Connect2Hackney shortlisted for PPMA Best Candidate Experience Award

Connect2Hackney is proud to have been shortlisted for the PPMA Best Candidate Experience Award, recognising the strength of our ethical, inclusive and community focused approach to recruitment.

Launched in July 2025 as a joint venture between the London Borough of Hackney and Commercial Services Group, Connect2Hackney was established to deliver high quality recruitment services that do more than fill vacancies. Our model prioritises fairness, local opportunity and social value, while supporting vital public services across the borough.

Being shortlisted for this award is a significant achievement, particularly in a highly competitive London recruitment market. Candidates in London often have a wide choice of employers, sectors and opportunities, making a strong and engaging candidate experience crucial. Standing out in this environment means offering something genuinely meaningful, particularly when candidates may also be considering opportunities across different locations, working patterns and career pathways.

Our shortlisted submission highlights how Connect2Hackney has built a candidate experience rooted in purpose, inclusion and public impact. This includes inclusive job advertising, transparent recruitment practices and meaningful engagement with local communities, all designed to remove unnecessary barriers to employment and widen access to opportunity.

For hiring managers, this approach helps attract candidates who are motivated by public service values and who are committed to serving the Hackney community. For job seekers, it provides direct access to council opportunities and local public service roles, enabling people to build meaningful careers close to home while contributing positively to their own community.

The connection to Hackney is reflected strongly in the experiences of people working through Connect2Hackney.

“I was attracted to work for Connect2Hackney not only because of the opportunity to work within the Council, but because of the social purpose behind the brand. Being born and living all my life in the borough, it is important to me to prioritise local residents and know that I am contributing positively to my local area both financially and socially. What is amazing is that I am now working with people within the Council that I went to school with. Being council owned means Connect2Hackney is genuinely different from other agencies and focused on making a positive difference.”

- Employee testimonial from a Hackney resident

By creating a candidate experience that resonates in a market where people have choice, Connect2Hackney has strengthened trust in recruitment, broadened applicant pools and helped build a workforce that better reflects Hackney’s diverse communities.

The PPMA Awards take place later this month in Birmingham and we are proud to see Connect2Hackney recognised alongside organisations demonstrating excellence and innovation across public sector people management.