EDI Case Study resource 2025

Spotlight on recruitment and training

For many organisations we spoke to, recruitment had been the starting point, and for good reason: subtle shifts in approach, like including a CV blind round or shortlisting stage, have the potential to pay significant dividends. Other examples for practices that can make a real difference include strengths-based recruitment, improvements to job descriptions, advertising in different networks or places to access a more diverse pool and outreach through targeting individuals or groups (e.g. at university)


Training has been one of the areas that is most challenging from an impact perspective, with Inclusion at Work panel finding that many employers were spending money on ineffective training. Acacium found that practical, hands-on training – or better still – learning whilst doing e.g. with prompts through a real recruitment process, rather than theory in a classroom landed far better with managers and delivered higher impact.

EMS Healthcare found training had impact when it was targeted at a very specific challenge. After looking at the data, EMS realised that they had gender balance at early career levels of the organisation, and leadership, but not at middle management. Upon investigation, they discovered that many of the women they would expect to progress had not felt confident to apply for promotion. They introduced a development programme (available to all) to develop that cohort of people who were not yet in managerial positions and give them the confidence to apply.

Recruitment and training is an area where partnership can be very powerful – if you are specific about what dial you are hoping to shift. A general ‘increasing diversity’ training is likely to be far less impactful, for example, than working with an expert partner on a specific issue or campaign. This might include working with specific disability charities to understand barriers to access – e.g. through the Autism Inclusive Employers Scheme or RNIB. It might involve signing up to initiatives such as the Workplace Equality Index for an LGBTQ+ focus,  or 10,000 black interns. It might involve deciding to create opportunities for specific groups, for example signing the Care Leavers Covenant, becoming a Forces Friendly employer or supporting TalentTap

Useful resource: ‘Why ineffective diversity training won’t go away’, NHS Employers Inclusive Recruitment Guide, NHS Leadership Competency Framework.