Our Social Impact

Our Commitment

Our commitment goes beyond simply connecting people with jobs. We believe recruitment should create a positive impact.

At Berkeley Scott, we support the hospitality industry in a way that is fair, responsible and people-focused. This means championing equality and ethical recruitment, supporting local communities, reducing our environmental impact and ensuring the wellbeing and fair treatment of our workforce. By working closely with our clients, partners and communities, we aim to create opportunities, support sustainable practices and deliver lasting social value across the industry.

Our Goals

Fairness for all Applications

Everyone deserves a fair opportunity, and that belief shapes the way we recruit. At Berkeley Scott, we strive to ensure that our hiring processes are inclusive, transparent, and free from discrimination, so that every candidate feels welcome to apply. From using gender-decoding technology in our job adverts to regularly reviewing our recruitment practices and training all of our consultants in “non-biased” advertising and recruitment practices, we’re always looking for ways to remove bias and open doors to more people.

As a member of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), we follow strict ethical recruitment standards and all UK legislation, including right-to-work checks. Most importantly, we have a zero-tolerance approach to exploitative labour practices; protecting candidates and workers will always come first.

Supporting Local Communities

Hospitality is built on community, and we’re proud to play a role in helping people find opportunities close to home. We actively recruit in the areas we operate, working with organisations such as local Jobcentres, The Growth Company and Back to Work Group to help people take the next step back into employment. We also spend time visiting colleges and universities, speaking to students and helping them find flexible work that fits around their studies.

One partnership we’re especially proud of is with Springboard, a national charity dedicated to inspiring people from all backgrounds to pursue careers in hospitality. Through mock interviews, CV workshops and employer talks, we help people build the confidence and skills they need to get started. Each year we also support a chosen charity through fundraising activities, and this year we’re proud to be supporting Springboard.

Looking After Our People

People are at the heart of everything we do at Berkeley Scott. Whether someone works one shift with us or builds a long-term career in hospitality, we want them to feel valued, supported and treated fairly. Where possible, and with the support of our clients, we aim to pay Real Living Wage to our temporary workforce and ensure that pay, shifts and assignment details are always clear and transparent.

At Berkeley Scott, we understand the importance of wellbeing, whether mental or physical. Hospitality can be demanding, so we make sure our teams know they’re supported. We have trained mental health first aiders within the business and run initiatives like our Fit February challenge and Time to Talk sessions to encourage healthy habits and open conversations. We also believe in helping people grow, which is why several members of our team, including managers, are currently undertaking apprenticeships and professional development.

Transparency and Accountability

At Berkeley Scott, we believe trust is built through honesty and listening. That’s why we regularly ask our workforce for feedback through satisfaction surveys and openly share the results. It helps us understand what we’re doing well and where we can do better. Our policies are reviewed every year to make sure they stay up to date and reflect the standards we hold ourselves to.

Just as importantly, we listen closely to both our candidates and our clients; their feedback helps shape how we improve our services, strengthen our support and continue building a recruitment business that people genuinely want to work with.

Greener Recruitment

We know the hospitality industry is fast-paced, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do our bit for the planet. Over the past few years, we’ve worked hard to move away from paper and make our processes fully digital, from onboarding and timesheets to payslips and invoicing. It’s quicker, simpler and better for the environment.

We also try to keep travel to a minimum by carrying out interviews and over 60% of onboarding sessions remotely, and by recruiting locally wherever possible. Our goal is for our workers to travel no more than 10 miles to their assignments, helping reduce unnecessary journeys while also supporting local jobs.

Small changes matter too, like providing our staff with reusable water bottles to help cut down on single-use plastics. We also work closely with our clients to support their own sustainability goals and make sure those practices are shared with our teams on site.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is at the centre of what we do at Bekrlry Scott. We celebrate the difference across our buisness and understand the importance of diversity in the Hospitality industry.

Each year we complete our Annual Satisfaction and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Survey, as it provides a valuable opportunity for candidates to share their experiences, insights, and feedback on the overall environment and practices within our business.

The importance of this report lies in its ability to inform our ongoing efforts to build a workplace that is not only supportive and respectful but also diverse and equal. By examining the responses and identifying both strengths and areas for improvement, we are better equipped to make data-driven decisions that enhance our employee experience and advance our commitment to equality and inclusion.

Two women stood behind a bar ready to work

A man stood with his Temp of the Month award, posing in front of Berkeley Scott signage

A group diverse of front of house Hospitality workers

A group of male chefs in a kitchen

A group diverse of Hospitality workers smiling and having fun at work

What people say about Berkeley Scott

Our practices and commitments shine through everything we do

Berkeley Scott have been very supportive and welcoming. They value diversity, equality, and inclusion. This really make it a place where opportunities are open to all without bias.

Candidate

Staff Satisfaction & EDI Survey 2024

Berkeley Scott is doing an impressive job in this regard, unlike any other agency.

I feel included, I feel at home

Candidate

Staff Satisfaction & EDI Survey 2025

Partnership with Springboard

At Berkeley Scott, we are so incredibly proud to support Springboard, a charity dedicated to helping people from all backgrounds discover and build careers in hospitality. As an industry built on opportunity and people, we believe it’s important to help open doors for the next generation of talent.

Our team works closely with Springboard by delivering mock interviews, employer talks and CV writing workshops, helping individuals build confidence, develop practical skills and better understand the opportunities available within hospitality. Through this partnership, we’re proud to play a small part in supporting people as they take their first steps into the industry we know and love.

Giving back to our communities

Giving back to the communities we work in is something we care about greatly. Hospitality is built on people, and we’re proud to help create opportunities that allow individuals to gain experience, build confidence and take their next step into work.

We support our communities by:

Recruiting locally, helping people find work opportunities close to home and within their own communities.
Working alongside employment organisations such as local Jobcentres, The Growth Company and Back to Work Group to help people return to work and rebuild confidence.
Visiting colleges and universities for job fairs, connecting students with flexible roles they can balance alongside their studies, while gaining valuable hospitality experience.
Supporting charities through annual fundraising initiatives, where our team comes together each year to raise money and awareness for a chosen cause. For example, some previous charities include: The Burnt Chef Project, for which we raised over £3,200 and The British Red Cross, for which we raised £2500.

By staying connected to the communities we work in, we hope to open doors, create opportunities and support the people who help make hospitality such a vibrant and welcoming industry.

Sustainability & Responsibility

Looking after our people, our communities and the planet matters to us at Berkeley Scott.

Each year, we conduct a Travel Survey among our temporary workforce to better understand the distances people travel and actively encourage local job opportunities for local people. It’s a simple approach that helps reduce commuting distances, cut CO2 emissions and keep opportunities within local communities.

For some clients, we also provide monthly and annual data on average travel distances and carbon footprint, helping them track and reduce their own environmental impact. Through our Cycle to Work scheme, on-site bike storage and shower facilities, and our annual “Fit Feb” challenge, where our teams rack up thousands of steps together, we promote healthier, more sustainable ways of working.

Here at Berkeley Scott, we take responsibility for how we run our own business. Over the years, we’ve moved to a digital-first way of working, with bookings, timesheets and invoicing now largely paperless; significantly reducing our carbon footprint. When paper is used, secure shredding facilities in every office ensure it is responsibly recycled. For us, sustainability isn’t a one-off initiative; it’s an ongoing commitment to doing business in a way that’s thoughtful, practical and better for everyone involved.