The accreditation
Southampton Business School has been accredited with the Small Business Charter Award, in recognition of its commitment to supporting small businesses, student entrepreneurship, and the local economy.
The school has demonstrated its commitment to nurturing SME growth in the region through its involvement in a range of locally funded projects, including the Green Salon Collective, which explores innovative ways to reduce carbon impact; and the UK Space Agency, demonstrating the range of impacts on SME growth into new markets alongside scientists from the University of Edinburgh, the University of Surrey, and the University of Leicester.
Southampton Business School is supported by key entrepreneurs in the region; The assessment panel noted Southampton’s ‘outward facing’ ethos; the school’s connections with local LEPs and knowledge exchange initiatives are vital in providing support for local SMEs.
The school’s strategy, investment and activities are testament to its mission to engage SMEs and other enterprises in the student entrepreneurial journey. Southampton put a great deal of resource into translating research into joint cooperative action with local SMEs and the student body, to achieve growth through specialist technology innovation.
The panel were particularly impressed with Southampton’s SETSquared scale-up project, which matches local SMEs to relevant support within the business school. Interest in other initiatives such as the Catalyst programme, and other knowledge exchange projects is high, with SME demand often higher than the places available.
The Small Business Charter Award is a national accreditation, assessed by small business leaders, to recognise business schools which demonstrate excellence in supporting small businesses, student enterprise, and the local economy. Southampton Business School will hold the award for 3 years. There are currently 64 business schools that hold the SBC Award in the UK and Ireland.
Professor Laura Costanzo, Head of Southampton Business School said:
“We are thrilled to have been accredited with the Small Business Charter. Working with businesses of all sizes, whether large or small, from Microsoft and JP Morgan to locally based Lionel Hitchen Ltd and The Forest Foodie, we can help owners and managers to tackle their business challenges, pursue new opportunities and boost productivity.”
“We have experts in many specialisms, ranging from data analytics and risk management, digital marketing, fintech, corporate governance, to future ways of working, sustainable entrepreneurship, family business management, and sustainability reporting. We engage with industry at local, national and international level to support economic growth and through consultancy and collaboration, we develop real-world solutions informed by research.”
Barney Roe, Interim Chief Executive of the Chartered Association of Business Schools said:
“We’d like to congratulate Southampton Business School on its Small Business Charter Award. They have clearly demonstrated their dedication to supporting local SMEs, through a wide-ranging portfolio of initiatives. It is fantastic that Southampton utilises its links with local stakeholders to create a robust framework of support for SMEs in the local region, and we look forward to continuing to develop our relationship with them.”