British Chambers of Commerce - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is the national body for a powerful and influential network of 52 accredited Chambers of Commerce across the UK, representing 92,000 businesses that together employ 4,800,000 employees. Members range from growth-oriented start-ups

Startup company

A startup company or startup is a company with a limited operating history. These companies, generally newly created, are in a phase of development and research for markets...

to local and regional subsidiaries of multinational companies, in all commercial

Commerce

While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...

and industrial sectors, and from all over the UK. It has offices in both London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, and Coventry

Coventry

Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...

. The London office is on Petty France

Petty France, London

Petty France refers to several places in London and Westminster.It usually refers to a street in the City of Westminster, London, "a considerable street between Tathill Street, E., and James Street, W " The street was the original location in 1720 of the Westminster Public Infirmary...

, near the Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)

The Ministry of Justice is a ministerial department of the UK Government headed by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, who is responsible for improvements to the justice system so that it better serves the public...

(former Home Office), and off Buckingham Gate

Buckingham Gate

Buckingham Gate is a street in London, England, near Buckingham Palace.The Albanian Embassy and 51 Buckingham Gate, a 5* hotel, are located here. At number 59 is Swire House, accommodating the Britain-Australia Society, the The Hong Kong Association and Society, and the Japan Society...

(A323).

Every Chamber sits at the very heart of its local community working with businesses to grow and expand their operations by sharing opportunities, knowledge and know-how. They have a particular focus on international trade, policy and representation, skills development and business services.

A Year for Growth

In January 2011, the BCC launched its campaign to make 2011 a Year for Growth for businesses. It focuses on four key areas:

1. Making Recruitment Easier

A Year for Growth requires real action to make it easier for companies – whether start-ups, medium-sized family businesses or multinational firms – to take on staff throughout the UK.

2. Simpler, Faster Planning Decisions

A Year for Growth demands action to simplify planning and development control – with a system that privileges business expansion, not entrenched interests or the status quo.

3. Increasing Business Investment

A Year for Growth means greater responsiveness from Government and financial institutions – to help companies seeking to make major investments in people, machinery, premises and new ideas.

4. Supporting British Exporters

A Year for Growth must also be a year for exports – with concrete action to support new exporters, encourage firms to enter new markets, and facilitate critical trade finance flows.

Director General

John Longworth has been Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) since September 2011. Mr Longworth has held a number of high-profile roles in business and public life, including stints as a senior executive at Asda and Tesco. He is currently a non-executive director of the Co-operative Group Food Ltd and Nichols plc, is a member of the Competition Commission, and is active in both social enterprise and a Midlands-based venture capital-backed company, SVA Ltd.

Chamber Awards

The Chamber Awards were launched by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) in 2004 to recognise and celebrate business excellence through the successes and achievements of its Accredited Chambers of Commerce and their members. To date, there have been 620 Chamber Award winners and over £250,000 given out in cash prizes. Businesses can enter this year's awards.

Annual Conference

The BCC holds an annual conference every year. The one day event brings together business owners, Chambers of Commerce, and Ministers. The 2011 conference was held in Church House, Westminster along the theme of a Year for Growth. Guest speakers included

George Osborne
George Osborne
George Gideon Oliver Osborne, MP is a British Conservative politician. He is the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, a role to which he was appointed in May 2010, and has been the Member of Parliament for Tatton since 2001.Osborne is part of the old Anglo-Irish aristocracy, known in...
Vince Cable
Eric Pickles
Eric Pickles
Eric Jack Pickles is a British Conservative Party politician. Pickles was appointed Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government of the coalition government headed by Prime Minister David Cameron on 12 May 2010....
Sahar Hashemi
Sahar Hashemi
Sahar Hashemi is a successful business woman who co-founded the coffee chain Coffee Republic with her brother Bobby Hashemi and low calorie sweets brand Skinny Candy. Sahar left Coffee Republic in 2001 to write bestselling book: “Anyone Can do It”...
Lord Wolfson
Simon Wolfson
Simon Wolfson, Baron Wolfson of Aspley Guise is a British businessman and currently chief executive of the clothing retailer Next and a Conservative life peer...

Quarterly Economic Survey

The British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) is the largest and most representative independent business survey of its kind in the UK covering a substantial percentage of small businesses and the subsidiaries of large businesses.

Future publication dates

Q4 2011 - Tuesday 10 January 2012
Q1 2012 - Tuesday 3 April 2012
Q2 2012 - Tuesday 3 July 2012
Q3 2012 - Tuesday 2 October 2012

Accredited Chambers

The British Chambers of Commerce is the ultimate business network made up of 52 Accredited Chambers of Commerce across the UK, representing 92,000 businesses that together employ 4,800,000 employees.

The 52 accredited Chambers are:

South East

South West

North West

West Midlands

East Midlands

East of England

Yorkshire & the Humber

Wales

Scotland

External links

Video clips

Interview with David Frost

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