INDUSTRY NEWS
Major U.S. corporations join White House’s new fair-chance hiring initiative
The White House’s Fair Chance Business Pledge is an initiative that challenges members of the private business sector to eliminate barriers to employment for those with criminal records by implementing “Ban the Box” and other fair-chance hiring policies.
In total, 19 companies took the pledge on Monday, April 11, including leading corporations such as American Airlines, The Coca-Cola Company, Facebook, Google, PepsiCo, Starbucks and Xerox.
By signing the Fair Chance Business Pledge, these companies are:
- Voicing strong support for economic opportunity for all, including the approximately 70 million Americans who have some form of a criminal record;
- Demonstrating an ongoing commitment to take action to reduce barriers to a fair shot at a second chance, including practices like “banning the box” by delaying criminal history questions until later in the hiring process; ensuring that information regarding an applicant’s criminal record is considered in proper context; and engaging in hiring practices that do not unnecessarily place jobs out of reach for those with criminal records; and
- Setting an example for their peers. Today’s announcement is only the beginning. Later this year, the Obama Administration will release a second round of pledges, with a goal of mobilizing more companies and organizations to join the Fair Chance Business Pledge.
These companies join the 22 states and over one-hundred cities and counties that have adopted similar “Ban the Box” policies. For a comprehensive list of these states, cities and counties, you can read our “Ban the Box” Compliance Issue Analysis.
To see all 19 companies that signed the pledge, along with a sample of the actions these organizations have taken to support the initiative, you can read the White House’s Fact Sheet on the Fair Chance Business Pledge here.
Companies and organizations interested in the joining the Fair Chance Business Pledge can do so by signing up here.
Source: The White House Office of the Press Secretary, 4/11/2016