It has been an incredibly dynamic season so far for the Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce (ICC). As we move through 2026, our focus remains firmly on driving local growth, fostering meaningful business connections and celebrating the unparalleled resilience and talent within our local economy.
Honouring Local Excellence: The 2026 ICON Awards
The definitive highlight of our calendar this year so far has been the official launch of the 2026 ICON Awards – widely recognised as Inverclyde’s premier business event. Kicking off with a highly successful networking evening at Gourock Golf Club in May, the momentum has not stopped since. Local business leaders, sponsors and members gathered to toast to the opening of nominations for our 11 distinct award categories, which heavily focus on everything from environmental sustainability to workplace excellence.
We are thrilled to welcome back global semiconductor manufacturer Diodes as one of our joint headline sponsors for this year’s awards. Furthermore, ICC is immensely proud to announce Ardgowan Hospice as our official 2026 charity partner. All proceeds from our raffle on the awards night will go directly towards supporting the vital palliative and community care services they provide to over 1,000 local patients and families each year.
The anticipation is now building for the grand finale. The business community will come together to crown our winners in style at the Greenock Town Hall on Friday, 18th September 2026.
Strengthening the Network
In tandem with the excitement of the awards, ICC recently hosted its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on June 18th. The event provided a fantastic forum for members to connect and reflect on a successful year, despite many challenges the business community throughout Scotland and the UK currently face. It also allowed us to look ahead to our strategic goals for the remainder of 2026 and beyond. Backed by a passionate board and a growing membership directory, the Chamber is more equipped than ever to champion the voice of Inverclyde business.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for ICC?
We are currently putting together our events calendar for the second half of the year which we hope to launch shortly. This will include our Finance Made Simple workshop, and other hostings geared toward helping the local community. Following feedback from our membership gathered throughout the first half of the year, we are keen to also include events that cover dealing with conflict in the workplace and practical uses of AI that can be implemented immediately amongst others. Inverclyde is open for business, bursting with ambition and looking forward to a stellar second half of the year.
