Includability – Certified B Corp – is delighted to welcome COOK Trading Ltd – Certified B Corp – as an Includability Committed Employer for 2023.
COOK has successfully completed the Includability Committed Employer 5 Star Verification Process in which they have engaged in taking the journey towards authentic inclusion by integrating fairness into their company culture and into each stage of their recruitment process by making commitments in our pillar areas of Diversity, Inclusion, Sustainability, Mental Health, Wellbeing, Talent Management, Impact, Leadership and Governance and Ex-Military Support.
Paul Smith, Founder of Includability, said: “We are delighted to welcome COOK into our Includability Community. Obtaining our Includability Committed Employer status is a fantastic achievement, and I am so pleased the team have worked so closely with our verification partners to commit to greater transparency to create an inclusive and mentally healthy workplace culture.
“COOK is now part of a growing network and community of like-minded organisations that will support each other to share best practice, empower employees, do better for the planet and work collaboratively to consistently set higher workplace standards. I am thrilled we will be taking this journey together.”
Who is COOK?
Cook is a manufacturer and retailer of hand-made frozen ready meals with over 90 of their own shops, and a delivery service. COOK meals and puddings have picked up numerous Great Taste Awards and can also be found in hundreds of independent shops across the UK.
COOK is a founding member of B Corp UK, part of the global movement of responsible businesses, a certified by the Living Wage Foundation and has been voted the Best British Food & Drink Company to work for. Their programme to help people back into work after prison, homelessness and other challenges has been recognised with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
Tina Wallace, Head of Recruitment at COOK said, “COOK is thrilled to become a verified Includability Committed Employer. Attracting a wide range of people and supporting our team members to be their most awesome selves, means that our business can reach our goals and continue to be a force for good. Becoming part of the wonderful Includability community demonstrates our commitment to creating an inclusive and sustainable workplace culture.”
What are Includability's pillar of inclusion areas?
Includability champions the following:
Environment and sustainability (E+S)
Mental health
Employee well-being
Talent management
Leadership and governance
Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
Ex-Military Support
All areas fall under the people, planet, purpose and profit framework of the Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) business model.
What is Includability’s 5 Star Verification process?
The 5 Star Verification Process was independently conducted by Includability Official Partners; Prosperah, Outliers Wellbeing, Flex Wellbeing, Unleashed, The HR Agency and Mental Health Charter CIC to ensure practices align with established definitions of an ‘Inclusive Workplace’.
Completing our 5 Star Verification process (or the 6 Star Verification Process for Includability Committed Recruitment Agencies) involves members completing a Company Commitment survey, having introductory, and possible follow-up, calls with our verification partners to assess where they are on their journey, making further commitments to engage with best practice in our pillar areas, and focussing each area into an overall sustainability strategy for their company which will raise the standard of their corporate social responsibility.
What does Includability’s verification process mean for new members?
Successfully completing the Includability 5 Star Verification Process for Includability Committed Employers immediately gives COOK access to a growing community network of purpose-led organisations.
Displaying our Includability Committed Employer or Includability Committed Recruitment Agency badge signifies to audiences and jobseekers that the holder is committed to undertaking steps to better themselves through education and collaboration. In a values-driven market, Includability Committed Employers enjoy a wider range of talent from our standard.
Why choose Includability?
Includability is a B Corp Certified community network developed to raise expectation, increase employer accountability, and create a new standard for what the recruitment sector should deliver through engagement, collaboration and regularly sharing best practice.
Includability became a Certified B Corporation in March 2023 with a score of 143.2 and is one of the few B Corps to be both Planet Mark and B Corp Certified.
Includability provides; community networking, access to best practice consultants and resources, and a job board to all Includability Committed Employers. We aim to provide inspiration and action for positive change in the workplace.
Our scope of incorporating all of our pillars into our verification process means we are the number one network platform of choice for employers and job seekers and to positively contribute towards a society that is sustainable, free from discrimination and mentally healthy, which will be achieved through clear communication, collaboration and decisive action.
