Last reviewed: 22 June 2022
Employers should build their expectations of how they want a recruitment provider to meet its inclusion standards and legal obligations into their tender specifications.
Refer to the checklist in the sidebar of this page to make sure the recruitment services you’re procuring are inclusive. Ultimately, you are responsible for ensuring that the products, goods and services that you buy can be used by and do not discriminate against disabled people.
Why inclusion matters when procuring recruitment services
Recruitment providers and agencies are increasingly being asked by their clients to demonstrate that they know how to and will make reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants, since failure to do so may render both the agency and you as a business to claims under the Equality Act 2010.
In addition, many businesses are unsatisfied with recruitment providers only being able to demonstrate they are not breaking the law. Businesses increasingly want a provider whose inclusive standards at least meet their own, in every area of diversity and inclusive practice. They want candidates to enjoy the recruitment process and feel as though they can show they are the right person for a job or opportunity. They want the candidate to have an experience which makes them feel that they want to work for that organisation.
How to check if a recruitment provider is disability-smart
We suggest looking for the following in a potential supplier to deliver your recruitment service:
- Do they actively seek and welcome applications from disabled candidates?
- Do they ensure that every step of the recruitment process (including online recruitment) is attractive and barrier-free for disabled people with a wide range of different conditions and impairment types?
- Have they provided disability training to all relevant employees on their legal obligations as a supplier of recruitment services?
- Do they check all job descriptions and person specifications for positions they are seeking to fill to ensure that they concentrate on output rather than process, so that they do not inadvertently discriminate against disabled people?
- Do they check all assessments and interviews (including by telephone, online, or in person) to ensure they are free of barriers and that reasonable adjustments can be made to enable disabled candidates to demonstrate their ability to do the job?
- Do they offer to facilitate work trials and extended interviews for candidates disadvantaged by ‘traditional’ assessment techniques (where appropriate)?
- If possible, do they provide feedback to unsuccessful disabled candidates or candidates from disadvantaged groups more generally?
- Do they monitor the number of candidates who say they have a disability, and how successful they are in obtaining work through their agency?
For further information, see our ‘Charter for disability-smart recruitment providers‘.
Exiting and reviewing a contract
If the accessibility specifications that you stipulated at the beginning of the contract are not being met, you can discuss this with your supplier and establish how they intend to address this. If it is a serious breach of contract or performance does not improve, you may choose to call on any sanctions included within the contract.
Ultimately, you are responsible for ensuring that the products, goods and services that you buy can be used by and do not discriminate against disabled people.
Further information
For further information or to request any of the documents mentioned above, please contact the Advice Service on 020-7403-3020 or email advice@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk.
Read next
- Charter for disability-smart recruitment providers
- Monitoring inclusive practices in outsourced recruitment services
© This resource and the information therein are subject to copyright and remain the property of the Business Disability Forum. They are for reference only and must not be copied or distributed without prior permission.
If you require this resource in a different format, contact enquiries@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk.