The mission: Prepare eligible prisoners for skills and work ethic on release

Finding steady, meaningful work after prison is one of the biggest hurdles people with convictions face and is a key factor in reducing the risk of reoffending. Many come up against barriers that make it hard to rebuild their lives. SUEZ recognised this problem and wanted to find a practical way to support rehabilitation by creating real job opportunities during their time in prison.

 

Working with the New Futures Network and local prison and probation teams, SUEZ runs ROTL placements mainly at Category D prisons, including Surrey, Avonmouth and Manchester. Category D prisons hold low‑risk offenders who are working towards release and may be granted temporary release to work. The aim of the project is to offer paid, on‑site roles that build self‑worth, workplace habits and practical skills before release, while strengthening the links between employers, prisons and probation services to support a safer, more stable return to the community.

Our solution: Work placements that lead to permanent employment

The programme uses Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL), which lets carefully chosen prisoners leave daily to work on SUEZ sites while still serving their sentences. The process is open and thorough, where people apply, interview, disclose their convictions and are assessed for risk by prison staff. This is a highly selective, highly rigorous process rather than a mass hiring drive. It keeps volumes deliberately small and, by supporting people with the best chance of success through the programme, shows SUEZ is a responsible, careful employer given the sensitivities involved. 

Piloted in Surrey in 2018, ROTL sits alongside other prison partnership work, which includes in‑prison workshops on repair and upcycling, City & Guilds‑standard training, careers fairs, CV and interview help, and training. ROTL participants do the same jobs as other staff, receive the same health and safety induction and job training, and are paid the SUEZ wage for the role (with some payroll limits through the prison system). Many complete industry‑recognised qualifications that help with promotion and longer‑term careers, all of which are practical steps that support rehabilitation and lower the chance of reoffending.

 

For people not yet eligible for ROTL, SUEZ runs workshops and mock interviews so those approaching release can still build confidence, prepare applications and practice interview skills.

The results: Trained, motivated employees and clear post‑release job pathways

About  
25%
of ROTL participants given permanent jobs

Paid work
practical skills and a route to steady income

ROTL produces clear social value, where people leave prison with recent workplace experience, recognised qualifications and the confidence to look for steady work. While the scheme is deliberately selective, it consistently creates meaningful, lasting opportunities rather than short‑term placements. Several participants have moved into permanent roles after release, and many more have left better prepared for life in the community.

 

About 25%, or one in four, ROTL participants go on to secure permanent employment, showing the scheme delivers real, sustained outcomes for a carefully selected group.

 

The benefits are practical and personal, too, as participants earn wages well above typical prison work pay, allowing them to save for housing and essentials and easing financial pressure that could otherwise push someone back into crime. We’ve seen real training and progression among the participants. For example, one individual completing IOSH and MEWP qualifications, earning promotions within months and receiving parole board recommendations supported by SUEZ reference letters. Even where a permanent job isn’t possible, people walk away with interview experience, professional feedback and a stronger sense of worth.

 

The programme’s careful selection and close partnership with prison and probation teams give people a real chance to rebuild their lives and reintegrate back into communities. ROTL continues to expand, bringing new placements into the pipeline and deepening SUEZ’s work with prisons and probation services.

 

By providing steady work, relevant training and clear post‑release pathways, ROTL sits at the heart of SUEZ’s commitment to social value: helping local communities, reducing reoffending and opening up sustainable career options for people who might otherwise be excluded. Projects like this change lives for the better, one carefully chosen placement at a time.

I was fortunate enough to get the position at SUEZ Avonmouth and throughout my 10 months with the company, my point of contact at SUEZ, Emily Bussey, went above and beyond in helping me secure employment and ease my transition upon release.
Participant, Avonmouth ROTL scheme