National accreditation boosts Steinbach Chamber of Commerce

A new level of accreditation has put the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce in elite company.

The local chamber announced in their Oct. 16 newsletter that they have received accreditation through the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada (CACC).

The national designation recognizes chambers that meet high standards in policy, governance and operations.

Currently more than 70 chambers from across Canada have achieved that milestone.

In Manitoba, other than the umbrella organization, the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce, only four of 64 have achieved that goal.

Winnipeg, Morden and District and Assiniboia Chambers of Commerce have also received that accreditation.

Steinbach Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tessa Masi said the recognition is important.

“The Canadian Chamber accreditation really means to us that we’re continuing to grow and strive for excellence,” she said. “This is one way that we’re proving to ourselves and also to our members that we’re hitting all those targets that we’re setting for ourselves.”

The application was lengthy, taking several months to complete.

“They asked us to prove in nine different categories that we were hitting specific targets and holding ourselves to a high standard and we were able to do that in all nine categories,” she said.

The Chamber of Commerce Executives of Canada (CCEC) described the accreditation as the highest national standard of chamber excellence in leadership, governance and operations.

It is granted by the CACC, a non-profit organization governed by a board of directors made up of provincial and territorial chamber executives, a representative from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and a representative from the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Canada.

The standards were created in 2004 and are reviewed annually.

The CCEC says practical benefits of accreditation include alignment with best practices, verification of a dependable governance model, sharpening strategic focus, encouraging member engagement, showcasing the community as a great place to do business, strengthening a local chamber’s brand and credibility, and providing assurance to funders that the chamber has robust financial policies in place.

Accreditation is valid for five years.