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Grayston USA, Levels The Playing Field With Open Hiring®

Greyston was founded in 1982 as a place of opportunity for everyone. The founders created the company based on the Buddhist teaching of non-judgement and loving action. Greyston practises Open Hiring in their world-class commercial bakery, and has been changing lives by providing job opportunities for the last 36 years. Greyston operates a world-class commercial bakery that produces seven million pounds of award-winning brownies every year for customers like Ben & Jerry’s, Whole Foods Market, and Delta Air Lines—with a staff of bakers who would likely have been screened out by traditional hiring practices.

 

I can’t explain all that Greyston has done for me. Without Greyston, I’d still be on the streets — likely dead or in jail. When I had my daughter, I wanted to save for her future. One of the best things I learned at Greyston was how to take a small amount of money from each paycheck and put it in a special bank account for her through direct deposit. In the past, I had never even thought about having a family because I was in no position to with being in and out of jail. Now I am supporting a family. To me, it’s not all about the money; it’s about being a man and doing the right thing.” – Dion

 

Since its founding, Greyston has been fighting for inclusion by creating opportunities for disenfranchised people, battling against systemic inequities, fighting for social justice, and advocating for equity and a levelled playing field for people regardless of their past. They are dedicated to serving the community of southwest Yonkers, New York, and will hire anyone seeking a job, which effectively eliminates tough barriers to employment. “We don’t hire people to bake brownies, we bake brownies to hire people.”

 

Crime, recidivism, poverty, food insecurity and homelessness are critical issues that affect our collective wellbeing and prosperity. Unfortunately, these issues are the result of systems over decades that discriminate against people. When people have the opportunity to participate fully in our economy and contribute to our collective values, everyone benefits. Along with visionary leaders around the world, Greyston builds; a new system of social and economic relationships that put people at the centre of all they do.

 

Greyston’s Open Hiring model holds the potential to change the world—one company, one job, one person at a time. The Open Hiring model is the collection of programs and services provided to employees to increase success on the job and in the community. Greyston offers a roadmap to assist individuals and their families in visualising and realising their paths to becoming thriving members of the community.

 

Find more information at their website at greyston.org