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Take 5 minutes to complete our Q1 Economic Trends Survey
Last chance to tell us about your experience of Q1 and identify key issues for your business – survey closes today. This survey reviews the first quarter of the year and examines members' priorities & experiences with a particular focus on business performance, access to credit and government policy. Your feedback supports the Chamber in building it’s lobbying and representation activities so please take 5 minutes to respond so we can assist you. See ‘read more’ to begin this survey.
Elsewhere, Chambers Ireland has announced that nominations for the 2013 CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Awards are open. These Awards highlight the positive impact that socially responsible organisations have on all aspects of the communities in which they operate. See inside for further details.
Q1 2013 Economic Trends Survey Your experiences and perspectives of Q1 2013 are important to us and influence our lobbying priorities and representation activities! We encourage you to take 5 minutes to complete the Chamber's Q1 economic trends survey & identify the key issues for your business. The information provided by you in this survey will allow the Chamber to prioritise its lobbying and representation activities with regional stakeholders, state agencies and local and national government. **Survey Prize** All respondents who complete this survey will be entered into a draw to win: 
PR training designed specifically for start-ups and small businesses, worth nearly €1,500 from award winning communications company H+A Marketing + PR. The PR Starter Kit is a high-touch, intensive half-day session where businesses get fully customised, one-on-one advice from agency experts on the best media targets for their business, and guidance on writing media materials and pitches to secure the maximum publicity bounce. Social media training and tips on how to handle communications in a crisis are also being offered as part of the prize, which will be tailored to suit your company’s individual needs. To begin the survey - please CLICK HERE or copy and paste the following into your browser https://Q12013.surveyconsole.com
Please complete the Q1 2013 Survey by 5pm on Tuesday 26th March. All responses will be treated in the strictest confidence and the results will be presented in aggregate format only.
The Policy Department would like to thank you for your continued input into our work.
Chambers Ireland CSR Awards calls for Nominations Applications are now open for this year’s Chambers Ireland CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Awards. Now in their tenth year, the Awards are run in association with the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, partnered by Business in the Community and kindly sponsored by BAM. These Awards recognise the commitment of the Irish business community to the values of corporate social responsibility and provide multinational corporations, large indigenous companies and SMEs with an excellent opportunity to showcase their commitment to CSR. Participation in the CSR Awards enables companies to lead by example and demonstrate the positive contributions that businesses can make to the civic environment in which they operate. Award categories include: - Excellence in the Environment
- Community (divided into Charity, Volunteering and Community Programme)
- International CSR
- CSR Communications
- Best SME
- The Overall Outstanding Achievement in CSR Award
Previous winners include Telefonica Ireland (operator of the O2 brand), Microsoft, Vodafone Ireland, Abbott Ireland and IBM. The closing date for nominations is Thursday 25th April 2013. For further information please feel free to contact Siobhan Bradley, Policy & Research Manager or please see here. To apply go directly to www.csrawards.ie
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Business School @ Cork Chamber - Digital Media for Business
The Business School is delighted to confirm that our Digital Media for Business course will be starting again on the 9th April next. This 4 day course (days can be booked individually too!) provides an in-depth insight into the latest innovations in Online Marketing and Digital Media. As everyone knows, marketing has changed – the web provides people with the ultimate freedom of choice and of goods – therefore it is crucial to be found where your customers are looking! Why train with us? We have small class sizes of an average of 10 persons per class (individual attention guaranteed) Top Trainers (all are leaders within their respective fields), locally delivered and exceptionally good value for money.
Digital Media for Business Course Dates: 9th, 16th, 23rd April & 13th May, 2013 Member Rate: €400.00 (Days can also be booked individually @ €125.00 per day) These four days provide an in-depth insight into the latest innovations in Online Marketing and Digital Media. It covers techniques for your own website such as copy writing and website structure, blogging and link building, using Twitter for business and the current technique for running campaigns on social networks such as Facebook. The course will also give an overview of social media use and look at LinkedIn for business generation. The course outline is as follows: Day One - SEO and Website Structure
- Targeted Advertising
Day Two - Blogging and Content Creation
- Facebook Intermediate
Day Three Day Four - Mobile Marketing, Mobile Applications
- Devising a Marketing Plan
This course is ideal for those who are marketing managers or who look after the marketing function in a company. It is also suited for all levels of Staff with a basic understanding of the World Wide Web. It is a non-technical course and is suitable for non-IT staff whose effectiveness would be enhanced by a greater awareness of the current state of the World Wide Web and techniques designed to attract more website visitors and convert them into customers. This course is only €400 for all 4 days, so BOOK NOW!! Also, if you’re looking for something to do this coming Thursday, why not try our Introduction to Technical Writing course? Introduction to Technical Writing Course Date: 28th March Member Rate: €130.00 Great technical writing can make a poor product usable - poor technical writing can make a great product useless. Our Introduction to Technical Writing Course is designed to help you become that great technical writer! This one day course aims to ensure that participants can make their technical documentation accurate, brief, clear, complete and, above all, useful. The emphasis is on writing to impart complex technical information to a specific target audience. Participants should be committed to delivering reports, manuals and routine communications that are accurate, concise, clear and focussed on the needs of the target audience. The course will include: - How to structure reports
- Basic sentence rules
- Technical writing for software
- Working with words
- Brushing up on grammar and punctuation
This new one-day course will be running on the 28th March next and is only €130.00 for Chamber members - BOOK NOW!
Business School Calendar March - Introduction to Technical Writing – 28th March
April - Microsoft Visio Professional 2010 – 3rd April – NEW COURSE!
- MS Excel Advanced – 5th April
- Digital Media for Business – 9th April
- Networking for Success – 16th April – NEW COURSE!
- Present & Express with Confidence – 30th April – NEW COURSE!
May - Microsoft Project 2007 – 1st May – NEW COURSE!
- PMI Exam Preparation – 7th May
- Train the Trainer – 14th May
See our full range of courses at www.corkchamber.ie/training Bookings can be completed through the website and enquiries should be directed to Aoife@corkchamber.ie (Training Services Administrator)
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April Business Breakfast in association with the Irish Examiner
Date: 9th April
Time: 07:30am
Venue: Imperial Hotel
Cost: €20 members / €35 non members
To Book: visit our website HERE
Cork Chamber is delighted to announce John Dolan, Senior Director Global Support Services (EMEA, Japan and China) for VMware in Cork and winner of the Cork Chamber Company of the Year 2013 in association with Vodafone. John was the first employee for VMware in Cork in 2005 and has seen the company grow to a 700 person operation since then (13,000+ employees and 50+ locations worldwide).
VMware’s people orientated culture, driving high performance in a collaborative environment, is what motivates John every day. Make the most of this unique opportunity to hear about VMware in Cork and network with your fellow Cork Chamber members.
Are you Ready for China?
Date: 23rd April
Time: 08:30 and 12:30
Venue: The River Lee Hotel
To Book - visit our website HERE
The Enterprise Europe Network, in association with the EU SME Centre in Beijing, is hosting a half-day seminar focusing on the influential global market that is China. The event will take place on Tuesday, 23rd April in The River Lee Hotel between 08:30 and 12:30. The event will cover the supports available for Irish companies looking to do business in or with China; an introduction to China’s macroeconomic framework; opportunities by industry sector and location considerations, to name but a few topics.
Companies will also have the opportunity to avail of one-to-one consultations with the speakers following the seminar. For more information, please contact Katherine@corkchamber.ie
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Chamber Supported Projects
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Can You Create a Start-Up in 54 hours?
Date/Time: Fri, 5th April 6:30pm through Sun 7th April at 9pm
Venue: Western Gateway Building (UCC), Western Road
The momentum of Cork's First Startup Weekend continues to grow as the most recently confirmed mentors include John Dennehy, CEO of Zartis; Lisa Murphy, founder of Think Tank; Greg Canty, Owner of Fuzion PR; Pat Lynch, Founder, MicroTech Cleanroom Services among others.
This global entrepreneurial movement which comes to Cork for the first time from 5th to 7th April 2013 is credited with creating over 100,000 entrepreneurs and 5,000 start ups in 300 different international cities during StartUp Weekends. The purpose of the Cork Startup Weekend is to offer entrepreneurs and self-starters a focused environment within which they can build a product/services concept, translate this into a business idea and devise an execution strategy ... and all within 54 hours.
One of the organisers is serial entrepreneur Will Martin and founder of LiveDuel.com. "Attending the Startup Weekend in San Francisco was one of the most rewarding experiences of my entrepreneurial life. Working side by side with my peers to build a product, business model, marketing plan and execution strategy in 54 hours has given me the tools and contacts that I apply on my own startup LiveDuel.com. If you have ever wondered what it takes to be in a startup or how to meet likeminded individuals, Startup Weekend Cork is a must attend event". There is a diverse group behind the Cork Startup Weekend, including Will Martin, LiveDuel.com; Siobhan Finn, Cork Innovates; Jayne Ronayne, UrYearBook.com and Ernest Cantillon, Electric among others, including Ronan O Dubhghaill from UCC and Peter Finnegan from CIT Rubicon. The event is funded by Cork City Council, Cork innovates and UCC Ignite with contributions also coming from private sector partners.
Startup Weekend Cork takes place from 5th April to 7th April in UCC Western Gateway building and tickets are available online at http://www.cork.startupweekend.org/
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Enterprise Europe Network At Cork Chamber
Highlights this week include: - European Business Partnership opportunities exist for Irish companies.
- On Tuesday, 23rd April, the Enterprise Europe Network, in association with the EU SME Centre in Beijing, will host a half-day seminar on doing business in China in the River Lee Hotel.
European Business Partnership Opportunities A British company which specialises in marine environmental services is interested in developing new relationships with companies in Ireland, France and Netherlands. The company offers and requires trade intermediate services, transport and logistics services, franchise, as also subcontracting/outsourcing activities. For further information, please contact Eimear@corkchamber.ie and quote Ref. 20110120018. A British company which has developed a range of safety footwear is seeking distributors for these products. The company would also consider reciprocal trade arrangements, as it has a good customer base in the UK and may be willing to enter into an agreement to sell partners’ products in these markets. For further information, please contact Eimear@corkchamber.ie and quote Ref. 20121002042.
A French company which specialises in the distribution of French wines, spirits and food products, is interested in developing new partnerships across Europe. The company is open to reciprocal distribution for companies who want to increase their presence on the French market. For further information, please contact Eimear@corkchamber.ie and quote Ref. 20091105010
A Czech company which specialises in the development of interactive self-study E-learning courses for MS Office applications is looking for a trade intermediary or a possible reciprocal intermediary partner to offer/supply similar products. The e-learning courses offered for distribution are dedicated to corporate, government and private clients. These courses can be integrated into learning portals based on any standard Learning Management System, can be hosted on content servers and can be made accessible through intranet pages. For further information, please contact Eimear@corkchamber.ie and quote Ref. 20121128009
A Spanish technology-based company which specialises in Advanced Geospatial Technology and Software Engineering for desktop and software is seeking European partners to form a consortium. The company has experience in European projects within the ICT Sector and would be interested in joining a proposal such as FP7, CIP, Life and Eurostars. It would also be open to considering commercial and technological projects. For further information about this project partner request, please contact Eimear@corkchamber.ie
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Parking People, All Day Parking For The Price Of One Hour Parking (Kinsale)
Offer available: Every Monday and Saturday Until The Middle of April (15th)
Parking People Would Like To Offer All Day Parking For The Price Of One Hour In Shearwater Car Park Kinsale Every Monday & Saturday (Opposite The Marina Entrance On Denis Quay) Until The Middle Of April (15th). Show Cork Chamber Of Commerce On Your Dash Next To Your Parking Ticket And You Can Park All Day.
Parking People, All Day Parking For The Price Of One Hour Parking (City Center)
Offer available: Every Monday and Saturday Until The Middle of April (15th)
Parking People Would Like To Offer All Day Parking For The Price Of One Hour In Woods Street Car Park Every Monday & Saturday (Off Washington Street, Around The Corner From Square Deal) Until The Middle Of April (15th). Show Cork Chamber Of Commerce On Your Dash Next To Your Parking Ticket And You Can Park All Day.
3-day Data Protection Practitioner - Cork
Date: 3rd April
Time: 9:00
Venue: A1 Computer Centre, Cork
Cost: €1,350.00 (€1,080 for Cork Chamber of Commerce Members) This 3-day programme equips you to: - Gain an in-depth knowledge of Ireland’s data protection legislation
- Understand what needs to be achieved to attain organisational compliance
- Develop and maintain effective policies and procedures
- Apply data protection legislation
Get full details of the upcoming courses and register HERE
If you have any queries, please phone 01 6854474, or email training@ics.ie
East Village Bar, Restaurant & Hotel - up to 50% discount
East Village Bar, Restaurant & Hotel are offering all Chamber members 50% discount on our finger food menus for parties of 25+ and 25% off our BBQ menus til 30th April 2013.
To book, e-mail info@eastvillage.ie or contact us at (021)4367000.
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InterTradeIreland Equity Clinics for SMEs
InterTradeIreland is pleased to announce the launch of monthly regional equity clinics aimed at helping companies seeking equity investment. The clinics will be delivered by InterTradeIreland’s venture professional, Drew O’Sullivan. Drew will be available to meet with companies to advise independently on their fund raising activities including business plan review, investment pitch practice and signposting to investors across the island.
This service is provided free of charge with pre screening undertaken in advance to ensure companies using the service meet the minimum criteria.
To be eligible for this service the company must have a minimum new equity funding requirement of €100,000. We will also ask you to forward one of the following documents to us in advance: - Business Plan
- Executive summary/Investment Memorandum (we can provide you with a pro forma to complete in advance) or
- Investment pitch slide deck
Frequency and Venues: Last Wednesday of every month, Rubicon Centre, Cork (9.15am to 4.15pm) - 27 March 2013 Rubicon Centre, Cork
- 24 April 2013 Rubicon Centre, Cork
- 29 May 2013 Rubicon Centre, Cork
- 26 June 2013 Rubicon Centre, Cork
- 25 July 2013 Rubicon Centre, Cork
- 25 September 2013 Rubicon Centre, Cork
- 30 October 2013 Rubicon Centre, Cork
- 27 November 2013 Rubicon Centre, Cork
Register now If you wish to avail of this service, please e-mail anne-marie.mcateer@intertradeIreland.com or phone 048 3083 4145 and we will schedule a meeting slot. For more information visit : http://www.intertradeireland.com/equity/education-and-awareness/equity-advisory-service/monthly-clinics/
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Cornstore Spring Fashion event in aid of Pink Ribbon Walk for Action Breast Cancer
Date: April 17th
Time: 7pm
Venue: Cornstore Restaurant Cornmarket Street
Cost: regular ticket price €40 or Special for Chamber members - table of 10 for the price of 9
To Book: email cork@cornstore.com, tel 021-4274777
The Cornstore will host the evening, with a Pink Blossom cocktail reception followed by a three course gourmet dinner and fashion show, featuring Spring fashions from Blush, Douglas Village; Brocade & Lime, Cornmarket St; Jane Boutique and h’Attitude, Kinsale all modelled by Lockdown Model Agency. Also on the night, there will be a prize for Best Dressed Lady, kindly sponsored by Michel the Jewellers, spot prizes and a raffle.
Project Titanic Cobh
Date: 4th April – 14th April inclusive
Time: daily events
Venue: Cobh, County Cork
Project Titanic Cobh: Between the 4th and 14th April a series of events and activities have been planned to showcase Cobh’s permanent links with Titanic and the Harbour. Numerous initiatives are planned for the future to encompass academic, artistic and entrepreneurial activities that will highlight Cobh’s attractions and maritime heritage.
Pictured: Mayor of Cobh, Sinead Sheppard, Gillen Joyce (The Titanic Experience) and Michael Martin ( The Titanic Trail).
Autism Forum 2013
Date: April 7th
Time: 10-4pm
Venue: Radission Blu Hotel, Little Island
Cost: €15 unwaged, parents, families, students, OAPs, €20 professionals
To Book: call 0214271808 / www.corkautism.ie
The Autism Awareness Forum (AAF) hosted by the Cork Association for Autism, will bring together the country’s leading experts to share the latest trends, topics and therapies surrounding the fastest growing neurodevelopmental disorder in the country. The conference aims to cover a wide range of topics, including everything from advocacy to cutting-edge research. This will be a one day forum which will aim to meet the needs of professional staff, parents, educators and students that have an interest in adults with ASD. This project has been funded by Cork County Councils Economic Development Fund.
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