The research report, 'Small business: the big challenges of sustainability', in collaboration with WE-LEAD at the University of Birmingham and University of York creates practical guidance for SMEs on the critical success factors for small business sustainability in challenging times.  The new report also includes advice from business leaders, discussing their own experiences and how they overcame these challenges.

The exceptional challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic are having a significant impact on SMEs’ capability to maintain ‘business as usual’. The OECD (2020) reports that there is a serious risk of over 50% of SMEs across the world not surviving and 63% of UK SMEs report a moderate to high/severe threat.

Kate Cooper, Head of Research, Policy and Standards at The Institute of Leadership & Management, said: “As we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, the next few months and years are likely to be very tough for many small firms and this free guidance could really make a difference. Sharing the experiences of successful small and micro businesses will support future leaders in navigating avoidable failures and sustain their businesses, contributing to the economic recovery.”

The launch of the research coincides with further free support for SMEs from The Institute. It’s hugely successful, free daily webinar series, Learn How To, focuses next week (26-29 May) on how to sustain an SME. The live, daily, 30-minute webinars, in collaboration with We Lead at The University of York, include presentations from Institute experts, ‘Ted-style’ talks, panel discussions and Q&As, exploring topics such as getting better at selling and surviving and reimagining the future post-pandemic. Kate Cooper also discusses The Institute’s new research with expert guests to help highlight the practical application of the report’s recommendations.

Use our online learning tool, MyLeadership, to help you sustain your small business.

We have made the following components available for a limited time only - till 31st May 2020.

Delivering Outcomes   
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Engaging Stakeholders
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Developing Strategy 
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Learning
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Problem Solving
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Self Awareness
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Managing Customer Relationships
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Building Networks  
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Enterprise
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Challenging
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Evaluating Risk
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Resilience
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Develop your teams leadership skills with a learning pathway, tailored to SME’s.