As the Small Business Charter celebrates its 10th anniversary its network of accredited business schools are primed to support the new government’s ambitions for growth.
The Small Business Charter is calling on the Government to accelerate an SME-led economic recovery by continuing to utilise its network of expert business schools and build on the success of productivity programmes such as the Help to Grow: Management Course.
According to the latest government data the programme, which is delivered by Small Business Charter accredited business schools, had enrolled 9,140 business leaders as of March 2024. 93% of participants reported having greater confidence in leading and managing their business, and 85% reported being better able to innovate within their business.
With over 60 business schools delivering the programme nationwide and 70% of participants from outside London and the South East, the programme is empowering small business success and economic growth across the UK.
The Labour Party’s manifesto has promised to support SMEs and economic growth and create a highly trained workforce to deliver its Industrial Strategy. The Small Business Charter say business schools are ideally placed to achieve this vision.
In a report published today, the Small Business Charter highlights its track record of partnering with government to boost productivity and support small business survival and growth. Through the Small Business Leadership Programme, which ran during Covid between 2020-2021, 44% of participating businesses reported at least a partial link between the course and their business’s ability to survive the pandemic.
86% of participants said their businesses took action to target longer-term benefits in productivity and business growth. Participating firms were 48% more likely to have seen growth in their total number of employees compared to a control group of SMEs.
Ten years on from the launch of the Small Business Charter, there are now 67 accredited business schools within reach of SMEs in every region and nation across the UK and Ireland, recognised for their expertise in supporting small businesses, student entrepreneurship and their local economies.
Michael Hayman MBE, Chair of the Small Business Charter, said:
“The new Labour Government has an invaluable opportunity to realise growth for tens of thousands of SMEs across the country with the Small Business Charter’s trusted 10-year track record of expertise. The Small Business Charter’s world-class business schools empower small business success and their unparalleled local connections make them an engine for economic growth.
“Help to Grow: Management has had a substantial impact on SME productivity and growth and we are calling for the Government to continue to partner with our network of business schools to deliver growth up and down the country”.
Professor Tim Vorley, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Oxford Brookes Business School, and Vice Chair of the Small Business Charter, said:
"The last 10 years have shown the transformational impact of the Small Business Charter and its accredited business schools who can be at the forefront of empowering an SME-led economic recovery. The Small Business Charter, its accredited business schools and our programmes such as the Help to Grow: Management Course play a vital role fostering vibrant and dynamic local economies that are fit to grow. Our track record speaks for itself and we urge the Government to utilise our network of connected and expert business schools as partners for achieving its growth ambitions.”