Talent pool
There are currently 750,000 unfilled job vacancies in the UK, yet nine out 10 employers say they are open to the idea of recruiting people with convictions.
In practice, less than 20% have knowingly done so.
This February the civil service led the way by removing the tick-box question about criminal records from its application form for new recruits.
Other companies that take a positive approach to ex-offenders include Timpson, Virgin Trains and Greggs, which runs a Fresh Start programme aimed at helping marginalised groups to develop skills.
Christopher Stacey, co-director of Unlock, said: “There’s a talent pool of over 10.5 million people that many companies are overlooking. This new website helps employers to make sure they’re not missing out on the diverse skills and experience of people with criminal records.”
For more visit recruit. unlock.org.uk