RBIJ was honored to be named the recipient of a $10,000 contribution from Checkr, the leading technology company in the background check industry, as part of their 2023 Pledge 1% Social Impact of the Year Award. 

Each year, Pledge 1%, Bessemer Venture Partners, Salesforce Ventures, and Forbes select one company on the Cloud 100 List of the world's best private cloud computing companies to receive this special recognition for their exceptional commitment to social impact.  The contribution to RBIJ reflects Checkr's commitment to donate 1% of employee time, 1% of product, 1% of equity, and 1% of company profits every year to the mission of enabling fair chances for all people, no matter their background.

"We are deeply honored to receive the Pledge 1% Social Impact of the Year award in recognition of our work to build a fairer future of work, one job at a time,” said Ken Oliver, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for Checkr. “What’s even more exciting is that we’re able to pay this recognition forward to another organization doing outstanding work in this space. Thanks to Salesforce Ventures and Bessemer Venture Partners for providing us the opportunity to donate our award funds to the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice, whose exceptional work is providing people with the fair chances and inclusive economic opportunities they deserve."

As a founding member of RBIJ’s Workforce & Justice Alliance, Checkr has long been a pioneering force in promoting fairer hiring practices for justice-impacted job-seekers. The company’s social impact venture, Checkr.org, was established in 2021 to actualize Checkr’s mission by connecting people and businesses through fair chance hiring initiatives. 

Over the last year, this commitment by Checkr has unblocked two million justice-impacted individuals from the barriers of a background check, run eight companies through its fair chance accelerator, completed 1,000 record expungements, and dedicated 8,000 volunteer hours to criminal justice organizations. 

“A meaningful job is a gateway for people – regardless of their criminal record – to transform their lives and reach their full potential,” said RBIJ CEO Maha Jweied. “Checkr’s generous contribution through their Pledge 1% Award highlights our mutual dedication to creating fair employment opportunities for those with criminal records. We are deeply grateful for Checkr’s unwavering support and enduring partnership with RBIJ in our mission to build a more just and inclusive workforce.”

Checkr’s donation will meaningfully support RBIJ as we empower businesses to elevate their workforce by intentionally attracting, recruiting, and hiring job-seekers with criminal records. Together with Checkr, we will continue to champion initiatives that provide justice-impacted individuals with the opportunities they deserve, fostering a fairer and more inclusive economy for all.