East Midlands Chamber
East Midlands Chamber* is a non-profit, leading business organisation representing and serving over 4,200 members and more than 3,000 affiliates.
It is a-political and receives no Government funding for its day-to-day activities and representation of regional firms.
It is the leading business support organisation in the regionand works in close partnership with communities, political and funding organisation across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, and beyond, to give businesses across the region a united voice.
The Chamber operates around seven key themes: Growing your business; Find, train, retain – staff development; Connecting across the East Midlands; Getting you answers; Reducing costs; Giving you a voice; Connecting business with the community.
Its overarching pledge is to enhance East Midlands businesses.
Using quarterly surveys it collates data about the economic confidence of the region and the opinions of members and non-members. Through collation of this data it is then able to lobby Parliament and other decision-makers to ensure the needs of its members and, indirectly, non-members are both heard and acted upon.
The Chamber works closely with three Local Enterprise Partnerships – D2N2 for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership and Sheffield City Region – to ensure its efforts accurately reflect the needs of members and to drive inward investment and regional growth.
The Chamber is funded through membership and the various commercial activities it undertakes, including, but not limited to:
• Extensive networking events
• Exhibitions and conferences
• Prestige events
• International documentation services
• Virtual office and conference facilities
• Apprenticeships
• Return to Work Programme
• Workforce development
• eBusiness Club
• Digital and broadband delivery
• Lobbying and representation
• International Student Placement (ISPO)
• Business information and research
• Tenders alerts
• Business and shopwatch schemes
• Profile raising
• Legal and HR services
• Foreign exchange service
• Trade mission and export promotion
• Health and Safety advice line and website
• Growth Hub
• Incubation Centres and Business start up
• Enterprise support.
The Chamber has over 30 Strategic Partners and Patrons – representing all aspects of regional business and a variety of sizes of companies – and a management structure made up of a Board of Directors comprising many of the region’s leading lights in business.
It has a senior management team made up of ten internal department heads including Chief Executive Scott Knowles.
Speaking about the town, Scott Knowles said:-
“The future for Chesterfield and its constituent businesses is incredibly bright – the wealth of planned economic regeneration in regards to Peak Resort, Chesterfield Waterside and Northern Gateway projects will create new opportunities for the existing business community of Chesterfield and attract additional indigenous and international invest investment opportunities.”
*Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire.
