AI & Automated Decision-Making Policy

RD1 uses AI-assisted tools as part of its candidate screening process, alongside its own recruiters' professional judgement. This policy sets out how that technology is used responsibly, in line with UK GDPR (including Article 22 on automated decision-making), the Equality Act 2010, and current ICO guidance on the use of AI in recruitment.

AI-assisted tools are used to support early-stage screening tasks — such as initial candidate engagement, structured information gathering, and consistent first-pass questioning — helping RD1 process applications efficiently and consistently. AI-assisted output informs, but does not replace, a human recruiter's judgement: no candidate is rejected from a role, or offered a role, on the basis of an AI-generated output alone, without a human recruiter reviewing the outcome before any decision that has a legal or similarly significant effect on the candidate.

In line with UK GDPR Article 22, RD1 does not make decisions that produce legal effects or similarly significantly affect a candidate (such as a final rejection from a role) based solely on automated processing. A human recruiter reviews the relevant information and makes the final decision.

RD1 selects and configures its screening tools with the aim of applying the same questions and criteria consistently to every candidate for a given role, to reduce the risk of inconsistent or subjective early-stage screening. RD1 monitors outcomes for signs of unintended bias against candidates with a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, and will adjust or stop using a tool or process found to produce discriminatory outcomes.

Candidates are told when an AI-assisted tool forms part of RD1's screening process for a role, what it is used for, and how to request a human review of any outcome, in line with our Candidate Privacy Notice.

Personal data processed by AI-assisted screening tools is handled in line with RD1's Privacy Policy, Candidate Privacy Notice, and Data Retention & Deletion Policy — the same standards that apply to all other candidate data RD1 holds.

Any candidate can ask for a screening decision to be reviewed by a human recruiter, ask what role AI played in their application process, or object to automated processing, by contacting RD1 via accounts@rd1.co.uk.

The Directors are responsible for approving any AI-assisted tool used in RD1's recruitment process, for monitoring it for fairness and accuracy, and for reviewing this policy as the technology or relevant guidance develops.