DENVER, CO-Best for Colorado, a statewide initiative led by a coalition of 30 businesses and governmental groups, invites all Colorado companies to strive to be the best for Colorado’s workers, communities, and the environment.
“Businesses in Colorado have an incredible power and opportunity to be an agent of change against the economic and social challenges that our workers and communities face. I am encouraged that so many businesses have already stepped up, and I urge others to join them now,” says Governor John Hickenlooper.
This landmark program kicks off this month by asking 500 Colorado companies to complete the Best for Colorado Challenge by December 11, 2017.
Currently, 125 Colorado companies are already participating ranging from Snooze Eatery to New Belgium Brewing to DanoneWave.
Fallene Wells, owner of Let em Have It Salon says, “We offer flexible scheduling, paid holidays, and paid days to volunteer, alongside regular and on-going professional development about our industry. And this program helped us affirm these investments into our employees and consider how we could transition some of our staff to full-time.”
Leslie James of ParkiFi, says, “We learned a lot about what we were doing well, and a lot more about areas that we haven’t had a chance to affect. For example, this Challenge helped us see that as a tech startup, we have an opportunity to diversify our talent pool across age, race and ethnicity, gender and overall employment background as we scale.”
The Best for Colorado Challenge is a free, online tool that helps businesses learn what is best practice – best business practice in creating higher quality jobs, stronger communities, and preserving the environment. Once businesses complete the Challenge, the tool shows how they compare to other companies regarding these practices and provides pointers on how to improve.
Over 30 program partners representing influential civic, University, nonprofit and business network organizations have stepped up to help businesses improve on their practices through workshops and one-on-one support with Best for Colorado. Partners include B Lab, the Colorado community of Certified B Corporations, Colorado Companies to Watch, Denver Metro SBDC, Metro Chamber of Commerce, B: Civic, the Colorado Office of Economic Development (OEDIT), the City and County of Denver, the City of Lakewood, the City of Fort Collins, Accion, Colorado Enterprise Fund, The Commons on Champa, Worklife Partnership, The Piton Foundation, and many others.
The program launches with an event on June 8, at the Governor’s residence, historic Boettcher Mansion, where more than 100 business and civic leaders will gather to celebrate the businesses already participating and doing great things for our state.
Colorado is one of four U.S.-based regions piloting a similar program this year alongside New York City, Philadelphia, and Rhode Island.
“Colorado is home to some of the most innovative, inspiring, and impactful companies in the world. And yet, we have room to grow. If even one percent of businesses in our state stepped up to do just one thing to help create good jobs and stronger communities, it would affect the future of thousands of Coloradans,” says B Lab Colorado Director, Kim Coupounas.