Home » Sustainable Procurement News | Scoop.it [Live Updating] » Regulations can burden small businesses but our research shows they can also help them grow

Regulations can burden small businesses but our research shows they can also help them grow

November 24, 2022 EcoVadis ‏‏‎


A couple of weeks before her short stint as prime minister ended, Liz Truss delivered on a pledge to tackle what some – including Truss – saw as red tape holding back “thousands of growing businesses” in the UK. The move focused on exempting small businesses from certain regulations to help stimulate growth. It involved expanding the government’s definition of “small business” to release “thousands of UK businesses” from reporting requirements and regulations.

Small businesses are an undoubtedly important part of the economy. The latest UK government figures (based on previous definitions) indicate that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 99.9% of businesses, contributing 61% of total employment in the private sector.

Many critics of regulation believe rules hold businesses back. Indeed, following Brexit, former government minister Jacob Rees-Mogg identified in excess of 2,400 EU laws for swift removal as part of a bid to stimulate UK economic growth. Our research reviewed a range of evidence on this issue. It confirms that regulations can be burdensome for small business, but the relationship is not that simple. In fact, some “red tape” can even be good for such firms.

Perception surveys often ask owner-managers about regulatory burdens. When asked whether regulations are hindering growth, a reasonable proportion of owner-managers will typically respond that they are, according to our research. The exact figures vary from survey to survey, and regulation is never reported as the most significant issue, but we find that it does regularly feature on the list of obstacles for such firms.


Read the full article at: theconversation.com

Read more...

About the Author

EcoVadis ‏‏‎

EcoVadis is the world’s most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings, intelligence and collaborative performance improvement tools for global supply chains. Backed by a powerful technology platform and a global team of domain experts, EcoVadis’ easy-to-use and actionable sustainability scorecards provide detailed insight into environmental, social and ethical risks across 200+ purchasing categories and 175+ countries.

Follow on Twitter Follow on Linkedin Visit Website More Content by EcoVadis ‏‏‎
Previous Article
Deal reached on EU law regulating CO2 removals from forestry, land use
Deal reached on EU law regulating CO2 removals from forestry, land use

The European Parliament and EU member states reached an agreement late on Thursday (10 November) on a new l...

Next Article
FDA publishes final food traceability rule
FDA publishes final food traceability rule

The FDA published its final rule about new traceability protocols for a variety of food products vulnerable...

Return to Home