REED SPECIALIST RECRUITMENT LIMITED

Background Screening Checks

Reed Screening specialise in delivering screening services, completing over one million screening checks, including over 450,000 checks, 60,000 police checks, and 550,000 references in the last 12 months.

Our team of over 160 screening professionals operates 24/7/365 days a year, the only UK-based screening business to offer round-the-clock screening.

.

Features

• Background screening solution design.
• System platform to manage screening checks.
• DBS checking services.
• Instant referencing solutions.
• Employment screening consultation.
• 24/7 screening services and support.
• Digital Right to Work and Identity checks.
• BPSS and BS7858 checks.
• Credit, Cifas, fraud, sanctions, and other financial checks.
• Security screening checks.

Benefits

• Provides safe and secure background screening checks.
• Reduces risk of non-compliance to legal and statutory guidance.
• Improves team capacity/capability, reducing the burden on internal teams.
• Expert knowledge ensures that best-fit technology/processes are deployed.
• Improves customer safeguards in hiring.
• Reduces risks of fraud in hiring.
• Protects customers from reputational and financial risks.
• Provides market-leading technology in the screening sector.
• Reduces vetting turnaround time.
• Provides a seamless onboarding journey for candidates.

£5.00 to £300.00 a unit

• Education pricing available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at bid.team@reed.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

560278040952237

Contact

James Bridgland
0330 1752306
bid.team@reed.com

Planning

• Planning service: Yes
• How the planning service works: Needs Assessment and Stakeholder Engagement:; • Understanding business objectives, existing screening solutions, and pain points are crucial for success.; • Engaging with key stakeholders to identify specific needs, scalability requirements, security concerns, and growth projections.; ; Solution Design:; • Tailoring screening strategies to the buyer’s unique context, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach as there may be multiple requirements such as DBS checks, Digital Right to Work checks, and BPSS checks.; ; Risk Assessment and Mitigation:; • Addressing potential risks related to outsourcing their screening service, considering the processing of personal data, including data security and compliance.; • Poposing mitigating elements of our solution such as our secure portal, ring-fenced screening data, data security, and data handling measures, along with risk matrices for decision-making when adverse findings are discovered. ; ; Implementation Planning:; • Guiding buyers on the best route to implementing the service, including integration, and user impact/training – with detailed plans to ensure a smooth adoption of the service.; ; Change Management and Training:; • Delivering training programs and communication strategies, also establishing governance, access controls, and monitoring mechanisms.; ; Scalability; • Ensuring the chosen solution scales seamlessly as the buyer’s business grows and that economies of scale are in place where volumes exceed predictions.
• Planning service works with specific services: No

Training

• Training service provided: Yes
• How the training service works: Service users will receive training to ensure they know how to access and use our screening system. We can provide several bespoke training courses as part of our offering, tailoring our approach to different user groups. ; ; The types of training provided during implementation include demonstrations of the system and reporting functions, questions and answer sessions with our dedicated system expert, and ongoing 24/7 system support.; ; We deliver our system training programmes through different channels such as classroom learning, virtual webinars, and one-to-one sessions, with the optimum approach determined by the number and availability of attendees and the type of training required. ; ; We believe that our system offers a simple and intuitive experience for all, but recognise the importance of supporting service users through regular training throughout our service.
• Training is tied to specific services: Yes
• Services the training service works with: Reed's Propriety Screening Platform

Setup and migration

• Setup or migration service available: No

Quality assurance and performance testing

• Quality assurance and performance testing service: Yes
• How the quality assurance and performance testing works: To ensure the quality of our screening process, once checks are complete and the results returned, a file audit is conducted by an individual who has not previously worked on the case. This approach ensures that 100% of work is objectively quality checked and that any adverse information that may have been escalated by us and approved by the customer during the process becomes a risk when considered alongside adverse findings.; ; Following the audit, files identified as ‘do not proceed’ are assessed and escalated to our customer point of contact. The customer will receive a notification confirming that the vetting has been completed for compliant files. Additionally, the Quality Assurance Team samples a minimum of 10% of completed files every week, generating performance reports for the attention of senior team members. ; ; The Quality Assurance Team operates from a separate office and reporting line to ensure impartiality and follow a methodical approach to ensure the quality of files released by our team, with the data gathered from these checks used to identify the training needs of our screening executives, which our in-house screening trainer address through weekly feedback sessions with the team.

Security testing

• Security services: No

Ongoing support

• Ongoing support service: Yes
• Types of service supported: Hosting or software provided by your organisation
• How the support service works: Monitoring and Performance: Emphasising continuous monitoring, performance reviews against SLAs, and proactive issue resolution.; ; Post-Implementation Monitoring: Set up monitoring tools to track performance, resource utilisation, and anomalies and provide recommendations and resolutions for any process bottlenecks to help reduce time to vet. ; ; Cost Optimisation: Ensuring that we are adding value through our continuous improvement and value release plans aimed at improving the user experience of screening, reducing turnaround times, and enhancing the service at no extra cost to the customer. ; ; Feedback Loop: As industry leaders, we work with central government and associated organisations to ensure that customers are at the forefront of developments within the pre-employment vetting sector, ensuring our processes remain compliant with legislation and statutory guidance and that customers are proactively aware of upcoming changes. We actively encourage customers to provide feedback, iterate, and refine their screening strategy.; ; Account Management: Customers will have a Screening (Account) Manager who will be a point of contact to drive value-added activity, meaning that a named individual is responsible for ensuring the service meets the SLAs and feels that way to service users. The Screening (Account) Manager will monitor feedback and create action plans to enhance this.

Service scope

• Service constraints: No

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Our team is available 24/7 via our telephone line. Email respond rates are within 24 hours.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 24 hours, 7 days a week
• Web chat support: No
• Support levels: Reed Screening will deliver a first-class candidate and hiring manager experience through our high-touch, high-tech, data-driven, customer-focused approach, underpinned by a commitment to investment, innovation, and insights in an ever-changing industry. ; ; Being born out of a recruitment business with the sole purpose of enhancing the vetting service, we commit to delivering an exceptional screening service for all parties. ; ; We provide a team of expert screening professionals, who are available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week to provide support (including Bank Holidays). ; ; The team consists of Screening Executives, Team Leaders, a Screening (Account) Manager, and a Senior Operations Manager (for escalations). This support underpins our entire service and ensures a collaborative partnership approach.; ; All of our support levels come at no additional cost.

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Up to Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: BSI
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 03/01/2023
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: N/A
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Other security certifications: No

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Covid-19 recovery
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  Our Commitment Our commitment to tackling climate change is reinforced by our Environmental Policy, Carbon Reduction Plan, internal Environmental Champions, and commitment to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2030. Reed was the first recruitment company in the UK to become CarbonNeutral®, we have retained our ISO14001 certification, and also received the ESG award at the 2022 Tiara Talent Solutions awards. Reducing utilities, waste material, and transportation. We ensure this through: • Energy efficient offices: Printers are defaulted to sleep mode when not in use, that air conditioning units (where required) are activated via timers or motion sensors, and that LED lighting is used. • Energy contracts: All utilities managed centrally (as opposed to landlord-managed) are moved to verified renewable tariffs recommended by our energy broker and encourage landlord-managed buildings to consider renewable tariffs. • Carbon offsetting: Reed continues to annually measure its carbon emissions through the Ecometrica platform and offset its carbon emissions through The CarbonNeutral® Company. • Recycling: All sites where we have control over the waste collections now have full recycling services. We will work with our Environmental Champions in our largest sites to ensure co-members are disposing of waste correctly. • Asset disposal: Any computing equipment that is no longer 'fit for use' is recycled responsibly by Re-teck, a specialist computer recycling company which has a “no landfill” policy. • Digital solutions: Each co-member has been given a work laptop, and the Central Content Hub allows co-members to share all marketing content digitally, reducing the need to print material by 20%. • Encouraged sustainable commuting: Reed participate in the Government’s Cycle to work scheme that subsidises the purchase of new bikes for work. We have also partnered with Octopus Electric Vehicles to introduce salary sacrifice electric vehicle (EV) scheme.

  Covid-19 recovery

  From the outset of Covid-19, we have supported our clients in mitigating, managing, and recovering from the impacts of the pandemic, through implementing a series of business continuity activities, including: Proactive engagement: Pre lockdown, many of our clients were concerned with business continuity and how we would cover their requirements if numerous contractors, or our teams, were off sick. We therefore started speaking to our clients as soon as we were aware of Covid-19 and its potential disruption on our service delivery. This included understanding areas most likely to be impacted by a potential reduction in workers, identifying options for remote working and ensuring we could continue to meet the needs of our most ‘at-risk’ clients by consultancy professionals from other accounts. Remote working: From a delivery and account management perspective, we were able to maintain business continuity from the very start of lockdown to the present day – all consultants are equipped with remote working technology and our IT team worked quickly to increase system capacity to facilitate a mass transition of our workforce to work from home. Our teams were immediately deployed to support our clients in achieving operational continuity. This involved activities across the workforce to enable business as usual operations, as well as adjusting our procedures to allow continuation of services.

  Tackling economic inequality

  In accordance with our mission statement (‘improving lives through work’), we have developed several initiatives to tackle economic inequality and provide opportunities to those who face barriers to employment and/or located in deprived areas. We; • Provide an OFSTED rated Apprenticeship Scheme, and also use our Apprenticeship levy to provide customers with opportunities to invest in their own Apprentices. • Run the not-for-profit Reed Business School which provides educational courses. • Sponsor the Alec Reed Academy in Northolt which supports youth education and skills. • Are a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant- working to provide opportunities for those who have left Service. • Maintain a sister company Reed in Partnership (RinP), a leading Welfare-to-Work business, which provides employment services, healthy living and careers support services some of the UK's most deprived communities. Since 1998, RinP has helped over 150,000 unemployed people back into work. • Job Centre Plus Retail Routeway contract: This targets Lone Parents/Carers to support them back into work by providing them with training, supporting them to complete a work placement and helping them into local vacancies. • Carrying out career mentoring for job clubs at schools, community centres etc. (including mock interviews, CV advice, and Career’s guidance). We’ll also work with local businesses to promote work experience opportunities that students can undertake. • Continue to work closely with the Care Leaver’s Covenant to support care leavers take their first steps into the world of work. Furthermore, we invest 20% of our profits in the Reed Foundation, which provides funding for UK and international charitable causes. Recent campaigns we have supported include Citizens Advice, Independent Age and Magic Breakfast.

  Equal opportunity

  Increasing representation for those from disadvantaged, disabled, or minority groups We are committed to delivering a diverse workforce for our clients. To ensure we increase representation for those from disadvantages, disabled, or minority groups, we will: • Conduct role planning meetings to review specifications and agree approach, including diversity factors that will inform our processes. • Promote an inclusive employer brand through language and visuals. We’ll ensure all content, including advertising, marketing material, are gender neutral, non-biased and effectively promote commitment. • Apply a diversity lens when reviewing job specifications and adverts. • Introduce anonymous CVs and shortlists to prevent unconscious bias. • Ensure all selection criteria is objective, valid, justifiable and measurable. • Ensure the same recruitment process is carried out for every individual applying for a role, including the same questions and scoring criteria. • Provide reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process where necessary to support both disabled and neurodiverse candidates. • Make offer decisions against defined criteria. • Provide written, unbiased and constructive feedback to every candidate, comprising detailed reasoning regarding why they are either suitable or unsuitable for a role. • Monitor workforce diversity at regular intervals to ensure our strategies meet talent objectives and represent local communities. Supporting in-work progression for those from disadvantaged, disabled, or minority groups We have a range of initiatives and programmes in place that we will implement to support in-work progression for disadvantaged, disabled, or minority groups. This includes access to our training business, Reed Courses. Reed Courses provides access to over 88,000 professionally recognised training courses, on more than 940 different subjects, from over 950 learning providers. Rated Excellent on Trustpilot, Reed Courses provides flexible, free, discounted and paid-for learning opportunities, both online and offline. Every year, over 6 million people use our courses to improve their skills.

  Wellbeing

  We have signed up to the Mental Health at Work Commitment. This framework sets out six standards which RPS have committed to: - Making Mental Health a priority at a Senior Leadership Level. - Ensuring staff have access to support and resources about wellbeing and mental health. - Creating an environment where it's okay not to be okay. - Training managers to spot signs of mental ill health. We monitor staff wellbeing, engagement, and satisfaction levels via a quarterly anonymous Engagement Survey. Results from these surveys are reviewed to form specific areas of change as part of our People Project. This change is managed through our company-wide Continuous Improvement Programme (CIP). Open culture around mental health External campaigns: We organise Lunch & Learn sessions with external organisations to provide more support or information about mental health campaigns and topics. Wellness calendar: Our Wellness Calendar of events focuses on key national awareness days such as Mental Health Awareness week, Time to Talk and World Mental Health Day. Internal communications: Our wellbeing site is a great hub of information for staff to access whenever they need it. The site aims to support and signpost staff. Mental Health Champions: We have appointed Mental Health Champions to encourage staff to talk about mental health. Two-way conversations: Provides staff with an opportunity to discuss their performance and personal development goals with their manager. Wellness Action Plans: Wellness Actions Plans (WAPs) are completed by every employee, to ensure there are practical steps in place to support staff. We also have: - Mental Health training - Employee Assistance Programme - A partnership with Able Futures - Wellbeing centre

Pricing

• Price: £5.00 to £300.00 a unit
• Discount for educational organisations: Yes

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at bid.team@reed.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.