BT Means Business with launch of new Charter for UK enterprises and public sector

• Charter to provide Enterprise customers with springboard for growth by fuelling innovation through new investment in ‘Division X’ unit
• Charter combines BT’s innovation and expertise with customer service and purpose-driven improvements
• Almost 600,000 small business owners and their employees helped by BT’s free digital skills programme to date, with a further 350,000 set to benefit
• Launch coincides with opening of customer innovation showcase at BT’s new HQ in London
• ‘BT Means Business’ advertising campaign launches across major UK platforms – with BT being positioned as flagship brand for business

BT today unveiled a new Charter for its 1.2 million UK business and public sector customers, providing a blueprint for BT to accelerate a range of initiatives aimed at boosting  the growth of UKplc.

The Charter consists of a new set of commitments from BT to provide its Enterprise customers with a springboard for growth - delivered through a greater focus on innovation, world-class cyber security, a new suite of digital services, customer service improvements and purpose-driven goals. The new commitments outlined today include the following highlights, with the full details of the Charter available here.

• Investing almost £100 million over the next three years in BT’s ‘Division X’ unit within Enterprise - to accelerate the development of customer solutions which integrate emerging technologies like 5G, IoT, Edge Compute, Cloud and AI. These new solutions will transform and modernise key industries like manufacturing, health, port operations, transport and logistics, driving positive business outcomes and fuelling the UK economy.
• Launching sophisticated cyber defence and assessment tools which are not currently offered by other UK network providers - starting with its Safe Security cyber health check tool which is available to larger UK corporate and public sector customers today, with smaller customers set to benefit over time. 
• Developing inclusive tech to boost broadband speeds for small firms not yet served by fibre broadband. BT will launch the first service in the UK which fuses fixed and 4G speeds together to uplift broadband speeds for thousands of small firms currently using copper lines.
• Delivering the fastest installation and repair times in the industry for ultrafast business (or Ethernet) connections - which underpin the operations of mid to large corporates and public sector bodies.
• Forming a new partnership network for small firms - giving customers access to exclusive offers across broadband, mobile, digital marketing and connected devices, plus other benefits, with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) confirmed as BT’s first launch partner.
• Pioneering a new suite of smart business tools which combine the best of BT and EE to make it easier for small businesses to run and grow their business. This new portfolio will build on the recent launch of BT’s Digital Marketing Hub – the new all-in-one advertising platform which gives small firms all the tools and support they need to reach millions of potential new customers.
• Stepping up its free digital skills programme to reach a further 350,000 small business and their employees by the end of March 2023.
• Accelerating sustainable initiatives to support customers’ Net Zero journeys – including the removal of all single use plastics and using recycled materials for new BT business product packaging and devices by the end of March 2023.

Rob Shuter, CEO of Enterprise, BT Group, said: “Right now, our key industries are on the cusp of a technological revolution as the UK prepares to make the large-scale switch from analogue to fully digital ways of working. Only businesses which make the leap will succeed and stay competitive - our role is to help them navigate that journey.

“It’s an ideal time for us to set out why BT really means business. Our new Charter reflects the priorities that our 1.2m business and public customers expect to see from BT. We’ve listened to their feedback and based our Charter on four key promises – that we’ll lead the way in innovation; we’ll be trusted experts in our fields; we’ll be easier to do business with; and we’ll continue to put purpose at the heart of our business.”

The Charter reflects four key priorities for BT over the next financial year and beyond, to better serve the needs of its UK customers - spanning sole-traders, start-ups, SMEs, corporates, public sector bodies and communications providers:

Innovation: BT will fast track technology innovation across the UK – so that businesses, communities and the UK economy can flourish.

Expertise: BT will use its expertise to take businesses into the digital fast lane and soup up security – like no other provider.

Easy to do business with: BT will deliver standout customer experiences – making it easier to do business with.

Purpose-driven: BT will use its responsible, inclusive and sustainable tech to Connect for Good – and will help its customers do the same.

The launch of today’s Charter coincides with a fresh chapter in the evolution of BT’s Group’s brand strategy, with BT being positioned as the Group’s flagship brand for business and public sector customers in the UK and globally. A multi-million pound UK TV and out-of-home advertising campaign kickstarts this week to signal the beginning of this transformation, using the creative strapline, ‘BT Means Business.’

BT unveiled the details of its new Charter at an event today to mark the opening of its new ‘Aurora’ customer innovation showcase at its global headquarters in London. The new facility spotlights BT’s latest R&D around Enterprise solutions incorporating digital components like 5G, IoT, robotics, and AI – and how these can be applied across key industries like Healthcare, Manufacturing and Smart Cities.