ict
active awards first accreditation
to
Sheffield workspace
A managed workspace in
Sheffield has become the first property
ever to be accredited as ict active.
Leader of Sheffield City
Council, Councillor Jan Wilson, presented
the pioneering award to The Quadrant Parkway
Business Centre on 27th November 2007.
ict active is a new South
Yorkshire-based scheme that accredits properties
which have good ICT infrastructure and
helps businesses find workplaces that can
support their needs.
The accreditation, which
is supported by Yorkshire Forward and Business
Link South Yorkshire, is the first of its
kind in Britain and will reinforce the
region’s status as one of the best
places in the country for business.
On announcing the Quadrant
as the first ict active property Councillor
Wilson said: “I am very pleased that
not only South Yorkshire but also Sheffield
is leading the way again with this award
and I look forward to the roll out of ict
active across the region and further afield.”
To become accredited
as ict active The Quadrant had to undergo
a thorough technical survey which tested
various aspects of its ICT facilities including
the fixed infrastructure and the provision
of telephony and internet. The survey was
carried out by experts from South Yorkshire
ICT specialists The Wired Workplace, who
have been closely involved in the scheme
from the start.
The property, which has
suites ranging from 269 sq ft to 3,000
ft, passed the assessment with ease. Features
such as The Quadrant’s provision
of a range of internet packages and VPN
connectivity so that tenants can work from
home make the building a well thought out
workplace.
On gaining the accreditation
Centre Manager, Jim Coleman, said: “ICT
is vital to any business’ day to
day operations and that is why we aim to
have the best infrastructure possible.
We are very proud to
gain the first ict active accreditation,
it will give prospective tenants the confidence
that we have an ICT infrastructure that
can support there business and that they
can rely on.”
Jim Farmery, Head of
Innovation at Yorkshire Forward adds; “Good
IT systems are not just an administrative
tool, they can help companies work more
efficiently, improve their customer service – even
access new markets.
“This accreditation
scheme will allow companies to access good
quality facilities, like the Quadrant,
more easily, which in turn will allow them
to grow their business.”
Fifteen other properties
across South Yorkshire including Sheffield
Digital Campus and Directions Finningley
have signed up to ict active and are currently
undergoing assessment.
Once a development has
been accredited it receives a plaque and
is added to the ict active website database,
allowing prospective tenants to search
for a property that matches their business’s
ICT needs.
Any business property
in South Yorkshire can undergo an ict active
assessment and like The Quadrant become
one of the first workplaces in Britain
to make their ICT infrastructure a major
selling point. Thanks to Objective 1 financial
backing through Yorkshire Forward and Business
Link South Yorkshire anyone who signs up
by April 2008 will have their survey free
of charge.
