Chamber round up: Bristol February 2018

Is it me or does winter seem to be moving into spring? It’s no longer dark at 5.30 and the spring flowers are starting to pop up. It’s a busy time for businesses too.

As we approach financial year end, businesses will have one eye on meeting their end of year targets and another on planning ahead. At Bristol Chamber that’s what we’re here to help you with.

With Brexit coming up to being one year away, we’re ensuring the business voice is heard by government. We continue to meet regularly with key Ministers, MPs and officials to express the views, issues and concerns that business express to us. We continue to support more and more businesses to grow and export overseas via the contract we run for the Department for International Trade in the South West and our award-winning chamber export documentation department. 

In March, I am looking forward to attending the MIPIM event in Cannes. Established in 1990, MIPIM gathers the most influential international property players from the office, residential, retail, healthcare, sport, logistics and industrial sectors for 3 days of networking, learning and transaction. We are helping lead our delegation at the event to promote Bristol and Bath being the fastest growing City Region in the UK, a global leader in technology and engineering clusters and with the need to secure £10bn of infrastructure investment to sustain and support future growth of the city region.

We’re delighted at the success of moving the Bristol Chamber Breakfast to Business West’s home at Leigh Court. It’s great to see so many active members and non-members networking and making fresh new connections and we are receiving lots of positive feedback: 

“Being in a room of over 70 business people can be a little daunting however I needn't have been concerned. I've recently started my own business and took the opportunity to go along to the Business West Breakfast Networking meeting which is run monthly. The event was so well run and it was really good to be in a room of likeminded individuals. Plus the support from the Business West team made me feel inspired and motivated. Thanks to everyone involved. This is just what I need to help me on my challenging new journey.” – Maria Newman, Fill That Space, January 2018

Why don’t you join us at the next Bristol Chamber Networking Breakfast on Thursday 1st March?

So what’s coming up?

GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a hot topic for businesses, and a regulation that needs to be prepared for in advance. The new data protection regulation, which comes into force on 25 May 2018, will affect how all UK and EU businesses use customer data. 

Those who do not comply with the GDPR directive could face a heavy maximum fine of 4% turnover or €20 million (approximately £17m), whichever is the greater – a considerable increase from the former maximum fine of £500,000.

Business West’s dedicated hub will help your business prepare for the GDPR. Make sure your business complies by attending events and workshops and reading up on the latest advice.

Events

Coming up soon are a series of events supported by Business West and Bristol Chamber of Commerce including:

• UWE Bristol distinguished address series

• Living Wage Business Breakfast with OVO Energy, Living Wage Foundation and Business West

• Regional banking breakfast

• Modern Slavery in Supply Chains Roundtable

Member Benefits

Finally, a reminder about using your online member benefits! Reach a wide business audience by completing your company profile in the members directory, post an original blog, your events, tenders and opportunities - simply log in!