Bank of Ireland drives Age Inclusion with Age Aware Accreditation

 

 

Building on its ambition to be one of the best places to work in the UK and Ireland, Bank of Ireland has become the first bank to achieve the Age Aware Accreditation from 55/Redefined, an organisation championing anti-age discrimination.

With expectations that almost half of UK workers will be aged over 50 within the next two years it is increasingly important that workplaces establish age-inclusive policies and practices to recruit, train and retain an age diverse workforce and effectively harness the skills and experience they have.

55/Redefined is the UK’s champion for the over-50s. Launched in September 2021 by founder & CEO, Lyndsey Simpson, the organisation is helping to address the challenge of ageism in the workplace. As well as providing support and expert advice for employers on age inclusivity including insights, consulting, training and accreditation, the organisation offers a free membership platform and job board to help those over the age of 50 in and out of the workplace.

The Age Aware Accreditation from 55/Redefined recognises that Bank of Ireland is committed to playing a leading role in changing attitudes and challenging age discrimination, respecting colleagues skills and experience, irrespective of age, with a clear focus on creating an inclusive workplace with equitable opportunities for all.

Bank of Ireland has introduced mandatory inclusion and diversity training for all colleagues, ‘inclusive hiring’ training for all hiring managers and a Recruitment Charter to ensure inclusive hiring practices, representative of all demographics.

Louise Batchelor, HR Director, Bank of Ireland said: “As an inclusive employer we recognise our responsibility to ensure a workplace that welcomes everyone and provides fair recruitment, training and progression opportunities for all colleagues.

“With labour markets changing, it’s increasingly important to adapt and ensure that we provide equality of opportunity to employment so we can attract and retain the best talent.  We are delighted to have achieved the Age-Aware Accreditation with 55/Redefined and will work closely with them to learn how we can further embed age-inclusive working and recruitment practices across Bank of Ireland.”

Lyndsey Simpson, CEO of 55/ Redefined says: “We’re delighted to announce that Bank of Ireland has partnered with 55/Redefined and become an Age Accredited employer, confirming their commitment to inclusivity in their organisation for over-50’s talent. They share our vision that the workforce must have a whole view of age ranges to truly understand the needs, wants and concerns of every age group. We look forward to working together.”

Bank of Ireland will work in collaboration with 55/Redefined to embed age-inclusivity across its operations and has committed to annual assessment to achieve accreditation going forward.