In order to instill confidence in our communities, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce has created the Vow of the Valley campaign, encouraging business owners and employees to join together in agreeing to take extra, virus-mitigating care in their establishments to ensure staff and returning customers are confident, safe and secure.

By pledging to keep the Vow of the Valley, businesses voluntarily promise to follow certain guidelines that protect employees and customers when it is time to reopen. These guidelines include aggressive cleaning protocols, health surveys for staff before starting a shift, special training and use of personal protective equipment when possible.

In return, businesses ask employees and customers to also follow certain guidelines, which include following social distancing protocols and staying home/visiting another time if feeling sick.

“The more businesses that adopt the ‘Vow,’ the more solidarity we demonstrate to our communities,” Tony Iannelli, GLVCC president and CEO, said. “Together, we’ll show that the Lehigh Valley is doing everything possible to take back our economy with confidence and with safety in mind and overcome this crisis in the safest and best way possible.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced Lehigh and Northampton counties will enter the yellow phase of reopening June 5.

“It has been obvious to me for some time that the business community in the Lehigh Valley was very forward thinking,” Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure said in support of the Vow of the Valley. “However, the Chamber has taken a bold and decisive step here to loudly proclaim that as we get back to work, it is going to be a point of emphasis for Valley businesses to provide the maximum protection to their customers and their employees.

“The Vow of the Valley is the epitome of what a responsible business will look like in the future,” McClure said.

Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong agreed.

“Proud to work with the Chamber in ensuring that our businesses will follow the protocols set forth to ensure our citizens and businesses will once again feel safe in getting back to normalcy,” Armstrong said.

According to GLVCC COO Frank Facchiano, “The Chamber looks forward to returning to normalcy while continuing to help stop the spread. Businesses that are part of the Vow of the Valley will publicly display door signs and fliers at their facilities. When customers see this, they know the business has committed to following guidelines set forth by federal, state and local agencies.”

Additional information on the Vow of the Valley can be found on the GLVCC website, lehighvalleychamber.org.