Dorset Chamber, which has been successfully re-accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) following a rigorous inspection, is the only one in the county to have received this endorsement.

The chamber was praised for its ‘motivated and happy workforce’ and ‘excellent initiatives’ which could be adopted by counterparts nationwide.

Ian Girling, Dorset Chamber chief executive, said: “Accreditation is a hallmark of excellence for chambers of commerce.

“We’re proud of retaining this prestigious status which demonstrates our commitment to our members, business in Dorset and the highest standards of governance, service and financial management.

“It also places us in a unique position to act as the voice of business in Dorset to champion the county’s many brilliant companies while working closely with our fellow accredited chambers to fight the corner of business nationally.

“Many thanks to the talented chamber team for working so hard to ensure we regained our accreditation through their excellent work.”

The BCC inspects chambers every three years for their accreditation, covering finance and resources, governance and services, including international trade.

As well as praising Dorset for its ‘clearly happy and motivated workforce’, inspectors also hailed its leadership and focus.

They said: “It is a well run and led chamber, which is really trying to make a difference to its members and local area, and has some excellent initiatives in place to support members and their staff.”

Among initiatives upon which Dorset is leading the way and could be shared with other chambers are its car sharing scheme, Future Leaders Group, Got Your Six mental health programme, health and wellbeing drive and inclusivity and diversity forum.

Dorset Chamber, which has more than 700 members, is set to hold its first Business Festival in October.