The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — Events and Interviews

With more than 40% of workers in the US employed by businesses with more than 1,000 employees, many look to the outsized influence these employers can have on how we design work and jobs. As a result, engaging and collaborating with these businesses where possible is necessary to improving job quality and working conditions.

While their size and scale offers job quality practitioners the potential for big changes, engaging large bus...

As employers know, finding the right employee for a role can be difficult even during the best of times. Meanwhile, many workers with the right experience are locked out entirely because they lack the prescribed degrees or traditional academic credentials. Skills-based talent development brings these two together, benefiting both job seekers and organizations.

Framing talent development around defined skills, rather than only degree...

A core shared value in American society, one deeply woven into our national narrative, is the belief in equal opportunity — the idea that everyone should have a fair chance to succeed based on their effort, talent, and ambition, regardless of their background.

Equal opportunity in the American workplace has deep roots in the nation’s struggle for civil rights and economic fairness. Though disparities remain for women, different raci...

Each of the last ten years ranks among the hottest on record, with 2024 taking the top spot. As the world heats up, nearly a third of the workforce is at risk, especially workers in groundskeeping, construction, and agriculture. But it isn’t just outdoor workers who face danger. Many of the drivers and warehouse workers who form the backbone of our on-demand economy spend their days in hot vans and warehouses, without air condition...

Efforts to improve work and working conditions in the US have been underway since our nation’s inception. While labor unions have historically led this work, the growing prevalence of low-wage, precarious jobs has inspired a broader movement. Today, a diverse array of leaders across sectors are advancing bold solutions to “fix work” — to ensure every job in our economy is a good job. The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Pr...

In this clip, the Aspen Institute’s Maureen Conway and Rutgers University’s Joseph Blasi provide closing remarks at the 2025 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum. For a transcript and additional resources, visit our website: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/videos/joseph-blasi-and-maureen-conway-give-closing-remarks-at-the-2025-employee-ownership-ideas-forum/ 

Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go: https://creators....

In this clip, JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Gwyneth Galbraith speaks at the 2025 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum. 

For additional resources, visit our website: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/videos/jpmorgan-chase-co-s-gwyneth-galbraith-speaks-at-the-2025-employee-ownership-ideas-forum/ 

Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/aspeneop/

For other session videos, visit the Asp...

In this clip, ESCA President Stephanie Silverman speaks at the 2025 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum. 

For additional resources, visit our website: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/videos/esca-president-stephanie-silverman-speaks-at-the-2025-employee-ownership-ideas-forum/ 

Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/aspeneop/

For other session videos, visit the Aspen Institute ...

Health care is one of our nation’s largest industries and employers. Though worker-owned cooperatives have a fairly significant presence in this industry, largely through home care, only about 2% of ESOPs are in healthcare. But these dynamics may also change as more clinics, private practices, and direct-care companies look to employee ownership to strengthen their performance, create better jobs, and retain their independence. Som...

Improving job quality doesn’t just benefit workers; it can also strengthen small businesses themselves and the broader communities they serve. Yet, many small business owners lack the resources and knowledge needed to improve the quality of their jobs. Trusted partners, like community development financial institutions (CDFIs), can make a meaningful difference.

Through its Shared Success demonstration, the Aspen Institute’s <...

In this clip, NCEO Executive Director Loren Rodgers speaks at the 2025 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum. 

For additional resources, visit our website: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/videos/nceo-executive-director-loren-rodgers-speaks-at-the-2025-employee-ownership-ideas-forum/ 

Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/aspeneop/

For other session videos, visit the Aspen Inst...

Small businesses are the backbone of American communities and form one of the nation’s most trusted institutions. Restaurants and retail stores on Main Street, auto repair shops, construction contractors, daycare centers, beauty salons, barber shops, and various service-based businesses, among others, are a key part of the social and economic fabric of America. But they face a number of challenges, including accessing capital, high...

Employee ownership has gained increasing recognition and support from investors in recent years. However, attracting scaled institutional capital remains a challenge for the field. The perceived complexity of employee ownership, uncertainty about returns, regulatory and fiduciary challenges, and a lack of understanding about how the model works pose significant challenges to capital market adoption. In this conversation from the 20...

In this clip, the Ford Foundation’s Margot Brandenburg speaks at the 2025 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum. For additional resources, visit our website: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/videos/the-ford-foundations-margot-brandenburg-speaks-at-the-2025-employee-ownership-ideas-forum/ 

Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/aspeneop/

For other session videos, visit the Aspen...

Markets and our economy don’t just happen — they’re crafted. While we often hear about the “free market” as a natural force governed by the invisible hand, the reality is far more intentional. In the US, markets are shaped by the decisions of policymakers, business leaders, and advocates. These decisions determine who benefits, who bears the risk, and what goals we prioritize. Understanding markets means understanding the people wh...

In this clip, ASU’s Dr. Christos Makridis speaks at the 2025 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum. For additional resources, visit our website: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/videos/asus-dr-christos-makridis-speaks-at-the-2025-employee-ownership-ideas-forum/ 

Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/aspeneop/

For other session videos, visit the Aspen Institute Economic Opportu...

American workers have faced numerous setbacks in the 21st century, including the Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic, continued wage stagnation, and an escalated cost of living. While workers made some gains following the pandemic, thanks to a tight labor market and because of a spike in organizing, many still feel their needs are unmet, a major theme of the recent election. Too many workers still live in precarity — a situation...

Lauren Starks, director of Good Companies/Good Jobs at the Aspen Institute, recently sat down with two Shared Success grantees — Andrea Levy, senior program manager at California Farmlink, and Janet Brugger, Business Navigator, Colorado Enterprise Fund — to discuss how they’ve worked with various public and private partners to recruit small businesses and provide technical assistance with an eye toward providing quality jobs.

Ab...

Markets and our economy don’t just happen — they’re crafted. While we often hear about the “free market” as a natural force governed by the invisible hand, the reality is far more intentional. In the US, markets are shaped by the decisions of policymakers, business leaders, and advocates. These decisions determine who benefits, who bears the risk, and what goals we prioritize. Understanding markets means understanding the people wh...