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Think differently.
Act collectively.

We are an alliance of companies using our assets and capabilities to address inequities in the greater Chicago region.
Eileen Mitchell
Co-Chair, Corporate Coalition President, AT&T Illinois and AT&T Great Lakes States
Roger Hochschild
Co-Chair, Corporate Coalition
CEO and President, Discover
Maurice Smith
Co-Chair, Corporate Coalition
CEO, Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC)
Eileen Mitchell
President of AT&T Illinois and AT&T Great Lakes States
Maurice Smith
CEO of Health Care Services Corporation (HCSC)
Roger Hochschild
CEO and President of Discover

News

2 women at a Workforce Funders Alliance job fair

2023 February Member Meeting

Our first Corporate Coalition meeting of the year will be 3 – 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16. There will be a reception immediately following from 4:00 - 5:00 PM. Virtual and in person invites have been sent, if you haven’t done so already please RSVP via the updated calendar invites. Questions? Please contact us at info@corpcoalition.org.

Hope you can join us!
2 women at a Workforce Funders Alliance job fair

Showcasing Promising Talent Solutions

Hear directly from companies including Alinea, Discover, Eaton, Everywhere Wireless, Freedman Seating Company, JLL, Pete's Fresh Market, S&C Electric. They will be discussing new strategies for fair chance hiring, utilizing front-line managers as a key to retention, employer role in support services, becoming an employer of choice, retaining youth of color, public commitments spurring action, utilizing civic engagement to build the talent pipeline, and much more.

Read More
Accenture Apprentices with Mike Chiappetta

Rethinking an employee perk uplifts local restaurants and the community

Discover found catering lunch daily from restaurants near their new Chatham call center was a win-win for front-line customer care agents and the community.

Read more
H1B connect graphic

P33 and World Business Chicago Form Coalition to Help Laid-Off Tech Workers with H-1B Visas Find New Jobs in Chicago

Corporate Coalition joins World Business Chicago, P33, the Commercial Club of Chicago and other partners to help support and retain highly skilled and valuable international talent.

Read the World Business Chicago / P33 news release
Aerial view of Chicago neighborhoods with skyline in background.

The Chicago region cannot prosper while more than half of residents are excluded from mainstream economic, civic, and social life.

Regions that are more equitable grow faster than those with high levels of inequality.

Coalition members are taking action.

Based on community input, companies are identifying new ways to deploy their capital, capabilities, and employee enthusiasm.

Now is the time to act.

COVID-19 brought into sharp relief deep racial and economic disparities. The murder of George Floyd refocused the nation's attention on racial justice. Widespread gun violence and its devastating consequences for individuals, families, and whole communities remind us that we must do more than react.

We must address the root causes. We must move beyond "business as usual" to catalyze permanent systemic change.

OUR APPROACH

Business as usual.

Business UNusual.

1. Move beyond philanthropy.

Philanthropy plays a critical role in our region, but businesses can have a greater impact than philanthropists alone. When companies challenge themselves to do business in ways that actively address inequities, change is possible. Equity and business success become linked—each promotes the other's growth.

2. Rethink business investment and operations.

Large and small, public and private, old and new—businesses are the lifeblood of our region. To reduce and sustain reductions in inequality, companies must invest and operate in ways that help businesses, residents, and the entire region thrive.
Hiring from local talent pools
Creating healing-centered workplaces
Investing in community-led real estate
development projects
Retaining and advancing employees
Working with local vendors
Growing business operations regionally

3. Take action.

Our members focus on what they can do today to create sustainable change in the Chicago region. The Coalition offers practical and innovative initiatives that amplify the impact of each hour and dollar spent.
Join Us
See how members take action.

4. Work together.

When we act together, we can challenge "business as usual" and build something new in its place. We can pool our resources and know-how and hold each other accountable for doing more. Together, we have the potential to change the culture of doing business in Chicago.

About Our Membership

Our Initiatives

Chicago Resiliency Network
Corporate Connector
EPIC
Fair Chance
5/25 Move to Action

Chicago Resiliency Network

Building trauma-informed, healing-centered workplaces that are better for employees and better for business.

Companies learning, applying principles, and sharing new practices, challenges, and results.
Learn More
Participation in the Corporate Connector has changed our trajectory.
Melvin Thompson, Endeleo

Corporate Connector

Fostering relationships between catalytic real estate projects, related businesses, and Chicagoland's corporate community.

Bringing expertise and opportunities to community-led real estate developments and businesses to increase the likelihood of success.
Learn More
EPIC is a lifeline for projects that need pre-development capital to unlock opportunity.
Leon Walker, DL3 Realty

EPIC

An innovative equity product that invites companies to invest in community-led catalytic real estate projects in neighborhoods affected by disinvestment.

Capitalizing $50-million pool of funds to provide flexible, patient, risk-tolerant, affordable equity capital.
Learn More

Fair Chance Initiative

Expanding our region's talent pool to include individuals with criminal records—millions of whom can become engaged and productive employees.

Companies come together in a cohort-based program to assess barriers, identify opportunities, and implement strategies with peer companies and local and national experts
Learn More

5/25 Move to Action

Individual corporate commitments to build an inclusive and equitable Chicago by changing business operations—backed by action plans and impact measurement.

25+ firms have made specific pledges to act in three principal categories: inclusive workforce, businesses of color, and neighborhood investments.
Learn More

Take a closer look.

Our members are putting their strengths to work. Everyone has a role to play.

Take Action

Learn more about the ways your company can get involved.
Membership Benefits

Corporate Coalition in Action

Learn more about what drives our co-chairs to challenge business as usual.
Co-Chair Profiles
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INITIATIVES
Chicago Resiliency NetworkCorporate ConnectorEPICFair Chance Initiative5/25 Move to Action
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