AI in hiring should be defensible.
Regulators are watching, candidates are asking, and buyers are being warned. Via was built for a world where employers have to prove their hiring AI is fair, transparent, and lawful. Here is how we do it.
Book a compliance walkthrough- UK GDPRIn force
- EU AI ActFrom Dec 2027
- Equality Act 2010In force
- Data (Use and Access) Act 2025In force
The problem with off-the-shelfAI in hiring
Consumer AI tools were not designed to process job applications. When employers feed candidate data into them, the risks are legal, reputational, and personal. Regulators have started to enforce.
16
Warning letters
Issued by the UK ICO to employers using AI in hiring, following its March 2026 review of over 30 organisations.
December 2027
EU AI Act, high-risk obligations
High-risk obligations for recruitment become enforceable. Every AI hiring tool sold in the EU must be defensible by then.
Article 22
UK GDPR
Restricts solely automated decision-making in hiring. It applies today, regardless of the EU AI Act timeline.
Four principles behindevery Via shortlist
These are not marketing statements. They are the operating rules the platform is built on, and every shortlist we deliver can be audited against them.
No bias by design
Every candidate is scored deterministically against the weighted criteria the client sets. The same CV returns the same score, every time. No hidden model, no opaque logic.
Human on every shortlist
Every shortlist is reviewed and approved by a senior Via recruiter before it reaches the client. Meaningful human oversight, not rubber-stamping.
Audit-ready by default
Reviewed by the UK Fair Work Agency with no issues raised. Full audit trail generated on every candidate scored, available to clients on request.
UK GDPR & EU AI Act ready
Article 22 compliant on automated decision-making. Article 28 DPAs in place with all sub-processors. Ready for EU AI Act high-risk obligations from December 2027.
How we do it
The mechanics behind the four principles. Every element is documented, versioned, and available to clients under NDA.
Deterministic scoring against client-set criteria
Clients define the weighted criteria on which candidates are scored, before any matching runs. The scoring engine is deterministic and stateless, meaning identical input produces identical output. No candidate is scored against a hidden model or a self-learning system.
Senior recruiter QA before delivery
Every shortlist is manually reviewed by a senior Via recruiter before it reaches the client. The reviewer has authority to remove, re-rank, or query any candidate on the shortlist. No shortlist reaches a client that has not passed human review.
Article 28 DPAs and sub-processor mapping
Signed Article 28 processing agreements with every sub-processor in the Via technology stack. Full sub-processor map available on request. Personal data processed on UK/EEA infrastructure by default; international transfers governed by Standard Contractual Clauses or the UK IDTA where applicable.
Ongoing bias evaluation on shortlists
Aggregated shortlist demographics are monitored to identify statistical anomalies that could indicate indirect bias in the criteria set or the source pool. Findings are reviewed by senior operations and shared with clients where relevant to their role families.
Explainability at the candidate level
Every shortlist decision can be traced back to the criteria, weights, and evidence that produced the score. Candidates have a right to request an explanation of any decision that affected them and to request meaningful human review under UK GDPR Article 22.
Documented data protection framework
Data Protection Impact Assessment, Legitimate Interests Assessment, and Privacy Governance Notice completed and reviewed annually. Available to clients and auditors on request.
What we are ready for
The regulatory environment for AI in hiring is tightening. Via is designed to meet the standard being set, not the standard that existed when the market moved to AI two years ago.
Restrictions on solely automated decision-making
Via's human review on every shortlist and explainability at candidate level are designed to meet the ICO's “meaningful human review” test.
Processor obligations
Signed DPAs with every sub-processor in the stack. Full sub-processor list available on request.
High-risk classification
Hiring AI is a high-risk system under the EU AI Act, with obligations enforceable from 2 December 2027. Via is building against those obligations now.
Bias in criteria and source pools
Bias monitoring on shortlists and client-set criteria are designed to help employers identify and address potentially discriminatory patterns before they cause harm.
UK data reform
Via's data protection framework has been updated to reflect the current UK statutory position, not the pre-reform framework.
The regulator's expectations for AI in hiring
Via's processes are aligned to the guidance and we are engaged with the ICO on emerging best practice.
Your rights on Via
Via handles your personal data lawfully and gives you meaningful control over how it is used.
- You stay invisible to employers until you accept a match
- You can request an explanation of any decision made about you
- You can request meaningful human review under UK GDPR Article 22
- You can request deletion of your profile and associated data at any time
- Your data is not sold or shared for marketing
- Full privacy notice available in your account settings
What you get with Via
The evidence you need to defend your AI-assisted hiring decisions to your board, your regulator, and your candidates.
- Signed Data Processing Agreement under Article 28
- Full audit trail on every shortlist delivered
- Named senior recruiter accountable for every shortlist
- DPIA and LIA documentation available on request
- Sub-processor list and transfer risk assessment
- Regular compliance review meetings included in Unlimited tier
Documents available on request
Full documentation is available to clients, prospects under NDA, and regulators. Request via the compliance team below.
Talk to our compliance team
Whether you are evaluating Via for a procurement decision, a candidate with a question about your data, or a regulator seeking information, we will respond within one working day.
