Inclusive hiring practices are now more widespread among UK employers than at any point in the last three years, according to new research from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). The findings, reported by Personnel Today, show that despite public debate around so-called “culture wars”, organisations are continuing to expand their commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in recruitment.
The analysis is based on the REC’s latest annual employer survey, which gathered responses from 233 organisations across the country. This year’s results show the highest levels of EDI-related hiring activity since the survey began in 2022. According to the REC, this suggests that employers are moving away from superficial signalling around diversity and instead embedding inclusion into the routine structure of their recruitment processes.
One clear area of growth is the use of diverse interview panels. Just over half of employers surveyed, 51%, now include people from different backgrounds in interview panels, a significant increase from 34.9% the previous year. The REC notes that employers increasingly recognise that hiring decisions can be strengthened when recruitment panels reflect the diversity they want to achieve in their workforce. Name-blind recruitment has also become more common, with 33.5% of organisations now using name-blind CV submission, compared with 21.5% last year, as employers look for practical ways to reduce unconscious bias at the shortlisting stage.
Inclusive language in job advertisements has also become standard practice. Just over half of respondents, 51.9%, said they intentionally use inclusive wording in job adverts. Although this remains slightly lower than the level recorded in 2022, it still demonstrates that inclusive messaging is firmly established. Nearly half of employers, 47.9%, now explicitly welcome applications from diverse candidates in their job postings, up from 39.5% last year.
The survey also shows steady investment in internal EDI infrastructure. Around 30.3% of employers offer training or learning resources on equality, diversity and inclusion, compared with 29% in the previous year. A similar proportion, 29%, reported clearer internal policies and stronger leadership commitment to EDI, rising from 26% in the previous survey period. The REC suggests that these measures help move inclusion from aspiration to everyday practice.
Technology is playing an increasingly important role. More than a quarter of employers, 26.6%, now use tools such as anonymised CV-screening software or systems designed to standardise decisions and reduce bias. This is a substantial rise from the 14% recorded the year before and reflects a growing willingness among organisations to adopt dedicated EDI-focused technologies.
Employers are also showing greater interest in external support and collaboration. Around 25.8% participate in EDI-related events or networks with other employers, up from 20%. Engagement with external recognition schemes, such as awards or accreditation programmes, has risen sharply to 23.5% from 9% a year earlier. In addition, 20.4% of organisations now use case studies or examples from comparable employers to inform their own work, compared with 10% previously.
Specialist expertise is being used more widely too. Nearly one in five employers, 19.6%, said they engage external EDI experts to provide advice or guidance, a modest increase from 17% in the previous year. More organisations are also reporting measurable business benefits from their inclusion practices: 15.9% said they can demonstrate clear returns on investment from EDI, more than double the 7% reported last year. The REC highlights this growing evidence base as a key factor in why inclusion is increasingly treated as a long-term business strategy rather than a short-term reputational concern.
Neil Carberry, chief executive of the REC, said the findings show that the reality inside UK organisations is very different from the narrative presented in public debate. He argued that employers are focusing on inclusion because it helps them access and retain the talent they need in a tight labour market and an ageing workforce. He added that employers understand they are not appointing people solely on the basis of demographic characteristics, but rather ensuring that opportunities are genuinely open to all qualified applicants.
Taken together, the results suggest that, despite commentary about an alleged backlash against diversity initiatives, many UK employers are continuing to strengthen and modernise their approach to inclusive hiring. For jobseekers from under-represented groups, including LGBT+ candidates, the survey indicates a labour market in which more organisations are actively reviewing recruitment processes, investing in bias-reducing tools, and seeking to demonstrate tangible business benefits from a more diverse workforce.