I am delighted that my ‘Seeing is Believing’ programme, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, remains as effective as ever. The 2,300 business leaders who have participated in this programme since its inception in 1990 comprise a powerful network of people committed to ensuring that business remains a force for good.

Over the past decade ‘Seeing is Believing’ visits have been central to the work of Business in the Community, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2002. The programme has been instrumental in awakening many business people to the ways in which their companies can positively influence a range of social and economic issues, both within their operations and in the communities where they operate.

That awakening has led them to change the way their firms impact on the workplace, the marketplace and the environment, as well as increasing their community investment in areas of greatest need.

Those areas encompass rural communities as well as inner cities, a fact underlined with considerable poignancy by the devastating consequence of the Foot and Mouth outbreak. This year I have personally led ‘Seeing is Believing’ visits to rural areas so that business leaders could see firsthand the challenges faced by people in all areas of rural life.

In July this culminated in the launch of the BITC Business Action in Rural Communities campaign through which businesses are taking action to build enterprising communities, strengthen market towns and support local sourcing.

I have enormous admiration for what people have achieved through ‘Seeing is Believing’ over the past decade.

HRH The Prince of Wales,
President Business in the Community