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Chamber of Commerce Brantford • Brant

2021-2024 Strategic Plan

77 Charlotte Street • Brantford • ON N3T 2W8 519-753-2617 • chamber@brcc.ca brantfordbrantchamber.com

Table of Contents Executive Summary.................................................... 3 Vision ....................................................................................... 5 Mission .................................................................................... 6 Core Values ........................................................................ 7 Strategic Directions ................................................... 9

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BRANTFORD • BRANT

2021-2024 Strategic Plan Executive Summary The 2021-2024 Strategic Plan is the result of a process started by the Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant’s staff and volunteer leaders in November 2020. Over two meetings the Board met via Zoom to review its existing plan and to take stock of the current economic environment and upcoming opportunities. Components of this plan include an aspirational vision, confident mission and updated core

Vision Statement Trusted by leaders, the Chamber of Commerce of Brantford-Brant is the region’s most dynamic business forum. Attracting the region’s most innovative business people, the chamber is a catalyst for business success. The Chamber is the forum for visionary leadership and advocacy for enterprise growth and development of our region’s prosperity.

values. It outlines five strategic directions that will help organize actions to delight members, grow the chamber and build a stronger economy for Brantford Brant. Implementing the plan will rely on the dedicated efforts of members, volunteers and staff. The Board of Directors welcomes your active engagement in helping reach the vision outlined in the plan and to help its mission come alive.

Mission Statement The Chamber of Commerce of Brantford-Brant is an essential partner in business success because it: ■■ Advocates for free enterprise and an attractive business environment ■■ Connects suppliers to customers and business to government so that our region’s economy grows and quality of life prospers ■■ Empowers private sector and public sector leaders to invest, innovate and collaborate on solutions that drive our community’s growth ■■ Guides our community by demonstrating care and integrity in all of its initiatives

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BRANTFORD • BRANT

2021-2024 Strategic Plan Core Values The Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant speaks with one voice in alignment with its core values. Those values and the Chamber can best be described as:

Trusted

Inclusive

Govern with processes that instill trust, fairness and evidence-based decision-making.

Seek out new members. Listen with authentic interest, provide forums to debate, accept disagreement and welcome diversity of thought.

Pro-active Anticipate the business needs of chamber members and our community.

Collaborative Embrace authentic consultation and embark on creative collaborations for prosperity.

Growth-oriented Be the forum to share new ideas to generate wealth in our community.

Together Strong Take a stand with confidence. Act on smart risks that propel our community forward.

Innovative Encourage new paradigms, ideas and pro-active insights to overcome challenges and capture opportunity.

Strategic Directions 1) Provide Essential Services Provide members with essential and focused business success services.

2) Transform Access, Engagement and Service Delivery Transform access to, engagement with, and delivery of services to the region’s business community.

4) Attract Leaders and Connect Attract leaders and connect people, that deliver value beyond expectations.

5) Develop Collaborations Build collaborations that attract talent and investment to enhance our region’s enviable quality of life.

3) Find Courage to Innovate Find courage to innovate so that our region’s economy thrives.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BRANTFORD • BRANT

2021-2024 Strategic Plan Introduction As part of its responsibilities, the Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Brantford-Brant are required to set the strategic direction for the organization. Directors met during the toughest parts of the global pandemic to make choices for the organization that not only help the business community to survive the economic impacts of the crisis, but also sets a bright path for them to thrive in the future.

The 2021-24 Strategic Plan is comprised of six component parts. The Board has painted an attractive future state for the organization and through discussion of key opportunities and challenges, the planning process has also confirmed the Chamber’s mission and core values. This plan, its directions and subsequent actions will set the Chamber of Commerce of BrantfordBrant on a clear and pragmatic path for success.

Vision Vision Statement Trusted by leaders, the Chamber of Commerce of Brantford-Brant is the region’s most dynamic business forum. Attracting the region’s most innovative business people, the Chamber is a catalyst for business success. The Chamber is the forum for visionary leadership and advocacy for enterprise growth and development of our region’s prosperity. By 2024, the Chamber of Commerce BrantfordBrant will not only continue be the voice of business for Brantford-Brant but will also connect businesses and provide valuable insights to help them grow. Through its committees, meetings and events, the Chamber will be admired for providing a forum for businesses to meet, do business, and debate important issues.

Respected as a reliable community partner by governments and community leaders, the Chamber’s leadership will often be called upon for ideas, policy and guidance on regional economic growth. By providing fulfilling volunteer opportunities for business people to demonstrate and develop leadership skills, the scope of the Chamber’s influence will be felt not only locally but well-beyond Brantford-Brant’s borders. Staff and volunteers at the Chamber of Commerce Brantford Brant will be regarded as essential partners for local businesses actively making a difference in members’ lives, the business climate and Brantford-Brant’s regional economic prosperity.

Members will feel part of a pro-active network that is engaged in promotions and consultations that help shape business and community success. In addition to its top-notch events, members will also actively engage in programs and services held throughout the community and online.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BRANTFORD • BRANT

2021-2024 Strategic Plan Mission As articulated in the Mission Statement, businesses are attracted to take membership in the Chamber for a variety of reasons. Unique offerings include:

Advocacy: Advocacy involves the development of policy and communication steps to describe the business community’s perspective with recommendations on economic policy that ensures government decision-makers understand the consequences of proposed legislation and the realities of operating a business in Brantford-Brant. The Chamber undertakes a set of meetings and initiatives to engage elected officials in dialogue that can influence decisions that favour a business-friendly environment allowing companies to thrive and the community to prosper.

Connection A sense of belonging - is an important part of the Chamber’s mission, not just to advance objectives that benefit a member’s enterprise, such as finding introductions to new customers, for example, but also the development of friendships too. This is a particularly valuable chamber benefit for small or home-based businesses. One reason members join is for the interaction with other likeminded people. It is important that the Chamber is seen not only as a serious advocate and catalyst for positive change but also fun, welcoming and a strong contributor to the strength of the business community. Networking formats are evolving. Increasingly, business representatives are timestretched and chambers of commerce are looking to provide more virtual or online ways to connect with members.

Empowerment: The Chamber convenes meetings to encourage collaborations that generate enterprise productivity and economic opportunity. This includes leadership opportunities that have impact on business success and economic growth. Businesses also take membership with the Chamber to gather insights or instruction on new skills they can apply at their business. Communicating achievements that directly impact enterprise profit, reduces expense and red tape or saves time for business people are very important to its mission.

Guidance: Members are also attracted to chamber initiatives that generate and encourage adoption of new innovations, guide methods to scale-up production or help navigate export markets. The Chamber can both model and make important introductions to help businesses develop new processes to enable greater success.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BRANTFORD • BRANT

2021-2024 Strategic Plan Strategic Directions Chambers of Commerce throughout North America are experiencing a number of influences that are shaping success in the coming decade. Member expectations, and those of volunteers, sponsors and other community stakeholders, are becoming more demanding. Challenges occur in capturing their attention and demonstrating relevant value. Chambers are conducting analyses to better segment and customize messaging and to better communicate value to time-starved customers. Robust feedback loops are being employed, including more surveys, focus groups and roundtables. Looking forward, investment in technology to build capacity that allows better engagement with volunteers and members, including virtual access, will become larger parts of annual budgets. Aligning resources and asking for member contributions that are above the rate card, for example sponsorships, is becoming the norm as Chambers also consider different dues structures to meet changing expectations. Global impacts, including market influences and trade opportunities are becoming increasingly part of chamber members’ daily lives. More than ever, businesses are relying on their local chamber of commerce for catalytic leadership that will help them meet challenges of the global economy. Changes include new industry-disruptive technologies, changes in age and culture demographics and regulatory change brought on by government ideologies, that are sometimes implemented without sufficient regard to business impact.

Five strategic directions have been identified by the Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant to best address trends, capture opportunity and overcome anticipated challenges:

1) Provide Essential Services Provide members with essential and focused business success services.

2) Transform Access, Engagement and Service Delivery Transform access to, engagement with, and delivery of services to the region’s business community.

3) Find Courage to Innovate Find courage to innovate so that our region’s economy thrives.

4) Attract Leaders and Connect Attract leaders and connect people, that deliver value beyond expectations

5) Develop Collaborations Build collaborations that attract talent and investment to enhance our region’s enviable quality of life.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BRANTFORD • BRANT

77 Charlotte Street • Brantford • ON N3T 2W8 519-753-2617 • chamber@brcc.ca • brantfordbrantchamber.com