Women in Recruitment, an initiative by APSCo (Association of Professional Staffing Companies), supported by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and other stakeholders across the recruitment sector and sponsored by Barclays plc and Squire Patton Boggs, has merged with APSCo Embrace.

The initiative was initially formed to give all recruitment firms practical support in attracting, developing and retaining their female talent, as well as providing a tangible demonstration of a commitment to gender equality for clients and candidates.

As of today, Women in Recruitment will become part of APSCo’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) service provision, APSCo Embrace. Women in Recruitment membership will be included as part of APSCo’s membership packages and will cease to exist as a separate association.

Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo, said, “As APSCo continues to drive best practice in the professional recruitment sector, we are expanding the ED&I support we provide to our members. The Women in Recruitment initiative has paved the way for staffing companies to provide more opportunities for females in the specialism and we are looking forward to combining the knowledge and experience of Women in Recruitment into APSCo Embrace to drive equality for all in recruitment.”

“APSCo Embrace will continue to work towards the vision that Women in Recruitment is known for by supporting the creation of a shared culture across the global recruitment sector in which individuals can fulfil their potential at work regardless of their gender. From today, former Women in Recruitment members will benefit from the many strands of support available through APSCo Embrace, including a resources hub with practical guides and information, a regular webinar programme and a D&I forum to encourage collaboration across staffing companies,” Swain said.

Earlier this month APSCo and the REC collaborated on joint research which found that 41% of staffing firms in the UK do not record workplace demographics. This was the first time that APSCo and the REC collaborated on research.