BRITISH FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES SEARCH FOR UK’S FINEST FRANCHISEES

“Franchisees are fundamental to the success of the booming franchise industry now employing more than 370,000 people, which is why HSBC has been supporting this exciting sector for over 20 years. We’re calling on the UK’s best franchisees to tell us why they should be named bfa Franchisee of the Year.”
Cathryn Hayes, Head of Franchising for HSBC Bank

The search is on to find Britain’s top performing franchisees with the launch of the British Franchise Association’s (bfa) Franchisee of the Year Awards 2007, organised by the bfa and backed by HSBC Bank and Express Newspapers.

This year’s theme for the bfa Franchisee of the Year Awards is ‘Customer Focus’, with entrants having to demonstrate to the judging panel how they are tracking consumer needs and responding through their systems, products and services to meet demand.

The top franchisees will go on to attend a glittering black-tie event during National Franchise Week at the International Convention Centre (ICC), in Birmingham on Thursday 04 October, where they will be presented with their Awards before an audience of 250 guests drawn from the worlds of business, politics and the media.

Prize money of £10,000 is given by HSBC - the Overall Winner will walk away with the top prize of £5,000, followed by two runners-up who will win £3,000 and £2,000 respectively.

Franchisees have until Friday 29 June to enter the Awards and are being asked by the judges to demonstrate, in no more than 1,000 words, how they have achieved commercial success by focusing on customer care and following a proven business formula.

Director General of the bfa, Brian Smart, said: “These unique Awards are an established showcase that honours the very best within the franchising industry and seeks to reward those who constantly strive for excellence and so achieve success both for themselves and their networks.”

Yvette Taylor, Express Newspapers’ Business Advertising Manager, added: “The Finalists of these prestigious Awards are outstanding ambassadors for the franchising industry and their achievements an inspiration to anyone who is considering starting up their own franchise. We look forward to sharing their success stories with our readers.”

Entry forms for the Awards are available by post from the bfa, Thames View, Newtown Road, Henley on Thames, Oxon RG9 1HG, or online from the Members section of the bfa website www.thebfa.org/members. Closing date Friday 29 June.

Note to editors:

HSBC Bank plc

HSBC serves 15.7 million customers in the UK and employs more than 40,000 UK staff. HSBC is Britain's most recommended big bank. HSBC Bank plc is a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, and a member of the HSBC Group. HSBC Holdings plc serves over 125 million customers worldwide through some 10,000 offices in 82 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$1,861 billion at 31 December 2006, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as 'the world's local bank'.

HSBC and sustainability

HSBC is embedding sustainability into its core financial services business. This starts with its own operations. The bank measures its use of energy and water and production of waste and carbon dioxide across its offices around the world. It has also set targets to reduce these.

HSBC announced a carbon finance strategy earlier this year that outlined its role in helping to finance a shift to a low-carbon economy. The Group has also published a range of sector policies that raise the environmental standards of its lending and investments. In 2005, HSBC became the world's first major bank to become carbon neutral. It was also recently recognised as the FT Sustainable Bank of the Year.

National Franchise Week

How often have you sat at your desk and wondered what it would feel like to ‘Escape the 9 to 5’ and be your own boss? National Franchise Week is an ideal opportunity to explore the world of franchising as a proven and established way of starting your own business. Sponsored by Yell and organised by the British Franchise Association, National Franchise Week will be taking place on 1 - 7 October and features a number of exciting events such as the annual Franchisee of the Year Awards and the National Franchise Exhibition. The aim of National Franchise Week is to raise awareness of franchising as a successful business model. Franchising in the UK is a £10.8 billion industry that encompasses 781 franchise systems and employs 371,000 people. For more information on events throughout the week, visit www.nationalfranchiseweek.co.uk or contact Dina Morton (01419 578 050).

British Franchise Association

The British Franchise Association (bfa) was set up in 1977 and is the only voluntary self-accrediting body for the UK franchise sector. Its aim is to promote ethical franchising practice in the UK and help the industry develop credibility, influence and favourable circumstance for growth. Franchisor members have to meet the standards set by the Association in order to establish that their franchise represents a fair and ethical opportunity. The standards are adopted from the European Franchise Federation (EFF) Code of Ethics and set out in The Ethics of Franchising. More information on the bfa can be found at www.thebfa.org.

Express Newspapers

Express Newspapers is the market leader among national newspapers in the franchising industry, and the official newspaper to the bfa. The Daily Express publishes a comprehensive franchise section every Monday, as well as regular franchise supplements to coincide with the major franchise exhibitions that take place throughout the year. The company further strengthens its position in this market by publishing a weekly franchise section in the Sunday Express, and has launched a brand new franchise section the Daily Star, sister paper to the Daily Express, providing readers with the most up to date news and information on the UK franchising industry.

For more information, please call Katie Ellerker or Claire Abercrombie at Aspect Communications on 020 8673 2020/07960 222054/07790 010 509