Greyston Bakery

Helping people participate fully in the economy through Open Hiring

Overview

Greyston Bakery has a history built on radical inclusion. As New York’s first registered Benefit Corporation, Greyston is continually innovating on how it supports both its employees and the community of Yonkers. One of those ways is through its Open Hiring model.

Opportunity Employment Approach

Open Hiring simply means hiring without judgement. When Greyston has an opening in its bakery, anyone who can lift 50 pounds and is qualified to work in the U.S. is invited to join them without questions about their qualifications or background.

If you can do the job, then you get the job. To assist employees once they are in their role, Greyston partners with community programs and financial institutions to provide access to important services. Not only is this resource beneficial to employees with barriers, but supervisors and human resource leaders feel supported as they help their team members navigate challenges that may affect the quality of their work.

The Outcome

Greyston has experienced many positive outcomes as a result of Open Hiring and has launched The Center for Open Hiring at Greyston to spread the practice to other employers. Specifically at Greyston:

• The average tenure for employees in the bakery is 3 years, resulting in retention that is 9% higher than the industry average
• The cost-of-hire is $1,900, which compares to $4,500 in the U.S.

Learn more here