The results compare favourably against industry competitors at 8.1%, and the UK average of 14.9%. Their shareholder, An Post, has reported parity and Air Business is keen to achieve the same.

Air Business has made excellent progress in narrowing the gender pay gap. Reporting regulations were introduced in 2017, when it became a legal obligation for UK employers of 250+ staff to identify and publish any gender pay gaps within their organisation.

Clare Wheeler, Chief People & Sustainability Officer, added: “We are incredibly proud that we have again reduced the gender pay gap at Air Business, ensuring that all of our people are fairly renumerated based on their contribution to our business, rather than their gender.”

This category recognises suppliers to the media industry who have gone the extra mile in their partnerships with professional publishers, with an exemplary record of customer service, who regularly over-deliver, ensure challenges are overcome with minimal fuss and proactively suggest initiatives that deliver.

Air Business also sponsors the ‘Media Brand of the Year (Consumer Media)’ award, and we look forward to congratulating the winner in what promises to be a very competitive category.

The Awards ceremony takes place on 28 June in London. View the full shortlist here.

The 14th year of the partnership will see Air Business as the sole sponsor of the PPA Member Reception, taking place on 12 September as well as Strategic Partner of the PPA Festival and PPA Awards, which have undergone exciting changes in both location and content. They will also be supporting the PPA’s celebration of young talent – the 30 Under 30 Awards and PPA Independent Publisher Awards this Autumn/Winter.

Air Business is a staunch supporter of the publishing sector and has invested significantly to evolve to meet the needs of publishers and media companies. Its range of services include subscription management and e-commerce fulfilment as well as warehousing and domestic and international distribution.

Sajeeda Merali, PPA CEO commented: “I am absolutely delighted to continue our strategic partnership with Adam Sherman and his team at Air Business. Over the last 13 years, they have been great advocates for us and our industry, and we are very happy to have their support of the new PPA direction.”

Adam Sherman, Air Business’ Chief Executive Officer, added: “The publishing sector is constantly evolving, and as a key cog in the supply chain, Air Business has worked hard to meet the ever-changing needs of its customers. As Strategic Partner of the PPA we are excited to support publishers as they move into new markets and diversify their services. Throughout all of the challenges the industry has faced over recent years, our passion and loyalty for the publishing industry remains as strong as ever, and will continue to do so into the future. The PPA’s recent rebrand has strengthened its position as the voice of the industry and we are thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Sajeeda and her team.”

Key Publishing is a multi-platform media company delivering specialist content across the globe. Still independently owned, they are home to the largest and most comprehensive consumer aviation media portfolio anywhere.

The agreement includes global consumer and business magazine subscription mailings as well as e-commerce items such as books, calendars and gifts. The e-commerce orders are expected to reach around 100,000 packages over the next 12 months.

Karen Bean, Head of Operations at Key Publishing, commented: “We were extremely impressed with how Air Business approached the tender process. Although we have been working with them for the past three years, they didn’t take anything for granted and went to great lengths to ensure that all of our needs were met and all of our questions were answered.”

Adam Sherman, Chief Executive Officer at Air Business, added: “We are excited to provide an extensive distribution service offering for Key Publishing which includes e-commerce, and delighted to see a business in the publishing industry thriving.”

Feefo is a cloud-based consumer review and rating management software which enables users to collect, manage and respond to consumer feedback.

This coveted award is given only to companies that deliver time and time again for their customers and place them at the heart of all they do. Air Business provides a complete outsourced customer service solution for Future, so this recognition is testament to the efforts and commitment of the customer service operation and its seamless delivery.

Paul Hatch, Group Customer Director at Air Business, said: “I’m delighted for Future and immensely proud of the role our team plays in delivering a great customer experience. We are constantly striving to deliver exceptional service for all our clients and their customers so this recognition from Feefo is greatly appreciated.”

Although their teams are continuing to work on a resolution, there are no clear timeframes available for the resumption of services. Therefore, we have made the decision that no further international jobs will be routed via Royal Mail until these issues have been resolved; all mailings will be despatched using equivalent services.

If you do have any specific concerns, please get in touch with your account manager or client relationship executive.

If you are seeking new postal solutions and would like to discuss with a member of the team please call us on 01727 890 600 or email at hello@airbusiness.com.

Phil Ions, Chief Operating Officer at Air Business, commented: “We are constantly reviewing our contingency plans, and with an impending energy crisis and whisperings about power shortages this winter, we weren’t willing to take any chances with our distribution operation.”

Chief Executive Officer, Adam Sherman, added: “We are fully committed to delivering for our customers so the generator provides an additional level of security to ensure that any potential disruption is minimised. The generator is capable of powering the entire site, enabling us to work at full capacity throughout any potential outages.”

Air Business already has a backup generator in place at its offices in Haywards Heath, where the company’s subscriptions arm is based.

The PPA Independent Publisher Awards are held annually and bring together the UK independent publishing community. The awards recognise and celebrate exceptional individuals and companies who have delivered standout work and made a difference in the sector over the past 12 months.

Adam Sherman, Chief Executive Officer at Air Business, commented: “I am immensely proud of the whole team at Air Business, and thrilled that we have been recognised with such a prestigious award. We are fully committed to supporting our partners in the publishing industry in meeting and exceeding their goals through delivering high quality services, with the customer at the heart of everything we do.”

Judges commented that “Air Business consistently delivers for its clients with strong communication and industry visibility. The panel were impressed with the focus on sustainability and the robust and methodological approaches to setting targets and supporting customers. It’s great to see a business taking a holistic approach and helping their partners transition to a greener future”.

Q: When a publisher gets a too-good-to-be-true price from a supplier, what warning signals should it send?

A: It’s an old adage, but if something appears too good to be true, it usually is – it’s an immediate red flag for me. Publishers should always consider the impact of their choices on the end consumer. Every part of the publishing process, from researching a subscription through to receiving and opening a print publication, or logging in to access a digital edition, has an impact on the individual consumer’s experience, their perception of that brand, and their long-term relationship to it.

I have always put huge emphasis on quality when it comes to products and services, particularly those that I choose to purchase, so anything which undervalues these heavily implies a reduction in quality. There are a number of actions you could take to perform some basic due diligence:

Ask the supplier to explain how they are able to provide such a competitive quote, including a breakdown of the associated costs. Also, which third parties will they use, this is very important.

Speak to the supplier’s existing customers (looking beyond testimonials published on their website) to get a realistic understanding of what they are delivering.

Check review websites such as Trustpilot and Feefo for their other publishing customers. Dissatisfied consumers are much more open to venting their frustrations in today’s digital world.

Read the full interview here.

John’s comments were published by InPublishing, in October 2022, as part of a broader article which features insights and opinions from leading suppliers to the publishing sector and senior subscriptions specialists at UK publishing companies. Read the full article here.