These pages can help you whether you are an archivist within a business, or a business wondering how to preserve and make best use of your archives.
For more support in relation to business archives, please contact asl@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
As an organisation’s corporate memory, a business archive is a contemporary asset as well as a rich source of information for many kinds of history.
There are various options available to businesses to help you manage your archives in the long term.
The sections below list key advice and guidance to help you preserve your business archives and make them accessible.
Business archives can be vulnerable to neglect if not actively managed and are especially at risk when a company goes into administration, liquidation, or winding up.
The National Strategy for Business Archives (England and Wales) was published in 2009 and aimed to raise the profile of business archives, ensuring that they are used by businesses and researchers alike and that future collections are more representative of the UK’s diverse economic activity.