According to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data released this week, unemployment has risen sharply by 5.2%, the highest level in nearly five years, leaving almost two million people aged 16 and above out of work.
And yet, there are an estimated 734,000 vacancies in the UK currently. New research from easyJet shows a lack of access to smart work wear is a significant factor in creating this disparity, one that is often overlooked but in reality is preventing many people from seeking and securing employment opportunities.
Following a successful roll out to school kids in late 2025 via the Level Trust, easyJet has expanded its crew uniform donation scheme, aiming to provide jobseekers with smart, professional clothing for interviews, work, and everyday use. (Image: Joe Pepler/PinPep)
This is why easyJet is aiming to repurpose thousands of garments including trousers, shirts, jumpers, blazers and coats, and now turning its focus to support jobseekers struggling with the high cost of smart work wear.
Evidencing this situation, seven in ten respondents (71%) said the high expense of smart work wear prevents them from purchasing suitable attire for interviews and work life. As a result, 57% feel disadvantaged in the jobs market due to a lack of access to appropriate business wear, with nearly half (46%) admitting concern about their appearance has negatively affected their interview performance, leading to negative outcomes.
Additionally, over four in five people (83%) agree that access to suitable business attire would make it easier to present confidently at interviews, while almost nine in ten (89%) believing that having appropriate business wear boosts their chances of securing a job.
Revealing the huge demand there is for repurposed business clothing and the extent of the problem, 79% said they’d be open to wearing second hand business clothing if in good condition and offered for free.
In an effort to address this disparity, easyJet will be working with charities across the UK in areas nearby key airports, starting with Luton-based charity NOAH Enterprise, which alone supported over 1,000 individuals in 2025.
Lahiru Ranasinghe, Director of Sustainability at easyJet, said: “This initiative began with a simple goal: to reduce waste by diverting our uniforms from landfill and repurpose as many items as we could for reuse. What we didn’t anticipate was the strong demand for these items, the diverse ways they’d be used and the impact they can have, including increasing people’s chances of securing jobs.”
Jo Anderson, CEO of Noah Enterprise quoted: “For over 30 years, NOAH has been at the heart of the Luton community, providing vital support to people facing homelessness and extreme poverty. Through practical services, compassionate care, and long-term empowerment, we work every day to help individuals rebuild their lives with dignity and hope.
“Our impact is made possible through strong partnerships with local businesses and organisations that share our commitment to social responsibility. Collaborations with partners such as EasyJet play an essential role in helping us sustain and grow our mission, ensuring we can continue to reach those most in need and create lasting, positive change across the community.”
Working within local communities nearest to easyJet’s operations is one aspect of its sustainability approach. Complementing this, the airline continues its ambition to reduce and decarbonise its environmental impact and continues to invest in operational efficiencies and technologies to lower its impact both in the air and on the ground. Some recent examples, include
· Retrofitting older aircraft with more efficient sharklet technology
· Investment into new state-of-the-art navigation software to boost efficiency
· Moving on from high emitting APU units at Milan Malpensa
Following the initial rollout in Luton, easyJet plans to expand the scheme to additional charity partners across key UK bases, including Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Gatwick and Liverpool from next month (March 2026), with ambitions to extend the initiative across its wider European network in the next few months.
Uniforms donated by easyJet crew will be de-tagged and sorted by local teams, with the aim of providing thousands of items of clothing to be made available to jobseekers.
While there is much still to do, easyJet remains on track to meet its ambitious target of a 35% reduction in carbon emissions intensity by 2035 and, showing progress is gradually being made, was recently recognised as the top-rated airline globally by Sustainalytics for managing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks, receiving an industry-leading score of 18.0.
