James Timpson has employed ex-prisoners since 2008 and says putting trust in people pays off
For James Timpson there is nothing charitable about employing former prisoners. The head of the high street shoe repair and locksmithing firm Timpson – which had a turnover of £209.3m last year – insists he is the “most commercially minded person you will ever meet”, but that employing ex-offenders makes good business sense because “the people we recruit from jails are so bloody good”.
Since 2008, when he opened a shoe repair workshop in HMP Liverpool (no key-cutting skills were practised), his company has employed more than 1,500 ex-prisoners. Just four have returned to jail. Many of those who turned their backs on crime – including some with drug and alcohol issues – have progressed to senior roles in the company, including a current board member.