INTERVIEW


Stephen Gould


‘We have relationships with over 170 business owners running their pubs and that gives us a wonderful and privileged opportunity to influence the commercial and social agenda’


innovation and these innovations keep us moving forward. It’s very much a characteristic of Everards, led by the family, of blending tradition with ambition. “The macro economic, political and social changes since I


arrived have been quite immense and I think it’s a fair assumption that this trend will continue in the years to come. Organisation needs to be agile, awake and able to read trends but also be very clear about who they are and what they are doing - if you don’t have a compass and don’t know where you’re headed you can quickly come unstuck.” And while the brewery industry – and by extension the


pub trade – is steeped in history and remains deeply embedded in the psyche of British culture, such an established industry creates its own challenges to negotiate. “Ours is a very mature industry and in a classic strategic


sense, mature industries tends to be overcrowded. This means you have to develop a strategy that outlines clearly what your points of difference are,” argues Stephen. “It’s then about how you innovate around this to ensure


you stand out from the crowd and there lies the clues for navigation – for example if a major political shift takes place, you’re able to know who you are and what you are about as a company; this gives you a guide as to how to handle challenges when they come along. “Also, in a mature industry, it’s very easy to become a


busy fool – chasing every opportunity, regardless of margin. An organisation may feel busy and dynamic but in reality, you’re not pleasing anybody. Over the years we have had to choose what we are and, therefore, what we’re not.” The notion of CSR and businesses positioning themselves as a force for good in the communities they


serve has gained traction in recent times. And while it’s a shift that Stephen supports, he believes


it is crucial that businesses take a holistic, all-inclusive view that is evidenced throughout an organisation, rather than being restricted to siloed and/or one-off activity. “There has been a lot of discussion around CSR in the


business community over recent years and I am a little cynical about the term, but perhaps not its intent,” he says. “The term can become a detached item from what a


company is all about. Organisations can establish that they should be seen to be socially orientated, therefore specific departments are assigned to CSR activity. “But it’s how you merge and integrate commercial and


social gain within the whole organisation that is important.” So what unique opportunities enable Everards to


leverage this concept of commercial and social integration for the good of both business and community? “I am involved with a national group called Pub Aid


which brings this whole point to life nationally with the pub at the centre of the community in all its shapes, sizes and nuances,” explains Stephen. “From our perspective, we have relationships with over


170 business owners running their pubs and that gives us a wonderful and privileged opportunity to influence the commercial and social agenda. “In many ways we are cheerleaders - our business


owners who run the pubs are the leaders in this field because they decide what they want to do at a local level. “Our business owners are amazing – there are several


raising over £50,000 per year for their local communities and the average is around £20,000 per year for each and every pub.”


business network July/August 2019 55


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