FAQ's

What is a Chamber of Commerce?

A Chamber of Commerce is a not for profit membership organisation offering businesses access to a broad offering of business support services and business networking opportunities. 

Chambers exist to help their members grow their market, connect them to other businesses in the region, offer international business support, help businesses save costs, feedback issues to local and national government and generally aim to improve the business environment in the region. 

There are 53 Chambers of Commerce in the UK, accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce. Together we make up a strong network of trusted champions of businesses, places, and global trade.  

The wider Chamber network represents 73,000 businesses who employ almost six million people across the UK, so we have a pretty loud voice both regionally, and nationally! 

Why should I join?

Members join a Chamber of Commerce for many different reasons, whether it is to network with like-minded businesses in the region, or to raise their profile through our press channels. Membership offers a wide range of benefits

Don’t just take our word for it, have a look at what our members say.

How much will membership cost me?

We have different levels of membership to suit different company sizes and budgets. Young professional membership starts at £150 per annum and corporate memberships range from £300 to £3,000. View our membership packages.

How many members do you have, and is membership relevant to my sector?

We have over 2,500 member organisations, and membership is open to all business sectors and sizes.  

Which division should I join?

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce has 10 different divisions, six geographical and four themed divisions – our New Business Team can advise you on the best division for you, based on your location and business objectives, or you can read more about our various divisions.

How many networking events can I attend?

Members will have access to over 200 complimentary (members only) events across the year. 

How do I book onto events?

To book onto events, simply navigate to our events where you will be asked to login (if you are a member) or you can book onto events as a guest from there.

How long does membership last?

All our memberships are annual. You will be alerted once your membership is up for renewal with details on how to renew for the forthcoming year. 

Who else can use my membership?

Aside from Future Faces, our young professionals network which is an individual membership, all other Chamber memberships are for the whole organisation to take advantage of. We just ask that we have a named contact at the member organisation, but any of your team can use the membership. 

What is the relationship between GBCC and the British Chamber of Commerce?

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) is an accredited member of the British Chambers of Commerce Network (BCC) which represents 53 Chambers nationally.  

As such, the GBCC adheres to the accreditation standards that are laid down by the BCC in relation to engagement with the business community, membership, financial health, governance and management and the regional, national and international development of the Chamber network.  

Accreditation to the BCC provides access to national discounts and services for our members and it also ensures that our lobbying is effective both nationally and internationally. 

How is the GBCC funded?

The Chamber is a private company which is funded in the main by membership subscriptions and income from business support services we provide.  

We are a non-profit making company which means we reinvest any surplus back into the organisation in order to enhance the services we provide to our members. 

Are you related to the government or the council?

The Chamber is an independent organisation and does not form part of government or the council. We do work in partnership with them on a variety of projects and we advocate and lobby on behalf of our members, both individually and collectively. We remain politically neutral in all such activities. 

Who will be my contact at the Chamber?

All our members have a dedicated point of contact within Team Chamber, depending on the level of your membership this is either a member of our Relationship Management team, a Head of Division or one of our Patron Managers. 

If I join the GBCC, do I get access to other Chambers?

You will be able to benefit from events and activities in the Chamber divisions that are part of our group, but you won’t have access to other regional Chambers outside of our group, as these are run independently. From time to time we do collaborate on events and projects with other regional Chambers.