Welcome to IFB

Following a debate last week at IFERA, the world summit for family business academic experts, we look at whether family business branding can bring a competitive advantage.

Read the blog and comment here 

Former Bacardi Group CEO, Javier Ferran, has spoken of his experience of working for family firms and the importance for them of defining their values. 

Read the blog and comment here

A programme to develop the leadership skills of younger members of family businesses is looking for suitable candidates.

Held in London and spread over five days between September 2010 and June 2011 the IFB Next Generation Leadership Programme will focus on organisational behaviour – the ‘people’ side of leadership. The closing date for applications is 15 July 2010 for more information contact info@ifb.org.uk

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Family firms from the world of beer, milk and wine have won this year’s J.P Morgan IFB Family Business Honours 2010.

Family firms are well placed to lead the drive to revive trust in UK business. Our latest blog looks at their advantages and some of the challenges they face.

Read the blog and comment here

IFB's Annual Report has now been published. It features an overveiw of our activites from the past year.

Click here to download

Articles looking at how innovation and enterprise can help family business survive and thrive include the IFB Enterprising Business Families survey and an interview with IFB members Michael and Rupert Heseltine, of Haymarket Media Group.

To read the supplement click here

An IFB survey shows that the public recognises family firms often provide better customer service (62%) than other types of business and their important role in economic growth and employment (68%).

 See our press release

How businesses can bring benefits to their own organisation, and wider society, by involvement in social enterprises.

To view the blog and comment, click here

In the cover article of The Investors Chronicle, John Hughman looks at how some of the fundamental attributes of family-owned enterprises give them an edge over their more widely owned counterparts. 

For the full article click here

A new book examines how concentrating on the short-term can have damaging long-term consequences for business.

To view the blog and comment, click here

As the UK general election nears, politicians have been seen at leading family firms for eye-catching picture opportunities, but their visits are not down to chance.

To view the blog and comment click here

The debate continues on whether the relentless pursuit of shareholder value has helped to undermine the reputation of business and it’s a theme that will be pursued further at the IFB National Conference in June.

To view the blog and comment click here

For an overview of the recent budget and how it will impact the Family Business Sector please click here.

We are grateful to Katherine Bullock and PricewaterhouseCoopers for providing this information.

A visit to Sweden has revealed how it's government is committed to legislative and tax changes to support the transfer of business ownership - something the IFB would like to see Westminster policymakers do more to address.

To view the blog click here

Commenting on Sir James Dyson's new report on entrepreneurship, Grant Gordon asks, 'what can we do to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of our nation's business families?'.

To view the blog click here

For insights and opinion on what's important to family businesses you can now follow our blog. IFB director general, Grant Gordon, will be sharing his expert views and posting regular updates.

To view the blog click here 

IFB Director General Grant Gordon appeared on BBC Bristol radio on 17 February, in an interview about family farming businesses and the sector in general. Grant said that the future looked good for family businesses, it is the largest sector in terms of employment and has a big part to play in entrepreneurship and new business activity.

10th - 11th June 2010, London
The UK's premier family business conference will examine how high trust organisations gain advantage. Themes to be explored include:

• What is trust?
• How do you build trust internally?
• How to create trust externally?

Including the J.P. Morgan IFB Family Business Honours Gala Dinner on the 10th June at the Kensington Roof Gardens.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL PROGRAMME AND REGISTRATION FORM.

Online Registration is not currently available, please contact melissa.mays@ifb.org.uk if you would like more information.

The Beacon Fellowship brings together a remarkable blend of individuals to change the culture of giving in the UK. In a new partnership the IFB is calling for nominations for the Family Business Philanthropist category of the Beacon Prize 2010. We are urging nominations of pioneering individuals within business owning families who have made a significant philanthropic contribution.

22nd-26th Nov 2010 

We are going to Brazil to get to know key business leaders and their organisations, to understand the rules of engagement for the private sector, the investment and governance climate, regulation and the political environment, the role of civil society and media.

A European Commission report finds that family firms are important, not only because they make an essential contribution to the economy, but also because of the long-term stability they bring, the specific commitment they show to local communities and the values they stand for. The report that cites IFB Research also notes that according to a German study the UK leads 14 countries in terms of the relative competitive environment for family business.

Click here to view the report

Family businesses constitute the majority of the SME sector where a high proportion of new business start up activity and innovation occurs. The IFB has therefore requested that Alastair Darling takes steps in his pre budget report to extend the Enterprise Investment Scheme, as well as consider eight other family business related policy recommendations.

This new guide will help the next generation to understand something about their rights, duties and responsibilities and about how family businesses are typically run. 

Click here to download an order form

This new book, The STEP Handbook for Advisers, offers a volume of information for family business owners.

Click here to read a review of the book by Grant Gordon

Click read more for further details on the book and an IFB Member discount

05/06/2009

The IFB launches new research commissioned in collaboration with the Community Foundation Network. The report, entitled Natural Philanthropists, aims to throw light on how the family business sector is acting in terms of social responsibility and philanthropy.

To download the report please click here

05/05/2009

On the 5th May The Times newspaper included a Family Business supplement, which has been produced in association with the IFB. If you do not have a hard copy of the supplement it can be downloaded via the following link:

The Times Family Business Supplement

We hope that you find it interesting and please do let us have any feedback.

02/02/2009

The IFB Annual Report has just been published, this new addition to our communications provides an overview of the association's activities and its plans for the current year. Click here to download the report.

29/09/2008
The IFB has launched the first-ever study on Emotional Ownership (EO). Written by Åsa Björnberg and Nigel Nicholson of the London Business School, Emotional Ownership - The Critical Pathway Between the Next Generation and the Family Firm reveals a surprising place and age to jumpstart the Next Generation’s involvement in the family business – the family “dinner table” at the young age of six. Fostering EO at an early age gives family members a sense of identification and attachment to the family business, which ultimately helps ensure the success, sustainability and longevity of family firms.

Please click here to read an overview of the report

Please click here to download the full report.

13/03/08
IFB's Director General Grant Gordon & London Business School's Nigel Nicholson launch their new book Family Wars.

The IFB recently unveiled a brand new relationship with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). In the first instance this existing new partnership will focus on a Summer Biz Camp for youngsters aged 14 - 17.
To download further details click here

The IFB and the Institute for Philanthropy have launched a new programme aimed at 18 to 30 year olds who are interested in becoming more active and engaged in the issues they care about. Over two modules, Next Generation Philanthropy will wrestle with the concepts, methods and practice of philanthropy, giving the philanthropists of tomorrow the tools for effective, strategic giving.
To view the programme click here

http://www.instituteforphilanthropy.org.uk

29/02/2008
Grant Gordon, Director General of the Institute for Family Business, has said that family firms in the UK are "a crucial breeding ground for entrepreneurial talent", have longer-term horizons than alternative forms of corporate ownership, and have a collective turnover worth double the private equity sector.

The IFB UK Family Business Report was launched at The House of Commons on the 17th of March. It was hosted by the Rt. Hon Richard Caborn MP.