Acorn becomes Stronger Together partner

Leading South West recruitment specialist and training agency, Acorn has become a ‘Stronger Together’ business partner, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to tackling modern slavery.

Stronger Together is a multi-stakeholder initiative aiming to reduce modern slavery, particularly hidden forced labour, labour trafficking and other third party exploitation of workers. 

To qualify for the ‘Stronger Together’ stakeholder partnership, Acorn has provided evidence to publicly demonstrate its commitment to developing and adopting a proactive approach to confronting slavery via a range of procedures, including thorough worker interviews, group messaging and internal audits.

Karen Sharpin, Acorn’s Group Director of Operations for the South West, said: “It’s incredibly important to be aware of modern slavery; the impact it has on people’s lives and the implications for the UK labour market. We currently have an on-going programme to brief managers, supervisors, workers and agency workers on hidden labour exploitations. Being part of the Stronger Together partnership demonstrates Acorn’s pledge to ensure that workers are always treated fairly.”

The Stronger Together scheme provides guidance, resources and a network for employers, labour providers, workers and their representatives to reduce exploitation.

With more than 23 years in the business, Acorn is in the leading 1% of all agencies across the UK, operating from 39 branches across Wales and the South West, North West and South East of England, including in Truro, Plymouth, Newton Abbot, Exeter, Tiverton, Taunton and Yeovil locations.

Acorn places up to 6,500 people into the workplace with around 1,200 different clients each week. The group also delivers training to more than 1,000 individuals each month and makes 1,700 permanent placements every year.