“We don’t hire people to bake brownies. We bake brownies to hire people.”
Greyston, a for-profit benefit corporation, is committed to unlocking the power of human potential through inclusive employment, one person at a time. Founder Bernie Glassman built Greyston bakery to hire people who faced barriers to employment. His solution was simple: Anyone with a desire to work would be added to a list and called when there was a position available. No interviews, no background checks, and no resumes required.
More than 40 years later, Greyston has benefited thousands of workers, their families, and communities through open hiring. And the company isn’t stopping there. Its new ten-year vision is to impact 100,000 people by helping other organizations implement inclusive hiring practices.
We invited Joseph Kenner, President and CEO, to speak to the present and future of Greyston and how inclusive hiring can benefit your organization.
Listen for insights on:
- Why open and inclusive hiring won’t compromise professionalism and efficiency
- Organizations that have successfully adopted open and inclusive hiring practices
- The business impact of open and inclusive hiring
Resources + Links:
- (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360
- (00:13) - Joseph Kenner • Greyston Bakery
- (01:32) - What Drives Joe
- (02:41) - What Does Greyston Do?
- (03:51) - Open Hiring
- (05:05) - Founder Bernie Glassman
- (07:07) - Numbers
- (07:50) - Why Open Hiring
- (10:09) - Feeling
- (10:55) - Example
- (12:50) - Creating Awareness
- (13:47) - Starting at Greyston
- (15:17) - Pandemic Protocols
- (16:55) - The Foundation
- (20:00) - Advancing the Movement
- (21:10) - Progress
- (22:01) - 2030 Vision
- (22:28) - Social Innovator of the Year
- (23:29) - Exportability
- (24:07) - Challenges
- (24:50) - Fears
- (26:17) - Barriers and Points
- (27:40) - Buy, Donate, Replicate
- (29:04) - Next Steps
- (29:31) - Last Words
- (30:18) - Wrap Up