Who We Are
Independent. Impartial. Dedicated to raising ethical standards in franchising.
CEF
Our Mission
CEF exists to make franchising more transparent, fair, and accountable. We are not a trade body or lobbying group — we are an independent authority that promotes responsible governance and ethical best practices across the UK franchise ecosystem.
Our goal is to help businesses grow responsibly, protect franchisees from exploitation, and create an environment where integrity is rewarded and unethical behaviour has no place.
Who We Serve
Who We Serve
Franchisors seeking to demonstrate integrity and leadership through ethical accreditation.
Franchisees looking for fairness, open communication, and trusted relationships.
Investors and Banks who require independent verification of ethical governance before lending or partnering.
Regulators and Policymakers who rely on credible data to inform ethical and sustainable franchise development.
Our Founders
At the Centre for Ethical Franchising (CEF), integrity isn’t a principle – it’s a practice. Founders Rikki Lear, Paul Burns, and Andy Kerr combine decades of leadership, operational, and governance experience to help organisations transform how they lead, operate, and grow. Together, they bring balance: Paul’s strategic and governance expertise ensures clarity and accountability; Rikki’s cultural and performance insight drives engagement and sustainable success; and Andy’s operational and compliance leadership ensures systems and standards that build lasting trust. Collectively, they have built trusted relationships across the franchising, legal, reputational management, and regulatory sectors, helping to shape higher standards of transparency and accountability across the industry. Their combined experience working closely with both franchisors and franchisees gives them a unique perspective on how to create synergy, fairness, and mutual benefit within franchise networks. Their shared mission is simple — to help organisations achieve growth that is fair, transparent, and built to last.
What We Offer
Through a combination of audits, accreditation, consultancy, and education, the CEF provides a comprehensive framework for raising and sustaining ethical standards across the franchising sector. Our end-to-end support helps organisations embed good faith, governance, and accountability at every level — from initial franchise setup and franchisee onboarding to long-term network management and renewal. Each programme is tailored to the realities of modern business, ensuring that ethical principles are applied with commercial practicality. Every CEF service is built around a single, unifying goal: to create clarity, reduce risk, and foster relationships grounded in transparency and mutual respect. We help franchisors design systems that inspire trust, while empowering franchisees to operate with confidence, fairness, and shared purpose. Our frameworks are designed to strengthen culture, communication, and credibility — ensuring every stakeholder understands their role, responsibilities, and collective objectives. CEF gives organisations the tools to demonstrate integrity not just in words, but in outcomes, where long-term value is built on principles as much as profit.
Our Impact
Ethical franchising is the foundation of stronger, more resilient business networks. When franchisors and franchisees operate with integrity and mutual respect, every part of the ecosystem benefits — from operational stability and employee engagement to customer loyalty and investor confidence. Franchises that achieve CEF accreditation consistently demonstrate measurable advantages: reduced legal disputes, improved communication, and stronger long-term financial performance. Franchisees feel supported, franchisors gain trusted brand advocates, and investors see the assurance that comes with transparent governance. By embedding CEF principles into their day-to-day operations, businesses demonstrate real leadership in ESG, governance, and responsible finance — values that are now central to modern investment decisions and consumer expectations. In a market that increasingly rewards authenticity and trust, ethical practice is no longer a differentiator — it’s a requirement. When franchising is built on fairness, transparency, and shared success, it doesn’t just grow — it endures.
Meet Our Team
Rikki Lear
CEO | Founder
Rikki has helped dozens of businesses navigate complex challenges, drive growth, and rebuild trust. With international experience across major corporations and high-growth SMEs, he blends commercial insight, operational discipline, and human understanding to deliver meaningful results. Having launched and scaled ventures from retail franchises to hospitality brands, Rikki combines foresight with hands-on execution to lead teams through transformation and accelerated expansion. At CEF, he champions the alignment of ethics and enterprise — helping organisations grow with integrity, clarity, and measurable impact..
Paul Burns
CEO | Founder
Paul is a specialist in transformational business change, known for helping organisations cut through complexity and deliver lasting results. A successful business founder and author of Silly Elliott — a UK Top 10 Amazon business bestseller — he blends strategic insight with commercial pragmatism to drive performance and progress. Renowned for his ability to simplify challenges and unite teams around shared goals, Paul brings clarity, balance, and practical direction to every project. At CEF, he helps franchisors and franchisees build fair, transparent, and enduring partnerships — ensuring growth is achieved with purpose, integrity, and shared success.
Andy Kerr
Founding Partner & Director of Operations and Compliance
Andy is an accomplished business leader with extensive experience in franchise operations, compliance, and performance management. Having worked across both franchisor and franchisee environments, he understands the operational realities that underpin sustainable growth and the governance required to protect it. With a background in building and scaling multi-site operations, Andy specialises in helping organisations strengthen their systems, improve accountability, and deliver consistent excellence at every level of their network. His approach blends commercial acumen with a steadfast commitment to fairness, ensuring that ethical standards and operational success go hand in hand. At CEF, Andy leads on operational integrity and compliance, supporting franchise systems to embed processes that create confidence, consistency, and long-term trust between franchisors and franchisees.
Get In Touch
We welcome partnerships, enquiries, and collaborations with those who share our commitment to ethical franchising. Get in touch to learn more about accreditation, audits, or how CEF can support your organisation’s ethical growth.
Rikki Lear | Paul Burns – Co-Founder, Centre for Ethical Franchising