Our Policy Focus: driving change on the issues that matter to you

The CBI’s purpose is to help businesses create a more prosperous society. We do this by using evidence and insight from firms like yours across the country to inform what works and makes a difference to you. This is our mandate to drive change. We bring together the views of businesses of all sizes, in all sectors, from all regions and nations of the UK to shape policy and the regulatory environment.

Our focus is on those issues that the CBI and our members believe are critical to creating a prosperous economy and society. They include:

• Access to the people and skills that business needs to succeed
• The infrastructure to keep the economy moving in a sustainable way
• The innovation behind new products, services and technologies
• A tax and regulatory environment that enable business to invest with confidence
• International trade and easy access to global markets.

People and skills

The UK’s flexible labour market and reputation for being a welcoming place for people to live and work have helped define our global competitiveness for decades. Both are now under threat. At the same time, the world of work is changing, with people likely to have multiple jobs in their working lives. We need to ensure that businesses can access the skills they need to grow the economy and to demonstrate that fairness and flexibility can go hand in hand.

Infrastructure and energy

Great infrastructure keeps the lights on and the economy moving sustainably. Patchy connectivity creates an unbalanced economy, while failing to cut emissions will have catastrophic impacts on the economy and wider society. As technology transforms the way we live work and travel, UK business must develop the solutions that will deliver the potential of a connected, greener economy.

Innovation and digital

Technology is solving key social challenges and enhancing peoples’ lives. The UK is home to fast-growing sectors and businesses. But the ramifications of Brexit, a declining trust in technology and a growing sense of political hostility to tech means the UK risks losing its reputation as one of the best places in the world for innovative businesses to operate. Now is the time to ensure the UK is known as a true global leader in innovation and technology.

Tax and regulation

The pace of change of the UK economy is faster than ever, and slower than it ever will be. Tax and regulation are often struggling to keep up. From high streets to the cloud, only the expertise of business can ensure the government develops an approach fit for a modern, inclusive and prosperous UK.

International trade

Trade powers prosperity, consumer choice and productivity growth. As the UK leaves the EU, government and business must work together in partnership to help companies buy and sell their products and services around the world. Only by working together can we take advantage of opportunities and make ‘Global Britain’ more than a campaign slogan.

How can your business drive change on the issues you care about?

This Policy Focus section of My CBI is home to the progress we’re making on addressing key opportunities and challenges. Browse the latest updates across our policy pillars – from people and skills through to international trade.

View our campaigns to see how we’re moving the dial on the UK’s most pressing policy issues.

If your business would like to play an active role in driving change, explore the opportunities to Get Involved in specific areas of our policy work.