Faster, Fairer and Safer Hiring

To usher in the Future of Work it is essential the UK has a Future of Hiring. Therefore, the Better Hiring Institute is leading on Digital Hiring.

The use of technology should make hiring faster but should only be used where it makes hiring fairer and safer.

We champion fairer practices for all by identifying barriers that need to be removed for the creation of a truly modern workforce for the Future of Hiring.

We work to encourage the implementation of safer working practices by tackling Hiring Fraud and ensuring that safeguarding is hardwired within the hiring process.

Industry led independent body

We are an independent body of experts in industry and government. The Better Hiring Institute is an operating arm of SAFERjobs, a Community Interest Company (CIC)with cross-government support. 

Ultimately, we are streamlining and modernising hiring in the UK. 

Helping companies

We provide information and advice to hiring companies to enable them to recruit work-seekers safely, securely, quickly, and in a consistent way. We are a key advisory group to government departments on any aspect of hiring, safeguarding, and general recruitment within the UK. Our Advisory Board brings together key organisations who specialise in specific aspects of hiring, labour market compliance, worker welfare, and the digital world. 

Supporting a range of sectors

As part of our commitment to making UK hiring Faster, Fairer and Safer, we host subcommittee meetings for every major UK industry, with household names from each sector. If you would like to join your industry’s subcommittee to help shape the future hiring practice in the UK, to influence UK government, to gain insights from experts in fields such as digital identity and right to work, and to hear from industry leaders, then get in touch below!

To find out more about sponsoring the work of the Better Hiring Institute, please contact us at secretariat@betterhiringinstitute.co.uk

The Better Hiring Institute exists to transform the UK labour market by bringing in a revolution in the way the UK hires staff. This supports the UK Government's aspiration for a modern and agile labour market built on strong foundations.

Our mission at the Better Hiring Institute is to make hiring Faster, Fairer and Safer. We are working hard to collaborate with industry and government to streamline and modernise hiring across all sectors and industries.

Our Patron

Lord Lucas

Patron
Lord Lucas's full title is The Lord Lucas. He is a current member of the House of Lords and remains an active backbencher, taking interest in education, employment, planning and finance.

Advisory board members

Dr Suzanne Smith headshot
Dr Suzanne Smith
Director S T Smith Safeguarding Consultants Ltd
Dr Suzanne Smith has specialised in safeguarding for 30 years.  Most of her career has been with the NHS apart from 5 years at the University of Huddersfield where she completed her PhD focusing on child protection. In 2017 Suzanne joined the Disclosure and Barring Service where she is now Executive Director of Barring and Safeguarding.
Jon Hall headshot
Professor Jon Hall
Senior Academic
The Open University
Jon is an organisational problem solver whose research portfolio is in use at some of the world's largest organisations. He drives business support projects and national policy strategy groups in Digital Skills from the Open University, where he is a senior academic. He is a recognised leader in Digital, IT, Security and Education and writes a regular column on leadership for his Chartered Institute.
Keith Rosser headshot
Keith Rosser
Director
Reed Screening
Keith is a Group Director of the world's largest family owned recruitment business, Reed, and is Director of Reed Screening, a large pre-employment vetting business within the group. Keith has over 5 years’ experience as a Non-Executive Director, both at Disclosure Scotland an executive agency of Scottish Government and Glasgow Clyde College. Keith has been the Chair of SAFERjobs for over 10 years, a charity founded by the Metropolitan Police that tackles labour market exploitation targeting vulnerable workers, as well as the Chair of the first cross-Government committee on the flexible labour market, the Association of Compliance Organisations (ASCOR). Keith was appointed to the Advisory Panel on UK Government's response to the Good Work Plan, advised the Name Blind committee chaired by then Prime Minister, David Cameron, and received a Commendation Award from Home Office for services to the labour market in 2018. Keith also Chairs several trade bodies and industry committees within the labour market, including the Criminal Records Trade Body (CRTB). Keith is also an Advisory Board Member at Cifas, the UK's leading fraud sharing database, and Chair of Release Scotland which works with Scottish Government on criminal record reforms.
Gary Franklin Headshot
Gary Franklin
HR Director
G7 Talent Solutions
Gary has been a professional HR interim manager and consultant on and off for over 25 years, helping organisations scale and build HR and Recruitment functions to meet the demands of business. He established G7 Talent Solutions Ltd to advise and lead companies through growth and change.
HR transformation, optimisation of processes and ways of working – taking costs and pain out of hiring, improving approach to inclusive hiring (ED&I)
Building TA strategies and rolling out TOMs – right-sizing the approach aligned to the business strategy, particularly important in PE-backed start-up or carve-out projects. Selection, service design and management of HR Operations, as well as RPO and MSP contracts.
Coaching senior managers and TA teams to get the best out of themselves.
Selecting and deploying ATS and HRIS platforms Notable clients have included Aviva, First Group, G4S, Wave Power, Carnival UK, Nationwide Building Society, The Co-operative Group, Kantar, Wargaming, Wellcome Trust, Technip Energies, Open Society Foundations, and most recently Aptia Group I am the Safeguarding and Welfare officer for The Mayfly Project UK, a charity that uses fly fishing as a catalyst to help kids in foster care. 
Having worked and lived in a few countries, I currently live in Sussex, UK, with my wife. I am a keen fly-fisher (instructor). When not wading in rivers I listen to a lot of music from bands most people probably haven’t heard of.
Philip M.J. Graham headshot
Philip M.J. Graham
Digital Programme Director Blackpool Teaching Hospitals
Philip is a Digital Programme Director at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BTH) and has held senior posts in healthcare technology for over twenty years including Chief Information Officer, or equivalent. He has also managed an operational Division of the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as an Associate Director of Operations, his responsibilities at that time included Accident and Emergency, Intensive Care, Pharmacy and Diagnostics.

Philip is currently working with NHSX on various commissions to BTH: One on Digital Child Health and electronic patient records and the other involving Digital Identity and Digital Passports (Wallets). He has been working closely with NHSX for over two years and his work involves wider government and industry groups. During the Covid 19 pandemic he has been working on an NHS Digital Staff Passport to enable the movement of staff using modern technologies that put the individual in control.
Alison McDowell headshot
Alison McDowell
Co-Founder and Director
Beruku Advisory
Alison McDowell is a Co-Founder and Director at Beruku Advisory, providing end-to-end strategic advice on digital trust, identity and personal data. Most recently, Alison has been working with the U.K. government on the development of a digital identity ecosystem. She advises DCMS on market development, regulation, policy and attribute sharing. She also works with investors and commercial providers, helping them to understand the legal, regulatory and commercial landscape for identity solutions in the UK and internationally.

Before working with Beruku, Alison spent 20 years in financial services, as a consultant and in senior commercial leadership roles in both banking and insurance. She has also been an HR Director and led talent management, organisational capability and culture projects across a range of sectors. She has worked with firms around the globe, from impact investors and FinTechs in Southeast Asia and Africa to some of the largest global banks and pharmaceuticals in the US and Europe.  
Join the subcommittee for your industry.
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If you are interested, just let us know! Appoint a representative for your organisation and we will get in touch and facilitate arrangements. Simple as that.
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