Employers — Unlock Potential

Why employers?

Employers want to increase diversity within their workforces. “Disconnected youth” are disproportionately people of color, and UP will help businesses uplift and empower the potential of a vast and diverse talent pool.

Companies are increasingly engaging on social issues. Through UP they can do so by using hiring and other resources to honor their commitments to fight the drivers of racism, poverty, incarceration and more.

Businesses are community leaders, and as such strive to help make their communities better and safer places to live and work. By widening the positive options available for at-risk youth through UP, can help prevent criminal behaviour.

Investing in future corporate leadership is critical to success. By providing long-term career opportunities through UP, companies can help curate and grow tomorrow’s leaders, with the diverse range of perspectives and backgrounds necessary to thrive.

In 2022, the number of job vacancies hit 10.9 million. Companies need to fill positions, and UP will help them tap into an often overlooked workforce segment.

“At American Family Insurance, we’ve made it a priority to create real second chances for people who have been incarcerated. But we also need to be working to prevent individuals from ending up in prison in the first place. Unlock Potential will do precisely that. By widening the positive life choices available to the young adults who are most at-risk, we can tackle crime, imprisonment, inequality and poverty.”
-Nyra Jordan, Social Impact Director
“The importance of second-chance employment efforts cannot be overstated. But hiring individuals when they’re released from prison isn’t enough – we have to be taking steps to stop them ending up there in the first place. Data show that meaningful employment opportunities are one of the most impactful ways to prevent future incarceration. Unlock Potential will create those first chances.”
-Matthew McCarthy, CEO
“We know first-hand how meaningful diversity strengthens our communities and our company. By working to provide real, long-term career opportunities to previously underserved groups, we can grow our workforce inclusively while creating the corporate leaders of the future – with the range of backgrounds and perspectives necessary to thrive.”
-Mecca Mitchell, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
“We know that having a diverse workforce builds a better and more innovative business. This partnership builds a bridge to individuals who often don’t have connection and opportunities to careers at Delta, while at the same time broadening our access to untapped talent.”
-Keyra Lynn Johnson, V.P. and Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer
“Unlock Potential will allow Greyston to showcase how we have been unlocking human potential these last 40 years through our Open Hiring® process at Greyston Bakery and our inclusive employment practices at Greyston Foundation. By creating job opportunities with real pathways for advancement we can ensure these young people get the life chances they deserve.”
-Joseph Kenner, CEO
“We know that at-risk youth have limited opportunities and often find themselves unemployed or out of school, and as a society we have to intervene before it reaches that point. Programs like this help. We can put young people on a positive path as they begin adult life. And even if they move on after their time with us, we’ve provided them with real-world job and life skills they can take anywhere.”

-Kathryn McLay, CEO
“As business leaders, we have a responsibility to take action – to not only improve the lives of individuals, but to make our communities safer and better places to live, work, and do business. Through Unlock Potential, we can help create employment pathways for at-risk young adults that will strengthen our business and help end the prison pipeline.”
-James Bermingham, CEO