Why ‘placefirst’ matters now - and why Yorkshire is ready for it

Posted on Thursday 16 July 2026

With soon-to-be Prime Minister Andy Burnham pushing “place‑first” thinking onto the national agenda, York and North Yorkshire’s business community gathered earlier this month to examine what meaningful, place‑based growth really looks like and why the region is well‑positioned to lead it. 

The Meaningful Business Network’s third annual conference, held at York’s Priory Street Centre, brought together senior figures from Siemens Energy, PwC, Aviva, Chy Consultancy and the University of York, alongside SMEs, social enterprises and local authorities.  The message was clear.  Place‑based collaboration is no longer a “nice idea”, but part of the mainstream growth and resilience agenda. 

Katie Wytwyckyj, Programme Manager for the Meaningful Business Network, said:  

“Today shows what happens when a region commits to working differently.  York and North Yorkshire has the ideas, the ambition and the shared purpose to lead the place‑based growth agenda and meaningful partnerships can turn that agenda into real impact.  The energy in this network is real and it’s exactly what will drive change that benefits everyone who lives and works here.” 

That sense of momentum was reinforced by sustainability and community impact adviser Robin Sundaram, who highlighted how the national conversation has shifted.  He argued that place‑based collaboration has moved from a ‘nice idea’ to a core part of economic resilience, built on shared priorities and genuine partnership.  He also noted that local procurement remains one of the most effective ways to strengthen supply chains and keep value circulating locally. 

PwC’s Good Growth for Cities report 2025 - presented by Paddy Schmidt - provided the data behind that narrative.  York was ranked first in the UK, with standout performance on jobs, youth and adult skills, income distribution, health and high streets.  But the report also highlighted areas where the region needs to push harder, including new business creation, affordability and safety, whilst emphasising that York and North Yorkshire’s mix of urban, rural and coastal communities means growth must be shaped around the strengths of each place rather than a ‘one solution fits all’ approach. 

Siemens Energy’s Chris Mackinnon offered a practical example of what that looks like in action.  Reflecting on Hull’s transformation through offshore wind, he described how the city changed over a decade - not simply through investment, but through collaboration with local suppliers, colleges, the council and community organisations, backed by policy certainty.  He said: 

“Meaningful growth happens when a place identifies its strengths and builds on them.  In Hull, collaboration wasn’t optional, it was essential.  That’s how jobs were created, skills were built, supply chains grew, civic pride strengthened and long‑term opportunity followed.  And for York and North Yorkshire, the challenge is to build growth around its own distinctive assets - heritage, universities, rail, food, farming, digital, tourism and net zero - so that economic development strengthens the character of the place rather than replacing it.” 

Professor Kiran Trehan, Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor for Partnerships and Engagement at the University of York, reinforced the importance of collective action, arguing that SMEs should be the first port of call in any place‑based strategy.  

“Our job is to be more than just voices, it’s to ensure that the people in this room are around the tables where decisions are being made now.  Change happens when we work as a collective and create that movement for change.  There’s only one way to do business and that’s the right way, the responsible way.” 

Meanwhile, Rob Wolfe, Managing Director of Chy Consultancy, highlighted how procurement and social value can be powerful levers for strengthening local economies, emphasising that businesses of all sizes have a role to play in shaping meaningful places. 

The Meaningful Business Network, a partnership between Enterprise Works and the University of York’s School for Business and Society, supports organisations across York and North Yorkshire with events, workshops and practical tools to help embed social value into everyday decision‑making.  

Join Meaningful Business Network or for more information about how it can help your business.