Ethical Recruitment.

1. Our Commitment

At True North Talent, we are committed to conducting recruitment in a professional, ethical and transparent manner.

As a specialist recruitment consultancy focused exclusively on the UK food and drink manufacturing industry, we recognise the responsibility we have towards our clients, candidates, employees and the wider industry.

We believe recruitment should be based on honesty, fairness, respect and professionalism, and that every candidate should be treated with dignity throughout the recruitment process.

We do not believe in placing candidates simply to meet targets or sending unsuitable CVs to clients to increase the number of applications. Our focus is on making the right appointment for both the candidate and the client.

2. Fair & Inclusive Recruitment

We are committed to providing equal opportunities and treating candidates fairly, regardless of their:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender or gender reassignment
• Marriage or civil partnership
• Pregnancy or maternity
• Race, ethnicity or nationality
• Religion or belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

We will not knowingly discriminate against candidates or clients on the basis of any protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.

We aim to ensure that our recruitment decisions are based on relevant skills, experience, qualifications, capability and suitability for the role.

3. Honest & Transparent Representation

We will provide candidates with accurate and relevant information about opportunities wherever that information is available to us.

This includes, where appropriate:

• The nature of the role.
• The employer and location.
• Salary or remuneration.
• Working arrangements.
• Key responsibilities.
• Contract type and duration.
• Relevant requirements and qualifications.
• The recruitment process.
• Any material information that could reasonably influence a candidate's decision.

We will not deliberately misrepresent a role, employer, salary, working conditions or career opportunity in order to encourage a candidate to engage.

Equally, we expect our clients to provide accurate information about vacancies so that we can represent their opportunities appropriately.

4. Candidate Confidentiality & Data Protection

We recognise that candidates trust us with personal and professional information.

We are committed to handling candidate information responsibly and in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation, including the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.

We will:

• Obtain appropriate consent where required before sharing candidate information with clients.
• Only share relevant candidate information for legitimate recruitment purposes.
• Handle personal information securely.
• Respect candidates' preferences regarding contact and communication.
• Provide appropriate privacy information regarding how candidate data is collected and used.
• Not knowingly disclose confidential information about a candidate without appropriate permission.

Candidates can raise concerns regarding the use of their personal information through our established data protection procedures.

5. Candidate Representation

We will only represent candidates for roles where we reasonably believe there is a genuine and appropriate match between their experience and the requirements of the opportunity.

We will not knowingly:

• Alter or misrepresent a candidate's CV or experience.
• Exaggerate qualifications, achievements or responsibilities.
• Submit a candidate without their knowledge or appropriate agreement.
• Submit the same candidate to multiple clients for the same opportunity without appropriate communication.
• Encourage candidates to provide misleading information.

Where we identify gaps or areas that need clarification, we will seek to establish the facts before presenting a candidate to a client.

6. Client Relationships

We aim to build long-term relationships with our clients based on trust, transparency and mutual respect.

We will:

• Agree recruitment requirements clearly.
• Provide honest advice about candidate availability, market conditions and remuneration where appropriate.
• Challenge unrealistic or potentially discriminatory recruitment requirements where necessary.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding client information.
• Provide candidates who are appropriately qualified and relevant to the brief.
• Communicate openly throughout the recruitment process.

We will not knowingly accept instructions that require us to discriminate unlawfully against candidates.

7. Candidate Experience

We recognise that changing jobs can be a significant decision, particularly for the senior professionals we work with.

We aim to provide candidates with a professional and respectful experience by:

• Communicating clearly and promptly.
• Setting realistic expectations.
• Providing appropriate feedback where available.
• Preparing candidates for interviews.
• Keeping candidates informed of progress wherever possible.
• Respecting confidentiality, particularly for candidates who are not actively seeking a new role.
• Being honest when an opportunity is not suitable.

We understand that not every candidate will be successful, but we believe every candidate should be treated professionally.

8. Right to Work & Regulatory Compliance

We are committed to complying with all relevant UK recruitment and employment legislation applicable to our business.

Where required, we will undertake appropriate checks, including Right to Work checks, and will ensure that candidates and clients understand any relevant requirements associated with the recruitment process.

For interim assignments, we will take appropriate steps to ensure that the engagement is structured and managed in accordance with applicable legislation and contractual requirements.

9. Ethical Recruitment & Modern Slavery

True North Talent has a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery, forced labour, human trafficking and exploitation.

We will not knowingly work with an organisation or individual where there are serious concerns regarding unethical employment practices.

We will remain alert to indicators of exploitation and will escalate any concerns appropriately.

Our approach to modern slavery is supported by our Modern Slavery Statement.

10. Fees & Commercial Transparency

We are committed to being transparent with our clients regarding our recruitment services and associated fees.

Our terms of business will clearly set out the commercial arrangements agreed between True North Talent and our clients.

We will not make misleading claims about our services, candidate availability or market conditions in order to secure business.

Our commercial objectives will never override our commitment to providing an ethical and professional recruitment service.

11. Conflicts of Interest

We will act professionally where potential conflicts of interest arise between clients, candidates or assignments.

Where a genuine conflict exists, we will seek to manage it transparently and appropriately, maintaining confidentiality and acting in accordance with our professional responsibilities.

12. Our People

Everyone at True North Talent is expected to uphold the principles contained within this policy.

Our consultants are encouraged to:

• Treat candidates and clients with respect.
• Challenge inappropriate or discriminatory practices.
• Raise concerns where they believe recruitment activity may be unethical.
• Protect confidential information.
• Be honest about candidate suitability.
• Prioritise quality and long-term relationships over short-term placements.

We believe that ethical recruitment is not simply a policy, rather it should be reflected in how we behave every day.

13. Continuous Improvement

We recognise that ethical recruitment is an ongoing responsibility.

We will regularly review our recruitment practices, policies and procedures to ensure they remain appropriate, legally compliant and aligned with good industry practice.

We welcome feedback from our clients, candidates and employees and will consider opportunities to improve the experience we provide.

Our Commitment

At True North Talent, we believe that good recruitment is about more than filling vacancies. It's about creating the right connection between people and businesses, built on trust, honesty and long-term relationships.

We are committed to maintaining high standards of integrity in everything we do and to being a recruitment partner that our clients, candidates and people can trust.

Approved by:
Emma Symonds & Amy Griffith
Directors, True North Talent

Date: 01.09.2026

Next Review: 01.09.2027