Which company is Breaking the Cycle with a Pair of Soles and a Set of Keys...

Business showcase; which business has impressed us this month…

Timpson is a well-known UK high street retailer that specialises in a wide range of personal and household services. While it started in 1865 as a shoe repair business, it’s now best known for key cutting, shoe repairs, watch repairs, engraving, dry cleaning, and photo services like passport photos.

But what really sets Timpson apart is its people-first culture. The company operates on a model called “upside down management,” which gives frontline staff the freedom to make decisions and deliver great customer service without layers of bureaucracy.

It’s also one of the UK’s largest employers of people with criminal convictions, thanks to the Timpson Foundation which was set up in 2002, making up approximately 25% of their workforce*. This social mission is woven into the company’s DNA, offering second chances and meaningful employment to those often excluded from the job market.

Their inclusive and flexible approach has led to Higher Employee Retention with 75% of people who have a criminal record staying long-term, which reduces recruitment costs and improves workplace stability. In contrast, as of 2024–2025, the average employee turnover rate in the UK was around 34–35%, meaning roughly one in three employees leave their job each year. These statistics challenge the misconception that hiring someone who has a criminal record will result in a higher turn over of staff. In fact, as you can see, it is the opposite.

_{*Updated information through a discussion with an Area Manager of Timpson}

This month’s highlights…

• Dispelling fears and misconceptions: We had a fantastic session last month educating and empowering attendees of this workshop. This is what one attendee said about the workshop, “Real life examples and experience shared were very helpful. Plenty of opportunities to reflect and challenge my own thoughts and biases. A helpful and informative workshop, thank you!” We’ll be delivering another of these later in the year, so keep an eye out.

• Training the trainer: We’ve been delivering high-impact training to a leading construction company who are already employing and supporting prison leavers. This training is part of our external consultancy work, which will enable this company to improve the support they provide to work experience participants, and increase the numbers of individuals from care or prison that they support. The course covers Neurodivergence, Trauma, Listening skills, and more. If you want to know more about how your business can receive this training, then get in touch.

• JEDI Matters: Nope we’re not talking about Star Wars, but about one of the new sets of standards for B-Corps, which sees them really focusing on Justice, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity, and guess what…it also includes hiring people who have a criminal record! Why do we include this? Because we spoke to the B lab Global senior standards officer to inform them of an error in their wording when referencing people who have a criminal record. There was a misleading sentence suggesting that everyone who had a criminal record had been to prison. He was very grateful for the insight and immediately removed the sentence from the standards. He also signposted me to some helpful connections, which will hopefully help us reach more companies.

• The House of commons: It was an absolute privilege to be invite to the House of Commons with Brighter Days, who run workplace emotional wellbeing training. Esther is currently training to become a trainer with them, and so this was a great opportunity to learn more and hear first-hand the incredible impact this training is having on staff from schools, construction companies, public sector services, and more. If you would like to know more about this training and how to access it, then click here