At a ceremony today as part of the Canadian Chamber’s annual general meeting, the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada was pleased to be able to present a number of new accreditations to chambers from across the country.
“We are proud to recognize these chambers as examples of effective, well managed and stable organizations making a difference in communities across the country – keeping ‘the voice of business’ loud and strong” said Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
To achieve accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in critical areas, including areas of governance, operations, membership programming, policy and advocacy and strategic planning.
Accreditation is aimed at continuous operational improvement and standards of local chambers of commerce and an elevation of their profile across the country as effective and well-managed organizations.
“Accreditation is the acknowledgment that member chambers have been successfully evaluated against rigorous national standards of policy, service and performance,” said Chuck Davidson, President of the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada. Davidson continued “that this brings the number of accredited chambers to more than 70 in Canada.”
Developed by a team of chamber executives, in conjunction with provincial and territorial chambers and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the accreditation program is operated by an arms-length organization called the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada (CACC). The CACC is composed of representatives from across the country. The Council meets twice per year to review applications for accreditation.
Accreditation is a means of reinforcing and clarifying to the community at large what activities are pivotal to a chamber’s functions and determines the chamber’s unique value proposition vis-àvis other organizations in the marketplace.
Chambers of commerce and boards of trade that are able to submit their files for review twice per year and are always recognized at the Canadian Chamber’s annual Network Luncheon during which local chamber achievements are celebrated.
Initial accreditations are valid for a period of two years and reaccreditations are valid for three years.
