Stronger together in emergencies - How chambers can support SME resilience

Time

9:30 am ET/15:30 pm CET

About

When disaster strikes, it's local businesses - especially small and medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs - that are hardest hit and many never recover. International Chamber of Commerce's new guide Stronger Together in Emergencies: How Chambers of Commerce Can Strengthen Small Business Resilience is a practical resource meant to help chambers support SMEs before, during, and after emergencies so that they don't just survive, they bounce back stronger. This guide was born out of a harsh reality. Disasters are becoming more frequent around the globe and bring increasingly severe consequences. They create disruptions that demand contingency planning and collaborative preparation. That is where chambers can shine and help an important business group since SMEs make up about 90% of all firms worldwide and provide 70% of employment. They also account for up to three-quarters of disaster-related business losses.

Join us for an hour-long webinar hosted by International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) with the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) and partner chambers and business associations, on 16 October at 9:30 am ET/15:30 pm CET to explore lessons from ICC's recently launched guide Stronger together in emergencies: How chambers of commerce can strengthen small business resilience.

The webinar will explore recommendations, actions, case studies and tools to build SME resilience, ensure business continuity and address the critical business needs gap in existing disaster readiness programmes.

Key topics include:

• Understanding the role of chambers and business associations in strengthening resilience
• Key recommendations to support emergency preparedness, response and recovery
• Best practices and tools for SMEs to promote emergency preparedness
• Examples of successful initiatives from countries around the world

Speakers

• Thibault Ortiz, Operations Lead, International Chamber of Commerce Merchants of Peace
• Stephen Rosenlund, Director of Association Development, Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)
• Dr. Hasan Çağlayan Dündar, Advisor to President, Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB)
• Jean-Pierre Antelo, President, Chamber of Industry, Commerce, Services and Tourism of Santa Cruz (CAINCO), Bolivia
• Anna Kompanek (moderator), Partnerships and Development Consultant, International Chamber of Commerce

There will also be the opportunity to join the speakers for a lively Q&A session at the end of the session.

Target audience

Chambers of commerce, business associations, small businesses donors

Expected outcomes

Business membership organizations with greater capacity to help strengthen small business preparedness, response and recovery in the face of natural and man-made disasters