What we do

At the Centre for Sustainable Family Enterprise, we are dedicated to providing enterprising families with the knowledge, tools and resources they need to build thriving, sustainable businesses that last for generations.  It is estimated that 75-84% of all private sector enterprise in Northern Ireland is classed as family owned or managed (IFB, 2021), supporting something in the region of 328,000 jobs.

Our aim is to be the leading research and education centre for Family Firm and Transgenerational Entrepreneurship across Northern Ireland.  With our partners, we aim to be the voice of Family Firms and to help drive the growth and long-term sustainability of Family Enterprises for the benefit of the NI economic and social landscape.

We aim to provide practical, research informed insights designed to help families succeed in today's rapidly changing business landscape.  We also work with a team of experts including world-renowned scholars, experienced practitioners, and innovative entrepreneurs who are passionate about helping business families achieve their goals.

Also, we are proud of our partnership with Harbinson Mulholland in the Northern Ireland Family Business Forum.  The forum hosts regular events exclusively for family-owned businesses, providing an opportunity to meet other business owners, hear stories from guest speakers and benefit from the skills of experts in the sector.

NI Family Business Forum
NI Family Business Forum

Learn more about the Centre for Sustainable Family Enterprise

Meet the Team

People involved with the Centre for Sustainable Family Enterprise.

Nurture your Talent

Programmes available to help nurture talent in your enterprise.

Our Research

we are engaged in a range of consultancy, research and practitioner outputs across a multiple industries and sectors.

Get Involved

Find out how you can get involved with the Centre for Sustainable Family Enterprise.