Opening Doors to Good Work: Partnerships to support early talent

This is an in-person event

Audience

This event is open to members and non-members of BITC and designed for HR Directors, HR Managers, Responsible Business leads, EDI Leads.

Background

Opening Doors is BITC’s flagship inclusive recruitment campaign. Free and open to all employers, the campaign aims to make 2 million jobs more accessible by building a supporting network of businesses committed to fair and inclusive hiring.

The Mayor’s Good Work Standard aims to improve working lives for Londoners by bringing together best employment practice, setting the benchmark for excellent employment practices and helping businesses support and value their staff.

About the event

If the UK was made up of 100 employers, 22 would close their doors to disabled people, 35 would close their doors to school leavers and 55 would close their doors to ex-offenders. For employers, opening their doors to diverse talent and creating inclusive workplaces creates social and economic value.

Inclusive recruitment is more than a moral imperative; it’s a strategic business priority. Good jobs and inclusive working environments significantly improve staff retention and performance. Yet only 1 in 8 employers have recruitment, training or retention strategies for young people under 25 years old (British Chamber of Commerce).

As part of Good Employment Week, Business in the Community and the Greater London Authority are hosting an event for Employers, HR, Inclusion and Recruitment professionals who want to understand how to build effective partnerships to attract and retain untapped future talent.

At the event, we will hear from the Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth on London’s Inclusive Talent Strategy ambitions, share BITC’s Opening Doors Progress Report 2025 findings, host an employer panel to highlight leading practice. Attendees will take part in breakout sessions facilitated by expert organisations such as Youth Employment UK, LTSB, Generation UK and GoodWork. Sessions will include youth voices to ensure lived experience and diverse perspectives are heard. The facilitated sessions will focus on ‘what works’ in creating impactful partnerships. Attendees will have the opportunity to network and connect with expert partnership organisations in a ‘marketplace’ zone.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Howard Dawber OBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth, GLA
• Ola Kolade, Employment and Skills Director, BITC 
• Anastasia Fernandes, Head of Supply Chain and Operations, Ingeus

• Evelina Ditkute, Social Impact Talent Acquisition Lead, Sodexo

• Shaquil Leurs, Former Business in the Community Intern

Refreshments

The event will include light refreshments

Booking and contact details and further information

• Contact events@bitc.org.uk with any questions.
• Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

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