The U.S. Chamber Foundation stands ready to help communities navigate the significant challenges they are facing in a time of great uncertainty. Like any major natural disaster, the coronavirus will have a significant impact on workers, businesses, and the economy.
The leadership of the business community has never been more important than in times of crisis. Businesses are on the frontlines of containing the pandemic and have an essential role to play in maintaining the confidence needed to help contain the coronavirus while ensuring continuity of operations and a degree of normalcy to American lives.
For how the U.S. Chamber is responding to this pandemic, the public policy response, and the economic impact of this crisis, please visit the U.S. Chamber of Commerce site.
Business Responds
Corporate Aid Tracker
The business community is mobilizing its expertise and resources to assist with the relief and containment efforts. Our coronavirus (COVID-19) Corporate Aid Tracker lists those businesses that have publicly announced or submitted to us their commitment to supporting their workforce and the greater community impacted through this pandemic.
Don't see your company listed? Use the button below to submit information for your company. If you have questions regarding the tracker, we're here for you. Email us directly.
Here's a snapshot of what the business community is doing to respond to the pandemic.
Citizens Awards Finalists
Over its 21-year history, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Citizens Awards have recognized the most innovative and impactful corporate citizenship programs raising the bar on social responsibility and spearheading the transformation to a strong, healthy and sustainable future.
We are proud to announce the 2020 finalists, highlighting how business has and continues to play a leading role in solving our greatest challenges and supporting our communities amid the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, economic distress, and call for greater inclusion and equity.
To find out who the winners are, join us on November 17-19 at our first-ever virtual awards program taking place in conjunction with the 2020 Corporate Citizenship Conference: Business Solves. You can register for both events here.
Business in Action Interview Series
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The unprecedented spread of COVID-19 has brought a great deal of uncertainty to our world, with communities, businesses, and governments taking drastic measures to adapt to this new reality. As the coronavirus situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the business community is on the frontlines of the fight against the pandemic, demonstrating unparalleled agility and innovation to help our country navigate this health and economic crisis as fast and effectively as possible.
We sat down with business leaders driving the global corporate response to COVID-19 to learn more about their efforts, how they are navigating this uncharted territory, and what advice they have for others.
- Kenny Thompson, Head of External Affairs, PepsiCo
- Cesar Vargas, U.S. Chief External Affairs Officer, Anheuser-Busch
- The COVID-19 Healthcare Coalition
- Reba Dominski, Executive Vice President, U.S. Bank, & Chief Social Responsibility Officer and President, U.S. Bank Foundation
- Eduardo Martinez, President of The UPS Foundation
- Anne H. Chow, Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Business
Resources for Businesses
A Safe Workplace
All employers should be ready to implement strategies to protect their workforce from the coronavirus while ensuring continuity of operations. These resources are designed to help employers and employees prepare for and address the impacts of the coronavirus.
Coronavirus Customizable Workplace Flyer
Customize, print, and post this workplace flyer to communicate to your employees and customers the steps your company is taking to keep them safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Workplace Tips for Employees
Workplace health and safety information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Stay informed about public health recommendations related to the coronavirus and other health threats by visiting the CDC website at www.cdc.gov.
Guidance For Employers To Plan and Respond To Coronavirus
The following guidance may help prevent workplace exposures to acute respiratory illnesses, including the coronavirus, in non-healthcare settings. The guidance also provides planning considerations for community outbreaks of the coronavirus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This guidance is based on what is currently known about the coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
We're in this Together
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are marshaling our full resources to help companies continue to operate and keep American workers and families employed, while mobilizing the business community to combat the pandemic.
- For a full list of resources, webinars, research and advocacy for small businesses, visit uschamber.com/save-small-business.
- CO— is working to bring you the best resources and information to help you navigate this challenging time. Visit the website.
- Developed in partnership with The UPS Foundation, the Resilience in a Box toolkit offers preparedness resources for small businesses.
- This resource center develoepd by Hello Alice is updated daily, with real-world funding, resources, and support for small business owners adapting to the impacts of coronavirus.
Supporting Your Employees
Employee Assistance Funds
The U.S. Chamber Foundation partnered with America’s Charities to offer an Employee Assistance Fund (EAF) program to provide management services for employers looking to support their employees during times of hardship.
An EAF program, also known as an Employee Relief Fund or an Employee Crisis Fund, is a program to help employees cope with unexpected events that place undue financial stress on them and their families, such as the coronavirus, helping them recover more quickly. This demonstrates a company's care for employees and commitment to their well-being, and provides co-workers an opportunity to help their colleagues.
Learn more about how your business can get involved.
Education Resources
Mental Health Resources
Virtual Events
Recent Events
Path Forward
Path Forward, a series produced by the U.S. Chamber Foundation, is designed to help business and community leaders find the answers they need to execute a responsible reopening strategy and plan for a post-pandemic world.
How do we protect employees and customers from the coronavirus? What are some of the barriers to a successful reopening of the economy? Where can my staff get COVID-19 tests? Masks? Gloves? Who’s going to pay for all this? Each episode features conversations between the U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Suzanne Clark and experts with practical recommendations for businesses of all sizes.
Mental Health TeleTalk Series
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The U.S. Chamber Foundation launched a new “pop-up” virtual event series focused on all facets of mental health, well-being, and community building. These virtual events are “pop-up” in nature to adapt to the business community’s changing needs, interest areas, and complex work schedules. The TeleTalks feature expert facilitated or group-based discussions to help individuals, employees, and businesses get the tools they need to find mental health and stability in an otherwise uncertain time.
Topics include:
- Parenting During the Pandemic: Supporting Teens, Tweens and Ourselves Through Challenging Times
- How Brands Are Responding to COVID-19: Flattening Our Mental Health Curve
- Digital Mental Health and Virtual Community Building
- Resourceful, Resilient, and Remote: Mental Health First Aid in the New Work Environment
- Cultivating Wellness in the Workplace: Approaches to Mental Health Training and Education
Building Resilience Through Private-Public Partnerships
As communities around the world begin to recover from the effects of COVID-19, society grapples with what a new normal may look like. This global pandemic has disrupted nearly every aspect of our daily lives—the way we do business, how we worship, and receive an education. These disruptions uncover our vulnerabilities and shine a light on the need for total resilience—protecting individuals, preparing communities, and fortifying social systems.
Now in its ninth year, the Building Resilience Through Private-Public Partnerships Conference focused on the collaboration required among private, public, and nonprofit sectors to help mitigate the effects of all disasters.
This year’s conference, hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation with support from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND, focused on building resilience amid a global pandemic while looking ahead to future emergencies and how we can be better prepared through greater collaboration across sectors.