Inclusive recruitment isn’t just the right thing to do. It gives not-for-profits a clear advantage when it comes to hiring and retaining talent. While there can still be a perception that inclusive recruitment is more about compliance than impact, the reality is that it builds stronger teams and leads to better outcomes and the data proves it.
It’s a meaningful approach to talent acquisition that strengthens your team, aligns your recruitment with your organisational values and creates long-term, positive impact. For organisations working in the charity and not-for-profit sectors, ensuring that recruitment processes are fair, open and genuinely inclusive is essential to build trust, improve outcomes and better represent the communities you serve.
But while many hiring managers in purpose-driven organisations are committed to doing better, inclusive hiring can often be overshadowed by urgency or constrained by deep-rooted habits. The good news is that small, practical changes can make a big difference and you can achieve more inclusivity without disrupting your entire process.
When teams are made up of people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, they perform better. According to a 2023 McKinsey study, companies with high levels of ethnic and gender diversity on leadership teams are 39% more likely to outperform their peers in a variety of metrics. Inclusive hiring isn’t just about fairness, it brings different perspectives to problem-solving, leading to smarter, faster decisions, more creative solutions and greater innovation.
Staff turnover is expensive and often completely avoidable. Employees who feel that they are heard, respected and have a strong sense of belonging are far more likely to stay with an organisation. Inclusive recruitment helps to lay those foundations early, improving engagement, lowering repeat recruitment costs and supporting stability.
With increasing numbers of candidates actively choosing to join a diverse workforce, evidence of diversity and inclusion is vital when they’re assessing potential employers. Organisations’ DE&I commitments send a strong signal to talent about what they really value and how they operate. An inclusive hiring process indicates that you are serious about living your values from your very first interaction.
Most hiring teams want to do better on inclusion, but even the most well-intentioned organisations can fall into patterns that inadvertently limit diversity. Three of the most common issues are:
Improving inclusion doesn’t necessarily need an overhaul of your entire hiring process, or be complicated or expensive. Small, strategic adjustments can make a real impact:
At The Talent Set, we work exclusively with purpose-led organisations across the charity, education, membership and health sectors. We work closely with our clients, many of whom are working actively to improve equity, diversity and inclusion in their teams, to embed those goals into recruitment, build inclusive shortlists and demonstrate smarter hiring practices.
We understand that better outcomes begin with better briefs. That’s why we help our clients to refine their job descriptions so that they’re clear, focused and genuinely inclusive. We remove the jargon, flag bias and help them concentrate on the core competencies that matter to attract a broader and more representative range of candidates.
Our sourcing strategy is intentionally broad. Our reach spans a wide range of platforms, networks and communities, going beyond the usual channels, connecting with underrepresented talent pools and using sourcing strategies that reflect the communities that they serve.
And because each of our consultants manages fewer roles, they take the time to really get to understand both your organisation and your potential candidates. Which means that we can advocate for people with the right skills and potential, even if they don’t have a conventional CV.
We also help our clients to set up diverse interview panels, anonymise shortlisting and develop inclusive scoring frameworks. For us, it’s not about box-ticking, it’s about helping our clients to hire people who fit the brief, and it’s about taking tangible steps to build fairer, stronger, more resilient teams that align with their mission in a fair, consistent and value-led way.
Inclusivity isn’t just a tick box. It’s a commitment to better outcomes, stronger teams and a fairer, more equal society. It strengthens performance, improves retention and builds trust with the audiences that matter most. For not-for-profits, it’s central to mission delivery and essential to building trust and credibility.
If you’re reviewing your recruitment approach or simply wondering if your current process could be more inclusive, we’re here to support you. We’ll work with you to identify practical, data-based changes that support your values and deliver stronger, fairer outcomes.
Contact The Talent Set for an inclusive recruitment audit or EDI hiring consultation.
