Letter to the Editor by Joe Kenner, President and CEO, Greyston
I’ve spent the last week ruminating on the May 25 death of George Floyd. As the leader of a social enterprise founded on recognizing the value and potential of every human being, I cannot be silent. As a black business leader, husband, and a father of a son, I cannot be silent. I grieve with George Floyd’s family, try to manage my own feelings of anger, and question if there is a way forward for America.
This is not a time to be anti-police, or devolve into violence and further confusion. However, it is certainly a time to be pro-humanity and appeal to our better angels. Since becoming president and CEO of Greyston, I’ve been confronted with outsized external challenges, beginning with COVID-19 and, now, the repercussions of George Floyd’s death. With each obstacle, I believe more firmly that, together, we must double down on our efforts to extend and expand opportunities to those who need them most.
Greyston’s Open Hiring® employment model is needed more than ever. Our win-win approach for both employee and employer has generated millions in economic impact in Southwest Yonkers and provided hundreds of jobs to the hardest to employ. Meanwhile, recent and successful adopters of the Open Hiring® model, like The Body Shop, have reduced turnover by over 60% and increased productivity by 13%. This is the future of work: being innovative with human capital management and intentional about creating a more inclusive economy.
Don’t think it’s coincidental that leaders of large, multinational corporations, like Jamie Dimon, Bob Swan, and Ajay Banga of JPMorgan Chase, Intel, and Master Card, respectively, now are discussing “stakeholder capitalism” and focusing on investing in the communities their busineses serve. If we continue to show how business can be part of solving some of society’s greatest ills, we can be part of healing this country and igniting an economic revival. This is what Greyston is all about.
I am committed to seeing Open Hiring replicated, and even more committed to expanding our workforce development and community wellness programming that trains, supports, and develops opportunities for our neighbors who want jobs and are ready to get to work. Our Greyston team will continue to do impactful work, and we will remind our current and future donors that it’s all the more critical to support our efforts to scale our mission and assist the millions of people facing barriers to economic success.
These last days have represented a tragic period for our country but, every day, the Greyston family illustrates what a thriving and inclusive society can look like. Let’s build upon it. Let’s get to work.
