Seasonal Work

During the Second World War, Concordia wanted to supported the peace effort by recruiting volunteer labourers to work on farms, to assist with the war effort and to foster much needed cross-cultural understanding and empathy.

Things have progressed considerably since then - we are now a government trusted recruiter of seasonal labour for the UK agriculture and horticulture industry, with the mission to foster cross-cultural understanding between citizens all over the world.

Today Concordia has a strong ethical reputation. As a charity we continue to lead the way in all aspects of our work. Our commitment to excellence in recruitment and support for workers continues to drive our way of working – with best-practice initiatives such as our pastoral fund, emergency support and comprehensive membership package for workers and our commitment to delivering the best possible service to our network of farms. 

As a charity we offer your business more. Our charity status and ethos influences everything we do. In addition to offering excellent customer service and a cost-effective worker service, we ensure that our participants are fairly treated, well looked after, and benefit from cross-cultural exchange and learning whilst they are working in the UK.

Online, all the time

We provide our customers with access to a bespoke and simple to use online portal (Concordia Central), that enables you to manage your account online, 24/7, 365 days a year, and is a source of essential documentation for auditing purposes. All of this is accessible at the click of a button. Our purpose-built software enables you to send your seasonal worker requirements to us online, provides you with arrival details of participants and sends real-time notifications when your course is full. Most importantly it enables you to spend less time on paperwork, and more time running your business.

Trusted by the government

In 2019 and 2020 we successfully operated the Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme (SWPS). Feedback from both Defra and the Home Office confirmed that Concordia exceeded required performance standards and therefore helped further the case for a full seasonal worker scheme to be introduced.

Market-leading customer service

Our UK-based customer support team is the cornerstone of our organisation. Our team are experts at ensuring our customers have the right staff, at the right time. We invest in our team – ensuring they give our network of growers the best customer service available. Many of our customers have been with us for 20 years or more, which is the best indicator to us that they feel valued.

With you since the beginning

Concordia has worked with growers since 1943, giving us unrivalled knowledge of seasonal horticulture work placements. Our extensive experience and expertise allow us to empathise with the challenges you face, and consequently, offer the support you need to ensure everything runs effectively.

Reliable work force

We work closely with our overseas agents to ensure that all seasonal work candidates are interviewed and thoroughly screened, fully briefed on the job description and motivated to work. This ensures that workers arrive with accurate
expectations and are well suited to the work that they will be performing.

Excellence in ethical recruitment

We only use agricultural recruitment specialists, all of whom have a GLAA licence. Most of our agents have also worked on Concordia farms in the past themselves, meaning that they understand the rigorous standards we insist upon. Each agent is audited at least once per year by Concordia, and our audit has been designed in conjunction with industry experts. We also run our annual Agents’ Conference in Autumn. During the conference we review how the season has gone, look at any potential issues that have arisen over the year and share best practice across our network.

Understanding compliance

Complying with industry regulations is essential for a smooth-running business. Concordia supplies its network of farms with an audit pack, which helps them prepare in advance of the inspection. We have a Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) licence, work closely with the Association of Labour Providers (ALP), and are voluntarily audited once per year by an independent external auditor.

Influencing policy

Given our prominent position in the industry, Concordia is a trusted partner of, and regularly feeds into, the National Farmers Union (NFU), GLAA and Defra. This means that we are in a prime position to make sure that our network of
growers has a voice at the highest level. Our Chief Executive a vocal advocate for our growers and the sector more widely via national media outlets.

Membership package

Every Concordia worker is given our membership package free of charge. This includes a comprehensive and bespoke travel insurance policy, a sim card with pre-loaded credit and use of our emergency pastoral support function.

Previous Customers

If you’re already a valued Concordia customer and you already use our Concordia Central portal, then simply log into your account and re-register for 2021. If you’re unsure of how to do this, please call the team on 01273 422293 and we will help you through the process.

New Customers

If you’d like to join our network, please call 01273 021610, or e-mail [email protected] We will be happy to explain the benefits and process of joining our network. As a new customer, as part of our induction process, our customer service team will help you to complete your online profile, and our Field Officer will visit your farm to ensure that all the necessary legal and ethical requirements are met.

Worker Welfare

Every worker (including returnees) benefits from the Concordia membership package and wrap around support. It is of the highest importance us that we are at the forefront of ethics and worker welfare. Concordia workers pay no fees to Concordia or its agents during the recruitment process.

Our charity status and ethos influences everything we do. In addition to offering excellent customer service and a cost-effective worker service, we ensure that our participants are fairly treated, well looked after, and benefit from cross-cultural exchange and learning whilst they are working in the UK.