So you call yourself inclusive? Looking beyond labels to boost business

This piece was written by James Timpson OBE, CEO of the Timpson Group

As every business owner knows, getting the best possible talent to join is what makes or breaks a company’s chances of success. This is true whether you are leading a cafe, pub, restaurant, supermarket, nursery or - like Timpson - a cobbler and key cutter. 

Right now, competition for the best people is sky high. For businesses today, being innovative and bold in the way they recruit is vital to their success.

One of the key ingredients to Timpson’s success over the years has been doubling down on our approach to recruit people on their character and talent alone, regardless of their background. 

For this reason, we are proud that over a tenth of our workforce are ex-offenders. It is not that we are being solely philanthropic in recruiting them - we do it because they are some of the best and brightest employees, and are helping Timpson becoming increasingly successful. Many people I speak to think that this is a niche issue and are surprised when I tell them that a quarter of adults have a criminal record. 

For people that come with complicated personal, professional or family histories, the default is all too often to pass them over for consideration - particularly when attitudes towards those with past criminal convictions are, on the whole, regressive. 

At Timpson, we’ve been evangelical about helping people from marginalised groups get their lives back on track through valued, respected employment. 

It not only helps these people but has been – and continues to be – the beating heartbeat of our business’s growth and prosperity across the UK. It’s a huge part of our values.

It’s in our DNA. And hiring from all walks of life needs to be in the DNA of every modern British business. 

I believe more now than ever that it is crucial for businesses to start realising the opportunity that is waiting to be unlocked, simply by opening the doors, minds and hearts to wider groups of people on the fringes of society. Going even further, I do not think a business can say it is a diverse employer if it is not recruiting people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

I am proud to have been involved in ReGenerate’s Good Jobs Project report, which outlined a broad range of groups facing marginalisation and systemic isolation from the jobs market.

They represent one of the most important potential drivers for social justice and mobility, business success and economic growth amidst the UK’s c. 1m job vacancies chasm.

Single parents, former criminals, neurodivergent, disabled people, youngsters from the care system and young people growing up poor and disadvantaged all suffer from this job-opportunity freeze.

Take young people in or leaving the care system, for example, they are four times more likely not to be in education, employment or training nine months after leaving school and are ten times more likely to go to prison by the time they are 24, than those not in the care system.

When it comes to former offenders, a group very close to my heart and to our business, 83% are not in work within 12 months of leaving prison. 

The challenge is large but not insurmountable. 

At the heart of business values needs to be a desire and commitment to intentionally hire people from marginalised groups so that it becomes the norm, not a box-ticking exercise.

That is the key to a fairer, more productive and inclusive Britain.