Net Zero vs Reality: When Regulation Becomes the Problem, Not the Solution
Our Chairman, Anthony Jones, reflects on his journey in the glazing business and some of the current challenges we face:
A personal insight from my double-glazing journey; what is important for a successful business.
It was in January 1980 that I first walked into a double-glazing showroom. I had just been made redundant from a career in export/import. I was very fit then and was distributing leaflets to keep income coming in whilst I found another opportunity. It was a new showroom in the area for this company and the new local manager was, unknown to me, looking for sales people. He took the opportunity to ask if I was interested. Although my experience in sales was on the international stage business to business, I gave it try and have never looked back.
Now 45 years later, I wear three business hats: I run a Trade and Consumer Federation, the National Federation of Glaziers, I still work part time leading a family-owned SME in this industry, which I founded 37 years ago and study and lecture in Economics, a subject I became interested in the 1970’s. Some say I am an economist, which given the reputation of the subject these days I only reluctantly admit.
Having these different perspectives is I find helpful when I am asked for a broader view of business success.
From an economic point of view, the conventional approach is based upon ideas that have developed over the last 300 years and have only been challenged by even less successful ideas. We have found ourselves governed by an economic system devoid of morality. There is an obsession with growth and profit maximisation. When we remind ourselves that economics is about people, these are very narrow considerations.
For sure, to grow as a Human Being is certainly useful to ourselves and everyone else; to achieve this by participating in the glazing business is wonderful. So, this brings me to consider conduct in running a sustainable and resilient enterprise. What are the best principles? Is it all about making as much money as possible? Is it to keep our business growing?
In practice, we need profit, but I suggest a reasonable profit. When it becomes an end in itself, it can be seen to lead to unethical practices, such as high-pressure selling. Finding methods to obtain maximum profit from any situation is devoid of a larger view. There is the belief that we achieve so much solely by our own efforts, but the reality is that we need not just customers, we also need good suppliers, loyal and efficient employees and the benefits of the society we live in.
When we see this larger picture, the purpose of our enterprises expands to provide service to all those we work with. Our measure of success broadens and brings fulfilment and possibly real happiness!
There is a growing awareness, I notice of business ethics. What does this entail? Just keeping to the rules? Ticking a few boxes? Producing laudable and impressive company statements? It begins by treating others as we expect others to treat us. Our company has been successful by in practice treating everyone as a friend. Not everyone responds as we would like, but that’s life!
This leads me to my third hat; as Chairman of the National Federation of Glaziers. Here the emphasis is laid on best practice. By that we mean, putting ethics first, acting honestly and placing service first, before profits. It has always been my experience and I know of others that profits follow service, contrary to current economic ideas. Leading or participating in such a business is rewarding, and not solely as a financial transaction.
Over the years, we have seen many enterprises and individuals come and go. Unforeseen events do take place, but more often than not, I notice that those who stay in business for the long term have ethical principles at the heart of their business.
Economic theory has led us to a dysfunctional tax system which taxes individual enterprise and acts as a disincentive to work. It has also placed the placed the profit motive at the heart of our efforts, and even enshrined it in law!
This has led inevitably to much uncivilised behaviour such as the abuse of the Limited Liability Company status, taking excessive dividends from the business, and paying employees the least possible they will accept, not paying suppliers and employees on time as contracted.
What can we do? There are two positive steps that each of us can take. We all know, I suggest what it is to act with integrity and honesty. We need to have the courage to first act under those principles and secondarily refuse to transact with those who do not. Put the profit motive in its place. Do not allow “Economic Growth” be the ultimate measure of success.
Anthony C Jones
Chairman
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF GLAZIERS
