A milestone in our campaign for smarter regulation

A new forum to champion sensible regulation

July marks a pivotal point in the CBI's ongoing mission to champion smarter, more proportionate regulation that drives business growth and fosters innovation.

Our Chair, Rupert Soames, welcomed senior business leaders, regulators, and key government departments to the CBI offices for the first-ever CBI Business-Regulator Forum - a new platform designed to enable honest, strategic dialogue between business, regulators, and policymakers.

This forum represents a major step forward in our regulatory reform work, building on the momentum of our 2024/25 Regulatory Reform Taskforce.

We were delighted to host CBI members alongside representatives from the Competition and Markets Authority, Financial Conduct Authority, Ofcom, Ofwat, HM Treasury, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology/RIO for a focused discussion on the top regulatory priorities' businesses have consistently raised with us over the past year:

• Strengthening strategic dialogue between government, regulators, and business

• Empowering regulators to take smart, proportionate risks in pursuit of growth

• Addressing persistent skills and capacity issues within regulatory bodies.

Working with government to deliver the change our members need to see

These are not abstract concerns. Businesses have told us that their interactions with regulators too often resemble a "parent-child" dynamic - a relationship that is stifling UK growth, innovation and productivity.

But momentum is building. With regulatory reform now embedded in the government's Modern Industrial Strategy, and a renewed cross-departmental approach to aligning regulation with economic growth, we're seeing a shift in tone - and ambition. It was genuinely encouraging to hear shared commitment from both regulators and government departments to tackle these challenges together.

The Business-Regulator Forum, alongside our recently published A Good Regulation Guide - which includes 50+ practical recommendations from industry - is part of our effort to translate ambition into real, measurable outcomes and Kickstart Growth.

What next?

The CBI remains committed to being the voice of business on regulatory reform, pushing for a framework that supports innovation, investment, and long-term competitiveness. We will continue to advocate for change through our policy work and convene members through the Regulatory Reform Taskforce.

If you would like to learn more or get involved, please contact Alex Guest, Senior Policy Advisor for Regulatory Reform.