Businesses Can Lead the Way to a More Welcoming New Hampshire
New Hampshire’s prosperity depends on building communities where everyone can belong. As the Granite State has more people approaching retirement age and other workforce challenges, creating a welcoming environment is essential for our economy. The New Hampshire Center for Justice & Equity (NHCJE) spoke with Zeina Eyceoz, Executive Director of New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility (NHBSR), about the organization’s effort to improve our workplaces, communities, and the environment. In this article, discover how NHBSR is helping businesses embrace their role in shaping a more inclusive economy, and what employers can do to build a stronger, more welcoming New Hampshire.
Impact Beyond the Bottom Line: People, Planet, Prosperity
For 25 years, NHBSR has shown that businesses and their community stakeholders can be powerful drivers of change, helping employers understand that their responsibility extends far beyond their office doors. The New Hampshire organization, though founded on principles similar to the national BSR, focuses on local small and medium-sized businesses because they constitute the majority of businesses across the state. It works closely with its sister organization in Vermont.
NHBSR members range from solo entrepreneurs to the state's largest employers, forming a diverse coalition of over 250 businesses, nonprofits, and educational institutions committed to a sustainable and prosperous state for all. This broad definition of sustainability encompasses everything from fair wages and workplace wellness to carbon footprints and community engagement, an approach aligned with the Triple Bottom Line, which considers: people, planet, and prosperity.
This philosophy also guides NHBSR’s understanding that business success depends on the strength of the communities around it. "If we want to attract a skilled, diverse workforce to New Hampshire, we need welcoming communities so they can come and stay," Eyceoz notes. “We need to make sure they have affordable housing, that their children have childcare and a good public education, and that they feel a sense of belonging," she added.
“If we want to attract a skilled, diverse workforce to New Hampshire, we need welcoming communities so they can come and stay. We need to make sure they have affordable housing, that their children have childcare and a good public education, and that they feel a sense of belonging. ”
Measuring What Matters: A Roadmap for Inclusive, Sustainable Business
NHBSR’s approach to engaging the business sector is practical and comprehensive, with programs that highlight where organizations are excelling and where additional support is needed. Their signature "Measure What Matters" survey evaluates organizations across six key areas: climate, energy, environment, workplace practices, community, governance, and inclusion and belonging. The 100-question assessment measures performance and sparks crucial conversations within organizations. "For a large company to answer that kind of survey, they have to get a group of different people from HR, facilities, and marketing, to sit down and discuss it together," Eyceoz explains.
The survey serves as both a diagnostic tool and a roadmap, providing feedback that shows how companies compare to peers of a similar size, tracks progress year over year, and connects organizations with trusted resources and recommendations. For companies with smaller staffs, NHBSR is redesigning its approach to provide more tailored, accessible support. “Each workplace is going to be different, each organization is going to have different priorities based on what they do,” Eyceoz said. “Our goal is to meet them where they are and provide the tools they need to build more resilient workplaces.”
Mobilizing Businesses to Advocate for Change
While NHBSR's roots are in training and peer networking, recent events pushed the organization into advocacy. The turning point came in 2020, when NHBSR developed inclusion and belonging training that attracted over 3,500 participants. At the same time, the organization began its advocacy efforts, mobilizing its hundreds of members to have a more active voice. "The voice of business does matter, and they're not speaking up as much in Concord," shared Eyceoz. "So we need to bring the voice of business to the legislators."
NHBBSR's approach to advocacy relies on identifying which members are passionate about which issues and building what Eyceoz calls a "business bench" for each topic. When advocacy moments arise, companies already understand the issues and feel prepared to speak up, whether through testimony or sign-on letters. Today, NHBSR's advocacy priorities align closely with community welcoming initiatives, including affordable housing, clean energy, fair and quality education from early childhood through higher education, and policies that support diverse, thriving communities.
Partnerships are also central to this work. Rather than attempting to be experts on every issue, NHBSR partners with specialized groups to bring a unique business perspective to complex social issues. "We look at the ecosystem, we understand how it's impacting business, or how business can move the needle on some topics, and that's where we come in," Eyceoz stated. This translates into things like improving workforce development, employee retention, community attractiveness, and long-term economic sustainability.
“The voice of business does matter, and they’re not speaking up as much in Concord, so we need to bring the voice of business to the legislators.”
Helping Businesses Remain Inclusive
The current political climate has created additional hurdles for businesses committed to inclusive practices. Eyceoz notes a difference in responses to pushback against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. While federally funded organizations are conducting audits of their DEI practices to reduce compliance risks, many smaller, family-owned businesses are reinforcing their commitments. "We've seen some companies double down in language and boldness and speaking up," she observed.
To support members navigating these challenges, NHBSR has partnered with organizations like the NHCJE to provide resources and guidance. Together, they've hosted roundtables on inclusion and belonging in the workplace to help companies address these issues thoughtfully. They've also brought in legal experts to clarify what policies are actually binding versus what amounts to political pressure, and partnered with the ACLU of New Hampshire to address immigration concerns affecting businesses and their employees.
For Eyceoz, businesses looking to maintain their commitment to welcoming, inclusive workplaces while navigating an uncertain environment must lead with knowledge, not fear. Rather than abandoning inclusive practices, businesses can articulate their commitment to fair hiring, equitable workplace policies, and belonging in ways that align with both their values and current legal requirements.
In an era of increasing polarization, this mindset is key to building communities that are resilient and inclusive. And for companies that feel isolated in their commitment, Eyceoz offers reassurance: “Being together in a group gives you courage to speak out.”
NHBSR’s members represent a significant share of New Hampshire’s committed business community. To secure the state’s future, New Hampshire needs more businesses that are engines of their local economies and willing to be community partners, advocates for inclusive policies, and champions for the values that make communities truly welcoming.
“We’ve seen some companies double down in language and boldness, speaking up. Being together in a group gives you the courage to speak out.”
About Zeina Eyceoz
Zeina Eyceoz, Executive Director, NHBSR
Zeina is currently the Executive Director for NH Businesses for Social Responsibility, a member non-profit organization that inspires and supports businesses and their community stakeholders to build a more sustainable and prosperous state for all. She holds a Chemical Engineering degree, an MBA in Strategy and Operations Management from NC State University, and an ALM in Sustainability from Harvard Extension School. Zeina has taught Corporate Sustainability at Harvard Extension and Southern New Hampshire University. With experience in Green Product Design, Life Cycle Analysis, and Project Management, she builds partnerships to address social, environmental, and economic issues. Zeina resides in Nashua with her family, volunteers for local and international nonprofits.