Indiana’s Economic Future Phase I Report
The health of the economy in Indiana is critically important for all in the state. Over the past decade, the overall performance of Indiana’s economy has been on par with Indiana’s Midwestern neighbors, but still has lagged behind national GDP growth. This is demonstrated by the state’s average annual inflation-adjusted GDP growth of 1.99% for 2010-2019 compared to national growth of 2.3%. This performance ranked Indiana 20th among states across the decade. This report is the first in a planned set of two, with this first focused on visualizing the structure and trajectory of Indiana’s economy and its underlying industrial economic drivers. It also seeks to preliminarily identify the parameters that need to be addressed, and opportunities to be pursued, to generate a high-performance economic future. Ultimately the complete program of work is focused on charting a pathway forward [...]
Racial disparities in education and workforce limit opportunities for individuals and talent for employers
Report finds poor K-12 outcomes, high waiver diploma usage, and declining college enrollment among the key factors in education and workforce opportunity gaps. INDIANAPOLIS (November 9, 2021) — Black and Hispanic residents in Indiana and Marion County experience significant gaps in education outcomes and employment opportunities compared to white residents, a new analysis shows. Disparities are pronounced in K-12 education and continue through postsecondary education and the workforce, hindering individuals’ ability to prosper, businesses’ ability to thrive, and the vitality of the city and state. The report, released today by Business Equity for Indy’s (BEI) Learning and Talent Opportunities Taskforce, examines public data from the U.S. Census, Indiana Management Performance Hub and other state agencies. The Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation and Ascend Indiana produced the analysis. In Marion County, of the 3,077 Black students who graduated high school in the [...]
Business Equity for Indy marks one year of advancing racial equality
INDIANAPOLIS – Business Equity for Indy (BEI), a joint venture of Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) and the Indy Chamber, in collaboration with the Indianapolis Urban League, today hosted a virtual event to highlight the corporate community’s progress in activities and programs to improve racial equity and economic opportunity across Central Indiana. “Business Equity for Indy (BEI) was formed last summer during a period of intense racial tension across our nation following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Over the past year, BEI member companies have come together to outline meaningful actions to advance racial equity across Central Indiana,” said Jeffrey Harrison, BEI Chair and President & CEO of Citizens Energy Group. The event also commemorated one year of the Indy Racial Equity Pledge, a commitment by corporate and civic organizations to advance racial equity in Indianapolis and neighboring [...]
Business Equity for Indy publishes playbook to help employers navigate workforce vaccinations
INDIANAPOLIS (September 1, 2021)— With cases of the COVID-19 delta variant on the rise in recent weeks and the FDA’s full approval of the Pfizer vaccine, Business Equity for Indy’s (BEI) Impediments to Health Taskforce has published the Vaccinations Employer Playbook to provide clear, actionable recommendations and implementation resources for employers of all sizes to increase employee vaccination rates. These resources are designed to be especially valuable for small and medium-sized businesses, consolidating critical insights to assist decision-makers. “The delta variant is surging across the nation. It is more transmissible, often more severe, and is stretching our medical system to its limit,” said Chris Weaver, Chief Clinical Officer, IU Health. “Employers have a critical role to help protect their employees and increase vaccination rates to end the pandemic. The Vaccinations Employer Playbook was created to be a helpful tool for [...]
Business Equity for Indy (BEI): Beyond the Logo contest – Winners announced
Over the past year, the global pandemic has challenged us in ways that we did not think possible. For Black people and other communities of color, those challenges have been heightened by preexisting racial disparities and inequities. For others, these compounding issues have created a call for meaningful action and immediate progress toward racial equity. Businesses are stepping up with a strengthened commitment to make concrete changes to the way they do business in an effort to advance racial equity around our region. The Business Equity for Indy (BEI) initiative, a joint venture between the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) and the Indy Chamber in collaboration with the Indianapolis Urban League, was formed in response to these calls for action. The initiative is now looking to brand its work and over the past several months has conducted the "Beyond [...]
David Johnson: Bold Action from University Leaders on Vaccination Deserves Commendation, Not Condemnation
In a recent Inside INdiana Business Perspectives article, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership President and CEO David Johnson explains why bold action taken by universities in Indiana to require that all students, faculty and employees be vaccinated before returning to school in the fall should be commended. Johnson says university leaders including IU President Michael McRobbie should be commended for their thoughtful and data-informed decisions that have characterized their leadership throughout the course of the pandemic, including the decision that some have reached now to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for all students, faculty and employees. [READ MORE] (Source: Inside INdiana Business, CICP)
David Johnson: Indiana has everything to gain from Endless Frontier Act
In a recent op-ed published in the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ), David Johnson, president and CEO of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) talks about why Indiana has everything to gain from the Endless Frontier Act. The Act is visionary bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by Indiana Senator Todd Young and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that would authorize the federal government to invest more than $9 billion in accelerating regional technology hubs throughout the country. [READ MORE] (Source: Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ), CICP)
