Steve Parker’s Column
What to expect in 2026
BIFAlink is the official magazine of the British International Freight Association Redfern House, Browells Lane, Feltham TW13 7EP Tel: 020 8844 2266 (A company limited by guarantee. Registered in England: 00391973. VAT Registration: 216476363) Director General Steve Parker s.parker@bifa.org Member Policy, Compliance & External Affairs Director Pawel Jarza p.jarza@bifa.org Member Support Director Spencer Stevenson s.stevenson@bifa.org Member Services Director Carl Hobbis c.hobbis@bifa.org Member Engagement Director Denise Hill d.hill@bifa.org Senior Policy Advisor – Ocean & Legal matters Robert Windsor r.windsor@bifa.org Policy & Compliance Advisor – Customs Igor Popovics i.popovics@bifa.org Policy & Compliance Advisor – Sustainable Logistics Jamie McKean j.mckean@bifa.org Communications Manager Natalie Pitts n.pitts@bifa.org Editorial Co-ordinator Sharon Hammond s.hammond@bifa.org Membership Supervisor Sarah Milton s.milton@bifa.org Web site: www.bifa.org E-mail: bifa@bifa.org Published by Park Lane Publishing peter@parklanepublishingltd.com Contributors Steve Parker, Robert Windsor, Spencer Stevenson, Carl Hobbis, Sharon Hammond, Igor Popovics, Denise Hill, Pawel Jarza, Natalie Pitts Note to media: If you wish to use items in this magazine that are older than one month, please contact the editorial co- ordinator to ensure that the item in question still reflects the current circumstances. Please be advised that BIFA DOES NOT OFFER LEGAL ADVICE. BIFA is not a law firm and the authors of this publication are not legally qualified and do not have any legal training. The guidance and assistance set out herein are based on BIFA’s own experience with the issues concerned and should not be in any circumstances regarded or relied upon as legal advice. It is strongly recommended that anyone considering further action based on the information contained in this publication should seek the advice of a qualified professional.
S o, what will 2026 bring? First of all, let me wish you a happy New Year and every success in 2026. Previously, I have shared the fact that I receive lots of different survey results and commentary on what is going to happen to both our country and our industry. Feedback for 2026 is mixed: some pointing to poorer GDP and productivity, and others saying lower inflation and improved output. All that is without external influences like the US President and global conflicts, and other geopolitical issues. With all this in mind, BIFA’s management team have been busy working out what we can we do to support our Members and give them the best help. Here are some of the topics we discussed.
Information Keeping you up-to-date with changes and their impact on members’ activities is key. We see BIFA TV as the foremost method to do this and we will continue to enhance and improve the episodes. More training Introduction of our eLearning programme in 2025 was well received and our plan is to constantly update it with new courses in bite size modules that make them easier to consume. We also plan to develop our face-to-face training to ensure it remains useful and relevant. Potential new groups We are keeping a very close eye on the impact of AI on our sector and are considering the establishment of a working group to help us understand and embrace the changes. If this is an area of interest for you, please keep your eyes peeled for further information about this from us. More political engagement 2025 saw a shift in the way we undertake political engagement, and we found ourselves at the Houses of Parliament meeting MPs and their advisors much more often than in the past. Indeed, we even attended a party conference in 2025. We plan to continue this work in 2026 And fi nally Make sure you find out more about our next Business Leaders Forum that is scheduled for May, as well as our Annual Conference in September. These will be great places to obtain the latest information about what is happening within our sector. I wish you well for 2026 and assure you that BIFA is here to support our industry in any way it can.
Director General
January 2026 | 3
www.bifa.org
Made with FlippingBook Annual report maker