FOREWARD

WHAT'S ON: COMMUNITY

Among the pledges made by the Prime Minister in his first major speech of the year on 4th January, growing the economy and providing improved financial security featured high on the agenda.

To meet these aims, one of the key tools will be to cultivate greater innovation in order to achieve the ambitious goal of becoming "the most innovative country in the world" and in so doing provide increased opportunity and economic stability. The PM asserted that innovation must be at the heart of everything we do, stating that over the last 50 years it was responsible for half our productivity increase. This makes sense as innovation creates jobs, increases wages, and reduces the cost of goods and services. Mr Sunak also believes major challenges like energy security and net zero will be solved through innovation.

The challenge of net zero is certainly one of increasing significance, not just for our economy but for the world. The more we learn about our environmental impact, the more we understand the responsibility of supporting sustainability efforts. Adopting a green approach to business practices shows a commitment to promoting future global ecological and social balance. As more consumers align with companies that share their values, going green is good for the environment and is also good for your business. Sustainability has fast become a business opportunity, benefiting your business finances, reputation, workplace culture, and employee morale.

Small businesses are integral to the UK economy, making up over 99% of UK businesses and providing 60% of private sector jobs No attempt to achieve a net zero economy can succeed without them on board. To this end, X-Forces Enterprise has launched a series of workshops to help small business owners understand the opportunities presented by sustainability and the competitive edge it can offer.

Meeting the challenges faced by the nation rests in no small way on increasing growth, striving towards positive change where small businesses can build greater stability. Innovation, the mainstay of the small business owner, could be both our saving grace and the means through which the nation will prosper.

Ren Kapur MBE CEO, X-Forces