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Imagine being defined by your worst mistake for the rest of your life.

This is a reality for more than 200,000 incarcerated women in the United States. They made a mistake, but their punishment is far greater than the crime. They are denied opportunity, growth, and personal success.

At Televerde, we believe in second chances.

We partner with incarcerated women to help them find their voice and reach their human potential. We provide them with training, support, and opportunity. We believe that everyone deserves a second chance.

Visit The Televerde Virtual Roundtable to hear the stories of these women.

Learn how they have overcome adversity and transformed their lives. See how opportunity and support can help people grow, change, and achieve extraordinary things. Visit the Televerde Virtual Roundtable today and discover the power of second chances.

Televerde Invests in Human Potential

Televerde is a global contact center company that invests in human potential. We believe that everyone deserves a second chance, and we work to create opportunities for people who have been incarcerated or who are otherwise facing challenges.

In the United States, Televerde partners with the states of Arizona, Florida, and Indiana to provide job opportunities to incarcerated women. Our programs provide education, job training, and support to help people successfully re-enter their communities, reunite with their families, and build meaningful and rewarding careers.

We believe everyone deserves a chance to succeed and are committed to helping people reach their full potential.

    Here are some of the benefits of Televerde’s programs:

  • Increased employment opportunities: Televerde’s programs help people find jobs that pay a living wage and offer benefits.
  • Reduced recidivism rates: Televerde programs have a recidivism rate that is 91 percent lower than the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ national rate among females released from state prisons.
  • Improved family relationships: Televerde programs help people reconnect with their families and build stronger relationships.
  • Break the cycle of incarceration: Televerde programs have a generational impact as our graduates’ children are 11x more likely to graduate high school, and adult children are 11x less likely to be incarcerated compared to the dependent children and adult children of other incarcerated mothers.
  • Increased self-esteem: Televerde’s programs help people build self-confidence and self-esteem.

If you want to learn more about Televerde’s programs, please get in touch with us. We would be happy to answer any questions you have.

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Range of recidivism rate state-wide

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Range of recidivism rate for those given training, education and placed in jobs

Generating Revenue While Changing Lives

Televerde is a global contact center company committed to transforming lives and process efficiency by running its business as a force for good. Televerde provides life-changing opportunities to disempowered communities, enabling them to reclaim their independence and reenter the global workforce, all while generating revenue for its clients.

One example of Televerde’s commitment to social impact is its partnership with the Arizona Department of Corrections. Through this partnership, Televerde provides job opportunities to incarcerated women at the Perryville Women’s Prison. This program has been shown to reduce recidivism rates by up to 50%, and it has also helped improve the educational and employment outcomes of the women participating in the program.

Televerde’s work is changing the lives of the people it employs and the lives of their families and communities. A study by the University of Pennsylvania found that children of incarcerated parents are more likely to drop out of school, become involved in crime, and experience mental health problems. Televerde’s programs are helping to break this cycle by providing education, job training, and support to incarcerated women and their families. Read more about our Impact Report.

Televerde is a force for good in the world. It is a company that is committed to transforming lives and generating revenue. Televerde is creating a more just and equitable world by investing in disempowered communities.

“Look behind the prison walls and see the true human potential of those of us in here. You see me. I’m in orange. I am a felon. But I’m also confident, dedicated, empowered and encouraged. Would you hire me?”

-Christin Swansinger, former business development rep at Televerde

We Work With Our Partners to Reduce Recidivism

Televerde is committed to reducing recidivism rates and helping people who have been incarcerated get back on their feet. We work with partners like the Departments of Corrections in Arizona, Indiana, and Florida to provide incarcerated individuals job opportunities, education, and support services. Our programs have been shown to reduce recidivism rates by up to 50 percent.

We believe everyone deserves a second chance and are committed to helping people who have made mistakes get back on the right track. We are proud to work with our partners to make a difference in the lives of incarcerated individuals and their families.

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recidivism rate among our graduates

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graduates continue to work with Televerde after they’re released from prison

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employees at the Phoenix corporate office are former inmates

“The ‘Televerde Effect’ goes beyond the marketable skills and career opportunities the company gives these women. It translates directly to safer prison yards. Televerde is a coveted, high-status employer and the opportunity to work for the company instills women with incentive to stay out of trouble and make good choices. This sentiment is felt across Perryville and is a testament to Televerde’s way of doing business.”

— Karen Hellman, Division Director of Inmate Programs and Reentry, Arizona Department of Corrections

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Our Impact Delivers Growth in More Ways Than One

Televerde’s sales and marketing professionals are the cornerstone of the company’s success. They are remarkably bright, extraordinarily hard-working, and have an intense desire never to go back to prison once they leave. So when they’re allowed to shine, they unlock their full potential. Because of this passion, Televerde experiences a meager rate of attrition.

While initially trained for sales roles, Televerde’s employees have the opportunity to advance in departments like IT, marketing, finance, and HR. Many have also been promoted to management positions. Televerde has people in every department and at every level of the organization who began their careers on the inside. Many women are also hired by Televerde’s customers post-release, working in various sales, marketing, and technical positions.

Televerde’s commitment to social impact is not only good for the company but also for the community. By providing job opportunities and training to incarcerated individuals, Televerde is helping to reduce recidivism rates and break the cycle of poverty. Televerde is also helping to create a more just and equitable society.

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I can say with confidence that any woman who can succeed within Televerde’s organization could succeed in a similar role nearly anywhere. I would put our Televerde team against any other sales group doing a similar function and be confident in the results they could produce.”

— Sevki Inan, Vice President of Inside Sales, Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence

Listen to Danna’s story to learn more about how Televerde is helping incarcerated women transform their lives.

After nearly 10 years behind bars, Danna Tongate has a new life.

Danna entered Perryville prison with a series of low-skill, low-wage jobs under her belt and was without a high school diploma. She left prison on Aug. 29, 2022, with her GED, a business education, sales and marketing expertise, a solid professional network, and a cadre of executive mentors. Following her release, she joined our Corporate HQ as our new head of Demand Generation. Watch Danna talk about her journey with FOX10 Phoenix.

Danna’s story is one of many examples of how Televerde is helping incarcerated women transform their lives. Televerde is committed to providing job opportunities and training to incarcerated individuals. The company believes everyone deserves a second chance and has the potential to succeed.

Learn more about Televerde’s commitment to second chances. Visit the Televerde Virtual Roundtable and hear the stories of other women transforming their lives.

Our Promise

Transformation is constant. It doesn’t end upon release. Televerde is with women for the long haul. We offer continued support, resources, and a network of successful graduates to tap into, all leading women to a stronger future.

    Through the Televerde Foundation, women learn how to:

  • Transition back into society: Televerde Foundation provides career readiness programs, job placement assistance, financial literacy training, and help with housing and transportation.
  • Address everyday challenges: Televerde Foundation offers counseling and support groups to help women cope with the challenges of reentering society, such as finding a job, housing, and childcare.
  • Form meaningful relationships: Televerde Foundation connects women with mentors and other women who have successfully transitioned from prison.
  • Discover hidden talents: Televerde Foundation provides opportunities for women to learn new skills and develop their talent and abilities.
  • Go on to higher education: Televerde Foundation helps women pay for college and provides scholarships to women who want to pursue higher education.
  • Strengthen confidence in themselves to reach their goals: Televerde Foundation provides women with the tools and support they need to achieve their goals.

Televerde is committed to helping women transform their lives and create a better future for themselves and their families. Learn more about Televerde Foundation.

Learn About Our Culture
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Frequently Asked Questions:

Does Televerde use prison labor?

We have a socially responsible business model that uses the talent and potential of incarcerated women. What this means for you is results. Our agents have an average tenure of 4.5 years, have amassed incredible skills, and are passionate about learning your business. Yes, it is great to empower women with marketable skills to transition back into the communities, but what keeps clients like SAP and Marketo with us are the results they deliver. Since 1994, Televerde has generated more than $12 billion in revenue for our clients.

What is the education level of your callers?

Our agents come from varied backgrounds and careers. From bankers and professors to women with little to no business experience.

We have a minimum education requirement of a high school diploma, so many women get their GED in prison to qualify for consideration into the Televerde program.

We teach all our agents the basics of marketing including how to utilize personas, create and adhere to messaging and tips to finding final decision makers and influencers within target organizations. Sometimes referred to as a “mini MBA,” we teach callers how to be consultative business partners for clients.

We use a combination of in-class, online and study group-based learning to give women multiple avenues to develop and sharpen their skills. We use real-time coaching and review 100% of deliverables to clients to ensure conversations are of the highest caliber. We also offer certifications and advanced career opportunities in all Televerde departments including executive level positions as women progress in their lives and experience.

All agents are trained in the most cutting-edge technology on the market (e.g., Salesforce, Eloqua and Marketo), as well as the hard and soft skills needed to close deals, communicate with c-suite executives, and collaborate with Televerde clients’ sales and marketing teams. This level of knowledge and job experience increases their marketability and provides a clear advantage over others in the hiring process when they’re released.

How does Televerde pay its incarcerated employees?

We pay state minimum wage for the right to work with the women in the states where we operate. Each state makes some deductions for a personal savings account to help with reentry upon release, and if applicable, for restitution, child support, and the cost of incarceration. As a company, we add to that monetary compensation by providing access to earn online certifications, college courses, and other higher learning opportunities through Televerde and Televerde Foundation. We also offer career pathing into other areas of the business so women can grow as they learn. Today, Televerde employs more than 100 formerly incarcerated women at our corporate office and has witnessed thousands more gain successful employment with the skills developed during their tenure with our organization.

How does the business model help incarcerated women?

The women of Televerde earn college credits for completing company-sponsored training programs at our contact centers. Between the sales and marketing training they receive as part of the job and the company-sponsored programs at our contact centers, our women are well prepared for a career post-release. They have the opportunity to work for Televerde post-release, and we employ more than 100 formerly incarcerated individuals at our corporate office. They work in every department at every level of the organization, including the c-suite. Hundreds more have gained successful employment at other companies, including many of our clients, because of the hard and soft skills and business acumen developed during their tenure with our organization. Since 2006, Televerde has provided pre- and post-release programs for its incarcerated workforce through a non-profit organization. In 2020, the Televerde Foundation was launched to provide more robust personal and professional development opportunities throughout the duration of a woman’s prison sentence and for two years following release. The foundation’s program focuses on workplace readiness, career development, financial literacy, personal leadership, health and wellness, and community reintegration.

Of the facilities Televerde operates, how many are based in correctional facilities and which facilities are involved?

Televerde has partnerships with the States of Arizona, Florida, and Indiana to provide job opportunities to incarcerated women.

We examine incarceration rates, education levels, and correctional industry experience, with private-sector partners and prison operations. This due diligence ensures we are working with the right partners and that we can support our clients in a way that drives the highest success rates in their demand generation, inbound customer support, and customer acquisition programs.

Televerde also has two call centers located in Argentina and Scotland that are not based in prisons.

What is the success rate for women of Televerde?

Televerde’s commitment to working with disempowered populations has produced remarkable results both for clients and communities over the past 25 years.

Arizona State University’s Seidman Research Institute recently released findings that reviewed the economic, social and fiscal impact of Televerde’s prison workforce development program on individuals, families, and the state of Arizona.

The results reveal that participants of Televerde’s program go on to attain employment, earnings, and education at higher rates and reoffend at significantly lower rates than other formerly incarcerated females in the United States.

  • The study shows a recidivism rate that is 91 percent lower than the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ national rate among females released from state prisons.
  • The report states that 94 percent of Televerde graduates are still employed after five years post-incarceration, earning four times the salary of other formally incarcerated females who did not go through the program.

A digital version of the study is available here.

How is the Televerde business model perceived by responsible business organizations?

Televerde is viewed as a “business as a force for good” by the most responsible business organizations and non-profits in the world.

Televerde joined the United Nations Global Compact, a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible business practices. Launched in 2000, the United Nations Global Compact is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with more than 9,500 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries. Members of the United Nations Global Compact have visions that align with the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations General Assembly.

Televerde is part of the Global Impact Sourcing Coalition, a global network of businesses dedicated to creating a market for inclusive employment by raising awareness of Impact Sourcing and demonstrating how inclusive hiring practices lead to greater business growth and social impact.

Televerde was named a 2020 Global Impact Sourcing Award (GISA) recipient. The awards, jointly given by IAOP and The Rockefeller Foundation, recognize organizations impacting local communities by creating jobs in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in underserved communities.