Colorado businesses start Road to Recovery Initiative to get employees working again

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Leaders from a wide range of industries and backgrounds are working together to develop recommendations for getting Coloradans back to work.

This week marks the launch of The Road to Recovery Initiative developed by the Colorado Business Roundtable and Common Sense Institute.

Organizers told KRDO an executive from Governor Jared Polis' office is assisting the project, which includes local leaders from big corporations like AT&T, BP, and IBM.

Local businesses and organizations like ARC Thrift Stores, Buckley AFB, the Colorado Contractors Association, the Colorado Association of Realtors are also participating.

They believe "while COVID-19 has brought unprecedented challenges in terms of health and safety for Coloradans and the business community, the disruption has brought an opportunity to rethink and rework policies that could further elevate Colorado into a faster and more sustainable economic recovery."

Above all Debbie Brown, President of the Colorado Business Roundtable, told KRDO they want to monitor any new legislation that might impact the economy.

"What is the potential cost to the economy? Right now, we don't really measure things with that aspect in terms of price tag," Brown explained.

They also hope to expand internet access for remote workers and students across the state.

"[We're] making sure they have the devices they need to learn in the short and long term as well," Brown said.

Here's a full list of businesses and organizations involved in The Road to Recovery project during its launch:

• ARC Thrift Stores
• AT&T
• AveXis, Inc.
• Barton Institute
• BP
• Buckley AFB
• Century Link
• Colorado Association of Realtors
• Colorado Business Roundtable
• Colorado Contractors Association
• Colorado State University
• Colorado Succeeds
• Colorado Workforce Development Council Office
• Common Sense Institute
• Coorstek
• Deloitte
• Denver Metro Commercial Association of Realtors
• Governor's Office State Planning & Budgeting
• Haselden Construction
• IBM
• Jacobs Engineering
• JP Morgan Chase
• Liberty Oilfield Services
• Rocky Mountain MCA
• Sapientia, LLC
• Stevinson Group, Inc.
• Strategic Initiatives Group, APPLE
• The O’Neil Group
• Zayo Group, LLC