Equity, diversity and inclusion
The industry sectors we support are on their own journeys to become more inclusive, and we’re right by their side.
A commitment to level the playing field and deliver change
Working in heavily regulated engineering industries and new emerging clean energy sectors means we’ve witnessed the diversity challenge first-hand. We’re proud to have played our part in tackling this inequality and continue to prioritise this within our recruitment operations.
Our recruitment specialists’ partner with clients to identify their gender and equality gaps, before encouraging them to think differently and embrace new ways of hiring that will help to address the imbalance. From managing skills shortages to overhauling their recruitment process, we look at short and long-term improvements that will help to reshape their business and the sectors they support.
Evolving our inclusive recruitment and hiring practices
Inclusivity starts by ensuring the processes that support recruitment are accessible and will attract a diverse talent pool. That’s why our recruitment teams receive specialist training from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), to earn their Inclusive+ Recruiter certification. This gives them the practical knowledge to manage equity, diversity and inclusion challenges our clients face and address unintentional bias.
Our approach to recruitment has always been to develop bespoke solutions for our clients that meet their exact needs, and this extends to driving inclusion. That’s why we invest in technology and develop new processes that allow us to manage equality. From anonymised CVs, to developing interview structures that are designed to identify transferable skills and enable merit-based hiring, we help our clients recruit differently – because we all need to implement change to deliver a different result.
In years to come we want to see a more diverse talent pool in the engineering sectors we support, and that starts by interacting with young people well before they start forming their career plans. If we want to see more women or ethnic minorities forging careers in engineering, then we need to show them how rewarding it will be. We also need representation so they can see what can be achieved, which is why our teams invest significant time supporting educational outreach activities.
With a dedicated STEM ambassador and a team of experienced colleagues drawing on their own experiences, we regularly attend interactive sessions and career workshops at local schools and colleges. From highlighting the benefits of an engineering career, to preparing them for the world of work, we’re pleased to see these sessions deliver real results. Our partnership with Northumberland Skills in 2025 helped 15 local learners secure apprenticeships and 1 start a cadetship, to provide their first steps into employment.
In years to come we want to see a more diverse talent pool in the engineering sectors we support, and that starts by interacting with young people well before they start forming their career plans. If we want to see more women or ethnic minorities forging careers in engineering, then we need to show them how rewarding it will be. We also need representation so they can see what can be achieved, which is why our teams invest significant time supporting educational outreach activities.
With a dedicated STEM ambassador and a team of experienced colleagues drawing on their own experiences, we regularly attend interactive sessions and career workshops at local schools and colleges. From highlighting the benefits of an engineering career, to preparing them for the world of work, we’re pleased to see these sessions deliver real results. Our partnership with Northumberland Skills in 2025 helped 15 local learners secure apprenticeships and 1 start a cadetship, to provide their first steps into employment.
Working in our communities to support industry change
Measuring our ED&I progress
Understanding the impact we’re making is vital to ensure we’re focusing our attention in the right areas and investing in change where it helps most. That’s why we ask all candidates to voluntarily complete our anonymous diversity survey when they apply for a role with NRL. We use this valuable information to understand our candidate mix and identify progress.
Take a look at our 2025 social value report
Read the report
Creating a workplace where people feel they belong
When it comes to being an inclusive employer, we want to ensure this is visible within our own company not just when supporting our clients with recruitment. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Committed business and invest in Group-wide initiatives that help drive diversity – including flexible-working approach and our focus on becoming a menopause-friendly employer.
In recent years we anonymously surveyed colleagues across the NRL Group by working with Great Place to Work®. 97% agreed our business was a great place to work, and their direct feedback earned us a spot on the 2025 Best UK Workplaces™ Lists for Wellbeing, Women and Development.
