About Us

Letter from the editor 

BusinessLive is the new, national digital brand from Reach - and it's focused on news about businesses from across the regions. 

We'll offer the best coverage of local business markets and of key business sectors nationally, from manufacturing to property and everything in between. 

BusinessLive will shine a spotlight on the entrepreneurs, the stars of the future and the small firms that are the backbone of our economy. 

We want to inspire business through trusted local and national content in uncertain times. We'll give our readers the news and information they need to do business locally and nationally. And we'll explain what's happening in the business world, telling the stories behind the headlines. 

We're giving our great local business content a national platform that's inspiring, informed and inquisitive. And I hope you'll enjoy it.

Alistair Houghton
Editor - BusinessLive 

How our journalists work 

Ethics policy 

High editorial standards are at the core of BusinessLive’s business philosophy. 

Reach PLC, BusinessLive’s parent company, is a member of and is regulated by IPSO, the Independent Press Standards Organisation. 

Our journalists work according to The Editors’ Code of Practice, which sets the benchmark for ethical standards in journalism and is enforced by IPSO. On joining Reach, all editorial staff complete a training course in the Code and legal refresher training. 

At BusinessLive, we recognise that protecting the rights of the individual consistently comes into conflict with the public’s right to know. This means we have to make difficult judgements, sometimes quickly, which are impossible to get right all of the time. Regular bulletins and seminars give staff the best opportunity to learn from mistakes, whether our own or those of other parts of the media industry. 

We are a launch partner of The Trust Project, an international initiative to make it easier for readers to find out more about the organisations and the people providing them with news, and to support quality journalism. 

Verification and fact checking 

We expect our staff to use their best endeavours to verify the stories being put forward for publication. 

Unnamed sources 

Journalists have an obligation under IPSO’s Editors’ Code of Practice to protect their sources, but we also have a duty to establish that the sources we use are reliable and that material has been appropriately obtained. Story provenance is ultimately the responsibility of the Editor. 

When using unnamed sources, the company relies on the integrity, experience and professionalism of its staff. 

Corrections Policy 

If you believe a story we have published is inaccurate, please contact the editorial team. You can: 

Email: businesslive@reachplc.com 

Phone: 0151 472 2449 

Write to Alistair Houghton, BusinessLive, 5 St Pauls Square, Liverpool, L3 9SJ 

Once verified, we will correct the story on the website as soon as possible. Where appropriate, the fact a correction has been made will be noted on the story and/or on the corrections and clarifications page. 

If you have an issue about how BusinessLive has written about you personally or has treated you and wish to make a formal complaint over a potential breach of the Editor's Code of Practice, please see Reach PLC's Complaints Policy and Procedure. 

You can also contact IPSO for advice. 

Tell us what you think 

There are many ways for you to get in touch with us to have your say. 

Got a story? Email businesslive@reachplc.com 

Have more information about the story you are reading? Contact the journalist (click on their name at the top of the story to find their contact details) 

Leave a comment on a story to give your opinion, join the conversation or add your expertise 

Vote in a poll 

LinkedIn -  www.linkedin.com/company/business-live

If you have feedback or a complaint, find out who to contact 

Our People 

Editor: Alistair Houghton 

Visit our Contact Us page to find out about our teams across the country 

Our Business 

BusinessLive is part of the Reach PLC group. Reach PLC is Britain’s largest newspaper, magazine and digital publisher, with a print and online portfolio reaching 38.6million people every month. The award-winning Reach PLC publications stretch across England, Scotland and Wales, with more than 150 newspaper titles and more than 80 websites. These iconic brands sit at the heart of their communities, forming part of the fabric of everyday life for thousands of people across the UK. Find out which of our regional titles is nearest you, whether online or in print. 

Reach PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange, and is part of the FTSE SmallCap Index. 

Diversity Policy 

The Company is committed to increasing the service quality, profitability and efficiency of the Company by attracting and recruiting the people who are best suited to meet the standards for the role and the Company without regard to race, creed, colour, nationality (subject to legal eligibility), ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, sex change, sexual orientation, marital status, connections with a national minority, membership or non-membership of a trade union or, unless justifiable, disability. 

We pursue a policy of equal opportunities for all employees and potential employees. 

Equal Opportunities 

The Reach PLC Group continued its commitment to equality of opportunity in all its employment practices to ensure we attract and retain the best people. In 2016, both the number of women within the Group and the number of women occupying senior managerial roles increased to 42% of staff (2015: 37%) and 31% (2015: 24%) respectively. Senior managers have responsibility for key businesses or functions within the Group.