This year’s  BCC Annual Conference, “Preparing  for  Change”, will be a radical departure from the usual format.  

Ours will be the last premier league business conference before the general  election  –  and that  means we have a unique opportunity to get our policies across to the top levels of all three main  political parties.

So this year our audience of policy makers and opinion formers will be by invitation only, and our speakers will include star movers and shakers like Lord Mandelson,  the Rt Hon Ken  Clarke MP, FTSE-100 chief executives, a member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy  Committee  and  the always-colourful  Lord Alan Sugar (check our web site  http://www.bcc-preparingforchange.co.uk/ for the latest additions).  

The other big change this year will be the launch of BCC TV℠ - our new web video coverage of the  proceedings, live and direct from the British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTA)  in central London.

Thanks to BCC TV℠ Chamber members will have a new way to access the conference –without the high costs of travel and accommodation at a time when businesses are working hard to get the economy going again. This year’s proceedings will be available to all Chamber members throughout
the world, for just £30. 

Chamber executives  –  you can save your members money by selecting the  BCC TV℠  ‘Group License’ option: just £250 for a group showing. Why not invite your members to a Conference link-up and create your own policy event? Just hook the computer up to a projector and give members a virtual ‘front row seat’ at BAFTA’s Princess Anne theatre.

All you have to do is and sign up on the BCC website.

Then sit back and watch from your own computer as the BCC’s hand-picked  speakers and panellists debate the changes that 2010 will bring  –  and set the business agenda.

Swine flu could have serious consequences for small and medium size businesses so ensuring your business is properly prepared is essential.

Ministers have warned that in a worst case scenario, 100,000 people could contract swine flu every day by the end of August, with 1 in 8 employees forced to take time off work. Should these projections come to bear, the sheer number of people affected will undoubtedly have an impact on business productivity and the wider economy.

The British Chambers of Commerce is hosting a live WebTV show on Tuesday 28th July at 11am to discuss the current situation, how businesses should prepare for swine flu and how you should react if it hits your business.

Joining presenter Ian Collins in the studio are Bruce Mann, Head of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat at the Cabinet Office and David Frost, the Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce. They will also be joined representatives from two businesses – Robert Stead and Sue Hill – who will discuss how their businesses are coping with the crisis.

This is an excellent opportunity to give businesses a chance to share their own contingency plans and ideas they have implemented to deal with the spread of swine flu in the workplace.

To submit a question live to the panel visit www.britishchambers.org.uk on Tuesday 28th July at 11:00-11.30am.

The entry deadline for Chamber Awards 2009 is  Friday 26 June.

Your chance to win £50,000!

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to increase your business profile and growth, plus free access to publicity and media opportunities. Celebrate your achievements with Chamber Awards 2009 and receive the recognition you deserve.

Which category will you be entering in this year?

• Business of the Year
• Award for Innovation Through Technology
• Most Promising New Business
• Entrepreneur of the Year
• Achievement in International Business
• Award for Excellence in People Development
• The Green Award
• Excellence in Customer Service

Find out more about each catagory online here.

To enter, all you have to do is fill out the entry form online.