Waste management company Viridor has announced it will be running online workshops in Glasgow later this month for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and social enterprises to assist them in dealing with the challenges the coronavirus has brought to their business.

The workshops will be delivered by Viridor’s Glasgow Recycling and Renewable Energy Centre (GRREC) at Polmadie, which was opened in August of last year.

The webinars, which will take place on 23 and 30 April, are free of charge. The first workshop will address mental health: how to cultivate productive work habits from home and maintain spirits during lockdown. The second considers how businesses can boost their Twitter outreach, gaining new followers engaging with their enterprise.

Since 2013, the GRREC has facilitated 160 workshops involving 859 businesses and has opened the site for educational visits from 2,176 students from 146 schools.

Community Benefits Officer, Karen MacCormack, who is based at GRREC, said: “Like many thousands of people I am working from home and it’s clear that businesses around the country are having to adapt very quickly to this new way of operating.

“We have hosted various face to face workshops since 2013 but obviously current circumstances mean this isn’t possible. That’s why we are trialing our workshops online. Many SMEs and social enterprises are continuing to need help and advice and we hope that our sessions planned for later this month will be the start of a series of online workshops available until the current health crisis passes.”

Márcia Pinho, founder of believe-IN. Make it Happen!®️, who will lead the first workshop on 23 April, said: “These are certainly unprecedented times and it’s more important than ever to ensure we take care of our psychological well-being and mental health. Suddenly having to work from home when we’re not used to it can have a marked impact on how we feel so it’s crucial to get into a routine as quickly as possible.

“I’ll be discussing ways in which we can alleviate stress and anxiety, for effective decision-making, as well as offering easy tips on how to plan effectively. I’m really looking forward to working with Viridor and helping small businesses from around Glasgow cope with the challenging situation we are all in.”

Alistair Campbell from Two Hour Digital, who will be leading the session planned for 30 April, commented: “The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has meant social media is crucial especially for small businesses who are having to adapt very quickly to a different way of working. My workshop is designed to offer advice, support and practical solutions to help develop and enhance their Twitter strategies so that they can continue to be as operational as possible during these challenging times.

“It is also great to be partnering with Viridor Glasgow on this initiative as they use the latest technologies to adapt their Community Benefits programme to help local businesses through this current situation.”

Last month, the Pennon Group entered into a £4.2-billion agreement for the sale of Viridor to newly-formed company Planets UK Bidco Limited. Commenting on the transaction, Chris Loughlin, Pennon’s Chief Executive, commented: “The transaction is great news for shareholders as it recognises the strategic value that Pennon has developed and nurtured in Viridor over many years and accelerates the realisation of that value for shareholders.”