New initiative to support women in the recruitment sector

Nick Elvin

The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) is to partner with Women in Recruitment (WIR) in an initiative aimed at helping professional recruiters make the most of the female talent in their businesses.

The scheme, supported by both Barclays plc and global law firm Squire Patton Boggs, will be overseen by an executive committee that includes Ann Swain, chief executive of APSCo, Natasha Clarke, managing partner at recruitment firm SThree and chair of the WIR steering committee, and Nicola Mullarkey from The Honest Recruiter.

The programme will begin with an academic research project, supported by Westminster Business School, aimed at addressing the reasons why talented women leave professional recruitment organisations before they maximise their potential. An update on this research will be available when the programme officially launches on Wednesday, April 15.

Commenting on the initiative, Swain said she hoped the programme would drive positive change throughout the UK workforce, adding: “The talent pipeline in many recruitment organisations continues to leak women – often at a time when they can add most value to the business.

“This programme is designed to provide training, professional development and networking opportunities for women in recruitment as well as toolkits for business leaders to encourage best practice.

“If we can educate the professional recruitment sector to get its own house in order in relation to positive women aware practices and policies – then recruitment firms will be in a great position to advise their clients on related best practice.”