Elmhurst Chamber Commits to Equality of Opportunity Initiative

The Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry is among more than 500 state and local chambers of commerce and associations that have joined the United States Chamber of Commerce’s Equality of Opportunity Initiative to power a nationwide effort to advance economic inclusion across our society through business leadership.The initiative builds on the U.S. Chamber’s work and expertise with a focus on reform in four issue areas: education, employment, entrepreneurship, and criminal justice.

“The Elmhurst Chamber is committed to the cause of broadening workplace opportunities and economic advancement for all Americans within a corporate environment, small business setting or entrepreneurial scenario,” stated John R. Quigley, ECCI President and CEO since 1999.ECCI participated in the U.S. Chamber’s Equality of Opportunity National Summit on June 25 to explore some of the underlying challenges driving inequality of opportunity and chart a path to actionable, data-driven solutions.

State and local chamber partners and industry associations have committed to hosting similar dialogues and taking action in their own communities and across their sectors to address inequality of opportunity.The initiative aligns with the U.S. Chamber’s mission and shared purpose to help businesses grow the economy and create jobs, and marks the latest in a series of activities the U.S. Chamber has done to promote a more just and equal society. Most recently, the U.S. Chamber sent a letter to members of Congress urging lawmakers to pass bipartisan policing reforms before Labor Day.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is holding a three-part webinar series, “It Matters:   Building an Inclusive Workplace Culture in Times of Crisis,” where participants will hear from industry leaders about why culture and inclusion are critical pillars to a productive workplace.

As a   leader in removing barriers standing between people and opportunity, the U.S. Chamber championed the First Step Act, passed in 2018, to bring needed reforms to the criminal justice system and help formerly incarcerated individuals rebuild their lives through meaningful employment.