Social Recruitment Advocacy Group

What is the Social Recruitment Advocacy Group?

The Social Recruitment Advocacy Group has been set up to encourage employers to place greater emphasis on recruiting people who are disadvantaged in the labour market. Despite employers struggling with persistent vacancies, individuals who already face significant challenges in the labour market risk falling even further to the back of the queue.

Often these people do not end up on the unemployment statistics – they are part of the hidden story of those who are economically inactive – and those who face very real challenges as a result of the cost of living.

This story is not an inevitability.

Young people, people with disabilities and those who have been through the criminal justice system for example, often have a great deal of talent. By taking a proactive approach to ensure they are not overlooked and encouraging a growing movement of employers to change the way they approach recruitment and job progression, we can change the future for generations of people who have been hampered by lack of opportunity.

The new group, chaired by former Skills Minister Rt Hon Anne Milton, will drive positive action to address significant employability gaps. Importantly it has an explicit goal to be action-oriented rather than become another ‘talking shop’

What is social value recruitment and why is it important?

Social recruitment is an approach to hiring that positively impacts every part of society and the economy by moving unemployed people, who are furthest away from the labour market, into sustainable jobs. The ‘disadvantages’ or 'barriers' to employment are created by a huge range of factors. Individuals from Black and Ethnic Minority communities, young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET), unpaid carers, prison-leavers, those living in poverty and areas of multiple deprivation, people with long-term health and disability challenges - all need support.

By encouraging more employers to actively pursue positive action that results in more people from disadvantaged backgrounds having employment opportunities opened up to them, we will create a more inclusive and dynamic economy that contributes to stronger economic growth.

There are significant economic challenges ahead of us – and now is the time to ignite a growing movement of employers who are committed to active social recruitment.

The group has three main outcomes:

To facilitate a strong network of employers of all sizes who come together regularly to share best experiences and learn from each other about social recruitment
To undertake a dedicated campaign to show the benefits of social recruitment – from individual business benefits through to wider social and economic benefits.
To encourage Government to use its voice to promote social recruitment through the private and public sectors so that social recruitment is no longer seen as a ‘CSR’ activity but it is mainstream practice – undertaking positive action to recruit those who are furthest from the labour market is simply how good recruitment is done in the UK.

More on our goals can be read on our Charter

‘The Social Recruitment Advocacy Group wants to break down the barriers for those who are disadvantaged in the labour market by dispelling myths about recruiting from those groups. We bring together a strong network of employers, not for profit organisations and the public sector. We want this approach to recruitment to become the norm not the exception.

Social value recruitment not only makes a tangible difference to people’s lives but also supports a more equitable society and tackles employment disadvantage and improves aspirations for future generations’
Rt Hon Anne Milton

"Social recruitment gives disadvantaged groups, including young people who are not in employment, education or training, access to life-changing opportunities, while providing organisations with access to a more diverse and sustainable talent pool which we know offers a host of benefits. Social recruitment is the right thing to do - to level the playing field for all and support the country's economic growth"
Gillian Churchill, CEO of Movement to Work

We welcome membership applications from like minded businesses - there are four levels of membership

Our Members

The group is chaired by former Skills Minister Rt Hon Anne Milton, and our members include: