Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson has called on businesses to engage with ex-offenders and do more to help with their rehabilitation, thereby reducing reoffending rates. 

In a blog post on the company’s website, he said nearly three-quarters of employers were estimated to discriminate against people with a criminal record “even though we know that employment is the single-most important means of reducing reoffending”.

He continued: “Business must become a stronger advocate for rehabilitation. It makes perfect sense, as it increases the talent pool, lowers the price tag of reoffending, nurtures entrepreneurial spirit and contributes to safer communities.”

He said in-prison education, training and work was a “massive opportunity waiting to be seized”.

He praised charities such as Freedom Bakery, which trains prisoners in baking skills, and The Clink Charity, which has set up prisoner-run restaurants in four prisons.

However, he said more needed to be done, citing statistics that show 78% of prisoners say that finding a job would prevent them from reoffending: “Instead of being places of repression and stagnation, prisons should be places of activity, learning and opportunity.”

His comments echo those of ex-prisoner and former Conservative MP Jonathan Aitken, who recently said more action was needed to stop employers rejecting ex-offenders when recruiting. 

Aitken was speaking at a launch event for a practical guide to employing ex-offenders, published by crime reduction charity Nacro, HR membership association the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD) and the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) – 'Recruiting safely and fairly'.

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