Today, as a complement to our regular event series, we’re pleased to present a special conversation between our executive director, Maureen Conway, and Michael Lastoria, founder and CEO of the pizza chain &pizza. The core of our work here at the Aspen Institute rests on increasing the number of good jobs in our economy, and Michael has been a leader and an innovator in this space for many years.
In this conversation — which took place in March of this year — we learn how the desire to create good jobs inspired Michael to launch &pizza in the first place; we discuss how better jobs lead to better business outcomes; we uncover the strategic value of soliciting feedback from employees; we outline the problems with treating labor as a commodity; we discuss how new technologies can enhance workers’ experiences on the job, rather than simply attempting to replace them; and we identify the role of government action in serving to raise the bar across industries.
For a summary of the conversation, as well as additional resources and takeaways, check out this blog post on our website: Job Quality as the Cornerstone: A Conversation with &pizza’s Michael Lastoria. And visit us on YouTube to enjoy these highlights from the discussion:

&pizza: A Model of Unity, Fair Wages, and Social Impact
Fostering Resilience and Authenticity: &pizza's Employee-Centric Success
Empowering Worker Voices
Predictable and Stable Scheduling
Empowering Workers Through Automation and Enhancing Customer Experience
Wages and the Role of Government

Finally, to learn about ways you can increase the availability of good jobs in your organization, we invite you to explore the many resources on our website, including our Job Quality Tools Library, our Job Quality Center of Excellence, and our Statement on Good Jobs, to which Michael is one of over 200 signatories. We encourage you to read and consider signing on behalf of your organization, as well.