ISS pledges to hire 1,000 refugees in North America

ISS, a leading global workplace experience and facility management company, announced at Tent’s U.S. Business Summit on Refugees in New York City its commitment to hire 1,000 refugees or more across its North America business by the end of 2025. The programme aims to reduce barriers for refugees to help them integrate by providing training and employment.

“We live in very unsettled times, and we must all support where and how we can. ISS has an over 120-year legacy as a people company, and we have always had a strong drive to make a true difference for people and societies. Today, as we work globally for customers across 30 markets and have more than 350,000 employees, our social responsibility is ever more evident. We are pleased to support this important initiative and provide opportunities and a chance for stability for so many people fleeing global disruptions,” says Margot Slattery, Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion at ISS World Services A/S.

Tent is a non-profit organisation founded in 2016 by Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya that is committed to improving the lives and livelihoods of displaced refugees. It is comprised of a network of 260 companies that collectively have pledged to hire tens of thousands of refugees.

“The American business community is showing incredible leadership, and I am so proud of the companies, including ISS, standing up for refugees today,” said Hamdi Ulukaya. “These companies will benefit from welcoming these hard-working, loyal, and resilient individuals – but my hope is that this is only the beginning. As refugee crises start to fade from the headlines, I hope that companies will recognise that hiring refugees is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do.”

ISS’s pledge builds upon the company’s extensive global efforts to support refugees. ISS is part of the Sunflower Project, another Tent initiative, which has a mission to accelerate the economic inclusion of Ukrainian refugee women in Europe through better access to employment. Last year, ISS joined the Tent Mentoring Refugee Women initiative in Europe, committing to mentoring 50 refugee women over the next three years in Spain, France and the Netherlands. In addition, in the Netherlands, ISS has hosted information sessions in collaboration with Refugee Talent Hub. And in Denmark, ISS offers apprenticeships and mentorships to refugees.