JT recognised as a diverse and welcoming workplace
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JT recognised as a diverse and welcoming workplace

The work that JT has done to improve inclusivity has been recognised by a leading organisation that promotes diverse teams and inclusive cultures in businesses all over the UK and across all sectors. JT has won a TIDE Bronze award for reaching the exacting standards set by the Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion.

TIDE (Talent, Inclusion and Diversity Evaluation) benchmarks and measures JT’s approach and progress against a robust framework. In the last twelve months JT’s TIDE score has jumped to 61% after making significant improvements to training and development and putting diversity and inclusion at the centre of its workplace culture.

Nicola Reeves, Group HR Director, said: “We got involved in the TIDE awards because we wanted to benchmark ourselves and set recognised targets so that we could truly make our workplace as inclusive as possible. Our people are critical to our success and deserve to work in a culture where everyone feels valued, empowered and inspired. Having respect for each other is a central part of what we do as an organisation, and our people feel encouraged to innovate and improve because they are listened to when they speak up.”

Being part of the TIDE process is about making continual improvements and JT will participate again next year to check on progress.

Sarah Gosiewska, JT Head of Talent, added: ‘’We have put a great deal of energy into improving our training across the business, and I am delighted that it was recognised as being one of the areas that had improved in 2022, which is thanks to the amazing people we have here – there is always more to do, but we are united in our longterm goals.”

Tom Noel and Katie Corbett
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New roles at the top as JT sets its sights on transformation and growth

JT has announced changes to its Executive Committee as the company moves forward with its ambitious strategy to transform and grow the business.

Katie Corbett is taking up a newly created role as Chief Commercial Officer, with Tom Noel moving to become JT’s Chief Product Officer, having spent two years as the Director of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability. Together they will ensure that customer experience and innovation is at the forefront of JT’s business, supporting  delivery of the transformational and growth strategy.

Following his appointment in April, Daragh McDermott, JT Group’s CEO, worked with the JT Board to review the structure of the Executive Committee and then went through a thorough process before deciding to appoint Katie and Tom to their new roles.

Daragh McDermott, CEO of JT Group, said: “There are a lot of benefits to taking a step back and carrying out a thorough health check of the team that lead the execution of the company’s strategy and with the support of the new Chair, Meriel Lenfestey, and the JT Board, this was the opportunity to do just that. Our strategy is the right one for our customers and our other wide set of stakeholders, and this has not changed. But we also have an ever changing set of challenges to manage, as we transform and grow, and the appointments of Katie and Tom to these new roles will ensure  greater freedom to drive our business forward with innovative new products and a focus on providing the very best service to our customers.”

Katie, has over 25 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry, beginning her career at JT in 2010 in the Corporate Sales Team. She will focus on commercial excellence, managing the commercial activities for all JT client engagement globally.

Katie Corbett said: “The hundreds of people that make up JT have faced extraordinary challenges over the last couple of years and along with so many other professionals, have worked extremely hard to overcome them. As a business, we are constantly reviewing how we manage our core activities and our people, and I believe the changes we are announcing will give many of them new opportunities to develop their careers and take this fantastic company forward. ”

Tom takes charge of the teams developing JT’s product range, and will also take on responsibility for growing JT’s Fraud Protection Services (FPS) business. Joining JT in 2015, he oversaw the newly formed JT International division and built up the IoT business which sold last year at a valuation of £200m.

Tom Noel added: “Our strategy to serve and give back to our communities hasn’t changed, but our leadership needs the tools to improve and progress. JT has seen many changes throughout its long history and while we are moving through these challenging times, customers expect us to adapt to changing economic and political landscapes, and to do so quickly. The plans we put in place over the coming months,  will ensure we continue to serve our customers, our people and our business well into the future.’’

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Utilities come together to support The National Trust for Jersey’s ‘Green Grid’ campaign

Three of Jersey’s utility companies have joined together to support the National Trust for Jersey’s campaign to plant and restore the island’s hedgerows. Teams from Jersey Electricity, JT and Jersey Water will fund and volunteer their time to work together to create the largest continuous grid of hedge corridors in Jersey, by planting and maintaining an additional five miles around the island. This new five mile area of hedge planting will take place in the north of the Island in and around St John.

The ‘Green Grid’ partnership will enhance the existing grid of 26.5 miles of hedgerows which will help Jersey’s wildlife, landscape and natural resources to flourish.

Charles Alluto, Chief Executive of the National Trust for Jersey, said: “The ‘Green Grid’ project provides natural corridors for wildlife, enhancing biodiversity and helping to trap carbon. It’s such an important project for the island’s environment and we are so grateful for the support of these large island employers and are looking forward to working with their teams over the winter, as together we provide a much needed resource to make this happen. Without these teams the scale of the project really wouldn’t be possible.”

Daragh McDermott, CEO of JT Group, said: “Our people have supported the National Trust for Jersey for many years and we’re delighted that, three of the islands largest utilities can come together to give back to our community. As the providers of power, communications and water to islanders and business, we recognise the importance of protecting and improving our green spaces, making sure our contribution to this network allows it to thrive and contribute to island life.”

Chris Ambler, Chief Executive of Jersey Electricity, added: “Our core goal is to help Jersey realise its ambition to become carbon neutral to help reduce climate change, conserve resources and protect the environment.  It is great to be able to help build awareness of the wonderful work of The National Trust and play a real part in preserving nature.  I’m proud of the fact that our teams have come together to work on this project which is incredibly important to all our futures.”

Helier Smith, Chief Executive of Jersey Water, said: “All of our companies play a vital part in people’s lives, and we all have sustainability at the heart of what we do. It’s a natural thing for us to work together for this project as we focus on extending a ‘green grid’ on our island.’’

Financial support will also be provided by the Countryside Enhancement Scheme who have been a long-time supporter of the project.

The partnership is due to last for a year, but it is hoped that as more land becomes available for planting, then the project will continue for as long as it is needed.

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Teenage scholar is a step closer to engineering dream thanks to JT

A Jersey student who designed and built his own hovercraft is the latest to be sponsored by JT as part of a leading engineering scholarship programme. Following a rigorous selection process, Sebastian Kirkby from Victoria College has been awarded a JT Arkwright Scholarship.

The Arkwright Engineering Scholarship programme has been running for 30 years, helping 16-year-olds in the UK and the Channel Islands achieve their dream of a career in engineering, computing or technical design at university or through a higher-level apprenticeship. Every successful candidate in the Channel Islands gets financial help, access to a mentor and support from JT.

Sarah Gosiewska, Group Head of Talent, said: “Our two current scholars work closely with their JT mentors who have said they wish they’d had a similar scheme when they were doing their A Levels. As the students take a step back from their busy schedules, the mentors are there to offer vital guidance, discussing their plans, looking at their targets and supporting them as they reach important milestones and decisions. It is difficult to choose who goes forward for a scholarship as the quality is outstanding, however Seb’s use of a leaf blower within his hovercraft showed an exceptional level of imagination and ability that was really impressive. I hope this process will inspire Seb to join a challenging and rewarding industry, which is both fun and interesting, and one where you can go as far as your drive and talent will take you.”

Sebastian said: “From as long as I can remember I’ve been making and repairing things made out of wood, metal or leather – my current project is restoring an old Land Rover, hoping to get it up and running again. It’s my ambition to become an engineer, I’m genuinely fascinated by product design and the whole process of manufacturing. This scholarship will not just help me with my studies, it’s an amazing opportunity to work with people who are at the cutting edge of technology and innovation.”

JT is the only business that sponsors the scholarships in the Channel Islands and is hoping more young people will consider applying as the company continues to encourage and support involvement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects.

Flo Kirkby, Sebastian’s mum added: “Winning the scholarship will give Seb the additional support and guidance he needs as he begins a busy couple of years working towards his A Levels. I really would urge other schools to encourage their students to look at the opportunities schemes like this provide and apply for one of these prestigious awards.”

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More CI charities to benefit from the new JT Community Giving scheme

Not-for-profit organisations, schools and community groups across the Channel Islands will be able to apply for funding and other resources from a new community giving scheme launched by JT.

‘JT Community Giving’ aims to help local projects and initiatives by offering them the opportunity to apply for funding, devices, subscriptions, technical support, or even hands-on help from some of JT’s many willing volunteers.

While funding is available, the scheme offers so much more. Successful applications could request help towards anything from a charity initiative which may require some prizes to aid fundraising for a community need, an educational scheme that helps the development of digital skills for islanders, which needs some devices or connectivity, to an environmental project that requires volunteers in order to improve the biodiversity of our island for many years to come.

Daragh McDermott, CEO of JT Group, said: “JT Community Giving’ matches our ethos as a business, one that’s firmly rooted in the places and communities we live in and serve. We’ve worked with many charities and community groups over the years, and we wanted to introduce a scheme to provide as much support as we can for the breadth of those not-for-profit organisations who work so tirelessly for our community and give so much back. We want to help those who better our islands and make a real visible difference.

Kevin Keen, Chair of the Association of Jersey Charities, commented: “These are tough times for many charities, and they’re constantly seeking new sources of support and ways of giving. ‘JT Community Giving’ is a much-welcomed and vital community initiative. Targeted support like this, across so many avenues, will really help a huge number of worthwhile charities, individuals, and organisations.”

Applications are now open and will be reviewed every three months. The scheme is open to all registered charities, schools, and community groups across the Channel Islands that meet at least one of four criteria: community support, digital inclusivity, raising awareness of mental and physical health and well-being, and environmental improvement.

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The guardians of data under the spotlight: Driving trust in the protection of our personal information

As the rapid adoption of a digital-first approach continues across every part of the economy, levels of fraud have soared. An increasingly sophisticated ecosystem of organised cybercriminals has led to mounting financial losses and greatly damaged customers’ experience, and more importantly their trust in how data processors and controllers safeguard their personal information.

Leading expert, Clare Messenger, Head of Fraud Protection Services at JT has been invited to lead a discussion panel on fraud prevention and management at this month’s Digital Trust World conference, examining the measures and solutions being taken to protect consumers online. Together with experts from UK Finance, Remote Payment Channels, Vodafone Identity Hub and FICO they will explore what digital trust means and what measurable steps can be taken to improve the trustworthiness of digital technologies through security and responsible technology use.

JT is an industry leader when it comes to customer security. Located in Jersey, Channel Islands one of the world’s premier financial jurisdictions, with years of experience in delivering stability and security for their business partners, JT’s innovative services are empowering clients to align with industry regulations and protect their consumers.

Clare said: “Businesses need to simultaneously combat fraud and provide customers with a seamless digital experience, if not, their trust in us is at stake. More than ever, the global economy is reliant on connectivity, the use of data and innovative digital technologies. But the risks are growing every day as criminals are finding increasingly creative ways to commit fraud to steal people’s identity and money. Simple tasks, such as being able to prove you are who you say you are need to take place in milliseconds to ensure seamless customer experience – as solution providers and custodians of data we must create a secure digital world. It is the basis of building customer confidence in how a company protects their data and personal details.”

Conference organiser Alan Goode, CEO & Chief Analyst, Goode Intelligence, added: “Digital trust means the secure way that businesses and customers carry out transactions and if you think of data as being the life blood of the digital economy, then digital trust is its heart. While the concept of trust has developed over thousands of years of human civilisation, the digital world has only been around for a matter of decades and needs to catch up. This exciting event, which brings together leading technology providers with business decision makers, investors, technology integrators and solution providers such as JT, will examine what the future may hold and how these challenges are being met.”

Taking place on Monday 21st November 2022 in London, Digital Trust World 2022 covers the following interconnected themes and technologies:

  • Digital Onboarding (Identity Verification)
  • Digital Identity
  • Authentication & Privacy
  • Fraud Management

For more information on JT, please visit www.jtglobal.com/International

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JT’s home Wi-Fi service shortlisted for revolutionising user experience

JT is excited to announce that it has been shortlisted for its innovative home Wi-Fi service and is up against one of the world’s leading telecoms companies. JT, and its partner Plume, are one of three finalists for Best In-Home Wi-Fi network in the Wireless Broadband Alliance Industry Awards.

JT Total Wi-Fi was launched to give customers a better experience from their home fibre broadband network. It is competing against the French global telecommunications operator Orange in the awards which have recognised and celebrated achievements in Wi-Fi innovation for ten years.

JT teamed up with Plume, a leader in consumer experience management, two years ago to give customers improved Wi-Fi coverage and a higher level of control over their home networks. On average, homes in the Channel Islands have over 17 connected devices and more than 44,000 devices are managed through JT’s home Wi-Fi networks that are powered by Plume’s SaaS Experience Management Platform.

Learn more about how JT and Plume are revolutionising smart home experiences in this case study written by Omdia.

Pip Carpenter, JT’s Head of Commercial Market, said: “The Best In-Home Wi-Fi category recognises the operators that put their customers’ needs first. People rely on their home fibre broadband network for work, everyday tasks and entertainment, so we are delighted to be up there with some of the biggest companies in the world. What our customers like the most about it is the way it improves the distribution of their Wi-Fi signal around the home, with many reporting a massive improvement in their Wi-Fi user experience.”

The service includes content filtering and protection, and this year the parental control function on Plume HomePass has automatically protected younger family members nearly seven million times. Over 1.4 million malware attempts have been blocked and the system has prevented attempts to access customers data through spy, adware and phishing more than 450,000 times.”

Stefan van den Broek, VP Customer Success at Plume, added: “We value our partnership with JT because they share our aim of providing the best connected experience possible. Following independent tests, JT’s network was recently declared the fastest in the world, and pairing that with Plume’s cloud-based platform ensures that the highest quality of experience is maintained throughout the home and to every connected device. Our adaptive Wi-Fi, robust cybersecurity and advanced user controls combine to bring users a highly personalised and state-of-the-art smart home service.”

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Digital projects exceed expectations at Les Quennevais School

A vlog presentation on Jersey’s dolmens, drone footage of the island’s heritage sites and a stop motion film were among the 200 projects produced by Year 7 students over the summer break.

For over five years, JT has partnered with the school to support its new intake and every summer the school sets its new pupils a task to complete over the holidays. The students, all aged between 10 and 11, must produce a piece of work inspired by the lessons they were taught during their transition taster days in their last term at primary school.

This year’s theme was ‘Our Island Home’ and the introduction of a new award for best use of digital technology, sponsored by JT, inspired many to take their project to another level. The students used a wide range of technology including digital photography, coding, animation and videos to present their work. The projects were judged in each subject category the winner for the ‘Best use of Digital Technology’ was Mia Le Marquand, whose Lego stop motion video wowed the judges from JT. Just over a quarter of the presentations made this year were digital, up from 10% in previous years.

Pip Carpenter, JT’s Head of Commercial Market, said: “We have been supporting the Year 7 transition process for several years and have been blown away by the standard achieved this year, it made selecting the best project much harder than usual. I particularly liked the way that so many of the students brought their work to life using digital technology to explain their findings. One pupil produced a video of herself painting a beautiful piece of artwork, the attention to detail and ingenuity of all the projects was exceptional. Having good digital skills is essential in today’s world, and more so for these students who are tomorrow’s leaders. That’s why it’s so important for us to support the next generation as they begin this part of their learning journey, helping them to gather the skills they will need to succeed.”

Pete Jones Assistant Headteacher at Les Quennevais School, added: “This year’s Transition Project is by far our best yet with our most consistent level of work. There was certainly an increase in digital projects, largely due to JT’s support of our Transition Days and students’ ability to harness digital technology from a younger age. It was lovely to also see students use digital technology alongside their physical projects via QR links to videos that showed how their work was made or to complement their project. I can only see the number of digital projects increasing going forward and we are very grateful of JT’s ongoing support of our students’ transition experience into Les Quennevais School.”

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JT Board appoints new Chair

The Board of the JT Group is pleased to announce Meriel Lenfestey has been appointed as its new Chair, taking over from Phil Male, who has held the position since 2018. Meriel has been a Director on the JT Board since 2016 and was its Senior Independent Director until this new appointment.

Meriel is a customer experience entrepreneur with experience across a wide range of business sectors. Her attention is always on the impact business decisions have on stakeholders, in the short and long term.

After completing a Masters degree from the Royal College of Art, she worked for Microsoft in Seattle and the BBC in London in the 1990s. She founded, grew and sold a pioneering Customer Experience Design agency in London over the next 19 years. Meriel currently chairs Gemserv, a professional services and consulting firm in the energy and low carbon market, is a Non-Executive Director for Boku, an AIM listed global leader in mobile payment solutions, Aurigny in Guernsey, and two FTSE 250 infrastructure funds. She holds voluntary Board roles with the Guernsey IoD, and Art for Guernsey.

Meriel has lived and raised a family in the Channel Islands over the past 18 years.

Daragh McDermott, CEO of JT Group, said: “With her experience in the Channel Islands, and long-standing role on the JT Board, Meriel is the ideal candidate to help guide JT forward, and deliver on our five-year strategy. Making sure we deliver the very best customer experience for the future is a key part of that strategy, and Meriel is ideally placed to lead that.

She is taking over from Phil Male who helped to steer JT through some huge developments including making Jersey the first place in the world to connect full fibre broadband to every property, followed by the creation and eventual sale of the IoT business. I would like to thank Phil for his leadership, support and considerable achievements.”

Meriel Lenfestey added: “I’m really looking forward to taking over as Chair from Phil and supporting JT as we deliver our new five-year strategy. JT is already making great strides in ensuring the needs of all our stakeholders are at the heart of everything we do, and I’ll be working closely with the team to develop that further.

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Baking scarily good creations for Autism Guernsey

Halloween treats, towers of terror and deliciously wicked pumpkin-inspired delights will be judged for their spookiness, technical skill and taste at The Great Charity Bake Off for Autism Guernsey later this month.

The Halloween-themed competition that is raising money for Autism Guernsey is being judged at Les Cotils in St Peter Port, with the overall champion receiving a JT One Ultra package* worth £684.

Every bake must be Halloween themed and will need to be dropped off with their form and entry fee at Les Cotils between 9am and 10:30am on Saturday 29th October. Based on the popular TV show, there are five categories to choose from including a biscuit baking and decorating challenge for children, showstoppers and a technical ‘free from’ bake which must be either gluten/wheat free, dairy free or vegan.

The judging panel, led by the wife of the Lieutenant-Governor, Louise Cripwell, who is also a Patron of Autism Guernsey, will decide which bakers would be worthy of approval from the Great British Bake Off’s Prue Leith or a handshake from Paul Hollywood, so the pressure is on.

Joining Mrs Cripwell on the panel will be Kate Marshall, Head of Guernsey Enterprise at JT, who said: “I’m really looking forward to seeing and sampling the cakes and desserts. This is a fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of Autism Guernsey and get all those would-be bakers who have been inspired by the TV show to have a go and have some fun.”

For those that don’t fancy baking,  the event is open to the public to come along and join in the fun, enjoy a piece of cake for £3, vote for your favourite and take part in the raffle. The Showstopper cakes will be auctioned off at 4pm.

Mandy Rowlinson from Autism Guernsey, added: “The phenomenal success of programmes like the Great British Bake Off has inspired people to try their hand at chocolate ganache, baked Alaska and even showstopping toadstool cakes. Their creations are only limited by their imagination, and I really hope that we have some fantastically scary cakes and bakes in this competition. The judges will be looking for the wow factor but if they taste good too, then they should be onto a winning formula because those that don’t want to bake and are just there for cake can vote for their favourites too.”

The event takes place at Les Cotils between 9am and 10:30am on Saturday 29th October. Further details and entry forms are available from Autism Guernsey by calling Mandy Rowlinson on 01481 232879 or office@autismguernsey.org.gg.