The Chamber led engagements with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) and the Department of Transport regarding concerns about the IAA’s proposal to end the existing 24 hour continuous air traffic control coverage at Cork Airport.

Cork Airport’s services and air connectivity are a core priority for the Chamber given the vital role of such services in facilitating business and commercial activities and wider regional economic development.  In its engagements with the IAA, the Department, Ministers and TDs, the Chamber has stressed how any decision to implement reduced hours of air traffic control would disadvantage Cork Airport and negatively impact on its competitiveness.  Specific concerns raised included the potential impact of the withdrawal of continuous service for late arrivals, new business, early cargo flights and medical evacuation and emergency services. 

The Chamber is also concerned that the IAA proposal will undermine and threaten the wider competitiveness of Cork Airport by placing Cork at a severe competitive disadvantage to its main competitors - Shannon and Dublin Airport - both of which will continue to operate on a 24 continuous air traffic control cover.   

Following our communications with the IAA, the decision to introduce these changes has been postponed until a consultation process with key stakeholders has been completed.  Cork Chamber has been invited to take part in this process and will continue to advocate for the maintenance of continuous service coverage at Cork Airport.



Guide to Corporate Social Responsibility for SMEs  

Chambers Ireland has launched a new guide to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ‘The Sustainability Factor’ for small and medium sized enterprises.  CSR embraces responsibility for a company’s actions and encourages awareness of a company’s impact on the environment and local community. During the tendering process for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, all companies selected to provide products and services had to show a commitment to CSR and sustainability. 

This guide, co-financed by the South Western Regional Authority through the INTERREG IVC DESUR project, highlights a number of simple ways SMEs can engage with CSR which can have a positive effect on their bottom line.

Engaging with CSR creates many benefits for SMEs including:

• Workers are more motivated, creative and innovative;
• Productivity tends to increase;
• Improved products or services, leading to better customer satisfaction and loyalty;
• Members of the local community view the business in a more positive light;
• Better publicity due to word of mouth;
• More networking opportunities with other companies involved in similar schemes; and
• Increased turnover, sales and profit due to competitive advantage derived from the above.

For further information and to view the guide, click HERE. 

Lean Six Sigma (Green Belt)

Course Dates: 8 days: 17^th & 18^th September, 1^st & 2^nd October, 15^th & 16^th October, 29^th October & 5^th November

Member Rate: €900.00

Green Belt Training includes Lean, Six Sigma and Change Management tools and methodologies. Lean Six Sigma Green Belts are vital assets to any business. They are key employees equipped with specialist tools to make ‘changes for the better’ happen. Utilising a vast array of tools, Lean Six Sigma focuses on improving speed and quality of a product or service, regardless of the industrial sector or size of the business, helping a business in becoming better and faster, providing a greater value product to the customer.

Lean Six Sigma Green Belts are extremely flexible weapons in reducing costs. They can lead cost reduction projects, simply be project team members or use Lean Six Sigma tools whilst performing key everyday activities. Green Belts help a business in becoming better and faster. Green Belts impact the bottom line.

By the end of this training programme the attendees will be able to:

1. Understand Continuous Improvement.

2. Understand Lean Six Sigma methodology and DMAIC.

3. Understand Change Management and tools used.

4. Understand how to use the most important tools in DMAIC phases.

5. Identify sources of waste and variation within the business.

6. Use Lean Six Sigma as an efficient and effective cost reduction strategy.

This course is intended for those employees within a business who are engaged in daily problem solving and/or project management, for example Process Engineers, Quality Technicians and Engineers, Maintenance, Supervisors, Managers and Project Managers.

This course is due to start on the 17^th September next, places are limited so BOOK NOW!

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)

BUSINESS SCHOOL CALENDAR

IntertradeIreland Elevate Sales Development Programme for Cross-border Trading

InterTradeIreland Elevate is a sales development programme that will provide financial assistance to help you identify cross-border markets/customers across the island of Ireland and win new business.  Suitable businesses can benefit from up to £5k (or euro equivalent) of 100% funded financial assistance and free one-on-one advice from an expert in their industry. Support is available for identification of sales leads, sales negotiations, market research and advice on the developing of marketing materials. Applicants are required to complete a short application form and can choose an adviser from over 100 approved advisers to develop their cross-border trading.  

Eligible companies must have less than 10 employees and be a manufacturing or tradable service company with an annual turnover below €1.2m. Sole traders and partnerships that satisfy the eligibility criteria are welcome to apply. More information and criteria are available here.

Riga Food Brokerage Event - 5-6 September 2013, Riga, Latvia

The fifth Enterprise Europe Network Brokerage Event organised by the Latvian Technological Centre will take place during ‘Riga Food’, the biggest international food fair in the Baltic States.  ‘Riga Food’ Fair outlines trends in the food industry and highlights new developments and companies.

This year as part of the exhibition the Riga Food Brokerage Event will provide companies the opportunity to avail of bilateral meetings in order to find new partners and business opportunities in the food sector, such as novel technology transfers, commercial agreements, and research and development support.  The target audience is SMEs, offering or looking for new products and technologies, and researchers and developers of innovative food technologies. Contact karen@corkchamber.ie for more information or click here.

International Trade Fair Matchmaking Event – 12-13 September 2013, Celje, Solvenia

This International Matchmaking Event takes place in conjunction with the 46^th International Trade Fair (MOS) in Celje. The Matchmaking Event is organised by the Enterprise Europe Network and the New Alpe Adria Network of Chambers. It targets the following industry sectors: renewable energy sources, metal processing, construction, wood processing, electro industry and plastics. The event provides an opportunity to attend targeted meetings with numerous potential co-operation partners in a short period of time. Contact karen@corkchamber.ie for more information or click here.

Seminar Benefits

The Seminar is being organised under the INTERREG IVB North West Europe TESLA project; and will explain how firms can:

• develop and plan long term strategic goals for the firm, as a single company or as a subsidiary in a MNC;
• structure early-stage, fuzzy commercial ideas into testable opportunities;
• investigate the commercial opportunity of unused technology and product ideas;
• convert new potentially commercial opportunities into corporate revenue streams;
• explore external opportunities that may be important to the firm, without risk;
• create a learning organisation that motivates key staff and seizes new opportunities.

Informal meetings to discuss the CASPEAr® business development model and the follow on Workshops are welcomed after the formal conclusion of the Seminar.

Workshops

Following the seminar, Workshops will be organised during October/November for those wishing to develop, or to investigate developing, new products.

The workshops will be focused, hands-on and practical, aimed at actually defining an early-stage new product and planning its commercial delivery. Seminar participants will be invited to suggest topics for the Workshops.