The marriage of sport and business for social change

      The Sport & Business Marriage - Announcing Our BoardWe all agree that people lie at the heart of all business in any industry and especially when one looks at the current political and social climate, we believe that it is time to get back to some good old-fashioned values that really do place care, people, teams and culture at the heart of everything. It is evident that there is a substantial social and cultural problem that currently exists, people are getting hurt and this is quite simply indefensible - we need a substantial social change.Business success and reinvention is all about positive cultures and positive people. For any meaningful progress, growth or improvement to be carried out both the people and the culture of any business must be addressed with equal importance and simultaneously. If not, low staff retention levels and wasted business expenses are the only logical outcome.Reinvention has and continues to raise interesting questions and fuel debate. There is genuine interest and appetite for the area we are discussing and companies are keen to develop their talent, build teams and create strong positive cultures within work environments.Team and culture development, leadership development and personal reinvention and development seem to be the main focal points of interest.Why is there a need for social change?

• Mental illness is the leading cause of sickness and absence from work. More than 350,000 people suffering from long-term mental health problems lose/resign from their jobs each year, costing the UK economy between £74bn and £99bn.
• Mental Health Foundation and an analysis by Deloitte = around 15 per cent of people at work have symptoms of an existing mental health condition and every year in the UK in excess of 70 million workdays are lost due to mental illness, including anxiety, depression and stress related conditions. A third of UK workers are 'experiencing anxiety, depression or stress'.
• Over half of the cost to business comes from presenteeism, when individuals are less productive due to poor mental health in work, and additional costs from sickness absence and staff turnover.

We believe that there is a logical marriage between sporting players and business which will help create change in a way that many traditional training courses cannot.Sports players can inspire and engage with talent and they also understand what it takes to be brave and successful and understand the importance of teams and working towards a common goal.They are unique people who have had to create cohesive teams out of strangers and performed at their absolute best – the cream of the cropThey understand following a common goal on and off the pitch regardless of personal feelings – greater purposeBusinesses do succeed and grow by having healthy, “joined up” and happy staff who are supported by healthy, happy and supportive leaders all working toward a shared vision within a supportive and conducive culture.They are generally freed up to lead and grow and are rewarded for success supported to do so.  The Reinvention BoardEvery great initiative needs great guidance and support and EP are proud to announce the following members of the sport, hospitality and business community who have pledged their support and guidance to help create the positive change business needs -

• Simon Halliday - England rugby, Founder of Sporting Wine Club and Chair of European Professional Club Rugby
• Doug Tetley - MD Delaware North
• Alison Gray - HR Director Delaware North
• Andrew Lewis - Head of Business Acquisition Sanlam UK & Founder Sanlam Academy
• Wynand Olivier - Professional Rugby - Worcester & Springbok
• Brian Deane - Premier League Football - England, Benfica, West Ham, Leeds Utd Football
• Frances Dore - CMO Caprice Holdings and The Ivy Collection
• Michael Prager - ex CEO The Real Hotel Company & Senior Vice President Marketing EAME at Hilton
• Mark Flanagan - The Royal Chef Buckingham Palace
• Gioele Camarlingi -  Area Director UK & General Manager Melia Hotels International & Melia White House
• Leon Llyod - Professional Rugby & Entrepreneur - Former England and Leicester Rugby & Switch the Play
• Ian Styles - Entrepreneur Set Piece Events & ex Marketing Director Elior
• Ramesh Vala O.B.E - Consultant & Brand Ambassador - Gordon Dadds Solicitors LLP
• David Cochrane - Chief Executive HIT Scotland
• Nicholas Rettie - Master The  Worshipful Company of Innholders
• Louise Wymer - Entrepreneur & Founder  Catering Academy
• EP

It is all about the behaviours of everyone in a business, from the most senior to the most junior. If behaviours are aligned and all are equal from an accountability and opportunity point of view, all are respected equally and freed up to have a voice, to use their voice and to not only be heard but actually listened to then cultures will change.Great cultures develop, attract and retain great people