Business groups' 2017 priorities

 

Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director-General, has jointly signed a letter alongside the heads of other UK business groups outlining their priorities for firms of all sizes and sectors for 2017.  

The letter below appears in The Sunday Telegraph:  

Dear Sir

 

2016 has been a year of unprecedented change for politics, society and for business. The decisions that will be made in the year ahead will shape the prospects for people, businesses and communities across the UK for generations to come.

We are committed to making 2017 a year of progress and success, and to working with the Government to shape a better economy. 

Industry input into the Brexit negotiations is critical. The Government must enter negotiations with the evidence it needs to understand the implications of the decisions and trade-offs that lie ahead. This evidence must be drawn from the on-the-ground experience of small, medium and large enterprises, which are committed, despite an uncertain business environment, to delivering the economic growth that creates jobs and funds our public services. 

A modern industrial strategy relies on a vision of our future shared between firms, the Government and society. By calling on all the experience and knowledge available across the UK, this new plan can transform our sectors and communities. 

Success in all these areas depends on an open and honest dialogue and we welcome the engagement we have had so far with the Government. Firms must work to be more transparent and build fairness into the heart of their operations, including their supply chains. The Government, employees and customers should champion the businesses that do this. 2017 must be the year when this open dialogue begins to deliver for Britain. 

We the undersigned commit to play our part, working with businesses from all corners of the UK, to seize the opportunities and overcome the challenges that lie ahead. 

Yours sincerely

 

Mike Cherry, National Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses 

Carolyn Fairbairn, Director-General, CBI 

Adam Marshall, Director-General, British Chambers of Commerce 

Terry Scuoler, CEO, EEF 

Simon Walker, Director-General, Institute of Directors