Russam is delighted to have signed up for the Age-friendly Employer Pledge – a new nationwide programme run by the Centre for Ageing Better to make workplaces age-friendly.

We are among the first businesses and organisations in the country to sign the pledge to show our commitment to older workers.

We will be working with the Centre for Ageing Better to improve our recruitment, retention and development of workers aged 50 and over.

Being a part of the pledge means we draw on a wider pool of applicants for each job. It means older workers can continue to thrive and contribute to our organisation. And having a multigenerational workforce helps us to boost innovation and productivity.

We have committed to taking one action a year to improve the recruitment, retention, and development of older workers. Under the initiative, we will also identify a senior sponsor for age inclusion and ensure that age is specifically named within our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies.

The Centre for Ageing Better will support us as part of a network of Age-friendly Pledge Employers by providing an action framework of suggested actions and offering opportunities to learn effective age-friendly practices.

We will also report back to Ageing Better on an annual basis detailing how our age-friendly actions are progressing.

Ian Joseph and Jason Atkinson, joint Managing Directors of Russam, believe age is an important part of our diversity as a team. “The experience that comes with age means we all benefit from a workplace and culture that makes working as productive and enjoyable as can be for every member of the team”,

Dr Carole Easton, Chief Executive at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “The current labour shortage has been called the most urgent problem facing the UK economy with its impact driving up prices, wages and inflation. Workers in their 50s and 60s are a key but currently overlooked solution to resolving the UK’s employment crisis.

“Older workers can bring much-needed skills and experience to an organisation. Businesses with a 10% higher share of workers over 50 than the average are 1.1% more productive – and multigenerational teams are the most innovative.

“We are delighted that Russam has joined the growing number of organisations committing to helping their older workers to prosper by signing our Age-friendly Employer Pledge.

“The pledge has been designed to support businesses to go on a journey at a pace that works best for each organisation. By taking manageable and measurable steps, each employer will learn over time what steps are needed to make the biggest difference in their own organisation.”

About the Centre for Ageing Better   

Everyone has the right to a good life as they get older, and our whole society benefits when they do. But far too many people face huge barriers that prevent them from doing so.   
As a result, many older people are living in bad housing, dealing with poverty and poor health and are made to feel invisible in their communities and society.    
The Centre for Ageing Better is pioneering ways to make ageing better a reality for everyone. 

Its key areas of work include challenging ageism and building a nationwide Age-friendly Movement, creating Age-friendly Employment and Age-friendly Homes.   
It is a charitable foundation funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and part of the Government’s What Works Network.