Adrian Cox, chief executive of FTSE specialist insurer Beazley, has urged City business leaders to consider hiring ex-offenders. Mr Cox stated his belief in “looking beyond convictions and recognising potential,” suggesting that “City employers can transform lives while strengthening their organisations’ access to committed and resilient talent.”
Mr Cox hosted an event last week with the rehabilitation charity Key4Life, which included former businessmen who had served prison sentences. Among them were Sushovan Hussain, former Autonomy chief financial officer, and Riordan Maynard, co-founder of Touchbase, who shared their experiences.
Mr Hussain, who founded Liberatus to help prison leavers find employment, commented that “Companies can benefit massively from the untapped talent pool in prisons.” He added that “Rehabilitation depends on employment and if you can give employment to prison leavers they will have another chance to rebuild their lives.”
This call comes as a report from Reed in Partnership last year indicated a decrease in employer willingness to hire ex-offenders compared to 2013. More than a third of all jobs now require a Disclosure and Barring Service check before employment.
British prisons are currently facing severe overcrowding, leading the government to implement emergency early-release schemes. However, it was reported last month that individuals freed under the government’s last early release scheme are returning to jail at a rapid rate. The reoffending rate in England and Wales stands at nearly 29 per cent, a figure that doubles for those who remain unemployed after release.