At RecFest 2026, Claire Knights (Chief Growth Officer at Great Place To Work UK) delivered a clear message: The strongest EVPs arenè檛 created in workshops è� theyè檙e discovered in your culture data.
Key Takeaways:
- Strong EVPs are discovered in real culture data, not invented in workshops.
- Claims must match actual employee experience.
- Use S.C.O.R.E. to validate EVP claims and F.A.C.T.S. to make proof visible.
- Marketing canè檛 fix weak ingredients è� authenticity drives trust.
- Future-ready EVPs are relevant, authentic, different, and future-focused.
Didn't make it to RecFest? Keep reading for the highlights from Claire's talk. And the conversation doesnè檛 stop there. At the this November, weè檒l be diving deeper into EVP, culture and what it takes to create great workplaces for all.
In a market where candidates can now ask AI è淚s this a good place to work?è� before they ever visit your careers site, the gap between what you say and what employees experience is more visible than ever. With one in three employees saying theyè檝e felt misled about an organisationè檚 culture or values, itè檚 clear that credibility is now the biggest challenge in employer branding.
Why EVP credibility matters more than ever
Candidate behaviour has shifted. Potential employees are checking multiple sources, comparing reviews with your employer brand and è� increasingly è� asking AI for a verdict.
Those systems prioritise information that is specific, verifiable, consistent and repeated over time. That means vague statements like è渨e care about wellbeingè� no longer carry weight è� for candidates or AI.
You canè檛 invent your EVP
As Claire shared on the day, è淓VPs must be discovered, not invented.è�
Too often, EVPs are built around aspiration rather than reality. The risk is generic messaging, lack of differentiation and claims that donè檛 stand up to scrutiny.
Instead, EVP should start with whatè檚 already true è� and provable è� in your organisation.
Thatè檚 exactly the mindset Vicki Saunders, founder of the EVP Consultancy, builds on in her EVP methodology, which combines culture data with broader talent and market insight.
- Ingredients è� your employee experience (benefits, programmes, policies)
- Recipe è� your people strategy and how it brings everything together
- The bar è� your EVP
- The wrapper è� your employer brand
- The shelf è� recruitment marketing
- The reputation è� what people say externally
The key takeaway is clear: You canè檛 fix weak ingredients with strong packaging. When these align, the story holds up. When they donè檛, candidates see the gap.
Itè檚 also something youè檒l be able to explore hands-on in Vicki's workshop at the .
A practical framework: S.C.O.R.E. and F.A.C.T.S.
To move from theory to action, Claire shared a two-step approach, detailing how organisations can use data from their Great Place To Work Trust Index鈩� survey to bolster their EVP:
1. Check the S.C.O.R.E.
Before making a claim, test it against your data, making sure it is:
- Strong è� genuinely high-performing
- Comparative è� better than benchmarks
- Ongoing è� sustained over time
- Representative è� consistent for all employees
- Evidenced è� backed by feedback
This ensures youè檝e earned the right to say it.
2. Share the F.A.C.T.S.
Then make that proof visible. It should be:
- Findable è� can it surface in search and AI?
- Attributable è� linked to a credible source
- Consistent è� aligned across channels
- Third-party validated è� independently verified
- Structured è� easy for AI to interpret
Put simply: your EVP needs to be discoverable as well as believable.
From claims to proof
The shift is clear:
- Old approach: vague statments like è渨e support flexible working.è�
- New approach: evidence-backed claims with data, benchmarks and consistency
This doesnè檛 just build trust è� it makes your EVP visible to the systems increasingly shaping candidate decisions.
What a strong EVP looks like
Claire outlined four tests every EVP should pass:
- Relevant è� matters to your talent audience
- Authentic è� reflects real experience
- Different è� sets you apart
- Future-focused è� holds up over time
The organisations that stand out in todayè檚 talent market arenè檛 the ones with the most polished messaging. Theyè檙e the ones where the experience is real, the data is clear, and the story holds up. Thatè檚 what turns an EVP into something people believe è� and something AI can validate.
Continue the conversation at the For All Summit London
At the , youè檒l go deeper è� into EVP, employer branding, and how culture can drive performance.
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