LBRO - Partners - Business Diversity

LBRO has now become BRDO. If you're not redirected within a couple of seconds, click here:
BRDO

Business Diversity Summit

Overview

The Business Diversity Summit took place on 26th October 2011 at the BIS Conference Centre, London. The Summit was chaired by Clive Grace and Uday Dholakia, LBRO Board Members, and attended by Business Minister Mark Prisk who made the opening remarks.

The Summit was very well attended and the feedback from delegates was very positive. Mark Prisk stated that he was keen to hear about the outcomes from the day and the key recommendations for the next steps.

Aims of the Summit

To bring together key parties representing a stake in the improved delivery of regulation for diverse businesses.
To facilitate dialogue and develop a common purpose on the issue of regulatory compliance for diverse businesses and examine in more detail the approaches that might support better regulatory delivery.
To share diverse businesses' issues with central government departments and national regulators to ensure they recognise the importance of diversity in supporting the wider growth agenda.
To include discussion of the issues and approaches examined through the local project work conducted and a number of positive case studies.
To develop recommendations for taking this work forward.

Outline Programme

Introduction to the day - Clive Grace, Chair of LBRO
Opening remarks and discussion with attendees - Business Minister, Mark Prisk
Setting the Scene - Role of Regulation in Business Growth
Diverse Business Perspectives on Regulation
Panel discussion and Q&A on diverse businesses and understanding their needs
Way Forward - next steps and recommendation

Agenda

Presentation - Paul Adams, Environmental Health Service Manager, Luton Borough Council

Presentation - Wade Lyn, Managing Director, Cleone Foods

Photographs

Attendee List

On the Day

Mark Prisk made some opening remarks and considered: "Can regulation support diverse businesses?"

He posed the following questions to the delegates: "What are the issues affecting BMEs? Were there some cautions to be considered as they are entrepreneurs first?"

The Minister was interested in good practice examples in regulatory delivery and where these helped change culture.

The Minister stated that he was interested in hearing about the outcomes of the day.

Key discussion points on regulatory barriers raised during the discussion with the Minister:

Businesses aim to be responsible retailers but issues relating to proxy sales are not being resolved.
A one in/one out approach was introduced but business has yet to feel any impact.
There is concern about consistency of approach by trading standards.
For many Asian businesses the new approach for completing VAT online is difficult and not making things simpler.
Businesses also face other regulatory issues which affect them which are not addressed - such as parking.
Trade Associations in Leicester and Leicestershire were heavily involved in the Leicester and Leicestershire LEP and there was a live challenge going on that day. Regulation is top of the agenda and small businesses need to know about these matters, especially those that are not part of a trade association or with in-house regulatory officers.
Business felt that regulators should take into account existing policies and procedures especially where they were subject to robust third party audits.
Assured business advice was needed to enable businesses to make investment decision such as building and equipment decisions which affected their capacity to grow.

Summary of key recommendations from the delegates to take forward:

Change the culture of regulatory delivery from enforcement to support.
Give greater advice and support, especially for start ups.
Identify key barriers for diverse businesses, which are different from SMEs.
Encourage national regulators to engage more - the LEPs may assist in the process.
Provide more effective signposting - e.g. the Leicester and Leicestershire LEP model with inclusion of national regulators.

Regulators should:

Work with businesses in a more open and transparent manner to build trust, with more listening.
Work smarter and use innovative approaches to support businesses into compliance.
Develop a stronger understanding of the life cycle of businesses, and adapt the support provided to a business to its position in the cycle.
Develop a stronger understanding of businesses in terms of their operations, perceptions and needs.
Focus on engagement and consultation. Businesses are unable to shape the regulatory environment if they do not know their regulators. Plain English should be used to improve the perception of the regulatory services - e.g. losing the word ‘enforcement' from job titles and using ‘support'.

JPG: Diversity 01

Mark Prisk MP

JPG: Diversity 02

Mahendra Singh Jadeja
Former President of National Federation of Retail Newsagents

JPG: Diversity 03

From left: Wade Lyn, Cleone Foods

Pankaj Pancholi, Just Eggs Foods Ltd

Paul Adams, Luton Borough Council

Clive Grace, LBRO

Uday Dholakia OBE, LBRO

Background

Diverse businesses in particular often face specific challenges when accessing and using support networks designed to facilitate regulatory compliance. Although such businesses have been shown to make significant economic contributions to the UK economy, leading experts in the field of diversity have noted that they received limited direct attention in business support policies. Others have called for business support providers to understand the real needs of entrepreneurs from all sections of society, and not simply the requirements of the relatively small proportion that routinely engage with mainstream providers and signposting bodies such as Business Link - or through their business representative organisations and Trade Associations.

Experience has shown meeting their individual needs leads to strong, prosperous business communities, the engine for UK growth and economic recovery.

Different types of business models such as women and ethnic minority led SMEs, those led by young people and /or those based in rural areas, as well as micro-businesses, start ups and social entrepreneurs, are significant players in the SME landscape.

To succeed, diverse business models require diverse approaches - not least in the area of regulation.

The Government's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) *estimates that:

15.5% of SMEs are majority women-led - equating to c.690,000 SMEs and contributing £50 billion to Gross Value Added. (10% of the UK SME GVA total)
6.3% of SMEs are minority ethnic group led - equating to c.280,00 SMEs and contributing £25 billion to Gross Value Added (5% of the UK SME GVA total)

* These are only estimates and therefore the true figures may be much more and the potential figures for growth may be greater.

Disclaimer | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy