Farrans Construction and 3D Personnel reconfirmed their commitment to the Ban the Box Campaign, when their representatives got together with Sara Nielson from BITCNI last month in Belfast.
Continuing with our series of articles relating to the Ban the Box campaign, we are once more pleased to highlight this important issue.
Our representative Manus Brennan, an Area Manager with 3D Personnel, based in our Belfast office, was on hand to meet up with Sara Nielson and Joanne Lennox from Farrans Construction, on the 8th of December 2022. Sara Nielson is the Employability Manager with Business in the Community Northern Ireland (BITCNI), while Joanne is head of People and Engagement at Farrans Construction.
All three were delighted to get together at Farrans head office in Belfast for a catch up. Farrans Construction and 3D Personnel have been long term supporters of this initiative.
What is Ban the Box?
Originating in the United States, Ban the Box was formally introduced to the UK in 2013, when it was co-founded by the Business in the Community network. Launched in Northern Ireland in September 2021, it has gone from strength to strength.
The principles of Ban the Box revolve around removing the previous conviction question tick box, from the initial job application stage. This simple change can lead to employers getting a fuller picture of the candidates’ talents and abilities before the introduction of information relating to a past conviction.
As employment helps reduce the likelihood that an individual will re-offend, great savings for society in the years ahead can result. Re-offending costs the taxpayer billions each year, not to mention the impact on the victims of crime.
There are also benefits to business – increasing the diversity of the talent pool, while reducing the unnecessary exclusion of talented individuals from the roles on offer.
Ban the Box – The Commitment
The Ban the Box campaign involves asking companies to commit to the following:
Remove the conviction question tick box from the initial job application stage
Consider the applicants skills, experience, and their ability to do the job before asking about criminal convictions
Review their existing recruitment processes
Ban the Box advises a three-step process to help achieve this
Understand your starting point (review your current processes)
Make the appropriate changes to your processes
Put Ban the Box into practice and communicate within and outside of your organisation
Farrans and 3D Personnel say Ban the Box
Speaking after the successful get together, Manus had this to say
We at 3D have been long term supporters of Ban the Box and I am delighted to be able to reconfirm our commitment here today alongside Joanne and Sara. We work closely with Farrans, and it is so important that more companies join in this campaign.
We see first-hand at other Return to Work events, just how much of a difference it can make to some of the people we talk to, who eventually end up being employed in the construction industry.
3D Personnel are proud to be a part of this movement, as was highlighted in previous articles about our support for the Ban the Box campaign and other back to work in construction initiatives. Read more below
Ban the Box; Can I get a job with a criminal record?
NI Prison Service Return to Work Event
HMP Highpoint and HMP Lewes Prisoners benefit from Construction Events
LIVE NEWSFEED