At Oxford HR, diversity and inclusivity are inseparable from our values. We particularly pride ourselves in promoting diverse and inclusive leadership. Last year, 67% of our placements identified as female, and 53% were from underrepresented groups.
We seek and celebrate the strengths and insights that diversity and inclusion bring to an organisation. Our dedication to supporting disability NGOs and candidates with lived experience of disability has been widely recognised.
Recently, we partnered with ADD International, a leading disability advocacy charity, to recruit their next Co-Chair. Prior to this, we collaborated with the RSPB to appoint a trustee focused on enhancing access to nature and expanding their impact in this vital area.
Supporting individuals with lived experience of disability in the recruitment process is essential for creating truly inclusive workplaces and unlocking the full potential of diverse talent. It is vital that organisations ensure equitable access and actively support these candidates. At Oxford HR, we incorporate practices that accommodate and empower candidates with disabilities such as accessible application processes, inclusive job descriptions, and tailored interview support ensuring fairness and promoting a level playing field. Moreover, actively seeking to engage candidates with lived experience of disability reflects our clients’ commitment to social equity, enabling them to better serve their stakeholders, supporters, and communities.
From the outset, we emphasise our commitment to providing reasonable accommodations, which is clearly stated in the candidate pack and in all calls and communications. Additionally, candidate packs are available in accessible text formats, with font sizes and styles tailored to support individuals with visual impairments.
In our communications and introductory calls, we have arranged sign language interpreters for individuals with hearing impairments where required. We also utilise Teams’ chat feature to support those who cannot hear but can lip-read and prefer to type messages, creating a one-on-one interaction that mirrors the experience of a direct call.
“Thank you for the accommodation for a sign language interpreter, this is real INCLUSION! I appreciate it!”
Tigist Alemayehu – Founder/Managing Director, Ethiopian Deaf Community Empowerment Association (EDCEA)
We ensure our clients are fully informed on how to support candidates requiring additional considerations during interviews. For instance, we assisted a candidate with a speech impairment by allowing extra time and understanding what helped her feel most at ease. This reduced her anxiety and stutter, improving her experience. Our priority is to create a relaxed interview environment that enables all candidates to perform at their best.
For our RSPB trustee role, we supported one candidate with chronic fatigue by structuring his application process over a period of three weeks, allowing him to write in small increments to avoid exhaustion. Another candidate with Multiple Sclerosis preferred not to write anything, so we conducted a video call for his covering letter and created his CV based on his LinkedIn profile. Wherever possible, we take steps to accommodate health conditions, helping candidates perform at their best without added strain.
These are just some examples of our dedication to providing an inclusive experience, reflected in the positive feedback we’ve received from both candidates and clients. This approach also enhances our clients’ reputations by showcasing their commitment to inclusive values.
”Oxford HR were an excellent partner in this process. They worked to ensure a clear brief and then worked closely with us to source an excellent list of potential candidates. We were impressed with the attention they paid to each candidate throughout the process, reflecting ADD’s values and ways of working.
Mary Ann Clements & Fredrick OukoCo-CEOs, ADD International
Recruiting people with disabilities is more than just a compliance measure; it is an opportunity to embrace the strengths of diverse experiences, foster meaningful change, and build teams that are more dynamic, creative, and reflective of the world we live in.
“Honestly, let me sincerely thank you for all the support you have provided throughout this process. From our conversations, I can tell that you are not only incredibly professional but also warm, intelligent, and genuinely committed to helping people, which is not always easy to find. The passion Oxford HR has shown for supporting causes like disability advocacy is truly commendable so thank you.”
Thomas Okello, Disability Rights Advocate & Activist, Uganda
Nicola Hogarth
Nic joined Oxford HR in 2023, after working in the not-for-profit sector for over 20 years, and brings to the company extensive experience in Charity Management, Leadership, PR/Comms, Corporate and Community Fundraising.
In her career, Nic achieved the highest accolade in the industry ‘Fundraiser of the Year’ by the IOF, for her Leadership, Strategy, Vision and Growth. She has worked with a wide variety of charities in the sector, both large and small, including BBC Children in Need, Cancer Research UK, Crisis, CLIC Sargent Cancer Care, as well as heading up fundraising for smaller charities such as INAS – a global paralympic charity supporting athletes with intellectual disabilities across the world. During her time at The Prince’s Trust, she won an award from her late majesty for her dedication and landmark achievements for the charity and their youth volunteering / personal development scheme.
Nic has a solution driven, collaborative approach with an aptitude to influence, motivate and nurture. Having worked with multi-million pound companies on campaigns and partnerships, and managed large teams, she is extremely passionate about helping clients to recruit high quality leaders and staff, who will have impact, make a difference and be the perfect fit for the team.
