Faculty of Business and Law at University of Northampton (UON) accredited with the Small Business Charter

UON’s Faculty of Business and Law (FBL) has been awarded the prestigious Small Business Charter accreditation for three years.

This recognition highlights the Faculty’s and UON’s dedicated support for entrepreneurship and small business growth, with a clear focus on community engagement and real-world applicability.

The panel of assessors commended the Faculty for its impact on the local small business community and its inclusive and collaborative approach across disciplines.

Karen Jones, Dean of UON’s Faculty of Business and Law, said: “The accreditation is very rightly a rigorous process, and I am very proud to witness Faculty and Professional Services colleagues rise to the challenge and achieve something which benefits the SMEs within Northamptonshire and the wider region.

“Our university is committed to making a positive difference in the local and regional business community, and our recently published Economic Impact Report demonstrates this—showing that across Northamptonshire we generated £366 million in gross value added in 2023/24 and supported over 5,400 jobs across the same period.

“This accreditation is a mark of excellence that will allow us to do even more, helping many more entrepreneurs and small business owners achieve their ambitions.”

Flora Hamilton, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter and CEO of the Chartered Association of Business Schools, said:  “We are pleased to welcome the University of Northampton and its Faculty of Business and Law to the Small Business Charter network.

“This achievement reflects their ongoing engagement with local small businesses and supporting entrepreneurship. Their efforts have contributed to small business growth in their local economy, and this accreditation recognises that contribution.”

The Small Business Charter is an accreditation assessed by small business leaders, to recognise business schools which are centres of excellence in supporting small businesses, student enterprise, and the local economy.

There are 68 business schools across the UK and Ireland that hold the Small Business Charter accreditation.

About the Small Business Charter 

The Small Business Charter and its network of accredited business schools are experts in providing real-world support and training that empowers small business success and economic growth. Through our business schools’ connections with thousands of SMEs we are trusted partners of local stakeholders and the national government to deliver effective leadership and productivity programmes and business support to unlock our economic revival.

The SBC network of business schools is currently delivering the Help to Grow: Management Course across the UK, with 93% of participating SMEs reporting greater confidence in leading and managing their business and 85% being better able to innovate within their business.

Developed 10 years ago by the late Lord David Young, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the Chartered Association of Business Schools, the SBC was established to signpost entrepreneurs, small businesses, and local economic stakeholders to business schools in their region with the expertise to help them thrive.

In order to achieve the Small Business Charter accreditation, business schools undergo a rigorous assessment to determine the effectiveness of their business support, entrepreneurship education, and engagement with their local economy.

Participants from these programmes become connected with the wider value ecosystem within university business schools providing further support such as knowledge transfer partnerships, R&D collaboration, Masters programmes, executive education, student placements and apprenticeships.