Now that we’ve said goodbye to 2022 and entered a new year, we’re taking a look back at some of Avrion’s highlights of 2022 – as well as the exciting goals we have put in place for 2023!
Highlights: Our New Website
In April 2022, Avrion’s website had a makeover. Re-vamping the layout and style, our branding transitioned to a more sophisticated design using newer technology. This includes recent additions to the menu bar, such as What We Do – allowing easy navigation for the website user to have their questions and needs met more efficiently.
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Highlights: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Our Work with Ecologi
At the end of 2022, we crossed the finish line with 21 active months of climate impact with Ecologi. During this time, we’ve reduced the carbon emissions entering the Earth’s atmosphere by 225.51t and planted 5,963 trees. From preserving the Amazonian rainforest in Brazil to encouraging wind power projects in Thailand, Avrion’s funding has contributed to the positive progression of the environment – and, our future. We think that’s a huge highlight of 2022!
If your New Year’s resolution is to be more climate-friendly, sign up to Ecologi today and receive 5 “Sparkly Trees” as a thank you. If you use our link then we get 5 new trees too – it’s a win win!
Here are a couple of examples of the impact your sustainability actions can have:
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Fundraising
Here at Avrion, we like to support other charities, as well as environmental ones. In October 2022, one of our biggest fundraisers, Marketing Consultant, Susan Kennedy, ran her 22nd marathon at Loch Ness. This time she was fundraising for Beat – the UK’s leading eating disorder charity that helps families cope with this difficult illness.
In addition to admirable fundraising marathon runners, we also sponsor the football kit for a local team and the majority of our team’s pets are rescue animals. Plus, we contribute to good causes whenever we can. One of our Expo winners works for Allica Bank, who support The Henry Allen Trust. We were touched by Henry’s story so made a donation to their cause to make a difference to young cancer sufferers and their families.
At the end of 2022, we felt like Father Christmas as Avrion gave £50 to each staff member to donate to a charity of their choice. The charities varied from local organisations that provide specialised health and fitness programs to people with learning difficulties, to big charities, such as Crisis, for reasons dear to each person. You can read about all the charities that we donated to at Christmas in Avrion’s Great Christmas Giveaway 2022 blog. We also joined the Do Good December movement to try to brighten more people’s days.
Highlights: Growing and Developing the Avrion Team
Our First Apprentice
Another great highlight was our first apprentice successfully completed and passed his apprenticeship. In January 2021, James Richards joined Avrion as part of our plan to give back to the community through providing an apprenticeship placement for a Level 4 Software Developer with Firebrand Training. 16 months of hard work later, James attained his qualification!
“It’s so informative to learn from the business side, and directly from customers, what their challenges are and how the software can help to improve their business processes and hence their profitability. There is nothing that can replace the knowledge of coding for real jobs and seeing how technology can provide improvements in a real-life situation.”
James Richards – Software Developer
Our New Team Recruit
During 2022, we were lucky enough to hire Rob Edwards, who we previously worked closely with through our partnership with Maximizer. He specialises in Maximizer CRM and Dynamics 365, building tailored demos and presenting to prospects. When the requirements are agreed, he then manages the project implementation. Rob has many years of experience and is already having a hugely positive impact on business here at Avrion.
“I really enjoy working for Avrion. They were hugely welcoming and treat everyone in the team as equals. After less than a year, I’ve worked on multiple exciting projects and am looking forward to seeing what 2023 brings for us!”
Rob Edwards – Pre Sales ; Implementation Consultant
Our Second Apprentice
Whilst all of Avrion’s staff communicate and collaborate with each other, within the company there are developmentally-focused and commercially-focused teams. In August 2021, the marketing team gained a Digital Marketer Apprentice, Katerina Petrou. Come November 2022, Katerina successfully achieved her Level 3 Digital Marketer Apprenticeship qualification with Firebrand Training. Katerina’s learning mentor, Andrew Rafter, had this to say about her progression:
Katerina hit the ground running when starting as a Digital Marketing apprentice in 2021. She’s got a thirst for new knowledge and skills — and is already having a real impact on the business, bringing fresh ideas and new ways of marketing to Avrion, which is great to see. She is set to have a bright future ahead of her.
Andrew Rafter – Learning Mentor, Firebrand Training
Throughout her apprenticeship, Katerina has grown both in terms of her skillset and the quality of her work. She brings a fresh and on-trend approach to our social media through her passion for all things social! We are looking forward to seeing what the future holds for her.
In addition to our apprentices, we feel it’s important to share our team’s passion and knowledge with school-age students to give them a taster of what it’s like in the workplace. It’s important to give back where we can.
So, this year, we had our first work experience student, arranged independently by Jacob Wiltshire, not the school.
We were extremely impressed that he had speculatively contacted several local businesses and saddened that we were the only ones to respond. It was definitely our pleasure to host Jake and the timetable even included lunch out and learning more about Avrion while playing pool. We’re hoping to have Jake back to support his Year 13 project. Jake is a huge credit to his parents, school – as well as himself – and will definitely go far!
This was an absolutely amazing experience! I learned so much over my two days at Avrion and I’m incredibly thankful to the team for having me!
Jacob Wiltshire
We would thoroughly recommend sparing some of your valuable time to any student that has the get-up and go to contact you – after all, we were all students once!
Highlights: Expos upon Expos
In 2022, we attended and exhibited at multipleB2B Expos. This was the first time since the Covid pandemic, and it was brilliant to be back out there meeting people face-to-face. B2B Expos is the UK’s biggest network of regional business-to-business shows, and we had a great time networking and meeting new customers.
First up was the Basingstoke Business Expo in September. Followed by Oxford in October, and Swindon in November.
We also attended the North West Expo in Manchester, organised by The Great British Expo.
We had a £250 Airbnb gift voucher giveaway at all of our stands, co-funded by Maximizer. It brought us great joy when we contacted the winners to hear how they planned to use their vouchers.
We also kept sustainability at the forefront of our minds, which is why instead of single-use, branded, plastic Expo merchandise, we opted for seed paper coasters by Greengiving BV, so that they could be planted, and wildflowers grown, when they are no longer needed. We also chose DASH Water as it is a zero calorie, no sugar, and no sweetener drink that uses “wonky” fruit that was destined for food waste. Sustainability is one of the highlights we’re most proud of!
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So, what’s next?
CSR
Our CSR goals for 2023 include our continuing relationship with Ecologi and their work, as well as looking towards Net Zero, with their help. As their Net Zero scheme, Ecologi Zero, rolls out, we are looking to make sure Avrion, as a company, are using the best suppliers and customers in terms of their own CSR pathways. We also plan to find more ways we can give back to our local community.
Three of our staff members have now gone fully electric with their cars and we continue to purchase only sustainable marketing giveaways for our Expos. We have even managed to train everyone to turn out the lights and make sensible choices in the office! It’s the little things that build up to be big things, and they’re what help to create these brilliant highlights of the year.
Events
Hot off the press! Together with Maximizer, we are the main sponsor for the Great British Expos in 2023. As their top partner in the UK, we’re already booked to attend the Great British Wales Expo in Cardiff on Thursday 9th March 2023, and South West Expo in Bristol on Thursday 30th March 2023, with many more events planned.
We’re already working on a knock out stand and can’t wait to show it off at the first 2 events in March.
Further information
When we put it all together, we’ve achieved quite a lot in 2022, and that’s not even including what’s in part 2! Keep an eye out for the second part of this blog to learn about new Avrion Apps and innovative solutions completed in 2022, as well as the exciting things to come in 2023.
If you’re feeling inspired or want to find out more about any of the topics above, please contact us.
We hope you found this article interesting and informative. For more ideas on how to streamline, automate and digitally transform your business (thereby saving you time and money):
Caroline has lived in the CRM and technology world from her very first job!
From Sales Executive to CRM Consultant, Project Manager to Marketing Team Leader, she loves ticking things off a list so has a reputation for "getting things done".
Outside work, she is a dedicated mother and rescue pup parent as well as caring for her siblings and parents.
