As all UK businesses start to think about fully reopening, your Norfolk Chambers, British Chambers of Commerce and the Chambers network have set out the steps we think are needed for governments, businesses, and other public and private sector bodies to secure a brighter future for the UK. It’s time to Restart, Rebuild and Renew.
At the BCC’s Global Annual Conference earlier this year, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of British Chambers of Commerce, launched Rebuild, the Chambers’ vision of the work that now needs to be done to help businesses succeed as the economy starts to fully reopen.
Rebuild: Recommendations For Building Back Stronger is a hugely important document that sets out the steps we think are needed for governments, businesses, and other public and private sector bodies to secure a brighter future for the UK.
The UK is at a pivotal moment in its recovery from the impact of Coronavirus.
From the safe re-opening of offices, factories and schools, to the easing of both national and international travel restrictions, these changes and the adaptations to the ‘new normal’ will be felt by businesses up and down the country.
In each step in our road to recovery, through every government announcement and new policy, your Norfolk Chambers and the Chambers network is there to ensure the business voice is at the heart of the governments recovery plans.
The Chambers’ approach is informed by our Coronavirus Business Impacts Tracker and the experience and insights of our Chambers of Commerce and Global Business Networks. Together, we understand the impact of Coronavirus on businesses in every region in the UK and over 60 markets worldwide.
Over the next 6 months we will be asking decision makers across the nations to take the active steps set out in our report, which will create the conditions needed for firms to be able to rebuild the power of the recovery.
Key highlights include:
Restart With a phased reopening of society. Public health must be at the heart of plans to reopen services and businesses.
Rebuild Building resilience for firms and households with steps to help businesses and the wider economy recover from the impact of Coronavirus, including building resilience and mitigating the impact of sectoral and regional restrictions.
Renew Returning to prosperity and growth with bold and substaintial action to inject momentum and confidence back into the UK economy with measures aimed at delivering an economic recovery across the whole of the UK.
Shevaun Haviland, Director General, British Chambers of Commerce said: “Just as the government supported firms to survive through the crisis, they must also act now to enable them to thrive in the recovery.
“Recovery from the pandemic is not the only challenge that businesses face: skills shortages, rising costs, and the climate challenge were all issues top of mind for business before the crisis hit. In rebuilding our economy, we must take the opportunity to not only recover from the damage caused by the pandemic, but to also begin to tackle these long-standing issues which have remained unresolved for too long. Our SMEs will be the powerhouse of our recovery. Without intervention, there is a risk of a two-speed recovery, where the UK’s SME community lag behind those larger businesses with the cash reserves and investment needed to recover.”
