Making health everyone’s business: Exploring the role of Chambers of Commerce in supporting anchor initiatives

Earlier this month HALN hosted a webinar exploring how anchor organisations are working in partnership with local businesses on shared initiatives. During the session, we asked participants - most of whom work in the NHS or local authorities - how they approach engaging local businesses. The most common response? Partnering with their local Chambers of Commerce.

This aligns with HALN’s broader experience supporting anchor networks, where Chambers often play a central role as key network members.  And it’s not just public sector partners who are turning to Chambers as they look to develop cross-sector initiatives. According to the British Chambers of Commerce - the national membership body for local Chambers - more and more of their member Chambers now highlight the opportunity to work with others on local social impact initiatives as a key reason businesses want to engage with them.

In this blog, we take a closer look at the role Chambers of Commerce are playing in bringing businesses and anchor organisations together to drive initiatives that improve health and wellbeing across local communities.

The role of Chambers of Commerce in supporting anchor initiatives

For many years, Chambers of Commerce have acted as local hubs for businesses, offering essential support services, networking opportunities, and a platform for collective advocacy. They represent local businesses to government at all levels, helping shape policy and the wider business landscape.

As part of this Chambers often play a key support role in helping local SMEs and social enterprises access procurement opportunities with local anchor organisations. In Birmingham for example, the local Chambers of Commerce worked with a range of partners to launch Get Ready to Supply - a programme offering bespoke support to local businesses designed to help them access opportunities with key anchor institutions such as the region’s universities, hospitals and housing associations. This has included Meet the Buyer events offering local suppliers one to one meetings with members of procurement teams from Birmingham and Solihull’s Integrated Care System (ICS).

In addition to supporting inclusive business growth, some Chambers are convening partners around initiatives explicitly aimed at improving health and wellbeing in local populations.  In Sheffield for example, the local Chambers of Commerce has established a Health and Wellbeing Consortium; a cross-sector coalition of partners working together on a programme of work that positively impacts and improves the physical, financial, social and mental health and wellbeing of the working age population. We explore this more in the section below. 

Case Study Spotlight - Sheffield Chambers of Commerce Health and Wellbeing Consortium

Sheffield, a city with a significant proportion of its working-age population affected by long-term health problems, offers a compelling example of the role that Chambers of Commerce can play in supporting anchor organisations and local businesses to come together to tackle some of the root causes of ill health.

Inspired by Sheffield’s City Goals and the regional Mayor’s call to make South Yorkshire the healthiest region in the country, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce realised they had a clear role to play as a convenor of local organisations around a shared mission to improve the health and wellbeing of working-age people. 

Supported by funding from Sheffield United Community Foundation, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce established a Health and Wellbeing Consortium, composed of a range of local anchor organisations from across the public, private and non-profit sectors. Collectively the Consortium made a commitment to design and deliver a programme of work aimed at improving the physical, financial, social, and mental health and wellbeing of the local working-age population.

The Consortium’s pilot programme is focused on helping employers measure and improve how they support employee health and wellbeing - aiming to reduce long-term sickness absence and make workplaces more accessible for people with long-term health conditions. This approach is designed to benefit employees, local communities, businesses, and the wider economy. The pilot has been co-designed by the Consortium but participation in the work has been opened up to a wider range of organisations in the area. 

Key steps taken in the pilot so far have included:

• Establishing a Baseline: An anonymous survey was created to collect data on employee health within participating organizations. At the end of the pilot the survey will be re-circulated to measure progress.

• Creating a Digital Toolkit: Working with local partners the Chamber has developed a digital hub of trusted resources for employers - aimed at improving employee wellbeing - from reputable sources like the NHS and Age UK.

• Building a Community: To support progress the Chamber is running activities  to facilitate peer sharing and collaboration on key areas of employee support.

This initiative, still in its early stages, demonstrates the power of a neutral body like the Chamber of Commerce to convene diverse partners around a shared vision and mobilise a programme of work to drive impact. 

Drawing on their strength as a trusted convenor, the Chamber co-designed the programme with participants,  fostering a sense of ownership and ensuring the work is directly responsive to the needs of the local community they serve. The initiative's alignment with Sheffield city’s broader strategic goals of being a ‘green, resilient and healthy city’ provides a strong foundation and a clear purpose for this important work. 

Chambers as convenors 

The Sheffield Health and Wellbeing Consortium highlights the potential of Chambers of Commerce to act as neutral, trusted convenors, bringing together businesses, public sector organisations, and community partners to tackle complex local challenges. By fostering co-designed initiatives, supporting inclusive economic growth, and aligning with broader city goals, Chambers can drive meaningful improvements in health, wellbeing, and resilience. Across the UK, there is a growing opportunity for Chambers to take on this role, helping anchor organisations and businesses collaborate effectively for the benefit of their communities. 

Health Anchors Learning Network is supporting the NHS, local authorities, businesses and others to develop anchor action which improves health and addresses inequality. Interested in learning more? Register for our newsletter to receive the latest case studies, events and resources, or get in touch at hello@haln.org.uk.