Inclusion & Diversity
Inclusion is the right thing to do. And it's good for business too.
Whilst we specialise in supporting our customers with their Inclusion & Diversity hiring plans, we also focus on our responsibilities as an employer.
We have an equal balance of men and women in our business. We are signatories of the End Salary History campaign and the Opening Doors Inclusive Recruitment campaign. We support Show Racism The Red Card and are a regular attendee at Pride. We also work with women returners, military leavers and neurodivergent individuals on employability support. We are also signatories of the Tech Talent Charter, enabling a better balance of men and women in STEM careers.
Opening up opportunity for everyone
We believe that everyone has the potential to be the best person for the job, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or disability.
Meet our team of Inclusion Ambassadors at Outsource UK who are becoming subject matter experts in their special interest.
They support our colleagues and our clients on Inclusion and form part of our commitment to be the UK's best inclusive recruiter.
John Crichton
Families Ambassador
The thing that I am most passionate about aside from wine and food is my family. I have 2 young boys 1 of which has just started school and the other has just got his 2 front teeth. Having a young family is tough, full of unexpected events, lack of sleep but worth it in every single way. How though does that busy life fit with a busy work life too?
I want to be there for my kids, go to parents’ evenings, go to their school shows or to take them to the doctors or be at their first days of school ( which I was a few weeks ago), but I also want to be committed to. My philosophy is family comes first and everything else works around that including work. That, however doesn’t mean that work has to suffer for it, to be honest I think my work improves because of it. People shouldn’t have to say sorry or make excuses to take a little bit of time from work to be there for their kids, companies should embrace the fact that the understanding of people’s individual circumstances and allowing flexibility pays dividends through staff engagement and staff loyalty. Another part of my passion is support from companies in the early part of parenthood, I believe Paternity and Maternity should be sufficient to allow new parents not to worry about finances or to take holiday to cover Paternity/Maternity Leave in the early stages.
Sam Farr
Wellbeing Ambassador
Pre Covid-19, my weekday evenings and weekends were filled with football-related activities, whether that be playing or watching. When that all came to a halt, at the start of the pandemic, I needed something to keep me focused. As we shifted, like most other businesses, to a home working model, it became even more important to ensure I left my ‘home desk’ and got outside for fresh air.
I began running or walking every Monday-Friday during my lunchtime, which was something that, historically, I had never done before as I knew I always had football for exercise in the evenings. Since getting into the routine of doing this each day, not only have I felt a difference in terms of my general energy levels, my mental health has improved dramatically. I am looking forward to championing mental health and wellbeing and creating an energised team here at Outsource UK.
Victoria Parker
Gender Equity Ambassador
I’m passionate about gender equity within the workplace. Everybody should have the opportunity to be the best person for the job – but that’s not the case in real life, because there are so many barriers which prevent individuals from being able to get their ideal job. I also feel really strongly that the solution to gender equality within the workplace isn’t about quotas or positive discrimination.
For me personally, for example, it was a long-held ambition to be asked to join the Outsource board of directors. I wanted to be invited to join the board because I deserved it – because my work and my experience warranted the invitation, and because I was the best person for the role. I definitely would NOT have wanted the invitation to be motivated purely by a desire for a woman to be part of the Board. And luckily I know that that wasn’t the case at Outsource, but I feel very strongly that no one wants success by way of special treatment, or by filling a quota - it’s about everyone having the opportunity to be the best person for the job. I am excited to be part of our Ambassador programme, and to hopefully use my own experiences to support other future female leaders within our business.
Rebecca Buggs
Parent Returners Ambassador
Having recently had my first child and then returned to work, I know only too well the anxiety, challenges and worries that you face as a parent when it’s time to come back to work. Prior to my own personal experience, I was probably one of many people that look at this in a very naïve way and underestimate the challenges and struggles that parents face in terms of juggling a young family and work.
I was asked if I’d like to join Outsource UK's Ambassador team and I jumped at the chance. I now have my own wisdom to offer and I really want to support people that are thinking about or wanting to return to work, and to make this as accessible, seamless and stress-free wherever possible.
Anna Kramer
Menopause Ambassador
Women make up a large part of the UK workforce and unfortunately, research tells us that 1 in 10 women leave their jobs because of menopausal symptoms which is a dreadful statistic. At Outsource, we want to break the taboo of speaking about menopause and encourage dialogue, understanding and awareness of how menopause effects women in the workplace, as well as putting in place measures to support them.
As a staffing firm, we are also in a unique position to be able to influence and advise customers on this important subject and help them also to make changes that will attract and retain female talent.
As Menopause Ambassador, I pledge to support colleagues going through peri-menopause and menopause, to raise awareness and help to remove any stigma around talking about this important subject.
Being a peri-menopausal woman (a stage where hormone levels start to drop) I have felt embarrassed to talk about or admit that I have been dealing with, at times debilitating symptoms. It’s something I’ve thought about a lot… and in truth, there were a few reasons why I kept quiet; I was embarrassed to speak about female issues, I didn’t want to look weak or unable to cope or that I’m seen as “past it” and not as passionate or as ambitious as I was in my 20s, 30s and early 40s, all of which I know is not true.
What changed my mind was the thought that I’m not alone in experiencing these issues and by talking about it, I may be able to help others; my colleagues and future generations. I have two daughters and three granddaughters and the thought that menopause may still be taboo and a barrier to their careers when they reach that stage of their lives is not something I want to accept.
So, I’m adding my voice to the campaign to break the stigma and encourage discussion, learning and understanding so that anyone who does struggle, feels empowered to come forward and ask for help.
Nick Dettmar
Neurodiversity Ambassador
As a parent, I have experienced how mainstream systems don’t cater particularly well for people with dyslexia and other neurodiverse characteristics. I have also seen what can be achieved by harnessing neurodiversity for innovation and creativity. I'm in a privileged position where I can make a difference and want to help Outsource and our partners by building our understanding of neurodiversity and how it impacts employment and the workplace.
To support our pursuit of eliminating bias, privilege and inequality in talent engagement, Outsource UK has become a member of Neurodiversity in Business. We're continually looking to build our understanding of neurodiversity and how it impacts employment and the workplace. We hope to learn from others and share our experiences to make Outsource as an employer and the partners we represent, more accessible to the neurodiverse community.
Seren Rees
Mental Health Ambassador
Mental health awareness is a topic that has always been very close to my heart. With one in four people experiencing poor mental health in their lifetime, I knew I wanted to become a Mental Health First Aider and Ambassador so that I can help to support the people around me as much as I can. I really want to play my part in helping to end the stigmas around mental health too.
Our Purpose is to eliminate bias, privilege and inequality within talent engagement. To me, this means ending the stigmas around mental health and supporting both our colleagues and candidates alike.
Satinder Lahory
Green Ambassador
I’m passionate about the environment and making the planet safer for generations to come. By making small changes to our daily habits, we can collectively make a big impact on the health of our planet. Walking or biking instead of driving, using reusable bags and water bottles, and turning off lights and electronics when not in use are just a few examples of simple steps we can take to reduce our environmental footprint.
I’m excited to introduce some more environmentally friendly projects at Outsource. I’m looking forward to learning more about how we can make a change to make the world a better place. I truly believe that by working together and sharing ideas, we can make a real difference. So let's keep learning, growing, and taking action to create a safer, healthier planet for everyone.
Lucy Killick
Anxiety Ambassador
Hello there! I'm Lucy, and I'm excited to join the team as an Anxiety Ambassador. Throughout my life, I've personally experienced the challenges of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Chronic Anxiety. However, I've also developed skills to navigate and manage these feelings, and I'm eager to share my knowledge and experiences with others.
As an Anxiety Ambassador, my aim is to create a supportive environment where individuals feel comfortable discussing their struggles with anxiety. By openly addressing and destigmatizing these challenges, we can help people feel less isolated and more empowered to seek help when needed.
I'm also dedicated to raising awareness about mental health alongside Seren and advocating for better access to resources and support services. I'm looking forward to collaborating with my colleagues and the community to promote mental wellness and build a culture of compassion and understanding.
Together, we can make a positive impact in the lives of those affected by anxiety, and I'm honoured to be part of this important endeavour.
Sustainability
We're been collecting feedback from our customers for a number of years through Feefo - the world’s largest verified reviews provider. When we heard that we could turn this feedback into trees, we jumped at the opportunity.
Feefo has partnered with reputable climate solutions specialists, Ecologi, to source its tree-planting projects. Ecologi, in turn, works hand-in-hand with genuine project providers who are engaging with local communities to restore landscapes. These tree-planting projects nurture seeds to have the best chance of growing into full-grown trees.
So far, we have funded towards tree-planting projects in Madagascar, Kenya, and Mozambique, helping to support local communities and make a positive impact on our planet.
Customer Satisfaction
We ask all of our customers to give us feedback on a regular basis, to make sure we are focused on continuous improvement. Our team of Customer Champions across all of our offices monitor the feedback and devise new systems and processes to maintain our high standard of service.
We are delighted to be awarded the Feefo Gold Trusted Service Award for a consistently high star rating from our customers.
You can click on the yellow tab on the right or below to read their comments and see our current star rating.
Community
We take our responsibilities to our local communities seriously, and manage to have some fun along the way! Our team of Charity Champions helps the business to support our annual chosen charity with fun events and volunteering time. We're also Payroll Giving accredited.
Environment
As a UK-wide business, we undertake regular office environmental and safety audits, which includes heat, light, noise, recycling and technology safety.
We have paperless offices, using a cloud computing system to increase efficiencies and communication amongst our widespread teams. We enjoy the flexibility to work where suitable, which in turn has seen a significant cut in carbon emissions for our business, allows our employees to manage their caring responsibilities and has cut the number of after-hours commutes in the darker months of the year.
We also offer the Cycle to Work scheme and season ticket loans for public transport.
Quality
As a customer-focused business, we've been ISO9001:2015 Quality Accredited for many years now. We have a business-wide team of Customer Champions who meet quarterly, delivering tangible business improvements from feedback provided via Feefo from our customers and staff.
As part of our commitment to our industry and sectors, we are also members of APSCo and TALiNT Partners.
Privacy & Security
As a specialist recruiter working in the Technology industry, we understand the widespread threats to our business and our customers' businesses from criminals. We are therefore CERIS and Cyber Essentials accredited, not only placing the best Cyber professionals in the business but also protecting our customers' data from malicious intent.
We're fully GDPR compliant with our Quality Accreditation ISO9001:2015 and we use secure e-sign processes and systems for right to work and security checks. Our dedicated Compliance team ensures we adhere to the latest legislation in the UK and the EU across our business.
