In recent years, anonymising CVs has gained traction to help combat unconscious bias in the UK job market.

By removing personal identifiers such as name, age, gender, ethnicity, and sometimes educational institutions, employers aim to focus solely on the skills, experience, and qualifications of candidates. This approach represents a significant step towards fairer hiring solutions, fostering diversity and inclusion in workplaces.

Find out what you and your organisation can do to implement fairer hiring solutions and tackle bias in recruitment and talent acquisition below.

"More clients are focusing on making their recruitment processes as fair as possible," says Ellie Prideaux, Not-for-Profit (NFP) Manager at Trace Recruitment. "We’re proud to support organisations taking proactive steps, like anonymising CVs to combat bias. There’s also a growing trend of prioritising cultural fit alongside skills, ensuring diverse perspectives are integrated into teams."

The Rationale Behind Anonymised CVs

Research has long highlighted the prevalence of unconscious bias in recruitment. Studies by institutions like the Centre for Social Investigation at Nuffield College have shown that candidates with names suggestive of minority ethnic backgrounds often face discrimination, even when qualifications are identical.

“96% of recruiters think that unconscious bias is a problem”, according to Business in the Community. “For some businesses, anonymous recruitment is a useful tool in helping them to focus on skills, rather than personal characteristics and life experiences, and in that way can support the creation of a more inclusive workforce.”

By stripping away potentially bias-inducing information, recruiters can assess candidates on merit, reducing the influence of implicit biases that may otherwise sway decision-making.

Developments in Anonymising CV Practices

The UK has witnessed several initiatives aimed at promoting anonymised CVs:

1. Public Sector Leadership
   In 2015, then-Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the Civil Service and several high-profile employers would adopt name-blind recruitment for graduate roles. This marked a significant endorsement of anonymized CVs in tackling inequality in the job market.

2. Tech-Driven Solutions
   Advances in HR technology have facilitated anonymized recruitment. Software tools like Applied and BeApplied automate the removal of identifying details from CVs and application forms, ensuring that human biases are minimized at the earliest stages of recruitment.

3. Policy and Advocacy
   Campaigns by organizations such as Business in the Community and the Equality and Human Rights Commission have emphasized the importance of unbiased recruitment practices. Their advocacy has encouraged a broader uptake of anonymized CVs across industries.

4. Corporate Initiatives
   Many companies in the private sector have voluntarily adopted anonymized CVs as part of their diversity and inclusion strategies. These measures often complement broader efforts to foster equitable workplace cultures.

The benefits of anonymised CVs are wide reaching and vital for organisations to acknowledge when trying to implement fairer hiring solutions and sourcing new talent for their teams:

• Increased Diversity
  Anonymizing CVs can lead to a more diverse pool of candidates reaching the interview stage, enhancing representation across gender, ethnic, and socio-economic lines.

• Improved Employer Reputation
  Employers adopting bias-reduction strategies often enjoy enhanced reputations among job seekers, particularly those from underrepresented groups.

• Better Decision-Making
  By focusing solely on qualifications and experience, hiring managers are better positioned to identify candidates with the right skills for the role, leading to higher quality hires.

Challenges and Limitations

While anonymised CVs offer clear benefits, they are not a panacea. Critics argue that:

• Bias Can Resurface Later
  Even if candidates reach the interview stage through anonymous CVs, biases may still influence decisions during face-to-face interactions.

• Limited Scope
  Anonymising CVs addresses bias in early recruitment stages but does not tackle systemic barriers that underrepresented groups face in the workplace.

• Practicality Issues
  For small businesses or roles requiring niche expertise, anonymising CVs might be less feasible due to the need for more personalized assessments.

"Anonymising CVs is a fantastic first step but creating a truly fair and unbiased recruitment process requires a collective effort”, says Ellie.
”It’s a company-wide responsibility that involves everyone—from the CEO to the intern. Each person plays a role in promoting fairness, from unbiased interviews to fostering an inclusive environment. When everyone is aligned, organisations can build a diverse and inclusive workforce."

The Path Forward for Fairer Hiring Solutions

To maximize the impact of anonymised CVs, organizations must adopt a holistic approach to tackling bias in recruitment. This includes implementing structured interviews, providing bias training for hiring managers, and regularly auditing recruitment processes for fairness.

Working closely with our clients, we help develop clear pathways to ensuring a fair and unbiased recruitment plan, working on roles from Senior to Entry level, with organisations across Media, Commerce, Fashion and Financial Services.

Moreover, the continued development of AI and machine learning tools holds promise for refining anonymisation techniques, making the process both more efficient and effective. Policymakers and industry leaders must also collaborate to ensure that these tools are used ethically and transparently.

We highlight a range of best practices and fairer hiring solution in 2025 in our free Trend Report, which you can access here.

Conclusion

The movement towards anonymising CVs in the UK job market signals progress in the quest for fairer hiring solutions. While challenges remain, the growing adoption of these methods highlights a broader commitment to reducing bias and fostering diversity. By continuing to innovate and advocate for equitable recruitment practices, the UK can pave the way for a more inclusive and dynamic workforce.

If you have any questions or would like to know more, get in touch with Ellie and Emma here.