ROUNDTABLE BLOG
Roundtable Testifies on FY24 Budget at Ways and Means Committee Hearing
Earlier this week, MBR President and CEO JD Chesloff was invited to testify on an early education and care panel at a Joint Committee on Ways and Means hearing to review the House 1 budget filed by the Healey-Driscoll Administration. The invitation-only hearing, focused on the budget provisions relating to education and local aid, was held at the UMass Student...
Perspectives from the Annual Meeting of State Roundtables
Earlier this month, I joined with other leaders of State Roundtables from seventeen states across the country. MBR serves as the organizer of this national affiliation of business roundtables, hosted this year by the Florida Council of 100, providing a valuable forum of peers with shared experience to share best practices both on policy and organizational issues. This year we...
Strategies for Employers to Respond to Social Issues
At the Roundtable, we regularly hear from employers about the top issues they are navigating. In recent months, Roundtable members have explored what role, if any, employers should have in response to social issues. After hosting two convenings following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Roundtable has observed several common considerations and best practices applied when...
“My Journey”: How an Apprenticeship Launched My Career
The Massachusetts Business Roundtable, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and Accenture helped to launch the Massachusetts Apprentice Network earlier this year to create a community of employers, training providers, and talent sources focused on expanding apprenticeship in industries such as tech, financial services, health care, biotech, advanced manufacturing, and more. Committed employers of the Network are collectively working to hire...
CEO Outlook: More than 400 U.S CEOs offer insights for years ahead
The Massachusetts Business Roundtable welcomes John S. Capone as a guest contributor to highlight KPMG’s 2022 CEO Outlook. The findings reflect similar trends expressed by Roundtable members in doing business in Massachusetts, nationally, and globally. On the heels of the pandemic, CEOs are facing another turbulent period. The 2022 KPMG CEO Outlook is being released amid a business environment marred...
Resources to Support Employee Caregivers
Looking for ways to support caregivers within your workplace? In honor of Family Caregivers Awareness month, the Roundtable hosted our November Open Forum in partnership with Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) and the Massachusetts Caregiving Coalition to outline the state of caregiving among Massachusetts workers, its impact on our economy, and to hear from employers sharing resources and best practices...
Resources to Participate in the 2022 Massachusetts Elections
Earlier this year, Governor Baker signed into law permanent pandemic-related changes to expand voting access in Massachusetts. With voting underway in Massachusetts, we encourage employers to share information with employees about how to participate in the upcoming state elections especially with expanded opportunities to vote. While many Roundtable members already offer their employees time off to vote, new voting reforms...
Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development Launches Equity Dashboards
In previous presentations to the Roundtable, Secretary Rosalin Acosta and Undersecretary Jenn James have referenced a major effort to provide economic data on populations hardest hit by the pandemic, which has now been launched! In September, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development’s Department of Economic Research (DER) released a new and interactive way to view economic data on...
The Future of Travel
As hybrid and remote options increase among employers in Massachusetts and globally, businesses are also contemplating real estate needs and office layouts to align with these trends. At the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, we have held countless discussions to share experiences, data and resources, and best practices in responding to and planning for the future of work. Talent is consistently a...
What’s the Role of Employers in an Ever-Changing World?
The role of the employer has evolved in recent years, with a range of expectations varying in workplaces, communities, and regions across the country. Increasingly, employers are contemplating its role—if any—on a range of social, racial, and economic issues locally, statewide, and nationally. Recognizing this trend and with interest in understanding the perspective among Massachusetts-based employers, the Roundtable recently hosted...
Impact of the Massachusetts Elections
This fall Massachusetts voters will elect a slate of new statewide officeholders, state legislators, and will consider important ballot questions that will impact Massachusetts’ economic competitiveness. Less than 24 hours after the polls closed on Massachusetts’ Primary Election Day, the Roundtable hosted an Open Forum featuring Steve Koczela, President of the MassINC Polling Group, to provide members with a breakdown...
Reflecting on My Fellowship at the Massachusetts Business Roundtable
By Mahesh Admankar Mahesh Admankar is a Civic Action Project Fellow, at the Massachusetts Business Roundtable and PhD scholar at the McCormack School of Policy & Global Studies at University of Massachusetts Boston. The Massachusetts Business Roundtable opened my eyes to the amazing work of the business community in affirming informed public policy and social justice. When I was selected as...
Creating a Family Friendly Workplace
Throughout the pandemic, Roundtable members adjusted their work models, benefits, and business practices to meet the needs of employees, including support for working parents and those with caregiving responsibilities. As the pandemic deepened the need for these supports, it has also mobilized a broader adoption of benefits for working parents and demonstrated how support for working parents is good for...
Historic Investments for Child Care in Massachusetts
Guest contributor Tom Weber is the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Business Coalition for Early Childhood Education The end of the 2021-22 Legislative session promises to be one of the most consequential in the history of Massachusetts’ early care and education (ECE) system. First, there is unprecedented proposals pending approval including historic investments proposed by both the House and Senate...
Breaking Barriers to Build Black Wealth
By Mahesh Admankar, Civic Action Project Fellow, Massachusetts Business Roundtable and PhD scholar at University of Massachusetts Boston The public health disparities exacerbated by the global COVID-19 pandemic and the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery sparked the latest racial and social awakening in communities across the country and world. As communities—including employers—looked inward for creating change,...
Mental Health in the Workplace
Katie Joyce of Alkermes has shared with the Roundtable and fellow Board members resources to encourage dialogue, greater awareness, and understanding of mental health as we mark May as Mental Health Month. Alkermes, a global biotechnology company that specializes in drug development for serious mental illnesses (in addition to cancer), partners with the Mental Health America (MHA) which has shared...
Continue to be an AAPI Ally in the Workplace
In commemoration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Roundtable is sharing strategies Grace Lee of M&T Bank (formerly People’s United) provided to members in 2021 to encourage AAPI allyship within the workplace. Following several horrific attacks on Asian Americans in Massachusetts and regions across the country last year, Dr. Paul Watanabe of UMass Boston shared a historic and...
The MA Business Roundtable Goes to DC!
If we want to stay competitive, should we talk candidly about state challenges and opportunities with business groups across the country? Absolutely. While we may compete with states across the country to position Massachusetts as a top innovative leader, we also know that states must work collaboratively to support regional, national, and global competitiveness. This was top of mind...
Employer Engagement on Racial Equity
During the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, many business leaders reflected on their role in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. At the time, some leaders chose to enhance efforts already underway while some were just getting started on their DEI journey. Employers also quickly realized the emphasis must extend beyond DEI to incorporate a greater recognition for racial...
Quarterly Policy Roundup: Q1 2022
The Roundtable kicked off the new year by convening Task Forces focused on key policy areas while also collaborating with external partners to advance strategies to support key priorities. The Roundtable convened its Task Forces including: Competitiveness; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Education and Workforce Development; Energy and Environment; Healthcare and Life Sciences; and Transportation, Housing, and Infrastructure. There were many...