The Institute of Export & International Trade has introduced a new ‘Supplier’ category of membership to reflect growing demand from companies wishing to engage with international traders.
The organisation, founded in 1935 to champion UK overseas trade, is also reframing its ‘Corporate’ membership band as a ‘Large Business’ category for firms with more than 50 UK-based staff.
Reframed categories
- A new Supplier category of membership to reflect a growing demand from companies wishing to engage with international traders. Benefits for Supplier Members are exclusive to this category
- A Large Business category for companies with more than 50 UK based employees, replacing Corporate membership
- New benefits for all Business Members designed to boost their competitiveness and ensure compliance in international trade
- A clearer path for Individual Members to move from Student membership through to categories representing experienced international trade professionals
- A swifter process to join any of our three core membership categories: Individual, Business and Supplier
'Defined path'
Helen Hastie, membership engagement manager at the IOE&IT, explained the restructure:
“We’re reframing our membership for individuals, companies and organisations by clarifying the benefits we give them," she said. "This restructure is designed to create a defined path of lifetime learning for individual members while at the same time helping business members be more efficient and effective in international trade.”
The new structure, which launched this week, allows current members to opt up to the new categories of membership in the next few months – or earlier if they wish.
While existing membership continues, with members still receiving the same levels of support from the team at IOE&IT, members will shortly receive information about how to access these new membership categories.
‘Enhancing UK international trade’
Marco Forgione, the IOE&IT’s director general, said the changes “mark an important stage in the Institute’s transformation, with the reframing of our central role as a professional membership institute.
“Over the coming months we will continue to develop and enhance the range of services we provide for members and the wider trading community, in furtherance of our founding, charitable objective - to enhance the UK’s international trade capability.”
For more information, email membershipservices@export.org.uk