New York, June 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New Inclusive Hiring Center Opens to Promote Racial Equity at Scale
The Center for Open Hiring™ at Greyston launches to educate corporate America on solutions for welcoming ALL people with barriers to employment into the workforce – including refugees, formerly incarcerated people and more
New York, NY (June 12, 2018) – The Center for Open Hiring™ at Greyston launches today, giving corporate America the tools to drive more radical inclusive hiring strategies and address racial inequalities. The mission of The Center, run by pioneering social enterprise Greyston, is to advance the widespread adoption of Greyston Open Hiring Model, and support corporate America’s growing desire to use its business and influence to create a more inclusive economy.
Open Hiring is the practice of welcoming people into the workforce with zero judgment and by asking no incriminating questions in the application and job interview process. It is a proven hiring and talent retention solution for businesses everywhere, while also addressing major socio-economic issues impacting communities globally. Open Hiring creates opportunities for everyone: women, men, people of color, people of all faiths and sexual orientations, immigrants and refugees, veterans, the economically disadvantaged, the formerly incarcerated and all others who may have been excluded from contributing to the health and strength of society.
The Center for Open Hiring at Greyston
The Center for Open Hiring at Greyston will partner with visionary leaders to refine and scale the Open Hiring Model, creating radical change in human capital management across the U.S. and the world.
The Center will offer management teams the option to explore the Open Hiring concept together, and start to develop a customized human capital strategy – with education and training, advisory services, and research and programs options. It will be a space for people to learn about social justice innovation and different ways of leading and engaging a team. In turn, it will help create a unique pathway forward for individuals in low-income communities globally, providing life skills and career training in addition to full-time jobs and benefits, and helps build thriving communities as a result.
“We need to drive systemic change but we recognize we can’t do this alone," said Greyston President and CEO, Mike Brady. "We want to invite corporate partners, donors, funders and community business leaders to collaborate: to help us explore, refine, apply, scale and sustain our practices and help break the cycle of poverty through building thriving, inclusive communities.”
World-Class Bakery
Greyston has attracted significant attention in recent years because of its world-class bakery, a workplace that has been successfully providing jobs and resources to individuals who face barriers to employment for 36 years, including refugees and formerly incarcerated people. Among the long-standing corporate supporters and partners to Greyston is Ben & Jerry’s, with Greyston bakers providing delicious brownies for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for more than three decades.
"After three decades of working at Ben & Jerry’s, I can assure you that the Greyston Bakery is – by far – the crown jewel of our Values Led Sourcing effort," said Sean Greenwood, Head of PR at Ben & Jerry's. "Their brownies are incredible; their impact on people's’ lives is even better. Now, with the Center for Open Hiring™ at Greyston, they’ve made their impact not only delicious, but scalable."
Community Programs
Through its decades of practicing Open Hiring, Greyston recognizes the model is successful when individuals have access to support services beyond the workplace. Greyston furthers its mission through numerous community-based services for the residents of Southwest Yonkers - ensuring they have the support to successfully work and thrive in their communities. Services include workforce development and community wellness programs. Greyston also operates Issan House, a supportive care housing facility for the formerly homeless living with HIV/AIDS.
For more information, visit www.greyston.org.
About Greyston
For 36 years, Greyston has been changing lives by providing job opportunities – no questions asked. Since its founding, Greyston has been fighting for inclusion: creating opportunities for disenfranchised people, battling against systemic inequities, fighting for social justice, and advocating for equity and a leveled playing field for people regardless of their past. We are a hybrid organization dedicated to serving the community of southwest Yonkers, NY where we have been practicing and refining Open Hiring at our for-profit social enterprise, Greyston Bakery, where we hire anyone seeking a job, effectively eliminating barriers to employment.
About Open Hiring™
Our practice of Open Hiring is simple: we hire our team without judging or asking any questions. Our Open Hiring Model is the collection of programs and services provided to employees to increase success on the job and in the community. Greyston operates a world-class commercial bakery that produces seven million pounds of award-winning brownies every year for customers like Ben & Jerry’s, Whole Foods Market, and Delta Air Lines—with a staff of bakers who would likely have been screened out by traditional hiring practices. Greyston offers a roadmap to assist individuals and their families in visualizing and realizing their paths to becoming thriving members of the community.
Media Contact: Clare Hamilton-Eddy, Yulu Public Relations I clare@yulupr.com I 604-558-1656