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Affinity Groups and Business Forums

NEW! WEST CUMBRIA AND FURNESS BUSINESS FORUMS

Click here to go to the West Cumbria and Furness Business Forums Micro-site.

Affinity Groups and Business Forums are the very heart of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce. They provide members with opportunities to identify their needs, network and share best practice as well as providing the Chamber with a reliable and constant source for research and information gathering for policy development.

They also provide a link between businesses and all government agencies. Cumbrian businesses have a platform by which they can be engaged with and influence public bodies and policy.

The concept and delivery of Affinity Groups and Business Forums is simple - they are groups of like-minded businesses, led by businesses, with an agenda set by the business themselves, with the aim of optimising the benefits to be gained from genuine and structured networking, sharing best practice, identifying common concerns and creating solutions.

In particular they:

help develop links between businesses in their sectors including training, supply and legislative issues
help facilitate connections between businesses from specific geographical areas, so that issues and problems in their localities relating to issues such as planning, housing, land, property, infrastructure, crime, environmental, local regulations etc. can be debated and local (and where necessary regional and national) action be agreed
help strengthen supply chain linkages between businesses in the sector and area
facilitate discussions on skills requirements (including the involvement and performance of training providers and education institutions) to support a more focussed and demand based training offering. These links should lead to improved pathways for trainees who have completed training in areas where businesses really do require the skills gained
deliver information and advice to businesses from business people on any business need (including training and legislation) in a business friendly environment.

The outcomes that can be expected for businesses taking an active role in the development of the Affinity Group and Business Forums network (and some are already being achieved) include:

Greater links and communication between local businesses
Improved supply chain linkages in the sub-region
Increased trading between local businesses
Improved understanding of new legislation and regulations
Improved links between businesses and business support agencies
Greater focus on, and understanding of, skills requirements, with full involvement of training providers and education establishments
Greater ability to influence local, regional and national decision and policy makers on the needs of Cumbrian businesses
Improvements to your company’s productivity, efficiency and profitability.