Early Talent Programme Application: Collection of Diversity & Inclusion Data FAQ
Cognizant will be implementing its Early Talent Programme in the UK. Candidates will be able to apply to job(s) in the Early Talent Programme through a dedicated Application Form (“Application Form”). We have set out further information below so that you can understand how this will affect you, your work and your personal data.
Why do we use the Early Talent Programme Application Form?
The Application Form allows candidates to apply for jobs in the Early Talent Programme instead of sending in their CV’s. This will remove any bias from Cognizant’s recruitment process and enable verification of candidates’ eligibility.
The Application Form will ask for general personal information and contact details (i.e. name, , address, etc.) so that your eligibility can be checked and if you are successful in the early talent recruitment process we have all the necessary information to make you an offer. In addition, in the Application Form, candidates are asked to provide voluntary information regarding their personal and social circumstances and background (“Diversity & Inclusion Data)”to help Cognizant to improve diversity of its workforce.
Why are we collecting Diversity & Inclusions Data? At Cognizant we understand the importance of Diversity & Inclusion and work hard to ensure that we embrace good practices. Put simply, it’s about attracting and retaining the very best people from a diverse range of characteristics and backgrounds – and making sure that every employee feels included and able to bring their best self to work.
In order to ensure our recruitment processes are inclusive, equitable and accessible, we ask candidates to answer the Diversity & Inclusion questions in the Application Form. Understanding the backgrounds of our candidates is crucial to ensure we are able to get our recruitment processes right. The Diversity & Inclusion Data we are collecting will become a measurable part of our strategic performance and will act as a primary catalyst for organisational change, as well as providing input into external benchmarking.We have made commitments externally to be open and share data as an organization on diversity and inclusion – so this is one element that enables us to report on that commitment.
Please note that completion of the Diversity & Inclusion questions is entirely voluntary. You do not have to complete any or all of the information requested and if you chose not to provide this information, it will not have any (adverse) impact on your application or the assessment process.
Please note that should you chose to complete some of all of the Diversity & Inclusion questions, your answers will be held separately from your application and will not be visible to anyone within Cognizant involved in the recruitment process. We encourage all applicants to complete this part of the form but the information is provided in strictest confidence and in no way forms part of the assessment process
What does this mean for my personal data?
The following types of personal information will be processed in the Application Form: Name, Address, Phone number, Email address, Education, Employment history Processing this information is necessary for us to assess eligibility for our Early Talent Programme.
We will also ask further questions in the Equal Opportunities section of the Application Form (Diversity & Inclusion questions) regarding: – gender (orientation); - race, ethnicity social mobility background religion; marital status sexual orientation disability (i.e. dyslexia)
Please note that completion of the Diversity & Inclusion questions is entirely voluntary. You do not have to complete any or all of the information requested and if you chose not to provide this information, it will not have any (adverse) impact on your application or the assessment process. Please note that should you chose to complete some of all of the Diversity & Inclusion questions, your answers will be held separately from the rest of your application. Only after aggregation the data is made visible to anyone within Cognizant involved in the recruitment process.
The above mentioned personal information is received directly from you by completing the Application Form.
Should you chose to provide us with Diversity & Inclusion Data, this data will only be processed if you consent to such processing by ticking the “I Consent” button in the Application Form. You can withdraw your consent to the processing of your Diversity & Inclusion Data at any time by emailing us: SAR@cognizant.com
For more information on the reasons for which we process your personal data, please see the “Why we need to collect your Personal Information” section in the Candidate Privacy Notice.
Who will have access to my personal data? Within Cognizant the following roles/departments may have access to your data for recruitment purposes: Human Resources and Recruitment will have access to the personal data necessary for the recruitment process.
Only Aggregated Divertisty & Inclusion Data (regarding gender, race, ethnicity, social mobility, etc.) is accessible by limited number of Cognizant employees who are not involved in the recruitment and hiring process and will be used for the purposes of reporting on social mobility and diversity, external benchmarking and to make Cognizant’s recruitment process more inclusive and accessible.
Cognizant’s vendor Cappfinity will have access to your data for hosting purposes, to run the recruitment process and invite you to assessments. In such cases Cappfinity will be committed to confidentiality.
Will my personal data be transferred outside my country of residence?
The data will be hosted by Cognizant’s vendor Cappfinity who utilizes Microsoft Azure cloud .
Additionally, for support/maintenance Cognizant IT department may access the data from Cappfinity
Note that all transfers of European Personal Information will be governed by the Standard Contractual Clausesso that we can ensure your personal data is afforded an adequate level of protection in accordance with local law.
How long will my personal data be kept?
The Diversity & Inclusion Data will be retained for up to 6 months after collection.
For information on data retention, please see the section on “How long we retain your Personal Information” in the Candidate Privacy Notice.
Will my data be secure?
The following security measures are in place to protect your personal information:
Identity and access management
Infrastracture protection
Threat detection and monitoring
In addition, we ensure the security of your personal data by carrying out the measures specified in the Candidate Privacy Notice.
What about my rights?
Note that the Cognizant Worldwide Limited is the data controller of your personal data for the purposes of the applicable data protection laws andif you wish to exercise any of your data subject rights, you should follow the steps set out in the “What are your rights” section in the Candidate Privacy Notice.
Questions?
For more information on the Application Form, please contact SAR@cognizant.com
If you would like more detail on how we use your personal data, including how you can update and access your personal data, please see the Candidate Privacy Notice. If you have any questions, concerns or complaints about Cognizant’s privacy practices please follow the steps set out at “Contact Us” in the Candidate Privacy Notice.
