Yahoo News Co-op, Boots and Barclays among first firms to introduce "silver quota"
Co-op, Boots and Barclays are among the first firms to introduce a "silver quota" as they have agreed to increase the number of older workers they employ by 12 per cent before 2022.
A list of eight major companies have signed up to a pledge to publish age data of their employees as part of a Government initiative to secure an extra one million roles for older UK workers over the next five years.
Other firms in the scheme include Aviva, Atos, Home Instead Senior Care, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and Mercer.
It comes amid warnings by Business in the Community, the charity which is to publish the age data released by the companies, that the quotas are needed to avoid an older workers jobs gap of 7.5 million unfilled roles.
Rachael Saunders, Age at Work Director at Business in the Community, said: “The UK simply cannot meet its growth and productivity objectives without adapting to retain, recruit and develop people aged over 50. We have an ageing society and it is essential that employers act now to ensure employees can stay in work for longer and to support career changes in later life.
"We are calling on every UK employer to show their support today by publically committing to 12pc more older workers by 2022 and pledging to publish their workforce data by age by the end of this calendar year.”
The Government's Business Champion for Older Workers, Andy Briggs, urged other businesses to get on board, saying: "The UK is facing a colossal skills gap, and older workers are vital to filling it," said Mr Briggs, who is also the CEO of Aviva UK Life.
"Businesses can show leadership here, through committing to real change and actively seeking to recruit more over 50s into their organisations.
"By being open about the progress they are making, they can also lead the way in demonstrating the benefits of having a diverse team of employees that represents all sections of society."
