NCVO has joined more than 150 others and signed the Centre for Ageing Better’s age-friendly employer pledge.
The organisation joins 37 signatories from the charity and voluntary sector, such as the RSPCA, Age UK and the Fawcett Society, in pledging to become age-friendly.
Established last year by the Centre for Ageing Better, the pledge aims to help overcome ageism in the workplace as well and to assist employers to resolve skills shortages and record vacancy rates.
Emily Andrews, deputy director for work at the Centre for Ageing Better, said with an older population that is becoming both larger and more diverse, “it has never been more important for organisations in the voluntary and community sector to be age-friendly”.
Nonetheless, “physical, practical and emotional barriers mean that over 50s miss out on the benefits of getting involved with voluntary and community organisations all too often”.
The Centre for Ageing Better believes with an ageing population and ever longer working lives, workers in their 50s and 60s are key to filling these gaps.
‘Celebrate the wealth of knowledge and experience older workers bring’
By signing the pledge, NCVO has committed to taking at least one action a year to improve the recruitment, retention and development of older workers.
Signatories also commit to identifying a senior sponsor for age-inclusion within their workforce and ensuring that age is specifically named within their equality, diversity and inclusion policies.
Woosh Raza, director of people, culture and inclusion at NCVO, said: “We are delighted to be making this pledge to recognise and celebrate the wealth of knowledge and experience older workers bring to the sector.
“We will be working hard to listen and learn about what it means to be a truly age-friendly employer as we strive to continue building an inclusive organisation for all.”
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