StreetWise Partners is thrilled to announce The Opportunity Pledge: a public commitment companies are making to build an inclusive and diverse workforce. September marks National Workforce Development Month in the U.S., a prime opportunity for corporations to invest in initiatives which support job seekers and develop diverse talent pipelines.

For the past 26 years, StreetWise Partners has enabled economic equity through innovative workforce development and mentoring programs. By pairing job seekers with mentors, their commitment and impact has supported over 10,000 mentees and 15,000 mentors in New York and Washington, D.C.

The Opportunity Pledge is an open call for organizations to commit to advance economic equity in the workforce. Companies contribute to The Opportunity Pledge in three ways: by making a tax-deductible financial contribution to StreetWise Partners to reach more jobseekers, by making a commitment to hire StreetWise Partners’ graduates, and through in-kind donations such as lending office space for in-person programming.

Organizations joining The Opportunity Pledge are supporting StreetWise Partners strategic growth plan that will initially launch 1,900 careers by mentees and job seekers, generating $92M in first year wages.

Shari Krull, CEO of StreetWise Partners, said, “We are driven to equip underrepresented job seekers with the skills, industry knowledge, and social capital necessary to launch careers and achieve upward mobility. The Opportunity Pledge offers employers a proven program to attract talent while growing a diverse workforce. Forward-thinking corporations are joining in to publicly mark their commitment.”

Early adopters to The Opportunity Pledge include Erickson Immigration Group, Symphony, Mizuho, Tradeweb, TIAA, Global Atlantic Financial Group, and The Ready Foundation.

“Tradeweb is a proud partner of StreetWise and participating in this pledge further exemplifies our strong commitment to building a diverse workforce,” said Fred Strobel, Managing Director, Global Head of Human Resources at Tradeweb.

“Symphony is honored to join The Opportunity Pledge and, in this way, share its commitment to the social advancement of underrepresented individuals in the workplace. We have been working with StreetWise for the past year and it’s been a truly mutually beneficial relationship. Our employees are committed and invested in helping their mentees. They have been able to share their knowledge and experience while learning from their mentees, which has been hugely rewarding. We take DEIB seriously and are focused on contributing to a more equitable workplace overall,” said Symphony’s CEO, Brad Levy.

“Erickson Immigration Group believes in the power and importance of realizing one’s fullest professional and personal potential. Our firm is proud to be a corporate partner to StreetWise Partners and support their essential work to elevate underrepresented jobseekers,” said Rick Heath, Erickson Immigration Group CFO and StreetWise Partners DC Advisory Council Member.

For more information about The Opportunity Pledge, please contact nicole@streetwisepartners.org.