WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A WORLD-CLASS LEADER IN THE BUSINESS OF BRITISH MANUFACTURING

?After nine great years leading the Made in Britain organisation, I’m more than ready and absolutely qualified to define and share some of the proven key leadership qualities I see throughout our community of extraordinary, brilliant and responsible businesspeople. Made in Britain members are so much more than merely managers and makers of goods - ?they are shaping the new, regenerative economy.

Our leadership network is now more than 2050 businesses with an estimated GVA valuation of around ￡5bn to the UK economy - and it’s growing fast. The verification and on-boarding team will often welcome in a dozen new business per week as the attractiveness of the organisation grows. It’s boosted by the word-of-mouth recommendations and thousands of positive business stories published on our members-only news channel, then optimised and amplified with PR and scheduled social media.

Anyone that needs to know all the real good news can scan across and search through thousands of updates to inform themselves on economic growth, sustainability, product innovation, social responsibility and much more. In an economy where data is driving daily risk assessments and decisions, ambitious leaders at Made in Britain make sure they know what’s happening now and which sectors are succeeding and how. They are networked, and they are networking to their own competitive advantage and sharing a degree of sector-only sovereignty to boost the demand for British-made goods, both in shops and with procurement professionals. The network of Made in Britain reveals and emphasises this increased propensity for collaboration and transparency that is helping our members to sell more, sell smarter and win export sales. ??

Managing and leading your people though highly unpredictable, transformative social and economic change of the kind we all expect later in this general election year, requires leadership excellence at every level. And in manufacturing, we know that successful leaders are equipped with a long playlist of interpersonal skills, risk management, a clear vision of success topped off with technical expertise to make sure there’s a profit on every product transaction their business completes. All that coupled with the tenacity and fleet-of-foot to sidestep the worst negative impacts caused by the onslaught of geopolitical chaos, and the occasional economic meltdown. We’ve seen them all in the last few years as dramatic negative change has become business as usual.

The growing list of economic ‘problems without passports’ means manufacturers are having to wrestle not just the ever-increasing demands of an economy wanting more local goods, made closer to home. They also have to comply with essential (if burdensome) international environmental standards to permit them to export more, and then communicate their actions and intentions to the public that are increasingly activist in their attitude towards lower carbon footprints of products and reduced overall impacts on natural resources.

?Sustainability for manufacturers at Made in Britain is a complex overlapping and interconnected matrix, where the circular economy, net zero, clean energy and social responsibility fuse together making it tougher every year to make a clean, green profit. But a Made in Britain manufacturer doesn’t crumble at the challenge - they rise to it - innovating with upcycled materials, making longer-lasting products and committing long term to using greener energy and, famously, pioneering award-winning networks required to normalised radical new approaches to shared, clean energy systems. Only Made in Britain manufacturers can turn this intricate web of risk and opportunity into a public narrative of environmental and social value (ESV) for the socio-economic benefit of everyone in the UK.

We are all defined by the company we keep and Made in Britain members represent the very best of British Manufacturing. Membership gives them the credibility that comes from an association with leading businesses committed to making high-quality products and adhering to the highest business standards. Membership of Made in Britain says something about the kind of businessperson you are. Being seen in that company sets you apart and gives you an elite positioning.

When you become a Made in Britain member, you become part of something bigger - a growing community of businesses committed to creating a strong, prosperous future for British manufacturers. We all believe that, together, British manufacturing is greater - and stronger - than the sum of its parts. And by encouraging collaboration, the pursuit of innovation and a sense of pride in what we achieve, we can look forward to the future with far greater optimism this year. We have ten years of recorded evidence to prove what sociologists have been saying for decades. Interacting with people that have your best interests at heart is the greatest (and most affordable) gift you can give to yourself. Being part of the Made in Britain network of British manufacturers is good for your business health and well-being.

Earning the right to use the Made in Britain trademark brings more than just credibility by association with some of the finest, longest established manufacturers in the UK. It is a mark of authentication that proves your own commitment to high quality British manufacturing; and a point of difference that helps you stand out in an increasingly competitive market. Proving your credentials as a quality British manufacturer boosts your reputation, enhances your standing with customers and enables you to sell more with more confidence.

All of us at Made in Britain work tirelessly to promote British manufacturing. Stories on our news pages put members' businesses in front of a broader audience, providing a great vehicle for marketing their products. Not only does association with the trademark boost awareness and the credibility of their brand - the exposure they achieve through Made in Britain is trackable and measurable - increasing the potential for generating leads and providing more opportunities to sell what you make to those looking to buy something made closer to home.

The official trademark harmonises the many voices of British manufacturing together to promote the present success and signpost people to the profitable future. This is what manufacturing success looks (and sounds) like in 2024.

In a year when so much is about to change, Made in Britain is consistent in what it wants and what it is trying to achieve for the British economy. We are strategically aligned with everyone that wants to build a better, cleaner more responsible manufacturing sector and for that great group of businesses to support a more inclusive and diverse skilled workforce with meaningful jobs making high quality products – making them here in the UK.

‘To be the unique, world-class trade organisation for manufacturers, that promotes the highest business standards in environmental and social values, while building measurable trust in the official trademark, to help bring about sustainable growth for our members and the economy.'

If you think you may qualify, click here and see if your business has what it takes to become a Made in Britain manufacturer.

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