About Creative Resource
Creative Resource is a family-owned, family friendly, specialist recruitment business that has served the Creative and Marketing industry in the North of England since 1990. Our differentiating factor is the degree and authenticity with which we support the Creative and Marketing industries and those within them. We’re a niche specialist in our field, not a generalist. This enables us to deliver genuine industry specific advice to recruitment challenges and the experience to deliver complex recruitment projects.
We are in the process of completing our B Impact Assessment and are committed to becoming one of the first recruiters in our marketplace to gain full B Corp certification as we work to achieve this accreditation and realise our 2023/2024 strategic business goals.
Environmental
In the meantime, through one of our flagship events, Two+Two, we recently partnered with Stockport Climate Action Now, to bring them together with 250 students of our sector to answer a creative brief with the aim of ‘Making Stockport Carbon Neutral by 2038’. The winning student team are in the process of developing their idea into a campaign that can be presented to the Chief Executive of the Council.
In improving the efficiency and decreasing the negative environmental impact of our usual business operations we have increased recycling, reviewed our energy and utilities providers and changed some of our habits: no more food deliveries to the office for example. In extra-ordinary business operations, it is necessary that we do some carbon-offsetting, so we partner with Ecologi for that.
Social
As a family business, we have focused our efforts on being family-friendly in our hiring practices. 30% of our team are single working mothers who have a flexible working arrangement. We make this work via the operation of a successful buddying system, which connects with our reward policy (people work together, share the load, and share the rewards when they come). We also offer enhanced benefits for our staff, particularly developed to support those of the team who care for others.
Diversity & Inclusion is arguably more important in the Creative and Marketing sectors than many others: the work that our clients and candidates contribute to is a barometer and influence of societal progress. As this is an issue of such significance, we consider our response on both micro (our internal processes and procedures) and macro (how we advocate and drive for progression in our industry) levels. Our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion in how we serve our sector is a distinguishing factor in our candidate attraction strategy.
Our industry suffers from under-representation in a range of areas. We pride ourselves on harnessing our network to do something that supports the industry where we have identified that we can make an impact. We primarily do this through our two flagship events: Two+Two and School of Thought.
Established in its current form in 2017, Two+Two is an event that brings together students to work on a social-change brief (including areas such as Youth Loneliness, Climate Action and Organ Donation). We ensure ethnic, gender and to a degree, socio-economic diversity in participants, and represent this in the ‘mentors’ and panelists that they work with throughout the day.
In its history, Two+Two has benefitted over 1000 students in the region: they establish connections at the event with industry professionals, many of which result in employment opportunities. They also gain experience that helps them to describe their skills and capabilities in interviews with potential employers. In 2023, 38% of student attendees identified as being from ethnic minorities. 77% identified as female. 2% identified as neurodiverse.
Two+Two has the potential to be a unique opportunity for our clients and their employer brand activity as a future partner. The event represents an annual investment each year of 25% of our marketing budget, (it is completely free to participate in), and significant commitment from across the industry in the North West.
For more experienced professionals, School of Thought (SoT) is a 12 week competition organised by Creative Resource and co-hosted by companies in Manchester and Leeds. We are currently running the 13th SoT cohort, in Leeds. SoT brings people from diverse backgrounds to respond to a series of briefs to showcase their talents. Creative Resource organises the programme and sponsors SoT winners to attend the Cannes Festival of Creativity, a much sought after opportunity.
Females remain significantly underrepresented at a senior level in the Creative industries. At SoT, talent has a place to thrive regardless of gender: to date, 75% of SoT winners have been female. (Total historic cohort is 66% female).
Governance
Our culture is one of understanding, appreciation, flexibility and teamwork. Our female Managing Director, Julie, takes time within our quarterly ‘Illuminate Reviews’ (appraisal meetings) to understand how each member of the team is doing on a personal level, and agreeing any flexibility that is needed to help them to succeed in work whilst also managing personal commitments. These factors combined lead to longevity in our relationships with the team, 50% of the team have been with the business for longer than 9 years.
This activity, together with other investment across Consultant’s L&D, and a fair reward and benefits package contribute to our eNPS score of 75.
With a network of over 15,000 registered Candidates developed and maintained over 30 years, and Consultants personal networks of between 6000 and 9000 contacts, our reach is wide ranging. What’s more, because we’ve intentionally invested in these relationships and in the power of our brand with initiatives like Two+Two, School of Thought, and during covid, ‘Lockdown Learning’ we are the recruiter that people enjoy speaking to.