blk. Beverage Company Champions Second Chance Hiring Opportunities

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Better-for-you beverage company blk., the leading purveyor of natural functional water and other nutritional products made with fulvic minerals, is adding second chance hiring to its strong cache of environmental and socially responsible missions. Second chance hiring is the practice of hiring individuals with a criminal record. blk. trains and employs formerly incarcerated individuals and recovering addicts to key posts throughout the company and joins a growing number of leading organizations and large corporations that have found the value these returning citizens add to their companies. The list includes Campbell Soup, General Mills, Kroger, PepsiCo, Safeway, Target, Walgreens, Dr. Pepper, Dave's Killer Bread, Trader Joe's, and many others.

Currently, blk. employs 14 formerly incarcerated individuals or recovering addicts in positions including management and key roles in sales, marketing, direct distribution, administration, customer service and more. Further, the company has committed to having up to 20% of its workforce comprised of rehabilitated former felons and recovering addicts.

Chairman Adam Kasower says, "The company's mission through our products and efforts is to improve the wellbeing of people and our planet. We support dozens of charitable organizations and are dedicated to elevating individuals and to increasing happiness in this world. Love and kindness are key principals every company should have at the core of their values, and giving returning citizens a second chance has become a core value and big focus for blk."

According to the ACLU report from the Trone Private Sector and Education Advisory Council titled "Back to Business: How Hiring Formerly Incarcerated Job Seekers Benefits Your Company," an estimated 70 million Americans, or 1 in 3 adults, have a criminal record, and currently 2.3 million people are behind bars in the U.S., 95% of whom will re-enter society. Joblessness is a leading predictor of recidivism and with approximately 640,000 people released from prison each year, there is a huge workforce available out there to fill jobs.

"We currently work with over a dozen formerly incarcerated individuals at blk.," says David McMaster, blk.'s Director of Business Development for Arizona and Nevada. McMaster, a formerly incarcerated individual himself, was hired in 2021 and was empowered to build blk.'s business and brand in the region, "From scratch, including finding the warehouse, hiring employees, procurement of delivery vehicles, sales, accounting, building the team…all of it falls under my purview. As a socially responsible company, we hope to bring to light the opportunities we have as a nation to solve some of our incarceration problems. Through work opportunities such as blk. offers, and other rehabilitative programs, we can better set people up for success. Under this company's mission, I was given a second chance, and we are creating that opportunity for other qualified returning citizens."

From Area Sales Managers to Graphic Designers, Fleet Supervisors to drivers and administrative assistants, second chance citizens are thriving and having a direct impact on the success and growth of the blk. brand.

blk. water is a functional beverage which uses only high-quality natural ingredients and helps support a healthy lifestyle. blk. is infused with fulvic trace minerals – a super nutrient and one of the most powerful polyphenols known. Fulvic has been used for thousands of years, prompting numerous peer-reviewed, independent studies, which have reported broad beneficial results relating to improved health and disease prevention – including supporting gut health, brain health, healthy immune function, detoxification, and reducing inflammation. blk. water is black in color due to nutrient-rich minerals which are naturally dark. With a pH of 8+ and electrolytes, blk. water delivers the power of a sports drink while maintaining the purity and taste of water, without any carbs, calories, or sugar. blk. is gluten-free, kosher, and vegan, making it the perfect go-to replenishing wellness beverage that tastes refreshing and clean. 

blk. water is available at thousands of stores across North America, including getblk.com and Amazon. For more information visit www.getblk.com For wholesale inquiries, please contact [email protected].

Media Contacts
blk. water Media Relations: Jen Svejda – [email protected]
Andrea McKinnon, 818 415 9442, [email protected]

SOURCE blk.