O U R C O M M I T M E N T
Diversity and Inclusion at Candyspace
Our Diversity and Inclusion Vision
At Candyspace we believe digital products – available to all – enrich our connections to each other and the world. Our vision is to create digital products that are loved by everyone – and we can only do that if those products are informed by a diverse range of ideas, perspectives, backgrounds and experiences.
As such we will constantly strive to ensure that diversity and inclusivity is central to what makes Candyspace thrive: creating an environment where no matter someone's ethnicity, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical abilities, age or sexual orientation they feel included, heard and valued.
That will make our digital products – and hence our connections to each other and the world – more valued and loved.
Our three D&I pillars
Women in Technology
Candyspace launched the Now+Next initiative in partnership with Founders4Schools, aimed at redressing the gender imbalance in technology and design. We provide inspiration, connections, experience and pathways into roles in data, design and technology for young women.
Social Inclusion
We aim to provide career opportunities for people regardless of their social, educational and financial backgrounds. We have partnered with the Drive Forward Foundation, who help young people leaving foster or residential care achieve their full potential.
Diversity in Recruitment
Our recruitment practices drive the attraction, selection and retention of the best diverse talent for Candyspace. That includes establishing a diverse panel of interviewers, all of whom receive mandatory fair recruitment training.
Our commitments
We have four working groups within our business – Diversity & Inclusion, Women, LGBTQ+ and Ethnic Minorities – to ensure inclusivity is embedded within our business
We offer a regular work experience programme to support our initiatives around Women in Technology and Social Inclusion
All Candyspace employees take part in mandatory diversity and inclusion training, and we conduct an annual D&I survey
We offer enhanced family-friendly policies, flexible working practices and a range of health and wellbeing activities for all our staff
What our people say...
TESTIMONIALS
SENIOR ANDROID DEVELOPER
Kiran
"I love working at Candyspace because I am working on a great project and learning new skills, the culture here is open, it's accepting and very friendly. I love working with skilled professionals, we're a team and we're learning from each other all the time."
iOS DEVELOPER
York
"I am grateful to join Candyspace because I could feel trust and respect from them. They show me that they see people and not just workers. Also, I can feel how they value the importance of well-structured codes and well-organised workflow. Joining Candyspace is the easiest decision I have made."
QA ENGINEER
Dorka
"What I love about my role at Candyspace is being part of creating something that has an impact on people’s everyday life. Individuals here are also very inspiring, I enjoy working in such a diverse environment. Everyone makes sure you feel welcomed, trusted and valued from the very first second."
Our current diversity
Gender
of our current staff are women
(+13% from 2021)
Ethnicity
of our current staff identify as non-white
(+17% from 2021)
LGBTQ+
of our current staff identify as LGBTQ+
(+4% from 2021)
Disability
of our current staff identify as having a disability
(Measurement began in 2022)
D&I Survey results 2023
We conduct an annual diversity and inclusion survey with all of our staff. The results below show the percentage of respondents that either agreed or strongly agreed with each statement.
Candyspace values diversity
People from all backgrounds have equal opportunities to succeed here
I can be my authentic self at work
I feel like I belong at Candyspace
Candyspace builds teams that are diverse
I feel respected at Candyspace
Celebrating our people’s achievements
AWARDS
Seye Olokode
DELIVERY MANAGER
Seye was named as a Champion of Change in the 2024 BIMA 100 for the third year running.
Seye is dedicated to bringing employment opportunities in digital and technology to young people in diverse and underrepresented communities in South East London. Seye has also dedicated his time to establishing and maintaining the Candyspace Diversity and Inclusion board, helping to implement recruitment practices to help drive the attraction, selection and retention of the best diverse talent.
Olaia
CORE PRODUCT DESIGNER
Olaia has been recognised in the Creatives and Designers category for her dedication to not only creating amazing designs for our clients, but also for providing inspiration to young women though our Now+Next initiative.
In March 2024, Olaia joined our Now+Next International Women's Day event to share insights on what a career as a digital designer really looks like. Olaia also took part in the inaugural Now+Next mentorship programme, providing one-to-one mentoring for a student looking to develop a career in digital.
Gemma Collins
PRINCIPAL PRODUCT MANAGER
Gemma Collins has been recognised in the Client Services and Project Management category for her positive and inspiring approach to managing the delivery of ITV’s most ambitious streaming service, ITVX.
Thanks to Gemma’s continued dedication to the project, ITV and Candyspace have been able to create the UK’s premier destination for content discovery. In its first year, ITVX has amassed over 3 billion streams with over 40 million registered users. In January 2024, ITV recorded their biggest ever month for streaming, with over 315 million streams.
Matt Simpson
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Matt has been recognised in the CEO & Leaders category for his human-first approach to leadership, keeping the people who work at Candyspace at its heart.
Matt has been responsible for a considerable shift in culture at Candyspace and has personally championed and driven the agency’s initiatives around social inclusion and women in technology. Matt has led by example and driven Candyspace’s thought leadership reputation, authoring white papers and opinion pieces, leading webinars, speaking at industry events and participating in panels and discussions.
The Map of Candyspace
OUR TEAM
Our Candyspace team is currently represented by 14 different nationalities, which include:
British, Brazilian, Canadian, Colombian, French, Greek, Hungarian, Indian, Iranian, Irish, Italian, Maltese, Nigerian and Spanish.
Interested in joining our team?
We would love to hear from you. Why not view our careers page, or contact us via the email below.
Careers enquiries: jobs@candyspace.com
Careers enquiries: jobs@candyspace.com