CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution), Europe’s biggest alternative dispute resolution body, has spent over 15 years helping UK business cut the cost of conflict within the legal system. Recent CEDR research reveals that:

• British business conflict costs £33 billion a year
• In a dispute of a million pounds in value, a company will consume an average of over 3 years of managers’ time trying to sort it out
• 80 percent of disputes have a significant impact on the smooth running of business
• Many managers do not feel comfortable addressing conflict. Half (49%) would rather attend an event at which they knew no one than tell a client a home truth, and over two thirds (69%) would rather send back a bottle of wine in a restaurant than confront a boss’s underperformance directly.  

CEDR is holding a mediation theatre in Liverpool on 27 February to demonstrate how mediation can assist business professionals to manage conflicts and disputes cost-effectively and at the earliest opportunity, often preserving business relationships and reputation.

It will demonstrate what to expect at a mediation, how a mediator can add a valuable dimension to your negotiations, especially those in deadlock, and can assist you to maintain ongoing relationships. The theatre will involve a live mediation centred around a commercial dispute.

 The event is kindly hosted by law firm, Brabners Chaffe Street, at their new offices at Horton House, Exchange Flags, Liverpool L2 3YL, on February 27 2008, 5.30-7.00pm (registration from 5.00pm).For more information or to book a place (£35 plus VAT), please contact Faith Hardman on +44 (0)20 7536 6023 or fhardman@cedr.com.

To support members,Liverpool Chamber, in conjunction with Qdos Consulting, is providing the Chamber Health and Safety Solution as part of your chamber membership benefits. There is an increasing focus on all organisations implementing management systems to ensure that health and safety risks are well managed to meet legislation, customer requirements and employee expectations. At first sight these can appear to be a daunting, time consuming and costly requirement.

Members also have unlimited access to over 150 downloadable policies, procedures, documents or forms. As a member you can log in to www.chamberhs.co.uk using your ChamberHR password.  If you need a reminder, please contact the membership team on membership@liverpoolchamber.org.uk