The Chamber of Commerce movement celebrated the inaugural Spain Rooms Awards, created to recognize and honor the efforts of regional Chambers in areas vital to the country’s economic and social progress.
Among the early winners were notable examples: the Tarragona Chamber in Internationalization; the Valencia Chamber in Digitization; the Seville Chamber in Formation; the Zaragoza Chamber for Sustainability; the Santiago de Compostela Chamber in Entrepreneurship; the Valladolid Chamber of Arbitration and Mediation; and the four Canary Islands Chambers in Social Leadership—Gran Canaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, and La Graciosa.
During the ceremony, Pilar Alegría, Minister of Education and Vocational Training, commended the diverse category lineup chosen for the awards. She noted that businesses and institutions can clearly feel the daily impact of these recognitions, underscoring what makes Chambers unique. She also expressed gratitude for the ongoing support and participation in the new Vocational and Employment Training model, stressing its potential to convey opportunities to SMEs and the crucial role of Chambers in ensuring success.
Opening remarks by José Luis Bonet, president of the Spanish Chamber, praised regional chamber leadership for turning Chambers of Commerce into an indispensable instrument serving both companies and society. He emphasized that the awards publicly highlight results achieved by individuals and teams, adding that the jurors include representatives from major Spanish companies. The work is essential for strengthening the country’s productive fabric and local economies.
Reyes Maroto, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, attended remotely to extend congratulations to the attendees and urged continued dedication to progress across Spain.
First edition of the Spain Chambers Awards
The Tarragona Chamber won the Internationalization prize for its initiative, continuing a face-to-face Africa engagement plan during the pandemic. With in-person events halted in March 2020, the Tarragona Chamber pivoted by launching three on-site actions in the final quarter of 2020 and organizing ten Missions in 2021 that connected 92 companies with 18 African nations.
The Valencian Chamber received the Digitization award for its program TradeCreated, launched in 2016 to provide SMEs with technology and digitization services tailored to their sector—services, commerce, and industry—helping transform these businesses into more scalable and agile entities.
The Seville Chamber earned the Formation prize for its Chamber Training Campus initiative, focusing on education-related activities and a strategic plan designed to contribute to society by advancing a broader understanding of the business sector’s role through a unified campus approach.
The Zaragoza Chamber was recognized for Electric Mobility Development Office OPME-z in and around Zaragoza, highlighting a shift in urban mobility and its broad impact on residents and companies. The initiative created a hub around electric mobility as a public-private space for collaboration and has demonstrated lasting usefulness after three years of operation.
The Entrepreneurship award went to the Santiago de Compostela Chamber for its Network of Job Creation and Consolidation Areas, which established zones to promote the creation, initiation, and growth of business projects. This network aims to enrich the local business landscape and align with other programs that cultivate a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The Valladolid Chamber received the Civil-Commercial Mediation award for an innovative dispute-resolution project launched in 2019 with the Public Administration. Supported by judicial authorities and regional government bodies, the initiative has helped streamline processes and reduce friction in civil, commercial, and public administration disputes.
In the Social Leadership category, the Canary Islands were recognized for Kovid Aid to Canary Islands Firms Joint Management Project. The four Cham bers Gran Canaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Lanzarote, and La Graciosa, along with Fuerteventura, were authorized to operate a direct aid hotline for self-employed individuals and companies. The program’s success in implementation efficiency surpassed national averages, delivering timely support to local businesses.
Composition of the jury
The jury featured the president of the Spanish Chamber, José Luis Bonet, alongside Inmaculada Riera, the managing director of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. It included six representatives from member companies: José Juan Pérez Tabernero of Banco Santander, Angeles Santamaría of Iberdrola, José María Álvarez of Inditex, Trinidad Jiménez of Telefónica, Eva Piera of MAPFRE, and José Luis González Besada of El Corte Inglés. Adolfo Díaz-Ambrona served as the jury secretary. When evaluating the initiatives, the jury considered qualitative outcomes, investment levels, the number of beneficiary firms, and the degree of collaboration with other chambers and organizations.