The Secretary of State for Justice was invited to speak by way of marking the first day of the Responsible Business Convention and Exhibition (organised by UBM and held at the Business Design Centre in London on Wednesday and Thursday of this week).
At an evening reception held in central London, 150 delegates (including representatives from business, the prison and probation services and ex-offenders) met for a showcase of the Employers’ Forum for Reducing Re-offending. This is a collaboration of businesses committed to reducing re-offending which is managed by Business in the Community.
Commenting, Ken Clarke said: “Gaining employment plays a crucial role in preventing offenders from committing further crimes and helps turn them from a financial drain on society towards being law-abiding tax payers. We are committed to giving prisoners work-based skills in order to increase their chances of obtaining a job on release, and are grateful for the work of the EFRR and to all those employers who are prepared to gain the benefits of working with ex-offenders.”
Multiple barriers to gaining employment
People with criminal convictions face multiple barriers to gaining and sustaining employment, particularly during periods of high unemployment, yet there is a direct link between unemployment and re-offending (with two-thirds of people in UK prisons unemployed in the four weeks before their imprisonment).
Re-offending also has huge economic implications, costing the tax payer GB pound 11 billion a year.
The Business in the Community campaign aims to challenge misconceptions about the skills and abilities of ex-offenders by highlighting to companies of all sizes the untapped potential which many businesses are not recognising.
Commenting, James Timpson – the CEO at Timpson – explained: “Employment is key to reducing re-offending and we recognise that we can attract talent from unusual places. Timpson employs 5% of its workforce directly from prison: they are valued and important members of the team. For my business, our employees’ skills and drive are much more important than any previous criminal convictions.”
Marco Pagni, group legal counsel and chief administrative officer at Alliance Boots, also spoke at the reception to announce the group’s new commitment to support the employment of ex-offenders within Alliance Boots.
“This is not a simple issue – people end up offending for a variety of complex reasons,” explained Pagni. “As employers, the most powerful thing we can do is help create a second chance for offenders and make it possible for people with criminal convictions to enter employment and get back on track.”
He continued: “I’m very proud to announce that Alliance Boots, in collaboration with a number of our key suppliers, will work over the next year to make the group and our supply chain accessible to ex-offenders. This will help ensure that people who want to avoid re-offending have the opportunity to gain and sustain employment with Alliance Boots and some of its key suppliers.”
Powerful force for social progress
At Business in the Community’s Summit held last month, Prime Minister David Cameron described businesses as “the most powerful force for social progress the world has ever known.”
The Responsible Business Convention is designed to raise awareness of what responsible business really means, looks and feels like, at the same time ‘busting’ some of the common myths about Corporate Social Responsibility by showcasing practical examples from companies genuinely integrating responsible behavior in areas where business can make a difference – such as widening access to employment to people from disadvantaged groups.
Speaking on behalf of Business in the Community, Edwina Hughes said: “With unemployment at record levels and the prison population at breaking point, there has never been a more critical time to take a fresh look at the link between employment and reducing re-offending. Getting a job provides individuals with a viable alternative to the revolving door of prison. Put simply, employment reduces the likelihood of re-offending by between 30-50% so it’s absolutory central as a solution to this issue.”
According to research by Working Links, nine out of ten employers are willing to employ people with criminal convictions, yet only two out of ten are doing so. This reflects a disconnect between intention and action.
“This campaign,” continued Hughes, “seeks to address this disconnect and equip employers with the information and support they need to recruit people because of their talent and abilities and despite their previous criminal convictions. Given the right encouragement and opportunity, people with criminal convictions can become valuable employees. We’re delighted that so many leading employers are now recognising this.”