PureNet

On paper this impressive eCommerce and business intelligence solutions company based at York Science Park’s IT Centre should be hard to beat.

It was the New Business Of The Year in The Press Business Awards in 2007, then the Best Digital Start Up in the Yorkshire Digital Awards 2008, and won last year’s top Small Business accolade.

PureNet hardly skipped a beat during the recession as its turnover massively expanded along with its reputation as a leading e-commerce provider. It is on track to meet its five-year business plan of achieving a £1 million turnover by 2011.

It has given itself the chance to win the Science And Technology Business of the Year title, having developed its “software framework” – the platform which provides its effective e-commerce solutions.

This technology attracted major customers, such as Cargo HomeShop, Birmingham City Football Club, Ritchey, and Lloyds TSB’s subsidiary, Paystream.

Over the last year PureNet has won work to supply business-to-consumer solutions for Academia, BuyShedsDirect, BuyFencingDirect and BuyDeckingDirect as well as business-to-business solutions for Silver Spring and Water Warehouse.

During the economic downturn PureNet has rationalised its cost base, focused its marketing, expanded its offering around its core business and improved its credit control.

But while retailers have slashed their IT budgets by between 20 and 50 per cent, PureNet’s priority has been to invest in store systems and ecommerce solutions, backed up by a 22 per cent increase in online retail sales in May compared with the same time last year.

The trend has given PureNet a surge in sales and a sense of hope for its 18 employees that it can keep the Small Business title this year. And add Science and Technology Business Of The Year to its list of victories.

PureNet pitch in for Best Sustainable Travel Initiative

HAVING secured its place in the top three in the Science & Technology Business Of The Year category, PureNet is now pitching for the Best Sustainable Travel Initiative in The Press Business Awards 2010.

The growing business intelligence and e-commerce solutions firm at the IT Centre in York Science Park is already armed with an impressive record in The Press Business Awards, having also won the New Business Of The Year title in 2007.

But its entry into this category proves how seriously PureNet’s board takes its company-wide green travel policy.

It has vowed that by the end of this year at least a quarter of its 20-strong workforce will use alternative forms of transport to the car to commute to work, while continuing to cut down car use to meetings.

Richard Smith, marketing manager, said: “Our ultimate aim is to go beyond becoming a zero emission company in the hope that our actions can also help to negate some of the emissions of the community around us as well as our own.”

In practice that means staff should travel only when there is no practical business alternative, and technology is used to monitor staff travel patterns to ensure that carbon-reduction targets are achieved.

In spite of the fact that PureNet has grown in staff by 25 per cent since August 2009, there has been a net reduction in the number of business miles travelled in the past year.

Staff make journeys by car only when there is no viable business alternative and it is absolutely necessary. Staff are encouraged to consider using video, audio or web conferencing as an alternative to travelling to meetings.

And they are encouraged to assess different journey options in the light of the cost of fares and indirect costs on long journeys; journey time, traveller comfort and safety; and productivity while travelling.

Rail or coach are the accepted options for all journeys within the UK between locations close to railway or coach stations.

Top approval has to be sought to fly and then only in an emergency.

Locally, staff are encouraged to use bicycles, with an allowance paid to cyclists. The firm supports the Government’s Cycle2Work project and 15 per cent have joined in the scheme.

Car sharing is encouraged. Richard said: “By reducing the impact of our business on the environment we recognise the benefits it brings – reducing our costs, staying one step ahead of regulation and potentially attracting more clients.”