Commentary from CSP Hunter OBE: Accelerate Efforts to Support Employees, Design, Manufacturing and Export During COVID-19
“During the COVID-19 crisis, businesses that can, must continue to lead the way in driving British innovation.
I highly support the UK Government in how they are dealing with the crisis and a very welcome return to the Prime Minister.
The economic measures of the UK Government are largely great ones, and certainly exceptional in their good intent. HMRCs PAYE Deferral Plan is an example of perfect policy. I do have some concerns on CBIL, GDP and the risk of losing a significant number of UK companies within 60-120 days. The recent announcement by the Chancellor is certainly a step in the right direction and a promising one for our small businesses.
There is much to look forward to and those of us in business who can, should now accelerate our efforts to support our employees, and continue to design, manufacture, sell and export. I have been fortunate to retain all company employees in safe-working and full salaries without recourse to furlough.
At Coltraco Ultrasonics we continue to push forward our innovation and are proud to still be launching new products during this crisis, notably the Portatank®, our ultrasonic liquid level indicator for inspecting industrial tanks.
I hope that the readers of this commentary have been managing well during this crisis.”
Author Bio: Carl Stephen Patrick Hunter is a CEO, speaker and former British Army Greenjacket Officer who works to advance professionalism, performance and integrity in international business and public life.
As the head of Coltraco Ultrasonics – a world-leading UK manufacturer and exporter of maritime and safety engineering technology and winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade and the BExA Lifetime Exporting Achievement Award in 2019. Carl offers a unique global perspective gained from over 30 years of leadership, advisory work and international trade in 120 countries. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering and Freeman of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners.
Carl believes strongly in the value of business, both as a social and commercial enterprise, and is committed to using his experience and insight to support greater collaboration between the public and private sectors. Carl delivers strategic counsel and mentoring to leaders in Government, Parliament, and the UK business community, serving as an Export Champion for the Department for International Trade and as Head of Government Relations at the British Exporters Association.
He has also helped develop UK & ISO Standards in the maritime and safety engineering sectors, is an Expert Panel Member of the Business Integrity Initiative at the Department for International Development and of a Trade Advisory Group in the Department for International Trade, has worked in stakeholder engagement roles with the Department for Transport on Maritime 2050 and with the Department for International Trade on the Export Strategy, and works with DfT, The Commonwealth and the International Maritime Organisation on UK values, Maritime Safety and the Eradication of Modern Slavery at Sea. Carl is a Decision-Making Panel Member of the Bank of England and a Commonwealth Business Mentor.
Carl was awarded OBE for Services to Business and International Trade in HM The Queen’s Birthday Honours in June 2019. He holds an Honorary Doctorate of Science of Durham University and is Professor-in-Practice at Durham Business School. He has four children with Dorothy, his wife of 28 years, and lives in London and Somerset.
