Message from CEO

A MESSAGE FROM OUR

CHIEF EXECUTIVE, PAUL CHERPEAU

Welcome to the Spring edition of our Well Connected magazine, focusing on the multi-faceted theme of Responsible Business. The last two years have brought into focus the need for our business community to help create positive change and operate responsibly, and what better season to feature this in than Spring, the season of growth.

In our last edition, we were concerned that the outbreak of a new variant was about to stall the positive progress we had made to rebuild our economy post Covid, however we are pleased to see that things are now in fact returning to a level of normality. As ever, we are committed to supporting our members in their efforts to recover and grow, and we remain optimistic that the disruption we have faced is finally at an end.

We are thrilled that after three years we were finally able to return to Aintree Racecourse for our Silver Birch Garden Party. Our day at the races is a flagship event in the Chamber calendar, and to be able to finally host members of our business community at one of the greatest venues and events in our city’s history was an honor. It was fantastic to see so many of our members celebrating and toasting to the future. We hope that faces new and old will join us next year for another unforgettable day. You can view our full events calendar on pages 46&47, including our return to the Liverpool International Tennis Tournament this summer, and our Annual Dinner in the Winter. Under the umbrella of Responsible Business there is a limitless list of ways in which business can create positive change whilst ensuring they meet ESG and CSR ambitions. In this edition, we take a look at the ways in which our members are doing business responsibly, whether that be through implementing responsible business practices within the workplace, creating social value within marketplaces or engaging in the local community.

Responsible Business is one of the key themes being focused on by our Policy team, along with Skills, Net Zero, International Trade, Transport, Infrastructure and Finance. We have created our Expert Panels to highlight the expertise in our membership base and demystify these policy themes.

We are working with members and partners to support and collaborate to alleviate issues most affecting business. We were pleased to launch our School Business Network in February, in partnership with Liverpool City Council. The network will host three events each year, and aims to create an avenue for business and education to form relationships which will produce meaningful outcomes for students within schools. Access to industry and employability experiences are key to ensuring our young people are best prepared for the world of work, and we hope to see many of our members get involved in the network.

Whilst the national QES results published at the beginning of April paint a negative picture for the national economy, the Liverpool City Region has managed to fare much more positively. It is encouraging to see a number of key business indicators improving, and we view this as a testament to the resilience and strength of our business community here in Liverpool. You can view the national QES result on pages 4&5.

We are grateful to our members for your continued support over the last quarter, and we hope that over the course of this Spring we can continue to collaborate to ensure new business blooms and success continues to grow. We look forward to working with you all.

Paul Cherpeau, Chief Executive, Liverpool Chamber