Reflections on business resilience from the CBI Director General

Every person, family and community in these testing times is dipping into new reserves of resilience. The world is different. Streets are virtually empty. Families are hunkered down at home. And NHS workers are going above and beyond for us all. Coronavirus has changed life as we know it, and for businesses it’s no different. Firms are stepping up to the mark in these incredibly challenging conditions. They are keeping the wheels of daily life and the economy spinning. They are the fifth emergency service that will help our country get through.

The last few weeks have been as testing a time for businesses as they have ever faced. Some are struggling to survive. Demand – and cash – have rapidly dwindled. Disruption in supply chains continues to grind. The Government’s unprecedented support packages in the last fortnight have staved off the very worst for many firms, large and small. But it