Research consistently highlights employment as one of the most effective ways to reduce reoffending and support successful reintegration into society.1 However, many prison leavers face significant barriers when seeking work, limiting opportunities to build stable livelihoods and contribute positively to their communities.
Against this backdrop, Redemption Roasters operates a social enterprise model designed to create employment pathways for people with convictions. Through prison-based barista and coffee technician training, community support programmes and employment opportunities across its London coffee shops and roastery operations, Redemption Roasters provides participants with practical skills, ongoing support and access to meaningful work.2,3
Alongside the financial support, Macquarie employees contributed expertise through pro bono support, helping assess the investment opportunity and support the social enterprise’s plan for growth and future impact.
Macquarie has provided employees with meaningful opportunities to support and engage with Redemption Roasters' mission, including through:
Macquarie volunteers have also taken part in coffee-tasting fundraisers, supporting the business and raising awareness of its work to reduce reoffending through employment.
Since Macquarie's investment in 2024, the organisation has continued to grow its social impact alongside its commercial operations. Participants now represent 34 per cent of the organisation's retail workforce,4 up from 20 per cent at the time of investment, while the business has expanded to 11 London coffee shops.1
Over the period, Redemption Roasters has nearly doubled its wholesale business and opened a larger roastery in Wembley, creating additional routes to market and increasing opportunities for participants to access training, employment and long-term support.
By combining commercial growth with measurable social outcomes, Redemption Roasters is helping more people build sustainable careers and positive futures while reducing reoffending across the UK.
coffee shops now operating across London, since founding in 2015
participants supported into employment through coffee shop placements4
people have completed in-custody training programmes4
of participants remain in role beyond 90 days, against a 58 per cent industry average4
Rachel Engel Regional Head, EMEA Macquarie Group Foundation
1. ‘Impact Report 2025’, Redemption Roasters, 2025. 2. ‘Reducing reoffending through employment’, Macquarie Group Foundation, 2024 3. ‘Redemption Roasters secures £2.7 million investment to expand impact and reduce reoffending', Redemption Roasters, 2024 4. ‘Social Impact’, Redemption Roasters, 2026
Social impact investing: Reducing reoffending through employment
Generation UK and Macquarie’s Skilling for Net Zero report