One of the things that I am most proud about in my role at Ciett is the good work being done by our members, with new initiatives being set up regularly, all with a view to improve the quality standards of our practices and to get rid of the industry’s black sheep. At Ciett we represent the very best, and Ciett membership should count as a quality label for federations and companies.

Not only are these initiatives responsible to society, they also make business sense. The more that we can improve the perceptions of our industry through highlighting our good work, the more we can grow. At Ciett we encourage our members to implement a code of conduct and to adhere to international standards, including the UN principles on Business on Human Rights, the UN Global compact and the ILO declaration on fundamental principles and rights at work. Ciett is involved in several international projects of the International Labour Organisation and the International Organisation for Migration to foster good international recruitment practices. Apart from these global initiatives, our members lead the way with concrete projects in their respective countries working with their members, user companies and candidates. In this column, I will share some initiatives and projects whichI find specifically inspiring and that highlight the good work being done across the industry.

Working with, and educating, user companies is vital to drive industry standards. After all, we are a service industry, and only by changing the needs in the marketplace can you truly make a difference. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) in the UK launched the ‘Good Recruitment Campaign’ this year which promotes recruitment good practice to UK employers of all sizes, whether in the public or private sector. The campaign invites user companies to pledge to only use REC approved recruiters, and has established a quality standard for members who are “above average” in their offering. Positive effects are already being felt as it has shown candidates that both parties are committed to provide a good recruitment process, encourages recruiters to aim for the highest standards and assists user companies when selecting recruiters. This campaign is really making a tangible difference, as shown by the fact that many of the largest UK employers have signed the pledge.

One key standard that the industry promotes is diversity in the workplace. Diversity is an important issue and one which our industry is perfectly placed to promote. This is for two reasons. Firstly, workers get access to the labour market in a flexible way, which makes it possible for people to adjust their work hours to their lives. For example, this could benefit women re-entering the labour market after having children. Secondly, workers from disadvantaged groups can enter a company at entry-level, providing an opportunity to prove themselves and limiting risk to the user company. Many Ciett members have dedicated diversity pledges, including Prism’Emploi in France which is designed to promote and foster diversity. These pledges work. In Germany for example, 17% of agency workers was of foreign nationality, which is double the share in overall employment. In Belgium, this was 9.2% versus 4.2%. Also in Belgium, 4.6% of agency workers are physically handicapped, while in the Netherlands 38% of agency workers belong to ‘target groups’, which includes women, minorities, the disabled or long term unemployed.

Having quality standards is important, but there also needs to be a system in place to deal with non-compliance and ‘rogue’ operators. Ciett members deal with this differently and one example of this is from APSO in South Africa. All of APSO’s members are bound by ethics codes which set them apart as quality suppliers. In the rare cases of complaints, there is a highly formalised procedure in place where disputes will be taken to an Ethics Committee. This committee is elected from the membership and mandated to propose sanctions whenever necessary. It is this self-regulation that assures user companies and workers that using APSO members will ensure quality standards are maintained.

These examples are a selection of the good work being done by Ciett members and there are countless more. Promoting and enforcing quality standards, protecting user companies and candidates and striving to stamp out malpractice are some of the key goals for our industry and for us at Ciett. It iis essential to differentiate reputable ethical employment and recruitment agencies that are members of Ciett from the rogue traders.

We are aware that not all emerging markets may be up to par yet, but we continue to work effortlessly in promoting fair recruitment practices around the world. As we continue to grow and develop I hope to share many more stories in this column with you. For me, they prove that the employment and recruitment industry is the way to work.

About Denis Pennel

Managing Director of Ciett and Eurociett, Denis Pennel is a labour market expert with deep knowledge and years of experience relating to employment at global and EU levels. He recently published “Travailler pour soi”, a book about the new realities of work.

Follow Denis on Twitter @PennelDenis

About Ciett, www.ciett.org

As the International Confederation of Private Employment Services, Ciett is the authoritative voice representing the interests of agency work businesses. Founded in 1967, Ciett consists of 51 national federations of private employment agencies and eight of the largest staffing companies worldwide. Its main objectives are twofold: to help its members conduct their businesses in a legal and regulatory environment that is positive and supportive; to gain recognition for the positive contribution the industry brings to better functioning labour markets.

Follow Ciett on Twitter @ciett_waytowork