Diversity Recruitment

Savannah Group is committed to supporting all forms of diversity. As a specialist Executive Search and Interim firm we have more than 15 years’ experience placing diverse candidates into senior leadership teams. We have a fresh approach and are passionate about helping leadership teams achieve greater business performance through access to a diverse range of talent.

McKinsey’s 2020 report ‘Diversity Wins’ highlights that the relationship between diversity on executive teams and the likelihood of financial outperformance has strengthened over time. It found that, gender representation stands at 15% while ethnic and cultural diversity stands at 14% in executive teams.

Our service is tailored and personal, and as a result we are trusted by some of the most forward-thinking businesses internationally to help them acquire high quality, diverse senior leaders.

“The Hampton-Alexander Review team would like to congratulate Savannah Group for excelling in their work to further diversity and inclusion in the recruitment of senior leaders at Board, Executive and direct report level.”

Statistics show that gender, ethnic and cultural diverse individuals are under-represented at executive level. In order to source and acquire the best diverse talent, it frequently requires searching beyond the obvious markets. We have networks that expand across continents, and the research capability to explore all relevant markets.

1. Succession

Creating talent banks through our diverse global connections and networks to build succession.

2. Overcoming Barriers

Advising our clients on effective recruitment strategies and how to overcome barriers whilst maintaining candidate quality.

3. Candidate Openness

Working with Candidates by providing an environment of openness and healthy criticism.

4. Board Level Conversation

Confidential Board and Senior Executive succession planning around all aspects of diversity and inclusion strategies.

5. Representation

Ensuring our clients are well represented both technically and strategically at board level.

6. Accountability

Making ourselves accountable and building it into our delivery. We are partners not suppliers.

Diversity plays a key role in unlocking a business’s maximum potential. The 2018 ‘Delivering Through Diversity’ Mckinsey report found that companies that demonstrated the highest levels of cultural diversity were 33% more likely to have industry-leading profitability than those lacking diversity. At Savannah, we have a proven track record of consistently producing exceptional candidate shortlists of individuals from a diverse range of cultural and professional backgrounds.

Diversity isn’t just about ensuring that teams are culturally diverse; it is also about valuing difference and allowing the various strengths and skills that different members of the team have to come through. It is no use increasing the number of diverse individuals in a leadership team if they don’t feel supported enough to be able to present and have their views listened to. As a way of understanding the different personalities of leaders, we have developed a transformational leadership tool to ensure that the right support mechanisms are in place for both our team and our clients to achieve the benefits of diverse perspectives.

We all harbor unconscious biases that influence our perceptions and judgments of others. As a business, we spend a lot of its time interviewing and assessing individuals. To help overcome these preconceived ideas we actively recognise that distortions occur, question why we have been socialised to think this way, and take necessary steps to reduce the impact of our preconceived biases on our behaviours when networking and building relationships with candidates.

Savannah Group quickly demonstrated a deep knowledge of the talent pool, and were able to call on their wide ranging network to inform the search process. We challenged them for a diverse short list of high calibre candidates and they delivered. It was a pleasure to work with Savannah on this search and I’m delighted that we were able to complete this critical appointment within our targeted timescale.

Patrick Bermingham, Group HRD

Very responsive, found quality people for us and quickly understood our culture to find people that are a strong fit. Even if there have been challenges they have always found a way to solve the problems and create solutions. The partnership and collaboration has been a positive for us.

Sebastien Froidefond, Chief Human Resources Officer

We knew there would not be many people in the market with the skill set we wanted so we needed a global approach. The added complexity of the search was the accelerated pace we asked them to work at, which they did successfully without compromising on quality.

Maira Kokkinou, VP Talent Acquisition

Creating a more diverse organisation is a key point on almost every board’s agenda. Whether the business is facing quotas, investor demands or public scrutiny, business leaders are increasingly interested in seeing a diverse selection of candidates when hiring for new positions.

As a result, we are regularly asked how we can tap into diverse talent pools at the early stages of a search. In some extreme cases, a client may have already singled out a specific minority to hire (which is both short-sighted and potentially discriminatory).

In this rush to bring diverse talent to an organisation, few stop to ask themselves why they are actually doing this. What is it about the sex or race of a particular candidate that makes them the best fit? What does the company hope to gain by seeking out a more diverse group of candidates in general?

Answering those important questions holds the key to unlocking the potential of a diverse organisation, and that requires redefining what diversity is.

New research finds that traditional approaches to corporate governance are too often a box-ticking exercise and a distraction from the success of UK PLC. Our research report explains why governance measures are currently failing and what could be done to improve them.

Our partners operate at the highest level of the market, focusing on Board, C-Level Corporate Functions and appointments in key sectors. We were one of the first Executive Search signatories to the voluntary code of conduct to address gender diversity on corporate boards, we are partnered with the Windsor Leadership Trust and their programme to support Black and Asian leaders, and we regularly host events and share our thought leadership to bring awareness, enable discussion and ultimately support positive change.

We are delighted to support Windsor Leadership in the launch of their new programme to support Black and Asian Leaders.

The Inspiring Black and Asian Leaders Programme offers senior leaders from differing sectors the opportunity to engage in a challenging, thought-provoking and inspiring environment and shape an energising vision for how and where they lead in the future

With more than a decade of experience in identifying and securing high performing executives, Savannah offers a rigorous global search process based on deep functional and industry knowledge.

From business transformation to crisis management, our experienced team, integrated interim and search practices, and accelerated search process secures for you the senior leaders needed to drive short-term fundamental change.

Market leading businesses are increasingly asking us for detailed market intelligence to either help inform current searches or to understand landscapes as foundations for future searches. We offer market intelligence reports and mapping as a stand-alone service, giving you a complete 360 degree view of relevant talent.

Since 2018 we have been producing quarterly and annual reports providing analysis of board and executive appointments within the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250, specifically looking at gender balance. Among other observations, the analysis shows a significant increase in gender diversity amongst the non-executive director appointments however a significant shortfall in diversity amongst the executive director appointments.