Ben & Jerry’s Announces Hiring Program To Keep At-Risk Youths Out Of Prison

Ice-cream giant Ben & Jerry’s has announced it will be joining Unlock Potential, an intentional hiring program aimed at recruiting young people at the greatest risk of incarceration.

By using its position as a market leader, the brand’s participation in this initiative will allow it to advance racial equity through new hiring practices, and possibly develop the next generation of corporate leaders while disrupting the unfortunate poverty-to-prison pipeline.

“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,” explains Matthew McCarthy, CEO of Ben & Jerry’s.

“Data show that meaningful employment opportunities are one of the most impactful ways to prevent future incarceration. Unlock Potential will create those first chances,” he adds.

Preventing less-fortunate youth from ending up behind bars is an incredibly important goal. In fact, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, first-time prison time can decrease an individual’s lifetime earnings by over 30%. 

In addition, these struggles disproportionately affect BIPOC communities, with African American men incarcerated at nearly five times the rate of White men, and their criminal records being 40% more damaging than their counterparts. 

By reducing the chances of at-risk youth being incarcerated, the project hopes that it will break the “intergenerational cycles of poverty,” and at the same time, aid businesses in meeting the current workforce shortage while creating a fairer and more equitable society. 

“Unlock Potential is a critical component in the advancement of our Racial Equity work,” says Allie Reid, Senior Retail Racial Equity and Inclusion Manager at Ben & Jerry’s.

“Creating meaningful career opportunities for Black and Brown at-risk youth supports skill development and economic mobility in the communities we serve and exist in.”  

[via The Drum and Ben & Jerry’s / PR Newswire, cover image via Steven Hatton | Dreamstime.com]