CHAMBER NEWS

START YOUR ENGINES!

CORNWALL CHAMBER CHIEF EXECUTIVE, KIM CONCHIE, LOOKS AHEAD TO THIS YEAR’S CORNWALL FESTIVAL OF BUSINESS AND THE 30 UNDER 30 AWARDS.

It feels like a matter of weeks ago that we announced the 2021, 30 under 30 winners, but here we are again scouting for a brandnew set of budding entrepreneurs doing brilliant things here in Cornwall.

These fantastic awards are now in their seventh year, and I never get bored of reading the success stories of young people who are thriving in Cornwall.

If you know of any family, friends or colleagues under the age of 30 on March 18, 2022, who reflect the passion and creativity our young people are bringing to the Duchy’s business scene, please put them forward. You could even enter yourself!

At the Chamber, January gave us time to do some really important strategic thinking about what we need to achieve for the business community in 2022; the big events that we have wanted to put on for the last two years and couldn’t, and the campaigns we should be getting behind with all our might.

WHY JOIN?

Cornwall Chamber of Commerce is an independent not-for-profit organisation accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce. We solely exist to represent businesses in Cornwall. Our events provide a platform for businesses to connect, create and make valuable business relationships. Membership to the Chamber starts from as little as £17 +VAT per month and provides you with the tools to promote your business.

Get in touch today to have a chat about how we can support you and your business. Cornwall Festival of Business will be here before we know it. Over the course of a week in June (1317), Cornwall’s business community will have the opportunity to attend around 60 free events throughout the Duchy, from small seminars and workshops to the centrepiece of the week: Cornwall Business Fair.

This year, our Business Fair takes on a new role, addressing the future of business here in Cornwall. We will use the largest celebration of the innovative, forward-looking businesses and business support in The Duchy to address the importance of sustainability and opportunities presented by the green industrial revolution.

Around 80 stands will be complemented by demonstrations, immersive business experiences, panel discussions, networking, training and fun events throughout the day. If you haven’t yet booked your stand or you’re interested in sponsorship and advertising opportunities, please contact jessica@ cornwallchamber.co.uk There’s no limit on the amount of events we can hold during festival week, so if you have an idea or would like to host, please get in touch.

If you haven’t guessed already from our themed Business Fair, our big focus for this year is sustainability and regeneration of the planet. In September, with kind sponsorship from Don’t Cry Wolf, we will bring you Planet C: a melange of activities spread over four days, all focused around the role we can play in healing the planet and the responsibility we have to turn things around.

The four-day focus will include our annual Sustainability Conference, which last year attracted international media attention with our line-up of HRH The Prince of Wales, Sir Patrick Vallance, Sir Tim Smit , Kate Kennally and many more.

Also up our sleeves is a B Corp panel event, beach clean and EV show. Excitement is mounting and organisations have already started booking their activities. Sponsorship and advertising opportunities are available for each day, and you can co-host or jointly organise events on Planet themes. If you would like to be involved, let us know asap. Contact darren@cornwallchamber.co.uk

Finally, hopefully you will have read my opinion piece in Business Cornwall urging the business community to make 2022 the year of productivity. It’s a major focus of the Chamber’s this year and in the article I urge businesses to really try and grasp what productivity means.

Cornwall Chamber of Commerce is running a series of events to help businesses work out how fewer people could produce what their customers are demanding. If we can crack this, we can accelerate economic growth and make doing business easier for everyone.

Simple things like making sure knowledge and information is shared effectively throughout an organisation can make all the difference. Keep an eye on our website for details of upcoming events on this important subject.

Keep talking, keep collaborating, and keep asking for help if you need it. Your local Chamber is always at the end of the phone and we’re actively looking for exciting new event ideas and venues.