National Inclusion Week is here, and this year’s theme - “Now is the Time” - couldn’t be more relevant. In a climate where inclusion efforts face increasing scrutiny and workplaces are navigating new employment rights legislation, we believe this is the perfect moment to reaffirm our commitment to building a fairer, more inclusive future of work.

At Acorn by Synergie, we know that inclusion isn’t just a nice-to-have - it’s a business imperative. Diverse teams make better decisions, drive innovation, and deliver stronger results. More importantly, an inclusive recruitment process ensures that everyone, regardless of background, has equal access to opportunities.

That’s why we’re proud to be part of Opening Doors, Business in the Community’s flagship inclusive recruitment campaign. Opening Doors is built around five keys to inclusive recruitment - and we’ve made them a cornerstone of how we work:

1. Creating Partnerships to Connect Untapped Talent

We partner with organisations such as Cardiff Council’s IntoWork programme, School of Hard Knocks, and the Re-Construct network to connect people from under-represented groups with meaningful work opportunities. From those who’ve faced long-term unemployment to people with disabilities or caring responsibilities, we’re expanding our partnerships to reach even more communities, including older workers and those from ethnic minority backgrounds.

2. Showing Our Commitment to Inclusion

Our values are visible in everything we do - from inclusive job adverts to diverse imagery in our campaigns. Every colleague at Acorn completes inclusive recruitment and EDI training, and we share our commitments publicly, including being a Disability Confident employer. Over the next year, we’ll be sharing more real-life success stories and case studies to demonstrate what inclusion looks like in action.

3. Writing Inclusive Job Descriptions

Language matters. We monitor every job description for gender bias and other exclusionary language, using tools like Broadbean and AI support. This ensures we are speaking to as wide an audience as possible and encouraging candidates who might otherwise self-select out to apply.

4. Focusing on Skills, Not Just CVs

We know that traditional hiring practices can unintentionally exclude capable people. That’s why we’re shifting towards skills-based recruitment, accepting personal profiles as well as CVs and encouraging clients to recognise non-traditional experience.

5. Prioritising Accessibility and Removing Bias

We’re committed to making our application process as accessible as possible. Candidates can request adjustments at any stage, register in-branch if digital access is a barrier, and complete mobile-friendly applications. We’re also reviewing where we ask about criminal convictions to ensure it doesn’t create unnecessary barriers for talented candidates.

Why “Now is the Time”

This year’s National Inclusion Week calls on all of us to act with urgency and purpose. With strengthened worker protections and enhanced rights for parents and carers, there has never been a better time to embed inclusion in the workplace. For us, this means moving beyond performative gestures and ensuring that inclusive recruitment is at the heart of everything we do – not just during National Inclusion Week, but every day.

We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, but we also know there’s always more we can do. Now is the time to listen, learn, and keep opening doors - together.