Few things are more important than your identity. It’s what sets you apart from the crowd. It’s how you’re known and what you’re known for. You work hard to build it, maintain it, and protect it.
Chambers of commerce and boards of trade want the same thing - to protect themselves from a threatened loss of identity, of diminished presence. Increasing competition, confusion over the role of individual chambers, shifting professional standards, changing expectations of performance and service, uneven governance practices, and diminished loss of purpose are among the concerns expressed recently by member chambers. Together, we’re working to reverse this.
What is accreditation?
Benefits
Cost
Process
FAQ
What is accreditation?
In 2004, representatives from all levels of the chamber network formed the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada (CACC) and launched a national accreditation program designed to recognize chambers that satisfy a set of high standards and practices - chambers that seek to stand out, who look to the future.
Accreditation is a formal acknowledgement that member chambers of commerce/boards of trade have been successfully evaluated by the CACC against rigourous national standards of policy, service, and performance. Technically, accreditation is granted to individual applicant chambers of commerce/boards of trade who demonstrate they meet all the eligibility requirements set out by the CACC in its checklist for accreditation and the accreditation application. The rigorous accreditation process itself provides an opportunity to document and streamline internal chamber and board functions, clarifying practices for directors, staff and members. Displaying the accreditation seal - on stationery, web sites, promotional literature, signage and elsewhere - is your chamber’s declaration of, and commitment to, our unique value proposition as “the voice of business” in communities across Canada.
Benefits
Accreditation will ensure:
- Strategic focus on core chamber activities.
- Uniform practices, policies across the network.
- Dependable governance procedures.
- Distinctive brand identity. A competitive edge against other business organizations.
- A stronger “voice of business” in your community. An increased role in national and international policy advocacy.
If your stakeholders are wondering why your chamber should go through this process… why not use this Power Point presentation and help convince them!
Cost
An application fee, prorated by chamber/board of trade size, is submitted with your completed application for accreditation. No further fees are required until the end of the two-year accreditation period or until you seek an upgrade of your status to accredited with distinction.
Small chambers: $100
Medium chambers: $200
Large chambers: $300
Renewal/upgrade fee for all sizes of chambers : $75
Process
Start today: be a stand out, accreditation makes it possible!
