Belfast Chamber helping businesses to get Brexit ready

Belfast Chamber has announced a package of support to help local businesses to prepare for Brexit. In conjunction with professional services firm Grant Thornton, Belfast Chamber is offering businesses the opportunity to learn more about how Brexit might impact their business and what they could do to mitigate against any negative effects through a series of free webinars, workshops and one to one consultations.

Commenting, the organisation’s Chief Executive Simon Hamilton said, “Belfast Chamber recently surveyed its members about their views on Brexit. A strong theme throughout was that many businesses felt they weren’t properly prepared for the UK’s exit from the European Union and particularly for the possibility of a ‘No Deal’ outcome.

Belfast Chamber has secured funding through the Government’s Business Readiness Fund to run a series of free webinars, workshops and one to one consultations for local businesses to hear from and work with expert Brexit advisers from Grant Thornton who can advise them about how Brexit could effect their business and what they can do in response. The events which any business can register for will focus on issues like customs, taxation, supply chains, finance and HR issues.

Over the next two weeks, Belfast Chamber and Grant Thornton will be providing a range of support to help businesses gain a better understanding of how Brexit might impact their business and what steps they should take to get ready. This includes:

• A High-Level Webinar giving an overview of the impact of Brexit, focusing on common areas of risk and mitigation, as well as looking at business continuity, compliance and costs issues;

• A ‘Deeper Dive’ Webinar providing a more detailed examination of issues like supply chain and customs, cash and cost management and indirect taxation;

• A Brexit Planning Workshop where participants will benefit from presentations on subjects such as overall Brexit planning, customs and indirect tax, suppliers and supply chains/distribution, finance and cash management, people (employee retention, recruitment and mobility) and regulatory issues. Breakout sessions will provide participants with more time for deeper discussion than the webinars and enable attendees to share experiences; and

• One-to-One Consultations to allow your business to engage with a Brexit expert from Grant Thornton to look at the whole impact of Brexit on your business, identifying risks and opportunities and possible mitigating actions.

This is great opportunity for local businesses to get free, expert advice on what they can do to prepare for Brexit. We urge businesses who are interested to register online at www.belfastchamber.com”.