RECESSION? What recession. That's the message from one third of Beacon companies, whose profits last year were up on the previous year.

And the organisation itself is going from strength to strength — if all goes to plan, Beacon South West will welcome its 250th member this year.

Set up by the South West RDA in 2004, Beacon South West is a peer mentoring network that brings together our most successful companies to encourage business excellence, share ideas, and form alliances.

It includes international and local companies, social enterprises and charities operating in the South West. In 2009 alone, Beacon events attracted more than 600 senior business people, not only from its 230 member organisations but also from companies aspiring to Beacon status.

To achieve Beacon status, organisations must be able to demonstrate outstanding achievement across a range of criteria, including: innovation, performance, profitability and culture.

Current Beacons in Devon include Bandvulc Group, in Ivybridge, near Plymouth; Exeter-based law firms Ashfords and Michelmores; H J Heinz Frozen & Chilled Foods Limited, in Okehampton; J+S Limited, in Barnstaple; British Falcon Plastics in Paignton; DT Media, Totnes; and Firewatch South West Limited, in Newton Abbot.

Two core Beacon activities are the Boardrooms and Breakthrough forums. The former is a safe place for Beacon MDs, CEOs and directors to share ideas and strategies with their peers behind closed doors. And the latter, also behind doors, is aimed at 'aspiring' Beacons – companies that are looking for guidance as they take the next big leap forward.