Recruitment on "name blind" basis to reduce discrimination

Prime Minister, David Cameron, has announced that organisations from across the public and private sector, together responsible for employing1.8 million people in the UK, will sign up to the pledge to operate recruitment on ‘name blind’ basis to address discrimination.

Under a new agreement, names will not be visible of graduate recruitment applications to reduce the potential risk of discrimination. Leading graduate employers from across the public and private sector will be committing to the new scheme; this includes applicants to the Civil Service, HSBC, Deloitte, Teach First, NHS, plus many more.

The Prime Minister said, I said in my conference speech that I want us to end discrimination and finish the fight for real equality in our country today. Today we are delivering on that commitment and extending opportunity to all. If you've got the grades, the skills and the determination, this Government will ensure that you can succeed.”

The announcement follows the Prime Minister’s speech to Conservative Party Conference, where he cited research showing that people with white-sounding names are nearly twice as likely to get job call-backs than people with ethnic-sounding names.