Champions column: Always a warm welcome and a smile when you work in area

​Global Brands is one of the leading independent drinks companies in the UK, shipping our products to domestic and international markets. We’ve heavily invested in our Chesterfield bases and want to see the town and local economies thrive.

What was the greatest achievement for your business or organisation over the past year?

Our distribution facility had a large expansion over the last year and combined with some great work by colleagues has meant the business has continued to grow well.

We’ve won major contracts from retailers and continue to provide a first class service to our customers. Our export business has also expanded, meaning we now ship to 67 international markets!

How would you describe Chesterfield and North Derbyshire, using only three words?

Fantastic, inspiring, beautiful.

What are your favourite places to visit in Chesterfield and why?

I love to go out and walk around our local green spaces. Having a young family means regular visits to our local parks! We’ve also got some fantastic places to eat out and drink.

How is your business or organization becoming more sustainable?

We’ve got a team of staff who are dedicated to continually improving our sustainability. We’ve recently invested in solar panels to take the bulk of our power demands.

We constantly monitor power use and look to install devices and practices to reduce consumption. Our cardboard and plastic are all recycled from our warehouse, which amounts to quite a lot each year!

Last year we completed our first carbon footprint assessment, setting clear targets to become carbon net zero by 2050.

Why do you love working or doing business in Chesterfield or North Derbyshire?

We’ve got such a great bunch of people in this area. They really help with work and business. There is always a smile and a warm welcome when you work with people in this area.

We’re so well connected too with the rest of the UK. We’ve got busy cities on our doorstep and then the magnificent Peak District just a few miles away.

We’ve on main transport links and road networks. The area really does cater for all tastes and Chesterfield and NE Derbyshire are placed perfectly.

How are you supporting young people in your business?

We offer apprenticeships across multiple departments in the business including finance, marketing, business admin and even on the hospitality side for chefs and front of house that work at our sites.

Global Brands represent our own beverage brands as well as the hospitality sector in general at various careers fairs in local schools and Universities. We regularly take part in mock interview events at some of

the local schools. We also offer work placements across Global Brands and the hotels for students from local schools.

How are you, your business or your team supporting local people?

Our head office at Casa hotel and Distribution Centre in Clay Cross both employ lots of people from the local area. We’ve always championed local talent where possible and continue to do so. Our senior management team have always been very supportive of this.

What support or advice has your business received recently and how has it benefited your business?

We work with some of the best talent and knowledge in the industry. As a business we continually meet with suppliers and customers that helps us deliver what they need, and in doing so, benefits us greatly as a business.

Members of our team have also attended various sustainability webinars run by the East Midlands Chamber and the Chesterfield Accelerator Launch Event run by Chesterfield Borough Council, both of which have provided invaluable business advice and access to knowledgeable professionals.