Second Chance Business Coalition

Making the Most of 2025: Resolved to expand talent pools and advance inclusive employment? The SCBC helps large employers adopt smart workforce strategies by attracting, hiring and advancing qualified employees with criminal records. Get started with the SCBC Onramps Guide, offering 100 pathways to start or expand your second chance employment program: https://lnkd.in/ebT6yByN

Good for People & the Bottom Line: The SCBC Business Case for Second Chance Employment helps employers make the internal and external case for hiring individuals with a criminal record, outlining how the practice can build a more effective and resilient workforce. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/dFpggip

Save The Date: Join us for the annual Second Chance Forum on April 1, 2025, at the UVA Darden School of Business Sands Family Grounds.    JPMorganChase | Eaton | Business Roundtable | University of Virginia Darden School of Business | Resilience Education

The Right Game Plan: In this episode of The Last Mile Radio, representatives from SCBC member Bank of America and the Los Angeles Rams discuss their joint fellowship program, designed to create career pathways for formerly incarcerated individuals in the professional sports industry. The conversation underscores the importance of transitional support and educational opportunities for second chance talent. It also features insights from a program participant whose success story showcases the transformative impact of corporate commitment to advance second chances. A key factor in the program’s success relates to how BofA is reshaping the narrative around second chance hiring, including by: 1.    Partnering with think tanks to ground discussions in facts; 2.    Working with filmmakers to share real-life stories and amplify second chance voices; and 3.    Joining the SCBC to learn and share best practices across industries. Watch the full episode: https://lnkd.in/dS23JUBg

Guided by Green Factors: Understanding legal requirements can be a significant hurdle for employers exploring second chance hiring. The EEOC‘s “Green Factors,” established in the 1974 Supreme Court Case Green v. Missouri Pacific Railroad Company, offer employers a framework to evaluate candidates with criminal records fairly under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The Green Factors include: ·     Nature and gravity of the offense ·     Time passed since the offense and/or sentence completion ·     Nature of the job being sought Incorporating these factors into hiring practices helps employers meet legal requirements while accessing an often-overlooked talent pool. Learn more in the SCBC Legal Guide: https://shorturl.at/orysK

Proximity is Powerful: This piece from People Management magazine shares insights from Ken Oliver, CIO of The Just Trust and member of the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ), on how proximity helps challenge the pervasive stereotypes that often deter employers from hiring individuals with criminal records.   Speaking at the Workforce & Justice Summit in London, Ken O., who was previously incarcerated, shared: “I love bringing CEOs and executives into proximity with people like me, because once they get in the room and in the space, I’m sure people are probably going to be like, ‘Ken’s normal. He doesn’t seem like he’s been in prison.’"   He added that often, when people meet someone who’s turned their life around, “the fear and stigma dissolve. Suddenly, we’re just human beings, capable of change.”   Underscoring the business case for second chances, Oliver emphasized the resilience and loyalty of employees with criminal records and called for stronger collaboration between business and policymakers to create resources for reskilling and apprenticeships.   Keep reading: https://lnkd.in/ebz6Sk5f

Catalyst for Change: Checkr, Inc.’s new apprenticeship program, Catalyst, offers 12 months of on-the-job training and mentorship to workers with criminal records. For employers, joining the 2025 cohort is a chance to implement second chance hiring practices and access untapped talent — all while receiving financial support from Checkr to offset costs. The program will also partner with the San Francisco Office of Economic & Workforce Development’s TechSF (TechSF OEWD), which provides skills-based training to prepare workers for tech careers, and The Last Mile, which provides education and training as part of an incarceration-to-employment program. Learn more about Catalyst: https://lnkd.in/gbjT3W7y

Host a Pivot Fellow at Your Company: SCBC partner Georgetown Pivot Program is inviting DC-area employers committed to inclusive hiring to host a Pivot Fellow for a 15-week subsidized spring internship. Companies with remote or hybrid models are also invited to participate. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gFy5Q52K More than just an internship, this unique partnership offers employers access to talented, driven candidates, while enabling Pivot Fellows to gain hands-on experience as they reintegrate into the workforce. Throughout the internship, Pivot staff provide continuous support, ensuring a meaningful experience for all parties. Past employment partners Include SCBC members Accenture, Deloitte, DICK'S Sporting Goods and Eaton.

Confidence is Key: Goodwill Industries International recently opened a store inside the Elmwood Correctional Campus in Milpitas, California, offering incarcerated women hands-on job experience in warehousing, inventory and logistics. The initiative also provides clothing for women preparing to reenter society, along with a job offer from Goodwill for those who complete the on-site training program. As one participant shared, “I came in with nothing, and now I’m able to leave with clothes and confidence.” With practical skills and professional attire, these women gain more than just employment prospects; they gain the confidence to face the challenges of reintegration and a chance to rebuild their lives with dignity. Read more about the initiative from Axios: https://lnkd.in/ehE7E38P

The SCBC proudly welcomes Xylem to the Coalition, bringing total membership to 52 large companies. We look forward to collaborating as we drive real change in employment practices — including hiring and career advancement — for the ~80 million Americans with a criminal record.