Western Pension Solutions (‘WPS’) who provide trusted advice to family-owned firms on pension legacies and employee retirement solutions are delighted to be taking part in National Family Business Day 2019 on Monday 23rd September 2019. WPS are themselves owned by the Vestey Group, a pioneering fourth generation family-owned business with origins stretching back to the 1890’s, so being part of a day that celebrates the contribution of family firms across the UK is something that truly resonates with the firm.
Family firms across the UK come in all sizes and sectors and many have been around for hundreds of years, successfully passing from generation to generation. This longevity is the result of good governance, strong values, innovative families and a focus on the long term and as such family firms have become the bedrock of communities all over the country. Other family firms may be younger in age but share similar values and are part of the very fabric of the communities in which they operate.
Ben Fowler, Managing Director of WPS adds, “We strongly believe that the contribution made by the family business sector deserves to be recognised. Now in its sixth year, National Family Business Day is a national campaign organised annually by Family Business United (‘FBU’) that seeks to put family businesses on the map and is a campaign that we are really happy to support.”
Paul Andrews, Founder of FBU, explained: “This is a day of real celebration of the firms that are at the heart of the UK economy, on high streets and at the heart of towns and villages across the UK. Family firms have a story, a real narrative, and it is their very essence and the family connection that makes them special. Add the fact that they are significant economic generators and are recognised as the engine room of the UK economy and you can see why they deserve to be celebrated too.”
Ben concludes “Family businesses are often cited as the ‘backbone of the economy’ and recent studies show that 88% of UK businesses are family owned, employ over 12 million people and generate over a quarter of the UK’s GDP, clearly demonstrating the need for them to be recognised for the contribution they make.”
“National Family Business Day helps to raise the profile of the positive contribution that family firms make on a daily basis across the UK. We encourage family businesses to join in by adding their voice to the campaign using the hashtag #GBFamilyBizDay on their social media channels.”
