More collaboration needed to prepare the UK economy for future challenges, leaders urge

More collaboration needed to prepare the UK economy for future challenges, leaders urge 

October 21, 2025

More collaboration needed to prepare the UK economy for future challenges, leaders urge

Over 100 UK leaders have joined Business in the Community (BITC) in calling for greater collaboration to prepare the UK economy for future challenges, enabling resilience to social, geopolitical, and environmental shock.

BITC has published its ‘Creating a Future Ready Economy’ report,[1] in collaboration with Royal London and using analysis undertaken by the University of Exeter. Launched at a reception in the Houses of Parliament, the report comprises insights following consultations undertaken by BITC with more than 100 people, representing businesses, investors, academics, and communities. The report examines how the UK can create a future-ready economy that enables resilience to social, geopolitical, and environmental shock. 

Recurring themes in the insights from the Creating a Future Ready Economy report show that: 

  • Business, government, and civil society must work together to ensure the UK economy is future-ready. This should be done through regenerating and supporting communities, making systems more resilient, and empowering leaders to ensure they are ready for a future that benefits everyone. 
  • Tackling our biggest social and environmental problems creates opportunities to drive economic growth in ways that build resilient, shared prosperity. The benefits that result from taking action will have far reaching impact, for example creating jobs, improving health and wellbeing, and creating stronger communities.  
  • A vision for a future-ready economy must be co-created and use a range of indicators to measure progress. Metrics must work together, not in silos. Measure progress in terms of resilience, inclusion, and positive impact on people and nature. GDP-focussed metrics alone are insufficient to measure the success of a future-ready economy. 
  • Policy must allow businesses and communities to innovate for growth and resilience. Leading businesses are already embedding climate resilience, social impact, and community support into their strategies, but policy clarity, stability, and alignment are needed to accelerate progress. 
  • The UK needs to capitalise on its position as a global leader in tackling social and environmental challenges. By embedding fairness and resilience into economic renewal, the UK can restore national trust and influence others to follow.  

These insights reinforce the findings from BITC’s State of the Nation 2025 report, which found that 80% of business leaders believe that responsible business would ensure long-term economic sustainability for the UK and 96% of UK business leaders have either maintained or increased the priority they give to tackling societal and environmental issues.[2]

Gudrun Cartwright, Climate Action Director at Business in the Community, said: 

To create a future that works for everyone, we need to ensure that our economy is future-ready – resilient to the increasing social, geopolitical, and environmental shocks, as Earth’s systems become less stable. Business, government, and community leaders must work together to design and deliver a just transition to this new economy and find better ways to measure progress that demonstrate real benefits. Focusing collective efforts on making our economy future-ready, is essential to ensure that the UK can achieve lasting prosperity for business, resilience for communities, and health for people and nature.

Jo Walker, Head of Group Sustainability & Stewardship at Royal London, said: 

Royal London is proud to be a modern mutual, owned by over two million members. Our mutuality empowers us to take a long-term view – prioritising outcomes that matter most to our members, customers, and society. This is captured in our purpose: ‘Protecting today, investing in tomorrow. Together we are mutually responsible’. It guides our strategy, shapes our culture, and drives our commitment to sustainability. As a result, we champion a just transition through our investments, our operations, and how we support in building a fairer future for all.

Dr Chioma Udeozor, Impact Fellow at Green Futures Solutions, University of Exeter, said: 

With geopolitical uncertainty and mounting climate risks, it might appear that climate action is taking a backseat. But there is such an opportunity at hand. Clean energy is cheaper than ever. The public are on-side. The risks of inaction are huge. All this makes it essential to prepare the UK for a just transition. This will not only benefit our economy: it gives us the chance to make lives better for residents and communities. As a climate scientist who’s worked with industry partners for years, I am encouraged to see so many UK leaders recognise this reality and advocate for a just transition – one that is based on fairness and backed by science.

ENDS

Notes to editor

[1] Business in the Community: Creating a Future Ready Economy – Business in the Community
[2] Business in the Community: Lifting up the UK: State of the Nation 2024 – Business in the Community 

For further information, please contact Polly Dacam, Press Officer, on 020 7566 6638.

About Business in the Community

Our Vision: Responsible business is the foundation for economic growth. 
 
Our Mission: We convene, campaign, and consult to deliver economic, social, and environmental change. 
  
Who We Are: Business in the Community is the UK’s largest and most influential responsible business network supported by our Royal Founding Patron, King Charles III. 
 
Why Join: We work in partnership with business, government, and other voluntary sector partners to lead action on the ground across the UK. We combine over 40 years of thought leadership and experience with delivery in organisations and in communities. 

About Royal London

Royal London is the largest mutual life, pensions, and investment company in the UK, and in the top 30 mutuals globally*, with assets under management of £181bn, 8.6 million policies in force and over 4,800 employees. Figures quoted are as at 30 June 2025. Learn more at royallondon.com. 
 
*Based on total 2022 premium income. ICMIF Global 500, 2024 

About the University of Exeter

The University of Exeter is a world-leading institution for climate research, home to over 1,500 climate and environment experts and five of the world’s top 21 climate scientists. Through our Green Futures Solutions team, who partnered with BITC and Royal London on this work, we want to make this expertise available at pace and scale – to shape a thriving economy that is positive for nature, climate, and business. Bridging the gap between climate science and industry needs, Green Futures Solutions connects organisations with the experts, data, and know-how to tackle complex sustainability challenges and deliver a greener future.

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