“We toss ‘em. They’re awesome.” Pizza Factory lives by this slogan, and is dedicated to crafting the most delicious pizzas in neighborhoods across the country. But the franchise is about more than quality food – it is committed to being a strong anchor in the community, investing in local outreach programs. To commemorate National Bullying Prevention Month in October, the pizza franchise declared all 110 locations as “No Bully Zones.”
A feature story in the Sierra Star lauded the Oakhurst, Calif.-headquartered pizza franchise for its dedication to anti-bullying efforts ever since Mary Jane Riva President and CEO, launched the program in 2009 as a franchisee. Spurred by the challenges faced by her son who was struggling to come out as gay, Riva initially instituted the “No Bully
Zone” as a way of helping employees, many of whom are teenagers, as a way of getting to know each other in a low-pressure environment. Realizing the benefits of such a program in schools and communities, Riva decided to make it part of Pizza Factory’s core mission, partnering with area educational institutions.
“Bullying is an epidemic that affects all of us—the scary truth is that 1 out of 10 students who drops out of school has been bullied,” said Riva in the Sierra Star article. “This is unacceptable. At Pizza Factory, we’re committed to raising awareness of this growing problem in our communities.”
Pizza Factory franchisees are active participants in the “No Bully Zone” program and Riva visits franchise locations to present a “Buddy Bench,” which fosters friendships, as part of community outreach. While franchisees decide where the bench will ultimately be placed, schools are often picked as the location of choice. Schools also participate by working on specific activities suggested by Pizza Factory as well as by having teachers and students take the anti-bullying pledge.
Pizza Factory’s dedication to delicious hand-tossed pizzas (“We toss ‘em. They’re awesome.”) and to the communities they serve win the franchise high marks with customers. Pizza Factory is a shining example of the kind of difference a socially conscious business can make.
Learn more about the many awesome advantages of becoming a Pizza Factory franchisee.