Greggs the baker gives a taste of work to ex-prisoners
High street chain’s hiring strategy is repaid with loyalty from hard-to-place employees
Greggs, the high street bakery chain, is among a growing number of UK companies that are hiring former convicts and others who find it hard to obtain jobs. The company says these become some of its most loyal employees.
Greggs started working with offenders in 2010, when it visited women’s prisons to improve their confidence and skills including writing CVs and interview techniques. Realising they had potential, Greggs began offering them work. The scheme has been extended to men’s prisons and brought under its Fresh Start banner alongside other initiatives to help young people, ex-military personnel and long-term unemployed.
“We can help these people that are furthest away from socialisation find the pathway back to feeling part of the community”
Greggs was inspired by the pioneering work of Timpson, the shoe repair, dry-cleaners and key cutters chain, in hiring ex-offenders. Greggs runs training schemes in prisons and provides work experience, which can lead to permanent jobs.
Please see HACRO’s Getting Ex-offenders into Work.