Inclusive Hiring

We empower businesses to create employment opportunities for people with criminal records and those at risk of justice system involvement.

Our Work

Our businesses, communities, and economy can’t afford to exclude skilled, motivated talent from the workforce. 

Yet many companies are missing out on the workers they need because they’re overlooking strong candidates — often without realizing it.

Outdated hiring practices and unnecessary barriers, especially for people with criminal records, exclude qualified candidates and contribute to labor shortages, skills gaps, and high turnover.

At RBIJ, we help employers rethink what makes a great hire. Through our inclusive hiring programs, we partner with companies to identify and remove barriers in their hiring processes — unlocking access to untapped talent and building a more welcoming, resilient workforce.

  • RBIJ's award-winning Unlock Potential program aims to disrupt the poverty-to-prison pipeline through business partnerships that create meaningful career opportunities and advancement pathways for emerging adults most at risk of incarceration. Learn more about Unlock Potential here.

  • RBIJ works with employers across the country to support, develop, and expand their Second Chance Hiring programs, creating new employment opportunities for justice-impacted individuals.

    Through dozens of conversations with companies across a range of sectors, RBIJ has developed a set of best practices to drive the adoption of Fair Chance Hiring practices. To learn more about the benefits of Second Chance Hiring or get help expanding your talent pipeline, click here.

  • The Delaware Equitable Hiring Initiative (DE EHI) is a strategic pilot project designed to help Delaware employers tap into Wilmington’s hidden workforce. Overseen by the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ), and empowered partner community-based organizations serving as “credible messengers,” the project seeks to equip participating employers with enhanced talent acquisition solutions that more effectively include candidates from diverse experiences and underserved communities, particularly in zip codes 19801, 19802, 19805. ​Learn more and get involved here.

  • One in five people in England and Wales have a criminal record. Many are for minor offences from a long time ago. Yet these records can impact employment opportunities long after a person has served their sentence. The Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ) and Unlock have formed a partnership to work with businesses to improve their recruitment practices. Together, we support employers to implement Fair Chance Recruitment practices and reach the candidates they need. The partnership combines RBIJ’s knowledge of empowering businesses to improve practice and support culture change with Unlock’s practical resources and expertise on criminal records. In collaboration, we ensure that businesses are better equipped to recruit from the large, diverse talent pool of people with criminal records. 

    RBIJ and Unlock's Fair Chance Recruitment Consultancy offers advice, guidance, training and wraparound support for employers. Learn more.

Get Involved