Business & Education Alliance · Greater Manchester

The Manchester Chapter.

Connecting Manchester business with local schools — the conduit between the commercial and education sectors, helping companies across Greater Manchester turn their CSR, ESG and social value commitments into real impact for children — and helping Manchester schools raise funds and engage with business. As the founding home of the Alliance, the Manchester chapter leads the way for the rest of the UK.

CSR & ESG partnershipsSponsor & donate to schoolsSchool fundraisingChapters & ambassadorsEngland
CSR, ESG & social value

Your CSR and ESG, working on your doorstep in Manchester.

Manchester is known for its fast-growing media, tech, finance and digital economy — and every one of those businesses sits within reach of a school that could do more for its pupils with the right backing. The Business & Education Alliance is the conduit between local business and the education sector, making it simple for Manchester companies to direct their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), ESG and social value where it is felt most: the classrooms and children of their own community.

Rather than donating into the void, a Manchester business is matched with a nearby school through a clear, accountable partnership. You gain meaningful local visibility and a genuine CSR and ESG story; the school gains funding — and help to raise funds for any project — for the experiences that cost too often puts out of reach. It is, simply, business and education working together — for the benefit of both, but most importantly for young people across Greater Manchester.

Why it matters here

The cost barrier is real — in Manchester too.

These national figures drive everything the Manchester chapter does.

52%

of children have intentionally not told a parent about a trip, to avoid the financial burden on their family.

The Independent, 2022
1 in 3

parents would be concerned by a letter home about a school trip — cost being the main worry.

Hyundai 2022, via The Independent
15%

of parents could not let their child take part in a trip in the past year, purely due to cost.

NASUWT, 2018
How the Manchester chapter works

Chapters and ambassadors, powered locally.

We're building a UK-wide network of local chapters, each led by ambassadors who know their community.

1

Ambassadors

Local champions introduce Manchester businesses and schools and host engaging networking sessions.

2

Matching

We carry out due diligence and pair each business with a school that fits, through a clear agreement.

3

The BTA

A Business & Teacher Association forms the lasting bond — the patron/PTA model, for business and education.

4

Impact

A fixed share of every contribution funds extra-curricular experiences, with an annual impact report.

For Manchester business

Give back where you trade.

Turn local goodwill into a measurable CSR story and visibility across Greater Manchester.

  • Sponsor one or more Manchester schools through Gold, Silver or Bronze tiers.
  • Brand presence on school and BEA platforms, plus networking events.
  • An annual impact report evidencing your CSR spend.

See partnership tiers

For Manchester schools

Fund the experiences that matter.

We bring vetted local businesses to your door, so no child misses out because of cost.

  • Be matched with a sponsoring business from your own community.
  • Funding directed to trips, residentials and enrichment.
  • Logistical, admin and marketing support from the BEA.

Register your school

Help us launch the Manchester chapter.

Become an ambassador, start a chapter, or partner as a business — and put Manchester at the heart of the campaign to bridge business and education.

Manchester questions

Frequently asked

How can my Manchester business meet its CSR responsibilities through the BEA?

The Business & Education Alliance acts as the conduit between local business and the education sector, so a Manchester company can meet its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals by sponsoring a school on its own doorstep. You choose a Gold, Silver or Bronze partnership, we handle the matching and due diligence, and a fixed share of every contribution goes directly to the sponsored school to fund extra-curricular opportunities for children.

What is the Business & Teacher Association (BTA), and can we form one in Manchester?

Charities have patrons and schools have a PTA — the BTA is the equivalent for business and education. It is a lasting, structured partnership between a Manchester business and a local school, built around the child. Yes, BTAs can be formed across Greater Manchester as the chapter grows.

How do I become a BEA ambassador or start a chapter in Manchester?

We are recruiting chapters and ambassadors across the UK. An ambassador champions the campaign locally, introduces businesses and schools, and helps run engaging networking sessions in Manchester. Email info@thebea.org and we'll help you get the Manchester chapter moving.

Which schools in and around Manchester can benefit?

Any state school in Manchester and the wider Greater Manchester area can be matched with a sponsoring business. Funding is directed at the experiences that cost too often shut children out — trips, residentials and enrichment — so no pupil misses out because of their family's circumstances.

Explore nearby

Chapters near Manchester