White House announces new commitments to the Fair Chance Business Pledge

the White House launched the Fair Chance Business Pledge. This move set out to encourage companies to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed, including individuals who have had contact with the criminal justice system. The pledge represents a call-to-action for all members of the private sector to improve their communities by eliminating barriers for those with a criminal record and creating a pathway for a second chance. Last week, a round of new signatories was announced. These signatories included Walmart – the largest private employer in the world with 2.2 million employees – and brought the total number of organizations pledging to ‘ban the box‘ and help job candidates with criminal histories to return to the workforce to 185 employers. You can see the full list of recent signatories here. According to the Fact Sheet published by the White House, 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 such as “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.