Strengthening the social foundations for growth

Dr. Neil Bentley-Gockmann OBE, Chief Executive Officer, WIG.

At a time of economic, technological, environmental and geopolitical disruption, business leaders know that public policy certainty is essential for investment, job creation and long-term prosperity.

The UK government has begun to provide this stability through the industrial strategy, long-term infrastructure and defence plans, NHS reform and commitments set out in the recent spending review. These are giving businesses the confidence to plan, invest, and grow for the long term.

Yet business leaders and civil society leaders alike recognise that economic ambition cannot be sustained if social foundations are weak. Pressures around housing, skills, health and poverty can fuel instability, erode public trust and community cohesion and ultimately undermine the confidence to invest. Prosperity depends on more than public policy certainty; it requires communities to be partners in socio-economic transformation.

 

A new partnership model that works 

Businesses have tended to work with charities, for example, through philanthropic funding, as set out in this recent CAF report, or through the social value model via public procurement. Business-government dialogue has focused on economic development and investment. Important civil society-government dialogue has centred on social outcomes and local services, which will be enhanced through the Civil Society Covenant launched in July by the Prime Minister. But these conversations often take place in silos and haven’t been effectively joined up to support strategic objectives on inclusive growth and prosperity.

At recent WIG roundtables, business, civil society and government leaders have talked about the need to renew the social contract with communities and acknowledged there is a vital role for more and better cross-sector collaboration to deliver inclusive growth for the common good.

And at our Annual Interview in November, leaders from government, business and civil society reached a powerful consensus: when civil society is involved from the outset and solutions are created in place, stronger and more enduring outcomes follow. There is a vital role for deeper, more purposeful collaboration.

So we welcome the final report of the Social Impact Investment Advisory Group. Commissioned by the Treasury, this report captures the opportunity through its concept of the "impact economy"- charities, social enterprises, philanthropists, purpose-driven businesses, and impact investors working as strategic partners in national missions – with £50bn already invested. And the subsequent establishment of the Office for the Impact Economy – a single front door for impact investors, philanthropy and purpose-driven businesses to partner with government and scale social impact – is a major step forward. 

 

Moving to place-based collaboration 

Yet more three-way strategic dialogue is needed to improve coherence and maximise impact. Our State of Cross-Sector Collaboration Survey 2025 report reveals the challenge and the opportunity: 92% of leaders from across the sectors say collaboration is essential for economic growth, with 24% prioritising place-based growth, but only 31% feel equipped to collaborate effectively across sectors.

That’s why we are establishing a 12-month cross-sector pilot programme in Greater Manchester, bringing together leaders of today and tomorrow from local and regional government, Whitehall, businesses, universities and civil society to:

  • increase trust and understanding between local, regional and Whitehall stakeholders to unlock growth and investment in place;
  • co-design solutions to real policy challenges within Greater Manchester, aligning the 10-year Greater Manchester Strategy with national objectives; and
  • develop cross-sector leadership capabilities through experiential visits, facilitated sessions, strategic workshops and roundtables.

 

Building what's next

The UK has a unique opportunity: with clearer public policy direction, new partnership infrastructure through the Office for the Impact Economy, expanding devolution, and a cross-sector leadership appetite for change.

 At WIG, we are ready to help leaders build that collaborative advantage: the trust, skills and alignment needed to drive inclusive, sustainable growth. We welcome partners who want to shape this next chapter, connecting nationally with places like Greater Manchester.

Together, we can build the social and economic foundations for the UK’s global competitiveness and long-term community cohesion and prosperity.

Written by:

Neil is an experienced leader working across government, business and civil society nationally and internationally. He joined WIG as CEO in 2023 at a time when the charity’s purpose of improving cross-sector collaboration and leadership to boost investment, economic growth and prosperity has become ever more important.

 

Neil is also Chair of the WorldSkills Global Research Council, having served eight years as CEO of WorldSkills UK, championing the productivity benefits of international benchmarking to raise standards in apprenticeships and technical education to world-class levels, working with governments, education and industry partners.

 

Neil was previously Deputy Director-General and Chief Operating Officer at the UK business organisation the CBI, working for 12 years at the highest level of the business and government interface nationally and internationally. Prior to that he worked on European employee relations in global IT services and publishing, following completion of his PhD on race discrimination in the workplace in Germany. Neil was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to LGBT diversity and inclusion.

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