Chamber case studies library

Chambers clearly recognize that education and training is critical to helping companies be better prepared for business challenges and new business opportunities by having a ready and effective workforce. Check out some of the tailor-made training programmes designed by chambers.

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• Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce – Pipeline Analysis

Greater Manchester Chamber members in the construction sector have repeatedly told the chamber that both finding people with the right skills from the labour market and getting the right training from providers are becoming increasingly difficult. To support these employers, the Chamber founded a Group Training Association that, by employing apprentices directly and supplying them to a variety of contractors and projects across Greater Manchester, then released small businesses from the pressure of a two, three or four year training commitment whilst ensuring the viability of the future workforce. Supporting the GTA to deliver this important service to the wider industry sector required the Chamber to have a clear view of upcoming work in the region and it was this need that drove the initial analysis.

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• County Carlow Chamber – “Induction matters, in every language” series of multilingual DVDs

Foreign nationals are now accounting for over half of employment growth in Ireland and our future economic performance will be very strongly influenced by our ability to continue to attract extra labour to Ireland. Overwhelming evidence from the chamber research pointed to the need for thorough induction/orientation programmes for migrant workers coming to live and work in Ireland for the first time. As a result, the County Carlow Chamber has compiled induction guidelines that incorporate input from migrant workers, other successful programmes in Irish businesses and recognised best practice in the workplace to support the membership needs.

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• The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia (CCIWA) – Apprenticeships Australia

CCIWA has become Western Australia’s largest employer of apprentices and trainees across a range of occupational areas and was the first private-sector organization of its kind in Western Australia. Apprenticeships Australia has provided a model for how human capital needs can be addressed and adapted in the private sector as required by business.

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• Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry – DCCI business institute

The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry started a training centre called the Dhaka Business Institute (DBI) to develop human resource development programmes to assist SMEs in facing the challenges of globalization. DBI offered short-, mid- term and long-term certificate and diploma courses which were both standard and tailor-made.

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• Iraqi American Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Training and development resources initiative for business in Iraq

The aim of the project is to provide training and development for all Iraqis that lead to increased employability and overall economic growth. IACCI has been training for approximately three years. During this time, it has completed over 550 courses given to Iraqi private individuals, university students, heads of companies, ministry and state company officials, IACCI members, and company staff. Included in this figure are 120 courses given to unemployed persons in partnership with USAID contractors Louis Berger Group (VEEG) and International Relief and Development “IRD” (CSP), 15 courses with the partnership of International Organization of Migration “IOM”, and over 275 courses given for over 24 industrial companies owned by the Ministry of Industry in partnership with the US Military.

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• Tampere Chamber of Commerce & Industry – Approved board member training programme

The Approved Board Member (ABM) concept is invented and developed by Tampere CCI and Hallituspartnerit ry. The inventive aspect of the ABM concept is to combine two main issues and activate an unused or less used resource in a company. One main issue is to spread the knowledge of the board work for people involved. The second issue is to introduce board work advisors and entrepreneurs to each other. The final target is to get the board to promote the company.

Young entrepreneurs’ initiatives demonstrate innovative and new directions for the chamber in fostering entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial management. Check out the types of professional skills sets and platforms are being created for entrepreneurs to foster and bring capacity to their small businesses ventures.

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• National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce – LGBT Equality through entrepreneurship

In the early 2000s, co-founders Chance Mitchell and Justin Nelson came to realize that a critical piece was missing in the movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality in the United States. They knew that economic equality for LGBT people and the influence of business economics could positively impact the LGBT and ally community in its struggle for equal rights. Recognizing this important need for a community-wide business voice, the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) was founded. These two visionaries set out to showcase that LGBT people are business owners, employers, taxpayers, providers of healthcare-that above all, the LGBT community is a vibrant and essential part of the small business engine that makes the U.S. economy run and therefore, rightfully deserves a place at the table.

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• Asharqia Chamber of Commerce – Entrepreneurship development programmes

Among its various activities, the Asharqia Chamber established the first SMEs Development Center (SMEDEC) in Saudi Arabia in July 2000 and subsequently launched the Entrepreneurship Development Programmes. The vision of SMEDEC was to be the essential body for supporting entrepreneurs and SMEs development in KSA. SMEDEC has designed the in-house innovative entrepreneurship development programmes (EDP) for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region to foster entrepreneurship in the whole region and to enhance the competitiveness of existing SMEs.

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• Dade Chamber of Commerce – Project synergy

Project Synergy is an effort to connect the worlds of education, business, government, and community. The project is founded upon the desire to foster student innovation as it connects to the real world. Project Synergy seeks to unite education, business, government, and community in a celebration of student achievement and present a visible model of holistic participation in the nurturing of our children.

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• iLembe Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism – The entrepreneur competition

The entrepreneur competition was initiated by the iLembe Chamber of Commerce with the purpose of providing entrepreneurs and small businesses with a platform and vehicle to move their business forward to a sustainable level of growth where they could be competitive in the local business arena.

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• South Australian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry – South Australian young entrepreneur scheme (SAYES)

The South Australian Young Entrepreneur Scheme (SAYES) aims to provide young South Australians with the skills and confidence to develop and implement their business ideas.

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• Youth entrepreneurship development programme ENTRUM – Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The youth entrepreneurship development programme ENTRUM, launched by the Estonian CCI in cooperation with the Estonian Energy Corporation “Eesti Energia” and based on voluntary contributions of public, private and non-profit sectors, has become a leading power of national youth entrepreneurship development in Estonia. The aim is to create a new generation of Estonians with strong entrepreneurial mind-sets and practical skills, professional contacts and experience of launching business ideas. ENTRUM is the first private sector initiative in the field of youth entrepreneurship development, where methodology was designed and implemented by entrepreneurs taking into consideration the needs, values and development perspectives of modern economy.

Chambers have been pro-actively working with their businesses to adapt to the challenges of climate change and accessing the opportunities of the green economy. Learn more on the platforms created to help the efforts of members at the national and transnational levels.

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• Cambodia Chamber of Commerce – Greentouch

This project was set up to meet the specific needs of businesses wanting to improve their levels of environmental impact management. This is becoming a large issue around the world and businesses that can demonstrate sound environmental practices stand to be more successful. The Chamber, as a key organisation in Cambodia, is involved in supporting the project to its members and offers a business friendly, easy to access business accreditation system, that rewards businesses with recognition as they make their journey along a roadmap to develop their environmental management systems.

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• CCI Saint Etienne/Montbrison – French eco-design institute spin off

After creating an environment service in 1996, the Chamber began promoting eco-innovation in industries in 2001 (more than 500 small and medium-sized industrial firms (SMIs), representing 44000 jobs) and ecodesign in 2002. The creation of an ecodesign service led to the development of different tools including an “ecodesign prediagnosis approach” in which relay centres review the situation of firms and their products and give advice on how to profitably and effectively integrate ecodesign principles in their activities.

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• Ceylon Chamber of Commerce – Switch Asia project on promoting sustainable production in the food and beverage sector in Sri Lanka

The project aimed at promoting sustainable production among SMEs in the food and beverage sector in Sri Lanka was initiated in 2009 with the co-financing of the SWITCH Asia Program of the European Union. The overall objective of the programme was to improve the environmental performance of the food and beverage sector in Sri Lanka through the promotion of best practices of sustainable consumption and production among SMEs.

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• Prato Chamber of Commerce – Cardato regenerated CO2 neutral

With Prato’s textile district being the biggest in Europe, and considering the crisis that has hit the textile industry since 2000 due to globalization and competition from international markets, the “Cardato Regenerated CO2 neutral” label was created in order to build a new image for Prato’s textile production. In following the “green” revolution, this is the first textile product which is CO2 emission free.

• Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) – Grow me the money

Grow Me The Money is a joint initiative of VECCI and Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria designed to reduce the environmental impact of Victorian businesses. It brings together businesses, utilities, regulators, government and other interested bodies to provide all the necessary tools and support services via its convenient web-based Grow Me The Money Headquarters (‘HQ’) www.growmethemoney.com.au making it accessible to all businesses regardless of location. This sort of interface also allows Grow Me The Money to carefully monitor financial and environmental results as well as continued participation from registered businesses.

Responsible financial management helps organizations increase productivity and effectiveness, while expanding its financial base. Case studies below highlight some of the chamber’s work in this field.

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• Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Cebu business month

The Cebu Business Month is an annual trade and industry festival providing a productive venue where entrepreneurs, industry associations, local and foreign investors, tourists, the local government units (LGUs) and the national government representatives converge, share best practices, technologies, form ties, as well as market their state-of-the-art products, services and technology.

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• Narayangarh Chamber of Commerce & Industry – Partnership for collecting business tax with local government

Tax collection is always an unpleasant and burdensome job. The Narayangarh Chamber of Commerce proposed that the chamber could encourage more entrepreneurs to register with municipalities, cooperate in identifying the different categories of entrepreneurs and assist in solving whatever problems may arise regarding business tax. This project concept innovated new ways for generating revenues for the chamber with the principle of a partnership approach between the Private and Public Sector.

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• Chamber of Commerce of Rome – From a public sector perspective to a company wise performance

The Chamber of Commerce of Rome has implemented an organizational and financing model inspired by the principles of business management, changing from a static and top-down structure to a new dynamic system, based on involvement and flexibility, as well as on the efficiency and quality of services offered to customers.

Trade and investment facilitation is the cornerstone of many chamber’s activities. Chambers play an important role in helping their local business community adapt to global economy by building sustainable and profitable programmes and opening up of new business opportunities and relationships. See some of the programmes which have been successful.

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• Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce – Recover Canterbury

Within just a few hours of the 2010 September 4 earthquake, the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce was mobilized to operate as a key reference point for the region’s businesses.
This project demonstrates the unique and vital role a Chamber of Commerce can play in an overall goal of protecting and enhancing the business community. This programme has shown that the valuable relationships formed before the disaster enabled the chamber to respond rapidly, sensibly and creatively.

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• Ceylon Chamber of Commerce – The Sri Lanka – Norway business matchmaking programme

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce together with Advance Business Partner AS, Norway, with financial assistance by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) implemented the Sri Lanka- Norway Industrial Matchmaking currently known as the Business Matchmaking Programme. The objective of the programme is to establish sustainable and profitable joint ventures between Norwegian and Sri Lankan companies. This is achieved through the development of business partnerships which foster transfer of technology and the exchange of management and business skills between Norwegian and Sri Lankan companies.

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• Chamber of Commerce of Malaga – Programme of comprehensive support for the internationalization of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from Malaga

The project is designed to encourage and support the SMEs based in the province of Malaga in the process of searching and opening up to new markets. From the programme inception, more than 50 companies have relied on external advice, which helped them prepare an internationalisation plan intended to find new clients in foreign markets.

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• Confederation of Brazilian Commercial and Business Associations (CACB) – Programa Capacitar Nordeste

The international cooperation project between CACB, KHS Essen and Essen Chamber of Arts and Crafts, Germany, resulted in the Programa Capacitar Nordeste being implemented in the North-eastern ‘poor house’ region of Brazil. Traditionally, the chambers of commerce in the region have been regarded as social clubs. The aim of the project was to assist these chambers of commerce to provide better services to their associates and to participate actively in local development and promote the associative culture.

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• Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry – REGIONFEMME

This project aims to boost women’s entrepreneurship and cooperation in Slovakia and Austria by providing various educational and networking activities. The project REGIONFEMME is a Slovak – Austrian project focused on the support of women entrepreneurship, support of cross-border cooperation, strengthening and improving managerial and soft skills of women and to extend their business activities abroad.

IT has not only become an important tool for chambers to remain connected to their communities but also an effective solution to improving their capacity and performance in servicing members.  How are chambers bringing innovative in this domain?

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• Hamburg Chamber of Commerce – APP Contest

The App Contest Hamburg, invited participants to submit apps and ideas for apps with a distinct reference to Hamburg but which at the same time were of commercial relevance.The objective of this competition was to increase attention for the group of app developers while at the same time generating added value for the business location as a whole by attracting innovative competition submissions. Using an attractive website ( www.app-contest-hamburg.de ) and the offer of prize money acquired from sponsors totaling just under 30,000 euros, the competition was very well received. With 110 submissions and a great deal of media interest, the première of the App Contest Hamburg proved a huge success, which might be repeated in other locations around the world.

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• Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of Barcelona – EspacioPyme.com

The objective of EspacioPyme.com is to actively help SMEs by promoting the use of new technologies in daily business practices. This original approach was ambitious and the initial results were not the expected ones, but throughout the years, the website has managed to become the most important portal for SMEs in Spain.

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• Finland Chamber of Commerce – The most digital chamber network in the world

This project has involved a digitalization of essential processes across the national network of 19 chambers for effectiveness, speed, collaboration and thought leadership. Digital presence conveys the image of an active, modern and communicative chamber group. Through this project transparency, openness in communication and the embracement of new technologies have been achieved. The chamber is now able to deliver better services to members at a lower cost.

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• Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI) – The e-chamber project

The IT department at JCCI proposed the idea of creating the e-chamber project, in order to automate the business procedures as well as the different services that JCCI are providing for its members. Implementing the e-chamber project will help decrease the time, cost and effort required to accomplish the work in order to make the operational work at JCCI more efficient, to provide all services for the members as e-services and to provide information to the community online.

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• Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry – E-search

Immediately after the Gulf War in 1991, the Kuwait Chamber introduced and applied a computerization and office automation application to all departments of the chamber. Upon completion, KCCI decided to go one step further and integrate all applications of COA into a single, powerful, knowledge management and document workflow system called e-search. The vision of e-Search is to create an eChamber that enhances the knowledge available among employees in order to improve overall services to members.

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• Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry – The IT trinity

The IT solution delivered by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry is divided into three components and was implemented in three stages. Instead of merely launching websites, or merely utilizing sophisticated software to deliver information to members, the Chamber relied on an innovative combination of three media to effectively produce an all-round IT project that will help companies, especially the small and medium enterprises, grasp the importance of IT in actual business practices. Hence, the Chamber’s role in the project is that of a catalytic information provider to quicken the pace of the economic development in Singapore.

• Northern Territory Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Team NT

The Team NT project brought together the Chamber of Commerce Northern Territory, the NT Manufacturers Council, the Industry Capability Network of the NT and the NT Government to maximize opportunities for local metal fabrication business on the construction of the US $34 billion Ichthys liquified natural gas (LNG) plant and facilities near the Northern Territory’s capital city Darwin.

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• Voka – Flanders’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Bryo

Stimulating entrepreneurial attitude is crucial in ensuring the economic future of our country and to help ensure that we are among the most dynamic and prosperous regions in Europe. That is why Bryo was started in 2010. Bryo supports and encourages young entrepreneurs, acts as a catalyst for the creation of companies and jobs and creates a positive image of entrepreneurship. Bryo focuses on supporting the entrepreneur and his/her entrepreneurial spirit.

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• Kocaeli Chamber of Industry – “Our Village”

The Project is aimed primarily at addressing the problem of low employment levels among the disabled in our region. It has the benefit of assisting industrial companies to meet their legal obligations in this regard. It has proven successful with its professionally trained personnel moving on to outside employment and has shown itself to be self sustaining.

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• Glasgow Chamber of Commerce – Youth Employment Action Group (YEAG)

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce has galvanized members into action to create a suite of work aimed at reducing youth unemployment. Fifteen members worked over a 14 month period. They engaged directly with, and gathered evidence from, a variety of sources including young people, public and third sector providers of youth employment services and academic sources. The result was the publication of 13 recommendations. The project’s team has delivered a number of projects. These include a service to assist members to recruit young people, support for industry engagement with schools and business mentors for young people who are in care. The project is not only innovative, creative and transferable but it has had significant impact on youth employment in the city.

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• Bogota Chamber of Commerce – Cluster Initiatives

Cluster Initiatives, developed within a Shared Value Generation framework by the Bogota Chamber of Commerce since 2012, are producing important results. Through the collaboration of different actors, the cluster initiatives are working on and solving social or environmental problems while producing benefits to companies and businesses.

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• Central Finland Chamber of Commerce – Kasvu Open

Kasvu Open is the largest project for sparring eager to grow companies with growth experts in Finland. It is a joint effort between the national business network and the Central Finland Chamber of Commerce to support companies on their growth path. Launched in 2011, Kasvu Open piloted the ideas and theoretical findings of the Jyväskylä School of Business and Economics, at first on a regional level. Within the past two years, the project has achieved the scale of the national competition, which unites companies, growth venture experts and business angels around the common goal of creating new success stories, which will make the Finnish economy stronger and more diverse.

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• Limerick Chamber – National Franchise Centre (NFC)

Established in 2010, the National Franchise Centre (NFC) leads Europe as the first third level franchise development and research centre in Europe. This not for profit venture is an industry academia partnership delivered by the Limerick Chamber in conjunction with Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT).

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• Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce – PCS3

PCS3 is a funding model model for SMEs which support ZERO collateral, low interest rate and long tenure. It has made access to funding easier for SMEs in our locality.

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• Karlsruhe Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Innovation Alliance

The Innovation Alliance for the Karlsruhe Technology Region offers quick, uncomplicated access to the local research environment. If a business is planning a development project or a new technology but lacks know-how or the laboratory facilities, the Alliance’s Innovation Office, in cooperation with initial contact persons in the partner institutes, searches individually for the relevant experts and specialist departments in all research institutes involved. This provides particularly fast access to numerous experts, technologies or infrastructures to provide support for enterprises in their innovation projects.

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• Mersin Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Mersin Sectoral Platforms

The Mersin Sectoral Platforms Project, which ensures the sustainability of the Regional Innovation Strategy of Mersin, has proved its inspirational and innovative character by fulfilling the specific needs of the Mersin economy and strengthening the local economy. Within the works carried out by Mersin Agro-Food Platform, Mersin Logistics Platform and Mersin Tourism Platform, the Mersin Chamber of Commerce and Industry has not only developed a culture of working together among public institutions, the private sector, NGOs and universities, but has also spread a culture of innovation throughout the city.

Marketing and branding activities are critical to companies’ and their ties to their clients. Chambers have a unique ability to create and deliver beneficial niche marketing services for member companies to foster their business development. At the same time, as businesses in their own right, chambers must reinforce their image as flexible, dynamic organizations. Check out some branding projects that help local business become more competitive in international markets as well as projects building a national and coherent chambers brand.

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• Business West Chambers of Commerce – #Getexporting

Business West Chambers of Commerce wants to make it easier for companies to export, regardless of their size or sector. By providing regular engaging international content and support, it inspires potential exporters to explore the possibilities of exporting and encourages existing exporters to exploit more international opportunities.
Significant resources have been invested in Business West’s latest export project, #GetExporting, a marketing campaign, highlighting how Business West has put international trade at the forefront of its business plan.
On launch day, #GetExporting was seen by over 1 million people in the UK, generating hundreds of quality leads within the first few weeks whilst encouraging thousands of businesses to embark on their export journey.

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• Auckland Chamber of Commerce – Delivering diversity to business

At the turn of the 21st Century, a lack of skilled labour was seen a major inhibitor to the growth and success of business in New Zealand, with a reluctance in certain parts of the community to employ migrants. The Auckland Chamber of Commerce formulated the New Kiwis programme as a conduit between business and migrants – identifying a ready pool of skilled labour and matching it with job vacancies at no cost to either party. The programme has been tremendously successful, with the chamber effectively showcasing the valuable contribution to local business to a comprehensive and inclusive community development program and reinforcing the chamber brand.

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• Chambers Ireland – Building the chamber brand project

The chamber system in Ireland was highly fragmented. This presented significant challenges in terms of operational effectiveness and financial viability at every level of the network. The objective of the project was to take a series of interrelated initiatives to enhance and unite the chamber brand to underpin new quality management and coordination systems, membership growth and a portfolio of new commercial services.

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• Croatian Chamber of Economy – Be CROative

Be CROative is a project of the Croatian Chamber of Economy which is financed by chamber members and companies from Croatia. With the exhibition “Be CROative” the Croatian Chamber of Economy aims to bring Croatia closer to the world and introduce every visitor not just to the historical, cultural and natural richness of Croatia but also to the Croatian prestigious quality labels “Croatian Quality” and “Croatian Creation” awarded to the highest quality products that reflect Croatian tradition, research and development, innovation and inventions.

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• Gaziantep Chamber of Industry – Trademark city Gaziantep

A need for differentiation was the seed of the Gaziantep Chamber of Industry’s brand building project. The vision of the project was to structuralize Gaziantep to bring more added value to its goods and increase the competition power while the mission was to transform the common will of branding to an integrated branding process.

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• Inegol Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Inegol furniture publicity group project

İnegöl Furniture Publicity Group Project aimed to provide branding of “İnegöl Furniture” with a wide range of publicity activities. Consequently, all the publicity activities within the project supported the development of the furniture sector in the city, economically and socially.

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• Stavanger Chamber of Commerce & Industry – The national Norwegian food award

The National Norwegian food award was established in 2008 by Stavanger Chamber of Commerce & Industry to promote the Norwegian food industry and Stavanger as the culinary capital of Norway. The competition plays a huge part of the region’s strategy of making Stavanger the undisputed capital of food in Norway, which aims to ultimately build an industry that will last beyond the oil- and gas age.

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• Torino Chamber of Commerce – To-design project

To-Design is a long-term project that aims to promote the Piemonte design sector at local and international markets. It provides international buyers with a preferential channel to meet top class designers or companies manufacturing goods with strong design inclination based in Torino – Piemonte ready to offer new ideas or propose innovative products. Thanks to the Torino Design in the World project, all matchmaking activities are totally free of charge: b2b meetings and companies visits are organised for all international buyers to get in touch with the capability and know-how of the designers.

Take a look at following case studies which reveal some of the secrets and practical tips by chambers’ to successfully maintain and recruit members.

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• Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry – The allure of Anguilla for business

In 2006, the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce formed a private‐public partnership with the government of Anguilla to expand its available resources for all registered businesses in Anguilla. 15% of the license fees paid to the Government from these businesses will be redirected to the Chamber of Commerce in support of the business community as an independent private sector organization.

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• Chamber of Commerce of Sarajevo Canton – Recruitment and Retaining of Membership and Promotion of the Chamber Services

The Project included a number of activities: participation in international projects, development of the Chamber image, development of new services for the members, education of the Chamber’s professional staff and education of businessmen.

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• Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry – New Membership Projects

During the last 50 years, the Chamber’s membership has grown from just about 100 to about 24,000 members at the end of 2006. Chamber activities which have helped with this accomplishment are: the establishment of a women’s business center, sector-wise committees, computerization and networking, new rules for the renewal of membership and the chamber’s promotional services for members.

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• Goderich and District Chamber of Commerce – To be the voice of business dedicated to the promotion of economic development and prosperity for the enrichment of the community

Early in 2004 the board initiated a plan to address the sustainability of the Chamber by increasing membership and seeking opportunities where additional funding could be obtained for specific projects relating to the Chamber’s mandate. Since then, the Chamber’s membership has tripled.

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• Vancouver Board of Trade – A membership strategy of engagement

With membership levels remaining the same for more than a decade before 2003, the Vancouver Board of Trade was looking for a way to boost interest and increase numbers. The board, with a membership of around 4 300, was already holding more than 500 events and meetings a year and actively participating in public policy initiatives. It was when the board discovered it had a reputation for being the best networking venue in the region that it tried a new strategy.

Operating in almost every country around the world, chambers are the strongest of the world’s business networks.  Take a look at how Chambers can help members broaden their network to exchange information, share knowledge and explore opportunities with peers.

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• The Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong – InterSME Platform

The InterSME Platform, a cross-chamber initiative, was set up with the goal to bring together SMEs from different Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong. The main reason to set up this initiative was to create a broad, accessible platform for practical information exchange and to provide networking opportunities for SMEs in Hong Kong. SMEs all work on a tight budget and sometimes struggle to survive, being faced with a rapidly changing market and difficulties to find capital and loyal employees. These challenges convinced the Dutch Chamber of the need among its SME members to share practical know-how and experiences with each other.

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• Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tegucigalpa – Project consolida

In early 2008, four Central American chambers, as well as business institutions in Mexico, Brazil and Germany started a multilateral project of international cooperation. The project “consolida” aims at contributing to the growth of micro, – small and – medium sized enterprises in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. All involved institutions formed a close alliance with one another, creating a network in which they shared their best practices and knowledge for mutual learning. The network worked on all different levels of the institution, from the presidents down to every departmental and technical level.

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• Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan – Business forum of Uzbekistan

In September 2006 the Chamber initiated the “Business Forum of Uzbekistan” in partnership with United Nations Development Programme in Uzbekistan. The project is designed to create mechanisms for the private sector to actively participate in the elaboration, implementation and monitoring of the national, regional and sector-specific development strategies and policies that should further strengthen the sustainable development of the country.

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• Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry – Partnership for growth

Fueled by the desire to achieve greater depth in economic relations between Dubai and Hamburg, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce agreed to work together to implement the Dubai Hamburg Business Forum. This project was created to promote business development in selected economic industries by providing a channel to exchange information and research on opportunities or challenges each market faces.

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• Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce – Post-tsunami chamber cooperation

Following the tsunami in December 2004, the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce (GMCC) took a decision to invest in a programme to support the economic re-development of tsunami affected areas. After a search for a suitable organization with whom it could build a relationship, GMCC signed a three-year partnership agreement with the Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka. The project has produced an economic development strategy for the Hambantota District, the development of tourism in the region and the development of a careers service centre.

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• Konya Chamber of Industry – Konya automative cluster

With the cooperation of academia and industry, a project study was commenced in 2006. The study, realized by an EU donation fund of 99.923 EUR, both determined that there was a clustering potential in the region and tried to exhibit the position of the automotive sub-industry sector in the clustering process. After the introduction of an automotive clustering, firms learnt how to be competitive and run their own work.

Advocacy projects from the World Chambers Competition

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• Dublin Chamber of Commerce – Activating Dublin

Activating Dublin is a joint initiative of Dublin City Council, Dublin Chamber, Central Government and other elements from the private, public and social sectors, aimed at generating growth and employment in the Dublin region. The vision is to transform Dublin from a good international city to a great one to live, work and visit. The connection made as work as part of project team have had significant benefits for the Chamber outside of Activating Dublin as well.

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• Cork Chamber of Commerce – Telecommunications project

On Friday December 19th: Minister for Agriculture, Food, the Marine and Defence Mr. Simon Coveney TD announced the nationally significant telecommunications project as advocated for by the Chamber for many years at an event in the offices of Cork Chamber. Hibernia Networks transatlantic connection, Express, will open up vital Tier 1 fibre connectivity from Cork to the US and UK offering a new access point for the island of Ireland. The delivery of this vital piece of infrastructure has been a priority focus area for Cork Chamber for many years.
Bringing Tier 1 international data connectivity to Cork represents a significant economic opportunity for the Cork region, Having identified the criticality of such an enabling piece of infrastructure for the region, Cork Chamber has lobbied government, state agencies and business interests extensively on the issue over the last number of years.

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• Santiago Chamber of Commerce – Suppliers’ Electronic Registrar

Suppliers’ Electronic Registrar (Chileproveedores.cl) is an Internet platform whose function is to duly validate and accredit – via an online format – the suitability and observation by the supplier companies of the relevant commercial, financial and technical regulations while carrying out business with the Chilean State, its sundry entities and departments alike. In the context of a thorough revamping of the Chilean Electronic System of Public Purchases, the Santiago Chamber of Commerce (SCC) was commissioned to create Chileproveedores.cl. The SCC was responsible for the development, installation and overall operation of this service, to this effect we designed and created an overall technology platform, encompassing a number of online services plus a support and training network aimed at suppliers and buyers alike. In terms of results we can highlight the following: 58,000 registered and duly accredited suppliers have been entered in the ChileProveedores database.

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• Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Small Business Too Big to Ignore

‘Small Business Too Big to Ignore’ was a breakthrough grassroots movement that harnessed the power of social media and the Australian Chamber movement to unite Australia’s two million overlooked, overtaxed and overregulated small businesses in the lead up to the 2013 Federal Election.

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• Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry – BUILD

BUILD will be Bangladesh’s key thought leader and center of knowledge, data and experience on private sector issues, with a view to eradicate constraints facing private sector growth in Bangladesh. BUILD is a Public Private Dialogue (PPD) platform established to facilitate structured dialogues between the public and the private sectors under an institutional framework. BUILD is envisaged as the bridge that will connect the public and private sector for better communication, coordination and collaboration in bringing reforms in business policies and procedures to improve the country’s investment climate in Bangladesh.

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• Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Shipping – A14 upgrade project

A free-flowing A14 is of fundamental importance to the economic infrastructure and future success of Suffolk, a county that is home to 730,000 people, delivers 305,000 jobs and has an economy worth £12.6 billion every year. Therefore Suffolk Chamber, along with its Chamber colleagues along the A14 (largest motorway in the East of England) corridor, have campaigned for over two decades for an upgrade of the A14 at its pinch point of Huntingdon to Fenn Ditton. We were therefore delighted that the £1.5bn upgrade of the A14 was announced by Government after years of lobbying. However our campaign relates to a specific element of the proposed works/improvements. Initial plans for the upgrade were to include a toll on the road, therefore recouping a significant outlay of the investment. It was the scrapping of the toll road, without jeopardizing the £1.5bn road improvement that the Suffolk Chamber campaign focuses on.

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• Sydney Business Chamber – Badgerys Creek

The location of a second airport for Sydney has been an issue that has long challenged public policy makers. Badgerys Creek, in the heart of Western Sydney has been the ‘on-again, off-again’ site for a major airport for more than 30 years. Through research, advocacy, a detailed media campaign, a stakeholder relationships, the Sydney Business Chamber reframed the debate from a construction project, to one about job creation in an area where youth unemployment was 30%. This is a great example to other Chambers throughout the world about reframing the issue so the community can see benefits.

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• National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) – NGLCC Global

The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) of the United States, founded in 2002 by Justin Nelson and Chance Mitchell, is the business voice of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community and is the largest global not-for-profit advocacy organization dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. Through the launch of NGLCC Global™ in 2014, NGLCC promotes the growth of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) and provides a quick and effective path to broad-based economic advancement and empowerment of the global LGBT community. Utilizing a variety of resources, NGLCC Global connects LGBT-owned and -allied companies, multinational corporations, and international affiliate chamber leaders and members. NGLCC conducts its work in partnership with 150 corporations, comprising nearly one third of the Fortune 500, organizational allies, and government agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

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• Vaud Chamber of Commerce and Industry – International Link

Given the large number of international companies and sport federations based in the canton of Vaud, a region of Switzerland, the Vaud Chamber of Commerce and Industry created in 2010 International Link, an initiative whose mission is to federate, represent and support international entities of the canton of Vaud. International Link comprises of two offers, one for companies, with various corporate events and conferences, as well as one for international employees in order to help them integrate within the region. One the corporate events’ side, International Link created the Vaud International Business Award in collaboration with the authorities and another economic association. The purpose of this exclusive and unique event is to reward companies that have contributed to the image and international reputation of the canton of Vaud and to highlight the diversification they bring and their positive impact on the local economy.

Public private partnerships are at the heart of many governments’ agendas to better serve the small and medium sized business community and foster economic development. Chambers have a unique ability to help foster such strong beneficial partnerships with local, international and governmental organizations. See the following examples of successful public private sector partnerships.

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• Bogota Chamber of Commerce – Procedure simplification CAEs (Business Attention Centres)

The business attention centres were created as a way to simplify the number of contacts and procedures an entrepreneur must go through while establishing a new company. At these business attention centres it is possible to create a company in one day, in only one step, at one place, and with only one contact, and all done at the lowest cost possible.

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• Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Public-private deregulatory taskforce

The public-private deregulatory taskforce was jointly established by the Korea Chamber and the Presidential Council on National Competitiveness in April 2008. The taskforce is charged with a fieldwork to identify business concerns and the ensuing efforts to come up with solutions in consultation with the relevant government authorities. Its cooperation mechanism is backed by 71 regional chambers as well as some 1,000 industry associations based in Korea.

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• Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce & Industry – Private-public partnership towards local economic development

The Chamber, in partnership with the city government, is involved in the redevelopment of the Central Business District I. A series of activities are being done to renew the face of Centro Naga to attract more shoppers, improve the business undertakings and become more competitive to other business areas. The Chamber is actively involved in the different committees, councils and boards in the city and has organized business councils/clubs in several municipalities.

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• Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Developing a public-private partnership for business advocacy in a transitional economy

The Chamber has introduced an efficient public private partnership for policy advocacy to increase the business sector’s active participation in the country’s development efforts, creating a favorable business environment. Continued efforts and incentives of the Chamber eventually made this partnership successful and provided a solid base for effective cooperation among stakeholders on a broad range of aspects covering economic, social, and environmental concerns.

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• South Dublin Chamber – Partnership sustaining business project

The sustaining business project is a positive response to supporting SMEs and the local economy in the worst recession that Ireland has ever experienced. It is exceptional as it assists employment creation and retention by uniting the Chamber of Commerce and local government in a new partnership arrangement. This project provides a wide range of services and resources to small business in an easily accessible format without undue bureaucracy.

Small business is the core of a nation’s economic wellbeing, growth and a prosperous global economy. Small business is also the heart and soul of a chamber’s membership. Learn more on some of the chamber’s small business projects that have fostered local economic development, created jobs, and opened up new business opportunities for the chamber’s SME member companies.

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• Choloma Chamber of Commerce and Industries – Financial support for Micro and Small businesses

The Choloma Chamber is the only Chamber that provides a microcredit service in Honduras. Despite the adverse conditions for which the Chamber has gone through, the service remains in force and is growing, it is measured by international standards applicable to the microfinance industry. It contributes to the development of many micro and small businesses, enabling improved quality of life for employees and their families. It also contributes significantly to the financial sustainability of the Chamber.

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• Lima Chamber of Commerce – Business hub and marketplace for small enterprises

After conducting an analysis, the Lima Chamber of Commerce found that the offer for business development services nationwide did not sufficiently supply small businesses. The Chamber therefore designed “e-camara.net: business hub and marketplace for small enterprises”, with a network of Chambers. The implementation of new services gradually developed (including free services) has been implemented in two phases between 2004 and 2010, with the aim of assisting and internationalizing small enterprises, supporting the SME sector, generating business opportunities, helping to generate new jobs, increasing the institution invoicing, and the number of volunteer partners.

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• Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Bicol business week

Bicol business week (BBW) is an annual business event organized by the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with LGUs, government and non-government organization, academics and local chambers. BBW features trade shows/exhibits and fairs, conferences, trainings and seminars. The goal of the BBW is to encourage new MSME undertakings, and allow existing MSMEs to expand/diversify and turn into highly productive firms. Specifically, the objectives of the Bicol business week are to showcase and promote the best of Bicol businesses, provide new opportunities through business matching with exhibitors from other areas outside Bicol, to provide updates on new investment areas, technologies, and product trends, to enlighten firms on environment protection programs and the prospects in green investments and to offer insights on prominent Bicolano businessmen’s success secrets.

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• National Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism of Chile – Retail and small business crime prevention

Considering that almost 80% of Chile’s companies are SME’s and of the importance that small and local neighborhood businesses have in supporting and fostering the economic prospects of a family and of the whole community in which they operate, the National Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism of Chile has consider a priority to develop and implement different strategies to support the prevention of crime, assaults, violence and other types of actions that endanger and damage these businesses.

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• New South Wales Business Chamber – Business vitality check

Following a member needs research project in 2008, NSW Business Chamber (NSWBC) created Australia’s most comprehensive online business health check called Business vitality check (BVC). BVC is a web based diagnostic tool that fosters small business growth by improving capability, productivity and profitability. Following completion, a small business owner receives a comprehensive 140 page ‘Recommendations Report’ written by NSWBC experts, complete with industry benchmarks, on how to improve and prioritise immediate areas for action. NSWBC members currently receive BVC as a membership entitlement and BVC has been rebranded for use by the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Telstra Corporation (Australia’s largest telecommunications provider). Over 2,950 Australian small businesses have completed our diagnostic tool enabling NSWBC to influence the growth of small business across the country.

Small business plays an important role in international trade and world economy. Chambers have the ability to provide support mechanisms to foster and facilitate trade. Take a look at these innovative products and services launched by chambers to help members develop new trade links and engage in international trade.

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• Bristol Chamber of Commerce – Acorn interactive

Acorn Interactive has been developed to provide a compelling service to companies seeking to export or develop their export activities. It brings together innovative solutions that materially assist the client in progressing their transactions, complying with regulations, ensuring payment and developing their knowledge and skills.

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• China Chamber of International Commerce – China international import expo

Against the backdrop of weak global economic recovery and China’s shifting foreign trade policy focusing on import expansion, China Chamber of International Commerce has developed the project “China International Import Expo” to create the first largest professional import trading platform nationwide in the Yangtze River Delta, help expand imports from foreign countries, promote international trade, and boost global economic growth.

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• Leningrad Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Association of exporters and importers

The Association of exporters and importers was founded in 2005 by the Leningrad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LRCCI). The project was started due to the necessity of uniting the companies-members of LRCCI that are engaged in foreign economic activities. The main fields of the Association activities are to render the consulting support for issues covering foreign economic activities, monitor present legislation governing the foreign economic activities, detect legislative rules that impede the effectiveness of foreign trade and submitting proposals to the State bodies for changes, assistance in export promotion of goods and services, assistance in adaptation of business activities for working process in frames of World Trade Organization (WTO) regulations, to hold regular seminars arrangements, round-table meetings on current issues of foreign trade activities and other educational activities.

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• Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry – G.E.F.I

The project was launched in 2007 with the creation of an Internet platform for the dematerialization of the certificate of origin. It meets the needs of its customers to obtain quickly, without moving and in a secure way a part of the custom documents needed to export. This also meets the needs of customers to avoid many trips when the document is not compliant and must be corrected. The system allows the staff of the Paris Chamber to contact the customer in case of problems and to make required modifications online without any delay.

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• Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Industry – South Yorkshire international trade centre

The project contained within this submission has achieved a step change in the fortunes of international trade within numerous businesses throughout the region, and beyond. Implemented in an innovative partnership, the first of its kind, with our colleagues at the Chambers of Commerce in Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster, and with the active support from both Sheffield Universities, and with the full backing of the four local government authorities, the SYITC has become a legacy of business support and achieved unprecedented results.

Chambers must remain relevant to the communities in which they serve and are constantly evolving and innovating on the types of programmes they develop. See some of the following projects in an activity not typically associated with a chamber of commerce, demonstrating fulfilment of specific needs and objectives of the chamber, its SME member community and/or the local economy.

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• Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Search for W.I.N.N.E.Rs

Started in 2011, the Search for W.I.N.N.E.Rs (Women In Need, Now Entrepreneurs and Rolemodels) is a yearly event that empowers and recognizes hundreds of women micro-entrepreneurs in the City of Mandaue, Province of Cebu, in the Philippines. The central idea of the project is to search for women who are micro-entrepreneurs, who are struggling to help their families, who rose from a situation of powerlessness to a position of strength and economic independence. These women join a contest following the format of a pageant but with a twist since winners are chosen not based on physical beauty but on intelligence, personality, life story and business potential. The highlight of the program is the pageant day where these women’s stories and realities are shown after which they are presented to a large audience fully transformed and walking the stage with new confidence.

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• Calgary Chamber of Commerce – Post flood recovery and business continuity

The biggest lesson from the 2013 flood (the costliest flood in Canadian history) was that none of us were prepared. A recent survey of the Calgary business community showed that 1 in 4 businesses were completely unprepared for an emergency situation prior to the flood. We have worked alongside our partners to put in place resources and tools like the Business Continuity Handbook and the Emergency Business Contact Database to equip our business community to be better prepared for whatever may arise whether it is a flood, a fire or influenza, because emergencies can happen anywhere in the city at any time.

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• Chamber of Commerce of Zaragoza – ASITEL

The Chamber of Commerce of Zaragoza acquired the structure of a small translation company at the beginning of 2013. We integrated it into our building, modernized and created new services by targeting the need for SMEs to sell and communicate with countries all over the world. The main difficulty was in explaining to the companies how to use these services. As a result, we visit companies and hold group and live demonstrations. We do not just translate over the phone, but we also search for new customers, organize meetings with leads and potential customers abroad, and follow and manage contacts after an international exhibition.

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• Stavanger Chamber of Commerce – Bike Booster Project

A fun, effective and easy way of assisting member companies boost their bike-to-work mindset. Supplying the companies with a free toolbox (the booster box) together with minimum hours of administration, biking becomes one of the most cost effective ways of reducing car traffic and congestion. A problem that has a staggering cost of US $1 billion per annum in our region alone. In a period of four years, the project has saved the business sector and our community US $40 million at a total cost of US $585,000.

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• Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce – Research unit

Since 2012, the research unit at Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce has been helping businesses understand their staff, customers and operating environment. Take up of research services has grown quickly in the last two years and we have a growing team of experts in the field of market research and economics.

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• Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Quezon city) – Farmers to Consumers (F2C)

Farmers to Consumers (F2C) is a project that bridged the farmers (mostly indigenous people from the highlands of Nueva Vizcaya) directly to the target consumers (senior citizens, depressed communities and employees in Quezon City) so the former can earn 35% higher from their farm produce and so the latter can avail of the farm products at 25% lower than the prevailing market price. F2C addresses the poverty and discouraging situation of the farmers, and the expensive and inaccessible farm products in the archipelagic Philippines. Two local governments were engaged to provide support, as the PCCI-QC developed, through a team of experts, a training program “Agripreneurship” to empower the farmers in packaging and in marketing/selling their agricultural produce. F2C also facilitated the organizational development of the farmers towards cooperativism that synergized their unity for mutually beneficial gains. F2C is an ideal sustainable agriculture model for the world.

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• Chamber of Commerce of Crotone – project I.N.S.I.D.E.R

The project I.N.S.I.D.E.R. (Illegal Detecting Network Security Intelligence and Resources) is an investigation and intelligence system that aims to increase the legality and competitiveness of the region Calabria. It is a useful tool designed especially for the police and the justice administration for the identification of the boundaries between legal and illegal businesses.

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• Bavarian Chambers of Commerce – IHK-For.Bild Bayern

IHK-For.Bild Bayern is a project held by the nine ‎chambers of commerce in Bavaria. It is the first CC-research unit for vocational educa‎tion and training worldwide.‎ The goals of For.Bild are:‎

• Strengthening the power of the chambers to co-create educational politics ‎through an innovative research-approach ‎
• Getting the political discussion about topics of interest started
• Fostering a state wide best-practice-sharing-culture between SMEs regarding ‎vocational education.

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• Indian Merchants’ Chamber – Inclusive Innovation Awards

Indian Merchants’ Chamber instituted the IMC Inclusive Innovation Awards in the year 2012. The focus of Inclusive Innovation as Dr. R. Mashelkar quotes is “More from Less for More People”. This Award was initiated by IMC with a view to recognizing and honouring products or services that are inclusive and innovative in nature.

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• Cambridge Chamber of Commerce – Funny money

The Chamber believes that it is a paramount role of our organizations to instill in the next generation of National and International Global Leaders strong financial literacy values. Since its inception in 2005, the program has been presented to over 400,000 high school aged children across Canada. It speaks to the students on recognizing the amount of money they have flowing into and out of their lives, to the nature of debt management and to the fact that putting small bits of money away will lead them to a path of financial security for the rest of their lives.

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• Danish Chamber of Commerce – Crimestat

The Danish Chamber of Commerce, handling the interests of the retail industry in Denmark, sees the issue of retail robberies as a serious problem which may have extensive psychological consequences for store employees exposed to robberies and may in some cases force stores to close. As a consequence, the Danish Chamber of Commerce, together with a wide range of the Danish retail businesses, took the initiative to establish the Crimestat portal. The purpose of Crimestat was to give the retail industry tools to obtain a detailed and at all times current outline of the robbery and burglary situation which was not the case earlier.

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• Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Dhaka customs house automation project

This project was initiated in 2008 with an objective to reduce bureaucratic tangles and cumbersome processes of paying taxes and at the same time increase revenue by ensuring transparency and accountability. The project will improve efficiency by better risk management, save time for each stakeholder, improve productivity, accountability and compliant to WCO definition by introducing world class IT infrastructure.

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• Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce – The smoffice

The Smoffice was a national contest to give away the world’s smallest office to an aspiring startup company in Durham free for 60 days. The purpose of the contest was to gain national attention for Durham’s hot entrepreneurial scene. The contest also included a free desk, laptop, professional services and a six-month lease on a downtown condo.

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• Oslo Chamber of Commerce – International network of Norway

With an unemployment rate of fewer than 2%, Norway relies on foreign skilled workers to fill the gaps in local expertise. Norway is ranked by the UN as one of the best places to live in the world; however this did not stop 15-30% of the foreign labour force from breaking off their contracts early. In late February 20005, the Oslo Chamber of Commerce introduced INN® – International Network of Norway to assist expats in the various aspects of settling into their new lives in Norway. The service includes a handbook, assistance with visas, helping find housing and much more.