How Randstad Built a Global Pipeline From Training to Placement

Randstad’s journey began in 2019 by formalizing a set of local pilots in countries such as the Netherlands, Italy, and Belgium. These markets were selected because they already had ongoing refugee employment initiatives prior to 2019, making them the most advanced starting point to shape and test a consistent global approach. 

One of the most impactful initiatives was the Almere Pilot in the Netherlands, where Randstad consultants worked in-house at an asylum seeker center—an official accommodation site where asylum seekers live—in collaboration with the municipality and the center’s management. This approach removed access barriers and allowed recruiters to better understand legal and administrative challenges. The pilot exceeded its initial target, achieving 50 placements within a year and generating critical insights that led to future scaling.

To operate across diverse legal and cultural contexts, Randstad developed a flexible implementation framework that could be adapted locally while remaining globally consistent. Key components include:

• Skills-based hiring, using practical skill assessments (real-time work simulations) to validate capabilities when documentation is missing, supported by AI-enabled matching to translate foreign qualifications into local market standards.
• Training before the first day of work. Randstad delivers job-specific language training—teaching the “500 most important words” for a given workplace (such as a warehouse or an IT office)—in partnership with language apps and local schools, supported by dual-language onboarding and cultural onboarding for both the refugee and the hiring manager.
• Refugee-ready consulting, supporting employers in managing multicultural teams and non-linear career paths.

Recognizing that systemic challenges require collective action, Randstad partnered with the Tent Partnership for Refugees in 2019, as well as NGOs and UNHCR at local levels. 

Local NGOs played a practical sourcing role by identifying talent and providing initial vetting and support, while a set of “anchor clients” (notably in tech and logistics) acted as early adopters—major employer clients that committed early to hire at scale, providing the initial demand and proof of concept for other employers. 

Special attention has been given to mentorship programs, particularly for refugee women, with Randstad employees providing hundreds of hours of guidance focused on soft skills, confidence-building and career navigation.

The initiative is coordinated by a Global Project Manager and supported by an internal global SPOC (Single Point of Contact) Community, ensuring alignment, accountability and rapid knowledge sharing across countries. Dedicated teams and trained recruiters, such as those working at the “Meedoen-balie” (participation desks), provide specialized expertise on refugee legal status and placement pathways.
 

Executive sponsorship (spearheaded by the COO) was secured because refugee inclusion was framed as a strategic response to global talent scarcity and embedded into Randstad’s “Partner for Talent” strategy—not as a standalone sustainability effort. This “tone at the top” translated into public targets and organizational accountability, alongside resourcing for specialized Diversity & Inclusion teams and displaced-talent job coaches to support delivery at scale.

Through Randstad’s equity-driven approach, the company removes barriers that stand in the way of opportunities and potential, partnering with clients to create inclusive workplaces where all talent can belong and excel.

Since 2023, refugee integration has been formally included in Randstad’s non-financial reporting cycle. This step significantly improved data quality, transparency and accountability, enabling the company to track progress and communicate results with credibility.

The company supports the creation of national Tent chapters and uses public pledges—such as its global commitment—to mobilize peer companies. It also engages with governments to promote faster access to work permits and more flexible approaches to skills recognition, and publishes whitepapers and labor market research that build the economic case for refugee integration and help shape public narratives through media engagement.

Real scale was only achieved once refugee integration moved from CSR into Randstad’s main Partner for Talent strategy.

Local pilots were essential for learning, but impact grew when insights were translated into a global blueprint.

Skills-based hiring unlocked access to talent that traditional recruitment would have excluded.

Partnerships with NGOs, governments, and business peers are critical to overcoming structural barriers.