Your perspectives on competitiveness in industry

David Kester

Design Council Chief Executive

Britain has to become more impatient to deliver progress, as we are not reacting quickly enough to the challenge. The Design Council is continuing to work with business and the public sector to embrace design, but there is a long way to go before its potential significantly to contribute to economic competitiveness is fully exploited. Britain has great creative capabilities, but it is currently sitting on an under-utilised asset. We need to act now, before it is too late.

Sir George Cox

Design Council Chairman

Our universities and design schools are filled with international students eager to take their new skills home to plan products and businesses for the future. UK business needs to respond by inspiring a desire and ambition for continued business expansion through design and innovation. We need the UK to make much greater use of such skills.

Hilary Potter

Director, City Fringe Partnership

Companies in the City Fringe (those located in the area to the north and east of the Square Mile) are already benefiting from support for design-led innovation. One year on from the influential Cox Report, City Fringe Partnership projects in the furniture, fashion and print manufacturing and jewellery sectors are helping SMEs to access the skills and equipment required to put design at the heart of their commercial activities. These sectors are essential to the regional and national economy.