membership benefits a brief overview

NORDIC chamber of commercein the czech republic

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Dear Business Partner,I am delighted that you are considering joining the Nordic Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic. The mission of our Chamber is not only to serve and promote Nordic businesses, but also to function as a vehicle to develop commer-cial relations between the Czech Republic and Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Today, our membership has grown to almost 150 companies, employing 59,000 people all over the Czech Republic. Although the Chamber is a non-profit organization and has no political aims, we are constantly working to improve the business climate in the Czech Republic, not least by promoting Nordic values such as transparency, equal opportunities and sustainability; we also provide a platform for creating new business opportunities. In this overview we briefly present the practical benefits you will have as a member of the Nordic Chamber. If you need additional information or assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact our head office.

I am looking forward to meeting you!

Stefan LagerPresidentThe Nordic Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic

SWEDISH FOUNDATION – NORDIC SCOPE The Nordic Chamber of Commerce was officially founded in May 1995 in Prague by representatives of around 40 Swedish companies under the name the Swedish Chamber of Commerce. The basic goal was to ensure Swedish companies smooth access to the Czech market, and also to establish a forum where Swedish businesspeople could meet up, discuss their experiences and expand their network of contacts. In this the Chamber proved so successful that a growing number of companies also from other Nordic countries applied for membership. As a result of the broadened scope of its operation, and also to reflect the multi-national participation in the Chamber, the name was in 2005 officially changed to the Nordic Chamber of Commerce.

membership benefits a brief overview

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Country Members % Members Czech total % MembersSweden 61 39 195 31

Denmark 24 15 84 28

Norway 10 6 56 18

Finland 15 10 69 22

Iceland 0 0 10 0

Others 47 30 -- --

Total 157 100 414 38

During the last decade, the Chamber has almost doubled its membership. The significant growth is partly due to influx of originally Czech companies like Škoda Transportation, which have a strong business focus on the Nordic region.

March 2015

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WHAT THE NORDIC CHAMBER OFFERS Several studies conclude that membership in a commercial chamber can significantly boost a company’s image both among consumers as well as among other businesses. By joining the Nordic Chamber of Commerce your company will become part of an organization that actively represents and promotes a Scandinavian lifestyle and management style in the Czech Republic. We also put great emphasis in promoting fairness as a principle of doing business. Our main activities can be summarized as follows:

• Promoting and presenting our members’ businesses in the local market•Supporting our members’ interests and conveying their points of view to representatives of the Czech Government and state authorities• Building and expanding their business connections• Arranging networking events with other foreign chambers in the country• Increasing our members’ business knowledge•Interacting with other Nordic-connected businesses in the Czech Republic•Working on improving the country’s business environment•Providing professional services, business information and market research through member companies with expertise and services in the given field• Promoting Nordic values – transparency, equal opportunities and sustainability – both among the membership and the Czech public• Arranging Czech business missions to the Nordic countries and Nordic trade visits to Prague and other parts of the country

The practical benefits of a membership in the Nordic Chamber of Commerce depend on the individual members’ level of involvement, their desire to utilize our services and their commitment to make a difference in the community. Business referrals, website presence, increased visibility, regional partnership, networking events and workshops, advertising opportunities and business partnership benefits are all included in a Chamber membership.

ONE OF FIVE MAJOR PLAYERS The Nordic Chamber currently belongs among the five largest foreign chambers in the Czech Republic. Our vision is to further strengthen that position and to improve our image of being one of the leading and most respected commercial chambers in the country. Our objectives are to achieve high membership satisfaction, a high level of member activity and broad participation at our various events; our long-term goal is to attract a majority of the Nordic companies es-tablished in the Czech market and individuals from the respective countries to the Chamber. Most of our members are based in Central Bohemia, but we are currently carrying out a drive to strengthen our position in the regional centres Brno, Ostrava and Pilsen. The Chamber has a close and fruitful cooperation with the Nordic embassies in the Czech Republic; the longest-serving Nordic ambassador is our honorary chairperson.

HOW WE PROMOTE OUR MEMBERS As a member of the Nordic Chamber your company will be included in an alphabetical and categorical listing on the Chamber’s web page, which has over 3,000 visitors monthly; here you can also at any time publish press releases or company reports. Our electronic monthly, Nordic eNews, which is sent to 4,000 recipients in the Czech Republic and the Nordic countries, publish the latest news about member companies’ activities. The Chamber also publishes a printed yearbook, Nordic News, which summarizes the most important business events among member companies during the previous year. Both our electronic and printed publications as well as our web page offer members the opportunity to promote their companies by placing advertisements.

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The Nordic countries are known worldwide for their focus on issues such as transparency, environmental sustain-ability and equal opportunities for everybody, regardless of gender, religion or ethnic background. These values are also essential to us in the Nordic Chamber, and we promote them relentlessly. Moreover, in all our activities and at all events we underline the importance of corporate social responsibility. By joining the Nordic Chamber in the Czech Republic you will become part of an organization that is automatically associated with Nordic values.Our Working Groups demonstrate how these values can be applied practically. The Chamber’s Green Activities Group, dedicated to sustainability and environmental issues, recently launched an effective campaign to encourage Chamber members to switch from costly and environmentally-unfriendly bottled water to tap water. Our Transparency Group in 2014 published a much-acclaimed document on Business Ethics, presenting a set of practical guidelines on transparent business conduct that every company can implement. A third Working Group – HR & Management – is under preparation. As a Chamber member you are welcome to join any of our Working Groups and contribute with your experience and know-how.

NETWORKING WITH THE NORDIC CHAMBER Each year, the Nordic Chamber arranges close to 30 events; combined they draw more than 1,800 participants from different parts of society. Broadly speaking, our events can be divided into three groups: Business Mixers are net-working events between Chamber members and non-members as well as representatives of the Czech government, state administration and trade organizations; the Nordic Ambassadors and the Commercial Counsellors are invited as special guests to these events. The Chamber organizes two highly popular Social Events annually – the Strawberry Midsummer Party and the St. Lucia Christmas Party. Most prominent among our various Sports Events is the Nordic Chamber Golf Masters, arranged once annually at the Czech Republic’s most attractive courses.All events provide Chamber members with ample space for building social relations and finding new business opportunities. In August 2015 our Nordic membership included:

Berendsen, Chr. Hansen, Coloplast, Damco, DSV Air & Sea, Hempel, ISS Facility Services, Jabra, LEGO Production, LEGO Trading, Multi-Wing, Nilfisk-Advance, Novo Nordisk, Radiometer

Ensto, Finny/Honka, KONE, Nokian Tyres, Oras Oy, Orion Diagnostica, Pöyry Environment, Stora Enso, Tieto Czech, Vacon, YIT Stavo

DNV GL Business Assurance, Harding Safety Czech, Helly Hansen, Jotun Powder Coating, Marine Harvest, Scandique/Jøtul, Scatec Solar

ABB, Alfa Laval, Astra Zeneca, Atlas Copco, Axis Communications, Electrolux, Ericsson, Facson, FlexLink, Getinge Group, Lindex, Llentab, Loomis, Lundbeck, NCC, Oriflame, Saab Technologies, Sandvik, SCA Hygiene Products, Securitas, Skanska, SKF, Tetra Pak, Volvo Auto, Volvo Truck, Zenterio

Denmark

Finland

Norway

Sweden

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MARKET KNOWLEDGE AND POLITICAL DIALOGUE

Educational seminars are an important part of the Nordic Chamber’s activities. These sessions, mostly Breakfast Meetings, are designed to help member companies enhance their operations through information about a wide range of business-specific topics. Given the dynamic modernization of Czech society after 1989, legislation is still undergoing significant amendments. The Nordic Chamber therefor strive to keep its members up to date with the latest changes in the Labour Code, tax legislation and regulations concerning foreign nationals working in the Czech Republic. Our Breakfast Meetings are also a perfect venue for Chamber members who wish to share their market knowledge and professional experiences with their fellow members. The Nordic Chamber keeps a continuous dialogue with the Czech Republic’s Government. We also actively cooperate as an invited partner in its Regulatory Impact Assessment initiative. By evaluating the implications of existing or forthcoming legisla-tion in the economic, social and environmental areas, we are able to inform the political decision makers about our members’ concerns and priorities. We also regularly arrange panel debates with Government members or leading politicians. Our fundamental goal is to make our voices heard. A membership in the Nordic Chamber is thus a tool to influence a pro-business public policy.

SUPPORTING NORDIC-CZECH TRADE RELATIONS During the last two decades the trade relations between the Czech Republic and the Nordic countries have under-gone a dynamic evolution. In 2014, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden combined represented the Czech Republic’s eighth largest export market, ahead of the USA, and we are the eleventh largest import origin; a number of the more than 400 Nordic companies currently established in the Czech Republic are market leaders in their sectors. Yet several indicators show that there still is room to further increase our trade relations. To that end the Nordic Chamber arranges Czech business missions to the Nordic countries and Nordic trade visits to the Czech Republic. In 2012 the Chamber was instrumental in organizing the successful technology mission of His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences in the Czech Republic.

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Czech Rep. Exp. 2013 Exp. 2014 y/y index % Imp. 2013 Imp. 2014 y/y index % Denmark 26 096 41 411 158.6 16 817 18 861 112.1

Finland 15 249 19 084 125.1 8 045 10 296 127.9

Iceland 805 846 105.1 1 421 1 296 91.2

Norway 16 249 16 201 99.7 28 165 14 417 51.1

Sweden 47 433 52 975 111.6 26 333 27 692 105.1

MEMBERSHIP FEES Large companies with more than 100 employees constituted close to 20 percent of the Nordic Chamber’s base. Small and medium sized companies thus represent the majority of our membership. To reflect the diverse sizes of the individual company, the Chamber’s Annual General Meeting has approved membership fees that are based on the individual company’s number of employees. The fees span from CZK 10,000 per annum for the smallest companies (from 1 to 10 employees) to CZK 40,000 per year for the largest companies (over 100 employees). The fees have remained unchanged since 2002. All members of the Chamber’s Board of Directors work pro bono.

www.nordicchamber.cz

In CZK bill. Source: ČSÚ

NORDIC chamber of commerce in the czech republic Václavské náměstí 51

110 00 | Praha 1

Www.nordicchamber.cz

+420 774 123 370

info@nordicchamber.cz