What Sets Us Apart
Shaping policy in the East Midlands
Launch of The Framework for Growth in the East Midlands
The Chamber successfully launched its Framework for Growth 2025 in November, a comprehensive blueprint shaped by insight from our members to set out what Government must implement to unlock confidence and drive economic growth across the East Midlands.
The framework outlines clear priorities for skills, transport, connectivity, innovation and investment, ensuring the region is equipped to seize emerging opportunities and overcome persistent barriers to productivity and competitiveness.
Midlands Energy Conference
Policy makers joined firms and educators at Toyota in Derby for the Chamber’s Midlands Energy Conference on 28 November.
Held in partnership with the University of Nottingham’s Energy Institute and East Midlands Freeport, and sponsored by HyDEX, keynote speakers and panel discussions examined energy storage, provision, distribution and technological developments in areas like fission, fusion and hydrogen.
People and Skills Conference
Filling job vacancies, staff retention and EDI were among challenges and opportunities addressed by businesses and educators at the Chamber’s People and Skills Conference on 24 June at Loughborough University.
Held in partnership with Loughborough University and West Nottinghamshire College and sponsored by Futures, the conference sought to pinpoint opportunities for skills reform to support business growth through a series of talks and workshops.
Devolution call for Leicester and Leicestershire
The Chamber has been positively encouraging plans to devolve greater powers from Westminster to Leicester and Leicestershire.
Without devolution, the city and county are disadvantaged compared to already devolved regions such as the West Midlands and the East Midlands Combined County Authority, which have been able to attract millions of pounds of investment.
Devolution will give Leicester and Leicestershire access to funding without Government department caveats, so that major spending decisions can be made locally, including investment in transport, skills and digital & energy resilience.
In order to gain a full mayoral devolution deal for Leicester and Leicestershire by 2028, the Chamber is prepared to work with them to establish a shared vision, governance alignment and ultimately create a regional voice.
That would include a Leicester & Leicestershire Devolution Steering Group with business and political representation and help in agreeing core functional powers when it comes to areas such as transport, skills, housing, net zero and business growth.
Local Skills Improvement Plan
Two years since Leicester and Leicestershire’s Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) was published, the Chamber released a progress report, highlighting areas of success and where further work is required.
Launched in 2023 with the aim of making the city and county ‘the best place in the country for developing people with the skills needed for businesses to thrive, the economy to grow and individuals to succeed,’ the Local Skills Improvement Plan is funded by the Department for Education and produced by the Chamber.
The Plan is an important part of policy discussions with political leaders in Leicester and Leicestershire, shaping the approach to skills.
Continually updated research from business in the East Midlands
Investment in Machinery:
Overall business sentiment when it comes to investing in machinery has remained negative over the last 12 months. However, there was some good news, with a slowly growing number of businesses saying they felt more confident about spending on machinery.
Investment in Training:
Sentiment around investment in training has remained stagnant. However, the most recent six months have shown a slight increase in investment, compared to the six months before the Spring budget.
Confidence Turnover:
There was a big drop in confidence when it came to future growth following the autumn budget in 2024.
Confidence Profitability:
The level of confidence in how profitable businesses would be showed a mixed picture, with the months following autumn budget 2024 demonstrating a big drop in confidence. However, confidence among East Midlands businesses did seem to be trickling back as the year went on.
10 years of Green Growth Trends research
Sustainability and CSR Conference
Sharing best practice; overcoming hurdles in achieving net zero; sustainability and governance goals were among areas addressed by the region’s business leaders and academics at the East Midlands Sustainability and CSR Conference 2025 in September. Delivered by the Chamber, in partnership with and hosted by the University of Derby, with sponsors Epson UK, Blueprint, Flogas (part of DCC Energy) and Geo Green Power, the conference brought businesses and researchers together to share insight, experiential evidence and data in the context of the current economic and political climate.
Member discussions to gain insight
Frequent engagement with Chamber members is a key part in shaping policy, gaining understanding and insight into the opportunities and challenges identified by firms across the region.
Round table events took place in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, with subjects ranging from the Government’s Employment Rights Bill and changes requested by firms, EDI and best practice and reaction to the Chancellor’s Budget.
Online regional members forums regularly took place, giving opportunity for policy issues to be raised by representatives of member firms, while online forums with regional Bank of England representatives allowed members to gain valuable economic insight.
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- Driving growth and innovation
- Backing international trade
- Driving employment
- Annual Business Awards
- Working with strategic partners and patrons
- Enterprising Women Awards
- East Midlands Manufacturing Network
- Generation Next
- Enterprising Women
- Income reached £21m
- Pre-tax profits of £360,000
- Strong financial position