Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The 8th Term Chambers Accreditation Certificate Ceremony was held at the TOBB Union Center. TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that there needs to be a level of service capacity as befits serving the private sector.

Regarding accredited chambers and exchanges, dubbed “5 star”, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Just like how a 5 star hotel would serve its customers today, 5 star chambers and exchanges will provide services on the quality level.”

- Seeds planted 10 years ago have borne fruit

Reminding that when he first came to office only 5 chambers had personnel who could speak English and that none could produce projects, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that today, only 10 out of 365 chambers and exchanges lack English speaking personnel.

Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The seeds we planted 10 years ago have started to bear fruit. The number of acc4redited chambers and exchanges is 129. In the next term 21 chambers and exchanges will also be accredited. Our goal is to accredit all 365 chambers and exchanges.”

In regards to project capability, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they have come a long way, TOBB’s chambers and exchanges have conducted projects, including EU Funds and Developments Agencies, with a total volume of 410 million TL.

Stating that chambers and exchanges always need to be a step ahead, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “You must always go a step further, to bring the private sector ahead. You must be leaders not followers. You must be active, not passive. You must serve and provide services. Only then will the people who want to produce projects, to invest and to export will come to you.”

- As the vision of the personnel widens so will the chambers’ and exchanges’

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they have paired 65 chambers and exchanges with foreign exchanges in 20 countries, achieving a capacity transfer. Stating that they have contributed greatly to the training of chambers and exchanges personnel, Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that they have provided 50 personnel with professional, on-site EU expertise training.

Emphasizing that the accredited 150 chambers provide services of a quality on par with the best you’ll find anywhere in Europe, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We have come to the point where TOBB no longer imports services, but exports them.”

- We will establish “The Chamber Academy”

Hisarcıklıoğlu, reporting that they will be undertaking two tasks in the coming term, said that the first would be “The Chamber Academy”.  Reporting that chamber and exchange council presidents, board presidents, secretaries general and managerial personnel will receive training, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We will provide training in the most advanced chamber and exchange administration and services systems in the world.”

Stating that their second task would be to integrate university academicians into the chambers and exchanges system, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that they would improve the chambers’ and exchanges’ local and national policy making capacities with this project.

- “The accreditation system is a tool which can be used to achieve this goal”

TOBB Board Vice President and Accreditation Board President Halim Mete stated that they began accreditation work in order to perfect the quality of services provided by chambers and exchanges.

Mete emphasized that they have reassessed accreditation work and that future applications in this field will be subject to new criteria.

Mete reported that they have conducted 99 visits for the development and improvement of chambers and exchanges throughout 2012 and that it was necessary for the optimal working of the process to continually conduct training for chambers and exchanges.

Following the ceremony the newly accredited chambers and exchanges received their certificates.

- Chambers and exchanges which received accreditation certificates

The chambers and exchanges which have received accreditation certificates in the 8th term are: Adana Trade Exchange, Akşehir Trade Exchange, Ayvalık Chamber of Commerce, Biga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bilecik Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bilecik Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Çarşamba Trade Exchange, Develi Chamber of Commerce, Devrek Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ereğli Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Konya), Erzurum Trade Exchange, Gelibolu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ilgın Chamber of Commerce, İskenderun Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kahramanmaraş Trade Exchange, Karacabey Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kayseri Trade Exchange, Kızıltepe Trade Exchange, Kızıltepe Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kızıltepe Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kütahya Trade Exchange, Milas Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Orhangazi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rize Trade Exchange, Salihli Trade Exchange, Torbalı Chamber of Commerce, Trabzon Trade Exchange, Turgutlu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ünye Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Yozgat Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Receiving accreditation from the 7th term was the Bolu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Accredited from the 3rd term were: Adana Chamber of Commerce, Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Balıkesir Chamber of Industry, Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Çorlu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Erzurum Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Eskişehir Chamber of Industry, Kayseri Chamber of Industry, Konya Chamber of Industry, Manisa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nevşehir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Samsun Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Şanlıurfa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Receiving accreditation from the 2nd term was the Uşak Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
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