A Festive business event helped to promote the benefits of developing links between business and the Armed Forces. The sell-out Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce Christmas lunch provided an opportunity to raise awareness about the ChamberFORCE Armed Forces Programme.
ChamberFORCE is a partnership programme between 4 Chambers of Commerce in Scotland and their local Navy, Army and RAF units, backed by sponsorship and support from Amazon and HRFCA (Highland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association). It has been designed to bring tangible benefits to Chamber members and to Defence. The founding Chambers and Amazon have all signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved ERS (Employer Recognition Scheme) Gold Awards.
More than 100 guests heard from guest speaker Charandeep Singh, Deputy Chief Executive at Scottish Chambers of Commerce as well as from an Amazon representative about the ChamberFORCE partnership at the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel – also a Gold ERS Award holder.
Damon Scott, Dunbartonshire Chamber Chief Executive, was delighted: “It was a fantastic event bringing our wonderful community together to celebrate the end of the year. We are very fortunate to welcome Charandeep as our special guest speaker. He is one of Scotland’s foremost business leaders and a key figure in influencing and shaping government policy on both Scottish and UK levels.
“It is extremely fitting that ChamberFORCE formed a key part of the event with the support of Amazon and HRFCA. Along with the Chamber and Amazon the Golden Jubilee is also a holder of the Gold ERS Award. We are also incredibly grateful to our other sponsors, Chivas and Adsmart by Sky and the Golden Jubilee, for their support for the event.”
Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon Dunfermline, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the ChamberFORCE programme as it very much aligns with our commitment and support for the Armed Forces as a Gold ERS Award holder.”
“Amazon has benefited enormously from employing ex-military personnel and reservists, and we want ChamberFORCE to provide a platform for many other businesses to enjoy the same benefits.”
This year, through its Military Programme, Amazon will recruit over 300 veterans, reservists and military spouses in over 35 different jobs. These jobs range from health & safety specialists, engineers, sales managers and team leaders to senior managers.
Charandeep Singh added: “It is fantastic that Dunbartonshire Chamber, Amazon and HRFCA have come together to unlock the opportunities for Scotland’s communities thorugh the ChamberFORCE programme. With many sectors and companies continuing to cite recruitment challenges and skills shortages as a barrier to growth, ChamberFORCE is an excellent example of how partnership working can tackle the big challenges facing our economy.”
The lunch also raised more than £1500 for the Chamber’s nominated local charity, Golden Friendships, as guests dug deep for a chance to win the high-value prizes donated by Chamber members.
EDITORS NOTES
ChamberFORCE is a partnership programme between selected Chambers of Commerce in Scotland and their local Navy, Army and RAF units, designed to bring tangible benefits to Chamber members and to Defence. The founding Chambers of Commerce have all signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved ERS Gold Awards: Fife Chamber of Commerce, Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce, Moray Chamber of Commerce and Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce.
Amazon is sponsoring the next phase of the ChamberFORCE project. Amazon is now the official corporate sponsor of ChamberFORCE for the next three years, enabling the participating stakeholders to deliver advocacy for Defence.
Highland RFCA first launched the initiative in November 2018, with the aim of bringing the participating Chambers of Commerce and Armed Forces Reserve units closer together. Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supported the initial pilot.
Amazon was awarded the Employer of the Year Award at the Ex-Forces in Business Awards for two years in succession for its outstanding efforts in supporting ex-services personnel and military spouses.
