Join the Chamber
Can you afford NOT to join?
Over 300 local businesses operating in all sectors have chosen to become and remain members of the Gibraltar Chamber and the membership is growing year on year.
Why? Because Chamber membership offers a range of benefits and advantages that local businesses cannot find elsewhere. Coupled with the extremely reasonable annual subscription you can see why virtually all of Gibraltar’s leading companies are Chamber members.
So, what do I and my company gain from becoming a member?
Membership offers a series of tangible and intangible benefits designed to embrace the business needs of today’s demanding environment and support you and your staff in your day-to-day operational activities.
Specifically these benefits are:
Save money
The Chamber tries to save money for members in a variety of ways. Specifically these are in areas such as:
- Training, by pooling activities and spreading the cost of training across a number of firms so that no one individual member is lumbered with the cost.
- Chamber facilities. Members are able to use the Chamber’s boardroom and meeting room for offsite meetings, discreet interviews, presentations and small receptions at a considerable cost saving compared to other commercial premises.
- Export Documentation Service. Companies that need to prepare documents for the export of products overseas can make significant savings through being a Chamber member. Documents such as Certificates of Origin and ATA Carnets are only available from the Chamber. These are issued to members are reduced rates.
- Advice on EU Funding. Many Chamber members have benefited from EU funds to expand an existing business or start a new business. The Chamber is able to advise members on funding applications and give an initial assessment on an applicant’s eligibility for funding.
- Training, by pooling activities and spreading the cost of training across a number of firms so that no one individual member is lumbered with the cost.
- Chamber facilities. Members are able to use the Chamber’s boardroom and meeting room for offsite meetings, discreet interviews, presentations and small receptions at a considerable cost saving compared to other commercial premises.
- Export Documentation Service. Companies that need to prepare documents for the export of products overseas can make significant savings through being a Chamber member. Documents such as Certificates of Origin and ATA Carnets are only available from the Chamber. These are issued to members are reduced rates.
- Advice on EU Funding. Many Chamber members have benefited from EU funds to expand an existing business or start a new business. The Chamber is able to advise members on funding applications and give an initial assessment on an applicant’s eligibility for funding.
Network and meeting new contacts and clients
Perhaps one of the most tangible benefits of membership is that the Chamber opens doors for you and your business. Gibraltar is a very well connected economy and for those who are local, knowing who the right person to contact in a particular company or organization is not usually a problem. However, for those companies who are new to the Gibraltar business community this can be more of a challenge. The Chamber is here to assist in making those connections.
Represent your views to Government
The Chamber represents the interests of its members on several committees and Gibraltar Government advisory boards. If there is an issue that affects your business or the sector in which you operate and it impacts negatively on your business, we would like to try and change it.
For example, in 2004 when the UK Government was considering placing a ban on advertising by online gaming companies not based in the UK, the Gibraltar Chamber lobbied its Government through discreet channels to ensure that the ban did not come into force.
Similarly, when local companies in the hospitality sector experienced continued difficulties in recruiting competent staff, the Chamber made representations to Gibraltar’s Department of Employment with a solution which would help local employers, boost the local economy and at the same time protect the rights of existing workers. The Gibraltar Government has recently adopted this solution.
For example, in 2004 when the UK Government was considering placing a ban on advertising by online gaming companies not based in the UK, the Gibraltar Chamber lobbied its Government through discreet channels to ensure that the ban did not come into force.
Similarly, when local companies in the hospitality sector experienced continued difficulties in recruiting competent staff, the Chamber made representations to Gibraltar’s Department of Employment with a solution which would help local employers, boost the local economy and at the same time protect the rights of existing workers. The Gibraltar Government has recently adopted this solution.
Keep you informed with changes in legislation
Linked to the point above, since the Chamber is represented on several committees it has an economic early warning system as to proposed changes to legislation. It is able to keep its members informed and where the proposed changes are likely to affect members, then in most cases the Chamber will, in consultation with its members, formulate an appropriate response.
Raise your profile
Whilst the Chamber is not in the business of promoting one member over another, through its well-respected quarterly publication, GIBRALTAR BUSINESS, the Chamber will seek to help its members keep abreast of newsworthy stories about local businesses, particularly if they are issue-related and impact on a sector as a whole. This publication is sent to all members of the Chamber and also to every Government minister. Stories published are often picked up by other local media and given wider coverage.
