Businesses for Refugees Pledge Launches to Rally Private Sector Support for New Americans

WASHINGTON—The Businesses for Refugees pledge launched today as a campaign effort to bring together businesses of all sizes across the United States, from Main Street to Wall Street, to unite and show support for refugees.

“The Businesses for Refugees pledge is an exciting opportunity to celebrate the important relationship between refugees and businesses across the country,” said Refugee Congress delegate Joe Sackor, founder of the Businesses for Refugees pledge. “The pledge highlights the contributions refugees make to our communities as employers and employees, and demonstrates the private sector’s strong support for refugees in our communities.”

U.S. businesses are uniquely positioned to offer refugees the opportunity to rebuild their lives, and refugees are essential to U.S. businesses and communities. Indeed, 13 percent of refugees in the United States were entrepreneurs in 2015, with businesses that generated $4.6 billion that year. And more than 70 percent of refugees in the United States serve as essential workers as the country continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pledge offers businesses an important opportunity to demonstrate their support for refugees at a critical time. The United States is home to more than 3.1 million refugees, and is committed to welcoming people seeking safety as protection needs worldwide surpass record levels.

By signing the pledge, businesses recognize their responsibility to:

• Listen to and amplify the voices of those seeking safety in the United States; 
• Advance policies that support diversity, equity, inclusion, and the safety of refugees and other vulnerable immigrants; 
• Engage in dialogue on the importance of refugee resettlement and inclusion, including decent work;
• Speak out in support of inclusive policies and practices; 
• Call upon other businesses to adopt this pledge as a step toward greater inclusion and prosperity in the United States.

The Businesses for Refugees pledge campaign is organized by a diverse set of partners from the private and non-profit sectors including Amplio Recruiting, Concordia, the International Rescue Committee, New American Economy, the Refugee Advocacy Lab, Refugee Congress, Refugee Council USA, Refugees International, the Tent Partnership for Refugees, USA for UNHCR, and We Hire Refugees.

This pledge effort will culminate on September 30, 2021. 

Learn more about the Businesses for Refugees pledge at www.businessesforrefugees.org. 

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For Media 

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Sarah Sheffer at ssheffer@refugeesinternational.org or +1 202 540 7029.