The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ostwestfalen zu Bielefeld (in short CCI or IHK for the German term Industrie- und Handelskammer) is the self-administrative organisation of around 115.000 businesses in the region of Ostwestfalen, excluding handcraft. Financed by statutory membership of its companies, the public law corporation fulfils a multitude of duties and responsibilities to represent the general interest of its members.

Across Germany there are 79 regional CCIs with the DIHK (Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammer) being the umbrella organization, representing the German economy as a whole. The supreme body of the CCI Ostwestfalen zu Bielefeld is the General Assembly, whose members are elected democratically every four years by the member companies. It includes representatives from all business sectors.

The CCI’s work can be divided into a three-pillar structure. Firstly, it bundles the different interests of its members to represents them towards the government and public authorities. Through those tight connections with the companies, the CCI knows about the region’s concerns and can bring this knowledge into political decision-making progresses. Because the CCI represents the interests of the business community as whole and not just particular areas, it plays a crucial role in the process of weighing up and balancing different economic interests among the community.

Secondly, the CCI offers a variety of services for its members. For example, it provides advice on setting up business start-ups, offers help concerning fiscal or economic matters and gives guidance on trade customs or public loans. Many seminars and trainings similarly find its place in CCI’s services.  

Thirdly, as a public law corporation the CCI takes over tasks from the German state to reduce bureaucracy and give its businesses a voice in public affairs. Through this, the CCI is actively involved in vocational training and examinations, provides certificate of origins and executes over 50 other governmental assignments.