The Greater Houston Partnership has launched the Best Place for Working Parents®, an online self-assessment enabling local business leaders to determine whether their organization qualifies to earn the designation. Originating in Fort Worth in 2020, the confidential online business self-assessment allows businesses of all sizes tout innovative practices that are helping today’s working parents provide for their families, and adapt and thrive at work during extraordinary times. The assessment highlights the top 10 research-backed policies proven to benefit working parents and businesses’ bottom line. The assessment also provides a real-time dashboard of how a business fares against other businesses of like size and industry across each of the top 10 family-friendly practices in their region. While family-friendly policies have a direct impact on working parents, research shows that there is also a serious business case for being family-friendly: 83% of millennials would leave one job for another with stronger family-friendly support. Replacing an employee costs an employer six to nine months of that employee’s salary. Over 60% of working parents said child care issues have caused them to miss work. Employers lose $13 billion annually due to child care challenges faced by their workforce.    As the lead organization in the Houston region, the Partnership encourages businesses to participate in the assessment and learn more about the effectiveness of their policies. The self-assessment offers real-time designations to businesses of all sizes whose family-friendly policies qualify through a first-of-its-kind, 3-minute online self-assessment. The Best Place for Working Parents® designation for qualifying businesses can be accessed at business.bestplace4workingparents.com. View these additional resources to learn more about the assessment and why it's important.  Case Studies The Family-Friendly Initiative Participating Workplaces Gaining a Competitive Edge through Family-Friendly Policies 2023 National Trends Report “Getting Back to Work” Research Report 2024 National Summit

Houston continues to evolve as a premier destination for life sciences and biomanufacturing through a multifaceted strategy that capitalizes on its existing strengths and fosters innovation and growth.   Since its inception in 1945, the Texas Medical Center has evolved into a vast medical district spanning 5 square miles  and serving over ten million patients annually.  More than 60 institutions operate within the Texas Medical Center, serving as a catalyst for Houston’s collaborative ecosystem, with efforts like the Cell Therapy Manufacturing Center, JLABS@TMC and CUBIO. This helps set the stage for groundbreaking research and provides direct access to nearly 5,000 active clinical trials, a major boon to innovation.   Recent years have witnessed significant strides in laying a robust foundation for Houston's position as a leader in innovative life sciences and biotechnology. These efforts came into focus last month at Bisnow’s Life Sciences Evolution event, with leaders in the life sciences industry, real estate and innovation envisioning the future growth of the Houston life sciences market. Among the assets shared as advantages were access to clinical trials, business environment, workforce efforts and quality of life.   “Having access to the patient population is critical to success, especially a diverse population,” Monique Knighten, PhD of Portal Innovations said. “There’s a key benefit to have access to these clinical trials and the expertise involved, as well as living close to where the science is being developed.”   Legislative actions, such as the passage of Proposition 10 in November which provides new incentives for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, enhances the region's competitiveness and economic prospects. Additionally, investments in workforce development, exemplified by collaborations between educational institutions and industry partners like San Jacinto College and the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), ensure a skilled talent pool for the future.  “The relationships with companies, colleges and high schools are integral,” Pearland EDC Vice President Brian Malone said on the panel at Bisnow discussing suburban life sciences growth. “We’ve really worked hard on that with a business retention plan to find out what type of training and what type of workers these companies need.”   Furthermore, substantial real estate investments further support life sciences research and development. TMC’s Helix Park opened in 2023 with the TMC Collaborative Building and industry research hub Dynamic One, with new tenant Houston Methodist leasing 75,800 square feet. Just north inside the Medical District, Hines’ Levit Green is now leasing nearly 300,000 square feet of purpose-built lab and office space as part of a future 53-acre district. On the northeast side of the metro, McCord’s master-planned Generation Park recently broke ground on a new Center for Biotechnology in partnership with San Jacinto College. In The Woodlands, Alexandria is developing 8800 Technology Forest Place into 325,000 square feet of Class A space.   Initiatives such as the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) and a thriving innovation ecosystem further reinforce the city's position at the forefront of bioscience breakthroughs and economic impact.  With strategic advantages like its top-ranked port, diverse population, and accessibility to global markets, Houston is poised to further elevate its status as a hub for life sciences innovation. As Houston continues to advance its life sciences and biotechnology sector, opportunities for collaboration and growth abound, driving progress in public health and driving the next wave of bioscience innovation.   Explore Houston's dynamic life sciences ecosystem.