Webinar Recap: Recruitment Reimagined – Turning DEI Intent into Everyday Hiring Practice

“Your hiring decisions don’t just fill roles, they shape the culture you become.”  – Reach ATS

This webinar brought together Hector Bustillos, Head of Marketing Growth at Reach ATS, and Mark McLane, Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Well-Being at M&G plc, for a practical conversation on how to move DEI from inspiring slides into everyday hiring decisions.

They focused on early careers and graduate talent, but the lessons apply across hiring: candidates want stability, evidence of inclusion, and honest signals about the kind of culture they are stepping into.

Why this conversation mattered

From Reach ATS’ vantage point, thousands of applications move through the platform every day. One clear trend has emerged: for early careers talent, “how inclusive a company is” now sits in the top three reasons to apply, right alongside pay and flexibility.

Hector shared that younger candidates, including Gen Z and late millennials, are searching for more than a logo or salary band:

“Young people… are really looking for a place that feels human, that is supportive, a place of belonging, you know, safe.” – Hector Bustillos 

The session set out to:

1. Explain why DEI is now a top filter for early careers talent.

2. Share a simple framework for where DEI lives (and drops off) in recruitment.

3. Show how Mark and M&G have turned DEI intent into daily hiring practice.

What candidates are looking for now

Hector framed candidate expectations through three lenses.

1. Stability and psychological safety

In a choppy economy, early careers talent are under pressure to secure a role that can support a “decent lifestyle” over the long term.

They are not just asking “Can I get this job?” but:

• Will this employer stick with me when times are tough?

• Will I be treated as a person, not just a performer?

“If they’re going to work for a company long term, they’re looking for a company that enables a safe place to work, a place that supports them… and is not only just looking at performance.” – Hector Bustillos

2. Signals of inclusion before they apply

Most of a candidate’s judgement on inclusion is formed before they ever hit “Apply”.

Hector pointed to four visible touchpoints: careers pages, job ads, DEI and accessibility pages, plus reviews and social posts.

“If candidates are looking for inclusion, they are looking at your careers pages, at your job ads, at your vision and the social proof that comes within those.” – Hector Bustillos

Younger candidates are, in Hector’s words, “detectives” piecing together clues across your channels to decide whether they will belong.

3. AI, uncertainty and ‘is my job future proof?’

The third lens is AI and automation. Candidates know roles, skills and expectations are shifting fast.

Hector noted that some organisations are using AI or efficiency drives to justify layoffs, which can fuel anxiety about whether technology will replace them.

“AI is only a tool that enables productivity… there are going to be people that will need to know how to use AI for the benefit of the company, not just to replace.” – Hector Bustillos

For many candidates, clear inclusion commitments now signal long term safety and support in this context of change.

Where DEI lives in recruitment: Signals, screens, stories, systems

Hector offered a simple four step framework for weaving DEI into the hiring journey.

1. Signals

   • What you believe and aspire to show up in job ads, careers pages, DEI statements and adjustment routes.

   • These are the first things candidates see.

   • “Signals” tell people whether it is worth investing their time.

2. Screens

   • The wording on application forms, how shortlisting works, the design of assessments and interviews.

   • This is where bias can creep in or be reduced.

   • Hector encouraged teams to “keep pumping” their inclusion mission through these steps, so candidates can feel it from end to end.

3. Stories

   • Social proof in action: website stories, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn posts.

   • Candidates compare what you say with what colleagues actually share.

4. Systems

   • The hardest piece, but often the most powerful.

   • How decisions are made, who gets promoted, and how feedback loops back into hiring.

This framework set the stage for Mark’s examples from M&G.

From intent to strategy at M&G

Mark started by sharing his path from a 20 year career in sales and marketing into senior DEI leadership roles at Whirlpool, Booz Allen Hamilton, Barclays and now M&G.

His core belief is that DEI must be approached as business strategy, not side activity.

“I am very focused, on a day to day, about not just what we are doing for colleagues, but what we are doing for our customers… this work should be able to influence our business practices in a positive way.” – Mark McLane

He also linked “signals of inclusion” directly to brand:

“That’s not just for our potential colleagues. It’s also for potential customers… If you look at our DEI page, you’ll see there’s a DEI microsite where we add colour to what’s in our annual report and our pay gap… it influences our careers pages, our LinkedIn Live pages and what I post as the head of diversity, inclusion and well-being.” – Mark McLane

Programming has a place, he said, but:

“Programming is necessary, but it’s not what drives the work. It should be what underpins the work.” – Mark McLane

Publishing a clear DEI strategy

In 2020, M&G published a five year DEI strategy with three key metrics:

• Representation – 40 percent women in leadership and 20 percent ethnic minority representation in senior leadership, aligned with external reviews such as the Women in Leadership and Parker Reviews.

• Inclusion – an inclusion index built into the employee opinion survey, reported down to managers of teams of five or more so they can see how included people feel day to day.

• Brand impact – benchmarks across gender, ethnicity, LGBTQ plus, disability and life stages to track M&G’s position as an employer of choice.

The firm has since raised its gender target to 45 percent women in leadership and recommitted to 20 percent ethnic diversity through 2027, with planning already under way for the next stage.

For Mark, the point is not perfection, but proof:

“If you don’t have the evidence to say you’re making progress, that’s not embedded.” – Mark McLane

Data, systems and telling your story

When asked how organisations can justify continued investment in DEI in a tough climate, Mark had two immediate priorities.

1. Update your systems for self ID

“When you’re a candidate and we ask you to apply, our systems allow for self identification… whether you choose to identify as I do as a gay man or not, that’s not my concern. I want you to know that M&G is a safe and trustworthy organisation, and that starts with systems.” – Mark McLane

Self ID is the first touchpoint that shows people they count, without needing a big campaign.

2. Tell your story consistently

“Nothing is stopping you from telling your story of what your culture and organisation are like on LinkedIn, on your careers pages, on your website. But you have to have a plan and it has to be consistent.” – Mark McLane

M&G plans DEI activity annually, from board involvement through to diversity networks, and then links this to external associations such as Black Women in Asset Management, LGBT Great and others to reach the talent they want to attract.

What inclusive early careers recruitment looks like

Mark gave practical examples of how M&G connects DEI to early careers and community outreach:

• Working with organisations such as The Talent Factory and Urban Synergy, where colleagues mentor young people from lower socio economic areas.

• Bringing students into M&G to see the workplace up close and hear directly about internships and apprenticeships.

• Encouraging students to apply for internships early, not “wait and see”.

• Staying in touch with interns who are interested in the graduate programme, creating a pipeline where many grads have already spent time with the company.

“What we’re seeing is our cohort of grads and apprentices this year includes people I remember meeting as interns last year… you’re sending students back to university who are talking about your company because they already feel a part of it.” – Mark McLane

Equity in everyday policies

When the conversation moved to equity, Mark was clear:

“For me, it’s about being equitable, not equal. And that starts with your policies.” – Mark McLane

Examples from M&G included:

• A single, gender neutral parental leave policy replacing separate maternity, paternity and adoption policies, with 22–24 weeks for anyone who becomes a parent or is the reason someone else becomes a parent.

• Actively encouraging men to take this leave and publishing their stories afterwards to normalise it.

• A flexible “Take Time When You Need It” policy that managers can use to support colleagues’ individual circumstances.

• Adding clear provisions for menopause and IVF after colleagues asked for them, to “give greater awareness” and make these conversations easier at work.

Mark’s point was that these policies are not only benefits. They are signals. When colleagues tell their stories about using them, others can see that inclusion is real, not just written.

For smaller organisations: pick one thing and stay with it

Audience questions turned to what smaller or resource strapped organisations can do.

Mark’s advice was simple:

“Pick one thing you want to do… one area, either in your geography or community, that’s going to make a difference… My point is, get started. But pick one thing. If your resources are limited, pick one thing, do it really well and do it over time. Don’t chop and change every year.” – Mark McLane

That “one thing” might be:

• Partnering with a local school or college.

• Joining a mentoring scheme such as The Diana Award or Urban Synergy.

• Hosting one small work experience programme each year.

The key is consistency, so you build brand awareness and create genuine impact, instead of dipping in and out.

Key takeaways for HR and talent teams

From both Hector and Mark, a few themes came through again and again:

1. DEI is now a top filter for early careers talent – candidates are weighing inclusion alongside pay and flexibility when they choose where to apply.

2. Most inclusion judgements happen before someone applies – your careers pages, job ads and social proof are as important as the interview room.

3. Strategy and data come before programmes – publish clear goals, build self ID into systems, and report on inclusion as part of engagement.

4. Policies are powerful signals of equity – gender neutral parental leave, flexible time policies and honest stories show what people can expect if they join.

5. You do not need to do everything at once – especially in smaller organisations, start with one meaningful action and stick with it.

6. Learning is non negotiable – as Mark put it near the end, “We all have to be willing to learn.”