We build business support for policies that promote America's economic competitiveness. Together we can reform health care, transform our schools, promote America's energy independence, protect our environment, and innovate our economy. 

Our Members

Many of America’s largest and most respected businesses – from America's software, telecommunications, media, hospitality, financial services, manufacturing, apparel, defense and pharmaceutical industries – have already joined Business Forward. 

Founding members include AT&T, Fidelity, Ford, Hilton Hotels, HP, IBM, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Pfizer, Qualcomm, Time Warner, Verizon, and Visa.

These firms are working with Business Forward to identify, recruit and brief other business owners, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs of all kinds who support reform and seek a meaningful way to participate in policy debates.

Several other firms have also taken significant leadership roles in Business Forward’s creation.  Our founding small business members include Ecko Unlimited/Sweat Equity Enterprises, SecondMarket, Progreso Financiero, Facebook, and Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. 

Our Approach

We believe how Business Forward acts can have a big impact on what it achieves. Through conferences, press events, policy briefings and other public advocacy, we help business leaders make the case for reform, from reducing health care costs through better IT, to updating our curriculum so that today’s students are better prepared for tomorrow’s jobs. 

We believe business leaders can play a particularly important role in reform debates, because they understand the importance of taking a long-term view – and because employers are among the first to suffer from rising health care costs and other competitive challenges our economy faces. 

Principles

Business Forward's current membership has established several broad principles relating to health care, education, energy, the environment and innovation.

Health Care. Business Forward will support policies that expand access and improve the quality, efficiency and affordability of the U.S. health care system.

Education. Business Forward will support policies that foster reforms and investments in education that improve early childhood education, reduce the high school dropout rate, improve literacy rates, enhance college affordability, and ensure a highly skilled workforce for American businesses, particularly those policies that strengthen science and math education and increase the number of Americans attaining degrees in science, engineering and technology.

Energy and Environment. Business Forward will support policies designed to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and promote the use of alternative energy sources.

Innovation. Business Forward will support policies that encourage America's leadership role in technology, such as federal funding for basic research. This, in partnership with long-term investments in education and worker training can help create high paying, secure jobs. 

Our Values

Our efforts will be governed by four values: 

Participation. Business Forward has launched with the help of several of America’s biggest and most respected companies. But each of these companies agree that Business Forward’s success will depend, in part, on its ability to inform, organize and include business leaders from smaller companies across the U.S. 

Collaboration. We expect to work regularly with other constituencies, including groups most directly affected by America’s current health care, education and environmental challenges. 

Transparency. Business Forward’s advocacy will be public, through papers, press events, member surveys, and media outreach. 

Innovation. Business Forward will focus on what’s good for business, but we also believe that business leaders have a special role to play in making sure that government’s work is as effective as it can be. In op-eds, press briefings and other public events, Business Forward will make the case for policies that help change the way government does business.