The Chamber of Spain recognizes the best practices of the Chamber Network at the service of companies

Awards

The purpose of the Chamber Awards is to highlight and value the contribution of the territorial Chambers in areas of great relevance for the economic and social progress of Spain.

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The Spanish Chamber of Commerce has celebrated the third edition of the Chambers Awards in which the winners were: the Murcia Chamber in the Internationalization category; the Tarragona Chamber in Digitalization; the Madrid Chamber in Training; the Valencia Chamber in Sustainability; the A Coruña Chamber in Entrepreneurship; the Gran Canaria Chamber in Arbitration and Mediation; and the Teruel Chamber in the Social Leadership category.

 

The ceremony was presided over by the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu , who highlighted "the vital contribution of the Chambers of Commerce, spread throughout the country, in defending trade and industry" and appealed for their collaboration in promoting the reindustrialization of Spain. "This is a major objective for which we need everyone's participation, including that of the regional Chambers and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce , to help us along this path. Because only together—businesses, the public sector, and institutions like the Chambers—can we meet the challenges of the future," he stated.

 

From the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, its president, José Luis Bonet , emphasized that “through the 2023 Chamber Awards, we want to recognize the magnificent work that the chambers do for businesses and society.” In his address, he recalled that “our commitment as chambers of commerce is to ensure that the key role that businesses play as creators of wealth and employment in a social market economy system like ours is recognized. Spain is a country of SMEs, which need all our support and backing to maintain their spirits and not be discouraged by the many difficulties they face.”

 

Internationalization Award

 

The winner of the award in the Internationalization category was the Murcia Chamber of Commerce for its “Digital Internationalization Congress (CID MURCIA).” This congress was created to showcase the advantages that the online environment offers companies in their internationalization process. It is an innovative initiative, as it integrates internationalization with digitalization. The initiative is a collaborative effort with the Chambers of Commerce of Cartagena and Lorca, and the government of the Region of Murcia.

 

This project is not only innovative, but also supportive, since the money raised from tickets and workshops goes to an NGO.

 

The president of the Murcia Chamber of Commerce, Miguel López Abad , recalled that from Murcia they have helped, even during the lockdown, to help companies internationalize, because "the Chambers have to reach every corner and help all companies."

 

From the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, its president, José Luis Bonet, emphasized that “through the 2023 Chamber Awards we want to recognize the magnificent work that the chambers do for businesses and society.”

 

Digitization Award

 

The Tarragona Chamber of Commerce has won the award for digitalization . The “CambraTGN 360” initiative was created in 2022 to address the needs of SMEs in the face of changes in the business and technological world, based on the conviction that digitalization is an opportunity to increase competitiveness and, consequently, the economic growth of companies. Building on the experience of the SME Acceleration Office, the Chamber has developed this service to promote the adoption of new technologies and the automation of processes. The president of the Tarragona Chamber of Commerce, Laura Roigé, accepted the award and thanked the Chamber's staff who made the implementation of this project possible.

Training Award

The Madrid Chamber of Commerce has won this award for its initiative, the “Madrid Chamber of Commerce – Metrodora FP Center of Excellence in Healthcare Training.” The purpose of this project is to meet the growing demand for healthcare professionals. It also seeks to establish links with the more than 16.700 companies in the social and healthcare sector present in Madrid and to address the needs of the 134 hospitals, both public and private. Ángel Asensio, president of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce, stated that “it is an honor to belong to the Chamber network and to help make public-private collaboration a reality, made possible through the Chambers of Commerce.”

Sustainability Award

The winner in this category was the Valencia Chamber of Commerce, which launched the “Sustainability Office” to help businesses and local governments become more sustainable in a practical and impactful way. As a complement to the Sustainability Office, the Chamber maintains a Sustainability Portal where companies can find information and solutions to advance their sustainability efforts. Upon receiving the award, the president of the Valencia Chamber of Commerce, José Vicente Morata, emphasized that Chambers of Commerce exist to “raise awareness, inform, and train” SMEs on sustainability to support their growth.

Entrepreneurship Award

The winner in the Entrepreneurship category was the A Coruña Chamber of Commerce with its project “ EDUINSPIRA ,” which aims to show vocational training students the benefits of entrepreneurship. This initiative brings together businesses and young people through talks and workshops that use an experiential methodology to foster entrepreneurship.

Arbitration and Mediation Award

The winner of this award was the Gran Canaria Chamber of Commerce for its "Chamber Mediation Service" initiative. Since its launch in 2021, following a mediator training program and close coordination with commercial court judges, mediation cases have experienced exponential growth. They have conducted 52 proceedings, with the participation of more than 28 mediators and 200 people, which has undoubtedly contributed to promoting and disseminating mediation. Luis Padrón, president of the Chamber, remarked upon receiving the award that arbitration is the "green shoot of the Chambers" and added that he hopes "the current judicial system's saturation will be alleviated by mediation and arbitration."

Social Leadership Award

The winner in the Social Leadership category was the Teruel Chamber of Commerce . The "Rural MultiService" project was created to support the continuity of commerce in sparsely populated rural areas of the province. This project provides essential services to residents in areas where commerce is no longer present or is at risk of disappearing. These services are not only important from a commercial perspective but also have a significant social impact. Upon receiving the award, Antonio Santa Isabel, president of the Teruel Chamber of Commerce, stated that "this initiative is a reality in the fight against depopulation and works so well that it is already being replicated in other regions and even in some European countries."