Best New Agency 2020

SR2 – Socially Responsible Recruitment

SR2 stands for Socially Responsible Recruitment. Bristol-based SR2 is a community-driven IT recruitment start-up, putting people over profit and making various commitments as a business to ensure CSR is at the heart of everything it does.

• The judges were impressed by the high level of creativity, innovation, quality of service and differentiation across the entries in this category.
• SR2 stood out in this category through, for example, in its first two years of business donating over £21k to under-represented local charities in Bristol. It is also very active in the tech community, organising or sponsoring between 5-10 tech events and meet-ups, attracting around 500 people per month.
• The judges were impressed with SR2’s efforts into improving diversity & inclusion (D&I) in tech via a number of means, including its platform Women Rock https://www.sr2rec.co.uk/womenrock/. Every week the company posts new content on the blog on its website and pushes this out to businesses who have expressed an interest (and via social channels) to keep D&I on everyone’s agenda.
• Showcased innovations such as creating a group called Bristol Technology Volunteers – a platform that connects charities in need of help with techies who want to help. More than a dozen charities have had tech projects completed for them via the platform.
• One excellent candidate service in particular demonstrates the company’s willingness to go above and beyond for its clients and candidates. Having secured several final interviews, where diaries had been rejigged to accommodate him, the candidate’s childcare cancelled at the last minute. SR2’s consultant offered to look after his very energetic twin boys, drafting in SR2’s MD to take them to the aquarium. The result was the candidate performed well, and he took one of the jobs he was offered. SR2 even covered the cost of the aquarium visit!

Judges’ comments: “Strong values and ethical recruitment agency that lives by its name. They showcased lots of brilliant examples, including Women Rock and Bristol Technology Volunteers. Driving innovation and engagement across the community.”