On tuesday Ben and Jerry Has announced its participation Unlock potentialA groundbreaking, targeted employment initiative for young people at risk of imprisonment.
Employers are hoping to take advantage of recruitment to improve racial justice, hire the next generation of business leaders, and break the prison pipeline from poverty through unlocked potential.
“The importance of second-chance employment efforts cannot be overstated. But it is not enough to hire people once they are released from prison – we must first take steps to prevent them from ending up there,” he said. Matthew McCarthy, CEO of Ben & Jerry.
“The data shows that meaningful employment opportunities are one of the most effective ways to prevent future imprisonment. Unlock potential will create that first opportunity.”
Unlocked potential program, supported by Walmart.org’s Racial Equity CenterAddresses deep racial inequality and economic stagnation caused by involvement in the legal system.
For example, first-time imprisonment can result in a 30 percent reduction in lifetime wages. BIPOC Communities are unequally affected by these barriers
Black Americans are incarcerated five times more often than whites, and studies show that black men with criminal records have a 40% greater negative impact on employment.
Unlocking potential can reduce economic exclusion and help break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by preventing it from being captured.
The program will help businesses address a growing shortage of labor, the growing need for investment by future leaders, and their commitment to a more just and equitable society.
“Unlock potential is an important element in advancing our ethnic equity work,” he said Ally Reed, Ben & Jerry’s Senior Retail Racial Equity and Inclusion Manager. “Creating meaningful career opportunities for black and brown at-risk youth supports skills development and economic mobility in the communities we serve and exist in.”
The program will focus on 4.4 million “disconnected youth.” United States Those between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not enrolled in school or working. Adverse outcomes such as poverty and imprisonment are significantly higher for these young adults than for their peers.
Unlock Potential will focus on a segment of individuals who have one or more of the following additional detention risk factors: a captive parent, sexual or human trafficking, juvenile justice system, or foster care.
Participating employers can address the root causes of mass imprisonment by providing economic potential for these individuals.
Unlock Potential Design will launch a 12-month pilot program after the consultation episode, which ends in October.
A number of Ben & Jerry franchises Scoop shop This will connect with potential employees Responsible business initiative for justice – Co-founder of Unlock Potential – To give real career advancement opportunities.
To ensure their success, participants will be connected to local nonprofit support services national nonprofit Perseverance.
Visit www.unlock-potential.org to learn more about the initiative.