Sheffield businesses commit to opening their doors to underrepresented talent

Sheffield businesses commit to opening their doors to underrepresented talent 

Sheffield businesses commit to opening their doors to underrepresented talent

Business in the Community (BITC) has today brought together 310 Sheffield-based businesses at the launch of its Opening Doors programme in Sheffield. Opening Doors is BITC’s flagship inclusive recruitment campaign, aiming to make two million jobs more accessible to diverse talent by supporting employers to make changes to their recruitment practices. The launch of the campaign in Sheffield aims to encourage 100 Sheffield-based employers to sign up to the Opening Doors campaign. 

In Sheffield, one in four 16-64-year-olds are economically inactive – significantly higher than the economic inactivity rates in England (21.1%) and the UK (21.5%). In addition, 15.6% of economically inactive people in Sheffield want a job. 

The campaign supports those who might face barriers in getting into and staying in work, such as: 

  • Carers 
  • Those who have experienced homelessness 
  • 18-24-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training 
  • Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse individuals 
  • Those with mental and physical health conditions, neurodiversity or disabilities 
  • Refugees 
  • LGBTQ+ individuals 
  • Older workers 
  • Ex-offenders 
  • Veterans 

Employers signed up to the campaign are asked to commit to at least three actions to implement into their recruitment strategies, from the following keys: 

  1. Create partnerships that connect untapped talent to your jobs: Partner with organisations that support underrepresented groups into work. 
  2. Show candidates that you are committed to inclusion: advertise vacancies through a range of channels, provide inclusive recruitment training and engage suppliers, publish diversity pledges, and use diverse images and role models in public-facing communications. 
  3. Use comprehensive job descriptions with inclusive language: remove jargon and use neutral language, include all essential information in job descriptions, provide information about HR policies such as flexible working, set out the day-to-day activities of the job, and set out the different stages of the application process. 
  4. Focus on the essential skills needed for the job: ask for skills rather than formal experience and qualifications, only ask for the skills that are really needed at the level required by the role, recognise non-traditional or informal work experience, consider whether you can accept non-UK equivalents, and ensure that each stage of the application process is appropriate for assessing a candidate’s skills and capabilities. 
  5. Prioritise accessibility and eliminate bias: remove the criminal conviction tick box from application forms, include diverse colleagues in interview panels, ask all candidates if they need any adjustments at every stage of the process, advertise and accept applications across different media, specify any flexibility offered, provide information in an accessible format, make the application process mobile-friendly, and collect diversity data at the application stage to ensure you can identify any potential barriers for diverse candidates. 

Ola Kolade, Employment and Skills Director at Business in the Community, said: 

“We are delighted to be launching our Opening Doors programme in Sheffield, encouraging at least 100 Sheffield-based businesses to open their doors to underrepresented talent. Inclusion should be a priority in all businesses, and it’s essential that it is embedded into all parts of the organisational strategy from recruitment to progression in work. Inclusive workplaces are proven to be more productive and have more engaged workforce, so embedding inclusive recruitment strategies into the workplace isn’t just the right thing to do; it makes business sense.” 

Andy Milner, CEO, Amey commented:  

“As a resident of Sheffield, I fully recognise the city’s spirit of innovation, resilience, and industry. To ensure the city’s continued growth, we must unlock opportunities for all. At Amey, we’ve seen firsthand how a skilled and diverse workforce strengthens our services, making inclusive recruitment not just the right thing to do but a business imperative. That’s why Amey is proud to support Business in the Community’s Opening Doors Sheffield, breaking down employment barriers and creating real career pathways.” 

Kate Josephs, Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council, said:  

“We want Sheffield to be a city where everyone can thrive through good work. Inclusive recruitment isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s a smart way to unlock the potential of people currently excluded from the labour market. 

“Through the delivery of our Pathways to Work trailblazer, we know there are eager, motivated jobseekers all over Sheffield. They just need to be given a chance to show what they can do. 

“The Opening Doors campaign is about doing just that. By taking three simple, evidence-based steps, employers can remove barriers and open up opportunities to diverse talent. Together, we can shift recruitment culture in Sheffield to be more inclusive and equitable.” 

Councillor Mohammed Mahroof, Chair of the Economic Development, Skills and Culture Committee at Sheffield City Council, added: 

“The Pathways to Work programme is a vital part of our mission to build a fairer, more inclusive economy in Sheffield. Too many people in our city are ready and willing to work but face barriers that keep them locked out of opportunity. This programme is about changing that by providing targeted, practical support to help residents move into good jobs and thrive. 

“By working together – through initiatives like this and with the support of Opportunity Sheffield and our Pride of Place partners – we can unlock potential, reduce inequality, and create a city where everyone has the chance to succeed.” 

Carolynn McConnell, Place Lead, Sheffield at Business in the Community, said: 

“One in four 16-64-year-olds in Sheffield are economically inactive, and 15.6% economically inactive people in Sheffield would like a job. Economic inactivity can happen for many reasons, including poor health, disability, or others who face barriers or discrimination when looking for work, be that their ethnicity, age, or sexual orientation. We are excited to be working with employers to open their doors to diverse talent, to remove the barriers that shut people out and ensure no one gets left behind. The city has a proud history, as the first city of sanctuary of fairness and doing the right thing, and we want our workplaces to reflect the rich diversity of our amazing city. Sectors have collaborated to make the launch and campaign a success – Sheffield is always better when we come together.” 

ENDS 

For further information, please contact Polly Dacam, Press Officer, on 020 7566 6638.