Randstad UK has joined Tent UK, a new coalition of over 60 major companies that is committed to helping refugees secure employment in the UK. The business has been a longstanding member of the global Tent Partnership for Refugees – an international network of companies committed to helping refugees access labour markets. By joining Tent UK as a founding member, Randstad UK says it wants to “double down” on its refugee hiring programme in the UK.
Victoria Short, Randstad’s chief executive in the UK, said, “Since the spring of 2022, Randstad has been supporting those affected by the war in Ukraine. Globally, we made a €250,000 contribution to UNICEF and became a member of the global Tent Partnership for Refugees to help them integrate economically into their new host countries.
“Internationally, over the last decade, Randstad has supported in the region of 100,000 migrants and refugees through our programmes, either training them or helping them find work,” Short adds. “By joining Tent UK, we want to build on that success and double down on our refugee hiring programme in the UK.
“We have committed to supporting Ukrainian refugees — women in particular — by recruiting people from within our organisation to act as their mentors. These women have lost their homes, sometimes even families, and they find themselves fighting to get back into the world of work. Despite the fact that they have often had high level, professional careers, they face many barriers to entering the domestic labour market. By providing one-to-one, professional guidance, support and mentoring, we hope to help them navigate our job market. We have an opportunity not just to do what is right, but to make use of this invaluable talent pool.”
“This initiative aligns with our global aspiration to become the world’s most equitable and specialised talent company and is also an opportunity for our colleagues to showcase the support we offer and the added value we deliver to inclusion and social impact projects in the UK.
“This is the best sort of corporate social responsibility initiative,” affirms Short, “a meaningful measure that can really support wider societal goals.”
Although the UK has welcomed more than 500,000 refugees from countries, including Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Syria, and most recently Ukraine – many have been unable to find formal employment. According to the government, while they have the legal right to work, refugees are 20 per cent less likely to be employed than Brits, with this gap widening to 30 per cent for refugee women. At the same time, the UK is experiencing labour shortages, with almost one million job vacancies, across key industries such as hospitality, food service and others including manufacturing & healthcare.
“At a moment when UK employers face significant labour shortages, yet refugees across the country struggle to find decent employment, we see an extraordinary opportunity for our work,” said Gideon Maltz, CEO of Tent. “The coalition of companies that has come together to launch Tent UK understands that we need to act at scale to help hundreds of thousands of refugees in the UK secure jobs, rebuild their lives, and integrate into their new communities. Tent is uniquely placed and ready to help companies develop ambitious programmes to include refugees.”
