Day: 8 July 2023

UNESCO mobilizes education ministers from around the world for a co-ordinated response to ChatGPT

Stuart Mitchell

In response to the rapid emergence of new and powerful generative AI tools, on Thursday 25 May, UNESCO held the first global meeting of Ministers of Education to explore the immediate as well as far-reaching opportunities, challenges and risks that AI applications pose to education systems. Over 40 Ministers came together to share policy approaches and plans on how best to integrate these tools into education. During the online discussion on 25 May 2023, UNESCO presented a roadmap on generative AI and education, including open multistakeholder dialogue. Generative AI opens…

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New initiative allows SMEs to gain free access to public sector contracts

Stuart Mitchell

The Public Sector Supply Ready accreditation, (PSSR) has been developed by Go4Growth and is available to all SME’s (Small to Medium Enterprises including micro and sole traders) and voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises (VCSEs). As a business support service, Go4Growth aims to assist smaller organisations in developing the skills and confidence they need to win public sector contracts. The new PSSR status will act as an industry indicator to show that a business has met the required standards, making contracts in the sector much more readily accessible to…

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National Lottery sales grow to second highest in National Lottery’s history to reach £8.19bn in 2022/23

Stuart Mitchell

Camelot UK Lotteries Limited has announced that total National Lottery sales for the 2022/23 financial year (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023) increased by £99.6 million to £8,190.3 million – the second highest annual sales total since The National Lottery’s launch. As a result of this strong performance, returns to Good Causes from ticket sales alone hit an all-time high of £1,807.0 million in 2022/23, £6.2 million higher than in the previous year. Over the same period, The National Lottery awarded £4,694.0 million in prize money to players –…

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Bond, Choose Love, Restless Development and Ripple Effect team up to show how different business models could help INGOs support locally led development

Stuart Mitchell

Bond, the UK network of international development organisations, has put together a collection of case studies to help international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) consider alternatives to the traditional grant funding model to generate their own income and avoid funder restrictions whilst shifting both income and power to local communities.  As the funding environment for INGOs becomes increasingly difficult following the Covid-19 pandemic, cuts to the UK aid budget, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and loss of funding from the European Union, organisations are increasingly forced to find new income streams instead of…

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How to save Welsh households £267 million- per year by cutting food waste.

Stuart Mitchell

In March 2021, the Welsh Government published its ‘Beyond Recycling’ strategy to make the circular economy a reality in Wales. With a target of reducing avoidable food waste by 50% by 2025 (relative to a 2007 baseline), and by 60% by 2030, WRAP Cymru’s new report Welsh Food Waste Routemap details the key interventions that could deliver reductions in food waste across the entire supply chain towards these ambitious targets. This ambitious approach could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 650 thousand tonnes CO2e, realise monetary savings of over £800…

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