Executives from Retail Giants Greggs and Iceland Urge Northern Ireland Companies to Mine Talent Amongst Ex-Offenders at Belfast Event

Companies from across Northern Ireland have been exploring the benefits of hiring ex-offenders at an event which heard from the Chief Executive Officer of Greggs PLC and the Director of Rehabilitation at Iceland. 

The event, run by The Turnaround Project and held at digital transformation company Version 1’s Belfast headquarters, brought together companies from all sectors – retail, law, IT, food service and others – and highlighted the wealth of untapped talent amongst those who have been through the justice system. 

Organisations which have already hired ex-offenders including Greggs, Iceland and local company idverde, talked through the process of hiring ex-offenders and urged others to diversify their workforce and develop a culture of inclusion and fairness. 

Roisin Currie, CEO of high street bakery chain Greggs PLC which has been hiring ex-offenders since 2010, said the firm’s Fresh Start scheme, which supports ex-military and the long-term unemployed has been a considerable success. 

She commented: “We know the passion and energy for work that comes from people who are given an opportunity to kick-start their careers or to turn their lives around. We believe passionately in giving people a ‘fresh start’ and have been rewarded tenfold by the dedication which has been shown by those colleagues who have joined us having previously been in the justice system.” 

The event also heard from an ex-offender in the form of Paul Cowley, Director of Rehabilitation at Iceland. Having spent time in prison in North West England, Paul had a career in the army and became a Church of England priest before being recruited by Iceland’s Managing Director Richard Walker.  In his role at the retailer, he conducts interviews with inmates in prisons across England for potential roles in Iceland food stores and warehouses. 

“The continued contraction of the labour market has been an issue for companies in all sectors in recent years. A simple solution is for employers to tap into the rich seam of talent from the pool of ex-offenders who deserve to be given a second chance,” said Paul Cowley, Director of Rehabilitation at Iceland. “Our experience has been overwhelmingly positive and there is little doubt that the colleagues who have joined us from the justice system have played a significant role in boosting Iceland’s bottom line. Our workforce has been hugely enriched and I would urge other companies to do the same.” 

Lorna McAdoo, Head of Environmental, Social and Governance at Version 1 said: “We are pleased to have hosted today’s event and to hear first-hand about the benefits of hiring from this very rich talent pool. The experience of those companies who have led the way in recruiting ex-offenders is compelling, not just from an operational perspective but also because it is the right thing to do, a very real consideration in today’s world and one we at Version 1 take extremely seriously.” 

The event was organised by The Turnaround Project, a charity registered in Northern Ireland, that provides hope and opportunity to enable people who have served sentences in the criminal justice system to turn around their futures. 

Richard Good, Director at the Turnaround Project, said: “Today’s Employer Engagement event has the potential to transform the Northern Ireland economy by negating a very real recruitment struggle. Our speakers have proven that hiring those who have been in the justice system can have huge benefits, not least giving an overlooked section of society a second chance to make a real difference in the world.”