LUBS in UK top three with 'gold' award

Leeds University Business School (LUBS) is one of only three in the country to be awarded a prestigious new gold standard Small Business Charter Award.

(l-r): Lord Young; Sir Peter Bonfield, Chair of the Small Business Charter, and Peter Moizer.

Lord Young; Sir Peter Bonfield, and Peter Moizer.

The Award recognises LUBS' role in helping to kick-start British enterprise.

The Business School received the award at 10 Downing Street as part of the Small Business Charter Award scheme, which aims to encourage greater levels of engagement between business schools and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to help the economy to grow.

Nationally, the scheme has already helped 4,700 students find work placements in Britain’s micro-business and start-up sector.  Small Business Charter business schools have directly helped more than 8,000 small businesses – working with them through workshops, mentoring and other business support.  More than 800 new businesses have already been started as a result of Small Business Charter schools.

The award is a major boost for LUBS and reflects its strength in providing support for SMEs and fostering enterprise in the region.  Since 2008, the Business School has provided courses and educational and training initiatives for almost 500 companies in the north of England and Yorkshire that have supported economic growth.  Workshops and courses for businesses on marketing, social media, HR, tendering and procurement run regularly at the Business School.

The award brings significant benefits – it means that LUBS will have the ability to play an active role in schemes such as Growth Vouchers, Growth Accelerators and Start-Up Loans provided by the Government – allowing the business school to directly invest in new start-ups and entrepreneurs.

Professor Peter Moizer, Dean of LUBS, said: “We already play a significant role in fostering enterprise and supporting and engaging with businesses in the region. The award of this Charter, which reflects the commitment and hard work of staff at the Business School, will support our efforts to build on these foundations and will help us to move this work up a gear.”

A team from LUBS received the award from Lord Young, an adviser to the Prime Minister on small business and enterprise, and Sir Peter Bonfield, chair of The Small Business Charter Management Board and former chairman of BT.

Lord Young said: “The recipients of today’s award have all demonstrated exceptional dedication to improving links with and supporting small businesses in their local area, already creating over 800 jobs.  Our world-class universities and business schools are a key part of the UK economy – even more so as a result of this initiative.  I hope that these awards will be the first of many and build on the outstanding work our business schools do to boost enterprise locally.”


Posted in: