Attire Accessories - May/Jun 2019 (Issue 76)

FSB BUSINESS FEATURE 47 How to succeed on the high street Dave Stallon, commercial director at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), discusses how small business are integral to the fabric of a community Whether it’s small firms volunteering for local causes, providing support for local schools or football clubs or employing those furthest from the labour market, small businesses are the beating hearts of their neighbourhoods. For example, let’s look at the butchers who raised cash to install a defibrillator and train up local people to be able to use it, the decorating business that organises “meet your neighbours” days on a local estate and the waste company that takes part in a programme aimed at getting ex-offenders back into work, helping to train and develop their skills. As most small business owners know, time is undoubtedly a precious commodity. Yet most of those in the sector still generously manage to find time and resources to help others in their communities. This is precisely why we at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) decided to investigate just how those running small firms interact and contribute to their local villages, towns and cities across the UK and what can be done to support and nurture this going forward. AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE Amazingly, we found that 80 per cent of small firms have contributed to their local community or charity in the past three years. The North East tops the regions in terms of community engagement, with an incredible 91 per cent of firms giving something back. However, it’s not just about donating time and money to good causes and community groups – small businesses are agents of social change. Small firms often fill the gaps that larger firms don’t, providing skills, training and jobs for people further from the labour market. This could be taking on younger people or older workers, those with disabilities and mental health conditions and those with low levels of educational attainment. The research reflected just that, with almost all small business employers telling us that they have taken on at least one person from a traditionally labour market-disadvantaged group. Across the country, more than one in three have a member of staff with low levels of education, and a similar share employ at least one person with a known disability or mental health condition. More than half employ someone aged 16 to 24, and a quarter took on an employee with English as a second language. We spoke to businesses that take on new work