Family businesses demonstrating innovation and leadership during time of crisis

Family businesses are often differentiated as a result of their heritage and necessarily longer-term view. The fact that their leaders very often see themselves as stewards, navigating a business that has often been around for many years and will be for years to come, can be attractive in times of economic instability when businesses seem focused on the short term return.

What has been thought-provoking in recent weeks is seeing the way some organisations have also been able to take a fast, innovative and solutions-based approach to pivot from their core business to identifying ways they can help in the current crisis. Family businesses often go under the radar in the UK, their good work less celebrated than the higher profile world of their publicly listed counterparts. We thought it was worth celebrating some recent stories we have heard of businesses adapting in a time of crisis to help.

Arnold Clark
The well-loved Scottish car retailer has closed its branches but opened up its fleet for emergency workers and NHS staff. Read more

Barbour
The historic lifestyle brand have begun producing PPE to be sent to local hospitals, the first batch arrived this week and were enthusiastically received by hospital staff. Read here

Grosvenor
The Grosvenor Estate have donated £2.5m in response to the crisis as well as instigating a number of initiatives across its businesses such as waiving rent for 26 charities and doubling the number of orders their ethical grocer is able to deliver every day. Read more

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Our dedicated Family-Owned Business practice

Saxton Bampfylde has worked with a broad range of the UK’s leading family businesses for more than 20 years, nurturing senior leaders and identifying and supporting external non-family talent when needed.  Our own history and transition to an employee-owned business gives us a genuine and personal insight into the creation and stewardship of a legacy business, and an understanding of the challenges and opportunity when transitioning between generations.

For more information on our family owned business practice, contact kate.ludlow@saxbam.com