by Malcolm Hyde, regional director of the CBI South East

Last year, a CBI report called Playing our Strongest Hand set out the case for a 21st century industrial strategy for the UK.

It urged the government to adopt a more strategic approach to champion those sectors in which Britain has a competitive edge and can really impact on future growth.

Government listened, and the Business Secretary’s commitment in September last year to partner with business on delivering that vision received a warm welcome from the business community.

Three weeks ago, we launched Raising the Bar – a follow up report to see what has happened (or not) one year on.

It was timed to coincide with a joint government-CBI industrial strategy conference, at which CBI Director-General John Cridland spoke alongside Business Secretary Vince Cable.

As a bit of context, recent polling shows the economy and unemployment are in the top three issues considered to be facing Britain today (43% and 33% respectively, according to Ipsos Mori).

It highlights the importance of a long-term plan to boost the economy and create jobs. The conference’s theme, Securing Jobs and a Stronger Economy, certainly demonstrated a continued commitment by government to address these issues.

But there is still some way to go in the delivery against sector plans.

Ensuring the competitiveness of the UK as a place to do business is central to any plan to boost growth and employment.

On our part the CBI continues to argue for effective policy mechanisms and delivery on a range of business issues from boosting exports to embedding innovation.

Our industrial strategy proposals have been at the forefront of these arguments.

Now, more than ever, we must encourage the implementation of a coherent and successful strategy across all key sectors.

On our part the CBI continues to argue for effective policy mechanisms and delivery on a range of business issues from boosting exports to embedding innovation

So, where are we one year on, and what do businesses have to say about delivery so far?

There has been a range of activity and government engagement within its 11 identified key sectors, as well as a large number of commitments made by both business and government.

These commitments now need action and implementation. Some 63% of CBI members surveyed have said that government is not strategic enough in how it is actually using policy and funding levers to underpin UK competitive advantage.

There is scope for more targeted interventions focused on skills, procurement, tax and regulation, and developing business clusters.

While there has been progress, we need to move further and faster to ensure that the UK business environment remains internationally competitive.

We must continue to get behind key sectors, we must act to strengthen the supply chains that underpin our key sectors and the government and business need to work effectively together to embed industrial strategy in the UK over the long term – with business in the driving seat.

So one year on, signs are positive, but we need to raise the bar.

We must be even more ambitious for ourselves and ensure that our industrial strategy really does deliver on its promise.