BPMA Charter Day
This year, the BPMA have completely overhauled their Charter membership, open to those members who have reached additional standards in the industry. Representing some of the most established suppliers and distributors in the country, they gathered for an inaugural Charter Day on 30th June this year in the beautiful surroundings of the BPMA’s head office at Fetcham Park.
Sustainability, standards and talent
BPMA Board Director Clive Allcott responsible for Charter standards, Commercial Director of DTB, opened the meeting, paying homage to his fellow members for their continued leadership on standards in the industry and introduced the topics of the day. The BPMA set the scene further with end user views and the positioning of the industry on sustainable business, encouraging members to look beyond just the product as the stories of the overall sustainable progress in our industry were just as important.
This included sustainability of current business models, adaptation to the current economic climate, stabilising the industry, supply chains and their continued feasibility in light of significant pressures from different sides, promotion of UK standards and business to EU/ROW, looking at developing new markets, leading on best practice.
Innovation and communication of the goods available to the industries, focused on end-to-end sustainable solutions, ensuring our industry acts responsibly in their role as part of the circular economy, actively pursuing solutions which answer the sustainable requirements and high expectations of businesses and consumers.
In addition, the BPMA pledged to continue researching and delivering effectiveness models which prove the role of merchandise within the communications mix and its responsible role to uphold exceptionally high standards, providing an industry model with sustainable business at the start point of compliance and policies placing the UK in front.
Together with the adoption of a wider diversity and inclusion policy to aide businesses in their recovery, the BPMA stressed the need for the search and acquisition of people to build back the core skills and talent needed to deliver now and in the future. Trevill stated this will ensure the new talent the industry needs can see itself working in the industry and the career path ahead.
Lifting the lid on negotiation
The day was split into two halves with guest speakers addressing Charter members on the state of negotiation and buying with procurement expert, Mike Lander. As a regular contributor to marketing end user trade press, The Drum with his procurement column, ‘Ask Mike’, his long career in procurement produced some eye opening observations on buyers behaviour. Providing actionable insights for the collected businesses in the room, Mike provided some stark warnings about the economy and the likely ways we could see contracts being negotiated in the future. Sparking debate and discussion, Mike provided an ex-buyers view on what he usually saw from the industry and ways to navigate and avoid a race to the bottom by qualifying hard every opportunity to avoid wasting time and resources.
Threats to the industry
With every part of the supply chain under strain, the focus turned to the knock-on effect of the challenges the industry faced during the current climate. The BPMA reported on the continued high level of complaints from every corner of the industry and invited discussion on how this can be addressed.
In every instance, both distributors and suppliers pointed to communication being at the heart of making sure jobs could move forward. Every member in the room recognised the very real issues facing supply, delays, continued staffing absences due to covid, courier issues but the lack of communication was causing serious problems and damaging reputations.
The collected members all requested a far greater recognition and commitment to communication, even if the news wasn’t good to allow each party to manage their responsibilities and avoid significant and permanent loss of business.
The BPMA is actively following up with select businesses where issues appear to be particularly acute.
Under the skin of export challenges
In the last session of the day, CEO Carey Trevill asked the assembled Charter members for their contribution to the planned ministerial meeting in July. Introducing customs expert, Christopher Salmon from clearBorder who had been invited to help facilitate the discussion and work with Trevill on the preparation of the papers, he shared his qualifying experience as Michael Gove’s advisor during the Brexit process.
Listening to the collective experiences of the members, it was clear the ongoing and inconsistent customs approaches and freight issues were just two of the tipping points affecting exporting outcomes. Working through a range of options for ‘asks’ from Government, Salmon underlined the need for a clear, single-minded proposition to ensure Government sat up and took notice of the importance of the industry and the detrimental impact on British business, contracts and jobs. Look out for the further article on the outcome in this issue.
The day concluded with a summary of discussions and actions to be taken forward and with more events to come, PM will report back on further Charter thought leadership and actions supporting the industry.
BPMA Charter members can access the documents and resources via their Charter Asset page. Interested in becoming a Charter member? Speak to Tom Robey on 01372 371183
