Two Belfast-based entrepreneurs behind a recruitment service and software that prevents unconscious bias during the hiring process, have expanded into the south, with presence in the US and Australia imminent.
Inclusion IQ Ltd, and its hiring platform QuoPro launched two years ago, is the work of Laura Kearney, a recruitment professional, and her business partner Gerard Marley who previously worked in health and safety.
The business “removes every level of unconscious bias” through blind CV screening, Ms Kearney said, promoting the best candidate for the role regardless of race, gender and physical ability.
“The concept of blind resume screening allows hiring managers to review candidate profiles, however, the candidate's identity is removed, and a shortlisting decision is made entirely on their experience to date,” she said.
“It promotes equity and diversity and the best candidate for the role, not just the man for the job.”
Inclusion IQ Ltd is a recruitment business, while QuoPro is the software tool used to remove details in resumes including names, gender etc.
It supports businesses to create a more diverse workforce and demonstrates their moral will to do so.
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Recalling the moment that prompted the business’ creation, Laura continued: “When I was recruiting for an accountant for a firm in a previous role, I was told by the client that they do not want a woman of childbearing age. They didn’t want to bring someone in who could get pregnant because of they costs associated with maternity leave. I reported that to my manager because, one, it’s illegal, and as a woman it goes against my moral grain and everything I stand for and I believed if that was my job to recruit I cannot put people in these roles, knowing that is the thought process in that business.”
Among the most common biases during the recruitment process today, Laura says gender is one of the biggest.
She continued: “There’s also a beauty bias. For example, LinkedIn would allow a firm to judge a picture by age and appearance, whereas we remove the name from the CV in the first instance to prevent that.
“We also find many businesses just aren’t equipped with the correct facilities for the LGBTQ community. Often they don’t have the right toilet services for transgender or non-binary employees.
“What we are trying to drive home is, if the candidate has the exact skills and experience, what difference does it make for you to know their name, gender or sexual orientation?”
She recounts a recently published article by Global Witness, an advocacy organisation, that investigated Facebook job advertisements that used a sexist job algorithm to target males for roles in the likes of construction, and women for roles in nurseries to illustrate why the business community needs blind resume screening during their recruitment processes.
“There is an entire realm of large organisations guilty of unconscious bias, and it affects big and small businesses, even Facebook was found guilty of unconscious bias.
“What our service does is remove judgement and gets people to the interview process where they are in a better position to challenge a decision if it is based on their gender, sexual orientation or more.
“But this service also protects businesses and it shows their clients that they have robust CSR.”
Inclusion IQ will open a satellite office in Dublin this year, and add to its existing team of five. It is also in talks with IT firms in the US and has plans to expand into Australia.
