Ex-offenders given equal opportunities at Tideway

Tideway is providing equal employment opportunities for ex-offenders by not asking about criminal convictions on job application forms. 

The move marks a step towards Tideway’s target for one out of every 100 employees working on the project - including across the main works contractors - to be an ex-offender. 

Julie Thornton, Tideway’s Head of HR, said: “As one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Europe, we have a duty not just to help clean up the River Thames but to also leave a skills and employment legacy for all Londoners, and for the construction industry. 

“By removing the criminal convictions question from our application forms, we are ensuring a fair and equal opportunity for anyone who applies for a job at Tideway. We are confident this will encourage more people with the right skills and ability to consider how they could get involved in the hugely important work we’re doing for London.” 

The company behind the ‘supersewer’ joins the growing list of employees backing Business in the Community’s ‘Ban the Box’ campaign, which calls on UK employers to create a fair opportunity for ex-offenders to compete for jobs by removing the tick box from application forms and asking about criminal convictions later in the recruitment process. 

Removing the tick box on application forms allows employers to see the applicant’s suitability for the role first, without judging them because they have a criminal record. 

Other companies to sign up and ‘Ban the Box’ include Accenture, Amey and the Civil Service. 

Tideway also works with Changing Paths, a charity supporting ex-offenders back into work, that runs the company’s cafeterias.