capex programmes
- Develop joint community events across your business regions
These actions will ease the pain and really move things forward for your engagement plan.
It isn't Easy, but the Rewards are Huge
One thing is for certain, sustainability and carbon reduction programmes will become part of standard business practice. If they are not embedded into BAU operations, customers and policymakers will make it very hard for organisations to remain financially viable.
There is a business need to create true joined up engagement across the whole supply chain. Increasing dialogue and forming a common link between each organisation in your network of businesses can only improve your ability to adapt to change through the sharing of innovative ideas and building true partnerships.
If you would like to speak to our sustainability team about effective steps to implement Supply Chain Engagement programmes, go to our Sustainability page
here.
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Charities we are Proud to Support Every year, the festive period provides a time to reflect on the previous year, its milestones, and achievements. A time to spend time with loved ones and connect with your community, the end of the year brings plenty of opportunities to think about others and what you can do to support those around you. As such, we at Cambridge Management Consulting want to take a moment to bring attention to some fantastic and transformative charities which are very close to our company values, as well as those within our network who have given up their time and efforts this year to support philanthropic causes. At Cambridge Management Consulting, we resolve to give back to society as much as we can, by donating up to 1% of our profits to charitable causes – this year, we exceeded this, donating roughly 1.25%. Below details some of the organisations we were proud to support in 2024. British Exploring Society Established in 1932, British Exploring Society (BES) is an equal-opportunities charity devoted to ensuring that all young people are ‘able to contribute confidently in the world’ by organising, fundraising, and leading expeditions across the globe. Combining their threefold values of adventure, knowledge, and personal development, BES works to establish the skills and support each young person will need to take part in an expedition, providing them with the appropriate training, knowledge, and ideas, and sending them on an adventure that promotes experience, diversity, and confidence. In September, a team of enthusiastic individuals from Cambridge Management Consulting took part in a charity walk to raise money for BES. Together with Richard Walton, Chairman, David Tilston, Trustee and Treasurer, and Sarah Greasley, Trustee, we completed 25km between Eastbourne and Alfriston, to raise funds and awareness for the incredible opportunities they provide. In total, the team raised over £18,300, contributing to fantastic initiatives, such as an expedition currently taking place in Wildestan, Antarctica. Find out more about British Exploring Society and get involved: https://www.britishexploring.org/ The College of Sanctuary, Support by the Cara Fellowship Programme As well as organising and taking part in this brilliant charity walk, we were also proud to support British Exploring Society by sponsoring them at Cambridge Tech Week’s Deep Tech Dinner, alongside another charity close to our company values, The College of Sanctuary. Supported by the Cara Fellowship Programme, The College of Sanctuary is a rescue mission for academics in immediate danger. Standing for Council for At-Risk Academics, Cara supports individuals to continue their work in safety, whether through regional programmes to protect them in their home countries, and those in exile nearby, or collaborating with higher education institutions whose research is threatened by these risks to human life. Find out more about Cara and the Fellowship Programme: https://www.cara.ngo/what-we-do/caras-fellowship-programme Sands Established over 40 years ago by bereaved parents, Sands (originally an acronym for the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society but now simply referred to as Sands) is a non-profit organisation devoted to improving the care and support for anyone affected by the loss of a baby, and ultimately working to decrease the number of those who experience it. Sands launched the 9 Bereavement Care Standards as part of the National Bereavement Care Pathway during Baby Loss Awareness Week in 2018. Produced as a result of stories and testimonials told by parents affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby, these standards are comprised of 9 different protocols and expectations , and provide a concise and comprehensive guide for how each NHS trust should support a parent or family during and after the loss of an infant. Considering how important, and often urgent, the Bereavement Care Standards are to improving the wellbeing of bereaved families, healthcare professionals previously reported struggling to find them readily available, thus stunting their ability to provide the proper care imminently and effectively. Subsequently, Cambridge MC’s marketing and IT experts have, pro bono, produced a new website specifically for the National Bereavement Care Pathway and the 9 Standards, to make their implementation in UK-wide hospitals as easy and seamless as possible. Find out more about Sands and get involved: https://www.sands.org.uk/ The Carers Network David Lewis , Managing Partner for Digital & Innovation, is a trustee of the Carers Network, an independent charity which supports unpaid carers in some of the most isolated and deprived pockets of the City of Westminster, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The Carers Network’s vision is that every unpaid carer has recognition in their work and is able to lead a healthy, fulfilling life with control over their caring role. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case in a society that fails to recognise or reward the vital work carrier out by carers – leaving them feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and often in economic ruin. Carers Network was established in early 1991 following two public meetings with carers and professionals. Today, Carers Network continues to innovate and expand its services, thanks to the dedication of its staff and trustees, volunteers, and generous funders. Find out more about the Carers Network and get involved: https://www.carers-network.org.uk/ The Peter Bibby Award The Peter Bibby Award is an annual event which selects a number of promising young cricket players in the Eastbourne area and provides bursary funding to place them at Eastbourne College where they benefit from world-class facilities and coaching. This award has been truly transformative for many young people , and has already established several sporting careers. In July, a team from Cambridge Management Consulting supported the Peter Bibby Award by playing in and helping out at their annual golf fundraiser at the Royal Eastbourne. Find out more about the Peter Bibby Award: https://linke.to/Peter-Bibby-Award Surf For Life Surf For Life is a global non-profit whose mission is to provide a cross-cultural experience between travellers and communities within the developing world. They aim to create a more sustainable future by sponsoring high-impact projects in underserved communities, collaborating with in-country partners and community members to develop and deliver projects that will alleviate a pressing need or concern in the local area. These projects are aimed at improving educational opportunities, healthcare, and economic development. This year, Cambridge Management Consulting made a donation to Surf For Life to support these fantastic initiatives, and make a difference to international communities. Find out more about Surf for Life and and get involved: https://www.surfforlife.org/ Period Friendly Places Period Friendly Places is a charity which aims to eradicate period poverty across towns and cities. Founded in Bristol, their mission is to provide free sanitary and period products for women and girls, as well as to end stigma and provide education to enable all people to talk freely about periods and period poverty. This year, Period Friendly Places raised over $45k and distributed tens of thousands of products across the city to the most disadvantaged people and places in the city. Craig Cheney , Managing Partner for Public Sector and Education, founded Period Friendly Places in 2019 and was Chairman until April this year, when he stood down but stayed on as a trustee. Find out more about Period Friendly Places and get involved: https://www.periodfriendlyplaces.org/ Cancer Research UK In August, Holly Ashworth, Office Manager, completed two days of volunteering at her local Cancer Research charity shop in Billericay, which she chose as an organisation which has “touched the hearts of many people around the world – especially families”. During this time, Holly was responsible for much of the behind-the-scenes work, including sorting donations, supporting the shop floor, dressing windows, and making sure the stock on display was plentiful and varied. Holly described the experience volunteering for Cancer Research as “heartwarming”, and enjoyed the opportunity to “meet different people from different walks of life”, alongside giving back to a cause which has had “such a personal effect on so many people”. Find out more about Cancer Research UK and get involved: https://linke.to/Cancer-Research-UK Our New Years’ Resolutions At Cambridge Management Consulting, our biggest incentive is the ability to give back and bring awareness to the invaluable work completed by charitable organisations. 2024 was a very productive year for this goal, and we took as multiple many opportunities as possible to support our beloved causes. In 2025, our New Years’ Resolution, as always, is to continue this goal, and to further endorse the life-changing work achieved by these foundations.
Mawdsleys signs a long-term agreement to use edenseven’s market-leading carbon reporting and management platform, cero.earth, to monitor all emissions and programmes of work to reach net zero 23/10/2024 – Mawdsleys is the UK’s largest independent pharmaceutical distributor. Established nearly 200 years ago, they have a fast-growing international network supplying medicines to meet patient needs and providing a route to market for manufacturers. Mawdsleys has signed a long term agreement with edenseven to use their carbon accounting and management platform, cero.earth. Built by edenseven, one of the Cambridge Management Consulting group of companies, cero.earth is a cloud-based carbon accounting and management platform that provides businesses with a complete view of their emissions and decarbonisation plan. Using a dynamic view of all three emissions scopes, cero.earth provides a clear understanding of the current position against net zero targets and allows for the proactive monitoring of both current and planned projects. With a need to monitor and decarbonise operations at pace, Mawdsleys will leverage cero.earth to assess their current sustainability targets and produce a dynamic delivery plan to eradicate emissions permanently from their supply chain. Pete Nisbet, Managing Partner of edenseven, said: “We continue to evolve cero.earth to make sure we are providing our customers with the tools to dynamically monitor their decarbonisation programmes in a clear and practical manner. We are very excited to be working with Mawdsleys and are certain that, by embedding cero.earth into their net zero deliver plan, we can collectively make significant quantifiable environmental and financial gains.” William Sanders, CEO of Mawdsleys, commented; “Mawdsleys are leading the way in our sector, working towards net zero. Investment into thousands of solar panels and cutting edge battery storage technology, as well as operating electric vehicles, up to and including an HGV, makes edenseven the perfect partner to assist monitoring our decarbonisation plans. Mawdsleys are a key part of the healthcare system, delivering critical medicines to hospitals every day, so utilising cero.earth will help us maintain and enhance our position in the NHS Evergreen benchmarking assessment.” About edenseven edenseven is a sustainability consultancy and technology provider, who use data and market experience to enable companies and their supply chains to play their part in tackling climate change while achieving sustainable growth. edenseven uses the combined power of data, advanced analytics, and pragmatic project management to help companies baseline their current status, identify improvement opportunities in the short, medium, and long terms, and plan and implement those opportunities. For more information, visit their website: www.edenseven.co.uk About Mawdsleys Mawdsleys, founded in 1825, is the UK’s largest independent pharmaceutical wholesaler. They supply both licensed and unlicensed medicines globally, partnering with healthcare providers to ensure timely delivery. With a strong international presence, they offer services like logistics, over-labelling, and third-party logistics.
18/12/2024, London – Cambridge Management Consulting (Cambridge MC), a global management consulting firm known for its expertise in telecommunications, and the Trustmarque Group (Trustmarque), a technology solutions provider with deep expertise in Public Sector expertise, have announced a strategic partnership to support local government authorities across the UK to manage the transition from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to digital communications, ensuring a smooth and efficient switchover by January 2027. Trustmarque’s Public Sector division was recently named Public Sector Partner of the Year by CRN. They work with local authorities across the country, and will now work closely with Cambridge MC to offer a turnkey PSTN upgrade solution, ensuring that they are ready for the switchover. Through this partnership, Cambridge MC and Trustmarque will augment each other’s technological expertise to provide a complete service wrap for their current and future customers. Specifically, Cambridge MC will bring their consulting success and understanding of the public sector and its unique challenges concerned with the PSTN Switch Off. Trustmarque will bring their deep understanding of the digital solutions required to address the PSTN challenges. Together, this collaboration will provide customers with a holistic strategy toward this transition, including advice, resources and hands-on experience. Commenting on the news, Simon Williams, Chief Executive Officer at the Trustmarque Group said: “I am delighted to announce the collaboration agreement between Cambridge MC and the Trustmarque Group. Together we are committed to empowering local authorities to embrace this transformation with confidence and ensure uninterrupted service delivery to their communities. Cambridge MC’s consultants bring with them decades of telephony expertise.” Tim Passingham, Founder and Chairman of Cambridge Management Consulting, added: “I am very excited to be working with Trustmarque to ensure a seamless transition following the PSTN Switch Off. The switch to digital communications requires expert oversight, and Trustmarque’s technological expertise makes it well equipped to support this move.” Craig Cheney, former Deputy Mayor of Bristol and Managing Partner at Cambridge Management Consulting, said: "The PSTN shutdown presents huge risks to local authorities, universities, the NHS and across the public sector. Making sure you have the right strategy to get the right solutions into the right places at the right time is urgent and vital and could have ramifications across life and limb services as well as implications for traffic control, smoke and fire alarms and much more." What is the PSTN Switch Off? By the end of January 2027, Openreach will undertake a significant transformation in communications by closing the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Consequently, any PSTN-based products currently utilised by your business will require modification. The PSTN infrastructure supports not only traditional landlines but also voice services. Additionally, widely available broadband services, including fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) and standard broadband (ADSL), are dependent on the PSTN. Craig Cheney , Managing Partner for Public Sector & Education, recently discussed the implications of the the PSTN switch-off will impact the public sector. About Cambridge Management Consulting Cambridge Management Consulting (Cambridge MC) is an international consulting firm that helps companies of all sizes have a better impact on the world. Founded in Cambridge, UK, initially to help the start-up community, Cambridge MC has grown to over 200 consultants working on projects in 22 countries. Our capabilities focus on supporting the private and public sector with their people, process and digital technology challenges. What makes Cambridge Management Consulting unique is that it doesn’t employ consultants—only senior executives with real industry or government experience and the skills to advise their clients from a place of true credibility. Our team strives to have a highly positive impact on all the organisations they serve. We are confident there is no business or enterprise that we cannot help transform for the better. Cambridge Management Consulting has offices or legal entities in Cambridge, London, New York, Paris, Dubai, Tel Aviv, Singapore and Helsinki, with further expansion planned in the near future. For more information, visit cambridgemc.com . About Trustmarque Trustmarque is a leading provider of technology solutions, helping organisations across sectors optimise their IT infrastructure and achieve digital transformation. With decades of expertise and a commitment to customer success, Trustmarque delivers solutions that drive efficiency, security, and growth. For more information visit their website: trustmarque.com
Peter Drucker wrote in his book The Practice of Management (1954) that ‘it is the customer who determines what a business is’. This sentiment still firmly holds true today, as consumers increasingly expect personalised shopping experiences from aspirational businesses that desire to have a positive impact on the community, country, or world in some way. Across this series of articles, Daniel Fitzsimmons explores the role of customer-centricity as a mechanism to support the delivery of superior customer experience and business profitability. In the first article of the series, Daniel explains the concept and mindset of aligning a business to the customer as opposed to the product, and initial ways that this can be internalised throughout the wider organisation. What Makes a Customer-Centric Organisation? Customer-centricity stands in contrast to product-centric business, providing an interesting juxtaposition when discussing the delivery of business value and customer satisfaction: Typic ally, a product-centric company focusses on, as the phrase suggests, a product and its features, and attempts to sell this product to as many customers as possible. Thus, the business selling this product is organised around product management, with resources allocated to the delivery of a superior product. On the other hand, a customer-centric organisation implies the creation of business structures and systems which are aligned to the development and delivery of superior customer value. A customer-centric business attempts to understand the needs of its customers, and designs solutions around these needs. Customer-centricity is gradually becoming a more appealing means of securing new and future business, concurrent with the greater demand on businesses to prioritise the expectations of their customers, who are becoming increasingly willing to pay more for solutions which align to their beliefs. However, the route to internalising this customer-centricity to the core of a business strategy requires significant investment, and often an evolution of pre-existing systems and the organisation’s process landscape, culture, and financial metrics (Shah et al 2012). In other words, becoming a customer-centric organisation requires a total reimagining of the organisation’s structure and, critically, its identity. Failure to define and adhere to an ‘identity’ that aligns with the target market, and to incorporate this strategic direction into everyday business operations can lead to a gap between strategy and execution (Leinwand et al, 2015). Payne and Frow (2005) identified five processes that a company can leverage to become customer-centric: a) The strategy-development process which includes not only a business strategy, but also a customer strategy. b) The dual value creation process that is at the heart of the exchange process. c) The multichannel integration process that encompasses all the customer touch points. d) The information-management process that encompasses all of the customer touch points. e) The information-management process which includes the data collection and data analysis functions. f) And the performance-assessment process that ties the company’s actions to company performance. Each of these processes requires a cross-functional coordinating mechanism to be successful, and are reliant upon data acquisition and transformation. Data Democratisation Despite being considered a strategic asset, most of the data that companies generate today remains unused due to limited access and insufficient funds. As such, the democratisation of data can function as an enabling mechanism to achieve increased customer-centricity and foster long-term customer engagement (Zeng and Glaister 2018). Data democratisation initiatives empower and encourage employees to use data to extract business value. Data democratisation can be enabled through provision of the following: Increased accessibility for all business associates Self-service analytics tools and dashboards Data and analytics training Cross functional collaboration mechanisms Promoting a data driven decision-making culture Furthermore, a commitment from leadership to create the systems and mechanisms required to allow easy access to data sources is critical to the operationalisation of data democracy. For example, within the auto industry, it is typical to have 2,000+ applications on multiple platforms and, as such, data can become siloed – owned by subject matter experts or product managers. To address siloed information pools, organisations can consider the creation of data lakes and data lake houses to support ease of access and support user interaction (Porter, M and Heppelmann, E. 2015). The adoption of data democratisation can be further improved by the development of a data enablement team, as well as providing the governance and security mechanisms required to achieve compliance goals before being implemented at an operational level. The data collected from this directive can subsequently be used in the following operational frames to gain further insight into the customer experience of your product or service: Customer Journey Mapping – tracking and analysing customer interactions with products and services across online and offline channels. Increased Personalisation – increasing the personalisation of customer experience based on user behaviours. Customer Feedback / Satisfaction – transparent feedback from multiple sources can be leveraged to improve products and services. Customer Lifetime Value – calculating a customer’s CLV allows organisations to make informed decisions about customer acquisition targets, amplifying the voices of key customer segments. Customer Segmentation – using customer-specific data, organisations are better positioned to segment customer groups and create targeted marketing campaigns and personalised experiences. Altogether, effective data operationalisation, supported by empowered employees, leads to improved insights around customer needs and preferences, as well as the potential for predictive analytics to identify future product offers (Porter et al, 2015). In short, for data democratisation to be effective, business leaders must create a data-driven culture and mindset within the business. To achieve this goal, leadership must position the use of data as a critical input into decision making, and invest in the tools, mechanisms, and training required to enable data within the organisation. To this end, data democratisation can create a data-driven culture, centred around a customer-centric mindset. Creating a Customer-Centric Mindset When approaching customer-centricity, it is easy to project standard operational models which fulfil a ‘known’ solution against customer experience, rather than directly addressing what it means to be customer-centric. “The most important single thing is to focus obsessively on the customer. Our goal is to be earth’s most customer-centric company.” Jeff Bezos Customer-centricity is not simply a business model. It involves a mindset transformation at all levels of a business, requiring a deepening of the personal, operational, procedural, and organisational operations to align with the customer. To cultivate this customer-centric mindset, you need to understand a customer’s needs, expectations, as well as to predict future requirements (Porter et al, 2015). This involves focusing on the customer, to think and feel like them, to see the world from their point of view, and to develop complete solutions for the user’s needs, all the way ensuring that you leverage iterative innovation to evolve toward an ideal solution. Three ways to achieving a customer-centric mindset include: Hiring for customer centricity Facilitating direct customer interactions Rewarding and incentivising customer-centric measures For customer-centricity to be effectively operationalised, we must marry culture, strategy, and rewards to the delivery of a superior customer experience. Conclusion As I have demonstrated in this initial article, customer-centricity is becoming a pre-requisite to future success, as consumers increasingly expect personalised offers that align to a broader societal shift in consumption habits. As I have begun to outline, and will continue to across the following two articles, implementation of a customer-centric organisation requires the creation of a culture of customer targeted curiosity, supported by a digital and operational landscape that allows for the capture and ingestion of data to create digital insights. Through the operationalisation of these measures, a business will position itself to secure future revenues and an increased % of the customer wallet. In the next of these articles, I will discuss how the foundations outlined above can be channelled into purposeful value creation, leading to palpable and transformative customer satisfaction.
BT has recently announced an extension to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) switch-off in the UK. The previous deadline of December 2025 has been postponed to 31 January 2027. Given the lack of a national plan or central funding for the necessary infrastructure upgrades, responsibilities for welfare and safety will impact at a local level on councils, the NHS and healthcare services, social housing, fire services, and third sector organisations (charities and community groups). If these upgrades do not get funded and planned in detail (and if alternative digital solutions are not adequately tested under real scenarios) then emergency services could fail at a critical moment, putting vulnerable people at risk. The PSTN switch-off will impact five key areas; read below for more information on these. Vulnerable Citizens & Healthcare Communications technology has become vital in care home settings, which rely on technology such as fall alarms to ensure the wellbeing of their residents. Currently, in the UK, there are around 25,000 sheltered housing schemes, and an estimated 90% of them are reliant on analogue connections – for both admin and security – that will need to be transitioned onto an IP solution for continuity. This speaks to concerns across the healthcare industry more widely, which is currently characterised as a ‘Frankenstein estate’ of different telephony systems and technologies, suffering from inefficiencies, security vulnerability, and fragmented communication as a result. Across 56 NHS Trusts which took part in a Freedom of Information request by Maintel, they uncovered up to 10,315 PSTN/ISDN lines installed. Not only this, but 44% of these Trusts have admitted that they have no strategy in place for the PSTN switch-off This poses several risks and dangers following the switch-off if these Trusts do not plan accordingly. Disruptions to operations may seem resolvable to a smaller, private entity, but the impact on the healthcare industry to essential mechanisms which rely on traditional phone lines such as the emergency services will be critical. This will be compounded by a litany of administrative burdens which will divert time and resources away from patient care. Building Alarms & Security Unless fitted with an IP-based signalling solution, the majority of alarms and security systems – including intruder alarms, fire alarms, personal alarms, and CCTV – rely on signal transmission to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) via the legacy PSTN network. This means that, once the switch-off takes effect, older and outdated alarm systems which have not been upgraded will no longer be able to transmit vital signals. This makes the PSTN switch-off, and planning for a proper transition, a matter of public safety. In 2019, there were nearly three million PSTN-connected intruder alarms across the UK, meaning that a lot of national infrastructure will be at risk after the switch off – both to intrusion, and fire. Transport Infrastructure On a day-to-day basis, the PSTN switch off has the potential to create severe disruption throughout public spaces due to its monopoly on transport infrastructure. A spokesman for Transport for London explained that of their nearly 6.5k sets of traffic lights, 1k still use remote monitors relying on PSTN technology. This issue isn’t just contained to London, nor traffic lights. Throughout the UK, a lack of migration plan past the switch-off could mean inadequate replacement of bus stops, EV charging hubs, travel card technology, and roadside telephones, all of which utilise PSTN technology to a certain extent. Facility Monitoring It is not just transport infrastructure that threatens to cause disruption if not properly transitioned, as the same monitoring technology leveraged for traffic lights and security systems is also used to monitor facilities and their utilities. As of 2022, the water industry relied on around 25,000 PSTN lines to complete critical services such as monitoring water levels, managing flood and stormwater, and treatment works. Furthermore, 43,000 lines were utilised to monitor gas pressure and electricity supply. Office & Depot Telephony Although the effect to analogue and landline phone lines introduced by the PSTN switch-off may be obvious (if not, read another of our articles on the stop sell), its impact on other telephony technology present throughout the public sector may be unconsidered. For example, though their use has been declining since its introduction in the 1980s, fax machines are still utilised by certain organisations for their apparent heightened security and reliability compared to digital alternatives. Furthermore, until recently two of the UK’s telephony providers were duty bound to support fax on their networks within the Universal Service Obligation (USO). This was changed with the announcement of the PSTN switch-off. Local businesses and other organisations comprise a key demographic of the public sector, however all entities regardless of industry or sector may still be utilising fax or landline phones, which need to be replaced before the switch-off in order to maintain key operations. How the Public Sector Should Respond Given the lack of a national plan or central funding for the necessary infrastructure upgrades, responsibilities for welfare and safety will impact at a local level on councils, the NHS and healthcare services, social housing, fire services, and third sector organisations. If these upgrades do not get funded and planned in detail, then the technology and services detailed in this article could fail at a critical moment, putting vulnerable people at risk. Funding & Planning: Councils will need to work with hospitals, schools, and other public bodies, alongside Communication Providers (CPs), to share resources, overcome common problems, and model future costs. Protecting the Vulnerable: Ofcom has ruled the following: ‘If you are dependent on your landline phone – for example, if you don’t have a mobile phone or don’t have mobile signal at your home – your provider must offer you a solution to make sure you can contact the emergency services when a power cut occurs. For example, a mobile phone (if you have signal), or a battery back-up unit for your landline phone. This solution should be provided free of charge to people who are dependent on their landline.’ Continuity of Public Services: Understand how the PSTN supports the services offered in the local community, and work with local groups and advisory boards to ensure there are communication strategies and ways to share resources. Also, make it clear that migrated services must be tested and comply with current regulations. Infrastructure Development: Ensuring adequate internet infrastructure is a key responsibility of local councils. They need to work with internet service providers (ISPs) to enhance connectivity, particularly in rural and underserved areas, to support new IP-based communication systems. Awareness: Unlike the shift to digital TV, which was government-initiated, the phase-out of the PSTN is industry-driven because the network is privately owned. Consequently, it is unlikely that there will be a government-sponsored national campaign to spread awareness of these changes and the risks involved. It therefore falls to local authorities, in conjunction with CPs and local groups, to try and disseminate this information to their communities, and in particular to vulnerable people. How We Can Help Our Public Sector and PSTN teams can help local councils and other public bodies by providing strategy, financial planning, procurement, and project management services as and when you need them. Get in touch with Craig Cheney, Managing Partner and lead for Public & Education, to discuss a range of services which might suit your needs: ccheney@cambridgemc.com . Terminology PSTN: Public Switched Telephone Network - a complex network of copper wires, switching centres, and other infrastructure that has been the backbone of the UK's telephony network since Victorian times. VoIP: Voice Over Internet Protocol - a technology that allows people to make voice calls using an internet-based communications technology. By converting voice signals into digital data packets, VoIP can transmit conversations over broadband connections and across the internet. Digital Voice: refers to BT's specific VoIP service or more generally to any service that transmits voice over your broadband connection. Confusingly, VoIP, IP and Digital Voice are often used interchangeably. CP: Communication Provider - an organisation, either private or public, that offers telecommunications services or a mix of information, media, content, entertainment, and application services over networks. ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network - a set of communication standards that allow for the digital transmission of voice, video, data and other services over the PSTN network. ADSL: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line - allows for high-speed data transmission over existing copper lines. ADSL is a type of digital subscriber line (DSL) technology that is typically provided from a telephone exchange enabling broadband internet access, video-on-demand, and LAN services. The service is asymmetric in that the broadband speed profile to the premise is higher than that from the premise. Maximum download speeds are in the order of 20Mbit/s (Megabits per second). VDSL: Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line - a form of DSL technology primarily delivered from street side cabinets delivering very high-speed data rates over existing copper lines. Often referred to as Fibre To The Cabinet (FTTC). VDSL is an asymmetric service, with superior performance when compared to ADSL technologies. Maximum download speeds are in the order of 80Mbit/s. FTTP: Fibre To The Premises - a fibre connection from a premises to a fibre exchange. Offers superior performance when compared to DSL technologies. Services can be symmetric or asymmetric. Maximum speeds are in the order of multiple Gbit/s (Gigabits per second). Useful Links A Councillors Guide to Project Gigabit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/a-councillors-guide-to-project-gigabit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gigabit-broadband-voucher-scheme-information Gigabit Voucher Scheme Eligibility Checker: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gigabit-broadband-voucher-scheme-information Project Gigabit government webpage: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/project-gigabit-uk-gigabit-programme Virgin O2 guide to the Switchover: https://www.damianhinds.com/sites/www.damianhinds.com/files/2023-10/23%2010%2030%20Virgin%20Digital%20Voice%20Switchover%20MP%20Guide.pdf Ofcom guide to moving your landline to digital: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/future-of-landline-calls#:~:text=If%20you%20don%27t%20have%20a%20broadband%20connection%2C%20your%20provider,take%20up%20a%20broadband%20service BT Guide: How the PSTN Switch Off will Affect my Business: https://business.bt.com/insights/what-is-ip-telephony-pstn-switch-off/ A guide to digital voice: https://www.damianhinds.com/sites/www.damianhinds.com/files/2023-10/23%2010%2030%20A%20guide%20to%20Digital%20Voice%20BT%27s%20new%20home%20phone%20service.pdf Telecare stakeholder action plan: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/telecare-stakeholder-action-plan-analogue-to-digital-switchover Shared Rural Network: https://srn.org.uk/about/ Digital Poverty Alliance: https://digitalpovertyalliance.org/
29th November 2024 – Cambridge Management Consulting, a global management consulting firm known for its expertise in digital transformation, has today announced its third company acquisition, bringing Cambridge-based Marketing company cofinitive, into the portfolio. The acquisition - which follows the additions of Straxia in 2021 and Blue Creek in 2024 - will bring important additional marketing skills to the portfolio offering alongside the other existing services and strategic partnerships that drive clients’ efficiency, growth, and competitive advantage. The exciting announcement was made at cofinitive’s 10th birthday celebration, which was held yesterday evening at The Bradfield Centre on the Cambridge Science Park, attended by over 200 guests including Mrs Julie Spence OBE CStJ QPM, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire who proposed the toast, and the cream of Cambridge’s science and technology ecosystem. Over the last 10 years, multi-award-winning cofinitive - founded by entrepreneur, Faye Holland in 2014 - has built a solid reputation, delivering impactful marketing for groundbreaking companies poised to make a difference in the world, telling their stories to the audiences that matter. Working at the heart of the inspirational Cambridge cluster with some of the world’s leading startups, scaleups and tech companies, cofinitive has established itself as the leading specialist tech agency across Cambridge and the East of England. It remains the only Cambridge-based agency to feature in PR Week’s prestigious Top150 listings (Specialist and Outside London). Founded in Cambridge and with long-lasting ties and presence in the city, Cambridge MC maintains a commitment to supporting its start-up and business community. As such, by acquiring cofinitive, Cambridge MC can enhance their offering by providing further marketing and communications support and advice to these organisations. Tim Passingham, Chair of Cambridge Management Consulting, said: “I’ve followed Faye and cofinitive for many years and, like others, I’ve been impressed by their reach and impact. I am delighted to welcome Faye and the entire cofinitive team to the Cambridge Management Consulting portfolio. Their expertise in strategic marketing, PR, and branding will enhance the services we offer to our global clients. Additionally, they will have access to our broader capabilities as we continue to expand in Cambridge and beyond.” He added: “As part of the acquisition, Faye will lead all of our external client marketing projects, head the Cambridge office, and join the company leadership team. We’re truly excited to embark on this new chapter together.” cofinitive founder, Faye Holland said: “We are enormously proud of what we have achieved in our first decade. Our goal for the next 10 years is clear: to remain competitive, deliver even more to our clients, and scale effectively and at pace. Joining Cambridge Management Consulting provides the perfect opportunity to achieve this vision and empower our clients to grow and thrive on a truly global scale.” The company will continue to operate under the cofinitive name, with the new structure taking effect on January 1, 2025. About cofinitive cofinitive was founded in 2014, and very quickly established itself as the leading hybrid PR and communications company. Specialising in technology and early-stage startups, cofinitive is described as “the epitome of everything that defines a UK-leading communications powerhouse” and as having “serious class and attitude in a nice-but-edgy kind of way”. The multi-award-winning company’s vision has always been to deliver impactful communications for companies poised to make a difference in the world: the startups, the innovators, the ground-breakers, the game-changers, the world-changers even. Innovative businesses with a focus on tech. All tech; any innovation: transformative, AI, IT, quantum computing, agritech, biotech, cleantech, deeptech, femtech, healthtech, medtech, semiconductor. Locally, nationally, globally. For more information, visit cofinitive.com Press contact: carole.ayemaung@cofinitive.com About Cambridge Management Consulting Cambridge Management Consulting (Cambridge MC) is an international consulting firm that helps companies of all sizes have a better impact on the world. Founded in Cambridge, UK, initially to help the start-up community, Cambridge MC has grown to over 200 consultants working on projects in 22 countries. Our capabilities focus on supporting the private and public sector with their people, process and digital technology challenges. What makes Cambridge Management Consulting unique is that it doesn’t employ consultants—only senior executives with real industry or government experience and the skills to advise their clients from a place of true credibility. Our team strives to have a highly positive impact on all the organisations they serve. We are confident there is no business or enterprise that we cannot help transform for the better. Cambridge Management Consulting has offices or legal entities in Cambridge, London, New York, Paris, Dubai, Tel Aviv, Singapore and Helsinki, with further expansion planned in the near future. For more information, visit cambridgemc.com .
Meet Key Members of the edenseven Team As COP29 unfolds in Baku, Azerbaijan, the global focus on sustainability and decarbonisation intensifies. Among the organisations at the forefront of this critical dialogue is edenseven, a consultancy specialising in environmental solutions and net zero strategies. The edenseven team, composed of industry experts in sustainability and data, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table, making significant strides in helping private and public organisations transition into sustainable practices and eventually net zero. Pete Nisbet - Managing Partner Pete Nisbet serves as the Managing Partner at edenseven, bringing a wealth of experience from his extensive career in energy trading and risk management. Pete began his journey in 1997 as an Energy Trader at Scottish and Southern Energy, where he honed his skills in managing diverse commodity portfolios. His transition to Utilyx in 2006 marked a pivotal point as he adapted his expertise to the UK and European energy markets, eventually leading their Risk Management Services. In 2016, Pete joined Mitie Energy as Managing Director, spearheading their award-winning Energy, Utilities, and Sustainability business. His strategic leadership and deep understanding of decarbonisation strategies led him to co-found edenseven in 2020. Under Pete's guidance, edenseven has grown into an international team dedicated to providing systematic, data-driven pathways to net zero. He emphasises the importance of having precise data to streamline emissions management. Alejandro Navarro - Director of Sustainable Innovation & Technology Alejandro Navarro leads as the Director of Sustainable Innovation & Technology at edenseven. With a background in telecommunications, Alejandro has held significant roles such as Head of Technology Consulting at Source8 and Director of Products and Data Analytics at Mitie. His expertise in commercial and digital strategies has been instrumental in developing innovative technology solutions. At edenseven, Alejandro is pivotal in shaping the company's technology strategy and advising on emerging technologies that drive sustainable growth. He played a crucial role in designing and launching cero.earth, edenseven's carbon accounting and management platform designed to provide actionable insights across all emission scopes. Alejandro's work focuses on helping organisations to leverage technology effectively to enhance their sustainability efforts. Simon King - Senior Partner & EV Fleet Expert Simon King is a Senior Partner at edenseven and an expert in electric vehicles (EVs) and supply chain decarbonisation. His career began as an Environmental Sciences Chemist at Zeneca, followed by leadership roles at Coca-Cola, Dairy Crest, and Tata Group. Simon has consistently delivered solutions that reduce costs and risks while enhancing sustainability performance. At Mitie, Simon launched 'Plan Zero', rolling out one of the UK's largest pure electric fleets and significantly reducing carbon emissions. His efforts earned him recognition as one of the Top 10 most influential people in Green Fleet. At edenseven, Simon oversees transport and supply chain decarbonisation initiatives, helping organisations optimise logistics and reduce Scope 3 emissions—a critical area given that these emissions account for a significant portion of total emissions. Drew Davy - Partner Drew Davy brings his expertise in business transformation to edenseven as a Partner. With experience managing major projects across industries like retail and hospitality, Drew excels in driving strategic growth and implementing digital transformations. His work with clients such as John Lewis and Tesco underscores his ability to guide businesses toward ambitious sustainability goals. Drew's passion for ESG initiatives extends beyond his professional life; he actively supports charitable causes in Guatemala and Berkshire. At edenseven, Drew leverages his strategic acumen to help clients enhance their sustainability strategies and reduce their carbon footprints effectively. A Unified Vision for Sustainability The team at edenseven, with their diverse backgrounds and expertise, is uniquely positioned to address the pressing challenges of sustainability and net zero strategies. Their work is not only about reducing emissions but also about transforming businesses to thrive in a sustainable future. As COP29 highlights the urgent need for action, edenseven’s commitment to innovative solutions and strategic guidance is more relevant than ever. For more information on how edenseven can support your sustainability efforts, visit their website , or use the contact form below.
Thames Freeport is a unique initiative designed to stimulate trade and innovation and transform the lives of people in its region, leveraging global connectivity to over 130 ports in 65 countries. Occupying a strategic position with intermodal capabilities across river, rail, and road, Thames Freeport has recognised its opportunity to achieve social good, and has demonstrated an active commitment to advancing decarbonisation and fostering a circular economy. Thames Freeport is emerging as a hub for clean energy technologies, advanced logistics, and value-added manufacturing. Special Economic Zones (SEZs) such as the Thames Freeport are uniquely positioned to drive decarbonisation. By clustering industries and research institutions, SEZs enable collaboration on sustainable practices and green technology development. This concentration accelerates the adoption of renewable energy sources, smart grids, and circular economy practices.
The Urgency for Efficiency in Local Government The financial challenges facing Local Governments in the UK over the past few years have been impossible to ignore. In 2023 alone, Birmingham City, Nottingham City, and Woking Borough councils were all reported ‘bankrupt’. Clearly, the realities of growing and aging populations, increasing poverty, and strained funding are putting greater pressures than previously realised. Specifically, this is challenging social care, and housing and accommodation, which are both suffering from an increased need in funding which is not available. At the recent ‘Future of Britain: Governing in the Age of AI’ conference (July 2024), organised by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, speakers suggested that the only opportunity presenting itself currently is the recent steps forward in Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically Generative AI and Large Language Models. Needless to say, it will require more than poems on ChatGPT or images on Midjourney to drive improvements in local services provisions. However, in the last year we have seen an AI development that shows promise, albeit with translation into reliable operations with secure environments. This new development is being referred to as Agentic AI, or multi-AI agent teams. But what does this new technology offer for Local Governments? What is Agentic AI? Agentic AI represents a shift from traditional centralised AI models to a distributed system comprising multiple specialised Agents working collaboratively. This approach allows for the division and specialisation of tasks among trained AI agents, which can efficiently solve complex problems by leveraging the strengths of each individual Agent within their specialised domain. Agentic AI offers several distinct advantages over a traditional Large Language Models (LLMs), which are particularly relevant for environments where accuracy, transparency and security are paramount. Imagine you are a council leader, with the power to bring the best people, with the best knowledge and information at hand, into a room to solve every problem statement that you are currently facing. Now, imagine that you can quickly create AI Agents with that same knowledge and information at hand, and the ability to effectively collaborate to solve those problems. It probably sounds farfetched, and yet there are already examples of this technology working effectively in secure organisations within the UK. In this article, we explore the implications of Agentic AI for Local Government spending, procurement, delivery, and HR functions. Budgeting & Spend Management: Enhancing Precision & Reducing Costs What have you got planned over the next few years? What do you have to do vs what do you want to do? What variables play into those decisions? These questions may cover capital projects, provision of housing, technology products, or services reform—such as social care, operations, pensions, and more. Imagine this use case: you are able to do a budgetary cost estimate of everything in minutes, with multiple scenarios and risk analysis for each to a degree of confidence in the execution of the project or service within the price given, as well as proactive recommended interventions to de-risk. This can all be done with Agentic AI, which has already delivered time savings in central government by a factor in excess of 100x, with massive cost decreases too. This technology can provide completely calculated cost estimated and full referenceability in less than half an hour. This doesn’t work entirely by magic. It can be preconfigured to apply your estimate methodologies and local policies and understand what has been done before, but it learns over time, and will continue to verify from other sources, including talking to your employees. However, you would be amazed at the results observed in only weeks. Also, ask yourself this question: How do you find the most accurate budget estimate? Is it better to have a team follow a process to get one answer over time, or to apply a distribution curve to 100-1000 automatically generated estimates for multiple scenarios to determine what is statistically most likely? Agentic AI will give you a customisable set of accurate estimates, with as many parameters as you require, in a fraction of the time and cost. We help you build an Agentic AI team configured to support your project managers, service managers, and operational leaders in everything that they do. This can include accelerating onboarding, gaining excess to deep expertise, making informed recommendations, and working in conjunction with your teams. People have long worried about AI replacing humans, but what if it could be harnessed effectively to help superpower your teams? Agentic AI is a paradigm shift in budget planning and prioritisation, as well as reducing the risks of delay and cost slippage through provision of reliable budgetary estimates for everything Local Governments want to execute. Procurement: Accelerating Processes and Reducing Acquisition Costs Agentic AI can also be harnessed to improve the entire set of processes in the procurement cycle, with a focus on reducing risk and reducing elapsed time to next-step outcomes. There are already established Generative AI solutions that write bid responses, and soon they are likely to generate requirements documents such as ITTs, RFPs, and even contracts. There are AI solutions that enable global search for any widget in any geography, producing Gartner-style sophisticated reports, in hours, on recommended options—enabling procurement teams to source suppliers far more quickly. In addition, Agentic AI will provide effective decision-making solutions that assist with the review of responses to determine risks, costs, and gaps. There are now two approaches to accelerating the procurement process. The first is traditional, mapping out the end-to-end process, determining the areas of delay or pain, and focussing on improving or automating those elements. The second is more novel, and perhaps completely new with Agentic AI: if we can identify the capabilities, tools, and knowledge that are needed in that end-to-end process, then your team of AI Agents can be trained to determine approaches to accelerate these outcomes in your organisation. In truth, there is a strong argument to try both where possible. Delivery: Streamlining PMO Functions & Managing Risks Estimating costs faster is one essential function, but the challenge is also to ensure that these services, projects, or operational needs, are still being delivered for the cost envisaged. Agentic AI can also be applied to act as an enhanced Project Management Office (PMO) function by taking progress input from a variety of sources, interpreting against all that is known, and making proactive intervention recommendations to help keep the team on track. Imagine this use case: an Agent Team that has specific agents focused on aggregating data, perhaps supplied from existing Excel reports or through interfaces to the financial systems; some agents are specialised at determining and evaluating risks, while others are trained to have a deep understanding of the contract terms, operating model, resourcing, or anything that can be provided as a set of data or interface. There are, of course, numerous regulations (GDPR as a minimum), policies, and ethical AI frameworks that must be adhered to, but we have already seen robust solutions designed for highly secure environments. That being said, do not compromise here: it is critical that organisational data is protected from a security perspective, requiring a full transparent, auditable solution. Agentic AI in HR & Finance: Driving Productivity Improvement In a wider context, Agentic AI can impact the entire Operating Model of a local authority or council, improving productivity and enabling existing teams to achieve more, and faster, through the assistance of AI Team Members. There are numerous use cases for these applications across HR, campaign recruitment, performance appraisals, apprenticeships, and more. This technology is also beginning to ask questions of regulations; for example, for many years we have pushed job descriptions through tools that ensure gender neutrality, yet if we can easily create and promote a multiplicity of job descriptions and adverts that are targeted on broadly diverse groups, then there may be a more effective engagement across these demographics. We are also seeing Agentic AI applied to finance functions, bringing a meld of machine learning tools with Generative AI to help automate process flows such as invoice processing, forecasting, accounting, financial reporting, and auditing. Summary: Harnessing Agentic AI for Local Government Transformation If your perspective on Generative AI is driven by playing with ChatGPT or Dall-E, and you have dismissed it as being irrelevant to your work in Local Government, then my plea is to look further. If you have worried about hallucination, or the security/privacy issues of applying it to the public sector, or the impact it may have on jobs, then look at the emergence of Agentic AI as helping to resolve some of these genuine concerns. Regarding the impact on jobs, though it is undoubtedly true that the employment landscape is constantly evolving, there are some wider, incontrovertible megatrends that are making it increasingly difficult to recruit the necessary people to deliver the required services—for example, aging populations, or shrinking populations (in some geographies). As a strong voice in the world’s CDR (Digital Responsibility) movement, I have been talking about the necessity to think of these consequential impacts for nearly a decade. Yet, I have seen the reaction to public sector employees finding themselves better able to perform the actions required for their departments or citizens without the reliance on consultants in the supply chain. Think of Agentic AI as enabling you to do far more with your existing teams; to onboard new employees faster; and to condense elapsed times to respond to requests or deliver services. Think of it as a way of making your employees’ lives easier, by providing them with the information to help make their decisions, or complete activities faster. It is true that there are risks and dangers regarding AI, but these can be understood and mitigated in the context of specific use cases. Let its innovative potential drive your engagement with it, over fear of the unknown. In an environment in which taxation is unlikely to significantly increase to provide greater funding and the costs of delivering public services continues to increase, we must find some transformative ways to keep going. Agentic AI presents this opportunity, we just need to understand how to harness it most effectively in harmony with human teams who need that help. In short, Agentic AI can be instrumental in future-proofing your operations and delivering better public services for less cost. Agentic AI from Futuria Combined with Cambridge MC’s Public Sector Expertise Cambridge Management Consulting and Futuria have formed a strategic partnership to offer Agentic AI solutions tailored to the needs of UK local authorities. This collaboration brings together Cambridge MC’s extensive expertise in public sector transformation and Futuria’s cutting-edge AI technology, creating a powerful proposition for councils facing budgetary constraints and operational challenges. Craig Cheney, Managing Partner for the Public Sector at Cambridge Management Consulting, highlights the potential impact of this collaboration: "Our partnership with Futuria presents a transformative opportunity for local authorities across the UK. By combining our deep expertise in public sector transformation with Futuria's advanced Agentic AI technology, we are empowering councils to navigate their financial challenges while improving service delivery. This is not just about cost-cutting; it's about enabling local governments to do more with less—delivering better outcomes for their communities in a sustainable way." Cambridge MC has a long-standing commitment to supporting the public sector through economic challenges. With decades of experience working with councils and educational institutions, Cambridge MC has helped organisations save over £2 billion through cost reduction initiatives and business transformation. This expertise is now amplified by the integration of Futuria’s Agentic AI solutions, offering local governments a powerful toolset to future-proof their operations and superpower their leadership and teams. About Rob Price Rob is a co-founder of Futuria, an Agentic AI company enhancing organisational productivity with multi-agent teams. He hosts the Futurise podcast, interviewing CEOs and AI business founders about the start-up and scale-up world of AI and Generative AI in the UK, Europe and US. Rob has held various senior leadership roles, from Sales Director to CDO, COO, and Deputy CEO at Worldline UK&CEE, demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving, and effective execution. Link to Podcast on Spotify Rob co-founded the Corporate Digital Responsibility movement and helped launch the International CDR Manifesto in October 2021. He manages corporatedigitalresponsibility.net and hosts the 'A New Digital Responsibility' podcast, now in its fifth season. A frequent speaker at European events, he is also a trustee of Inspire+, a charity promoting healthy lives for primary school children. About Futuria At Futuria, we’re passionate about reshaping the future of enterprise operations with our advanced AI Agent Teams and pioneering Agentic AI solutions. Our mission is to empower businesses by integrating modular, explainable, and responsible AI that fits seamlessly into complex environments. By enhancing human expertise, we help organisations gain full control, transparency, and scalability—delivering impactful solutions that drive efficiency, reduce costs, improve decision-making, foster innovation, and empower users. Fine out more at: www.futuria.ai
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