Flora Hamilton, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter (SBC) and CEO of the Chartered Association of Business Schools, has joined the National Business Mentoring Council. The Council, which was referenced in the Government’s Small Business Plan published on 31 July 2025, will enhance the quality and accessibility of business mentoring to help drive growth of businesses across the United Kingdom.
The Council, co-chaired by the Association of Business Mentors and the ScaleUp Institute, and supported by the Department for Business & Trade, brings together senior representatives from across regions and nations involved in business mentoring, finance, entrepreneurship, and academia. Its mission is to reduce sector fragmentation, strengthen professional pathways for mentors, share data and industry trends, and promote the benefits of and access to mentoring for SMEs, startups, and scaling firms. The Council will also support government strategies that foster business growth and resilience.
Flora Hamilton, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter and CEO of the Chartered Association of Business Schools, said:
“We are delighted to join the National Business Mentoring Council. Mentoring can have a transformative impact on small businesses. This is evident in the successful Government backed Help to Grow: Management course delivered by SBC-accredited business schools, where mentoring is one of the features participants value in supporting their growth journey. The creation of the Council represents a fantastic opportunity for a joined-up approach to mentoring across Government, industry, education, and mentoring providers to ensure small businesses can access the support available to them. Business schools have a hugely important role to play in this conversation as both mentoring providers themselves and as gateways to connect SMEs with business support.”
Find out more about the National Business Mentoring Council.