Staff Report //June 16, 2020//
Lowcountry businesses and organizations are being urged to take a pledge to put health and safety first among employees, customers and suppliers by taking the One Region Ready Pledge.
The Charleston Regional Development Alliance said in a news release that the pledge is part of the One Region collaborative, which focuses on “building a stronger, more inclusive regional economy.”
Local businesses can show employees, clients and vendors they have made a commitment to health and safety as businesses across the region and state reopen after shutting down during the coronavirus pandemic.
Businesses and organizations taking the pledge get materials to add to their offices, storefronts and websites. They’re also added to a searchable database on the One Region Ready website.
Organizers said this allows customers, clients and vendors to search by name or industry to determine which companies and organizations are following the One Region Ready guidelines on safety.
“One Region Ready will serve as an important signal to consumers about where they can safely visit,” CRDA Chairman John Hagerty said. “I know I will personally feel more confident visiting places of business that have taken the safety-first pledge.”
One Region was launched in 2016 as a strategic initiative to make the region more competitive across Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties.
The One Region Ready plan include guidance from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accelerateSC, the Medical University of South Carolina, and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. The goal is to help businesses in the Charleston region know how and when to safely reopen.
“One Region Ready is a public pledge where organizations certify they are following the One Region guidelines,” One Region Chairman Gen. Hank Taylor said in the news release. “This pledge is a critical step to ensuring the safety of employees and customers, ultimately increasing consumer confidence and bringing people safely back to restart our economy.”
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