Source: SPECIALIST PRINTING WORLDWIDE : ISSUE 1: 2013
Elaine Campling outlines the relevance of trade associations
Chemical industry trade associations are increasingly playing an important regulatory role by representing their members in advocacy matters, responding to consultative documents, participating in collaborative studies and providing support to their members in deciphering complex legislation, technical training and by producing guidance documents.
It is often difficult for individual organisations, especially smaller or medium sized enterprises, to directly interact with legislators and their representatives. Trade associations can co-ordinate the interests of their members and consequently more readily represent their collective interests, either from obtaining consensus of opinion, or by presenting the balanced view point and helping to establish common position points. Large multi-national corporations are typically also members of trade associations. They may be relied upon more heavily by trade associations to commit resource, such as delegates for committees and drive initiatives, but also gain from collective representation and bargaining. Trade association membership is therefore an important asset to many businesses.