Policy Priorities

Future in Focus

The Chamber of Commerce is the biggest business community on the island and encompasses every type of industry within our membership. It is imperative to use the resource and time effectively and ensure that Chamber’s work and support reflects the needs and interests of our members. Our not-for-profit organisation is run by a small number of office staff and a large number of volunteers.

There are innumerable topics on the table and at stake in 2023 which will affect our members,  and we have narrowed its priorities down to three key areas. We’ll be bringing these conversations to the forefront and offer insight and support whenever possible.

Infrastructure

The two key focuses within this area are the housing crisis and the East Coast Development Agency, both of which have wide scale impact across all industries and the ability to attract new residents and business owners to the island. If we want our economy to thrive then the underlying supporting infrastructure has to be addressed urgently and cannot be ignored as a top priority.

Human Capital

The shortage of skills and difficulty to recruit has also been felt across all industries and caused a great strain particularly on smaller and medium businesses over the last couple of years. Chamber is working to create a stronger link between Education and the business community, to allow for strategic planning and enhanced upskilling opportunities.

External Relations

Part of the role of the Chamber of Commerce is to look beyond our shores to see what is being done well elsewhere and consider what could be mirrored and achieved on-island, we will do this by making impactful connections with other jurisdictions. Connectivity is paramount to enable effective working relationships and closer links to, in particular, Jersey and France. The strength of these relationships will play an even more vital role as we see the continued cost of living rise.

Running throughout, and inseparable from each of these priorities is a focus on digital and sustainable goals. Guernsey has some way to go on both these points but an enormous amount of potential as long as they are kept at the forefront of all decision making.

Urbanisation

The Irish business voice must be heard once the negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the UK and the EU formally begin. This means leveraging our networks both in Europe and the UK to highlight the value of maintaining a close trading relationship.

We’ll also be working with our member Chambers to prepare them for the possibility that a free trade agreement with the EU, which frequently involves several years of negotiations between the EU and an individual country, will not be in place between the EU and the UK by the end of 2020.

Labour Force Developments

As of January 2020, Ireland is at 4.8% unemployment, meaning that the labour market is very tight and recruitment continues to be a challenge for many employers, particularly those outside Dublin.

In 2020, Chambers Ireland will be calling on the next Government to think creatively about how we can support greater labour force participation. Supports for flexible, inclusive workplaces that are family and age friendly will support not only labour activation but improve health, well-being and productivity.

Decarbonisation

Chambers Ireland’s priority focus for 2020 is to advance the Urban Living agenda and to work with Government to reform any obstacles to the provision of homes in urban centres.

One such policy proposal includes the formation of an Urban Living Initiative for urban spaces across the country. Specifically, what is now the Living City Initiative (LCI) should be expanded and reformed to include long-term vacant commercial properties built post-1915 in the cities and towns specified in the National Planning Framework (NPF).

Competitiveness

Decarbonising transport will be essential to meeting our 2030 and 2050 climate targets. We need significant investment in Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure, public transport and we need more support for technologies such as biogas and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to reduce carbon emissions from heavy goods vehicles.

Policies that support more sustainable modes of mobility do more than help us meet our climate targets, they also significantly improve quality of life.

COVID-19 / Brexit

The Government is taking measures to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.

Please find below links to key resource webpages for Businesses and individuals from Government Departments and Public Bodies to refer with the necessary precautions for businesses and employees.

View our list of downloads below.

1.5C – Business_Playbook

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Building a strategy for exponential climate action towards net-zero emissions.

Chapter Zero Board Toolkit 2020

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A climate change boardroom toolkit.

2022 SBI Survey Results March 2022

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Guernsey Business Sustainability Survey 2022.