Companies join forces to create second chance hiring alliances

As the U.S. continues to face a hiring shortage and the country’s workforce numbers are expected to slow over the next decade, companies are turning to new sources of talent. And one of these is potential employees who were formerly incarcerated or justice involved.
Although it’s becoming a growing trend in corporate America, there are still a lot of misperceptions about the practice of second chance –or fair chance as many people prefer to call it — hiring. But many companies have found great success in this pool of people who are eager to work; make dedicated, hard-working employees; and appreciate the opportunities they are given.

More and more business leaders who have found success with second chance hiring are banding together on a local and national basis to form second chance hiring alliances in order to learn from each other and encourage other companies to join the movement.

Although we may not be aware of all the groups that exist, here are a few examples of second chance hiring alliances we do know about.

Local second chance hiring alliances

Washington, D.C.

Second Chance Hiring Alliance – The Second Chance Hiring Alliance is convened by the Council for Court Excellence (CCE), a more than 40-year old Washington, D.C. advocacy group dedicated to improving the city’s court system. The Alliance includes such companies as Ben’s Chili Bowl, Flikshop and Honest Jobs, as well as such organizations as the Central Union Mission, Center for Employment Opportunities and the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

The alliance educates employers on why they should consider second chance hiring. It provides tips and toolkits on how to overcome obstacles that may prevent companies from hiring those who have been impacted by the criminal justice system. And it creates opportunities to share knowledge and encourage dialogue.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Beacon of Hope Business Alliance – Founded in 2016 by Dan Meyer and Richard Palmer of Nehemiah Manufacturing, the Beacon of Hope Business Alliance is now operated by Cincinnati Works. This organization has been around the longest of any we know of and includes dozens of companies in the Cincinnati area.

Tucson, Ariz.

Second Chance Tucson – What began as a reentry forum –created by former Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and US Magistrate Judge Charles Pyle in 2014 to celebrate the anniversary of the Second Chance Act –has developed into Second Chance Tucson. Second Chance Tucson is an organization of employers, nonprofit and faith-based organizations, and government and law-enforcement agencies.

The alliance sponsors community forums and organizes job and resource fairs. It launched a speakers bureau in 2024 featuring people who have been previously incarcerated can tell their story to interested groups. Plans to expand the bureau include speakers who will go to prisons to talk about successful reentry.

The organization’s website also includes a section on community resources that incorporates information on things like education and training, legal aid and behavioral health resources.

Chicago, Ill.

The Corporate Coalition of Chicago consists of 40 corporate members and 23 nonprofits. It is dedicated to building “a corporate culture in Chicago where companies understand that reducing racial and economic equalities is essential to their business success and a thriving regional economy.”

One of the coalition’s initiatives focuses on fair chance hiring. As part of this initiative, the organization sponsored a fair chance hiring conference in Oct. 2024 that brought together employers, nonprofit representatives, researchers, policy makers and funders from around the country. The organization has also put together three nine-month Fair Chance Hiring Cohorts.

National second chance hiring alliances

The Second Chance Business Coalition – The Second Chance Business Coalition is a national organization of major corporations dedicated to hiring and providing career opportunities to employees who were formerly incarcerated. It includes a vast array of companies that range from American Airlines and AT&T to McDonalds and Microsoft.

The Workforce & Justice Alliance – The Washington, D.C., nonprofit Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ)has created the Workforce & Justice Alliance, a national network of businesses determined to bring about systemic change to the justice system and help remove barriers facing justice-impacted job seekers. Members include Awake Window & Door Co., Breaking Free Industries, Flagger Force, Frontier Co-op, Hot Chicken Takeover, Honest Jobs, I Have a Bean, Kelly, Mod Pizza, R&R Head Labs, Spir Candle Co. and U.S. Rubber Recycling.

Starting a local fair chance hiring coalition in your own community

Forming a coalition doesn’t have to start with dozens of companies or a national initiative. Often it begins with just two or three employers who share a commitment to fair chance hiring and want to learn from one another. By joining forces locally, businesses can pool resources, share best practices, and even co-host hiring fairs or training programs. Over time, these informal collaborations can grow into recognized alliances like the ones highlighted above.

If your company is already engaged in second chance hiring –or is considering it – think about reaching out to a peer business, a local chamber of commerce, or a workforce development group. Together, you can lay the foundation for a fair chance hiring alliance in your own community.

Editor’s note: If your company would like to learn more about second chance hiring, you can download our Second Chance Hiring Toolkit, which provides step-by-step instructions on how to create and manage a second chance initiative. You may also want to check out the stories of some of the companies that have successfully done so. They’re part of our Second Chance Employers Network and are profiled on our website.

Posted on January 27, 2026 by Jails to Jobs