Message from Roundtable Staff | |
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Happy New Year! As we begin 2023, we are excited to embark on many new opportunities. This week, we will celebrate the inauguration of Governor-Elect Maura Healey and Lt. Governor-Elect Kim Driscoll as they usher in a new administration with goals to champion Massachusetts as a welcoming place to live, work, and do business. As we look forward, we also reflect on the accomplishments of last year and extend our gratitude to Governor Baker, Lt. Governor Polito, and their entire Administration for their leadership and collaboration over the past eight years. Together, with our partners in the Legislature, meaningful progress was made to advance Roundtable priorities such as early childhood education, workforce development, housing, and economic development. We look forward to building on this great work in partnership with the incoming Healey-Driscoll Administration and 2023-24 Legislature.
We are thankful for the incredible feedback from our members which has been valuable in updating the Roundtable’s Talent Agenda and first strategic plan in over ten years. In December, we released an updated A Talent Agenda to Drive Massachusetts' Competitiveness that provides a framework for how we hope to collaborate with the Healey-Driscoll Administration, Legislature, broader business community, and collaborative partners to advance Massachusetts’ competitiveness. Additionally, member feedback has been instrumental in developing a new strategic plan, which we plan to present to our Board of Directors in the near future. First launched in September, this engaging process has already proved fruitful as we set 2023 priorities for our organization. We really appreciate the candor and input shared by so many members and business leaders to help shape a refreshed playbook.
As always, thank you to our members for your continued engagement and expertise to help set the table in addressing key priorities to move our Commonwealth forward. We are also thankful for the many partnerships we have forged and the new partnerships yet to unfold. We look forward to working with you in 2023!
Best,
JD, Lauren, and Claire
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Following months of ongoing feedback from members on the future of work, talent needs, and challenges impacting employers, the Roundtable released an updated A Talent Agenda to Drive Massachusetts' Competitiveness. Building on the Roundtable's Talent Agenda first released in the fall of 2021, this updated agenda provides a framework for the incoming Administration and Legislature to:
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Attract and Retain Talent
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Develop Talent
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Diversify Talent
As the workforce and employers increasingly operate in remote and hybrid work environments, this framework offers recommendations to drive Massachusetts’ competitiveness such as investing in affordable housing and child care, creating more opportunity pathways for students, and tackling barriers for underrepresented talent.
Read A Talent Agenda to Drive Massachusetts’ Competitiveness: 2022 Full Report and 2022 Summary
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Board of Directors Meeting | |
Quarterly Meeting of the Board of Directors | |
Roundtable Meets with Lt. Governor-Elect Kim Driscoll
Following the launch of the Healey-Driscoll Transition Committee, the Roundtable welcomed Lt. Governor-Elect Kim Driscoll as a featured speaker for its quarterly Board of Directors meeting in December 2022. Lt. Governor-Elect Driscoll shared updates on the transition and policy committees, vision for the incoming Administration's first 100 days, and a strong signal for collaboration with the business community and forging public-private partnerships to tackle issues related to Massachusetts' economic competitiveness. This insight from Lt. Governor-Elect Driscoll was on the heels of the state's General Election and just weeks away from the inauguration of Governor-Elect Healey and Lt. Governor Elect Driscoll.
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Events to Preview the Local, National, and Global Economic Outlook for 2023 | |
Boston Business Journal's 2023 Economic Outlook
Join the Roundtable on January 26, 11:30 AM –1:30 PM for an in-person forum on the Boston Business Journal’s Economic Outlook. As described by the BBJ, 2023 will be a year of change with new opportunities and challenges. JD Chesloff of the Roundtable will be among panelists to share perspective from the business community as we preview the year ahead. Additional panelists includes Nicole Obi of Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, Kendalle Burlin O'Connell of MassBIO, and Eneida Roman of Roman Law and Amplify Latinx. Event Registration
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KPMG's Global Economic Outlook
As part of KPMG's quarterly webcast, Diane Swonk, Chief Economist for KPMG will discuss the outlook for the US and global economy in 2023 on January 19, 11:00 AM–12:00 PM virtually. Swonk will focus on trends and challenges shaping corporate growth, employment, trade, and the general operating environment amid political and market volatility around the world. Webcast Registration
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Welcome to the Roundtable | |
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Jose Antonio Miranda Soto
President & CEO, Renewables
Avangrid
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John Emra
President, AT&T Atlantic Region
AT&T
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Employer Response to Social Issues
In October, Bob Rivers of Eastern Bank hosted a group of Roundtable members for a discussion on employer response to social issues, following previous virtual convenings over the summer. This series of discussions led to five observations by the Roundtable on best practices employers consider when contemplating a response on social issues. In addition to this meeting, Bentley University and Gallup released a report titled "Force for Good" with findings upon surveying nearly 6,000 people across the US on what they think about the impact of business, which areas businesses most effectively improve people's lives, and where businesses fall short.
Read the Executive Summary and Full Report of "Force for Good" and Read the Forum Blog Recap
Employer Support for Caregivers
During Family Caregivers Awareness Month, the Roundtable hosted its November Open Forum in partnership with Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) and the Massachusetts Caregiver Coalition to outline the state of caregiving among Massachusetts workers, its impact on our economy, and to hear from employers for resources and best practices to support their employees with caregiving roles including elder care, child care, and other loved ones. Learn how to get involved with the Massachusetts Caregiving Coalition and Read the Open Forum Blog Recap
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Roundtable Guest Blog
An opportunity for guests to share perspective on a timely topic
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Insights from KPMG's 2022 CEO Outlook
While employers navigate economic challenges on the heels of the pandemic, US CEOs remain confident and project business growth in the coming years according to the 2022 KPMG CEO Outlook. In November, the Roundtable welcomed member John Capone of KPMG as a guest contributor for its blog and John shared key highlights and takeaways from KPMG's latest CEO Outlook. In the blog, John notes that the "survey found that most US CEOs are confident about growth over the next three years, but challenges lie ahead over the near term. CEOs are balancing foundational priorities and looking to turn risk into opportunity by focusing on technology, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), and talent." Read John's Guest Blog
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Career Journey of Graduated Apprentices
In celebration of National Apprenticeship Week in November, the Roundtable in collaboration with the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and Accenture hosted a Massachusetts Apprentice Network event featuring Secretary Rosalin Acosta of Labor & Workforce Development and a panel of workers in financial services, biotech, and tech who started their career via apprenticeship. Apprenticeship models are expanding to reach these in-demand industries and more to prepare untapped talent for meaningful careers. The Massachusetts Apprentice Network highlights a few examples of employees from Accenture, Beth Israel Lahey Health, Liberty Mutual, and South Shore Bank. Read the perspective of apprentice graduates in this Guest Blog
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Going Around the Table
Sharing a few highlights from member companies!
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Double Down on Massachusetts' Economic Competitiveness—Prioritize Talent: Roundtable Chair Jane Steinmetz of EY and JD Chesloff wrote an op-ed in the fall of 2022 featured in the Boston Business Journal summarizing the more than 65 meetings that Roundtable staff led over the summer with members. The key takeaway from those conversations is that it's time for the state to double down on economic competitiveness, highlighting five themes that emerged from meeting with members as the Roundtable continues to prioritize the attraction, retention, development, and diversity of talent. Read the BBJ Op-Ed
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STEM Week: Several Roundtable members joined in celebrating STEM Week in October, helping students to "See Yourself in STEM." Northeastern University hosted a kick-off event with Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito, and members including Suffolk, iRobot, and Autodesk hosted K-12 students virtually and in-person to demonstrate how employers apply science, technology, engineering, and math to doing business in Massachusetts. Follow a series of events and highlights on Twitter by checking out #MassSTEMWeek.
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JD Chesloff of the Roundtable Tapped as Co-Chair of Workforce and Economic-Related Policy Transition Committee: The Roundtable's President & CEO, JD Chesloff, was named as one of four Co-Chairs for the Healey-Driscoll Transition Committee focused on Jobs and a Flourishing Economy for All. The policy committee was tasked with focusing on how the incoming Administration will build a dynamic economy that reduces costs for people and businesses while lifting up workers in Massachusetts. In addition to JD serving as Co-Chair, the committee was represented by Lauren Jones of the Roundtable plus members and colleagues from member companies including Dr. Robert Johnson of Western New England University, Carolyn Kirk of Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Joanne Pokaski of Beth Israel Lahey Health, and Jerry Rubin of Eastern Bank Foundation. | |
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Citizens Named 2022 Employer of the Year: The Workforce Solutions Group (WSG) named Citizens as the 2022 Employer of the Year at the 13th Annual Massachusetts Jobs & Workforce Summit held at Devens in October 2022. Citizens was honored for its leadership in advancing quality jobs and workforce development initiatives over the past year including an in-person job fair with 40 employers and over 1200 registered jobseekers, child care benefits and investments in early childhood education, and funding local workforce development partnerships with collaborators. Roundtable member Lisa Murray of Citizens accepted the award on behalf of the company and their commitment to workforce development and job creation in Massachusetts.
The Roundtable joined the WSG to host the 13th annual summit, which returned in-person for the first time since 2019 and attracted over 200 registered attendees. The summit featured a series of panels and discussions including early childhood education and impact on jobs, effective, scalable talent development strategies, fostering greater equity in the state's workforce system and more. A special thank you to panelists including Roundtable member Joan Christel of State Street plus representatives from member companies including Joanne Pokaski of Beth Israel Lahey Health, Laura Stout of Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Rahn Dorsey of Eastern Bank Foundation. Thank you also to Roundtable members who sponsored the 13th Annual Summit including Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology, Citizens, Eastern Bank, Google, MassDevelopment, State Street, and Verizon.
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Expanding the Table
Roundtable member companies promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace
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20th Anniversary of Census of Women Directors and Executive Officers: The Roundtable joined The Boston Club and Bentley College to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Boston Club's pioneering Census of Women Directors and Executive Officers. This census includes the 100 largest public companies in Massachusetts based on net revenues, and the companies range in size from Fortune 500 through the Russell 3000. According to the latest data, women now hold 29.6% of the board seats among Census companies and constitute 34% of all independent directors of these companies. Among member companies who participated in this census includes American Tower, Cabot Corporation, Eastern Bank, Everbridge, Eversource, iRobot, Iron Mountain, Lantheus, Raytheon Technologies, State Street, and Vertex. Read the full report to learn more about the latest findings
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Lauren Jones Joins Health Equity Compact: Since the launch of the Health Equity Compact in the spring of 2022, the Compact has grown to reach over 50 employers among health care and biotech companies in Massachusetts and each represented by a senior leader of color. In December 2022, Lauren Jones of the Roundtable accepted the invitation to join the Compact on behalf of the Roundtable to help advance shared interest between the Compact and the Roundtable on workforce priorities within the healthcare industry. Thank you to Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA, Sanchez Strategies, and Beth Israel Lahey Health among many Roundtable members focused on workforce needs within the industry and for Michael Curry of the MA League of Community Health Centers for leading this work statewide. | |
SAVE THE DATE!
C-Suite & Board of Directors Forum
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In partnership with Latino Corporate Directors Association and Latino Leaders, the Roundtable is excited to share the "Save The Date" for you and your network to join for a convening of C-Suite Executive and Board of Directors on January 26, 12:00–7:30 PM in Boston. More details to follow.
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