The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — Events and Interviews

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. This podcast features audio from our events, webinars, interviews, and other conversations. Learn more at aspeninstitute.org/eop

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — Events and Interviews is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 256 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — Events and Interviews, a business show with 256 episodes published.

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  The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — Events and Interviews

  Work and the Social Contract in the Age of AI: How did we get here?

  Sep 28, 20261 hour

  “Social contract” has quickly become one of the most-used, least-defined phrases in the AI policy conversation. This first event in a two-part series will trace the origin and history of the American social contract, examining how work became the anchor of economic security, mobility, and civic identity in the United States. From an economy whose foundations were built on forced and unpaid labor, through the rise of industrialization, the New Deal, a postwar economic boom, financialization, and then globalization, the relationship between workers, employers, and the state has been redefined repeatedly. Panelists will discuss these inflection points, focusing on who was (and was not) party to these agreements — from organized labor and industrial barons to policymakers and grassroots movements — and under what circumstances their compromises established the baseline expectations of a middle-class life. Speakers explore the evolving role of labor and how structural shifts over the 20th century laid the groundwork for today’s economic landscape — including the extent to which AI is a novel force reshaping our society. The discussion provides essential context for today’s leaders to understand their respective roles in forging a new social contract for the 21st century — a discussion that will continue in the second installment of the series: Work and the Social Contract in the Age of AI: Where do we go from here? This conversation was hosted by the Future of Work Initiative , an initiative of the Aspen Institute’s Economic Opportunities Program on September 23, 2026 — explores what drove this transformation, who bears its costs, and what it would take to reverse it. Our speakers include Joseph Blasi (Rutgers University), Chris Hyams (former CEO of Indeed), Marshall Kosloff (Niskanen Center), Liba Wenig Rubenstein (Future of Work Initiative, The Aspen Institute), and Erica Smiley (Jobs with Justice). For more information about this event, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website . For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to our YouTube channel . Or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the go. This event is part of our Opportunity in America series.

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  The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — Events and Interviews

  Disposable Workers: A Book Talk with MIT Sloan Professor Paul Osterman

  Sep 15, 20261 hour

  This event took place on Wednesday, September 9, 2026

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  The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — Events and Interviews

  How Tax Policy Can Help Employers Expand Access to Learning

  Sep 8, 202637 min

  Many employers want to help workers build new skills, advance into better jobs, and meet evolving business needs, but the systems designed to support employer-provided education benefits can be difficult to navigate. Longstanding tax policies like Section 127 and Section 132 offer employers important tools for expanding access to education and training, yet outdated limits and administrative confusion can prevent these benefits from reaching the workers who could use them most. In this interview, Chelsea Miller of Upskill America speaks with Nick Greif of InStride about how employers can design education benefits that are more accessible, strategic, and aligned with workforce goals. Their conversation covers changes coming to Section 127 in 2027, how employers can think about related tax policies, common misconceptions about education benefit programs, and practical ways to build programs that support both business needs and workers’ economic mobility.

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  The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — Events and Interviews

  Metrics that Matter: Improving Financial Analysis of CDFI Small Business Lenders

  Sep 2, 20261 hour

  CDFI boards, leadership teams, investors, and regulators have long relied on a familiar set of financial metrics to assess organizational performance. While measures such as delinquency, loan loss rates, self-sufficiency, and net asset ratios remain important, they often provide an incomplete picture of how effectively a CDFI small business lender is deploying capital, managing risk, serving its target market, and positioning itself for long-term sustainability. In the present moment, navigating the most effective strategies and solutions is more important than ever. This session — hosted by the the Aspen Institute’s Business Ownership Initiative on August 26, 2026 — explores an emerging framework that seeks to move beyond compliance-oriented reporting toward a more integrated view of organizational performance. Participants examine how decisions related to risk, pricing, capitalization, deployment, and operating costs influence both mission outcomes and financial strength and discuss what metrics may better support real-time decision-making for leadership teams, boards, funders, and investors. Our speakers include BOI Senior Director Joyce Klein and Aspen Institute Senior Fellow Brett Simmons, principal at Blue Aster Advising. For more information about this event, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website . For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to our YouTube channel . Or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the go.

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  The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — Events and Interviews

  The Impact of Foundational Skills on Workforce Success

  Aug 25, 202659 min

  Foundational skills — including literacy, math, digital fluency, and English language proficiency — are critical elements for a thriving workforce. Yet, gaps in these essential skills stall employee growth and corporate goals alike. This conversation — hosted by UpSkill America and Lumina Foundation on August 18, 2026 — offers an exclusive look into how innovative employers are turning this challenge into an opportunity. Drawing on early insights from our forthcoming national landscape analysis, this conversation explores the practical impact of foundational skill gaps and highlights the cutting-edge solutions leading companies are deploying to bridge them. Our speakers include Della Adams (Tyson Foods), Quentin Bradley (Ochsner Health), Joe Dunlap (CJK Group), Georgia Reagan (Lumina Foundation), and moderator Chelsea Miller (UpSkill America). For more information about this event, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website . For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to our YouTube channel . Or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the go.

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