Small Business Journey

Small Business Journey- The Route Map To Business Value










		Business Principles

		Defining your purpose

		Innovation

		Know the Law

		Managing risk

		Measuring success

		Sharing good practice
		Improve your business by learning and sharing with others



	Improve your business by learning and sharing with others

How to get started in a small way

You could measure yourself against good practice models like the Business Excellence Model or the GoodCorporation principles of good practice. Contact the British Quality Foundation or GoodCorporation for more information.
You could follow standards that have been set up for processes like environmental management or for processes that are specific to your industry: you could start by contacting the International Standards Organisation or British Standards online.
You could apply for an award like a Queen's Award or a Business in the Community Award for Excellence or Community Mark or simply review the case studies of award winners for ideas on how to get started.

Who can help you go further?

Strengthening the performance of your business by learning from others is really just a matter of common sense. But if you are committed to achieving higher standards in your business then you might want to get help.

Extra benefit to your company

National Help
EFQM helps European businesses make better products and deliver improved services through the effective use of management practices such as the EFQM Business Excellence Model. National partners include the British Quality Foundation, which helps to promote business excellence throughout the UK, www.efqm.org or www.quality-foundation.co.uk, and Quality Scotland at www.qualityscotland.co.uk.

GoodCorporation is a corporate responsibility standard that organisations of any size or type can use to measure performance of their working practices against an independent global standard. The annual verification report can be used for internal development or external reporting. www.goodcorporation.com.

AA1000 framework is a standard designed to improve an organisation's accountability and performance. www.accountability.org.uk.

Inside UK Enterprise is a service by Business Link that sets up visits to companies from which you can learn particular profitable ways of working. www.iuke.co.uk.

In Scotland, Scottish Business in The Community coordinates groups to share experiences, contact them on info@sbcscot.com.

Business Link provides practical and easy to use information and support for SMEs on a wide range of issues including networking. Business Link - Networking

Online Help
The Small Business Resource Centre, run by British Standards, contains information on standards, publications for key small business industries, and case studies on how small businesses have used standards to improve their performance. www.mysmallbiz.co.uk.
Investors in People can provide you with the framework you need for investing in people to achieve results. www.investorsinpeople.co.uk Their new service Your People Manager specifically supports managers of small business with advice and news. www.yourpeoplemanager.com.
European Eco-Management and Audit Standard helps companies establish, evaluate and report on appropriate environmental management systems and to comply with all relevant environmental legislation. www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/emas/

Each 'How-To' briefing is available in pdf or word formats. To read the PDF document with a screen reader please link to the Access Adobe website which provides useful tools and resources. Adobe also has a free online conversion tool for PDFs.

PDF file Improve your business by learning and sharing with others.pdf
size 161kb

Word file Improve your business by learning and sharing with others.doc
size 44kb