Take the Fair Chance Pledge
At its heart, America is a nation of second chances. That’s why the White House is calling on businesses and higher education institutions to invest in their communities and eliminate unnecessary hiring barriers for individuals with criminal records.
Introduction
“Around 70 million Americans have some sort of criminal record … Now, a lot of time, that record disqualifies you from being a full participant in our society — even if you’ve already paid your debt to society. It means millions of Americans have difficulty even getting their foot in the door to try to get a job much less actually hang on to that job. That's bad for not only those individuals, it's bad for our economy. It’s bad for the communities that desperately need more role models who are gainfully employed. So we’ve got to make sure Americans who’ve paid their debt to society can earn their second chance.”
- President Obama, November 2, 2015
The White House is building on past efforts by challenging businesses to take on the “Fair Chance Business Pledge,” a nationwide call-to-action to accomplish the shared goal of creating a stronger set of opportunities for people who have been impacted by the criminal justice system.
Hear President Obama's message to employers who want to give the formerly incarcerated a second chance
On March 30, the President announced 61 new grants of commutation to individuals serving years in prison under outdated and unduly harsh sentencing laws. Then he ate lunch with formerly incarcerated individuals who have received commutations, and delivered remarks at Busboys and Poets in Washington, D.C.
The Pledge
The Pledge
We are committed to providing individuals with criminal records, including formerly incarcerated individuals, a fair chance to participate in the American economy.”
In addition to taking the pledge, your company can make additional commitments to achieve the goals of promoting opportunity for all, eliminating barriers to reentry, and providing meaningful opportunities to succeed for reentering individuals. Examples include:
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Promote Fair Chance Hiring Practices:
The most important contribution businesses can make to this effort is to give a fair chance to all applicants, to ensure that information regarding an applicant’s criminal record is considered in proper context, and to engage in hiring practices that do not unnecessarily place jobs out of reach for those with criminal records. Specifically, you can commit to:- Banning the Box by delaying criminal history questions until later in the hiring process;
- Training human resources staff on making fair decisions regarding applicants with criminal records;
- Ensuring internships and job training are available to individuals with criminal records;
- Using reliable background check providers to help ensure accuracy;
- Hosting a Fair Chance and Opportunity Job Fair
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Taking Action in Your Local Community.
While the focus is on fair chance opportunity, there are other important ways for businesses to contribute this effort, such as:- Supplying tools for success (business clothing, cell phones, internet service, transit cards, or child care services);
- Offering support to regional reentry facilities;
- Providing mentors to children of incarcerated parents.
We encourage you to share best practices and success stories with other employers.
A broad array of coalitions have come together to support the reforms needed to bring about this change and remove unnecessary barriers to college access.
By signing the Fair Chance Higher Education Pledge, these higher education institutions are:
- Demonstrating an ongoing commitment to take action to reduce barriers to a fair shot at a second chance, especially though an educational opportunity, including adopting fair chance admissions practices like going “Beyond the Box” by determining whether criminal justice-related questions are necessary to make an informed admission decision, and if so, whether these questions should be moved to a later part of the application process (e.g., after schools make an initial admission decision or after students meet the academic criteria) or whether the initial review of the application can be conducted without knowledge of the answers to the criminal-justice related questions.
- Taking action in their local communities by supporting professors and students who want to teach or are teaching in corrections facilities and ensuring internships and job training are available to individuals with criminal records.
- Setting an example for their peers. The Obama Administration will highlight these additional pledge takers later this year.
We encourage you to share best practices and success stories with other higher education institutions.
We welcome commitments that achieve the goal of promoting fair chance hiring, eliminating barriers to reentry, and providing meaningful opportunities for all to succeed.
Contact the White House
Email: fcbp@who.eop.gov
Over 100 Organizations Have Joined the Pledge
Higher Education Institutions
- Ancilla College
- Arizona State University
- Auburn University
- Boston University
- City University of New York
- College of Saint Benedict
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Eastern University
- Howard University
- New York University
- North Park University
- Nyack College
- Raritan Valley Community College
- Rutgers University (Biomedical and Health Sciences, Camden, Newark and New Brunswick)
- Saint John’s University
- San Francisco State University
- State University of New York
- Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York
- University of California System
- University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
- University of Puget Sound and University of Washington
Large Employers
- American Airlines
- Ben & Jerry’s
- Best Buy
- Busboys and Poets
- CVS Health
- Coca-Cola
- Dropbox
- Gap
- Georgia -Pacific
- Greystone Bakeries
- Hersheys
- Intel
- Johns Hopkins Medical Center
- Kellogg Company
- Kevin Plank Industries
- Koch Industries
- Kroger
- Lyft
- Microsoft
- Monsanto
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- PepsiCo.
- Perdue Farms
- Prudential
- Staples
- Starbucks
- Target
- The Libra Group
- TrueBlue
- Tyson Foods
- Uber
- UnderArmour
- Unilever
- University of Pennsylvania
- VICE Media
- Walmart
- WeWork
- Xerox
National Organizations
- ACLU
- American Sustainable Business Council
- Catholic Charities USA
- NAACP
- Small Business Majority
Small/Medium Sized Businesses
- 21st Century Telecommunications, Inc.
- 3D PARS
- ALB3 Consulting Research & Management
- Aesthetics On The Glow
- African-American Chamber of Commerce of NJ, DE and PA
- Al Abbas Cookies
- Allegra Marketing & Print
- Alley Taco
- American Eagle Sealcoating and Asphalt LLC
- Amity Foundation
- Andrews Funeral Home
- Anti-Recidivism Coalition
- Anzures Worldwide
- Aone Contracting & Supply
- Approved Storage and Waste Handling, Inc.
- Asian Media Access
- Associated Students Inc., San Francisco State University - Project Rebound
- Avalon Breads
- Bailey Insurance Services LLC
- Beatrice Ewing Park Service Station
- Berry Much Yogurt
- Bob Barker Company
- Brockman Tree and Lawn Care LLC
- Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce
- Brooks Lumber
- Bubbles Bubbles Bubbles, LLC
- Building Entrepreneurs for Success in Tennessee (BEST)
- Butterball Farms, Inc.
- Byblos
- C.H. Robinson
- C.W. Morris - J.W. Henry Funeral Home
- CPG Partnership Strategies LLC
- CSI Saddlepads LLC
- Caffe Lubena
- Capital Area ReEntry Coalition
- Capital Oversight Inc
- Capitol City Contracting, Inc.
- Capozzi flooring
- Carosella Design Build, Ltd.
- Carpenter's Shelter
- CarryHOT, Inc.
- Cava Grill
- Center for Children with Incarcerated Parents of America
- Center for Living and Learning
- Center for Self-Sufficiency
- City Sandwich NYC
- Civil Survival
- Clif Bar
- Colorado Mountain College
- Conscious Connections LLC
- Contemporary Family Services Inc
- Cornerstone Baptist Church
- Court Programs, Inc.
- Crescent River Consulting
- D.C. Central Kitchen
- DRP Systems
- Dave's Killer Bread
- Dave's Killer Bread Foundation
- David's Hope
- Decisive Media Inc
- Deep Still Water Institute
- Dillard & Associates
- Disruption LLC
- Dixon's Developments, LLC
- Ecolibrium3
- Edwins Leadership & Restaurant Institute
- Element 9
- Epic Pest Control & Landscape Services, Inc.
- Every Dog Has Its Day Care
- Executives' Alliance for Boys and Men of Color
- Fair Chance Workforce Interface LLC
- Fair Shake
- FirmGreen, Inc
- Flux Resources, LLC
- FoodCorps, Inc.
- Fried Green Fryer Team
- Friends Outside
- Friends of Guest House
- Future Executives Inc
- GRID Alternatives
- Garden of Eden & Associates, Inc.
- GeoFi
- Get Ready Driving Academy
- Glassdoor
- Global Agro Commodities LLC
- Golden State Foods Corp.
- Goodwill Industries of Arkansas
- Goodwill Industries of Central East Texas
- Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana, Inc.
- Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest
- Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota
- Grandy's Coney Island
- Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce
- Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Green Dot Stables
- Hamilton County Office of Reentry
- Hand in Hand Soap
- Hollywood Impact Studios
- HopCat Detroit
- I.Buss & Allan Uniform Company, Inc.
- IT Total Care, Inc.
- InService Enterprise, LLC
- Inflection.com
- Isidore Electronics Recycling
- J&X Energy LLC
- JAX Chamber
- JSJ Staffing, LLC
- Jeff's 40 Minute Cleaners
- Kansas City Community Source, Inc.
- Konsultera
- Lawson Screen & Digital Products, Inc.
- Leblanc Consulting
- Life Restoration CEDA
- Linden Resources
- Livin Lovely United, LLC
- Living Classrooms Foundation
- Living Stones International
- Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
- Los Angeles Black Worker Center
- Los Angeles Conservation Corps
- Lou's Deli
- Lowers Risk Group
- M & V Provisions Co., Inc.
- MDG Barber Inc.
- MI United
- MOD Pizza
- Makin' Movez LLC
- Manufacturing Alliance of Philadelphia
- Maria's Italian Kitchen
- Mark O's Bar & Grill
- Maryland Department of Agriculture
- Mission: Launch, Inc.
- Moe Appliance
- Multisorb Technologies
- Museum Cafe
- Museum of Broadcast Communications
- My Urban Garden Soap
- NXIS Enterprises, LLC
- National Dry Goods Company
- National Policy Alliance
- Nehemiah Manufacturing
- New England Blacks in Philanthropy
- New York Fashion Police
- NewLife-Second Chance Outreach, Inc.
- Newton Brown Urban Design
- Nexus Services, Inc.
- Nolef Turns Inc
- Nova Consulting Group, Inc.
- Novo Community Foundation
- O'Neill Construction Group
- Offender Aid & Restoration (OAR)
- Olive Branch Village Project
- Oscar's Coney Island
- PLR Services
- POP! Gourmet Foods
- PRO-A
- Pass Job Connection
- Path to Freedom
- Patten Energy, Inc.
- Paxen Learning Corp.
- Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers' Association
- Pet Supplies Plus
- Philly Shipyard, Inc.
- Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
- Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
- Pioneer Overhead Door
- Portland Bottling Company
- Price Fresh Pak
- Project Return
- Q Stride Inc.
- RECAP, Inc.
- Reading Terminal Market
- Restoration Law Center
- Revolve Impact
- Rivanna Natural Designs, Inc.
- Roman Labor Services Corp.
- Root & Rebound
- Ru'Day's Helping Hands
- Runnels Foundation
- SER Metro-Detroit, Jobs for Progress, Inc.
- Safe & Sound Hillsborough
- Saint Benjamin Brewing Company
- San Diego & Imperial Counties' Roofers, Waterproofers Joint Apprenticeship Committee
- Saucy By Nature
- Shelter Care Ministries
- Shinola Detroit, LLC
- Six Mile Regional Library District
- Skill Source Group
- Solar Screen, Inc.
- Solar States
- Spartan Staffing
- SpringDot, Inc.
- St. Louis Wing Company LLC
- StepUp Durham
- Stratford University
- Student Success Institute
- SunHarvest Solar
- Sungevity, Inc.
- Super Tek Group
- Sustainable Construction Corporation
- TBS Facility Services Group
- TakeAction Minnesota
- Taqueria El Nacimiento
- Tech Dump Electronics Recycling
- Teslights, LLC
- Texas Central Partners, LLC
- The Actors' Gang
- The BeBe Group
- The CPAI Group, Inc.
- The Exigency Group
- The Feminist Wire
- The Grey Door Boutique
- The Greystone Group Inc.
- The Lake Alabaster Box
- The Lancaster Food Company
- The Last Mile
- The National Incarceration Association
- The Pate House
- The Phax Group, LLC
- The Water Station
- Theatre of the Oppressed NYC
- Together We Bake
- Total Wine & More
- Trade Off Construction Services
- TransNation Holdings, LLC
- Transmedia Capital
- Trinosophes
- USA Built Corporation
- Union Square Hospitality Group
- Union Supply Group
- Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York
- United Exchange Corporation
- Urban Ashes
- Vaughan's Public House
- Verge Studios, LLC
- Veterans on the Rise, Inc.
- Virginia Correctional Enterprises
- Virginia Employment Commission
- Wash Cycle Laundry Inc.
- Weavers Way Cooperative Association
- Wellness Enterprises, Inc.
- Westside Foods
- Work in Progress
- Year Up
- Your Dog's Best Friends
- Yuca's
- Zaraxo
- cut50.org
- oGoing Inc.