Importance of place: Key insights from the BiTC “Solutions for the Future” session
28th July 2025
On 26th June, I attended the Business in the Community (BiTC) “Solutions for the Future – A Place-based approach” session, an insightful event dedicated to growing the local economy through localised strategies. The event brought together diverse participants from across business, the social economy, academia, trusts, and the combined authority.
The session was framed around three main questions:
- How can we forge stronger partnerships?
- How do we define impact together?
- What could we start doing immediately in our places?
Who is Business in the Community?
For over 40 years, BiTC, the UK’s largest responsible business network, has championed the idea that business can change the world for the better. Supported by His Majesty The King, their vision is simple: a fairer, greener world, driven by fairer, greener businesses. They bring together leaders committed to transforming lives and helping communities and our planet thrive.
BiTC’s strategy for place-based growth is built on three essential pillars:
A recurring theme throughout the session was the indispensable role of multi-stakeholder partnerships. BiTC’s place-based approach emphasises the combined expertise from business, the community, and the public sector to achieve better outcomes.
The Case For Place-Based Approaches
Charles Rapson, WMCA‘s Social Impact Economy Growth Lead, delivered a powerful wake-up call, stating: “Left unaddressed, inequality and economic exclusion threaten economic growth.” He stressed that place-based growth isn’t just a nice idea; it’s essential for directly tackling specific community issues and ensuring economic development benefits everyone.
Highlighting the West Midlands’ latest State of the Region 2024-2025 statistics, Charles painted a clear picture of the challenges:
- Poverty: High rates, including child poverty, reveal systemic challenges demanding localised solutions.
- Economic inactivity: A significant portion of the population remains under -utilised, signalling a clear need for targeted interventions to boost employment.
- Post-pandemic recovery: The economy continues to grapple with uneven recovery, exacerbating pre-existing inequalities in specific areas.
These insights really hit home: focusing on local strategies is vital to address these disparities head-on and unlock inclusive economic growth for all. Charles also shared positive progress, like the development of 9 social economy clusters driving local economic activity and the creation of a Social Impact Partnership forum to boost collaboration.
You can even check out the cluster videos here: Cluster Videos
Coventry Building Society: A Local Procurement Example
We heard an example from Coventry Building Society, showcasing their commitment to local procurement and social value. They’re actively boosting supply chain diversity by:
- Driving diversity and inclusion: Establishing a sustainable procurement working group to champion diversity, inclusion, and carbon reduction across their supply chain.
- Building connections: Partnering with platforms like Kaleida and hosting annual networking events for ethnically diverse, small, and local business owners in the West Midlands.
- Prioritising impact: Increasing the weighting for sustainable procurement in their tenders, proving that community engagement and social value are key considerations.
- Community contribution: Encouraging suppliers to contribute to their local community agenda, like offering school visits for students.
These efforts are paying off, with an impressive 21% of their supply base now led by diverse firms – a clear win for both business and social value.
Procurement for Good: A Place-Based Approach to Food Procurement
An interesting example was Moya Kneafsey from Coventry University, who presented “Procurement for Good: A place-based approach to food procurement.” This exciting project aims to transform UK food systems through local networks. Building on a successful Welsh pilot that linked small producers with buyers via an online hub, it’s all about boosting collaboration, strengthening local food economies, and delivering economic, environmental, and social benefits.
The project plans to deliver incredible resources, including an open-source online procurement hub, a food hub mentoring programme, multimedia support packs, and policy briefings.
Learn more and get involved here: Get Involved
The Power of Asking Better Questions
To wrap up, we dove into a dynamic “Asking Better Questions” exercise, developed by Go M.A.D Thinking. This fast-paced session was designed to stretch our thinking, generate multiple possibilities, and help us move from challenges to co-designed solutions. It’s a brilliant technique for sparking innovative ideas and deeper insights.
Find out more about this powerful approach: Read more
Ultimately, the BiTC session reaffirmed a crucial truth: genuine economic growth is intertwined with the well-being of our local communities. By understanding local needs and developing strong cross-sector collaboration, we can truly build a fairer, greener, and more resilient future for all.
BLOG authored by Jakira Khanam | Partnerships Lead | BSSEC CIC | Connect | Email