Westbury FM has become a Ban the Box employer – a campaign calling on UK employers to give people with past convictions a fair chance in recruitment by removing the tick box from their application form that asks about criminal offences.
Reducing unfair exclusion and providing routes out of poverty
According to the Ban the Box campaign there are around 11 million people in the UK who have a historical criminal conviction, many of whom are skilled individuals who may be unable to access the work they’re qualified and capable to do.
Westbury FM has never believed that a blanket exclusion on people with convictions is a fair approach. As a Ban the Box employer, Westbury FM has an opportunity to demonstrate this, proactively supporting people with previous convictions with our open recruitment policy – a policy we’ve always had.
Fair and equal employment opportunities
Although Westbury FM have signed up to the Ban the Box campaign, the company has never used the criminal convictions tick box in its initial application forms and early recruitment stages.
We’ve always believed in, and demonstrated, equality and fairness of employment opportunities so it’s fitting for us to join and support this campaign.
Ultimately, we believe people deserve a fair chance, and that previous mistakes, including historical criminal convictions, do not necessarily stop a person contributing meaningfully to our workplace.
Assessment of applicant convictions later in the recruitment process
Rather than excluding people who may have convictions at the initial stage of application, Westbury assesses an individual on their merits to do the specific job they’re applying for.
Qualifications, experience and, crucially, the right attitude to do the work to our high standards, have always been our priority in recruitment.
And, as the Ban the Box campaign stipulates, we only ask the question regarding past convictions later in the recruitment process, assessing any convictions, and associated risks, against the applicants’ ability to do the job.
Ban the Box employers’ commitment
As a Ban the Box employer we commit to the campaign’s full list of requirements, to adhere to fair and non-discriminatory recruitment practices:
- To remove any tick box from job application forms that ask about criminal convictions
- Consider applicants’ skills, experience and ability to do the job BEFORE asking about criminal convictions
- Review our employment processes to ensure that when a candidate discloses a criminal conviction, they are given a full opportunity to explain the situation
- Ensure that the circumstances of any conviction are fairly assessed against their relevance to and risk within the role before a decision is made
Proud to be a progressive employer
In providing meaningful employment, career progression and security, we’re proud to be a progressive employer and help people with previous convictions access the work and long-term careers that support them, their families and communities.
