ESCP Business School’s London Campus has been awarded the Small Business Charter (SBC) accreditation, reinforcing its commitment to empowering UK SMEs through business education, training and community collaboration.
This enables ESCP to deliver the UK Government’s Help to Grow: Management programme, offering SME leaders access to expert-led training to support long-term recovery, resilience and innovation.
This recognition highlights the school’s strong commitment to fostering student entrepreneurship and its support for SMEs and start-ups in its local community of North London through specialised programmes and consultancy initiatives.
ESCP has partnerships already established with organisations including Camden Council, Barnet Council, One Kilburn, and the French Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain.
With an active presence across six European countries, ESCP offers SMEs access to international markets and networks through its global campus model. This enables UK entrepreneurs to gain global insight while addressing local challenges.
The panel of assessors also praised the school for the impact of initiatives such as the European Blue Factory incubator and the Jean-Baptiste Say Institute for Entrepreneurship, which reflect the school’s entrepreneurial culture.
Kamran Razmdoost, Dean of ESCP Business School London Campus, said: “Being accredited by the Small Business Charter marks another milestone for ESCP London in its journey to support UK businesses.
We’ve really enjoyed our engagement with SBC assessors and look forward to expanding our services to the local business community and those with European scaling-up ambitions.”
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.
In order to achieve the accreditation, business schools undergo a rigorous assessment to determine the effectiveness of business support, entrepreneurship education, and engagement with the local economy.
Flora Hamilton, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter and CEO of the Chartered Association of Business Schools, added: “We are delighted to welcome ESCP Business School to the Small Business Charter network. Its strong emphasis on student entrepreneurship and support for SMEs in the local community reflects the school’s entrepreneurial culture.
This accreditation recognises the dedication to supporting SMEs, and we look forward to seeing the continued impact on innovation and economic growth in the local area and beyond.”
The school was successfully approved across 23 assessment dimensions, including student enterprise, SME support, and stakeholder engagement. This makes it one of the few internationally accredited institutions in the UK recognised for its work with small businesses.
Harry McDonough, Senior Manager of ESCP Blue Factory, commented: “This accreditation marks an exciting step forward in our mission to connect more deeply with the UK’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through the Blue Factory, we’re committed to welcoming local businesses into our community and supporting them with world-class expertise.”
As SMEs continue to face growing challenges from digital transformation to leadership gaps and funding shortages, ESCP’s training will focus on key areas including digital skills, sustainability, finance, and leadership.
ESCP Business School was founded in 1819, making it the world’s oldest business school. Throughout its 200-year history, ESCP has remained committed to educating accountable, bold and creative leaders who launch trends, bring new solutions and initiate the codes of tomorrow.
ESCP’s six campuses in Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris, Turin and Warsaw are the stepping stones that allow students to experience ESCP’s European approach to management grounded in multiculturalism.
Every year, ESCP welcomes more than 11,000 students and 6,000 managers from 136 different nationalities. Its strength lies in its many business training programmes, both general and specialised (Bachelor, Master, MBA, Executive MBA, PhD and Executive Education), all of which include a multi-campus experience.
With innovation as the cornerstone, ESCP is accelerating academic research and business education to forge new pathways for a better future for all.
To find out more, visit their website.
