• Acorn has been awarded a two-year contract by Crown Commercial Service (CCS) on its permanent recruitment framework (RM6229) for the public sector. The recruitment agency will support the fulfilment of roles in administrative, corporate, finance, purchasing, policy, digital, data, project delivery and multiple other public sector functions throughout the UK. CCS supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services.

• AMS, a global provider of talent outsourcing and advisory services, has acquired FlexAbility, its longstanding recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) partner in India. FlexAbility, renamed FlexAbility by AMS, will operate within the AMS global platform. FlexAbility CEO Vinod Subramanian will continue to lead its management team and the company’s next phase of growth. The acquisition formally combines AMS’s global platform with FlexAbility’s local expertise in India, an increasingly important recruitment and workforce services market for AMS global clients.

• Midlands-based recruitment agency Encore Personnel has renewed its Armed Forces Covenant for another year as it steps up to silver accreditation. The firm first signed the Armed Forces Covenant in May 2021 when it achieved a bronze award which recognised its commitment to supporting the military community. Silver status means it is doing even more, including introducing new HR policies and guaranteed interview schemes to demonstrate and advocate its support to help ex-service men and women find their feet in a new world of work.

• European identity proofing provider IDnow has announced its UK partnership with Ankaa to quickly and efficiently confirm identities of candidates applying for jobs at sea. Candidates are directed to a portal via Ankaa’s platform, which “streamlines” the entire recruitment and onboarding processes. They can then upload locational documents, certificates and information about previous assignments needed to apply for a role which it claims often involves more than 30 pieces of documentation.