Product category:
Printing Trade Organisations - including Allied Industry Bodies
News Release from: British Printing Industries Federation
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial
Team on 18 August 2005
Statistics Prove BPIF's Value To Its
Members
The British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) has claimed that it is the first UK trade association to calculate its value added to its members and to its industry.
The British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) has claimed that it is the first UK trade association to calculate its value added to its members and to its industry It has done so based upon what is described as a rigorous system developed by the CBI-supported Trade Association Forum (TAF)
This article was originally published on Printingtalk on 1 Aug 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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The validated results show that the BPIF delivers value back at a rate of 1:28, that is, for the £3m it pays in subscriptions, the industry in return receives over £83 million in added value.
The results have been closely examined and validated by a panel of Trade Association Forum members.
John d'Arcy, chairman of the Trade Association Forum and chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, said: "Cynics in the business world often question the value of trade associations.
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Nearly 70 printers and suppliers to the printing industry took time out yesterday to hear the findings of a new British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF)-Pira research study.
This is our answer to them - the tool allows a trade association not only to prove that it delivers a return on its members' investment but also, by taking the costs of delivery in to account, the efficiency of those operations.
If members are shareholders, the value added measurement is the annual report.
By demonstrating that a return on investment of 28:1 is possible, we're showing every company in the UK that it's time to start investing in your trade association." Value added is not about whether the trade association itself is profitable but whether the resources it deploys contribute to the profitability and other non-financial goals of members.
BPIF chief executive Michael Johnson said he was delighted but not surprised by the results.
He commented: "Each member of staff knows every day that we are bringing value to our members but this exercise proves it.
Our modern IT and tracking systems allows us to carefully monitor the real value delivered to each and every member.
There are not many service providers who can show this so specifically and it will be an invaluable tool in both recruiting and keeping members." Membership turnover of the BPIF is near to the lowest amongst UK trade associations with three per cent of the total membership tendering resignations in 2004, compared to an average of over five per cent said the organisation.
BPIF deputy chief executive Cicely Brown sits on the TAF steering group and she feels that it is also an important contribution to the trade association movement.
Brown said: "Trade associations can be powerful levers in driving competitiveness in British industry.
More effective trade associations will mean better businesses, an improved legislative environment for business and ultimately a stronger economy.
However our success is based upon support from members.
If we cannot prove our effectiveness to members we will lose our subscription base and thereby the means by which to make a difference to British business.
This tool helps in two ways - it lowers the cost of membership recruitment and retention by proving value to existing and potential members, thereby significantly shortening the decision-making cycle.
It also forces trade associations to measure and improve their activities - to deliver more effective services, to improve and grow.
The end result is more effective trade associations with more members and better British businesses," The method of calculation is outlined in the TAF publication 'Value Added Measurement for Trade Associations', which is available from the TA Forum website - www.taforum.org - and the BPIF's Cicely Brown said she is also available to provide more details of how the added value figure is calculated.
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