JT provides Autism Jersey with a smart way to raise funds

JT is donating smartphone accessories to its charity partner Autism Jersey so they can raise funds to continue their vital work in the community.

The accessories, which are still widely used by islanders but no longer sold by JT, will now be available from the Autism Jersey shop which has become a popular hub in The Parade. Customers can buy them at a discount, with 100% of the proceeds going straight to the charity.

The shop also provides somewhere for people on the autism spectrum and their families to meet, find out information and receive support.

Pip Carpenter, Head of Commercial Market, said: “Autism Jersey’s vision is that everyone on the autism spectrum is given the opportunity and support to reach their full potential in an inclusive community, and we fully support that. As a responsible business that believes in the circular business model, we’re donating surplus accessories to our charity partner so they can benefit from selling them alongside their range of excellent products in the Autism Jersey shop.”

Lesley Harrison, Head of Charitable Services at Autism Jersey, added: “Working with our partners at JT is really helping us to boost the profile of our charity and is helping to increase the acceptance of autistic individuals in our community. Our fundraising activities are really important so we’re over the moon that JT has been able to donate surplus stock for us to sell, using the money raised to support our services. Not everyone has the latest smartphone so it’s great that we can sell accessories to people who already have a phone but need to replace the cover. The AJ Boutique on the Parade has a dual purpose of being shop, and a hub where people can get support and information about autism. It’s also somewhere autistic individuals can gain work experience.”



JT accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management for their future leaders programme

JT has become the first employer in Jersey to become accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management after having two of its Internal training programmes independently assessed against the Insititute’s robust framework, to become Institute Approved. The accreditation further marks the business’ commitment to the development of its people and future leaders.

The telecoms company has signed up 29 of its people onto the courses with the introductory sessions starting last week. There are 12 people from JT on the ‘Aspire’ course which gives them the opportunity to accelerate their careers through the development of a range of early management skills. A further 17 members were put forward for the ‘Accelerate’ programme, which enhances the capability of JT’s talented people managers to create and support high performing, highly engaged teams.

The Institute of Leadership and Management has an active community of over 50,000 leaders, managers and coaches. They create award winning learning resources and undertake practical research to support individuals and businesses, such as BT, the Royal British Legion and Siemens Energy in developing and inspiring great leadership everywhere.

Gaynor Lewis, Director of Strategic Partnerships, from the Institute of Leadership and Management, said: ‘It is so great to see businesses like JT investing in the development of its people and providing them with lifelong skills. We’re very proud to support the two programmes and we wish JT’s employees the best of luck as they develop and grow into the leaders of tomorrow.”

Nicola Reeves, JT Group HR Director, said: “Being accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management is a real boost for our training and development plans and provides a world-class leadership development experience for our people. JT is committed to supporting the ambitions and drive of our team members, investing in our people and helping them grow. We want to attract and nurture the very best island talent as we encourage a culture of continuous learning, building on our reputation as a great place to work and grow a career. These programmes will equip our people with world-class skills and qualifications that will help them to succeed and give them the recognition that they deserve as valued members of the JT team.”

JT is also a key advocate of Learning at Work Week. Commencing next week (16th May), leaders and specialists from around the business are hosting a series of virtual showcases with the aim of providing colleagues with new skills and knowledge sharing.



JT supports Alternative Transport Week

Alternative Transport Week, between 16th and 20th May, challenges islanders to leave their cars at home and either walk, cycle, run or take the bus to work. To help spread awareness of the many alternate transport options available and show its support for the initiative, JT is sponsoring four EVie cargo bikes during the week, which will be available for people to try for free.

The telecoms company is also encouraging their own people to use alternative travel for the week, as well as encouraging the whole community to share scenic routes on their commute by using the GPS function on their phone or other wearable technology to plot their route, creating a community social board for the best routes around the Island.

Gill Knights, JT Group General Counsel and Head of Sustainability at JT, said: “The future of transport must be sustainable, and here in Jersey there are plenty of opportunities to use alternative modes that don’t involve jumping in our cars. At JT we’ve made a commitment to become carbon neutral in scope 1 and 2 emissions, by 2030 and ensure our business and our products are a force for good. We already encourage and support our people to cycle,  by offering a subsidy towards the purchase or servicing of a bicyle and we’ve joined eVie’s pan-island Corporate Partner Programme which provides employees at JT with a discount on their e-bikes and e-vehicles hire. By sponsoring the eVie cargo bikes during this week we hope islanders will see just how much they can achieve, and carry without their car. There are sustainable solutions to climate warming caused by fossil fuel emissions, and together we can make a difference, no matter how small, starting with being mindful about how we travel and walking, running, cycling or getting the bus, wherever possible.”

Kate Huntington, the creator of Alternative Transport Week, added: “The idea behind Alternative Transport Week is to get people thinking about their choices when it comes to how they get about the island. I switched my car for a cargo bike three years ago and use it  for all the daily tasks I would have previously used my car for, and I love it. I’d like to thank JT and all the businesses taking part, they’ve all been incredibly supportive.”

Anyone wanting to take up the JT sponsored offer of a free cargo bike for a day during Alternative Transport Week should apply directly to Alternative Transport Week via its facebook page (enter link).  Successful applicants will then be provided with a code which they can use directly on the EVie website when booking their cargo bike.

More info on Alternative Transport Week can be found by visiting Alternative Transport Week on Facebook and alternativetransportweekjersey on Instagram.



Protecting critical information from a cyber pandemic

Having up to date and effective cybersecurity is more vital now than ever, and a Chamber of Commerce briefing next month will focus on what businesses can do to improve their cybersecurity in the face of growing threats.

JT is sponsoring a breakfast briefing on Thursday 19th May at the Royal Yacht, which will include security specialist insights, local cyber intelligence, and a discussion on just how to secure your business-critical information.

An expert panel of specialists from the world of cybersecurity will discuss how to prepare for and mitigate against potential cyber threats.

Katie Corbett, Interim Managing Director, JT Channel Islands, said: “Mandatory training on the systems, policies and processes that make a business function has always been seen as a core requirement for any company. But now, more than ever before, it has become vital that companies prioritise the training for all staff on cybersecurity threats. They must be kept up to date with the latest methods utilised by attackers and how to spot and prevent cyberattacks. As corporate governance and regulatory bodies place more and more emphasis on meeting security compliance metrics it is a significant challenge for any business to keep up. It’s often by learning from experts at events such as this that those responsible for setting the standards in their own organisation can feel adequately equipped to deal with such pressures.”

Jennifer Carnegie, President of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce, added: “Cyber criminals have no respect for national boundaries, so we are all vulnerable to attack. It is vital that businesses, large and small, are aware of the threat, pass that awareness on to their people and make sure they are properly trained to deal with it. It only takes one slip up to cause a breach that puts a company and their customers’ data at risk.”

JT provides cyber threat advisory and managed cybersecurity services that help organisations identify, understand and control their security risks.



World Password Day 2022

Password Best Practices for World Password Day 2022

Author:
Emily Martins
Cybersecurity Consultant, JT Enterprise

World Password Day

It is estimated that at least 60% of people use the same password for every account, with 81% of data breaches occurring as a direct result of poor password security.

What’s worse is that an astonishing 23.2m people use the password 123456, with 123456789, qwerty and password all also appearing in the top 10 most common passwords.

Using the same password for everything may seem tempting, who can really keep up with the ever-increasing number of online accounts? But by reusing passwords you’re putting your data more at risk.

Our top tips for password security

1. Select strong but memorable passwords

Strong Password
Human minds are predictable, and we tend to create unoriginal and predictable passwords, for example swapping out “o” for 0 or adding a random character (such as !) at the end in an attempt to meet complexity criteria, without truly creating a more secure password. And remembering a whole host of unique and complex passwords is a feat that the majority of us just can’t manage.

The NCSC now recommends using a passphrase made up of three random words rather than complex passwords, and the reason behind this makes so much sense:

  • Passphrases are much easier to create, remember and use than a string of letters, numbers and special characters, making it simpler to have a different one for each login
  • The longer a password is the more secure it becomes, and a passphrase will easily satisfy this requirement without resorting to adding predictable characters to the end just to hit the minimum character limit
  • Passphrases encourage a range of different passwords, so you can really have fun with what you create
  • It’s an easy concept to remember, think about how “three random words” sounds compared to “1 capital, 1 lower case, 1 number and 1 special character”

Of course, if you don’t want to create your own passwords you can always use a random password generator, which brings us to our next point;.

 

2. Use a password manager

Password ManagerPassword managers are incredibly useful and powerful tools, and they do more than just storing your passwords.

Most password managers offer a free option and provide the ability to generate unique passwords that can conform to any password requirement, and the great thing is you can store and recall passwords directly from browser add-ons or from an app on your phone. No more writing your information down on notepads or re-using the same unsecure password over and over.

There are other benefits to using password managers, some even let you securely share your passwords, store payment details and even provide dark web monitoring.

And when you use a password manager you only need to remember one password, just make sure that it’s a suitably strong one and enable multi-factor authentication;

 

3. Enable multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authenticationWhere possible you should enable multi-factor authentication (“mfa”) on your accounts. When used effectively this means that even if your password is compromised an attacker would also need to have a second method of verifying your account, usually via SMS or authentication app.

The best place to start is to secure accounts that would have the highest impact if they became compromised; bank accounts, personal email, online shopping, social media etc. And once you’ve exhausted this list any time you log in to a different account check if they offer mfa and enable it.

And lastly;

 

4. Think – do you really need that login?

Need that login?Another way to protect yourself online is by reducing your digital footprint. Most of us will have accounts that we created years ago that haven’t been used in a long time. By deleting these accounts you can reduce the risk that your personal data will be leaked, especially if the service is no longer being maintained as this could mean security hasn’t been updated and could be compromised more easily.

How secure is your business?

Cyber threats are continually evolving, and its imperative that your business is protected to prevent the latest information security threats, vulnerabilities and risks.

Reliable security can only be built on a combination of well-trained people, sound governance, accurate reporting and delivered by correctly configured technology.

JT provides cyber threat advisory and managed cybersecurity services that help organisations identify, understand and control their security risks. Reach out to our team to find out how we can support your requirements today.