On 19 December, the Zaporizhzhia Chamber of Commerce and Industry invited business owners, government officials, leaders of public organisations, and academics to participate in a dialogue. Together, they discussed the challenges of working in a frontline region, as well as the opportunities and resources that help local businesses and relocated companies not only survive but also thrive. Special attention was paid to veteran businesses and women’s entrepreneurship.
All participants were brought together by the project ‘Expert Consultations: The United Economic Front of Two Regions.’
For almost a month, the initiative was implemented by the Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia Chambers of Commerce and Industry with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine as part of the project ‘Transformative Recovery for Human Security in Ukraine’ and with the financial support of the Government of Japan.
During the final forum, key challenges of wartime were discussed, practical solutions were shared, and successful cases were presented.
More about the project
From 2 to 18 December, 12 webinars and consultation meetings were held — a total of 30 hours devoted to strategic planning and marketing, digital transformation, fundraising and human resource management.
For many CCI members, the series of online webinars and consultations has already become a tradition and remains an important tool for understanding practical approaches to working in wartime. The Zaporizhzhia Chamber has been holding such events for over five years.
The event focused on expert and consulting assistance to enterprises as one of the key tools for supporting business in wartime. Participants discussed the possibilities of state and international grants, the role of specialised business communities, partner organisations and development institutions that help entrepreneurs adapt, recover and scale up their activities.
Practical examples of the work of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry system were presented separately. In particular, the Zaporizhzhia Chamber of Commerce and Industry records and assesses damaged property and equipment, calculates lost profits, and preliminarily identifies military goods in the field of state export control. The Chamber continues to provide services for certifying force majeure circumstances, certifying the origin of goods, customs declaration, commodity and price expertise, export-import consulting, and organises educational programmes for businesses.
Three thematic panels were held as part of the event:
Business recovery in frontline regions and sustainability tools
Development of veteran entrepreneurship and social initiatives
Women’s leadership, self-employment, mentoring practices and grant opportunities