Pret CEO Pano Christou Takes Homewards Neon Role to Help 500 Into Jobs
Updated
Updated · The Grocer · Jul 7
Pret CEO Pano Christou Takes Homewards Neon Role to Help 500 Into Jobs
2 articles · Updated · The Grocer · Jul 7
Summary
Pano Christou was named the first UK chair of Prince William’s Homewards New Employment Opportunities Network, giving the Pret CEO a national role overseeing the business-led jobs initiative.
Neon links major employers, local businesses and public services to create work routes for 16- to 24-year-olds who have experienced homelessness or are at risk of it, with a focus on retention and long-term stability.
Pret has already tied its Rising Stars programme to Homewards and plans to expand it nationwide, targeting at least 500 people into Pret jobs; about 350 have been helped into employment so far.
Homewards, launched in 2023 and now active in six UK locations, said the new chair role is part of its next phase as it scales efforts in years four and five to make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated.
Pret's program is a success. What's stopping thousands of other UK companies from following its lead?
As Homewards expands, can a business-led model truly solve the UK's deep-rooted homelessness crisis?
With data available to predict homelessness, why do UK systems still wait for a crisis before they intervene?
107,000+ Young People Homeless in the UK: How Business and NEON Are Responding to a National Crisis
Overview
The UK faces a growing crisis as youth homelessness and unemployment rise sharply, threatening both the well-being of young people and the country’s long-term stability. In 2026, over 107,000 young people in England alone sought help for homelessness, a figure that has increased from the previous year and is echoed by similar trends in Wales and Scotland. This dual challenge not only leaves thousands without stable housing or jobs but also risks undermining the nation’s social fabric and economic future, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated action across sectors.