South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce and IndustryAn Introduction

What is a Chamber of Commerce?

The largest business network globally

What is a Chamber of Commerce?

“A chamber of commerce is an organization of businesses seeking to

further their collective interests, while advancing their community, region, state or

nation”- American Chamber of Commerce Executives

What is a Chamber of Commerce?Chamber missions vary, but they all tend to focus to some degree on five primary goals:• Building communities (regions/states/nations) to

which residents, visitors and investors are attracted;

• Promoting those communities; • Striving to ensure future prosperity via a pro-

business climate; • Representing the unified voice of the employer

community; and • Reducing transactional friction through well-

functioning networks. 

What is a Chamber of Commerce?Chambers have other features in common. •Most are led by private-sector employers, self-

funded, organized around boards/committees of volunteers and independent. 

•They share a common ambition for sustained prosperity of their community/region, built on thriving employers.

•Most are ardent proponents of the free market system, resisting attempts to overly burden private sector enterprise and investment.

Some Chamber Facts•Currently, there are about 13,000

chambers registered in the official World Chambers Network registry. 

•There are roughly 3,000 chambers of commerce in the US with at least one full-time staff person and thousands more established as strictly volunteer entities.

•54 chambers members of the British Chambers of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). Several more non-member chambers.

Chamber Models•Compulsory/Public law chambers

▫Enterprises of certain sizes, types, or sectors are obliged to become members of the chamber

▫European Union countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain), Japan

•Continental/Private law chambers▫Companies are not obligated to become

chamber members▫USA, Canada, UK, Sweden, Finland, Norway,

Denmark

Chamber Models• Bilateral Chambers

▫ Formed of individuals and companies who share a common interest in trade and commerce between two countries

▫ To represent and further the interests of each of its member countries

▫ Promotion and encouragement of bilateral trade and investment

▫ Examples: Nigerian-British COCI, Danish-British COCI, French- SA COCI etc

• Multilateral Chambers▫ Formed of companies (and sometimes individuals) from

different countries with a common business interest towards or in a specific country

▫ Examples: Council of Foreign Chambers of Commerce in the UK (CFCC)

Chamber of Commerce in the UKConstitution•Chamber shall be constituted as a body

corporate but not as a company limited by shares

•A chamber shall not be a subsidiary or division of any other body, except another chamber

•A chamber shall be an independent body and not under the direct control of government or a local authority

Chamber of Commerce in the UKMembership• Not less than 75 per cent of the members of a chamber

shall be engaged in manufacture, commerce, business, trade, shipping, distribution, agriculture, fishing or professional practice

• The membership of a chamber▫The name of which includes a reference to any place or

area in the United Kingdom, shall be genuinely representative of the businesses in the whole of that place or area

▫The name of which includes references to any place or area outside the United Kingdom, shall be genuinely representative of the businesses seeking to promote business or trade between those places or areas.

Chamber of Commerce in the UKPurposes•A chamber shall exist to serve and promote the

interests of the whole of the business community in any places or areas included in its name

•A chamber shall provide the local business community with information, advice and assistance

•A chamber shall undertake, or encourage its members to undertake, joint promotional activities and to develop arrangements for mutual support.

Chamber Members•Local businesses are voluntary paying

members of a chamber (non-profits, quasi-public and even public sector employers also sometimes pay dues to belong).

South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce

“An independent membership organisation supporting, informing and representing the

interests of the businesses in South Cheshire”

South Cheshire Chamber•A not-for-profit limited company operating

across the geographic area covered by the former borough of Crewe and Nantwich

•480+ members out of a business population of approximately 3,750 registered businesses in the area

•5 full time and 1 part time employees

South Cheshire ChamberNominated DirectorsSouth Cheshire Chamber Property Board 3

MMU Cheshire 1Cheshire East Council 1Elected DirectorsMember Companies 8Ex-officio DirectorsChairman 1Chief Executive 1Total number of Directors 15

South Cheshire Chamber•Working on the ethos of

▫Information▫Facilitation▫Representation

•Income Streams▫Membership fees▫Events and Business Support activities▫Sponsorship and Advertisements▫Public sector contracts

SCCCI Services• Business Advice & Support

▫ Business Advice Line▫ Legal Advice Line▫ Export Documentation Services & International trade Advice

• Information & Promotion▫ Providing Business Information▫ Free Quarterly 4Front Magazine ▫ Free Articles in 4Front Magazine▫ Chamber Networking Events▫ Free Promotion of Members Events ▫ Free Interactive Website and Business Directory▫ Membership Logo & Membership Certificate

• Representation & Lobbying▫ Representation and Lobbying on issues affecting the local business

community

SCCCI Strategic Map

Chamber Vision•To restructure/ re-organise the chamber in line with the new digital engagement strategy

•Identify the gaps in service, quality and performance

•Implement new strategies of staff engagement and development

Chamber Future• Improve engagement with the members• Increase member retention• Increase overall membership• Increase revenue by providing platform services to

public sector organisations and others (‘partner members’)

• Increase revenue through advertising, directory listings and events

• Create a more interactive chamber which is readily engaged with the business community

• Raise profile of SCCCI locally, regionally and nationally• Set a benchmark for other chambers to follow

Chamber Executive and Business Community Co-ordinator

nadeem.ahmad@sccci.co.uk01270 504700 (Ext – 19)www.southcheshirechamber.co.ukTwitter – @SCheshChamber, @SavvyNaddy

Nadeem Ahmad

Presentation Slide available at - http://slidesha.re/vt7315