The Small Business Charter (SBC) kicked off its tenth anniversary celebrations in the devolved nations with an event in Belfast during Global Entrepreneurship Week. The event brought together key figures in academia, entrepreneurship, and business groups to discuss the challenges unique to the Irish economies and what support SMEs need to help them accelerate productivity and growth.
Held at the Ulster University Belfast campus, the event brought together SBC-accredited business schools from Ireland for the first time, including representatives from Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University, and Dublin City University.
The Lord Mayor of Belfast opened the event. In his address he said:
“As Lord Mayor of Belfast, I am privileged to witness firsthand the breadth and diversity of business activity in our city. From innovative tech start-ups to long-established family enterprises, Belfast is alive with entrepreneurial spirit. Our city has become a hub for creativity, innovation, and resilience, driven by the passion and determination of our local business community.”
In her opening remarks Professor Gillian Armstrong MBE, Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean, Ulster University Business School noted:
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, playing a crucial role in the local communities and high streets. Business schools can’t solve all the challenges facing SMEs, but we can continue to support them and enable them to a play a role in driving economic growth in Northern Ireland. We’re a small business economy; we couldn’t survive without SMEs.”
A keynote speech from entrepreneur, small business advocate, and the Chair of Policy and Advocacy for the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Tina McKenzie MBE looked at the current climate for small businesses in Ireland:
“Around 99% of the businesses have less than 250 staff members. They account for 65% of all employment. This is far larger than big businesses and the public sector put together. If we can all hire one more person, it makes a big difference in the economy.”
In the wake of the recent budget announcements, Tina issued a challenge to the government to go further in helping small business to help them with the uncertainties they are facing:
“Imagine what our politicians could achieve if they took the calculated risks that our entrepreneurs take every day.”
Following the keynote, Dr. Karen Bonner, Principal Economist at Ulster University Economic Policy Centre led a panel discussion with business leaders who have benefited from engaging with SBC-accredited business schools across the island of Ireland.
The panel featured Iain Wilson, CEO of IBC-Music and Colette Johnston, Company Secretary of InspecVision, both alumni of the Help to Grow: Management Course, alongside Rosy Temple, CEO of Magee Clothing in Donegal.
Drawing on their experiences of running small businesses, the panel explored how they are implementing sustainability, innovation, and leadership development in their companies.
In his concluding remarks, Professor Stewart Robinson, Chair of the Chartered ABS and Dean of Newcastle University Business School said:
“The relationship between business schools and small businesses is mutually beneficial. Through programmes like Help to Grow: Management, we are seeing measurable improvements in the success of small businesses and impacts on local economies. This is just the beginning of a broader effort to ensure that all small businesses, regardless of location, have access to the expertise, advice, and networks that can help them grow.”
The SBC's tenth anniversary tour will continue to highlight the positive impact that university business schools are having on small businesses across the UK.
The next event in the tour will be the Lord David Young Talk on Wednesday, 27th November in conversation with Dragon's Den investor Sarah Willingham and journalist and business commentator Declan Curry.