Opinion: We Can All Engage and Inspire

Can you engage and inspire? What if we do? What if we don't . . .

With high inflation, interest rates at their highest for 15 years and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis for communities across the UK being reported on a daily basis, it’s almost impossible not to be aware of the cumulative effects for many communities.

With high inflation, interest rates at their highest for 15 years and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis for communities across the UK being reported on a daily basis, it’s almost impossible not to be aware of the cumulative effects for many communities.

UK energy prices remain incredibly challenging for both transport and heating, food costs have jumped in the last 18 months, peaking at a monthly rise of a staggering 19.1% in March 2023; and whilst marginally falling now (around 13.6% in August 2023), the cost of a family shop remains so much higher than just a year ago – forcing many to make nigh-on impossible choices.

We’re all aware of the many contributing factors here – some of global, not just national, consequence which have led us to this point – the covid pandemic, geopolitics and Brexit, to name a few. And wages are growing in some sectors – and the Office for National Statistics reported (June to August 2023) annual growth in regular pay at 7.8% – one of the highest annual growth rates since 2001. But even so, those wage rises don’t seem to be keeping pace with costs for most, and the lag in wage rises versus living costs means more people than ever are using foodbanks. The Trussell Trust reported in March 2023 that close to 3 million emergency food parcels had been distributed by their network in the last 12 months, the most they have every distributed.

It’s a stark picture of the UK, isn’t it – despite having one of the world’s largest economies. An economy which is under stress and has been on ‘recession alert’ with falling house prices and falls in manufacturing outputs, as reported in The Guardian last month.

On 24 October, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation published the fourth in their ‘Destitution in the UK’ report series – and revealed that “approximately 3.8 million people experienced destitution in 2022, including around one million children.” These are shocking figures, and the read gets harder still, when you learn that the numbers of children experiencing destitution has almost tripled since 2017 – an increase of 186%.

As you’d expect from a respected voice such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, they are quite precise in their definition of destitution: it is those who “have not been able to meet their most basic physical needs to stay warm, dry, clean, and fed.”

This research was conducted throughout 2022 and I don’t think you need to be a qualified researcher or economist to surmise that this picture will be darker still at this point in late 2023 – given all of the above.

So – what can business do? How can we contribute? What tools do we have at our disposal – and is it up to us to get involved? On the latter point, my view is firmly, “yes” – we surely must get involved. We have a range of ways in which we can contribute, and that’s true, whether yours is a business that is large or small.

• Partnering with local charities, supporting those in greatest need within your community, can bring significant benefits. Time – and your expertise – could be one of the most valuable contributions they receive. It’s not always about money
• If you’ve ESG goals as an organisation, is it possible to consider orientating these to respond, even more, to local needs?
• Can you procure more, locally – or work together with social enterprise-based business who deliver and track social, environmental and community impact, as well as providing the goods or services you might need?
• And back to our children. Can you connect with a local school (or two!) and offer inspirational insights on exciting careers in your sector, or partner with them over time?

Children who may be destitute today – and there’s more than a million of them – are after all, our workforce of tomorrow. In a few short years, they will be the apprentice workforce you need, the innovators and ideas generators in your business, your key decision makers and problem solvers; and our future leaders. Your voice now, to encourage, won’t take away the family hardship they may be facing, but it could provide hope and grow determination, it could engage and inspire.

With just a little time – we can all make a little difference. Getting better connected with our communities, and standing together across our business communities, I believe the collective difference we can make could be remarkable.

And – given all of the above, if not now, then when?