The Clear Company, an award-winning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultancy, has announced a series of key updates to its Clear Assured platform and accreditation, aimed at helping small and large organisations address current DEI challenges and priorities.
PageGroup is the first professional recruitment firm to achieve Clear Assured’s Platinum Inclusion Standard. This standard recognises organisations that have fully integrated equity, diversity, and inclusion into all aspects of their operations. PageGroup is a sector-leading organization committed to promoting diversity and inclusion through their actions and continuous DEI upskilling and improvement.
The Clear Assured platform provides businesses with an initial assessment of ‘DEI maturity’, measuring their DEI progress and performance before outlining a roadmap for development. Companies work their way through five levels of accreditation – from Foundation to Platinum – with a dedicated account manager to guide them along the process.
PageGroup is one of many organisations currently using Clear Assured to support their DEI strategy, alongside other industry leaders such as Lloyd’s of London, HS2 and Balfour Beatty.
Research carried out by XpertHR last year found that only 38% of UK employers allocate, or plan to allocate, a designated DEI budget, highlighting a critical need for more accessible training and consultancy in this space.
Clear Assured aims to bridge this gap by supporting organisations – from SMEs to large corporations – with their internal DEI strategy, as well as expanding the boundaries to improve supply chain diversity.
Addressing global challenges
Clear Assured’s subscription-based platform offers a number of online resources, curated by the Clear Company’s inclusivity experts, where employees can access guidance, best practice templates, updates to legislation, and other educational content.
The latest platform updates include the addition of globally applicable content surrounding new areas of DEI, such as employee wellbeing and supplier diversity, which are becoming increasingly important to investors, customers, and other key stakeholders from an ESG standpoint.
A combination of online resources, a dedicated account manager and quarterly calls builds DEI capability and confidence through continuous professional development for employees. Users can also use an online chat function to get quick access to a DEI expert within standard business hours, ensuring no questions go unanswered.
Sheri Hughes, UK & MEA DE&I Director at PageGroup, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have our years of hard work recognised with this coveted accreditation. It’s with immense pride that we have been able to demonstrate our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and continue to lead the way in our industry. We are really grateful for the ongoing support that the Clear Company have given us. This is just the start for us and we look forward to continuing our work together to create lasting change.”
Alexandre Maria, Director of Clear Assured & Supply Chain at the Clear Company says: “As DEI continues to shape every aspect of business process and delivery, companies today must be able to evidence their progress to investors, suppliers, customers and employees – including prospective candidates.”
“We understand that for many organisations, finding the time and resources to advance DEI goals, while balancing other business objectives, can be a challenge. Clear Assured helps organisations overcome DEI challenges by providing a platform for real change and empowering employees through continuous development and training.
“Increasingly, organisations providing services to other businesses are being asked to evidence their capability in the DEI space as part of procurement processes. Those that are unable to display these credentials risk losing work. Even SMEs are now required to demonstrate that they run an inclusive business. An inclusive procurement strategy benefits businesses by expanding supplier pool, increasing competition, and reducing costs.”
