Winner

Shortlist

Blackbridge Communications - Rolls-Royce

Dawson Walker Communications - GKN Aerospace

Stafford Long - Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)

Tonic Agency - Newton

Winner

LEAP Create - Thales UK

Thales has more than 81,000 employees worldwide and it needed to simplify its processes – enter Leap Create, which created a new HR Home portal for workers to find the information they needed.

As part of the communications programme, assets were designed for effective delivery, including quick navigation, enhanced accessibility of the HR Home platform, redesigned HR branding, and accessible versions of policies.

A range of launch materials were created to engage employees, including animated digital screens, coffee sleeves, pull-up banners, posters and window decals.

There was a 54% increase of daily visits to the portal, a 46% increase of daily number of articles opened in the portal and 25% of employees engaged with the platform in the first few weeks after launch.

In addition to the rewriting and restructuring of the Thales policies, other highlights include promoting inclusion and diversity within the business; making it easier for employees with disabilities to access information in a manner suited to their needs; quick navigation to fast answers; banners with QR codes for simple access; and enhanced accessibility of the HR Home platform.

Judges’ verdict: “The execution of the strategy was effective showing clear concise results”

Shortlist

Blackbridge Communications - Heathrow

Blackbridge Communications - Resources for Autism

HealthSectorTalent® - Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Stafford Long - Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)

Winner

TMP Worldwide - Herts Care Careers

In a crowded and competitive market such as social care, Herts Care needed help to stand out. Enter TMP Worldwide with their “Risk is good” concept, which sought to challenge and shake things up for those with health issues.

The organisation used paid-for and organic social media posts (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter,

Instagram and TikTok) as they spread the word far and wide. There was also a campaign microsite, pull-up banners at careers events and posters in Hertfordshire job centres.

Hertfordshire County Council recruited 345 new hires with the “Risk is good” concept and received 63,000 visits to the campaign microsite along with 1,770 applications.

TMP executed the strategy by changing the misperceptions of care and introduced brightly coloured visuals full of energy and positivity. 

It used real Herts Care service users to add a sense of authenticity and expressive headlines on the posters, changing misperceptions by introducing the people carers would be working with.

Judges’ verdict: “A fantastic campaign’’

Shortlist

Activision Blizzard

Dawson Walker Communications - GKN Aerospace

Pink Squid - Veolia

Symphony Talent - Sky

ThirtyThree - Royal Mail

Tonic Agency - Currys

Tonic Agency - Met Police

Winner

ThirtyThree - Allen & Overy

ThirtyThree set about telling the stories of people at Allen & Overy, helping potential candidates navigate the recruitment process and communicating the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

One content strand was designed to show how meaningful relationships were at A&O.

Employees were asked to talk about the work of others and what it meant to them. The subject of this conversation was listening in a secret room – they came out after hearing the testimony in full and expressed their gratitude and admiration. 

Other series included highlighting various themes at the centre of diversity, equity and inclusion conversations, telling potential candidates about A&O’s business areas and opportunities and mentioning the A&O apprenticeship scheme, answering some questions that the candidate and their families might have.

ThirtyThree gave Allen & Overy sterling results from the campaign, including a 64% YoY increase in website sessions and more than five million impressions on socials. A&O have risen 11 places in the Social Mobility Employer Index year, taking the firm from 24th place in 2021 to 13th place in 2022. 

Judges’ verdict: “Great use of social media in campaign and very impressive statistics.”

Shortlist

Blackbridge Communications - Lloyds Banking Group

Havas People - NEXT

Penna Plc - Aldi

Pink Squid - KPMG

Winner

Blackbridge Communications - Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce wanted to highlight its commitment to the promotion of issues around mental health as the lead sponsor at TargetJobs’ All About You: Student Mental Health and Wellbeing event, and tasked Blackbridge Communications with its campaign.

Blackbridge built the campaign around the idea of the Kindness Tree, an interactive art installation standing 2.5m tall and located in the breakout area for maximum exposure. Rolls-Royce Graduate Ambassadors encouraged people to write a kindness promise on a leaf and hang it from the tree.

People were encouraged to post their promises on social media and enter a prize draw if registering their contact details. If students couldn’t attend, they weren’t left out, allowing them to direct message the Rolls-Royce account and leave their message to be added to the tree. 

Of 1,000 who attended, 150 wrote promises and registered their details. The Kindness Tree delivered results both organic and paid for, the former posted on Instagram and Facebook with a reach of more than 3,500 and the latter reached an impressive 100k plus on socials.

Judges’ verdict: “The idea behind the campaign was very unique and creative.”

Shortlist

makelove agency - MegaFon

Winner

Havas People - NEXT

Generation Z has an enquiring mindset and Next wanted to showcase its forward-thinking outlook by inspiring applicants to think about their future, seeking buyers, designers, merchandisers, tech and marketing graduates.

The Havas People campaign cut across social, digital, event and merchandising sectors to allow graduates to see what a life at Next would look like. The digital solution looked at how individuals’ careers could progress, along with their development and the cultural and social aspect.

Havas People wanted to tell the story of Next in a fresh, exciting way and did so with “The Next Home”, a virtual look at the firm’s 19-bedroom house in Leicester’s New Walk area –a trainee hub for buyers, designers and merchandisers. The ‘Next Home’, using the Matterport platform, became an immersive experience with links to videos, social media channels, challenges and fun content.

As Next attended job fairs – 26 in total – the result was a sign-up rate of 2,520 interested in a career at the company, with 97 sign-ups on average. Since the beginning of careers season (October to November 2022), Next has made a total of 40 offers of work.

Judges’ verdict: “The use of the virtual tour was effective and innovative allowing candidates to explore how their career could evolve at Next.”

Shortlist

Activision Blizzard

Havas People - NEXT

Stafford Long - Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)

Symphony Talent - DSM

Winner

TMP Worldwide - Home Office

Struggling to meet recruitment objectives because of misconceptions about what it meant to be a civil servant, the Home Office commissioned TMP Worldwide to create a new website and devise a targeted employer brand.

TMP set about creating an approach that was thoroughly researched, evidenced, tested and considered, designed to supercharge the user experience and change attitudes about what it means to work at THO.

To attract people to consider THO careers, the company created a visual style that used a contemporary colour palette and in which diversity was key, including people from all different kinds of backgrounds. 

Going live in April 7 2022 the site had an initial target of 100,000 users in the first 12 months. In one full year, the website had surpassed that by attracting 458,847 users, with many interacting and applying for roles. 

It also hosted THO’s recruitment videos, with 50,000 views and 34,000 people registering interest in attending online recruitment events. THO saw a 26% hike in applications for its roles, with 340,000 applying in a single year – 15,000 went on to be hired, which was an increase over the same period by 75%.

Judges’ verdict: “The website was creative, different from the usual government scope and very engaging.”

Shortlist

Creed Communications - N Family Club

Genius Group - JCB

ThirtyThree - Hollywood Bowl Group

Winner

That Little Agency - Miele X

More than ever, jobseekers are choosing new roles based on the employer, rather than the actual role. To this end, That Little Agency teamed up with Miele X to refresh the website and give it a make-over.

That Little Agency developed a website that delivered compelling content and built an emotional connection with the visitor, showcasing Miele X’s digital expertise and diversity and allowing people to see themselves working at the Amsterdam-headquartered brand.

The design is slick and easily navigable, and shows why jobseekers should work for Miele X. It is concise, clear and-image heavy to paint a picture of what it is like to work there, with dedicated landing pages aimed at different key employment groups.

Launching the new website in May 2022, Miele X and That Little Agency have plenty of success to talk about, including 5,880 page views on average per month and a 449% increase in page views on the new website. There have also been 3,305 job page views per month, 853 applications each month and 70% of all visits to the site results in a job search.

Judges’ verdict: “Good statistics and conversion rates, well thought out concept and easy to navigate.”

Shortlist

Radancy - Barclays

Radancy - Virgin Money

Story - Police Uplift Programme

ThirtyThree - ASOS

ThirtyThree - McDonald's

Winner

Genius Group - Poundland

Genius worked with Poundland on their careers site but encountered a problem instantly: a lack of employee information had a negative effect on employee experiences and the agency told the client as much.

Team members wanted to know about pension pay, wellbeing and diversity, equity and inclusion. But Poundland information was scattered across the website and it was difficult to locate.

Genius’ solution – MYPOUNDLAND – is a colleague portal that puts all employee information in one place. Being easy to find for employees and connecting the idea of value for everyone was a key driving force.

It was time-consuming for employees to scour the Poundland careers site when their shift was done, so the audience needed a user-friendly hub that was easy to access. That’s what Genius delivered, creating a new hub and making what employees needed to know accessible at the touch of a button.

Poundland employs 18,500 people and it receives 36,000 visits a month, which equates to employees logging in at least twice. There were also 230,000 logins per year and nearly a million page views across the site. Some 80% of employees were accessing and interacting with the portal on their mobile device.

Judges’ verdict: “The statistics were very impressive – the idea of a hub was very creative and the level of communication really shows through the results.”

Shortlist

CA3 & Eli Onboarding - Cognizant

Havas People - AXA Inclusivity Training

Havas People - AXA Move

LEAP Create - Thales UK

Stafford Long - DNV Energy Systems

Wiser - Trainline

Winner

Blackbridge Communications - Lloyds Banking Group

In a competitive graduate marketplace, Lloyds Banking Group set out to use social media to highlight the qualities students have that will help them thrive, both in and outside of work. 

It’s “Life Ready” initiative explored the concept of employability, moving beyond CVs and LinkedIn to focus on issues such as building a personal brand, impostor syndrome and body language. The aim was to create meaningful conversations around the unique capabilities that students already have, which would also make them attractive from an employment perspective. 

The campaign focused on key social media channels that the target audience was likely to use: Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. Content was designed to be mobile-friendly, consisting mainly of digestible edits of video, and combined insightful advice with lighter, entertaining material. 

Use was made of both organic and paid-for posts, as well as a number of influencers to amplify the reach. This included the author and BBC presenter Sonya Barlow, who hosted the Life Ready videos. 

The ultimate aim of the campaign was to drive traffic from talented graduates to the website, and to raise the profile of the business as a graduate employer. It led to a 200% increase in social stats, and Lloyds Banking Group also made the top 20 of The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2023 list (up from 28 the previous year). 

Judges’ verdict: “Creative use of TikTok to raise visibility as an employer and the campaign strategy helped visualise the candidate journey.”

Shortlist

Blackbridge Communications - Resources for Autism

Great State - The Royal Navy

Havas People - Mars

The Maverick Group - The Adecco Group

Westpac Group

Winner

Morson Group - Andy's Man Club

With mental health a known issue among males working in sectors with long and unsociable hours, rail contractor Morson Group teamed up with suicide prevention charity Andy’s Man Club to create a conversation-starting deck of playing cards. 

Each card contained a thought-provoking question, which would act as the catalyst for further conversation in an engaging, accessible and non-threatening format. Examples include “What one thing are you most proud of and why?” and “What is the most valuable life lesson you learned growing up?”

The printed format meant Morson could reach its dispersed workforce in a way that a digital product would not. The cards can also be used as conventional playing cards and the hope is that this will also bring people together in quiet periods and encourage discussion. 

To date, 350 decks of cards have been distributed to the company’s blue-collar workforce and all safety vehicles include at least one deck. The cards have also been incorporated into wider talks around mental health. 

The success of the initiative can be seen in feedback from employees who have testified on the benefits that bringing people together and talking about such issues have brought. The cards have also now been incorporated into Andy’s Man Club’s upcoming national campaign, It’s Okay To Talk Week. 

Judges’ verdict: “Touching concept really emphasising the challenges males can face in the workplace.”

Shortlist

That Little Agency - Royal Horticultural Society

Tonic Agency - Newton

WeLove9am - SCS Railways JV

Winner

Not Going To Uni & Content Marketing Pod - Royal Air Force

As one of the largest recruiters of apprentices in the country, the Royal Air Force (RAF) was keen to raise awareness of this potential career route and highlight the great apprenticeship opportunities.

Working alongside Not Going To Uni (NGTU), the team set about creating a podcast that would inform a Generation Z audience of the different options. Another aim was to communicate with parents, carers, teachers and friends, as was building interest from particular groups such as females and ethnic minorities. 

The strategy revolved around the “Find Your Force” theme and used real-life stories from people already in the RAF. The first season featured six audio-only podcasts, on topics ranging from faith, travel and sport, as well as an introductory episode and one focused on how to apply for an apprenticeship. 

A second season followed, adding video to the mix so podcasts could also be hosted on YouTube. Content was shared on a range of platforms, including NGTU, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook, and a dedicated website was created to host all content. 

The two seasons led to more than 18,000 people clicking through to find out more about RAF careers. The wider recruitment campaign also saw a quarter of applications come from black and ethnic minorities plus 40% from women. 

Judges’ verdict: “Excellent campaign really showcasing other opportunities aside from university through the use of podcasts.”

Shortlist

Blackbridge Communications - Baker McKenzie

Genius Group - Sage

Winner

ThirtyThree - Accenture

Finding the next generation of innovators who had the potential to deliver change was the challenge for technology company Accenture. To do this, it needed to build a diverse pipeline of talent, with a particular focus on females, those with black heritage and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Content would play a vital role in the initiative, and a major focus was to demonstrate to students their own potential and how Accenture could help them realise this. A series of films told the story of three people who had very different routes to joining, designed to highlight the fact that there is no one type of person at the firm. 

The next stage was to excite people about joining Accenture. This saw a unique photobooth deployed at university campuses in England and Scotland and online, giving students the chance to take a photo in an Accenture style, which would then be displayed in an exhibition held in the metaverse. Another series of films focused on side-projects, asking recent joiners to talk about how these have helped them to fulfil their potential. 

Finally, the Accenture LIVE event gave more than 4,000 students the chance to take a closer look at the firm through a digital campus. This outlined everything that they could expect in their career and featured a tour of Accenture’s metaverse space. Subsequent applications saw nearly half coming from women, 38% from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and 13% from black heritage candidates. 

Judges’ verdict: “Clear objectives and strategy with content at its core. They cleverly utilised multiple platforms to build awareness, driving engagement while never losing sight of their purpose. The results speak for themselves.”

Shortlist

Atomic - Grab

Blackbridge Communications - Lloyds Banking Group

Genius Group - Sage

Morson Group - Pathfinders

Not Going To Uni & Content Marketing Pod - Royal Air Force

Winner

Symphony Talent - Sky

With a host of technologies including Sky Glass, Peacock, SkyQ, mobile and broadband, Sky saw the Silicon Milkroundabout as an ideal opportunity to showcase its technology and credentials as a serious tech employer. The two-day event attracts thousands of experienced tech professionals, many of whom could be interested in working for the company. 

Sky knew it needed to produce more than just an exhibition stand and had less than seven weeks to do so. Its solution was to create a Sky experience, combining elements such as an LED Sky News-style ticker displaying available roles with opportunities to engage with employees and talks from leading Sky technologists. A number of interactive elements, including games, would entice people to stop and talk. 

The event was also a good opportunity to promote Sky’s technological prowess. A tech timeline on the back of the stand outlined its credentials dating back to 1989, while the presence of a new Sky Glass demonstrated the future. Branded cushions, clever use of photography and a smoothie bar also added to the experience. 

As well as engaging with large numbers of visitors, the event led to nearly 200 registrations of interest, and 91% of these went on to speak to a Sky recruiter. There were also 122 successful conversations at the stand itself, and half of these were matched with an available role. 

Judges’ verdict: “Effective and immersive strategy.”

Shortlist

makelove agency - MegaFon

Stafford Long - DNV Energy Systems

Winner

AMS - Santander (Isabelle)

Santander’s The Next Chapter campaign aims to raise awareness of its apprenticeship scheme, but takes a very different approach to what might have been expected. 

The business chose to home in on one person, and asked graduates and apprentices to share their personal journeys with them. There was one who stood out. Isabella had overcome battles with bullying, thoughts of self-harm and mental health struggles – something that would resonate with many young people and potentially be a factor in choosing which graduate or early careers programme to join. 

The idea was that by being seen to talk openly about the topic, it would help to raise awareness of the issue and demonstrate that this was a company prepared to support employees and provide an environment in which they could thrive. 

The process involved working closely with Isabella to identify what she was comfortable with talking about. The team also spoke to her friends, family and line managers to get a better understanding of her journey. 

The video featured on the company’s website and social media channels and smaller extracts were used in a digital marketing campaign. 

The experience has been beneficial for Santander but also for Isabella, who has gone on to become one of its emerging talent ambassadors. 

Judges’ verdict: “The video was powerful and thought-provoking.”

Shortlist

AMS - Santander (Ollie)

CA3 - Audley Group

Winner

LIQUONA - Surrey Fire & Rescue Service

When Surrey Fire and Rescue Service needed a new recruitment campaign, it was keen to avoid cliched imagery around fighting fires or cutting people from cars. It wanted to show what the modern role really looks like, without alienating existing staff who may hold more traditional views. It also needed to appeal to people from under-represented groups, such as women or those from ethnic minorities. 

It was a difficult line to tread and the solution that video production agency LIQUONA took was to use humour. A light-hearted approach would gently challenge stereotypes and provide more leeway to show other parts of the role, such as warning an elderly lady not to dry her knickers in front of a fire. Only the lead actor was not a real firefighter, which helped to ensure authenticity. 

The video was initially designed for social media and also featured in a TV ad in the Surrey area. A challenging question at the start, accompanied by a rapid shift of scene, would grab attention and prevent people from losing interest in the first five seconds of watching, as is often the case on social media. The use of on-screen text helps to overcome the issue of videos being watched on muted phones. 

The target was to attract 400 applications, but the campaign delivered almost three times that. One in five applicants came from ethnic minorities – far higher than the local population figure – and 7% were women. 

Judges’ verdict: “Excellent video really showcasing the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service – diverse yet original.”

Shortlist

Atomic - Grab

WeLove9am - Knauf

Winner

Pink Squid - Capgemini

Capgemini operates internal networks designed to provide safe spaces for employees to share stories and support each other, but it was important to ensure staff knew about them and the benefits they could bring. 

Focusing on six networks – race equality, women, OUTfront (LGBTQI+), capability (disability and carers), VERG (veterans) and Talking Heads (mental health) – the videos tell the story of one person from each network. That person would write a letter, which would then be read out on camera by someone from outside of that network. 

Challenging stories were deliberately chosen, and it was important that the person reading out the letter came from a different background. The content therefore was a mix of the person’s story and the reaction of the individual reading it out, who would also answer some questions afterwards about how the letter made them feel. 

Each video was used to support a short-hero and long-hero version, which were distributed by email and stored on the internal intranet respectively. Videos directed people to more information about that particular network, as well as to videos from other networks. They generated significant traffic and powerful reactions among those who watched them. 

In the two weeks after the videos launched, membership of all the networks grew by at least 5%, with the Talking Heads network increasing by 32%. 

Judges’ verdict: “Fantasic video – heart-warming, providing diversity, culture and creativity.”

Shortlist

Blackbridge Communications - Heathrow

Great State - The Royal Navy

ThirtyThree - B&Q

ThirtyThree - Royal Mail

TMP Worldwide - Herts Care Careers

Wiser - McCain

Winner

Havas People - AXA Inclusivity Training

Being able to demonstrate its inclusive culture was a priority for AXA, but it needed to give its recruiters the ammunition to impress this on potential hires. 

Working with Havas People, AXA set about designing a 90-minute online inclusivity training event, which aimed to encourage people to see things differently and from the perspective of others. 

The first stage was a pre-event huddle, which brought together 30 people from all over the world and split them into five teams. They were asked to get to know each other, but the stipulation was that cameras were turned off so they could not see who they were talking to. 

The day itself consisted of four activities, including an icebreaker where they were encouraged to pick out people from the same background as them and a card game where participants had to say if statements made about candidates were true or false. The final activity took people through seven steps to help recruit the best talent, making use of a quick-fire quiz. 

The main objective was to encourage long-term behavioural change when recruiting, but AXA also asked attendees to post a LinkedIn comment to help enhance its reputation as an inclusive employer. The project was originally designed for 20 people working in recruitment but has since been widened to include more than 300 AXA employees around the world. 

Judges’ verdict: “Creative, well executed.”

Shortlist

Genius Group - Sage

Havas People - AXA Move

LEAP Create - Thales UK

MJCC - Pepco 

Stafford Long - DNV Energy Systems

Winner

HCA Healthcare UK - supported by Blackbridge Communications

Faced with a recruitment crisis in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, with many nurses looking to leave the profession entirely, private hospital group HCA Healthcare knew it had to act. 

It developed a three-pronged approach. The first would target those nurses who were thinking of leaving the sector and encourage them to consider joining the private sector, while the other two would target nurses from overseas. 

Instead of focusing on the caring aspects of the job, the “Fall back in love with nursing” marketing campaign used the voices of real nurses to convey an understanding of the pressure they are under and highlight the potential to work in high-quality facilities and provide excellent care. 

Alongside this, the international recruitment drive targeted nurses in Lebanon and India, with a dedicated early careers and international recruitment manager developing a strategy to train and hire people from those countries. As a result, HCA has been able to recruit into its paediatrics, psychiatric intensive care, theatres, oncology and haematology teams.

Another initiative has been to partner with Talent Beyond Boundaries, a charity that helps to find displaced healthcare professionals work in other countries. HCA has helped these people pay for visas and English tests to start a new life in the UK. 

The results have been impressive: HCA now has a vacancy rate of 7.5%, down from 10.4%, and some 40% below the industry average. 

Judges’ verdict: “Implementation of international strategy was effective and well delivered.”

Shortlist

HealthSectorTalent® - Southern Health and Social Care Trust

We are The Loves - Q5

WeLove9am - Coventry Building Society

Winner 

Radancy - Primark

With ambitious plans for global expansion, Primark aims to grow from 400 stores to 530 by the end of 2026. Three-quarters of these new stores are in markets where Primark has little existing presence: the US and Central Eastern Europe (CEE). But engaging the best talent and converting them into hires is a huge undertaking. And negative connotations about the fast fashion brand-leader were clouding talent perceptions and preventing Primark from being seen as a first-choice employer. 

To understand the employee reality, Primark commissioned Radancy to conduct focus groups and interviews across all markets and level, reviewing the results of this employee survey in detail. 

Primark’s creative brand was bought to life through a messaging framework made vivid by authentic employee photography. Internal implementation included a brand book, toolkit, accompanying training modules and the introduction of Canva to equip teams with the right tools to create their own assets. Talent teams embedded the brand across recruitment, onboarding and learning and development materials.

Success was indicated with an 86% uplift in US applications from the last quarter. Over 6,000 applications were received for team manager roles in the UK with a low cost per application of just £6.72. In the US and CEE, recruitment centres saw a 50% increase in attendance since the launch of branded assets.

Judges’ verdict: “Impressive stats, fun, showcased the brand effectively.”

Shortlist

BrandPointZero - IQ Student Accommodation

SMRS - Pandora

Stafford Long - Tesco 

TMP Worldwide - Home Office

TMP Worldwide - Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Trust

Tonic Agency - Marston's

Winner

Stafford Long - Tesco

Tesco isn’t the first name you think of when you talk about tech, but the retail giant was determined to put that right in a bid to attract 500+ tech specialists across the UK, central Europe and India. The firm needed to be distinctive in a competitive marketplace and connect working in technology with customer impact.

Internal research showed that Tesco was the most famous among retailers but paled in comparison to big tech companies as a good place to work. Tesco and Stafford Long formulated a strategy to encourage new employees with a new employer value proposition (EVP) and to show that a tech career with the firm would be packed with impact and innovation. 

The EVP, “Tesco’s tomorrow, made by you” and a host of stories and insights into Tesco’s tech offering helped build an emotional connection through storytelling. Launched across multiple platforms, the campaign resonated with different audiences, with different motivations, through tailored messaging. Standing out in a noisy market with personality and charm, Tesco didn’t fail to consider the hiring process, using in-process tactics and equipping recruiters with collateral. 

The success of the campaign led to Tesco hiring more than 700 tech specialists in comparison – 200 more than they initially expected. 

 Judges’ verdict: “Great data and results, personable and empowering”  

Shortlist 

Creed Communications - Evri

HCA Healthcare UK - supported by Blackbridge Communications 

SMRS - Yodel

That Little Agency - NFU Mutual

TMP Worldwide - Civil Service

TMP Worldwide - Heathrow

Wiser - McCain

Winner

Pink Squid - Veolia

Veolia is one of the UK’s leading resource management companies, providing water, waste and energy services to local authorities, businesses and residents, but it had a problem with diversity and inclusion. Of its workforce, 87% identify as male – which is representative of the sector, but far from progressive. 

Veolia and Pink Squid decided to change that narrative by creating an ambitious inclusion strategy for its people from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds.

Over 60 focus groups were carried out during the creation and delivery of the strategy, consulting with colleagues on what was helpful, what resources they would like to see, and how to shift the dial to open up on inclusive conversations.

The “Inclusion Everyone, Every Day” strategy focused on five core priorities, each sponsored by an ExCo member who works closely with Veolia’s inclusion lead and dedicated project teams. The Inclusion Weeks were a big part of launching the strategy. The vision was belonging, but the short-term aim was to build awareness of and break down barriers. 

Since the launch of the strategy, Veolia has seen major changes in workforce demographics, including a 7.9% increase in women at all grades, including a +20.5% increase in front-line female operatives and a +14.3% increase in ethnic minority (minus Black) colleagues at all grades.

Judges’ verdict: “Again, another heart-warming campaign showing clear diversity throughout.”

Shortlist

Pink Squid - Capgemini

Robert Walters

ThirtyThree - Royal Mail

Tonic Agency - GSK

Zero Gravity - HSBC

Winners

Tonic Agency - Newton

Dull, uninspiring office work: Newton, a UK-based consulting company, had an image problem with its target audience of recent graduates and current students. The firm had to challenge and change this misconception, to attract as well as maintain a pipeline of high-quality staff members.

The graduate campaign, partnering with Tonic Agency, aimed to revolutionise how students perceived consulting and ignite their excitement about becoming consultants at Newton. It hoped to boost the overall number of applications and enhance diversity and gender representation, especially among STEM students. 

Employer branding was revamped to be spectacular, vibrant and youthful. Backed by extensive research, Newton shared authentic stories featuring its diverse workforceand recent recruits who thrive at Newton, binning the old brochure and creating a new magazine. They not only inspired candidates but also served as mentors to build their confidence and guide them through the application process. The graduate campaign, “Let’s Start Doing”, invited the audience to be part of a movement, empowering them with autonomy and inspiring them to take action.

What was the outcome of the campaign? Website page views were up by 69.4%. Overall applications were up by 35% on 2021, and 77% of consulting prospects said they would recommend Newton to a friend, compared with 35% in 2021.

Judges’ verdict: “Overcoming misconceptions, boosting the number, quality, diversity and gender representations of applicants while fostering long-term relationships. A tall order, achieved through a series of creative and targeted campaigns that delivered great results.” 

Shortlist

Blackbridge Communications - Rolls-Royce

Creed Communications - Jaguar Land Rover

Winner

Activision Blizzard

Activision Blizzard is one of the world’s largest interactive gaming companies, with 13,000 employees across North America, Europe and Asia. Its gaming franchises, including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush, attract more than 400 million players a month.

In 2022, the business made a bid to retain and attract new talent across the organisation. To entice candidates and fulfil ambitious hiring targets, its team set out to build a recruitment marketing strategy to harness the power of the company’s people and culture. The in-house recruitment marketing efforts consisted of six core pillars designed to achieve the goal of becoming a destination employer for diverse and innovative talent. 

Goals set were to educate and engage prospective talent: to challenge and address any misconceptions about its culture, to demonstrate why the firm is a great place to work, and to boost job applications. A key focus was highlighting diversity, equity and inclusion across the business. This ranged from women in gaming, highlighting employee network groups, and showcasing heritage events. 

Activision’s Art and Animation Community of Practice 2023 event – at which recruiters, artists and hiring managers shared tips on portfolios and resumés outlining the firm’s requirements – drew 800-plus attendees and 330 job applications – 100 more attendees and 220 more applications than 2022’s event.

These social campaign efforts have seen a 400% increase in the number of posts, which have translated into a 43% increase in the number of visitors to the careers site and a 50% increase in completed applications.

Judges’ verdict: “Clear definition of operating model.”

Shortlist 

Bloomberg

Morson Group

Pure

Robert Walters

Winner

Talk'n'Job by Apply Z GmbH - NHS - University Hospital Southampton

When searching for their ideal role, jobseekers – especially deskless workers and young professionals – are no longer willing to use traditional application channels. When we can do almost anything via our smartphones, why are organisations still relying on unwieldy forms to recruit the best candidates? Barrier-free and cutting-edge solutions are needed to attract the right applicants to roles, reflecting the shift in user habits to smartphone technology. 

Talk’n’Job sees voice-driven applications via phones as the logical next step. It is a smartphone chat app where applicants use two existing tools – their smartphone and their own voice – to apply for their ideal role. Talk’n’Job pre-qualifies potential applicants with intelligent and voice-driven interviews on their smartphones.

This doesn’t just improve the experience for the candidate. By using Talk’n’Job for its application processes, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust was able to attract and convert new people – 73% through the new voice-driven application service. There was also a higher engagement in the process (37% on Talk’n’Job compared with 28% on the internal applicant tracking system) and a reduced cost per hire on job platforms (£31 compared to £220).

Judges’ verdict: “Effective and informative”

Shortlist

CA3 & Eli Onboarding - Cognizant

eArcu - Which?

Stafford Long - Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)

Winner

Blackbridge Communications

The industry’s first employee-owned agency, Blackbridge, puts its success down to people power. All staff have a voice through its Partner Council, as well as benefiting from wellbeing initiatives such as therapy through its employee assistance programme. A genuine policy of promotion from within has also seen 15% of colleagues promoted this year.

Successful campaigns have grown out of a concerted effort to understand clients – organising workshops, having honest conversations and refining areas that were previously imperfect. From a thorough onboarding process that gets under the skin of clients’ goals and objectives, to regular service reviews that allow the agency to learn from and act on feedback, Blackbridge gets the basics right.

Beyond this, Blackbridge wants to act on – not just talk about – recruitment issues such as neurodiversity. It teamed up with an autism charity on a pro bono basis, developing a campaign to convince ordinary people that they have what it takes to become an autism support worker. The campaign focused on empowering both candidates and autistic service users, resulting in a huge uptick in quality applications. 

All this has seen Blackbridge experience a year of record-breaking turnover and profits thanks to new business wins and breakthroughs with existing clients – and as an employee-owned company, all its people have benefited.

Judges’ verdict: “Practice what you preach – a great example of investing in their own talent by becoming employee-owned. This has led to motivated colleagues, happy clients and a record-breaking performance for the business.”

Shortlist

CA3 

TMP Worldwide

Tonic Agency

Winner

Pink Squid - Capgemini

Capgemini operates internal networks designed to provide safe spaces for employees to share stories and support each other, but it was important to ensure staff knew about them and the benefits they could bring. 

Focusing on six networks – race equality, women, OUTfront (LGBTQI+), capability (disability and carers), VERG (veterans) and Talking Heads (mental health) – the videos tell the story of one person from each network. That person would write a letter, which would then be read out on camera by someone from outside of that network. 

Challenging stories were deliberately chosen, and it was important that the person reading out the letter came from a different background. The content therefore was a mix of the person’s story and the reaction of the individual reading it out, who would also answer some questions afterwards about how the letter made them feel. 

Each video was used to support a short-hero and long-hero version, which were distributed by email and stored on the internal intranet respectively. Videos directed people to more information about that particular network, as well as to videos from other networks. They generated significant traffic and powerful reactions among those who watched them. 

In the two weeks after the videos launched, membership of all the networks grew by at least 5%, with the Talking Heads network increasing by 32%. 

Judges' verdict: ''Superb, powerful campaign truly emphasising Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace''