Greggs to offer jobs to ex-offenders as soon as 'they walk through the prison gate'

15 July 2022, 13:56 | Updated: 15 July 2022, 15:14

Greggs have signed up to offer employment to ex-offenders as soon as "they walk through the prison gate" as part of a Government drive to help break cycle of crime.

Bakery giant Greggs has become the latest household name to sign up to a Government scheme linking business bosses to prisons to provide advice on job skills.

Greggs have joined the likes of TalkTalk and Lotus Cars in "helping governors to ensure that offenders are job-ready when they walk through the prison gate".

According to data, since the launch of the scheme, the number of former offenders in work six weeks after release has increased by nearly half.

More than half of prisons now benefit from business mentors, and almost 4,000 ex-offenders have been helped into work since the launch of the programme.

The Government say they are now on track to roll out boards to all 91 ‘resettlement’ prisons by spring 2023, with 50 already up and running across England and Wales.

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Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab said: "We’re getting more offenders into work than ever before which is key to cutting crime and making our streets safer.

"Along with our work to tackle addiction, improve education and maintain vital family ties, this will set ex-offenders on a sustainable path away from crime – helping to protect the public."

Polling commissioned by the Ministry of Justice found that over 90 percent of businesses who employ ex-offenders said they are reliable, good at their job, punctual and trustworthy.

Roisin Currie, Chief Executive, Greggs added: "At Greggs, we believe that by not overlooking any potential employees because of their past, we can select the right person and develop them to their full potential.

"We’ve been working with people leaving prison for a number of years through our dedicated Fresh Start programme, and more recently have signed up to the Employment Advisory Board scheme to enable us to do even more.

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"The passion and energy for work that comes from people who are given an opportunity to kick-start their careers, or to turn their lives around is clear for all to see and as a business, we feel extremely motivated to do all we can to give these people a fresh start."

As part of the Prisons White Paper, published last December, the Government has committed to investing £200 million per year on reducing reoffending by 2023, including on prison leaver employment schemes.

The scheme which was launched last year has seen ex-offenders offered jobs in a host of areas including construction, retail, catering and manufacturing, which is helping prisoners turn their backs on crime and plug labour market gaps across firms of all sizes.

Greggs has already employed 120 ex-offenders since 2012.