ERF and The Recruitment Network partner to strengthen performance and standards across Irish recruitment sector

By Jed Nykolle Harme

May 27, 2026

Photo Credits: Getty Images

The Employment and Recruitment Federation (ERF), the representative body for Ireland's recruitment and staffing industry, has agreed a strategic partnership with UK-based The Recruitment Network (TRN), combining compliance expertise and professional standards with performance-focused advisory support to strengthen operational capability across Irish recruitment businesses.

Business Plus reported that the partnership brings together ERF's role in promoting high standards, ethics, and professional practice in recruitment with TRN's community and advisory support for recruitment business owners focused on performance, productivity, and growth.

TRN members operating in Ireland will benefit from ERF's guidance on compliance, policy, education, and industry standards, alongside deeper insight into Irish labour market dynamics and the regulatory environment.

Joint initiatives under the partnership will include shared thought leadership and market insight for the Irish recruitment sector, collaborative events, a stronger combined voice on industry standards, and improved access to tools, training, and advisory support for recruitment businesses of all sizes.

Geraldine King, CEO of the Employment and Recruitment Federation, said: "The Employment and Recruitment Federation exists to promote high standards, strong ethics and professional practice in recruitment, while giving our members a clear voice with policymakers and the wider business community. This partnership allows us to extend the practical support and performance insight available to ERF members at a time when the market is changing quickly."

James Osborne, co-founder of The Recruitment Network, said: "The recruitment industry is evolving at speed, driven by technology, changing client expectations and new ways of working."

Both organisations confirmed they will remain fully independent, with advisory support, strategic programmes, and peer collaboration continuing to be delivered within each organisation's own membership structure.

Get the full details of the ERF and TRN strategic partnership here.