The Transportation First Series offers a platform to discuss the challenges faced by our region, with the input of experts and changemakers.
06/12/2025
2:45pm - 4:30pm
Hybrid | Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Hear from Senator Edward J. Markey, a consumer champion and leader on energy, environmental protection, and telecommunications policy.
06/16/2025
9:45am - 11:00am
Boston Marriott Long Wharf
This Women's Network event will offer an insightful conversation with Dr. Melissa Gilliam, the 11th President of Boston University and both the first woman and the first Black woman to lead the institution since its founding in 1869.
06/18/2025
11:30am - 1:00pm
Fairmont Copley Plaza
This program is in redevelopment. Click this page for DEI resources.
Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.
Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.
Join us on June 12 for a highly interactive virtual workshop with Strategic Career & Leadership Coach Carole-Ann Penney.
City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.
We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).
Small businesses are the backbone of the Boston economy. Learn more about the resources available through the Chamber.
BIMA (the Boston Interactive Media Association) serves a vibrant community of like-minded professionals from agencies, brands, publishers, and ad-tech companies with business interests in the New England market.
For over 30 years, the Chamber’s Women’s Network has connected female professionals of all background and career levels. Today, our Women’s Network is the largest in New England, strengthening the professional networks of women each year.
The Massachusetts Apprentice Network convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources interested in developing and implementing apprenticeship programs in occupations across industries and statewide in fields such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and more.
Explore our mission and values to better understand how we are leading the business community forward.
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April 2, 2024
Media Contact: Casey Baines [email protected]
Chamber and Massachusetts Nonprofit Network File Amicus Brief in Vita v. New England Baptist Hospital
Chamber and MNN Urge SJC to Protect All Businesses from Unreasonable Penalties for Normal Website Use
BOSTON, MA – On Wednesday, March 13, 2024, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (the “Chamber”) and the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (“MNN”) filed an amicus brief supporting the defendants in Vita v. New England Baptist Hospital (No. SJC-13542). The amicus brief urges the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to hold that the routine use of standard website analysis and advertising technology, also known as AdTech, does not violate the Massachusetts Wiretap Act. If the Superior Court’s decision were to stand, any business in the Commonwealth that monitors utilization of their website may be subject to massive civil and criminal penalties placing companies across Massachusetts at a competitive disadvantage.
The amicus brief argues that the Superior Court’s decision is contrary to the Court’s recent cases that narrowly interpret the Wiretap Act, the decision diverges from the legislative intent of the Wiretap Act, and the decision disregards the significant difference between website browsing and telephone calls. The 1968 Wiretap Act criminalizes eavesdropping on the conversations of two parties, but website browsing is a multi-party activity, involving publicly-accessible servers and commonly used notice of “cookies” and other technologies to monitor online activity. If the Court holds that everyday monitoring of websites violates the Wiretap Act, it will detrimentally impact for-profit and non-profit businesses of all sizes and across all industries.
The outcome of the case could have major repercussions to conducting business in the Commonwealth and hinder both large and small businesses with an online presence. It could also seriously hamper innovation and new business formation utilizing online resources: in 2023, the state ranked 47th in the number of new business formations per capita, according to a report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that is based on census report data.
“With this amicus brief, the Chamber and MNN recognize the importance of common advertising technology to everyday business practices for companies and non-profits of all sizes and across every industry. To penalize companies for the use of advertising technology would place Massachusetts as an outlier and place a significant burden on businesses across the Commonwealth,” said James E. Rooney, President & CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.
There are significant concerns about the potential impact that the court’s decision could have on the nonprofit sector: nonprofit organizations employ approximately 18 percent of the Commonwealth’s workforce and provide essential services and benefits to vulnerable communities and populations in need throughout the state.
“The impacts of this litigation could be catastrophic for nonprofits as well as for businesses,” said Jim Klocke, CEO of MNN. “Nonprofits rely heavily on technology to connect with and serve their constituents. This litigation, if allowed to advance, will impose immense costs on all types of nonprofits simply because they have used widely-available software to run their organizations. The result would be fewer services for people in need.”
Download the Amicus Brief here.
About the Amicus Advisory Board
The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce created the Amicus Advisory Board to ensure that public policy efforts are elevated to the Supreme Judicial Court and the judicial branch hears the voice of Chamber members. Members of the Advisory Board review and determine whether to file amicus curiae briefs, which emphasize the significant and far-reaching impact of the S.J.C.’s decisions on the state’s economy, the business community, the conduct of commerce, and the Chamber’s policy priorities. Learn more at Amicus Advisory Board..
About the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber is the convener, voice, and advocate of the region’s business community, committed to making Greater Boston the best place for all businesses and all people to thrive. We help our members and Greater Boston succeed by convening and connecting the business community; researching, developing and advocating for public policies that contribute to our region’s economic success; and providing comprehensive learning and development programs designed to grow strong business and civic leaders. Learn more at BostonChamber.com.
About the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network
The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) brings together nonprofits, funders, business leaders, and elected officials to strengthen nonprofits and raise the sector’s voice on critical issues. The network has more than 600 nonprofit member organizations and more than 100 for-profit affiliate partners. www.massnonprofitnet.org.
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