MEMPHIS, Tenn — The Greater Memphis Chamber announced Monday its new Gold Standard Certification to distinguish staffing agencies with fair and equitable business practices.
Five local companies will be awarded Gold Standard certification each year. For 2022, after a review conducted by an independent review board, the Chamber gave the following companies Gold Standard certification:
The Gold Standard Certification is a direct result of From Protest to Progress, the Chamber-led initiative to bring together business leaders, activists, and clergy to discuss business-related equity issues in Memphis in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020.
The Chamber said the certification addresses concerns about equitable hiring practices and fair treatment of people finding work through staffing agencies.
"From Protest to Progress was historic because it was the first time businesses and activists really listened to each other," said Greater Memphis Chamber President & CEO Beverly Robertson. "The Gold Standard Certification was created to address the real need of people in our community to know which staffing agencies will treat them fairly, equitably, and with the dignity they deserve."
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To be eligible for certification, the Chamber said staffing agencies must operate in Memphis or Shelby County for three or more years, demonstrate a commitment to ethical and professional standards, submit letters of support from an employee client and business client, and support the success of all of their employee clients.