Rockwool is the UK’s leading manufacturer of mineral wool insulation for fire, thermal and acoustic protection. The firm wanted at least 20 per cent of applications for work in its expanding factory at Bridgend to come from women. However, many females were reluctant to apply because of misunderstandings of Rockwool and its work.
Rockwool’s only female shopfloor worker, Leanne Valeri, was recruited as ambassador for the company’s campaign. Valeri, together with senior human resources advisor. Maureen Trehame, became Rockwool’s spokewomen in local media. Creative photography was used to maximise the story’s impact.
Female applicants were invited to see the Rockwool factory and meet its women employees. The ladies’ evening provided a call to action for the press and generated enquiries to the recruitment website. It proved to be so popular that a second one had to be arranged to cater for the numbers.
A key element of the campaign was to reassure journalists that the campaign’s message did not flout equal opportunities legislation.
Too successful
Of the 1830 applications received, more than 25 per cent were from women. Excess demand prompted Rockwool to ask IAS to reduce further PR activity.
“Without the campaign, I envisage that we would have had few female applicants, if any,” says Trehame. “Results were overwhelming, far exceeding our expectations and leading to the recruitment of women to key supervisory and operative posts.”
