2015 World Chambers Competition finalists announced

From an online resource to help businesses reduce environmental footprints to getting the Calgary business community up and running following devastating floods, 79 projects were submitted by chambers in 39 countries, a new record for the Competition.

Finalists are now set to go forward to compete presenting their innovative projects live before an audience of chamber leaders during the ICC WCF 9th World Chambers Congress taking place in Torino, Italy from 10-12 June.

Finalists for each of the four Competition categories are:

Best policy advocacy project

• Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Australia
  Project name: “Small Business Too Big to Ignore”
• Santiago Chamber of Commerce – Chile
  Project name: “The National Register of Suppliers to the Chilean State”
• Cork Chamber of Commerce – Ireland
  Project name: “Cork’s Connection to the World”
• Dublin Chamber of Commerce – Ireland
  Project name: “Activating Dublin”

Best unconventional project

• Stavanger Chamber of Commerce – Norway
  Project name: “The Bike Booster”
• Chamber of Commerce of Zaragoza – Spain
  Project name: “Telephone Interpretation in 33 languages – ASITEL”
• Calgary Chamber of Commerce – Canada
  Project name: Post-Flood Recovery & Business Continuity “Business Recovery Task Force”
• Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Philippines
  Project name: “The search for Women in Needs Now Entrepreneurs and Role Models”

Best job creation and business development project

• Bogota Chamber of Commerce – Colombia
  Project name: “Cluster Development Initiatives”
• Glasgow Chamber of Commerce – United Kingdom*
  Project name: Youth Employment Action Group “Workforce Solutions”
• Kocaeli Chamber of Industry – Turkey*
  Project name: “Our Village”
• Voka Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Belgium
  Project name: “Bryo Bright and Young”
• Northern Territory Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Australia
  Project name: “TEAMNT”*Tied finalists

Best corporate social responsibility

• Chamber of Industry, Commerce, Services and Tourism of Santa Cruz (CAINCO) – Bolivia
  Project name: “Managing E-waste”
• Finland Chamber of Commerce – Finland
  Project name: “Women Leaders Programme”
• Burnaby Board of Trade – Canada
  Project name: “The Pledge”
• Asharqia Chamber – Saudi Arabia
  Project name: “Top CSR Initiative – A Road to Distinction”

The World Chambers Competition, now on its seventh edition, highlights chamber best practices by recognizing success stories from the extensive global chamber network. It also aims to promote cooperation and increase transnational partnerships.

The World Chambers Competition showcases to our members and to the entire chamber network that chambers are constantly striving to serve their members in the best possible way.

Sharing the challenge of selecting finalists for each category, the judging panel, led by WCF Honorary Chair Rona Yircali were impressed by the variety and quality of projects submitted for the 2015 edition of the Competition.

“The World Chambers Competition showcases to our members and to the entire chamber network that chambers are constantly striving to serve their members in the best possible way. It highlights how they are coming up with innovative ideas that can benefit their respective members, communities, cities and countries,” said Mr Yircali.

World Chambers Competition winners will be announced during the World Chambers Congress gala dinner to be held in the Venaria Reale, an impressive baroque palace recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  In addition to achieving international recognition and acknowledgement from the chamber and business community worldwide, Competition winners will also win a cash prize thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and M.K Sanghi Group.

Visit the 2015 World Chambers Competition website.

Save the date: The World Chambers Competition takes place during the ICC WCF 9th World Chambers Congress in Torino, Italy on 10-12 June 2015.