Taking Back Our Economy with Confidence and with Safety in Mind

LEHIGH VALLEY, PA (May 28, 2020) – In order to instill confidence in our communities, Valley business owners and employees vow to take extra, virus mitigating care in operating restaurants, accommodations, retail locations, offices, manufacturing and distribution facilities to ensure returning customers and employees are confident, safe and secure. The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce is committed to supporting our businesses through these unprecedented times and encourages them to sign The Vow of The Valley.

By pledging to keep the Vow, businesses voluntarily promise to follow certain guidelines that protect employees and customers when it is time to reopen. These guidelines include aggressive cleaning protocols, health surveys for staff before starting their shift, special training, and use of personal protective equipment when possible. In return, businesses ask employees and customers to also follow certain guidelines, which include following social distancing protocols and staying home/visiting another time if feeling sick.

“The more businesses that adopt The Vow, the more solidarity we demonstrate to our communities,” said Tony Iannelli, President & CEO of The Chamber.

“Together we’ll show that the Lehigh Valley is doing everything possible to take back our economy with confidence and with safety in mind and overcome this crisis in the safest and best way possible.”

Although the Valley remains in the ‘red phase’ of Governor Tom Wolf’s statewide reopening plan, the business community must prepare to return to normalcy when the time comes while continuing to help stop the spread.

“It has been obvious to me for some time that the business community in the Lehigh Valley was very forward thinking. However, The Chamber has taken a bold and decisive step here to loudly proclaim that as we get back to work it is going to be a point of emphasis for Valley businesses to provide the maximum protection to their customers and their employees,” said Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure. “The Vow of the Valley is the epitome of what a responsible business will look like in the future.”

Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong agrees. “Proud to work with the Chamber in ensuring that our businesses will follow the protocols set forth to ensure our citizens and businesses will once again feel safe in getting back to normalcy.”

Chamber COO Frank Facchiano added “The Chamber looks forward to returning to normalcy while continuing to help stop the spread. Businesses that are part of The Vow of The Valley will publicly display door signs and flyers at their facilities. When customers see this, they know the business has committed to following guidelines set forth by federal, state, and local agencies.”

Businesses are encouraged to sign and adopt The Vow of The Valley and view additional helpful resources here.

The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)(6) membership organization representing businesses in Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, Monroe and Warren (NJ) counties. GLVCC makes no warranties with respect to the ultimate effectiveness of The Vow of The Valley program and assumes no responsibility for assuring compliance by any business with such guidelines. The Vow of The Valley is a set of voluntary commitments by local businesses to its employees and customers for the COVID-19 recovery period.

For more information, visit our website.

 

About the Chamber:

The mission of The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce is to improve the economy and quality of life in the Lehigh Valley Metropolitan Area. We accomplish this through business-to-business networking events and marketing products, affinity programs and exclusive, money saving member benefits, training programs, government affairs initiatives and public policy advocacy, and community development enterprises. With nearly 5,000 members who employ more than 220,000, the Chamber is the largest in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and in the top ten nationwide. 

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Frank Facchiano
COO & EVP, Member Relations
https://www.lehighvalleychamber.org/

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