Business Leaders to Make the Case for Justice Reform at RBIJ Policy Agenda Launch in Washington, D.C.

The Responsible Business Initiative for Justice will host the event, with support from The Just Trust and Uber, to spotlight corporate leadership on criminal justice and workforce policy reform.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- This Constitution Day, Sept. 17, 2026, senior business leaders will join policymakers and public safety voices to make the case for a justice system centered on fairness and opportunity and for the private sector's role in driving reform. Speaking before an audience of experts, they'll headline "Business, Justice, & The Next 250: A Reform Agenda for Safety and Prosperity," a series of panels hosted by the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ) in Washington, D.C. The event will culminate in the launch of RBIJ's first-ever policy agenda: a series of bipartisan solutions, informed by the business community, for a justice system that delivers true safety and prosperity for all.

Confirmed panelists include:

• Jodi Anderson Jr., Co-Founder, rézme
• Marcus Bullock, CEO, Flikshop
• Mike Donner, CEO, Flagger Force
• Nan Gibson, Executive Director, JPMorganChase PolicyCenter
• Carrie Harambasic, Head of Business Development, LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
• Stephanie Ferguson Melhorn, Executive Director, Workforce & International Labor Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Carleen Pickard, Social Mission Director, Ben & Jerry's
• Jo-Ann Wallace, CEO & Board Chair, NLADA Mutual Insurance Co., RRG

Two and a half centuries of policy choices have given rise to roughly 77 million justice-impacted Americans — a legacy that the private sector had a direct role in helping build. Today many find it extraordinarily difficult to rebuild their lives after acquiring a criminal record, with direct impacts on business in turn. The barriers justice-impacted Americans face — spanning employment, housing, transportation, and beyond — have shrunken companies' talent pools, stifled economic productivity, and held back entire communities through unfair cycles of exclusion and punishment.

"Business and the justice system have been intertwined for all of American history, and this Constitution Day, we're making the case for why that relationship must be leveraged to build safety and prosperity for everyone," said Maha Jweied, CEO of RBIJ. "The justice system touches the workforce, community safety, and the broader economy — which is exactly why business leaders are among the loudest voices calling for reform."

Influential business voices and policy experts will highlight why a justice system built on transparency, consistency, and trust is simply more effective — at delivering accountability, ensuring safety, and strengthening the economy — than one built on punishment alone. They will explore how innovative policies at the state and federal level can serve as a model for further action.

"Building a better justice system that benefits all Americans requires collaboration across sectors. That's why we are proud to support RBIJ's leadership mobilizing business to advance research-backed policies that honor core principles of justice and uphold dignity under law," said Ana Zamora, Founder and CEO, The Just Trust. 

About the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ). RBIJ is an award-winning, international nonprofit that mobilizes the business community to advance justice through policy reform, business practice, cultural narrative, and sector-wide collaboration. Founded in 2018, RBIJ has helped nearly 900 companies leverage their influence to address persistent discrimination, over-criminalization, and cycles of punishment and poverty across the justice system — advancing solutions that deliver fairness, support public safety, and promote economic prosperity for all. Learn more at rbij.org.

SOURCE The Responsible Business Initiative for Justice