One Region was founded nearly five years ago with the goal of creating an opportunity for all people and businesses of the Charleston region to flourish. Our aspiration is, and has always been, to help improve the region – not just for some, but for all.

We join with our neighbors and small businesses in looking at recent events with immense sadness and mourning and wholeheartedly support changes to address injustice and racism in our society.

After careful consideration and thought, we are renaming our recent business re-opening plan in sensitivity and mindfulness toward our country’s and region’s recent events. The newly named “One Region Ready” plan and guidelines will remain the area’s only cross-county, cross-industry partnership for re-opening businesses following the COVID-19 pandemic. This critical initiative from One Region will ensure that all businesses, including small and minority owned businesses, across all industries, within all communities, operate in a safe and healthy manner.

We understand that there remains a great deal more to do within our community to root out injustice. We will work to ensure those who have not benefited from our recent economic prosperity are given the opportunities to thrive in our recovery. We are also committed, now more than ever, to ensuring that as we re-open and rebuild our region, we do so in a way that is for the betterment of everyone, especially those whose voices have not been heard in the recent years of prosperity. We remain as determinedly committed to that value today as we did five years ago.