Gi Group Holding wins Recruitment Team prize at the UK's prestigious Recruitment Employment Confederation (REC Awards)

Gi Group, one of the world’s largest HR solutions and staffing companies, is celebrating after being crowned “Recruitment Team of the Year” at the prestigious REC Awards 2022.

Gi Group won the award following its work as Official Recruiter for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Also noteworthy was the company’s nomination for another award: “Community Impact of the Year”, in recognition of the £1.3m of social value contribution it generated over 12 months as a direct result of its work with Birmingham 2022.

REC is the leading industry body for the UK recruitment industry, and the annual REC Awards celebrate the best in UK recruitment, showcasing the work of brilliant recruiters from across the sector.

Commenting on winning the award, Paulo Canoa, CEO and UK & Ireland Country Manager of Gi Group said: “We are delighted to win this prestigious award. Our work involved the assistance of end-to-end recruitment services for The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, filling over 1,700 roles across multiple specialisms. This was in addition to training and apprenticeship programmes, which were also delivered by Intoo, part of Gi Group

“Importantly,” Canoa added, “the embedded recruitment team, led by Operations Manager Sam Vaughan, ensured the Organising Committee met its objectives, finding the right staff for the required roles. By employing many candidates from the region, and through our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion in our hiring process, we ensured that the local community felt the impact of Birmingham 2022 in a huge way.”

Gi Group provided a range of services to support Birmingham 2022, including job profiling, onboarding, training, and outplacement support. All Birmingham 2022 staff were offered support with the transition to the next phase of their career once the Games came to an end in August.

“All these aspects,” says Sam Vaughan, Operations Manager at Gi Group, “were key to securing a positive legacy for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Winning a REC award is no mean feat. It highlights the great work of so many people—both within Gi Group and the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee—to ensure the community in Birmingham and the West Midlands felt the full impact of the event.”

Clare Miles, Director of HR for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, said: “The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games was a fantastic celebration of sport in the city, and brought generations of citizens together.

“The work of Gi Group in employing almost 1,700 staff for Birmingham 2022 helped ensure a smooth operation. The full range of services provided meant that candidates were fully looked after and informed throughout the employment process – especially with the transition to their next roles after the Games came to an end in August 2022.”

In awarding GI Group with the Recruitment Team of the Year accolade, the REC cited that they were: “impressed with [the] organisation of volume recruitment, and the commitment to recruiting locally”. They were also incredibly impressed with: “Outplacement services, and with how the team dealt with D&I and unconscious bias.”

Addressing the REC Awards 2022, Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the REC, said: “Competition for staff in the UK has been a real challenge throughout 2022 and skilled recruitment professionals are making a real difference for both the companies and workers the support. In tough times, it is important to celebrate the critical service our recruiters provide to millions of people in the UK every day.

“This year’s winners were exceptional, showcasing best in class recruitment at a time when it’s needed more than ever. Congratulations to everyone involved!”

For more information about Gi Group in the UK, please visit: uk.gigroup.com.

[1] 2021 figures – all figures included in this document are preliminary, pending certification by external auditors.