Cornwall Council, in partnership with Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Small Businesses, and the CIoS Growth Hub, officially launched the Good Business Pathfinder yesterday (November 19).
This new online tool is designed to help businesses across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the face of labour market shortages, climate pressures, and rising costs.
The free, easy-to-use online resource, now live online, offers practical tools and guidance to support businesses of all sizes, from freelancers to large organisations.
Visit the Good Business Pathfinder website
It has been created to enable businesses to stay competitive, resilient, and responsible in the current challenging context.
Councillor Tim Dwelly, Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration and Investment, said: “Supporting businesses to create a resilient economy with good jobs and fair opportunities is a core priority for Cornwall Council.
"The Good Business Pathfinder has been set up to help give organisations the tools they need to take practical steps towards making small changes that add up to big progress when it comes to looking after their people, their profits and the planet.”
The Pathfinder focuses on seven core areas of responsible business:
- Good pay, working hours and contracts
- Workforce opportunities
- Health and wellbeing
- Equality, diversity and inclusion
- Environmental responsibility
- Responsible sourcing
- Digital integration
These principles reflect that the way to do business is changing. From supply chains to recruitment, from customer loyalty to funding bids, the expectations placed on businesses are evolving fast. Increasingly, success is tied to ability to a business to show how it contributes positively to society and the environment. Adopting these would therefore help to unlock funding, investment, securing new contracts and customers.
John Brown, CEO of the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, said "Good business isn’t about choosing between profit and purpose. It’s about recognising that doing the right thing for people and the planet is the smart thing for the bottom line.
"The Good Business Pathfinder strips away the jargon and gets practical applicable advice into the hands of leaders, helping businesses take small, effective steps that make commercial, environmental, and social sense. It’s not theory, it’s lived experience, guided by real business leaders across sectors who know the daily pressures and opportunities."
The platform also features inspiring case studies and a collaborative space where businesses can share their progress, creating a community committed to building a stronger, fairer, and greener economy for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Cornwall Council has recently been recognised as a Vanguard in the Government’s Keep Britain Working initiative, a national programme aimed at tackling economic inactivity and improving workplace health and inclusion. As the only rural area named Vanguard, Cornwall will play a key role in testing new approaches to workplace health and inclusion, working alongside leading employers and government. The Good Business Pathfinder will be a key tool to connect employers and workplaces to this initiative.
Ann Vandermeulen, FSB Regional Business & Stakeholder Manager (South West), said; “ We really like this helpful initiative, and we hope that businesses will explore all that the Good Business Pathfinder has to offer. The convenience of being able to just tap into a mine of useful information and signposting, as needed, makes this just the kind of flexible, user-friendly business support that businesses are looking for.”
Kirsty Miles-Musgrave from the Growth Hub said “Being a ‘good’ business isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a smart commercial strategy. Customers, clients and employees are increasingly choosing businesses that reflect their values, whether that’s fair employment, sustainability, or inclusivity.
"The Good Business Pathfinder is a great way to further that journey, and the Growth Hub is here to help businesses build on that with tailored support that drives growth, reputation, and long-term success.”
Visit the Good Business Pathfinder website
ENDS
Posted 20 November, 2025
