The Mass General Brigham (MGB) Board of Trustees created an anchor strategy for the health system in 2019, with the aim of utilizing our business activities to strategically invest in the health and well-being of the communities we serve. As an anchor institution, MGB intends to create more opportunities within our economic activity in hiring, investing, building, and purchasing for under-represented individuals and businesses.
MGB is utilizing Massachusetts General Hospital’s Phillip and Susan Ragon Building Project as a catalyst to launch our broader anchor strategy. The multi-year construction that will enable the hospital to address ongoing growth of services and the need for increased capacity. The aim of implementing an anchor strategy within the Ragon Building Project is to advance the racial, gender, and economic equity of the individuals and businesses working on the construction of the Ragon Building Project.
To design, lead, and monitor the Ragon Building Project anchor strategy work, we have engaged diverse leaders from the hospital, health system, and our communities. We also established an Anchor Team to oversee progress of the work. Together, we identified 3 anchor strategy initiatives within the Ragon Building Project to create meaningful and long-term systemic change in the Greater Boston real estate and construction industries.
- Underrepresented Business Enterprises – Increase the participation of minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses within the Ragon Building Project.
- Workforce Development – Implement innovative approaches to advance diversity among the Ragon Building Project laborers, technicians, and employees.
- Youth Engagement – Expand opportunities for youth and young adults in Greater Boston to learn about and pursue careers in the construction and skilled trades industries.
The Ragon Building Project will help identify important lessons to utilize when scaling our anchor strategy and expanding to other projects and areas across the health system.