Candidates with a criminal record can now apply for jobs with third sector organisation Cyrenians, with the knowledge that they will be assessed on their ability to do the job before any convictions are fairly considered.

In signing up to the national campaign from Business in the Community they joined more than 110 employers, including the Civil Service, Boots and Virgin Trains, who are creating a fair chance for people with a criminal background to compete for jobs and help bring down the £15 billion a year cost of reoffending.

Cyrenians Chief Executive Ewan Aitken said, “At Cyrenians we believe in supporting people no matter where they are in their journey back to community and stability. Signing up to ban the box was an easy decision because it aligns with our own values here at Cyrenians. We believe in people, and working with them to achieve positive outcomes. By removing this small box from our applications, and allowing people an even playing field, we hope to bring more talent and diversity to our team, helping us to help even more individuals across the East of Scotland.”

Having a job can reduce a person’s chance of reoffending by up to 50% and Cyrenians is leading the way in offering people a chance to turn their lives around while helping to keep communities safer.

Jessica Rose, Business in the Community’s campaign manager said, “Two thirds of employers admit to discriminating against people with criminal records but the employers we work with recognise the skills and loyalty this diverse group of people can bring to their roles. Removing the barrier of a tick box can make all the difference to someone deciding to apply to your company or not and we need more forward-thinking employers to join the campaign to help stop the cycle of reoffending.”

Through signing up to Ban the Box and considering whether, when and how to ask about criminal convictions, employers can play a vital role in keeping people out of prison while gaining access to a large and diverse talent pool.

Employers large and small are urged to join Ban the Box to help remove barriers to 1 million jobs across the UK by 2020.

Find out more about the campaign, or watch our guest vlog from Pete White to learn more about how ‘Ban the box’ helps create a fairer future for all.