Guidance for Providers
Export Support Directory (ESD)
Thank you for your interest in listing your organisation on the Department of Business and Trade (DBT) Export Support Directory (ESD) as a provider of specialist services. Being part of the ESD means DBT can introduce your company to high export potential businesses that require commercial services to support their growth in overseas markets. You will be required to accept the terms listed in the guidance before being listed on the ESD.
Background and purpose of the Export Support Directory
The International Market Service (IMS) is part of the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and is designed to provide specialised, meaningful export support in key markets for UK businesses. The service provides UK companies with market information and one-to-one guidance about the overseas markets and, where appropriate, introduces participating companies to third party service providers who can offer commercial support to help them achieve export success.
Selling into new overseas markets can be a complex task and DBT want to ensure that UK companies have access to the high-quality support services they need to succeed. The ESD comprises a range of third-party providers, who all have experience of servicing clients expanding internationally and can supply a variety of specialist services to UK companies on a fee-paying basis.
The services offered
The ESD is designed to cover a range of specialist services including legal and accountancy services, event management, market research and PR/marketing support, and a variety of sub-categories of services within each of these areas. Providers are required to select which services they offer when signing up with the ESD.
Where a UK company wishes to pursue services offered by a provider, they will do so on the provider's terms of business.
In certain situations, participant companies may require specialist broking services to facilitate working with providers, for example if language skills are needed. Where used, any support will be via separate engagements. For this reason, we ask you to confirm that you are happy to work with a specialist broker.
Being a Provider
The process for selecting and introducing a provider from the ESD
We hope that being listed as a provider will generate a range of leads for work with UK exporters, though DBT does not take any responsibility for the number of possible referrals.
By creating a provider listing on the ESD UK businesses will be able to search and select providers they wish to contact via the messaging functionality within the directory. This will ensure that the selection process for providers is fair and equal.
The role of the IM Advisor
The IM Advisor will introduce the UK business to the ESD after discussing the potential service or services the UK business should engage with. The UK business will then be able to create their own ESD user profile, search the directory and message providers independently.
The process for contact with companies and providing a quote for the services
The ESD will give UK businesses the ability to make direct contact with providers via the messaging function within the directory. The IM Advisor will make it clear to the UK business that they should carry out their own due diligence before engaging the services of any providers listed on the ESD.
Responsibilities
Any commercial arrangements will be entered into directly between the provider and the participant company. For the avoidance of doubt, DBT take no responsibility for introductions made through this service, and any subsequent activities, either to providers or to participant companies. Any legal responsibilities and risks in taking up support from a business listed on the ESD are assumed by the participant company and the provider, please refer to the Terms and Conditions.
If providers need support or have questions relating to the service, they are encouraged to contact exportdirectoryinfo@businessandtrade.gov.uk
Provider code of conduct
The ESD is an integral part of DBT, and the success of the service as a whole is built on the quality of delivery of all its relevant elements, including the integral role of the providers on the ESD. Therefore, the way providers act, both with the IM team and with participant companies, impacts the continued good reputation of DBT.
We expect all providers to:
- Act professionally at all times, ethically, and in accordance with relevant professional standards.
- Be honest and straightforward in their dealings with participant companies, and establish, maintain and develop business relationships based on mutual confidence and trust.
- Take personal responsibility for the quality of their services, act with integrity and in the best interest of the participant company and of DBT. This includes providing objective and informed advice, support, and expertise appropriate to the needs to the participant company and acting with absolute transparency and being clear if the Provider does not have any necessary or relevant skills.
- Avoid conflict of interest or relationships that could impact on their ability to act objectively, transparently or independently, and declare in advance any potential and / or actual conflict of interest.
- Promote IMS positively including its benefits, objectives and outcomes, and not make any improper or misleading use of the DBT brand and materials, or knowingly mislead or make false claims about the nature of DBT.
- Safeguard all confidential or proprietary information or intellectual property belonging to the participant company or DBT, and respect the restrictions on its use and reproduction.
- Be sensitive to issues of culture, religion, gender, sexuality, disability, race and all other aspects of diversity.
- Raise any participant company issue, problem or question with your local DBT IMS team or if you are unsure who this is, the service team at exportdirectoryinfo@businessandtrade.gov.uk immediately to attempt to resolve issues speedily.
- Complete all documentation required in a timely manner.
- Not accept or give gifts or hospitality that could, or could be seen to, affect independence or objectivity.
- Not make improper use of participant company's property, including their information.
- Not bring DBT into disrepute in any way.
- Abide by the Provider Terms & Conditions for the service set out separately.
Feedback
The core objective of the IMS is to support companies to grow their exports to overseas markets. The service is free at the point of enquiry for qualifying companies. Listing on the ESD is also free of charge. To help us to ensure that the value of export support services can be evidenced and validated, to monitor performance, and to continuously improve, we will seek feedback from both providers and participant companies of their experience of the service. In the event of adverse feedback from a participant company about the services provided by a provider, we may investigate the reasons for the negative feedback with the relevant provider. Please note that by registering as a provider, you accept the requirement to respond to requests for information, including feedback on services provided.
Complaints
We want to hear from you if you feel unhappy with any aspect of our dealings with you. Letting us know your concerns gives us the opportunity to put matters right for you and to improve your experience. If you wish to raise any issues, please contact exportdirectoryinfo@businessandtrade.gov.uk. We undertake to acknowledge your complaint within three local working days and aim to resolve all queries within 20 business days.
Terms and conditions
Please refer to the separate Provider Terms and Conditions attached, for full details.
Conflict of interest
It is vital we act in a transparent and impartial manner when working with businesses taking part. All providers need to be mindful of and disclose any potential and/or actual conflict of interest related to the services provided. Conflict of interest may include financial interests, ownership, employment or advisory roles, or benefits. Please refer to the Provider Terms and Conditions attached, for full details.
If you believe there to be a potential or actual conflict of interest, you must disclose this to your local DBT IM Team on as soon as you are aware of the issue. If you are unsure how to proceed, contact the team at exportdirectoryinfo@businessandtrade.gov.uk.
The ESD has been designed to ensure the impartiality of the service, as it allows UK businesses to search, select and make contact with a provider themselves. DBT has a rigorous conflict of interest processes in place in the selection of these Providers prior to them being approved for the ESD.
Marketing guidelines
Providers are not entitled to use the DBT branding without our express written consent.
Further information
If you require any further information, please contact your local DBT IMS team in the first instance or exportdirectoryinfo@buinsessandtrade.gov.uk if you are unsure of your local team.