1 in 7 people is neurodivergent, yet hiring processes remain largely inaccessible for neurodivergent people.

To shine a light on the unseen talent overlooked by employers, House337 and Autsitica have launched the Neurodiversity Employers Index - NDEI to help implement best practices and double the employment rate for neurodivergent people.

A digital out-of-home campaign and social media ads aim to draw organisations toward the index, marrying up awareness and action to advocate for change across the world of work and hiring processes.

The campaign creative is built around the idea of an ‘Unseen CV’, made up of images of a CV with someone's name at the top but entirely blank beneath. The simple yet striking image brings to life the way employers skip over neurodiverse candidates and completely miss the skills and talent they possess. Alongside the image copy reads, ‘some people’s talents are often unseen by employees’, while an accompanying QR code leads audiences to Austitica’s website and encourages them to learn more and register for the index.

“Many potential candidates don’t even get considered, or consider themselves, in certain professions because employers don’t realise how they can benefit from neurodivergent people’s skills, and we want to get this message out there for a radical change. We need to shift employers’ views on who they hire and how they support staff,” adds Jo Moore, Executive Creative Director at House 337.

For employers that follow the QR code, Austistica shares information on how to tailor the hiring process and create a work environment that caters to the needs of neurodivergent people. While the Neurodiversity Employers Index is currently being offered free and is a gold-standard framework that helps organisations to attract, retain and make the most of a neurodiverse workforce.

“Too many neurodivergent people's talents are unseen in job interviews or in the workplace, but small adjustments by employers can help them to perform to the best of their ability and bring diverse ways of thinking into organisations,” says Dr James Cusack, Chief Executive at Autistica.

Organisations that sign up will receive a confidential, scored report as well as a personalised roadmap for making change, pointing toward some quick wins and longer-term goals. The resources promote a sustainable and thorough approach to supporting neurodiverse talent, as well as acknowledging the various starting points and challenges that companies may face.

The organisations part of the Index (one of which being agency partner and founding member, House 337) will also have the opportunity to be included in the annual NDEI awards and access a group of employers leading the way in workplace neuro inclusion for networking and knowledge-sharing purposes.

The striking visual creative executions that point toward practical, actionable resources serve as a reminder as to how advertising has the power to make meaningful change. By widening the lens and daring to do things differently, Autistica’s Unseen CV campaign strives to open doors to new talent and diversify organisations to elevate creativity.