The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) does not feel threatened by the arrival of the Institute of Recruiters (IOR), the staffing industry newest professional body, according to APSCo’s chief executive.

Ann Swain told Recruiter: “It would be ridiculous if we were not to welcome the IOR, as the new kid on the block. If there is a gap in the market then it needs to be filled…… We are not threatened by them.”

The IOR launched on 1 June as a professional body with a mission to promote promoting professional practice within recruitment, primarily through education.

Swain continued: “There are a lot of individuals in recruitment that are not members of any trade association; it’s a good thing for them to have options.

“Anything that sets out to strengthen the recruitment industry has to be good.”

Swain added that she did not rule out collaborating with the IOR on issues in the future.

“If he [Azmat Mohammed - joint founder of the IOR] wants to help us, and we can help him, and if it’s appropriate we will.

“There are a lot of disaffected recruitment people in the market, and if there’s a common place and common goals, that’s a good thing.”

Swain revealed that she recently received correspondence from Mohammed suggesting that the two bodies could work together in matters of technology. 

She added that she didn’t have enough details, but that she had invited Mohammed to attend an APSCo meeting.