Recommendation 19

We asked about what was done to address conscious or unconscious bias in the way jobs are advertised and described. The Cabinet Office said that the written description and criteria were vital and, indeed, served as the basis for judging who would be appointable.37 It told us that it would expect job advertisements to be scrutinised for such bias before being provided to ministers for approval but it was not a requirement or something it tracked. It also said that it should include such considerations in its guidance and training.38 The Cabinet Office undertook to review alternative options for applicants to supply information on their relevant skills and experience when applying for roles that did not rely on traditional CV and personal statement formats, in particular the use of anonymised application forms.39