A cyber incident, supply-chain problem or infrastructure failure can interrupt a small business with little warning. The London Business Networks for Resilience (LBNR) programme, supported by the London Resilience Unit and delivered by Resilience First, is helping the networks that businesses already trust turn awareness of those risks into preparation.
The programme’s 2026 interim report shows how widely that work has reached. It has involved 53 business networks and 25 local authorities, with activity covering 76% of London boroughs. Nearly half of London’s Business Improvement Districts have engaged.
The report also describes changes within participating organisations. These include developing risk management and business continuity plans, establishing resilience workstreams, incorporating resilience into organisational strategies, delivering training and providing support to member businesses.
Participants describe the value of building relationships alongside those practical steps. A Harrow BID team member said the programme “helped build stronger relationships with local businesses and the BRF”, referring to their Borough Resilience Forum.
A team member from the West End Security Group reflected on the benefits of those connections: “We have further explored the use of engagement via website resources, newsletters, events and the nature of our contact with our Borough Resilience Forum”.
The report identifies a continuing challenge: understanding whether greater engagement through business networks leads to lasting changes in business behaviour. Phase 3 will build on the partnerships established so far and focus on helping more SMEs take practical steps to prepare.
That next phase will launch at the Business Resilience Forum: Helping SMEs Prepare for Disruption on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, from 9:00 to 11:30 am GMT, hosted by Control Risks in London. The forum will bring together SMEs, business networks, local authorities and community partners to discuss the disruptions businesses face and the actions they can take.
The event will introduce the London Resilience Unit’s updated Community Risk Register and launch the London SME Resilience Pledge. Participants will be invited to identify one action their organisation can take within the following three months to improve its preparedness.
