21 Oct Safer Business Network announces strategic partnership with British Retail Consortium
Safer Business Network (SBN) is excited to announce a new strategic partnership with the British Retail Consortium (BRC), creating opportunities to share its experience of tackling retail crime and improving safety with retailers across the UK.
The partnership, initially agreed for 12 months, will see Safer Business Network contribute to the BRC’s regular Operations Community Calls, providing practical guidance and sharing frontline experience on issues affecting retailers and their staff.
Topics will include retail crime prevention, conflict management, colleague safety, intelligence sharing and changes to legislation affecting the sector.
Safer Business Network’s first contribution will focus on conflict management, drawing on its experience of working with businesses and local partners to help prevent escalation, manage challenging situations and improve safety in retail settings.
Alongside the calls, the partnership will provide opportunities for Safer Business Network to contribute articles, blogs and discussions on emerging issues, as well as help develop practical guidance and resources for retailers.
It will also enable Safer Business Network to work more closely with national retailers, sharing lessons from its work on the ground and exploring how local partnerships, intelligence sharing and training can help businesses respond to retail crime.
Hannah Wadey, CEO of Safer Business Network, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the British Retail Consortium. Whilst the crime figures show a drop in retail crime offences, we know that retailers face shop theft, abuse and violence on a daily basis and we want to provide practical help and support to keep reatil workers safe.
“Our engagement officers see firsthand the impact retail crime has on those who work in shops and stores across our high streets. We have years of experience in this space which we want to share.
“We’re looking forward to building a strong relationship with the BRC and its members and playing our part in finding practical ways to make retail environments safer.”
Lucy Whing, Policy Advisor at the British Retail Consortium, added: “We are excited to partner with Safer Business Network and its wider network of businesses and partners, with whom we share a deep commitment to ensuring our high streets remain safe and welcoming, particularly for the brilliant staff who are the lifeblood of the retail industry. It is completely unacceptable that retail colleagues continue to face violence and abuse simply for doing their jobs and protecting them remains the industry’s absolute priority.
“Our new strategic partnership will provide our members with invaluable frontline expertise and practical strategies to tackle retail crime head-on. By working collaboratively, we can better equip retailers to prevent conflict, protect their teams, and build a safer, more resilient future for the entire sector.”
For more information about Safer Business Network, visit: https://saferbusiness.org.uk/ or to find out more about the British Retail Consortium, visit: https://brc.org.uk.