Greyston Bakery, a Yonkers, NY institution, started over three decades ago. They’ve become famous for their brownies, which are a key ingredient in the Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream. However, this is not the average bakery. Their workforce consists of people considered “unemployable” — ex-convicts, disabled, homeless, illiterate, and addicts. Unlike a conventional hiring process, Greyston does not ask for a resume, a working history, or even a skillset. They call it “Open Hiring.” Anyone that shows up at their door is given an opportunity to work. (Sometimes, there is a wait list. But no background checks are needed. And with time, it's likely they'll be given a job.)
President and CEO Mike Brady spoke with me about this alternative hiring process and why they’re now keen on sharing it with other companies. This summer, Greyston Bakery launched the Center for Open Hiring. The goal is to bring in companies for a “sight” tour of their operations and process. Greyston will provide management teams with guidance and practical advice on how to weave in similar practices at their companies.
"We need to drive systemic change but we recognize we can’t do this alone," says Brady. "We want to invite corporate partners, donors, funders and community business leaders to collaborate: to help us explore, refine, apply, scale and sustain our practices and help break the cycle of poverty through building thriving, inclusive communities."
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