Timpson Group
JPMorganChase
Hilton
Walmart
Virgin Group
Iceland Foods
Ben & Jerry's
Sam's Club
Indeed
Delta Air Lines
Burlington
Deloitte
Randstad
Microsoft
Hot Chicken Takeover
Flagger Force
Timpson Group JPMorganChase Hilton Walmart Virgin Group Iceland Foods Ben & Jerry's Sam's Club Indeed Delta Air Lines Burlington Deloitte Randstad Microsoft Hot Chicken Takeover Flagger Force
Confederation of British Industry
Indeed
Walmart
Small Business Majority
BusinessLDN
Televerde
Delta Air Lines
Deloitte
Sam's Club
Flagger Force
Burlington
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Hot Chicken Takeover
Ben & Jerry's
Hilton
Timpson Group
Microsoft
Virgin Group
JPMorganChase
Iceland Foods
Randstad
Confederation of British Industry Indeed Walmart Small Business Majority BusinessLDN Televerde Delta Air Lines Deloitte Sam's Club Flagger Force Burlington U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hot Chicken Takeover Ben & Jerry's Hilton Timpson Group Microsoft Virgin Group JPMorganChase Iceland Foods Randstad
Walmart
Indeed
Delta Air Lines
Deloitte
Sam's Club
Flagger Force
Burlington
Hot Chicken Takeover
Ben & Jerry's
Hilton
Timpson Group
Microsoft
Virgin Group
JPMorganChase
Iceland Foods
Randstad
Walmart Indeed Delta Air Lines Deloitte Sam's Club Flagger Force Burlington Hot Chicken Takeover Ben & Jerry's Hilton Timpson Group Microsoft Virgin Group JPMorganChase Iceland Foods Randstad
BusinessLDN
Walmart
Small Business Majority
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Televerde
Confederation of British Industry
Indeed
Delta Air Lines
Deloitte
Sam's Club
Flagger Force
Burlington
Hot Chicken Takeover
Ben & Jerry's
Hilton
Timpson Group
Microsoft
Virgin Group
JPMorganChase
Iceland Foods
Randstad
BusinessLDN Walmart Small Business Majority U.S. Chamber of Commerce Televerde Confederation of British Industry Indeed Delta Air Lines Deloitte Sam's Club Flagger Force Burlington Hot Chicken Takeover Ben & Jerry's Hilton Timpson Group Microsoft Virgin Group JPMorganChase Iceland Foods Randstad
Walmart
Indeed
Delta Air Lines
Deloitte
Sam's Club
Flagger Force
Burlington
Hot Chicken Takeover
Ben & Jerry's
Hilton
Timpson Group
Microsoft
Virgin Group
JPMorganChase
Iceland Foods
Randstad
Walmart Indeed Delta Air Lines Deloitte Sam's Club Flagger Force Burlington Hot Chicken Takeover Ben & Jerry's Hilton Timpson Group Microsoft Virgin Group JPMorganChase Iceland Foods Randstad
2024
Impact Report
Walmart
JPMorganChase
Virgin Group
Timpson Group
Iceland Foods
Ben & Jerry's
Hilton
Indeed
Delta Air Lines
Sam's Club
Flagger Force
Burlington
Hot Chicken Takeover
Microsoft
Deloitte
Randstad
Walmart JPMorganChase Virgin Group Timpson Group Iceland Foods Ben & Jerry's Hilton Indeed Delta Air Lines Sam's Club Flagger Force Burlington Hot Chicken Takeover Microsoft Deloitte Randstad
Walmart
JPMorganChase
Virgin Group
Timpson Group
Iceland Foods
Ben & Jerry's
Hilton
Indeed
Delta Air Lines
Sam's Club
Flagger Force
Burlington
Hot Chicken Takeover
Microsoft
Deloitte
Randstad
Walmart JPMorganChase Virgin Group Timpson Group Iceland Foods Ben & Jerry's Hilton Indeed Delta Air Lines Sam's Club Flagger Force Burlington Hot Chicken Takeover Microsoft Deloitte Randstad
Walmart
JPMorganChase
Virgin Group
Timpson Group
Iceland Foods
Ben & Jerry's
Hilton
Indeed
Delta Air Lines
Sam's Club
Flagger Force
Burlington
Hot Chicken Takeover
Microsoft
Deloitte
Randstad
Walmart JPMorganChase Virgin Group Timpson Group Iceland Foods Ben & Jerry's Hilton Indeed Delta Air Lines Sam's Club Flagger Force Burlington Hot Chicken Takeover Microsoft Deloitte Randstad
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Confederation of British Industry
Small Business Majority
BusinessLDN
Televerde
Walmart
Indeed
Delta Air Lines
Deloitte
Sam's Club
Flagger Force
Burlington
Hot Chicken Takeover
Ben & Jerry's
Hilton
Timpson Group
Microsoft
Virgin Group
JPMorganChase
Iceland Foods
Randstad
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Confederation of British Industry Small Business Majority BusinessLDN Televerde Walmart Indeed Delta Air Lines Deloitte Sam's Club Flagger Force Burlington Hot Chicken Takeover Ben & Jerry's Hilton Timpson Group Microsoft Virgin Group JPMorganChase Iceland Foods Randstad
JPMorganChase
Indeed
Delta Air Lines
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Walmart
Small Business Majority
Burlington
Televerde
Deloitte
Sam's Club
Flagger Force
BusinessLDN
Hot Chicken Takeover
Ben & Jerry's
Hilton
Timpson Group
Microsoft
Virgin Group
Confederation of British Industry
Iceland Foods
Randstad
JPMorganChase Indeed Delta Air Lines U.S. Chamber of Commerce Walmart Small Business Majority Burlington Televerde Deloitte Sam's Club Flagger Force BusinessLDN Hot Chicken Takeover Ben & Jerry's Hilton Timpson Group Microsoft Virgin Group Confederation of British Industry Iceland Foods Randstad
JPMorganChase
Timpson Group
Iceland Foods
Ben & Jerry's
Walmart
Virgin Group
Hilton
Indeed
Delta Air Lines
Sam's Club
Flagger Force
Burlington
Deloitte
Hot Chicken Takeover
Randstad
Microsoft
JPMorganChase Timpson Group Iceland Foods Ben & Jerry's Walmart Virgin Group Hilton Indeed Delta Air Lines Sam's Club Flagger Force Burlington Deloitte Hot Chicken Takeover Randstad Microsoft
Walmart
JPMorganChase
Virgin Group
Timpson Group
Iceland Foods
Ben & Jerry's
Hilton
Indeed
Delta Air Lines
Sam's Club
Flagger Force
Burlington
Hot Chicken Takeover
Microsoft
Deloitte
Randstad
Walmart JPMorganChase Virgin Group Timpson Group Iceland Foods Ben & Jerry's Hilton Indeed Delta Air Lines Sam's Club Flagger Force Burlington Hot Chicken Takeover Microsoft Deloitte Randstad
Welcome
Since our founding in 2018, the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ) has served as the leading organization dedicated to mobilizing the private sector to advance criminal justice reform in the U.S. and the U.K. We act as a vital bridge between the business community and justice organizations — two forces that, when working together, can make our countries fairer, safer, and more prosperous.
In an increasingly polarized time, our mission embodies a “both-and” approach. Dismantling workforce barriers for justice-impacted individuals is both a moral imperative and a strategic advantage for employers facing labor shortages. Championing justice solutions that uphold human dignity is both the right thing to do and a powerful way to engage today’s impact-driven consumers.
Over the years, we’ve built a network of more than 600 companies committed to this work, with much of that growth happening in 2024. This was a year of expansion: our policy advocacy efforts reached 17 states, our hiring program for opportunity youth saw a 300% increase in applicants, and 182 new executives joined our global Business Leaders Against the Death Penalty campaign. Supporting it all was our incredible staff, which welcomed four new team members.
I’m proud to be able to share all this progress and more in our first publicly available Impact Report. Reflecting on our achievements in 2024 helps clarify our priorities for the work ahead. Certainly 2025 will not be without its challenges — no year is — which is why I hope you’ll enjoy celebrating these wins with us and considering what they mean for the future of our movement. Together, RBIJ and our business community will continue reforming justice systems, restoring communities, and reframing narratives — into 2025 and beyond.
Let’s make justice our business,
Maha Jweied
CEO
By the Numbers
Our Growing Community
Everyone deserves respect, equality, fairness, and dignity under the law. Yet justice systems often perpetuate discrimination, over-criminalization, and cycles of punishment and poverty.
At RBIJ, we believe businesses have a unique and powerful role in driving solutions to these systemic issues — and we help them do just that. In 2024, our network of corporate partners grew stronger than ever as we empowered more businesses to lead critical criminal justice reform initiatives, create meaningful employment pathways for justice-impacted individuals, and boldly champion these issues within their industries and communities.
600+
Companies in RBIJ’s growing network of justice-engaged businesses
423
CEOs partnered with RBIJ, taking a stand on critical issues
213+
Businesses engaged in RBIJ’s policy and advocacy efforts, paving the way for justice reform
149+
Companies participated in RBIJ’s inclusive hiring initiatives, opening doors for justice-impacted talent
168
Nonprofit partners collaborated with RBIJ to amplify their impact and reach
58
Corporate members engaged in RBIJ’s Workforce & Justice Alliance
A Glimpse at Some of Our Corporate Allies
Walmart
JPMorganChase
Virgin Group
Timpson Group
Iceland Foods
Ben & Jerry's
Hilton
Indeed
Delta Air Lines
Sam's Club
Flagger Force
Burlington
Hot Chicken Takeover
Microsoft
Deloitte
Randstad
Walmart JPMorganChase Virgin Group Timpson Group Iceland Foods Ben & Jerry's Hilton Indeed Delta Air Lines Sam's Club Flagger Force Burlington Hot Chicken Takeover Microsoft Deloitte Randstad
2024 Workforce & Justice Summit
London, UK
In November 2024, RBIJ hosted its annual Workforce & Justice Summit in the U.K. for the first time. Building on the success of past U.S. summits, this event — cohosted by Virgin Group, BusinessLDN, and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) — welcomed over 100 business leaders, policy experts, and justice advocates to explore how corporate action on criminal justice reform strengthens the U.K. economy.
The Summit began at Virgin HQ in Central London with an inspiring conversation with RBIJ Advisory Council member Ken Oliver who shared his remarkable journey from incarceration to executive leadership. The session was led by Matthias Stausberg (pictured, top), Group Advocacy Director for Virgin Group, a company that has recently ramped up efforts to recruit candidates with criminal records. Following the conversation, a dynamic panel (pictured, middle) of leaders from the Confederation of British Industry, Timpson Group, Iceland Foods, and SBFM explored how businesses can tap into the U.K.'s vast pool of justice-impacted talent.
Our evening session was hosted by Lord Dr. Michael Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE at the House of Lords. Lord Hastings led a conversation with Oliver (pictured together, bottom) on the importance of the #FairChecks campaign, which is calling for a review of the outdated U.K. criminal records system, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Representatives from Unlock and Transform Justice, two U.K. charities at the forefront of the #FairChecks campaign, encouraged employers to eliminate unnecessary background checks in their hiring processes.
Join Us for #WJSummit25 in Seattle
Save the date! Our next Workforce & Justice Summit will take place on May 13–14, 2025, hosted by Microsoft in Seattle, WA. Register your interest today.
Our Programmatic Work
Reforming Systems
When businesses speak out against injustice, change happens.
In 2024, RBIJ empowered the business community to advocate for transformative criminal justice reform. We mobilized more than 150 companies and their leaders across the U.S. and the U.K. to support policy solutions that promote public safety, justice, and stronger communities.
Expanding Justice in the Workforce
RBIJ supported legislative wins that expand opportunities for justice-impacted individuals while helping employers address labor shortages:
Colorado
Advocacy by R&R Labs, Labor Depot, Adelante Community Development, Rocky Mountain Microfinance Institute, Small Business Majority, and Startup Colorado helped pass legislation aiming to reduce barriers to occupational licensing for individuals with criminal records.
Tennessee
Support from the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and NAWBO Memphis helped advance the passage of House Bill 1859, expanding access to occupational licenses for those with convictions.
Ohio
Business leaders played a key role in passing two critical reforms. The first — supported by Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, Greater Akron Chamber, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Empower Group, and the Toldeo Regional Chamber of Commerce — ensures that people leaving prison receive vital identification, easing their reintegration into the community and the workforce.
Another bill — endorsed by Hot Chicken Takeover, Greater Akron Chamber, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, JBM Packaging, Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, the Ohio Manufacturers Association, Towards Employment, Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce, Youth Opportunities Limited, and the Empower Group — eliminates driver’s license suspensions for unpaid fines and fees, ensuring thousands of Ohioans can reliably transport themselves to work.
Beyond these wins, RBIJ continued mobilizing companies across 17 states to advance reforms like Clean Slate laws, bail reform, and transportation access for justice-impacted individuals.
On the federal level, RBIJ released a set of policy recommendations to the incoming Trump-Vance administration in December 2024. The document emphasizes the business and economic case for facilitating successful reentry for people with criminal records, creating fairer justice systems, and eliminating disparities in the federal justice system.
Top: A panel of business and nonprofit leaders call for the eradication of debt-based driver’s license suspensions at an event hosted by RBIJ, Uber, and the Fines and Fees Justice Center.
Bottom: RBIJ released official policy recommendations to the incoming Trump-Vance administration in December 2024.
Ending Extreme Sentencing
In 2024, hundreds of business leaders joined RBIJ in advocating against extreme sentencing, including the abolition of the death penalty.
The Business Leaders Against the Death Penalty (#BizVsDP) campaign, launched in 2021 with Sir Richard Branson, expanded to over 450 members. Throughout the year, more than 100 of these leaders — including Sir Richard, Sheryl Sandberg, Ben Cohen, and Jerry Greenfield — urged President Biden to clear the federal death row, culminating in the commutation of 37 of 40 total federal death sentences on December 23.
Additionally, RBIJ and members of #BizVsDP mobilized to oppose Alabama's adoption of a nitrogen gas execution method, advocate against the executions of individuals with credible claims of innocence, and successfully press North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper to commute death sentences in the state.
Representatives from RBIJ and Virgin Group visit the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland during the annual U.N. Forum on Business and Human Rights.
Our Programmatic Work
Restoring Communities
When businesses open doors, workplaces become fairer.
Excluding qualified talent from the workforce comes at a significant cost to businesses, communities, and the economy. RBIJ empowers companies to recruit and hire overlooked candidates — individuals with criminal records or those facing increased risks of justice involvement — by offering tailored technical assistance, resources, and learning opportunities that foster meaningful change.
Growing the Market for Second Chance Hiring
In 2024, RBIJ engaged 132 businesses across the U.S. to provide resources and start or expand programs aimed at recruiting and retaining employees with criminal records. More than 60 companies downloaded our Second Chance Hiring Roadmap, an introductory guide that offers critical steps for creating fair and inclusive hiring practices.
In the U.K., RBIJ launched a new partnership with Unlock, a leading charity advocating for individuals with criminal records, to help employers develop inclusive recruitment strategies that create opportunities for justice-impacted job seekers.
Expanding Economic Mobility for Opportunity Youth
The United States is home to approximately 6 million "opportunity youth" — young people who are neither engaged in education nor employment. One in three of these emerging adults lives in poverty, and they are five times more likely to have a criminal record.
In 2024, RBIJ concluded its second year of Unlock Potential, our award-winning hiring program that aims to interrupt these damaging cycles of economic immobility and incarceration at their source. By creating high-quality career opportunities for young people with economic barriers or risk factors for justice system involvement, Unlock Potential offers them the “first chances” they need to thrive.
Year 2 of Unlock Potential was marked by substantial growth in youth participation, hiring, and community partnerships. We worked with ten employers and 35 community-based organizations across nine U.S. cities, helping them to recruit 259 young applicants for positions and place 54 of them in meaningful roles.
Unlock Potential 2023
64 youth job applications
Unlock Potential 2024
259 youth job applications
8 employers
9 CBOs
10 employers
35 CBOs
Young people connect with employers and local community organizations at an Unlock Potential Employment Mixer hosted by RBIJ.
While visiting Walmart HQ in Bentonville, Arkansas, Unlock Potential participants Roland and Xavier (middle) celebrate their promotions to full-time roles with the company.
Unlock Potential Employers
Unlock Potential is powered by:
Launching the Delaware Equitable Hiring Initiative
Wilmington, Delaware is home to a growing population of people who are unemployed or underemployed — they remain effectively hidden from most employers. At the same time, Delaware faces a severe labor shortage, with only 63 available workers for every 100 open jobs. Wilmington’s “hidden workers” are a diverse group, spanning caregivers, veterans, immigrants, justice-impacted populations, and more. While eager to get a job and establish financial resilience, they often get screened out early in the application process due to outdated systems or a lack of traditional qualifications.
In September 2024, RBIJ and JPMorganChase announced the launch of the Delaware Equitable Hiring Initiative (DE EHI), a multi-year pilot project that aims to create meaningful career opportunities for Wilmington’s hidden workers.
The initiative has established a network of employers and community-based organizations throughout the city, with a focus on establishing more effective and inclusive hiring processes, particularly in zip codes 19801, 19802, 19805.
DE EHI Employers
Siempre Security
DE EHI is powered by:
Our Programmatic Work
Reframing Narratives
When businesses challenge the status quo, society sees what’s possible.
RBIJ works with companies to build and entrench the message that justice reform and inclusive hiring aren’t just social causes — they’re smart business strategies. Our partnerships give business leaders a platform to drive reform, from influencing legislation to reshaping their own corporate practices, amplifying their impact across the globe.
In the Media
In 2024, RBIJ and our corporate partners were featured in at least 130 media stories, including op-eds, reported pieces, and podcast interviews. Our work was highlighted in prominent publications such as:
Speaking Engagements
RBIJ secured 49 speaking engagements for our staff and our corporate partners, reaching thousands of business leaders, policymakers, justice advocates, and impacted communities across the U.S. and the U.K. You may have seen us at events like:
RBIJ CEO Maha Jweied (second from right) discussed how the private sector can expand access to justice at Moral Money Summit Americas, hosted by the Financial Times.
Representatives from RBIJ, JPMorganChase, the SHRM Foundation, and the Quantitative Study of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (QSIDE) discussed why partnering with community-based organizations strengthens corporate Second Chance Hiring initiatives at SHRM's Inclusion 2024.
Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group, urged business leaders to advocate against the death penalty at an event hosted by RBIJ, Virgin Unite, and the Young President's Organization in New York City.
RBIJ CEO Maha Jweied (left) moderated a panel of business and nonprofit leaders from Televerde, the Petey Greene Program, and Arnold Ventures at a Second Chance Employment Forum hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
RBIJ Director of Policy & Advocacy Maggie O'Donnell joined representatives from Indeed and Webster Bank at 3BL Network Effect: Stamford to speak about why Clean Slate legislation empowers companies to bring more justice-impacted candidates into the workforce.
At an annual convening on opportunity youth led by the Aspen Forum for Community Solutions, RBIJ Inclusive Hiring Manager Camieka Woodhouse-Willis presented about Unlock Potential and offered best practices for companies looking to welcome opportunity youth into their workforce.
RBIJ attended the annual U.N. Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland.
RBIJ Deputy CEO Lena Patel spoke about the Business Leaders Against the Death Penalty campaign on World Day Against the Death Penalty at the annual Meaningful Business 100 Convening in London, U.K.
Shea Zwerver (right), Workforce Development & Public Affairs Manager at traffic control company Flagger Force, spoke at Georgia’s Workforce Conference in Athens, GA, about building a successful Second Chance Hiring plan and the public policies needed to support it.
Representatives from RBIJ, Walmart, Charles Koch Foundation, and McDonalds presented at the annual Social Innovation Summit in Chicago, IL about the importance of inclusive hiring.
RBIJ Inclusive Hiring Manager Taja Hereford (left) led a panel discussion at the National Reentry Workforce Collaborative's annual conference, exploring strategies to break down barriers and support successful reentry.
RBIJ CEO Maha Jweied presented artwork by death row exoneree Ndume Olatushani to Sir Richard Branson, now proudly displayed on Necker Island, BVI.
In Washington, DC, RBIJ joined staffing agency Randstad, local venue HQ DC House, and Walmart.org in hosting a business roundtable about the importance of hiring individuals at risk of justice involvement, such as survivors of human trafficking.
RBIJ exhibited at the Confederation of British Industry's (CBI's) annual convening, connecting with leading business figures from across the U.K.
RBIJ, Fines and Fees Justice Center, and Uber jointly hosted a cross-sector conversation in Washington, DC on why ending debt-based driver’s license suspensions strengthens communities, businesses, and the economy.
Digital Engagement
Through our digital platforms, RBIJ amplified the business case for justice reform and inclusive hiring, garnering nearly 500,000 views on social media and growing our email audience by 75%. If you’re not already subscribed to our newsletter or following us on LinkedIn, Instagram, or X, be sure to join us today!
Thank You!
RBIJ’s work depends on the generosity of our funders, the leadership of our campaign collaborators, and the steadfast commitment to justice from our business partners.
Make justice your business in 2025 — connect with our team or make a gift to support our mission below.